Each day, I give thanks to Shakyamuni and Nichiren for the Lotus Sutra. My first exposure to the Threefold Lotus Sutra was in 1969, years before becoming an SGI member. President Toda’s Lectures on the Sutra followed, along with the many compelling excerpts and explanations written in the Seikyo Times and the World Tribune. In 1993, the SGI in conjunction with Columbia University Press published a new translation. Now the SGI has translated into English the Ongi Kuden, the orally transmitted teachings of Nichiren that explain the Lotus Sutra.
The Lotus Sutra has been the foremost influence of my life and mind. Yet the deeper one goes, the more mysterious it becomes. The images of the Lotus are dazzling and the scope is as vast as the universe. This sutra is not a literal or historic work, but a mythological masterpiece. To regard it as a literal text is simply foolish. So I am consistently amazed when some leaders pull supportive pasages out of the Lotus as literal predictions for our time, when it's convenient to justify our cause, while assuring us the other passages are "clearly" metaphorical. For that reason, I am eternally indebted to Nichiren for opening the way for ignorant people like myself. He was able to blaze a clear path through the jungle of impenetrable metaphors to give us the essence of the Lotus Sutra, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
My research came upon an interesting definition that I would like to share with you:
“Lotus of the Good Law
In 804 C.E. a Japanese Buddhist monk, Saicho (Dengyo-daishi) visited China and came back with a doctrine learned from Chinese monks on Mount Tendai. This was the beginning of the Tendai sect, a Mahayana sect that, like the Chinese Tendai monks, based its beliefs on the Hekkeyo (Lotus of the Good Law, or Lotus Sutra). This text stressed the existence of the Buddha nature and the drive for enlightenment even in inanimate nature. The Tendai sect brought together various strands of Japanese Buddhism, including the worship of Amida Buddha. By the twelfth century a Zen monk named Nichiren reacted against what he saw as the corruption of the Lotus by the Tendai sect and another esoteric group, the Shingon sect, and by Amidism in general. He called for a return to the Lotus and to the teachings there of the true Buddha, Gautama, the Buddha Shakyamuni.” The Oxford Companion to World Mythology, Oxford University Press, 2005, Page 241.
What caught my attention here were the references to Nichiren. Our more scholarly readers might have more insight into why they referred to Nichiren as a twelfth century Zen monk. If there is an error here, perhaps the Zen reference can be attributed to his birth name of Zenichimaro or perhaps the blending of different schools during Nichiren’s day. Of particular interest to me was Oxford’s conclusion that Nichiren sought a return to the Lotus and the “true Buddha, Gautama, Shakyamuni.” With that thought in mind, I began to carefully re-read Lotus Sutra, then read the Ongi Kuden and Gosho, looking for anything that could help me understand how the various Nichiren schools (and other Buddhist sects) have come to such different conclusions.
What happened to me was deeply disturbing. As a writer, I have some uncanny sixth sense that enables me to identify an author’s style after reading it but once. I don’t know if it’s the meter or cadence of the words, sentence structure, or how a writer uses imagery. Whatever it is, to me it's as unmistakable as a fingerprint to a forensics expert. While reading the Ongi Kuden, an alarm went off and wouldn’t stop blaring. I pulled the Gosho out and found some authenticated writings and began to compare the style.
Perhaps I became confused or alarmed because the Ongi Kuden is an orally transmitted teaching – allegedly transcribed by Nikko. The more I read, the more suspicious I became that the Ongi Kuden I was reading was not some perfectly transcribed text from master to disciple. True enough, the words of the master were there, but I had the uneasy sense that I was reading a doctored work that had other voices echoing from it. Perhaps that's the price we pay for transcribed works. This anamoly caused me to doubt myself and feel shame because I was questioning the authenticity of the supposed words of my beloved master and hero, Nichiren. I am no scholar – probably not even that good of a writer. I do, however, have every inclination to believe and find myself confounded by the ever growing mountain of deceptions, outright lies, and intrigue long perpetuated by some authorities of the various Nichiren schools. But when I smell a rat, it’s a rat.
At this point, I don’t know what to think anymore except a certainty in the perfection of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, which has saved my sorry ass and made it possible for me, a highly flawed common mortal, to attain Buddhahood. I’m not as smart as the agenda heavy connivers or duplicitous priests, but I can spot a hack trying to impersonate Poe as easily as the head curator at the Louve can spot a fake Rembrandt. I would call this situation a clerical error of the most curious and troubling kind.
It was all so clear to me back then, in the early 90s. The SGI was good and NST had gone evil. President Ikeda and the SGI members had been betrayed by Nikken Shonin, and a spurious cabal of arrogant priests regarded the laity as inferior to priests – even the priest’s pets!
As a professional writer, I vowed to assume the spirit of Nichiren and remonstrate with the High Priest through the offices of Myogyoji temple. Fifteen years have now passed since my first letter of remonstration in 1991. Thirty-six more letters, comprising some 31,000 words were sent until 1996, when I received a certified letter from Myogyoji Chief priest, Reverend Shoshin Kawabe, to cease and desist from writing or contacting him or the temple again. I called Guy McCloskey to report this matter. He said that I should “declare victory” and chant.
It just so happened to be that SGI Vice President Tokuda was in Chicago with some reform Nichiren Shoshu priests, and had just asked Mr. McCloskey who was doing the most to challenge NST. Within moments, a home visitation was scheduled for that weekend with Mr. Tokuda and other notable SGI staff and senior leaders. I basked in an intense feeling of victory and accomplishment. I had just finished 7 million daimoku in my 10 million daimoku campaign started in October of 1994. Although my personal world was falling apart, I believed that every obstacle that had emerged since my remonstration was a test of faith, and I could conquer anything the King Devil of the Sixth Heaven could throw at me.
At that meeting in my house, I presented vice president Tokuda a bound copy of my letters of remonstration to present directly to president Ikeda. More personal troubles soon emerged. My next effort was to write a completely new form of remonstration in the form of a novella, which swiftly turned into three novellas and finally a full length novel that I titled Mokuren: Prayer Wars. This was sent to Nikken Shonin, but later returned unopened. Later, BuddhaJones ran the entire book, a chapter or two at a time. I had Mokuren published not because I wished to continue remonstration with NST, but as a spiritual adventure saga that demonstrated the folly of religious zealotry.
Now, 15 years after that first letter of remonstration, I find myself as an independent Buddhist in both a spiritual and professional position to rewrite Mokuren to reflect how truly alike the SGI and NST are, and how ordinarily decent people can be duped into practicing a negative form of Buddhism that will not lead to Buddhahood, but will instead lead to unhappiness itself. Time has rendered a perspective of conjoined twins fighting a futile battle against each other. They are the Funi-twins who are two, but not two.
In terms of doctrine, they both believe that Nichiren is the true Buddha of Mappo. They both believe that Nichiren is the true Buddha and Shakyamuni is transient. They both believe that the Dai-Gohonzon was inscribed on October 12, 1279. In fact, they agree on most theories and doctrines. Where they differ now is in the heritage of the lifeblood inherited exclusively through the successive high priests from Nichiren on down. If you substitute the three successive presidents and the organization for the idea of the successive high priests, it’s hard to see a lick of difference between them theologically. So what exactly are they fighting over?
It seems to me that the SGI wants to be free of the supervision or approval of the priests because it needs to spin doctrine to appeal to the masses. The priests need to reign in the SGI because they take license with doctrine, distorting Buddhism, and also they need to stop the over-the-top glorification of president Ikeda, when believers need to center on the high priest.
With a new high priest, picked by Nikken, the battle will continue. Soka Spirit can momentarily revel in their victory. But after 15 years, Nikken’s final resignation had nothing to do with their millions of prayers. The same thing would have happened if they had not prayed at all. It’s an illusionary victory. I feel that the SGI has lead the members down a slippery-slope – pumping them up with self-righteous zeal, and aiming negativity at fellow Buddhists, now regarded as enemies. In retrospect, my own personal conduct was like a solider that killed during war because “I was just following orders.” I have since reflected on my actions and taken refuge in the Buddha. For those still fighting this winless war, I feel compassion and great pity, because only bad karma will ensue.
Members are taught that to fight the priests is the highest cause – something that Nichiren himself would praise and sanction. They are commanded from the highest level that those who refuse to fight will miss their great opportunity to attain Buddhahood, and “will instead fall into the hell of incessant suffering.” How frightening! There is no honor or Buddhahood in trying to destroy another sect of Buddhism – and what is so ironic is that the SGI and NST are virtually identical. It is tragic that the members have been put in the middle of this battle of egos, ambitions, and wills. No – they’ve been put on the front lines and told that if they don’t fight against this perceived evil that they will fall into hell. Prayers to impede, confound, destroy, and harm in no way produce happiness or good karma. I believe that Nichiren’s writing have been taken out of context by NST and the SGI, thus they are locked in a winless battle, like Siamese twins who are at war with each other. To my way of thinking, this futile conflict has brought shame on Nichiren’s Buddhism.
The solution to this problem is for each to go their separate ways and end the conflict. Or, perhaps, they can recognize that they pretty much believe the same thing and should strike a compromise. This could only be possible if PI would step aside, and the SGI would center itself on the high priest and priesthood – the exact same way it was done before the split. In those days, PI was the master of the laity, but he was supposed to be centered on the authority of the high priest. Thus, the members served three masters, so to speak – they were trained by president Ikeda who served the high priest, and we all took refuge in the Buddha dharma of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and the Gohonzon. The priests said, “know your place.” The SGI claimed we were all equal. Somewhere in these two opposing views is the middle way. I found it. So can they - but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
The Spiritwell consortium of dharma-rebels and smart-ass artists has designated 2006 as The Year of the Numbskull. With the passing of 2005, The Year of the Yellow-bellied Chicken Hawk, the future has never looked so dubious yet so rife for a little gallows humor.
The winner of the 2005 Yellow-bellied Chicken Hawk of the Year was bestowed on all the draft-dodger, yahoo politicos, who somehow evaded their own military service or combat way back when, but are now fervent in their cry for war in Iraq and elsewhere. After a poll of the consortium cynics, it was determined that unless you are willing to put your own family on the front lines, you have no right waging war.
The Year of the Numbskull has now arrived and the voting has been tabulated. The winner of the Numbskull of the Month award goes posthumously to the suicide bomber who killed 32 mourners (and counting) and injured more than 42 others attending a funeral in Iraq early this January. Thinking that he would die a martyr and go to paradise with his 70 virgins (I’d take 8 pros any day), this hoodwinked numbskull managed to destroy the lives of many innocent people and his own karma as well, all the while thinking that he was doing something good. My skrying stone divines that Beelzebub will bestow this award and receive his newest bitch.
It was a very close vote in 2005. Let’s take a look at one of the most insipid newsmakers of 2005. Pat Robertson, the evangelical numbskull, zealous advocate of the war, and avid promoter of Armageddon, has proven once again why he is a dolt without peer. His analysis of world events has become legendary. For example, Pat Robertson recently said that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who recently suffered a major stroke, was punished by God for dividing the Land of Israel.
“Speaking on the “700 Club”, Robertson suggested that Sharon, who is currently in an induced coma following a massive stroke and cerebral hemorrhage, and former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, assassinated by an Israeli extremist in 1995, were being treated harshly by God for dividing Israel.”
“He was dividing God’s land,” Robertson said. “And I would say, ‘Woe unto any prime minister of Israel who takes a similar course to appease the E.U., the United Nations or the United States of America.’ God says, ‘This land belongs to me. You better leave it alone.’ ”
Even juicier, in 2005, brother Pat attributed hurricane Katrina and its subsequent destruction to comedian Ellen Degeneres for being a famous lesbian that the Devil saw fit to host the Emmy Awards. This, apparently, was the cause for God’s wrath on New Orleans and elsewhere. Even though Pat Robertson didn’t win the award for 2005, he is already coming out as a front-runner for the 2006 award of Numbskull of the Year.
Dateline Hollywood, the authoritative source for journalism that we all know and trust, did actually report something that the other wire services also picked up that is certainly worth repeating.
“Hollywood – Pat Robertson on Sunday said that Hurricane Katrina was God’s way of expressing its anger at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for its selection of Ellen Degeneres to host this year’s Emmy Awards. “By choosing an avowed lesbian for this national event, these Hollywood elites have clearly invited God’s wrath,” Robertson said on “The 700 Club” on Sunday. “Is it any surprise that the Almighty chose to strike at Miss Degeneres’ hometown?”
Robertson also noted that the last time Degeneres hosted the Emmys, in 2001, the September 11 terrorism attacks took place shortly before the ceremony.
“This is the second time in a row that God has invoked a disaster shortly before lesbian Ellen Degeneres hosted the Emmy Awards,” Robertson explained to his approximately one million viewers. “America is waiting for her to apologize for the death and destruction that her sexual deviance has brought onto this great nation.”
Robertson added that other tragedies of the past several years can be linked to Degeneres’ growing national prominence. September, 2003, for example, is both the month that her talk show debuted and when insurgents first gained a foothold in Iraq following the successful March invasion. “Now we know why things took a turn for the worse,” he explained.
In order to avoid further tragedy, Robertson called not only for the Television Academy to find a new heterosexual host, but to bar all homosexuals and bisexuals from taking part in the ceremony.
He said employees at the Christian Broadcasting Network had put together a list of 283 nominees, presenters, and invited guests at the Emmys known to be of sexually deviant persuasions.
“God already allows one awards show to promote the homosexual agenda,” Robertson declared. “But clearly He will not tolerate such sinful behavior to spread beyond the Tonys.”
PAT ROBERTSON CORRECTS DATELINE HOLLYWOOD ARTICLE
“To The Editors,
It has come to my attention that you recently published an article alleging that I blamed Hurricane Katrina on the selection of sexual deviant and New Orleans native Ellen DeGeneres to host the Emmy Awards. I must demand a correction to this libelous accusation. As I have stated repeatedly on “The 700 Club,” Hurricane Katrina occurred because New Orleans is the epicenter of sinful jazz music in America. As for Ellen “DeGenerate,” I have predicted she will meet her fate when the Good Lord creates an earthquake centralized directly below the studio where she tapes her talk show.
The very idea that I stated on “The 700 Club” last Sunday that one celebrity’s sexual deviancy was the cause of Hurricane Katrina is patently absurd. As most of your readers surely know, the Christian Broadcasting Network doesn’t even air “The 700 Club” on Sundays. The idea that I would work on the Sabbath is so ridiculous, it almost made me think that your article might be some kind of a joke.
In addition, your article misquoted me as saying that the Lord “will not tolerate such sinful [sexually deviant] behavior to spread beyond the Tonys” implied that I said He condones an awards show that exists solely to lure the millions of innocent young people who watch into the homosexual lifestyle.
The very idea that I would approve of a homosexual extravaganza in any way, or state that God does, is deeply offensive and merits an immediate correction. (Though I was happy to hear that the show “La Cage Aux Folles,” which won a Tony for best musical revival, features a conservative Christian leader as a character. Hopefully other shows will take the lesson that Americans respond to positive portrayal of upstanding, moral citizens.)
If you are interested in the true reasons God unleashed Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans, a simple search of transcripts of recent episodes of “The 700 Club” (which air Monday-Friday) would have revealed the answer: New Orleans asked for this tragedy by advertising itself as a destination for jazz music. As every Christian knows, jazz music is sinful and lures people into eternal damnation. The connection is obvious.
As for Ellen “DeGenerate” (an accurate nickname my good friend Jerry Falwell coined), she will soon face the wrath of God. But not in the sinful city of New Orleans where she was born, the even more sinful city she has adopted as her new hometown: Hollywood, California.
In order to make clear His anger is directed at her, God will create an earthquake whose epicenter is directly below the stage where Ms. Degenerate is hosting her show at that moment. The guests, crew, and audience at such an event will likely perish, but since many of those people are likely sexual deviants and the rest choose to associate themselves with homosexuals, they are hardly innocents.
I hope this letter has made clear the numerous errors in your article. All of these mistakes could have been avoided through simple research on the website of “The 700 Club.” I hope in the future you will get your facts straight when reporting on my attribution of major national disasters to the behavior of homosexuals.
Sincerely,
Rev. Pat Robertson”
Well, thanks for that correction, Pat. To think that there are many millions of people in the U.S. that would shout Amen! to this letter and line of thinking only validates the designation of this year as The Year as The Numbskull.
We must thank brother Pat for fair usage of his telling rebuttal, that proves once again to the Spiritwell Consortium, that he is worthy of Numbskull Status. When the late syndicated columnist, Mike Royko, described our world as “the loony bin of the universe,” he must have had people like Pat Robertson in mind. The inmates are running the asylum, led by the good Reverend and a flock of Yahoo Chicken Hawks.