Today over on on arbn Marc Strumpf posted this made-up dialogue and I found it funny enough that I just had to share it here (hint, this is even funnier if you imagine that Taisekiji's voice is that of Cartman from South Park):
Here is the conversation between Taisekiji and the rest of Nichiren
Buddhism when they unveiled the so called "Dai-Gohonzon" two hundred
plus years after Nichiren's lifetime:
Taisekiji:
We have the one supreme object of worship for all mankind. All other Gohonzons are lesser and all others must be connected to it to have any power at all. Bow down please..
The rest of Nichiren Buddhism:
Excuse us but we have never heard of such a thing. Please show us what
you have said is true
Taisekiji:
No. You must take our word for it
The rest of Nichiren Buddhism:
But Taisekiji is a very small and pardon us, an unsuccessful family
Temple way out in the country. You must surely understand how
implausible it is that no one has heard of such a grandiose thing as
this. Dont you have anything at all to back this up?
Taisekiji:
We do, but you can't see it, nor will we allow you to even look at the
"DaiGohonzon" itself. Bow down now please
The rest of Nichiren Buddhism:
We think not, not without some plausible evidence.
Taisekiji:
So you're not going to bow down then?
The rest of Nichiren Buddhism:
No, But thank you anyway
Taisekiji:
No matter, you have done nothing to prove our claim is not what we say
it is, so you are defeated and have separated yourself from Nichiren's
dearest intention and you shall all fall to hell... Last chance to Bow down
The rest of Nichiren Buddhism:
Nuts (that means no)
Posted by Ryuei at July 6, 2005 01:56 PMcharming Ruyei...
I thought that you had moved on from this kind of mindless bashing.
But I can see that I was wrong.
Mr Strumph is hardly a spokesperson for any kind of Nichiren Buddhism as after all he gave it up to turn to christianity. His humour is not funny nor smart imho.
This is the first time I have had a look here since my departure as a blogger...I see things have gone downhill.
Jussi.
Posted by: jussi at July 12, 2005 05:44 PMWhile Marc Strumpf and I hardly see eye to eye, I did like this piece, because it does present the impression that I have of Taisekiji - there position is dogmatic, extremely sectarian, and they refuse to present any credible arguments for their claims or allow what they have to be critically examined. Furthermore, they and the SGI continue to spread slander in regard to the other five major disciples of Nichiren and in presenting Nikko as they do, they effectively slander him and the legitimate representative of his lineage at Kitayama Honmonji. So I do not see this as mindless bashing but more like a humorous telling it like it is. I am sorry this offends partisans of the Taisekiji view (in the Shoshu and SGI) but I am offended by the Taisekiji view itself which I think is idolatrous and un-Buddhist. This has always been my feeling about Taisekiji, it has not changed. I am willing to discuss specific claims in a civilized manner but I feel no obligation to pay any reverence to those claims, anymore than I would bow down and kiss the ring of a Catholic pope or bishop. The views of Taisekiji are slanderous and therefore a legitimate target of refutation, just as Nichiren refuted the claims made by Honen and Kukai and their misguided followers who were contemporaries of Nichiren.
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo,
Ryuei
Rev Ryuei;
To be fair, Nichiren Shoshu isn't the only one with a claim to having a Dai-Honzon that was inscribed or all mankind. Another of our friends has a Shinto-Buddhist connection to another group of Nichiren Buddhists with similar doctrines. Strip out the Southern Dynasty Shinto "Return of King Arthur" stuff and you have Nichiren Shoshu.
Modern Nichirenism is a whole different ball game when one factors the Shinto relationship back in. You may remember that from reading those Nanzen articles. Just because none of the present schools are willing to admit to this syncretism doesn't mean it wasn't once there. And part and parcel of that syncretism is the notion of the "True Buddha" and of Nichiren's relationship with the Sun Goddess.
Moreover Shinto, borrowing influences from Shingon takes a talismanic approach to religious articles. They have the Mirror, the sword, and I forget the third ikon. There was a time when Shinto was not a seperate State Religion but was variously divided into buddhism/Shinto and Shinto/Buddhism -- they were intertwined.
However, the "proofs" that would show the validity of claims to objects like the Dai-Gohonzon also betray strong syncretic elements that present day Buddhists would like to ignore. Nippo's log. Nippo carving of Shichimen. Some Nichirenists were attached to the Southern dynasty at one time because they were opposed to the Hojo's and later to those allies of the Hojo's who succeeded them in the ancient Minamoto/ Genji feud that never really ended.
So before you bash, do more research. You'll find skeletons buried in all the schools. All fascinating to a foreinsics expert.
Posted by: chris Holte at July 27, 2005 01:40 PMOur friend Jussi needs to grow some hide. You dish it out, you ought to be able to take it.
I agree with Chris here, sort of. He and I appear to the first ones to listen to Eddie. And I am glad Eddie is telling his story. To follow what he is saying, one must suspend judgement a bit. He flat out admits to hijacking Buddhism.
Honmon Shoshu is Taisekiji pre-1480. And the DG Nichiu had was not at all the one at Taisekiji today. The latter most likely did not exist in its present camphor wood form until almost 1700.
r