Dave Baldschun
SGI-USA Study Department

Question: I have heard that some people have acquired the Gohonzon on the Internet. How should we view this?

Answer: Are all diamonds of equal quality the same? Or for that matter, are all tennis shoes of equal quality the same?

According to the U.N. General Assembly and the diamond industry itself, not all diamonds of equal quality are equal. On Dec. 1, 2000, the U.N. General Assembly recognized the role of conflict or blood diamonds in prolonging brutal wars in parts of Africa.

In Angola and Sierra Leone, conflict diamonds continue to fund rebel groups acting against the international community's objectives of restoring peace in those countries. As a result, the diamond trade rejects gems that cannot be certified as coming from legitimate sources.

In the garment industry, controversy over goods manufactured by child labor has been a concern of human rights groups for years. If people of conscience can discern the importance of an object's source in the secular world, how much more discerning should we be in matters of the Mystic Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo?

At a time when copies of Gohonzon, some inscribed in Nichiren Daishonin's own hand, are available over the counter or from the Internet, these examples offer a valuable lesson. Even though a Gohonzon is a Gohonzon, the source is important. We should be aware of those offering Gohonzon and teachings under the guise of Nichiren Buddhism but who are, in fact, propagating views that distort the Daishonin's teachings.

In Letter to the Lay Priest Ichinosawa, the Daishonin states, If the source is muddy, the stream will not flow clear (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, p. 527).

The originals for most of these Gohonzon reside in the temples of Buddhist sects who propound teachings contrary to those of the Daishonin. Because these groups mostly descend from the five senior priests, who betrayed the Daishonin and his teachings soon after his death, they misinterpret Nichiren Buddhism, and their followers misunderstand the Daishonin's intent.

The Daishonin admonishes us to be clear on this point in Letter to Niike when he states: When I observe what people are doing, I realize that, although they profess faith in the Lotus Sutra and clasp its scrolls, they act against the intent of the sutra and are thereby doomed to the evil paths. To illustrate, a person has five internal organs, but should even one of them become diseased, it will infect all the others, and eventually the person will die. The Great Teacher Dengyo states that though they praise the Lotus Sutra they destroy its heart. He means that, even if people embrace, read, and praise the Lotus Sutra, if they betray its intent, they will be destroying not only Shakyamuni Buddha but all the Buddhas in the ten directions (WND, 1026).

The Daishonin himself very carefully chose those believers for whom he inscribed and conferred the Gohonzon. Faith like yours is so extremely rare that I will inscribe the treasure tower [Gohonzon] especially for you, he wrote his disciple Abutsu-bo. You must never transfer it to anyone but your son. You must never show it to others unless they have steadfast faith. This is the reason for my advent in this world (WND, 300). In Reply to Niiama, he writes, Because your resolve does not seem to wane, I will give you the Gohonzon (WND, 469).

The Daishonin granted the Gohonzon only to those who demonstrated a high degree of commitment in faith. His successor, Nikko Shonin, also maintained this strictness. The Daishonin's community of believers understood that such strictness was an expression of his compassion. To save people from slandering the Gohonzon by taking it lightly, the Daishonin did not want to give it to people unaware of its deep significance.

The worldwide spread of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the Daishonin's will. The SGI is the only gathering of people putting this into practice and making it a reality. There is no denying this fact, and it is proof that the SGI is the true and legitimate heir of the Buddha's intent and decree.

Receiving the Gohonzon through this united body of believers is to receive instruction in the practice and spirit of faith in the Gohonzon. Treating the Gohonzon as a charm, an object of commercial transaction or without regard to the spirit of the Daishonin, however, cannot lead to the joy of benefit derived from the Law.