|
|
NBAA
|
SGI
|
Nichiren Shoshu
|
Nichiren Shu
|
Kempon Hokke
|
|
Do you believe following a mentor/priest/teacher
is part of the path to enlightenment?
(For clarification: A "path to enlightenment" here
means a teaching that can be followed throughout one's life
as a means for constant development toward Buddhahood.)
|
|
|
YES
|
|
?
|
|
|
NBAA
|
SGI
|
Nichiren Shoshu
|
Nichiren Shu
|
Kempon Hokke
|
|
Do you believe non-Buddhist teachings need
to be publicly refuted?
|
YES
|
NO
|
YES
|
|
YES
|
|
Do you believe other (non-Nichiren) forms
of Buddhism need to be publicly refuted?
|
YES
|
Only in Japan or other
Asian countries.
|
|
|
YES
|
|
Do you believe Nichiren Buddhists of other
organizations need to be publicly refuted for secular misdeeds?
|
NO
|
YES
|
YES
|
|
?
|
|
Do you believe Nichiren Buddhist sects need
to be publicly refuted about religious errors?
|
No. Private refutation
is preferable.
|
YES
|
YES
|
|
YES
|
|
|
NBAA
|
SGI
|
Nichiren Shoshu
|
Nichiren Shu
|
Kempon Hokke
|
What are the 3 treasures?
1. Dharma
2. Buddha
3. Sangha
|
1. Dharma:
Namu-myoho-renge-kyo
2. Buddha: The one inside every person who chants Namu-myoho-renge-kyo
(no different from the one described in the 16th chapter of
the Lotus Sutra)
3. Sangha: all those who are dedicated to the spread
of the teachings of Nichiren
|
|
1. Dharma: Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
2. Buddha: Nichiren
3. Sangha: Nikko Shonin/Nikken (the priesthood)
|
|
1. Dharma: Namu-myoho-renge-kyo
2. Buddha: eternal Shakyamuni as revealed in the 16th
chapter of the Lotus Sutra
3. Sangha: ?
|
|
Who is the true/original Buddha?
|
|
|
Nichiren
|
Shakyamuni
|
Shakyamuni
|
|
What is the true object of worship?
|
The Law of myoho-renge-kyo
inherent within, as it is shown on the Gohonzon.
|
|
Dai-Gohonzon -- the
physical object.
|
|
The Law of myoho-renge-kyo,
as it can be depicted in the form of a Gohonzon or a statue
of Shakyamuni attended by the 4 Bodhisattvas or with a copy
of the Lotus Sutra placed before it.
|
|
|
NBAA
|
SGI
|
Nichiren Shoshu
|
Nichiren Shu
|
Kempon Hokke
|
|
What is the level of strictness you have
about receiving a Gohonzon?
|
Must pass basic study
exams, take vows to protect Gohonzon and practice throughout
your life. Must be practicing 3+ months.
|
Must be an SGI member, attend meetings
and receive SGI publications for 3+ months.
|
Must be a member of Nichiren Shoshu.
Must take vows to protect Gohonzon and practice throughout
your life. Must learn gongyo.
|
|
?
|
|
Do you think it's wrong for one of your
members to chant to a Gohonzon not issued by your organization?
|
NO
|
YES
(This isn't a stance about the Gohonzon
itself, but they would want to know why you're segregating
yourself from SGI.)
|
YES
(They believe that a Gohonzon not
issued by Nichiren Shoshu will not work because it doesn't
have a direct connection to the Dai-Gohonzon.)
|
|
NO
|
|
|
NBAA
|
SGI
|
Nichiren Shoshu
|
Nichiren Shu
|
Kempon Hokke
|
|
Do you chant Nam or Namu? Is it wrong to
chant the other?
|
Namu
(Don't care which you chant.)
|
Nam
(Don't consider it a doctrinal issue,
but if you chant Namu they would think it shows that you're
purposely segregating yourself from SGI.)
|
|
|
Namu
(Consider it wrong to chant Nam.)
|
|
Do you believe a person who chants can attain
enlightenment if they belong to another Nichiren organization?
|
YES
|
|
NO
|
|
?
|
|
|
NBAA
|
SGI
|
Nichiren Shoshu
|
Nichiren Shu
|
Kempon Hokke
|
|
Do you believe that unauthenticated Nichiren
writings should be ignored?
|
NO.
All teachings, Nichiren's or
anyone's, should be evaluated based on whether they lead people
away from their own enlightenment or toward it.
|
NO
|
NO
|
|
YES
|
|
Do you pray to gods, demons, or other external
spiritual entities as part of your practice?
|
NO
|
NO
|
NO
|
|
NO
|
|
Do you believe it's okay to take alms from
nonbelievers?
|
NO
|
YES
|
YES
|
|
NO
|
|
|
NBAA
|
SGI
|
Nichiren Shoshu
|
Nichiren Shu
|
Kempon Hokke
|
|
What is the heritage of the Law? How is
the Law transmitted?
|
|
|
From the High Priest
and other priests through him to the disciples
|
|
"...only through
the 'Succession through the Scrolls of the Sutra' (kyogan
sojo). The
Sutra contains the Truth and Nichiren Daishonin is its true
expounder: wherever his
authentic teaching based on the Lotus Sutra is practiced as
it was preached, there
we find the true sect. No person, however virtuous, has authority
to overturn these
essential teachings."
|
|
Do you believe that the correct teacher
changes over the ages (i.e. Shakyamuni for one age, Nichiren
for another, and now there is a new one)?
|
N/A
We believe in following the path to enlightenment (the Law),
not a person.
|
|
?
|
|
?
|
|
Do you believe that there is one "good"
teacher on the planet for all of the people to follow, either
directly or indirectly (ie following the primary teacher directly
or following a person who is an envoy of the primary teacher)?
|
NO
|
YES
|
YES
|
|
?
|
|
Do you believe that all people (or at least
most people of normal mental capacity) are capable of reading,
practicing, and understanding (following) the gosho without
help from a mentor/priest/intermediary?
|
YES
|
NO
|
NO
|
|
YES
|
|
|
NBAA
|
SGI
|
Nichiren Shoshu
|
Nichiren Shu
|
Kempon Hokke
|
|
Do you believe that the definition of Buddhist
unity means:
1. belonging to your organization
2. a natural unity among people who have dedicated themselves
to the spread of Nichiren Buddhism that occurs because they
are contributing to the same ends (whether they are intentionally
working with each other or not)
|
2
|
|
1
|
|
2
|
|
Do you teach that people who leave your
organization will not be able to practice Buddhism correctly
without it and will suffer as a result?
|
NO
|
|
YES
|
|
YES
|
|
|
NBAA
|
SGI
|
Nichiren Shoshu
|
Nichiren Shu
|
Kempon Hokke
|
|
What will be the global impact of spreading
Buddhism?
|
Living beings will
be enlightened.
|
|
?
|
|
?
|
|
What is the goal of the individual's Buddhist
practice?
|
Enlightenment.
(Meaning freedom from suffering,
deep compassion for all beings, inner strength, inner calm,
happiness, wisdom)
|
|
?
|
|
Enlightenment.
|
|
What is the action of a Buddha?
|
To free all living
beings from suffering.
|
|
?
|
|
?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
