Well, this ought to be an interesting experiment! Let's just see how this goes...... For my biographical info, please continue reading:
My name is Mike Barrett. I am 44 years old, married with one 15 year old daughter. We live in Houston, Texas. I do design work for a very large engineering firm (who has been much in the news of late). I do small carpentry work, try to keep up my house and my vehicles, ride my bike way too little, read too much science fiction/fantasy, and generally try to fight my overall lazy tendencies.
I have been practicing Nichiren Buddhism since 1981. I began with NSA, stayed with SGI-USA after the split, and eventually left with a small group of friends to begin a different Nichiren Buddhist practice around 2000/2001. We all had different reasons for doing so, and many of us have since gone in different directions.
I am one of the founding members of the Nichiren Buddhist Sangha of Texas. We are a Nichiren Shu sangha. Our assigned minister is Rev. Ryuoh Michael Faulconer of the Nichiren Buddhist Temple of Portland (OR). We intend to one day establish a Nichiren Shu temple in Houston, Texas.
For those curious, Engyo is my Dharma name. It was chosen for me by Rev. Faulconer. The meanings are:
En = round, or complete
gyo = practice
I am fortunate, as these are both easy Kanji characters to learn to write.
My wife, Lynda, (Dharma name Myokei) is also a member of our sangha. She has taken vows and become a shami, or minister in training, under Rev. Faulconer's tutelage.
If I have left out anything you might be interested in, please don't hesitate to ask.
Namaste, Engyo Mike Barrett
Comments
Mike:
Your background is very interesting. What kind of religious background were you raised in? Also, what is your experience with other forms of meditation or disciplines? Finally, what was the catalyst that caused you to embrace Nichiren Shu -- especially after all the avichi hell kind of conditioning we had in the SGI about other Nichiren sects (especially Nichiren sects!)
Please share that with me, sir, if you would?
Charles
Charles -
I was raised as a Christian Scientist. My mom wasn't fundie about it though, we went to church on Sunday and then to the doctor or dentist during the week. I read enough of the Bible to ask the "questions you don't ask". When the answers weren't satisfactory, I guess I accepted it as something one does socially, but not as a life-philosophy.
Other meditations and/or disciplines: hmmmm. I have done a small bit of judo as a kid, a small bit of yoga (enough to realize that my body doesn't fold well), and a few encounters with this or that meditation (guided and non-). I did have some interesting chemically enhanced experiences in my youth, but nothing earth-shattering. I spent some time in between SGI and Nichiren Shu learning and exploring Religious Science (one of the New Thought churches). Their beliefs are not too far off of Nichiren Buddhist ones, although it wasn't a close enough fit to draw me completely. I did learn some things I still use; they address emotions in a more comprehensive way than Buddhism seems to. I still volunteer with their youth program, as my daughter has friends there, and we developed some pretty strong relationships. One very good thing I learned from them was religious tolerance/acceptance. They are happy to have you bring whatever you already do and add it in to their mixture. We have held Shodaigyo meditation services there, introduced Nichiren Buddhism during their regular services, and generally been welcomed with open arms.
As far as conditioning goes, by the time we made contact with Nichiren Shu, I was actively questioning most of the things that we had been taught. First the whole SGI/NST split, then the rhetoric from both sides, and then some of the SGI-USA business dealings that I saw the details of had pretty much eroded my acceptance of the party line. The catalyst for embracing Nichiren Shu? Two things: One was/is that I have yet to find the "question you don't ask" and believe me I've tried. The other was the two people who came to visit and introduce Nichiren Shu to us: Rev. Ryuoh Michael Faulconer and John Petry. Rev. Michael was a very good fit for [some of] us; he had been a YMD HQ chief (I believe in Portland OR) before switching to Nichiren Shu himself before the SGI/NST split. He was ordained at the same time as Rev. Ryuei (Michael McCormick) who most Nichiren Buddhists on the web have encountered. John Petry, as the current president of NONA (Nichiren Order of North America) was able to answer all of our organizational questions, and Rev. Michael was able to deal with all of our doctrinal ones. It was refreshing to find total openness and honesty, especially when some of the answers aren't exactly flattering.
Rather than blather on some more, I'll close here, and see if anyone has more questions.
Namaste, Engyo Mike Barrett
Howz this going to work?
Who posts the main blog items?
P.
What kinds of doctrinal questions, Mike? I for one have totally rejected Nichiren Shoshu (although the Gakkai hasn't), but I'm still a little confused even as to what is something I should be asking. Both the Montgomery and the Stone books have had a big impact on me, and I feel like the Gakkai is really "drifting" docrinally, although most people couldn't care less about this. It makes me feel a little isolated that I even care. Anyway, if you could clarify, I would appreciate. Thanks, Byrd in LA.
Byrd -
At that time, my questions were probably similar to yours. I was uncomfortable with the Fuji School doctrines of Nichiren as True Buddha and DaiGohonzon as significant; I had very little knowledge of Nichiren Buddhism's place in Buddhism as a whole; I hadn't read the Lotus Sutra; I didn't know how to read Nichiren's writings for *my own* understanding, rather than what I was told he meant; I had no knowledge of any of Nichiren's disciples except for Nikko, and I didn't know Nikko's whole story either; and lastly I was looking for some sort of codified Buddhist ethics, since SGI hadn't taught me any.
I was very pleasantly suprised by many of the answers. I was quite surprised to be encouraged to continue reading my SGI translations, along with any others I could find as well (I had expected to be told to throw them out). I was surprised to find that most Nichiren Buddhist groups are not at odds with each other, and don't sling rhetorical shots across each others' bows' on a regular basis.
I was surprised to find that some Nichiren Buddhist groups are NOT actively seeking to grow as rapidly as possible, but are more concerned with the faith and happiness of each individual. Many are not actively pursuing members of other Nichiren sects. Some are even a bit apprehensive about taking such converts, particularly from SGI. There is a big learning curve, and a whole group of issues that individuals must overcome to a greater or lesser degree before they can comfortably practice in these other Sanghas. I hope this answers your questions somewhat.
Namaste, Engyo Mike Barrett