SGI Gohonzon: Why different mattings?

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dharmapdx
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SGI Gohonzon: Why different mattings?

Post by dharmapdx »

Why do some SGI gohonzon have different matting? Compare the two examples below. The one that is enshrined seems to be of a higher quality matting. I flirted briefly with SGI, which meant visiting houses of members. I noticed that some had the more basic version, and others had the more fancy version. When members of SGI are given a gohonzon, do they have an option to receive a more expensive matting or something? It seems that some had "designer" gohonzon and some had very basic ones.
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Queequeg
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Re: SGI Gohonzon: Why different mattings?

Post by Queequeg »

dharmapdx wrote:Why do some SGI gohonzon have different matting? Compare the two examples below. The one that is enshrined seems to be of a higher quality matting. I flirted briefly with SGI, which meant visiting houses of members. I noticed that some had the more basic version, and others had the more fancy version. When members of SGI are given a gohonzon, do they have an option to receive a more expensive matting or something? It seems that some had "designer" gohonzon and some had very basic ones.
Favor of the powers.

Be a good member and you get fancy matte.

No other significance than that.
There is no suffering to be severed. Ignorance and klesas are indivisible from bodhi. There is no cause of suffering to be abandoned. Since extremes and the false are the Middle and genuine, there is no path to be practiced. Samsara is nirvana. No severance achieved. No suffering nor its cause. No path, no end. There is no transcendent realm; there is only the one true aspect. There is nothing separate from the true aspect.
-Guanding, Perfect and Sudden Contemplation,
narhwal90
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Re: SGI Gohonzon: Why different mattings?

Post by narhwal90 »

I think the way it happens is there are opportunities for a practitioner to "upgrade" from the basic SGI gohonzon if desired - probably tied to taking up a leadership post ie district leader, men/womens division sort of thing. But its still a gohonzon, not somehow more powerful.
dharmapdx
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Re: SGI Gohonzon: Why different mattings?

Post by dharmapdx »

Queequeg wrote:
dharmapdx wrote:Why do some SGI gohonzon have different matting? Compare the two examples below. The one that is enshrined seems to be of a higher quality matting. I flirted briefly with SGI, which meant visiting houses of members. I noticed that some had the more basic version, and others had the more fancy version. When members of SGI are given a gohonzon, do they have an option to receive a more expensive matting or something? It seems that some had "designer" gohonzon and some had very basic ones.
Favor of the powers.

Be a good member and you get fancy matte.

No other significance than that.
Thanks. I figured it was something like that. At the risk of sounding offensive, the "basic" gohonzon (the one on top) looks extremely, um, … shall I say "inexpensive." It's very low quality paper. The "designer" matting looks, well, the way you'd expect a gohonzon to look. I assumed the difference had something to do with status within the organization, and that's one thing that made me decide to disassociate myself. I didn't like this display of inequality.
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Minobu
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Re: SGI Gohonzon: Why different mattings?

Post by Minobu »

Well for decades people in SGI bragged about if you chanted to this Gohonzon it gave you super benefits. It was all some talked about . All the elite leaders told you to chant millions of ODaimoku in order to achive the goal of chanting to it to really really change your life.
It was top of the line guidance for decades and President :woohoo: Ikeda encouraged everyone to make the Big Tozan, he was pretty convincing
I dunno what happen :stirthepot:

here goes
http://nichirenscoffeehouse.net/Gohonzo ... onzon.html
Last edited by Minobu on Sat Sep 03, 2016 6:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Minobu
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Re: SGI Gohonzon: Why different mattings?

Post by Minobu »

duplicate
narhwal90
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Re: SGI Gohonzon: Why different mattings?

Post by narhwal90 »

Oh yeah I remember the big Tozan encouragements back in the NSA days, I was never much interested- but that stuff hasn't been on the table since the split. These days the domestic trips are to the various SGI culture centers. I've not been on one of those myself, though theres one in October down to Florida that I'm going to try if the money works out. I've no interest in a SGI position but I would like to have a more informed opinion about how the modern SGI acts higher up in the organization; eg will it be Ikeda-centric, or something else?

I have heard of the "leadership gohonzon" opportunities for a long time, but have always had the impression its the individual's ichinen and dedication to the practice that brings te results not the fancy gohonzon. The fancy gohonzon and butsudan being a symbol and perhaps result of the dedication & ichinen and its not like one must upgrade either.
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Re: SGI Gohonzon: Why different mattings?

Post by JazzIsTvRicky »

The difference is in size and quality. The Special Okatagi Gohonzon which is no longer issued was available to members with 15 years of practice.
A فوتاري أوف ذي غوهونزون أوف نام ميوهو رينج كيو
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