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Reform!

Introduction:

Buddhism teaches that we should reform the tenants of our own hearts first. Which means that Buddhists are always seeking to improve themselves -- at least in theory. This theory also means that whenever Buddhists come up against organizational conflict or authoritarianism, the authorities will usually tell them this as a way of avoiding taking anything they say seriously. When I first joined SGI the last thing on my mind was that I'd ever worry about reforming it. However, after years of practice, years of studying Buddhist principles, and years of absorbing various guidances such as Ikeda's "mirror guidances" or other similar guidance of our president Ikeda, and his disciple and our former General Director Mr. Williams I eventually found that the only rational thing I could do was to join some kind of reform movement. The first of these I participated in was called "Soka Spirit." Later I got involved in discussing ideas for making the SGI-USA more amenable to Americans and that led me to work with the IRG committee to create Critiques with suggestions on how to improve the organization. However, that effort turned into a mess as it got caught up into the battle between SGI and NST. All my efforts to support the organization by offering critiques aimed at improving it simply led to me, basically, being driven out of it.

The IRG Saga

The first part of this saga started when I got involved in the "IRG" effort, largely as a result of trying to defend the west coast members who started IRG (at the website "www.daimoku.com") from attacks by other members that they represented only a small minority voice of members. The IRG had three issues it was interested in (see IRGissues for the story). These issues were the "Temple Issue" the "reform issue" and last but not least the "appearance" issue. Andy Hanlen and the other IRG members all made commitments to write three papers on these issues and to present these papers to SGI. We also provided a webpage where people could discuss these issues with one another. The discussion group was eventually moved to egroups and from there to yahoogroups, where it is to this day. Our goal was to avoid a "us versus them" approach. Nevertheless in a world where the clanish attitude of "you are either for us or against us" prevails, that was unavoidable. For more on this saga see IRGissues.html

For more on this visit either the discussion group and its archives at:
join IRG discussion
Click to subscribe to irgdaimoku
Or:
IRG Issues

The Universality of Reform

I expected trouble with the so-called "temple" issue. It had rapidly become a very personal and tendentious issue for people from the very tops of the organization, and from Japan. However, the one issue I felt all members would be interested in and able to get consensus on would be that of reform of the organization. Reform is long overdue within the SGI, has been a creed for a long time, and is supported in lip service even by the top ranks of the leadership.

For instance, in a lecture (see this link to the SGI group message 19427)in which one of the leaders criticizes the "IRG" group the leader Greg Martin says, and Terry Ruby transcribes:

Q: What about the �reform movement�?
A: There are reformist everywhere, including me. I am doing everything I can to make the changes that I think are necessary to change our organization so that it can do what we need to do to accomplish kosen rufu. Though changes are needed, SGI-USA is basically on track.
We are all reformist. If we aren�t then nothing will change. Engaged dialogue is the process of change. We must avoid self-righteousness. We can�t make changes this way.

But to illustrate the practical difficulties, Greg went on to say:

The IRG made many demands on the SGI, but they had no plan to implement their reforms. They wanted others to change but did not want to change themselves. They painted themselves into a corner away from the organization because the SGI would not follow orders from them.

As you can see, the organization was not interested in portraying its relationship to IRG in a realistic light. And they were half right. The IRG group was not trying to actually implement reforms. IRG was making suggestions, not demands. But SGI was not interested in following suggestions -- so it mischaracterized them as demands. IRG offered up what they felt were "constructive criticisms" and SGI was operating out of the very Japanese (and Shinto not Buddhist) notion that criticism is "Ha Wagoso" (disharmoneous). All of us have long operated on the notion that if we change ourselves our surroundings will start to change. We also had taken way too seriously notions in the original "Human Revolution" books and movie. Toda had told Ikeda that if he didn't like the way the organization was run he should seek to change it. Ikeda took this as a justification for imprinting his own top down stamp on the organization. We thought it implied that if we didn't like the organization we should try to take it. We were way too literal. Leaders often fall back on that as a defense for *their* not changing.

The IRG group ran into this sort of stonewalling opposition even from people who said they had the same goals (at least when you talked to them off the record). Add in the "temple issue", the naive attitude of members that the "leaders" were going to be straitforward and honest, and IRG never had a chance.

IRG had been more like talking heads than real rebels. I had drafted a rough draft of a paper on the third subject mentioned on their homepage, the Appearance Issue, and it seemed that that paper languished forever in draft form. When I quit active participation in IRG, it seemed to stay in limbo. Andy later told me that we had agreed that it wasn't needed anymore. I don't remember agreeing. We promised to write three papers, we should have done so. I'm supplying my draft as a webpage when I finish it.

The time for direct action

So at last some of the reform members reached the point where they felt they had to take direct action. IRG had been a bit slow moving. Most of us were content with interminable letters, critiques and trying to submit papers. But meanwhile Andy and a few others had become frustrated, and were contemplating more radical action. Actually, I didn't realize it at the time, but this frustration represented a situation where they were really half-way out the door. Like others before them, the Shoshinkai, the Nichiren Shoshu, and more recently the "Victorious America" folks, they had reached such a point of frustration that they no longer cared if they burned their bridges with the leadership. I too was frustrated. I was frustrated because IRG was never designed to be much more than a group with advice for improving SGI and yet, even so, we were being trated as an enemy worse than the "Temple," demonized, and charged with conspiracies and actions we had nothing to do with. If we were going to be charged as a splinter group, we might as well form one. There was the "soka spirit" movement, why not an anti-soka spirit movement, or even a "true soka spirit movement." The "reform group" was formed to make that a reality. I agreed to support it lukewarmly.

Playing into Authorities Hands

Some of the folks with IRG got tired of sending memos that were being ignored, and at last decided to form a more active "reform movement." They had high hopes of changing things by a groundswell of direct pamphleting and dialogue. Of course changing a group that isn't interested in changing is a waste of time and nobody is going to change until they are ready too. I warned the would be reformers that any changes they wanted to make would take a long time. I sensed impatience. I was right. John Nicks refused to sign their paper because he had a bad feeling about it. He was right. I signed it with reservations. Maybe that was a mistake. When Greg refers to people painting themselves in a corner, he was confusing IRG with "reform", that was easy because there was considerable overlap in participation.

Reform Declaration

This new group centered around a new discussion group; "SGI-USA Reform". And it also built itself around a rather radical message.

This new group wasn't even six months old and has already sparked far more controversy than IRG did. The double-think coming out of some people's mouths made me think of Orwell's famous book. SGI tagged it (half right) as being an outgrowth of IRG and rejected it's suggestions basically calling those who made them "enemies of the Gakkai." I had reluctantly signed my name to their declaration paper. It was only after comparing it later to the appearance issue paper we had drafted that I noted similarities between the two. I'm afraid I had something to do with the reform paper after all.

Movers, shakers and shaky folks

Reform is long overdue within SGI USA, and almost everyone involved knows that if Kosenrufu is to be accomplished outside of Japan (and within it), reform is needed everywhere. Unfortunately "organizational" fanatics don't seem to understand that. The result was that the reform group's initial membership had an even shorter half life than the membership of IRG had. The SGI-USA reform group declaration was only a document whose time was overdue, but you would swear that the authors were lobbing grenades at the Gakkai. Some of that was the demanding tone of the declaration, some of it was simply that honesty is not always a welcome commodity when people disagree about fundamentals. People outside of SGI have no problems noticing the discrepancies the reform letter addressed, those within did.

This did indeed evolve out of the IRG effort(follow link to return to page). The "movers" were people who were more interested in action and unfortunately also included people who really wanted the SGI to reject their demands. From the new group "Reform SGI" which I am a member, some left to form a new NSA (Nichiren Shoshu Society) and formally cut their ties. This included Andy Hanlon, who had been critical to previous efforts and whose combative style was probably also part of the reason those efforts failed. He wanted to do what we in the irg-central were unwilling to do -- take direct action. This new discussion group SGI-USA_Reform circulated a petition, see text below, was more aggressive, and in the end formally declared independence.

Quick Responses

They received a fairly quick response to their efforts. Margie Hall writes in PLN-018:

Well that is an improvement over PLN-30 See IRGissues.html for more on this. Unfortunately on May 13 she followed that piece with a piece labeled pln-19 which advocated that the distribution of the Declaration be barred at community centers. This led to at least one altercation between people seeking to share the declaration and a "member" seeking to "protect the Gakkai" from any such negativity.

To read this declaration visit this page:

declaration.html

Ofcourse PLN19 wasn't the end of the story. On May 22 2002, there was a video conference which included a speech which was turned into an "Official Response" by Tariq Hassan This is found on these page:

Official:thasan_speech052202.html
And my annotated copy:
tariq.html
My letter to Tariq

Declaration Text

In the interest of saving space I have moved the actual text from here to the page: declaration.html. It can also be found at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SGI-USA_Reform/message/9:

Talking points

The issues addressed by the declaration seem like common sense to most of us who supported it. But of course if it were that easy we wouldn't need a declaration. Tariq Hassan is already on record as saying that we are in error on the first four of the points, so we will talk about them here and why they are relevent. I figure discussing his speech is a good way to discuss some of the issues.

1. Autonomy

The first point alleged that SGI-USA was controlled from Japan. Tariq denied this as a fact. Yet he says in his own speech that SGI "is a member organization of the Soka Gakkai International, which is part of the Soka Gakkai". Anyone who watched Danny Nagashima with President Ikeda or how Ikeda fired Mr. Williams, knows that indeed, the SGI-USA is part of SGI international, which in turn is controlled by Sokagakkai Japan headed by President Ikeda. If SGI were not controlled by Japan, then why did Danny Nagashima take over abruptly soon after the Central Committee had unanimously voted Fred Zaitsu another term? I didn't see President Ikeda rebuke Mr. Williams and force his resignation, but others did.

2. Adulation Of The Leader

The document said:

Excessive focus on President Ikeda in our publications and by the leadership has given many the feeling that the SGI-USA is a cult of personality based around him. We feel this is diametrically opposed to the actual message of individual empowerment that is at the heart of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism. This cult-like appearance severely impedes our ability to effectively fulfill the mission of spreading this Buddhism in America.

Tariq denies this point but then contradicts himself:

It incorrectly portrays and criticizes our trust in President Ikeda�s leadership and in the mentor�disciple relationship.

But then he contradicts himself in this next section:

We regard the three successive presidents�first president Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, second president Josei Toda and third president Daisaku Ikeda�as our eternal leaders who embody the spirit of selfless dedication to kosen-rufu, and who clarify how to practice Nichiren Daishonin�s teachings correctly.

Not much can be said when someone is given divine status. Denial anyone? Ikeda is not being put on a pedestal?

3. Soka Spirit / Temple Issue

The Declaration said:

Led by President Ikeda, SGI-USA has followed the Japanese Soka Gakkai into a war against another Buddhist sect, with no articulated goals. This has been accompanied by a long string of petty lawsuits from both sides, sordid accusations, doctored photographs, etc. Soka Spirit, despite attempts to clean up its image with a name change from the original Temple Issue, is devoted to the elimination of the Nichiren Shoshu. We believe that SGI-USA should disband Soka Spirit and unilaterally end the war. The Soka Spirit movement's stated goals of the elimination of Nichiren Shoshu and the expulsion of the 'Nikken sect' (sic) from every country are in direct contradiction to SGI Charter Articles 3 and 7. Legally and morally Nichiren Shoshu has the right to exist in America.

We believe that this war gives SGI USA the appearance of being another petty religious organization more concerned with winning the battle of who's "right" than helping people to change their lives. We are concerned that the focus of our practice itself has been changed by arguments crafted to support this war. Arguments attempting to prove that Nikken is the personified King Devil of the Sixth Heaven, that correct practice now must include active participation in the war against this external enemy, and that action against this external enemy will lead to changes within our lives, are becoming core doctrines of the SGI. This doctrine seems to be in direct contradiction to the idea that our environment is a reflection of our internal state of life and that the way to change our environment is to change ourselves. We believe that Nichiren Buddhism's focus on internal change that is then reflected in the environment is one of the key ideas that makes this practice unique, empowering and attractive. The war against Nichiren Shoshu and the arguments used to support it detract from that message.

Tariq responded to this as follows:

It wrongly opposes our Soka Spirit movement or our stance toward the temple, calling it "a Petty Struggle between President Ikeda and the High Priest."

And then later he says:

Soka Spirit is based on the heart of the Daishonin�s teachings and, as such, is at the core of our kosen-rufu movement. The heart of the Daishonin�s teachings is the vow to relieve suffering and lead all people to happiness. Our actions to challenge Nikken�s distortions of Buddhism accord exactly with the Gosho and protect the purity of the Daishonin�s Buddhism for future generations.

Of course the trouble with that is that the problems that we mention have nothing to do with "refuting" mistakes" and seem to be geared towards onshitsuing and mischaracterizing the issues and doctrines between the two schools.

4. One-True-Sect Rhetoric

The declaration says:

The declarations that we alone possess correct understanding of the Law, and the idea that SGI activities and policies are exclusively synonymous with Buddhism, whether one believes it or not, are embarrassingly grandiose. This attitude appears self righteous to new members, encourages hostility towards other Buddhist sects, and sows the seeds of distrust and suspicion towards fellow members who do not accept all aspects of SGI doctrine, leading to talk of traitors, shunning of members, warnings of Karmic retribution, and threats of the Avici Hell.

Our doctrines changed when we left Nichiren Shoshu and are continuing to evolve, but the basic practice of chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo to the Gohonzon, accepting responsibility for our own lives, and helping others to do the same, has not. We have tremendous confidence in the power of this practice, and feel that Americans are attracted to our confidence, but are turned off by our disparagement of others, and "my way or the highway" rhetoric which only serves to remind people of the attitudes they most dislike about their previous religious organizations.

Tariq says in response:

The declaration takes issue with our confidence that the SGI is the one body that is correctly practicing and spreading Nichiren Daishonin�s Buddhism.

Of course that is not much help to people who are confronted with changes of doctrine such as the switch from a ACABCACACAC Gongyo to AC only, or the constant changes in teachings on other subjects. Such as affirming our right to a Gohonzon independent of NST and then claiming that unless such Gohonzon are "authorized" by the Gakkai they are no-good. I'd say that the document is simply reaffirming the fact that the confusion is coming from the top. The reform movement is just like the little kid in the crowd who wasn't in on the fact that only fools could see the Emperor was Naked. SGI is trying to follow Nichiren's teachings, that requires effort not hubris and authoritarianism.

Later in the same speech Tariq says:

We should never doubt that the Daishonin�s Buddhism is, in his own words, "the direct path to enlightenment" as he states in On Attaining Buddhahood. We should never doubt our pride and confidence in SGI�s role and mission as the only body of believers correctly practicing and spreading the Daishonin�s Buddhism. The SGI is living out the Buddha�s "great vow" to let people throughout the world discover the Daishonin�s Buddhism

I think that that is the point of the reform movement as well. Nichiren Daishonin and the Lotus Sutra are the source for the "direct path to enlightenment." Whether or not any particular body of believers is doing things correctly depends on actual efforts and is not something that one can lay claim to outside of that effort.

Now Tariq never did deal with articles five six and seven. Probably because they are self apparent. Also because his speech is itself proof that the leadership still has an undemocratic structure.

5. The Undemocratic Leadership Structure

Top down appointment of leaders, secret decision making processes, and a lack of accountability or appeal procedures, are not an effective way to run an organization in America. We need a more democratic, less centralized organizational structure, with more input from the members, and leaders who understand American culture and are willing to represent the American members.

Now Tariq didn't even dare to mention this point of the document. He stopped at issue number 4. Since his speech came after secret deliberations and two "PLN's" about reform, and one making changes in the basic practice by fiat, the only defense the organization can give to this complaint is that they do discuss these things with the senior leaders of the organization before making decisions, which are usually unanimous and politburo style.

6. Financial Disclosure

We believe that SGI-USA should adopt a policy of complete disclosure of the finances of the organization to the membership. This is currently the policy of SGI organizations in several countries where such disclosure is mandatory, without apparent harmful effects, and it is also the policy of almost all mainstream religious organizations in America.

Again, Tariq didn't mention this. Various previous administrations have said "never" to this demand. Japanese leaders claim to be insulted that their followers would even question the books. But we have long hard experience with folks like PTL, Jim Jones, and even the occassional Rabbi or Cardinal. Financial disclosure is something that should be a given. Some people think that this is also a case where "there oughta be a law." And maybe that is the only way to get the SGI to disclose their finances.

7. Publications

The format and content of the World Tribune has led to many members declining to subscribe to it, and many of those who subscribe out of loyalty don't read it. The cheerleading style of the World Tribune has limited appeal to many members, and is particularly unhelpful for introducing new members to Buddhism.

Apparantly this one they've been listening to. The latest WT appears to have moved Soka Spirit to a corner.

Conclusion

For the rest of this declaration. Visit this page declaration.html My own hope is that people will sign the declaration, or at least take it's message to heart. I also like the action plan included with it.

Action Plan

The first recommendation is:

First and foremost, we urge all recipients of this Declaration to pass it on. Forward it, post it to internet newsletters and discussion groups, print it out and copy it, send or hand it to members, leaders and friends, post it in local Community Centers, distribute and discuss it at local group and district meetings, and so forth.

That is always commendable!

Step One: Unify

We value freedom of thought and expression. We need many points of view if we are to create an SGI where each person's values are honored.

The Reform movement created a new Yahoo Discussion site named "SGI-USA Reform" where people interested in discussing practical reform activities can exchange ideas.

To subscribe please email:
[email protected]
Or if you just want to take a look go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SGI-USA_Reform/

Step Two: Act

We seek to make contact with like minded people who want to work to change the SGI. We can have no set agenda until those who wish to see the SGI change come together, choose their priorities, and stand up for what they believe.

In order to facilitate the development of local action we will be asking for volunteers to become local contacts. To see if there is a contact in your area go to the Database section of the "SGI-USA Reform" site and look at the Database named "Contact List".
If you are a member of SGI-USA Reform you can access the database directly by going to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SGI-USA_Reform/database
If you are interested in becoming a local contact please email us at:
[email protected]

Step Three: Endure

We must continue to facilitate the changes we wish to see in our Soka
Gakkai.

We have also set up a group which will be used to hold reports of
activities and information of general interest
called "SGIUSAReformNewsCentral ".

If you want to take a look please go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SGIUSAReformNewsCentral
We call upon all members of the Soka Gakkai who read this statement to join with us at whatever level they feel appropriate to their own lives, even if in complete disagreement with everything stated here, and to chant with us to create value through this exciting time to come.

May we all strive to think, talk and act with faith in our own Buddha Nature, and with respect toward the inherent Buddha Nature of all beings.

PreviousNext  [ Up Thread]Message Index

Upshot 1 NSA

I hadn't contributed much to this message, and though my name is on it, I wasn't a mover here. But they wanted my logical and theoretical input so I thought I could help them. But all that happened was that we got threatening letters about using the word "SGI" in our webpage banner, more demonizing PLN memos, and these things became the last straw for these would be revolutionaries. They took it to the next logical step. They wanted to create a movement of independents. An evil impulse in me suggested the name "Nichiren Society of America" (NSA). No one is using that name since NSA became SGI, so it was an appropriate double entendre. In response we got the latest PLN's from the Gakkai and Tariq Hassan and decided to bolt the SGI completely.

I'm not sure what is going to happen now, but the demonization is even bigger than it was. For instance a memo from SGI said the following:


Recently, the formation of a group calling itself the Nichiren Society of America has been announced on the Internet. Some SGI-USA members have reported receiving e-mail invitations to participate in this group�s activities.

This group, having adopted the acronym "NSA"�the former name of our organization�may confuse or mislead people into thinking the two are related. However, it was NOT affiliated with the SGI-USA.

"This "NSA" group does not have set doctrines. Its founding members do not acknowledge SGI President Ikeda's leadership and our Soka Spirit movement, which are core to the SGI's kosen-rufu movement."

"Nichiren Society of America," in their own words, "is unaffiliated with any other religious, social, or political organization."

SGI-USA wants to confirm that it has no relationship or connection with this group.

If you have any questions regarding this, please contact your respective Zone leadership.


Upshot 2 -- Squelched

So this PLN-32 memo (PDF version) basically accuses NSA (misleadingly) of being heretical for not appreciating Ikeda enough and for being upset at the newspeak uses for the venerable notion of "Value Creation" as an eternal battle with Nichiren Shoshu.

Any idea of conducting a "Reform" movement conducted openly from within the Gakkai was a lost cause as long as the Japanese were in charge and the vast majority of Gaijin members content with this. Even so NSA hung around for a while and spawned a loosely affiliated network of independent groups and individuals who will probably be around for a while. A lot of NSA leaders reported to me that they got letters threatening legal action if they continued to use terms owned by the Gakkai. And some who had been involved was basically ousted from the organization unless they disassociated from independents and "Danto". Those who did the squelching got promotions.

The instructions for this came from top down. At last check the new leader of the nutsy Soka Spirit effort is one of these leaders (mostly former "students" sent to the US in the 70's and the "follow the leader" mentality of our current leadership continued, amplified by the competition of these future wanna be Sensei's, who I believe have no idea what it means to be a true Buddhist or a real disciple of Ikeda in the context of Nichiren Buddhism but seem to have every intentions of living a comfortable life and rising to the top of the hierarchy of the SGI. The effort to squelch NSA succeeded. The only independents left are those who don't raise a fuss, lay low, and who haven't been identified as being so.

Fracase

The Reform movement led by Andy failed. He had tried for five years, but none of us could have had the patience, endurance, or forbearance to prevail against people who are only too willing to prevaricate (lie) and who seem to employ a "ends justify the means" approach to religion. If we'd been facing only the well meaning leaders and pioneers who we all respected we might have had a chance -- but we were facing "company types" and people they had recruited to help them "defend the dharma" by targetting us.

But the ideas of reform will never die. The ideas of the IRG live on, limping and half dead, and the discussion group lives on, nearly deserted by all but a handfull. But ideas don't die. Ikeda taught -- at least some of us -- to think for ourselves. Unfortunately he taught this to an audience that was a lot like the audience in the Life of Brian "How do we do that?" The "eternal war" against Nichiren Shoshu as it is being fought is indeed nuts. Nichiren's Buddhism is not a cult to be slandered by people who would turn it into newspeak and cultural wars. The Gakkai was a Jewel of a Lotus emerging from a swamp. It bloomed, it produced seed, and now it is wilting in that swamp. As long as this war with NST continues it will continue to wilt.

Links and References

  1. IRG Website
  2. Irgdaimoku Website and Discussion pages
  3. Irgosho study pages (nothing directly to do with organizational issues)
  4. Contact irg_central
  5. Index page | Sgi Issues | IRG issues

  6. To keep in touch with other Buddhists visit these sites:

    Buddhist Dialogue Group

  7. Fraught with Peril
  8. Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

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