Joining the Proud Black Buddhist World Association means more than just joining a Buddhist Sect. Joining with us means that your faith and life is an extention for the cause of equality and liberation. We recognize in our faith not only the wonderful and great Buddhist teachings we will recognize and embrace the Buddha Shakymuni as the 1st Black Revolutionary hero. Shakymuni and other Buddhist fought against the racist cast system in India. Not only will the Proud Black Buddhist World Association learn history together we take on and challenge the "Institutional Racism" in Buddhism that denies and marginalize Buddhism's African Heritage.
In the Gosho "The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon:" Nichiren Daishonin writes: "Never seek this
Gohonzon
outside yourself. The
Gohonzon
exists only within the
mortal
flesh
of us ordinary people who embrace the
Lotus Sutra
and chant
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
."
Many Japanese will have you believe that their Gohonzons are endowed with a "Special Power" and other Gohonzons are Counterfeit. Nichiren further writes in the above Gosho: "This Gohonzon also is found only in the two characters for faith. This is what the sutra means when it states that one can “gain entrance through faith alone.” To challenge non-sense we will teach others to be masters of Buddhist doctrine. We at the Proud Black Buddhist World Association follow the Gosho or writings of Nichiren Daishonin.
In the Gosho "The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon" Nichiren Daishonin writes: "Thus the fourth volume of
Great Concentration and Insight
states, “Buddhism is like an ocean that one can only enter with faith.” The fourth volume of
The Annotations on “Great Concentration and Insight”
explains this: “With regard to the phrase ‘Buddhism is like an ocean that one can
p.833
only enter with faith,’ even Confucius taught that faith is first and foremost. How much more so is this true of the profound doctrines of Buddhism! Without faith, how could one possibly enter? That is why the
Flower Garland Sutra
defines faith as the basis of the way and the mother of blessings.” The first volume of
Great Concentration and Insight
says, “How does one hear, believe in, and practice the
perfect teaching
to attain perfect enlightenment?” The first volume of
On “Great Concentration and Insight”
says, “To ‘believe in the
perfect teaching
’ means to awaken faith through doctrine and to make faith the basis of practice.”
Nichiren Daishonin tells us to "awaken faith through doctrine" and to make faith the basis of practice. We members of the "Proud Black Buddhist World Association" make "Faith the basis of our practice." We wake-up our faith by Studying the Buddhist doctrines. When we issue a Gohonzon practisioners will know that the basis of their Gohonzon is the "Power of their faith?" In a Gosho Nichiren Daishonin writes: "A sword in the hands of a coward is useless." No matter whose Gohonzon you get if you have no faith in the Gohonzon toss it away that Gohonzon is no good without "Faith."
Click on the picture Tina Turner on the left and listen to Tina talk about her Buddhist practice and its benefits. The picture to the right is a Buddhist Altar inside the altar is a scroll called a Gohonzon. When you make the decision to join Nichiren Buddhism you accept the Gohonzon and offically become a practicing Buddhist. No one is forcing you to accept a Gohonzon and it does not make sense to get a Gohonzon and toss it away later. We suggest that you practice a few months and then get your Gohonzon. In my personal case I did not wish to wait. I jumped right into Buddhism. I went to a loan company in 1975 and I purchased me a large Buddhist altar. In 2006 I had me a large Buddhist altar made in Ghana in West Africa. I sold my old Japanese Buddhist Altar for what I paid for the one in 1975. Let us be clear the Gohonzon is the "Paper Scroll" inside the Buddhist Altar. You do not have to purchase such an elaborate altar. Look at the picture below of my African Altar. In the picture I had the doors made in Africa. I absolutely love may African handmade Nichiren Buddhist Altar.
Please click on the Altar and see a video of it getting made in Ghana in West Africa
