Nichijun Fujimoto, the Deputy to the high Priest (and probable successor to Nikken Shonin wrote about the issues of 1978 as justifying the issues of 1990. He first recounted how the SGI had agreed to three terms during it'sincorporation (See expel2.html:
- The registration at the local temple of each person who converts to Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism.
- The strict observation of the doctrines of our denomination.
- The protection of the Three Treasures of the Buddha, the Law and the Priesthood.
In 1978, the issue of the Significance of the Sho-Hondo was brought up by the ultranationalist Myoshinko (later the Kenshokai), centered on Myoenji Temple on the Head Temple Grounds. In 1991, President Ikeda's statements on the subject were used as part of the justification for the priests efforts to excommunicate the Sokagakkai. Nevermind that both Nittatsu and Ikeda had thought of the Sho-Hondo as a place worthy to become the Grand main sanctuary at the time of Kosenrufu, and the modern age as a time when the Japanese need not wait on the conversion of the Emperor (since sovereignity lies with the people. The argument was serious to the Myoshinkai. A member named Jerry Nowatsky recounts being told that there might be trouble with transferring the Dai-Gohonzon to the Sho-Hondo, if what Nichijun Fujimoto recounts, that was only too true. There were actual threats of violence, which were resolved by Nittatsu visiting the leaders of the Myoshinko just before the enshrinement of the Dai-Gohonzon. When the issue came up in the 1990's, it soon became apparent that President Ikeda and Nittatsu Shonin had been of one mind on the meaning of the Sho-Hondo, and so the priests realized the silliness of this argument and resolved it by simply destroying the Sho-Hondo and building a new building named "Hoando". (See the page expel2.html"). An interesting sideline, is that if the Gakkai or Myoshinko had been able to get the Sho-Hondo built as an actual national sanctuary, they would have no problem visiting the Dai-Gohonzon.
Fujimoto levels these charges:
In the Soka Gakkai, after the completion of the Shohondo in 1972, the inherent arrogance of Ikeda steadily grew worse. Just a year later, on the occasion of the service commemorating the first anniversary of the establishment of the Shohondo, he committed the extreme insolence of publicly reviling Nittatsu Shonin before a large number of people in the east hallway of the Shohondo.
If I can ever find out the contents of this incident, I'll comment on it.
In 1974, he forcefully conducted an investigation of the financial accounts of the Head Temple. Moreover, on the Gohonzon commemorating the establishment of the Sho hondo, he demanded that Nittatsu Shonin include a postscript to confirm that the Shohondo was, indeed, the High Sanctuary referred to by the Daishonin in his final decree. Numerous such unforgivable incidents took place and led to the deviation from the correct teachings and to the slanderous course of events known as the 1977 Incidents.
It was later found that around this time in 1974, the Soka Gakkai began to plot a secret plan to control the priesthood, or if that were impossible, to separate from Nichiren Shoshu and become independent. This was brought to light by the discovery of such internal documents as the Yamazaki - Yahiro report and the Hojo report.
Of course it turns out that the priests were planning for similar contingencies in their kawabe memo.
Then in 1977, Ikeda himself made numerous comments - such as those in his "Speech on the Historical View of Buddhism" - that deviated from the correct doctrines. In addition, he promoted his erroneous views through his Gakkai leaders. These resulted in the serious dissension from the correct doctrines, known as the 1977 Incidents.
Of course, his principle error, according to the priests, was to see the mentor/disciple relationship outside the context of the lineage of the Nichiren Shoshu priests and thus to see the concept of lineage as having more universal connotations than just the "specific heritage" that NST teaches. Nichijun delineates the issues:
The following are examples of his utterances:
- The enlightenment attained by President Toda in prison is the prime point of Soka Buddhism.
- The Soka Gakkai is directly connected with the Daishonin, and therefore, there is no need for the heritage or for the mediation of personal and doctrinal masters.
- The "Human Revolution" is the modern day Gosho.
- The temples and the community centers are the same.
- Secular people can receive Buddhist offerings.
- The Soka Gakkai represents the treasure of the priesthood.
Through such guidances and statements, he seriously deviated from the correct doctrines, belittled the Heritage of the Law and denigrated the priesthood and the temples. Moreover, he even went so far as to engage in unlawful activities such as summoning priests who were critical of the Gakkai and harrassing them in a "kangaroo court." Finally, at meetings for the Hokkeko and the priests, Nittatsu Shonin conducted sermons denouncing the Soka Gakkai's erroneous perspectives concerning such matters as the treasure of the priesthood, the master-disciple relationship and the disparagement of the temples.
In response to this, in his speech at a service conducted at Jozenji Temple in Hyuga that December, Ikeda asked to be forgiven. For the time being, the problem seemed to be allayed.
In February of the following year, 1978, a priests's discussion meeting on current affairs was held at the Head Temple. After offering directions on various problems with the Gakkai, Nittatsu Shonin gave instructions to conduct a survey of the opinions within Nichiren Shoshu to find out if relations should be maintained or severed with the Gakkai. The Nichiren Shoshu Bureau of Religious Affairs immediately commenced this task. Getting wind of this, Ikeda quickly had an audience with Nittatsu Shonin and pleaded with him to somehow spare him from severing their ties. Nittatsu Shonin accepted his apology only on the condition that the Gakkai would conduct itself in a manner thoroughly and consistently appropriate for Nichiren Shoshu believers.
Nichijun then recounts how the Gakkai made promises to correct the understanding of the members. Having been around at that time, I remember how each of the above points were "refuted" from the point of view of Nichiren Shoshu Doctrine. This all occured after President Ikeda's resignation. Nichijun writes:
Thus, the Gakkai pledged never again to stray from the pure doctrines and published "The Fundamental Issues of Buddhist Study," an article which addressed and corrected its erroneous contentions. This document is known as the "6-30" document. The Gakkai promised to thoroughly explain the matter to its members through "The Fundamental Issues of Buddhist Study," dated June 30, 1978. (When I find my copy I'll either scan it or type it in (if I type it it might be abridged) so you can visit this)
Then he says:
It was later learned, however, that far from a thorough clarification, the Gakkai simply conducted a superficial explanation. Thereafter, another incident occurred in which the Gakkai created its own copies of the Gohonzon. In the end, the Gakkai was allowed to keep the one Gohonzon originally sanctioned by Nittatsu Shonin but was made to surrender the seven other unauthorized copies to the Head Temple. On November 7 of the same year, the Gakkai held a representative leaders' meeting at the Head Temple. On that occasion, Ikeda apologized for the 1977 incidents and Vice-President Tsuji expressed his regrets for making the unofficial copies of the Gohonzon. This event came to be known as the "Apology Tozan."
I have been told that this was a straitforward misunderstanding. The Gakkai was following a tradition of converting paper Gohonzon to wooden tablet Gohonzon, and thought that they had received authorization (or didn't need it). When the subject caused a stir they turned those Gohonzon in. The control of the Gohonzon has been a major issue between the priesthood and the Gakkai, all along.
For more on all this stuff (if you can stomach it) visit temple.html or click on any of the "clickable links" in this document.