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16. The 'Problem of Faith' |
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The Soka Spirit movement is
a gold mine of opportunities to learn more about Nichiren
Daishonin's Buddhism. The basics of faith are now cast
in new light, revealing their deeper meaning with the
Nichiren Shoshu priesthood's views as points of contrast.
For this reason, our understanding of the temple issue
will naturally translate into a clearer view of our faith,
into greater joy and benefit from our practice.
The meaning of faith, for example, once required a simple
explanation, such as: We believe in the Gohonzon. Many
of us assumed that it was impossible to have wrong faith
in the correct object of devotion; faith, as long as placed
in the Gohonzon, was a matter of strong or weak, not of
right or wrong, we believed.
Now, thanks to the priesthood, we are learning that what
matters is not only what we believe in but also how we
believe in it, that what people sometimes think of as
faith in the Gohonzon can be a problem.
Regarding the significance of the Gohonzon, the Daishonin
states, Never seek this Gohonzon outside yourself (The
Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, p. 832). Interpreting
this passage, the priesthood asserts: The Gohonzon to
which he refers is not the correct object of worship which
one should worship. The Gohonzon to which he refers is
the life of the Buddha nature endowed within our bodies
(Refuting the Soka Gakkai's Counterfeit Object of Worship:
100 Questions and Answers, p. 56). The priesthood here
separates the object of devotion from our inherent Buddha
nature; in other words, the Gohonzon to which we pray
and the ultimate reality of our lives are two different
things, so the priests say.
The priesthood's view of faith, however, contradicts the
Daishonin's teaching as he admonishes us, When we revere
Myoho-renge-kyo inherent in our own life as the object
of devotion, the Buddha nature within us is summoned forth
and manifested by our chanting of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
(WND, 887). Those who follow the priesthood's teaching
say that they believe in the Gohonzon, yet the way they
do is the exact opposite of what the Daishonin teaches.
The innermost reality of their prayer whether they are
conscious or unconscious of it is: The Gohonzon is all-powerful
and worthy of respect, but I'm nothing, except in as much
as I receive blessings through my faith in its power.
Whoever prays this way grows dependent, passive and weak;
he or she remains insecure and frustrated because they
are separate from the solution to their suffering and
thus out of control over their own existence.
In contrast, true faith in the Gohonzon is to believe
in the unconditional value of our lives as the Daishonin
encourages us: You, yourself, are a Thus Come One who
is originally enlightened and endowed with the three bodies
[of a Buddha]. You should chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with
this conviction (WND, 299‚300).
Our faith in and reverence for the Gohonzon, therefore,
must be reflected back to ourselves as faith in and reverence
for our own lives. Our innate Buddha nature is the object
of our fundamental respect as it is represented in the
Gohonzon; it must be recognized, cherished and praised
daily through our prayer. Any form of self-disparagement,
therefore, should have no place in our faith, in our prayer.
To see our own supreme potential and respect ourselves
despite our momentary appearance or the opinions of others
is of far greater significance and much more difficult
than to humble ourselves before some omnipotent entity.
This is why true faith requires courage. But every bit
of courage we exert to praise our lives will be richly
rewarded with hope and freedom.
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(Originally published, World
Tribune, Sept. 7, 2001)
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