Questions and Answers on the Temple Issue
1. WHAT IS THE TEMPLE ISSUE?
While the problem actually has roots that
extend far back before the inception of the Soka Gakkai, tracing
them meaningfully would require studying the history of Nichiren
Shoshu, the "Fuji School" of Nichiren Buddhism. This
would also involve an examination of the conditions of feudal
Japanese society over the centuries that led to attitudes and
orientations among Buddhist priests toward the laity that could
best be described as a "lord-vassal" mentality.
More immediately, however, in late 1990, it
became clear that the priesthood of Nichiren Shoshu - which
the Soka Gakkai always had supported had been conspiring to
either take control over or disband the SGI organization. This
course of action, dubbed by its authors "Operation C" ("C" meaning
to "cut"), was inspired and led by the former high
priest of Nichiren Shoshu, Nikken Abe.
It began with a presentation of nine written
questions to Soka Gakkai leaders, accusing SGI President Ikeda
of, among other things, criticizing the high priest.
The temple based its questions on an inaccurate
transcription of a surreptitiously obtained tape- recording of
a speech by the SGI president. Admitting later to the innaccuracy
of their transcription, and the dubious origin of the tape, the
temple later withdrew four of its questions. Others were taken
completely out of context and grossly misinterpreted.
Among them, for example, was a criticism of President
Ikeda's suggestion that the choral part of Beethoven's "Ode
to joy" be sung at a leaders
meeting. The temple claimed that, because the
lyrics by Friedrich Schiller had some Christian references, the
Gakkai would therefore be promoting non- Buddhist teachings. This
criticism was put forward despite it being widely acknowledged
that Schiller's poem is in honor of the highest potential of the
human spirit; a celebration of reason, inner joy and human freedom.
This prompted the Soka Gakkai to call for a face-to-face dialogue
to resolve any misunderstandings or misconceptions. The priesthood,
however, adamantly refused any discussion and demanded a written
response to its accusations within one week.
The priesthood's stance, the triviality of the
accusations, along with other information that came to light,
made it very clear that the tape was no more than a pretext to
justify actions that the priesthood had already planned. The Gakkai,
since its request for dialogue had been denied, submitted its
own questions to the priesthood, inquiring into its motives and
actions.
The priesthood followed with a series of onesided
measures, including revising Nichiren Shoshu's bylaws to effectively
distmiss President Ikeda from the position of chief lay representative
to the head temple. It also added provisions in those bylaws for
punitive action to be taken against any practitioner who criticized
the high priest, verbally or in writing, although it didn't specify
what was meant by "criticism."
Just prior to this announcement, Nikken Abe had
met in secret with the reporter Isao Dan, a Japanese tabloid-style
journalist known to have written groundless and inflammatory articles
about the Soka Gakkai. It was clear from this that Nikken was
orchestrating an attack on the Gakkai that included attacks by
outside media.
The priesthood's course of action against the
Soka Gakkai and SGI culminated in an "order to disband,"
and, finally, notification of excommunication in November 1991.
The Soka Gakkai, having revealed the true nature
and character of Nikken Abe, has since demanded that he resign.
In response to the lies propagated by the priesthood, the Gakkai
has been trying continually to shed light on the truth of the
matter. Since the outbreak of the present issue, many events have
transpired and much information has come to light, all of which
have underscored the SGI's fundamental conviction that these attacks
occurred because it is practicing Buddhism in accord with Nichiren
Daishonin's spirit, dedicated to accomplishing kosen-rufu.
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