35th anniversary speach/essay
holte...@my-dejanews.com
Dear Ken, Paul, et. all;
Ken you told me I've never been to the Temple to ask the NST
side of the story. However, that is not the truth. I wish
it were that easy. If you examine the words and deeds of
Nikken himself you can see that it is he, not anyone else,
who should take responsability for what happened. His own
words betray him. Like you I have never relied on the words
of the SGI. It's not that anyone is intentially going to lie,
but when people are partizan they can make mistakes, exagerate,
or otherwise distort the truth. Therefore one should always
seek both sides of a story carefully, one has to tread
carefully in the realm of slander and calumny if one is
to get to the truth. Actually the SGI has been a lot more
helpful than the Temple folks. If it wasn't for research
by the SGI, I wouldn't have a clue as to the actual history
behind events. I couldn't be nearly as sympathetic to the
Temple side of the story without the aid of the SGI. The
words of Nikken are damning enough to his cause, expecially
now that several years have passed and events have processed
onward and downward.
I will use for my first little essay the text of one of the Temple
documents put out within several months of each other in 1991.
I published a Text of the letter of the priests complaint about
President Ikeda earlier. I didn't add any comments at the
time because the letter stands quite on it's own.
From the Speach of Honorary President Ikeda
at the 35th Headquarters Leaders' Meeting
November 16, 1990
>Printed below are some of the portions of President Ikeda's speech that remain in
>question by Nichiren Shoshu. The Japanese cluture is quite different from that of
>America and it can be hard for some of you to understand the core of the problem
>clearly. The Japanese Language is also different from that of Enlglish. There are
>many ways of addressing remarks in Japanese depending on to whom you are
>speaking: for instance, to a man, a woman, a child, or a boss. It can be very
>impolite to use the wrong forms or to speak of someone in a vulgar fashion instead
>of a respectful one. This is impossible to see in English if one merely reads a
>word-for-word translation. Please keep this in mind.
Japanese is also a language and culture that sometimes puts forms and
politeness ahead of honesty. The Practice of Indirection is much like
the practice used of Gangsters in the US. The Mob boss says "Dispose
of the situation" and the mobster knows exactly what that means. The
built in indirection of Japanese allows either deep profundity, or very
sinister behavior. The concern of Japanese culture with politeness can
cause honesty to seem like rudeness. After all honesty often is rude.
"The high priest's got to consider the happiness of the believers.
Not power."
I saw this line on the handout. Bolded for emphasis. This was the first
complaint of the priests!? What's wrong with this criticism? If
someone criticized me like that I'd thank them. Doesn't the happiness
of the members come first? Aren't we supposed to be strengthening
the embankment of our faith so that we can attain enlightenment?
>This statement seems to indicate that the High Priest flaunts his authority with no
>consideration for the welfare of the believers. Further, it seems as if the Honorary
>President is publicly trying to instruct the High Priest which we find altogether
>lacking in humility.
Oh! So that is it. He's not supposed to criticize the High Priest.
Why was Ikeda criticizing the Priests in such a rude way? It would
seem that he would regard the High Priest as a father, or at least
as an older and wiser brother-in-faith. It would seem that they
should be working in harmoneous unity for the grand goal of Kosenrufu!
Well I read on and found that there had been crticisms of the Gakkai.
Ikeda's dialogues were not considered Shakubuku, the SGI had
reneged on donating 200 temples, and the Chorus had sung a Christian
Song. All of these things were "serious deviations" and needed to
be corrected. Moreover the youth division had refused to apologize
or follow the directions of the priests instead they were bombarding
the priests with questions and various criticisms. But I get ahead
of myself. This letter was Nikken's reason for firing Ikeda from
his Sokoto position suddenly, most of that other stuff came later.
In retrospect the Priesthood is who were lacking in Humility. Ikeda
was right to criticize Nikken for lacking compassion. The events of
the next year proved it. Even if the slanders of Ikeda were true,
it was utterly compassionless for Nikken to order the disbandment of
the Sokagakkai and the removal of Ikeda without being willing to debate
with the members or listen to their pleas. Jihi may sometimes involve
strictness, but strictness in Buddhism is aimed at strengthening the
happiness and lives of the people so that they may attain enlightenment.
"And even if you listen to his difficult dogma, it's altogether over your
head. It's downright incomprehensible to everyone. Just like listening to
German, you know. And he goes, "I'm important. And you down there, you
converts, you believers, you believers.' That just won't do in these
times. The Gakkai's got to follow the times."
>We believe that this statement infers that the sermons and instructions of High
>Priest 0Nikken Shonin are so difficult as to be of no practical use to believers.
>The instructions of the High Priest explain the deep doctrines of Nichiren Shoshu.
> Naturally they are difficult. To make criticisms of this sort, even though it is
> the role of believers to listen attentively in an effort to understand, is to deride
>the High Priest. Further, phrases such as "I'm important. All of you..." seem
>to refer again to the High Priest, but he has never once said anything of the sort.
>We think these are clearly slanders against the High Priest.
I have since talked to members who spoke Japanese and heard his speaches.
Nikkens speaches were exactly as discribed. My old lawyer has a plaque
which explains the approach:
"If you can't dazzle them with your brilliance,
befuddle them with your bulls**t."
That seemst to be the approach that many Buddhist teachers take in explaining
the difficult concepts of Buddhism. That is why in the Vimilakirti sutra
both Sharihotsu and Maudgalyana were admonished. There is nothing wrong
with big words and deep explainations, but you also have to bring them
down to earth. It also turns out that this was in the context of the
High Priest criticizing Ikeda's Shoju methods in conducting dialogues
with anyone who would talk to him. The High Priest had criticized him
publicly and in private for doing this. These criticisms are still
going on in much the same vein. This just indicates foolishness. If
one is talking to people and trying to convince them of the validity
of Buddhism, if it is in the context of an honest discussion or debate
it is perfectly reasonable to point out the fallacies in an argument.
But if you are talking to Christians who have no Idea what Zen is and
you say words like "Zen is a teaching of Devils," you will just loose
your audience. Like calling Mother Theresa a devilish person in front
of Catholics. There is a time and a place for debate. But of course
Nichiren Shoshu is quick to condemn Ikeda for conducting dialogue instead
of debate, but do you see the priests dilligently debating with heretical
priests? No, they don't even join us ignorant practitioners on ARBN.
"It was during the time of the 50th Anniversary, right when I was being
driven to the wall. I was betrayed, I was done in, and I was made to
resign from the position of president, you know. I was thoroughly
done in by the priesthood and the Shoshinai group....they made an
ass of me. And then to make matters worse, Mr. Hojo goes,
"The future's bleak, isn't it?' What the hell are you saying!
Look to the 60th Anniversary! The dazzling splender will ultimately
bear fruit with the 60th Anniversary, so cheer up!' Now this is the
president mind you. I'm the honorary president. Do you really
think so?' He said. Fool! Really now. Who can I depend on for
the struggle? Really."
This was news to me. I missed Ikeda for a time in the early 80's. There
had been a notice-able sense of drift. I was caught up in my own troubles
however. But I dated a girl in 1980 who had close ties to Rev Iwaki,
and at that time I saw for myself that the Temple was recruiting direct
members. I had been surprised by Ikeda's apology Tozan. I still have
the Shoji Kechimyaku Sho lecture that he had been taken to task for,
and I still cringe when I see his apology paraded on these websites.
Because it was completely uncalled for. Yet he had done so, not because
he was "biding his time", the Sokagakkai probably would have weathered
that storm as well as they weathered the later one, but because he
sincerely believed in the need for harmony between priesthood and laity.
Nevertheless, in 1980 the priests were actively recruiting separate
memberships. It didn't dawn on me what that meant until much later, but
it was obvious that there were two "flavors" of practice even then. I
later heard that the lawyerly Yamazaki was playing politics by
trying to foment trouble, and urging Ikeda to make these apologies,
while leaking any thing that would piss the priests off to the priests.
But I don't know for sure, one way or another this was very frank speach
by Ikeda. At the time I was shocked to hear such words. But still
they weren't the words of someone who had done anything wrong, but the
words of someone who felt he'd been victimized, and that nevertheless,
things were going to turn out.
>We feel these words either just contradict the facts or reveal a deep hostility towards
>the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood as well as a failure to repent for the doctrinal deviations
>evident throughout 1977. Such comments entirely reverse the statements of apology
>and reflection made by Honorary President Ikeda on the occasion of Josei toda's twenty
>second memorial service (published in the May 1980 issue of the Seikyo Times under
>the title "Reconfirming Our Fundamental Mission.") In that article Honorary President
>Ikeda made the following statements:
This passage wiped out any sympathy I was starting to feel towards the
priests. I had heard all the allegations, and the so-called doctrinal
deviations, to my Gosho indoctrinated mind were exactly the opposite.
I will leave that for later essays. It's my opinion, but the central
thing that was in this letter and missing from this letter, was the
sense of compassion for the members who love Ikeda. The priests should
know that you do not win converts by making nitpicky arguments. You
may bring down presidents that way from their office, but you do not
elevate anyone with an approach of slander. The priests insist that
members (it's in their letter) show them respect, but they show no
real respect to the members. Nikken said himself "please explain to
the members who are confused by this", but he only meant the members
of the Hokkeko. He'd already written of the SGI members. To me this
showed a man who lacks true compassion, and is motivated by anger. If
the priesthood had wanted to convince me, all they had to do was to
come to the community center, and take their case to me. But they
insist on maintaining appearances over substance. And they insisted
on talking about Deviations and faith as if these things came from
them. I'll discuss this more later.
But here is the part of the letter that Craig likes to post as part of
his Signature file:
"As the person who held the position of highest responsility at the time
when the problems arose, I would like to sincerely apologize where apology
is due, and at the same time express my thoughts and feelings. In so doing,
I believe, I can show some measure of appreciation to the successive high
priests who have enfolded us with their mercy, and also pledge my unchanging
loyalty to the sixty-seventh high priest, Nikken Shonin."
"It is true that the recent troubles with the priesthood occurred in the
wake of the basic policy which the Soka Gakkai adopted for the second phase
of Kosen-rufu.. and also as a result of guidance which I gave based on that
policy during 1977." It is true, however, that in our eagerness to explain
difficult Buddhist doctrines in a way that everyone could readily understand,
we began without realizing it to apply them rather haphazardly or to make
arbitrary interpretations which in some cases deviated from their original
meanings."
"Now I admit that some of the words I uttered were too self-righteous,
too much Soka Gakkai-centered, sounding as if the Soka Gakkai were
primary and the priesthood secondary. This led some individuals of the
priesthood to wonder if the Soka Gakkai might not be contemplating a
break with Nichiren Shoshu. It is also true that some of the Gakkai
members voiced emotional opinions. I deeply apologize for all this."
"I also admit that in doing so I made light of the roles of the priests and
the temples of Nichiren Shoshu, creating a tendency among Soka Gakkai
members to regard their own organization as more important than the
priesthood. This can only be attributed to my conceit originating from
my immature faith. From The bottom of my heart I apologize to the
Dai-Gohonzon.
>Honorary President Ikeda should withdraw these statements and once again make it
>clear that he resigned voluntarily as President of the Soka Gakkai in 1979.
Ikeda did resign voluntarilly, but he was also under intense pressure
to do so. And he did make the above apology. In my humble opinion if
he should apologize for anything at this time it should be for
ratifying the nonsense that the High Priest is God. Those other apologies
were the kind of apologies a good man will make to settle a dispute.
"The Daishonin doesn't talk about the death of the disciples of our sect,
that is, our death, as the death of the believers. The Daishonin doesn't
say that for the most part. (He uses the words) disciples of our sect
(monks) and partner (waga ichirui), you know. The Shoshinkai group says,
believers, believers,' but we're all believers, you know, of the gohonzon.
Even the Monks. Don't you agree? You can't tell me that only the monks are
praying otherwise, you know."
This is self descriptive, but not to the priests!
>When the Honorary President brings up questions involving the priesthood in his
>speeches in recent years, he says things along the lines: "There were bad priests
>who used the priest's status and the authority of the cloth to look down on disciples
>who assiduously applied themselves to faith, practice and study." That is to say he
>covers up the doctrinal deviations of the Soka Gakkai and speaks as though there
>have been no mistakes on its part; we believe in this way he borrows the name of
>the Shoshinkai to criticize the priesthood in general and that his objective is to
>persuade the members of Nichiren Shoshu to distrust it. Due to deviations in
>doctrine such as denying the correct heritage of the law, the Shoshinkai group was
>expelled from the Nichiren Shoshu Priesthood. At the same time, High Priest
>Nikken Shonin acted to protect the Soka Gakkai as well as Honorary President
>from the attacks of the Shoshinkai group. The current attempt to portray the
>priesthood as arrogant hedonists, seen in the recent publications of the lay
>organization, mislead the members and serve to instill distrust of the Priesthood
>and the temples as a whole.
Based on the amount of anger raised by this passage, one wonders if it
might be a case of "if the shoe fits..."
The priesthood as a whole has completely misunderstood the point of
Ikeda's words here, or maybe they understood all too well....
"These days, you know, they say they take the tonsure, but you know,
they take wives and make babies,"
The priesthood since the 1600's has been mostly married, a holy priest
after Nichiren's example is rare "I neither eat meat nor lay with a
woman". Indeed the modern priesthood has more in common with Hindu
Brahmans than with Buddhist Monks since they have turned the priesthood
into a priestly cast.
>A comment lie this makes it seem as though those who upheld the Hinayana
>commandments, such as celibacy, were holy priests while those with spouses and
>children are inferior in their practice of buddhism. We believe that this kind of
>statement is abusive and seeks to degrade the image of the Nichiren Shoshu clergy.
This is an interesting passage, "degrade the image of Nichiren Shoshu"
indicates a stronger interest in appearance than with reality. In truth
it is the behavior of foolish mortals within an organization that
degrades the "image" of something. The Monica Lewinskies of the world
can't "degrade the image" of anyone, but the Bill Clinton's of the world
can. Nichiren says to develope a reputation based on the "lotus Sutra"
not worldly concerns. To me there is nothing wrong with priests marrying
and eating meat, as long as they understand there is a trade off. Moreover
the comparison to hinayana is misleading. Nichiren and Mahayana Buddhism
hold to a higher standard than Dilligence, the standard of "living the
Lotus Sutra". That is a holy priest in true Buddhism is one who "does
not begrudge his life"... "and honestly discards provisional teachings"...
seeks to lead others to the true way. That is he should not spend his
time in "idleness and gossip", but strive dilligently to achieve Kosenrufu
until the day Kosenrufu comes. He should carry our the will of the
Daishonin, not await the will of the Daishonin. A will is a piece of
paper until someone executes it. A fool is someone who is willed a great
prize, and instead of using it for good, buries it in the ground.
--
Read the Gosho for yourself
Gosho can be found at:
http://dragon.lizardtech.com/
Chris Holte
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djuhl...@aol.com
holte...@my-dejanews.com wrote:
> I have never relied on the words of the SGI.
> It's not that anyone is intentially going to lie,
Oh, no, of course not:
http://www.ul-m.demon.co.uk/ndb/sglie.htm
Derek N.P.F. Juhl
holte...@my-dejanews.com
djuhl...@aol.com wrote:
> In article <6ta34o$u7b$1...@nnrp1.dejanews.com>,
> holte...@my-dejanews.com wrote:
>
> > It's not that anyone is intentially going to lie,
>
> http://www.dejanews.com/rg_mkgrp.xp Create Your Own Free Member Forum
>
world in ferment,
Men with shaved heads,
pretending to be wise.
Chris