PART 4: SOKA GAKKAI HISTORY
This portion of the Entrance material
contains a history of the first three presidents of the
Soka Gakkai, presented as background material for understanding
the important thesis by second Soka Gakkai president, Josei
Toda, "History and Convictions of the Soka Gakkai,"
which follows. Written in 1951, shortly after his inauguration,
the thesis contains details surrounding Toda's unjust imprisonment,
his efforts to reconstruct the Soka Gakkai and his profound
sense of responsibility as president for the accomplishment
of kosen-rufu.
THE FIRST THREE
SOKA GAKKAI PRESIDENTS
Josei Toda's mentor, the first Soka Gakkai
president, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, died in prison in 1944,
at age 73. As revealed in Mr. Toda's thesis, both he and
Mr. Makiguchi had been jailed for opposing a government
order that required all religious sects to incorporate worship
of the Shinto Sun Goddess, representing the divinity of
the Emperor and consequently the holiness of the Japanese
government's war effort, into their religious practice.
The Nichiren Shoshu priesthood had already
decided to accept the government's decree and summoned Mr.
Makiguchi and Mr. Toda to the head temple to request that
they instruct Soka Gakkai members to pay homage to
the Shinto deity. Many in Nichiren Shoshu had in fact been
enthusiastically supporting the government's war policies
from the very beginning. However, to Mr. Makiguchi and Mr.
Toda, this clearly contradicted Nichiren Daishonin's spirit
and the intent of his teachings. Neither the Daishonin himself,
nor anyone who truly understood and practiced his teachings,
would ever submit to the caprices of tyrannical authorities,
even if it meant sacrificing their lives.
In the Gosho "On
the Buddha's Behavior," the Daishonin exclaims,
"None of you who declare yourselves to be my disciples
should ever be cowardly," and he warns them never to
"quail before the threats of the rulers of this little
island country" (MW-1, 176).
As an educator, Mr. Makiguchi had spent
his life pursuing a humane and progressive system of education.
He struggled to reform the educational establishment of
his day, which devoted itself to producing ideal "subjects"
of the empire - unquestioningly loyal followers of imperial
authority - into a system that could foster capable, confident
and happy individuals. Mr. Makiguchi always stressed equality
and challenged favoritism among his staff and students.
When he encountered the Daishonin's Buddhism
at 57, he found in it a clear mirror for his ideals and
a philosophy powerful enough to put those ideals into action.
His character was such that, upon reading the Gosho and
learning about the Daishonin's life, he could understand
and put the Daishonin's convictions and courage into practice.
After 700 years, someone had finally appeared who could
resurrect the spirit of the Daishonin's Buddhism amid society's
harsh reality.
Until then, Nichiren Shoshu had managed
to survive as a sect, protecting and preserving the physical
treasures the Daishonin left behind, such as many of his
writings and the Dai-Gohonzon. Yet the spirit to propagate
the Law and protect the people's right to practice Buddhism
freely even under the threat of persecution had stagnated
within it.
Nevertheless, some within Nichiren Shoshu
understood the profound significance of Mr. Makiguchi's
and Mr. Toda's achievements. Mr. Makiguchi received instruction
in the Daishonin's teachings from the young priest who later,
under the name of Nichijun, became the sixty-fifth high
priest. He deeply understood and praised Mr. Makiguchi's
thoughts, actions and character, and, in 1947, he stated:
There is not the slightest discrepancy
between the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin and Mr. Makiguchi's
concepts.... I would not say he underwent a transformation
after encountering the Lotus Sutra. Rather, I am convinced
he had been an emissary of the Buddha all along and, through
the teaching of that sutra, became awakened to and could
reveal his true status. I am overwhelmed with awe for
such a great teacher.
Josei Toda grew up in Atsuta, a village
on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido. A voracious reader,
Toda became a teacher at the Mayachi Elementary School in
a neighboring village. He left that post at age 20 to
seek his future in Tokyo, resolving to repay the debt of
gratitude he owed to his country, humanity and his parents
by achieving something noteworthy in his life. He applied
for a teaching position in the Nishimachi Elementary School,
where Mr. Makiguchi was the principal. Mr. Toda soon became
Mr. Makiguchi's close protege and disciple. When Mr. Makiguchi
joined Nichiren Shoshu in 1928, Mr. Toda did as well. In
1930, when Mr. Makiguchi finished his important work Soka
Kyoikugaku Taiket (System of ValueCreation Pedagogy),
it was published by Mr. Toda's company, marking the official
beginning of what is now the Soka Gakkai.
Mr. Makiguchi became ever more convinced
that his convictions about value and happiness were crystallized
in Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, and Mr. Toda constantly
supported Mr. Makiguchi behind the scenes.
When he and his mentor were summoned to
the head temple and asked to encourage Soka Gakkai members
to accept and worship a Shinto talisman at the behest of
the government, Mr. Toda stood by Mr. Makiguchi in refusing
to accept the order, thereby subjecting himself to persecution
by the government while ensuring that Nichiren Daishonin's
spirit would not perish in this century. The spirit to stand
up to protect the Law, the people and kosen-rufu even at
the risk of one's life lies at the very essence of the Daishonin's
Buddhism. Without the appearance of individuals who can
display such rare courage and conviction, no one could ever
enjoy the benefits of encountering the Gohonzon. In "The
History and Conviction of the Soka Gakkai" Mr. Toda
outlines the events surrounding the Gakkai's initial reconstruction
and the spirit necessary to eternize the flow of kosen-rufu.
In his prison cell, Mr. Toda chanted daimoku,
studied the Lotus Sutra and came to a profound spiritual
awakening, fully convinced his life's mission lay in rebuilding
the Gakkai and thereby solidifying the foundation of kosen-rufu.
His actions, from his release in 1945 until his death,
displayed the depth of his conviction.
In August 1947, two years after
Mr. Toda began rebuilding the Soka Gakkai, a young man attended
a discussion meeting Mr. Toda was leading. Daisaku Ikeda,
a well-read youth of 19, suffering from a frail constitution
and ravaged by tuberculosis, was struck by Mr. Toda's character
and profound confidence. Understanding nothing about Nichiren
Daishonin's Buddhism, he resolved to make Mr. Toda his teacher.
At the meeting he composed a poem containing the following
passage:
To dispel the dark clouds from my mind To find a
great tree unbowed by the tempest I emerge from the
earth.
The Chinese characters that indicated "emerging
from the earth" in the poem were the very same characters
used in the Lotus Sutra to indicate the Bodhisattvas of
the Earth, who pledged to propagate that teaching after
the Buddha's passing. This mysterious coincidence must have
deeply touched Mr. Toda's heart.
A year later, young Daisaku Ikeda went
to work for Mr. Toda's publishing company. Over the next
ten years, the young man stood by Toda's side, learning,
amid raging difficulties, the spirit and the means for accomplishing
kosen-rufu. For young Daisaku, it was also a constant struggle
against personal illness and physical weakness. The history
of that struggle may be found in the SGI president's factual
novel The Human Revolution, and in "A Youthful
Diary," the published version of his journal of those
days.
In 1960, on May 3, the same date as that
of President Toda's inauguration and a little over two years
after Mr. Toda's passing, Daisaku. Ikeda was inaugurated
as third Soka Gakkai president. That very same year the
international movement for kosen-rufu began with his first
trip to the United States. At that time the current organization
was formed.
Recalling his relationship with Mr. Toda,
(now SGI) President Ikeda has said: "The master and
disciple spirit that bound Mr. Makiguchi and Mr. Toda together
is the Soka Gakkai's eternal prime point. Mr. Makiguchi
stood squarely in the face of a storm of persecutions and
Mr. Toda, with the heart of a lion, stood at his side. Having
the same dedication to the spirit of master and disciple,
I have stood up to succeed Mr. Toda as the third president.
In other words, the present development of the Soka Gakkai
is a result of the master-disciple relationship, which each
of us has followed faithfully We have thereby created a
foundation that will endure for all ages. Herein lies the
spirit of the Soka Gakkai; it is the founding spirit."
HISTORY AND CONVICTION
OF THE SOKA GAKKAI (Part 1)
By Josei Toda
SECOND PRESIDENT Of THE SOKA GAKKAI
PART I - JULY 10, 1951
When the first president, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi,
stood up to lead the Soka Gakkai and propagate the True
Law, Nichiren Shoshu believers had forgotten that one is
punished when opposing this great Law. That is why he chose
to expound the theory of punishment both inside and outside
of Nichiren Shoshu, thereby meeting every persecution in
his attempt to propagate the great Law. There were even
priests who attacked him by saying that emphasizing the
theory of punishment contradicts the doctrines of Nichiren
Shoshu.
However, President Makiguchi was resolute
in expounding the dreadfulness of the punishment that one
may receive by slandering the Law Until the last moment
of his life, he remained resolute in proclaiming the real
punishment of the Law
Mr. Maki chi, my mentor, would often say: "The Gohonzon
has great power. The fact that it does have great power
also means that if you slander it, you will be punished.
If a father is not upstanding enough to scold his children,
how can he help them to become happy? Pray to the Gohonzon
sincerely. Can't you hear the Gohonzon say to you, 'If you
slander this Law, you will have your head broken into seven
pieces? This statement, which we can read on the Gohonzon,
actually refers to the punishment one will receive by slandering
it" I agree with Mr. Makiguchi's central contention.
If you deny his view, you do not actually believe in the
awesome power of the Dai-Gohonzon. Those who oppose the
theory of punishment are no different from those who are
seduced by the superficial compassion of Shakyamuni's Buddhism.
I say that they do not embody the true spirit of Nichiren
Shoshu.
I repeat this. In the upper-right corner
of the Gohonzon are the words, "If you slander this
Law, you will have your head broken into seven pieces."
Doesn't this signify the theory of punishment? At the same
time, in the upper-left corner of the Gohonzon is an inscription
that reads, "If you make offerings to the Law, you
will receive more good fortune than that derived from holding
the ten tides of the Buddha." Doesn't this signify
the promise the Gohonzon makes to us that we will receive
benefits when we worship it? Benefit, or value, and punishment,
or anti-value, constitute the reality of our daily lives.
Some Nichiren Shoshu priests had forgotten that the power
of the Gohonzon can be revealed in one's daily life in either
way until President Makiguchi discussed it. They were astonished
at what he brought out, and I am dumbfounded that many of
them have since pretended that they have known this principle
very well for quite some time.
Also, some priests are not yet aware of this principle.
I am saddened rather than surprised by their ignorance.
In the Gosho "On
Persecutions Befalling the Buddha," Nichiren Daishonin
writes:
In the Latter Day of the Law of Shakyamuni
and the Buddhas before him, the rulers and people who
despised the votaries of the Lotus Sutra seemed to be
free from punishment at first, but eventually they were
all doomed to fall. (MW-I, 241)
This passage clearly indicates that the person who slanders
the great Law will receive severe punishment. Who can deny
this? That would be a slanderous act, and those who do so
are evil and foolish. The Daishonin also says in the same
Gosho:
The deaths of Ota Chikamasa, Nagasaki
Tokitsuna and Daishin-bo for example, who were all thrown
from their horses, can be attributed to their treachery
against the Lotus Sutra. There are four kinds of punishment:
general and individual, conspicuous and inconspicuous.
The massive epidemics, nationwide famines, insurrections
and foreign invasion suffered by Japan are general punishment.
Epidemics are also inconspicuous punishment. The tragic
deaths of Ota and the others are both conspicuous and
individual. Each of you should summon up the courage
of a Hon and never succumb to threats from anyone. (MW-1,
241)
President Makiguchi made the heart of this
passage his own. Even though he was alarmed, he was neither
scared nor astonished. Rather, he continued to expound on
the punishment one will receive by slandering the Law He
persisted in his theory of punishment. Thus, he was criticized
by those both inside and outside Nichiren Shoshu.
Meanwhile, the Japanese government, in
the midst of World War II, had plunged the whole nation
into the abyss of war. Firmly embracing Nichiren Daishonin's
spirit, President Makiguchi resisted a wartime government
order to worship the Sun Goddess of Shintoism, an evil policy
that permeated the nation.
The military government of the time must
have been deceived by the misconception that the Sun Goddess
had generated the kamikaze (or sacred wind) that helped
push back the Mongolian invasions in the thirteenth century.
The government was unaware of the fact that the kamikaze
arose from the prayer of the original Buddha, Nichiren Daishonin.
The military government neither heeded nor referenced the
Daishonin's teachings, failing to recognize that, because
of its slanderous acts, Japan was attacked by Mongol forces.
The Japanese military government employed
the base, evil philosophy of Shintoism to unify the nation's
spirit, whereas the United States followed a philosophy
[of pragmatism] as represented by the American philosopher
John Dewey (1859-1952). This, along with the lack of materials,
had already determined the outcome of the war. It was unavoidable
that the military authorities went insane as the nation
experienced a total defeat.
The supreme philosophy of Buddhism clearly explained that
Japan would be defeated if it operated based on Shintoism.
In fact, the military even attempted to burn those of the
Daishonin's documents that expounded his most important
teachings. The military held the reins of authority. Intimidated,
virtually scared to death by the military government, people
foolishly agreed to build shrines to the Sun Goddess in
their homes, which they worshiped blindly. In these circumstances,
President Makiguchi strictly pointed out to the Soka Gakkai
members that worshiping the Sun Goddess is absolutely opposed
to the spirit of Nichiren.
Swayed by the military, the Japanese nation
took strange actions. Without understanding how ideologically
confused the people would become, the Japanese nation attempted
to unify all religions. It went so far as to encourage all
citizens to worship the Sun Goddess and ask her to unleash
kamikaze. Those who refused were accused of being enemies
of the nation and proponents of treacherous, antiwar thoughts.
For the first time in the history of Japan, virtually the
entire nation adopted faith in the Sun Goddess.
The correct definition of the Sun Goddess
is a deity that protects the Lotus Sutra. In other words,
only when we pray to the Lotus Sutra will the Sun Goddess
reveal her power. However, the whole nation, ignorant of
the importance of worshiping the Lotus Sutra of Nichiren
Daishonin, merely offered prayers to the Sun Goddess. As
a result devils rather than the answer to people's prayers,
dwelt in the talisman of the Sun Goddess, and the nation
virtually became psychotic.
Nikko Shonin, founder of Taiseki-ji, writes in his "Twenty-Six
Admonitions," "Believers should be strictly
prohibited from visiting [heretical] temples and shrines.
" In this spirit, President Makiguchi made a strong
declaration: "We have no choice but to propagate the
Dai-Gohonzon, the true intent of Nichiren Daishonin, in
order to save our nation. How can we save our country merely
by praying to the Sun Goddess?"
The head temple feared persecution if it
supported Mr. Makiguchi's contention that unless it follows
the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin and Nikko Shonin, any
country, family or individual would experience punishment.
It seemed that the head temple was more frightened of the
possible persecution it would face from the military if
believers did not obediently enshrine the Shinto object
of worship.
In June 1943, Soka Gakkai leaders were
ordered to the head temple. The Rev. Jikkai Watanabe, on
behalf of Nichiren Shoshu, suggested that the Gakkai members
receive this Shinto talisman in the meantime and follow
the direction of the military for a while. This suggestion
was made with the current and retired high priests on hand
as witnesses.
Again, Nikko Shonin writes in his "Twenty-Six
Admonitions" that we should not follow even the
high priest if he takes actions that oppose the teaching
of the Daishonin's Buddhism. In this spirit, President Makiguchi
resolutely rejected the idea of accepting the Shinto talisman
and left the head temple. On the way home, he said to me:
"What I lament is not that a sect will be ruined but
that our nation will perish. I am afraid the Daishonin is
indeed sorrowful about this plight. Isn't this the time
to admonish the entire nation? I don't know what makes the
head temple afraid."
We should take to heart the strictness
of the Daishonin's golden teachings without fearing authority.
President Makiguchi had such vehement spirit. Nevertheless
the warped military government treated him like a criminal,
even though he had committed no crime. Twenty-one Soka Gakkai
leaders were imprisoned solely because they refused to enshrine
talismans of the Sun Goddess. At that time, many believers
and priests at the head temple were shocked and at a loss
as to what to do. When I heard about this, I was ashamed
of them. President Makiguchi, myself and our followers were
barred from visiting the head temple, and the whole country
criticized our families as being enemies of the nation.
Those were very strange days.
Those who were imprisoned had to face a
pitiable reality. Many suffered bankruptcy in their businesses,
many were chased after by creditors, and still many others
lost their source of income and barely survived. Their families
also fell into an abyss of sorrow, discarding their faith
and doubting Nichiren Daishonin's teachings because they
had had little confidence in their practice and their study
of the Daishonin's teachings was shallow. Many who were
imprisoned gradually began to bend in faith. How cowardly
they were! They had little courage or depth of faith, and
sadly enough, they didn't recognize the Daishonin as the
true Buddha.
The persecution [of imprisonment] was very
honorable. It was noble in the eyes of the Daishonin. Being
persecuted because of our faith put us in an honored position
in light of Buddhism. Yet, the many who failed to perceive
that they were actually showered with honor discarded their
faith. Nineteen out of twenty-one of Makiguchi's followers
turned away from their faith in the Gohonzon, including
such senior leaders as Tatsuji Nojin-ia, Inosuke Inaba,
Yozo Terasaka, Katsuji Arimura, and Shikaji Kinoshita.
Only President Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, General
Director Josei Toda, and Director Shuhei Yajima remained
stalwart in their faith. How difficult it is to continue
to believe in the True Law. President Makiguchi died in
prison from malnutrition on November 18, 1944, never losing
pride in standing up to persecution.
I didn't know of the death of my mentor,
Mr. Makiguchi, for a while. I last saw him in autumn 1943
at the police station where we were being processed as prisoners.
After that, we were jailed separately in tiny, individual
cells. We had been master and disciple since I was 20;
our relationship was even deeper than that between parent
and child.
Every day in the cell, I prayed: "Dai-Gohonzon,
I am still young, but my master is old. He is 75. Please
give me all his suffering and let my master leave prison
as soon as possible." President Makiguchi must have
suffered profoundly, slandering the Lotus Sutra in his previous
lifetimes. The decree of the Buddha was very strict with
him. On January 8, 1945, one-and-a-half years after my imprisonment
began, I was told Mr. Makiguchi had died recently. When
I returned to my cell, I could not stop my tears.
Just about the time President Makiguchi
died, I had almost completed two million daimoku, and I
experienced a profoundly mystic life-condition, thanks to
the Daishonin's great compassion. After that, I spent my
time in interrogations, chanting daimoku, and feeling the
joy of having understood the Lotus Sutra, which had been
so difficult at first.
While being interrogated, I learned that
almost all our fellow members had given up their practice.
I deeply deplored their weak faith, but at the same time
I experienced an upsurge of appreciation to the Dai-Gohonzon
from deep within my heart. I resolved to dedicate my entire
life to Nichiren Daishonin.
The conditions toward the impending defeat
in war were felt in my prison ward as well. I conjured up
images of my wife and child, who were suffering from hunger.
I ceaselessly prayed to the Dai-Gohonzon, and I came to
know the life force, which, though imperceptible, must be
perceived. Each day, after chanting 2,000 daimoku, I offered
100 daimoku for my wife and son. Then, I would exclaim,
"Dai-Gohonzon, please protect my wife, my son and myself."
To my wife and my son: "You may be humiliated or even
killed by the sword of foreign soldiers, but when you reach
Eagle Peak and see the Daishonin, tell him of the wife and
son of Josei Toda, believer of the Mystic Law. You will
definitely receive heartfelt hospitality." With such
a prayer, I spent each day chanting, filled with joy over
the Law.
Judge Kazuma (the government official responsible
for interrogating Josei Toda) hated me more than anything.
The punishment of the Law was clear in his case. Shortly
after he investigated me about my understanding of T'ien-t'ai's
ichinen sanzen, he suffered a severe nervous breakdown.
He resigned his position without putting anything on record
about my case during the period from December 18 - March
8.
He chastised and despised President Makiguchi.
He also detested me and caused my fellow believers to betray
us. As a judge, however, he received, in a sense, a death
penalty (because he was unable to continue as a judge).
I don't know what happened to him later on. He was a believer
in Amida Buddha who tried to judge us Nichiren Shoshu believers.
Thus, I believe that the state of incessant hell is where
he will end up. Many strange things continued to happen
until, on July 3, I was released back to the saha world.
The indignation I felt when I was freed
could be understood by no one but the Buddha. The Soka Gakkai
was completely destroyed, and the members I came across
all had serious doubts about the Gohonzon. They bore a grudge
against Mr. Makiguchi and hated me.
One member, no longer practicing, was Mr.
Inosuke Inaba. He had been beaten and verbally abused by
Mr. Saiki, a warped policeman and corrupt jailhouse administrator.
Mr. Inaba at one time was ready to die; he suffered so much
he sneaked away from an interrogation and jumped out the
second-floor window. He was sentenced to four years in prison,
but because he capitulated and wavered in faith, he was
released. When I saw him, his life-condition was miserable;
he was in the world of animality.
Every other leader turned away from the
Gohonzon. I myself had made a deep pledge to accomplish
kosen-rufu, but I was alone in my quest in war-torn, bombed
Japan. Even Mr. Yajima, who had survived this ordeal, was
living miserably, like a sick animal in a shabby hut.
I waited patiently for the right time to
commence propagation of the great Law. First of all, I expounded
the philosophy of the Lotus Sutra. I found out later that
this attempt was very slanderous, yet, it was my first step
to reconstruct the Soka Gakkai. Around February and March
1946, Gakkai members began to appear one by one, including
Yasu Kashiwabara, Miyo Izumi, Shuhei Yajima, Koji Harashima,
Takashi Koizurmi, and Takehisa Tsuji.
I re-educated them about the doctrines
of Nichiren Shoshu and the great powers of the Law and the
Buddha within the Dai-Gohonzon. I also taught them the importance
of having strong and correct faith so that they would never
stop practicing under difficult circumstances. I also opened
their eyes to the fact that shakubuku is the will of Nichiren
Daishonin.
In autumn 1946, reconstruction of the Soka
Gakkai was just under way, but we didn't yet have enough
capable leaders. Their faith was still weak and their understanding
of the Daishonin's teachings was still shallow. In no way
were we ready to hold aloft the great banner of kosen-rufu
throughout Japan. Therefore, I made it my priority to train
members in the practice of shakubuku. But the way they did
shakubuku -which was usually to simply bring guests to the
temple -was not convincing. This is exactly what I pointed
out at the Soka Gakkai's Fourth General Meeting. I now quote
what I said at that time, and through my speech you can
see the strong confidence that must yet grow in the Soka
Gakkai.
"The correct Buddhism has existed
in Nichiren Shoshu for 600-some years. Nichiren Shoshu
contains true Buddhism. This Buddhism is capable of leading
us to true happiness. We have experienced this day and
night through our practice."
"No matter how culture may have
developed in the world, as long as friction or power struggles
exist among nations, completely disregarding morality,
humanity can never experience true happiness. If, unfortunately,
a war breaks out involving the use of atomic bombs, the
human race has no choice but to proceed to destruction.
I am convinced, however, that Japan has been given by
Nichiren Daishonin a great religion that can halt the
destruction of humanity. As we recite during our silent
prayers, Nichiren Daishonin possesses the three virtues
of sovereign, teacher, and parent. It is indeed an honor
that we, who are of little virtue, can worship him. We
are the Daishonin's subjects, children and disciples.
Nichiren Daishonin is the Buddha of the universe, and
to be his subjects, children and disciples is our great
karmic relationship. Nichiren Daishonin appeared to enable
us to reveal our Buddhahood; also, to show us what Buddha's
wisdom is and thus help us to attain enlightenment. The
Daishonin made his advent to allow us ignorant and evil-minded
individuals to worship the Dai-Gohonzon. Therefore, it
is our supreme benefit to follow the Daishonin's teachings
and worship the supreme Dai-Gohonzon as its child, disciple
and subject."
"We thus have a mission to share
the benefits of the Gohonzon with people in suffering
became we are the first to know of its greatness and of
our great karma. We must worship it ourselves and also
strive to help others do the same. Whatever may happen
to society, good or bad, we have to dedicate ourselves
to praying to the Gohonzon and helping others do the same
for their happiness. We are just like a rickshaw carrying
the ignorant to the Gohonzon. The Gakkai's sole mission
is to carry those who are confused to the Dai-Gohonzon.
The Gohonzon is just like the Treasure Mountain. It is
up to each individual as to how much treasure they can
obtain there. In any case, it is the noble mission of
the Soka Gakkai to guide the people to the Treasure Mountain
of the Dai-Gohonzon. We neither seek honor through religion,
nor do we intend to make money with religion like other
newly born religious enterprises. It is indeed a shame
if we concern ourselves only with immediate benefits and
remain ignorant of the true benefits of the Gohonzon.
Recently, some 100 guidance staff members were appointed
in the Soka Gakkai. it is my great pleasure to advance
toward kosen-rufu together with them."
As I mentioned at that time, Gakkai activities
in those days undeniably were not vigorous enough. However,
Japan had been destroyed as a nation, and the Japanese people
were in the depths of suffering. Naturally, the Gakkai had
to arise.
When the Soka Gakkai began its reconstruction,
the Rissho Koseikai, a heretical new religion, was also
a small organization barely surviving in war-ravaged Japan.
This we knew well. However, seven years later, the Rissho
Koseikai had grown into a gigantic organization disseminating
its heretical teachings far and wide into society.
I asked myself who was to blame for this
reality - that is, for allowing a heretical religion to
grow so rapidly, while we are the ones who embrace the Buddhism
of Nichiren Daishonin. I had no choice but to answer to
myself, "The person who leads the Soka Gakkai is to
blame." I deeply believed I was spreading Nichiren
Daishonin's teachings, yet I used the Lotus Sutra expounded
by Shakyamuni as reference material. I made two mistakes
that the original Buddha could not tolerate.
As a result, I had to face severe difficulties.
In other words, because I failed to stand up when I should
have, because I didn't take the position (of Soka Gakkai
president) that I should have, and because I dabbled in
Shakyamuni's Lotus Sutra, I had to undergo the punishment
bestowed upon me as a slanderous person. Fortunately, however,
instead of falling into the hell of incessant suffering
in death, thanks to the compassion of the Gohonzon, I realized
what to do from then on.
Because I was in torment at the time, I
gave the position of general director to Shuhei Yajima.
I then courageously plunged into my own worries. I felt
deeply grateful for Nichiren Daishonin's words when I awakened
to the principle of lessening karmic retribution. With tears
in my heart, I was also deeply appreciative of a Gosho passage
from. "Letter to the Brothers" in which the Daishonin
explained the rise of sansho shima in the course
of practicing faith.
It reads in part:
The doctrine of ichinen sanzen revealed
in the fifth volume of the Maka Shikan is especially profound.
If you propagate it, devils will arise without fail. Were
it not for these, there would be no way of knowing that
this is the true teaching. One passage from the same volume
reads, "As practice progresses and understanding
grows, the three obstacles and four devils emerge, vying
with one another to interfere.... You should be neither
influenced nor frightened by them. If you fall under their
influence, you will be led into the paths of evil. If
you are frightened by them, you will be prevented from
practicing true Buddhism." This quotation not only
applies to Nichiren but also is the guide for his disciples.
Reverently make this teaching your own and transmit it
as an axiom of faith for future generations. (MW-I,
145)
I was very fortunate to experience these
two Buddhist principles. Recently when I was walking down
the street, I clearly saw the eternal truth of the ["Ongi
Kuden"] passage, "The entire magnificent assembly
at Eagle Peak has yet to be adjourned," in the depths
of my being.
I was overjoyed. I resolved to stand up for kosen-rufu
as soon as I could show proof of victory in my life.
HISTORY
AND CONVICTION OF THE SOKA GAKKAI
PART II - (August 10, 1951)
Since the inception of the Soka Gakkai,
I have been serving as general director. The late President
Makiguchi and I were just like a body and its shadow. It
seems to me that I was born in this world to become Soka
Gakkai general director and to struggle for kosen-rufu together
with him.
However, I abhorred the thought of becomming
Soka Gakkai president, and so I put it off for many years.
In fact, for many years, I was afraid that, if something
should happen to my mentor, I would have to assume the presidency.
So, I actively worked to avoid becoming
president. First, I trained Yozo Terasaka and strove to
help him develop his capacity so that he could become the
second Soka Gakkai president. However, he was a man of small
caliber. While merely immitating the way Mr. Makiguchi spoke,
he was only interested in increasing his power within the
Soka Gakkai, and he eventually brought about a situation
where he could split the Gakkai. Naturally, he received
the punishment of the Law; yet he later caused an incident
that almost brought severe trouble to the late President
Makiguchi.
I had no choice but to stand up and solve
this incident with the support of some thirty zaimu (financially
contributing) staff members, including the late Inosuke
Inaba. I worked to strengthen Mr. Makiguchi's administrative
authority in order to settle the issue without serious damage
to the Gakkai. Hence my plan to promote Mr. Terasaka as
second president of the Gakkai was thwarted. However, my
mind was always occupied with the goal of nurturing the
next president.
Later, I focused on Takeo Karnio, the current
Nakano Chapter chief I told Mr. Makiguchi that Mr. Karnio
would make a great Soka Gakkai leader in the future, and
I asked Mr. Makiguchi to train him. However, when the Gakkai
headed into the storm of persecution in 1943, I had to put
aside my new plan for a while, because Mr. Karnio's wife's
faith was not strong enough, and because his own life force
was also not strong enough. Mr. Karnio is now in a position
to make a fresh new start in opening a great future for
himself.
Around the same tune I was working on Mr.
Kanno, I noticed the remarkable development of Tatsuji Nojima,
whose life-condition was based on a "faith first"
attitude. His growth in faith greatly delighted me. Through
discussions with Mr. Makiguchi, we decided that Mr. Nojima
should become Soka Gakkai vice general director first and
eventually assume the responsibility of general director
on my behalf at the autumn 1943 Soka Kyoiku Gakkai general
meeting. Regrettably, however, when the Gakkai was hit by
persecution in 1943, he backslid in faith. I was perplexed
about why I failed in my third attempt to raise the next
president. Mr. Nojinia is now barely regaining his faith.
And oddly he is jealous of fellow members, maybe because
his depth of faith is far below ours. I see passages in
Nichiren Daishonin's writings that essentially say there
are many who seek the Buddhist way, but few who accomplish
it. I feel this principle applies to Mr. Nojima.
In this way, I kept on failing to nurture
the second president of the Soka Gakkai. Now I find myself
wondering if this was because I was the only one who could
accept that responsibility. I also wonder if it was my karma
to realize I had a mission to become the second Soka Gakkai
president. It is indeed mystic to me.
In 1945, filled with a sense of honor,
I was released from prison, and I began the reconstruction
of the Soka Gakkai. As we can see today, the Soka Gakkai
now has many senior leaders and this great gathering of
youth. Still, I could not resolve to become president. I
clung to the position of general director, hoping in vain
that the second president would appear from somewhere else.
Repeatedly, I was harangued to become president by Senior
Director Izurm, Director Kashiwabara, and others. But I
stubbornly refused in the way I have cited before.
Why did I refuse so stubbornly to become
Soka Gakkai president? This was a very difficult question
even for me to answer. As I look back now, I think I can
understand my refusal. The Soka Gakkai's mission is weighty,
and behind its inception there is profound significance.
That's why the presidency can only be filled by a person
of absolute confidence. I must have lacked this necessary
confidence, which caused my hesitation.
You remember the conviction President Makiguchi displayed.
Clearly, he maintained absolute confidence. Some cowardly
priests of Nichiren Shoshu were ready to succumb to the
power of the government during World War II. Yet, Mr. Makiguchi,
recognizing that it was essential to remonstrate with the
nation if we seek its prosperity, solemnly proclaimed, "Even
if Nichiren Shoshu is destroyed, we must remonstrate to
save the people of Japan and to carry on the spirit of Nichiren
Daishonin, the founder of true Buddhism." Remembering
this statement by Mr. Makiguchi, you can see how confident
he was.
Even though I am incapable and lack absolute
confidence, I have bolstered myself and my faith to live
up to Nichiren Daishonin's spirit and have resolved that
the only way I can accept the presidency is to dedicate
my entire life to the Gohonzon. I have based my determination
on the profound compassion I have received from. the Dai-Gohonzon,
as I mentioned in Part I of this thesis. As soon as I hinted
at my determination, many leaders, including General Director
Shuhei Yajinia, Mr. lzurni, Mr. Morita, Mr. Baba, Miss Kashiwabara,
Mr. Harashinia, Mr. Koizurrii, and Mr. Tsuji, as well as
the youth division leaders, began a campaign to promote
me to the presidency. Thus, on May 3, 1951, I became the
second Soka Gakkai president. I convinced myself that the
general consensus of the Soka Gakkai was the mandate of
Nichiren Daishonin himself. Following General Director Yajinia's
resignation, I reformed every aspect of our organization
and launched a great propagation campaign.
For the first time in its history, the
Soka Gakkai has now arisen to fulfill its noble Mission.
I recall that around spring 1943, President Makiguchi said
repeatedly that the Gakkai must cast off its transient aspect
and reveal its true entity as an organization to promote
kosen-rufu.
We were all perplexed by what it meant
to "cast off its transient aspect and reveal its true
entity." President Makiguchi made it seem that the
Soka Gakkai must accomplish this fundamental change and
show proof, or else we leaders would be to blame.
At the time, all the leaders including
myself were at a loss as to what to do. From the day I was
released from prison in July 1945, I could finally say in
my heart to the late president: "Our lives are eternal.
There is no beginning or end to them. I am now aware that
we have all appeared in this world with the great mission
to propagate the Lotus Sutra of the seven characters in
the Latter Day of the Law. If I dare to define us with this
conviction, I can say we are all Bodhisattvas of the Earth."
This awareness gradually permeated the
Soka Gakkai members, but the organization itself did not
yet "cast off its transient aspect and reveal its true
entity." It was really up to each individual as to
what that actually meant. Soon, a great sense of mission
emerged from within the Soka Gakkai, and it commenced a
new phase of great confidence.
I would say we have replied to Mr. Makiguchi
as follows: "In appearance, or on a superficial level,
we are Bodhisattvas of the Earth, but in faith, or on a
deeper level, we are followers of Nichiren Daishonin. We
are his disciples."
Wherever we are, whether facing all the
Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the past, present and future
in all directions, or in the abyss of hell, we proudly recite
the Lotus Sutra of the seven characters to the Dai-Gohonzon.
Our sole pride is to embrace the Dai-Gohonzon in our hearts.
We take the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin to heart. We
faithfully practice the Lotus Sutra of seven characters
for ourselves and others.
"We refute every heretical religion, and thus, as
messengers of kosen-rufu in Asia, we will carry on the will
of the late president until the last moment of our lives."
This is the primary conviction of the Soka
Gakkai. It permeates the Gakkai now. Doesn't this reality
signify that the Soka Gakkai has cast off its transient
aspect and revealed its true entity? With this conviction,
the Soka Gakkai beseeched the sixty-fourth high priest,
Nissho, to inscribe a "mandala" for the accomplishment
of the great desire of kosen-rufu.
High Priest Nissho clearly understood our
intent and bestowed upon us the great Gohonzon "for
the sake of the accomplishment of the great desire of kosen-rufu."
On July 18, we conducted an enshrinement
ceremony. On July 22, we held a commemorative ceremony at
the Kasel Women's College auditorium in Hitokuchizaka, in
the Kudan area of Tokyo, with the presence of High Priest
Nissho, the retired High Priest Hori, and other priests,
including the Rev. Horigome. These ceremonies were filled
with spirited Gakkai members and were splendid successes.
The Soka Gakkai, which cast off its transient
aspect and revealed its true entity, began vigorous activities
exactly following the spirit of Nichiren Daishonin. We are
resolved to meet any hardships, but because we are convinced
of the nobility of our mission, these future hardships will
be nothing. Nichiren Daishonin explained such nobility as
follows:
Question: When your disciples, without
any understanding, simply recite with their mouths the
words Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, what level of attainment do
they reach?
Answer: Not only do they go beyond
the highest level of the four tastes or the three teachings
as well as that attained by practitioners of the perfect
teaching set forth in the sutras that precede the Lotus
Sutra, but they surpass by millions and billions of times
the founders of the Shingon and various other schools
of Buddhism - men such as Shan-wu-wei, Chih-yen, Tz'u-en,
Chi-tsang, Tao-hsuan, Bodhidharma, and Shan-tao.
Therefore I entreat the people of
this country: Do not look down upon my disciples!
If one inquires into their past, they are great bodhisattvas
who have given alms to Buddhas over a period of eighty
myriads of millions of kalpas, and who have carried out
religious practices under Buddhas as numerous as the sands
of the Hiranyavati and Ganges rivers. And if one speaks
of the future, they are endowed with the benefit of the
fiftieth person, surpassing that of one who gives alms
to all living beings for a period of eighty years. They
are like an infant emperor wrapped in swaddling clothes,
or a great dragon who has just been born. Do not despise
them! Do not look on them with contempt! (MW-6,
224-25).
The Gakkai members who read this passage awakened themselves
to a great sense of mission with the profound desire to
propagate the Daishonin's Buddhism for kosen-rufu in Asia.
As we celebrate the 700th anniversary of the establishment
of his Buddhism, we have engaged ourselves in our movement
for kosen-rufu filled with courage and a profound determination.
With great unity throughout our organization, we commenced
a march of shakubuku. Where in the past 700 years has there
been an organization like the Soka Gakkai? Nowadays, each
director and each division chief has a brave fighting spirit,
and the members who follow them also have an undefeated
spirit. They are all enthusiastic about activities, including
attending Gosho lectures and doing shakubuku.
The time has come, indeed; the tune of
great shakubuku has come.
The time of kosen-rufu in Japan has come.
Nay, the time of Asian kosen-rufu has come.
Look at Asia and Japan during the period
between the time the Daishonin established his Buddhism
and the day he inscribed the Dai-Gohonzon. During this period,
the Mongols, in their campaign to control Asia, were attacking
the Sung dynasty (which they finally annihilated in 1279)
in China. Japan was the only country in Asia not controlled
by the Mongols. I wonder if this was because Japan had a
profound connection to the original Buddha. Actually, Japan
could have been destroyed if the Mongols had attacked with
all their might. This is clear from historical research.
This thought chills my mind.
The Asian people were in the depths of
suffering from the turmoil of war throughout the entire
region. Their plight was similar to what people see in Asia
today.
Furthermore, the constant terror from a possible Mongolian
invasion was similar to how the Japanese fear atomic bombs
today. Indeed their suffering was tragic, as we can tell
from the "Rissho
Ankoku Ron."
The Daishonin describes the plight of the
Japanese people in the "Rissho
Ankoku Ron":
In recent years, there are unusual
disturbances in the heavens, strange occurrences on earth,
famine and pestilence, all affecting every comer of the
empire and spreading throughout the land. Oxen and horses
he dead in the streets, the bones of the stricken crowd
the highways. Over half the population has already been
carried off by death, and in every family someone grieves.
(MW-2, 3)
Indeed, the entire Asian population suffered
similarly in those days. Under these circumstances, the
original Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law inscribed the
Gohonzon of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, thereby securing the basis
upon which the Japanese nation and all the people of the
world can be saved. What a splendid thing Nichiren Daishonin
did for us! We should be infinitely appreciative of him.
However, the people of Japan treated the original Buddha,
Nichiren Daishonin, in a most unreasonable way, even though
he inscribed the Dai-Gohonzon to save everyone in the Latter
Day of the Law and made every preparation to bestow the
Gohonzon upon each individual. Slanderous as the Japanese
people were, they not only failed to avail themselves of
the Daishonin's infinite compassion, they actually hated
him, slighted him, ousted him and even exiled him. What
a shame! Nevertheless, the sound of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
spread throughout Japan. This proves that Nichiren Daishonin
is the true savior of the people. In this way, kosen-rufu,
in terms of the Law, was completed, yet the Daishonin entrusted
the mission of propagating the object of worship and constructing
the high sanctuary to his future disciples. For 700 years,
the sincere desire of the Daishonin's disciples has been
to build the high sanctuary, as indicated in the "Ichigo
Guho Sho," a transfer document Nichiren Daishonin bestowed
upon Nikko Shonin:
I, Nichiren, entrust my lifetime
mission to propagate the Law upon Byakuren Ajari Nikko.
He should be the chief leader of propagation of the True
Law. When the head of the nation accepts this Law, you
should build the high sanctuary of Honmon-ji temple at
Mount Fuji. All we have to do is wait for the time. This
is the actual precept by which you should abide. All my
disciples must understand and bear in mind what is written
here.
In September 1282, Nichiren, with his signature,
from Nichiren to Nikko transferring the heritage of true
Buddhism. (Gosho Zenshu, P. 1600)
However, some people misunderstand what
Nichiren Daishonin truly meant in that transfer document.
Some people confuse kosen-rufu with the construction of
the high sanctuary. They cannot understand the true meaning
of a Gosho passage from "On the Three Great Secret
Laws" in which the Daishonin says the decree and order
to build the high sanctuary should be officially issued
by the emperor and the nation's chief executive respectively.
Some people simply think that if we construct
the high sanctuary, kosen-rufu will be completed. But think
about this: while Nichiren Shoshu. is still such a small
religious organization, even if the high sanctuary is built,
what kind of result will there be? Especially in these modern
times, the whole nation is slanderous and ignorant of the
greatness of the Dai-Gohonzon. The slanderous Japanese may
think that with the completion of the high sanctuary, the
nation has only just added one more landmark. In other words,
though they visit this high sanctuary, if they take the
Gohonzon lightly and think they can receive it as nonchalantly
as they receive a heretical talisman, the nation may experience
tremendously punitive circumstances. I am afraid this will
happen.
Some priests may say, "We will not bestow the Gohonzon
on new believers so easily." What a shame this would
be also! We build Nichiren Shoshu temples, and then priests
say they will not bestow Gohonzon on new believers. Then
of what use is the temple? It is as though we have built
a place only for priests to sleep. Kosen-rufu does not mean
to build temples. Rather, we must understand that because
we spread the True Law, we naturally need centers for activities.
Then, as a result, temples should be built.
I suggest that everybody open their eyes and read this
transfer document. The statement that "Nikko should
be the chief leader of propagation of the True Law,"
is very important. In other words, the Daishonin says that
before constructing the high sanctuary, we have to do activities
exactly as Nikko Shonin, founder of Taiseki-ji, taught.
Then he tells us to wait for the time. Nikko Shonin writes
in his "Twenty-six Admonitions," "If kosen-rufu
has yet to be attained, we should not begrudge our lives,
and propagate the Law to the best of our ability."
To follow Nikko Shonin's direction, we, the great bodhisattvas
who acknowledge ours ' elves as Nichiren Daishonin's disciples
and have realized the nobility of our mission, must strive
unsparingly to propagate the Gohonzon. This is very clear.
If the Daishonin's Buddhism has spread
in one country, naturally, as a result, the construction
of the high sanctuary will follow. But we have priests who
only talk about the high sanctuary construction without
doing shakubuku and without totally dedicating their lives
for the kosen-rufu of the True Law.
The existence of such priests makes things
difficult. It is quite apparent that Gakkai members, with
a correct view, have been dedicated to the practice of shakubuku.
Furthermore, Gakkai members are convinced
that kosen-rufu is not a matter for Japan alone. We believe
Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism will spread throughout Asia,
and we have commenced a great campaign to this end. Kosen-rufu
in Asia is possible only when we have absolute faith in
Nichiren Daishonin. Unless we elevate our faith, kosen-rufu
in Asia may seem like pie in the sky.
In the Gosho "On
the Buddha's Behavior," Nichiren Daishonin writes,
"I say that, without fail, Buddhism shall arise and
flow forth from the east, from the land of Japan" (MW-I,
10). This is the Daishonin's prediction that his is
the Buddhism of the future.
In another Gosho, "Remonstrating with
Bodhisattva Hachiman" he writes:
India is called the land of the moon
because it is where the Buddha appeared. Japan is called
the country of fiso (a sacred tree). Doesn't this signify
that a saint is going to appear here? The moon appears
in the west and gradually shines eastward. This is an
omen that India's Buddhism will travel to the east. The
sunrises in the east and casts its rays to the west. This
is an omen that the Buddhism of Japan will return to India.
The light of the moon is not clear enough. It only illuminates
eight years during Shakyamuni's life. The light of the
sun is bright and superior to that of the moon. It is
an omen of illuminating the long darkness of the fifth
five hundred years after the Buddha's death. (Gosho
Zenshu, P. 588-89)
Also, the Daishonin writes in "On
the Buddha's Prophecy":
Question: You certainly fit the Buddha's
prophecies. But are there perhaps not other votaries of
the Lotus Sutra in India or China?...
Answer: The moon appears in the west
and gradually shines eastward, while the sun rises in
the east and casts its rays to the west. The same is true
of Buddhism. It spread from west to east in the Former
and Middle Days of the Law, but will trawl from east to
west in the Latter Day. (MW-I, 114)
As we can learn from these passages, just
as Buddhism traveled eastward from India, Nichiren Daishonin's
Buddhism is destined to travel to China and India. Today,
in the Latter Day of the Law, the Daishonin perfectly established
his Buddhism in Japan. His Buddhism, as the Buddhism of
the Latter Day of the Law, will travel to Korea, China,
and India, westward, eventually reaching all the people
in Asia. The Soka Gakkai has absolute conviction in this.
Therefore, the Soka Gakkai has commenced activities to live
up to its awareness.
If Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism has begun
to spread throughout Asia, the issue is no longer merely
one of Japanese kosen-rufu alone. Of course, when we have
accomplished kosen-rufu in Asia, naturally the construction
of the high sanctuary will occur, and we will receive the
respect of the people of each nation for our accomplishment.
The Soka Gakkai has appeared at such an
auspicious time. We have made a great pledge to never begrudge
our lives and to carry out our shakubuku. activities with
absolute confidence. How happy we are to proceed straight
to enlightenment filled with the joy of living.
Because we live in such an important time,
there is no doubt that the four leaders of the Bodhisattvas
of the Earth also appear in this world. As its leader, Nichimoku
Shonin may have been reborn. Without the Buddha's wisdom,
we can't tell if he has been reborn. We Soka Gakkai members,
as distant disciples, must realize it is impossible to attain
Buddhahood unless we inherit the mandate of Nichimoku Shonin,
who died while traveling for propagation in his advanced
age, and reply to Nichiren Daishonin, the founder of true
Buddhism, and Nikko Shonin, the founder of Taiseki-ji.
It is only natural, then, while respecting
worthy priests, that we denounce bad priests, refute evil
priests, and protect Nichiren Shoshu. from outside enemies
with all our might, thus accomplishing harmony between priesthood
and laity. It is my sincere wish that the Nichiren Shoshu
priesthood will wholeheartedly praise the Soka Gakkai's
conviction and cleanse the sect by casting out evil priests.
It is also my sincere request that the priesthood earnestly
encourage Gakkai members to take leadership in subduing
outside enemies and thereby reply to both Nichiren Daishonin
and Nikko Shonin.
The warrior chieftain Kusunoki Masashige,
despite his loyalty to the emperor, was forced to travel
to Minatogawa to do battle and meet his death because of
the foolish court noble, Fujiwara Tadakiyo. This is a very
famous story. I hope that within Nichiren Shoshu we have
wise priests who will not let fellow Soka Gakkai members
die meaninglessly on the way to kosen-rufu. It is my sincere
hope that Nichiren Shoshu priests will exercise good and
wise judgment like that of Fujiwara Fujihusa and Fujiwara.
Suehusa, who enabled Masashige to happily fulfill his dream
of inviting the emperor to the Hyogo area.
In any case, in the spirit of creating
harmony between laity and priesthood, I hope lay believers
respect those priests who cherish believers. In this way,
without holding grudges against each other, I hope both
will uphold the Daishonin's teachings and accomplish the
kosen-rufu of the true object of worship throughout the
three countries of Asia - that is, Korea, China, and India.
This I pray to the Dai-Gohonzon.
For those readers who are interested
in learning more about the history of the Soka Gakkai, it
is suggested that they read SGI President Ikeda - novelizations
of the origins of the movement for kosen-rufu titled The
Human Revolution and The New Human Revolution.
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