where do i send Shakkabukku

[tkp67]

You create your own Sangha/Group if you don't like organized religion.

You don't see the irony, do you.

Nichiren also taught itaidoshin. The problems is, when one gets obsessed with the one true way, to the exclusion of others, one finds oneself on an island faced with rising seas and a persecution complex. Nothing like an us and them complex to build a religion around. Rinse, repeat.

[illarraza]

You create your own Sangha/Group if you don't like organized religion.

You don't see the irony, do you.

Nichiren also taught itaidoshin. The problems is, when one gets obsessed with the one true way, to the exclusion of others, one finds oneself on an island faced with rising seas and a persecution complex. Nothing like an us and them complex to build a religion around. Rinse, repeat.

I am one man alone. You would be better admonishing the "Nichiren" sects who are a million times more exclusive than I. Some are outwardly hostile to other believers who chant Namu Myoho renge kyo and have Gohonzon not derived from them and others are hostile behind closed doors. Millions of them. Maybe i'm mellowing in my old age, but I respect the monks and nuns and gentle practitioners of the Nipponzan Myoho-ji sect and a handful of affiliated and unfaffilliated priests and many lay believers. Either way, if I hear preaching that is not consistant with the Lotus Sutra and writings of Nichiren from whichever quarter, save from a neophyte believer, i will correct them. As Nichiren teaches, "to the best of your ability".

M

[tkp67]

You don't see the irony, do you.

Nichiren also taught itaidoshin. The problems is, when one gets obsessed with the one true way, to the exclusion of others, one finds oneself on an island faced with rising seas and a persecution complex. Nothing like an us and them complex to build a religion around. Rinse, repeat.

I am one man alone. You would be better admonishing the "Nichiren" sects who are a million times more exclusive than I. Some are outwardly hostile to other believers who chant Namu Myoho renge kyo and have Gohonzon not derived from them and others are hostile behind closed doors. Millions of them. Maybe i'm mellowing in my old age, but I respect the monks and nuns and gentle practitioners of the Nipponzan Myoho-ji sect and a handful of affiliated and unfaffilliated priests and many lay believers. Either way, if I hear preaching that is not consistant with the Lotus Sutra and writings of Nichiren from whichever quarter, save from a neophyte believer, i will correct them. As Nichiren teaches, "to the best of your ability".

M

The LS is clear about those that attend the assembly and those who do not. This dynamic isn't applicable to just the assembly. Sentient life all experiences developmental stages in an individual existence.

That said the LS and Nichiren (and the Lotus School lineage) have been illustrating that life has the inherent capacity to manifest in a form where the sum is greater than the whole of the parts. If the basis is buddhism as the "one source" the wise of greatest capacity fill the most needed position.

It is profound humble servitude.

[Minobu]

I think i am destined to remain independent.

I would love to have a Shutei Gohonzon, and build an altar and Butsudan .

It would be of pine and reflect a western and Aisian look...I made an alter once out of pine ...used orange shellac rubbed in then painted it with clear varathane...it had a 3D look and it came off like honey with the knots pronounced in a brownish tinge...

But I would probably have to lie to get one and well thats not such a grand gesture at the start.

Like pretending to be a member....to get one...

So i am doing more and more chanting with The Entity of MyoHo RenGe Kyo..the online vesion i wonder ...if the same can happen to it as painted and wooden images...you know where the actual Entity can dwell...

I think i would bring certain shakkabukku to the gakki...

others i think would prefer Nichiren shu...

the gakki does exactly what Nichiren Shonin teaches.
Except this whole Buddha of Kuon Ganjo thing and the dropping of Namu totally ...it sort of puts something in my CRAW...

not the same thing as that guy in Get Smart. you know "Not the Craw the Craw. " guy. he had a claw for a hand...lol...

anyway..Gakki proves itself very well for people with mental illness, and totally non buddhist thinking people looking for escape from their hellish lives.
Mappo eh ...they do the work ...

I don't dig the arrogance i had with certain Buddhist priests...it's a nightmare and proved to affect me greatly...

anyway ....what to do what to do...

[illarraza]

I think i am destined to remain independent.

I would love to have a Shutei Gohonzon, and build an altar and Butsudan .

It would be of pine and reflect a western and Aisian look...I made an alter once out of pine ...used orange shellac rubbed in then painted it with clear varathane...it had a 3D look and it came off like honey with the knots pronounced in a brownish tinge...

But I would probably have to lie to get one and well thats not such a grand gesture at the start.

Like pretending to be a member....to get one...

So i am doing more and more chanting with The Entity of MyoHo RenGe Kyo..the online vesion i wonder ...if the same can happen to it as painted and wooden images...you know where the actual Entity can dwell...

I think i would bring certain shakkabukku to the gakki...

others i think would prefer Nichiren shu...

the gakki does exactly what Nichiren Shonin teaches.
Except this whole Buddha of Kuon Ganjo thing and the dropping of Namu totally ...it sort of puts something in my CRAW...

not the same thing as that guy in Get Smart. you know "Not the Craw the Craw. " guy. he had a claw for a hand...lol...

anyway..Gakki proves itself very well for people with mental illness, and totally non buddhist thinking people looking for escape from their hellish lives.
Mappo eh ...they do the work ...

I don't dig the arrogance i had with certain Buddhist priests...it's a nightmare and proved to affect me greatly...

anyway ....what to do what to do...

I'm with you. I have had problems with several priests. Most importantly when I sought the help of several Nichiren priests and top SGI leaders, for a literally existential problem (my wife was dying) and all but one was either like deer in the headlights, or gave me inane guidance. Reverend Kubota of the Kempon Hokke who overcame an existential problem through Namu Myoho renge kyo when he was a young teen (one year in the hospital with the most severe type of TB, miliary TB) was the only priest who not only gave me the most prescient guidance but filled me with joyful hope. I continue to follow him (not the Kempon Hokke) through his writings, particularly, the Tradition of Nichiren Doctrine. He lived to 93 years of age. Now i take my guidance exclusively through the Gohonzon, the Lotus Sutra, and the writings of Nichiren. They have never let me down.

M

[Minobu]

I think i am destined to remain independent.

I would love to have a Shutei Gohonzon, and build an altar and Butsudan .

It would be of pine and reflect a western and Aisian look...I made an alter once out of pine ...used orange shellac rubbed in then painted it with clear varathane...it had a 3D look and it came off like honey with the knots pronounced in a brownish tinge...

But I would probably have to lie to get one and well thats not such a grand gesture at the start.

Like pretending to be a member....to get one...

So i am doing more and more chanting with The Entity of MyoHo RenGe Kyo..the online vesion i wonder ...if the same can happen to it as painted and wooden images...you know where the actual Entity can dwell...

I think i would bring certain shakkabukku to the gakki...

others i think would prefer Nichiren shu...

the gakki does exactly what Nichiren Shonin teaches.
Except this whole Buddha of Kuon Ganjo thing and the dropping of Namu totally ...it sort of puts something in my CRAW...

not the same thing as that guy in Get Smart. you know "Not the Craw the Craw. " guy. he had a claw for a hand...lol...

anyway..Gakki proves itself very well for people with mental illness, and totally non buddhist thinking people looking for escape from their hellish lives.
Mappo eh ...they do the work ...

I don't dig the arrogance i had with certain Buddhist priests...it's a nightmare and proved to affect me greatly...

anyway ....what to do what to do...

I'm with you. I have had problems with several priests. Most importantly when I sought the help of several Nichiren priests and top SGI leaders, for a literally existential problem (my wife was dying) and all but one was either like deer in the headlights, or gave me inane guidance. Reverend Kubota of the Kempon Hokke who overcame an existential problem through Namu Myoho renge kyo when he was a young teen (one year in the hospital with the most severe type of TB, miliary TB) was the only priest who not only gave me the most prescient guidance but filled me with joyful hope. I continue to follow him (not the Kempon Hokke) through his writings, particularly, the Tradition of Nichiren Doctrine. He lived to 93 years of age. Now i take my guidance exclusively through the Gohonzon, the Lotus Sutra, and the writings of Nichiren. They have never let me down.

M

Just a note here..

and it's going to be all caps for a reason...

SINCE COMING TO A SOMEWHAT DEEPER OF AN UNDERSTANDING ABOUT DHARMAKAYA , TATHAGATAGARBHA , LUMINOSITY,THE ENTITY OF NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO ......

I have changed my whole approach to my beloved practices.



edit added
THE ENTITY OF NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO ......came to me whilst chanting...talk about interrupting my mindful practice of chanting the ODaimoku....lol..

[ronnymarsh]

This is a curious question: which organization to send the shakubuku to while you yourself don't belong to any organization.

I believe the answer to this can only be found when you find yourself in an organization, be it a traditional organization, a new organization, or a brand new organization that doesn't even exist yet.

Fortunately, we currently have access to several translated versions of Nichiren's teachings, and this can serve as a guide.

There is a specific text that I believe is very important for you to study and that can shed light on this issue: SHISHI GOHON SHO (Four Stages of Faith and Five Stages of Practice) - written number 94 in the SGI collection.

In this writing Nichiren explains, based on the Lotus Sutra, what teaching was appropriate for people in the Mappo Era. In summary, what Nichiren explains in this writing is that people in the most elementary stage of the Faith should be dedicated exclusively to the unique practice of reciting the Daimoku. At this stage not even the reading of the Sutra, not even the two main chapters, should be encouraged. And even though it is a writing dated 1277, five years after revealing the Mandala Gohonzon, it doesn't even speak of the practice in terms of contemplation of Mandala.

This is why people who join traditional organizations do not receive a Mandala until their priests or organizational leaders understand that they have reached the proper level to receive it.

So, based on that, if I were in your shoes I would organize a "study and practice group" with the shakubuku that is not committed to any specific school and not a specific set of sectarian teachings.

I would base myself on the meeting solely to recite Daimoku, would not establish any particular honzon, and would seek to present all the Nichirenist schools that exist, without prejudice and without attachment or aversion, and would leave people free to choose the organization if they like. in which she understood that they understand Nichiren's teaching better.

Gassho _/|\_

[Minobu]

I have absolutely no interest in creating another sect of Nichiren.

I have decided the only option is Nichiren Shu and SGI..

Nichiren Shu is as close to the original we can get.

what ever sect one finds them selves in is all down to one's karma...

Up until the big divorce between SGI and Shoshu i had no idea there were other choices to be made here..

a couple of times the Nichiren Shu thing came up and i was told this is some obscure off shoot of the original...

what they say today i have no idea...i have not walked into a SGI meeting place in over 30 years....


SGI is really a good place for people with mental challenges...they keep you chanting and have a lot of activities that helps these people..

seriously i cannot think of a better place to bring those that have huge mental issues...

people of intellect get really turned off with SGI ...so i think we need to choose what is best for them as well...


if you think a religious / priestly setting is in order Nichiren Shu is by far the way to go...

my take...

[narhwal90]

I'd suggest sending them to each of the schools, see which they respond to. That way if they end up seeking an alternative for some reason alternatives are known.