Believers of Nichiren

People have to find that there are two types of Nichren's letters, letters to priests and letters to believers.

Nichren shonin directs priests to make efforts to spread the true dharma of Lotus Sutra and also criticize and refute(Shakubuku) the wrong doctrine of other sects which slander the eternal Buddha Shakamuni and his Lotus Sutra as a Hokke practicer with great patience against persecution.

On the other hand, Nichiren shonin encourage believers to get the strong faith to Lotus Sutra which reveals the eternal Buddha Shakamuni and spread it to other people, and also to respect and support the true Hokke practicer. Nichiren shonin has not directed believers to argue with other sects. If believers who have not enough knowledge of Buddhism, it will be quarrel like SGI does. Believers are not expected to blame other sects. For getting power, SGI incites their believers to blame other sects by making bad use of Nichiren's letter. SGI's believers insist that it is right to blame other sects as a believer. However they never forgive criticizes from other sects. They speak ill of other sects which criticize SGI.　It is not Buddhist's behavior. It is a mere worldly desire of human. SGI takes advantage of it.

I say again, it is not necessary for believers to blame other sects such as SGI. In Shakubuku method, you should criticize wrong doctrines clearly. But it doesn't mean to behave offensively to others. In Shojyu method, you should not criticize wrong doctrines clearly. But, it doesn't mean to behave passively to others. Nichiren shonin recommended Shakubuku method as the practice of Mappo era. If you take Shakubuku method, opponents become offensive and slander you, because their doctrine is matter of life and death. So,you have to practice the forbearance and the assiduity necessarily. You have to make efforts to get the protection from good deities. You have to overcome difficulties to gain the Buddha's confidence. If you possess high ambition to become a Buddha, you will encounter many difficulties that you should overcome. Therefore, if you encounter many difficulties, you should possess high ambition to become a Buddha.

Believers are expected to get success of your life with good faith to Lotus Sutra and distribute the fruits of your efforts to weak people. Believers are expected to get wisdom, dignity, perseverance, bravery from the eternal Buddha to overcome any difficulty under the guidance of Nichren shonin. Believers have to encourage people to keep the same good faith of Lotus Sutra. Therefore, believers need to help real Hokke practicer who criticize the wrong doctrine to protect true dharma of Lotus Sutra. So believers should not blame Hokke practicer's Shakubuku. Believers should be proud of belonging to the sangha which has the authentic doctrine and the true Hokke practicer.

Nichiren shonin said that before teaching Lotus sutra, it is necessary to teach fundamental Buddhism such as Hinayana kindly for those who are ignorant about Buddhism but not slandering Lotus sutra. Because they already had experience to listen the teachings of Lotus sutra in their past life. This way of education which was practiced by Buddha Shakamuni is called Shojyu. But Nichiren shounin said that it is necessary to preach Lotus sutra forcibly for those who are bad persons and slandering Lotus sutra. Because they had not listened Lotus sutra in their past life. This way of education which was practiced by Jyo-Fukyo bodhisattva is called Shakubuku. SGI's leaders or the like seem to be those bad people. Even if they chant Daimoku(devotion to Lotus sutra) for their expansion, SGI's leaders slander Buddha Shakamuni and insist that Lotus sutra which taught by Buddha Shakamuni is useless. If they had a experience to listen Lotus sutra, they would not abuse Lotus sutra of Buddha Shakamuni like that. Therefore, no matter what may happen, we, Hokke practicer, must criticize them by preaching the true Lotus sutra.

In classic Budhism, Hinayama, it is taught that we are reborn in the six worlds(hell, hungry ghost, asuras, animal, human, heaven) depending on our acts. It was preached to people to do good conducts. Only priest who get emancipation from the cycle of reincarnation can go to Nirvana. But you should think that we are reborn in the six realms in the human society as a matter of fact. You can see those who spend their life in each of realm actually around you. Even if you were able to reborn in the realm of heavenly, you could not escape from old age and death. Therefore, you would not renounce desire for worldly things, then get suffering.

If you get awareness of the true disciples (the Bodhisattvas who came out from under of the earth) of the eternal Buddha by struggling against your destiny with the belief of Lotus sutra, you will be able to realize that you are reborn in this world repeatedly as the Bodhisattva who perform your mission from Buddha Shakamuni. You can realize the eternal life as the Bodhisattva. It become not necessary to worry about old age and death. So, any sufferings can not scare your spirit. Those who have faith of Lotus sutra correctly and chant Daimoku will go back to Ryozen Pure Land for some time after their death and be reborn again in this world for their mission. Jyodo(Pure Land)' sects believe Amida's Pure Land which exist in the other side of the cosmos. But it is a made-up story. Ryozen Pure Land is the Buddha's world which really exists in the basis of our spiritual world. Therefore, true disciples of Buddha Shakamuni come out from under of the earth in Lotus sutra.

In Buddhism, there is a thought of Ekou, merit-transference. If you have done good works as Bodhisattvas, you can transfer your virtue to other people. Therefore, you can save your beloved and ancestors.

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