The True Buddha writes in the Gosho " Hell is the land of Tranquil Light "One who, on hearing the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, makes even greater efforts in faith is a true seeker of the way. T’ien-t’ai states,
“From the indigo, an even deeper blue.”
This passage means that, if one dyes something repeatedly in indigo, it becomes even bluer than the indigo leaves." We were Black when we started Buddhism we are now Blacker than Black, more African than Africans.We are more American than most Americans. We integrate our culture into our Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist Practice.
In 1998 I went to Accra, Ghana for the 1st opening of a Nichiren Shoshu Temple in Ghana and my life changed just as the Gosho reads "From indigo, an even deeper blue." I transformed into a 21st Century Buddhist. We broke the shackles and image of Buddhism being perceived as an oriental religion. We are really "Proud Black Buddhist."
The Great Black Liberator Fredrick Douglass wrote:
"Those who profess to favor freedom and yet depreciate agitation, are people who want crops without ploughing the ground; they want rain without thunder and lightning; they want the ocean without the roar of its many waters. The struggle may be a moral one, or it may be a physical one, or it may be both. But it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.”
This is the largest Nichiren Shoshu Temple outside of Japan. I laugh because Buddhist leader Daisaku Ikeda built this temple. All of these Buddhist members were part of NSG or Nichiren Shoshu Ghana started by Mr. Ikeda. Joseph Asomani was the leader in Ghana and Mr. Ikeda decided to replace Mr. Asomani and the Ghana people protested. Mr. Ikeda ex-communicated the Ghana members meaning 90%. The Ghana members held together and contacted Nichiren Shoshu. A member purchased land and High Priest Nikken Shonin provided the money and these Africans hand built their own temple in 1998.
Click on picture load video Mr. Asomani tell the story himself.
Click on Picture to learn about Fredrick Douglass
“The True entity of phenomena” (Buddhist Bible) in Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism reads; “Exert yourself in the two ways of practice and study. Without practice and study there can be no Buddhism. You must not only persevere yourself; you must also teach others. Both practice and study arise from faith. Teach others to the best of your ability, even if only a single sentence or phrase.” The “True Buddha” Nichiren Daishonin encourages us to do our best to teach this wonderful religion if only it is a single sentence or phrase.
Black people you must demand that the Japanese Priest or non Priest respect you and respect your culture. Power concedes nothing without demand. Both the Priest and Daisaku Ikeda disrespect Black people.
It is the true Buddha Nichiren Daishonin who encourages members to "EXERT" themselves in Practice and Study. In America Buddhist are "WEAK" in study. Clearly I found the Priest in America to teach a "Dumbing Down" Buddhism. In the SGI or Hokkeo Buddhist organization there is not one single recognized scholar to emerge out of the organizations. In the Christian Religion there are thousands with Doctorate Degrees. Instead of the Gosho or writings of the Daishonin being the authority members default to the Priest of Daisaku Ikeda. In 1974 when I started Buddhism we approached the religion with endept indept study and we had a clearer understanding. If Buddhism is to grown in America scholars and teachers of the faith must emerge. Under the current culture of Buddhism in America today the methods of propagation does not lend itself to scholarship or deep faith.
