"Once there was a traveler who spoke these words in sorrow to his host: In recent years, there are unusual disturbances in the heavens. Strange occurrences on earth, famine and pestilence, all affecting every corner of the empire and spreading throughout the land. Oxen and horses lie dead in the streets, the bones of the stricken crowd the highways. Over half the population has already been carried off by death, and in every family someone grieves."
(Gosho Zenshu; Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Volume 1)
Rissho Ankoku (meaning: Correct Teaching - Peaceful Country) means to establish Peace and Stability of the Land through True Buddhism.
This text
has been subdivided into 10 dialogue sections, one section for each question and
answer and the postscripts written by the Daishonin after his predictions
began to come true. The text is taken from the Soka Gakkai International's
English translation of the Gosho, Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 1.
A key question of our age, is how to interpret and apply this thesis to the
non-Buddhist societies outside of Japan, now in the 21st Century. The best
place to start, is by studying
the Peace Proposals of Daisaku Ikeda, (the full-text of all the
proposals which have been generously
made available on-line by Ted Penfold, SGI-UK),
are written each January for the United
Nations.
The grave slander of our times, fundamentally, is any action that violates the
university human rights and dignity of all people - most clearly seen in the
institution of warfare..
1996 Preface by Steve Sonoda:
"In the
year 1260 AD, Nichiren Daishonin sent his thesis "Rissho Ankoku Ron"
(On Securing the Peace of the Land by Establishing True Teachings of Buddhism)
to the Kamakura Shogun government in an effort to uproot the fundamental
cause of suffering and disasters of the time. However, he was misunderstood,
and considered to be a threat to the alignment of religious and political
powers of that period. The religious leader, Ryokan, and other heretic
sects of that time persuaded those in power to threaten, attack and exile
Nichiren. Instigated by jealous priests, the government even attempted
to execute him.
During World War II, First President of the Soka Gakkai, Tsunesaboro Makiguchi, remonstrated with the Nichiren Shoshu Priesthood not to succumb to the coercion of the military government which forced them to accept the Shinto talisman (which represented the Shinto Goddess who was believed to be the ancestor of the emperor family). The Priesthood had already lost the original spirit of Nichiren to fight against inferior religious teachings. Priests only concerned with ingratiating themselves with the ruling regime for survival. For them, the pure and strict faith of Makiguchi to Niciren was nothing but an embarrassment. Makiguchi was abondoned by the priesthood, and subsequently arrested by military police in 1943. He died in prison, refusing to compromise or corrupt the teachings of Nichiren.
In both cases, Nichiren and Mr Makiguchi's warnings were ignored. In 1943, "the Ryokan and Kamakura government" were Nichiren Shoshu priests and militaristic government. Because of their slander to the Nichiren's teaching, Japan was defeated in 1945.
Who are "the Ryokan and Kamakura government" in the 1990's? Who is again leading Japan to destruction? They are again "Nichiren Shoshu priests and Japanese Liberal Democratic Party" (LDP; Japanese majority party which has had a power for the past 40 years) but mass media and fabricated story-writers, such as Masatomo Yamazaki, are also deeply involved.
As predicted in the Gosho (the Collection of Nichiren's writings), the heretical priests will manipulate those in power to persecute the true votary of the Lotus Sutra. Again, the Soka Gaakai International (SGI) has been betrayed by the Nichiren Shoshu Priesthood, which has become corrupt and is aligning itself with the reemergent right-wing militarist section of LDP called "the April Alliance."
The April Alliance has been attacking the Soka Gakkai following cunning strategies devised by Yamazaki. He has two strong ties to the mass media. One is a weekly magazine, Shukan Bunshun (published by Bungei Shunju Publ. Co.) and the other Shukan Shincho (published by Shincho Publ. Co.).
They have formed an alliance as follows:
When Rev. Ohashi of Nichiren Shoshu drunk drove, he crossed the center-line, hit the truck and died a few hours later. When the police investigated, Rev. Ohashi was still conscious. He told that it was totally his mistake. However, when Rev. Fujiwara, a well known schemer, found out that Mr. Shiroyama, the truck driver was a Soka Gakkai member, he contacted Yamazaki. Yamazaki wrote a fabricated article in Shukan Shincho with a sensational title, "A Soka Gakkai Leader Murdered a Priest." Then, Mr. Kawasaki, a delegate of Lower House and one of the founders of April Alliance, read this article in the Diet while the session was televised nationally.
Mr. Shiroyama took a legal action against Shukan Shincho, and won the case. After two years, finally the court ordered Shukan Shincho to pay 1.1 million Yen to Mr. Shiroyama as a compensation for libel. But the goal of the April Alliance to produce a negative image for Soka Gakkai has been cunningly done. Since Soka Gakkai has fought to protect human rights on behalf of common people, religious and political authorities were afraid of the growth of Soka Gakkai and kept attacking Soka Gakkai. These fabricated articles have been constantly published, especially in the election year. In 1995, more than 500 articles were published in tabloid journals. Translation of these fabricated articles have flooded in the Internet, too.
Amidst the harsh realities of modern society, Soka Gakkai in Japan, nd Soka Gakkai International (SGI) out side of Japan are carrying the mandate of Rissho Ankoku Ron to establish world peace based upon principles of non-violence and the sanctity of life of Nichiren Daishonin." Steve Sonoda, 1996.