MYOSETSUJI TEMPLE NSH HANDBOOK
Issue No. 6 June 1994
BASIC INFORMATION FOR HOKKEKO MEMBERS
FALSE RELIGIONS
The Difference Between Truth and Falsehood in Religion.
Before we received shakubuku, we may never have considered the distinction between true and false religion, and we bad certainly never dreamed that this distinction could have a crucial influence on our happiness or unhappiness in life.
Fortunately, however, we have now met Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism, and from Nichiren Daishonin's great teachings we know about truth and falsehood in religion, and realize that the root of all unhappiness in the world lies in false religions. The reason for this is that, just as when you lose your way you can find out where you went wrong by consulting an accurate map, you can only determine the truth or falsehood of all religious teachings through the one true teaching. Let us therefore consider false religions in greater detail.
As will be explained (in the section on "The Gohonzon"), faith (Buddhism) is the mystic principle of a mutual interaction between the believer (living beings) and the object of worship (the Buddha), and so it forms the basis of the believer's life. It follows that if you took faith in inferior or incorrect teachings, you could not avoid suffering unhappiness. In religion we must therefore distinguish between superior and Inferior, true and false and shallow and deep teachings, in society people often maintain that since the objectives of all religions are the same, it does not matter which one you believe in, since "however you choose to climb Mount Fuji, you will still reach the same summit."
However, even if you begin with the intention of ascending to the summit, if you use an inaccurate map and set off from the wrong point or use the wrong climbing techniques, then far from reaching the summit, you will surely meet with disaster. On top of this, all the people who put their trusting you as their guide and follow you will meet with disaster in the same way. Similarly, no matter how much you intend to exert yourself in your faith to become happy, if you believe in an inferior false religion, or continue blindly believing the words of a religious teacher who expounds mistaken teachings, you will certainly reach a dead-end in your life and become immersed in confusion and suffering instead.
Although all religions claim that their own teachings are the highest, it is impossible for there to be so many "supreme teachings." Shakyamuni Buddha explained that:
"There is only one vehicle of the law, not two or three," (Kaiketsu Pg. 174)
Since various schools and seen have established their own different teachings and objects of warship, there must therefore be those which are superior, true and deep, and those which are inferior, false and shallow. Religions which cannot explain this matter clearly, but who calmly maintain that "Our sect is highest. That's a fact!" without any grounds for their claim must be called false religions,absorbed in purely egocentric propaganda.
In truth, a religion which judges strictly and fairly between superior and inferior, true and false and shallow and deep, and is established on this basis can be called the one supreme and correct teaching. All other inferior teachings which lead people astray concerning the existence of this supreme religion are false religions which go against the Supreme Teaching.
True and False Religions: Why is Nichiren Shoshu alone correct?
From his vast and limitless wisdom as the Original Buddha, the founder of our sect, Nichiren Daishonin expounded the doctrine of Shukyo no Goko (the Five Guidelines of Religion), and made it the basis for judging all teachings. The Buddhism of the Three Great Secret Laws (San Dai-Hiho), which he established on the basis of these strict guidelines is the supreme teaching. This will be explained in detail elsewhere, but for the moment we will explain in general terms the reasons why he Buddhism of the Three Great Secret Laws is the one supreme teaching, and why all other religions are false.
1. A Comparison of Buddhism with other Religions
There are numerous religions in the world. But among them, Buddhism is the most superior. The reason for this is that at the root of Buddhism lies the strict Law of Cause and Effect (Karma), whereas teachings other than Buddhism do not clarify, or even deny, cause and effect.
In all areas, we never come across an example of a result arising without a cause. Science, which is concerned with observing phenomena, also demands such a relationship between cause and effect, and in daily life, people who do not understand reason and logic (cause and effect) are regarded as abnormal. Therefore no matter how superior a religion may appear, we cannot recognize it as representing the ultimate truth if it teaches a paradox of something arising out of nothing (such paradoxes are commonly, but deceptively referred to as miracles) since it ignores or denies cause and effect. Teachings such as Christianity, Islam, and Shinto and Tenri-kyo in Japan, which are based on the leaching of The Creation, that is, the existence of a god who created everything, are false teachings which not only contradict natural science, but also coolly ignore cause and effect.
If the universe had been created by a god, then where did this creator himself come from? To reply that god did not come into being but has been in existence since the eternal past is to remove a cause, thus denying the law of karma. And where did god exist before the creation of the universe? If the universe did not exist, then there would have been no environment In which he could exist.
Other insane doctrines usually cited as miracles are likewise merely superstitions which completely ignore karma. Examples include the Resurrection and the Virgin Birth(Christianity), the creation of human beings from a loach (Tenri-kyo) and the idea that when god created man, his discarded mistakes became all the other animals (Sekai Mahikari Bummei Kyodan). If one takes faith in such perverse teachings, they exert a powerful influence on the believer's personality, which results in a dual personality, or the inability to tell happiness from unhappiness. Such religions are completely powerless to guide modern people, and depending on their hollow words results in the destruction of one's life as a rational human being.
Buddhism, on the other hand, is based on the strict law of karma: it clearly explains the Law which can lead everyone to absolute happiness, and so it condemns following inferior teachings.
2. Comparing the Sutras with one another
There are many different sects and schools within established Buddhism itself, and we do not possess the clarity of mind to determine which is the correct form of Buddhism which is true to Shakyamuni's intention.People may think that it is all the same, since it was all taught by Shakyamuni, but Shakyamuni warned that:
"The wisdom of all Buddhas is immensely deep and incalculable. The way into this wisdom is difficult to understand and difficult to enter....(the Buddha) preachy according to what is good, but his intention is difficult to understand." (Kaiketsu Pg. 153)
In short, even in Buddhism there are Provisional (Hoben) Teachings and the True Teaching, and it is important to differentiate between them. Therefore, in order to differentiate between the various Buddhist sects, we should go back to their original source and examine the sutras which Shakyamuni preached.
Shakyamuni said of the Lotus Sutra that amongst all the Sutras that he had preached in the past was preaching in the present and would preach in the future, it, alone, was supreme. In the Muryogi Sutra, he also made it clear that although he had been preaching the Law for fifty years, in the first forty-two years he had revealed only the Provisional Teachings in preparation to preach the Lotus Sutra, whereas in the final eight years he revealed the True Teaching (the Lotus Sutra).
But, what is this "Truth" which was not revealed in the first forty-two years, but was only revealed for the first time in the Lotus Sutra during the final eight years of Shakyamuni's life? The answer is the doctrine of Ichinen Sanzen, which reveals that all living beings can attain Buddhahood. This doctrine was not explained during the first forty-two years of Shakyamuni's life, and although one may refer to the teachings of this period as Buddhism (teachings leading to Buddhahood), the path leading to the attainment of Buddhahood (Jobutsu), is left unclear. Thus, in the whole of Shakyamuni's Buddhism. the one supreme teaching is the Lotus Sutra, The Provisional Teachings may be likened to the scaffolding used during the construction of a building, which becomes a hindrance once the building has been completed. Similarly, once the Lotus Sutra had been expounded, adherence to the Pre-lotus Sutra teachings became harmful and fruitless.
Sects such as Jodo, Shingon and Zen call themselves Buddhism, but they go against Shakyamuni's words of wisdom, since they are completely founded on the Nizen Sutras, and so we must condemn them as false religions. The founders of these sects who propagated their evil doctrines actually met with pitiful deaths, and this is actual proof of the gravity of the sin of turnings one's back on the Buddha's words.
3. Determining the Buddhist Law for Mappo
As explained previously (in the section entitled "Nichiren Shoshu Hokkeko") Shakyamuni explained in the Lotus Sutra and Daishutsu Sutra that two thousand years after his passing the world would enter the age of Mappo, during which many disputes would occur, people's thoughts would become impure like a muddy swamp, their ideas would become confused, and Shakyamuni's Buddhism would lose its power to save them from suffering (This is known as "Byakuho Onmotsu" the Pure Law Becoming Obscured and Lost). In Mappo even following the Lotus Sutra, the most excellent sutra in Shakyamuni's Buddhism, is like being poisoned by eating food several days old. Rather than saving people from suffering, it becomes harmful and useless. Needless to say, the Provisional Teachings, taught previous to the Lotus Sutra, have spread poisonous ideas throughout society in the form of inferior, false religions.
However, Shakyamuni predicted that in the evil age of Mappo, when the Pure Law had become obscured and lost, a great Buddhist law, hidden in the depths of the text of the Lotus Sutra and never heard in any previous age, would appear to replace his own Buddhism. He also predicted that the Original Buddha of the great Buddhist law of the new age, would remove the cause of all darkness, and that he would be subjected to numerous persecutions in doing so, including exile and a death sentence. All this is predicted in the Lotus Sutra.
If we look back through world history, only one person, the founder of our sect, Nichiren Daishonin, completely fulfilled all of Shakyamuni's predictions. Therefore, in the current age of Mappo which is filled with suffering, we can depend only on the supreme teaching far Mappo, which Is the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin. If you were to go against this by clinging to the Lotus Sutra or Pre-Lotus Sutra teachings expounded by Shakyamuni, not only does this amount to denying the teachings of Shakyamuni, the founder of the religion, but it also constitutes belief in a false religion which hinders the spread of the True Law which is appropriate for Mappo. Established Buddhism, which last its merit after the Pure Law bad become obscured and lost, has forgotten it's mission to save the people from suffering, and this includes the sects based on the Lotus Sutra. The priests of these sects grow their hair and beards long, attempt to curry favor with ordinary people, and are reduced to spending their days tending graves, performing funeral rites and being stared at by tourists. Such a state of affairs accords with Shakyamuni's description of false sects during Mappo, and it is solemn proof that such religions are false.
4. Nichiren Shoshu and Nichiren Shu.
In order to honor Nichiren Daishonin as the Original Buddha in the age of Mappo, we must first define the form of Buddhism which is based correctly on the Daishonin's teachings. However, seven hundred years have passed since the use of Nichiren Daishonin, and there are many sects which call themselves the "Nichiren Sect" and chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. In addition. many new religions have grown since World War II, like so many mushrooms after a rainstorm, and seem to think that simply by chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, they are following lofty teachings. However, such religions simply expound their own egocentric teachings using the Daimoku as a front.
The destructiveness and confusion of this form of Buddhism is due to the fact that these sects all ignore Kechimyaku Sojo (the Transmission of the Heritage of the Law). Even In Shakyamuni's Buddhism, it was due to the Transmission of the Heritage of the Law that Buddhism did not die out during the two thousand years following Shakyamuni's passing. The Heritage of the Law refers to the master (the Buddha) selecting a single disciple who he considers to be most suited to the task as his successor, and entrusting him with the secrets of Buddhism in their entirety. The Transmission of the Heritage of the Law is of utmost importance, since the Law would be lost no matter how outstanding the teacher if he had no successor to follow him.
The Transmission of the Heritage of the Law was made by Nichiren Daishonin to Second High Priest Nikko Shonin alone. Nikko Shonin transferred the Heritage of the Law to Third High Priest Nichimoku Shonin, and it has been passed down through an unbroken succession of High Priests at the Head Temple Taisekiji, to the present 67th High Priest of Nichiren Shoshu. Nikken Shonin.
Therefore Nichiren Shoshu is the only orthodox sect of Nichiren Daishonin, which has handed down the Daishonin's teaching correctly. The proof of this is that Nichiren Daishonin repeatedly maintained that:
"The different sects have gone astray concerning the true Object of Worship (Honzon)" (Gosho Zenshu Pg. 215, MWND Vol. 2, Pg. 152)
and that:
"We must take faith in the superior teaching as our Object of worship." (Gosho Zenshu Pg. 366)
Even though the Daishonin established the True Object of Worship for the age of Mappo, the Gohonzon, the other self-styled "Nichiren Sects" do not even understand the essence of the Object of Worship. For example, the Nichiren Shu at Mount Minobu appears completely confused concerning its object of worship, sometimes using statues of Shakyamuni, sometimes using mandalas, or even chanting Daimoku to Kishimojin or foxes, and they sell mandalas as souvenirs to visitors.
The situation is similar with Rissho Kosei Kai and Reiyukai. Rissho Kosei Kai have already changed their object of worship five or six times, and Reiyukai, who until recently had revered the posthumous Buddhist name of their ancestors and a faked mandala of unknown origin, have changed to worshiping a statue of Shakyamuni.
Groups like these, who have not received the Transmission of the Heritage of the law from the Daishonin, are vague concerning even the essence of the object of worship, and although they may use the words "Nichiren Sect"or "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo" as a front, their actual teachings are as different from those of Nichiren Daishonin as the sky is from the earth,clouds are from mud, or medicine is from poison. These types of groups are the most unscrupulous of the false religions, since they misuse True Buddhism taught for the age of Mappo and rewrite its doctrines to suit themselves. This is like selling bottles of poison labelled as medicine. Superficially they appear similar to the Daishonin's True Buddhism, but in reality they are nothing other than false religions which deceive many people and bring them nothing but unhappiness.
From this we can see that the only true religion which has any power in this world is Nichiren Shoshu. Its flawless doctrines are perfectly logical, and the experiences of the many people who have faith in this great Buddhism and who have valiantly overcome their unhappy karma are proof of this.
The Evil Influence of False Religions
We can begin to deal with the reasons why our sect is the true sect, and why false sects are false. All sects other than Nichiren Shoshu are false religions. They are the root cause of unhappiness, and they are the enemies of mankind we should detest the most. Nevertheless, some people maintain that the other sects are not false, claiming that they had their prayers answered by believing in such-and-such a religion, or that their illness was cured through a particular religion. To someone who has not had a deep awareness of religion until recently, such arguments may not seem unreasonable. In many false religions, the founder or religious leaders may make many vague pronouncements, focusing on the sufferings of confused people, digging up their forgotten experiences or curing illnesses in order to attract customers. Then, once people have visited them and the words of these leaders prove correct on several occasions, or they succeed in curing illness, people suddenly regard them as omnipotent. and will request that they do almost anything.
Such things may be called benefit, but then no matter how crude a teaching, some benefit may be gained from it. However, most of the above are crude and inferior supernatural powers which are the minor benefits of inferior teachings. People may think their situation has improved or that they have had their prayers answered, but this is only temporary, and in the long run once they become deeply ensnared they invite great misfortune, because they are going against True Buddhism.
Nichiren Daishonin wrote:
"Although they may think they have been given a sign for a moment, this will not answer a prayer to know heaven and earth. Although there seems to be a sign that the devils and demons will give them their protection, the master and the believers will certainly enjoy no peace." (Gosho Zenshu Pg. 577)
Thus faith in a false religion may bring temporary benefit, but in the long run it constitutes a great punishment and will destroy your body.
It is pitiful to see crowds of people taking faith in false religions, blinded by sweet words and minor benefits from revering a crude object of worship, only to fall into bell in their present lives because of illness, domestic discord or poverty. As Nichiren Daishonin wrote:
"People in the world today all have heads split apart like the branches of the arjaka tree, but they are so steeped in evil karma that they are not even aware of the fact." (Gosho Zenshu Pg. 924, MWND Vol 1, Pg. 200)
We become unable to recognize unhappiness because our senses are paralyzed, and our future seems to be an incessant hell.
We often look at the world around us and are shocked by the acute suffering caused by unforeseen disasters, illnesses, suicide and physical handicap in households which have kept the Shinto talismans in their homes or have been patrons of false sects for generations. Such people think "I don't have particularly strong faith, so it is nothing to do with me. I don't suffer any evil influence from false religions." Nevertheless, this is the evil influence of false religion, since, as the saying goes, "if you mix cinnabar. you become red yourself." If you are born into a family which follows a false religion, even if you only attend funerals or memorial services, you will still be adversely influenced by it. Further than this, the full extent of the evil influence false religions exert on mankind could not be described in such limited space as we have here. People in society are often not aware of the power of religion, so they think that calling other religions false religions is exclusivist and intolerant. but this is a terrible mistake. If false religions are not completely obliterated, we will not be able to realize true peace and happiness. Therefore, in Nichiren Shoshu:
"Rather than offering up ten thousand prayers for remedy, it would be better simply to outlaw this one evil doctrine that is the source of all the trouble!" (Gosho Zenshu Pg. 24, MWND Vol 2, pg 24)
"The only thing to do now is to abandon evil ways and take up those that are good, to cut off this affliction at the source, to cut it off at the root!" (Gosho Zenshu Pg. "5, MWND Vol. 2. Pg. 29)
As these words of wisdom indicate, when you take faith in Nichiren Shoshu, you should burn all Buddhist statues, Shinto talismans, and amulets, and once you have done so you should be extremely careful not to visit the temples and shrines of false religions and not to make donations or offerings to false sects.
If we are to eliminate the root of all unhappiness we should be wary of the evil influence of the false religions, and simply chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo with earnest faith.
Next Segment: Punishment and Benefit - coming soon