April 2009 Oko

Honen further states: "In the Jogen Nyuzo Roku we find it recorded that, from the six hundred volumes of the Daihannya Sutra to the Hojoju Sutra, the exoteric and esoteric sutras of Mahayana Buddhism total 637 works in 2,883 volumes. All of these should now be replaced by the recitation of the single Mahayana phrase, [the Nembutsu]. You should understand that, when the Buddha was preaching according to the capacity of his various listeners, he for a time taught the two methods of concentrated meditation and unconcentrated meditation. But later, when he revealed his own enlightenment, he ceased to teach these two methods. The only teaching that, once revealed, shall never cease to be taught, is the single doctrine of the Nembutsu."

Again Honen states: "The passage which says that the practitioner of the Nembutsu must possess three kinds of mind is found in the Kammuryoju Sutra. In the commentary on that sutra, we read: 'Someone asked: "If there are those who differ in understanding and practice from the followers of the Nembutsu, persons of heretical and mistaken belief, how can one make certain that their perverse and differing views will not cause trouble?'" We also see that these persons of evil views with their different understanding and different practices are compared to a band of robbers who call back the travelers who have already gone one or two steps along their journey. In my opinion, when these passages speak of different understanding, different practices, varying doctrines and varying beliefs, they are referring to the teachings of the Sacred Way."

Finally, in a concluding passage, Honen says: "If one wishes to escape quickly from the sufferings of life and death, one should confront these two superior teachings and then proceed to put aside the teachings of the Sacred Way and choose those of the Pure Land. And if one wishes to follow the teachings of the Pure Land, one should confront the correct and incorrect practices and then proceed to abandon all those that are incorrect and devote one's entire attention to those that are correct."

When we examine these passages, we see that Honen quotes the erroneous explanations of T'an-luan, Tao-ch'o and Shan-tao and establishes the categories he calls Sacred Way and Pure Land, Difficult-to-Practice-Way and Easy-to-Practice-Way. He then takes all the 637 works in 2,883 volumes that comprise the Mahayana sutras of the Buddha's lifetime, including those of the Lotus Sutra and Shingon, along with all the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and deities of the heavenly and human worlds, and assigns them all to the Sacred Way, the Difficult-to-Practice-Way and the incorrect practices categories, and urges men to "discard, close, ignore and abandon" them. With these four injunctions, he leads all people astray. And on top of that, he groups together all the sage monks of the three countries of India, China and Japan as well as the students of Buddhism of the ten directions, and calls them a "band of robbers," causing the people to insult them!

In doing so, he turns his back on the passages in the three Pure Land Sutras, the sutras of his own sect, which contain Amida's vow to save everyone "except those who commit the five cardinal sins or slander the True Law." At the same time, he shows that he fails to understand the warning contained in the second volume of the Lotus Sutra, the most important sutra expounded in the five preaching periods of the Buddha's life, which reads: "One who refuses to take faith in this sutra and instead slanders it.... After he dies, he will fall into the hell of incessant suffering."

I would like to thank you for attending today’s Oko ceremony despite your busy schedule. I have offered your sincere Gokuyo to the Gohonzon, and sincerely prayed to the Gohonzon for the further development in faith; eradication of your sins and negative karma from this and infinite past lifetimes; to enjoy a safe and long life; for peace and harmony to reign in your home; for all matters to proceed forth smoothly; and for the successful achievement of all your great objectives in this and future existences.

For those who have requested for Toba, I have offered my sincere prayers to the Gohonzon for the peace and happiness of your late relatives, friends, and ancestors.

Before I go into today’s lecture, I would like to use this opportunity to apologize to everyone. As you already know, I am continuing the lecture about “Rissho Ankoku Ron.” During last month’s Oko, I read portions of the Senchaku-shu, written by Honen, founder of the Pure Land Sect. Although Nichiren Daishonin cited these portions, you had to go through last month’s Oko listening to these passages from a heretical priest. Unfortunately, today’s portion of my Oko lecture will start once again from the Senchaku-shu. This is the continuation of the host’s response to the traveler’s fourth question, “What is the evil doctrine?”

First, Nichiren Daishonin cites this portion of the Senchaku-shu. “In the Jogen Nyuzo Roku we find it recorded that, from the six hundred volumes of the Daihannya Sutra to the Hojoju Sutra, the exoteric and esoteric sutras of Mahayana Buddhism total 637 works in 2,883 volumes. All of these should now be replaced by the recitation of the single Mahayana phrase, [the Nembutsu].” The Jogen Nyuzo Roku is a list of sutras which Yuan-chao, a Chinese priest, selected at Emperor Te-tsung’s command during the Cheng-yuan era, or Jogen in Japanese. There are various types of Mahayana Buddhism. The Provisional Teachings, various sutras expounded in the Flower Garland Period (Kegon), the Agama Period (Agon), the Expansion Period (Hodo), and the Wisdom Period (Hannya), and the True Teachings, the Lotus Sutra. Here, Honen bundles all of the Mahayana teachings in one and teaches to abandon them all at once. All of this is basically Honen’s own opinion and to discard Shakyamuni’s words to designate the Lotus Sutra as the True Teaching as only partial is a tremendous slander towards Buddhism.

Yet Honen proceeds with the following: “You should understand that, when the Buddha was preaching according to the capacity of his various listeners, he for a time taught the two methods of concentrated meditation and unconcentrated meditation. But later, when he revealed his own enlightenment, he ceased to teach these two methods. The only teaching that, once revealed, shall never cease to be taught, is the single doctrine of the Nembutsu.”

He mentions that the two methods of concentrated and unconcentrated meditations are only partial, and preaches to the people that they should only chant Nembutsu.

68^th High Priest Nichinyo Shonin guides us with the following. “Honen preaches to rely on the Amida Buddha, which teaches to depend on others. Which is why they hate to practice on one’s own efforts. Which is why they speak ill of these teachings, or jigyo-keta (practicing for oneself and for others), especially the Lotus Sutra, saying that they are unconcentrated meditations. ”

They will preach this with a straight face without feeling any shame at all whatsoever. This can be said about Daisaku Ikeda and the SGI.

Next, Nichiren Daishonin once again cites from the Senchaku-shu. “The passage which says that the practitioner of the Nembutsu must possess three kinds of mind is found in the Kammuryoju Sutra.”

In the Kanmuryoju Sutra, one of the three sutras used by the Pure Land Sect, it preaches three minds. They are the sincere mind, the mind of deep faith, and the mind of resolve to attain the Pure Land.

Then, Nichiren Daishonin cites from the commentary on the Kanmuryoju Sutra. “ ‘Someone asked: "If there are those who differ in understanding and practice from the followers of the Nembutsu, persons of heretical and mistaken belief, how can one make certain that their perverse and differing views will not cause trouble?’” We also see that these persons of evil views with their different understanding and different practices are compared to a band of robbers who call back the travelers who have already gone one or two steps along their journey. In my opinion, when these passages speak of different understanding, different practices, varying doctrines and varying beliefs, they are referring to the teachings of the Sacred Way.”

67^th High Priest Nikken Shonin mentions, “Travelers who have gone one or two steps along their journey, in other words, people who have started moving forward, are hearing “Turn around, turn around. The path you are taking is totally dangerous. If you continue to go, then you are definitely going to die.” These voices are from “persons of evil views with their different understanding and different practices,” that is the people of the Sacred Way. Which is why priests, buddhas and bodhisattvas that are not connected with the Pure Land Way, are all evil people. An absolute reversed parable.”

Then, Nichiren Daishonin cites from the Senchaku-shu. “If one wishes to escape quickly from the sufferings of life and death, one should confront these two superior teachings and then proceed to put aside the teachings of the Sacred Way and choose those of the Pure Land. And if one wishes to follow the teachings of the Pure Land, one should confront the correct and incorrect practices and then proceed to abandon all those that are incorrect and devote one's entire attention to those that are correct.”

This quote alone says it best. Honen, who already says that all the Mahayana Teachings, including the Lotus Sutra, are all incorrect and devote themselves to the correct practices of chanting Nembutsu.

With that, Nichiren Daishonin citings of the Senchaku-shu is complete. Next will be the refutation by Nichiren Daishonin.

First, He states: “When we examine these passages, we see that Honen quotes the erroneous explanations of T'an-luan, Tao-ch'o and Shan-tao and establishes the categories he calls Sacred Way and Pure Land, Difficult-to-Practice-Way and Easy-to-Practice-Way. He then takes all the 637 works in 2,883 volumes that comprise the Mahayana sutras of the Buddha's lifetime, including those of the Lotus Sutra and Shingon, along with all the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and deities of the heavenly and human worlds, and assigns them all to the Sacred Way, the Difficult-to-Practice-Way and the incorrect practices categories, and urges men to "discard, close, ignore and abandon" them. With these four injunctions, he leads all people astray. And on top of that, he groups together all the sage monks of the three countries of India, China and Japan as well as the students of Buddhism of the ten directions, and calls them a "band of robbers," causing the people to insult them!

In doing so, he turns his back on the passages in the three Pure Land Sutras, the sutras of his own sect, which contain Amida's vow to save everyone "except those who commit the five cardinal sins or slander the True Law." At the same time, he shows that he fails to understand the warning contained in the second volume of the Lotus Sutra, the most important sutra expounded in the five preaching periods of the Buddha's life, which reads: "One who refuses to take faith in this sutra and instead slanders it.... After he dies, he will fall into the hell of incessant suffering.”

Nichiren Daishonin was very clear when refuting Honen’s claims. Not only that, but He also cited from Amida’s vow to save everyone “except those who commit the five cardinal sins or slander the True Law.”

Nichiren Daishonin made it clear that Honen’s “Senchaku-shu” is the evil doctrine. Nichiren Daishonin put it in detail in the final part of His response, which I will talk about next time.

In closing, I wish for the further development of faith and greater health and happiness for each and everyone here today. Thank you very much.