Kaimoku Sho - about evil monks and icchantikas

Lotus Sutra chapter 13 - Encouragement for Upholding This SutraWe beseech You not worry
We will expound this sutra
In the frightful world
After Your death,
Ignorannt people may speak
Ill of us and slanders us,
Or abuse us with swords or sticks.
We will endure all of them.
Monks in the evil worldand arrogant,
Cunning, crooked, flattering,
Boast themselves enlightened
While they are not.
Some monks will stay in a monastery,
Wearing robes, sitting quietly,
Claiming to be practicing the true way
Despising others staying among the people
Attached to profit making
They will preach the dharma for lay people
And will be revered by the people
As though they were arhats with Six Superhuman Powers
They will have evil thoughts
Always thinking of worldly matters,
Taking advantage of being in a monastery
They will be happy to find our faults.


Grandmaster Miao Lè explains this citation in the eight fascicle of his Commentary on the Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra.
        "This citation from the thirteenth chapter of the Lotus Sutra could be divided into three parts.
The first line (four phrases) refers to the evil people as a whole, that is, the so-called self-conceited lay people.
The next line refers to self-conceited monks while the following seven lines refers to those arrogant monks who consider themselves sages. Of the three, persecution by the first group of arrogant people is endurable. That of the second group is harder to endure, while that of the third group, self-styled sages, is most difficult to endure. The second and third groups are more cunning and less likely to reveal their faults."

Monk Chih-tu of Tung-ch'un states in his Commentary on the Lotus Sutra:
         "First, in the five lines starting with "ignorant people", in the chapter on the "Encouragement for Upholding This Sutra",the first line refers to those who commit three kinds of evil acts"- physical, verbal, and psychological acts- which are visible. The next line beginning with  "monks in the evil world"referss to self-conceited arrogant monks. Third, the three lines following "some monks will stay in a monastery"refer to the acts of evil monks representing those of all the wicked people."


From: Writings of Nichiren Shonin -  Volume 2
Kaimoku Sho chapter 14 - page 92




And so it happens, SGI , Nichiren Shoshu, Nichiren Shu, all seem to prefer money and followers over the True Teachings ...
Once power and influence gain the priority, the merits of the lotus sutra will be lost .
It is up to Thos Who Receive and Keep the Lotus Sutra, to truly and dilligently uphold This Sutra .
When all these schools keep this up, it will be no wonder that they will come tumbling down eventually, exposed as traitors of the Law.

Gassho,

Richard