Soka Gakkai-- the largest and active New religions in Japan

[Emoni]

Why thank you! I shall solemnly accept.


This urinal catalogue.

Well done Vice Admiral! You will soon make it to the rank of Supreme Pontiff Vice Rear-Admiral!

 

[Nichiren]

Once again, Nichiren, WHAT are we supposed to discuss here on this thread?

Whatever in your mind Mr. Ashikaga be it in SGI philosophy and ideals, its practices of Nichiren 's Buddhism etc...I know there were members here who will rediculed SGI but i will accept and try to correct their misconceptions. SGI is diverse group from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Some would say SGI is non-traditional, modern-social lay movement as opposed to traditonal Buddhist monasticism..

 

[Ashikaga]

Whatever in your mind Mr. Ashikaga be it in SGI philosophy and ideals, its practices of Nichiren's Buddhism etc...I know there were members here who will rediculed SGI but i will accept and try to correct their misconceptions. SGI is diverse group from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Some would say SGI is non-traditional, modern-social lay movement as opposed to traditonal Buddhist monasticism..

Next time you start a thread, do a search and see if similar threads already exist.

There are several threads about Soka Gakkai like this one.

Unless you have a specific points that you would like to "discuss with other members" that cannot be handled in the existing threads, please refrain from starting another.

 

[thomas]

I have reopened this thread, but would like to emphasise our new forum rules on proselytising:

5. NO PROSELYTISING

While we do accept and encourage the general discussion of religion and religious topics, we do not allow any form of proselytising. Proselytising is the act of attempting to convert people to another opinion and, in particular, another religion. Threads and posts that obviously serve no other purpose than to depict any sort of creed or denomination in a uncritical way shall therefore be deleted without prior notice.

=> Forum Rules

 

[Emoni]

*sigh* Here we go again :/

 

[Nichiren]

I have reopened this thread, but would like to emphasise our new forum rules on proselytising:
=> Forum Rules

I think that makes sense...Thank you!!

 

[Nichiren]

Next time you start a thread, do a search and see if similar threads already exist.
There are several threads about Soka Gakkai like this one.
Unless you have a specific points that you would like to "discuss with other members" that cannot be handled in the existing threads, please refrain from starting another.

I take that as an advise.


Gassho

 

[Nichiren]

Why don't you ? Find out for us how much of actual Buddhism is discussed at most meetings and publications and how much revolves around Ikeda and his writings. Is the drama ongoing regarding the bad relations between SGI and it's parent organization, Nichiren Shoshu?

SGI discussion meetings are informal type of smaller group discussions. Most of the discussions are basic buddhist concepts, guidances, faith experiences which are practically applicable to member's daily life. Thanks to SGI and guidances of President Ikeda who made the Buddhism as taught by Nichiren Daishonin available and widely understood and practised by common people. This Buddhism is not intellectual-oriented and monastic-based Buddhism. It is the Buddhism truly for the common people. Though, SGI philosophy is still rooted in the Mahayana Buddhist teachings that remains in the heart and the teachings of the correct Law(dharma) of the Lotus sutra.

Do practices allow members to chant for whatever they want ?

I'd like to share this answer of interview of President Ikeda from tricyle magazine..

http://www.tricycle.com/interview/faith-revolution

Nichiren Buddhists chant the daimoku to get what they wantﾂ―a successful career, better health, a good marriage, even world peace. Nevertheless, from a purely traditional point of view, it would seem a violation of basic Buddhist doctrine to chant for the satisfaction of earthly desires rather than striving to overcome them. Isn't this a contradiction? .......If you think that the purpose of religion is happiness, there really is no contradiction. The ideal of Mahayana Buddhism is the realization of happiness for oneself and for others. Nowhere is this more completely set out than in the Lotus Sutra, which recognizes the Buddha-nature in all peopleﾂ―women and men, those with formal education and those without. It declares that all people, without regard to their class, origin, personal, cultural, or social background, can attain enlightenment. Our recitation of the title of the Lotus Sutra is a way of renewing our vow to live in accord with this ideal.

Even so, the Buddhist traditionﾂ―even the Mahayana traditionﾂ―has tended to focus on a monastic approach to enlightenment. Do you see in the Lotus Sutra the suggestion of some kind of populist reform?.... The Lotus Sutra does not deny the validity of monastic practice, of people dedicating themselves to their practice in a setting conducive to overcoming deluded impulses and attaining a peaceful state of mind. The problem arises when the practice comes to be seen as an end in itself, rather than a means of entering into the path of wisdom. Nichiren was the first to make the attainment of wisdom through faith a possibility for all people. By following his teachings, it becomes possible to use every occurrence in lifeﾂ―pleasant or painfulﾂ―as an opportunity for the further development of our innate wisdom. When Nichiren declares that earthly desires lead to enlightenment, he is describing a process by which even ordinary people living in the midst of deluded impulses and earthly desires can manifest their highest wisdom.

I still think a lot of non-Nichiren Buddhists will have a hard time understanding how chanting for earthly desires leads to enlightenment?..... Well, to begin with, I think it is important for all Buddhistsﾂ―even members of the SGIﾂ―to understand that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is not some kind of magic formula to be recited to fulfill desires. It is a practice that expresses our faith in the truth and brings our lives into rhythm with that truth. It is a path for overcoming the so-called lesser self that is attached to desires and tormented by deluded impulses. It is a process of training and transforming our lives to be able to manifest our greater self, to bring forth our Buddha-wisdom and the compassionate capacity to realize happiness for ourselves and other people.

In its early days, the Soka Gakkai was despised and laughed at in Japanese society as a gathering of the sick and poor. Josei Toda, my life mentor, took this as a point of pride, however, and declared with confidence: ﾂ"The true mission of religion is to bring relief to the sick and the poor. That is the purpose of Buddhism. The Soka Gakkai is the ally and friend of the common people, a friend to the unhappy. However much we may be looked down on, we will continue to fight for the sake of such people.ﾂ" Faced with the devastation of postwar Japan, Toda was convinced that, in the eyes of the Buddha, this was the most noble action.

Moreover, the Lotus Sutra doesn't deny the value of worldly benefit. By allowing people to start to practice in expectation of such benefit, the teachings of the Lotus Sutra establish a way of life based on faith, and through this faithﾂ―developed step by step, starting from wherever we happen to find ourselves in life when we come to the Buddhist path, and with whatever natural human worries or concerns happen to have us in their grip at the timeﾂ―we enter the path of wisdom. By believing in this sutra that teaches universal enlightenment and by purifying our mind, we are then able to bring our daily actions into harmony with the core spirit of Buddhism. In the Lotus Sutra and the teachings of Nichiren, there is no essential dichotomy between enlightenment and the lives of ordinary beings.

 

[Nichiren]

Is the drama ongoing regarding the bad relations between SGI and it's parent organization, Nichiren Shoshu?

Soka Gakkai and Nichiren Shoshu temple organization are now completeyly separate. Soka Gakkai no longer adhered to some doctrinal teachings of the temple even if the Gakkai came from it. Actually, as i've studied the temple issue it was High Priest Nikken under his authority and the corruption of temple administration is the core of the outbreak. He wanted to disband the Gakkai and discredit President Ikeda. He had resigned his position as High Priest few years ago. I've heard that the new High Priest is nice toward the Soka Gakkai. I think today we dont pay attention to the issues of the past. Soka Gakkai is now free and able to do things without restrictions and exercised its freedom and democracy which I think is the best things happened for the Gakkai.

 

[Nichiren]

"Buddhists athiests" so to speak. Then they should read the earliest records of the Buddha's life and teaching to live up to his outlook on human life, and what are they? They foster self-development in certain ways. The core is meditation, then other self-help...Because he was radically more interested in how we should live in this world than notions of karma and the afterlife. Far removed from the devotional piety and fundamental religiousity of much of Buddhism as we know it today

Yes, the Buddhism of Shakyamuni had lost its purity and fallen into decline and formality sake. However, there were buddhist sages/reformers had existed to continue to wheel the Law(dharma) in the Latter day of the Law(at present age). I believe there were buddhist groups existing today who revived the timeless wisdom and true spirit of Buddhism in today's modern world. I can see those people in the personality today like of Dalai Lama, vietnamese zen teacher Thich Nath, not to mention the past mentors of the Soka Gakkai and many others.

 

[Nichiren]

Join?! How about I make you VICE ADMIRAL of Super Urinal Xenophobes?

Speaking of which, I just created the group. https://jref.com/forum/group.php?groupid=44

Please join. I promise that you will go to our paradise when you die or I'll refund all your required $100 a day mandatory donations. We are way better than any other religion like Sokka Gakai cause I said so.

Lol.. I think you are just funny...

 

[Haruspex]

*sigh* Here we go again :/

Round two, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!

 

[Emoni]

Round two, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!

Go lil Mac GO!!

 

[Nichiren]

How is that religion? Sounds more like pop psychology to me.

Yes..its a modern buddhist stuffs..Buddhism is a life philosophy which is not apart from the lives of ordinary people. Gautama Buddha declared that:

The greatest virtue is that gained in the cultivation of universal love;

The supreme happiness is the happiness derived from mental tranquility;

The absolute truth is the truth acquired through the understanding of the causes of human suffering;

The highest religion is the religion that teaches intellectual development morality and mental purification;

The greatest philosophy is the philosophy that introduces a practical way of life that can be followed without depending on theories and mere beliefs.