Reader letters to BuddhaJones.com. Letters are separated by blank lines or bold headings.

Letters about SGI-USA reform unavailable

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Hi, That has to be the best disclaimer ["Dense, Important Text unavailable"] I've ever read. Probably the first I've read in its entirety. I enjoy much of the rest of the site as well.
-Ted Kloba
[Chicago, IL]

PS- I've always said "5 & 3" Gongyo and intend to continue, but I would never disparage those who choose otherwise.

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Lisa....... again, again........how do you do it? You are one lady chanting a lot of sincere daimoku. Great site this month. Rife with good stuff! I could hear the sparks and crackles! Keep it up.......enjoying it all.
Lisa Faye Pranger
and congrats on your book!

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I very much enjoyed discovering your site. Once upon a time I was an NSA member (1965 to 1975 ish) before choosing the path of the lone bodhisattva and eventually moving more towards a orientation. At one point I held senior leader status ( I was married in the temple , President Ikeda named my first child, etc etc etc) I began to find it increasingly difficult to balance my liberal mind-set with a (Japanese) cultural overlay that dictated a strict adherence to their organizational 'values'. In trying to be a true pioneer and foster an environment where dialogue was encouraged , I was repeatedly shut down and shamed. You can imagine my amusement years later to discover that all my concerns about 'cultishness' and 'territoriality ' have seen to come to light. I wonder how Nichiren would feel about all this?

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Thanks, buddhajones, for the fun and insight. I think all religions would be vastly improved (and not so likely to resort to violence) if they could just laught at themselves! The recent "Funny Times" includes a cartoon about chanting. I decided that was OK -- we need to accept (embrace?) how humorous we may appear to others. A lot of things human beings do are kinda funny if you are not the one doing it. Let's all lighten up!
More anon.
Diana

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Namaste, oh fellow independant Nichiren Buddhist! I enjoyed looking at and reading your website. I have been practicing Nichiren's Buddhism for 33 years in the San Francisco and Santa Rosa area of California. I knew Tariq Hasan when he was a baby Buddha and now he's way up there in the SGI-USA organization. Keep up the good work and don't expect the SGI-USA to change too quickly. Japanese culture has been around for eons. Please keep me updated on any new developments. Thank you for your time and effort.
Joseph Grumich

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In reply to the question regarding the special contribution made primarily in May, this is a very brief explanation. Prior to 1990, at this time of year, contributions were made to the temple. SGI members would contribute money along with the names of any deceased persons they wanted the priests to chant for. While I feel certain that the temple got money, I don't know if the priests actually chanted on the behalf of the deceased.
Peter Nellhaus

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Dear Buddha Jones,
I have only been practicing this Buddhism for a few months now and still have a lot of unanswered questions. I was recently introduced to the concept of the special contribution [SGI-USA's annual fundraising drive]. I'm a little puzzled with this one. Why does this donation need to be collected in such a timely manner? Why just the month of May and the first week of June? I don't get it. Also, there seems to be an underlying pressure to donate or else my fortune will somehow be affected. I have been told that it is not the amount of the donation that matters, but the spirit in which it is given. Still, I get the impression that the more I contribute, the greater my fortune for the following year. What if I can't afford so much good fortune all in one month? I'm rambling a bit here, sorry. Essentially, I just want to know why just May and is the amount of each person's donation recorded and available for discussion? Please forgive me for sounding so suspicious.
J. Waters

Does anyone have a good response to J. Waters' questions? Please e-mail it to the editor.

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Lisa -- I just discovered your website. It is way too good. Stop it. I need to get some sleep. When we were kids, my brother and I used to say to each other "Peace Hippy Style!" because we thought Peace and Hippies were cool. (We were right.) I thought you would appreciate knowing that.
Peace Hippy Style! -- Verzonni

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This morning, when I first heard of Rick Diamond's letter in Buddha Jones, I was appalled at the very concept of guidelines for independent groups of Nichiren Buddhists. Is this not an oxymoron? (Actually, my language on a certain yahoo group was even more colorful than this...;-) At first, I didn't even want to bother to read it. However a good friend chastised me for my narrow-mindedness and so I came to your site to read the letter for myself.

Perhaps it is due to the colored lenses through which I view my former affiliation, the SGI, but after reading the letter I am still of the same opinion. How can one person presume to create guidelines, even just proposed guidelines, for all the many different groups which have and are in the process of breaking away from the Gakkai? Common sense, of course, dictates that such would be impossible. Furthermore, for a presumed set of guidelines for Independent practitioners of Nichiren Buddhism, it sure does spend a lot of time talking about sectarian politics.... more than half of the document! How is that being independent? It is not. It is simply reactionary.

In closing, I would like to share the guidance of Shakyamuni Buddha (found in the Pali Canon) during the time of the first schism in the Sangha at Kosambi, just before he himself left his community of believers to practice alone in the woods:

"If you can find a trustworthy companion
With whom to walk, both virtuous and steadfast,
Then walk with him content and mindfully,
Overcoming any threat of danger.
If you can find no trustworthy companion
With whom to walk, both virtuous and steadfast,
Then, as a king who leaves a vanquished kingdom,
Walk like a tusker in the woods alone.
Better it is to walk alone:
There is no fellowship with fools.
Walk alone, harm none, and know no conflict;
Be like a tusker in the woods alone."
(Source: The Life of the Buddha by Bhikkhu Nanamoli)
--Don Ross,
a former Gakkai member still working on "know no conflict"

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I've thoroughly enjoyed your website. Keep up the fine work! meredith
from Tennessee

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Miss Guidance's posting unavailable came at an great time for me. I've felt awkward about about the part of President Ikeda's peace proposal where he refers to Khatami (spelling), the current head of Iran, calling for dialogue between civilizations. Just to make sure my concerns had some foundation, I watched Frontline last night on PBS. In addition to support of terrorist organizations, primarily Hezzbollah, the government continues to imprison and torture its own citizens if they express opinions of dissent, especially calls for a secular democracy.

So here's my thought: Is it possible, based on what we are observing both within and outside of SGI, that by their very nature, religious organizations are at best un-democratic, or at worst, anti-democratic? Even the colonies that eventually became the original United States were founded by groups that sought religious freedom for themselves, excluding other forms of faith on their particular turf.

Maybe I'm asking the wrong question or not asking it in the best way. I'm even missing the World Tribune from many years ago, where the emphasis seemed to be on members' experiences with the practice, even though it made Buddhism appear "magical." The issue from a couple weeks ago made me feel like I was stuck in a fun house where mirrors reflect each other, with various people giving each other medals. Sorry for this long rant. Hope you're well.
Peter

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Dear Lisa....I very much enjoyed perusing your website. I also enjoyed hearing the honesty and integrity in many of the e-letters people sent in. It is a great forum, and overall your site is pretty balanced....definitely something for everybody.

When I was asked recently by a dear friend (whom I consider family) about re-subscribing to the World Tribune I told her flatly no. She knows my reasons--for many years I took the wt because I was in a leadership position even though I found the content extremely uptight and boring. The most I have seen of it in the last year has been great coverage of youth division activities. I failed to mention I am a full time college student in my mid-thirties, and I don't have much spare time to read anything but textbooks, but I told my friend that I felt that the only way I could express my dissatisfaction (after talking to several people on the WT staff, etc) was to simply not subscribe. Exercise my rights as a consumer, and I also told her...ya know, it wouldn't hurt them to be experimental with at least one quarter of the current S.G.I. publications! She heartily agreed, and also expressed several of her own thoughts, (albeit very funny) and she sent me the link for your site.

So, this forum of yours I sense is very healthy. I may not agree with all of it, and I certainly have gotten a good laugh at a bit of it! (as well as some nice insights, and thought-provoking reading done online.) It is nice to see that the adventurous spirit of yours that was hard at work before (in an attempt to bring the SGI organization into the 21st century) is hard at work on something excellent. Please keep it up! It is good that someone is also attempting to offer something for everyone in cyberspace, which is about the only place I can be reached (along with many others) these days. This website is much appreciated.

Lisa Pranger, Bellingham WA

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Thank you for your site it is insight as well as funny. I am practicing in Phoenix AZ. Where are you? Keep up the great work and maybe we can have a Q&A; set up you and some Jr/SR High School students since the humor and information is a great tool for people to learn from.

Alex Aliberto

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To: All People Interested In Establishing Independent Nichiren Buddhism Practice Groups

From: Rick Diamond

Subject: Proposed Voluntary Guidelines

Date: March 17, 2002

(Note: The following is an attempt to set forth some general guidelines for people to follow if they are interested in practicing Nichiren's Buddhism in a group setting, but who wish at the same time to avoid belonging to an organized religion due to some of the negative implications that this can imply. The model for the idea of a "non organized organization" is borrowed directly from the Twelve Step movement to which a debt of gratitude is acknowledged. Please feel free to revise and circulate this draft.)

Proposed Guidelines for Independent Practice Groups

Preamble

Nichiren's Buddhism is based on the daily practice of chanting "Nam-myho-renge-kyo" and reciting portions of an early Chinese translation of a collection of teachings known as "The Lotus Sutra." The practice of Nichiren's Buddhism was elaborated by a Buddhist monk in 13th Century Japan. In the centuries since its founding, and particularly after World War II, many thousands of people have discovered that practicing Nichiren's Buddhism has enhanced their lives in various sometimes subtle and sometimes dramatic ways.

There are various organizations dedicated to the practice and proliferation of Nichiren's Buddhism. The two major organizations are the Nichiren Shoshu Temple, which is a religious organization, and the Soka Gakai, which is a lay organization. Both of these organizations are headquartered in Japan and have affiliated organizations in many countries throughout the world. In the past these two organizations usually enjoyed a cooperative relationship with each other. However, starting in the nineteen eighties, differences between the two organizations have caused them to become sometimes bitter rivals.

Many of the people practicing Nichiren's Buddhism in the United States were introduced to the practice in the late nineteen sixties and early nineteen seventies when the religious and lay organizations had a much more harmonious relationship than at present. During this period the lay organization assumed responsibility for organizing members and teaching them how to practice, while the religious organization concerned itself with preserving religious relics, officiating at religious ceremonies and distributing scrolls, known as "gohonzons," which serve as the visual center of attention that people focus on when chanting.

Following the split between the religious and lay organizations, each of the organizations began to assume functions which had previously been performed by the other. For its part, Nichiren Shoshu became more active in organizing lay activities and demanded that its members resign from Soka Gakai. The lay organization, on the other hand, with assistance from some of the many temples that renounced their affiliation to Nichiren Shoshu due to their disagreement with the head temple's policies, began to manufacture and distribute its own gohonzons, thereby taking over one of the main functions previously considered a religious rather than a lay function.

There are probably as many different explanations of how and why chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo gives positive results as there are people who chant. One point that has traditionally been emphasized is that it is more important to understand that chanting Nam-myoho-renge kyo does lead to positive results than understanding why. For most people, chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is a personal matter that they sometimes do in the company of others. It is not necessary for all people who chant together to necessarily agree how or why chanting works for them.

One of the main reasons that people have meetings is to make it possible for new people to learn the mechanics of chanting so they can apply the practice to their own lives if they chose to do so. Traditionally, this is referred to by the phrase, "doing shakabuku." Sharing the practice with others is considered by many to be an indispensable part of the practice.

There are many doctrines and principles associated with Buddhism in general and Nichiren Buddhism in particular. There are, however, no codes of belief which one must adopt in order to practice Nichiren's Buddhism. The general concept of Buddhism is that all people possess an inner condition of enlightenment. When one is enlightened he or she enjoys a state of harmony between the self and the environment.

The practice of Buddhism might generally be described as a method or technique that is used to to increase one's wisdom and strengthen one's life force. It is also a method whereby people discover and resolve the sources of conflict in their own lives in a manner which promotes peacefulness in society and the eventual attainment of world peace.

Some people believe that the practice of Nichiren's Buddhism within the traditional organizations is sometimes overshadowed by concerns that are more peripheral than central to the practice of Buddhism. This makes it difficult to participate in group activities and also makes it difficult to introduce new people to the practice.

The following guidelines or suggestions are put forth with the idea that people may establish independent practice groups so they can practice together with little or no organizational constraint. It is based on the principle that all human beings are essentially equal and that no person has a right to dictate to another on matters of faith.

Guidelines

1. Local groups are autonomous.
The practice of Buddhism is essentially personal. People who practice Buddhism may join together for a variety of reasons. One of the most important reasons is to facilitate the propagation of Buddhism by teaching people the basics of practicing if they have a desire to learn. Other reasons include chanting for joint goals or just to socialize. If people want to have meetings together they should determine what, if any, organization is necessary based on their unique needs. They may want to form a "home group" that meets periodically to determine organizational matters such as when and where to hold meetings, and how the meetings should be organized.

Leadership in this context is practical, not doctrinal. In other words, someone chairing a meeting is fulfilling a necessary function, but it should not be implied that they have any special knowledge about Buddhism or that their opinions about Buddhism are necessarily better than anyone else's. One of the goals of Buddhism is to spread enlightenment from person to person on a local level. This is one reason why it makes sense for the fundamental unit of organization to remain the local community meeting.

People may wish to conduct certain activities that require cooperation among several groups. Each group potentially involved should make its own decision whether participation in such activities is in balance or out of balance with the importance that the group places on holding meetings and conducting propogation within the local community. Independent groups might find it useful to establish a service organization to be involved in matters concerning publications and/or communications.

If this becomes the case it should always be remembered that employees of the service organization have no special rights or privileges and are not official spokespersons for Nichiren Buddhism. Neither the independent groups nor their service organization should ever endorse any person as a leader or authority in Buddhism and should never endorse any publication as containing an "authorized" statement of Buddhist principle or doctrine.

2. No dues or fees should be collected except voluntary contributions to defray actual expenses.
No one should ever exploit Buddhism for the sake of personal gain at someone else's expense. Anyone with a genuine interest in learning how to practice Nichiren's Buddhism should be assisted to the fullest extent possible by other Nichiren Buddhists residing within the community. No one should be charged for attending a meeting. People look with justifiable distrust upon religious organizations that acquire wealth. Independent practice groups should be careful never to acquire or accumulate more than the minimal degree of funds necessary to conduct their meetings and activities. No funds should ever be sought or accepted except for small voluntary contributions from regular group members.

3. Independent practice groups should adopt no official positions.
It is unncessary and potentially damaging for any independent group to adopt an official position with respect to matters of Buddhist doctrine, politics, current events or any other matter. Members of a group will naturally be free to hold whatever opinions they deem correct. The group itself should have no official positions. If people wish to take collective stances with regard to political or other issues, they should do so outside the context of the local independent Buddhist group. No person should be made to feel unwelcome at a Buddhist meeting due to their personal views. On the other hand, if a person should state views that others find offensive, there is nothing to prevent them from stating their own personal views in rebuttal, so long as it is understood that people are speaking their personal views and not speaking as spokespersons for Buddhism.

4. Buddhist propagation should be conducted in a respectful and responsible manner.
It has been mentioned that many people feel that propogation of Buddhism is an indispensible part of the practice of Nichiren's Buddhism. Propogation should be conducted in a manner that will not unnecessarily alienate people from practicing Nichiren's Buddhism. Categorical claims of what Buddhism will or will not do are probably not well advised. Many people who now chant daily originally tried it on an experiemental basis. If we share our experiences honestly with other people we are not likely to offend them. On the other hand, making grandiose claims that cannot be defended on the basis of logic or our own personal experience are not likely to inspire others to try chanting.

Rick Diamond

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being, n : one's fundamental nature, fulfillment of possibilities; essential completeness. 6. in philosophy. that which is, is possible, or can be logically conceived.

possess, to have as a piece of property, to gain strong influence or control over; to dominate.

So I'm driving these kids home from the Boys & Girls activities at the Culture Center when I hear, "WoW! He must be rich!" from one of ''um in the back seat. Knowing they're referring to 'Lil Bow Wow' on the cover of his latest CD, I ask, "How come you say that?" The answer comes back...."Because he's wearing three bracelets & all those rings."

"Oh, I seeeeeeeeeee." as I begin to share with the kids some things I learned at the "How to practice correctly" AKA 'Soka Spirit/Couragous Hearts' meeting, while they were making sushi.

When Nikken claims all should make a pilgrimage (tozan) in order to experience what only he inherited (the True Life Blood of Faith) this brings into question the argument of correctness based on those who possess the DaiGohonzon. Nichiren said 'not to seek this Gohonzon outside ourselves, yet the Nikken/temple translates the meaning of pilgrimage using a dictionary;{ a journey to some distant place, sacred & venerable for some reason, undertaken for devotional purposes.} Our 'human revolution',(2)figuratively, the journey of human life, is closer to what Nichiren taught then one accessed via a passport.

Back to the 'bracelets & rings; Nikken's prayer based on ego (possession of the DaiGohonzon) & our, SGI's daimoku based on being dedicated to ending suffering (kosen rufu), challenges societies current view of true value: Being honest, noble, courageous Nichiren said are treasures of the heart.

Appearance,( nyo ze so) does not mean only the number of shiny objects I possess, but also BEING aware of why dedicated actions like those described in the Gosho define why the SGI has now appeared. Not that I don't enjoy a slick screen-saver{Tyra Banks} on my PC at work , but when my faith is based on dependency (feeling powerless) or based on fear (what if ???), instead of self-reliant faith,{faith based on joy, my journey within) then 'being' is like possessing a membership in Nikken's Buddhist club: To be or not to be excommunicated? that's NOT a question. stoney

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There have been several discussions and comments made about the war in the Middle East at various internet sites. The result of war everyone can see: the crying and destruction of lives and homes. It is something that is so obvious that we do as humans and is so bad. War becomes an opportunity for individuals to participate in something larger but clearly human: We can protest it, support our country, be a soldier and so forth. It becomes a Big Event versus all the little nasties that happen in each individual's life. In can even become a diversion for an individual. That was point 1.

In the Middle East, there are two major world religions that believe in an apocalypse. Both of these religions have been influenced by Zoroastrian literature and beliefs. They are Islam and Christianity. The Koran is full of apocalyptic imagery and so is the New Testament. The Jews are not immune to this, either. So we have billions of people with a belief that humans are sinful and a belief in Armageddon.

Belief is a cause. Constant belief in a thing is an accumulation.

Now I am sure that each mother does not think while giving birth: Here is a new sinner who will bring the Zoroastrian/Christian/Islam end of the world that much closer unless they repent. (sarcasm coming) Of course, all must repent and do certain rituals to prevent the end of the world. If one person does not believe in this, then the end comes. Hence by the sword, we must convert. (end sarcasm) Usually a mother naturally loves her child.

There are many things that counterbalance this negative apocalyptic belief: Parents wishing the best for their children and grandchildren, farmers wanting a good profit from crops in order to live another year or two and so forth. Then many Christians and Moslems take what good is in their religion and generally go about life. Not wanting sex from another's spouse becomes the focus (God help me, he's got good buns), not Revelations. But at some time, these constantly held negative beliefs come home to roost.

This is my belief based on observation of causes, results and when they come to be manifest. (I have had a while to observe myself.) When the majority of the human race is wanting a new way and an end to the old ways of hatred and the results of hatred, all these old causes that have been deferred due to natural desire for a good result, come back to roost, in the region of origination. In the case of Zoroastrian beliefs, then I think it is Turkey or Iran/Iraq.

To top it off, these areas have been really bad to Buddhists. The people who might help them in some way with all these negative causes over the centuries, they killed and expelled and burnt the temples. The people who originally propagated this belief may even have been reborn in the present so they could reap the results. I look at Afghanistan and all of the Middle East as a exercise in causes and manifestation of results. Hatred and war, not to mention destruction of what little Buddhism was in Afghanistan, has made so many negative causes.

The United States has been attacked and so it is involved. I would rather let the cause take it's course and we stay out of it as much as we can. We can only help to pick up the pieces when it is over.

If I seem a little detached in all of this, I am 50 and have seen a lot of causes, results and manifestations. I can feel sad and realize that there are going to be a lot of suffering people, but they have to want to end this. They have to see that negative only begets negative. And causes can sometimes be so illusive. A man deeply wishing to fly in the 13th century may result in a rebirth now, where he may be a pilot or a soldier flying in a transport to fight.

Until all of my ignorance ceases, I cannot just look into the eyes of someone and say "justice is served". I just have to go on my experience. May everyone make good causes

Jeanne in the desert