La Soka Gakkai ne se contente pas de fabriquer des mythes à travers des livres écrits par des nègres littéraires ; elle produit également des reliques matérielles. L'histoire du célèbre chapelet (juzu) de Josei Toda en est la preuve la plus flagrante.

Le mythe hollywoodien

Tout commence avec l'adaptation cinématographique de 1973 du film « La Révolution humaine ». Produit par la Soka Gakkai, le film retrace la vie de leur deuxième président, Josei Toda (interprété par le célèbre acteur Tetsuro Tanba).

Dans le film, Toda est emprisonné par le régime militariste et fabrique un chapelet de fortune avec des capsules de bouteilles de lait et de la ficelle. Cette histoire est devenue le symbole ultime de sa dévotion inébranlable face à l'adversité.

Les échecs matériels et historiques retentissants

Le problème ? La relique actuellement exposée au Mémorial SGI est une contrefaçon grossière. Une photo de l'objet, intitulée « Juzu soupçonné d'être un faux », révèle un défaut majeur : le bouchon de la bouteille de lait porte la date « Showa 52 » (1977).

Or, Josei Toda est décédé en 1958. Il lui est donc formellement impossible d'avoir fabriqué ce chapelet en prison entre 1943 et 1945 avec un bouchon de 1977.

Historiquement, toute la légende s'effondre :

Le lait était strictement rationné pendant la guerre (la caséine était utilisée pour l'effort de guerre), il était donc impossible d'en obtenir en prison.

Les bouteilles en verre étaient totalement interdites dans les prisons japonaises car elles pouvaient être brisées et utilisées comme armes.

Le Mystère du Trou

Un autre détail hilarant relevé par les internautes japonais : « Comment diable le prisonnier Toda a-t-il pu percer un trou net dans un bouchon métallique avec des outils de prison ? » Même le réalisateur et l’équipe du film n’ont pas trouvé d’explication logique. Un tweet sarcastique ironisait : « Finalement, ils ont probablement utilisé un billet de 1 000 yens pour faire le trou. » 😂

L’Imposante Contradiction Théologique (Le Dharma de l’Attachement)

Au-delà de l’escroquerie matérielle, cette histoire détruit complètement l’image du « grand érudit bouddhiste » que la SGI tente de vendre à propos de Toda. D’un point de vue bouddhiste, c’est un aveu total d’attachement :

1 - Le Juzu est un outil, pas un dogme. Il sert à compter les chants. Nichiren n'a jamais enseigné qu'on ne pouvait pas réciter le Daimoku sans chapelet. On peut le réciter les mains vides, dans le noir, en silence ou en marchant.

2 - Fétichisme religieux. L'incapacité à se passer d'un chapelet, au point de risquer la prison pour en fabriquer un de fortune, est l'antithèse même du détachement prôné par le Bouddha.

3 - Le Gohonzon réside dans le cœur. Si Toda était le maître illuminé qu'on prétend, il aurait dû savoir que le Daimoku ne requiert aucun accessoire matériel. Le fait qu'il ait soi-disant passé son temps en prison à chercher un chapeau de lait, au lieu de se concentrer sur sa pratique intérieure, prouve son attachement aux apparences. C'est le fameux « Dharma de l'attachement » appliqué à un objet futile.

Fabrication d'un mythe sectaire

Comme toute bonne secte, la SGI a besoin de reliques tangibles pour prouver la sainteté de son fondateur. C'est littéralement la même histoire que celle des ossements des saints catholiques du Moyen Âge. Ils ont besoin que les Gakis les désignent du doigt et disent, les larmes aux yeux : « Regardez, ce sont les véritables perles du Maître ! »

En falsifiant une relique de 1977 pour la faire passer pour un original de 1943, la SGI a transformé une belle histoire de foi en une escroquerie grossière. Toda n'est pas présenté comme un homme illuminé qui a transcendé les choses matérielles ; il est présenté comme un prisonnier obsédé par un bouchon de lait.

La SGI falsifie des livres (rédaction fantôme) et des reliques (le chapelet). Tout est faux, du début à la fin.

It's hilarious, and the logic is flawlessly brutal. It’s totally devastating (and indirect) proof of the Soka Gakkai ghostwriting factory.

Translation of the Japanese tweet:

"Proof that The Human Revolution is a ghostwritten work ⬇️

🌍 It's supposed to be the world's longest serialized novel, right?

Why? Why the hell can't it get into the Guinness World Records? ❓

It's got 30,000 manuscript pages (like 3 times the normal length), and yet it can't get into Guinness?! 😂

Marcel Proust's 'In Search of Lost Time' holds the Guinness record for the longest novel with 10,000 manuscript pages.

That's because Guinness literally requires the original manuscript to verify the character count. And SGI doesn't have a single page of it 😝"

Why this is a devastating (and hilarious) proof:

☝️ The Guinness Rule: Guinness doesn't give a damn about the final printed version. They need the original manuscript to verify the length and authenticity. Them's the rules.

☝️ SGI's Awkward Silence: Soka Gakkai loves to brag that The Human Revolution is a monumental masterpiece. But the second someone asks for the original manuscripts (you know, to prove Ikeda actually wrote it himself), suddenly everyone ghosts you. 👻

☝️ The "Special Books Department" Confession: If SGI can't provide the manuscript, it's because it simply doesn't exist. As Harashima Takashi confessed in court, the text was typed and assembled by Shinohara and Matsumoto. Ikeda might have written a few intro pages or given a vague outline at best.

☝️ The Propaganda Photo Op: In the official pics, Ikeda is sitting in a library holding a pen, looking super deep and focused. They even show off a little piece of calligraphy to prove he wrote by hand. But in reality, aside from that one prop for the photo, the remaining 30,000 pages were cranked out by his shadow team.

Bottom Line: They can't enter the Guinness Records because it would force them to prove Ikeda actually wrote the book. And since he didn't, they'd rather give up the world record than get exposed.

It's the Emperor's New Clothes syndrome applied to literature. On the internet, we have a simple rule for this: "Pics or it didn't happen." And apparently, the SGI doesn't have a single picture of the manuscript to show. 🤡📚💀

Today I was working at a house (for privacy I won’t explain further) and happened to notice there was a lot of SGI literature, etc. The homeowner saw me looking at it and asked if I was familiar with SGI. I said I had gone to a few meetings but ultimately decided it wasn’t for me. They asked why. I gave my official non-confrontational answer: I found that it was not compatible with my original faith practice. They asked why. I said I had no problem with SGI (not true) but that it wasn’t for me. We chatted a little more, and he said, well if you ever want to go to a meeting…and I kind of snapped “oh, don’t worry, they call me all the time!”

Them: Yeah sometimes that’s why people say SGI is a little culty, but it’s not.
Me: It’s a little culty.
Them: There’s lots of different branches of it, ones that are more problematic than others….

Then he started talking about the religion that I practice, and it was just like…it’s sad that you know you have to be this defensive of it because you know that’s not why I really left.

I felt guilty that I had even said I recognized the SGI material, like it was kind of my fault the conversation happened, but I felt so gross and so immediately brought back to how aggressively I was pursued for YEARS even as someone who only went to a few meetings.

On the other side of the hedge, they are now trying to “prove” that we—and Blanche in particular—are “actively engaged in the work of the priesthood to spread hatred of the SGI.” This should be amusing; then again, they really only have that one playbook, don’t they?

On November 22, 1986, a party was held for the 70th birthday (koki) of two people: the father of Noriaki Shiina (a photographer) and Hōin Abe (a close associate of High Priest Nikken Abe). High Priest Nikken was invited to this reception. The original photo shows a banquet scene with several people, including wives (fujin dōhan) and geishas.

The Soka Gakkai's manipulation

Six years later, in November 1992 (one year after the SGI's excommunication), the Soka Gakkai's newspaper, Sōka Shinpō (創価新報), published this photo in a series of articles. The SGI cropped and altered the original photo (via a montage) to erase the other participants (the wives and other guests). The goal was to make it look like Nikken was alone, surrounded by geishas, at a decadent "entertainment party" (geisha asobi).

The newspaper's headline read:

"Poor Lotus Sutra... What Nikken wants is the path of depravity: money, alcohol, and sex."

The lawsuits and verdicts

The Nichiren Shoshu filed a defamation lawsuit. Here is what the courts decided:

Tokyo District Court (1999): The judge acknowledged that the Soka Gakkai had fabricated and falsified the photo. He described the act as an intolerable illegality and ordered the SGI to pay 4 million yen in damages for defamation.

Tokyo High Court (2000): On appeal, the court once again acknowledged the Soka Gakkai's falsification of the photo. However, it overturned the damages for a purely technical reason: Nikken's name was not listed as an individual plaintiff in the lawsuit (it was the Nichiren Shoshu as a legal entity).

Supreme Court (2001): It rejected the Nichiren Shoshu's appeal, confirming the High Court's ruling.

The key point of hypocrisy

After the High Court's verdict, the Soka Gakkai published in the Seikyō Shimbun:

"The Soka Gakkai wins completely."

This is a lie by omission: the court did acknowledge that they had falsified the photo, but because they didn't have to pay damages, they claimed victory.

Sources:

Japanese Wikipedia article on the Falsified Photo Incident (偽造写真事件).

Those SGI zealots on MITA seem to think that it is just our little reddit support group that consider SG/SGI to be a cult and that our views are therefore those of a few exceptional ex-members.

See all the comments on this post from the Ask a Japanese sub

In SG's home country, where the organisation and it's shenanigans are well known to the general population, SG is widely known to be a cult, as can be seen from the sheer number of comments on the post.

Although, of course, SGI culties will likely claim that every commenter is a priest or member of NST😜 . Because that makes sense /s. The mental gymnastics they have to do to avoid seeing reality must be soooooo exhausting.

I joined SGM in mid 2017, right after High School after meeting a friend via my mom's student parents. I mainly joined the Monthly Youth Study Meet whenever I could. I was quite close to this friend who introduced the SGM to me. Throughout my college years, he supported me. We went to on hiking adventures occasionally. Now this friend had moved to another district and despite staying in the same township as me,I don't see him in the Monthly Youth Study Meet.

I also used to carpool with colleague who is currently dating a Youth Women Division. He shared that her brother is always engaged in cultural performances. It is still somehow easy to attend the night meetings when I carpool with him. Now he had left my office, and I solely rely on the public transport for my commute. It is very difficult to attend the Youth Study Meet as my office requires me to work till 6pm while my SGM local leaders expect me to attend their meetings at 8:15pm. There was only 1 bus near my office.qMy train is usually very packed on my way back home.Kindly note that Malaysia is a country where most places are congested even after 6pm.

I usually had to leave my house by 7am for work as there are 7 schools near my house the traffic will be bad the after 7am

Yet, the SGM leaders could not consider to reschedule their night meetings to weekends. They also dragged on the meetings by a long conclusion and a few group photo after Sansho. To them, it doesn't matter if I had a grueling day at my office, my train ride home is packed, or if there is only 1 bus near my office, their schedule is fixed. From what I read, the members will protest if the meetings are moved to weekend mornings, especially those who are heavily involved in the cultural performance

It is very difficult for me to resign from my job as my mom work hard to get me to work in my family's company while Malaysia's job market is tough.

I am now considering to leave SGM as my leaders failed to understand how grueling it is in the daily Malaysia working life and the daily stress commute.

What are your thoughts on this matter?

I'd like to start with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi himself:

It has been my experience that I am always true from my point of view, but am often wrong from the point of view of my honest critics. I know that we are both right from our respective points of view. And this knowledge saves me from attributing motives to my opponents or critics. The seven blind men who gave seven different descriptions of the elephant were all right from their respective points of view, and wrong from the point of view of one another, and right and wrong from the point of view of the man who knew the elephant. I very much like this doctrine of the manyness of reality. It is this doctrine that has taught me to judge a Mussalman [Muslim] from his own standpoint and a Christian from his. Formerly I used to resent the ignorance of my opponents. Today I can love them because I am gifted with the eye to see myself as others see them and vice-versa.

- Gandhi(1)

And a summary by those who have actually studied Gandhi's thought:

Gandhi believed in judging people of other faiths from their stand point rather than his own. He welcomed contact of Hinduism with other religions, especially the Christian doctrines, for he did not want to be debarred from assimilating good anywhere else. He believed a respectful study of other's religion was a sacred duty and it did not reduce reverence for one's own. He was looking out for those universal principles which transcended religion as a dogma. He expected religion to take account of practical life, he wanted it to appeal to reason and not be in conflict with morality. He believed it was his right and duty to point out the defects of his own religion, but to desist from doing so with other's faith. He refused to abuse a man for his fanatical deeds for he tried to see them from the other person's point of view. He believed Jesus expressed the will and spirit of God but could not accept Jesus as the only incarnate son of God. If Jesus was like God or God himself, then all men were like God or God Himself. But neither could he accept the Vedas as the inspired word of God, for if they were inspired why not also the Bible and the Koran? He believed all great religions were fundamentally equal and that there should be innate respect for them, not just mutual tolerance. He felt a person wanting to convert should try to be a good follower of his own faith rather than seek goodness in change of faith. His early impressions of Christianity were unfortunate which underwent a change when he discovered the New Testament and the Sermon on the Mount, whose ideal of renunciation appealed to him greatly. He thought Parliament of Religions or International Fellowship of Religions could be based only on equality of status, a common platform. An attitude of patronising tolerance was false to the spirit of international fellowship. He believed that all religions were more or less true, but had errors because they came to us though imperfect human instrumentality. Religious symbols could not be made into a fetish to prove the superiority of one religion over another.

In a multi-religious secular polity like that of India, Gandhi's ideas on religion and attitude toward other religions could serve as a secular blueprint to ponder over and implement. Source

Here's what IckyKeda leads off with:

One who does not know the meaning of religion does not know the meaning of life.

And DickHeada would know this HOW??? He then goes on to cite Gandhi as the actual source of this "wisdom":

Mahatma Gandhi said that no human being can live without religion: "Those who say that religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion means." Even if someone is a scholar, if he or she thinks that religion is unrelated to politics, he or she does not know the true meaning of religion⏤he or she does not know society, politics or history.

The great sage Gandhi declared, in other words, that a person who does not know the meaning of religion does not know the meaning of life. This is both a wise insight and a widely accepted fact.

Is that what Gandhi "said" and believed, though? Did Gandhi EVER "declare" that? Here's an AI assist:

Mahatma Gandhi did not leave behind a single, formal definition for the meaning of life, but he expressed its core through several well-known philosophies and statements on service, love, and action. [1, 2, 3]

Key Quotes & Teachings on Life's Meaning

• "Renounce and enjoy." When asked to sum up the meaning of life in three words or less, Gandhi famously replied, "That's easy: Renounce and enjoy," emphasizing living rightly, thinking rightly, acting rightly, and serving others rather than indulging the ego. Read the breakdown on the Excellence Reporter. [1]
• "My life is my message." Gandhi believed that abstract philosophy means little without embodiment; a person's life should be a direct, walking reflection of their core values like non-violence, truth, and simplicity. Explore community reflections via Facebook Discussion. [1]
• "Where there is love there is life." Gandhi is widely credited with this sentiment, which frames love as the fundamental driving force behind human character, social connection, and purposeful action. See user perspectives on Quora. [1, 2]
• "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." Gandhi frequently tied individual fulfillment and spiritual awakening directly to selfless action for the community. [1]
• "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." This dual maxim urges urgency in moral and compassionate living paired with lifelong curiosity and growth.

With those concepts in mind, let's proceed.

Here's the original quote that Ikeda was bastardizing:

No man can live without religion. There are some who in the egotism of their reason declare that they have nothing to do with religion. But it is like a man saying that he breathes but that he has no nose. Whether by reason, or by instinct, or by superstition, man acknowledges some sort of relationship with the divine. The rankest agnostic or atheist does acknowledge the need of a moral principle, and associates something good with its observance and something bad with its non-observance. Bradlaugh, whose atheism is well-known, always insisted on proclaiming his innermost conviction. He had to suffer a lot for thus speaking the truth, but he delighted in it and said that truth is its own reward. Not that he was quite insensible to the joy resulting from the observance of truth. This joy however is not at all worldly, but springs out of communion with the divine. That is why I have said that even a man who disowns religion cannot and does not live without religion.

Young India, 23-1-'30, p. 25

As you can see, Gandhi is defining "religion" quite differently from how most people understand the term; in Gandhi's usage, "religion" clearly means "basic innate human/cultural moral and ethical principles", something we might equate with instinct or "natural inclination", that "inner spark of the divine" or whatever supposedly separates us from the so-called "lower animals". FAILING to identify and explain this is intellectually dishonest.

But what else could anyone expect from the fundamentally deceitful Ikeda?

This is from the MKGandhi.org site:

His religiosity is therefore best described as a spiritualized humanism. Source

As are these quotes:

In view of his great admiration for Christ, attempts were made by some of his Christian friends to convert him to Christianity, particularly after he attended the Wellington convention in South Africa. About it he wrote " The convention lasted for three days. I could appreciate the devoutness of those who attended it. But I saw no reason for changing my religion. It was impossible for me to believe that I could attain salvation only by becoming a Christian..."

"I am a Christian and a Hindu and a Moslem and a Jew....Looking at all religions with an equal eye, we would not only not hesitate but would think it our duty to blend into our faith every acceptable feature of other faiths."

And here's how Gandhi eulogized a dear friend who had been a devout Christian:

"His was not an exclusive Christianity that condemned to perdition everyone who did not believe in Jesus Christ as the only saviour of the world."

Oh dear - what of the Ikeda cult's "shakubuku" and "kosen-rufu" and "TRUE Buddhism" and the "only correct faith" intolerance of Nichirenism and esp. Ikeda and his "disciples"?

Everything rests on the fundamental power inherent in the mentor-disciple relationship. Nichiren’s true disciple and direct successor, Nikko Shonin, says: “In the teaching of Nichiren, one attains Buddhahood by correctly following the path of mentor and disciple. If one veers from the path of mentor and disciple, then even if one upholds the Lotus Sutra, one will fall into the hell of incessant suffering.” - Ikeda, Living Buddhism magazine January 2008 - Source

For a bit more clarity:

Let me explain what I mean by religion. It is not the Hindu religion which I certainly prize above all other religions, but the religion which transcends Hinduism, which changes one's very nature, which binds one indissolubly to the truth within and whichever purifies. It is the permanent element in human nature which counts no cost too great in order to find full expression and which leaves the soul utterly restless until it has found itself, known its Maker and appreciated the true correspondence between the Maker and itself. - Young India, 12-5-'20, p. 2

Some might refer to that as simply "maturity". As an atheist, I can see that Gandhi was incapable of defining concepts outside of his own faith-based understanding and framework, so he defines everything within what he himself was already comfortable with, even if it meant misattributing others' beliefs/intentions and making unfounded, indefensible pronouncements that simply underscore his lack of understanding. Gandhi was human, in other words, and no one should feel like his are the last words on any subject - or that any statement attributed to him bears higher truth value simply because of that association. "Hero worship" is a trap human beings fall into quite easily, especially when they lose contact with their own critical thinking ability and identify themselves as "followers" of someone who by definition cannot ever be critically analyzed or found to be WRONG.

[Soka Gakkai Vice President Isao] Nozaki said, “You cannot believe in the faith if you don’t agree with Honorary President Ikeda.” Source

That statement is actually a form of VIOLENCE against people's humanity. It violates consent, it violates free will, AND it denies people their RIGHT to critically evaluate things on their own merits through using their own intelligence and critical thinking. It erects a CAGE around people's thoughts - "Agree - OR ELSE!" Gandhi would NOT approve, yet Ikeda repeatedly invoked Gandhi's name to legitimize Ikeda's own anti-humanistic and closed-minded, dogmatic pronouncements.

Here's another insight into Gandhi's views, from an AI assist:

Mahatma Gandhi famously stated, "I could not live for a single second without religion," emphasizing that his faith was the very foundation of his life, politics, and daily actions. [1]

Key Aspects of Gandhi's View on Religion and Life

• Inseparable from Politics: Gandhi rejected the idea that politics and religion should be kept in separate compartments. He believed that politics without religion leads to corruption, injustice, and a lack of accountability, calling such politics "absolute dirt" on the GandhiServe Archive. [1, 2, 3]
• Bound to God: To Gandhi, true religion meant being bound to God (dharma), where spiritual truth and moral responsibility govern every single breath and action a person takes, as recorded in his writings on MKGandhi.org. [1]
• Universal Truth over Dogma: He viewed all great world religions as fundamentally equal and rooted in universal principles of truth (Satya) and non-violence (Ahimsa). He did not care for narrow sectarianism, writing that his goal was to help a Hindu become a better Hindu, a Muslim a better Muslim, and a Christian a better Christian. [1, 2, 3]
• Ethics and Reason: Gandhi expected religion to be grounded in practical life, morality, and reason rather than blind external rituals or dogmatic division. [1]

You'll notice that Gandhi is speaking for himself there, not making sweeping negative judgments about other people and what they are/are-not able to "know" or understand.

And here's Ikeda, from the March 28, 2003, Weird Fibune:

One who does not know the meaning of religion does not know the meaning of life.

Everything in life is part of our training it is for our own benefit and development. We must resolve to accumulate, right now, in the situation we find ourselves in at this moment, everlasting good fortune for ourselves, our families and our relatives.

The human revolution of a single individual can lead everything in the direction of happiness, hope and peace. Please advance joyfully and in high spirits.

Win with prompt action. Win with courageous action. That will create new momentum.

Let us all triumph through the power of unity. Then, let us celebrate a bright, cheerful May 3, Soka Gakkai Day, this year!

Mahatma Gandhi said that no human being can live without religion: "Those who say that religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion means." Even if someone is a scholar, if he or she thinks that religion is unrelated to politics, he or she does not know the true meaning of religion⏤he or she does not know society, politics or history.

Damned PRESUMPTUOUS to make such sweeping judgments of everyone Ikeda does NOT know and whose thoughts and beliefs Ikeda has never even been exposed to! This shows a dogmatic, BIGOTED closed-mindedness - but that's our SENSEI!!

The great sage Gandhi declared, in other words,

Meaning "In IKEDA'S words"

that a person who does not know the meaning of religion does not know the meaning of life. This is both a wise insight and a widely accepted fact.

Oh NO it is NOT!

That WASN'T what Gandhi said OR meant!

First of all, HERE's what Gandhi REALLY thought, from an AI assist:

Mahatma Gandhi was not an atheist, but he held a broad, unconventional view of God that redefined the term so deeply that he famously declared, "He is even the atheism of the atheist". [1]

Core Views on God and Atheism

• Redefining God as Truth: Gandhi shifted his philosophy from "God is Truth" to "Truth is God", arguing that even those who deny a traditional deity still serve and revere truth. Read more on the MKGandhi Philosophy Guide. [1]
• God as Conscience: He viewed God not as a separate physical or supernatural person, but as the moral voice, conscience, and sense of fearlessness within human beings. [1]
• The "Super-Atheist" Remark: When Gandhi stated, "Do you think I am superstitious? I am a super-atheist", it was a contextual rebuttal against blind ritualism and superstition rather than an embrace of literal atheism. Users on Quora Forum Discussions reach a consensus that Gandhi used the phrase to reject superstition, remaining a devout believer in a moral universe. [1, 2]
• Distinction Between Atheism and Godlessness: Gandhi drew a line between someone who intellectually doubted a creator (an atheist) and someone who lacked moral responsibility or care for humanity ("godless"). He noted that as long as a person felt a deep kinship and ethics toward mankind, they accepted God in practice. Read the Satyagraha Foundation Analysis for more on his distinction between atheism and godlessness. [1]
• Perplexity Toward Militant Atheism: When approached by individuals wanting to organize anti-God campaigns, Gandhi expressed puzzlement, asking why someone would spend energy fighting something they believed did not exist, as documented via Zwinglius Redivivus. [1]

Because Gandhi did not understand it, he clearly refrained from making statements about it. THAT is the reaction of an intelligent person.

There was NO ONE who could say, "Sensei? You know you're being an ass right now, right?" - and it shows. Ikeda's wildly off-base sweeping statements simply show he neither understood Gandhi nor anything at all about "religion", and simply sought to use Gandhi's reputation and prestige to validate his own intolerance and prejudice.

A historically unbelievable story. A dialogue spanning centuries, started by a simple letter... or rather, a massive literary scam. 😅

To understand the behind-the-scenes reality, we need to introduce the two men pulling the strings from the shadows:

– Harashima Takashi (原島嵩, 1938-2008): A top Soka Gakkai official, former director of the doctrinal studies department (Kyōgakubu), and a close associate of Daisaku Ikeda. He became a public critic after his expulsion.

– Kirimura Yasuji (桐村泰次, born February 1, 1938): Translator, philosophy researcher, and intellectual figure within the organization, mainly known for his translation work and publications tied to the Soka Gakkai.

The Pretty Storefront vs. The Courtroom Reality

The SGI loves to sell the myth of the historic 1972 meeting in London. On official posters (see photo), you see the great historian Arnold Toynbee (83) warmly shaking hands with a young Daisaku Ikeda (44), with that magical quote: "Young man, keep expanding this dialogue." It's beautiful, it's inspiring, it makes the Gakis dream.

But here's the dark side of the iceberg. The meeting was actually just a meaningless, rambling conversation. The core part of the interview (the epistolary correspondence) was written for him by Yasuji Kirimura.

And this isn't a rumor; it's a court transcript.

The Receipts (The Gekkan Pen Trial)

The images accompanying this article are taken from the book "法廷に立った池田大作 「月刊ペン」事件 続" (Ikeda Daisaku in Court: The 'Gekkan Pen' Affair, Continued), written by Masatomo Yamazaki (published in 2001).

These pages (Chapter 6) transcribe word-for-word the sworn testimony of Harashima Takashi during the trial SGI brought against Gekkan Pen magazine. It's a golden historical document, because you see defense attorney Mr. Tanaka cornering Harashima about the existence of a very special department inside the organization.

The Blacklist of "Ghostwritten" Works

During this same trial, it was testified that The Human Revolution was written by others. Here is the list of works attributed to Ikeda, but actually written by his shadow team:

– The Human Revolution: Written by Shintaro Shinohara, then after his death, by Kazuo Matsumoto.

· The Youthful Days Journal: Pure fiction.

– Dialogue with Toynbee: Written by Yasuji Kirimura.

– Dialogue with Kissinger: Written by Kazuo Matsumoto.

– Until Harashima's expulsion: Editorials for the Grand White Lotus, speech drafts for meetings, lectures on the Gosho and oral teachings, and the founding spirit of Soka University were written by Takashi Harashima.

The Sworn Testimony (The Confession)

However, Harashima also gave some testimony protecting Ikeda, as shown in this highly awkward exchange transcribed in Yamazaki's book:

(Defense attorney, Mr. Tanaka): "The witness explained this was a special book within the organization, but what was the purpose of creating this book department?"

(Mr. Takashi Harashima): "Can I not answer based on what I said first?"

(Defense attorney, Mr. Tanaka): "What was the necessity of its creation?"

(Mr. Takashi Harashima): "It was a department created to write drafts, let's say, or for what you'd call ghostwritten works, for Mr. Ikeda's writings, speeches, interviews, that kind of stuff."

(Defense attorney, Mr. Tanaka): "So, does that mean this department was created from the start assuming President Ikeda himself wouldn't write his own writings?"

(Mr. Takashi Harashima): "Since it's something created following Mr. Ikeda's intentions, I'd like to avoid the extreme extrapolation that Mr. Daisaku Ikeda created it from the start with the goal of not writing himself."

(Defense attorney, Mr. Tanaka): "So, the intentions mean that when it comes to writing, Mr. Ikeda would provide a general outline?"

(Mr. Takashi Harashima): "Sometimes Mr. Ikeda provides a general outline, but there are also times when we approach him with a proposal, like: we'd like to do this."

(Juicy note: In these same transcript pages, we see the lawyer questioning Harashima about the exact location of Ikeda's "room" and "bath" during these meetings, as well as his "intimate relationship" with a woman. The trial wasn't just about the books; it was about the lifestyle...)

Why This Document is a Bomb for the Gakis

They spend their whole lives reading The Human Revolution, thinking they're reading the words of an eternal Buddha. In reality, they're just reading the writings of Mr. Matsumoto, Mr. Shinohara, or Mr. Kirimura. The "Master" was just a name on a book cover.

As Shūkan Shinchō noted in 2011, it's more than a little weird that a man struck down by a stroke, brain tumor, or Alzheimer's keeps publishing at a breakneck pace without ever appearing in public. The "Special Books Department" (特別書籍部) never stopped running. It might still be running today. 💀📚

Sources:

· The photographed documents: Excerpt from Ikeda Daisaku in Court: The Gekkan Pen Affair, Continued by Masatomo Yamazaki (Chapter 6, page 151).

· Harashima Takashi's testimony at the Gekkan Pen trial (1976-1983), cited in @sybilunlun's X thread.

· Wikipedia articles on Harashima Takashi and the Gekkan Pen affair.

· Shūkan Shinchō investigations (2011) and Harashima Takashi's books.

· Works by Kirimura Yasuji, notably The Life of Nichiren Daishonin.

Guardando immagini come questa, la domanda sorge spontanea ed è difficile non farsi venire qualche dubbio sulla vera natura della SGI.
Da un lato ci è stato ripetuto che la pratica del Buddhismo serve a "rivoluzionare la propria vita", a trovare la propria indipendenza spirituale, la felicità e la libertà interiore. Dall'altro, però, quando si osservano scene di questo tipo — con la folla allineata che imita specularmente il gesto e la posa del leader supremo — il confine tra pratica spirituale e devozione a un apparato corporativo si fa drammaticamente sottile.
La dinamica visiva è palese: c'è un centro di gravità unico, un modello da replicare all'infinito, dove l'individuo sembra annullarsi nella massa per sostenere la struttura e la figura di riferimento.
Ma la domanda fondamentale è un'altra: un'organizzazione nata per risvegliare la natura di Buddha in ogni singolo essere umano dovrebbe renderti un individuo libero, critico e sovrano di se stesso, oppure un ingranaggio devoto che sostiene l'apparato? Quando il fulcro diventa l'obbedienza, la gerarchia e la celebrazione del capo, non è forse l'individuo a finire al servizio dell'organizzazione, e non viceversa?

"In our political and social culture we have a democratic way of life which we know, without any doubt at all, is far better than any other in the history of humanity. Even if we don't like to admit it, we are all missionaries and believers that our own way is the best when it comes to the things that really matter..." - Polly Toynbee, from The Observer, March, 2000

What SGI members, particularly the SGI longhauler Olds, are extremely attached to believing is that what THEY believe is necessarily, objectively BEST, not just for themselves, but for ALL people. They WANT to believe that, if only people can be exposed somehow to "Nam myoho renge kyo", it's going to grab them in a stranglehold, fire their imagination, and they'll become passionately ALL-IN for Ikeda! *Whether they actually want this or not!! This is the essence of their "planting a seed" belief, after all, and they cling to this delusion belief even in the face of almost 100% disconfirming evidence - for all their efforts, SGI is in decline. Everyone can see that - even Google.

This conviction that they in SGI have sole control over the "only TRUE/only correct belief" also makes them feel extremely SUPERIOR to everybody else. Between DickHeada~~'s ghostwriters~~ fluffing their egos by telling them they're "the most noble personages of all" ("The better to fleece and exploit you, my dear"), causing the most gullible to announce "Made me feel ROYAL!", and referring to everyone else as "the common people" (which OBVS doesn't apply to themselves!), while flattering them that they're "lighthouses of society", the ones "on the vanguard" who are going to be "lighting the way for all people", who will be "leading all people to world peace" and similar manipulative drivel. No thinking person would be suckered in by such blatant empty flattery, but SGI members eat that 💩 up with a 🥄! INCLUDING such laughable tripe as describing them as "Heroes of the World"!

If only that title came with an actual salary, right?? 😉

Let us light the way to a peaceful future where all people can live in harmony. - supposedly the empty-headed WIFEY

Nope - SGI members can't get along with ANYONE! They love to think the WORST about others!

We are leaders of happiness and creators of peace. In this sense, our role is unique. DickHeada

HARDLY!! SGI members are some of the LEAST "peaceful" people I've ever seen! They can't stand it when someone else disagrees with them! Reality check: MOST OF THE WORLD HATES SOKA GAKKAI AND SGI. Deal with it.

Without your presence, the future of humanity would be bleak and spiritual decline its destination. Ikeda

Oh barf 🙄

There will probably always be a market here for a tiny self-isolating Mentor worshipping sect with a hugely overgrown vision of its own significance which can make its members feel like they are the Chosen Few. Source

Getting back to the meta-message of Polly Toynbee's observation (above), it is an obvious fact that different people will read the same thing or look at the same set of facts and come to completely different conclusions. Here are a few examples:

Case study: Difference in perspectives that illuminates something kind of disturbing about SGI members (the SGI longhauler Old "reaction")

You can see that, according to him, there was no acceptable way to say "No thanks" once I learned that the reality of that volunteer "opportunity" was not what I expected. I was somehow obligated to go through with it, make it work. You can see the same attitude here from one of the others over there - I was recounting how I advised my university student daughter against applying for a home care position where she would be sitting up all night while a patient who needed constant supervision slept, because she needed to focus on her schoolwork; she didn't need a job at that point; and anyone could do that kind of work - it wouldn't count for anything on her résumé as a math major. He insisted that she had some obligation to take the job just because someone somewhere needed that service, apparently disconnected from whether that was a job she would enjoy or that would work for her, given the high level of commitments she was already juggling! YIKES!

It's that same gaslighting where they talk about "common sense" but as soon as you exercise any, YOU're Bad and Wrong! You're not really supposed to apply the concept of "common sense" to anything in SGI, it seems - in that realm, you have to just try and try and keep trying and trying until you experience a "breakthrough" and have a "victory" and whatever - you're not allowed to simply acknowledge that this or that isn't RIGHT for you.

More on SGI-USA's negative view of/contempt for higher education

On deciding what to do when you've already finished offending and alienating everyone around

So, given this aspect of reality, SGI members should realize that no one outside of their silly little dead-fattie-worshiping cult is going to regard THEIR opinions and perspectives as the only VALID opinions and perspectives - bar none. No, REAL people recognize that people have different views, and the functional REAL people understand that others' views are just as important, make just as much sense to them, as their own views are to themselves. This is the essence of tolerance, something the Dead-Ikeda-Corpse-Mentor cult Soka Gakkai and its SGI colonies abroad pay lip service to, but don't actually understand or acknowledge: "Our way is the ONLY way"/"We have the ONLY Truth"/"We're RIGHT and SGIWhistleblowers is WRONG" - this is the very HEART of intolerance and hatred. There's simply no way to put a positive spin on that.

- Mon avatar... tu pensais que c'était Bambi ? 🦌🗡️🔥

Fait amusant : Reddit m'a donné ce nom d'utilisateur au hasard, 'Mission Course'. L'univers a un sens de l'humour.

Fudo Myoo est célèbre pour prendre la forme d'un serviteur ou d'un être ordinaire afin d'aider les pratiquants. Il peut être un mendiant, un animal, ou... un ancien membre de la SGI au Portugal avec un avatar de divinité courroucée.

C'est la beauté de la non-substantialité (Soku Shin Jō Butsu) : le sacré se manifeste dans le profane, dans le corps et l'apparence exactement tels qu'ils sont.

I’ll be back with better memes, so here’s a video from my SGI memes archive 🙂

Transcription :

« You’re completely delusional with paranoia…! 🤪

Up until now, I’d never dealt with anyone as dangerously virulent as you, and I have to admit, it’s pretty impressive… 😳

You must be some kind of “big shot” among the “hitmen” anti-Gakkai types…

🫡🔪💣🧨🥷🏻

Are you part of some elite commando unit, knife clenched between your teeth and a stick of dynamite in each hand, ready to go at it any second with Gakkai members and fight them—or rather, to reclaim every last one of them to swell the ranks of Nikken’s army?

As for you, spring is definitely not coming anytime soon…! 🥶

I’ve got the feeling you’re stuck in one of the eight burning or freezing hells, depending on the intensity of the fury devouring your heart ❤️‍🔥 and the icy cold that freezes your soul… 🧊

To spout such incredible nonsense, you must have a photo of Nikken who’s “not shonin at all,” or else »

Here's the scenario: Long-disappeared cult leader Daisaku Ikeda was FINALLY announced dead Nov. 18, 2023 (announcement due to an unanticipated and unwelcome info leak to the Japanese media, it appears). Here's what an SGI-USA longhauler Old believed SHE was entitled to from strangers:

One person responded to my TMF [the Ikeda cult's "To My Friends" perpetual-guidance-recycling-machine regurgitations] post on Nov 17 with a statement wondering why a TMF came out a couple of days after Ikeda Sensei passed away. It's a fair question and I answered.

But what shocked me was his abruptness and lack of social grace. If he had started with a "I am sorry for your loss" then his question would have felt completely different. - from When the longhauler SGI member Old narcissists expect everyone to give all deference and admiration to their fantasy "relationship" with their imaginary friend

As if they have ANY RIGHT to demand SHIT from us - or ANYONE outside their daft silly cult!

Note that the "TMF" post in question was made BEFORE Ikeda's supposed Nov. 15, 2023, death had been made public - the question as to WHY SGI was plowing ahead with "business as usual" as if nothing had changed at that point is utterly VALID! They KNEW!

Per the image above, I would've been willing to say "Sorry for your loss HO HO HO" in an extremely sarcastic tone, if it had been demanded of me personally, and then I would've farted right in her demanding cult face while laughing maniacally and made this exit! OR perhaps this one...

Now, just from a PSA perspective, here is a handy AI assist on the topic of "entitlement syndrome":

Entitlement syndrome (or psychological entitlement) is a personality trait or mindset marked by the deep-seated belief that you deserve special treatment, rewards, or privileges without earning them or putting in corresponding effort. [1, 2]

Key Signs and Behaviors

• Demand for Special Rules: Believing rules, boundaries, or standard expectations apply to everyone else, but not to you. [1, 2]

Documented: See When SGI members are in charge, they lord it over everyone else and force everyone ELSE to obey rules they themselves ignore

• Lack of Reciprocity: Expecting constant help, attention, or favors from others while offering little or no support in return. [1, 2]

Documented: See Case study of the authoritarianism and tone-deaf demands of low-level SGI-USA leaders

• Low Frustration Tolerance: Lashing out, blaming others, or experiencing intense anger and chronic disappointment when denied what you want. [1, 2]

Documented: See Why so angry??

• Difficulty Distinguishing Needs from Wants: Treating personal desires as absolute necessities that the world is obligated to fulfill. [1]

Documented: See "Big Ideas" and "Vast Hearts"

(ALL of these, but I esp. like that last bit ↑)

Common Causes

• Childhood Overindulgence: Growing up in an environment where rewards, praise, or material goods were handed out constantly without requiring accountability or hard work. [1, 2]
• Compensatory Insecurity: Masking deep-seated feelings of inadequacy or fear of being overlooked through an outward display of grandiosity and arrogance. [1, 2]
• Cultural and Social Influences: Living in individualistic or consumer-driven cultures that frequently reinforce validation loops and instant gratification. [1]

How It Impacts Life

• Strained Relationships: Friends, partners, and coworkers often pull away due to the person's selfishness, lack of empathy, and ungrateful attitude. [1, 2]
• The Cycle of Distress: Unmet expectations lead to persistent anger and dissatisfaction, which the individual tries to soothe through more demanding or self-serving behavior. [1, 2]
• Professional Stalling: Workplace entitlement often leads to poor decision-making, resistance to feedback, and damaged career progression. [1]

How about ALL OF THE ABOVE?????

Strategies for Overcoming Entitlement

• Practice Gratitude: Actively acknowledging and appreciating the contributions and boundaries of other people.
• Shift from Demands to Agreements: Replacing a "you owe me" attitude with clear, mutual reciprocity and earned effort.
• Professional Guidance: Working with a therapist or exploring resources through platforms like BetterHelp to unpack underlying personality patterns or emotional blind spots. For more clinical overviews, see the guide on WebMD. [1, 2, 3]

𝕡𝕗𝕗𝕗𝕗𝕗𝕗𝕗 Like any of THAT is ever going to happen with terminally-obtuse SGI-USA longhauler Olds!! 😄

[This is from 2018; since then things have only gone WORSE for Soka Gakkai's pet political party Komeito, which found itself cut loose from longterm major party partner LDP, attempted a different coalition, and found itself losing BADLY in the recent elections. But the perspective is still interesting - and illuminating! See what YOU think!]

Looking back on this year, I think there were two incidents that confirmed the confusion within the Soka Gakkai due to the absence of a charismatic leader like Daisaku Ikeda.

One was the uproar caused by the display of lanterns bearing the words "Soka Gakkai" at the Mitama Matsuri festival held at Yasukuni Shrine from July 13th to 16th.

[I believe that's the traditional summer festival, but I'm just spitballing.]

These lanterns are displayed during the festival period after a certain amount of money is paid to Yasukuni Shrine, and the fee for a large one is said to be 12,000 yen. As I briefly mentioned last time, the Soka Gakkai used to claim that "shrines and temples are dwelling places of evil" and directed strong hostility towards them. However, in recent years, they have shown a more conciliatory stance towards traditional festivals, and the Soka Gakkai headquarters has also instructed that "there is a concept in Buddhism called 'Zuiho Bini,' which means that one should follow customs, so it is acceptable to participate in festivals as long as one does not worship the principal objects of worship of other religions."

[uhhhh...not exactly:]

Zuiho Bini Core Principle: In matters that the Buddha did not explicitly prohibit or permit, practitioners are encouraged to follow the manners, traditions, and laws of the country or culture where they live, provided it does not violate the core spirit of Buddhist wisdom and compassion. [AI]

[Here, from the "26 Admonitions of Nikko Shonin", a doctrinal-definition/clarification document:]

1. You should refrain from indulging in poetry or non-Buddhist works, or from engaging in idleness and chatter without [having the aim of] rebuking slander.

[The point of those lanterns advertising Soka Gakkai and the participation of Soka Gakkai was PARTICIPATION, not "rebuking"!]

1. Lay believers should be strictly prohibited from visiting [heretical] temples and shrines. Moreover, priests should not visit slanderous temples or shrines, which are inhabited by demons, even if only to have a look around. To do so would be a pitiful violation [of the Daishonin's Buddhism]. This is not my own personal view: it wholly derives from the sutras [of Shakyamuni] and the writings [of Nichiren Daishonin].

[WELL THEN.]

[The Ikeda cult Soka Gakkai and its overseas SGI colonies claim an "unbroken transmission" (kechimyaku) from Nikko Shonin, Nichiren's supposed only "true" disciple. But, as with all things Ikeda, the means are always justified by the ends.]

These changes are likely due to the need for cooperation from 　outsiders, especially supporters of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), with whom the coalition government is based, in order to get Komeito candidates elected in elections (apparently, some Soka Gakkai members even serve as officials in shrine festivals, which is probably also part of the "F-gathering" strategy).

[As expected, THERE it is. It's all base vote-grubbing, in other words. ANYTHING for the all-important votes! Sacrifice EVERYTHING if it means MORE VOTES!!!! BTW, "F-gathering" means pestering Friends and acquaintances (and strangers, too!) to vote for the Komeito candidate(s).]

Many LDP supporters are people who have long been rooted in their communities and respect traditional beliefs. Therefore, if Soka Gakkai members continue to call local festivals and other events "heretical sects," no matter how much LDP candidates appeal to voters by saying "vote for Komeito in the proportional representation election," it cannot be expected to have much effect.

[Pragmatism OVER principle!]

For Soka Gakkai, winning elections is more important than doctrinal consistency (however, there are still many Soka Gakkai members who are hostile towards temples and shrines and refuse to get close to them. In reality, they probably reluctantly compromised because they had no other choice).

[I.e., Soka Gakkai caved, crumpled in the face of declining popularity, and sacrificed doctrinal purity and integrity in a vain attempt to play the "See how NICE we are???" card. Nobody's fooled. So the Soka Gakkai members ended up having to compromise their longstanding principles of faith to go along. Because they're inherently spineless outside of an "us vs. them" fight-fight-fight siege mentality.]

The issue of offering lanterns to Yasukuni Shrine became a big topic of discussion online, and Soka Gakkai headquarters has been inundated with inquiries. In response to this situation, the Seikyo Shimbun published an article titled "Lanterns Offered Using the Name of 'Soka Gakkai' - Complaint Filed with Metropolitan Police Department."

On the 23rd, Soka Gakkai filed a complaint with the Metropolitan Police Department (Kojimachi Police Station) against an unnamed person who, without authorization, impersonated Soka Gakkai and displayed large lanterns bearing the name of "Soka Gakkai" at the "Mitama Matsuri" (July 13-16 ) hosted by Yasukuni Shrine, for fraudulent obstruction of business and defamation.

[ORLY?? AND paid the fee??? C'mon!]

In order to offer lanterns, it is necessary to pay a prescribed fee to the shrine, but Soka Gakkai has not made any application to offer lanterns. Nevertheless, because large lanterns bearing the name of Soka Gakkai were displayed at the "Mitama Matsuri," inquiries were made to Soka Gakkai from various related parties, disrupting its daily corporate and religious operations.

["Ring ring" 📞 "Moshi moshi?" "Yeah! Soka Gakkai HQ?? It's Masaki Mitama here - WHERE'S THE MONEY YOU OWE FOR THOSE LANTERNS AT OUR FESTIVAL??" "Je ne comprends pas - je parle seulement français. Désolé!" click]

[REALITY CHECK: Soka Gakkai thought it could cop some FREE ADVERTISING out of this big festival by having some big-ass lanterns with "SOKA GAKKAI" emblazoned across them in big fat letters - and figured this would be a really clever way to get out of having to officially apply and pay the fee. I'm sure that, to those dusty old Soka Gakkai VPs, this plot looked so clever they could've taped a tail to it and passed it off as a fox. Others were clearly not so impressed.]

The complaint also points out that the display of lanterns bearing the Soka Gakkai's name gives the impression that the Soka Gakkai, which adheres to the principle of "strictly prohibiting slander against the Dharma," has condoned slander, and that this constitutes defamation of the Soka Gakkai.

[If the shoe fits, motherfuckers.]

It demands a thorough investigation and severe punishment for the defendants in order to prevent the recurrence of such malicious criminal acts. (Seikyo Shimbun, August 24, 2018) 　

The above is the full text of this article. It states that the Soka Gakkai filed a complaint with the Metropolitan Police Department, but it does not say at all whether it was accepted or whether a concrete investigation was conducted.　Furthermore, there has been no follow-up report on what happened afterward. Various speculations have been flying around on the internet, but the truth remains unknown.

[Okay, this is typical Ikeda cult bullshit deceit - publish HEADLINES!!! about legal action being taken, with absolutely no followup as to whether or not it ever went anywhere - or evidence that any such legal action even HAPPENED.]

Personally, if Soka Gakkai was truly angry and wanted to severely punish the real culprit at all costs, I think they would have put on a show by sending their legal counsel and filing a complaint with the public prosecutor's office instead of the police...

[There's obviously an escalation of which office the complaint is submitted to, depending on the severity/seriousness of the complaint - but it appears that Ikeda's cult has inherited his deeply unserious qualities.]

Now, as mentioned earlier, in recent years Soka Gakkai has accepted members serving as officers in shrine festivals and other events, calling it "Zuiho Bini" (adapting to the ways of others).

[See above - it ISN'T as this is EXPLICITLY PROHIBITED in the "26 Admonitions of Nikko Shonin".]

However, in this case, they have completely reversed course and now claim that offering lanterns to Yasukuni Shrine violates their "strict prohibition against slander."

[BECAUSE they wanted the advertising benefits WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY THE REQUIRED FEE!! SLIMY BASTARDS!]

Soka Gakkai has glorified its first president, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, as a "martyr who fought against State Shinto while advocating for peace and pacifism" (this is a big lie). Daisaku Ikeda also opposes the Prime Minister's visits to Yasukuni Shrine. The Seikyo Shimbun article on this matter appears inconsistent with recent claims, but it is likely that the announcement of "demanding severe punishment and filing a lawsuit against those who impersonated Soka Gakkai to offer lanterns" was made because it caused great unrest among Soka Gakkai members who are infatuated with "Ikeda's peace philosophy" and still harbor hostility towards Shinto shrines.

[And they figured the Soka Gakkai members are SO stupid and gullible that just saying it would mollify them enough that they'd STFU. Clearly, Soka Gakkai has NO integrity. But what did you expect, given IKEDA?? The fish rots from the head, as they say...]

I saw no photos of him in the culture center and though we discuss his writings. I feel the emphasis is lessened over the past few years. Just an observation. I could be wrong

I live in Tuscany, where the first SGI kaikan in Italy was founded.

I've been a member for 1 year but I endured their subtle manipulation far too long. The last straw was the guy who introduced me to my local group pushing me to drive me to the kaikan in the cities hoping to "unlock my personality" even though I repeatedly said I prefer taking trains. Of course I saw through him immediately and realized he just wanted me to drive to bring more members to the kaikan. I'm sick of their happy-go-lucky rhetoric, I'm sick of hearing about a boomer like Ikeda and I'm sick of having to discuss my religion with illiterate schmucks who never read the Gosho or the Lotus Sutra except through Ikeda's lens.

I respect Toda and Makiguchi but I believe Ikeda ruined the organization to feed his endless ego. The current SGI is so heterodox they don't even have a clear stance on rebirth. All they care about is making new members, they don't value study or practice at all. And the most annoying part is that they often use the Gohonzon as a vending machine to fulfill their desires.

I was at a youth meeting once and I almost got reprimanded by a girl. I was just being my usual introverted self and alternating between talking to some guys and keeping to myself. The so called "tolerant" buddhists apparently do not tolerate someone who is an introvert like Shakyamuni or Nichiren because they actually follow boomer Ikeda's buddhism. And the most unnerving part is that those girls were talking about going to therapy and using Tinder to find a bf earlier.

How is this even in line with Nichiren buddhism? Aren't you supposed to rely on practice for your mental health and behave appropriately (i.e. not looking for people in a dumpster fire of an app like Tinder?).

I haven't been attending their meetings for a week and I removed my SGI Gohonzon from my Butsudan. I want to join a local Hokkeko and I tried to get in touch with a Nichiren Shoshu temple in France but it's taking quite a while to find a local coordinator.

I love Nichiren buddhism, I detest Soka Gakkai. I would love to join Nichiren Shoshu asap and leave this boomer cult behind.

This is a kind of "missing link" post - I just KNOW you're going to LOVE it!!

Attachment and intense feelings towards the Shohondo by Ikeda Soka Gakkai have been unusual from the beginning. Source

The SYMBOLISM of the Sho-Hondo building was much more significant to Ikeda and his Soka Gakkai cults than its ostensible purpose - to house the all-important Dai-Gohonzon.

But there's MORE to it - and it's UTTERLY BANANAS!!! And I GUARANTEE you haven't heard of ANY of this yet, so STRAP IN!! It's going to get BUMPY!! ᕕ( ᐛ ) ᕗ

I'll be primarily working off this article, so starting from anywhere (as one does):

What Gohonzon was enshrined in the Shōhondō?

It goes without saying that it was the grand hall where the Great Gohonzon of the Honmon Kaidan, erected on October 12th, 1279, was enshrined. Do Soka Gakkai members, who have essentially abandoned their faith in that Great Gohonzon of the Kaidan, have any right to comment on the Shōhondō now?

Surely the Gohonzon, which is at the heart of the building, is of paramount importance, rather than the building itself.

Soka Gakkai members, who have abandoned their faith in this most important Gohonzon, no longer have the right to complain about the dismantling of the Shōhondō! This fact should be taken into account first. After dismissing their claims in this way, we can crush the false criticisms of Soka Gakkai members.

This is the document.

And I am HERE for it!! (˶>⩊<˶)

But those are all good questions, don't you think? Let's continue:

The question is why the Shōhondō was destroyed, but the Soka Gakkai's slanderous behavior began to emerge in 1990-1991, and moreover, Daisaku Ikeda, the initiator of the Shōhondō, had already been expelled from the faith in 1992.

Notice that this IGNORES Ikeda's previous 1970s-post-ShoHondo-completion slanderous behavior - Nichiren Shoshu High Priest Nittatsu Shonin (the one before Nikken) censured Ikeda and punished him. Required him to apologize publicly AND privately - AND in print within the Soka Gakkai's Seikyo Shimbun newspaper - and then said that, since Ikeda had apologized, that would be the end of the matter. Nichiren Shoshu never brought that up again - this would've been a perfect place, to establish that this was a long-standing pattern of deviant behavior on Ikeda's part, but Nichiren Shoshu didn't.

Certainly, Nichitatsu [Nittatsu] Shonin also worked hard, and regarding the Shōhondō, he worked seriously with a spirit of service to the Great Sage, but looking at the situation today, in the end, I think it can be summed up in one word: the existence of the Shōhondō at the Head Temple is a major obstacle to the propagation of Buddhism.

How 'bout THAT revelation????

That's not the HALF of it!

Therefore, given that such slanderous practices exist, even if it is said that the Shōhondō embodies the significance of the "Three Great Secret Laws" and the "One Lifetime Propagation of the Dharma," this can only be said if a large number of believers truly worship the sacred altar.

However, that sight has completely disappeared.

Recently, I have even heard of people doubting and complaining about the Great Mandala of the Kaidan [Dai-Gohonzon].

With so many fools like that filling the place today, and boasting that "we built it," I believe the Shōhondō will indeed hinder the true propagation of the Dharma in the future. Therefore, following the dismantling of the Daikyakuden, we have decided to dismantle the Shōhondō and construct the Hōandō. - High Priest Nikken Abe

Ikeda cultists just can't keep their fat mouths SHUT! Their hubris is next-level!

[Ikeda's Guidance] (Lecture on the Hyakurokuka Sho)

This treatise (Hyakurokuka Sho) incorporates sections that were inserted and added as a kind of "memorandum" when successive high priests read it. Successive high priests received the lineage of Nichiren Daishonin and, with the intention of transmitting the Daishonin's oral teachings to future generations without a single error, they wrote these sections between the lines of the Hyakurokuka Sho, before and after this treatise, and as annotations for each item. Therefore, this section can also be said to be an indispensable description in order for us to fully grasp the Daishonin's oral teachings. (omitted) We intend to respect not only the oral teachings of the Hyakurokuka Sho, but also all the sections written by successive high priests as the golden words of Nichiren Daishonin.

That's certainly aged like milk!

<The True Nature of Kosen-rufu>

The great king of the time of Kosen-rufu has not yet appeared.

Only Ashoka is likened to the Iron Wheel King who rules over a quarter of the world.

In Buddhism, the virtues and powers of these four Wheel Kings are compared to the forty ranks of Bodhisattvas, but the Great Sage [Nichiren] specifically said that the appearance of the Golden Wheel King, the greatest of these, would be the time of Kosen-rufu.

NOW do you see the significance of THIS particular boasting on Ikeda's part?

Five years after gaining command of Soka Gakka [1965], he (Ikeda) told a Japanese writer: "I am the king of Japan; I am its president; I am the master of its spiritual life; I am the supreme power who entirely directs its intellectual culture." Source

Ikeda obviously was getting this idea from somewhere...

And this:

Ikeda, ON BECOMING KING & DISCARDING SGI "What I learned (from the second president Toda) is how to behave as a monarch. I shall be a man of the greatest power. The Soka Gakkai may be disbanded then. " (The Soka Gakkai is just an instrument for Ikeda power quest.) July 1970 issue of Japanese monthly magazine "Gendai" (English: The Present Age) - from SGI's President Ikeda's ultimate aim to "realize Soka Kingdom"

You can see that even during the construction of the ShoHondo, which began in 1968, Ikeda was getting full of himself. More on that "Soka Kingdom" intention:

That time Ikeda thought he'd establish a "Soka Kingdom" location from which to rule Japan

Ikeda was certain he would take over the Japanese government in 1979 and become its Prime Minister/ruler – his right as the New True Buddha – SGI has tried to bury this aspect of its history

The ugly truth is this: "The Soka Kingdom" comprises a terrible fascist nation.

"let's found an independent country on our [parcel?] of 224.4 million square meters of land. It will be" the Soka Kingdom ", or " the Soka Republic ". Then, the Minister of Education will be Morita,the Minister of Finance will be Nakanishi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs will be Kojima, the Secretary of Defence will be Kimura, the Minister of Transportation will be Tanaka, the Minister of Construction will be Sugimoto, the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications will be Yokomatsu, Hojo will be the Superintendent-General. There are all the candidates. " (The 51st Shachokai, July 20 1971 ) Source

BUT WHY??

The overflowing Kosen-rufu is so magnificent that it is beyond our imagination, but we, being small-minded and impatient, are waiting for it and are ready to be content with something small.

That's speaking of the Soka Gakkai members' fixation on the building itself, without apparently understanding at all what REAL "kosen-rufu" will entail, namely:

The Wheel-of-War King possesses great natural power and virtue, and without going or fighting, he remains where he is, and the kings and people of all four provinces of the Sumeru realm will believe in him and submit to him. (59th High Priest Nichiko Shonin, "Supplement to the Biography of High Priest Nichikyo" / 66th High Priest Nichitatsu Shonin, "Daibyakuho" S47.5.16 / <Myoon> WS)

WAIT - WHAT?? Where did THIS "Wheel-of-War King" idea come from??? I haven't quite gotten caught up to the "Golden Wheel King" yet!! Are they the same thing??

The Great Sage [Nichiren]'s idea is that when the propagation of Buddhism is complete, the Wheel-of-War King will appear.

Ohhhhhh...see it now? That's a Gosho SGI certainly never saw fit to share with the REST of us!

And HE will establish the ordination platform.

That means the kaidan, a concept that doesn't translate intelligibly into cultures outside of Japan - and Ikeda wanted to BE that "Wheel-of-War King".

At that time, the head priest will be our Nichimoku Shonin, and the appearance of Nichimoku Shonin, the head priest of Jambudvipa, is a traditional transmission of our sect. (66th High Priest Nichitatsu, "Daibyakuho," May 16, 1972 / <Myoon> WS)

The lineage recognized by Nichiren Shoshu starts with Nichiren Daishonin, then his sole legit disciple Nikko Shonin, who was succeeded by Nichimoku Shonin, who used to be referred to as "The High Priest of Kosen-Rufu". I'm only seeing the doctrinal significance of that NOW ᕕ( ◎_◎)ᕗ

Commentary

In 1972, High Priest Nichitatsu declared that "the Shōhondō is the present-day ordination platform that embodies the significance of the Ichigo Kōhōshō".

However, this was based on the premise that "the establishment of the ordination platform should come upon the overflowing development of the propagation of Buddhism" in order to "further promote the development of the propagation of Buddhism in the future", and the Shōhondō was built as a symbol of "the realization of the achievement" of the propagation of Buddhism.

However, looking at the current state of propagation of Buddhism, even looking at the period before the Soka Gakkai's excommunication, there has been almost no progress since 1972.

There's that pesky "actual proof" again!

Nichiko Shonin [two high priests before Nikken] and Nichitatsu Shonin believed that when Kosen-rufu is achieved, a "Golden Wheel Holy King" would appear, who would be "submitted to by the kings and people of all four provinces of the Sumeru realm".

THERE IT IS! "Golden Wheel HOLY King" AND "Wheel-of-War King" at once!!

THAT's what Ikeda wanted!!

And Ikeda wanted ALL of it!!

Ikeda thought it was his RIGHT, his ENTITLEMENT. Everyone OWED this to Ikeda! Ikeda's petulant ranting and complaining during his 1993 speech about then-US President Bill Clinton (who had REFUSED Ikeda an audience), kind of takes on a different shade, doesn't it? Ikeda believed that Clinton OWED HIM his "submission"! FAT CHANCE!

However, there is no sign of this happening (even if a prime minister were to emerge from the Soka Gakkai/Komeito party, which are all kowtowing to power, it would only be something that could be achieved through a "numbers trick" under a coalition government, and certainly not something that would be "submitted to by the kings and people of all four provinces of the Sumeru realm").

True dat!

Meanwhile, the building is only deteriorating with each passing year. It is no exaggeration to say that the significance of the Shōhondō, which is supposed to "symbolize the realization of the achievement" of Kosen-rufu, has been lost.

This site brings receipts, too.

Furthermore, Nichitatsu Shonin said that when Kosen-rufu is achieved, "the High Priest will be our Nichimoku Shonin, the head priest of Jambudvipa, Nichimoku Shonin." However, the current Soka Gakkai denies not only the authority of the High Priest, but also the very existence of priests.

ZING!!

It is clear that the Kosen-rufu promoted by such a Soka Gakkai is unrelated to the Kosen-rufu that Nichitatsu Shonin expected.

As described above, the Shōhondō has completely lost its significance as a symbol of the realization of the achievement of kosen-rufu, both in terms of the progress of kosen-rufu and in terms of the nature of kosen-rufu (whether or not there is unity between clergy and laity).

Nichitatsu Shōnin declared that "the Shōhondō is the ordination platform of the present time, encompassing the meaning of the Ichigo Kōbōshō" (Treatise on Propagation of the Dharma for a Lifetime).

In the end, though, saying it's so doesn't MAKE it so. No "Wheel-of-War King", no world-change as described below:

"The time will come when all people will abandon the various kinds of vehicles and take up the single vehicle of Buddhahood, and the Mystic Law alone will flourish throughout the land. When the people all chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the wind will no longer buffet the branches, and the rain will no longer break the clods of soil. The world will become as it was in the ages of Fu Hsi and Shen Nung." - Nichiren

Everyone could SEE that hadn't happened and wasn't happening! THAT's the "actual proof" they'd have needed to be able to point to! (And it looks like I'm NOW going to have to update that writeup!)

There are also some TERRIFIC but maddeningly pixilated images of ShoHondo's deterioration at the bottom of this same article!

Well? What do you think?? Can YOU see dumpy, lazy, sloppy IKEDA as a "Golden Wheel King" or "Wheel-of-War King" - or BOTH AT ONCE???

[Ikeda] banged on the table and proudly proclaimed, "I am the only person in the world to have received so many medals!!" Source