Losing Appeal at High Court

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) NEWS: NICHIREN SHOSHU LOSES APPEAL AT HIGH COURT

On Feb. 12, the Tokyo High Court upheld a lower court ruling that found Nichiren Shoshu guilty of willful defamation of the Soka Gakkai, rejecting an appeal filed by the priesthood. The appellate court also held Nichiren Shoshu high priest Nikken Abe liable for a share of the compensation that the Tokyo District Court, in its February 2002 decision, had ordered Nichiren Shoshu to pay the Soka Gakkai.

The Soka Gakkai sued Nichiren Shoshu and Nikken Abe in January 1996, when the defendants alleged, in a 1995 press conference and subsequent publications, that the plaintiff had planted a false crime report in a U.S. government database related to the Seattle Incident trial [see Justice Chronicle 123].

In reviewing the case, the Tokyo High Court agreed the defendants' allegations were baseless and concluded that Nikken Abe, as the chief administrator of Nichiren Shoshu, was legally accountable for the defamatory actions of the priesthood.

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 excerpt is from a speech given on Sept. 21, 1993, in Boston.

THE GREAT BENEFIT OF EMBRACING FAITH

Decades ago, the 59th high priest, Nichiko, pointed out the corrupt state of Nichiren Shoshu priests: [There are some priests of our school] who proclaim it is a virtue to put on a grand pretense of faith and move the believers to tears with their eloquence and then milk them of offerings. They say they acquire benefit from doing so because they satisfy the believers, even if just for a short time. They declare themselves to be fulfilling their duty to the head temple and performing a service to society. And their own pockets are satisfied as well, they say. What is more, they have the audacity to say that this way everyone is kept happy....

Their attitude is highly immoral. By their behavior, they are harming both themselves and others. Many of those who betray Buddhism and degrade Nichiren Shoshu appear from among the ranks of priests such as these.

Corrupt priests who live off Buddhism and greedily devour the believers' offerings have been a constant in history.

Nichiren Shoshu has become a truly corrupt and immoral school, while its priests, including Nikken, are nothing more than aberrant priests who transgress the teachings of Buddhism. When the True Law is endangered by an avalanche of heretical Buddhist teachings, the Daishonin instructs us: At such a time, one must set aside all other affairs and devote one's attention to rebuking slander of the correct teaching. This is the practice of shakubuku (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, p. 126).

In light of this writing, to thoroughly rebuke the great slander of the Law that is being perpetrated by the Nichiren Shoshu is to practice Buddhism in a way that accords with the present time.

As you know, it has recently been announced that the SGI will confer the Gohonzon -- based on one transcribed by the twenty-sixth high priest, Nichikan -- upon members around the world. This news has been greeted with great joy not only throughout the United States but in countries around the globe. Today, I would therefore like to talk a little about the significance of embracing the Gohonzon.

In the writing The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind, the Daishonin writes: Shakyamuni's practices and the virtues he consequently attained are all contained within the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo. If we believe in these five characters, we will naturally be granted the same benefits as he was (WND, 365).

This is a famous passage that elucidates the principle of acing the Gohonzon is in itself enlightenment. President Toda said the following about this passage: The five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo refers to the Gohonzon of the Three Great Secret Laws. 'Shakyamuni's practices and the virtues he consequently attained' refers to all the practices and resulting virtues of Shakyamuni as described in the provisional [pre-Lotus Sutra] teachings, and in the theoretical and essential teachings [of the Lotus Sutra].

One can attain the state of Buddhahood just through the benefit of embracing the Dai-Gohonzon, without requiring any meritorious deeds, the accumulation of any other benefit, or undergoing some kind of arduous practice.

What then is the meaning of 'to embrace'? There are several ways in which this may be interpreted. But I feel that it is best viewed from the standpoint of the significance of the Three Great Secret Laws and of the three categories of action -- thoughts, words and deeds. It goes without saying that the fundamental meaning of 'to embrace' is to believe in the Dai-Gohonzon of the Three Great Secret Laws and to simply and wholeheartedly chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo....

If you receive the Gohonzon and then merely enshrine it in your room, you are embracing the Gohonzon in outward form only.

The daimoku of the Three Great Secret Laws has two aspects: one is faith and the other is practice. To carry out the daimoku of practice, you have to chant for yourself and for others. This is the daimoku of the Latter Day of the Law.

If you simply have [the Gohonzon] enshrined in your room, then, even if you profess faith in it, you cannot be said to truly embrace the Gohonzon.

You SGI members who are diligently making efforts for kosen-rufu and assiduously reciting the sutra and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo are people who truly embrace and believe in the Gohonzon. The good fortune you possess, therefore, is immeasurable, and the fact that you will attain enlightenment is guaranteed. (pp. 321-324)

Twenty-four in a series.