Background from WND p. 627
This letter is dated the third day of the ninth month, with no year indicated, though it is believed to be 1275, a year and a half after the Daishonin’s return from exile on Sado Island. It is addressed to the lay nun Sennichi, the wife of Abutsu-bo.
The letter is a reply to a question the lay nun has asked about the effects of different degrees of slander against the correct teaching. The Daishonin says, “If a believer’s offense is slight, overlook it, and lead that person to obtain benefits. If it is serious, encourage him to strengthen his faith so that he can expiate the sin.” But attention should be paid to his warning, “Even minor slanders may lead to serious ones, and then the effects one must suffer would be far worse.” The Daishonin praises the lay nun Sennichi for asking a question about slandering the correct teaching.
My understanding of this passage:
What is considered slander today? Since so many people today are chanting the Daimoku, some with the SGI and some in other groups or some independently, what is the difference between them and us even though they chant the Daimoku like we do?
In MY understanding, the following to be considered ground to grve slander.
1. To disbelieve in the supremacy of the Gohonzon of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, and slander those who do believe regardless of their affiliation, is a grave slander.
2. To mix or equate the principles of Nichiren Buddhism, based on the Gosho, with other teachings, is a grave slander.
3. To deny that we and other people have the ability to attain Budhahood (absolute enlightenment) through this belief and mix other beliefs or interpretations as equal to the teaching of Nichiren, is a grave slander.
4. To rely on other people interpretations of Nichiren's teachings that does not match with the words and or spirit of Nichiren's writings, is a grave slander.
5. To exalt other believers (leaders) who practice and who achieve great wisdom through the Buddha's teaching as if they are special people above us and deny ourselves to be equal to them in our ability to attain such wisdom as well, is a grave slander.
6.To look down on those who strive to practice sincerely and have lack of understanding of the teaching at that stage of their practice and judge them as if they are slanderers by not committing whole heatedly to the practice yet, is a slander of their lives.
7. To think that we are better and greater than others, is a slander of their lives.
8. To think that others are greater and better than us, is a slander of our lives.
9. To practice by ourselves and not help others to strive to deepen their faith in the Gohonzon, is selfish and leads to slander.
10. To expect others to match our efforts in helping others and judge them for failing to match our efforts, is to slander their lives.
Nichiren states: “If one of these good men or good women [in the time after I have passed into extinction is able to secretly expound the Lotus Sutra to one person, even one phrase of it, then you should know that] he or she is the envoy of the Thus Come One.” "This means that anyone who teaches others even a single phrase of the Lotus Sutra is the envoy of the Thus Come One, whether that person be priest or layman, nun or laywoman." (A Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering WND p. 33)
Nichiren also states: "Exert yourself in the two ways of practice and study. Without practice and study, there can be no Buddhism. You must not only persevere yourself; you must also teach others. Both practice and study arise from faith. Teach others to the best of your ability, even if it is only a single sentence or phrase. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo."
(The true Aspect of all Phenomena WND #1 p.386)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Tuesday, July 6, 2010:
Chang-an wrote, "If one befriends another person but lacks the mercy to correct him, one is in fact his enemy." The consequences of a grave offense are extremely difficult to erase. The most important thing is to continually strengthen our wish to benefit others.
Link to the page:
The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 625
The Embankment of Faith
Written to the lay nun Sennichi on September 3, 1275
The entire letter: (a little long but worth it)
IN your letter you asked how the retribution varies according to the degree of slander against the correct teaching. To begin with, the Lotus Sutra was taught to lead all living beings to the Buddha way. Only those who have faith in it, however, attain Buddhahood. Those who slander it fall into the great citadel of the hell of incessant suffering. As the sutra states, “If a person fails to have faith but instead slanders this sutra, immediately he will destroy all the seeds for becoming a Buddha in this world. . . . When his life comes to an end he will enter the Avichi hell.”1
There are many degrees of slander: shallow and profound, slight and heavy. Even among those who embrace the Lotus Sutra, very few uphold it steadfastly both in mind and in deed. Few are the practitioners who are able to uphold this sutra. But those who do will not suffer serious retribution even if they have committed minor offenses against the sutra. Their strong faith expiates their offenses as surely as a flood extinguishes tiny fires.
The Nirvana Sutra states: “If even a good monk sees someone destroying the teaching and disregards him, failing to reproach him, to oust him, or to punish him for his offense, then you should realize that that monk is betraying the Buddha’s teaching. But if he ousts the destroyer of the Law, reproaches him, or punishes him, then he is my disciple and a true voice-hearer.”
This admonition urged me on, and I spoke out against slander in spite of the various persecutions I faced, because I would have become an enemy of the Buddha’s teaching if I had not.
Slander can be either minor or serious, however, and sometimes we should overlook it rather than attack it. The True Word and Tendai schools slander the Lotus Sutra and should be severely rebuked. But without great wisdom it is hard to differentiate correctly between their doctrines and the teachings that Nichiren spreads. Therefore, at times we refrain from attacking them, just as I did in On
Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land.2
Whether or not we speak out, it will be difficult for those who have committed the grave offense of slander to avoid retribution. Our seeing, hearing, and making no attempt to stop slander that, if we spoke out, could be avoided, destroys our gifts of sight and hearing, and is utterly merciless.
Chang-an writes, “If one befriends another person but lacks the mercy to correct him, one is in fact his enemy.”3 The consequences of a grave offense are extremely difficult to erase. The most important thing is to continually strengthen our wish to benefit others.
When a person’s offense is minor, admonishment is sometimes called for, but at other times it may be unnecessary, for there are those who may correct themselves without being told. Reprove a person for slander when necessary, so that you can forestall for both of you the consequences of an offense. Then, you should forgive that person.
The point is that even minor slanders may lead to serious ones, and then the effects one must suffer would be far worse. This is [what Chang-an means when he writes], “One who rids the offender of evil is acting as his parent.”4
Many such examples of slander are also found among Nichiren’s disciples and lay believers. I am sure that you have heard about the lay priest Ichinosawa. Privately he is considered one of Nichiren’s followers, but publicly he still remains in the Nembutsu school. What should be done about his next life? Nevertheless, I have presented him with the ten volumes of the Lotus Sutra.5
Strengthen your faith now more than ever. Anyone who teaches the principles of Buddhism to others is bound to incur hatred from men and women, priests and nuns. Let them say what they will. Entrust yourself to the golden teachings of the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha, T’ien-t’ai, Miaolo, Dengyo, and Chang-an. This is what is signified by the expression, “practicing according to the Buddha’s teachings.” The Lotus Sutra reads, “If in that fearful age one can preach this sutra for even a moment, [one will deserve to receive alms from all heavenly and human beings].”6 This passage explains that in the evil age of the Latter Day of the Law, when evil persons stained by the three poisons prevail, anyone who believes in and upholds the correct teaching, for even a short time, will receive offerings from heavenly and human beings.
Now you should make a great vow and pray for your next life. If you are disbelieving or slander the correct teaching even in the slightest, you will certainly fall into the great citadel of the hell of incessant suffering. Suppose there is a ship that sails on the open sea. Though the ship is stoutly built, if it is flooded by a leak, those on the ship are sure to drown together. Though the embankment between rice fields is firm, if there is an ant hole in it, then surely, in the long run, it will not remain full of water. Bail the seawater of slander and disbelief out of the ship of your life, and solidify the embankments of your faith. If a believer’s offense is slight, overlook it, and lead that person to obtain benefits. If it is serious, encourage him to strengthen his faith so that he can expiate the sin.
You are indeed an unusual woman since you asked me to explain the effects of various degrees of slander. You are every bit as praiseworthy as the dragon king’s daughter when she said, “I unfold the doctrines of the great vehicle to rescue living beings from suffering.”7 The Lotus Sutra reads, “If one can ask about its meaning, that will be difficult indeed!”8 There are very few people who inquire about the meaning of the Lotus Sutra. Always be determined to denounce slander against the correct teaching to the best of your ability. It is indeed wonderful that you should be helping me reveal my teachings.
Respectfully,
Nichiren
The third day of the ninth month
Reply to the lay nun and wife of Abutsu-bo
THANK YOU for sharing this. I've often wondered when reading here and seen the word 'slander' used in posts by PTD, and others, and thinking to myself what exactly was meant. As long as this thread is, certainly this must have been addressed previously, but for those of us who follow this thread closely...whether we post or not....is most nice to have clarification such as this posted again and again and again, especially with more members who are new to this thread and haven't had the luxury of time to read each and every post made in this huge thread.
I have followed this thread since it began, but there has often been times that I've been away and then come here to find this thread so many pages beyond where I left off.
Thank you for sharing it with us!
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!!!
Much love and respect to all!
DG
