A Byrd's Eye View

Hi Byrd,

I just read your last post and can't believe what I read! You're right to be puzzled. I'm even confused. As far as I know, in the Netherlands we don't have this problem. It sounds to me very un SGI to expel members without hearing them. But then again, I think this might be a tipical US thing. I agree your point of view.
It also says a lot of this chapters so called "responcibles" and for that matter district, regional and area leaders. Did not Nichiren said that someone has to live by the rules of his country or area where he lives? And didn't he also said to follow the Law and not a leader when this leader is wrong or don't uphold the Law?
Since the break up with Nichiren Shu a lot has changed. Doesn't Sensei encourage us to keep in dialogue with other relegions? Enven with members of other Nichiren sect followers like Danto members(Nichiren Shu)? If your country leaders can't provide an answer, why don't you write directly to Sensei? Just sent it to the SGI international HQ in Tokyo, Japan.
Love to hear from you again.
NMHRK
André

Hi Andre,

You are confusing Nichiren Shu and Nichiren Shoshu. SGI used to be connected to Nichiren Shoshu. Nichiren Shu is the mainstream of Nichiren Buddhism in Japan, whereas Nichiren Shoshu was a sub-lineage of the Nikko branch.

The main temple of Nichiren Shu is Kuonji, but our other temples include those associated with Nichiren's whole life - Seichoji where he was educated as a child, and Ikegami Honmonji where Nichiren passed away, and many other places. Most of the writings and other artifacts from the life of Nichiren as in the safekeeping of the Nichiren Shu. Nichiren Shu is a confederation of lineages from all six of Nichiren's major disciples (except for Nichiji who went to China, and Nitcho who joined Nikko), and also Toki Jonin.

Until now, very very few SGI members have experienced Nichiren Shu, and I think they would be amazed at how different we are from SGI or Nichiren Shoshu but also surprised by the similarities (for instance, we chant the Hobenpon and Jigage and Odaimoku and use the Omandala-Gohonzon that Nichiren himself inscribed).

I hope that more and more, SGI members and ex-members will come to realize the difference between Nichiren Shoshu (whose head temple is Taisekiji) and Nichiren Shu (with its spiritual base at Kuonji but its main H.Q. at Ikegami Honmonji).

Namu Myoho Renge Kyo,
Ryuei

Byrd:

Welcome to the paranoid backward march into the midddle ages, with any discernable accomplishment. This is cultish, paranoic behavior. In America, one has the right to face their accusers - apparently not in the SGI-USA. A similar thing happened to me several years ago when I was removed as district chief. It was one of the best things that ever happened to me. Who would want to be part of the SGI after that power play? He should count his blessings and make the best of it. At the rate the SGI-USA is going the only loyal members they'll have left are the paid staffers who are afriad to rock the boat, even when the captain is off course.

Charles

It always irks me when you refer to the "american way". You say, "We don't take action against people in the the US if we don't give notice and a chance to be heard." All that I can say to that is you don't follow the news, do you?
ch

Interesting. Are you aware of the SGI-USA personnel manual and the appeal writes that are in there?

I think you know, Byrd, how I feel about alot of the things that are happening in SGI right now. I feel that there is a lot of fear based on things that will happen inevitably.

The thing is - as long as we are not collecting a paycheck from Corporate SGI, we are free. It may not seem like it when frightening things like this happen, but indeed we are.

SGI members need to realize that they are free to protest within SGI. We are not culties, well - many of us are not culties, and we can do exactly as we please. No "leader" can decide who or who cannot hold meetings at their house.

Truthfully, what has happened as described in your blog sounds like it came down from an insecure local leadership. It has all the ear-marks of that kind of half-baked, "not thought all the way through" sort of action.

Hold a meeting anyway. Doesn't matter if more than 2 or 3 member attend. Hold it and they will come. You'd be surprised how many member in our area probably want to see what will happen if you do. Call it a "Buddhist freedom meeting". Have fun with it.

Either the decision makers will have to out themselves, or shut the hell up.

Rev. Greg (my days are numbered, so don't feel too bad)

Hello, Track -

I have copies of the manuals from (I believe) 1994 and 1997. The older one has a teal cover, and the newer one as a yellow cover. I was at one time very familiar with the appeals process described therein.

The only problem we had with it was that in Texas in the late '90s, those guidelines (they are only guidelines, BTW) were followed or not as seemed convenient to the leadership, in my opinion anyway. Not sure how things were done elsewhere; I hope that these guidelines were applied more evenly than I experienced.

Have there been any new guidelines published since? Haven't heard of any, but I am no longer an SGI member, so I would only know if they had been referenced in some of the online discussions I participate in.

Namaste, Engyo Mike Barrett

Byrd,
There is usally more to the story than you have revealed, and there is also another side to the story, as well.

The SGI is not a format for the NShu or NShoshu to shakbuku. Just a thought.

If I want to learn about other than SGI I would attend their facilities.

I am sure the Catholics do not host Muslims, or Buddhists as guests lecturer's regarding core doctrine, as most religions are interested in helping their membership develop in their core doctrines and not another religions core doctrines.

Interfaith does not include the District Meeting as that is the core of the SGI practice since it's inception. Others may copy the format, but Nichiren started the District Meeting format with his original disciples and the SGI continues in the same format. Many Gosho speak about the subject.

Shijo Kingo is an exampple of a typical District Leader for the SGI, as well as a recepient of Nichiren's encouragement on how to hold a District Meeting.

Patrick

Hi, Patrick - As my post specifically stated, there was not any proselytizing for NShu activities going on at the SGI meetings. You might want to read the content of the blog entry before you post a misleading comment - just a thought.

The member is question is an SGI member, he was not talking about hosting an NShu speaker at a Gakkai event. The regular SGI activities which have been held at his house for years have been cancelled at that location because of his wife's affiliation, not because any SGI meeting had been "contaminated". There was no plan to do any kind of NShu shakubuku. In fact the NShu wife was very supportive of her husband's SGI activities and membership.

You mention the "other side of the story" - do you have some specific knowledge about decisions made re: the Antelope Valley that the members there do not have? Please do share if you do. Thanks, Byrd in LA

The personnel manual I have has a blue cover. And they were going to come out with an updated one in 2007, but that has not happened yet. For instance if you were told you could not have meetings at your house because your wife practiced with Nichiren ShoShu, you would appeal that decision in writing up the chain of command,(Chapter, Area, Region,Zone, Territory, up to Danny). Of course you would put your appeal in writing, outlining your disagreement with not being allowed to hold meetings. The responses to your appeal should be responded to in writing, or you could request that they be responded to in writing. At the VERY least you are taking your message up to the very top and if the decision to not allow you to have meetings at your house was local, the zone or territory might not agree with that.

Wow. I was told in 2001 that there was an appeals manual; no member in my district could find one, and they could apparently not get one from higher up. I took my issues up from the division to the national level, in writing, every time I got verbal "not on the record replies". My personal experience of the SGI was the quintessential "Jello Wall" - wallpapering fog, if you will.

As for Patrick's comments, I think perhaps he should reread the comments. Also, I know several mixed faith couples, some where one member is of an evangelical bend, who can respectfully hold meetings at their house without "tainting" visitors of other faiths.

SGI touts respect and tolerance of other religions, but if indeed there is such a policy, it's an amazingly flamboyant level of hypocrisy.

Byrd, I sincerely wish you success, and am very curious to see what transpires.

With great respect,
Kris

WOW, as a nearly 30 year-long SGI practitioner, I thaught I've seen it all, especially being based in Japan. From my experience I can say this: probably there is no policy, just some total idiot - among many others - that is self-materializing his own fears. That kind of policy does not exist in SG Japan for sure, although they have their own share of absurdities like other denominations as well: remember nobody is excluded from madness here. Let's stop pretenting SGI is the only bunch of lunatics. This would not only be unfair, but also hypocritical. The other day a lady outside a store approached me (she overheard me talking about Shijo Kingo) and tried to SELL me a course in Nichiren Buddhism - at the Nichiren Shu Myohoji temple near my home - for approx 500 bucks. When I told her that at SGI we do this for free, she was very embarassed. But, then, this is NOT representative of Nichiren Shu. It is just the initiative of this local temple. They make money from putting protective aura on vehicles, telling the future and selling amulets. So what? All It's part of the local tradition. I love going there hand have a chat with the priests. Nobody will ever dream to convince me into their group. It is only natural that some will pass to other Nichiren denominations that suits better to them (or go independent), personally I welcome it. When other groups will grow into the millions - by shakubuku-ing new people of course - I hope they'll find a better way to manage activities.

One remaining question. Why does anyone care what the SGI allows or restricts? If you want to do something, do it. If you want to have a meeting that goes against the "organization" rules, what's going to happen? I have yet to hear of any SGI prisons holding thousands of free-thinking former chanters in chains. Actually, I have one more remaining question: If you want to do something that is not permitted by an organization to which you have electively joined of your own free will... that does not pay you a salary... that does not reward you for your submission (as a job might) is it really the right group for you?

A 30-year practitioner on this thread wrote, "probably there is no policy, just some total idiot - among many others - that is self-materializing his own fears"?

Which just serves to remind me that all our experiences and events and problems need to be addressed from the INSIDE OUT, the real work being first and foremost within our own hearts and minds. Here we are, outraged that someone within a Buddhist organization would be so judgemental and restrictive as to disallow someone to attend a meeting... When, in fact, that very same judgemental and restrictive stance is surely alive and well in aspects of each one of us, even in those who have practiced for three decades or more.

Perhaps this is simply an opportunity for us to soften our hearts and open with compassion to the obvious fear causing such ridigity in the leader in question. Perhaps the right action here would be to approach this leader as a human being who needs guidance himself.

Once again I find myself among Nichiren Buddhists wondering why so many swords are being sharpened in the name of Buddhism when, in fact, our the Eighth Fold Path clearly guides us to a kinder, gentler way of relating.

One final thought on this subject before I crawl back into my cave. This from the Dalai Lama, "I come from the East, most of you [here] are Westerners. If I look at you superficially, we are different, and if I put my emphasis on that level, we grow more distant. If I look on you as my own kind, as human beings like myself, with one nose, two eyes, and so forth, then automatically that distance is gone. We are the same human flesh. I want happiness; you also want happiness. From that mutual recognition, we can build respect and real trust of each other. From that can come cooperation and harmony."