I remember hearing pledges like this one and even signing pledges like this one. I was youth division and then women's division.

all this reminds me of Elvis. He will live forever. what would they call Soka Graceland?

Last years men's division guidelines and activities.


II. Guidelines..
Strengthen the oneness of mentor and disciple in our lives
Prove the justice of the SGI toward April 24th and beyond
Foster youthful successors of the second act of kosen-rufu

As men’s division members, let’s wholeheartedly support and strive to realize the above activity focus points of our organization, and make them our own.

III. Men’s Activities
*In response to the challenging circumstances we all face, and with the spirit of replying to theencouragement conveyed to us in our new mottoes from President Ikeda, we’d like to encourage all men’s division members to gather to chant together, if possible on a weekly basis, with the spirit of changing our destiny and the destiny of our nation. Let’s make our lives shine with “youth and victory” and win through our prayers and action for kosen-rufu!
* Let’s continue to gather each month to study and engage in dialogue together with our fellowmen. This year, we’ll be studying the New Human Revolution, Volume 21, beginning with Chapter 1, the founding of the SGI. Excerpts and suggested study questions will be posted on the SGI-USA website. Let’s encourage all our fellow members to subscribe to and read the World Tribune, where installments of President Ikeda’s book are published monthly.
* Both men’s division FNCC conferences this year will be open to all members (regardless of leadership position). The dates are July 10 – 13 and September 25 – 28.
* As we have done the past two years, let’s celebrate our Men’s General Meetings in August by spearheading dynamic and inspiring district discussion meetings, together with all the divisions. Let’s also support the women’s division efforts to do the same in February, and the youth in March.

*************************************************************************************************************

“The ultimate doctrine contains little that is specific, beyond AN
APPEAL TO ENERGY AND ACTION”: -- Scruton

Here are a few more of the the SGI cult's Ikadaisms:

“Victory or defeat”; “ever victorious”; “life condition”; “take action today”; “It is essential for our members to raise their voices and take action.”; “Develop the will and spiritual energy to guide your members.”; "Give your very life for the Soka Gakkai.”; “A lion is fearless. A lion is never defeated. A lion never laments. A lion is swift. A lion roars. A lion runs. And, above all, a lion wins without fail.”

"And, above all, a lion wins without fail". Certainly, he is not talking about the Detroit Lions. Can animals be said to win or lose? Lament? Never defeated? I can accept "fearless", "swift", and "roars" but even "roars", the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren speak about the roar of the Lion but Ikeda purrs to his dictator and powerful friends.

On second thought you may be no to something – Ikeda @ Eagle Peak – and SGI is postponing the announcement! But could they get away with it – oops wait a tick - brain check of course they can!
You also have a point with the pledge the MD do push this agenda – people do have a tendency to gravitate to like minded people so my cycle would be more apt to carry the same opinions that mentor / disciple is a non starter – of course this group is just a small grouping to be sure compared to the SGI MD as a hole! But I have notice that over the years SGI is also driven to group think – and are very distort if anyone deviates from the core program – like Morgaine said earlier SGI is like the Borg and everyone must assimilate! Several methods I have been through or have seen - Announced – or even better Unannounced Leaders home visit – usually 3 Leaders come over to home visit and then comes the inquisition [justify your existence] – The one on one with a Leader that guides you to the correct way of practice [IKEDA is my MASTER] ; ) - then there the group think going around the room asking a potent question and analyzing everyone’s answer that is give If you give the wrong answerand you will be subject to a verbal lynching by the group - then of course there’s always the video - meetings and guidance to reinforce the Ikeda agenda – and Ikeda's oracle that will endure to the end of time !!!!!
In summary - SGI can’t abide that we are all not IKEDABOTS – and that gets under their collective egos’

@ Nichijew

That SGI-speak makes me vomit!!!

quiet one, I know! All this meaningless word salad is nauseating!

Quote
Nichijew
“The ultimate doctrine contains little that is specific, beyond AN
APPEAL TO ENERGY AND ACTION”: -- Scruton

Here are a few more of the the SGI cult's Ikadaisms:

“Victory or defeat”; “ever victorious”; “life condition”; “take action today”; “It is essential for our members to raise their voices and take action.”; “Develop the will and spiritual energy to guide your members.”; "Give your very life for the Soka Gakkai.”; “A lion is fearless. A lion is never defeated. A lion never laments. A lion is swift. A lion roars. A lion runs. And, above all, a lion wins without fail.”

"And, above all, a lion wins without fail". Certainly, he is not talking about the Detroit Lions. Can animals be said to win or lose? Lament? Never defeated? I can accept "fearless", "swift", and "roars" but even "roars", the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren speak about the roar of the Lion but Ikeda purrs to his dictator and powerful friends.

And what's with this lion metaphor? Lions, whether in the wild or captivity, eat, sleep and mate! Period! Should this be our goal? The lionesses do much of the hunting, and give the lion, the pride leader, the greater share of the hunt. Wait a minute, this is starting to sound like SGI!

I am new to the forum. I am so happy to see some like-minded people with present or previous Gakkai experience. I wonder if some of you might help get the word out. The oneness of mentor/disciple is an SGI invention and people need to know. We should point this out to anyone we care about. The study material for the 'new' study exams to be held in October has a very disturbing bit of information, and those that we care about need to be made aware of this blatant doctrinal error. This is on P. 53 (available on the web site: sgi-usa.org. (called 2010 Introductory Study Guide - English). The first sentence is necessary to put it in context and I don't have a problem with how it starts. I will include 3 sentences total, and the doctrinal error starts in the 2nd sentence. Spread the word to anyone you care about. I'm sure I will find more examples of how SGI is off course from Nichiren's teachings in this study guide.

From P. 53

"For us, as practitioners of
Nichiren Buddhism, mastering our minds means
basing ourselves on the Gohonzon and Nichiren’s
writings. And in Buddhism, it is the teacher or
mentor who puts the teachings into practice that
helps us connect to the Law. Mastering our minds
means having a sincere seeking spirit in faith
based on the shared commitment of mentor and
disciple, and not being ruled by arrogant egoism
or self-centeredness."

This is meant for those of us that still respect the teachings. Not meant to try to convince others, or convert anyone, as I respect everyone's individual choice in the matter.

In fact, the mentor/disciple method is not an error, its a careful SGI-Ikeda strategy.
They changed the word to "mentor" as that sounds better than Master in the west! Mentor is trendy and harmless sounding these days.
But they kept the word disciple, as in the west that connects to the language from the bible.

What's it about?
In classic Buddhism, the person is supposed to have a direct type of "connection" if you will, to the Buddha themselves. No middleman needed.

But that is not what Ikeda wants. Because he needs to insert SGI into that process.
So its
lowly disciple/slave -> Ikeda -> the Big Guy upstairs

And of course, soon in the indoctrination they get the message that in fact Ikeda IS the Buddha incarnate, and even better than the other guys.
And of course, SGI hides all that from new recruits who are lead to believe SGI is chanting direct into the Buddhasphere for goodies.

But like an internet metaphor, Ikeda wants to own it, and own the connection, the software, the modem, and be able to charge tolls to access it, and to cut you off if he feels like it.
SGI later on tells people flat-out, if you want a big miracle, give SGI more money. Mo' Money = More miracle.
Small money to SGI = out of luck, disease, misery, lonely, etc.
They come right out and say it eventually.

According to SGI-Ikeda, you must have a middleman, and suppress your own "arrogant Ego" and then follow the Supreme Egoist named Ikeda. When a person is not caught up in it, the outrageousness of it is almost unbelievable.
Ikeda is a person literally "ruled by arrogant egoism or self-centeredness", to a pathological degree.
So only King Ikeda can be an arrogant Egoist, but you lowly disciples have to bow-down and give him all your money, so SGI can dump it into their global real estate companies. They need more billions.

So all this mentor/follower stuff, is simple.
They need to position SGI-Ikeda deeply into the center of your mind.
They need to make the idea of the Buddha to be fused/replaced by SGI-Ikeda, deep in your mind.
So they start with that.

Then they gotcha.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2010 11:57AM by The Anticult.

@ Anticult

Yes. Your post is the best explanation I have heard of the mind-trap in a long time. The thing that is insidious is that chanting will bring you benefits and that is the trap. Because over the years when I chanted I would see some change and feel good after a tozo, the rest of the craziness I bought into also, they say the best lie is the one that has some truth to it. But if I could hold up a banner and tell people , I would yell it , STAY AWAY .

What if Ikeda is not at the bottom of this? He is an old man and likely losing his faculties. Maybe that alone explains it, or, maybe the people that surround him decided they need to make him a great Buddhist idol; to profit from it when he is gone. The current quotes from Ikeda don't look like they are his words in my opinion.

backnforth, I agree that others high up in the organization are probably behind everything. One time when going through old papers in a drawer I found some almost 20 year old world tribunes. The contents of these papers was SO different than what SGI spits out nowadays.