The tide of kosen-rufu was surely on the rise, however Mr. Nichiren Shoshu priests did not offer any apology or remorse despite such serious retribution, only seeking to save face and maintain control over the laity. Nikkyo, the 62nd high priest, burned to death in a fire at the head temple. In June 1945, the high priest’s quarters and other major structures burned down, and Nikkyo- died miserably in the blaze. Shinto talismans were enshrined by Japanese military officers at the Daishoin room near the high priest’s lodging.
Some Taiseki-ji buildings were even used to house “volunteer” soldiers forcefully taken from Korea. In an act of cowardice, Nichiren Shoshu stripped Gakkai members of believer status.įurthermore, clearly abandoning faith in the supremacy of Nichiren Buddhism, Nichiren Shoshu ordered branch temples to enshrine Shinto talismans at the priests’ lodging quarters in an attempt to preserve it’s own peace and security while denigrating their own religion. President Makiguchi and other Gakkai leaders were arrested in 1943 for alleged violation of the Security Law and also for the crime of disrespect, as their action to refuse the Shinto talisman was viewed as denying the sanctity of Shinto. Fearful that their resistance would bring government persecution, the priesthood banned them from visiting the head temple for not following the directive. Holding fast to their practice of the true teaching, however, Soka Kyoiku Gakkai President Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and General Director Josei Toda refused the priesthood’s order. Nichiren Shoshu ordered its lay society the Soka Kyoiku Gakkai to accept the government’s Shinto talisman incorporating elements of non-Buddhist teachings. Fearful of the violent storm of the Shinto religion’s national authority, Nichiren Shoshu went along with the Minobu sect and banned dissemination of Nichiren Daishonin’s writings, even revising some of his writings. Nichiren Shoshu betrayed the Soka Gakkai during World War II. But neither the Shoshinkai’s recriminations nor Nikken’s betrayal was the first case of Nichiren Shoshu denigrating the Gakkai. Time and again, to preserve its authority or to save face, the priesthood betrayed the Soka Gakkai. All he and his priesthood wanted was to maintain their extravagant lifestyle and pleasure seeking. Ultimately, what Nikken tried to gain through Operation C was money. Nikken and his cronies preferred formation of a lay organization that was subservient to the priesthood without promoting kosen-rufu along with the spirited Gakkai members who were so strongly dedicated to it. The temple thought, by breaking the Gakkai apart, it could put hundreds of thousands of members under its direct control.
An auxiliary purpose was to sway Soka Gakkai members by excommunicating the entire Gakkai organization. Operation C was concocted primarily to oust President Ikeda. Nikken, however, unconcerned with kosen-rufu, went on to disparage President Ikeda and tried to usurp control of the Soka Gakkai. The Soka Gakkai committed to Nichiren Shoshu’s prosperity all the more, making enormous offerings. In August 1979, Nikken- was inaugurated following the sudden death of Nittatsu. But, for the sake of kosen-rufu, no matter how irrational Nichiren Shoshu’s actions, the Gakkai strove to maintain the harmonious unity of priesthood and laity and dedicated itself with great patience as Nichiren Shoshu continued to enjoy prosperity. Distorting the words of High Priest Nittatsu so as to misrepresent the Gakkai, these priests claimed that such an act is slanderous. These arrogant priests forced the Gakkai to apologize for having produced wooden Gohonzon from Gohonzon scrolls, a doctrinally legitimate action in light of Nichiren Daishonin’s teachings. This plot by Nikken and his cohorts was not the first case where devious priests tried to thwart the Soka Gakkai’s progress and tear apart this precious Buddhist Order.Īround 1978–79, a group of priests named Shoshinkai (correct faith association) capitalized on the Nichiren Shoshu high priest’s authority in order to oppress the Soka Gakkai. This signified commencement of the priesthood’s so-called Operation C-a plan to “cut” the SGI membership from the Soka Gakkai and President Ikeda.
On December 27, 1990, Nikken-, after revising the Rules of Nichiren Shoshu, abruptly dismissed Soka Gakkai Honorary President Daisaku Ikeda, the person most responsible for the promotion of kosen-rufu, as head of all Nichiren Shoshu lay societies.
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