I just ordered this book from Amazon. And thanks everyone for the history lesson. It definitely clears a lot of things up for me. I've also contacted to the Nichiren Shu temples in LA and TX (these are the closest to me) for more information.

Another thing I wasn't comfortable with in SGI was the lack of reference to the teachings of the Buddha. No Four Noble Truths. No Eightfold Path. And truthfully no indepth study of the Lotus Sutra. Most of the study guide this year focuses on President Ikeda and a lot of ill-speak of the priests. That was one of the many things that I found alarming. I've never seen any Buddhist publication speak of another Buddhist organization so badly.

I took a class on the Abhidharma last fall. My university primarily focuses on Tibetan studies. Even though we were reading Tibetan versions of the Abhidharma our teacher who is Acharya in the Tibetan tradition pulled resources from other schools of thought so we can examine the difference in translations. Not to negate these other translations but to give us a better understanding of the Abhidharma as a whole. I have read the writings of Pema Chodron and she consistently pulls information from other Buddhists schools and sects. This has been my experience of Buddhism across the board. SGI has been such a shock for me. An awakening so to speak.

I am looking forward to learning more about Nichiren Shu. Overall from what I've read hear and on Belief.net it seems to be more in line with my thinking and knowing.

Take care everyone and thanks so much for your help. Are there other sites that speak to the needs/concerns of former SGI members?

Also, I've only read a little about this, but how do you folks think the recent election in Japan will affect SGI?

Thanks.

Kimberlie

Kimberlie:

www.nichirenscoffeehouse.com
www.fraughtwithperil.com is a collection of blogs about Nichiren Buddhism --some pro SGI, some extremely anti-SGI
www.buddhajones.com On this site there are also links to "SGI Unofficial," "Nichiren Shu" and "Independent Sangha" discussion groups. These groups are part of Yahoo.

For your listening pleasure: Buddhajones just posted an interesting link to the SGI Men's Division Teleconference Call. All these men's division leaders talk about the Mentor/Disciple Relationship, how much they love Ikeda, and how many people they've shakabuku'ed (converted). Someone commented that it sounded like an Amway meeting, rather than a Buddhist sangha. Or a sales department meeting at a used car lot -- all these guys vowing that they're just going to sell more, more, more used cars....um, Gohonzons.

As to how the New Komeito Party's defeat will affect SGI? It's anyone's guess. I think that the leaders will complain to the members about how the unenlightened voters do not understand the great mission of SGI....everyone will be exhorted to work harder and chant more for victory in the next election. Possibly SGI will continue to look for 'enemies of the organization' within the organization, since they seem to be on this track already with the "Code of Conduct."
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Anticult posted this list on the Byron Katie threat....but since it also applies to our friend Daisaku, I snipped it for here too:

-----------------------------------------------Beginning of Quote, Byron Katie thread -- posted by Anticult-------------------------------------------------------
some narcissistic sociopathic personality traits:

- Take advantage of other people/cons
- Grandiose/exaggerated feelings of self-importance, achievement and talents
- Preoccupied with fantasies of success, power, beauty, intelligence
- Huge sense of entitlement/callous
- Requires constant attention and admiration
- Lacks empathy/remorse/guilt
- Has obsessive self-interest
- Pathological liar
- Need for stimulation
- Impulsive/conflict with authority
---------------------------------------------------End of Quote-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Taking advantage of others, obsessive self-interest -- Ikeda gets lots of free labor from SGI members: They fix up property that SGI buys and then SGI can sell it for a profit. And they're convinced that they're doing it for Buddhism, not SGI's profits. He writes books, or puts his name on books others have written, and then sells them to members. He uses SGI publications like the World Tribune and Living Buddhism, to publish his own poetry and speeches rather than Buddhist teachings.

2. The grandiosity, self-importance, entitlement, need for constant admiration: He names or allows others to name all these buildings, centers, parks, etc. after him. There's the Gandhi, King, Ikeda Exhibit -- how can he possibly compare himself to either Mohatmas Gandhi or Martin Luther King? He's using SGI to push the whole Mentor/Disciple Relationship -- the idea that every member must accept Ikeda as their mentor, or they cannot attain enlightenment. His whole statement about being the king of Japan. He's bought 250 honorary degrees from various universities.

3. Lying, conflict with authority: The whole conflict with the priesthood; Ikeda could not tolerate even the idea that priests keep him from doing anything he wants to do. SGI demonizing priests and making them sound like a threat to members, when in fact, they're not. In Japan, SGI has been accused of money-laundering, and wiretapping. SGI will not open their finances up to indepedent audits or publish their IRS 990 form. SGI asks its employees to sign contracts saying that they will not discuss information about SGI after they no longer work for SGI. This certainly gives the impression that SGI has something to hide. In general, the whole lack of democracy in SGI -- members have no say in how the organization is run, nor any grievance procedures if they feel that they have been treated unjustly by the organization. Ikeda answers to no one. Members are given the idea that SGI is just a group of people who chants and who care about world peace, when in fact it is a billion dollar international business.

Hi Tsukimoto

100% with you again. One thing left to say though in Buddhism there is nothing wrong with the mentor (Master)/disciple relationship. Its just what it turns into in SGI. In the normal buddhist world one would personaly know their master and YOU choose you master and then !! .... there is no guarantee the he or she will accept you as your disciple and both sides can terminate this relationship.

Good point, Rothaus. In SGI, members are told that they MUST take Ikeda, whom most of them have never met, as their mentor. It's not a true teacher/student relationship as you might find in other schools. It's just pushing blind glorification of this narcissistic and nonBuddhist man.

What are the names of the SGI connected non-profits in the USA?

Because once one has those names, then the IRS 990 Forms can be seen by anyone on request.
They can also be accessed for free at sites like Guidestar. [www.guidestar.org]

So once the names of their USA non-profits, including the University, and the EIN numbers, and everything else is posted,
then all of that financial info can be accessed, and posted in this thread.


There appears to be a SGI-USA ENDOWMENT. [www2.guidestar.org]
Is that the same SGI, or not?


Below is the tip of the iceberg, there will be all sort of other companies and "non-profit" corporations that cannot be found with a simple search!
Search sites like Guidestar for single words like...
Gakkai, Soka, SGI, etc.

And of course, there may be other "foundations" who don't use any of those terms in their descriptions. So there may be other websites who have some clues on that.
For example, there is a LUIS & LINDA NIEVES FAMILY FOUNDATION below, and it says they only give money to Soka University. Who are they?
Who are the other private people dumping money into any SGI related "non-profits"?
How many other front-groups are involved?


Anyone can register with Guidestar from an email address for FREE [www2.guidestar.org]
or with other non-profit monitoring sites. Then ALL of the IRS 990 Form info from those forms can be accessed, and posted in this thread.
Lets see where the SGI-USA millions and hundreds of millions of dollars are. How many countless millions will be held as real estate assets?

This will be very enlightening, indeed. The start of an SGI-USA database of assets. At least the public ones. (the private one's can never been known, unless someone from the inside leaks that information).

_______________________________

SOKA UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA [www2.guidestar.org]
SOKA UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA ("THE UNIVERSITY") WAS FOUNDED AND INCORPORATED IN 1984 UNDER THE CALIFORNIA GENERAL NON-PROFIT CORPORATION LAW THE UNIVERSITY IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION AND IS EXEMPT FROM FEDERAL INCOME TAX UNDER SECTION 501 (C)(3) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE THE OBJECTIVE OF THE UNIVERSITY IS TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES

_____________________________

SOKA GAKKAI INTERNATIONAL-USA [www2.guidestar.org] Santa Monica, CA 90401

____________________________

SOKA GAKKAI INTERNATIONAL-CNMI INC [www2.guidestar.org] Saipan, MP 96950, Religion, Spiritual Development / (Buddhist)

_______________________

LUIS & LINDA NIEVES FAMILY FOUNDATION [www2.guidestar.org] Napa, CA 94558, THE CORPORATION IS ORGANIZED AND SHALL BE OPERATED EXCLUSIVELY TO SUPPORT THE ACTIVITIES FOR THE BENEFIT OF SOKA UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA, A CALIFORNIA NONPROFIT BENEFIT CORPORATION
_________________________



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/2009 06:28AM by The Anticult.

Luis and Linda Nieves Family Foundation
In 2007, they had revenue of about $2.5 million with assets of 8 million.
It says they gave $50K to Soka University, and spent $250K.

So it says they raised 2.5 million, and gave 50K to Soka U. That appears to be 2% of what they earned.
Or about .5% of assets.
($8,000,000/ $50,000)

So 99.5% of your donation to this "non-profit" gets put away somewhere.
2% went to Soka U, with 4x that in "expenses".

Notice SGI was bragging on other websites, their Gala Fundraiser with this Foundation earned 1 million dollars, for "scholarships".
Soka University of America's Third Annual Peace Gala Exceeds $1 Million Goal [findarticles.com]
Really? How many "scholarships" were given with a mere $50,000, and to who specifically?
How much of the SGI-USA raised money goes into this "foundation"?

(wink wink)
Get ready for some real "enlightenment" on how this non-profit game works.

________________________________
[nccsdataweb.urban.org]
1. Name & EIN Luis and Linda Nieves Family Foundation (202054708)
2. Street 1174 Monticello Rd
3. Location Napa, CA 94558
4. County Napa County, CA
5. Ruling date
( Approximate year when founded.*) 2006
6. IRS type 501(c)(3) - Public charity: Religious, educational, charitable, scientific, and literary organizations...
7. Legal basis for public charity or private foundation status (FNDNCD) 17 - Organization operated for the benefit of and in conjunction with organization(s) coded 10-16 above
8. NTEE B11 - Education: Single Organization Support
9. Most recently completed fiscal year (TAXPER) 12/2007
10. Total revenue $2,576,594
11. Total assets $7,960,788
Organization Purpose & Programs
12. Purpose (c.2006) The corporation is organized and shall be operated exclusively to support the activities for the benefit of soak university of America, a California nonprofit benefit corporation
13. Program 1 (c.2006) Provide support to the activities of soak university of America ($47,450)
______________________________________



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/2009 06:54AM by The Anticult.

This website appears to have good information.

The National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS) [nccsdataweb.urban.org]

Soka Gakkai International USA, appears to have $0 in assets and $0 revenue. That is interesting.

____________________________________
[nccsdataweb.urban.org]
1. Name & EIN Soka Gakkai International USA (952265667)
2. Street 606 Wilshire Blvd
3. Location Santa Monica, CA 90401
4. County Los Angeles County, CA
5. Ruling date
( Approximate year when founded.*) 1968
6. IRS type 501(c)(3) - Public charity: Religious, educational, charitable, scientific, and literary organizations...
7. Legal basis for public charity or private foundation status (FNDNCD) 10 - Church
8. NTEE Q99 - International, Foreign Affairs & National Security N.E.C.
9. Most recently completed fiscal year (TAXPER) 12/2007
10. Total revenue $0
11. Total assets $0
_____________________________



The motherload is Soka University of America (953909672)
Close to 1 BILLION in assets.
$80 million in revenue.

Notice below, that Soka Gakkai International puts their money into Soka U.
And since Soka Gakkai International has $0 assets, then it appears that ALL of the SGI-USA money goes into the Soka U (aka investment real estate holding company!)(wink wink)

Unless more millions are going into SGI backed charter schools too? What else?

The 990 Forms for Soka U are at that link at the bottom of the page. [nccsdataweb.urban.org]

It will be interesting to see how much is held in investments and real estate assets.
(more wink wink).

It appears having a billion dollar private university with 350 students and 60 "faculty" is the best place to park your billion dollar investments, and allow those assets to grow tax-free without capital gains taxes and the rest of it?
Enlightening, indeed.



________________________________
[nccsdataweb.urban.org]

1. Name & EIN Soka University of America (953909672)
2. Street 1 University Dr
3. Location Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
4. County Orange County, CA
5. Ruling date
( Approximate year when founded.*) 1985
6. IRS type 501(c)(3) - Public charity: Religious, educational, charitable, scientific, and literary organizations...
7. Legal basis for public charity or private foundation status (FNDNCD) 11 - School
8. NTEE B43 - Universities
9. Most recently completed fiscal year (TAXPER) 06/2007
10. Total revenue $75,750,790
11. Total assets $872,813,214
Organization Purpose & Programs
12. Purpose (2005) Soka University of America (""the University"") was founded and incorporated in 1984 under the California general nonprofit corporation law. the University is a non-for-profit educational institution and is exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c) (3) of the internal revenue code. ...
the Aliso Viejo campus opened in august 2001 with an enrollment of 120 students from the u.s., japan, and other foreign nations. since inceptioin in 1984, the University has derived most of its revenues from its sponsor and affiliate, Soka gakkai international (""Soka gakkai""), an international religious organization engaged in various activities to promote peace, culture and education based on buddhism.
13. Program 1 (2005) Reclass scholarships netted with tuition ($37,675,882)


14. View 990, 990-EZ or 990-PF 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002



________________________________________
[nccsdataweb.urban.org]
1. Name & EIN Soka Gakkai International Cnmi Inc Sgi Nmi (660651154) -- Google
2. Secondary name Sgi-Nmi
3. Street PO Box 505066
4. Location Saipan, MP 96950
5. Ruling date
( Approximate year when founded.*) 2006
6. IRS type 501(c)(3) - Public charity: Religious, educational, charitable, scientific, and literary organizations...
7. Legal basis for public charity or private foundation status (FNDNCD) 10 - Church
8. NTEE X50 - Buddhism
9. Total revenue $0
10. Total assets $0
_________________________________________

There are some disturbing threads about the recent death of a (former?) SGI member Kathy Sain.

[buddhajones.com]

[www.buddhajones.com]
______________QUOTE_________________
QUOTE:
"In the past (and probably this is still true) when people left SGI or seriously questioned or challenged SGI, SGI members would spread rumors about that person. You know, rumors to the effect that he or she went crazy, became horribly ill, lost wealth, died a horrible death, or -- worst of all -- took his or her own life.

The thinking went: Leaving SGI is such a grievously self-destructive act -- tantamount to spiritual suicide! -- that actual suicide was soon to follow. This was/is an element of "fear indoctrination" in SGI; leaving the group is the same as a death sentence.

I seem to recall that when Byrd died last year, someone -- Alan S., I believe -- started posting statements online on the SGI board that Byrd had killed herself. Obviously, SGI fear indoctrination was hard at work. On the heels of being "disinvited" from SGI group activities by her SGI leaders, Byrd died. Claims that she committed suicide (and kept her altar in messy disarray, tipped over on the ground, or somesuch BS) struck me as Ugly SGI Rumors.

In my lexicon, Ugly SGI Rumors are meant to insult or hurt former members and act as a cautionary/fear/shunning mechanism for current members."

______QUOTE_____________________________

Anticult, you've found some great info. Soka U's website has a link for the Pacific Basin Research Center. I copied the stuff below the line from the Pacific Basin Research Center's website.

The Soka Universities of American and Japan, obviously belong to SGI, and the Boston Research Center, Toda Institute and the Institute of Oriental Philosophy are SGI's too...so they should have 990's.

And don't forget Ingenium -- do they appear on that website at all? The proposed charter school for Massachusetts is to be named the Spirit of Knowledge Academy...does that name come up anywhere?

The groups listed under "RESOURCES"? As they're listed on the Pacific Basin Research Center's page, there's certainly some connnection with SGI -- the nature and extent of it, I don't know.

Linda and Luis Nieves? I don't know those names. I used to know who most of the big shots were. Now, I don't, and if you look on the SGI websites -- it doesn't even say who the leaders are.

I was a member when SGI was fundraising for Soka U. I remember all of us being encouraged to donate money to Soka U....even five or ten dollars, our leaders assured us, was a good cause if it was all we had! Oh my! They had milllions of dollars and didn't need our spare change!

________________________Beginning of Quote, Pacific Basin Research Center's links__________________________________________________

RESOURCES

Pacific Basin Research Groups:
Pacific Basin Institute at Pomona College
UCLA Pacific Basin Law Journal
Pacific Rim Law and Policy Journal
Pacific Basin Economic Council
Pacific Basin Finance Journal
FRBSF Economic Research
The Pacific Basin Consortium
Canada and the Pacific Basin
Pacific Rim Voices
Center for the Pacific Rim
Pacific Rim Digital Library Alliance
Asia Pacific Policy Program – Harvard University
Asia-Pacific Research Network APRN
Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada
The Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center
Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies
The Australian National University
Network of Aquaculture Centers in Asia-Pacific
Pacific Island Development Program
The Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs

Other Related Links:
Soka University of America
Soka University (Japan)
The Boston Research Center for the 21st Century
Toda Institute for Global Peace and Policy Research
The Institute of Oriental Philosophy
_________________________________________End of Quote______________________________________________________________________

For "Other Related Links," Soka University of America, and Soka University of Japan are, obviously, the Soka Gakkai's universities. The Boston Research Center has been renamed and is now the Ikeda Center -- of course, belonging to the Soka Gakkai. Josei Toda was the second president of SGI, so this institute is also SGI. The Institute of Oriental Philosophy is located on the campus of Soka University, so again, it's under the control of SGI.

Any of those names from above can be run through the search engine on various sites, like this one.

NCCS - Search Active Organizations [nccsdataweb.urban.org] (there are also links to search inactive orgs too)



Its pretty much official, SGI is the richest sect/cult on earth.

Why doesn't anyone know this?
TM was said to be the richest, but they only have about 3.6 billion. [www.cultnews.com]
SGI globally could be over 100 billion, as has been reported.
Just in the USA, SGI are worth well over 1 billion, that is $1,000,000,000.
And they are making much more than 100 million, $100,000,000 every year, in the USA alone!
That is what SGI-USA is about, making money. So please, no one ever again say that SGI-USA is a mess, as they are SMARTER than every other sect out there! They make far far more money than any of them.

Ingenium is just starting so for now its at $0.

SGI seems to like doing that. As Soka Gakkai International USA also appears to have $0 in assets and revenue. That's right...ZERO.
[nccsdataweb.urban.org]
1. Name & EIN Soka Gakkai International USA (952265667)
( Approximate year when founded.*) 1968
6. IRS type 501(c)(3) - Public charity: Religious, educational, charitable, scientific, and literary organizations...
7. Legal basis for public charity or private foundation status (FNDNCD) 10 - Church
9. Most recently completed fiscal year (TAXPER) 12/2007
10. Total revenue $0
11. Total assets $0


That is because SGI must funnel all the SGI "church" money into other organizations.
How many SGI-USA people know, that it appears that EVERY PENNY that goes into SGI-USA, gets funneled away into other organizations? That is a FACT, look above. There are no assets or revenue. So every penny from every single thing Soka Gakkai International USA has done since 1968, has been funneled away somewhere.
Does anyone know that?
Its very interesting WHY SGI does that. Must be so that if anyone ever went after SGI, there is nothing there. It has no assets, NONE. Its simply an empty shell.
One hopes SGI people can understand that.
So your local SGI center, cannot be owned by SGI-USA, as then it would appear on those forms.
There are NO FORMS, as there are no assets?

So who owns all of those SGI centers?
Or what owns them?
Soka Gakkai International USA doesn't own them.

Are they owned by private for-profit SGI companies or individuals?
Please, someone try to find out who actually OWNS the local SGI center. It can't be Soka Gakkai International USA.
Who does?
One hopes people understand how incredibly bizarre this is.
WTF is going on here?


________________________________________
Boston Research Center [nccsdataweb.urban.org]
10. Total revenue $4,623,107
11. Total assets $5,281,235
______________________________________________

Ingenium Schools CA , EIN 113794105 Assets-Revenue = $00.00

___________________________