Persecutions Prove the Correct Teaching

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 PRIEST FOUND GUILTY OF DEFAMATION

On Dec. 25, the Osaka District Court in Japan found a Nichiren Shoshu priest and three lay believers guilty of willful defamation of the political party New Komeito.

New Komeito filed suit against Byodo-ji Temple's chief priest Tomohide Chikayama and the three lay believers in 2000, after they distributed leaflets in Kishiwada alleging that the party and the Soka Gakkai had conspired to ruin the reputation of Katsuhiko Shirakawa, a former Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker, whose aide had been arrested for tampering with police records. The leaflets claimed that the plaintiff and the Soka Gakkai had entrapped the legislator, because he had been a strident critic of ties between New Komeito and the Soka Gakkai. During his trial, defendant Chikayama testified that he had no knowledge of the leaflet and its contents, and that his co-defendants had distributed it without approval -- claims that the district court rejected.

The court also ruled that the leaflets being circulated just prior to an election was deliberately malicious, ordering the defendants to pay damages.

2) SGI PRESIDENT IKEDA'S RECENT GUIDANCE ON SOKA SPIRIT

This excerpted speech was given at the 22nd Soka Gakkai Headquarters Leaders Meeting, held at the Soka International Friendship Hall, Tokyo, Nov. 14.

PERSECUTIONS PROVE THE VALIDITY OF THE CORRECT TEACHING

To commemorate the 72nd anniversary of its founding on Nov. 18, 1930, the Soka Gakkai has compiled a new edition of the Lotus Sutra, featuring the Chinese text with a literal Japanese translation. This is drawn from the precious personal copy of the Lotus Sutra that Nichiren Daishonin used and annotated throughout his life. The publication of this new volume is extremely significant.

As you know, the Teacher of the Law chapter contains the prophetic passage Since hatred and jealousy toward this sutra abound even when the Thus Come One is in the world, how much more will this be so after his passing? (The Lotus Sutra, p. 164). The Encouraging Devotion chapter also clearly states, There will be many ignorant people / who will curse and speak ill of us (p. 193).

In other words, the three powerful enemies will attack those who seek to widely propagate the Lotus Sutra after Shakyamuni's passing. These arrogant, hostile forces -- lay people ignorant of Buddhism, haughty priests of perverse views and false sages -- will curse and speak ill of us, shower us with slanderous accusations and use the power of various authorities to persecute us. Such attacks, however, only prove that we are true votaries of the correct teaching.

The Daishonin strictly warns that unless we struggle valiantly against the three powerful enemies, we are not genuine practitioners of the Lotus Sutra, and our faith is a sham.

In modern times, first Soka Gakkai president Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, second president Josei Toda and I, the third president and their direct disciple, have undergone great persecution at the hands of the authorities. Under this three-generation leadership, the Soka Gakkai has grown into the world's foremost organization dedicated to kosen-rufu.

President Makiguchi, President Toda, and I -- all three were imprisoned for our efforts to propagate Nichiren Buddhism. We were baselessly slandered, attacked and persecuted. We struggled wholeheartedly against the three powerful enemies and carried out the Daishonin's teachings without the slightest deviation, never for a moment begrudging our lives. This is the Soka Gakkai's eternal starting point and glory.

The first three Soka Gakkai presidents will remain forever the heart of our movement to spread Nichiren Buddhism, forever the pillars of kosen-rufu. I hope you will never forget this. I have taken the liberty of stating this clearly today for the sake of the future, so that you will never stray from the correct path.

Shakyamuni also encountered persecution, undergoing what are referred to as the nine great ordeals. He was attacked by Devadatta, a terrible traitor inspired by envy. He was insulted and defamed time and again with base falsehoods concocted by ill-intentioned individuals. Totally unfounded stories of improprieties with women were fabricated about him.

Similarly, without any justification, the Daishonin, the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law, was branded an immoral priest throughout the land. He plainly stated that all the attacks against him were
ot because of any secular crime (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, p. 303). His two exiles, to Izu and Sado, were both the result of false accusations. Here we see the pattern of persecution that befalls practitioners of the correct teaching.

Countless upright people around the world have been brought down or destroyed by lies and misrepresentation throughout history. This is the reality of the human realm.

The French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau proclaimed in righteous anger, Slander is the vilest of social evils, and its effects the most frightening. How true this is.

The late Chinese premier Zhou Enlai, a man of lofty integrity, was also the target of spurious allegations aimed at maligning his character.

The French philosopher Blaise Pascal abhorred deceit, declaring, Anyone who resorts to falsehood is acting in the spirit of the devil.

The Daishonin vehemently denounced the falsehoods perpetrated by corrupt priests as outrageous lies. He dared them to produce clear proof and state in what month, on what day and at what time the events they described actually took place (WND, 724). He demanded witnesses. Because they could not produce them, he asserted, their accusations were patently untrue, and he utterly refuted their claims.

We cannot allow vicious lies to go unchallenged. We must fight against them. We need to rebut them promptly, resolutely, and unequivocally.

Shijo Kingo was a loyal disciple who put his life at risk to protect the Daishonin. As a result, he also fell victim to calumny and was severely reprimanded by his feudal lord.

Yet the Daishonin advised Kingo to continue speaking the truth and to set the record straight. The Daishonin declared that the slanders circulated about his disciple were utterly unfounded, nothing more than the inventions of jealous individuals.

In a letter of petition he composed on Kingo's behalf, the Daishonin writes: That is a groundless falsehood (WND, 803). What you heard must have been the fabrication of those who harbor jealousy against me (WND, 807).

To unite with one's mentor for the sake of truth and justice -- this is the spirit of a genuine disciple.

The full text of this speech appears in the Dec. 20 and Dec. 27 issues of the World Tribune.