The following article is translated by me from Sen Zetsu, the internal N.S. Argentina organ, issue no. 3, September 1997. Although I believe the translation to be entirely accurate, it is of course possible that I made mistakes. If anyone would like to see the scanned original, I'll send it to you back channel.-- Charles Barrett
Sep. 17, 1997
The majority of today's Nichiren Shoshu members have an erroneous conception of what is meant by mercy. We have the cultural concept of what mercy means in Christianity, and also we know the erroneous meaning the Soka Gakkai taught us.Could you explain to us what mercy [jihi] is in Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism?
It is very difficult to try to define it briefly. Yes, we can talk about the differences between the mercy that the Buddha possesses and that of each one of us in this society. In the Gosho, on various occasions, Nichiren Daishonin Sama explains the meaning of Buddhist mercy, and says that it is the act of saving all living beings through teaching the Correct Law of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo . There is no mercy greater than this. That is to say, to teach others the True Law is the greatest mercy. Nichiren Daishonin teaches us that the mercy that He possesses is the Supreme Mercy among all human beings.
To do Shakubuku is to warn about slander. When one does Shakubuku and Reshakubuku, one is warning about slander and is refuting an incorrect teaching. Through the Shakubuku of the Buddha one manifests his Great Mercy.
Through his Great Mercy (Dai Jihi) Nichiren Daishonin left us the Daimoku, that is the invocation of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, and revealed the Dai-Gohonzon.
Now let's proceed to analyze the mercy which we, as common mortals, manifest in society. To do it, let's start with the Teachings of the Daishonin Sama.
To point out [sic] a person whose way of thinking is wrong (based on an incorrect teaching or on a heretical religion) is to do Shakubuku, and that is the way in which we show our greatest mercy (Supreme Mercy of the Buddha). In other words, the greatest mercy to which we common mortals can aspire is that which comes from doing Shakubuku. All of the above, of course, is also applicable to Reshakubuku.
Continuing with the analysis of the mercy of the common people in a society, we can say that the love with which parents raise their children is mercy. In general, the parents love their children and want to protect them and educate them well. Of course there are exceptions. But in general, through the love that they put into caring for their children, their mercy is demonstrated. Some a little more than others, but all parents love their children. Those people who do not show mercy in the form of love for their children, in general, also will not have the intention of having them, and don't try to have them. If their lack of love is real, they simply won't have children. Some, because of their lack of mercy, abandon their children.
Is their a relation between love and Buddhist mercy (Jihi)?
Yes, but it is not the same. For example: I love my son and he makes a mistake. Instead of reproving him, because I love him, I cover up his mistake. Although I do it out of love, in is not an act of mercy. I am not helping with his salvation, with his development. Here it is clearly seen how an "act of love" can go against the spirit of Buddhist mercy.
We should understand clearly that the correct practice of faith cultivates the spirit of mercy. In other words, through performing Gongyo and Daimoku, together with the very important factor of seriously studying the Teachings of the Daishonin Sama, one cultivates a merciful spirit.
We should not take our own thoughts as a basis for judging if an action is merciful or not. That way one will not recognize mercy. It is only recognized and developed when we base ourselves on the Teachings of the Buddha, because it is He who possesses True Mercy.
For example, if someone admonishes me for a mistake, and does it so that I will understand, that is a merciful act. If I say,
"What lack of mercy the person who challenged me for my mistake had!"
, I am basing myself on my own false ideas. I am not basing myself on the Correct Teaching. Nichiren Daishonin Sama teaches that the Devil of mercy (Jihi-Ma) exists. Just as there are different kinds of Devils, like for example that of death (Shi-Ma), that of worldly desires (Bonno-Ma), that of heaven (Ten-Ma), that of the five senses (On-Ma), there also exists the Devil of supposed mercy (Jihi-Ma).
Nichiren Daishonin Sama's Gosho explains that Jihi-Ma can be, for example, a priest who preaches an incorrect teaching of false mercy, and through it induces many people to commit the same error. The priest does not necessarily know that he is wrong. The people believe him to be a good person because they see that he carries out acts of apparent mercy. Upon committing the same mistakes, they also slander and fall into the trap of Jihi-Ma. Under guise of an apparent mercy, that devil leads many to unhappiness. As this is a Catholic country, it has the custom that in the churches the priests hand out clothing and food to the poor, and by that means induce them to embrace a heretical religion. The poor, in this case, and those who observe that act from afar, think that that "giving" is mercy. It is not, since the True Mercy, as I already said, consists in saving people by means of the True Law, and not a mere act of giving.
It is a false mercy to "give for the sake of giving". It doesn't promote development, it only resolves immediate predicaments. With that kind of teaching one cannot evolve.
Jihi-Ma is a devil that, carrying out apparently merciful acts, leads people to hell in this and in the next existence.
Could we say, for example, that Mother Theresa of Calcutta, who for many is a saint, would be a manifestation of Jihi-Ma?
[Note, the priest probably should have ducked this question, as it seems to have been a "trap" designed to get him to say something controversial, but he didn't]
Yes, she was a manifestation of Jihi-Ma (even if she herself didn't know it) because she led all those people to suffering. She based herself on a mistaken teaching. She thought that her actions were pure, but since the teaching she preached is erroneous, those who followed her will fall into hell along with her.
Among the members of Nichiren Shoshu there are people who give money and food to another member upon whom the Gohonzon Sama was also bestowed, thinking that not to do so is a lack of Buddhist mercy. Is that correct?
Jihi is to lead another to Enlightenment. If someone lacks food or work, the most convenient thing would be to present them with a good job. The Buddha's Mercy is not limited to just giving. It involves encouragement so that that person will stand up and more and more embrace the Correct Faith, so that he can fulfill his potential. If we persist in the posture of giving because we have things to spare, the one who receives what we give will not make an effort to get a job and will not develop as a person.
To encourage that person and supply him with food while he looks for a job is of course all right, but in order to look for a job he should be strong and presentable. But to constantly maintain another person is not Buddhist mercy, even if the other person is also a Buddhist.
It is important to see the intentions of self-development of the person that we are going to help. If he really wants to develop himself, he can do it, because we don't impede his growth. But if he doesn't want to develop his potential, in the first place we should encourage that person. Encouragement is fundamental for someone who is experiencing a difficult situation like, for example, that of being unemployed. Through that encouragement we should awaken his spirit of self-development. But if he doesn't awaken it, and upon being comfortable because of receiving constant help, one must admonish him so that he can change his attitude. If someone, with the excuse that we are of the same faith, "demands" that another member support him, we should fearlessly admonish him. This kind of admonishment should be done while considering his personal characteristics. Mercy lies in admonishing while being conscious of the capacity of the other person, so that that person who is experiencing a difficult moment and who is struggling to advance doesn't stray from the faith.
To donate for the sake of donating, or to give for the sake of giving, is not Buddhist mercy (Jihi). In the case of members who come from the interior of the country and to whom the members of the Federal Capital offer their homes, it is not offering for the sake of offering. That offering is all right. They come for a few days and we offer them our homes. That is the correct way. The wrong way is to do it in a senseless manner and when it can limit the development of another member.
For example, to loan a lot of money to another member is not recommendable, since problems can arise and the spirit of Itai Doshin can be broken. Of course, using common sense, we are not talking here about when someone doesn't have a coin to travel, or doesn't have change. We are talking about loans of large sums of money. It is better to avoid it.
What should we do if a member tells us that if we don't help him by giving him housing and food, he will quit practicing?
There are those who profess our same faith, and we decide that because we know them and we know that they will react favorably to our help and encouragement. [sic] They will not rest on their laurels expecting that our help will be eternal and constant. We repeat that we should always ask ourselves if what is being done serves the growth of the person or not.
If a member asks one member after another for money, or for some necessity, in that case one shouldn't offer him help.
And with respect to the person who says that he is not going go practice any more if one doesn't help him, or perhaps who threatens to quit the Buddhist practice if one doesn't meet his expectations, we should not pay attention to that threat. It is not advisable to help people who make such threats, because that threat denotes that their practice is not sincere. To continue with the practice of the faith or not is an absolutely personal decision. It doesn't depend on another's attitude. It is one's own responsibility if one quits practicing. If one helps that person, so that he won't carry out his threat of not practicing this Buddhism, even after he continues practicing, he won't reach Enlightenment, because his practice is not sincere. With the attitude that "if you don't help me I'll stop practicing" one cannot reach Enlightenment. If one doesn't correct the other's attitude, it is no longer mercy to help him. It is senseless to give help to someone just so that he will keep practicing; that practice that he does will not help him reach Enlightenment, because it is not sincere, it is only self-interested. To help him with money or things is to encourage him to practice incorrectly.
To forgive is mercy?
One must clarify what it is that we wish to forgive, observe the content of what is wished to be forgiven, and also of what we wish be forgiven of us. For example, if someone wronged us and asks for forgiveness, we could excuse him only if that wrong is not against the Supreme Law, since in that case we cannot let it go. If we were to forgive a Slander (Hobo) of the Law, that's not mercy and furthermore we become an outside accomplice of the slander (Yodozai). If we see that someone is committing slander and we don't refute him, since we are accomplices, we will receive the same punishment as he.
There are cases in which the forgiveness we dispense only has social value, and doesn't affect at all the karma of the person whom we forgive. For example, if someone kills someone else's brother, and the latter wants to forgive the murderer, that act doesn't alleviate the negative karma of the murderer. The cause of death already was inscribed in the life of that person. For a close relative to forgive him is a social act, it doesn't affect the karma.
Does the Buddha forgive us?
Nichiren Daishonin Sama teaches us that there is no negative cause which cannot be eliminated. In other words, there is no negative karma which is not pardoned through a correct practice of True Buddhism. It is through the invocation of Daimoku and the practice of Gongyo that our negative causes from the remote past can be eliminated. But for that to happen, a real repentance of our errors is important in order to not repeat them. For example: a thief robs and does Daimoku and Gongyo and robs again. He didn't really repent of his error. The cause of robbing that apparently had been erased by the Buddhist practice, if he robs again, will be added to the second cause of robbery and thus successively. It accumulates in the form of negative karma. The Buddha is not going to forgive a bad cause of which someone not only doesn't repent, no matter that he practices Daimoku and Gongyo, but continues committing it.
[In this section the priest launches into an attack on President Ikeda as an example of a person who apologizes without genuine repentance. You can see for yourself whether President Ikeda was sincere at the time, or why he apologized if you follow my link to apology.html. My own feeling is that President Ikeda was sincere in apologizing, just not apologizing for the same things he appeared to be apologizing for. Since, he admits he wasn't completely sincere (see his stormy April Essay for his opinion), I believe the priests have a point here.]
Approximately 20 years ago,Mr. Daisaku Ikeda asked forgiveness for his slanders from the 66th High Priest Nittatsu Shonin Geika, and some years later again committed slander against the 67th High Priest Nikken Shonin Geika. This means that the first Zange was not sincere, since he repeated the same mistake. That former error of almost 20 years ago is added to the present. It is not the case that with the first repentance his first slander was cleaned and now only the present slander persists. NO. Both slanders accumulate since the first repentance was not sincere and because of that the second slander was manifested.
The Buddha forgives us when we promise him never to repeat the same mistake, when our repentance is sincere and consequently we strive ever harder.
What is the significance of Zange?
One shouldn't separate Zange and say that it means repentance or that it is to profoundly ask for the Buddha's forgiveness. Zange lies within the sincere invocation of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. The only attitude necessary is sincere concentration on the invocation of Daimoku. It is not to be begging, while one invokes the Supreme Law, "Forgive me, forgive me!" Zange is within the concentrated and sincere invocation to the Gohonzon Sama. There all negative causes are eliminated, including those that one isn't aware of and which lie in the infinite past. Within the sincere invocation of Daimoku happiness and Enlightenment are found. EVERYTHING is contained in the sincere invocation of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo.
To ask for forgiveness and to be sorry are not two things that are separated. Upon fusing with the Gohonzon, through the invocation of the Supreme Law, asking for forgiveness as well as feeling repentance for our negative causes flow by themselves, whether we are conscious of it or not. This is something very profound. It is not easy to understand with one's mind.
By the same token, in the practice of a sincere Gongyo, whether one is conscious of having committed a slander (Hobo) or is not conscious of it, the bad causes are eliminated by the powerful action of the practice of Gongyo, and in addition we are granted not only the desires that we ask for but even those of which we are not aware. Those which we ask for and those which we don't, too. This is Zange. In other words, the fact that slander is eliminated through a sincere Gongyo, that, also, is Zange. It is the elimination of the negative karma accumulated from the infinite past.
Which has more power to eliminate our negative karma accumulated from the infinite past: the invocation of Daimoku (Shodai), or the recitation of Gongyo?
When we chant the Daimoku (Shodai) as well as when we do Gongyo, we are eliminating our negative karma. Both are necessary. Of course it is not the same chanting one minute of Daimoku as one hour. The effect is different.
Also it is important to note that the Shodai performed in your house is not the same as that which is performed in front of the Dai-Gohonzon Sama. In other words, to eliminate negative karma from the past there is a difference with respect to the duration of the Shodai, as well as the place in which it is invoked. The Daimoku invoked in front of the Gohonzon enshrined in our houses, the Daimoku invoked in a Temple, and that which is recited before the Dai- Gohonzon Sama are different. The more one approaches the Original Source, which is the Dai-Gohonzon Sama, the greater the benefit one receives. It is a question of Kechimyaku, or of closeness to the direct transmission of the Enlightened Life of Nichiren Daishonin Sama.
With respect to the difference in the benefits of chanting Daimoku in front of the different kinds of Gohonzon Sama, it should be clarified that whichever is enshrined in a particular home (Tokubetsu Gohonzon Sama, Tokubetsu Okatagi Gohonzon Sama, etc.), the difference only exists with respect to the Gohonzons enshrined in a Propagation Office, a Temple, or before the Dai-Gohonzon Sama . In other words, all those enshrined in the believer's homes (of whichever type) bestow the same benefit. The Daimoku invoked before a Gohonzon in the care of the Nichiren Shoshu Clergy produces more benefits, since these [benefits] increase the more one approaches the Kechimyakunote.
Through Zange do we definitely eliminate our negative causes, or is there simply a lessening of the negative karmic effect?
If someone has a serious accident and comes out of it alive, it can be considered in different ways. If his practice is correct, he can know that he eliminated negative karma through having saved his life. But if it is a person who lives committing slander, it could be that that accident is the necessary consequence of his actions. There are many factors to consider, for example the karma of past lives of which we are not aware, how our Buddhist practice is, what type of actions we take, etc.
This speech clearly shows the doctrines of Nichiren Shoshu. They teach that daimoku is "qualified" by a "kechimyaku" with the Nichiren Shoshu organization. They also place a lot of importance in following the teachings of the High Priests of their tradition for the same reason. They clearly base their teachings on their interpretation of Nichiren's teachings. Do you see how these teachings could be interpreted differently? Do you really think there is a qualitative difference between daimoku done to the Dai-Gohonzon and that done to another Gohonzon? Do you really think that some sort of mystical connection (Kanno Myo) is required to the current High Priest to get benefit from practicing true Buddhism. Before the split with NST these ideas had currency within the Sokagakkai, is there anything about them that has merit? Do you see echos of any of these doctrines in the attitudes of some people whom are our colleagues? What do you think the meaning of "kechimyaku" really is? Why would the priests be more angry at Ikeda for apologizing in 1979 and then later recanting his apology than if he had never apologized?