My previous blog “Forever Sensei,” brought up many issues. It got me to contemplate the role of myth, magical thinking, and superstition in our daily lives. Perhaps it was time to channel the spirit of H.L. Mencken to shed some light on a troublesome condition. I did, and the conclusions I reached are important to those suffering from learned helplessness, or are living in the shadow of karmic retribution. Superstition is the illogical belief in the improbable. My Webster’s Dictionary defines it as:
“An ignorant or irrational belief, often provoked by fear, and based upon assumptions of cause and effect contrary to known scientific facts and principles. From the Latin, superstitio, an excessive fear of the gods.”
Superstition has many forms and its subjects are legion. From the athlete who repeats a ritual of behavior in a certain way before a game, to the priest that conducts an eye opening ceremony to empower new Gohonzons – superstitious thinking and action are ancient and endemic. Some superstitions are harmless while others are poisonous to life and mind.
Reflecting on my own experiences, I recalled the litany of admonitions uttered or written by my own sect. I remembered the fears and self-doubts that I faced when walking away from my party, alone, forging my own path to the Phantom City. We’re all familiar with the superstitions and curses of our sect – decrees and warnings that if you left the organization or stopped chanting, you were going against the will of the true Buddha. There are so many, it seems hard to recall them all, but their hold on the mind is powerful. Here are some examples that come to mind, followed by my take on the subject.
If you leave the organization, your good fortune will be depleted.
No, not necessarily so. In fact, your good fortune and happiness might actually improve. Improved financial good fortune, good health, and dramatically increased sense of happiness and well-being were my experience. Why would the opposite happen to some, including me? It might be that severing ties with erroneous doctrines, intermediaries, and overcoming the associated fears of manufactured superstitions can have a remarkably powerful and positive effect on life and mind.
If you stop practicing or leave the organization, you will go off aimlessly in some arbitrary direction, floundering, rootless, becoming victim to your own negative karmic tendencies that haunted you before becoming a member.
My practice became more pure and liberating after I left my sect. Without question, I do miss the camaraderie and activities. I did not go off aimlessly in some arbitrary direction, though. In fact, I discovered my mission to bring aid to the sick, the suffering, and forgotten. More importantly, I actually discovered Buddhism along the way. Having recognized and confronted my negative karmic tendencies long ago, the above admonition seems directed at the weak, the needy, and the befuddled, not someone skilled at practice and study with the determination to advance.
(A stronger versions of this type of curse) suggests that if you leave the sect, quit practicing, or speak out on the errors of the sect, “your” misdirected life will come to ruin, and you’ll die a miserable death.
I am reminded of the Lotus Sutra when Buddha states that if one embraces this sutra (the LS) for even a short while, that they will please Him and all other Buddha’s throughout the universe. The key phrase is “for even a short while.” I’ve been around long enough that the spectacle of suffering a miserable death or having one’s life cut short in its prime is not a phenomenon exclusive to refugees or sectarian dissenters. I’ve seen gung-ho gakkai members who sacrificed everything for the movement come to sorry ends. The anecdotal fates of former members conveniently ignore the harsh realities experienced by the loyal, the faithful, and the advanced. There is no statistical evidence that members fare any better than former members.
After calamity or demise, anyone who has left the movement, questioned the party-line ethics, or disputed doctrine, will be analyzed, put on spin cycle, and will thereafter become a karmic crash dummy, to warn others from wandering away or thinking outside the box. The inevitable personal tragedies of sect members will be hidden away or spun into golden sonnets and heroic yarns. Keep in mind that those who win the war get to write the history. The Buddha and Nichiren are quite clear about the value and benefit of embracing the Lotus Sutra. There is no secret teaching hidden between the lines that states “you must be a gakkai member” to be happy or attain enlightenment. Beware of superstition no matter what its source.
Not long ago, I received a letter from a young bodhisattva I had trained years ago. My prized buticho came from India, totally imbued with a love, awe, and respect for Sensei. While finishing up his studies in graduate school, we had worked to create a dynamic organization in Urbana-Champaign. Fighting along side us was another young believer from India, who shared our quest to cultivate the master-disciple connection. They taught me the beauty of a sincere mind, and I taught them the strict lessons of Buddhist theory and practice. When they graduated and went forth into society, I knew each one would exemplify the lessons of our time together.
I was not that surprised when I received an earlier communication from my old buticho, concerned about the glorification of Sensei, among a number of other issues. It seems that he reached many of the same realizations that I had over the past few years – we also had many of the same lingering questions. Because the doctrinal flaws were so obvious, the biggest issue we have is about Sensei. Why? We are both confounded.
At the end of the letter is the initial response to my friend. After more daimoku, contemplation, and your feedback, I will write more.
Hello Chuck:
“I wanted to get your opinion on an important topic related to Nichiren Buddhism - maybe something your fellow bloggers might want to reflect on too. The issue is the importance of the concept of Mentor and Disciple in Nichiren's writings. My own readings and study seem to indicate a very different approach described by Nichiren than what is vehemently taught and prescribed by the SGI. While Nichiren has always talked about repaying our debt to our parents and to Shakyamuni and the Lotus Sutra that he considers as his true mentors, i never got the sense that 'mentor and disciple' was his most essential and keystone teaching. The SGI has always and more so lately, emphasized 'mentor and disciple' as the essential practice and teaching. Their definition is also very narrow - meaning primarily 'follow your de-facto mentor - President Ikeda', almost never follow the Lotus Sutra as your mentor as Nichiren says. I suspect that the 'mentor-disciple' concept is largely a SGI invention in its current form that has very little basis in actual Nichiren or other Buddhist doctrine. In fact, it was the Buddha who said - follow the law, not the person!
The 'mentor disciple' concept as propagated by the SGI fits very well with the new canonization of the SGI religion centered on the three presidents. I have nothing against the 'Guru-Shishya' tradition very common in Indian culture and history because that has a very open and two-way interaction that is not limited to only one Guru, and that the tradition usually continues as part of a 'school' even after the guru passes away and is replaced by the next guru. The SGI on the other hand has ensured that the 'Mentor-Disciple' relationship ends with Daisaku Ikeda as being the last mentor for he has (purposely?) not raised another mentor to be equal or greater than his caliber (like President Toda did) to ensure that his greatness is not diminished. While he may say that 'we are all his successors', in reality he must know that without him actually training and promoting the next leader to implement his vision to the next level and get the same kind of respect he has, there is very little chance that someone will step up and be the next Ikeda. His recent obsession with self-glorification in virtually all his lectures and meetings, make me think that the end of the lineage of great SGI presidents is by design, so that the greatest and most glorious SGI president remains Daisaku Ikeda for posterity.
I am torn between my respect and appreciation for president Ikeda's work and what he has done for the SGI, and the realization that the SGI may be distorting the true teachings of Nichiren to ensure the glorification and deification of one man. I sincerely wish that I am wrong about this and that there is indeed a noble motive behind the current movement. Am I wrong to expect great leaders to be humble? To expect them not to be obsessed by their legacy?
Please enlighten me with your thoughts on this.”
Let me give you my bottom line. The dharma and Lotus Sutra are the master, so says Shakyamuni, Nichiren, and the Buddha's and Bodhisattvas of the universe. It’s all about the transmission from Buddha in the treasure tower to us. That is the primary connection. If you are dubious, please refer to “The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life and Death.” Even if that gosho is apocryphal, it was probably a powerful oral tradition from Nichiren himself. The lesson is still valid and Nichiren’s take on the transmission of the Law from Buddha to him and us, is clear.
Regarding masters, Nichiren also made it clear the importance of a good teacher, and the perils of following a master that has gone astray. If one has a teacher or mentor and their legacy becomes twisted - as in this case, over-the-top self-glorification, or disciples making the mentor out to be the be all - end all - of doctrine, then one must step back and rediscover their allegiance. Doesn’t that take courage and wisdom? These two qualities were what I have always tried to instill in you.
I, too, have lamented what has become of PI's image. It seems as if Sensei has obscured Shakyamuni, Nichiren, the Lotus Sutra, and the Gosho by the brilliance of his hype. He does not seem to discourage this movement to glorify. For so long, I have been under the impression that it is we, his devoted followers have done this to him by way of following the leader and believing the hype - to some degree - ourselves. But then I know of occasions where he has allowed giant photos of himself to be hung in his presence at large meetings, like Chairman Mao. There is so much of his public persona that has me agape. Perhaps I cannot comprehend the legacy of his good works on the world stage, and this means of exaltation and mastery of all media is what’s required to save our burning house planet.
Please keep your critical thinking skills sharp and remember what Shakyamuni said of follow the law/dharma, and NOT the person. How we have strayed so far from this is troubling indeed.
Your friend, Chuck