Chanting Growers Group

[EasyMyohoDisco]

Well, if I was in Cali I would have a Gohonzon, but I'm not.

But, everytime I get ready to go to a meeting something heavy stressful happens. Like last week I couldn't breath.....now I doubt it was my Karma controlling the pollen/weather and my doctors attitude who took me off Advair/corticosteroid. I didn't have enough air to chant last week. But, I'm always reminded by you Easy, that my problem is my fundamental darkness........so I'm feeling better........hell I'm lucky to be alive!

That's the spirit! Well said my brother! Doesn't matter where we are because the Buddhaland and Buddha everything is found within each molecule in your body. You're on my daimoku determinations list and everything I chant for I get, I'll always support you.

 

[magiccannabus]

I like to think of myself as a Bodhisativa lol

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"And Nichiren declares that the sufferings that all living beings undergo, all springing from this one cause--all these are Nichiren's own sufferings."

(On Reprimanding Hachiman - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.2, page 934) Selection source: Soka Gakkai member's experience, Seikyo Shimbun, April 5th, 2009

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"The great life-state of Buddhahood, which is none other than Myoho-renge-kyo, the Law of the universe, exists within all people. The question is whether we realise this truth and can manifest it in our lives through strong faith in its existence. This is the only difference between a Buddha and an unenlightened person.

"My mentor, second Soka Gakkai president Mr. Josei Toda, once said:

"Attaining Buddhahood does not mean becoming a Buddha or trying to become a Buddha. It means believing wholeheartedly in the Daishonin's teaching of the true aspect of all phenomena and that Buddhahood exists within the lives of ordinary people. It means awakening to the fact that you, just as you are, are a Buddha, and that you have been one from the distant past and will be into the eternal future.

"We cannot be anything more than human beings, nor should we be. The point is for us to cause our humanity to shine forth as brightly as possible. This is really all that matters. A deep understanding of this doctrine of the true aspect of all phenomena brings us to a humanistic philosophy that respects ordinary people. This is the people-centred teaching that all people possess the life-state of Buddhahood."

SGI Newsletter No. 7743, THE WRITINGS OF NICHIREN DAISHONIN AND THE MENTOR-DISCIPLE RELATIONSHIP [5] The Humanistic Teaching That Ordinary People Are Buddhas, from the Jan. 22nd, 2009, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, translated April 2nd, 2009

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Ha! I replied to my Master this afternoon and I feel great for it! We had about thirty-five people at the meeting today. I led a vigorous Gongyo and Daimoku and we had the place rocking. This time I had finally gotten smart and just given sensei's Gosho lecture. But since I love the Gosho "On Repaying Debts of Gratitude," it was a special opportunity to do so with a correct understanding of the message which he confirmed I had when we got together to do the prep for this lecture.

He always starts out asking me a deep philisophical question based on my understanding of the text. My heart always stops for a secord fearing what comes out of my mouth is going to be incorrect. But after giving him my answer, without comment, he started reviewing the material.

He concluded our prep with what he saw as the essence of the Gosho. I said, "That's exactly what I said at the beginning!" He said, "I know!" We both started laughing our asses off. "I love to study with you Tom." Then he said very seriously, "You must make them understand!"

So, what can I say? I love this guy. We are both always so happy to see each other! Excited and giddy almost! We laugh out loud, and kind of have each others back and he is a VERY respected leader here. It gives me alot of respect frankly, because he has fairly openly endorsed me as knowing what the hell I'm talking about. So he has also been kind of a "political" guardian as well. The bottom line is I wanted to do him proud from the bottom of my heart.

In previous lectures, I would take his massive notes and then reassemble the information, but it never flowed as smoothly as I expected it to. And he would kick my ass for it! He would tell me, "Why didn't you say this? Why didn't you say that?"

So this time, I took my time and just followed his lecture and put everything in. All of it. 27 powerpoint slides full of it. But it gave me the chance to just comment on what I knew he wanted to get through, and what all of this meant. I had a great time! I chanted so much Daimoku to do a good job! And in the end I had the reward of having several people congratulate me on giving the best Gosho lecture they had ever heard.

Thank you Gohonzon!

 

[Desiderata]

And thank your own Buddha nature bro! That was a great share "T." You make me proud to know such a fine soul as you.......love ya, desi!

 

[Babbabud]

Thanks for sharing this T. Wish i could have been there
Nam myoho renge kyo

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Win or Lose

Win or Lose

The phrase "Buddhism is win or lose" may not sit easily with popular images of a "peaceful" Buddhist approach to life. It may even sound like an invitation to stir up conflict.

However, what this phrase describes is not confrontation between antagonistic individuals, but rather the internal spiritual struggle which is the reality of our lives. As SGI President Daisaku Ikeda says: "The universe, this world and our own lives are the stage for a ceaseless struggle between hatred and compassion, the destructive and constructive aspects of life." Our challenge, moment by moment, is to continue striving to create maximum value and to never be defeated or give up, regardless of the obstacles we may encounter.

The struggles we face might range from the apparently mundane (summoning the energy to take out the trash or write a letter to an aging relative) to the vast (campaigning to ban nuclear weapons), but the essential challenge is the same. It is to overcome our own weakness, fear or inertia in a given moment and take action for the sake of the happiness of ourselves and others.

So where does Buddhism play a role in such daily battles?

Ideally there is no separation between daily life and Buddhism. Buddhism does not exist in the realm of theory, and as Nichiren wrote: "The purpose of the appearance in this world of Shakyamuni Buddha, the lord of teachings, lies in his behavior as a human being."

Nichiren also stressed that it is victory as a human being--including both tangible achievements and moral or spiritual victories which may be invisible to others--that matters, rather than recognition in the form of promotion or reward in society. In 13th-century Japan, people's lives were utterly dependent on the decisions of their rulers or local lords, so to set one's own internal standards for success required great courage.

He wrote: "Buddhism primarily concerns itself with victory or defeat, while secular authority is based on the principle of reward and punishment. For this reason, a Buddha is looked up to as the Hero of the World..."

The value of our victory also depends on the scale of the challenge we tackle. For a champion bodybuilder to lift a heavy suitcase scarcely counts as a victory. It is only when we push ourselves beyond our limits that our success becomes meaningful to ourselves and respected by others. Living a "safe" existence in which we merely abide by society's rules is to shirk the bigger challenges involved in living in a way which both maximizes our positive, creative influence and actively tackles those forces which cause suffering and abuse.

Whether we are striving for promotion at work or encouraging a friend battling depression, in order to succeed we need courage, perseverance and the spiritual strength to withstand hardship and moments of hopelessness. Nichiren stresses that if we are fainthearted we will surely fail, and we each know how miserable it feels to be defeated by our own weakness or cowardice.

Nichiren's own life provides an example of supreme courage in the face of opposition and persecution, and the Buddhist practice he established can help us clarify our goals and also provide tools with which to reach them.

For Nichiren Buddhists, the greatest good toward which one can strive is spreading a deeper understanding of the limitless potential for courage, wisdom and compassion which exists in every individual's life--the hidden treasures collectively described as Buddhahood.

Through chanting "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" which activates this potential, we can deepen our resolve to achieve our goals and develop the strength necessary to win over any obstacles, internal and external, which might hinder our progress. And as we see evidence of the efficacy of the combination of this strong prayer, determination and action in concrete positive results in our lives, we dare to take on bigger, broader challenges and also inspire others to tackle their problems with renewed hope of success.

In the words of SGI President Ikeda: "Buddhism concerns itself with winning. When we battle a powerful enemy, either we will triumph or we will be defeated--there is no middle ground. Battling against life's negative functions is an integral part of Buddhism. It is through victory in this struggle that we become Buddhas."

[ Courtesy July 2006 SGI Quarterly]

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Josei Toda's Lecture on the Sutra

Josei Toda's Lecture on the Sutra

Josei Toda's Lecture on the Sutra
________________________________________
Chapter I


On the Hokekyo (Lotus Sutra)

Two Main Streams of Buddhism


There are two main streams of Buddhism in mankind’s recorded history. One is what is generally called the Buddhism of Shakyamuni and the other, Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism. The latter is known as True Buddhism as distinguished from the former.


Nearly 3,000 years ago, Shakyamuni in India expounded numerous sutras whose number is said to total 5,000 to 7,000. Of them, the Hokekyo (Lotus Sutra) was the main sutra which revealed Shakyamuni’s enlightenment. Some 100 years after his death, Buddhism spread to all of India and then to its neighboring countries through the efforts of King Asoka. Thus, Buddhism brought peace and security to India.


However, as predicted by Shakyamuni himself, Buddhism declined with the passing of time until it finally lost the power of redemption. This came about in the Latter Day of the Law (Mappo) when 2,000 years had passed after Shakyamuni’s death.


Around that time, Japan suffered a series of disasters while its religious world degenerated. People were thus forced to suffer such a severe destiny without any religion to rely on.


It was at that time that Nichiren Daishonin made His advent in Japan and established the True Buddhism for all mankind. The Daishonin’s advent in Mappo verified the prediction of Shakyamuni that the votary of the Hokekyo would propagate the Hokekyo in the fifth half millennium after his death. Without the Daishonin, Shakyamuni’s prophecy would have remained unfulfilled and the Hokekyo would have been lost.


Unlike Shakyamuni, who was born as the son of King Suddhodana, the Daishonin first saw the light of day as the son of a fisherman in what is now Chiba Prefecture in Japan. He called himself ‘the son of a Sudra family’. Sudra is of the lowest class in India comprising fishermen, butchers, etc.


As it was, the corrupt-minded people would not believe in the Daishonin, who testified to the validity of His teachings citing the sutras. Persecutions poured upon Him as the Hokekyo puts it, “All those who are ignorant of Buddhism shall abuse and hit him (the votary of the Hokekyo) with sticks... He shall be exiled more than once.”


The Daishonin was exiled to Izu Peninsula in May, 1261 and then ten years later to Sado Island both on false charges. On September 12, 1271, the Daishonin was almost beheaded at Tatsuno-kuchi by warriors of the Hojo Regime who hated the Daishonin without good reason.


Shakyamuni faced persecutions but not such insurmountable ones as did the Daishonin. While Shakyamuni deserved the respect of the people for his outstanding physical features and social status as well as for his noble character, the Daishonin, born to a fisherman’s family, had to overcome every hardship and save His contemporaries who slandered and opposed Him.


This single fact suffices to endorse Nichiren Daishonin’s superiority to Shakyamuni.


Another striking difference is found in the method of’ teaching. Shakyamuni led his disciples to the Hokekyo with provisional teachings but the Daishonin declared the law of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo once for all. Buddhist teachings to guide His people.


Shakyamuni was the first Buddha in recorded history, but from the viewpoint of eternal life clarified in Buddhism, Nichiren Daishonin is the original Buddha who awakened all other Buddhas to the truth of ‘life’ and the universe. The relationship between the two is comparable to that of the moon shining in the nocturnal sky and its reflection on the surface of a pond.


This is obvious from a phrase from the Juryo Chapter of the Hokekyo which reads, “Once I also practiced the Bodhisattva austerities.” (Ga hon gyo bosatsu do). If he actually “practiced Bodhisattva austerities,” he must have done so under some other Buddha. Yet, if he were the original Buddha, he would have made himself the object of worship. This is obviously irreconcilable. The truth is that he practiced Buddhism under the True Buddha who emerged in Mappo as Nichiren Daishonin.


In other words, Nichiren Daishonin is the ‘life’ of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo while Shakyamuni attained enlightenment by worshipping the Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo.


With his Hokekyo, Shakyamuni not only made his disciples attain enlightenment but also predicted the advent in Mappo of the True Buddha whom he called in the sutra ‘the votary of the Hokekyo’. The True Buddha showed himself as Bodhisattva Jogyo at the ceremony of the Treasure Tower, where Shakyamuni transferred the essence of the Hokekyo to this ephemeral figure of the True Buddha.


Therefore, both the votary of the Hokekyo and Bodhisattva Jogyo in Shakyamuni’s supreme sutra (Hokekyo) signify Nichiren Daishonin, the True Buddha.


A passage from the Yakuo Chapter of the Hokekyo reads, “At the beginning of Mappo, you should achieve Kosen-rufu and never let it (True Buddhism) perish.”


Another excerpt from the Jisriki Chapter says, “He (Bodhisattva Jogyo) will spread Buddhism in this world, dispelling the darkness from mankind and leading innumerable Bodhisattvas to the Supreme Vehicle [of Buddhahood] in the end.”


Therefore, Tendai (T’ien-t’ai) said, “The Mystic Law will benefit [mankind] in the fifth ‘half-millennium’ and far beyond into the future.”Myoraku (Miao-lo) interpreted Tendai’s words saying, “There are surely inconspicuous benefits at the beginning of Mappo.” In addition, Dengyo of Japan said, “Shoho and Zoho have almost passed and Mappo is very near. It is the very time when people should believe in the Supreme Vehicle of Hokekyo.”


Thus all the Buddhas paid highest respect to the True Buddha who was sure to appear in Mappo.


Nichiren Daishonin stated in His Senji Sho (On the Selection of the Time), “The time when, as predicted in the Daishikkyo, the pure Law is lost will be followed by the time when Kosen-rufu of the Great Pure Law of the Hokekyo will be achieved not only in Japan but also throughout the entire world.”


In this passage, the ‘Pure Law’ indicates Shakyamuni’s Buddhism and the ‘Great Pure Law’, the Daishonin’s.


All these quotations lead to the conclusion that Shakyamuni’s Buddhism should be displaced by the True Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin in Mappo.


As for the distinction of the teachings of Shakyamuni and the Daishonin, the Gosho makes it clear in the passage which reads, “I, Nichiren, have inscribed my life in sumi ink so that you may believe with your whole heart. The Buddha’s will is the Hokekyo - to the soul of Nichiren, there is nothing which supersedes Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.”

 

[Babbabud]

Nam myoho renge kyo

 

[Forest20]

Whoooa That was "DEEP"
I have to go to a cali. To go to a meeting

 

[Stevius]

uuu...

I did not noticed this group....


Mmmmm, yes... I like it! Though I dont have much knowledge about Buddha, but since I was tried to be raised in christian religion (and for some reasons I did not like it), I was lost for quite a long time. Buddhism was, all the way of "searching", a thing that attracted me with no one trying to convince me.
And more and more, the wish of finding myself is growing. And everyday I meet something new about me.


Anyway, glad that I found this one.

 

[EasyMyohoDisco]

GOOD MORNING!

GOOD MORNING!

I hope everyone does their best in supporting our membership on this lovely Kosen-rufu Gongyo Sunday! If you cannot make it to a meeting today, to chant with others, the window of opportunity to join us will be 24/7! I guarantee someone will be chanting at any moment of the day and I hope you take special advantage of today so that we could start the week off right!

I recently began reaching Lectures of the Lotus Sutra by Josei Toda and I'm glad T posted it here! Take note, the Gohonzon is not something you get on a street corner or in a shop or on the internet. You must take the initiative to meet with some SGI members in your local area to receive your Gohonzon, as I have, and then the rest is chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!

Please believe this entire thread is about supporting each other to get what we need, what we desire, and everything in between including attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime! And how do we attain Buddhahood in this lifetime.... BY CHANTING Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!

Thank you everyone for the recent volley of posts, I'm in rhythm and very happy to be reading such great encouragement!

Cheers,
M

 

[EasyMyohoDisco]

Had a great day yesterday! The day is almost winding down over here, but that only means I'm gonna leave work and goto school!

Let's challenge ourselves to support the thread as best we can for the rest of this year, especially now in May the New Years Day for the Soka Gakkai was yesterday and in my region we had a great meeting (for me a shift) with great experiences, a great video with Sensei ( I think was thanking me) and no incidents! Safety first, and please remember to reach out to your local members and make sure they are okay! Especially those you haven't seen for a while like Socal, Bonzo, and everyone else if you have been the one who isn't around as often.

If nobody else might be missing you, and I haven't seen you, I'm sure I'm missing you! Yes that's right, YOU ARE AN IMPORTANT PERSON especially for KOSEN-RUFU!

Thank you so much and please be safe!

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo! TO THE FULLEST!

 

[EasyMyohoDisco]

"Be diligent in developing your faith until the last moment of your life. Otherwise you will have regrets. For example, the journey from Kamakura to Kyoto takes twelve days. If you travel for eleven but stop with only one day remaining, how can you admire the moon over the capital?"

Letter to Niike (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 1027)

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Especially when we encounter hardships or challenges, it is most important for us to go back to the key points of our practice and faith. Through chanting daimoku with the strong faith to dispel the clouds of fundamental darkness and muster up a fresh renewed life condition, let's start a new advancement towards even greater victories!

Daisaku Ikeda

*"The single word 'belief' is the sharp sword with which one confronts and overcomes fundamental darkness or ignorance." (Ongi kuden - Gosho Zenshu, page 751, The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, page 119)

** "Even the power of this wondrous Law cannot fully manifest in a life that is clouded by ignorance. Ignorance is the inner darkness that prevents us from believing in the Mystic Law and staying focused on the Buddha nature of ourselves and others. The practice of chanting enables us to break through this darkness and vibrantly bring forth our Buddhahood. Battling our ignorance--this inner struggle is the essence of chanting daimoku." (Lectures on "On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime" by Daisaku Ikeda, page 39)

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"This body of ours in the end will become nothing more than the soil of the hills and fields. Therefore, it is useless to begrudge your life, for though you may wish to, you cannot cling to it forever ."

(The Fourteen Slanders - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 760) Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, April 6th, 2009

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Why we do Gongyo

Why we do Gongyo

Josei Toda's Lecture on the Sutra (chap.1 cont)
________________________________________
Why Read Hoben-Juryo Chapters?


Shakyamuni’s Hokekyo (Lotus Sutra); when used for the purpose of learning, is quite different in meaning from that based on faith and practice.


Nikko Shonin, who was the founder of Head Temple Taisekiji and second High Priest, wrote in his Twenty-six Articles of Warning, “Article 10: My disciples should not study the doctrines of the Tendai (T’ien-t’ai) Sect unless they are well versed in the Truthful Teachings.” Thus the study of the Hokekyo should be based on the Ongi Kuden (The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings)- the record of Nichiren Daishonin’s oral teachings on the Hokekyo. From this standpoint, Tendai’s interpretation of the Hokekyo will help the study of Buddhism.


Nichiren Daishonin praised the perfect interpretation of the Hokekyo made by Tendai, and in the time of Mappo (The Latter Day of the Law) when Shakyamuni’s Hokekyo itself loses its power of redemption, Tendai’s interpretation may be used in explaining the Hokekyo of Mappo or the Gohonzon. However, it is incomplete for that purpose.


In a word, learning in Buddhism is a means to comprehend the ultimate theory of Buddhism which is embodied in the Gohonzon and to deepen one’s faith in the Gohonzon. Tendai intended only to make people understand the literal meaning of the Hokekyo.


The study of Buddhism should be directed toward deepening one’s faith in the Gohonzon. Nichiren Shoshu believers should study the Gosho (the complete works of Nichiren Daishonin) and not the Hokekyo or its interpretations.


You may wonder why you must read the Hokekyo in Gongyo if it is useless, but you can understand from the above explanation that you need not read the Hokekyo for learning but for practice. This is explained more clearly in the work of Nichikan Shonin, the 26th High Priest who was known for his unparalleled knowledge of Buddhism.


The following is a brief account of what Nichikan Shonin wrote in the Rokkan Sho (Six-volume Writings):

“There are necessarily two ways of practicing Buddhism - primary and secondary. In this school (Nichiren Shoshu), the secondary practice is the recitation of the Hoben and Juryo Chapters which adds to the profound blessing of chanting the Daimoku, ‘Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo’, in the primary practice just as seasoning makes food taste better.”


Nichikan Shonin continues, “This secondary practice is further divided into two - main and subordinate practices. We read the Juryo Chapter for the former and the Hoben Chapter for the latter. This is because the Juryo Chapter is more closely related to Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo than is the Hoben Chapter. As Myoraku (Miao-lo) the Great stated, the simultaneous practice of both primary and secondary practices produces immeasurable benefits.”


The relationship between primary and secondary practices is commonly seen in everyday life. In the drama of ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’, you will find actors and actresses performing their parts in earnest while music and lighting assist to make their performance more impressive and more striking. In this case, the effect of the drama becomes more conspicuous with music and lighting. Likewise, the Gohonzon’s blessings will increase even more through the secondary practice.


Now, the question is what the Hoben and Juryo Chapters represent.


Nichiren Shoshu has the Juryo Chapter as its basic sutra but it also uses the Hoben Chapter which is the most important part of Shakumon (transient teachings) comprising the first half of the 28-chapter Hokekyo.


However, what the Daishonin derives from the Hoben Chapter is much more profound than its literal meaning. The Daishonin calls it “Shakumon as I read it.” In other words, it is the Hoben Chapter as interpreted from the viewpoint of the Daishonin’s Buddhism.


The Daishonin read the chapter for two purposes - to repudiate and to borrow.


Sentences are the verbal expression of what one has in mind. As such, they have the two aspects of ‘expression’ and ‘content’. For instance, the words, “Let us promote world peace!” spoken by a liberal have quite a different meaning from exactly the same words uttered by a Communist.


Likewise, the sentences of the Hoben Chapter differ in meaning when they are interpreted literally and when they are understood from the viewpoint of the Daishonin‘s Buddhism.


The Daishonin borrowed sentences from the chapter but repudiated its incomplete contents. To repudiate and to borrow are not two things but two sides of one thing like light and shadow.


Here is an example. The Hoben Chapter reads:


“Niji seson ju sanmai anjo ni ki go sharihotsu:
shobut-chi-e jinjin muryo. Go chi-e mon nange nannyu...”


The first sentence literally means, “At this time, the Lord Buddha serenely arose from his deep meditation and addressed Sharihotsu (Shariputra).”


“At this time” in the above means the time when the Buddha appears to teach his doctrine because people have acquired the ability to understand it.


“Meditation” is the English for a Buddhist term Sanmai (samadhi) which means to concentrate one’s mind on a single subject. The Buddha had been meditating on the principle that all meanings come from the One Law.


“Sharihotsu” whom the Buddha addressed was the wisest disciple of the Buddha and also a man of the two vehicles (Learning and Absorption) or Nijo. The Buddha defined Nijo as being unable to attain enlightenment being self-satisfied with their own knowledge and failing to seek the supreme sutra of the Buddha.


Thus, the sentence cited from the sutra should be interpreted thus: “The time has come when the Buddha propounds the great principle of Ichinen Sanzen (which enables everyone to attain enlightenment) as his disciples have been sufficiently educated. Therefore, Shakyamuni Buddha arose with recollection and consciousness from his deep meditation that all meanings come from the One Law, and addressed Sharihotsu who was the representative of the men of two vehicles and for whom it was difficult to attain eniightenment.”


From the standpoint of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism, however, the quoted sutra sentence is interpreted as follows:


“The time has come when the Buddhism for people in Mappo who are unrelated with Shakyamuni should be expounded. The True Buddha (Nichiren Daishonin) who had been concentrating His mind on the Law of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo (which Shakyamuni could only suggest as the One Law) arose resolutely from His meditation and appeared in this world - in Japan which was a land filled with impure-hearted people. Then He addressed those who were devoid of good fortune and opposed the True Buddhism (whose essence is Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo). He was so merciful that He allowed even such people to know the Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, which is the direct way to attain enlightenment.”


You may not think that you are Sharihotsu to whom the Buddha spoke. Nor do you think you are the wisest in the world. However, Mappo is the time when you can obtain the greatest wisdom through faith in the Gohonzon as expounded in the Buddhist principle of changing faith into wisdom. In this sense, believers in the Gohonzon may Be called Sharihotsu.


Now you see how the same sentence has different meanings according to the viewpoint one takes. In the practice of Gongyo, you repudiate Shakyamuni’s Hoben Chapter and read the Daishonin’s Hoben Chapter as your secondary practice, although the sentences are exactly the same.


Thus you read the Hoben Chapter aloud by yourselves and at the same time listen to it with your own ears, but from the viewpoint of Buddhism, you are listening to the Daishonin’s lecture on the Hokekyo or Ongi Kuden.


You should then recite the Hoben Chapter keeping in mind that all philosophies other than Buddhism, Hinayana and provisional Mahayana (all the Mahayana teachings except the Hokekyo) and even the Shakumon of the Hokekyo are inferior to the Hoben Chapter as interpreted by Nichiren Daishonin and therefore should be discarded. This is the very spirit of Shakubuku.


At the same time, you exalt the wonderful law of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo and are convinced of its supremacy.


All the sentences of the Hoben Chapter have two different meanings but in this book, only the interpretation from the viewpoint of the Daishonin’s Buddhism is elucidated since it is the very thing you should know in doing Gongyo. The literal interpretation is not necessary for your daily practice.


As you have understood why you recite the Hoben Chapter in Gongyo, you can easily discover the purpose of reading the Juryo Chapter. It is to repudiate the contents of the chapter and use - not borrow - its sentences.


The most remarkable feature of the Juryo Chapter is the revelation of the Buddha. Shakyamuni revealed in the chapter that while people thought he had attained enlightenment at the age of thirty under the Bodhi Tree in India, actually he had attained it in an immeasurably distant past known as Gohyaku-jintengo.


In the realm of Shakyamuni’s Buddhism, this Gohyakujintengo is the era when Shakyamuni attained Buddhahood for the first time. In other words, Shakyamuni’s life is not eternal but only Gohyaku-jintengo.

This is the literal interpretation of the Hokekyo, unrelated to the Daishonin’s Buddhism.


From the viewpoint of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism, the Buddha who had existed since Kuon Ganjo or the most distant past in the existence of the universe (which has no beginning), told people for the purpose of instruction, that he attained enlightenment at the time of Gohyaku-jintengo. However, this is still superficial and the truth is yet to be disclosed. What Nichiren Daishonin defined as “the Juryo Chapter in the eye of my ‘secret’ conviction” is the very Juryo Chapter which in itself elucidates the true aspect of the Daishonin. In this sense, Nichiren Shoshu believers ‘use’ the Juryo Chapter while ‘repudiating’ even the superficial interpretation of the Chapter in the light of the Daishonin's Buddhism.


The reality of the Daishonin is that He has been the True Buddha since Kuon Ganjo, when there was no other teaching but Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. This is the very law which, implanted in the hearts of all people, leads them to Buddhahood. The Buddha who sowed the seeds of enlightenment was Nichiren Daishonin who is also called the Buddha of Musa Sanjin.


Therefore, there is no other way but to believe in this Buddha and chant ‘Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo’. This is what the Juryo Chapter reveals between its lines when it is used by Nichiren Daishonin.


The first verse of the Jiga-ge (the sutra in verse beginning with “Ji ga toku bur-rai”) will be interpreted hereunder according to the aforementioned three points of view.


When literally interpreted, the verse “Ji ga toku bur-rai” means: “Since I (Shakyamuni) attained enlightenment prior to any other Buddha at Gohyaku-jintengo.”


This interpretation was completed by Tendai the Great who spread Shakyamuni’s Hokekyo with his most perfect interpretation for people in Zoho. Such an interpretation, however, cannot benefit those who live today in Mappo when Shakyamuni’s Hokekyo itself has lost the power of redemption.


From the viewpoint of the Daishonin’s Buddhism, the same verse reads, “Since I appeared at Gohyaku-jintengo for the purpose of redeeming those who followed me when I attained enlightenment at Kuon Ganjo.”


However, when the verse is interpreted completely as the Daishonin’s Juryo Chapter, its meaning is far more profound and philosophical.


Ga of “Ji ga toku bur-rai” means Hosshin (Buddha’s life), butsu means Hoshin (Buddha’s wisdom), and rai means Ojin (Buddha’s body). These three phases of life Nichiren Daishonin acquired by himself. Thus “Ji toku” means to ‘acquire by oneself’. The Daishonin obtained all of these at Kuon Ganjo or in other words, the Daishonin has been the True Buddha since the infinite past.


This is true interpretation of “Ji ga toku bur-rai.” In the service of Gongyo, Nichiren Shoshu believers repudiate the superficial meaning of the sutra and use this interpretation, praising the supreme Buddha, Nichiren Daishonin.

Obviously, the cited verse, when used by the Daishonin, expounds the reality of ordinary people as well as the Buddha.


Now I will give you some brief account of Kuon Ganjo which is one of the most profound principles of Buddhism. In the realm of Shakyamuni’s Buddhism, Kuon Ganjo is indicative of an unimaginably distant past, but according to the Daishonin, it is with us today or in other words, the present moment is Kuon Ganjo.


Kuon Ganjo is the beginning of Mappo when the True Buddha who sows the seeds of Buddhahood in the minds of all people makes His advent. Mappo is the day when there are innumerable heretical teachings and the true teaching is buried in oblivion. For this reason, Mappo is very close to Kuon Ganjo when there was no teaching, leaving the Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo unrevealed.


It is at this juncture that Buddhist philosophy becomes a practical teaching. It is no longer a mere theory or a mere idea. The profound Buddhist philosophy accords with reality.


It was explained that the verse “ji ga toku bur-rai” clarified the essential nature of ordinary people.


This life endowed with the three phases of life (Sanjin) is what we have obtained by ourselves. We can never learn Buddhahood from others.


You may study Buddhism or hear lectures on the Hokekyo and ask someone to teach you what Buddhahood is like, without getting a definite answer. You can do nothing but realize it by yourself. ‘I have obtained these three phases of life by myself.’ This is how Buddha feels. As for the way to attain Buddhahood, Nichiren Daishonin taught us that to chant Daimoku to the Gohonzon is the only way to realize the life of Sanjin. This is the correct meaning of “Ji ga toku bur-rai.”


As is obvious from the above, you cannot attain enlightenment or Buddhahood ‘by yourself’, but you must believe in the Gohonzon and
chant Daimoku. Without the Daishonin, you can never realize the three phases of life which are inherent in everyone, latent but undeveloped. Only through the practice of Daimoku based on faith in the Gohonzon, can you draw these three from within yourself.


If you misunderstand this point, you will stray from the true path of life, and will be unable to attain enlightenment.


Now it is obvious why Nichiren Daishonin repudiates and borrows sentences from the Hoben Chapter, and repudiates and uses those from the Juryo Chapter.


Here is an explanation for why Nichiren Shoshu believers read only the Hoben and Juryo Chapters among the 28 chapters of the Hokekyo and why they do not read the other chapters.


This is because the Hoben Chapter is the most important among the 14 chapters of the Shakumon (the first half of the Hokekyo) and the Juryo Chapter is the core of the 14 chapters of Honmon (the last half of the same sutra), both revealing the law of Ichinen Sanzen in their own respective ways.


All the other chapters are introductory or application of these two main chapters. The Hoben and Juryo Chapters are comparable to the trunk of a tree and the remainder to its branches.


Nichiren Daishonin stated to the following effect:

“If you believe only in the Dai-Gohonzon with pure faith and without the least feeling for any philosophy other than Buddhism or the least sense of disobedience, and chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo in earnest, then even ordinary people are ‘Buddhas’. This is obviously the only supreme enlightenment in this vast universe. Such an enlightenment is known as Sokushin Jobutsu.”


He also taught:


“In the very moment of practicing Gongyo, the Daishonin’s wisdom illuminates us and our wisdom functions in relation with the Daishonin’s life of the Buddha, both becoming one. At this moment, the Buddha and common people are not different but are in the reality of eternal life. This is but a moment of enlightenment which is included in the teaching of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.”


Bearing these words of the Daishonin deep in their hearts, all Nichiren Shoshu believers should do Gongyo devotedly every morning and evening. It is with this effort that they can attain ‘human revolution’ and enlightenment. They should keep their habit of Gongyo throughout life with the resolution that, as a verse from the Juryo Chapter reads, “In heartfelt desire to see the Buddha, their lives, they do not begrudge - ”Isshin yok-ken butsu, Fu ji shaku shinmyo.”

 

[Babbabud]

Thanks T .... I must confess ... though ive been chanting pretty regular .... as of late I havent done Gongyo in quite a while . Thanks for the encouragement
Nam myoho renge kyo!

 

[EasyMyohoDisco]

Thanks for the great post T! Glad you're back on track Babba, "from this moment going forward". I'm kinda doing more Gongyo than Daimoku since I try not to leave my house without doing gongyo. Been having some great meetings lately and supporting my chapter really well. I hope everyone that hasn't attended a meeting recently on this thread could either host one or attend on as soon as possible. Meeting at my place tonight 7:30-9pm be there or be square!

I continue to chant for all of the Chanting Growers and their loved ones!

Everyday I say, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!