Both SGI and Nichiren Shu do not practice as the sutra directs. Both schools are creating obstacles for those that follow them. The Bodhisattva practice, as a formal vehicle, is a lesser good that destroys the potential for the greatest good. The teachings of both schools are evil because of this. They should follow Nichirens example in his writing of On the Four Stages of Faith and the Five Stages of Practice to avoid the karmic reward of being destroyers of Buddhism.

Mike-

You ask excellent questions. I will try to answer them as far as time allows. I have an agile mind, but my typing skills dont keep pace. It would help immensely if people would take the time to read On the Four Stages of Faith and the Five Stages of Practice dead link very carefully.

I need to offer a general apology. When I started this topic I thought I had my weekends free to continue with it.

Mike: OK, so let me see if I can boil down what you are saying unavailable. Your contention is that Nichiren told his followers to chant Daimoku exclusively; to do no other sort of practice, follow no other precept. Did I understand this correctly?

Chikushonin: What Nichiren wrote is:

I have received the string of blue-duck coins that you sent.
Scholars of Buddhism these days all agree that, whether in the Buddha's lifetime or after his passing, those who wish to practice the Lotus Sutra must devote themselves to the three types of learning. If they neglect any one of these, they cannot attain the Buddha Way.

In the past, I, too, subscribed to this opinion, [but now this is no longer the case]. Setting aside here as a whole the sacred teachings of the Buddha's lifetime, let us examine the question in the light of the Lotus Sutra. Here, too, we may set aside the teachings contained in the preparation and revelation sections. That brings us to the transmission section, which constitutes a clear mirror for the Latter Day of the Law and is most to be relied upon [in determining this matter]. NOTE: The words enclosed in [ ] are not Nichirens. They were added by the SGI/NST translators for clarity. In some cases they accomplish this, but you be the judge.)

This is the opening statement from Shishin Gohon sho (The Japanese title is quicker to type than On the Four Stages of Faith and Five Stages of Practice)

Here Nichiren is acknowledging that in the past he taught that all three types of learning must be practiced or persons cannot attain the Buddha Way. In stating, In the past, I, too, subscribed to this opinion he is telling us that he has realized an error in his teaching concerning how a persons in the Latter Day of the Law should practice the Lotus Sutra.

Nichiren has realized his error and is humbly admitting it and going back to the Lotus Sutra to clarify this.

Mike, I understand that you left the SGI and became a member of Nichiren Shu. I want to make it clear that I think a person should belong to what ever sangha they wish. I also want to make it clear that which ever one a person is in, they should practice the Lotus Sutra as the sutra directs, not follow the teachings of their respective schools that are in contradiction to the Lotus Sutra.

Both SGI and Nichiren Shu do not practice as the sutra directs. Both schools are creating obstacles for those that follow them. The Bodhisattva practice, as a formal vehicle, is a lesser good that destroys the potential for the greatest good. The teachings of both schools are evil because of this. They should follow Nichirens example in his writing of On the Four Stages of Faith and the Five Stages of Practice to avoid the karmic reward of being destroyers of Buddhism.

I dont believe that Nshu has translated this gosho, but the SGI has, and do you know what? In my 35 year history with the SGI, even though this gosho is the source in Nichirens writings for the principle of isshin daie (Substututing Faith for Wisdom [faith becomes the cause for wisdom depending of the trueness of the object of veneration]), and is considered one of his 10 most important works by all Nichiren Schools, the SGI has never studied this gosho with its members beyond a convenient quotation to bolster a point in their own doctrine. Sometimes in context, sometimes not.

Now, the Nshu have included in your daily prayer book the vows of the Bodhisattva. Both schools have ignored Nichirens teaching and have misunderstood the teachings in the Lotus Sutra. This would not be possible if any of them are of the same mind as Nichiren. This alone is proof that their doctrines regarding what constitutes correct practice are false (assuming that the daimoku and object of veneration are true [i.e., Gohonzon and Omandala, as you wish]).

Both schools, along with others that teach the way of Bodhisattva, caling it the actions of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth or not, are guilty as chargeddestroyers of the Buddhas true Law. But, this does not have to be; all things are changeable. If they were not, there would be no point in practicing the Lotus Sutra. The chains of karma would forever bind us.

Nonetheless, I am on record as proclaiming that both schools, along with others, are instruments of fundamental darkness, agents of the Devil of the Sixth Heaven, destroyers of the seeds of Buddhahood in all living beings that follow their erroneous doctrines.

Nichiren warns dead link , The votary of the Lotus Sutra is certain to be obstructed by the Devil of the Sixth Heaven. Among the ten objects of meditation, this corresponds to the object of diabolical functions. It is the way of the devil to delight in obstructing good and in causing the production of evil. Concerning those whom he cannot force to perform evil acts, he is helpless and is capable only of allowing them to create good. Those who carry out the practices of the bodhisattva, he hinders by encouraging in the direction of the practice of the two vehicles. And lastly, if there is someone who practices the pure and perfect teaching exclusively, he will topple that person into the perfect teaching that is combined with the specific teaching.

Here, someone who practices the pure and perfect teaching exclusively means persons who embrace the Lotus Sutra and chant its title; and, he will topple that person into the perfect teaching that is combined with the specific teaching means persons who embrace the Lotus Sutra, chant its title, and combine this practice with the formal practice of the Bodhisattva as a requirement, a formal precept, to attain the Buddha way.

Lisa is busy exposing the cult like behavior of the SGI. Excuse me, Lisas statement is that the SGI is a cultall phenomenons reveal their true entity. True. Through her efforts she is demonstrating the virtuous compassion of a parent. People ask why persons who leave the SGI stick around and hound them. In Lisas case, it is because of her sincere daimoku and the emergence of her Buddha nature.

In the case of the SGI, all of the cult like behaviors are the branches and leaves justified by the requirement of the Bodhisattva path of practice for others (keta) as a formal precept for ones own enlightenment. These are the fruits of the danger of being distracted by subordinate concerns, precepts, which Nichiren writes about in Shishin Gohon sho.

I applaud Lisas efforts, as I did our friend Andys, but as with Andy, I insist that the behavior in question is only a symptom of the illness. Alone, this tactic will fail in the end, as has the IRG s efforts. The maladies find their source in the false doctrines regarding what constitutes correct practice. Point out the behavior by all means (my practice truly began with trying to reform the behavior of the SGI 15 years ago), but if you what to change the behavior, attack the malignancy at its source, as Nichiren did, and I am attempting to do now. There is no other way. Otherwise, even if you succeed, these symptoms will only popup again in a slightly different form.

In direct answer to your question, we are directed to embrace faith in the form of chanting the daimoku with a seeking mind as our exclusive formal practice. This does not restrict any actions taken by individuals that arise from their own wisdom and their own volition. We are restricted from embracing other actions as precepts for attaining the Buddha way.

Mike: Do you discount other letters where Nichiren tells followers that there is no problem with chanting different passages of the sutra? I am not attacking your conclusions here, I am truly curious. I hadn't looked for a specific reference here, but I can if you like.

Chikushonin: Nichiren was a common mortal of Myojisoku, as are we who embrace the Lotus Sutra and practice it as the sutra directs. Nichiren was on a learning curve as we are. Nichiren wrote in Letter to Misawa dead link , As for my teachings, regard those before my exile to Sado as equivalent to the Buddhas pre-Lotus Sutra teachings.

Here we see part of this learning curve at work. Keeping this in mind, we should be able to accept that contradictions in Nichirens writing can be attributed, in most cases, to this curve, and whom he is writing to. In the case of exert yourself in the two ways of practice and study. Without study there can be no Buddhism we should know that this was written to a Priest whos presumed livelihood was preaching the Buddhas teachings. Also it is important to note, while the SGI uses this passage to support their teaching of jigyo-keta as the two ways of practice" mentioned (jigyo and keta), this is false.

Nichiren is giving guidance to a Priest disciple, instructing him to use both shoju (gentle means) and shakubuku (strict refutation) as the circumstances warrant in the course of his preaching. We can surmise this because in other gosho dead link written within days of this one he identifies the two ways of practice in this way. Anyone who practices Buddhism should first understand the two types of practice--shoju and shakubuku.

Then again, it could be that SGI has attributed this two ways of practice correctly.

Nichiren himself writes, Scholars of Buddhism these days all agree that, whether in the Buddha's lifetime or after his passing, those who wish to practice the Lotus Sutra must devote themselves to the three types of learning. If they neglect any one of these, they cannot attain the Buddha Way. In the past, I, too, subscribed to this opinion.

Either way, Nichiren refutes the SGIs point of view, and his own former teachings on this topic, firmly based on the words and meaning of the sutra itself in Shishin Gohon sho.

Towards the end of his historical existence, Nichiren advocated unavailable the transmission of the Juryo Chapter exclusively. This, he said, is because all of Buddhas teachings, including the other 27 chapters of the Lotus Sutra are branches and leaves of the Juryo chapter. I myself chant Namumyohorengemyojisokukyo as my daimoku, as the result of my own enlightenment to this chapter, to make the distinction that I practice as Nichiren and the Lotus Sutra direct, and to declare myself as a common mortal of myojisoku as Nichiren did, both of us beginners in the practice of the Lotus Sutra.

Mike: I notice that Nichiren was truly appreciative of, and in fact would not have survived without, his followers' gifts of food, clothing, money and supplies. I agree that he rejects almsgiving in the passage above, yet he still survived on dana, or the first paramita. How does this fit into your concepts here? Were those donations to Nichiren somehow not dana or alms?

Chikushonin: The first of the five paramitas is almsgiving. There is no restriction on almsgiving, or any other practice, as long as it is not embraced as a formal practice, a vehicle for ones own gain. Offerings arising from ones own heart and volition are not restricted.

Nichiren has stated that without these offering he would not be able to survive, nor preach the Lotus Sutra. He always expressed his great appreciation for these gifts to the Lotus Sutra. However, he never taught that they were a requirement for ones own practice. He never solicited donations, as the SGI does, teaching that persons financial karma will improve in direct relationship to the size and effort of the gift, or by virtue of the act of subscribing to sect publications.

Mike: Again, I intended this topic to be about application of general principle to our daily practice. How do you believe the points you are raising here should be manifested in a believer's daily practice? And to return to the original question, is there only one correct way to do that, especially now, 700+ years after Nichiren?

Chikushonin: 700 years after Nichirens historical existence or 10,000 years from now, it is still the Latter Day of the Law. The general principle is:

Question: If a person simply chants Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with no understanding of its meaning, are the benefits of understanding thereby included?

Answer: When a baby drinks milk, he has no understanding of its taste, and yet his body is naturally nourished in the process. Who ever took the wonderful medicines of Jivaka knowing of what they were compounded? Water has no intent, and yet it can put out fire. Fire consumes objects, and yet how can we say that it does so consciously? This is the interpretation of both Nagarjuna and T'ien-t'ai, and I am restating it here. (Shishin Gohon sho)

Chikushonin: For us common mortals of the Latter Day of the Law, it is the good medicine of the Juryo chapter that is prescribed to cure our ills. It is the one way that fits the capacity of persons of any capacity at all. That is why it is the Buddha vehicle.

We are encouraged in this chapter to take the good medicine and not worry that it will not cure us. This is also telling us not to worry what form our resulting behavior will take. It will always be based on the wisdom that accords with the circumstances of the present moment, without distinction between self and otherboth being equal.

Chant the daimoku with a seeking mind, without attachment to the things that you know. There are Buddhas to be found in each of the Ten directions and Three Worlds. The Ten worlds within your own life will manifest the enlightened attributes that each of them inherently possess, bringing merit to self and other without discrimination. Why limit your options? You have all 3,000 realms to work with.

Sincerely, Chikushonin

Daikudoshin, myokaku, myojisokukyo/
Namumyohorengemyojisokukyo