Some of my most treasured memories of childhood took place at the Silver Spring temple. Some of which were candy bag days, receiving Gajokai by the head priest (being tapped on the head by a rolled up Gohonzon), listening to the priest bang the drum as we chanted to its rhythm and boom, and my father's memorial service. One of the few pictures that I have of my father with me and my brother is of us all sitting ourdoors on a bench, directly below the Myosenji Temple sign. 

Hearing and learning that this temple, which held so many fond memories for SGI members, had fallen to evil propelled me to see what exactly was going on inside those doors. I simply had to see for myself. The following is what I encountered one day on my quest to find out the truth for myself about the Nichiren Shoshu temple. 

I contacted the Area Study Chief for guidance before taking on such a challenge. He told me to chant first and pray for the happiness of the temple members. He also said to be careful and that I did not have to go inside the temple to fight a cause.

As I drove up butterflies were flapping their wings in my belly. I had heard that some SGI members were not allowed into the temple, but they let me in. A woman, who, from her casual dress, appeared to live there, greeted me. I assumed that she was the wife of the priest. Her low life condition showed in her face. 

The temple looked the same inside and out. I felt funny, though. I began to feel some sort of extremely negative energy. I went inside the main hall before Gongyo. It was still beautiful, or gaudy, as I reflected deeper. The gaudiness, the flashiness was the very thing that some temple members used to validate the superiority of the temple over the SGI. I looked at the windows, and the curtains. I inspected everything in the main hall. As I was doing this, a great sense of grief and sorrow began to invade my body.

I was determined to create good in the middle of evil, so that the temple members might have a chance to break free, so that I could break up the evil presence that I was beginning to feel, the longer that I stayed in this strange temple. I had to do something. I chanted, "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo" vigorously to every section of the main hall. 

Then I calmed down. The priest walked in to do the ritual evening gongyo. He sat off to the side of the altar. This struck me as odd that he did not sit in the main throne-looking seat where you take responsibility for the lives of the members. 

At least I wasn't the only one in the main hall. The priest began a sad, lifeless, spiritless gongyo. What a shame it all was. There were three others following him in his pitiful display of gongyo. I felt like I was being drained of my life force. The tone of gongyo resembled sleepwalking. I was chanting a ferocious gongyo and began leading gongyo from my pew directly behind the priest. I was loud, powerful, praying for the strength of the temple members to return. 

I looked over to the side, hoping to see a familiar face. At first glance, I saw the shell of a man who looked very familiar. It was R----, who was an old friend of my mother and father. His eyes were blood-shot, yellow, dull, without a glimmer. He recognized me as well. 

I thought, "What is going on here. Look at what this is doing to people's spirits! Listen to this sad priest, who obviously cares nothing for his members, as he performs this ritual gongyo." The golden characters on the Gohonzon seemed to be fighting with each other. At first, I did not want to chant to this Gohonzon, but then I thought I would send some good Daimoku to it. When gongyo ended, I wanted to run out of the main hall, but I had to let the priest walk through first, like the old days; I followed him into the hallway. R---- got up and immediately followed me. He asked who I was with. I told him I was by myself. 

I told him that he used to know me when I was little and told him the names of my father, mother and brother, hoping to ignite some sort of nostalgic sparkle in his eyes. This memory did not even do it. His only reply was, "Yes, I remember. Are you practicing with the temple?" I said, "No, I am with SGI." 

He said, "Oh, that is incorrect. The SGI makes counterfeit Gohonzon." I stopped him and asked, "Are you happy?" He solemnly replied "Sometimes." I said, "I am happy all of the time." He said, "You need to talk to the priest." He then ran off anxiously to get the priest.

I walked over to a counter stacked with donation envelopes. There was a woman who was wretchedly looking for something in her purse with one of these envelopes in her hand. I asked her how and what was she doing. She said she was fine, but her brother had just passed away and she was trying to find the money to pay for his memorial service that was to be held today. The woman was a mess. She was frantic with looking for money or a check for the memorial service. She asked me where I was from and I told her that I was with the SGI. She said, "Oh, they are no good. You know they make counterfeit Gohonzon." I said, "No, they don't." Then she said, "We are trying to get them to come to the temple." I then asked why she liked the temple. She said that she liked learning from a priest. She then showed me her gongyo book. Their prayers are different. She tried to sum up what the temple members are seeking, referring to one passage that stated, "Seek tranquil enlightenment." That is the goal.

To me tranquility means stunned — not moving. I thought of animals that are paralyzed by tranquilizer guns. That definitely was not for me! 

Finally R---- was able to summon the priest. The priest looked completely disinterested in anything that R---- had to say. However R---- was completely absorbed by the priest's title and position. 

R---- finally convinced the priest to talk with me. I had no problems with this. I wanted to know more about this priest with the sad gongyo. They told me to go into a room and wait. 

The priest finally came in. But before we could talk, the distraught woman rushed in and asked the priest if she could pay for the memorial service at another time because she did not have the money with her. The priest had no concern for this woman's distress and said, "Payment must be made the same day of memorial services." And she walked away. 

I asked the priest if he knew all the Gosho and he said that he was still learning. These temple members are putting all their faith into a priest that doesn't even know all of the Gosho. 

After leaving the temple, I chanted for an hour and a half. I know now that I must always fight evil with compassion. As a Bodhisattva, that is the only way.