Catalyst for Growth

The Justice Chronicle, provided by Soka Gakkai International-USA, is a free monthly e-mail in support of the Soka Spirit movement. Soka Spirit is the SGI's educational effort to create value and deepen our understanding of Nichiren Buddhism through increased awareness of issues surrounding the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood and the spiritual foundation of the SGI movement.

1) RECENT GUIDANCE ON SOKA SPIRIT

This is an excerpt of an article by SGI-USA Vice General Director Linda C. Johnson, entitled Challenging Our Weaknesses Is the Key To Believing In Ourselves. The full text of this article appears in the January issue of Living Buddhism.

CHALLENGING EVIL IS THE CATALYST FOR OUR GROWTH

Many of us think that if we don't do anything the problem will just go away on its own. This is not the case. Even if it seemingly goes away temporarily, it comes back bigger and stronger. SGI President Ikeda explains: The strength of our mind of faith changes suffering into joy, into a tailwind to propel our further advance. This is what the 'Devadatta' chapter teaches. Nichiren Daishonin says: 'Devadatta was the foremost good friend to the Thus Come One Shakyamuni. In this age as well, it is not one's allies but one's powerful enemies who assist one's progress' (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, 770). To attain Buddhahood, we have to thoroughly conquer our own inner evil. The concrete means for doing so is struggling against and defeating external evil. Struggling to defeat evil enables us to polish and purify our lives and attain Buddhahood. Because we strive against the ultimate evil, we attain the ultimate good (The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra, vol. III, p. 84).

In other words, the oneness of good and evil means that where evil exists, there is the potential for good, and where good exists, there is the potential for evil. Whether evil is transformed into something good is totally dependent upon our reaction to evil. Do we use our circumstances as a justification for our failure, or do we use our circumstances as an opportunity to develop our strength? When we challenge evil with the spirit that we will create something of value out of it, then evil functions to propel us forward. It becomes the catalyst for our growth. If evil functions to reveal good, then evil in its entirety becomes good. This is truly the oneness of good and evil. But if evil is simply allowed to run its course, then it does not become good. Only when evil is thoroughly challenged and conquered does it become an entity of the oneness of good and evil (p. 83).

In addition to our individual lives, this principle also applies to the situation we are facing with Nichiren Shoshu. We live during a historic time, a time when we have the opportunity to prove the correctness of Nichiren Buddhism by the way we respond. Nikken is changing Nichiren's teachings by proclaiming, for example, that people can only attain enlightenment by going through him. Are we going to permit Nikken to change the teachings, or are we, through our efforts, going to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to practice Buddhism correctly as taught by Nichiren? Are we going to prove that Nikken is wrong by showing the undeniable growth of the lives of SGI members throughout the world?

Happiness, from the perspective of Nichiren Buddhism, is not a state of life in which there are no problems. Instead, happiness is to be found in challenging and winning over our problems. I believe that the happiness we seek is the feeling that occurs whenever we cross that finish line, in spite of the fact that our heart is pounding, our feet hurt, and our lungs feel as if they are about to explode. That feeling of triumph against all odds is a state of pure joy that no one can give us, no matter how much they might love us. It is a state that only we can achieve through our own efforts.

2) FROM MY DEAR FRIENDS IN AMERICA

This series contains excerpts of speeches SGI President Ikeda made in the United Statesÿ which relate to Soka Spirit and are contained in the book My Dear Friends in America.

This excerpted speech was given on Sept. 16, 1993, in Malibu, Calif.

WITHIN THE FAITH OF ORDINARY PEOPLE

While making it clear that we should base ourselves on the Gohonzon, 26th High Priest Nichikan also insisted that strong faith and practice are necessary to tap the infinite powers of the Buddha and the Law. He wrote in the same commentary: One should understand that when one believes in the object of devotion [that is the embodiment of the Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo] hidden in the depths of the Lotus Sutra, and chants Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, one can, through the powers of the Buddha and the Law, perfect the practice of observing the mind and attain enlightenment. But if one is lacking in faith, the power of the object of devotion will not enable one to attain enlightenment (The Commentaries of Nichikan, p. 456).

Faith is crucial. Only with the actual practice of chanting daimoku and taking action for kosen-rufu does one's faith become true and correct and can one reap infinite benefit and blessings.

Nichikan also wrote: The Gohonzon of three thousand realms in a single moment of life is not somewhere outside us. It resides within the faith of us ordinary people (p. 465).

Of course, Nichikan's declaration is based on Nichiren Daishonin's injunction: Never seek this Gohonzon outside yourself.... This Gohonzon also is found only in the two characters for faith (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, p. 832). [The Japanese word for faith consists of two Chinese characters.]

Even though you may possess the Gohonzon, you will not enjoy its true benefit unless you have faith and take action for kosen-rufu.

First Soka Gakkai President Tsunesaburo Makiguchi spread the Law by teaching the concept of punishment. Believe it or not, there were priests who opposed this, saying that it contradicted the teachings of Nichiren Shoshu. Second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda decried this error on the part of the priests and wrote: In the upper right corner of the Gohonzon are the words, 'If you slander this Law, you will have your head broken into seven pieces.' Doesn't this signify the theory of punishment? At the same time, in the upper left corner of the Gohonzon is an inscription that reads, 'If you make offerings to the Law, you will receive more good fortune than that derived from holding the ten titles of the Buddha.' Doesn't this signify the promise the Gohonzon makes to us that we will receive benefits when we worship it? Benefit, or value, and punishment, or anti-value, constitute the reality of our daily lives. Some Nichiren Shoshu priests had forgotten that the power of the Gohonzon can be revealed in one's daily life in either way until President Makiguchi discussed it. They were astonished at what he brought out, and I am dumbfounded that many of them have since pretended that they have known this principle very well for quite some time.

Also, some priests are not yet aware of this principle. I am saddened rather than surprised by their ignorance (The History and Conviction of the Soka Gakkai, 1951).

How astonishing was the priests' ignorance of Buddhism, and how little their faith in the Gohonzon! What is worse, they attacked and criticized the Soka Gakkai, which was working hard to spread the teachings in exact accord with the Daishonin's teachings while demonstrating the power of the Gohonzon.

The Nichiren Shoshu priesthood today has not the least bit of faith in the Gohonzon. To them, the Gohonzon is nothing more than a tool for controlling the believers and greedily plundering their offerings. They will inevitably face the Daishonin's condemnation.

The Daishonin said, Even more valuable than reason and documentary proof is the proof of actual fact (WND, 599). Nothing is more powerful than the proof of actual fact. Nothing is more convincing than the actual fact of benefit and victory. The purpose of our faith is to show actual proof of the benefit we derive.

Only the SGI has shown actual proof of the benefit of faith. It is an organization of believers overflowing with such proof, an organization that pulses with the lifeblood of faith. (My Dear Friends in America, pp. 296-98)

Eighteen in a series.