The Role of Rumors as a Function of Fundamental Darkness

 I was strolling through the Renoir exhibit at the Los Angeles Country Museum of Art recently, admiring an exquisite painting of a woman holding a child, when I heard a man behind me make a comment to his female companion: “that was their nanny, she was his model, I bet you anything she was a lot more than that” he said with a sneer in his voice. “So that’s how rumors are started,” I thought, “with just one unfounded remark.” I couldn’t help wondering what prompted the comment in the first place, but I could imagine it taking on a life of its own, traveling from mouth to mouth, fueled by emotions such as envy, jealousy, pettiness, until eventually it would become a “given” that the impressionist master’s nanny was also his lover.

“Spreading a derogatory rumor to boost self-esteem is psychologically enhancing”(Nicholas DiFonzo, The Water Cooler Effect, p. 101).

 In his book “The Psychology of Rumor”, the sociologist Gordon Allport   writes of a Chinese teacher who was traveling through Maine on vacation towards the end of WWII. The teacher carried a guidebook, which said that a splendid view could be seen from a certain hilltop, and he had stopped in a small town to ask for direction. From that innocent request, from a man who was “courteous, timid, and made no attempt to conceal himself”, a rumor quickly spread that a Japanese spy had gone up the hill to take pictures of the region. According to Allport, key details were blurred or distorted in the transmission of the story. A man became a spy. Someone who looked Asian became a Japanese. A harmless guidebook became a camera. Sightseeing became espionage.

Rumors are one of the most insidious and destructive products of the human psyche; they have at their origin the fundamental negative energy of life, manifested in human beings as the three poisons of ignorance, greed, and anger. Time and time again, rumors have been used consciously and unconsciously to defame and hurt the innocent, ranging from casual and thoughtless remarks such as the one uttered in the museum, to elaborate and carefully planned schemes by people in power to bring down anyone standing in their way (the famous Dreyfus Affair in 19^th century France is a case in point). Human history is littered with such examples, from the time of Socrates to our present era. Shakyamuni Buddha himself was subjected to slanderous accusations by those bent on destroying him. A group of Brahmans, jealous of his high moral standards, spread rumors that he was having an affair with a well-known courtesan, and a Brahman woman accused him of making her pregnant when in fact she had attached a bowl to her belly.

“In most cases, rumormongers project their own feelings of guilt, shame or paranoia unto victims”(Pamela J. Stewart, Witchcraft, Sorcery, Rumors and Gossip).

In his recent essay “On Persecutions Befalling Nichiren Daishonin” (Sept/Oct 2010 Living Buddhism, p.82), SGI President Daisaku Ikeda discusses how those in power in 13th century Japan to try to bring down Nichiren Daishonin, a man of justice and integrity, used rumors. Ryokan, a powerful priest of the True Word School, “who had been shamed before the entire country when he was defeated by the Daishonin in a contest to pray for rain,” not only reneged on his promise to become the Daishonin’s disciple, but he and his cronies went around spreading slanderous rumors and allegations to the wives of influential government officials, going so far as to state that the Daishonin had “transgressed the priestly code by having forbidden relations with women” and therefore should be put to death. Ikeda goes on to say “women tend to react strongly when it comes to men’s illicit sexual affairs, and Ryokan and his colleagues must have tried to take advantage of these feelings in their appeals to high ranking women.” And further on “spreading rumors of sexual misconduct or other moral scandals is a standard tactic employed by the unscrupulous to discredit those of justice and integrity. It is simple enough for one side doing the criticism because it involves spreading a negative image. For those being criticized however, it is much more difficult to prove there is nothing to the charges. That’s why it is a choice method for ruining a person’s good name…false accusations are the prime catalyst behind persecution (nowadays these tactics involve collusion with elements of the mass media). Truth and facts do not matter. The only thing that matters is that people receive an unfavorable impression.” Ikeda cites other examples of Nembutsu adherents spreading the rumors that Nichiren and his followers were responsible for a series of fires and murders in Kamakura (when in fact they had been committed by the accusers themselves), in order to create the impression that they were “a dangerous and violent group.”

“If lies are allowed to go unchecked, people will store them in their minds as facts.”(Daisaku Ikeda,Lectures on the Opening of the Eyes, p. 116)

The problem, as Ikeda points out, is that when “authorities and other forces in society unite to persecute a person or group, very few people bother to check the facts or raise their voice in protest. “That is what is so frightening about the calculated manufacturing of negative images to malign and discredit a group or person…once a rumor has been started, it arouses people’s curiosity and takes on a life of its own. Because credibility has been so severely damaged by a rumor, people will not listen to what the maligned person has to say, no matter how right it may be.”

When the Soka Gakkai was still in its infancy, it was derided as a “gathering of the sick and the poor.” As it grew in size and influence powerful forces in the public and private sector colluded to try to destroy it and its President, Daisaku Ikeda, who was constantly libeled in the tabloids and accused of all sorts of misconduct. In the 1970s, “The Soka Gakkai was experiencing extensive, ongoing media attacks, most of which were concentrated on President Ikeda himself. Yamazaki cleverly took advantage of this media influence and used it to undermine the Gakkai’s efforts to spread Nichiren Buddhism” (A Revolution Dawns, p. 49).

 The Nichiren Shoshu priests also colluded with the media in order to spread defamatory rumors about the Gakkai. “On December 25, 1990, Abbe Nikken met, at the head temple, with anti-Gakkai priest Kojun Takahashi and his brother tabloid reporter Isao Dan, and asked him to further intensify his written attacks and critical coverage of the Soka Gakkai” (A Revolution Dawns, p. 61).

The SGI-USA is still a small organization, but there is the likelihood that as it keeps growing it will meet with the same kind of opposition and slander, as special interests will try to destroy it or impede its growth. We need to be ready for this and develop the wisdom to see through these tactics. As individuals, we are continuously exposed to a stream of information, especially on the Internet, and need to take the time to sift through it and come to our own conclusions. We and our fellow members may also personally encounter opposition in the form of malicious slander, both from within and without the organization, and it is crucial for us to develop the wisdom and fortitude not to be taken in by them or to become party to the spreading of false information.

Faith — because rumors originate in the fundamental darkness of life, the best defense is the “sharp sword of faith. “Nichiren Daishonin says “The single word ‘belief’ is the sharp sword with which one confronts and overcomes fundamental darkness or ignorance” (The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, pp. 119-20). Developing a rock solid life state in tune with one’s mentor and with the universe draws the protection of the heavenly deities, the protective functions of Life. As the Lotus Sutra states “all others who bore you enmity or malice likewise have been wiped out” (The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras, p. 329).

Refutation — “Studies have shown that denial of a rumor reduces belief, while the absence of denial reinforces belief” (The Water Cooler Effect p. 143). Itis vital to refute any falsehood with quickness and accuracy. When maliciously maligned, Nichiren “immediately composed a thoroughgoing refutation of Gyobin’s petition” (Sep/Oct 2010 Living Buddhism p. 87). President Ikeda immediately countered any attack on his mentor Toda or the SGI without wasting a minute. As the saying goes “speed is of the essence.” The longer one waits, the more time a rumor has to build and to become reality in people’s minds.

Dialogue — In The Water Cooler Effect (p. 210), DiFonzon writes “a better refutation delivers a clear, detailed explanation with strong evidence for why the rumor was false.” Engaging in open and sincere dialogue based on the dignity of human life is the ultimate tool for conflict resolution. President Ikeda constantly urges us to speak out and to say what must be said, stating the facts accurately. “Dialogue gives rise to trust, even among those who don’t see eye to eye” (Daisaku Ikeda, Wisdom for Modern Life, p. 379). Having the courage to express one’s conviction in a calm and dignified manner is a sure way to attract the protection of the Buddhist gods, and turn even enemies into allies.

Develop Trust — “Trust may indeed be the ingredient that prevents and reduces harmful rumors the most. It’s also the most difficult asset to cultivate among conflicted parties” (The Water Cooler Effect p. 208). Fear and anxiety are powerful emotions that drive a wedge between people and groups, and are often used by those in power to manipulate public opinion. In order to protect the SGI, Pres. Ikeda has built a network of allies from all walks of life around the globe. In our own way, we can build a network of trust in our immediate community through our behavior as human beings who uphold the sanctity of Life.

Transparency and Self-Reform — Whenever we hear derogatory comments about anyone, within the SGI or not, do we resist the temptation to accept it and gossip about it, and do we check the facts first? Our organization is a tight knit group and it can be easy for rumors to spread, especially through e-mails, text messages, etc. The best antidote to unfounded rumors in my opinion is transparency, both as individuals and as a group. Pres. Ikeda once remarked to a journalist. “I am like an onion, as you peel the layers, you’ll find the same thing”, (i.e. what you see is what you get; I have nothing to hide, so you can dig all you want). It is important that we continuously strive to create an organization that is transparent, starting of course with ourselves, through self-reflection and self-reform.

“On the level of the individual, practicing the Lotus Sutra means confronting the fundamental darkness in one’s own life” (Daisaku Ikeda Wisdom for Modern Life, p. 361).

In the continuous struggle to establish a peaceful society in the Latter Day of the Law, it is incumbent upon us to use words to protect our loved ones, our precious organization, and ourselves; words of wisdom, courage, and conviction that will soar and echo in the skies of justice.

Notes:

1)Nicholas DiFonzo, The Water Cooler Effect, p 101

2)Pamela J. Stewart, Witchcraft, Sorcery, Rumors and Gossip

3)Daisaku Ikeda, Lecture on the Opening of the Eyes, p. 116

4)Daisaku Ikeda Wisdom for Modern Life, p. 361