Kempon Hokke

“Here, why do you shrink from this vile prisoner?? Come closer! Come closer!”

"An arrogant man will be overcome with fear when he meets a strong enemy, just like the haughty ashura who shrank and hid himself in a lotus flower blossoming in Munetchi Lake when reproached by Taishaku."

“Here, why do you shrink from this vile prisoner?? Come closer! Come closer!”

Several have come here puffed up like poisonous blowfish and then they were soundly defeated. Honorable men would have taken down their portraits of Daisaku Ikeda, bid their parents [the Soka Gakkai] good bye, and taken up the Kempon Hokke faith. Instead, they ran back to continue their slanderous SGI activities as if nothing had happened. Or perhaps they delude themselves victors? Whatever the case, I will avail myself the opportunity to teach you about an equally arrogant man but one of honor.

"The Great Teacher Chi-tsang of Chia-hsiang-ssu temple was among the most outstanding scholars in China. He was the founder of the Three Treatises school, and lived on Mount Hui-chi in Wu. Believing that none could equal him in knowledge, he raised the banner of his pride to its highest. He challenged the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai to discuss the meaning of the passage that states, “Among the sutras I have preached, now preach, and will preach, [this Lotus Sutra is the most difficult to believe and the most difficult to understand].” In the debate Chi-tsang was soundly defeated and thereupon renounced his misguided beliefs. In order to expiate his serious offense of slander of the correct teaching and of those who uphold it, he gathered more than one hundred eminent scholars and begged the Great Teacher T’ient’ai Chih-che to lecture to them. Chi-tsang used his body as a bridge for the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai to climb [onto the preaching platform], supporting T’ien-t’ai’s feet with his head. Moreover, he served T’ien-t’ai for seven years, cutting firewood and drawing water for him. He ceased giving lectures of his own, dispersed his followers, and in order to purge himself of his great conceit, refrained from reciting the Lotus Sutra. After the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai’s death, Chi-tsang had an audience with the emperor of the Sui dynasty to pay his respects. As he was leaving, he clutched His Majesty’s knees and tearfully bade him farewell. Sometime later, Chi-tsang looked into an old mirror and, seeing his reflection, condemned himself for his past errors. All these many acts of penitence were done to eradicate his karmic disease."

Do you think the foxes and rabbits, people like Ian McIlraith, Danny Nagashima, or even Daisaku Ikeda would fare any better? These men are no one to be in awe of. On the contrary, as Nichiren Daishonin teaches, "It is not at all wrong to regard those who hold to lesser teachings as our subjects or even as barbarians."