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Daily Justice
“Since the days of Shakyamuni, Buddhists had based themselves on the equality of all parties taking part in discussion.
“These Buddhists always based themselves on reason, and even if their mistakes were exposed, they would never explode in anger. Rather, on such occasions, they would joyfully abide by reason.
“Authoritarians, however, hate to have their assertions subjected to public scrutiny, and so refuse to discuss things on even footing with others. When someone does not follow their pronouncements, they unilaterally punish the person.
“Herein lies the standard for clearly determining who is a Bud­dhist and who is an authoritarian” —SGI President Ikeda (June 17, 1991 World Tribune, p. 4).
The priesthood refused to dialogue in 1990 and 1991. Their position remains unchanged: “Never in a million years will Nichiren Shoshu and the Soka Gakkai have a discussion” (Dai-Nichiren, November, 1994) (July 2008 Nichiren Shoshu Monthly).
 

7. Why Should We Pray About Soka Spirit?

The real victory for the SGI in the temple issue is when our organization has educated as many people as possible.

Jeff Farr
Associate Editor

The real victory for the SGI in the temple issue is when our organization has educated as many people as possible about the difference between the SGI and Nichiren Shoshu - about what Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism actually teaches. To accomplish this education, strong daimoku backing us up is necessary.

We already pray for this victory every day, every time that we do morning gongyo: In the fourth prayer, we pray for the development of the SGI and for our organization to accomplish kosen-rufu, the global propagation of the Daishonin's teachings. The SGI's success in temple issue-related education is a crucial step in this kosen-rufu progress. How is that?

The priesthood has attempted to alter the Daishonin's Buddhism, a religion that offers the greatest hope to the world's people, presenting it as something it's not. Nichiren Shoshu's version plays on people's inferiority complexes, reinforcing their self-doubt, telling them that priestly intervention is essential to their becoming happy. This directly conflicts with the Daishonin's assertions that we only attain Buddhahood through our own efforts in faith.

Since the Nichiren Shoshu's version still has the potential to confuse many more people than it already has, it is a problem for the kosen-rufu movement.

Chanting daimoku for the SGI to be victorious is something concrete that any of us can do, anywhere, at any time, toward a solution. And it's something very important for us to do - in fact, the fundamental determinant of victory, as in all our challenges, will be daimoku.

Also, because chanting about the temple issue is such an essential part of our larger effort for kosen-rufu, we should know that we are sure to benefit from doing so. As the Daishonin says in Reply to Kyo'o: Muster your faith and pray to the Gohonzon. Then what is there that cannot be achieved? (Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, p. 412).

We should have no doubt that great benefit lies in being part of the SGI's education efforts; daimoku can be a starting place for each of us to participate. 

(Originally published in the World Tribune, April 30, 1999)

 

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