Believers of Nichiren by Rev. Tsuchiya
Believers of Nichiren
People find that there are two types of Nichren's letters, letters to priests and letters to believers.
Nichren Shonin directs priests to make efforts to spread the true dharma of the Lotus Sutra and also criticize and refute(Shakubuku) the wrong doctrine of the other sects which slander the eternal Buddha Shakamuni and his Lotus Sutra(as a Hokke practitioner with great perseverence against persecution).
On the other hand, Nichiren Shonin encourages believers to get a strong faith in the Lotus Sutra which reveals the eternal Buddha Shakamuni and spread it to other people, and to respect and support the true Hokke practitioner. Nichiren Shonin had not directed believers to argue with other sects. If believers do not have enough knowledge of Buddhism they will quarrel like the SGI. Believers are not expected to refute other sects. For gaining power, the SGI incites their believers to blame the other sects while making bad use of Nichiren's letters. SGI's believers insist that it is right to blame other sects as a believer. However, they never forgive criticizism from the other sects. They speak ill of other sects which criticize SGI. It is not a Buddhist's behavior. It is a mere worldly desire of humans. SGI takes advantage of it.
I say again, it is not necessary for believers to blame other sects as the SGI. Shakubuku is a mission of the real Hokke practicer. Believers are expected to become successful in their life with strong faith in the Lotus Sutra and distribute the fruits of your efforts to weak people. Believers are expected to get wisdom, dignity, perseverance, bravery from the eternal Buddha to overcome any difficulty under the guidance of Nichren Shonin. Believers have to encourage people to keep the same good faith in Lotus Sutra. Therefore, believers need to help real Hokke practicer who criticize the wrong doctrine to protect true dharma of Lotus Sutra. So believers should not blame Hokke practicer's Shakubuku. Believers should be proud of belonging to the sangha which has the authentic doctrine and the true Hokke practicer.
Nichiren Shonin said that before teaching the Lotus Sutra it was necessary to teach fundamental Buddhism, such as Hinayana kindly, for those who are ignorant about Buddhism while not slandering the Lotus Sutra. Because they already had experience in listening to the teachings of the Lotus Sutra in their past life. This way of education which was practiced by Buddha Shakamuni is called Shojyu. But Nichiren Shonin said that it is necessary to preach the Lotus Sutra forcibly to those who are bad people slandering the Lotus Sutra(because they had not listened to Lotus Sutra in their past life). This way of teaching which was practiced by Jyo-Fukyo bodhisattva is called Shakubuku. SGI's leaders or the like seem to be those bad people. Even if they chant Daimoku(devotion to Lotus Sutra) for their expansion, SGI's leaders slander Buddha Shakamuni and insist that Lotus Sutra which taught by Buddha Shakamuni is useless. If they had the experience to listen to the Lotus Sutra, they would not abuse the Lotus Sutra of Buddha Shakamuni like that. Therefore, no matter what may happen, we, Hokke practicer, must criticize them by preaching the true Lotus Sutra.
In classic Buddhism, Hinayana, it is taught that we are reborn in the six worlds(hell, hungry ghost, asuras, animal, human, heaven) depending on our acts. It was preached to people to do good acts and that only those priests who get emancipation from the cycle of reincarnation can go to Nirvana. But you should think that we are reborn in the six realms in the human society as a matter of fact. You can see those who spend their life in each of these realms actually around you. Even if you were able to be reborn in the realm of heaven, you could not escape from old age and death. Therefore, if you don't renounce the desire for worldly things, you suffer.
If you get awareness of the true disciples (the Bodhisattvas who came out from under of the earth) of the eternal Buddha by struggling against your destiny with the belief in the Lotus Sutra, you will be able to realize that you are reborn in this world repeatedly as a Bodhisattva who performs your mission from Buddha Shakamuni. You can realize the eternal life as the Bodhisattva. It becomes unnecessary to worry about old age and death. So, any sufferings can no longer scare you. Those who have correct faith in the Lotus Sutra and chants the Daimoku will go back to Ryozen Pure Land for some time after their death and be reborn again in this world for their mission. Jyodo(Pure Land)' sects believe Amida's Pure Land which exist in the other side of the cosmos. But it is a made-up story. Ryozen Pure Land is the Buddha's world which really exists on the basis of our spiritual world. Therefore, true disciples of Buddha Shakamuni come out from under of the earth in the Lotus sutra.
In Buddhism, there is a thought of Ekou, merit-transference. If you have done good works as Bodhisattvas, you can transfer your virtue to other people. Therefore, you can save your beloved and ancestors.
Posted by markrogow at March 28, 2008 03:08 PM