The teaching of mentor and disciple is very strict.
"Mr. Makiguchi died in prison a year later, on Nov. 18, 1944. And his funeral, strangely enough, was also held Nov. 20. It was a small, forlorn funeral conducted with only a few people present."
"Mr. Toda was still in jail. Yet unaware of his mentor’s death, he prayed fervently that all the charges might be placed against him, Toda, alone — and that the elderly Mr. Makiguchi might be released as soon as possible. This is how a true disciple behaves. This is the Soka Gakkai spirit. If this spirit were to be lost, the Soka Gakkai would no longer be the Soka Gakkai."
"Later, whenever Mr. Toda recalled the sad nature of Mr. Makiguchi’s funeral, he wept bitter tears of rage and grief. His voice thundering with fury, he railed against “those despicable priests who were alarmed by Mr. Makiguchi’s persecution for the sake of the Law and spoke ill of him, those cowards who discarded Nichiren Daishonin’s teachings and deserted Mr. Makiguchi!”
"It has been the deep, passionate wish of both President Toda and myself to someday, without fail, gain international recognition for the true greatness of Mr. Makiguchi, a philosopher of rare stature whom the authorities of the day labeled a traitor and tried to consign to oblivion."
"Mr. Makiguchi and Mr. Toda were true mentor and disciple. Mr. Toda and I were also true mentor and disciple. If the mentor is a lion, then the disciple must be a lion, too."
"Where today, I ask, are the true disciples to follow in my footsteps? The SGI has no need for cowards who just stand by and watch while their mentor is persecuted, who try to cleverly sidestep criticism and attack."
"Mr. Makiguchi died for his beliefs. Today marks the 55th anniversary of his funeral. On this highly significant day, distinguished guests from Brazil, a country celebrating spring on the other side of the world, have come to conduct a solemn, deeply meaningful ceremony. [At this meeting, President and Mrs. Ikeda were conferred the Grand Cross of Civic and Cultural Merit and the titles of Dom (Sir) and Dama (Madam) by the Brazilian Society of Heraldry, Medals, Culture and Education.] My wife and I humbly accept the honors that have been bestowed upon us today together with our fellow SGI members in 128 countries and territories around the globe who share our sufferings and joys. As a disciple who embraces his mentors’ vision as his own, I dedicate my medal to Mr. Makiguchi and Mr. Toda."
"The teaching of mentor and disciple is very strict in the Daishonin’s Buddhism. The Daishonin writes: “If a teacher has a good disciple, both will gain the fruit of Buddhahood, but if a teacher fosters a bad disciple, both will fall into hell. If teacher and disciple are of different minds, they will never accomplish anything” (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, p. 909). "
SGI President Ikeda's November 20th Speech (Excerpt: Title: If The Mentor Is A Lion, So Must Be The Disciple, World Tribune 12/10/99)
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