Truth of Buddhism

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) A JOURNEY OF FAITH WITHIN:

THE SEARCH FOR HAPPINESS OUTSIDE LEADS TO UNHAPPINESS INSIDE

In this serialized article, which appears in the June issue of Living Buddhism, SGI-USA Study Department Vice Leader Shin Yatomi revisits the issue of pilgrimage, and discusses the meaning of faith
in the Dai-Gohonzon.

OUR EARNEST RESOLVE TO SEEK OUT THE TRUTH OF BUDDHISM

Your earnest resolve shows in your having traveled such a long way (Gosho Zenshu, p. 1223). With these words, Nichiren Daishonin warmly encouraged a single mother who had traveled with her infant daughter all the way from Kamakura to Sado Island to visit her beloved teacher in exile. The journey this nameless woman [little is known about her, including her real name] undertook was an
expression of her sincerity to support the Daishonin and seek his teaching.

The core of the Daishonin's teaching may be found in the universality of Buddhahood within the lives of all people. Therefore, any notion of seeking enlightenment outside oneself -- in some sacred site or in the person of a supposed saint -- strikes one as absurd. If the word pilgrimage is understood as a journey to seek blessings at a distant shrine or temple or from some holy man living in seclusion, then there is no place for pilgrimage in Nichiren Buddhism.

Some insist that any travel we undertake as an expression of religious devotion -- like the arduous treks undertaken by the Daishonin's disciples to visit him -- are pilgrimages. If so, then the heart of such travel beats in our earnest resolve to seek out the truth of Buddhism that exists within our lives. A journey of faith, therefore, is the outward expression of our inward search for our Buddhahood. The value of such travel, in other words, is not absolute; it is relative to our earnest resolve to seek the gem of Buddhahood buried deep within our lives, beneath our deluded self-disparagement. For the disciples of the Daishonin, traveling a long distance to visit their teacher was not an end in and of itself; rather, it was both an expression of their appreciation and support for the Daishonin and a vehicle for them to uncover the treasure of Buddhahood that was already in their hearts.

In the context of Nichiren Buddhism, leaving our homes for distant destinations for the purpose of faith is meaningful to the extent that it encourages and gives a concrete expression to this process of self-discovery. But if we embark on such a journey in search of something elsewhere upon which we think our happiness depends, then we in effect hink the Law is outside. Under such circumstances, the Daishonin suggests, our Buddhist practice would become an endless, painful austerity (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, pp. 3-4).

One in a series.

2) 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 Seikyo Times.

SGI MEMBERS UNBEGRUDGINGLY WORK FOR KOSEN-RUFU

Some priests today, claiming they are followers of Nichiren Daishonin, greedily spend believers' offerings to the Gohonzon as if given to them personally. Their five desires know no bounds. Taking their luxurious existence for granted, they seek to have even more wealth. Contrary to living in modesty feeling happy with what little they have, they are never content. Such priests may well be called extraordinarily greedy and insatiable. How deeply Nichiren Daishonin, [second and third high priests] Nikko and Nichimoku must lament over this reality. In one of his admonitions, Nikko writes, My disciples should conduct themselves as holy priests, patterning their behavior after that of the late master.

The sixty-sixth high priest, Nittatsu , stated: Fortunately, compared with the priests of other sects, we are now becoming very wealthy, and all priests are living prosperously. An old saying goes, 'People will cultivate a sense of propriety only after having adequate food and clothing.' In comparison with priests of other sects, our Nichiren Shoshu priests are fortunate when it comes to basic necessities of life. It would be awful if such well-off lives make you feel so great that you become arrogant. I hope you will always be considerate, humbly protect the temple and cherish the lay believers, especially Soka Gakkai members who unbegrudgingly work for the sake of kosen-rufu. Let me say again that, as priests, you should be very kind to lay believers (at the 22nd chief priests' seminar closing ceremony on Aug. 31, 1973).

Nittatsu showed keen foresight with this warning. Also, a sad situation that required such a warning already existed in those days. Many people have said that if the priests had followed the above guidance of Nittatsu, the current situation of the priesthood would never have developed.

Despite Nittatsu 's warning, many priests who have come to live prosperously have become arrogant and begun to look down upon believers, those who have been striving for kosen-rufu. This is a major cause for the current problem, as you can see in light of Nittatsu 's guidance.

Nittatsu also said: Believers bring to the temple those to whom they introduced Buddhism. The priest conducts the Gohonzon conferral ceremony for the new believers. Because he also conducts memorials and other services, naturally, as the number of believers increases, the temple will become wealthy. You must not spoil yourselves under such favorable circumstances. Yet, in reality, not only do you tend to spoil yourselves, but you become merciless to those believers who take the trouble to bring the new believers to the temple. Some priests' behavior is shameful.

Nittatsu went on: The other day a believer, after trying hard to persuade a friend to take faith, brought him to the temple for Gohonzon conferral. But a priest, saying the temple was closed that day, refused to conduct the Gohonzon conferral ceremony. I have never heard of such a thing. Neither the administrative office nor the head temple has ever issued a notice allowing the temples to take a holiday.

Nittatsu further mentioned: I am sorry for the Soka Gakkai member who, after tremendous effort, brought someone to recieve the Gohonzon. In this case, the member had to go to another temple to have his friend receive the Gohonzon. If some priests allow this to occur repeatedly, I may have to dispose of them. I don't think such priests deserve to manage a temple. What would you say to this? (at the 22nd chief priests' seminar opening ceremony on Aug. 31, 1973).

Many people wonder apprehensively saying: According to their late master's guidance, these days there seem to be many priests who should be disposed of, but not one of them has ever been. How is the priesthood taking Nittatsu's guidance nowadays?

Two 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.

June 14 World Tribuneÿ page 4: In his experience titled The Adventure of a Lifetime, Norman Stoldt shares his experience in overcoming painful injuries and other obstacles with the determination to show that one does not need the High Priest Nikken Abe to make the Gohonzon work.

June 14 World Tribuneÿ Seize the Day, page C: In The Compassion of the Devadatta Chapter, Emi Gwin discusses the oneness of good and evil as revealed in the Devadatta chapter of the Lotus Sutra. This article appeared in Justice Chronicle 138.

June 14 World Tribune, page 10: Mark Kaplan's perspective The Benefit of Soka Spirit talks about the connection between Soka Spirit for both our personal lives and the overall movement for kosen-rufu. This article appeared in Justice Chronicle issues 135 and 136.

June Living Buddhism, page 32: The Same Reason Now And Then: Is the SGI Contradicting Its Past Stance Toward the High Priest and Pilgrimage? addresses the relationship between the SGI's past support of pilgrimages to the Nichiren Shoshu head temple, and its current stance against it since Nichiren Shoshu's efforts to disband and subsequent excommunication of the SGI.