The Lotus Sutra is different from all of the Buddha’s other sutras because it alone teaches that ...

Lotus Sutra Buddhism is labor of love that I create for people like you. If it resonates, share it to let others know about the Lotus Sutra. And subscribe to get new episodes as soon as they drop. When I first decided to publish Lotus Sutra Buddhism I had two objectives: One was to inspire members of the Soka Gakkai International, the SGI, to read the Lotus Sutra, which the organization is supposedly based on. I was a member from 1987 to 2010. One of the main reasons I quit was because the organization promotes the teaching of their now deceased president, Daisaku Ikeda, to the point that its constitution says he’s their “mentor and spiritual leader in perpetuity.” The SGI doesn’t teach members to read the Lotus Sutra or Nichiren’s writings, which are strictly based on the Lotus Sutra. And members don’t read it. The other reason I created this publication was to introduce the Lotus Sutra to people who are interested in Buddhism or who practice other types of Buddhism but are open to learning about it. Then there is the third rail — Buddhists of other schools who have a negative view of the Lotus Sutra and/or absolutely refuse to consider the possibility that ordinary people can be Buddhas. Regarding the claim that ordinary people are Buddhas, the Lotus Sutra teaches: Everything is one and life is eternal. Therefore, because Shakyamuni was a Buddha, so are we. Some of my previous episodes explore these topics. These past couple of weeks, I’ve been battling insecurity. I’ve avoided doing certain things because I didn’t want to be around people who I thought believed I was less than them and didn’t like me. Theoretically, I know I’m not less than anyone and shouldn’t care what people think. But carrying these feelings is a battle I’ve waged since early childhood. I retreat into it sometimes. This latest occurrence has been my worst in a while. Like, I’ve practically barricaded myself inside my house binge-watching the TV show High Potential, neglecting personal hygeine, and ducking grocery shopping to the point of being ridiculously creative about what to eat. My reluctance to touch that third rail — Buddhists who are, basically, anti-Lotus Sutra — has everything to do with my insecurities. Maybe they will think I’m arrogant for saying the Lotus Sutra is the highest teaching. Maybe they will get mad at me for saying it and that I’ve experienced enlightenment. I have episodes about that too. This is weird because SGI members have done those things — called me arrogant, crazy, and wrong for saying they should read the Lotus Sutra and are Buddhas. But those other Buddhists are a different animal. It’s like if I say they should read the Lotus Sutra, I’m being dogmatic. And I don’t want to be that. So I’ve left that rail alone. But, in his writing “The Strategy of the Lotus Sutra,” Nichiren said (https://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/wn...) : “Have profound faith. A coward cannot have any of his prayers answered.” I know that. I know that if I give in to my fear of what others think of me, not only will I be letting myself down, I’ll close off the path to enlightenment. Yesterday, I privately messaged the Buddhism Reddit moderators. Reddit is a website where you can create groups about almost anything. Up top I told the moderators they’d banned me under a different email address and I wasn’t trying to get back in. I just wanted them to stop lying. In each post I’ve written in the group over several years I’ve said that ordinary people are Buddhas. They deleted every one. In the message, I told them that the teaching that ordinary people are Buddhas is the fundamental doctrine of the Lotus Sutra. In the post they banned me for, I said I’ve experienced enlightenment and met non-Buddhists who lead enlightened lives (I have episodes about that). They told me they don’t allow group members to say they’ve attained enlightenment because anyone who says that is claiming they are superior to everyone else. This is the opposite of what the Lotus Sutra is about. It’s about everyone being a Buddha, equally. I told the moderators this. I told them they should either allow members to post about Lotus Sutra doctrine or be honest about who the group is. It’s not what its description says: “a reddit for all kinds of Buddhist teachings.” It’s a reddit for every Buddhist teaching except the Lotus Sutra. The three moderators who replied to me all said the same thing: “We allow Lotus Sutra doctrine. We just don’t allow anyone to say they’ve attained enlightenment. You’re welcome to post here.” Sigh I wasn’t going to post. What if they banned me again — loudly declaring “We don’t like you!”But, last night I decided F it. Here’s the post: Do I want to expand beyond my current knowledge and discover what I don’t know? I always have to push myself out of my own way to let new information in because I can get locked into thinking only a certain way is the right way. According to the Buddha ...