A Byrd's Eye View

If I took mentor to mean a trusted counselor or teacher then I have many. But I would say that they are mentors to me within their areas of expertise and not as general role models for every area of life. If the mentor is something like a guru whose opinions I should value over my own then I don't have a single one. That may be a good or a bad thing but I would not be comfortable any other way regardless. In the area of buddhism while I am inspired by others and could in some sense say they are mentors to me, I take Shakyamuni's reported deathbed advice to heart to be a lamp unto myself. As quoted by Joseph Goldstein, As the Buddha was dying,
Ananda asked
who would be their teacher after death.
He replied to his disciple -

"Be lamps unto yourselves.
Be refuges unto yourselves.
Take yourself no external refuge.
Hold fast to the truth as a lamp.
Hold fast to the truth as a refuge.
Look not for a refuge in anyone besides yourselves.
And those, Ananda, who either now or after I am dead,
Shall be a lamp unto themselves,
Shall betake themselves as no external refuge,
But holding fast to the truth as their lamp,
Holding fast to the truth as their refuge,
Shall not look for refuge to anyone else besides themselves,
It is they who shall reach to the very topmost height;
But they must be anxious to learn."

The Buddha is reported to have also said, "Believe nothing on the faith of traditions,
even though they have been held in honor
for many generations and in diverse places.
Do not believe a thing because many people speak of it.
Do not believe on the faith of the sages of the past.
Do not believe what you yourself have imagined,
persuading yourself that a God inspires you.
Believe nothing on the sole authority of your masters and priests.
After examination, believe what you yourself have tested
and found to be reasonable, and conform your conduct thereto." - Buddha

It is possible that I will stumble many times for want of of a good guide to follow, but I will place my own feet back on the path. I prefer that to following someone who while impressive to me may or may not know where he's going.
ch

Ah man, I don't get the prize!

I am flattered, though, that some people see me as a rival to Daisaku Ikeda.

Now about Mavis, I have a question: Maybe she would be flabbergasted if a building were named after her, but would she be offended if you named a Teddy Bear after her? Inquiring minds want to know.

In any case, I think we should recall that the Buddha told Ananda that good friends are not just half the spiritual life, but the whole of the spiritual life. A good friend is a "kalyanamitra" in Sanskrit, and a "Zenchishiki" in Japanese. I don't believe a "good friend" in this sense is necessarily a mentor, but is a good example and a trustworthy and wholesome influence and comrade on the path to awakening. So I look upon you, and Bill, and Jean, and those who join me at Faithful Fools and those who I practice with at the San Jose Temple, and many people online who have encouraged me and helped me (even with constructive criticism) as my kalyanamitras. I hope that I am able to function that way for others and strive to do so.

I do have people I would call mentors. I like how clown hidden has defined them: trusted counselors or teachers within their areas of expertise. I even have an official mentor, the Ven. Ryusho Matsuda. And then I have those mentors who I call on the phone to ask, "Am I losing my perspective here? Why is everything getting so f'ed up? How can I extract myself from this _______ Help!?!" (You know who you are) And come to think of it, those might be different people for different circumstances. Then there are those people who, like your friend Mavis, I admire and would like to be able to emulate, but again my kalyanamitras are in that category and that is why they are kalyanamitras - as a Sangha we all try to see and to bring out the best in one another.

Namu Myoho Renge Kyo,
Ryuei

Hi, Byrd -

I really like the twin contentions here: That you MUST have a mentor, and you must have ONLY ONE, otherwise you can not be practicing correctly. Where is this rule written? Does Nichiren ever talk about this? Enquiring minds want to know.

Namaste, Engyo Mike Barrett

I went to my districts year end meeting last night. Although they had planned to discuss several things, that was all pushed aside to focus on "Mentor and Disciple" exclusively. It seems that there is a big push on with Pres. Ikeda turning 80 in January. The idea I got is he won't be here long so achieve oneness with him as soon as possible. I think that the idea that one person is the embodiement of all wisdom is naive. I think the the real buddhist take on mentoring is to let wisdom be your guide and find it where you can.
ch

Whom is my mentor in Nichiren Buddhism, why Daisaku Ikeda of course!

I have yet to meet anyone that undestands Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism and explains Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism as efortlessly and respectfully as Sensei Ikeda can, as well as how to apply this Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism into a daily practice in a simple fashion.

Action based on Gongyo and sincere daimoku to the Gohonzon of the Three Great Secret Laws. Faith into Action.

I have met many people that claim they do not need a mentor in Buddhism.

Analogy. Martial Arts. Do you study under just anyone or the best martial artists you can identify or do you read a book and hope to grasp the details of martial arts in that manner?

Myself, I look for the most qualified person and not just a good martial artists, the martial arts master. Life and death differences I would think.

Sensei Ikeda was trained by Sensei Toda.

When most people abandonded the SGI, Daisaku Ikeda supported Josei Toda and protected Sensei Toda to the end of his life; 1958.

In 1960 Daisaku Ikeda accepted the leadership of the SGI at the insistence of the SGI memebrship, to become the next president of the SGI. No one else stood up and offered to be that person. Not an easy decision to make for a 32 year old young man.

Can anyone else say they would do what Sensei Ikeda has done, selflessly for fifty years now; orient his entire life to Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism and the SGI alone!

Plenty of people want to be your mentor, the question is why they want you to be their disciple and what are they truly teaching you?

Patrick

My mentor is the dharma of the Lotus Sutra.

Charles

I'm not saying Daisaku Ikeda isn't a great teacher who has accomplished tremendous things.No one has done more for the SGI. But to say that one must achieve a oneness with the mind of a particular person in order to grasp the true meaning of buddhism is nonsense. The oneness you must achieve is with the mind of the buddha, buddhahood, not with the manifestation of that mind by any particular person. It is a little hard to Give President Ikeda the benefit of the doubt that this hero worship goes on without his approval. And if he does approve of it who can chastise the great master for his defect, and a defect is what it surely would be. Granted a teacher may be necessary to learn something, but if the price is absolute fidelity and obedience then I would say the teaching is priced too high. I'm glad to see that I can once again agree with Charles when he says,"My mentor is the dharma of the Lotus Sutra."
ch

The dharma of the LS, Nichiren and, with ambivalence, PI.

Clown,
You are going to tell others what or whom to make their mentor. Your approach is not documented any more than your claims of nonsense f the concept of mentor/disciple.

But then of course it is easy to call soemthing nonsense that does not go along with your way of thinking.

I noticed you change the subjet matter from mentor to hero worship. This is obviously how you see the concept of mentor/disciple, so there is no reason to clarify your understanding further.

Hero worship is not mentor/disciple, but that is how you see it.

Learning from Sensei Toda is impossible today, just his direct disciple; Daisaku Ikeda is left.

Hero worship or blind obedience has nothing to do with mentor/disciple. I think you missed the concept of mentor/disciple, if this is how you see the concept.

Making your mentor your hero and blindly obeying him is a form of disrecpect and nothing more.

Again no different than studying under a martial arts master if you want to master martial arts. Finding the best martial arts master is essential if you are to become the best martial artist. Buddhism is no different.

Just like Nichiren says, "There is no separation between this reality and Buddhism."

Patrick

Hi, Patrick - you raised the analogy of a martial arts teacher. Most martial artists I know have actually trained with their teacher, not through books an videotaped lectures (as we are compelled to do with Ikeda). There is personal attention and personal discussion. These are missing with Daisaku Ikeda.

There is also room for disagreement. Is there anything you disagree with Daisaku Ikeda about? Anything you think has not been handled well? I only ask because I think that how someone handles disagreement (in real time, not in theory) is a good indicator of whether or not I would like to develop a relationship with that person.

One of the things I like most about Mavis (and most of my other mentor-types) is that they are in fact immediately available to me, and I don't have to resort to internaitonal faxes in order to communicate with her.

Also, as an historical note, Daiksaku Ikeda did not succeed to the presidency of the SGI - the SGI was not created until 1973, when the World Buddhist League (as I believe it was called) was formed. He succeeded to the presidency of the Soka Gakkai in Japan. Just trying to keep that straight.

Thanks for the comments, all- I'm sure there will be more to come. Best,Byrd in LA

Pat, I'm not telling anybody who or what to take as their mentor, so I don't know where you get that. Unadulterated hero worship is what I see when I look at the SGI. The whole concept of mentor and disciple is foreign to buddhism as it originally existed although both Zen and Tibetan forms have this to some extent. If you choose to make fallible people infallible in your mind that is your perogative but if you can find one place in the entire buddhist cannon where Shakyamuni said to do this I will happily admity that I am wrong. If you want to say that what the SGI is doing is not hero worship you can do that as well. I will both differ and say that President Ikeda is wrong for allowing it to go on.
ch

Clown,
You equated mentor/disciple to hero worship, and than assert this is what the SGI does. Your words.

Your view of mentor/disciple as hero worship is just that, your view.

I have not made President Ikeda infallible, that is again your assertion.

Baed on your post here, you believe there is no concept of mentor/discple as you stated above, and thereore people should not take a mentor.

You are telling people what to do and how to practice Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism. Re-read your own post.

I have valid references to mentor/disciple, both in the Gosho and the Lotus Sutra. I have read The Gosho volumes I & II, The Lotus Sutra, and The Ongi Kuden.

Nichiren says, "I and my disciples may encounter various difficulties..." The Opening of the Eyes, part 2. More references if you want to look for them yourself. This Gosho is addressed to all people not just Shijo Kingo. Universal application of mentor/disciple relationship.

Nichiren also says, "If you are of the same mind as Nichiren." Again mentor/disciple relationship

Nichiren refers to mentor/disciple in one of his most important Gosho's, as noted above.

The Gohonzon, The Gosho, The Lotus Sutra, should become your mentor, through daily efforts.

Byrd,

I am sure Mavis is a fine lady.

You present the same argument the SGU presents. it must be face to face to be a valid mentor.

I would challenge your view on that fact.

Example. As an Architect, my mentors are many. Structural Enginers, Architects,etc. The profession requires mentoring; internship program if you expect to get a license to be called an Architect by law. Similar to most professions.

One of my mentors is Andre Palladio; a sixteenth century Architect. I study him through his writings; The Four Books of Architecture. Andrea Palladio created order in Architecture, where it did not exist prior.

I am aware the SGI did not officially start until 1975, I have been with sensei since 1964 as part of the old NSA. I paraphrased the situation. Sensei Ikeda has always remained close to the members, whether it was NSA, IBL, or SGI.

I also study sensei's Toda and Makiguchi.

I study Nichiren directly, as well as The Lotus Sutra. I note that sensei Ikeda always references sensei Toda, when he speaks about Nichiren Daishonin's Budhism and how to apply Nichiren's teachings to daily life. I listen closely, as Sensei Ikeda encourages people with his life and nothing more.

I have yet to meet anyone that can explain Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism and how to apply Nichiren's teachings to daily life better than sensei Ikeda, except sensei Toda. Sensei Ikeda learned from sensei Toda, whom learned from sensei Makiguchi. Oneness of mentor/disciple.

As I said I am sure Mavis is a fine lady, but does Mavis understand the fine nuances of Nichiren's writings?

After all this blog is about understanding Nichiren and his Gohonzon, and applying Nichiren's faith in his Gohonzon in daily life. Nichiren says, "This is Nichiren's device."

This is Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism I practice and not something else. The SGI and the three presidents have shown a consistent understanding that has not truly changed over the duration of the NSA/IBL/SGI other than arrogant priestly issues, which have plagued the NSA/IBL/SGI since the beginning.

Human Beings are fallible creatures. Anyone trying to make Human's infallibe, is doing just that trying to make someone into what they are not.

I would rather follow someone that already was taught the correct practice, by showing their own actual proof of their own practice. That is what sensei Ikeda is doing.

Sensei Ikeda overcame TB without drugs, money, medicine, in a time when that was considered impossible. Sensei Ikeda also overcame poverty, uneducation, etc.

Actual proof is the most important of the three proofs. Sensei Ikeda has shown actual proof of his faith throughout his life through action not talk.

That is what I expect from my mentors, action not talk. Consistency from beginning to end. Honmatsu Kukyo To.

Patrick

I should have mentioned this before in relation to all this - but my sensei, the Ven. Ryusho Matsuda, confirmed for me that in Nichiren Buddhism we inherit the Dharma directly from the scrolls of the Lotus Sutra.

In Nichiren's Shugo Kokka Ron (I think it is translated as On the Protection of the Nation in WND Vol II and it is also translated in Writings of Nichiren Shonin Doctrine: 1) Nichiren makes it clear that in the Latter Age one should take the Lotus Sutra itself as one's good friend or teacher. And then of course there are the many gosho where he cites the Nirvana Sutra that one should follow the Dharma and not the person.

This idea that one can only awaken through a mentor (Nichrien himself had to refute his own mentor's exclusive attachment to Pure Land Buddhism) is clearly a violation of what Nichiren and the Lotus Sutra are trying to teach us. There is certainly a role for mentoring in Buddhism, but that role does not supercede our direct connection to the Lotus Sutra and the imperative to follow the Dharma and not the person and to use the three standards of proof instead of some person's authority.

Namu Myoho Renge Kyo,
Ryuei

Michael,
As I stated prior to your post, Nichiren states, "To be of the same mind as Nichiren." can be understand on many levels, and not just regarding shakabuku, but perhaps life style, attitudes, taking direct action, and many other ways of eradicating fundamental darkness. These are all potentials to be considered when reading the simple statement of "being of the same mind"

Nichiren refers to his Gohonzon as "The Lotus Sutra" in the Gosho written to Toki Jonin for forgeting his "copy of the Lotus Sutra" which was understood to be "Toki's" Gohonzon, that Nichiren inscribed for him.

In the end Nichiren encourages us to make the "Gohonzon" which is "Nichiren's device, never before seen" as our Mentor.

The person teaching "make the Gohonzon your mentor" is of course Daisaku Ikeda, my mentor.

I see it this way, "The Gohonzon is the embodiment of the mystic law or the Life of Nichiren Daishonin.

Michiren says, "The soul of Nichiren is no more than nam myoho renge kyo."

The Gohonzon, The daimoku, and Nichiren are all one and the same. Making any one of the three my mentor is "being of the same mind as Nichiren"

Regarding awakening occurs through the mystic law alone, Nichiren's device, The Gohonzon of The Three Great Secret Laws.

This is what sensei's Makiguchi, Toda, and Ikeda teach within the SGI, as I have experienced for my entire practice.

The concept of "leader" in the SGI, as sensei Ikeda says," is to lead people to the Gohonzon."

The above understanding is what sensei Ikeda does, and that is what he expects us to do, as well, as he says, "in our own manner that best suits each of us."

Oneness of mentor/disciple

Patrick

Hi, Patrick - I'm glad you recognized that you were repeating something you had already said earlier. I am not going to be online over the weekend to do any editing here, and four posts in less than seven hours seems a lot to me, particularly when you recognize that you're repeating yourself. I think we all kow where you stand on this issue.

Try to be good over the weekend, OK people? I'm going to disneyland!!!

I have no problem with people following a high priest if they need one to be their ideal authority and the same is true for people who feel the need for a mentor. Of course no one can tell me that I need a savior, priest, or mentor and have me accept it. It doesn't suit me. And I feel I can confidently say they are not essential to buddhism. They maybe should have no place in buddhism what so ever. You can try to take refuge in other people all you like but in the end the only buddha you can truly take refuge in is yourself.
ch

Hello Byrd;

It's early saturday morning...I'm home from a party and i may not be completely ooherent...

I have several mentors...i don't assign them any spiritual role...but they all inspire my practice.

Ikeda, I suppose, is a mentor for me...because he seems to have been working compassionately if gradually to eradicate the myths of Nichiren Shoshu from our doctrine...not officially, but very plainly in "Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra"...If more members read that we'd be in better shape...Of course, he himself is not completely free of Taisekiji dogma...

A Japanese war bride in Richmond Virginia is my closest mentor...though she would not want that title...she has dedicated her life to raising buddhists...I can think of at least a dozen members who have developed wonderful lives through her 40 years of dedicated mentorship...me included...

Makiguchi is a real hero/mentor for me...I read whatever I can find...even the treatises written before his conversion...

Toda was a great man...but not exactly my cup of tea. he was a staunch supporter of Nichiren Shoshu, yet he firmly grasped Nichiren's idea of the common mortal as buddha Nichiren. The close bond between Toda and Ikeda is a great example, but not my thing...

So, who's my mentor? Nichiren...duh...

I try to read and absorb his writings. He was a common mortal of the highest compassion and determination...a great example of a buddha in the latter day...that is, doing all he can all the time for the sake of people's happiness...

Shakyamuni is a mentor, but frankly, his connection to me is distant...Nevertheless, i read the Lotus Sutra and absorb the message...
which is that no buddha exists outside the ordinary person.

My close friends(a married couple) of some 35 years are also very human mentors for me... My friend has alcohol problems and self estedem issues...He alienates peoiple and always has...but has managed to prove himself as an artist in the field of photojournalism...His work is quite profound...his wife is a very succesful teacher of emotionally challenged children.

Oddly, they still have the very same inherent flaws they had 35 years ago...and so do I...I have also had a very protected life and denonstrated some talent...I owe my life to this buddhism,

It is the very real humanity and imperfections that i treasure in my friends and mentors...I am not interested in awards or prizes or glorification..To see my friends live lives of great victory in the midst of their serious flawa is actual proof...My life is the same...an indescribable treasure of growth and happiness.

I am not wealthy or famous...i think i have talent. I have been protected and enjoyed a great life so far. I am quite happy to work for the betterment of humanity for whatever time I have left.

The law is my ultimate mentor...meaning the Daimoku and the Gohonzon...I do put the strategy of the Lotus SAutra before the strategy of David Johnson...and it's worked for me.

That does not mean I abdicate responsibility...quite the opposite...it means I use chanting as the basis of all my activities.

I also study buddhism and especially the Gosho...which in the last five years has come alive for me. It's not distant or intellectual (well, sometimes!}...but if I keep at it I find simple and profound truth there.

Anyway, i'm a ranting old drunk tonight,,,and shamelessly so! But I feel all these things deeply, so please tolerate my verbal diahhrea...

Finally, you, Byrd, are one of my mentors...your example of independence without animosity inspires me to be a better person.

David ( falling asleep about now(

These comments somehow got posted to the previous blog instead of this one:

Clown:

The way I remember it, our falling out was about war and the military, not doctrine. Putting your trust in human teachers is fine, to a point, as we all must learn that way, but when it comes down to unchangeable truth, the Buddha insisted that it was THE LAW, and not persons that one should follow. Furthermore, this Law of the Lotus is self-realized and cannot be taught, only pointed toward.

Charles
Posted by Charles at November 30, 2007 12:22 PM

Yes Charles what you say is true. But I never told you how strongly I disagreed with your admiration for the gym teacher and I had that in mind as well.
ch
Posted by clown hidden at December 1, 2007 01:06 AM

Hi Byrd & all --
My 2cents' worth -- Much of the problem could be culture clash and misunderstand-able translations: guru=sensei=master...all implying the sort of "amae" emotional dependency that Westerners outgrow in adolescence, but Japanese seem to keep all their lives.

In America, I think substituting the word "mentor" has been unfortunate...as a woman in the business world, every time I refused to go to bed with a would-be mentor, he suddenly ceased to even be friendly.

I think that if Buddhism is to spread in the West, we need to appreciate the Oriental teachers -- learning all we can from them as we grow and change -- but always paying close attention to the Gohonzon within us.

Barbara

Whenever I hear "mentor" I can't help but think of those silly Mentos commercials. "Mentor - the fresh one!"

Mentors don't have disciples. They have proteges. You can learn from President Ikeda and that's fine, but he is not your mentor. Nor can a dead person, or a phrase, or a sutra be your mentor. That's what I don't get: people say the daimoku is the true buddha. Absurd! A Buddha is a person. A phrase can't teach you anything.

If it inspires and instructs you I think a phrase can serve as a mentor. Certainly there are phrases that act as guiding principles such as "do unto others as you would have them do unto you". Of course there must be some person behind these phrases for them to come into existance. This raises a question of which is more important the teaching or the teacher. While I think there are arguments on both sides, my opinion is that the teaching is more valuable than the teacher. To think that the teacher is more important than the truth you would have to believe that the truth originates with this teacher and they are the sole possessors of it. I can't believe that.
As it is now people are being led to believe that there is a particular person they need to have this relationship with in order to fufill Nichiren's intent. In the liturgy of SGI President Ikeda is spoken of as one of the eternal models of selfless dedication. I don't want to go into the problem of eternity but am I to think that 300 years from now people will be told that they must have the same mind as Ikeda in order to understand the intention of Nichiren?
You have all heard me go on till you were sick proclaioming the self sufficiency of Daimoku. So I will only say that it is my belief that that one phrase contains all the truth of the entirety of the Buddhist scriptures and practices, and is itself the seed of buddhahood. For as long as human life continues that one phrase can act as mentor to everyone who seeks it. It is an exposition of the truth. It can never be corrupted. It is universally available to all, and equal to all, and will never take advantage of anyone or mislead them.

Wow... great blog, great subject, and great writing, Byrd. As for me, my "mentor" is my life itself.

Amen.

Hi Byrd,

Good question. As a starter, President Ikeda is my mentor for obvious reasons. Besides him, I think I would call my region leader, my area and my national leader my mentor as well.The last 3 persons because they are more easily available when need to for guidance and questions.
Greetings,
André de Wit

My teacher is the Dharma; the recorded teachings. The Buddha said that after his passing, the Dhamma and the Vinaya would serve as the teacher.

I think the Mandala Gohonzon does somehow elicit insight that enables us to grasp the written Dharma. Actually, I do know how it works, but I shall spare an explanation here.

My take on the Lotus Sutra, [and yes, the Mandala Gohonzon is the core of the Lotus Sutra],is that it illuminates, not eclipses, all of the other teachings.

gassho,

robin

Patrick, you wrote:

"The SGI and the three presidents have shown a consistent understanding that has not truly changed over the duration of the NSA/IBL/SGI other than arrogant priestly issues, which have plagued the NSA/IBL/SGI since the beginning."

That's just not true. Mr. Makaguchi seems to have been relatively unconcerned over the details, but Mr. Toda was a lion regarding Nichiren Shoshu orthodoxy, to the extent that he said things like non-Nichiren Shoshu issued Gohonzon were "demon infested" and such, and Mr. Ikeda prominently supported same. The notion of high-priestly infallibility, priest-only Gohonzon production and conferral, specific "face-to-face" transmission of the Law from high priest to high priest, and a magical super "Dai" Gohonzon were all thingngs that Mssrs. Toda and Ikeda were adamant about. This is all in writings by both gentlemen, and a lot of other Soka Gakkai and SGI leaders. As long as you've been around, I'm surprised that you don't recall these things.

The SGI, since the split, has moved away from a lot (although not all) of the Nichiren Shoshu orthodoxy, and now holds postions, some diametrically opposed and others "lite" versions to those stated above. Mr. Ikeda has specifically written new positions along these lines. To say that there has been a "consistent understanding" is just not the case. There has been a much changed and altered understanding, and no one has officially even acknowledged the errors that Mr. Toda and Mr. Ikeda previously supported. They seem to hope that people will forget them.

Apparently, you have.

As far as mentors, I agree with Vanya, and I like my dictionary. I've had a lot of teachers in my life. I'd like to meet Mavis. Until then, Byrd is pretty cool, herself.

Cheers!

Andy

Aw, shucks, Andy.

Don't mentorize me, or I'll be targetted for a home visit. Especially after my most recent entry.

Your friendly neighborhood non-mentrix, Byrd in LA

Byrd: A real easy answer to this leader's question might have been, "It's none of your business." You know why? Because it isn't. It's none of their business. You have the right to have any G/D mentor you please. As for myself, I like to interchange my mentors lately. And, my mentor list continues to grow as I find more wonderful people who inspire me to grow. Just to name a few: Pema Chodron, Wayne Dyer, Sylvia Boorstein, Sharon Salzberg, Jack Kornfield, The Dali Lama. Wow, what diversity!

FWIW, I think it's a private issue. Remember, privacy, another one of those pesky American values you, Byrd, and me hold dear.

Ashley

Hi, Ashley, it wasn't a leader, it was a pal. I didn't mind talking to him about it, it was just sort of a trigger for bringing the issue out into the open. Thanks for writing in, Best, Byrd

There are so many web-sites like this! Nothing special and nothing original! I will never come back here