Hi,

Its my first time posting in the nichiren forum, but I'm at a point where I don't even want answers, maybe this will help someone who was made to feel the same way, so I hope it has a positive impact for others who are feeling a bit confused.

I had been interested in practicing buddhism for some time, and had been practicing zazen for about a year, on my own, as I had no access to a teacher. In theory, for me personally, zen made the most sense, but hey, I'm certainly no expert on zen or any other tradition, and I would not disparage or discourage anyone from their practise or faith.

I read quite a bit about theology, just a general interest, and while browsing in a buddhist bookshop, I came across a book by a SGI member, Richard Causton, "Buddha in everyday life", I think it was called. This was my first encounter with nichiren buddhism, and I was impressed, mainly because on further investigation I found out that there were people practicing near me,

Sorry, I've just realized how long winded this may become, so heres the edited version!

Started chanting earnestly, things started to go wrong in my personal life, questioned a few things in discussion meetings about the theory of chanting for personal gains, was told I would be contacted to help with my lack of understanding on three separate meetings with the division leader, never got the call, made me feel even more isolated, was basically ignored by people at monthly meetings for kosen rufu, was told I was imagining it, got to the point were I had to ask my friends outside SGI was there something wrong with me, stopped chanting , was very angry at a couple of people. After a few months started to chant again on my own, contacted one of the local guys about 5 weeks ago, he said I could come and see him, he'd call me during the week, still waiting!

Seems to me if your face doesn't fit, or you can still rationalize without reference to Mr. President, your black balled. All this while reading about all the tremendous life altering support you receive. And as for e sangha not allowing the disparaging of other traditions, why are the SGI allowed on here? Part of their exam questions are about how other nichiren schools are wrong, fact.

Thanks, peace and love to ALL.

PS. started zazen again, on my own, one thing I did learn, stand alone spirit!

I am too inexperienced to comment on your situation, but I have found in my own tradition (Kagyu), that the bets efforts are achieved when you start any practice after you have received the correct empowerment and permission from an authorized teacher to start any practice. (Here in Africa this can be a somewhat daunting task, since the high lamas visit approximately every second year - but is patience in itself not also an extremely valuable practice?)

I do not think we must underestimate the power of any of the pujas or ceremonies. One of the benefits of only practicing under the tutelage of an experienced and authorized teacher is that when things do seem to go funny, he/she can explain why and guide me on the right route.

Good luck my friend.

Hi, TKD -

I don't think you have done anything wrong. Just keep on practicing and things will work out for you. I can't say why you weren't contacted, but congratulations for continuing!

When people don't do what they promised to do and then fail to take responsibility for it (as in, apologize), anyone might feel upset. Imagining there is something wrong with you is a mistake. Imagining there is something wrong with them is a waste of time. What we can learn from such people is pretty simple: Don't YOU do that. Easier said than done, perhaps, but do it anyway.

Expectations are one of the difficulties Buddhism addresses. Your practice will help you to consider your expectations and where they come from. No need to become a cynic ... just take a look.

Thanks for your good efforts.

Follow the Law and not the person.....

from your post it seems you are looking for an outside source for help....and blaming the lack of people helping you ...? yes /// no?

The Dharma Body of the Buddha is like the Holy Spirit in Christianity..I believe it is the same thing.It is inspiring you to seek....

Let the Buddha's dharma body do it's thing....it's powerfull enough to lead you to liberation.....

I agree, I was maybe depending on others, as I said, I will now try to stand alone.
The worst thing I could do is to become a cynic, I understand this. My initial post was not intended to blame others for my feelings, it was to let people who may be not fitting into the mould, to understand that you may not be just imagining this from the SGI. I have recently read alot about similar experiences, although I can only account for my own so it would be petty and vindictive to expand on others experiences or go into the details.

I have not got ill feelings anymore, I've let them go. I hope this can be positive for a few people, and if you are an SGI member, and get what you need/want from your practise, keep going, good luck.

I only had beans to eat, my friend explained how I could eat with them every night at the most lavish expensive restaurant, I questioned how this was possible, they told me to have more faith, but they never called me back.
You know, beans are very nutritious, and very tasty!

thanks, peace and love to ALL (especially SGI)

Hi tkd, from what I have read , it seems to me your local sangha is at the budding stage ( much depend on each location ) , it certainly will not so in a mature area or happened in Japan. But then like individual , each local distict is like seed planted it will take some time for it's blossom.
What you can do is to make the communication work for you, one way is to write email or phone to the local HQ directly - what you need of help . Certainly they would despatch someone to contact you , and direct you to another neigbouring distict . Move around alittle you may find a district that suit you.

Most importing in Nichiren Buddhismhere is practice ( more correctly it is practice for oneself and practice with other , since this is a Budhisattva path ) , which also means not to practice alone but with a group ( local sangha ) . At time human relationship surfaced may also a blessing , as at time it a reflection of one's innate karmic weakness, take a courage to chellenge it and acheive a break through - this also known as inner transformation ( human revolution ) . Because in the end , the Bodhisattva practice required you to practice with even more people outside the Buddhist community , regardless they treat you kindly or not, that time you have already developed a higher life condition ( wisdom adn compassion ) to embrace them all, preceive their innate Buddha nature.

Ansanna

You have not done anything wrong. Chanting helps you work through things but the nature of life is suffering. The good news is that you control your mind and with practice that control gets better. NMRK is a great way to help you focus your mind and control your suffering thoughts. Remember it is up to you to decide which of the 10 realms you are in.

Tkd,

There are several things that you are doing. One is thinking that Buddhism in any of its flavors makes things go wrong or keeps things from going wrong.

Another is thinking that anyone other than yourself can change your perception of and your understanding into the nature of seeming going-right and going-wrong.

Another is thinking that limited local exposure to any global volunteer organization's membership provides absolute insight into the capacity, commitment and understanding of everyone in the organization. People can only give what they have.

Though your surrounding members may not be capable of flowery language or deep philosophical and psychological discussion directed at addressing your specific issues, make no mistake that if all they do is try and encourage you simply to move ahead in practice just one more minute or one more day they have given you the solution to all of your concerns.

You say that you have gained the spirit to stand alone. Use that to continue to chant and you will not fail to see into the truth of all things.

Pot calling kettle black springs to mind here.

Oh, and dealing with the Priesthood issue isn't "disparaging (of) other traditions" - it's of the same tradition. Demystification is preferable to ignorance I'd have thought.

Implicit in the doctrines of many schools is that they are "superior," or the "highest" school. In this way, SGI seems no different.

• According to Theravada -- Theravada is the original teaching of the Buddha, pure and uncorrupted.
• According to Pure Land -- Pure Land Buddhism is the most reliable method of enlightenment, because Amitabha is the greatest Buddha.
• According to Zen -- Zen is the greatest school, because it is the only school to receive direct transmission, mind-to-mind, in an unbroken lineage from the Buddha until today.
• According to Vajrayana -- Vajrayana is the fastest path to enlightenment, containing esoteric secrets unknown to the Mahayana.

Now, we can all believe any of this stuff privately if we want (it isn't sectarian if it's true, right?) or discuss our beliefs. Provided that we are respectful, there is no problem.

Come to think of it, if there'd been no criticism (some might say disparagement - Hinayana, etc) of the the Elders there'd have been no Mahayana either.

Hi, ha-ha yana,

Of course your right, it is definitely a case of pot calling kettle black, we are both black. I know that, glad you do too. I eat meat and wear leather shoes, I don't ask others to do the same nor discourage them from their own stance on it, but I still find it hard to watch some one from PETA eating a double cheese burger from McDonalds while wearing a fur coat.

Thankyou, PALTA.

Hi, woi.

1. I never meant to intend that the practise was responsible for my situations in life, positive or negative. My perception of how and who has to change any negative aspects, ultimately lies with me, I knew this before ever chanting.

2. The solution to all my concerns, lies with me, myself. I can do this,and it is a journey I'm willing to undertake. If you can't help me, thats fine. I would not like to think I would offer some one help when I knew I could not, or in this case, could not be bothered to come through with the very things I said I would do. I never actually asked for anything that wasn't on the very impressive menu, it just never came out of the kitchen.

The version of events I gave was short and maybe a little unsweet, so this may lead to some misunderstandings. Apologies.

Thanks, PALTA

When you start to chant you break the cycle of your life and a bunch of crap comes gushing out. The best way to contend with this is to continue chanting so that you transform the negative karma (poison) into medicine. This is called Sansho Shima and it happens to everyone when they start to practice.

Deat tkd

I'm pleased that you are able to see that what you wrote is the doing the same thing that you attack - however unjustifiably. So thanks for that at least.

But I'm afraid the remainder of your reply was a little too obscure for me to decipher.

You know, it's easy to be encouraged - as initially you were - by reading such as Dick's book, but not so easy to sustain the practice behind it when attacked by negativity and feelings of rejection. If you felt that you were being ignored then you ought to have found out if this was the case from those that you think were doing so. If you were told that you were imagining it , then I suspect that may have some mileage in it. But human beings are prone to making mistakes and forgetfulness anyway.

However, I know for sure that it's not a case of your 'face not fitting' and nothing to do with your reference - or lack of - to President Ikeda. It doesn't work like that.

I wish you well and that you grow to a place of greater strength.

Causton was as good man. There are a lot errors in his book though.



That is good, your inherent wisdom and insight is emerging. Things are wrong; you are seeing it.



Sadly, some Nichiren Schools think they need to shakubuku each other. I think they need to shakubuku themselves first.



I am working on ways to discuss this without it turning into a contest. My thought is we can discuss Dharma in three ways: Principles; Concepts, and Methods.

For the most part, we agree on method. We chant Namu Myoho Renge Kyo while gazing at a Gohonzon. Moreover, the Gohonzon is always a depiction of the Ceremony in the Sky from the Lotus Sutra; especially the Life Span Chapter. Some people argue about how to depict that. Some argue over whether the u in namu ought to be voiced and / or aspirated. These disagreements can get intense,

There are also disagreements over concepts. I find those interesting. I also think a certain amount of variety is healthy.

Most agree on the basic Principles, though there is some variation, particularly on the three treasures. The basic principle is that we possess an inherent Buddha Nature and chanting Nam{u} Myoho Renge Kyo is 'a' or 'the' key to unlocking that Buddha Nature.

The SGI and Nichiren Shoshu are different than the others, less traditionally Buddhist.While individuals have different views, both seem to view Nichiren as a greater Buddha than Shakyamuni. There is also a lot of implicit Shinto influence; as a superficial example, they offer evergreens instead of flowers. The Three Treasures are different, as is their take on the three Dharma ages, and their understanding of the Trace Gate and Source Gate.



I sit too. I would suggest patience. If you wish to learn more about sitting, maybe quietly hang around the Theravada forum and read. It is can be helpful to learn about the different kinds of meditations and cultivations. Then, you can see where chanting meditation fits in to that picture.

It is also good to learn some Buddhist concepts; such as the 4 Noble Truths and 8 fold path; the kileshas, the three marks, the 4 frustrations or derangements {Vipallasa}, the four divine abodes, the two kinds of truths, the three kinds of Buddhas, and so on; that the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren take as, often unspoken, givens.

On top of that, I think the Vimalakirti and Heart Sutras are good to look at. Then a bit of Asanga, Nagarjuna, and the T'ien T'ai / Tendai and Shingon Schools. Also, Blofield, Pema Chodron, and maybe Thich Nacht Hanh. I worked my way back; which I now think was a mistake. Doing all that is not for everyone; but you seem to be looking for a bit more? After I learned some basics, and then read the Lotus Sutra again, a light started to flicker.

None of that is even necessary to benefit from Nichiren Buddhism. The problem is we run into so many misconceptions that it can be rather vexing. I had lay leaders tell me the most preposterous things when I started, that did not sound right, but I had no ammo to defend myself.

gassho

robin

I don't think that there are many errors in Dick and Ed Canfor-Dumas ,The Buddha in Daily Life at all. Otherwise they would have been corrected after so many reprints. Especially as Ed is still alive. In fact any debatable points would have been rectified in The Buddha, Geoff and Me which was only published three years ago. And I can't remember any major differences , only a few additions.

Friend Robin, respectfully, but if you are not listing in explicitly on your points , then you are not doing justice to the dead man , and many Nichiren practitioners in UK.

I have read many time of Dick's book and it is fine and well written as an good introduction to new western practitioners.

Note that it was written in the time before the split, so doctrincally it stick with the frame work of shoshu.

Ansanna

[quote=ha-ha yana,Aug 10 2008, 04:19 AM]
[quote=tkd,Aug 9 2008, 10:08 PM][quote=ha-ha yana,Aug 9 2008, 09:51 PM][quote]. And as for e sangha not allowing the disparaging of other traditions, why are the SGI allowed on here? Part of their exam questions are about how other nichiren schools are wrong, fact.[/quote]

Pot calling kettle black springs to mind here.

Oh, and dealing with the Priesthood issue isn't "disparaging (of) other traditions" - it's of the same tradition. Demystification is preferable to ignorance I'd have thought.

[/quote]

Hi, ha-ha yana,

Of course your right, it is definitely a case of pot calling kettle black, we are both black. I know that, glad you do too. I eat meat and wear leather shoes, I don't ask others to do the same nor discourage them from their own stance on it, but I still find it hard to watch some one from PETA eating a double cheese burger from McDonalds while wearing a fur coat.

Thankyou, PALTA.
[/quote]

If you were told that you were imagining it , then I suspect that may have some mileage in it.
However, I know for sure that it's not a case of your 'face not fitting' and nothing to do with your reference - or lack of - to President Ikeda. It doesn't work like that.

Hi,
Thats quite a presumption to make ha-ha yana, it's actually quite an offensive thing to say, but I'll not go there. I am willing to live and let live in regards to your organization, but you can't just assume that I was imagining it, it was pretty blatant.

This is my last post on this subject, I maybe overstated a few points, quite deliberately, to see if I could get anything back, a last chance to be convinced, and I am. The SGI isn't for me, thats fine, I wont discourage anyone else, but I know what happened, having that slight advantage of being there. I tried to block out what was actually happening, a couple of others noticed it first! I am willing to take responsibility for my reaction, and admit it maybe was born out of negative karma, but my poor reaction does not mean amnesty of responsibility for others action, to suggest it was just me is a very unsubtle way of differing responsibility.

Honestly and sincerely, thanyou and good luck.

Thanks PALTA

PS. I apologise for my reference to President Ikeda, my veiws on him may not coincide with others, but that does not warrant disrespect, sorry.

Thank you for your sensitive response good friend Asanna

The book in question was indeed first published under the title of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism in 1988. Although the new edition was revised and updated in 1991 with relevant adjustments made concerning parts of the previous editions.

I would say that there are newer and more accessible introductory books now in print, but none better for getting to the nuts and bolts underpinning the actual theory behind our practice. Hence, The Buddha In Daily Life remains the seminal book on the subject of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism and is unlikely to be superceded in this respect.

HHY, certainly I concurs , just that I'm not sure which edition our friend who made the post and Robin are holding ?
This wonderful book is now actually collected in major libraries of the world. One one with the worth of one's salt attempts to write about the western development of the Buddhismin Nichiren and SGI , would fails to read it.

Dick was the man who first hand experience the war and involved of some mass destruction weaponry , and knows the world of varous culture first hand, that consciously seek the path of peace and Dharma . And devote himself in the effort of Bodhisattva path to made Nichiren Buddhism's Dharma a reality in this part of the world. He certainly created history and will be recorded in the history of Buddha Dharma together with all those Buddhist masters.

ASN

One thing, out of my hat, he conflated ku / shunyata with the bardo state. SGI seems to have updated their view on that, fairly recently. I am thinking he also accepted a lot of Fuji school doctrine on its face? Sole successor? 100 Questions and Answers? Other than technical issues, I like his style.

gassho

robin

Exactly. And SGI still perpetuates the parts Of Taisekiji doctrine that remain convenient. Do the revised versions update the concept of Shunyata? We were one taught that ku was a sort of latent or potential state.

gassho

robin

Robin, here is the posted explanation as the Three Truths as the released SGI Buddhist Dictionary . It's cetainly has worth of high standard quality in Bodological work.

Yes , it does seem to be somewhat out of your hat, Robby. As I've just flicked through the pages on ku (tai) (pp 80, 145, 157) and can find no reference whatsoever to that which you claim.

Afterword

To doubly check I have also just read through the pages on death again (pp 129, 148, 161ff, 189), and likewise there is no so such reference, or indeed any inference, relating to either shunyata and even less so bardo.

Indeed so. His experiences in the military police whilst serving in Burma opened his eyes to the futility of war. There is a hall at Taplow Court named after him for prosperity.

A succinct but fitting tribute...

http://www.eaglepeak.clara.co.uk/dickcauston.html

As an anecedote. Those at Dick's bedside during his passiing moments testify to seeing his lips moving to form the daimoku of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo up until his final breath.

Hi Tkd,
Have you heard about the LAW OF RESONANCE? Take three tuning forks. Two of the same frequency and one on a different frequency. Tap one of the tuning forks that has a matching one and they will both begin to vibrate together if they are close to each other, the tuning fork on a different frequency wont vibrate. (and perhaps feel ostracized as it cant relate to the energy it is receiving)
Perhaps you just need to find a practice group that is on your frequency so you can all resonate and grow together.
Metta
Mark

Sorry, I was describing, not quoting. As I recall, death was seen as a state of ku; similar to the transitional state called the bardo or antarabhava.. That is an erroneous concept. I was referring to a mis - concept - ion -- not the specific terminology. At one time, SGI had kutai as the death state; and ketai as the active state of life.

robin

Yes, that is exactly what I wrote. SGI has indeed corrected that past error. I am glad we agree.



I meant Causton's book. I know the dictionary was updated. Many older members still use Toda's outdated view of ku as latency.

gassho

r