--- In SokaGakkaiUnofficial@yahoogroups.com, "Don Gropp" <djgropp@...> wrote:
>
> "The Entrustment and Other Chapters"
>
> There are two kinds of demons, good and evil. Good demons feed upon enemies of
the Lotus Sutra, while evil demons feed upon the sutra's votaries. How should we
interpret the great epidemics that have spread throughout Japan both this year
and last? From one viewpoint, they are the work of good demons who are devouring
enemies of the Lotus Sutra with the approval of Brahma, Shakra, the gods of the
sun and moon, and the four heavenly kings. Yet from another view, they are the
work of evil demons who are feeding upon the practitioners of the Lotus Sutra at
the urging of the devil king of the sixth heaven. Good demons devouring enemies
of the Lotus Sutra are like government soldiers punishing enemies of the ruler.
But evil demons eating votaries of the Lotus Sutra are like robbers and night
thieves murdering government soldiers.
>
> For example, when Buddhism was brought to Japan, the Chief Minister Mononobe
no Moriya and others who opposed it were struck down by epidemics, but the Great
Minister Soga no Umako and others [who espoused Buddhism] also fell ill. Three
successive emperors, Kimmei, Bidatsu, and Yomei, believed in Buddhism and the
Thus Come One Shakyamuni in their hearts, but outwardly honored the Sun Goddess
and the Kumano shrines, abiding by the traditional rites of the nation. Because
their faith in the Buddha and his teachings was weak, while their faith in the
gods was strong, these three rulers were pulled by the stronger influence and
succumbed to smallpox epidemics.
>
> In light of these examples, you should ponder the two kinds of demons
mentioned above, as well as the reasons why epidemics spread among the people of
the world today and why some among my followers also fall ill and perish. It
follows on the one hand that those who commit their lives for the sake of faith
will not fall ill, or that, even if they should fall ill, they will recover. On
the other hand, if they encounter great evil demons, they may be deprived of
their lives.
> (WND, 912)
>
>

This may all be valid, at least if we accept that demons are
not literally supernatural beings which hand out punishment
and rewards to humans. Maybe they could be seen as some kind
of symbolic representation of the good and bad consequences
of our actions. I have no idea whether Nichiren saw them
this way, or as actual demons.

However we are still left with a circular argument. If
something bad happens to a votary of the Lotus Sutra it is
the action of a bad demon, if it happens to a non-votary it
is the action of a good demon. Since the consequence, illness
or death, is the same in both cases, the only way to decide
which type of demon it was is to figure out whether the
person getting ill is good or bad.

I have personal knowledge of two SGI members who died of
horrible illnesses, but went through it with tremendous
courage and dignity. I'll be thinking of them when my time
comes. I just think it would be absurd for me to conclude
that this is always the case, or that members of another
group whose doctrines I disagree with have generally
different experiences.

I'm just expressing the opinion that it's kind of futile
and self destructive to try judging other people this way,
and it's even more ridiculous to do it on a group
affiliation basis based on religious doctrine. Nichiren
made some of these judgements, but about individuals. And
he knew their individual histories, and he quoted actual
specific actions they had taken personally to lead to the
consequences they suffered.

Mick