Reverend Greg

Thank you Peter.. that's all we've ever wanted.

Not that I can speak for the others.

i am not posting here anymore...

Nothing is wrong, but if someone asks you what made you well, and you said the glass of water, when in fact it was the medicine, your poor patient will be drinking gallons and gallons of water and never getting well. Being sincere is not the issue, because people can be sincerely wrong, and activity is not a key or an issue of success, a good doctor gives the correct medicine,and while I was in the prisons of cults and religion I only witnesses people in straight-jackets getting ill. Sorry, but I just don't see sickness being a wonderful toy in the Burning House.

Oh Sunday Night..
Bruce

My answer is already consisted in your words: Everything IS a path. What am I supposed to do? Live like a giant pumped ballon all alone in the universe? What is so wrong in being grateful to people who were once or who ARE now my life? Even the worst of them who probably did me wrong, in fact did me good. What is "washed" by that? And in what way it ruined my independent mind?
And what is wrong with the fact that something what said for example (please don't jump!) Pres Ikeda was in fact good or usefull or maybe once fell real good in right time and I liked it? He said exactly what I needed then someone to say.
Bruce, thanks again.

You have to take those thoughts and feelings and push them because it still seems to me you are trying to protect a "brainwash". What are the "little helpers" as you say. Remember, there is no path, everything is a path because you already have Buddha Nature. The Lotus Sutra itself is Eternal Life, that is the secret Dharma transmitted that you hold, its not some kanji, the meaning of the Sutra is what Buddha taught when he discarded all provisional means. Every culture is limited by its language and Nichiren was a slave to his culture, think what he could have communicated with the Internet, or if he were not Japanese, or if the Japanese Language had developed differently? The possibilities are endless, however there is only one truth. There is only one secret revealed in the final and complete teaching, it was that the life of the Buddha was Eternal, we inherited that eternal life via transmission, not by joining a sect or cult or gym.
Best,
Bruce

My confidence is such

Here am I - obviously - at the half way to everything, trying to SEE again in my life world around me as my real home. Frame for my safety. Water for my thirst. Not metaphorically. That house there, that street and tree....reliable pillars of my safety.
Everything is here, everything has been always here. I agree with you. Medicine is Eternal Life. Not something that leads to it. Still, I wouldn't touch these "little helpers" no metter what. Especially, when they don't have even the slightest idea to help. I wouldn't dare. You know why?
I wouldn't know then whether "everything" would be here, as always has been.
Bruce, thanks.

Peter,
When did you leave SGI?

Inspirational Quote from YouTube where there are some nice videos on SGI and Soka Gakkai: "SGI is a cult. Those who follow should consider something more rewarding like Buddhisim. What a shame. So many confused, with no sense of self and nothing better to do. Thank you for your consideration."

I am glad I gave you joy! They are true, they come from the Lotus Sutra, I added the Gravity analogy.

If Buddha says in the sutra that he sees us all equal, I really think we should take heed to that. The medicine of the Sutra is Eternal Life, and we drink the medicine, but Religion says it was not the medicine that made us well, it was the glass of water that washed it down, or the person that gave it to us, or that the person was bald and wore a robe, or spoke soft and nice, or was Japanese, or that the medicine by itself was not enough we have to stare at walls, or chant mantras, or have secret mantras, or perform 8 fold paths, or 180 degree turns, its all non sequitors, and when you can finally see through all the crap the world looks looks like a sanitarium that carries a deadly disease. Each Religion has in its doctrine a deadly virus, that sucks you in and sucks your life till you rot. So, its not being in a Religion, or being out of a religion, but recognizing that there is NO Religion..

Hope i made you even happier..
Bruce

Bruce, believe me: I know that Nichiren did not write Lotus Sutra.... I just want to emphasize my personal conviction that Nichiren did not have in mind creating just one more religious sect. Several remarks in your comment made me joyfull, especially "Does gravity need our help for propagation?", and especially "However, the beauty lies in the fact that the law is inherent in each person just as we are."
With the last part....yes.
Best.

"what I meant to say is that Nichiren devoted his whole life establishing teaching that leads to happiness of all people in the world"

Actually, Nichiren did devote his life to spreading the Lotus Sutra, it was not HIS teaching, but the world of the Eternal Buddha he inherited from Buddha, and he believed himself to be Jogyo.

"Doesn't Lotus Sutra say that the ONLY reason for buddhas come to this world is propagation of the Law?"

Not at all, the law is, and cannot be propagated. The Lotus Sutra, as Buddha says, propagates itself and needs no human hands or mouths for help. Does gravity need our help for propagation?

"You can't do that if you think that buddhism is too hard for understanding of ordinary, common people and, therefore is meant to be exclusive teaching just for intelectualy or in every other way priviledged minority."

Well, now you are talking Bodhisattva-ism. All the people and self proclaimed priests have twisted the teaching so much there is nothing left of the original. There is as much Buddha in Buddhism as there is Science in Science Dog Food. However, the beauty lies in the fact that the law is inherent in each person just as we are.

"That's why he appears and propagates. Childish?"
There is nothing wrong or insidious in your talk, however its all pre-lotus teaching. True, Buddha taught according to each persons ability, but when he revealed the truth of the sutra, he abandoned this technique. That is what Shakubuku is supposed to be, we point out that all paths and practices to Buddha are nonsense, because we already have Buddha Nature and will become a Buddha. There are no more austerities, or practices, no need to be a priest and bully people with words and knowledge. When the people of our day appear in the Ceremony in Open Space, Buddha announces that we have already conquered the austerities and fulfilled the practice to become a Buddha, therefore we receive transmission and now just tell everyone else.

Hope you had a nice thanksgiving,
Bruce

Bruce, what I meant to say is that Nichiren devoted his whole life establishing teaching that leads to happiness of all people in the world. ORDINARY people AT THE FIRST PLACE. Ordinary people were primary goal. No exlusivity, boundaries, isolation. Priests dedicated their lives to buddhism and - others. I could forget, or neglect or be angry....they keep it for me so I could come back when the time comes. Doesn't Lotus Sutra say that the ONLY reason for buddhas come to this world is propagation of the Law? You can't do that if you think that buddhism is too hard for understanding of ordinary, common people and, therefore is meant to be exclusive teaching just for intelectualy or in every other way priviledged minority. Buddha knows that he is human capacity, he knows that he with his whole strengh dwells in every human being (at least). That's why he appears and propagates. Childish? What do you know - maybe as a child we still remember our true self. Maybe I just made fool of myself, but that's how I see things.
Best wishes.

"...for even the most simple-minded i have said nothing even resembling anything provocative..."

"notice how many women are into sgi?
isn´t this proof how idiotic it is?"

"the peace-of-shit type of meditation about repeating the same peace-of-shit sentence"

"a shitty sentence like nam-myo-ho-renge-kyo "

"...which means in cult language "keep sucking ikeda´s dick"

It occurs to me that Peter has been eaten by evil wolf, so everything we can see now is evil wolf. Still, I'd rather not to read his "comments" any more, just in case he decides to blow real hard...

Since Nichiren Buddhism doesn't exist, but only in your mind, you can't be in or out, its all a poison, so you are all on the same side know it or not. The people who think they are members are the same as those who are angry that they were a member, its only freedom when you realize there was never a Nichiren Buddhism in the first place. There is no need for any anger towards anyone.

Bruce

I learn something new every day - a significant Nichiren temple right in Kashiwa? Way cool.

Okay, ki o tsukete - be careful!

See you when you get here

e

As I've been telling you for months, actually years by this time Peter, your comments toggle between fairly lucid to a point of non-sensically hostile and rather Schizophrenic, thus the ongoing cracks regarding medication. This current comment appears that you are "on" your medication, while at times you post as though you are not. Take it as a metaphor if you will.

One thing that is clear is that you share the same "ex-cultie" psychie and traits as another I chose not to name. When I read your "off medication" comments you look like you swung from one end of the spectrum (cultie) to the far other end, (ex-cultie) but in fact it's all the same thing, whether cultie or, you remain very attached.

Let go of it and move on Peter. Chant or don't chant. Train or don't train. You are still not anywhere close to being free.

"san francisco priest" is who? There are many people who think that there are people and there are priests in this world. Peter, why worry about what most people think, because most people don't, as they are just caught up in some mental loop or riddle. If you left the SGI, then you have lots of detox, so you see the poison you accumulated during your prison sentence (joke), but its not the fault of the people here. The SGI, and all the other groups only exist because they exist in the mind of the people who join them. Think of all the groups that might be, if people believed a different way? I actually enjoy reading your notes, there is lots of honesty and truth in your emotion, however if someone is still a member of a group or thinks he is a priest, they will think they are superior to you, and try to attack you, and that is sad, because if they really were superior they would not attack you.

Buddhism was not taught in the SGI,
Bruce

not to mention the san francisco priest saying that my comments are spam while his own writing is somehow significant or useful to other people just makes me chuckle again...

you are a ninth dan in ninjutsu... wow... what do you need sgi for then? i don´t get it... do you think norman smithers for example need to say pathetic stuff to a meaningless scroll? there were some cute asian cuties in sgi i give you that... not bad at all... by the way, notice that you are using character assasination against me although you know nothing about me... typical cult-tactic to avoid facing the real issues... anyway, i am way beyond that... accusing me of being a cultie while you are mumbling nam-myo-ho, etc. every day just makes me chuckle... but it is impressive indeed that you are ninth dan... are your supreme shidoshi also what´s his name i´ve forgot... the same as the sanshin school... and why are you mentioning medication? i have never been on any medication... have you heard the hagakura saying which is "the sole purpose of buddhism is to get rid of the prejudiced mind" - why then do you have prejudices against me and my comments - surely for even the most simple-minded i have said nothing even resembling anything provocative but still apparently i have succeeded in making you prejudiced... but i don´t think highly graduated martial artists are necessarily gifted with language skills, philosphical and psychological insight, etc., or any of that sort... which you clearly isn´t... sorry to say...

Have a great time!!!
Bruce

Rev. Greg -

Enjoy! I hope the weather cooperates.....

Namaste, ENgyo Mike Barrett