Real Life with Ryuei

Thanks, Rev. Ryuei -

I guess we ought to at least be thankful that there is a distinction being drawn between Nichiren Shu and Nichiren Shoshu......Significant numbers of SGI members weren't aware that there are numbers of other Nichiren schools in existence.

Namaste, Engyo Mike Barrett

Hi Michael - I'm glad to see a response from you to this article. I have a couple of questions:

1. Is this the first time (to your knowledge or anyone else's here) that the Gakkai in the US has specifically addressed the Nichiren Shu in its publications? Is this a good thing?

2. Do you think it might be possible to get the SGI-USA's permission for a re-print of the article on this page (either a request from you or from Greg - educational purposes would be the grounds) so that your points can follow the text? I have read the article, and thought (as you know) that it was somewhat incoherent in its structure. When you answer Eugene's points without a referent, it sounds like you're the one leaping wildly from point to point, when this is not the case.

Maybe it would be interesting to see another piece on how the SGI is different from the NS. - i.e., NONA pubilshes its finances, the Gakkai does not. Also, I think people are somewhat superstitious in general on the issue of statues in the Gakkai.

Best, Byrd in LA

Hi Byrd,
In regard to your first question, I know that some of these claims have indeed been made in other SGI pubs. The Orally Transmitted Teachings repeats the legends of the sole transmission to Nikko, the Daigohonzon, and the Nichiren as Buddha of the Latter Age of the Law. The bit about the mandalas being sold as souvenirs is a slander I have seen in newsgroups but it may be the first in an official article. But I am not sure of that. There are references to Nichiren Shu in the SGI's Dictionary of Buddhist terms.

Is this a good thing that SGI is now writing about Nichiren Shu by name? I would say yes. If they post disinformation it at least makes people aware of us, and gives people like me a reason to spread authentic information. And it might make people curious enough to do some research on their own once they know there is such a thing as Nichiren Shu. It is also good because it means that Nichiren Shu is becoming successful and visible enough that they feel they need to address our existence. Finally, if they start a campaign against us the way they have against Nichiren Shoshu that would be the best possible thing for Nichiren Shu as it would alienate many more SGI members who are already tired of having to be involved in sectarian fighting just to be Buddhists, and providing that Nichiren Shu ministers and laymembers respond in their usual civil and evenhanded fashion we will gain the moral high ground and win a lot of sympathy as people who have minded their own business for the most part and are now being slandered for no good reason other than sectarian one-upmanship. So Nichiren Shu only stands to benefit from any attention that SGI wishes to direct our way.

2. I'm not really interested in posting a copy of the article. I only wish to address the specific points and claims for those who care, and then move on to more productive projects like my Rissho Ankoku Ron Commentary, my book project for the San Jose Temple's 25th anniversary, and other such things.

Namu Myoho Renge Kyo,
Ryuei

I see your point- how often can you make the same points without it's getting tiresome? t least consider writing a letter to LB's editor. They won't print it, but you can say you did it. I will write one, too. Byrd in LA

I think it is waaaaay cool that the SGI article mentions Nichiren Shu! It took me a long time to find out that there are other Nichiren groups, because the only one mentioned by the SGI is the SGI and of course the "evil" Nichiren Shoshu which confused me into thinking that there were only two groups (one good and one bad). Now more Buddhists will know there are others out there...

I think it would be awesome of you,Ryuei, to at least send a letter to the editor. Or perhaps just the fact that seeds have been planted is more than enough for now.

In any event, I have to say that I joined the SGI long after the "temple issue" occurred, but it was still spoken of with such ferver it made my skin crawl. From the highest level Senior Leaders on down, this appeared to be such a huge thorn in the side of the SGI that it made me question their sincerity about everything. If indeed as they preach, everything is "cause and effect" and that our outer environment is a reflection of our inner worlds, then rather than spew venom at Nichiren Shoshu, shouldn't the SGI be looking inward?

It's just a thought, though I know very little about the whole issue and prefer to remain in the dark about it all and save my mental and emotional energy for more positive ventures. All I know is that it seems rather un-Buddhist to be so filled with anger and hatred and to spread such antagonism rather than encourage understanding and compassion.

Ryuei:

What is your opinion on why the SGI is so paranoid? They are forever fighting evil phantoms that they preceive to be dangeous to them. They are at war with Nichiren Shoshu, they revile all the other Nichiren sects, they seek to challenge any religion, and they even turn on their own members who question their core doctrines, finances, and organizational directives.

It's great that there are highly literate English speaking people like you out there who are well versed in this lineage business that know all sides of the issue. Although this area is certainly important from a historic and religious standpoint, there are a lot of people like me who don't give a flying rat's ass about the intrigues of ancient Japanese canonical disputes spilling over into modern day practice.

The more I read and ponder Nichiren's literary legacy and clerical commentary, the more dubious it all seems. Scholars dispute certain Gosho, the oral teachings are suspect, the Dai Gohonzon is a fabrication, fractured lineages, and there's even a mentor with a team of ghost writers. It's enough to make any reasonable person grab their Gohonzon, lock the door, change their phone number, cancel their subscriptions, and go it alone. You just don't know who or what to belive except a few of things - daimoku, the Gohonzon, and the Lotus Sutra. I've come to realize that these three things are really all you need while all the grackles clamor.

It is appaling to me what the SGI has become. On the other hand, they might have been like this all along, but I was too stupid and blind to see the truth. Talk about destroying your own castle from within.

Many thanks for being the historical buff.

Charles

Hi everyone,
A couple of questions have been asked of me, so I will respond to them in this one note:

First, I have no plans to write a letter to the editor. I truly see that as an excercise in futility. I called a very senior leader in SGI and registered my disappointment in a voice message. I will be very surprised if I get a response, but I really don't need one. If anyone wants Eugene or Living Buddhism to know about my response, someone can call or write or email them and direct them to my site. But I really have no need to try to change their editorial policy. I just want the truth to be out there for those who care about it, and/or for those who might not know there is another side to the story.

As to why SGI is so paranoid, I don't actually believe SGI corporate is paranoid. I think that what they are is very insecure, defensive, and craving legitimacy. So they feel the need to prove that only they are the correct lineage. Who knows, maybe people in Japan need this. I don't think it plays so well with people outside Japan who aren't concerned about the legitimacy of various Buddhist groups but only with their effectiveness. Maybe in Japan SGI's credibility depends upon proving their legitimacy vis-a-vis other claimants and rivals. But outside Japan, credibility is actually hurt by these kinds of polemics. But the Japanese can not understand non-Japanese cultures and contexts, and I think that it is the Japanese who really run the show and/or senior leaders who are either thinking like the Japanese or trying to please the Japanese or both. In any case, they have betrayed their own culture in doing so, and are destroying the credibility of the SGI. I have a saying that may be applicable here: "What works in Japane will not work here, and it probably doesn't even work in Japan either."

As for all the doctrinal and historical confusion - it really isn't that bad. Once you leave behind the SGI/Taisekiji bizarro world of Nichiren Buddhism, things are fairly consistent and more or less straight-forward. Sure there are lots of lineages and plenty of stupid monk tricks down through the ages. But for the most part, people agree on much more than they disagree, and most ministers and laypeople are content to just do their practice without seeking arguments or dredging up nonsense from the middle ages. Most of those old arguments are now recognized as moot except by those with personal axes to grind. And the whole controversy over the Ongi Kuden and Hongaku and all that is more of an ivory tower affair then a matter of sectarian or even inter-sectarian debate. It is like the Jesus Seminar or the search for the Historical Jesus. Lots of papers and controversy, but most Christians in the pews don't know or care about such stuff. Maybe that's good, probably it is bad. But Nichiren Buddhism is no different. The basics are simple, the practice is simple, but at the same time there are those (scholars and others) who enjoy the more complicated research, speculations, and philosophizing. I don't find it discouraging myself, just the way of things. And for the average person who just wants to practice and not get worked up over such trivia, I say, "Great, don't worry about. Leave the fine details to those who care about them, and in the meantime keep on keeping on with your actual faith, practice, study, realization, and actualization of your buddha-nature in your life just as it is."

I guess I should say something about the role of a teacher who does know all the fine details. These people are the go to men and women, the mentors, who can be relied upon to find what is relevant out of the morass of Buddhist teachings and trivia. These mentors bother to know the whole thing so that when questions are asked they can provide the relevant thing to that particular issue or situation. So it is not that the fine details are totally unnecessary, just that I don't think everyone needs to master them. Just the few who wish to be able to provide what is necessary out of all of that when or if it is needed in order to enhance faith, study, and practice.

Namu Myoho Renge Kyo,
Ryuei

Rev Ryuei,

Thanks for addressing these topics in the SGI rag. I remember seeing the same type of accusations in an issue of Living Buddhism over a year ago. It is no surprise to see that it has continue unchecked, whether it be due to poor scholarship or simple propaganda. Thanks for speaking out on this.

Dear Ryuei,

I appreciate your desire to correct the errors and misinformation regarding Nichiren Shu in SGI publications. I think your use of the word ‘disinformation’ is off the mark. It implies that Hirahara knowingly and deliberately wrote words about Nichiren Shu with the express intention to deceive others and obscure the truth. I am doubtful that this was the case. More likely, Hirahara is spreading falsehoods about Nichiren Shu that he believes to be true.

Truth be told, it would be a full time job for several people to keep up with correcting the doctrinal errors in SGI publications.

I also appreciate the scholarship and effort you put into your current article. At the same time, I personally have little interest in disputes surrounding the Six Senior Disciples of Nichiren and the resulting squabbles between the various schools aimed at determining which one of them can claim the rightful place of ‘True Successors”. The fact that such squabbling continues is proof that the active participants have lost sight of the original goal.

In your reply to Byrd you welcome the misinformation in the SGI publications as an opportunity for persons such as yourself to spread authentic information--regarding Nichiren Shu. I appreciate and sympathize with your point of view. I think that everyone should speak what it is that they believe to be true. If nothing else, it provides an opportunity to have our errors corrected.

The following might sound harsh, but it is not my intent.

In your reply to Byrd you write, “Finally, if they start a campaign against us the way they have against Nichiren Shoshu that would be the best possible thing for Nichiren Shu as it would alienate many more SGI members who are already tired of having to be involved in sectarian fighting just to be Buddhists, and providing that Nichiren Shu ministers and laymembers respond in their usual civil and evenhanded fashion we will gain the moral high ground and win a lot of sympathy as people who have minded their own business for the most part and are now being slandered for no good reason other than sectarian one-upmanship. So Nichiren Shu only stands to benefit from any attention that SGI wishes to direct our way.”

You seem to celebrate the SGI’s unfortunate behavior and resulting misfortune of alienating their membership as a golden opportunity to advance Nichiren Shu.

I would have to say that such an attitude has a strong smell of the sectarian one-upmanship that you decry and condemn in the behavior of the SGI.

I praise your efforts to correct the misinformation in Hirahara’s article; I question the spirit in which it is done.

You have inspired me to post an old essay on my blog.

Sincerely, chikushonin 智倶諸人

Hi Chikushonin,
You are correct in that I should not celebrate the misbehavior of others. And I will readily admit that I tended to fall into such a trap in the past, and even stooped to goading it on. I am sorry that my response to Byrd came off that way, but really I was intending it more as a warning to the SGI monitors who I am sure read this site. The warning to them is that this kind of polemic is a no-win situation. And yes, to the extent that I get off the path of simply making corrections and get into sectarian one-upmanship myself I (and by association the Nichiren Shu) will also lose. So I do thank you for the reminder.

I will reserve judgement as to whether Eugene was deliberately spreading misinformation or simply passing on hearsay without double-checking. A couple of the things he claimed would be easily corrected by checking any Nichiren Shu publication or source. For instance, no school of Nichiren Buddhism worships the historical Shakyamuni Buddha. I could be persuaded that he might have read some of the material by Senchu Murano and misunderstood it, as his reference to the Gohonzon as the Purified Saha World sounds like something Murano had written. But not even Murano ever said that we worship the historical Shakyamuni Buddha as the Gohonzon. Anyway, whether Eugene was deliberately writing a polemic and perpetuating rumors and misinormation or if he had simply not done his home work I will not presume to judge. In either case, he said things to the detriment of the actual facts of Nichiren Shu practice and teaching and since someone asked me to I wrote a response to clear up the misconceptions.

I would certainly welcome a public dialogue with Eugene or the editors of Living Buddhism or any other responsible SGI senior leader on any or all of these points. But I somehow suspect that this will not occur.

Namu Myoho Renge Kyo,
Ryuei

Dear Ryuei,

Thank you for your reply, and acknowledgement of the spirit in which my post was written.

“I would certainly welcome a public dialogue with Eugene or the editors of Living Buddhism or any other responsible SGI senior leader on any or all of these points. But I somehow suspect that this will not occur.”

Not in the foreseeable future.

I was moved by Rev Greg’s vision for FWP. I think that getting people from different schools to express their beliefs and to talk to one another is an admirable endeavor.

My own thought is that dialogue itself is not the answer. It has to be combined with the effort to understand the other’s point of view and the willingness to acknowledge and correct our own errors.

In other words, in seeking the truth of any matter, one must surrender attachment to the outcome and possible consequences that outcome. That is why you shouldn’t expect a direct public response from the SGI or Hirahara soon. Truly honest people appreciate having their errors corrected.

I share a few thoughts on this topic in the article I re-posted at Starting at the Truth, ‘Thoughts on Ending Sectarianism in All Traditions’.

Thank you for writing back, chikushonin

“I would certainly welcome a public dialogue with Eugene or the editors of Living Buddhism or any other responsible SGI senior leader on any or all of these points. But I somehow suspect that this will not occur.”

I agree but disgree. I agree that the Gakkai will not want to talk, but that doesn't mean an invitation shouldn't be made. HOnestly, there are so many people who haven't a clue how misled they have been. Anyway, I'm glad at least to have started this thread of discussion on more than one board. Thanks again for your rebuttal, Michael. Best, Byrd in LA

Charles asked Ryuei: "What is your opinion on why the SGI is so paranoid?"

A quote: "The speed of the leader is the speed of the team." -- Pat Ryan, CEO of AON

robin

Chikusan wrote: "At the same time, I personally have little interest in disputes surrounding the Six Senior Disciples of Nichiren and the resulting squabbles between the various schools aimed at determining which one of them can claim the rightful place of ‘True Successors”. The fact that such squabbling continues is proof that the active participants have lost sight of the original goal."

I think really, it is only SGI and Nichiren Shoshu that wish to be sole successors. We do see it in former SGI members who converted to other schools, especially to Kempon Hokke.

But Ryuei is in no way saying that Nikko was not a legitimate successor. I elaborate on this in the "Nest" as well.

May all Being Be at Ease
Except those I am Mad With :-)

robin

robin

Hi,

I want to add that I have acquainted myself with the major details of the flame wars between Nikko and several of his fellow succesors.
To do so, I had to spend a year learning about some long dead people who dwelt in a far away land.

I can really understand why most Americans do not want to know this 'stuff.' I did not. But, once I started looking into it, it was rather interesting. The hardest part was learning new things at my age.

If anyone really wishes to pursue the matter, I have a fairly slow yahoo group where it might work. It is called Dharma_Study_Group. Of course, that might run off some of the 140 or so members, many of whom do not have any direct Nichiren back ground. I can not post a URL here; so I might in Robin's Nest. Chris Holte's group, irgosho, might be a possibility too. Just a thought.

Oh, and my take on some things differs a tad from that of Ryuei, but that does not seem to bother either of us one iota. There are basic historical facts that really no person can reasonably contest, even though some do. But there is plenty of room to speculate. That is what makes history fun. We postulate, "what if", then see how that model works.

Just recently, I had loads of fun, and learned much about the Gohonzon. e-sparring (in a friendly way) with Eddie Chai of the Honmon Shoshu. at Jerry Nowatzke's GohonzonForum (yet another yahoo group)

Sorry for running on like this.

Metta,

robin