The Fourteen Slanders

In reply to a letter from one of his followers about whether ordinary people can receive the same benefits as a priest by chanting daimoku, Nichiren Daishonin replies that they can, and that the only way you would reduce any benefit from chanting (as a priest or an ordinary person) would be if you acted against the intent of the Lotus Sutra.  He then lists the fourteen ways that people do this (through our attitude to ourselves and the Lotus Sutra - causes 1 to 10 - and through our attitude towards people who follow the Lotus Sutra - causes 11 to 14:

“There are fourteen evil causes: (1) arrogance, (2) negligence, (3) wrong views of the self, (4) shallow understanding, (5) attachment to earthly desires, (6) not understanding, (7) not believing, (8) scowling with knitted brows, (9) harboring doubts, (10) slandering [the Law], (11) despising, (12) hating, (13) envying, and (14) bearing grudges.” (The Fourteen Slanders, WND-1, p756)

In Chapter 28 of the Lotus Sutra (“Bodhisattva Universal Worthy”), it says that anyone who tries to expose the faults or evils of someone who accepts and upholds the Lotus Sutra, whether what they are saying is true or not, will suffer themselves!!!  So how can we deal with people that have these “faults or evils”? 

Satoru Izumi, a former vice-president of the Soka Gakkai, asked Mr. Makiguchi about this and he explained  “It all comes down to whether or not you have compassion.  If you point out another member’s errors out of a genuine desire to help him correct them, you are doing good.  On the other hand, if you do so only to criticize or disparage him, then even if what you say is true, you are doing wrong.” (Guidelines of Faith, p66)

“Take these teachings to heart, and always remember that believers in the Lotus Sutra should absolutely be the last to abuse one another."  (WND-1, p756)