Sample Question Answers for the Elementary-Level Exam
Actual questions for the exam will be based on the sample
questions. These answers were compiled by Ted
Miller and distributed via e-mail. His contact info may
be found below.
Greetings from Tokyo,
I prepared the following answers to the Sample Questions
for 1998 Elementary-level Exam for SGI members at Yokota
Air Base who will be taking the test her in Japan. I am
sending it out to other SGI-USA friends too. If it is of
use to you, great.
I have tried to quote and paraphrase the material itself,
not other sources. These notes are intended as a reference
for reviewing the material, not a substitute for reading
it. (As Cliff Notes are no substitute for reading literature.)
I hope having answers in abbreviated form will help members
(and tutors and lecturers) feel less overwhelmed by the
large volume of material.
Regards,
Ted Miller
Ted Miller, Ed.D.
Associate Professor, Soka University
Home address: 258-15 Fussa, Fussa-City, Tokyo, JAPAN 197-0011
Home phone and fax: 042-553-6868 (from abroad: 81-42-553-6869)
Work phone: 0426-91-4928 (from abroad: 81-426-91-4928)
Work fax (midnight okay): 0426-91-9386 (from abroad: 81-426-91-9386)
Letter to the Brothers
1. The Ikegami brothers' father, a follower of Ryokan,
disowned the elder brother in order to provoke a rift between
the brothers by tempting the younger brother to renounce
his faith so that he could inherit his father's estate.
2. To rid our lives of the bad karma caused by past slander
of the Law (lessening karmic retribution); to test and thereby
deepen our faith; and as a function of the devil of fundamental
darkness in life (Devil of the 6th Heaven) which tries to
keep us ignorant of our Buddha nature.
3. To discard or slander Nam myoho renge kyo, the Lotus
Sutra of the time of Latter Day of the Law, is a bad cause.
Nam myoho renge kyo is the essence of all lives and the
source of enlightenment. To chant and embrace the Gohonzon
equals embracing/activating our Buddhahood, our power to
live happy, victorious lives. Discarding faith cuts off
the source of our own Buddhahood and happiness.
4. To meet a person who manifests Nam myoho renge kyo in
his/her life and can lead others to Buddhahood is very rare.
This person is specifically Nichiren Daishonin. In a broader
sense, it is SGI members. We are very fortunate to have
such friends.
5. The heart of the Lotus Sutra is Nam myoho renge kyo.
Some Buddhist teachers have regarded the Lotus Sutra as
equal to or below provisional teachings. Some Nichiren schools
chant daimoku but don't understand the Gohonzon or the Daishonin's
identity as the true Buddha. Practicing courageously and
compassionately for the people as the Daishonin did means
embracing the heart of the Lotus Sutra. To trample on the
Daishonin's spirit (e.g., to take advantage of others' faith
for their own gain, [as Nikken Sect priests have]) destroys
the heart of the Lotus Sutra.
6. Evil people fool others into believing they should look
elsewhere for the source of true happiness or beg someone
of mighty religious authority for salvation. The Daishonin
warned the brothers to stick with their faith despite temptation
and persecution, to attain enlightenment through their practice
of faith.
7. We have to be on guard against "devil of fundamental
darkness" in our minds and in our environment. Always
grow and move forward, especially when meeting hardships.
Do gongyo and daimoku. Recognize and praise others' innate
Buddhahood; this helps you see your own Buddha nature. Above
all, stick with this Buddhism no matter what.
8. Shariputra ceased to believe in the person's potential
to attain enlightenment. He was so discouraged when his
sincere efforts were ignored and slighted that he renounced
his practice for others and thus experienced hellish suffering.
9. He teaches them to depend on themselves. A single individual
with unwavering faith is most important and needed in a
family. Have resolute faith to "stand alone" in
the midst of hardship.
10. The sansho shima (obstacles and devils) stem from the
fundamental darkness inherent in life (gampon no mumyo).
Our lives contain both tendencies: enlightenment (Buddhahood)
and darkness (denial of our Buddha nature). Life is an inner
struggle between these two. Problems are opportunities to
win over our own weakness and negativity.
11. When we try to improve ourselves, there is resistance
from within. If we try to drastically improve ourselves,
there will be major resistance. Nam myoho renge is a teaching
powerful enough to purify our bad karma, rid our minds of
delusions, and tap the life state of Buddhahood. Big resistance
(obstacles to our practice) prove that we are progressing
on the path to enlightenment.
12. When you share a close relationship with someone else,
your lives become linked and, in that sense, you cannot
become completely satisfied if the person is unhappy. Person
A will naturally support person B's effort to become happy
and B in turn will support A.
13. "Mastering one's mind" means to base one's
thoughts, words and deeds on the state of Buddhahood. When
we chant daimoku, we activate our Buddha's wisdom enabling
us to live in an enlightened way and gain control over the
delusions and earthly desires that cause suffering.
The Person and the Law
14. (1) The benefit resulting from donations will be in
direct proportion to the greatness of the teaching or person
to whom they are made. (2) Benefit comes from ones' sincerity
in making offerings rather than from the material value
of the offering itself.
15. (1) Material offerings: candles, incense, water, fruit,
etc. offered to the Gohonzon, as well as time, energy and
personal resources contributed to SGI activities to promote
kosen-rufu. (2) Offerings of the Law: gongyo and daimoku,
and efforts to introduce people to SGI and encourage people
in faith.
16. Offerings to Nichiren Daishonin, the "votary of
the Lotus Sutra," are greater because his teachings
are greater. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is like the root and Shakyamuni's
teachings are like its leaves and branches. Shakyamuni's
teaching is incomplete, while that of the Daishonin is complete
and perfect.
17. The Daishonin directly revealed and manifested the
Law by which all Buddhas, including Shakyamuni, attain their
enlightenment.
18. According to Shakyamuni, Buddhahood is something one
"attains." Nichiren Daishonin presents Buddhahood
as something innate and eternal in life. We do not "attain"
it; we awaken to the fact of our eternal Buddha nature.
There is no gap between the Buddha and common mortals; anyone
can manifest Buddhahood by chanting Nam myoho renge kyo
to the Gohonzon.
19. He refers to the Jinriki (21st) chapter of the Lotus
Sutra, in which Shakyamuni transfers the essence of the
sutra to Bodhisattva Jogyo and charges him with its propagation
in the Latter Day of the Law. Nichiren Daishonin's provisional
identity is Bodhisattva Jogyo, the votary in the Latter
Day of the Law. His true identity is the original Buddha
of kuon ganjo.
20. The "ultimate secret law" is Nam myoho renge
kyo which is embodied in physical form as the Dai Gohonzon.
This is the reality of ichinen sanzen.
21. He reveals that all Buddhas originate from, and return
to, the Law to which he is enlightened. Nam myoho renge
kyo is the source of enlightenment for everyone.
22. Nichiren Daishonin was a common person of humble origins
without worldly status, but because he was enlightened to
the ultimate Law, he was worthy of supreme respect, and
the place where he lived (at that time, Mt. Minobu) was
the Buddha land.
Ichinen Sanzen
23. The 10 worlds, the 10 factors and the 3 realms.
24. Hell, Hunger, Animality, Anger, Humanity (or tranquility),
Rapture (or heaven), Learning, Realization, Bodhisattva,
Buddhahood.
25. A person in any world has the potential, in each moment,
to manifest any of the 10 worlds. Because each world has
all 10 worlds within it, we have a total of 100 worlds.
26. Appearance, nature, entity, power, influence, internal
cause, relation (external cause), latent effect, manifest
effect, and their consistency from beginning to end.
27. The ichinen sanzen described in the 2nd chapter of
the Lotus Sutra explains that Buddhahood is a theoretically
potential state inherent in people of the lower nine worlds.
In the 16th chapter, Buddhahood is presented as a reality
manifested in Shakyamuni's life, an effect attained in the
past. The cause, however, was not revealed or clarified
by Shakyamuni. Nichiren Daishonin identified Nam myoho renge
kyo as the cause, or source, of enlightenment for all Buddhas
(all people).
28. The 6 lower worlds are brought about through either
the fulfillment or the thwarting of various desires and
impulses. Their appearance or disappearance is governed
by external circumstances. The 4 noble worlds are attained
only through deliberate and continued effort.
29. Bodhisattva is characterized by compassion and altruistic
behavior. People of the two vehicles, Learning and Realization,
often despise and look down on others. Their pursuit is
largely a matter of self-interest and they can be egotistical.
30. The beginning is the first 3 factors, and the end is
the next 6 factors. Consistency means that regardless of
which of the ten worlds one is in (e.g., Hell, Humanity,
Buddhahood), all nine factors will be consistent with that
state.
31. We should view our relationship as one of perpetual
interrelation and mutual dependence. The idea that our "self"
is absolute and independent of other living beings is an
illusion.
32. Living beings manifest one of the 10 worlds in accordance
withtheir own life condition. "Environment" has
no independent life condition; it manifests whichever of
the 10 worlds the living beings inhabiting it are experiencing
at the moment.
Lectures on the Hoben and Juryo
Chapters of the Lotus Sutra
33. They are the "Lotus Sutra," or the highest
Buddhist teachings, of various times. They have in common
the teaching that everyone equally has the potential to
attain Buddhahood: *Bodhisttva Fukyo's 24-character Lotus
Sutra: Middle Day of a Buddha named "Awesome Sound
King"-- Elvis maybe? :-) *Shakyamuni's 28-chap. Lotus
Sutra: Former Day of the Law *T'ient'ai's Maka Shikan: Middle
Day of the Law *Nichiren Daishonin's Nam myoho renge kyo:
Latter Day of the Law 34. "Votaries of the Lotus Sutra"
refers to those who dedicate themselves to the mission of
saving all people throughout the world over the 10,000 years
of the Latter Day of the Law.
35. The Daishonin read the Lotus Sutra with his life by
practicing with the spirit of not begrudging his life. He
risked his life to propagate Nam myoho renge kyo.
36. Gongyo is a supplementary practice and chanting Nam
myoho renge kyo is the primary practice. Doing gongyo increases
and accelerates the immense benefit gained from chanting
daimoku. Gongyo is like the seasoning that accentuates the
flavor of the main dish (daimoku). As we consistently do
gongyo and daimoku, the tree of our lives grows stronger
and thicker--that is, we develop a state of life of absolute
indestructible happiness.
37. In doing gongyo, we are voicing our praise for the
Gohonzon; for the eternal and fundamental Law of the universe,
Nam myoho renge kyo; and for the world of Buddhahood in
our own lives.
38. The Buddha will only expound the Law when these four
conditions are met: the time, response, capacity, and Law.
39. "That time" means the time when the Daishonin's
disciples stand up together with the mentor with a strong
determination to realize kosen-rufu. "That time"
is the moment you resolve from the depths of your heart:
"Now I will stand up and fight!" From that instant
yourdestiny changes. Your life develops. History begins.
40. Wisdom refers to the Buddhas' infinite wisdom, a clear
and profound grasp of life in its entirety, the key to overcoming
the four sufferings (birth, old age, sickness and death)
and leading happy, victorious lives. The Daishonin boils
this down and says, "Wisdom means Nam myoho renge kyo."
We open the door to this wisdom, we tap it within our lives,
when we believe in the Gohonzon and exert ourselves in practice
and study as the Daishonin teaches.
41. Chanting Nam myoho renge kyo enables us to attain the
vast, wondrous state of Buddhahood--right now, where we
are. Then we go out in society and tell others of the exhilaration
we experience in manifesting this state of life. This practice
is the quintessence of Buddhism.
42. Spreading the correct Buddhist teaching in the Latter
Day of the Law is the most difficult undertaking there is.
43. A Buddha wants all people without exception to become
Buddhas. The Daishonin's sole intention was to accomplish
the widespread propagation of the object of worship of the
Three Great Secret Laws (the Gohonzon) and enable all people
of the Latter Day of the Law to become happy.
44. The world of Buddhahood appears nowhere but in our
daily struggles amid the reality of the nine worlds. The
sufferings and joys of our daily lives become the expedient
means for us to strengthen and deepen the world of Buddhahood
in our lives.
45. To grasp the profundity of life in its entirety one
must not simply look at surface appearances of phenomena
but understand their true entity. This means, for example,
looking at people and understanding their state of life
and seeing their Buddha nature within; looking at something
in nature and sensing its noble brilliance; and considering
social phenomena and deftly discerning their significance.
46. The wisdom to perceive the true entity of all phenomena
(see 45 above) comes from viewing everything with the eye
of the Law and the eye of the Buddha. The eye of the Buddha
is the vision to profoundly and deftly perceive with our
five senses the true nature of shifting phenomena.
47. The true entity of all phenomena means the Gohonzon.
For us who embrace the true Gohonzon, the wisdom of the
entity of all phenomena means to view everything with the
eye of Buddhism and the eye of faith.
The One Essential Phrase I &
II
48. To ask about the Lotus Sutra (true Buddhism) is a source
of good fortune. It is rare for people to seek out the best
way to lead a fulfilled existence. Asking questions about
Buddhism is an expression of a believer's seeking mind.
49. The nine "easy acts" (e.g., throwing a mountain)
seem impossible but are easier than the six difficult acts
of propagating, copying, reciting, teaching, inquiring about
the meaning of, and maintaining faith in the Lotus Sutra
after Shakyamuni's passing. Practicing the Lotus Sutra means
to completely revolutionize our own lives--that is a big
job requiring courageous effort.
50. The Buddha's property of the Law is a life that is
one with Nam myoho renge kyo and a mind dedicated to achieving
kosen-rufu. The Buddha's property of wisdom is the wisdom
to encourage others and show actual proof. The Buddha's
property of action means activities that create value and
responses that are appropriate to the circumstances. These
properties of the Buddha exist in our lives and we can activate
them, just as we are, in this lifetime.
51. The basis for tapping our Buddhahood is prayer from
deep within our lives. One who constantly chants daimoku
can tap Buddhahood anytime and so is never deadlocked.
52. The sutra contains comprehensive wisdom about how to
live happily. The essence/core/heart/eye of the Lotus Sutra
is the phrase Nam myoho renge kyo and its physical expression,
the Gohonzon. Nam myoho renge kyo unlocks the limitless
energy of life. The Gohonzon contains all the wisdom of
Buddhism and the Lotus Sutra.
53. It is only through chanting daimoku to the Gohonzon
that we can align the rhythm of our own lives with the world
of Buddhahood in the universe. "Myo" means "to
revive, to return to life." Chanting Nam myoho renge
kyo revitalizes our daily lives, filling us with infinite
life force and wisdom. That is why everything becomes a
source of value when we base our lives on daimoku.
54. To "ceaselessly chant daimoku" means to continue
chanting throughout our lives, to never abandon faith.
55. We should read the gosho with conviction that the Daishonin's
teachings are correct. We should receive them with our entire
being--thinking, "Yes, that's exactly right!"
Also, we should sense the Daishonin's compassion, his determination
to help his disciples understand the teachings so that they/we
can become happy.
56. (1) The simultaneity of cause and effect: at the moment
a cause (such as a strong prayer) is made, the latent effect
(the seed of the corresponding effect) already exists and
will eventually manifest itself. The magnitude of the effect
depends on the strength of our faith and practice. (2) The
true entity of all phenomena: Entity is invisible, but is
always revealed in phenomena. The entity of a powerful prayer
will definitely effect clear results in our lives and surroundings
in time.
57. Giving up, putting ourselves down, and thinking a situation
is hopeless reveal a lack of faith in the Gohonzon and ourselves
and keep us from realizing our dreams. We have a source
of infinite wisdom and strength that we can tap at any time.
People who pray with hope, confidence, and unyielding conviction
can overcome their problems and achieve all of their goals.
58. Earnest prayer always gives rise to action. Prayer
becomes manifest in action , and action has to be backed
up by prayer. Those who pray and take action for kosen-rufu
cannot fail to realize lives in which all desires are fulfilled.
59. We should not doubt that chanting Nam myoho renge kyo
enables us to overcome our suffering and lead happy, fulfilled
lives. Just as a dark place can be illuminated by a candle,
suffering can be relieved because Nam myoho renge kyo "enables
anyone to manifest Buddhahood in their present form."
Temple Issue
60. "Correct faith" means to view things as Nichiren
Daishonin taught, share his convictions, and practice and
develop our lives in accord with that understanding. It
is important to make ourselves aware of ways in which the
temple's views diverge from the Daishonin's teachings so
that we will not become influenced by the priesthood's incorrect
viewpoints.
61. Nichiren Daishonin taught that all believers "are
a true Buddha" and that "there should be no discrimination"
among believers--all are equal. The temple strictly discriminates
between priests and lay believers and even says it is a
sin to "talk about the priesthood and laity with a
sense of equality."
62. Nichiren Shoshu says the Law of Nam myoho renge kyo
is not inherent in all phenomena or in the lives of ordinary
people. They say that believing the Law or Gohonzon exists
within one's own life will send a person to hell. Their
view is that the Law is only in the Dai Gohonzon and the
life of the current high priest.
63. Nichiren Shoshu says we must "pay prayer-like
reverence to" (i.e., worship) the high priest believing
that only he embodies the Essence of the Law. We must obediently
follow his every instruction. They say this is the "faith
between Master and disciple which leads to ultimate enlightenment
in this lifetime." The gosho, on the other hand, says
we should chant daimoku with the realization that Shakyamuni,
the Lotus Sutra, and we ordinary human beings are one and
inseparable.
64. We SGI members are active in spreading Buddhism, chanting
and working for our friends' happiness. The priests are
passive; they spend their time indulging in luxuries, staying
home or simply performing ceremonies and services in their
temples. Rather than promote kosen rufu, they would like
to undermine SGI's efforts for kosen rufu.
65. Though the high priest instructed them to follow a
governmental order to enshrine and worship the Shinto Sun
Goddess amulet, they refused because this violated the Daishonin's
teaching and spirit. The Daishonin would never have compromised
Buddhism in this way. Mr. Toda and Mr. Makiguchi were following
Nikko Shonin's admonition, "Do not follow even the
high priest if he goes against the Buddha's Law and propounds
his own view.
66. Remember two of these reasons why priests claim the
Nichikan Gohonzon are counterfeit:
- "The Nichikan Gohonzon are not authorized by the
high priest." But the Daishonin never said sanction
by himself or a high priest is needed to receive
benefit from the Gohonzon. He said, "Whether or not
your prayer is answered depends upon your faith."
- "The Nichikan Gohonzon have not received the eye-opening
ceremony." But that ceremony is just a formality
passed down from provisional Buddhism, the kind in which
statues are worshipped. Again our own faith, not a mysterious
ritual, is the key to "opening the eye of the Buddha"
(our Buddha nature) within us.
- "The Nichikan Gohonzon are not issued by the head
temple." In Nichiren Shoshu history, branch temples
have often reproduced Gohonzon transcribed by different
high priests without the high priest's permission or an
eye-opening ceremony. Therefore, this third claim is inconsistent
with not only the Daishonin's teaching but with Nichiren
Shoshu's own history.
67. In response to a proposal from Sendo Narita, the chief
priest of Joen-ji, the SGI reproduced a Gohonzon transcribed
in 1720 by the 26th high priest of Taiseki-ji. They are
valid and authentic Gohonzon of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism.
68. Aware of Nikken's character and his intentions, members
felt uncomfortable chanting to the Nikken Gohonzon. They
exchanged it for the Gohonzon inscribed by Nichikan, who
struggled to restore the Daishonin's spirit to the priesthood.
Both Gohonzon are transcriptions of the Daishonin's original
Gohonzon, so technically they are both "authentic."
Still, faith has a subjective aspect, so it helps to be
able to chant to a Gohonzon without being reminded of Nikken
and his corruption.
69. In attempting to mislead the faith of SGI members,
the priesthood has violated Nichiren Daishonin's spirit
and severed its connection to the Daishonin's Buddhism.
Therefore, there is no value to be gained by visiting the
temple. In fact, because the temple is committed to undermining
the SGI's kosen-rufu activities, to support the temple is
to support slander, which is a terrible cause to make.
70. We should take pride in the fact that, like the Daishonin
and his contemporary disciples, we are making steady progress
in practicing and spreading Buddhism and are consequently
being persecuted by government and religious authorities.
Strong resistance is evidence of being on track.
71. SGI officials tried hard to enter into dialogue when
the conflict arose, but the priesthood refused to talk.
Dialogue assumes that the presence of frankness, openness
and equality between the two parties. Priests
of the Nikken Sect do not believe lay members' views are
worth hearing.
72. It is not at all essential to seek unity with priests
who do not uphold or spread Buddhism correctly. Originally,
responsibility for transmission of Buddhism rested with
the samgha, or Buddhist order--which included both priests
and lay believers--people deeply committed to preserving
and spreading Buddhism. If today's "samgha" include
only lay believers, then that is sufficient.
73. Those who follow priests who commit slander will wind
up committing the same slander and ultimately suffer negative
effects as a result. By feeling compassion for those members
and attempting to touch their hearts through our words and
actions, we can encourage them to leave the temple.
74. The temple issue will continue to provide an opportunity
to deeply consider which of the formalities historically
connected with Nichiren Shoshu are valuable and which are
not. Our struggle against the authoritarianism and dogmatism
of the priesthood will advance our efforts to bring the
teachings of the Daishonin to society as a true world religion.
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