Paul Monaco .org

Last week I wrote of a Holy War in Buddhism referencing what I perceived as some attitude and behavior that was consistent with Buddhist philosophies.

As I suspected, word spread quickly through my group of my disagreement with the pack. Certain seniors in faith began appearing at meetings I regularly attended in which they normally do which was not surprising but welcome as it did let me see some different perspective as well as some unexpected agreement.

As I pull farther away from the Soka Gakkai I embrace more the root texts of the Gosho (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin) and the Lotus Sutra. I consider this an exercise in Right Mindfulness, one of the Eightfold Paths. I’ve interpreted right mindfulness as a method to counter basic human ignorance with continuous alertness and self-examination.

In Nichiren’s letter to the Tripitaka Master Shan-Wu-Wei (wnd v1. P171) “Yet the Thus Come One Shakyamuni entered this saha world with the title “One Who Can Endure.” He is so called because he does not berate its people for the slanders they all commit, but shows them forbearance. These, then, are the special qualities that the other Buddhas lack.”

Perhaps my interpretation is wrong, locally members only wish to quote Daisaku Ikeda and not any root text. The Gosho then continues..

“We ordinary people, too, have been born into the saha world. Therefore we must not in any way turn away from the teachings of the Thus Come One Shakyamuni. But people all fail to realize this. If they would look carefully into the matter, they would understand that [as the Lotus Sutra say] “I Shakyamuni] am the only person who can rescue and protect the others,” and that they must not cut themselves off from the helping hand of the Thus Come One Shakyamuni.

I present these passages as support to my belief that the Daishonin did not intend for us to interpret his plea to defend this Buddhism as a call to jihad attacking all teachings that were not in agreement to his own. To agree with this would mean that one would have to defend against all other religions that do not conform to the interpretations of Nichiren.

Perhaps a more logical and Buddha-like interpretation of the Daishonin is to valiantly defend our Buddhism to the best of our ability when we are directly addressed. When we are approached by those who tell us how we will be doomed to a life of hell if we do not embrace their savior as our own. This is when it is time for us to defend our practice and hold steadfast.

Creative Commons photo credit: Gaijin Seb