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From: kde@heawk1.gsfc.nasa.gov ( Keith Evans)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern
Subject: Re: "Superiority" of Nichiren Shoshu? (Was Re: Superiority of the Lotus Sutra)
Message-ID: <1990Dec13.022339.5527@nas.nasa.gov>
Date: 13 Dec 90 02:23:39 GMT
References: <1990Dec5.042527.7127@nas.nasa.gov> <1990Dec12.022448.7112@nas.nasa.gov>
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  >Yu apparently fail to realize the senselessness of using a piece of 
  >scripture to establish its own validity.  If this were a workable 
  >principle, then the fundamentalist Christians would be one-hundred percent 
  >right; we would all go to their Hell for not accepting Jesus as our 
  >personal savior.

Personally, I am not so concerned about quotes from the sutras, although
Nichiren (1222-1282) them alot. It was merely a means of leading them to
understand something about Nichiren Daishonin.

  >I have been increasingly disturbed by your insistence that your 
  >particular sect is the One True Buddhism.  Your statements to that effect 
  >put you in a class with the fundamentalists; your very statements belie 
  >any 
  >undestanding or commitment to the spirit of Buddhism.

  >One of the cardinal Buddhist sins is sowing dissension within the Sangha.  
  >How do you reconcile your actions, Mr. Evans?

  >If you wish to believe that chanting "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo" is the essence 
  >of Buddhism, you are welcome to.  But to demean the beliefs of other 
  >Buddhists in the way that you have is reprehensible.

The question is 'What is the cause of suffering?' and 'How does one
overcome it?' Actually, you mean to say that very few people are truly
committed to their beliefs as they say as long as you believe in
something, you're ok. How did this kind of thinking come about? Because
theur beliefs don't really improve their life?

  >You show a serious ignorance of both the history and range of the Buddhist 
  >thought, and if the views expressed in your postings are in any way 

You mean because Buddha taught in so many expedient ways to help the
people, you think that their is more than one Buddhism. Another question
is why should you not listen to your Zen teachers and follow Nichiren's
teaching?

  >indicative of the views of the majority of followers of Nichiren Shoshu, 
  >then I am sorry to see that a noble system of philosophy has fallen to 
  >such depths.

The fervor of belivevers in no way degrades the philosophy, it just makes
it harder for others to understand and want to join.

  >You would quite possibly do well to spend less time chanting, less time 
  >posting and more time meditating.

Here you are doing exactly what you are telling me not to.


--
   Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
            Respectfully,
  	         Keith Evans		kde@heawk1.gsfc.nasa.gov