mono-ism and an interesting example of intolerance from ancient Japan

[Michael]

I often state that mono-isms (ex: monotheism) are inherently intolerant. And they are. One would think this quite self-evident, but, alas, never underestimate the power of blind devotion (ex: see my thread regarding the Christians view that all Muslims were tricked by the Satanic Mohammad or The jubilee and Islamic Celebration of when Muslims marched on, smashed and murdered their way through Mecca - you know, to rid the city of polytheists, because them's bad people *pushes sword through polytheist priest's belly while screaming "Allahu Akbar" "Allahu Akbar""Allahu Akbar"!!!!!*).




So it was with interest that I came across this ancient Buddhist sect in Japan called Nichiren.




Nichiren was the first Buddhist leader in Japan to actively attack the other Japanese sects (and the government that supported them). He argued that they were bringing misfortune to the country and he disdained the "agree to disagree" (akin to: live and let live, come by my place for a BBQ mate). Nichiren declared His to be the Only True form of Buddhism (only True... oh how many times have we heard that one? The Only True and uncorrupted Book of God ... take your pick as to which one, the Only True Last Prophet, the Only Messiah ... etc.. In this case it's The Only True Lotus Sutra - the only True Buddhist Text ... and so the only one worth reading.

Hence, instead of Namu Amida Butsu (Hail to Amitābha Buddha) his followers chant Namu Myoho Renge-Kyo (I trust in the sutra of the mysterious Law). Which is to say they worshiped/revered their very own magical booked, called The Lotus Sutra - in the exact same way Muslims worship the Qur'an or Xians the Bible or Jews the Torah - Yum, another one of those ONLY TRUE BOOKS.

Nichiren followers believed in the Lotus Sutra and they proselytized heavily (sound like Xianity?). They often picked fights with anyone who disagreed (luckily they didn't have suicide belts back then or they'd have used them). Nichiren sects finally incurred the wrath of Enryaku-ji's warrior-monks who burned all of Kyoto's Nichiren temples and much of Kyoto city (think Indian Hindus getting fed up with Pakistani Muslims).


Yup, same smell, different poop.


I know it's all but impossible for those of you brainwashed by your monotheistic cult to get it - so I won't belabor the point.

Cheers,
Michael

 

[PsychoticEpisode]

Yup, same smell, different poop.

I've been saying that since I joined here. Boggles the mind doesn't it? How can intelligent people not see it? or smell it?

Which text would be the most accurate? If text is true then the oldest would have to be the most accurate wouldn't you think? Anything after that would be fiction. Why do people go for the new and improved? Are they unhappy with the old? If you waver from the old then are you giving up?

 

[swarm]

I often state that mono-isms (ex: monotheism) are inherently intolerant. And they are. ...

So it was with interest that I came across this ancient Buddhist sect in Japan called Nichiren.

Buddhism is no guarantee against people being people. Turn Buddhism into a religion and there are Buddhist fundies like any other religion. White lotus, pure land, Nichiren/SGI, guru worship. There does seem to be some mitigating influence from the foundational structure and lack of specific gods, but poeple get pretty whacky when they care to and can ignore just about any contradiction in the name of fanaticism.

Nichiren is perhaps the most absurd of the group. A failed monk, he decided that chanting the title of the lotus sutra was the one true path, don't ask me why. But not in the original Sanskrit. In the pidgin Japanese of the Chinese translation of the Sanskrit. Why? Please! No questions. And just the title is all you need. And if you chant it over and over it will magically have brought you anything you ask for!!! Yep, all those key Buddhist items like money, material goods, fame, the downfall of your enemies, etc. Of course your obedience and belief must be absolute and you probably haven't chanted or donated enough yet.

To help us on our way he wrote it out, well had it written as I think it hadn't brought him literacy yet, on three pieces of wood. These holy relics are much fought over by the two subsects.

So basically fundie xtianity or islame without the god and christ/mohammad and only the title of the bible/koran. After all no one ever reads the books any way. They just memorize crap to spew and here we have far less to memorize and no chance of accidentally learning anything.

Very efficient. Completely insane.

 

[swarm]

Which text would be the most accurate? If text is true then the oldest would have to be the most accurate wouldn't you think?

The lotus sutra, which if read with a superlative filter isn't that bad for a sutra, is definitely not anything the original Buddha said. It dates to a period when Mahayana was breaking out on its own and needed "sutras" to justify its positions. These were conveniently "found" and a set of them became the core Mahayana texts instead of the older, but not necessarily more accurate or enlightened, Pali texts.

None of these actually date back to the Buddha, if there was a Buddha. The earliest texts are a record of the teaching stories, myths, rules and traditions of the monks from about 300-600 years after the Buddha would have been.

If you are treating this all as a religion, that could be a problem. In fact you should see some people spaz when it is pointed out there is no reason not to think "the buddha" (which after all is just a title) is any number of early leaders blended into a single persona.

But if you are treating it as a wisdom tradition, which I feel was the original intent, the characters in the stories are just that, characters. It might be nifty from a historical stand point if there was some touch on what actually happened, but there actual purpose is to be illustrative.

It isn't that the buddha said it, or that it is in a sutra, or that it is newer or older...all that matters is if it gives you insight into your experience and helps you learn to live well. And one of the nice things about it is while they have some ideas on how that works, ultimately you must learn for yourself what living your life well is and how to do it. You go in knowing that Buddhism is ultimately for being discarded.

In other words the goal is not to remain forever dependent on the wisdom of others but to become wise yourself.