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7. Why Should We Pray About
Soka Spirit? |
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Jeff Farr
Associate Editor
The real victory for the SGI in the temple issue is when
our organization has educated as many people as possible
about the difference between the SGI and Nichiren Shoshu
- about what Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism actually teaches.
To accomplish this education, strong daimoku backing us
up is necessary.
We already pray for this victory every day, every time
that we do morning gongyo: In the fourth prayer, we pray
for the development of the SGI and for our organization
to accomplish kosen-rufu, the global propagation of the
Daishonin's teachings. The SGI's success in temple issue-related
education is a crucial step in this kosen-rufu progress.
How is that?
The priesthood has attempted to alter the Daishonin's
Buddhism, a religion that offers the greatest hope to
the world's people, presenting it as something it's not.
Nichiren Shoshu's version plays on people's inferiority
complexes, reinforcing their self-doubt, telling them
that priestly intervention is essential to their becoming
happy. This directly conflicts with the Daishonin's assertions
that we only attain Buddhahood through our own efforts
in faith.
Since the Nichiren Shoshu's version still has the potential
to confuse many more people than it already has, it is
a problem for the kosen-rufu movement.
Chanting daimoku for the SGI to be victorious is something
concrete that any of us can do, anywhere, at any time,
toward a solution. And it's something very important for
us to do - in fact, the fundamental determinant of victory,
as in all our challenges, will be daimoku.
Also, because chanting about the temple issue is such
an essential part of our larger effort for kosen-rufu,
we should know that we are sure to benefit from doing
so. As the Daishonin says in Reply to Kyo'o: Muster your
faith and pray to the Gohonzon. Then what is there that
cannot be achieved? (Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, p.
412).
We should have no doubt that great benefit lies in being
part of the SGI's education efforts; daimoku can be a
starting place for each of us to participate.
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(Originally published in the World
Tribune, April 30, 1999)
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