Sun Jun 27, 2010 at 12:56:56 PM MDT
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I have been thinking lately about what happens to our online community when Nichiren Buddhists die. In the last couple of years, we've lost several prominent contributors. For me, losing M. Simon was huge. Fraughtwithperil.com lost Greg and Byrd. We lost Kathy Sain. Now, with news of Don Ross in failing health.... I worry about the loss of what some would call "institutional memory" in western Nichiren Buddhism.
So my question to you is: If you knew you were about to die, what would be your final words to the Nichiren Buddhist community?
It's a difficult question for me. I'm sort of at a loss. How about you?
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Mon Jun 21, 2010 at 13:42:32 PM MDT
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Many of you know or know of Don Ross the creator of Nichiren's Coffee House and Gohonzon Gallery
http://nichirenscoffeehouse.net/
He is undergoing some serious medical challenges.
This was posted on Independent Sangha:
Hello everyone,
I would like to ask a favor. After 29 years with HIV, the virus is finally
winning the battle. The last month has been very difficult, sleeping 20/hrs a
day or so. Spent a week in the hospital too. My heart is barely working; kidneys
are practically shut down; wasting syndrome; numerous other ailments. The doc
said if I can live through this next week, I might have a chance of living
though it.
So your daimoku or prayers to the deity of your choice would be most welcome.
Thank you for your good thoughts,
Rev Don Ross
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Wed Jun 16, 2010 at 12:49:06 PM MDT
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Nichiren Buddhism is relatively simple. You chant Namu-myoho-renge-kyo to the best of your ability. You live your life.
Isn't there more to it than that? Don't you have to bash priests? Challenge evil to a bareknuckle fistfight? Learn about Nichiren and become schooled in Buddhist theory and doctrine?
Not really. Not necessarily.
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Sun Jun 06, 2010 at 16:44:18 PM MDT
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I haven't posted links in a while. Dmr has a great post over at his blog offering "Practical advice regarding teachers and leaders":
It is very easy to be led astray by a charismatic teacher. They usually have an agenda. They believe that the end justifies the means. Since they are a living Buddha, they may expect you to ignore your own sense of ethics and integrity in order to help promote them and their teachings. It's okay if you engage in unethical behavior, you're serving a greater cause - them.
More links after the jump...
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Sat Jun 05, 2010 at 11:13:47 AM MDT
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Sweep the dust, Push the dirt offers a guest post from P. Wayne Smith about "Why Nichiren Shoshu is the True Buddhism."
It is not the intention of Nichiren Shoshu to arrogantly proclaim itself True Buddhism for ego's sake. It goes back simply to the conviction, taught by Nichiren Daishonin to his followers both the Priesthood and lay believers alike, that Shakyamuni Buddha's True Intentions were to help all humankind to attain enlightenment, or Buddhahood, in this lifetime we now exist in.
As a Nichiren Buddhist who has been a member of Nichiren Shoshu, SGI and, now, unaffiliated with any school, I sure wish we could drop the whole "True Buddhism" concept and attendant smacktalk. But if we did, would that somehow be a betrayal of Nichiren's teachings? Anyone?
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Fri May 07, 2010 at 12:07:30 PM MDT
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I'm building on auntie's great idea. What are the biggest lies that Soka Gakkai tells its members and the world about SGI? I think there are more than ten. Help me out. All opinions are welcome. Even pro-SGI opinions.
10. SGI is dedicated to world peace. That's why SGI builds palatial monuments to itself and Daisaku Ikeda. To secure peace.
9. SGI is a humble, diverse organization that welcomes everyone. That's why SGI must attack perceived enemies, critics, and former members. To protect a good and fragile organization.
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Thu May 06, 2010 at 18:05:37 PM MDT
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For those interested - here is a link to a Youtube video from the World Peace March held last Sunday, May 2 in New York to support the abolition of nuclear weapons.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
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Thu May 06, 2010 at 00:44:48 AM MDT
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From the New York Times, check out slide #7. Good advice for Nichiren Buddhists.
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Sun May 02, 2010 at 15:03:18 PM MDT
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Um, why do I not trust the government, media, and oil companies to tell the truth about what's really going on? Because I am paranoid and prone to hysterical overreaction. Also, because they lie.
As I read blogs showing that the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is much worse than previously reported I find myself casting around for some Buddhisty way of convincing myself that this is going to turn out OK. Nichiren said something about terrible things being omens of good things to come. I just can't see anything good coming of this unprecedented ecological disaster.
Your thoughts?
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Wed Apr 28, 2010 at 13:16:10 PM MDT
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According to legend...Nichiren first chanted Namu-myoho-renge-kyo. I choose to believe differently, however. I believe that he uttered the mantra sometime before April 28, 1253. But on this date, he resolved to make daimoku his primary practice. And yes, he chanted Namu. Granted, this was not the first time in the history of the world that daimoku was chanted, and Nichiren did not invent the mantra. (Contrary to popular belief.) However, April 28, 1253 was the start of daimoku-chanting-as-primary-practice.
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Sat Apr 24, 2010 at 13:52:24 PM MDT
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What are the top ten dogmatically embraced beliefs held by Nichiren Buddhists that cause the most argument and dissension among us? Most disputes can be traced back one or more of these fallacies.
10. The practice of shakubuku necessarily entails a literal interpretation of the gosho and Lotus Sutra, and justifies intolerance, rudeness, and even violence.
9. A class of monks, priests, or clergy of any kind is destructive and antithetical to Nichiren Buddhism.
8. We all must agree, and others must be converted to our views, if Nichiren Buddhism is to flourish.
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Wed Apr 21, 2010 at 13:10:33 PM MDT
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The Denver Post reports:
Bela Geczy , 57, of Longmont and Michael Brian Kass, 48, of Boulder were indicted on multiple counts of securities fraud and violation of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act, the Boulder district attorney said in a news release.
The indictment alleges that Kass and Geczy owned and operated Dharma Investment Group LLC and used the company to "solicit millions of dollars from investors in a fraudulent manner."
See mug shots in the Boulder Daily Camera. No word so far on whether they are Buddhists or if they targeted Buddhists with their scam. But with a name like Dharma Investments...draw your own conclusions about the image they were trying to project.
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Tue Apr 20, 2010 at 14:20:00 PM MDT
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Y'know, I chant namu-myoho-renge-kyo all the time. I'm daimoku's biggest fan. But I think it's wrong to teach kids in school how to chant.
Teachers who force daimoku on their students probably think they're making a great "cause" for their students' happiness. But what they're doing is violating the kids' right to an education free from religious indoctrination.
Remember the school principal and SGI member who led chanting sessions to defeat his "enemies" at school? That story got a lot of play in Buddhist circles. It should be a warning to keep your religious beliefs out of the classroom.
(also, thanks to whoever installed the twitter feeds in the right-hand columns. interesting.)
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