Do you want to be able to do Shakubuku again without having to add a bunch of caveats about this or that organization?
(ION) The Independent Organization of Nichiren Lotus Dharma Buddhism wants to help you. We will support you with high quality publications such as a free Gongyo book that can be downloaded and printed for your members. We offer free downloadable Gohonzon that can be framed and put into a members home with you enshrining it with the respect it deserves. We offer free monthly newsletters in PDF format with great study material and experiences of members, plus links to online resources and much more. We want to help you to be able to have great home meetings, and as your community grows, we want to give you a Community Center!
That's right! ION's mission is to provide places of practice for all Nichiren Buddhists! ION is a non-sectarian form of Nichiren Buddhism that recognizes that Nichiren did not advocate that those who practice differently are inherently evil. All Nichiren practitioners can be said to be of the Hokke sect, and ION meeting facilities will serve the whole Nichiren Buddhist communities needs because we are not a sect of Nichiren Buddhism.
http://ionbuddhism.org/
May 25, 2011 · BuddhaJones Message Board
Mark Porter's ION
NichirenGohonzonPracticeBuddhismIndependent
8 comments
I'm continuing this thread of commentary about starting an American Nichiren Order over here because I anticipate a lot more comments.So far, good points have been raised on all sides of this issue. For myself, I think it's a deeply flawed concept. Just off the top of my head...1. The trend in almost everything is away from bricks-and-mortar buildings and stuff. You can earn a college degree without setting foot on a campus, for instance. It seems stupid to fixate on building buildings when there are so many other, less expensive ways to build community and deliver Buddhist education.2. Participation in virtual space (such as in Second Life, on message boards, etc.) doesn't necessarily translate into actual bodies showing up for a meeting, let alone donating money. Put a paypal button on your website, Markp, and ask for donations to keep your message board going. I'll bet you'll get very few contributions to support a service that people already use and value. How much better will you fare with a multimillion-dollar capital fundraising drive?3. Are you totally unaware of the history of Nichiren Buddhism in America? Don't you know that ultra-sincere "visionaries" start new, "like SGI only better" organizations frequently, and that these little groups always fizzle? They fizzle because they invariably take SGI as their model, just as you are doing with ION. Ingredients: Blind idealism, more chiefs than indians, dismissive attitude toward ministry (you call them "functionaries"), grandiosity and insistence that you're different and special, and therefore success is guaranteed. Seen it before. It's a recipe for failure. Hell, I think SGI is destined for failure in this country, too. It will just take a while because of their huge financial resources.4. What's wrong with Nichiren Shu? Seriously, if you want an organization that respects scholarship, understands the Nichiren tradition, offers structure and voting participation for members, why not just join Nichiren Shu? They're still small in this country, but they're miles and miles ahead of you guys.5. The suspicion I have is that people who want an organization but don't want to work within a perfectly legit org like Nichiren Shu are just petty dictators. They want to be in charge. They can't stand the thought that they're not running the show, or that the org doesn't conform to their vision. You know what? That's part of being in an organization -- taking the good with the bad. That's exactly why lots of Nichiren Buddhists avoid getting involved with organizations.
I think one of the obstacles that might be getting in the way of discussion is the "Order" part. At least as I understand it, this project is a whole lot less cohesive or ambitious than an "order".I'm going to try and address some of the very good points you make."1. The trend in almost everything is away from bricks-and-mortar..."I think the online education option holds an incredible amount of promise, but I'm a long way from being convinced that a U of Phoenix online education compares to a Harvard education. There is simply no substitute for personal interaction with professors and fellow students, not to mention the experience of being a student at Harvard. The example I'm using is extreme, but I'm just trying to make a point.We can disseminate information and foster online communities, but at the end of the day, there is a qualitative difference between virtual interaction and real life interaction. Another example I thought of, which I will just put out there and leave because I don't want to go too far into it... internet porn and a real sex life.The whole brick and mortar v. online has wreaked havoc on retail business models, but I think when it comes to human interaction, face to face still trumps. Unless of course you're one of those people for whom it doesn't. Now we're down to personal preference and there's not much to discuss or argue when the conversation drifts there."2. Participation in virtual space doesn't necessarily translate into actual bodies showing up for a meeting, let alone donating money."Yes. But "It might not work" is not an excuse not to try."3. Don't you know that ultra-sincere "visionaries" start new, "like SGI only better" organizations frequently, and that these little groups always fizzle? They fizzle because they invariably take SGI as their model, just as you are doing with ION."And visionaries will keep coming. I don't think there is a visionary among us. Sincere, yeah. There is no other way to attempt something like this. "like SGI" meh. I don't think every attempt to establish a group is necessarily just "not SGI". Its hard to escape SGI, for sure. Most indies I see are recovering SGIers. But, I dunno, at some point, you grow up and move on. The question is, is the only motivation to be something other than SGI, or is there another motivation? A while back on another board, I raised a question about previous groups that fizzled out, and the point you raised about taking SGI as a model was sort of my point about why they failed. I put it in terms that they were reactions to SGI, that they defined themselves as "not SGI", not as something unique in their own right. Its unfair to say that every lay organization is just a reaction to SGI because SGI is a lay organization. SGI is that gorilla that needs to be addressed, but sometimes I just get tired of talking about it. I've moved on except when people work me up about it."Blind idealism" I suppose you'll have to take my word for it for now, but my idealism isn't blind. It might need glasses, but I think by definition, idealism means your glasses have at least a shade of rose."more chiefs than indians" ideally, there would be no chiefs in ION. just suckers who get saddled with admin duty."dismissive attitude toward ministry"Actually, its quite the opposite. I think we take the function of clergy/ministers very seriously and that's why we are wary of having them. Its out of respect for the role. We want them, but its so loaded of a position, demanding such a high degree of responsibility, it would be presumptuous for us to establish the role from the outset and appoint someone to that role. That's why we're kicking around the idea of functionaries who can take care of things like officiating weddings, but would be limited in their capacity. Moreover, traditionally in Buddhism, monks/priests play no role in marriage, or birth rights, etc. In fact, the role of monks in matchmaking, and I suspect that extends to marriage rights, is prohibited under the rules of conduct (Vinaya). The Buddhist order has traditionally not played a role in officiating weddings, and as far as I can gather, have only begun to fulfill that role after the influence of Christianity and the expectations of converts toward Buddhist clergy. The only function monks have traditionally filled is funeral rights, but that is in the monk's ability to recite sutras for the deceased's merit. I was actually surprised when the issue was raised in our discussions and how much the function is desired.Mark suggested that he sees incorporation or support of a real priest/monastic order. I'm not sure this ION thing is even going to get off the ground, let alone develop that far, but you can look at my comment trails around the net - I'm full on in support of reviving a real monastic order beyond the lay priest model that most Japanese religious follow. Even here, I referenced the Vinaya in my comments - should give an indication that I look on the sangha approvingly and for inspiration and guidance."grandiosity" Well, I don't know about that. Not looking to take over the world. Just create some options for people."different and special and therefore success is guaranteed" I think the tentative way I've put this is pretty clear - I have little confidence this is going to take off. Mark has a boatload of confidence, and I've said to him, I'll ride his confidence. There are a lot of things in life that are unlikely, but we still try. I think you are a little too pessimistic, my friend. :)"4. Shu?"This is your best point. I consider myself associated with a branch of Nichiren Shu, just not one that is established in the US. I admire a lot of what I know of them here. Frankly, though, the Shu that is here in the US is a little too syncretic for my taste. I admit, its personal preference, and for me, that's it."5. Petty dictators..."My real motivation is that I plan on having children soon and in order for me to pass Buddhism on to them, its going to have to be something more than that weird shit dad does. I am not going to subject them to the brain damage of the Mentor Disciple BS which I fear will only get weirder when the old man dies. I'm trying to organize people of a like mind so that there is a community that my children will be able to relate to and see the broader world of Nichiren Buddhism. When the time comes, if this is going nowhere, I will be reconsidering joining one of the existing sects like Shoshu or Shu for my children's sake.
I think it's probably premature to criticize an organization (or order or whatever) that's still in the discussion stage...but that's the whole point of the discussion stage, right?To broaden the context a bit, I suggest checking out a couple recent bits in Tricycle:What will it take to establish a truly Western Dharma? (It takes a saint.) Plus, more here.I don't know if any organization has it all figured out. I've said before that I like Shambhala -- specifically the way Chogyam Trungpa provides a secular conceptual framework for "warriorship" in his book The Sacred Path of the Warrior.I know that many people regard Trungpa as a charlatan and cult leader, and I think it's wise to always proceed with caution when getting involved with a religious group. Still, I highly recommend this book.Truth is, there just aren't a lot of Buddhists in America. We're dispersed among dozens of traditions, hundreds of teachers, etc. According the recent Pew study, only 0.7 percent of Americans identify as Buddhists. So there's not a huge base to support (financially and otherwise) a lot of capital expansion.I shudder that anyone thinks SGI is a successful model of how to "do" Buddhsim in America. They have much more in common with Scientology than Buddhism, IMO. I'm talking about their organizational dynamics (including their "community outreach," which others might rightly call "cult recruitment") and their "organizationism," a package of teachings and beliefs that reinforce the supremacy of the organization and its president.In that sense, I don't think SGI promotes Nichiren Buddhism, regardless of what they claim. I think they use Nichiren as a front and an excuse for their brand of organizationism.So I'm sympathetic to everyone who's responding critically to things that, to them, are reminiscent of organizationism.As far as Nichiren sects in America go, I like Nichiren Shu, too. What's not to like? Honestly, I haven't ever been to a Nichiren Shu service, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.
DD,You are kind and fair. Discuss away! Critique away!Read the Tricycle Article and generally agree. I'm not convinced that Milarepa the person really lived up to Milarepa the legend, but I'll be open to reconsidering my assumptions if I look up and see the Buddha's face in the sky over NYC sometime in my lifetime. Just like the Buddha presented in most Sutras, I think the stories about Milarepa, Marpa, Tilopa, Naropa, Padmasambhava, and the rest of the Mahasiddhas are well edited texts presenting idealized visions of enlightenment manifested in human form - Sambhogakaya, if you will. Its going to be a whole lot more difficult to fashion legends of this sort in our age. What I expect more concretely in the West, we will have generations of Buddhists raised in Buddhist communities who will generation by generation internalize Buddha Dharma and thereby express it with increasing perfection in Western languages while at the same time, by being participants in Western Culture, will exert an influence on Western languages and conceptual paradigms to bring them increasingly in line with Buddhist ideas and conceptual paradigms. And that is another motivation behind my support for ION - establishing a sangha within which a Western Buddhist culture can be conceived and nurtured. I don't know how many of you have spent time in communities where Buddhism is still a vibrant force. These people actually alter their environment in ways that enable the expression of Buddhist culture in the entirety of life - imagine a giant stupa around which circumabulation practices are carried out in a place like Central Park in New York. Obviously will never happen, but its the idea. Reinterpret and sculpt the environment in such a way that Dharma can be read in every aspect of it - in the Himalayas, the landscape is dotted with stupas and prayer flags and rock carvings of prayers, monks in maroon robes vie for space on the paths with ordinary people, pack animals and increasingly motor vehicles. The marks of Buddhist practice are everywhere there are people. Mountain caves are home to ascetics, houses are adorned with symbols of dharma. I don't think the practice of dharma will ever reach such ubiquity in the West, but, we as Buddhists might set aside pieces of land that we turn into extensive places of practice... its already being done.Who knows which sanghas will become viable and survive to be vehicles of Buddha Dharma, but if there is anything that the Western Dharma of Darwin suggests, throw every possible mutation out there and see what sticks.Chogyam Trungpa was an interesting guy - a crazy genius of sorts - maybe even a mad Mahasiddha. Another guy working toward Western Dharma I've been impressed with who is not without his detractors is Sangharakshita. I'll stop my approving discussion of heretics, however, lest I be accused of being one myself! Ha.
We decided to go with Independent Organization of Nichiren Buddhism. The word 'order' has too many connotations of a brotherhood or fraternity, which we aren't.Minor change, but it makes a major difference in perception we hope.