Why Still Talking about Soka Spirit?

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) VIEWPOINT: WHY DO WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT SOKA SPIRIT?

By Bob Pryor
San Diego, Calif.

A number of SGI-USA members question why we continue to speak about Soka Spirit, or the temple issue. Some people reason that since more than 10 years has passed since we were excommunicated from Nichiren Shoshu, we should just go our separate ways. Others believe that by continuing to talk about Nichiren Shoshu we are increasing its importance. Still others say that everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, so why do we persist in pointing out the errors of Nichiren Shoshu? These arguments, while apparently consistent with our American culture, fail to recognize the heart of the issue.

The SGI and Nichiren Shoshu, under the leadership of its high priest Nikken Abe, have diametrically opposed interpretations of the foundational teachings of Nichiren Daishonin. The SGI maintains that the Daishonin taught that every person who practices Buddhism with his spirit is equal, and can directly inherit the Law through faith in order to attain Buddhahood. He wrote regarding faith, Never seek any other way to inherit the ultimate Law of life and death, and manifest it in your life (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, p. 219).

However, Nichiren Shoshu states that priests have a status unique from lay believers and it is a sin to talk about their equality (letter to SGI from Nichijun Fujimoto, temple chief administrator, Jan. 12, 1991). It also claims that the high priest alone can inherit the Mystic Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, and, The sanctioning of the object of worship by the High PriestÞis what makes the attainment of Buddhahood possible. (Nichiren Shoshu publication 100 Questions and Answers, p. 36). In other words, Nichiren Shoshu's position is that all people are able to attain enlightenment only through the intercession of the high priest.

Nichiren Buddhism is unique in that it actualizes the equality of all people based on their inherent Buddha natures. It also clarifies that people do not need any external power to achieve the same life condition as the Buddha, only their own faith and practice. By denying this essential teaching of the Daishonin, Nichiren Shoshu is like a non-Buddhist religion. So if it's that simple, why does SGI persist in pointing out Nichiren Shoshu's errors?

Here's an analogy: So long as counterfeit money makes no claim to be real it represents no threat. No one would take Monopoly (R) money seriously as a substitute for real money. However, the better the imitation and the more difficult to distinguish it from the genuine, the more dangerous it becomes, potentially disrupting our monetary system. Thus, government law enforcement agencies act swiftly and decisively to stem the spread of excellent counterfeit bills.

Since Nichiren Shoshu claims sole possession of the correct interpretation and heritage of the Daishonin's teachings but actually upholds an incorrect interpretation, it is a source of confusion that must be clarified vigorously and without hesitation. The Daishonin teaches that we enforce the truth of the Law by fighting misleading ideas. We sometimes refer to these ideas as evil since, by affecting one's belief system, they cause harm at the deepest level of one's life. If we don't correct these misleading ideas, people may lose sight of the correct teaching and the flow of kosen-rufu could be impeded.

From a deeper perspective, the appearance of High Priest Nikken has profound significance. Nichiren Daishonin talks about the various obstacles that are guaranteed to appear whenever the true teaching is propagated correctly and intensely. The most serious of these is the Third Powerful Enemy, priests who collude with secular authority to persecute believers. This is the exact role that Nichiren Shoshu is playing today, as shown by its attempt to influence the Japanese government to revise religious freedom laws, with the aim of stifling Soka Gakkai activities.

The good news is that this is a precious opportunity. As Nichiren Daishonin states, The three obstacles and four devils will invariably appear and the wise will rejoice and the foolish will flee (WND, 637). This proves that we in the SGI are propagating Nichiren Buddhism with exactly the same spirit as the founder. Otherwise, such a threat would not appear. The appearance of Nikken provides us the opportunity to clarify and deepen our understanding of Nichiren Buddhism, and to purify our lives by confronting evil.

Further, as the Daishonin states, To hope to attain Buddhahood without speaking out against slander is as futile as trying to find water in the midst of fire or fire in the midst of water (WND, 747). Therefore, from the profound viewpoint of Nichiren Buddhism, High Priest Nikken's actions provide us an opportunity to manifest our Buddhahood. But this will only happen if we deliberately engage in speaking out against slander. Otherwise, the appearance of this third powerful enemy can activate from within us our fundamental darkness, manifesting as doubt that causes us to withdraw from this issue.

This is not the time for us to withdraw from Soka Spirit, but to connect with it more deeply. By waging battle with those who seek to distort Nichiren Buddhism, we develop immeasurable fortune. We should not let any SGI member miss this rare opportunity.

2) FROM THE WISDOM OF THE LOTUS SUTRA

This excerpt is from SGI President Ikeda's collection of dialogues with Katsuji Saito, Takanori Endo and Haruo Suda entitled, The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra. The following excerpt is from volume 3, part 2, on the Devadatta chapter of the Lotus Sutra. Devadatta was a follower of Shakyamuni, thought to be his half-brother, who started his own order.

THE ONENESS OF GOOD AND EVIL

Suda: It's a bit complicated, but Nichiren Daishonin's work The Entity of the Mystic Law says the following with regard to this point [that good and evil in themselves are not in themselves absolute but reflect relative distinctions]: The mystic principle of the true aspect of reality is like this. The mystic principle of the true aspect of reality is one, but if it encounters evil influences, it will manifest delusion, while if it encounters good influences, it will manifest enlightenment. Enlightenment means enlightenment to the essential nature of phenomena, and delusion, ignorance of it.

It is like the case of a person who in a dream sees himself performing various good and evil actions. After he wakes up and considers the matter, he realizes that it was all a dream produced by his own mind. This mind of his corresponds to the single principle of the essential nature of phenomena, the true aspect of reality, while the good and evil that appeared in the dream correspond to enlightenment and delusion. When one becomes aware of this, it is clear that one should discard the ignorance associated with evil and delusion, and take as one's basis the awakening that is characterized by goodness and enlightenment (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, pp. 417-18).

The true entity of life embodies the oneness of good and evil. Both good and evil exist in life. For precisely this reason, in terms of practice we have to base ourselves on the nature of enlightenment and strive for good.

Ikeda: That's right. Buddhism is a contest, an endless struggle. Because Shakyamuni defeated Devadatta, Devadatta's evil helped prove Shakyamuni's good. On the other hand, had Shakyamuni been defeated by evil, then it certainly would not have been possible for him to call Devadatta a good friend. Second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda clarified this matter as follows: Devadatta was the slanderer in Shakyamuni's lifetime; he cut all the roots of goodness in the world. The pre-Lotus Sutra teachings say: 'Without the existence of evil, wise actions of good cannot be manifested. For this reason, Devadatta had for immeasurable kalpas always been together with Shakyamuni, and when Shakyamuni practiced the Buddha way, Devadatta practiced injustice. In this way, they mutually inspired each other.' Once good is completely revealed, however, evil in its entirety becomes good. Therefore, the Lotus Sutra teaches the oneness of good and evil, the oneness of the erroneous and the true, and the oneness of a reverse relationship and a positive relationship. This is the inner doctrine that had not been revealed in the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings.

If evil functions to reveal good, then evil in its entirety becomes good. This is truly the oneness of good and evil. But if evil is simply allowed to run its course, then it does not become good. Only when evil is thoroughly challenged and conquered does it become an entity of the oneness of good and evil.

In that sense, the enlightenment of evil people presented in the Devadatta chapter is great proof of the victory won by Shakyamuni. It is his victory declaration. Only when he stands in this lofty state of life as a winner can he say that Devadatta had in a past life been a good friend and mentor and had in this life aided his efforts to instruct people.

Saito: Isn't the point of this explanation to reveal the principle of life rather than to provide specific facts about their past relationship?

Ikeda: We could say that it explains the reality of life. Devadatta, too, in terms of the true aspect of his life also embodies the oneness of good and evil. Darkness and enlightenment are two facets of the one entity of the Mystic Law. Devadatta, who had been Shakyamuni's teacher in a past life, was in fact the entity of the Mystic Law. Therefore, Nichiren Daishonin says, Devadatta is another name for Myoho-renge-kyo. In a past existence, he was the seer Asita. The seer Asita is another name for the Mystic Law (Gosho Zenshu, p. 744).

Shakyamuni attained Buddhahood with the fundamental Mystic Law as his teacher. This is what is expressed by the formulation in the Devadatta chapter of his having practiced and attained Buddhahood under Asita in a past life.

Nine in a series.