Hello Anthony,
Thank you for the props....I was less than 1 years old when my mother got into this religion by like most fortune babies I went thru my own journey of not practicing actively until about 15 years ago. I don't have a lot of the answers to the questions you posed about the black leadership or the monies that have been allocated to the states. I also dont know about why SGI would be considered a cult where the biggest cult in the World is Christianity! I feel you regarding black pride I was an African Study major. I used to go to meetings when I was 4 years old and was the only English speaking person along with my mother. I disagree, if someone knows something that I want to know I listen no matter what they look like. I don't know if the priesthood has black leaders nationally since you are stating SGI doesn't. I know the SGI has a lot more money than the priesthood but regardless I don't know how much money the priesthood has put out to the black community either.
Black community needs more than money, we need our own leadership and not opportunists that just want to take advantage of photoshooting opportunities. The community needs role models and mentors and stop this Willie Lynch way of thinking. Buddhism let's each of us experience our true potential. Maybe I'm crazy but when I am in the community center, I could care less about who is "leading me" I will read the Gosho and literature and learn how to keep advancing. You have a wealth of information and fascinating to read, but the organzation has not wronged me personally.
I know one thing is I spend a lot of time reading the Gosho and I am thankful of this practice being propagated since my mother was going to committ suicide with me with her when I was a baby and if it had not been for my mom's friend who was chanting at the time and thought of my mother we would not be talking now. I am very grateful to President Ikeda for his trip in 1960.
I myself can only say that I look to the leaders of the organization for me to understanding deeper this philosophy. I am a District leader and when I watch President Ikeda he spends most of the time praising his Mentor. I can see how some members can confuse the mentor from Idol worship. Playing sports helped me to have a line. I am sorry the organzation had the fall out and it seems so deep seeded it seem like there is no going back. I chant for unity and am happy you answered me back. Thank you
Dear Mario:
I understand where you are coming from 100%. It seems to me that you are in a social economic circumstance where you are in a neutral racial environment or perhaps you are in a dominate ethnic environment where African American culture is subordinate. Please understand that the “Proud Black Buddhist Website” is a cultural site rather than a racial website. Speaking of your being a professional athlete I was a world Kickboxing champion in the 80’s and 90’s. In 1999 I fought in Hawaii and everyday I went to the Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist meetings. Going to the meetings for me were very difficult culturally. It was like I was in Japan and I really hated the meetings. Back in the day in Memphis we had “South Chapter” and a real Buddhist African American culture. The White Leaders were great however our African American leaders could explain Buddhism in an African American cultural exposition.
African Americans are some of the most articulate English speaking people on planet Earth. In the Christian Religion we have some very, very articulate leaders. The Nation of Islam have master teachers. What we have in Buddhism in both the SGI and Nichiren Shoshu is a Xenophobic Japanese Racial ceiling in place. Both organization do not represent a culture whereas African American culture and leadership can incubate. I am a Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist and the Nichiren Shoshu Priesthood have a dominate Priestly culture that subordinate others and inhibits grown. While this is prevalent in Nichiren Shoshu the same phenomena is prevalent in the SGI. Circumstances are so bad in the SGI and the religions organization is so Daisaku Ikeda dominated that the SGI is listed among the top 10 cults in America.
The thing that we both agree on is that the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin is great. Please note that Martin Luther remonstrated with the Catholic Church. African American stood up and started the AME and CME churches. Please note that the SGI had “Value.” I am who I am because of the many values that I learned from Daisaku Ikeda. The SGI taught me how to be a better American. When I joined NSA I was a “Black Revolutionary.” NSA taught me how to be more American. There is a saying when the mind expands it cannot go back. Since you are an African Study major it is up to you to infuse the culture and history of Africa with your teachings. I did not leave the SGI because of the dispute between SGI and Nichiren Shoshu I left the SGI because we were not able to infuse African studies with the Buddhist teachings.
This is what is fascinating, if you dig down and study the Afro-centric side of Buddhism it make the teachings exciting. Let me tell you what happen to me in 2001. I begin doing research into ancient Buddhist history and it scared the living hell out of me. If you are truly a student of African History and you connect the dots you will not be the same. The ancient Egyptians Practiced Buddhism. Stone Henge in England was a Buddhist Temple. It was Buddhist who built the pyramids. Diop said that the Buddha was an Egyptian Priest fleeing Cambyses. If you dig deep all of this is in the Gosho. Read my 2001 lecture on the karma of Black people. You would have to read Black History to connect the dots. I am not mad at Daisaku Ikeda or the Priest. We African Americans will have to move to the next level. This information scared me I do not really want to know what happen to Africa it is in the Gosho. Here is the lecture a wrote and did not finish in 2001. I would be happy if any leader could answer my questions I understand but cannot take this fight.
Dear Anthony,
I see and feel your frustrations. Whether SGI is labeled a cult, so is Nation of Islam, Scientology, and anything that is not in your traditional realm of belief system is irrelevant since it is false. I know that is not true because cults try to separate you from your non practicing friends and family obviously we both know that has never been the case. I love the fact that you being an athlete I enjoy this dialogue and am happy that is a healthy exchange of ideas. I believe you have been a little out of touch with Presdident Ikeda and SGI of recent times. The FNCC has a conference that is geared towards People of African Cultrue and Descent yearly and although I have not been, I have had many friends come back and tell me great things about it. I watched the movie Traveller For Peace when I was at FNCC last weekend, and he highlighted a moment where a little black boy was watching a bunch of white kids playing a game in Chicago in 1960. The grandfather of one of the boys started yelling at the lone little black boy and President Ikeda said one of his biggest regrets was that he couldn't catch the boy when he took of running. Since that time he has met with Nelson Mandella and Rosa Parks and the King institute invite President Ikeda to be a part of the Ghandi, King, and Ikeda exhibit. President Ikeda was approached not the other way around, I don't think it is relevant whether or not he meets with a U.S president, he has sent peace proposals to every sitting president since JFK.
You may not realize that the National Womens Leader for SGI is a black lady named Linda Johnson, and the National Young Women's Division Leader is a young black female as well. Tariq Hassan is National Men's Director which he is also ethnic. There is no national white leader although that doesn't really matter. As per the Buddhist Gods, you do realize that mention of Gods are allegories. To have them labeled as real Gods would imply that Buddhist Gods which appear on the Gohonzon was real and some would argue that that would be external and not inside us. The energy inside this (capsule) my body is colorless and when it expires it will be released. The world we live in doesn't view it like that but this Buddhism didn't limit any of our Buddah nature to our gender, orientation, color, or appearance. My goal is to help people who look like me free themselves from the layers of Karma our race has for Aeons, I don't believe however it is going to give them a different playbook. When I was with the Patriots we all had the same playbook, it is people like you that will naturally be able to reach the people and turn on their lattern. I believe when we look at our history, it triggers anger in me when I think back and although in a 3000 realms in a single moment in the world of Anger, we hit Buddahood that is laser like focused Passion. I want to know my self that has been here from the beginingless time, this is the uniform I am wearing now and I acknowledge it but dont want to focus.
I have been in predominantly black areas as well as white areas in my life, I was born in the South side of Chicago and now live 15 min from Philadelphia. Still irrelevant, I don't every change for my enviroment just like the Lotus flower I blossum in the muddiest swamps if I have to.
Peace,
Mario
On Tue, Mar 27, 2012 at 11:49 PM
