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1. Letter to High Priest Nikken
Abe by Endo Ishida |
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Serving as an administrator
in the Nichiren Shoshu Overseas Bureau for the past three
years, Endo Ishida worked closely with Overseas Bureau
Chief Kotoku Obayashi on the development of Nichiren Shoshu’s
international movement. He is the first priest to secede
this year and the first since the Tokyo District Court
ruling in the Seattle Incident trial in March. Ishida
asks High Priest Nikken to take full responsibility for
the decline of the head temple, Taiseki-ji, and expresses
his determination to take “action for justice”
together with SGI members.
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To Nikken Abe Chief Administrator
of Nichiren Shoshu
Quoting the “Encouraging Devotion” (13th)
chapter of the Lotus Sutra in “The Opening of the
Eyes,” Nichiren Daishonin states: “There will
be forest-dwelling monks wearing clothing of patched rags
and living in retirement, who will claim they are practicing
the true way, despising and looking down on all humankind.
Greedy for profit and support, they will preach the Law
to white-robed laymen and will be respected and revered
by the world as though they were arhats who possess the
six transcendental powers. These men with evil in their
hearts, constantly thinking of worldly affairs, will borrow
the name of forest-dwelling monks and take delight in
proclaiming our faults … Because in the midst of
the great assembly they constantly try to defame us, they
will address the rulers, high ministers, Brahmans, and
house-holders, as well as the other monks, slandering
and speaking evil of us, saying, ‘These are men
of perverted views who preach non-Buddhist doctrines!’
… In a muddied kalpa, in an evil age there will
be many things to fear. Evil demons will take possession
of others and through them curse, revile, and heap shame
on us.… The evil monks of that muddied age, failing
to understand the Buddha’s expedient means, how
he preaches the Law in accordance with what is appropriate,
will confront us with foul language and angry frowns;
again and again we will be banished” (The Writings
of Nichiren Daishonin, p. 270).
The head temple, Taiseki-ji, is an unbearably tragic sight
today, in contrast to the auspicious events scheduled
in 2002 to celebrate the 750th anniversary of the establishment
of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism. Defeat in the
Seattle Incident trial has increased others’ distrust
of you, which permeates the head temple. The number of
believers who go on pilgrimage to the head temple is on
a steady decline. Those living at the head temple are
well aware of the stagnation in faith that prevails on
its grounds. The Fuji School’s “pure current
of faith” over the past centuries that Taiseki-ji
has been boasting about has dried up. We cannot help but
feel that the spirit of the Daishonin, the founder of
true Buddhism, and Nikko Shonin, the founder of Taiseki-ji,
has been completely lost at the head temple. As we observe
the pathetic reality of Nichiren Shoshu, it is obvious
that you, High Priest Nikken Abe, are only interested
in believers’ offerings and have caused all this
by allowing your jealousy to destroy the harmonious unity
of priesthood and laity.
Indeed, you, High Priest Nikken, embody the third powerful
enemy who appears to obstruct the progress of kosen-rufu
as described in the “Encouraging Devotion”
chapter of the Lotus Sutra. In 1964, I became a Nichiren
Shoshu priest as a member of the fifth class. I have been
part of the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood since then. But
I have come to be convinced that there is no other way
than leaving Nichiren Shoshu for me to help revitalize
this sect and contribute to the spread of the True Law.
Let me share part of my sentiments as I secede from Nichiren
Shoshu today.
The decline of Nichiren Shoshu that became so visible
at the end of last year makes it evident to me that the
Buddhist gods have deserted Taiseki-ji, where I have lived
over the past decades. The current dismal financial condition
of the head temple and the extremely irrational actions
you took to cope with this crisis prove my point.
On April 5, 1998, the last day of the 100,000-member pilgrimage
that year, the Dai- Gohonzon was suddenly transferred
(from the Grand Main Temple [Sho-Hondo] to the Hoan-den
temple), and the demolition of the Grand Main Temple was
abruptly announced.
We priests residing at the head temple were notified of
the transfer of the Dai-Gohonzon only a few minutes before
it was executed. We wondered why the Dai-Gohonzon, the
foundation of our school’s faith, had to be transferred
in such a secretive manner.
In November 1998, you issued an admonition, in which you
announced that offerings would be collected for the construction
of the Hoan-do temple [where the Dai-Gohonzon will be
enshrined from 2002]. At the end of 1999, the first collection
of offerings took place, but the number of participants
and the total amount of money collected were shockingly
below your goal. Only 60 percent of Nichiren Shoshu’s
goal was achieved. I vividly remember what High Priest
Nittatsu, my mentor, once said: “We have come to
the decision that we will, from now until forever, allow
believers to worship the Dai- Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary
of True Buddhism at this Grand Main Temple for their attainment
of enlightenment and the fulfillment of all their desires
in the present and future. We thus designate this structure
as a great edifice at which to pray for world peace.”
I have been struggling to suppress my distrust of you,
my suspicion that your self-righteousness lay behind the
abrupt transfer of the Dai-Gohonzon and the demolition
of the Grand Main Temple. The disappointing results of
the collection campaign in 1999 eloquently prove that
Nichiren Shoshu believers are not convinced that demolishing
the Grand Main Temple and constructing the Hoan-do temple
was the right thing to do. It also shows me that their
hearts have begun to close to Taiseki-ji.
In the meantime, you chose to avoid the essence of the
matter and ordered all priests’ salaries at the
head temple to be reduced by one-third. You justified
this by saying that you had discovered a number of unnecessary
expenditures at the head temple. As a result of your decision,
I know that it became financially impossible for some
priests at the head temple to send their children to kindergarten.
High Priest Nikken, I cannot agree with what you have
done. Is it not a fact that the true cause for the current
financial strains of Nichiren Shoshu lies in your foolish
behavior? Is this not reflected in your destruction of
various buildings at the head temple out of your jealousy
toward the former high priest, Nittatsu, and the Soka
Gakkai? And if Nichiren Shoshu is truly having financial
problems now, should you not first dispose of the two
residences that you privately use—those located
at Nakamachi, Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, and at Shoto, Shibuya
Ward, Tokyo? Your self-centeredness is manifested in your
limitless greed for offerings from believers. You are
exploiting Nichiren Shoshu for your personal purposes.
This, by all means, should not be tolerated.
Next, I want to address the Seattle Incident trial. Since
most of us did not have any chance to observe the trial,
all we knew about it was based on information from the
Public Relations Bureau of Nichiren Shoshu. The great
majority of the priests of our school were led to believe
that Nichiren Shoshu would score a stunning victory in
this trial. In March, just before the ruling was announced,
those Nichiren Shoshu council members and other priests
who gathered at the head temple were full of optimism,
some even saying: “We will no doubt win a huge victory.”
“We will publish a large run of a special edition.”
However, the trial outcome was exactly the opposite of
what we expected. The judge denied the credibility of
your court testimony and acknowledged that it was true
that you were with prostitutes in Seattle. With such a
clear-cut defeat, I now see how ignorant we have been
of the truth of the matter. And I know that having made
a big deal out of publishing a special edition was just
a joke. Nothing brought us, the Nichiren Shoshu priests,
greater shame than the official ruling. At the same time,
I realize that the Public Relations Bureau intended to
hide the truth from us.
You once clearly said that you would resign from the position
of high priest if the Seattle Incident were proven true.
Nothing is more base than your behavior now as you try
to justify your position, thus further deceiving the priests
and believers of Nichiren Shoshu by telling them another
round of lies and excuses. The statement that you had
published is evidence of this: “The verdict was
not adequate, and it was a misjudgment by the judge.”
Looking back, the atmosphere at the head temple during
the celebration of your 77th birthday last December was
still composed and light-hearted. However, failure in
the collection drive last December and defeat in the Seattle
Incident trial dramatically changed the atmosphere at
the head temple. These two major setbacks resulted in
a decrease in the number of pilgrimage participants to
the head temple; there is growing distrust in you and
the current priesthood.
I have been attending every gokaihi (ceremony to worship
the Dai-Gohonzon) under your leadership. Especially this
year, participants have continuously decreased in number.
The faces of the participants have continued to darken,
and it has become obvious that they are participating
in the ceremony merely out of obligation.
The summer training pilgrimage had a remarkably low attendance
compared to last year. There were days when we only achieved
half of our attendance goal. As a result, the gokaihi
ceremony that was supposed to be held twice a day had
to be reduced to once a day. Not only that, less than
2,600 people—which used to be the regular attendance
for each gokaihi ceremony when it took place twice a day—showed
up when the gokaihi ceremony became a once-a-day event.
This serious decrease in attendance dumfounded us.
Is it not true that the many chief priests of local temples
predict that Nichiren Shoshu will accomplish only 20 or
30 percent of the goal of 300,000 participants in the
pilgrimage slated for a year and a half from now? Deep
in their hearts, they all know that achieving 300,000
participants is totally impossible.
Strangely enough, it often rains on the Saturdays and
Sundays when the summer training pilgrimage is held at
the head temple. I often witnessed it begin to rain harder
just before the gokaihi ceremony and could not help but
take it as the sorrowful tears of the Dai-Gohonzon. Believers
were often drenched when they entered the Hoan-den temple.
The tatami mats thus absorbed a lot of moisture, and a
musty smell permeates inside. Furthermore, the violence
and discrimination that abound at the head temple have
negatively influenced many acolytes who have received
training there. Life has disappeared from their faces.
Defiled, their eyes shine no more. I do not see any sign
of vitality in these young priests who are supposed to
shoulder Nichiren Shoshu’s future. Remembering the
days when I became a Nichiren Shoshu priest, our mentor,
High Priest Nittatsu, watched our growth with his gentle
smile, and I was so proud to receive training as a young
priest at the head temple. As I walk around the head temple
grounds these days, I reminisce about the good old days
at the head temple and the many warm words I often received
from High Priest Nittatsu. Today, however, all the structures
that High Priest Nittatsu built have been destroyed.
In those days, we were fresh from the completion of the
Six-Compartment Lodging and the Grand Reception Hall.
All of Nichiren Shoshu was vibrantly advancing toward
the great objective of kosen-rufu. Taiseki-ji was full
of daimoku, and the Soka Gakkai members who visited the
head temple were in high spirits, determined to promote
kosen-rufu.
Nowadays, no trace of such a positive spirit is seen at
Taiseki-ji. Pilgrims are scarce, and those who traverse
its grounds are lifeless, their faces looking down.
In “The Strategy of the Lotus Sutra,” the
Daishonin states, “When one comes to the end of
one’s good fortune, no strategy whatsoever avails”
(WND, 1000).
The dramatic decline of Taiseki-ji over the past six months
or so exemplifies the truth of this statement. Though
it is summer now, I feel emptiness in the wind that blows
over the head temple grounds. Where did the spirit of
Taiseki-ji go? I am in deep agony, with an inescapable
sadness in my heart.
Taiseki-ji, the head temple of Nichiren Shoshu, where
the Dai-Gohonzon is located, is supposed to be a sacred
haven of faith. It should be an enlightened place. Why
did it have to become deserted? The answer is obvious
in the Daishonin’s writings: “The Great Teacher
Miao-lo says: ‘You should understand that one’s
life and its environment at a single moment encompass
the three thousand realms. Therefore, when one attains
the Buddha way, one puts oneself in accord with this fundamental
principle, and one’s body and mind at a single moment
pervade the entire realm of phenomena’” (WND,
366).
Our environment is the reflection of our mind, and our
mind permeates the entire universe.
The current emptiness at Taiseki-ji, which has strayed
far from the great cause of kosen-rufu, clearly manifests
the emptiness in your mind. In other words, Taiseki-ji
today reflects your excessive attachment to your own welfare
and that of your family. It is a reflection of your burning
jealousy toward Honorary President Ikeda, a reflection
of your evil, wicked mind as the third powerful enemy
of Buddhism. You, High Priest Nikken, must know that you
are the one fundamental cause for the current decadence
of Taiseki-ji.
Also, I have been assigned to the Overseas Bureau since
April 1997. What I saw in this assignment is that even
though you advocate world kosen-rufu, you lack the heart
to bring happiness to each believer and to realize global
kosen-rufu.
In reality, Nichiren Shoshu temples or offices in various
parts of the world do not have many priests. They are
facing severe financial circumstances. Out of your personal
emotions toward having a central stronghold in Europe—which
I believe is only to satisfy your ego—you give special
treatment to particular countries. And you do not show
any interest in how Nichiren Shoshu temples are being
managed in Asia or South America.
You do not even care how believers in those countries
practice the Daishonin’s Buddhism. By rights, the
Overseas Bureau budget, which is supposed to be discussed
by the top management of Nichiren Shoshu and then distributed
most effectively to respond to the reality of overseas
Nichiren Shoshu temples, is administrated at your whim.
The budget has been distributed unevenly, and Overseas
Bureau Chief Kotoku Obayashi has followed your direction
blindly. As one who knows the condition of Nichiren Shoshu
in each country and who functioned as a liaison with each
country, I was deeply concerned about the irrationality
of your leadership. I really have been suffering from
this. Indeed, you are self-righteous and have no mercy.
World kosen-rufu means that the Law, the Daishonin’s
Buddhism, spreads throughout the world, and the people
of each country enjoy accumulating the benefit of Buddhist
practice. However, I have no choice but to say that your
behavior shows that your view of kosen-rufu is very shortsighted.
Yours is not based on the spread of the Law. In your mind,
kosen-rufu just means building temples. It is now clear
that the great goal of global kosen-rufu will not be accomplished
under your leadership.
As we herald the anniversary of the former high priest
Nittatsu’s death tomorrow, I declare that I will
leave Taiseki-ji for now. Convinced that taking action
for justice together with 10 million believers with correct
faith is the way to regain the purity of the Fuji School
and the way to repay our debt of gratitude to the former
high priest, Nittatsu, I hereby declare that I secede
from the current Nichiren Shoshu. I proclaim that you,
High Priest Nikken, the fundamental obstacle to kosen-rufu,
should take responsibility. I strongly request your resignation
from the position of the high priest of Nichiren Shoshu.
July 21, 2000 Endo Ishida
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(Originally published, World
Tribune, Aug. 18, 2000)
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