SGI is removing prayer to the Shoten Zenjin from formal practice. Thoughts?

[Yavana]

Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but Nameless I swear I have the hardest time trying to relate to some of the things you say. I understand being put out with people being drunk. Have you considered a monastic or priestly life, purifying your mind and conduct and devoting yourself to study?

[narhwal90]

I guess one person's mind-mild is another person's mentor-disciple. As I mentioned above, I hear stuff like your example from time to time. Some people respond to the the President Ikeda message some do not. I don't particularly, I seem to need a face-to-face rapport- to me he's an author of books & articles and a guy in photographs, who people talk about and thats about it. There is clearly room in SGI for both polarities.

I would propose that the lady's experience shows Buddhism working; she realized something and likely changed her whole attitude towards many things. So she likes the President Ikeda mentor thing, it worked for her... great!

For what its worth, I get my mentor thing via working with my Alanon sponsor. Sometimes all we talk about is stereo equipment.. he's an audio nut from way back, I'm back in the hobby. Other times we talk about "program topics' which can be delicate. Sometimes he tells me about how Catholics do stuff, sometimes I tell him how I try to to buddhist stuff. Either way its life-to-life communication, which SGI places a very high value on.

[Iconodule]

I don't have a dog in this fight, but just an anecdote. I know someone whose sole experience of Buddhism was with SGI. A friend brought her to an event where Ikeda was scheduled to speak. Ikeda showed up two hours late, and through the whole two hours the crowd was being whipped up into hysterics for the advent of the president- my friend surmised that the lateness was deliberate in order to get people really anxious and excited for when he finally showed up. It felt to her like it was pretty typical cult behavior and from this experience she dismissed Buddhism in general. Maybe some people really get something out of the Ikeda devotion but for many others it's an immediate turn-off.

[Queequeg]

I have locked this thread as the specific topic seems to have run its course and discussion is veering off into violation of the Terms of Service (putting down of other traditions). If someone wishes to contribute further to the discussion of Shoten Zenjin in SGI practice, please contact a staff member to reopen the thread.

Kind regards,

QQ