How Ikeda decided to change the Nichiren religion - in order to save the Soka Gakkai

We all hate Ikeda, and rightfully so. But there's a certain genius about him - he's been able to build an astonishing financial empire in the guise of a religion. We can give him credit for that. It's a shame that he didn't choose to use his powers for good instead of evil, though... However, we must also acknowledge the ramifications of a layman declaring himself the "world's foremost authority on Buddhism", especially when there is an organization of career priests whose authority is being used to legitimize this upstart's schemes.

In any case, the stylistic characteristics of the Toda period, summed up in the bluntly intolerant Shakubuku Handbook, have been replaced by the easy, confident tone of Ikeda's Guidance Memo, which counsels rhythm, consistency and constancy, sociability, and moderation.

Nichiren Shoshu loved President Toda. Not only was Toda absolutely devoted to the priesthood (to the point of insisting that supporting the priests was nothing to even be acknowledged for - it was that basic to being a Soka Gakkai member), but he also embraced Nichiren Shoshu's intolerant fanaticism that had so long been constrained by the government's "parish system" that assigned certain geographic regions to specific temples and forbade proselytizing. This system was dismantled during the American Occupation, and freedom of religion replaced it, along with separation of church and state. The Occupation brought a change to Japanese society that provided an entré for a whole gnarly host of "New Religions", which were very similar in their style and fervor to any Charismatic/Pentecostal Christian upstart. Toda and his organization were perfectly placed for proselytizing - they were immersed in society in a way that was cut off to the priests of Taiseki-ji. And Toda totally seized upon that role as his life's mission. It was a marriage made in heaven, so to speak.

The eclipse of Nichiren Shoshu (the priesthood) by the Sokagakkai is actually part of the politicization process of the Gakkai. The intolerant spirit of Nichiren was also that of Toda; its categorical denial by Ikeda's Gakkai ("We're not anti-Christian, we're just un-Christian") runs counter to the spiritual core of Nichiren Shoshu. A recent article by Ikeda in the doctrinal journal Dai Byaku Renge (Great White Lotus) leaves little question that the Gakkai has assumed this central position itself. While mentioning the Sho Sect once (as part of the full name of the Society - Nichiren Shoshu-Sokagakkai), Ikeda declared that, "It is clear, in light of the Sacred Teachings [of Nichiren], that, apart from the Sokagakkai, neither the true exaltation of Buddhism, nor the tranquility of the nation, nor a peaceful world is possible."

NOW he's put his foot in it O_O

Throughout its period of mobilization, the Sokagakkai has exhibited a combination of growth and cohesion unparalleled in Japanese history. The leadership tandem of Toda the builder and Ikeda the maintainer, a pair of organizational and inspirational wizards, has put the Gakkai far ahead of the other new movements.

But both in the evolution of strategy and tactics and in the routinization process the presidents' crucial role is evident. It has been largely through the influence of strong and inspiring presidential personalities that factional activity in the Gakkai has been forestalled. Of course, as Weber points out, charisma depends on success. Although the Gakkai's presidents helped shape the doctrine and structure that have proved so appealing, the Society's evolution was, as with any other new sect, a complex process of interaction between Japanese social structures, prevailing social strains, the Gakkai's own belief system, certain precipitating factors, and, finally, actual mobilization. And at all stages of this process the presence or absence of social controls was critical. - from James W. White's 1970 The Sokagakkai and Mass Society, pp. 53-55.

The experience here in the US was that SGI members were kept quite separate from the priests even when there was a temple in town. It was within the SGI that the members practiced and did activities, not at the temple; it was from SGI leaders that SGI members sought guidance, not from priests. And considering there were only 3 or 4 Nichiren Shoshu temples for the whole of the US, that meant that relatively few members even had access to a temple or priests. Given that the priests were all ethnic expat Japanese imports, there were also the language and cultural barriers for the non-Japanese members - these priests had been trained in Japan and came over to work for the temples. They had no experience with Western society; they hadn't been raised here; even their command of Engrish was typically limited. They were quite separated from the American members - it would have taken heroic efforts to foster relationships between these Japanese priests and American members (especially given the notorious racism and bigotry of the Japanese), so why should the SGI have bothered?? It wasn't in the SGI's own interests, after all.

Likewise in Japan, contact with the Nichiren Shoshu priests was fairly limited - there might be some activities centering on local temples, and the frequent tozan "pilgrimages" to the head temple at Taiseki-ji, but the close relationships in terms of faith community were between laypersons within the Soka Gakkai. And Ikeda definitely worked this angle, downplaying members' responsibilities to the temples, trumpeting his own superlativeness as "the world's foremost expert on Nichiren Buddhism" - the hubris is breathtaking. But apparently there were many in Japan who saw such preening self-importance as indicative of competence or leadership or something O_O

Will Soka Gakkai keep religious and political activity apart, or will they use their political power towards establishing Soka Gakkai as a national religion? The Seikyo Shimbun, the weekly newspaper of Soka Gakkai, three years ago (1960) carried an editorial calling for the building of a national tabernacle at the foot of Mt. Fuji (this would be realized in the Sho-Hondo) and turning Soka Gakkai into the state religion. Toda, when asked to comment upon this, answered in seeming innocence, "How can such a thing be done?" This answer can be interpreted in several ways, which apparently was Toda's intention. Ikeda Daisaku, one of the leaders of Soka Gakkai, declared after the 1959 elections, "Our Gakkai is not a political party, but it is the king of the religious world. We wish to go forward without being partial to any of the political parties, only for the happiness of the nation."

What, you don't want the nation to be happy?? What's wrong with you??

Wait - whatever happened to being a lay organization of Nichiren Shoshu?? What about partiality to different religions??

Notice that this "national tabernacle" would result in Nichiren Shoshu (and Soka Gakkai) replacing Shinto as the state religion and Taiseki-ji replacing the Ise Grand Shrine as the national shrine. This would mean replacing the Sun Goddess and patron diety of Japan, Amaterasu, with the Dai-Gohonzon. Since the Emperor rules because of a direct bloodline connection to this Sun Goddess, these enormous changes would affect absolutely EVERYTHING - AND open the door for someone like Ikeda, with no noble heritage whatsoever, to name himself Emperor on the basis of being the most important leader in Nichiren Buddhism. I think the High Priest might have a problem with that, but Ikeda never got close. Still, you can easily see where his thinking was going.

Neither Toda's words nor those of Ikeda are reassuring, especially in light of the fact that the heritage of Nichiren concerning the importance of the union of religious and national life for the well-being of the nation has been part and parcel of the teaching of all Nichiren sects, including Nichiren Shoshu, for the past seven centuries. Until now no Nichiren sect has been in a position where it was able to carry out this union. But many believers of Soka Gakkai believe that they well be able to do so during the next two decades, or even earlier.

Given that this material comes from a book published in 1963, that means that the outer limit for when this was supposed to happen was 1983, allowing for a record-breaking transition from written manuscript to publication (same year and not reports from previous years). And here we are, 2016, more than 50 years later, and they might as well be wishing for the moon.

The relationship between Soka Gakkai and other religions is based on the shakufuku [sic] principle. Shakufuku literally means "to break and subdue" (the evil spirits, and make straight the true teaching of the Buddha). And the shakufuku principle is the missionary method adopted by Soka Gakkai: to attack every other religion ferociously, using logical reasoning along with simple abuse.

This was the Toda orientation.

The shakufuku method was originated by Nichiren himself, and the fanatical intolerance of Soka Gakkai and Nichiren Shoshu can be traced back directly to him. Nichiren maintained that to kill heretics is not murder, and that it is the duty of the government to extirpate heresy with the sword. His invective brought him into numerous conflicts with the government and with other religious groups. Some examples of his strong language and firm self-assurance follow: "If Nichiren had not appeared in the period of Mappo (the Evil Latter Day of the Law), then Sakyamuni would have been a great liar, and all the Buddhas would have been great cheats." - from Harry Thomsen's 1963 book, The New Religions of Japan, pp. 100-101.

Since Nichiren's antagonism, aggression, and intolerance were so clear, and are most amplified in the Nichiren Shoshu sect, to backpedal from his stridency means replacing Nichiren as an authority with...who, again? Ikeda, who couldn't even complete a degree from community college?? Instead of one of the career priests of Nichiren Shoshu, who had dedicated their entire lifetimes to the study and practice of Nichiren's teachings??

The reasons for the stunning success of Soka Gakkai have already become apparent. Besides its historical nationalistic appeal, its easy doctrines, its able leadership, its pointed entry into the fields of politics and trade unionism, and its zeal, there may be at least one emotional factor behind this that demands further explanation: that of its being a crisis religion.

There is a curious parallel between the situation Nichiren found himself in seven hundred years ago and the situation many Japanese found themselves in during the first few postwar years. Both eras were times of crisis. The Japan of Nichiren's time was threatened by invasion from the hordes of Mongols and allied armies under Genghis Khan. Nichiren himself claimed no small amount of the credit for the thwarting of these overwhelming enemy forces. The Japan that saw a rebirth of Soka Gakkai under the leadership of Toda Josei was that of the time of the recent UN action in Korea, when (on the heels of WWII) many Japanese feared an invasion by the Chinese Communist forces from the mainland. In both cases, large numbers of Japanese sought a national and religious place of refuge, and in both cases the strong personality of Nichiren - amplified by Toda in the later period - was available for them. Toda was, no less than Nichiren, one who could use the political and social conditions of the time to his advantage. - Ibid., pp. 106-107.

As with similarly intolerant, similarly evangelical Christianity, it can't thrive without a large population of suffering, dislocated, disenfranchised, frustrated individuals. It is this same demographic the Tea Party managed to appeal to, with much the same results. But once society settles down, once the economy is doing well and people are busy, what happens to these "crisis cults"?

Toda's legacy was both substantial and complicated. He left Soka Gakkai with a very large membership, a comprehensive and efficient organization, and momentum sufficient to sustain a continued rapid growth. At the same time, because of the rigidly authoritarian character of his leadership, his death left a power void that precipitated a temporary crisis for the movement. Also, largely because of Toda's fanatical intolerance and bluntness and his advocacy of shakubuku, the public image of Soka Gakkai was very poor. Toda frequently complained that the press coverage of Gakkai activities was unfair and scurrilous, but it seems clear that his own tactlessness and recklessness were largely responsible for the movement's poor press.

It is not completely clear just how Ikeda was chosen for this top office. In a press conference 3 years after his installation (as 3rd president of the Soka Gakkai), two officials of Soka Gakkai were asked, "Was the president of the Gakkai chosen by election?" One replied that it had been evident from the very atmosphere that everyone was agreed that Ikeda should be the president. This, he said, was the ultimate of democracy.

"Democracy" - they keep using that word. I do not think it means what they think it means O_O

The other official stated that the Board of Directors had decided that Ikeda was the man best suited for the job and asked him to accept. This procedure, he said, was in accord with the Buddhist way, which calls for that person who understands Buddhism most adequately to be the teacher.

Wait - why should we think that IKEDA, a mere 32-year-old layperson whose entire period of contact with Nichiren Buddhism in any form consisted of a mere 13 year span (not even half his life), should understand Buddhism better than the priests? Especially those with decades more experience in that very subject??

See where this is going?

In any event, the selection of Ikeda has proved to be popular with the membership and fortuitous for the organization. Intelligent and self-assured, vigorous and photogenic, he has held a tight rein on the organization and at the same time has kept the common touch. Though, as his many speeches reveal, Ikeda also has the mark of the fanatic upon him (he has said, for example: "The relation between the Sokagakkai and the Rissho Koseikai† is that which existed between Buddha and the Devil"), he is much more sensitive to the importance of good public relations than was his predecessor. He seems definitely to be trying to broaden the appeal of Soka Gakkai.

Wait a minute - Nichiren never sought to curry favor with anyone, not at the expense of what he considered the truth. Nichiren was adamant about being right and rigidly NOT compromising - that's why he kept hammering on the government to create a theocracy based on HIM. Nichiren was unpopular, because he was an intolerant asshole. Cause and effect, dude. So he knew that the only way he'd get the power and adulation he felt he deserved was by the government promoting him to high priest of the state religion in an utterly intolerant theocracy.

Ikeda was canny enough to recognize what a dog he'd inherited from Toda, what with the hatred and suspicion with which the Japanese people rightly regarded the Soka Gakkai at the end of the "Great March of Shakubuku", when the Soka Gakkai's zealots' harassment of the public resulted in numerous complaints to the police. Given the Soka Gakkai's potential as a "cash-producing machine", Ikeda decided to do whatever it took to revamp the Gakkai's public image and create something more appealing.

But to do so required rejecting key Nichiren Shoshu doctrines and deviating substantially from Nichiren's own teachings.

Perhaps sensing that "by the very nature of its relationship to society ... the 'attack' type of sect or cult is fairly short-lived" he [Ikeda] has moderated the aggressiveness of shakubuku and has redirected some of the energy of his vast following into political and cultural pursuits. - from H. Neill McFarland's 1967 classic book, The Rush Hour of the Gods, pp. 200-201.

So, basically, Ikeda sought to turn the Soka Gakkai into more of a social club, and he was willing to compromise anything and everything to do so. Was it reasonable to expect Nichiren Shoshu to just lie down and play dead in the face of this attack upon their religion's very basis??

We've noted the various egregious and astonishingly bold attacks Ikeda made on Nichiren Shoshu's authority, from commissioning wooden gohonzons on his own authority and enshrining them himself to trying to copyright Nam myoho renge kyo to attempting to set up an international umbrella corporation that would put all the related entities - all the Nichiren Shoshu lay organizations, Soka Gakkai, Soka Gakkai International, and even Nichiren Shoshu itself - under the control of laypersons from the Soka Gakkai, but I'm only now coming to an appreciation of just how thoroughgoing Ikeda's assault on the priesthood was. Ikeda was trying to redefine the religion itself - for purposes of profit! And this, more than any single event or overreach, was the greatest heresy, the most egregious deviation, of them all. Nichiren Shoshu had to excommunicate Ikeda in order to assure its own survival.

† Rissho Koseikai is another of Japan's "New Religions", and it, just like Soka Gakkai, is a Nichiren/Lotus Sutra offshoot, formed just before WWII (1938).