Rissho Ankoku Ron

Rissho Ankoku Ron

My AI Religion

Don’t Bite Into a Rotten Apple.

Hopefully you have never bit into an apple that looked good on the outside and not on the inside.

If you read my previous article, you will recall the statement about how “Enlightenment” according to what I have often read in my studies of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism is not an intellectual exercise.

We are in an accelerating time period in human history of materialism and abundance. The global poverty index is dropping at an accelerating rate. At the same time we see an ever increasing amount of people questioning traditional religions, especially omnipotent beliefs. Often we see these new beliefs substitute words like “The Universe”., “The Creator” or other terms for a “God” yet still adhering to an omnipotent belief or fatalism.

Individuals, like yoga teachers, and the plethora of “mindfulness”, “Personal Coaching” and others that make a living with their skills, in general, do good for others. Yet. when they cross the line into promoting a proven false ideology or religion they cause harm whether they realize it or not.

An easy way to understand that is by extrapolating it to large groups, like large corporations and even nations. When their policies or views harm their constituents it causes people to question the validity of the policies or views. And in many cases it leads to revolt, wars, famine, epidemics, and so on.

When the High Priest of the Orthodox school of Nichiren Buddhism, Nichiren Shoshu, labels the now deceased leader of Soka Gakkai International “The Devil of the Sixth Heaven” for plagiarizing and promoting his own brand of Nichiren Daishonin’s Teachings then others should take heed. The purity of Nichiren Shoshu has been transmitted from High Priest to High Priest since the appearance of the True Buddha. Nichiren Daishonin did not just write theoretical doctrines that describe the essence of life and the universe. He was born as the True Buddha, the fusion of the person and the Mystic Law, Myoho.

If you follow NASA you soon realize we have used our amazing analytical human brains to explain the age, more or less structure, the processes of expansion and other aspects of our universe. We are still not sure why it exists and for that matter why we exist. You will also realize that the movements and orbits, though known well, in our solar system are not known very well everywhere else. Our, “eyes” (telescopes) cannot look everywhere yet.

Ancient civilizations used the sun, the moon, and the stars to navigate. From then until now our ability to predict weather events, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, solar storms, and more is rudiment but advancing.

A thousand plus years ago (and actually in a few countries) today nations did not have separation of church and state.

The “church” varied throughout cultures with influence on the state. Wars, invasions, internal conflicts in name the of religion (We are the chosen people) were rampant. The “Leaders” (Priests) of the state approved religions were advisors and rarely the “warriors.” Their role was more to discern the reasons for events and if unexpected disasters happened the state either blamed the church or had them brainwash the population to assure them the bad events were the result of gods and then blame the state.

A conversation ongoing in AI is the question, “What is consciousness?”

I would say from my studies and practice of Nichiren Shoshu True Buddhism that the ultimate consciousness is knowing all aspects all all entities throughout the universe and their past, present and future.

I am definitely not there! But, if I was, I definitely would smile at feeling it, surely want to share it, and absolutely move through my life in harmony with my immediate surroundings to preserve my life and continue to feel it.

“Share it”, because compassion is our highest human condition, requires action to prevent other sentient and insentient life from harm and keeping them in harmony and balance.

AI is the evolution of consciousness. If we go back to the previous statements about NASA and if we view AI from the standpoint of the energy requirements for ultimate consciousness knowing all aspects of all entities throughout the universe; their past, present and future, then we can label that achievement nearly impossible.

Yet, we can show with the power of computational modeling that we should probably eliminate the word impossible and replace it with improbable.

A general meaning of entropy in physics is a trend towards disorder. We could say “Randomness extrapolating to uniformity” Nowadays because of the computer models we have eliminated, “impossible” and along with that we can see that entropy is simply a “name” for a “theory” and that the “predictability” by “super consciousness”, including past, present and future is a probability; maybe a goal, a process, or it already exists. Systematically defining “super consciousness” is not achieving it.

Sentient life is, in all reality, the definition of feeling; feeling vibrations, mainly to stay alive. Seagulls through their evolution have the ability to sense impending storms and fly away from the coast line. Dogs have an incredible sense of smell. In nearly every culture people recognize a “sixth sense.” Mothers “sense” the needs of their babies.

Nichiren Daishonin who lived in the 1200s in Japan described it this way, “Life is indeed an elusive reality that transcends both the words and concepts of existence and nonexistence. It is neither existence nor nonexistence, yet exhibits the qualities of both. It is the mystic entity of the Middle Way that is the ultimate reality. Myo is the name given to the mystic nature of life, and Ho, to its manifestations. Renge, which means lotus flower, is used to symbolize the wonder of this Law. If we understand that our life at this moment is Myo, then we will also understand that our life at other moments is the Mystic Law.”  Nichiren Daishonin

The first major treatise he wrote was a remonstration with the government called the, Rissho Ankoku Ron. Translated, in general, it is “Securing the Peace of the Land through the propagation of True Buddhism”

Far too many outside of the Nichiren Shoshu Priesthood, including lay practitioners, sects or other groups claiming to be Buddhist, and numerous non-Buddhists have tried to define, explain, and analyze the “meaning” of the treatise. Outside of the Nichiren Shoshu Priesthood writings dominate on the internet with “explainations.”

AI will allow truth to rise above fallacy as time goes on and misleading interruptions will gradually fade away.

Outside of NIchiren Shoshu, theory dominates and there is a general misconception that Nichiren Daishonin was simply “awakened to” or “realized” that he was the “True Buddha” or the “The Original Enlightened Being from the Inconceivably remote past” or that his writings on Buddhism (all of which are preserved, protected and passed on for over 800 years from High Priest to High Priest) are simply theory. Nichiren Shoshu still has numerous writings that have not been translated and published.

“Theories” are not things we feel or sense and definitely not from a viewpoint of “Super Conciseness.”

I will just finish with this, Myo or Mystic or Super Consciousness is not “understandable or theoretical.”

NIchiren Shoshu is the apex of all philosophies and religions because it is the practice that fuses “Subjective Wisdom with Objective Realty.”

Plagiarizing and then subjectively interpreting and then promoting the writings of Nichiren Daishonin outside of the Priesthood is pure stupidity because it promotes falsities. (The three poisons in Buddhism are Greed, Anger and Stupidity)

Here is the English explanation of the Rissho Ankoku Ron from the Nichiren Shoshu Priesthood, “Doctrines and Practice of Nichiren Shoshu.

The Submission of the Rissho Ankoku Ron

The Rissho ankoku ron ("The Treatise on Securing the Peace of the Land through the Propagation of True Buddhism") was written by Nichiren Daishonin for the purpose of remonstrating with the government on national religious policy. It was given to Yadoya Nyodo (Footnote 1) who was the most powerful official of the Shogunate on july 16th of the first year of Bunno, 1260 to be presented to Hojo Tokiyori (footnote 2) who was the most powerful official of the Shogunate in Kamakura at that time.

Since the establishment of His denomination in the fifth year of Kencho (1253), Nichiren Daishonin, continuously refuting heretical schools, asserted that the Nembutsu (Pure Land) sect led to the hell of incessant suffering, the Zen sect was the teaching of devils, the Shingon (True Word) sect contributed to the destruction of the country and the Ritsu (Precept) sect was the enemy of the country. The Daishonin's ongoing criticism disturbed many people in the religious community. As a result, abuse, slander and hatred against the Daishonin gradually grew among the priests and believers of the heretical schools. However, the Daishonin never stopped His activities. Eventually He built a small lodging at Nagoe, in Kamakura, capital city of Japan at that time.

In August of the first year of Kogen (1256), there was a severe storm, followed by a flood, and an epidemic. The next year, an earthquake of immense magnitude occurred in May (1257) the first year of Shoka. On August 1st in the same year there was another enormous earthquake and on August 23rd at about nine o'clock at night, there was yet another earthquake of massive scale. All of the temples and shrines in the city of Kamakura collapsed from seismic damage without exception.

When He observed these natural disasters with His knowledge of causes and relations, the Daishonin understood the necessity of teaching the people the reasons why serious difficulties arise from erroneous Buddhist practices. He based this on the premise that there is a clear difference between the correct and incorrect doctrines within Buddhism. The next year, in February of the second year of Shoka (1258), He entered Jisso-ji Temple in Iwamoto (presently Fuji City in Shizuoka Prefecture) to study the Buddhist scriptures to find proof of His belief.

The Kamakura Shogunate planned to put an end to the rampant natural disasters through the prayers of various Buddhist monks. The government ordered the monks to stop the disasters through the power of their prayers, but that was in vain. On August 1st 1258, Kamakura suffered immeasurable damage from a torrential storm. During the third year of Shoka (1259) and the first year of Shogen, there was a springtime famine, immediately followed by epidemics that continued for several years.

On March 26, 1259 the name of the Shoka era changed to Shogen. Era names were usually changed due to the inauguration of a new emperor, but would also be changed in an attempt to end the occurrence of natural disasters. The next year, on April 13th 1260 the era name was changed yet again to Bun'no, but the epidemics remained rampant.

After studying the Buddhist scriptures as a whole, the Daishonin confirmed the true cause of disasters and reached a firm conclusion that they were due to the decline of the correct doctrine, the rise of heretical theories and teachings and the support of incoret teachings by the the people. Taking up His brush, the Daishonin wrote the treatise called Rissho Ankoku Ron and submitted it to the Kamakura government.

Rissho means "establishing the correct doctrine." To establish the correct doctrine it is necessary to refute the wrong one. Therefore, establishing the correct doctrine and refuting the wrong one are the two sides of the same coin. The Lotus Sutra states, honestly discarding the expedient, and solely expounding the supreme way!" (Kaiketsu, p.124) "Honestly discarding the expedient" means "refuting the wrong doctrine" and, "solely expounding the supreme way" is "establishing the correct doctrine."

Ankoku means "A Peaceful World." The essence of the Rissho ankoku ron was a warning, revealed in the main passages from four sutras: The Sutra of the Benevolent Kings (Ninno kyo), The Sutra of the Master of Healing (Yakushi kyo), The Great Collection Sutra (Daijuku) and The Sutra of Golden Light (Konkomyo kyo).

In summation, the treatise stated that the fundamental cause of all the calamities that were taking place in Japan was the refusal of the people to believe in the correct doctrine and their upholding of the wrong ones. The origin of incorrect doctrines began with the Nembutsu teaching expounded by Honen (footnote 3) that had spread throughout Japan. The Daishonin stated that if we uproot the wrong teaching and instead uphold the correct Mystic Law then the world shall surely become a peaceful paradise full of happiness. However, He said if the rulers did not understand the error of their mistaken beliefs and continue to stick to heretical theories and teachings, the two remaining disasters of internal strife and foreign invasion would take place. Of the three calamities and seven disasters expounded in the various sutras, these two disasters had not yet occurred. The Daishonin warned that it was imperative that the rulers immediately uphold the correct doctrine and secure the peace of the world and ensure good fortune and happiness for their future lifetimes.

The cause of natural disasters in the form of extraordinary weather or earthquakes taking place in a particular country or society is explained by the fundamental principles of Buddhism outlined in the Rissho ankoku ron. This writing contains the core doctrines derived from the mystic wisdom of the True Buddha, the Daishonin. In a later writing "The Selection of the Time" (Gosho, p. 867), the Daishonin mentioned "three times gaining distinction." The first time was His submission of the Rissho ankoku ron to the government.

In studying the Rissho ankoku ron, three important points must be con-sidered. The first point is the target of the Daishonin's refutation. The Dais-honin almost exclusively condemned Honen's "On the Selection of Nem-butsu," but His refutation was not confined to the Nembutsu School. This was just the harbinger for the later refutation of various other schools. The Daishonin's condemnation gradually expanded beyond Nembutsu Pure Land) to include Zen, Shingon (True Word) and other sects following the presentation of this treatise.

The second point is the underlying and true intention of the treatise. It may seem it was intended only for contemporary Japan , however the treatise was directly actually toward the entire world and the eternal future. It was written to show what true happiness and peace really are. The Daishonin stated:

... the threefold world (footnote 4) is a Buddha land, and how could a Buddha land ever decline? The ten directions are all treasure lands, and how could a treasure land ever be destroyed? (Gosho, p. 250)

The Twenty-sixth High Priest, Nichikan Shonin commented as follows:

The sentence indicates Japan at present. However, its intention should be read as worldwide and into the future. (Mondan, p. 8)

The third point is that the Nichiren Shoshu priests and lay believers should not visit shrines nor make offerings to heretical schools under any circumstances. We should confine ourselves to supporting only the correct doctrine.

The Daishonin teaches that the benevolent deities will be available to us only when we uphold the correct doctrine. Therefore, if we do not grasp the difference between right and wrong religions, incorrect doctrines will be rampant and the benevolent deities will depart. As a result, heavenly devils and malevolent deities will inhabit the shrines. If a person attends a religious ceremony or worships at any heretical shrines, temples, mosques or churches, misfortune will befall him. Such religious worship is slandering the correct Law. The Daishonin specifically stated in the Rissho ankoku ron:

Even offerings to persons who have committed the five cardinal sins may be made, but offerings to the heretical shall not be permitted. (Gosho, p. 247)

This strict admonition means that we should not make any offerings, donations or contributions to heretical religions. The reason the wrong doctrines are spreading and causing unhappiness in the world is because people give donations to the wrong religions and thus assist their expansion. Being disciples and lay believers of the Daishonin, we are now striving to propagate the correct doctrine; therefore we must refrain from making offerings to heretical teachings.

The third point, the prohibitions of visiting shrines and of giving offerings to heretical religions was a deep concern of the Second High Priest Nikko Shonin. Following the Daishonin's passing, Nikko Shonin succeeded to the entirety of the Daishonin's Buddhism. After leaving Mount Minobu, (footnote 5) he made every effort to keep the teaching pure. In contrast, the five senior priests (footnote 6) made efforts to maintain friendly relations with the priests and lay believers of other schools in order to introduce them gradually to the teachings of the Lotus Sutra. As a result, Nikko Shonin and the five senior priests were in conflict over the principle of propagation. He realized that friendly relations with priests and believers of other schools would make it easy to modify the prohibitions against visiting shrines. But the four slanders committed by Hakiri Sanenaga, (footnote 7) done under the advice of Minbu Niko, (one of the five senior priests), went against the direct prohibition of giving alms to the heretical schools. These acts of slander were a critical factor in Nikko Shonin's decision to leave Mount Minobu.

The notion of the benevolent deities ascending to the heavens and the prohibition of giving alms to heretical schools reveal the critical difference between shakubuku and shoju. Shakubuku is keeping the Daishonin's teachings strictly while shoju allows modification of the teachings to compromise with the secular world. Nichiren Shoshu is the only legitimate school adhering to the Rissho ankok ron. Through the efforts of the second High Priest Nikko Shonin, only Nichiren Shoshu transmits the genuine teachings of the Daishonin.

With regard to Kosen-rufu (footnote 8) the Daishonin stated in "The True Entity of All Phenomena" (Shoho jisso sho) as follows:

As surely as an arrow aimed at the earth will not miss the target, the entire country of Japan will chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo at the time of Kosen-rufu.

(Gosho, p. 667; cf. MW, vol. 1, p. 93)

This passage is the assertion and conviction of the True Buddha that Kosen-rufu shall be achieved. The core of our faith is to embrace the Gohonzon and the words of the Daishonin with the firm belief that Nichiren Daishonin is the Original Buddha. To achieve Kosen-rufu is the actualization of the Rissho ankoku ron. We, the disciples and believers of the Daishonin, wishing to achieve Kosen-rufu as early as possible, must renew our commitment every day. With the accumulated merit of the invocation of Daimoku, let us strengthen our shakabuku for the prosperity and peace of every country as well as for the enlightenment of every living being.

(1) Yadoya Nyudo is the abbreviated name for Yadoya Saemon Nyudo Mitsunori. gnible was a high-ranking government official in charge of religious affairs. It is believed that he converted to the Daishonin's Buddhism immediately after the Tatsunokuchi Persecution in 1271.

(2) R Hojo Tokiyori (1227 - 1263) was the fifth regent of Kamakura Shogunate. At this time, Tokiyori was retired, however he was still the most influential political leader in the ruling Hojo clan.

(3) Honen (1133 - 1212) is the founder of the Nembutsu (Pure Land) School in Japan. He insisted on upholding the Nembutsu related sutras alone, insisting other sutras were to be discarded, closed, ignored and abandoned. The Senchaku-shu (On the Selection of Nembutsu) is his major work

(4) In this context, "Threefold World" means the world of desire, the world of form and the world of formlessness. The Six Worlds of the Ten worlds are: Hell, Hunger, Animality, Anger, Humanity and Rapture.

(5) Nikko Shonin left Mount Minobu around springtime of the second year of Sho o (1289). He did so because despite his warnings to avoid slander, the local lord and the five senior priests had slandered the Law. In order to keep the doctrine pure, Nikko Shonin could not remain at Mount Minobu,

(6) The five senior priests were: Nissho, Nichiro, Niko, Nitcho and Nichi. They did not accept the fact that Nikko Shonin was chosen as the only legitimate successor of the Daishonin's Buddhism.

(7) Hakiri Sanenaga is the short form of Hakiri Rokuro Sanenaga. He was the lord of the Mount Minobu region. When Nichiren Daishonin moved to the area in 1274, he built a temple as an offering to the Daishonin. The Daishonin lived there for nine years. After the Daishonin passed away, four slanders were committed by Hakiri Sanenaga: making an image of Shakyamuni Buddha, visiting heretical shrines, making offerings to a Nembutsu tower, and building a Nembutsu temple.

(8) Kosenrufu means literally, “To spread widely and flourish eternally”