A Buddhist Lecture by Anthony "Amp" Elmore Sr.

Sometimes I simply do not understand myself today is Monday January 17, 2000 our national holiday for Martin Luther King’s birthday. For decades I usually spend my days at the King celebrations however today I decided to stay in my office compelled to write a Buddhist lecture. One thing that I really miss are those wonderful Buddhist meetings from years back. This morning at 5:30 a.m. during my daily morning jog I though about the old NSA days and how joyous the Buddhist meetings were. During my run I though about SGI Gary Indiana African/American leader Jack Trass and I felt bad about the challenge that I have made against Jack Trass and the whole SGI/Hokkeko thing. On every end it seems as if there is a challenge. Even my writing this Buddhist lecture or movie review, whatever way you choose to call it is not without controversy. As far as myself personally I would like to see Buddhism in America grow to a different height. Over the past few years I have made challenges with the SGI, however since the New Millennium I would like for Hokkeko to grow. One thing that I have tried to point out to my SGI and Hokkeko friends is that we need a balance in our Buddhist practice. SGI & Hokkeko seems to Kid themselves. To think about the SGI racism, brainwashing and manipulation is enough to make you sick. However in Hokkeko the structure seems limiting, constricting and not broad at all. The true Buddhist success will be true harmony between the Priest and laity. The SGI had the right idea but the wrong intent. So much for all the chatter, the lecture today is the movie "The Hurricane" about the life of wrongly accused boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter.

When I was a little boy I can clearly remember reading in the Ebony magazine about Rubin Carter. I must say I remember looking at the photos and trying to understand the story as best as I can. As an adult and as a Buddhist I really understand the story of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter. The story of Rubin Carter is a story that goes deep into the fiber of many African/Americans. Last night after watching the movie I tossed and turned in my sleep. "The Hurricane" pained me very deeply. As I write this lecture I have to grasp for air every now and then. As a Buddhist the movie was painful for me to watch.

The Gosho reads "All Buddhas Know the true entity of all phenomena". Hurricane Carter’s story is not just the story of Carter but it is a story of a Cause that Black people made somewhere in space & time to receive such horrible effects. Buddhism teaches that there is never an effect without a cause. It is not just what the evil Whites did to Carter, but based upon the effects, Carter did the same thing to those who are perpetrating the evil on him.

The story of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter represent an epoch of change in the character and nature of America. Who was Rubin Carter? We at this web site will not attempt to write a story about Carter’s life, our attempt is to discuss the Buddhist aspect of Carter’s life or rather we will use Buddhism to explain Carter’s story. The first thing that comes to mind in explaining Carter is Karma. Rubin Carter was the epitome of an uppity Negro to White people in the 60’s. Rubin Carter was the Bad Boy, "The Proud Black Man" of his day. In the 60’s White racists hated nothing more than a prideful Blackman. White people resented Rubin and what he represented. It was not just a personal attack on Rubin  Carter, but the Whites in New Jersey was attacking Black people and defending the old racist system of White Superiority.

The story of Rubin Carter is not only about Carter but it is about the changing tide in America whereas young whites challenge the system helping Black people. In watching the movie the Character of the Whites who had moved from Canada to help Carter impressed me. Looking at the movie I saw the bodhisattva nature of the Whites in the movie who committed themselves to help Carter and I became awed by their bodhisattva nature. In watching the movie I was attempting to look inside the White people to find what made them that way. As a Buddhist I knew that there is never a cause without an effect. In route home my friend at who we travel to the movie with commented that it was because they were Canadians that they were so supportive of Black people. My friend made the point of the days of slavery how Canada was solace for Black people. Also he mention that during the Viet Nam War many Americans fled to Canada. I agreed with my friend to an extent but I ventured to investigate the circumstances further. After my investigation I learned that the Whites were members of a commune. The Gosho reads "Buddhas know the true entity of all phenomena" there is no way we can see White people coming out of the Blue to risk their life to help a Black man. However during the 60’s many "White" risked their lives and careers to help break the yoke of oppression. The Whites were educated, disciplined and they lived for a sense of purpose. Two and two does add up to four how the Whites could take a young Black into their wings to offer him an education as it was portrayed in the movie. After I learned that they were from a commune it all then made sense.

What does a human being do when they face hell? Picture yourself in a prison cell wrongly convicted by racist White police officers. What would you do as a Buddhist if you got a triple life sentence and you had to face the reality of others trying to defeat you mentally. Rubin Carter refused to be broken mentally. In prison Rubin Carter did develop an object of worship. We will get back to that later. At the age of 11 he was sent to reform school and he stayed there until he was old enough to run away and join the army. While in the Army he won two European light-welterweight boxing championships and during the same time he enrolled in a Dale Carnegie Speech program and began studying Islam. Understand the Character of Rubin Carter, men are not just naturally mentally strong, but when you review their background you will understand the source of their strength and somewhere in the background there is a devotion or object of worship.

Rubin Carter had the advantage over other inmates in that he had a religion. No he did not have a Gohonzon but he absorbed himself into the devotion of strengthening  his mind. It is impossible to study Dale Carnegie and not learn the strength of Character. Dale Carnegie is like Buddhism. Also  prior to going to prison he studied Islam. Carter even was misquoted in the newspaper for speaking in the language of Malcolm X when he made an off the record comment that a white reporter published.

With all of his training and mental ability Rubin Carter he had to face hell and often times he fell but overall he did remarkably well. While watching the movie it reminded me of all the hell Nichiren Daishonin faced and during the Daishonin’s imprisonment he wrote; "Nichiren must be the richest man in the world". During his prison stay he wrote a book titled "The Sixteenth Round". During his stay he reached celebrity status and folk singer Bob Dylan wrote a song about him titled "Hurricane". Also he gained the support from celebrities like Burt Reynolds, Johnny Cash, Stevie Wonder and a host of others who lent their name and money.

The Gosho "The Strategy of the Lotus Sutra" reads "When one comes to the end of one's good fortune, no strategy whatsoever avails.  When one's karmic rewards are exhausted, even one's retainer no longer follow one".  In spite of all of the strategy that Rubin Carter used,  his Canadian friends, the lawyers, the celebrities ect.  the reason that he won was became of his good fortune.  In prison there are perhaps thousands who are unjustly incarcerated.  Many in prison are reduced to the level of animals, suffering gang rape in the shower, beatings and all types of abuses.  Ultimately we win or lose because of our good fortune and not because we are so smart.  The Daishonin told Shijo Kinjo  "It is a matter of rejoicing that your usual prudence and courage, as well as your firm faith in the Lotus Sutra, enabled you to survive unharmed".  The Daishonin let's us know that prudence and courage is important as well as our firm faith.  Many of us do stupid things  lacking prudence and courage thinking the Gohonzon is just going to work without the proper effort on our part.  We need prudence, courage and firm faith in the Gohonzon.

When you get time refer to the Gosho and read the "Dragon Gate" Gosho. Nichiren Daishonin tells of a Dragon Gate in China where the water plunge 100 feet swifter than an arrow shot by a strong warrior.  It tells of great carp that wait at the basin waiting to climb the falls.  The currents get some, some are caught by eagles, hawk, Owls or Kites. Others are netted, or scooped up or even shot by arrows by fishermen lining up. The Daishonin use this example as to compare a carp getting by as to us attaining Buddhahood.  He also tells of those who for generations upon generation attempting to being accepted in the Royal court  is how difficult it is to attain Buddhahood as the Daishonin say " Buddhahood is no easier than for men of low status to enter court circles, or for carp to climb the Dragon Gate."  The Daishonin further states "Even some of those who formed ties with the Lotus Sutra in the days of the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence sank into sufferings of birth and death for the duration of major world system dust particle kalpas.  All these people practiced the Lotus Sutra, but when harassed in one way or another by the devil king of the sixth heaven, who had taken possession or their rulers and other authorities, they backslid and forsook their faith, and thus wandered among the six paths for countless kalpas."  All and all the Daishonin lets us know that the road to Buddhahood is a difficult path and in the Dragon Gate Gosho he tells Nanjo Tokimitsu  "Since death is the same in either case, you should be willing to offer your life for the Lotus Sutra.  Think of this offering as a drop of dew rejoining the ocean, or a speck of dust returning to the earth".

In the Gosho "The Difficulty of Sustaining Faith" the Daishonin states "The Great Teacher T'ien-tai stated, One accepts out of the power of faith and continues because of the power of prayer".  The Daishonin clearly lets us know that because of the power of our Buddhist prayers we will eventually overcome all challenges.  

Malcolm X is noted for using Islam to turn his life around and countless African/Americans have used Islam to reform their lives.  In America among African/Americans in prison Islam is perhaps the strongest force for African/American males.  As in the movie there were minor instances of Rubin Carter an Islam mentioned.  The question that we African/Americans must ask is where does Buddhism fit in this scenario?  Can we reform our lives with the Buddhist faith or What does the Gosho say about such matters?  Please refer to the Gosho "The Real Aspect Of The Gohonzon" in major writings page 214 it reads, "To believe in the perfect teaching means to awaken faith through doctrine and make faith the basis of practice. "  In common everyday terms by studying the Daishonin's teachings we can awaken our faith by understanding the doctrine."  

Take the case of Rubin Carter we see classic examples of Esho-Funi and Shiki-Shin-Funi.  First let us examine the case of Esho-Funi "The oneness of a person and his environment".  Rubin Carter refused to become a part of the prison environment, although he was there physically he refused to gravitate mentally to the worlds of animality such as gang raping or being ganged raped or allowing his thoughts to gravitate to that of an animal.  Rubin Carter trained his mind and he emphasized the point that although I am here physically I will not be her mentally.  Doing his prison state despite his hardships he grew mentally and spiritually and as he changed his environment changed and in prison he maintained a sense of dignity and pride that inspired others.  It was via his book that he was able to attract outside help and his strong character inspired others.  The Buddhist term Shiki-Shin-Funi-- oneness of the body and mind Rubin intuitively uses the Buddhist concept when he knowing  has a triple life sentence tells his wife who he loved dearly "Divorce me, I cannot do this time knowing I am causing you grief, I can suffer along but I cannot take you suffering, look at me I am a dead man."  

Rubin Cater using his mind closed his mind to things that would weaken him and he devoted himself to mind body training or Shiki-Shin-Funi.  Rubin Carter speaks often of the power of faith in the movie.  Malcolm X gives examples of his faith in Islam as well as Muhammad Ali and others who give countless examples of humans using their faith to overcome problems.  What does Nichiren Daishonin write about such matters?  Please refer to the Gosho and same page we referred to earlier "The Real Aspect Of The Gohonzon" in major writing page #214.  The Dai-Shonin writes this about faith "A classical document tells of Emperor of Han, who so implicitly believed his aide's report that he found the river actually frozen.  Another relates how Li Kuang, eager to revenge his father, pierced with his arrow a boulder hidden in the grass.  T'ien-t'ai and Miao-lo's annotations make it absolutely clear that faith is the cornerstone.  Because the Han emperor believed without doubt in his retainer's words, the river froze over.  And Li Kuang was able to pierce a rock with his arrow because he fully believed it to be the tiger which had killed his father.  Faith is still more powerful in the world of Buddhism."  

The point that the Dai-Shonin points out is that faith is a power and he gives great examples of faith working but the point he makes is "Faith is still more powerful in the world of Buddhism".  Just think if you are a good Christian or a good Muslim by adopting Buddhism your faith will be even more powerful.

Denzel Washington gives a stellar performance in the Movie Hurricane and one will really appreciate Denzel effort.  My wife asked me how they were able to make Denzel look so thin in the movie?  After researching the making of the movie I learned that Denzel was paid ten million dollars to do the movie but for Denzel it was more that just money.  Denzel Washington dedicated himself for this role and the spent many hours with Rubin Carter and they have since became good friends.  It was reported that Denzel Washington lost 44 lbs and actually got himself in fight shape and he actually took blows.  As a professional fighter myself I was impressed at Denzel's physical look in the movie.

The Spirit Of The Movie "Hurricane"

The year 2000 ushered in another victory for humanity via the movie "Hurricane".  African/Americans for the most part can be proud of the movie that represents a healthy story about African/Americans.  More importantly the story is about the triumph of the human spirit and character.  While watching the movie I though little about the SGI Hokkeko rift.  It does not matter to me whether Denzel is Christian, Muslim or Atheists but what does matter is the human spirit.  In the Tina Turner movie everyone was happy to see Tina overcome her circumstances using Buddhism.  In Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism we African and African/Americans need to break out and show our Buddhist spirit.  This Buddhist lecture is only a spirit breaking free.  This lecture is not authorized by the Priest or Sanction by Nichiren Shoshu, but it does not have to be, Buddhism is in my heart and soul and I just like to express it.  If anyone reading this experience has a Buddhist story in  your heart please contact us and we would be happy to post your story on this site.  I am sure you have something wonderful to share, we welcome your comments. 

Welcome to the New Millennium.

Anthony "Amp" Elmore Sr.... 

Side note if you happen to watch the movie Rubin Carter went on to move Canada and he married one of the women in the commune.  After working years to pay his debt he left the commune because he refused to be a trophy (that's another lecture).  During prison  Rubin Carter lost site in one eye.