In Japan they had a way of life called the “Bushido Code.” The “Bushido Code” is the way of the warrior. This life style was a strict way of living. In my early days I lived the “Bushido Code” in Memphis, Tennessee. Every morning I would take cold showers and we practiced “Zen Buddhism.” This was back in 1970’s I use to walk around barefooted and I engaged in mediation. It was only when I joined the NSA Buddhist organization in 1974 that I moved away from Zen Buddhism to practice the Buddhist teaching of Nichiren Daishonin.
It was my practice in the NSA Buddhist movement that I moved from an esoteric Buddhism to a “Faith that was main stream.” It was when I was introduced to the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin that I moved more to the center in my life.
Please understand and compare ancient Japanese culture to the Japanese culture of today. If you ever get the chance to travel to Japan you will see faces and people who look Black. I was at the Nichiren Shoshu Head Temple Japan and I saw a Japanese Priest wife who looked exactly like many fair completion African Americans. I wanted to ask her was she a “Sister.”
Please understand that the 1st people who came to the land they call Japan were Black people. A Japanese archeologist presented papers to the Black Scholar Diop about an African Hut that was discovered in Japan. Back in the old days many Africans use to live in Japan. The first Shogun of Japan was an African warrior by the name of Saknouye Tamuramaro. In ancient history Black people did not have the racist stigma attached to them as we find today. In Japan there is a proverb that states "To be a brave samurai you must have a bit of Black blood". Today in Japan and through-out the world there is racism against Black people and through-out the Buddhist religion this racism is prevalent. It is important for Africans and African/Americans to study hard and correct the misrepresentation of Buddhist history.
When you show many African Americans and Whites empirical evidence of a “Black Buddha” they are quick to say “What difference does it make?” It makes a big difference when we look a the law of cause and effect. When you distort history you can live a lie. The Buddha teaches in the Lotus Sutra that all phenomena will manifest its true entity.
In my experience in dealing with many Japanese people over the last 40 years, I find that many of the Japanese have a “Funky Attitude” in regards to “History and Culture.” What the Japanese did was write all of Black History out of Japan. When you talk about the “Shogun of Japan” being a brother, those are “Fighting words” to Japanese. As long as the Japanese Buddhist teachers can teach Buddhism that puts them in a position of superiority they are happy. Now you arm yourself with historical facts and you will find that you will get cursed out.
Let me tell you a funny story. When the big split was going on between the Nichiren Shoshu sect and the SGI sect the SGI brought a former Nichiren Shoshu Priest to talk to me at my office. This Priest thought I was going to get into the Nichiren Shoshu/SGI rift. I asked this Priest about the Black Buddhist “God Fudo Myo” who is listed on the Gohonzon. This dude turned “Red.” Instead of answering the question this dude pleaded the 5th amendment. When you know your Black History and you deal with Japanese Buddhist teachers you will get a whole new view of the teachers. What I have found is that most of the Japanese who come to America do not know a “dam thing” about the history of Buddhism, they simply know or rather they are experts in systems of “indoctrination.” In other words they now rules, culture, procedures and very little Buddhist history.
Before I get into my lecture real deep we Africans and African Americans owe a debt of gratitude to the dedicated Japanese people who introduced us to Buddhism. The ancient Africans practiced Buddhism. We for 1000's of years have been disconnected from Buddhism. Thanks to Japanese we are re-connected to Buddhist teachings.
Greetings to everyone. Let me 1st introduce myself. My name is Anthony “Amp” Elmore. I live in Memphis, Tennessee. This lecture is called “Black Culture and History in Nichiren Buddhism.” At the time of this lecture we would have been a Nichiren Buddhist for about 40 years. Back in the day I use to practice a style of Karate called “Old Japanese Shotokan.” I would have to say that I was a “Japanese in a Past life.” We use to meditate in icy waters, break our knuckles on a concrete wall. We had an African American Karate Teacher by the name of Julius L. Dorsey. Julius was like the “Karate Masters “ of the old Japanese Karate Schools. Back in my early days I was more Japanese than any Japanese that you will meet in the 21st Century. Click on the picture and meet my old Karate Sensei Julius Dorsey.
