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19. November
2004: Religion: Liberating or Oppressing
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The following are excerpts
from the essay by SGI Study Department Chief Katsuji Saito
published in the September 1993 issue of Daibyakurenge.
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1)
For a religion to remain as a truly living one,
it must constantly fight degeneration into authoritarianism
and create the momentum to transform itself into
a religion that serves human beings.
2) An oppressive religion in which the religious
leaders wield absolute authority eventually ignores
people, becomes corrupt and dies out. |
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Religion can either support people or
oppress them. An oppressive religion in which the religious
leaders wield absolute authority eventually ignores people,
becomes corrupt and dies out.
For a religion to remain as a truly living one, it must
constantly fight degeneration into authoritarianism and
create the momentum to transform itself into a religion
that serves human beings. In his writings, Nichiren Daishonin
indicates aspect of religion that may be regarded as guideposts
for a humanistic religion.
Symbiosis with the people
First, a religion must maintain its “symbiotic relationship”
with the people. In other words, a religion should exists
among the people.
No one among the founders of the various Japanese Buddhist
sects left as many letters addressed to the common people
as the Daishonin. He wrote the majority of these letters
to express his sincere appreciation for the offerings
from his lay believers. Through the Daishonin’s
correspondence with the people, there was mutual understanding
of one another’s sincerity and a genuine exchange
between human beings.
He expressed his honest appreciation for the people’s
sincerity and responded from his heart to their happiness
and suffering. In such a symbiotic relationship lies the
fundamental posture that the Daishonin maintained toward
religion.
Religion that teaches people
to base their lives on themselves
Next, a religion that exists for the sake of human beings
teaches people to base their lives on themselves.
Religion that serves human beings is not a teaching that
merely gives consolation. The Daishonin states, “[If]
you think the Law is outside yourself, you are embracing
not the Mystic Law but an inferior teaching”(WND,
p.3). He also states, “Never seek this Gohonzon
outside yourself”(WND, p.832).
As he elucidates, the truth resides within the life of
each human being. Religion, therefore, should teach people
to reveal that truth in themselves. In other words, it
must guide people to base their lives upon themselves.
On the contrary, an authoritarian religion maintains that
the truth is shared only among a few privileged clergy,
and it asks people to rely on and obey those of religious
authority.
Religion taught in living
words
Thirdly, a humanistic religion is taught in living words.
Shakamuni refused to allow his teachings to be communicated
in the standardized clerical language of his day. He insisted
that his teaching be communicated in the language spoken
by the people of each area.
The Daishonin inscribed the Gohonzon and revealed the
daimoku of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as a means of liberating
the supreme truth for all people. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
is the name of the fundamental truth that Buddhahood exists
in all people; it is also the living word that enables
those who invoke it to call forth their own Buddha nature
from within. As the Daishonin states, “When once
we chant Myoho-renge-kyo, with just that single sound
we summon forth and manifest the Buddha nature of all
Buddha; all existences; all bodhisattvas…and all
other living beings”(WND, p.887).
Challenging oppressive religious
authority
Lastly, a religion that exists for the sake of human beings
should challenge oppressive religious authority. Throughout
his life, the Daishonin fought with religionists who were
spreading erroneous teachings using their authority, including
the priest, Ryokan, of the Gokuraku-ji temple who, in
league with the shogunate authority, persecuted the Daishonin
and his followers.
Unafraid of oppressive authority, the Daishonin struggled
to spread the True Law among the people. This was his
unchanging posture toward authoritarian religions.
All of these, however, are lacking in the Nichiren Shoshu
priesthood. For example, Nikken himself regards people
as too ignorant to understand Buddhism. [At a meeting
with priests’ families held at Taiseki-ji on May
28, 1992, Nikken stated: “The people cannot possibly
understand the true teaching of the Buddha or the Buddha’s
wisdom. No matter how many stupid people may gather together—a
thousand or ten thousand—they cannot add up to the
correct thought of a single Buddha.”]
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What are the characteristics
of oppressive religion? |
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What are the characteristics
of liberating religion? |
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What are other characteristics
of liberating religion and why? |
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In Nichiren Shoshu, people are also regarded as innately
inferior to the priesthood. No wonder there is no desire
or action to live among the people within the Nichiren
Shoshu priesthood.
Furthermore, in Nichiren Shoshu, Buddhism is merely a
means to ensure livelihood of priests and support their
extravagant lifestyles. Priests regard Budhism only as
a shield to protect their authority. As they seek external
adornment for their lives, they naturally lack the fundamental
attitude as Buddhists to develop their inner life.
Since the Nichiren Shoshu priests refuse to live among
the people, they are incapable of spreading Buddhism in
living words that strike chords in people’s hearts.
Rather, they boast that the high priest’s sermon
is so wonderful that it should be difficult to understand.
Being authoritarian themselves, the Nichiren Shoshu priests
possess neither the spirit to fight against authoritarianism
nor any desire to rid themselves of it.
Now that we have clearly separated ourselves from Nichiren
Shoshu, let us firmly establish the path toward a religion
for human beings as delineated by the Daishonin.
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(from World Tribune, October
24, 2003)
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