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

re - gosho diet unavailable
Dear Mr . Jones,
How can you right such stupid things about Daishonin. Do you think people are fool to follow your guidance. We are fully convienced of what Daishonin is saying in the gosho. Stop this nonsense or you have to suffer because of this for your entire life time after life time. hope you can understand .
All the best . Bye.
Pramoj Kurien

*

Dear Editor:
I was reading my June 2001 Living Buddhism and an article entitled "What is Evil in Buddhism?", mostly the result of a letter to the editor from Lisa Jones of West Hollywood, California.

I closely reread my Living Buddhism and I could not find said letter. It's frustrating to read the article when you don't have the letter to make full sense of it? Might you by any chance have this secret transmission and can share it?
Thanks,
R. K.

Hi, R.K. Thank you for asking. Please click here unavailable to read the full text of Lisa Jones' letter. You can also read the article that she was referring to, The Heritage of Atsuhara unavailable.

*

hi, to any of the members of SGI who, for various reasons (the memo is one), have left the SGI or are considering that action, i'd like to mention the guidance president toda gave daisaku ikeda. if you do not like the organization, then change it. IMO to do that you should stay in the organization.
thanks,
b.r.

*

Sorry, no artless smut - how about this poem? I wrote it for and read it at the Men's Division AGM last year.

Only a Fool

Late! Late! Late!
Through coffee buzz
Throw Sancho
in the general direction
of my Gohonzon.

Stumble crash downstairs
Fumble keys to door
Fumble keys to club
Fumble keys to ignition
Truck won't start.

Kick! Yell! Swear!
Grandfather floats into my mind
Grey, still, and military.

"Only a fool doesn't have time to sharpen his saw."

Grandfather does a special effects fade and I
Look down stupidly at the limp jumper cables
In my shaky hands.

Thanks for a great site. Please keep up the good work.
Buddha fraternally,
Bob Ploss

*

It is not easy to be Buddhist. I mean it is not easy to walk the path of awakeness and lovingkindness. In a sense, there is no path, we have to cut our own path through the weeds. My mentor can show me the teachings, can lead me to them, can inspire and correct me when necessary. But no one can understand the teachings for me. I must do this myself. The Lotus Sutra says that there will be three powerful enemies who curse and speak ill of us. We reply, "we will endure all these things." We will endure all these things and continue to learn and teach. We are cutting a path and helping others find their way. There is no easy way. There is no easy solution. Our troubles are our teachers. It is hard but it is wonderful.
Anonymous

*

Hey there, from Canada!!!
I am an educator, Elementary school teacher, mother of three, and avid SGI chanter/member. This so lifted my Saturday morning!!! I'm dying to show my husband and kids ages 14, 12, 10 your clips unavailable.....so cute. We could use a little humour up north, sometimes we're so goddam righteous!!! oops I'm not supposed to swear. Loads of fun & thanks keep on with it...
Lorelei & gang from Vancouver, BC, Canada

*

Aloha,
I'm pleased that SGI-USA stated as policy unavailable it's reasons for not associating itself with the IRG & why the Gohonzon bestowed by any other means is frowned upon. I like the human warmth of diversity that makes the SGI unique. I also like the NON-FUZZYNESS when it comes to basing it's decisions on the Gosho.
Dave Burke
West Seattle

*

I am a Nichiren Shoshu 'Hokkeko' member and find your site, funny, inspiring, truthful, extremely clever in presentation, yet to the point and also sincere. Like lifting a heavy burden. Thank you for your efforts and allowing me to share this interesting approach towards the 'holier than thou' attitudes. Well spoken.
Thank you again,
Mercia Nitzsche UK.

*

Our problem is not ignorance, it's all the things we know that ain't so!
~Will Rogers

*

Not sure I want to be added to your mailing list, but I love the site and have taken to making a daily trek to lift my spirits and right my mind. I don't practice with Soka Gakkai anymore and don't think I want to. I'm burned out with the ORGANIZATION. Yet still I can't shake that Buddha Jones. I enjoy the freeform nature of your site and look forward to seeing more of it.
Thanks,
D'Mita

*

Please tell Miss Guidance she is my constant scourge and inspiration, now part of my daily routine. Your little movie about Human Revolution unavailable started my spiritual awakening (to think I just ambled over to your cinema to see what Salon was talking about). Zap! Revelation!! Revolution!!! I already knew the part about the swamp (life, the world, delusion, constant unpleasant buzzing in the head), but the film taught me about the lotus. From that starting point, I am working my way through all the information on your wonderful site. Kosen rufu unavailable, which I learned about on buddhajones, is the most amazing concept. Talk about a revolution--who knew a religion could be spiritual? or joyful? or real? Thanks so much, to you and your team!
Best,
Micky

*

My name is Ernesto Borges Torres. I just wrote the following letter to the group of SGI leaders named below [list deleted].

An Open Letter to the SGI, Re: The April 30th Memo

Greetings, I am writing this open letter in response to the memo unavailable which was released by the SGI for distribution on April 30, 2001. The memo in question is regarding the IRG, a group of loyal members of the Soka Gakkai who love the organization enough to challenge it to live up to its potential, and the fact that some members of the Soka Gakkai have been acquiring, what has come to be called the Prayer Gohonzon, from Nichiren Buddhists who have an independent practice and/or orientation. To say that I am disappointed by the contents and tone of said letter can be nothing other than a gross understatement. Let me tell you a little bit of my history to illustrate why.

I first came into contact with the SGI in the early to mid eighties. Although I immediately fell in love with the practice and doctrine of Nichiren's Buddhism, I had very different feelings for the organization's authoritarian attitude, the control it had over the members (and tried to get over me), and the incredible dependence that so many seemed to have on their leaders for guidance on the most idiotic of topics (my goldfish died, what do I do?) on the one hand, to the most sublime topics on the other. I went and even participated in a number of events, and quite frankly, their similarity to the film clips that I have seen of Nazi rallies during WW II made my skin crawl. Needless to say, I could not get away fast enough from the NSA (now SGI-USA). A Number of leaders tried to get me back, first with kindness, then by insulting my intelligence, and last of all by metaphysical threats. None of these tactics worked and I managed to free myself from the, then, NSA.

Towards the end of the nineties, I began to get acquainted with members of various Nichiren sects over the Internet, and I could not help but notice how different the SGI members were now, from what I remember in the mid eighties. I could not believe how open they were, how they managed to express different opinions on just about any topic without bursting out into flame wars with each other over it. It was amazing to me how free they were, how they supported each other, how they reasoned out their points of view. I began to think to myself, "Could it be, that the SGI has changed this much since its excommunication from Nichiren Shoshu?"

So I began to investigate; I checked out SGI websites where members openly discussed the past and present negative aspects of the organization and really though about how to make it better. Then I attended meetings in peoples homes, again these meetings were open and candid, no power tripping, no attempts at control, a totally different atmosphere seemed to pervade the organization and membership. It was just a matter of time before I agreed with a local Internet friend to go to the Friendship Center and exchange my Nikken Gohonzon for a Nichikan Gohonzon.

On the surface, things were looking pretty good, The SGI even recently had a conference for sexual minorities at the FNCC where some of the leadership even apologized to the attendees for the organizations past oppressive actions and attitudes towards them. Religious bodies that have done this are few, and the SGI is certainly to be commended, no, praised, for taking such a bold step towards justice, equality and freedom.

In the light of the above, the release of the April 30th memo was a crushing blow to said freedom that brought me crashing back to reality. While on the surface, the SGI would seem to be more open and free, this, it turns out, is merely superficial; for at the core, this note shows that the issues most important to the SGI are still control. Control of the minds of its members, and control over the Gohonzon, which is the Daishonin's gift to the whole world. In this, you are no different from Nichiren Shoshu. What a shame. What a pity.

In light of all this, I am informing you of my official withdrawal from the SGI, effective immediately. Many others have done and are doing the same, but quietly. I believe that it is important for you to know why people have left and continue to leave the SGI, hence this open letter.

Now, to paraphrase the words of a certain rebel princes to the leaders of a certain empire in a galaxy far, far away, "The more you tighten your grip SGI, the more members will slip through your fingers."
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo,
Ernesto Borges Torres,
Official Ex-SGI Member.

Ernesto -- I am sorry that you have decided to leave the SGI. From my experience, I feel that SGI members *are* more open (it's not just superficial). But there is a small minority of people in "power" in the SGI-USA who don't yet practice what they preach. They are good people, in my opinion, who are doing their best and will one day be as open as they say they want to be. We're all in it together, struggling, etc. So I have a great deal of hope for the organization. Again, I am sorry to see you leave because I appreciate your intelligence and seeking spirit. The SGI-USA needs more of that. I hope that in the near future the SGI will become an organization that you can wholeheartedly, enthusiastically rejoin. But in the meantime, I wish you all the best in your practice and study of Buddhism.
Take care, Lisa J.

*

Aloha from Seattle,
Now that May 3, 2001, has almost come & gone, ... Believe it or not, it's still Mappo out there & the need is greater than ever for us to don our Buddha apparel disguised as "Parents, Teachers, & Sovereigns" & Vote wisely by taking action!

My oldest stunningly beautiful daughter recently turned 37 on March 28th, reminding me how young I was when I became a parent at the age of 17. I became a baby buddhist, receiving Gohonzon the fall of 1966.

The last two Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. were spent attending Foster Parenting classes learning among other things the many effects of child abuse & what to expect in caring for them. We've two new people, Cameo & Champayne, 7 & 9, whose mother died not long ago. Being its Mappo, they're having the "TIME of Their LIFE" enjoying SGI Boys & Girls activities, learning gongyo, leading daimoku & asking the best questions some old SGI members maybe forgot! They just arrived home with two 1st Places, 800 meter run & long jump in track.

"Having many different types of nipples on hand" was not something I would have thought of if a baby showed up at our door. Not that I plan on that happening but I learned many things that we as SGI/Buddha/Parents should consider now that so many people are asking ..."What's the 'Gohonzon?"

When the Lotus Sutra describes the Physician who prepared just the right flavor, color, & texture medicine for his children who had lost their minds he still was faced with the problem of "How to get them to take it?"

By the question asked we can determine the understanding of the person who asks it and what reason the question is being asked. Some kids ask "Is the Dai Gohonzon authentic?" Does this question display a lack of understanding of WHAT a Gohonzon is or what (purpose) it's for?

Let's say the baby left on the doorstep not only has been abused, starved & abandoned but poisoned too! Asking if the 'nipple' is authentic could be off the mark if what is needed is food, medicine, love & care.

By 'authentic" are they asking if what Nichiren wrote on the Gohonzon was what he meant to inscribe? Or how he said to use it when he stated, "Never seek the Gohonzon outside yourself," in the Gosho? Are those questioning the authenticity of the Dai Gohonzon asking "How to use it?"; "How to share it?" ; and helping those who don't know "What's it for?" NO?

"Then it really IS mappo & the children have lost their minds. " Dokke jinnyu. Ship ponshin ko."

Will this (Gohonzon) bring happiness if I use it as it was meant to? Will I continue seeking validation outside myself? Will I look outside or blame others as the cause for unhappiness & take responsibility for my own happiness? Will I compare myself with others as a cause of unhappiness?

Is the word "nipple" politicaly correct?

Who cares?
Dave/stoney/Burke West Seattle-SGI & loving it!