Pilgrimage

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) REFUTING THE PILGRIMAGE OF NICHIREN SHOSHU: SELECTED PASSAGES FROM NICHIREN DAISHONIN'S WRITINGS

This article appeared in the June issue of Living Buddhism.

TURNING AWAY FROM THE OFFENSE OF COMPLICITY IN SLANDER

If one plants good seed in a bad field, the seed itself will be ruined, and one will in turn suffer loss. Even if one is sincere, if the person to whom one makes offerings is evil, those offerings will fail to produce benefit; rather, they will cause one to fall into the evil paths. (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, p. 1103)

Utsubusa came a long distance to visit me despite her advanced age, but since I was told that it was merely a casual visit on her way back from the shrine to the god of her ancestors, I would not see her, although I pitied her greatly. Had I permitted her to see me, I would have been allowing her to commit slander against the Lotus Sutra. (WND, 896)

Now if all the four kinds of Buddhists within the four seas and the ten thousand lands would only cease giving alms to wicked priests and instead all come over to the side of the good, then how could any more trouble rise to plague us, or disasters come to confront us? (WND, 23)

You must not be seated together with slanderers of the Law for fear of committing the offense of complicity. (Nikko Shonin, Gosho Zenshu, p. 1618)

PRACTICING BUDDHISM WHERE WE ARE, SEEKING ENLIGHTENMENT WITHIN

Where you uphold and embrace the Lotus Sutra is the place of practice. It is not to be found elsewhere. The place of practice is the dwelling place of the living beings of the ten worlds. (Gosho Zenshu, p. 781)

Therefore, wherever we dwell and practice the single vehicle, that place will be the Capital of Eternally Tranquil Light. And, without having to take a step, those who are our disciples and lay supporters can view Eagle Peak in India and day and night will go to and from the Land of Eternally Tranquil Light that has existed for all time. What a truly inexpressible joy it is! (WND, 313)


If the minds of living beings are impure, their land is also impure, but if their minds are pure, so is their land. There are not two lands, pure or impure in themselves. The difference lies solely in the good and evil of our minds. (WND, 4)

Since the Law is wonderful, the person is worthy of respect; since the person is worthy of respect, the land is sacred. (WND, 1097)

Part 2 of 2

2) DEDICATE YOUR LIFE TO YOUR MISSION

This is an excerpt from a speech SGI President Ikeda gave at the Eighth Friendship and Culture Festival for the staff of the Soka Gakkai Headquarters and affiliated organizations and their families, held in the main gymnasium of Soka University, Tokyo, Oct. 1, 1989, two years before Nichiren Shoshu excommunicated all members of the Soka Gakkai and the SGI. It originally appeared in the February 1990 issue of the Seikyo Times.

LIVING IN ACCORDANCE WITH NICHIREN DAISHONIN'S WILL

Here, I would like to quote from an admonition that the 66th high priest, Nittatsu Shonin, sent to all members of the Lay Societies of Nichiren Shoshu during my tenure as president of the Soka Gakkai. He gave strict guidance as follows: The selfless dedication with which the Soka Gakkai members have been propagating the Law is unparalleled in the 700-year history of Nichiren Shoshu.

Uniting harmoniously under the leadership of SGI President Ikeda, the Soka Gakkai is steadily increasing an already remarkable record by developing and carrying out our multifaceted activities that are essential for the realization of kosen-rufu.

Nichiren Daishonin would undoubtedly be overjoyed at the efforts the Soka Gakkai has undertaken. Both the priesthood and the laity should show the greatest respect toward the Soka Gakkai.

The Soka Gakkai is an organization of great unity that is unsurpassed in its purity. If someone -- be he from within our religion or from without -- takes mistaken view of or vilifies the Soka Gakkai even in the slightest, he can only be regarded as a greatly misguided person who is obstructing kosen-rufu and whose offense will lead him to the hell of incessant suffering.

You are the people who are carrying out he multifaceted activities that are essential for the realization of kosen-rufu that Nittatsu Shonin mentioned. Each of you is a magnificent person who is living in accordance with the Daishonin's will. Through your noble efforts, you are accumulating immeasurable good fortune and opening a solid path of happiness and your attainment of Buddhahood. I would ask that you always have pride in this, and continue along the path of faith in order to attain Buddhahood in this lifetime, encouraging each other along the way.

This concludes this series.