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Hello SGI Member,
I enjoyed reading your email. Thank you for spending
the time to write it for me. As an American living in Japan since 1989, I don't get much contact with people that want
to discuss Buddhism. The members here in Nobeoka, Japan stopped calling on me after I announced my split in 1991. I
remember the top leader of the local SGI that tried to switch my gongyo prayer book to the new orange one, said to me, "I
will meet with you in ten years, and we will see who has advanced." Well, I haven't heard from him at all, and it's
been 17 years now.
I've been to see the Dai Gohonzon many times.
Each time is a new experience. I believe that the experience has enriched my life greatly.
(were you an NSA member before the great split?)
Yes, I was practicing
in Santa Ana, California from 1976 until 1989 when I came to Japan. I continued with the SGI, I gave them a lot
of money and a lot of my time. And, you know, since I read that Taisekiji and SGI split in the local
newspaper, I contacted the local temple. The result has been quite substantial. My life improved constantly, greatly
until today. But, from 1976 until 1991, my life was a sad austerity. I had one accident after another, one job
after another, etc. But, I didn't seem to mind. Gongyo and daimoku was still satisfying.
( My belief
is that if you follow Nicherin Daishonin then how can any of us be wrong?)
I
agree with you there. I remember in 1977 or so, there was a lot of hoopla about studying Ikeda's guidance's. I
couldn't understand why the Gosho wasn't the main emphasis. I always received greater encouragement from reading
the gosho than I ever did from reading Ikeda or the World Tribune or the Seikyo Times. Once, I read a very short piece from
Nitatsu, the head priest at the time. It was a 1979 New Year's address. Although, later I read that it had been
shortened by the Seikyo Times staff. Anyway, I remember getting so encouraged from reading it. I told other top
leaders of NSA at the time about how much it encouraged me. They just shunned me and tried to lead me back to Daily
Guidance's by Daisaku Ikeda. I never once got encouraged from reading those daily writings. That's my experience,
anyway.
(...people who have crossed over)
I always wonder why people use the phrase "cross over". I joined Nichiren Shoshu in 1976. It was at Myohoji
Temple in Etiwanda, California.
(I
NEVER felt like I needed a priest to be a go between.)
My experience with the priests here in Japan has been very little, nothing like a "go-between". In fact when
I begged them for guidance, they just looked at me as if it was strange. My priest just doesn't profess his opinions.
He just mentions gongyo and the gosho. And, that's it. I asked about "daimoku tozos", getting together to
chant daimoku as a group, and they couldn't understand it. One priest said that it isn't Buddhism. I couldn't
understand, because I wanted to attend many meetings like I did with the SGI. But, now I understand. Buddhism
is a personal thing. Just do gongyo and study the gosho. I have received tremendous benefit from it. All
that running around I did in phase I, II and III wasn't Buddhism. It was just running around, in my opinion.
(I was a person who so needed that type of discipline in
the beginning.)
In my opinion, the only
real discipline is to learn to do it by yourself. If one needs others to help one practice, then, I think it's
a crutch, it's a waste of time. Great benefit comes when one makes it their own idea to chant, to study, to
practice. In a way, I am glad that no one visited me after I quit Garden Grove Headquaters in Santa Ana.
And, I was a District Chief, a Chikubucho. Really, no one called me or visited me. And, after I gave every dime I
had and all of my time for twelve years to the members of NSA, it was their disgrace. After I split with SGI
here in Japan in 1991 and started to practice with the local priest here, I was a little confused when I found that no
one visits you here either. You're on your own, Buddy. I learned that it's up to you to practice. If you have
to be dragged to a meeting, it's of no use to you or anyone. It's my opinion, anyway.
I'll just give you a short list of the benefits I received since 1991.
1. We bought our second house last year. I always wanted a house overlooking
the ocean. And, it's completely paid for. I can watch the sun rise in the ocean every day if I want to.
2. My daughter is now 17. She has won numerous contests at her schools. In
fact, her name is on the sign right in front of her high school right now.
3.
We've been married since July 15, 1990, very happily.
4. I've overcome
pancreatic duct cancer, spinal meningitis and diebetis in the last year alone. My wife purchased extra cancer insurance policies
just before, so we made out like a bandit. (We have a lot of money in the bank.)
5. My wife just had her first art exhibition in the Ginza, Tokyo a couple of months ago.
6. Although, my wife and daughter do not practice Buddhism as of yet, they are very sympathetic to my practice.
And, I know that one day, they will begin chanting. I intend to show them through my example how great the gohonzon,
daimoku, gongyo and the study of Nichiren Daishonin's gosho is.
Thanks for reading, and I pray that we can live our life to the fullest each moment of our lives.
Howard Ahner
February 1, 2009
Hello Kanani,
I enjoyed reading your email. Thank you for spending the
time to write it for me. As an American living in Japan since 1989, I don't get much contact with people that want to
discuss Buddhism. The members here in Nobeoka, Japan stopped calling on me after I announced my split in 1991. I
remember the top leader of the local SGI that tried to switch my gongyo prayer book to the new orange one, said to me, "I
will meet with you in ten years, and we will see who has advanced." Well, I haven't heard from him at all, and it's
been 17 years now.
I've been to see the Dai Gohonzon many times. Each time is a new experience. I
believe that the experience has enriched my life greatly.
(were you an NSA member before the great split?)
Yes,
I was practicing in Santa Ana, California from 1976 until 1989 when I came to Japan. I continued with the SGI,
I gave them a lot of money and a lot of my time. And, you know, since I read that Taisekiji and SGI split
in the local newspaper, I contacted the local temple. The result has been quite substantial. My life improved constantly,
greatly until today. But, from 1976 until 1991, my life was a sad austerity. I had one accident after another,
one job after another, etc. But, I didn't seem to mind. Gongyo and daimoku was still satisfying.
(
My belief is that if you follow Nicherin Daishonin then how can any of us be wrong?)
I agree with you there.
I remember in 1977 or so, there was a lot of hoopla about studying Ikeda's guidance's. I couldn't understand why the
Gosho wasn't the main emphasis. I always received greater encouragement from reading the gosho than I ever did
from reading Ikeda or the World Tribune or the Seikyo Times. Once, I read a very short piece from Nitatsu, the head priest
at the time. It was a 1979 New Year's address. Although, later I read that it had been shortened by the Seikyo
Times staff. Anyway, I remember getting so encouraged from reading it. I told other top leaders of NSA at the
time about how much it encouraged me. They just shunned me and tried to lead me back to Daily Guidance's by Daisaku
Ikeda. I never once got encouraged from reading those daily writings. That's my experience, anyway.
(...people
who have crossed over)
I always wonder why people use the phrase "cross over". I joined Nichiren Shoshu
in 1976. It was at Myohoji Temple in Etiwanda, California.
(I NEVER felt like I needed
a priest to be a go between.)
My experience with the priests here in Japan has been very little, nothing
like a "go-between". In fact when I begged them for guidance, they just looked at me as if it was strange.
My priest just doesn't profess his opinions. He just mentions gongyo and the gosho. And, that's it. I asked
about "daimoku tozos", getting together to chant daimoku as a group, and they couldn't understand it. One
priest said that it isn't Buddhism. I couldn't understand, because I wanted to attend many meetings like I did with
the SGI. But, now I understand. Buddhism is a personal thing. Just do gongyo and study the gosho.
I have received tremendous benefit from it. All that running around I did in phase I, II and III wasn't Buddhism.
It was just running around, in my opinion.
(I was a person who so needed that type of discipline in
the beginning.)
In my opinion, the only real discipline is to learn to do it by yourself.
If one needs others to help one practice, then, I think it's a crutch, it's a waste of time. Great benefit
comes when one makes it their own idea to chant, to study, to practice. In a way, I am glad that no one visited
me after I quit Garden Grove Headquaters in Santa Ana. And, I was a District Chief, a Chikubucho. Really,
no one called me or visited me. And, after I gave every dime I had and all of my time for twelve years to the
members of NSA, it was their disgrace. After I split with SGI here in Japan in 1991 and started to practice
with the local priest here, I was a little confused when I found that no one visits you here either. You're on your
own, Buddy. I learned that it's up to you to practice. If you have to be dragged to a meeting, it's of no use to you
or anyone. It's my opinion, anyway.
I'll just give you a short list of the benefits I received
since 1991.
1. We bought our second house last year. I always wanted a house overlooking the ocean.
And, it's completely paid for. I can watch the sun rise in the ocean every day if I want to.
2. My daughter
is now 17. She has won numerous contests at her schools. In fact, her name is on the sign right in front of her
high school right now.
3. We've been married since July 15, 1990, very happily.
4. I've overcome
pancreatic duct cancer, spinal meningitis and diebetis in the last year alone. My wife purchased extra cancer insurance policies
just before, so we made out like a bandit. (We have a lot of money in the bank.)
5. My wife just had her first
art exhibition in the Ginza, Tokyo a couple of months ago.
6. Although, my wife and daughter do not practice
Buddhism as of yet, they are very sympathetic to my practice. And, I know that one day, they will begin chanting.
I intend to show them through my example how great the gohonzon, daimoku, gongyo and the study of Nichiren Daishonin's gosho
is.
Thanks for reading, and I pray that we can live our life to the fullest each moment of our lives.
Howard
Ahner
February 1, 2009
From: inanak51@hotmail.com
To: ahner1@hotmail.com
Subject: The Buddha within
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2009 06:08:06
-1000
were you an NSA member before the great split?
I am still an SGI member and have no issues with those who belong
to other sects. My belief is that is you follow Nicherin Daishonin then how can any of us be wrong? After all, Nicherin did
say "chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo" will lead to enlightenment. I am one of these people who beleive that Gongyo is a formal ritual
(I still do it though) and the Gohonzon isn't really a necessity (I will always keep mine safe and continue to chant in front
of it)
However, when people get "to sticky" about "YOU HAVE to have a Gohonzon or YOU HAVE to do Gongyo EVERY
morning and EVERY night, then I get a bit
nasty. I have met many people who have crossed over and I feel that that is their
business. What is the difference?
I NEVER felt like I needed a priest to be a go between. That's what Catholocism
is all about; you know, POPE, Bishop etc.
I NEVER felt that I needed to see the Dai Gohonzon. After all, only a hand full
of Nichirens followers got one. And he left it as a REMINDER of what we all
have with in ourselves.
I NEVER
felt that there was really a difference between NST/ SGI/ Nicherin Shu etc. I always felt that as long as we chanted Nam Myoho
Renge Kyo,
propogate and protect, then we are following the Daishonin's teachings.
Some people left
NSA because of the radical movements (washoi/ yearly contribution campaigns and even some of the leaders). However, I was
a person who so needed that type of discipline in the beginning. After 27 years, if I can't make my own choices based on my
experiences as a member and believer in the Daishonin's teachings, then I should just give it up and go back to being Wiccan.
I
liked your web page and enjoy reading the documents. Thank you for your time...
I never liked the political
aspect of any organization so I continue to be a member of SGI only because it is through the original NSA and Mr. Williams,
Mr. Osaki and Mr Kikamura, that I was given the opportunity to meet Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, the Gohonzon and transform my life.
I have never seen the Dai Gohonzon and perhaps never will. However when we think about pilgrimages or visiting those "historical
spiritual sites or objects", it is as if I need confirmation that it really does exist. It makes me sound like a Christian
who just has to go to Jeruselum or the Muslim that just has to go to Mecca to prove that they are believers of their faith
instead of walking the walk... Ok... that is just my take on the issue.
I don't care if the Priest are NOT following
or if the SGI is not doing the right thing. I know that Nichiren Daishonin encouraged us to chant and to respect all living
beings. To live with the spirit of the Buddha and to "share" with others. He taught us to stand up for what WE thought was
right and to have the courage to fight for what believe in. I believe that our current state of affairs in our country is
challenging all of us to rethink our values.
As long as I continue to chant and change my life, then I can set
an example to others of the greatness of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.
I will NEVER slander another practitioner of the Daishonin's
teaching as long as they continue in their efforts to progress in their lives and to encourgae others to do the same.
So
why am I writing this? Because I know there is a lot of hostility between many of the believers and I don't believe in being
that way. I believe that we should look at our common goals (Itai Doshin) and keep promoting the peaceful movement. IF we
don't, then we are like the Christians who say, "my GOD is better than your God", or "only a certain group or certain number
of people will go to heaven". As a United group of Nicherin believers, I think we can really help the growth of the world
peace movement. And I think because there are so many people chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, we are making a big difference.
I choose to be a friend and follower of Nichiren Daishonin. I have to refute MY OWN negative ideas or erroneous ideas of people
who choose to sell America for the mere price of gasoline; or healthcare benefits that do not benefit healthcare workers or
Americans. I beleive that is what the Daishonin was talking about. Also, helping those who think that they have to kill 1,000+
people in order to get 7 virgins or go to heaven in their next life; or those who believe that golden statues and wooden objects
will get them to a peaceful space instead of changing their own Karma from within.
Ok... I guess that is enough..
once again.. My name is Kanani and I am a Buddha who chants Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. I remain with SGI in order to help new people
understand the Daishonin's messages. Have a great year and thank you for listening.. Kanani
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
Kanani
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