by Ven. Shih Shen Lung ("Old Frog"), transmitted by Len Moskowitz
In February 1991, the Usenet newsgroup soc.religion.eastern was engaged in debate about the Nichiren Shoshu sect, whose aggressive proselytizing and nationalist associations had prompted questions about whether it qualified as Buddhism at all. Len Moskowitz, a practitioner from Rutgers University, brought the question to a Ch'an monk he trusted: the Venerable Shih Shen Lung, a dharma heir also known as "That Old Frog" and Ryugen Fisher.
Old Frog's reply is a compact teaching on the Three Jewels — Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha — as the only defining criteria of the Buddhist tradition. His formulation is careful: each criterion is given both its exoteric and its deeper meaning. The Three Jewels teaching is among the most fundamental doctrines in all schools of Buddhism; this presentation, arising in the context of defending that boundary, illuminates what the tradition considers essential.
The reply was shared to soc.religion.eastern in February 1991, during the earliest years of public internet discussion of Buddhism in the West.
The Nichiren Shoshu folks are Buddhists only insofar as they call themselves Buddhists. The common feeling from ALL OTHER Buddhist persuasions that I know of is that calling one's self a Buddhist (or calling one's philosophy Buddhism) don't necessarily make it true. Buddhism (with this exception) has three and only three defining criteria:
The Three Jewels
1. That one take refuge in the Buddha
This can be either the historical Shakyamuni of India or of the "Cosmic Buddha-Nature" [Vairocana] flavor — or both.
2. That one take refuge in the Dharma
Dharma being either the body of texts attributed to the historical Buddha and/or a selected number of his followers, but being based on the 4 Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path; OR the more subtle meaning of dharma [truth] which means in this context the former AND the body of experiential knowledge that one personally acquires.
3. That one take refuge in the Sangha
Sangha being the community of those persons who subscribe to #1 and #2 above and further pledge their support for likeminded others.
On Nichiren Shoshu
The militant proselytizing of the Nichiren Shoshu cult fails the first two tests in that they take refuge in their teacher Nichiren Daishonin, who was kicked out of his own country for his radical political views and aggressive militancy (he espoused taking arms before one even came to a sea of troubles...) and they do not practice the Eightfold Path. What few Westerners know is that $$$ from contributions to the Nichiren Shoshu Sect (in Japan) are given to the Sokka Geikai — an ultra right-wing political party in Japan — in Japan. The Sokka Geikai is on record as believing in the renunciation of the Japanese Constitution (specifically as regards Japan creating Armed Forces), tariff protectionism, Japanese ownership of the Okinawan islands (and parts of the Philippines), second class citizenship for 'non-ethnic Japanese' (Koreans, etc.)... generally they are the KKK of Japan.
That "...long winded, but finished for now..." Old Frog
Colophon
Written by the Venerable Shih Shen Lung, a Ch'an dharma heir also known as "That Old Frog" and Ryugen Fisher; transmitted by Len Moskowitz of Rutgers University in a post to soc.religion.eastern on 11 February 1991. The original message was a personal reply from monk to lay practitioner, shared to the newsgroup as part of a broader discussion about sectarian boundaries within Buddhism.
The Three Jewels formulation presented here — with attention to both the exoteric and the experiential meanings of each jewel — reflects the Ch'an tradition's emphasis on direct realization alongside textual observance.
Preserved from the Usenet archive for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. Original Message-ID: [email protected]
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