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March 23, 1992
Volume 2, No. 4
A
PRIEST DESCRIBES TRAINING AS AN ACOLYTE
A Recollection of Life at the Head Temple
On Feb. 2, 1992, seven Nichiren Shoshu
priests sent a document titled èLetter of Remonstrationî
to High Priest Nikken, voicing their concern over the
machinations of the head temple and its distortion of
Nichiren Daishonin′s teachings. The following day,
they announced publicly that they had officially severed
ties with the organization of Nichiren Shoshu. They cited
the head temple′s deviations from the original teachings
of Nichiren Daishonin, and they pledged to continue to
work for the reformation of Nichiren Shoshu, based on
the Daishonin′s original spirit.
One of those priests is Mr. Kodo Yoshikawa, who is continuing
to fulfill his responsibilities as chief priest of Kembutsu-ji
temple in Kyoto. Interestingly, Mr. Yoshikawa is the elder
brother of Mr. Rendo Yoshikawa, chief priest of Washington,
D.C.′s Myosen-ji temple.
In a recent conversation with a representative of the
Soka Shimpo (the biweekly youth division newspaper of
the Soka Gakkai), Mr. Yoshikawa recalled his own experience
as a young acolyte at the head temple. His story helps
to shed light upon the origins of some of the attitudes
behind the priesthood′s actions against the Soka
Gakkai over the last year and several months.
In 1960, Nichiren Shoshu began a yearly program to recruit
candidates for the priesthood. Mr. Yoshikawa, a member
of the third class in this program, described life in
the acolytes′ lodging, where he went to live in
April 1962, the same month he began the sixth grade. Out
of the 25 young men who became acolytes in 1962, only
two came from priests′ families, and the other 23
came from the families of Soka Gakkai members. èWe were
all burning with hope for the future when we began our
new lives at the head temple,î Mr. Yoshikawa said.
Looking back at those days, however, he added that it
became increasingly clear that èwhat was actually awaiting
us was the incessant effort by senior priests to destroy
our pure and innocent faith.î He went on to explain that
one of the first things the young acolytes were taught
was that the simple act of becoming a priest proved the
depths of their faith. èThey said to us: ′Therefore,
you don′t have to think about deepening your faith
from now on. You also don′t have to introduce others
to this practice, nor should you chant much daimoku.′î
Mr. Yoshikawa recalled that despite this admonishment
by their seniors, most of the acolytes persisted in doing
gongyo and chanting daimoku every day. It was only natural,
he suggested, since most of them had grown up in families
that set such examples. However, the senior priests reacted
critically. èThey commented on our attitude: ′Priests
should not chant so much daimoku. If believers see a priest
chanting so diligently, they may wonder what is troubling
this priest. Priests should not do things that may cause
believers to become suspicious.′ I can now clearly
say how ridiculous this logic was, but in those days their
guidance easily deceived us because we were so unsuspecting.î
Acolytes, he said, were made to feel that chanting was
incorrect and out of rhythm. This, coupled with an innate
desire to be part of the group, led almost every acolyte
to stop chanting daimoku assiduously within three to six
months.
The natural consequence, according to Mr. Yoshikawa, was
that an elitist attitude developed among the young acolytes,
who came to view those who continued to chant as foolish.
In addition, the more Soka Gakkai members revealed their
commitment to Nichiren Daishonin′s Buddhism by doing
gongyo, chanting daimoku and introducing others, the more
foolish they appeared to the young priests. The irony,
he pointed out, is that the priests usually have no firsthand
experience with life′s serious problems, yet they
criticize believers who strive to use Nichiren Daishonin′s
teachings to overcome their problems.
As an example of the subtle pressures on the young acolytes,
Mr. Yoshikawa recalled how at first they would wave and
call out in greeting each time they saw SGI President
Ikeda on the temple grounds. èA few months or half a year
later, however, we began to call President Ikeda simply
′Mr. Ikeda.′ And one year later, we began
to call him just ′Ikeda.′ No one specifically
directed us to do so, but we unavoidably absorbed the
anti-Gakkai atmosphere innate in the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood,î
he said. èHow strongly you rebuke the Gakkai as an acolyte
determines your status in the priesthood. In this sense,
the acolytes′ lodging served as a training school
to nurture Gakkai critics.î Acolytes who grew up in such
an environment are today the chief priests at temples
throughout Japan. èIt is only natural, therefore, that
almost the entire priesthood holds a fundamental grudge
against the Soka Gakkai,î Mr. Yoshikawa explained.
This was true for acolytes from Gakkai families as well
as from priests′ families. In fact, Mr. Yoshikawa
added that many of the priests who joined the Shoshinkai
(a radically anti-Gakkai faction of priests that was eventually
expelled from the head temple) a decade ago actually came
from Soka Gakkai families. Mr. Yoshikawa theorized that
they had to criticize the Soka Gakkai more strongly than
others, just to prove their commitment to Nichiren Shoshu.
When asked about how priests present themselves to believers,
Mr. Yoshikawa replied that èMost priests are merely posturing
when they mention faith and kosen-rufu.î Such lip service,
he said, is ènothing but a heartless gesture toward believers.î
In one example, he described a chief priest who pounded
passionately on a table during his oko lecture and said
with gravity, èLet′s do our best for kosen-rufu.î
After the meeting, however, as soon as he came back to
his room, he began to criticize the Gakkai and then talk
about his own interests, including golf. èFrom this duplicitous
example set by their seniors,î Mr. Yoshikawa said, èmany
junior priests learn only how to speak sweetly and superficially
in front of lay believers.î
Besides engendering a critical attitude toward the Soka
Gakkai, Mr. Yoshikawa explained that the isolated society
in the acolytes′ lodging also naturally fostered
a caste system of sorts, in which senior acolytes employed
increasingly violent measures against their juniors, a
reflection of their arrogance and cowardice. èAs a member
of the third class in the acolytes program at the head
temple, I had only two senior classes above me; the number
of senior acolytes was not great, and physical admonishment
of junior acolytes was not yet common.î However, by the
time that every class of acolytes was filledÊsix classes
for those in grade school and three each for junior and
senior high schoolÊthe situation reeked of a hierarchical
consciousness in which the strong ruled over the weak.
Mr. Yoshikawa recalled that, at one time, High Priest
Nikken actually prohibited physical punishment at the
head temple. In line with this, the high priest forced
four acolytes to leave the head temple and the priesthood
for using violent tactics against their juniors.
But in reaction to the long months of physical harassment,
many acolytes responded by taking advantage of their seniors,
knowing that they could not be physically punished. èHowever,
prohibition of physical violence did not bring peace to
the acolytes′ lodging,î Mr. Yoshikawa said. èRather,
it contributed to antagonism and distorted human relationships
between juniors and seniors.î
He added: èThe fundamental nature of animality within
one′s life cannot be changed by creating a precept.
Education is not a matter of mere formality or institution.
It is an issue of philosophy and belief. Put another way,
to develop better human relationships requires creating
a profound sense of trust between teachers and pupils.
The high priest does not understand this at all.î
He pointed out that such a tragic situation can occur
in any society and added: èIt is not easy to nurture a
sense of humanity in the lives of children without excellent
educational principles or excellent educators who put
them into practice.... The ill tendency that has grown
within the lives of children has spread contagiously,
corrupting their hearts. This animality that resides at
the acolytes′ lodging is difficult to overcome,
because it is so deeply rooted in the life of each acolyte.î
What is even more tragic, he went on to explain, is that
acolytes, for the most part, consider such attitudes to
be the norm, the correct behavior for the priesthood.
èMany acolytes, thinking that they are special and that
they can train their juniors through physical harassment,
even take pride at surviving their apprenticeship at the
head temple. They think that because they suffered so
much while training to become priests, it is permissible
to be high-handed toward lay believers. They also believe
that, because they have received training that lay people
do not, they are entitled to enjoy the fruits of full-fledged
priesthood in the form of secular indulgences.î
Mr. Yoshikawa then described the severe discrimination
faced by those who choose to become priests as adults.
èAcolytes...make fools of these adult freshmen, calling
them ′instant priests.′ They feel that these
adult priests are far inferior to them,î he said.
Mr. Yoshikawa suggested that, because the number of local
temples is limited, the younger acolytes fear that the
older èrookieî priests will compete for the chief priest
positions and so are especially harsh toward them.
èI remember that a ladle placed with the tea kettle
in the tea room of the acolytes′ lodging would be
broken every day because senior acolytes used it to hit
the adult trainees. Senior acolytes would even give a
flying kick to the them just for fun,î he said. As a result,
he watched as the characters of even the older freshman
priests become warped. èSome priests could not tolerate
it and had no choice but to quit. Some even became mentally
ill,î Mr. Yoshikawa said, but no one was allowed to stand
up against their seniors. èOne′s rank in the priesthood
or one′s tenure as a priest is of primary importance
in the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood,î he explained.
Regarding his own frame of mind, Mr. Yoshikawa admitted
that he was initially influenced by the same prejudices
as his classmates. èI was told that I should not chant
daimoku, I should not talk about the Gohonzon′s
power in terms of either benefit or punishment, and that
I need not worry about such basic matters of faith because
we, just by being priests, transcend the laity,î he said.
After living in the acolytes′ lodging for a year,
Mr. Yoshikawa recalled picking up a copy of the Seikyo
Shimbun that had been left in the tea room. He was deeply
impressed by èthe amazing drama of a believer′s
experience in faith,î which he read over and over with
tears in his eyes. When his fellow acolytes caught him
reading it, they ridiculed him until he put it down. Later,
he smuggled it into his room, locked the door, and continued
to read.
èBecause the article touched my heart
so deeply, I started to make it a practice to clip every
experience that moved me from the Seikyo Shimbun. I underlined
the encouraging parts in each article. I began to read
experiences in the Seikyo Shimbun with a seeking mind.î
As he studied the Gosho, Mr. Yoshikawa focused on several
passagesÊof which there are more than 200Êin which Nichiren
Daishonin emphasizes the value of chanting daimoku.
For instance, the Daishonin writes, ′If you dedicate
yourself to chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, you attain Buddhahood
as a common mortal′ (Gosho Zenshu, p. 872). He also
writes, ′You should always chant the invocation
of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo′ (Gosho Zenshu, p. 12). èFor
the first time I realized that what I had been told at
the head temple about chanting daimoku was totally wrong,
so I began to chant daimoku assiduously again, this time
for one hour every day.î
To chant undisturbed and to escape the suspicious eyes
of his classmates, Mr. Yoshikawa would slip in through
the back door of the Gohonzon room of the Mutsubo temple
on the head temple grounds. When he was occasionally caught
on his way to the Gohonzon room, he was quizzed about
what he was doing. èIt′s almost unbelievable that
a priest would be asked why he is entering a Gohonzon
room.î he said. In other words, the concept of entering
a Gohonzon room to pray to the Gohonzon was almost unheard
of at the head temple.
On one occasion, he was stopped by a senior acolyte who
was a college graduate. Although he was the most senior
of the acolytes and therefore held absolute power over
the rest, Mr. Yoshikawa recalled that he was not an unpleasant
person. èNevertheless, he looked shocked from the depths
of his heart when I told him that I was going to the Gohonzon
room to chant. He asked me, ′What on earth are you
praying about?′ He could not believe that a priest
would go out of his way to pray to the Gohonzon. This
clearly demonstrates the condition of the faith of many
young priests,î Mr. Yoshikawa said.
His colleagues thought him strange, branding him with
the nickname èDaimoku Yoshikawa.î Although such a name
would be a compliment in the Soka Gakkai, within Nichiren
Shoshu, it was intended as a source of shame. èWhen I
was a senior high school student, I seriously wondered,
′Am I strange because I love to chant? Or are all
the other priests strange who do not chant daimoku?′
èAgonized, I prayed to the Gohonzon: ′Gohonzon,
let me walk along a correct path to enlightenment. If
I am wrong, Gohonzon, please take my life.′ I had
to be this serious in offering my prayers. I can clearly
say now that the faith of the priests at the head temple
was distorted to the extent that they could not chant
daimoku.î
But nothing deterred the young Yoshikawa from chanting
to the Gohonzon. He clearly saw changes in himself from
one week to the next, from one month to the next. èI really
felt I developed myself a lot through my daimoku. I felt
this was the benefit of faith. I sensed an indescribable
upsurge of joy and satisfaction,î he said.
Mr. Yoshikawa recalled hearing High Priest Nikken say,
both publicly and privately, that èIt is a good thing
to chant daimoku.î The high priest even spoke about the
significance of chanting daimoku during a seminar for
acolytes in 1981. He said, èThe original way of the priesthood
is to take initiative in chanting daimoku sincerely and
encourage believers to do the same.î
But then he seems to have done a turnaround. Three years
later, at another seminar for acolytes, the high priest
said: èYou don′t have to chant for hours.... If
you really feel you want to chant daimoku for a specific
reason, chant daimoku earnestly to the Gohonzon for about
15 minutes.... This amount of daimoku is good enough for
the practice of the acolyte.î He also said: èBecause lay
believers chant more than that, you, too, should sincerely
chant daimoku for about 30 minutes a day. However, if
you chant much more than that, daimoku may be harmful
to you.î These remarks by the high priest are all printed
in past issues of Dai-Nichiren (the head temple′s
monthly magazine).
Mr. Yoshikawa theorized that the high priest gave such
guidance in reaction to a conversation Mr. Yoshikawa had
with a fellow acolyte who was also the son of a chief
priest at a local temple. When he told the acolyte about
his results from chanting daimoku, the young man started
chanting diligently at the temple where he lived with
his family, much to the shock and consternation of his
parents. They expressed their concern that he was chanting
too much daimoku, and word eventually got back to the
high priest. According to Mr. Yoshikawa, he thus gave
all acolytes this guidance, in effect discouraging them
from chanting daimoku.
When High Priest Nikken took office in 1979, the Gakkai
was in the midst of a dispute with the priesthood. At
first the high priest often urged the priesthood to change
its negative view of the Soka Gakkai and evaluate its
good points.
However, Mr. Yoshikawa recalled that èhis assessment of
even what he viewed as the positive aspects of the Soka
Gakkai were limited.î He described the high priest′s
recognition of the greatness of the Soka Gakkai as merely
èsecular,î in that èhe never understood the significance
of the existence of the Soka Gakkai in terms of Buddhism
itself.î Mr. Yoshikawa pointed out that through its dedicated
efforts the Gakkai has been propagating the Daishonin′s
Buddhism on a global scale, yet the high priest understood
the Soka Gakkai only superficially.
In addition, Mr. Yoshikawa explained, because the priesthood
never has persevered in chanting daimoku or introducing
others to Nichiren Daishonin′s teachings, even the
high priest has no idea of the difficulties that Gakkai
members face in propagating Buddhism, much less of the
dedication of the Soka Gakkai. In other words, the high
priest does not recognize that the Gakkai has appeared
in order to fulfill the mandate of Nichiren Daishonin
and to advance kosen-rufu.
At times the high priest himself complimented the Gakkai,
èyet,î Mr. Yoshikawa said, èthere always was an implicit
but definite limit beyond which no priest was allowed
to go in commending the Gakkai. To be specific, we were
not allowed to speak about President Ikeda in a positive
light. At the acolytes′ lodging, we could never
talk highly about President Ikeda, who is a person of
the greatest merit for kosen-rufu and the greatest leader
of propagation. Even a brief, haphazard positive statement
about President Ikeda caused big trouble. This taboo permeated
the head temple. No one can survive at the head temple
if they violate this taboo.î
For 10 years, from 1979 through 1989, Mr. Yoshikawa took
responsibility as chief of the Student Department at the
head temple. At one time during that period, he spoke
about President Ikeda to the senior high school acolytes.
èBased upon my own experience, I spoke about how dedicated
he has been to leading the kosen-rufu movement for the
sake of the happiness of the people. Many of the acolytes,
eyes sparkling, eagerly listened to what I had to say.
I thought these children were pure in the depths of their
lives.î
However, it turned out that some of the acolytes reported
his talk to their parents. A rumor spread at the head
temple that the Student Department was disseminating the
èstrange ideaî that President Ikeda is praiseworthy. Mr.
Yoshikawa was unanimously criticized by the priesthood
authorities and accused of being a èGakkai priest.î èLittle
did I imagine that a single word of praise regarding President
Ikeda at the head temple would have such a strong, negative
impact,î Mr. Yoshikawa said.
In response to a question, Mr. Yoshikawa agreed that in
the final analysis, the priesthood is unable to fathom
the value of the Soka Gakkai or understand the essence
of the organization because the priests, for the most
part, lack faith.
He recalled the Shoshinkai incident in the late 1970s,
when some 200 priests opposed Nichiren Shoshu and consequently
were expelled. When the Shoshinkai incident was escalating
in February 1978, the head temple requested that each
chief priest submit his opinion. Although Mr. Yoshikawa
was not yet a chief priest, he sent a long letter expressing
his concern over the condition of Nichiren Shoshu. It
reads in part:
In fact, the current priesthood has not been trained to
solve their problems in daily life through faith. Therefore,
generally speaking, the priesthood is not capable of giving
believers proper guidance about their worries and concerns
in their daily lives.... The priests are not cognizant
of where their own problems lie. In fact, they are not
even aware that they have problems. Consequently, they
do not know when they are wrong and have no intention
whatsoever to reform themselves.... It is urgent that
the priesthood change its attitude on a fundamental level.
Nothing is so vital as taking a step toward solving the
fundamental problem within the priesthood. Today, whenever
priests gather, they only speak ill of others behind their
backs. Their concern is usually about the amount of offerings
they receive. The priesthood has to change its fundamental
attitude in faith so that they will naturally begin discussing
positive topics, like how many households they have successfully
converted to Nichiren Shoshu or who has actually advanced
kosen-rufu. Then, the many problems Nichiren Shoshu is
now confronting will automatically be resolved.
Mr. Yoshikawa said: èI believe what I wrote adequately
points out the corruption of the priesthood in those days.
Unfortunately, however, the ailment within Nichiren Shoshu
remains unchanged today. Herein lies the essential problem,
which not only underlies the current dispute but also
has been negatively affecting Nichiren Shoshu for ages.
èThe current issue,î he said, èis not between the
Soka Gakkai and Nichiren Shoshu. It is an issue that stems
from lack of faith on the part of the priesthood. My sincere
wish is that Nichiren Shoshu reflect upon itself as quickly
and deeply as possible, regain genuinely pure faith, and
develop into a truly harmonious organization that can
promote kosen-rufu and be in accord with the intent of
the Daishonin.î
By Ted Morino, Managing Editor, and Lisa Kirk, Associate
Editor, World Tribune
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