Soka Gakkai and the Niciiren Sho Sect (2 )

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Soka Gakkai and the Niciiren Sho Sect (2 ) SOKA GAKKAI AND THE NICIIREN SHO SECT (2 ) 一 An Institute Study — A Brief Outline of The Doctrine of Shakobuku (Shakubuku Kydten)a waited by the Educational Department of Soka Gakkai under the supervision of Josei Toda.^ (Revised June 1958) PREFACE Twenty-two years has passed since our predecessor,the late Tsunesaburo Makiguchi,c established the Value-Creation Educa­ tion Institute (Soka Kyoiku Gakkai^ ) in 1930. Mr. Makiguchi created this society mainly for the purpose of studying pedagogy, but when he became deeply inspired by the Great Samt Nichiren,se teachings as propounded by the Nichiren Sho Sect/ he made forced conversions (^shakubukny the objective of this society. After that he exerted himself in trying to find a way in which the lofty philosophy of the Great Saint Nichiren could be interpreted in modern language, since his death,I have succeeded to his position and have worked very hard in order to help people to understand the Great a . 折 伏 教 典 b . 戸 田 城 聖 c . 牧 ロ 常 三 郎 d . 創 価 教 育 学 会 & 日蓮/:日 聖 正 宗 * shakubuku 折伏 means literally "to destroy and conquer.” It is translated in this journal as ” forced conversion,” because that is precisely what the technique is intended to accomplish. — 48 — SOKA GAKKAI AND THE NICHIREN SHO SECT Saint Nichiren?s philosophy more easily and precisely. The Nichiren Sho Sect has declined recently and many evil objects of worship prevail. Consequently,as the Great Saint Nichiren predicted, Japan has experienced a crisis which resulted in national ruin. At this time I feel keenly the need of actively propagating the Nichiren Sho Sect doctrine in accordance w^th the Great Saint Nichiren’s will,as well as the necessity for some explanation in modern language of what is meant by forced conversion. The great march for forced conversions,begun on May 3, 1951,has brought a great many comrades into our camp, so that It is necessary to teach them the outline of the doctrine and make them understand the theory of forced conversions and the spirit of the Society. Fortunately, as a result of the training given by Mr. Maki­ guchi and the work of the past seven years since the re­ establishment of the Society,we have gained many members of the Education Department of whom I am very proud. It is this glorious group that has helped me complete this book. By reading it readers can understand clearly the outline of Nichiren doctrine and the theory of forced conversion. I earnestly hope that our members by the use of this volume may become devoted to the practice of forced conversion. Josei Toda October 13,1951 SOKA GAKKAI AND THE NICHIREN SHO SECT CONTENTS General I The Problem of Life 1 . The Essence of Life. dha Bodies : L a w ,* Reward,林 a. Mystery of life. Transformation.f b. Life in the three worlds. 3. Great Profit. c. Eternal life. a. Eternal happiness. d. Continuity of life. b. Living is pleasant. 2. Eternity of the Three Bud- II Value Theory 1 . Value. c. Good and evil. 2. Cognition and Valuation. d. Non-good and non-evil. 3. Contents of Value. e. Major good and major eviL a. What is beauty ? f. Highest good and highest b. What is profit ? evil. c. What is goodness ? g. Empty good and empty evil. 4. Standards of Valuation. h. Truth and falsehood. a. Beauty and ugliness. i. Right and wrong. b. Gain and loss. j. Half-crazed personalities. III Doctrine of Three Thousand Worlds in One Mind ,5ff 1 . Ten Realms: Hell, Hungry stance, Power, Activity, Direct Ghosts, Brutes, Demons, Hu­ Cause, Indirect Cause, Effect. man Beings, Heavenly Beings, Reward, Consistency (begin­ Hearer-Saints, Cause-Knowers, ning-ending-completing). Bodhisattvas, Buddhas. 3. Three World Beings. 2. Ten Categories of Existence : 4 . 1 hree Thousand Worlds in Manifestation, Essence, Sub­ One Mind of Practice. * hosshin 法 身 (dharma-Mya Skt.) ^hdjin 報 身 (sambhoga-kdya Skt.) 十 ojin 応 身 {nirmana-kaya Skt.) •\-\ichinen sanzen ——夂三千 — 50 — SOKA GAKKAI AND THE NICHIREN SHO SECT IV Object of Human Life and Happiness V Relation between People in the Latter Days and the Great Saint Nichiren 1 . Reason Why We Have no the True Buddha in the Latter Relation with Sakyamuni. Days. 2. Three Kinds of Lotus Sutra* 4. The Great Saint Nichiren as 3. The Great Saint Nichiren as Savior and the Mandala. VI Criteria for Criticizing Religions 1 . Three Evidences: Literary, a. Buddhism and other reli­ Theoretical, and Actual. gions. a. Literary evidences. b. Mahayana Buddhism and b. Theoretical evidences. Hinayana Buddhism. c. Actual evidences. c. Pseudo-Mahayana and True- 2. Five Categories. Mahayana. a. Teachings. d. Latter part and former b. Capacity. part of Lotus Sutra. c. fime. e. Sowing and harvest. d. Country- 4. Five-fold Three Steps, Four­ e. Sequence of the Prevalence fold Selection and Rejection, of Teachings. Three-fold Secrets, etc. 3. Five-fold Relation. VII Buddhism in the Life of Sakyamuni and a Criticism of Buddhist Sects 1 . Buddhism in the Life of c. Jodoc and Shinメ Sakyamuni. d. Zen/ 2. Criticism of Buddhist Sects. e. Others. a. Ten da iメ K e g o n ,, Hosso,^ Ritsu,み b. Shingon.^ Sanron/' J6jitsu,ソ Kusha,^ Hokekyo 法 華 経 (Saddharma-pupc^Hka-sUtra Skt.) • 大扫' 宗 b . 真启宗 c . 浄土宗d . 真 宗 禅 宗 f . 華厳宗g. 法相宗 ■ 律•宗 え ニ 論 宗 _/• 成矣示■ 俱舎宗 SOKA GAKKAI AND THE NICHIREN SHO SECT VIII The Nichiren Sho Sect and a Criticism of Other Nichiren Sects and Other Religions. 1—3 (These paragraphs empha­ a. Reiyu Kai. size that the Nichiren Sho Sect b. Rissho Kosei Kai. is the truest form of Buddhism c. Kodo Kyodan and attack other Nichiren d. Kokuchu Kai and others sects. Ed.) e. Nihonzan Myohoji and 4. New Religions Daijo-kyo IX History of the Nichiren Sho Sect X Object of Worship of the Nichiren Sh5 Sect 1 . The Problem of the Object ship. of Worship. 4. Those Who do not Respect 2. The Object of Worship of This Object of Worship Must the Nichiren Sho Sect. be Punished. 3. Merit of the Object of Wor- XI Religious Reformation and the Nichiren Sho Sect 1 . Birth of Buddhism and Mar­ the Reformation. tin Luther. 3. Reformation and World Peace. 2. The Great Saint Nichiren and XII Problem of Shakubuku 1 . What is Shakubuku ? 3. Great Merit of Shakubuku. 2. Shakubuku is a Difficult Act. 4. Directions for Shakubuku. SOKA CAKKAI AND THE NICHIREN SHO SECT SPECIAL TREATISE 1 . For People Who are Indifferent d. One who says religion is to any Faith. superstition. a. One who does not become e. One who has had enough of interested in any faith. faith. b. One who does not recognize f. One who does not know he the necessity for faith. may be punished. (1)One who depending upon g. One who says that it seems science, denies faith. queer to seek profit from re­ (2) One who, depending upon ligion. morality, denies faith. h. One who does not under­ c. One who says he has no un­ stand that a certain religion happiness to be cured by any gives him profit. faith. 3. For Persons Who are Interested d. One who does not think he in Other Religions, will become fortunate if he has a. One who says that it is not a faith. good to speak ill of other re­ e. One who is happy at present. ligions because any religion f. “ Keep deities at a respectful will do. distance lest you should offend b. One who says that belief is th e m .,,* enough, if one’s mind is satis­ 2. For Persons Who are Opposed fied. to Faith. c. One who is grateful to a a. Why the Nichiren Sho Sect certain religion because it tells has not been prevalent ? one’s fortune. b. Why the Soka Gakkai has d. One who says that it is become prevalent ? enough to recite the Title.** c. One who is opposed to iaith. e. One who says that any * Scivaranu kami ni tatari nashi さわらぬ神に,たたりなし “ Let sleeping dogs lie•” ** The Title {Daimoka 題目) is the expression Namu My oh d-renge- ky 5, that is," Adoration be to the Lotus of the Perfect Truth ! 55 — 53 — SOKA GAKKAI AND THE NICHIREN SHO SECT mandala in the Great Saint divine punishment. Nichiren’s own handwriting 5, For the Believers of the Nichi­ will do. ren Sho Sect. f. One who says that to worship a. The relation of the Nichiren Sho Sect and Soka Gakkai. the image of the Great Saint b. What is the Title ? Nichiren is enough. For Persons Who Seek Faith. c. What is meant by slandering the Law ? a. What is the difference be­ Why should we practice tween this religion and the shakubuku ? others ? (The fundamental dif­ e. The three kinds of laws: ference lies in the Mandala). world law, state law, and the b. Why is this religion superior Buddhist Law. to all others ? The True Character of Hereti­ c. The reason why the religion cal Religions and Folk Lore. handed down from one’s an­ a. True character of gods and the doctrine of the soul. cestors should be given up. b. Superstition and mystical d. The reason why household power. shrines and charms should be c. Criticism of main heretical removed. religions. e. What is the relation between (1)Shinto science and religion ? (2) Christianity f. About the Nichiren Sect. (3) Tenri-kyo g.
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