Cherish Believers who Advance the Path of Faith

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) CHERISH THOSE WHO WORK FOR KOSEN-RUFU

This is an excerpt from a speech given by SGI President Ikeda at the Shimane Prefecture leaders meeting on Sept. 9, 1991, before Nichiren Shoshu's excommunication of the SGI. It originally appeared in the November 1991 Living Buddhism.

THE DISCIPLES OF THE BUDDHA STRIVE FOR KOSEN-RUFU

I want to discuss Nichiren Daishonin's golden teachings and the guidance of successive high priests that admonish Nichiren Shoshu priests about their behavior. Being fully aware of them will enable you as believers to advance along the correct path of faith.

As an individual dedicated to protecting Nichiren Shoshu, I remained silent for 10 years concerning the behavior of priests, no matter what complaints I may have heard. I know I have been protecting the priesthood. Yet nowadays, I hear a number of priests trampling on my sincerity, slandering me and chastising Soka Gakkai members. In this context, today, I want to speak about the priesthood.

In The Essentials For Attaining Buddhahood, the Daishonin states, True priests are those who are honest and who desire little and yet know satisfaction (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, p. 747).

Referring to this passage, the 59th high priest, Nichiko, once said, I would say that, by 'honest,' the Daishonin means not being unjust. In other words, Nichiko indicates that by honest the Daishonin implied «correctness,¡ «justice¡ or «the correct path¡ rather than what the word generally means.

Namely, the honest priest must, first of all, uphold the correct teachings of Buddhism. The disciples of the Buddha are those who, no matter what may happen, strive wholeheartedly for kosen-rufu, dedicated to faith and practice exactly as the Daishonin teaches.

In contrast, dishonest and unjust priests are those who, though they appear to nobly embrace the True Law, actually disobey the Daishonin's teachings and hinder the progress of kosen-rufu. They commit evil acts such as plotting to destroy the Soka Gakkai, which propagates Nichiren Buddhism.

Nichiko continued: 'Desire little' means to control your five desires [which arise from the five senses; they also refer to the desires for wealth, sexual love, food and drink, fame and sleep]. You see colors through your eyes, hear sounds with your ears, smell with your nose, taste food with your tongue and feel by touching something. You should not give free reign to these basic desires. You should only seek to satisfy them to the degree necessary to maintain a moderate subsistence. Using the five desires properly and with good judgment according to your basic needs means you are satisfied with whatever you have.

In light of the Daishonin's teachings, if priests live extravagantly, they are no longer true priests. Naturally today is different from the Daishonin's days, but I wonder if the Daishonin would allow priests to live in a manner much more luxurious than lay believers and astonishingly extravagant in the public's eye.

Nichiko continued: Nikko, the founder of Taiseki-ji, and Nichimoku, the third high priest, lived in Omosu and Ueno, respectively. In thinking about how modestly they lived, I cannot hold back my tears. It seems that both Nikko and Nichimoku lived by farming the land themselves. Nichimoku time and again sent the cucumbers he himself grew to Nikko. In one of his writings, he mentions that having cucumbers in Omosu in that year was unusual because of a drought that had hit the area.

It is clear from this that both Nikko and Nichimoku lived modestly exactly as the Daishonin taught them.

In 1298, eight years after founding Taiseki-ji, Nikko built Miei-do temple in neighboring Omosu and moved there from Ueno Village. Nichimoku, who remained at Taiseki-ji to protect the Dai-Gohonzon, virtually functioned as the high priest.

In his spare time, Nichimoku grew cucumbers in the nearby field and delivered them to his master in Omosu. Nikko was appreciative and delighted at his beloved disciple's warm consideration. Here we can see an exemplary relationship of mentor and disciple.

We can see their vast state of life in which they calmly enjoyed themselves instead of suffering over their modest lives.

One in a series.


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 Feb. 2, 1993, in Miami.

HUMAN REVOLUTION IS TO BECOME A STRONG HUMAN BEING

Following in Nichiren Daishonin's footsteps, the first and second Soka Gakkai presidents, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and Josei Toda, endured imprisonment. Even during the thirty-odd years since I became Soka Gakkai president, I have endured all imaginable persecutions, intrigues and treachery.

Unless we are strong, we cannot win in life, nor can we accomplish kosen-rufu. The essence of our human revolution is to become as strong a human being as possible.

President Toda used to say, Become individuals who are strong physically, intellectually and spiritually. To be strong in all three areas is the ideal. Many people may be strong in one or two of these areas, but only when all three are combined can we enjoy a well-balanced life, a life of resounding victory. Those who cultivate such all-round strength are never defeated.

If your physical health is poor, both you and your family will suffer. Without sound mental capabilities, you cannot see the truth and thereby will be too easily deceived by evil. Nor can you create any great value in society. It is imperative that you have wisdom. For that reason, it is vital that, based on chanting daimoku, you study diligently, starting with the Daishonin's teachings. It is essential that you develop and strengthen your intellect.

Furthermore, it is our minds that put our bodies and intellect to work. No matter how healthy, intelligent or affluent we may be, if our minds are weak, then our happiness also will be frail and brittle. Our minds of faith, moreover, enable us to bring out the full potential in all things and situations, so it is crucial that we strive to forge our minds of faith.

You cannot win in your daily lives or in society if you are weak-minded or given to quick despair or complaint. Only in our daily lives and in society can we prove the validity of Buddhism. Please strive to become exemplary children of the Buddha and SGI members endowed with physical, intellectual and spiritual strength.

I hope you will build, and help others build, solid lives filled with unshakable happiness, while protecting the weak and the suffering. Also, I ask that men always remember to show the utmost respect to women.

In the Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, in which the Daishonin explains profound Buddhist doctrines, is the phrase he ultimate inheritance (Gosho Zenshu, p. 781), referring to a passage from the Lotus Sutra.

To expound the Lotus Sutra is the reason Shakyamuni made his advent in the world. It is the highest of all his teachings. What, then, were Shakyamuni's last words therein? They were: If you see a person who accepts and upholds this sutra, you should rise and greet him from afar, showing him the same respect you would a Buddha (The Lotus Sutra, p. 324).

A person who accepts and upholds this sutra -- in other words, a votary of the Lotus Sutra -- specifically refers to the Daishonin. In a broader sense, however, it indicates all those who, directly linked to the Daishonin, are actively devoting their lives to the widespread propagation of the Mystic Law.

The likes of those [of Nichiren Shoshu] who appear to embrace the Gohonzon yet in reality abuse faith to serve their own ends are totally undeserving of respect. [My Dear Friends in America, pp. 237-38]

Thirteen in a series.


SOKA SPIRIT IN THE PUBLICATIONS

This section highlights articles published in the World Tribune and Living Buddhism related to the Soka Spirit movement.

May 31 World Tribuneÿ Seize the Day, page D: In her experienced titled Speaking Up For Justice, Kyung-Ah Kwang shares her experience of practicing with Nichiren Shoshu with her family and subsequently returning to the SGI.