Chanting Growers Group

[SoCal Hippy]

There is definitely something extraordinary in the ebb and flow of the tide, the
rising and setting of the moon, and the way in which summer, autumn, winter and
spring give way to each other. Something uncommon also occurs when an ordinary
person attains Buddhahood. At such a time, the three obstacles and four devils
will invariably appear, and the wise will rejoice while the foolish will
retreat.

(WND, 637)
The Three Obstacles and Four Devils
Written to Ikegami Hyoe no Sakan Munenaga on November 20, 1277

 

[SoCal Hippy]

If you practice faith while doubting its effects, you will get results that are
at best unsatisfactory. This is the reflection of your own weak faith on the
mirror of the cosmos. On the other hand, when you stand up with strong
confidence, you will accrue limitless blessings.

Daisaku Ikeda

 

[SoCal Hippy]

Strive ever harder in faith, and never give in to negligence. All the peoples
appear to believe sincerely when they first embrace the Lotus Sutra, but as time
passes, they tend to become less devout; they no longer revere or make offerings
to the priest, giving themselves up to arrogance and forming distorted views.
This is most frightening.

(WND, 1027)
Letter to Niike
Written to Niike Saemon-no-jo in February 1280

 

[SoCal Hippy]

Compassion is the very soul of Buddhism. To pray for others, making their
problems and anguish our own; to embrace those who are suffering, becoming their
greatest ally; to continue giving them our support and encouragement until they
become truly happy -- it is in such humanistic actions that the Daishonin's
Buddhism lives and breathes.

Daisaku Ikeda

 

[SoCal Hippy]

Whether or not your prayer is answered will depend on your faith; [if it is not]
I will in no way be to blame.

(WND, 1079)
Reply to the Lay Nun Nichigon
Written to the lay nun Nichigon on November 29, 1280

 

[PassTheDoobie]

On Prayer (conclusion)

On Prayer (conclusion)

Question: When I examine the reasoning and the textual proofs you have presented above, I would have to say that, if there are a sun and a moon in the sky, if there are plants and trees on the earth, if there are day and night in this country of ours, then so long as the earth fails to turn upside down and the tides of the ocean continue to ebb and flow, there can be no doubt that the prayers of those who put faith in the Lotus Sutra will be answered in this world, and that they will enjoy good circumstances in their next existence.

Nevertheless, during the past twenty years and more, the eminent leaders of the Tendai and True Word schools have in many cases offered prayers regarding important matters of state, but such prayers have by no means proved effective. Indeed, the prayers of these priests would seem to be even less effective than those of persons who support the teachings of non-Buddhist scriptures. This sets me to wondering if the pronouncements of the [Lotus] sutra are in some way false, if the actions of the practitioners of the sutra are to blame, or if the time or the people’s capacity is not appropriate for such actions. And this puts me in doubt regarding my future existence.

But leaving that point aside for the moment, I am told that you were a disciple of the priests of Mount Hiei. They say that the offenses of the fathers are visited upon the sons, and those of the teachers are visited upon the disciples. When the priests of Mount Hiei burned the halls and pagodas of Onjo-ji temple and of the mountain temple, (35) along with thousands and tens of thousands of Buddhist images and sutras, those were terrible deeds! They threw the people of the time into turmoil and turned them against Mount Hiei. What is your opinion? I have heard a little about these events in the past, but I would like now to hear you speak in greater detail. I am full of questions. When priests behave in such an evil manner, it seems to me that they are no longer acting in accord with the spirit of the three treasures, and that heaven and earth should no longer lend them shelter. I would suppose, therefore, that their prayers would not be answered. What is your opinion?

Answer: I have touched on this matter in the past, but this time I will summarize the issues. This is a matter of vital concern to the country of Japan, and because many people fail to understand it, they create negative karma through their words.

First of all, as to the origin of the temple on Mount Hiei, it was founded by the Great Teacher Dengyo in the reign of Emperor Kammu, some two hundred years after Buddhism was introduced to this country. Earlier, Prince Shotoku had declared that Kyoto, which was later to become the capital, appeared to be highly suitable for the royal residence. But the actual founding of the capital at that location was delayed until after the T’ien-t’ai, or Tendai, school had been introduced to Japan. According to the records of Prince Jogu, or Shotoku, the prince stated, “Two hundred or more years after my passing, the Buddhist Law will spread throughout Japan.”(36) Later, in the Enryaku era (782–806), the Great Teacher Dengyo founded the temple on Mount Hiei, and Emperor Kammu established the capital Heiankyo. Thus the prophecy of Prince Shotoku was fulfilled.

In this way the mountain temple and the royal house were like the pine and the cypress, and resembled the orchids and the grasses. When the pine withers, the cypress, too, is bound to wither, and when the orchids wilt, the grasses wilt as well. Thus it seemed that the prosperity of the royal reign brought joy to the mountain temple, and that the decline of royal power brought sadness to the mountain. And now that the world has changed, and power has passed to the government in the Kanto region, (37) what must be their thoughts?

In the third year of the Jokyu era (1221), the year with the cyclical sign kanoto-mi, on the nineteenth day of the fourth month— around the time of the disturbance between the court and the barbarian warriors (38)— by command of the Retired Emperor of Oki, altars were set up, and fifteen secret ceremonies were carried out for the first time by forty-one practitioners of such secret ceremonies in an attempt to overcome the Kanto government through the power of incantation.

These ceremonies included the one- character gold-wheel ceremony (carried out by the Administrator of Priests Jien, the Tendai chief priest, and twelve attendant priests at the command of Imperial Regent Motomichi); the ceremony of the four heavenly kings (carried out by the imperial administrator of priests of Joko-ji temple [Shinsho], with eight attendant priests at Hirose Palace, at the command of Lady Shumeimon’in); the ceremony of the wisdom king Immovable (carried out by the Administrator of Priests Joho and eight accompanying priests at the command of Lord Kazan’in Zemmon [Fujiwara Tadatsune]); the Great Awesome Virtue ceremony (carried out by the Administrator of Priests Kangon with eight accompanying priests at the command of Lady Shichijoin); the ceremony of the wheel-turning king (carried out by the Administrator of Priests Joken with eight accompanying priests at the command of the same person as above); the ten-altar Great Awesome Virtue ceremony (carried out by ten priests — the Administrator of Priests Kakucho, the Dharma Seal Shunsho, the Dharma Seal Eishin, the Dharma Seal Goen, the Supervisor of Priests Yuen, the Administrator of Priests Jiken, the Supervisor of Priests Kenjo, the Supervisor of Priests Senson, the Supervisor of Priests Gyohen, and the Dharma Eye Jikkaku— along with six attendant priests each, carried out for the most part at the main temple-building); the ceremony of Wish-granting Wheel (carried out by the Administrator of Priests Myokoin with eight accompanying priests at the command of Lady Gishumon’in); and the ceremony of the heavenly king Vaishravana (carried out by the Administrator of Priests Jojuin [Ryoson] of Mii with six accompanying priests at the command of Shichin).

And there were also objects of devotion that were fashioned in a single day. The secret ceremonies based on them included the ceremony of the wisdom king Craving-Filled of the prescribed method (carried out by the head of Ninna-ji temple in Shishin-den Palace from the third day of the fifth month and for the following fourteen days); the ceremony of Buddha Eye (carried out by the Administrator of Priests Daijo for twenty-one days); the ceremony of the six characters (carried out by the Supervisor of Priests Kaiga); the ceremony of the wisdom king Craving-Filled (carried out by the Administrator of Priests Kangon for seven days); the ceremony of Immovable (carried out by Kanju-ji temple’s administrator of priests with eight accompanying priests, all holding supervisory posts in the priesthood); the Great Awesome Virtue ceremony (carried out by the Administrator of Priests Aki); and the ceremony of the boy Diamond Pounder (carried out by the same person). This completes the list of the fifteen ceremonies performed before altars.

On the fifteenth day of the fifth month, Iga Taro Hogan Mitsusue (39) was attacked and defeated in the capital. On the nineteenth day of the same month, word of this reached Kamakura. When the news arrived in the capital that a large force of troops had been dispatched on the twenty-first day to attack the capital, the remainder of the ceremonies were performed, beginning on the eighth day of the sixth month. These consisted of the ceremony of the Honorable Star King (performed by the Administrator of Priests Kakucho), the ceremony of the wisdom king Great Commander (performed by the Supervisor of Priests Zou), the ceremony of the five altars (performed by the Administrator of Priests Daijo, the Dharma Seal Eishin, the Supervisor of Priests Zenson, the Supervisor of Priests Yuen, and the Supervisor of Priests Gyohen), and the ceremony of the Protection Sutra (presided over by the head of Ninna-ji; it was the second time this ceremony was performed in our country).

On the twenty-first day of the fifth month, the governor of Musashi (40) started for the capital on the Tokaido road, while the leader of the Genji clan of Kai (41) set out on the Tosando road, and Lord Shikibu (42) advanced via the Hokuriku road. On the fifth day of the sixth month the defending forces at Otsu were defeated by the Genji of Kai, and on the thirteenth and fourteenth days of the sixth month the two sides engaged in battle at the Uji Bridge. On the fourteenth, the defenders of the capital suffered defeat, and on the fifteenth of the same month, the governor of Musashi entered the Rokujo headquarters along with his men.

On the eleventh day of the seventh month the Retired Emperor Gotoba was banished to the island province of Oki, the Retired Emperor Tsuchimikado was banished to the province of Awa, and the Retired Emperor Juntoku was banished to the island province of Sado. In addition, seven members of the court were put to death.

The great evil doctrine of these ceremonies over the years steadily made its way to the Kanto region, where it was embodied in the superintendents or attendant priests of various temples who repeatedly performed these ceremonies. The performers of these ceremonies from the beginning could not distinguish between correct and erroneous teachings, between superior and inferior doctrines, but assumed that it was sufficient merely to revere the three treasures. So, without a thought, they employed these ceremonies. And now not only the provinces of Kanto but the chief priests and superintendents of Mount Hiei, To-ji, and Onjo-ji have all come under the jurisdiction of the Kanto authorities, so that, as a result, the latter are in the position of supporting these ceremonies.

Question: Why do you insist upon referring to the True Word teaching as an incorrect doctrine?

Answer: The Great Teacher Kobo has stated, “The Mahavairochana Sutra is first, the Flower Garland Sutra is second, and the Lotus Sutra is third.”(43) But one should examine this ranking carefully. In what sutra did the Buddha discuss the relative worth of these three sutras and deliver this judgment? If there is in fact a sutra that declares that the Mahavairochana Sutra ranks first, the Flower Garland second, and the Lotus third, then we should accept that statement as true. But if there is no such passage, then it is not possible to accept this assertion.

The Lotus Sutra states, “Medicine King, now I say to you, I have preached various sutras, and among those sutras the Lotus is the foremost!” (44) Here the Buddha is referring to all the teachings that he has expounded and stating that among these the Lotus ranks in first place. The Buddha’s preaching and the writings of the Great Teacher Kobo are as much at variance with each other as are fire and water. We should investigate and clarify this matter.

Over a period of several hundred years, ordinary priests and high-ranking priests have studied the writings of Kobo, and eminent and humble, high and low, have put their faith in them and honored the Mahavairochana Sutra as the foremost among all the sutras. This does not accord with the intention of the Buddha. Thoughtful persons should examine the matter with great care. For if we put faith in writings that do not accord with the intention of the Buddha, how can we hope to attain Buddhahood? And if we follow such writings in offering prayers for the nation, how can we fail to bring about misfortune?

Moreover, Kobo writes, “The Buddhist teachers of China vied with one another to steal the ghee.” (45) The meaning of this statement is that the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai and others stole the ghee of the True Word teachings and called it the ghee of the Lotus Sutra. This statement is the most important point.

When the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai applied the simile of ghee to the Lotus Sutra, basing himself on a passage in the Nirvana Sutra, (46) he declared that among all the sutras the Lotus Sutra is worthy to be compared to ghee. The True Word teaching was introduced to China from India two hundred years or more after the time of T’ien-t’ai. How then could T’ien-t’ai possibly have stolen the ghee of the True Word teaching and called it the ghee of the Lotus Sutra? Of all strange events, this would be the strangest!

What evidence is there then for calling persons who lived two hundred years or more before the True Word teaching was even introduced to China thieves? Are we to put faith in these writings of the Great Teacher Kobo? Or are we to put faith in the Nirvana Sutra where the Buddha likens the Lotus Sutra to ghee?

If we are to regard the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai as a thief, then how are we to interpret this passage in the Nirvana Sutra? And if we accept the passage in the Nirvana Sutra as reliable and conclude that the writings of Kobo are incorrect, then what are we to think of people who put faith in such erroneous teachings? All I can say is that one should compare the writings of the Great Teacher Kobo and the pronouncements of the Buddha, and then put one’s faith in the one that proves to be correct.

Question: I am still in doubt. The Mahavairochana Sutra represents the teaching expounded by the Thus Come One Mahavairochana. And if that is so, then to use the teaching expounded by Shakyamuni Buddha to attempt to controvert the teaching expounded by the Thus Come One Mahavairochana is surely not at all in accord with reason, is it?

Answer: Who were the parents of the Thus Come One Mahavairochana, and in what country did he appear when he expounded the Mahavairochana Sutra? Even if he had simply appeared in the world without parents, then in what sutra is it mentioned that such a Buddha would appear in the world to expound his teaching during the 5,670 million years between the passing of Shakyamuni Buddha and the appearance of Maitreya, the Compassionate Honored One? If there are no passages of proof, then who would put faith in such an assertion? The True Word doctrines are full of mistaken assertions of this kind, which is why I spoke of them as an erroneous teaching.

The list of errors is all but inexhaustible. I have done no more than give one or two examples. In addition to the True Word, the authorities rely on the Zen and Nembutsu schools. These doctrines all represent provisional teachings of the type set forth before the truth had been fully revealed. They are not the tenets that lead to the attainment of Buddhahood, but rather will create karma that condemns one to the hell of incessant suffering. Persons who practice them are guilty of slandering the Law, so how could their prayers possibly be answered?

One who is a ruler of a nation has become so because in the past he upheld the correct teaching and served the Buddha. It is through the calculations of the heavenly kings Brahma and Shakra, the gods of the sun and moon, the four heavenly kings, and others that all rulers, great and small, succeed in acquiring their districts and domains. Thus the sutra says, “Now when I use the five types of vision to clearly perceive the three existences, I see that in their past existences all the rulers served five-hundred Buddhas, and that is the reason that they were able to become emperors and sovereigns.” (47)

But if one turns one’s back on the Lotus Sutra and follows the erroneous teachers of the True Word, Zen, and Nembutsu schools, then although one may carry out all kinds of good deeds, these will never accord with the will of the Buddha and will go against the intention of the gods. One should give very careful thought to this matter.

It is a rare thing to be born as a human being. And if, having been born as such, you do not do your best to distinguish between the correct doctrine and the incorrect so that in the future you may attain Buddhahood, then you are certainly not fulfilling your true worth as a human being.

Moreover, after the Great Teacher Jikaku had visited China, he turned against the doctrines of his original teacher, the Great Teacher Dengyo, and worked to spread the True Word doctrines on Mount Hiei. In order to do so, he offered up prayers and claimed that as a result he had had a dream in which he shot an arrow at the sun and caused the sun to roll over and over. For more than four hundred years now, the people have all looked upon this as an auspicious dream. But in a country such as Japan, it is in fact a dream of particularly ill omen. King Chou of the Yin dynasty shot an arrow at the sun, and as a result he perished. Even though this dream is a matter associated with the reincarnation [of a Buddha], you should ponder it very carefully.

In response to your questions, what I have touched on here is like a mere hair from the hides of nine head of cattle.

(END)

Notes:

35. The mountain temple refers to Enryaku-ji temple on Mount Hiei.
36. Gleanings from the Records on Prince Jogu.
37. The government in the Kanto region is the Kamakura government that made Kanto (eastern Japan) its base. The imperial court was located in Kyoto in the western part of the country.
38. Reference is to the Jokyu Disturbance, in which the Retired Emperor Gotoba, along with two other retired emperors, attempted to overthrow the Kamakura shogunate. The imperial forces were defeated, and as a result, Gotoba was exiled to the island of Oki. Hence he was called the Retired Emperor of Oki.
39. Iga Taro Hogan Mitsusue (d. 1221) was a magistrate who was stationed in Kyoto.
40. The governor of Musashi refers here to Hojo Yasutoki (1183–1242), who later became the third regent of the Kamakura government.
41. Here, Takeda Nobumitsu. The Genji clan of Kai refers to a powerful family descended from the Genji clan whose influence extended throughout Kai and Shinano provinces.
42. Lord Shikibu is another name for Hojo Tomotoki (1193–1245), a younger brother of Hojo Yasutoki.
43. A rephrasing of a statement found in The Treatise on the Ten Stages of the Mind.
44. Lotus Sutra, chap. 10.
45. A Comparison of Exoteric and Esoteric Buddhism. Kobo likened the True Word teachings to ghee, the finest of the five flavors.
46. The Nirvana Sutra mentions the process of converting milk into ghee and concludes that ghee is supreme among the five flavors.
47. Benevolent Kings Sutra

 

[scegy]

You crazy guys, i've been off for 3 days and u've been super active, lot's of reading to catch up!

Have a wonderful day people!

 

[EasyMyohoDisco]

You crazy guys, i've been off for 3 days and u've been super active, lot's of reading to catch up!

Have a wonderful day people!

What a treat!

I'm so excited to have read such great goshos and definitions. I feel really superBuddharific when I recharge my heart with the greatest encouragement I could fathom in the form of Nichiren's guidance for us his followers.

My greatest honor is to have my Gohonzon and to chant loudly for all my neighbors to hear! Enjoy the reading Scegy, I sure did! In particular, you'll see some great material from Socal regarding the practice and some absolutely great quick reads by PTD.

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo! all the way!!

What a delicious treat, to come home to this fantastic thread and to savor such great posts! WOOOOHOOO!

 

[Babbabud]

Nam myoho renge kyo

 

[SoCal Hippy]

Though water may be muddied, it will again become clear. Though the moon may
hide behind clouds, it will surely reappear. Similarly, in time my innocence
became apparent, and my predictions proved not to have been in vain.

(WND, 1007)
Letter to the Lay Priest Nakaoki
Written to lay priest Nakaoki and his wife on November 30, 1279

 

[SoCal Hippy]

Faith is the ultimate essence of intellect. Through the practice of correct
faith, the intellect comes to shine. Intellect without correct faith lacks a
firm anchor in the soil of life and eventually becomes disordered. This prompted
the first Soka Gakkai president, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, to remark that many
modern thinkers were suffering from what he termed "higher psychosis." Faith
without intellect, meanwhile, leads to blind faith and fanaticism. Faith or
intellect alone -- one without the other -- is unhealthy.

Daisaku Ikeda

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"No matter what happens in the course of our lives, we can be certain of ultimate victory because of the wondrous power of the Mystic Law to 'change poison into medicine.' Therefore, no matter how painful your situation might be right now, or how sick you might be, or how others might be bullying or tormenting you, you can win in the end. You can be a victor without fail. This is the heart of the Daishonin's Buddhism. It is the purpose of our Buddhist practice. In stark contrast, all the spiteful individuals who may be giving you a hard time now will reap the negative consequences of their actions in accord with the strict law of cause and effect.

"Buddhism is about showing actual proof of victory. That's why we must keep striving wholeheartedly. Let's all lead wonderful lives!"

SGI Newsletter No. 7887, 34th SOKA GAKKAI HEADQUARTERS LEADERS MEETING--PART 1 [OF 2], Lead Vigorous, Vibrant, Victorious Lives!, from the Nov. 24th, 2009, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, translated Nov. 27th, 2009

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"You must not spend your lives in vain and regret it for ten thousand years to come."

(The Problem to Be Pondered Night and Day - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 622) Selection source: Q & A on Buddhism, Seikyo Shimbun, November 29th, 2009

 

[PassTheDoobie]

[This is for my friend Mark who is not a member of IC]

[This is for my friend Mark who is not a member of IC]

Hi Mark! You poor soul! Anyone with eyes can note the timelines of your daily posting and see that, not only are you filled with hurt and rage and envy; you have no life. You must be desperately lonely. I pity you. But Mark, how can anyone take you seriously? It must hurt that even your fellow sect members consider you a buffoon. Whether you’re aware of it or not, you are a great embarrassment to them.

Your actions invalidate the validity of the claims you make. You’re your own worst enemy. What you write depicts an arrogance and narcissism that I have never experienced in my 36 years of faith. You write about me, you write about us, you write about this site, and yet you never take the time to get the facts straight. Do you just enjoy talking to yourself?

You consider yourself a Buddha on the level of the Sages that you quote??? I read extensively, and I don’t remember anyone remotely worthy of such respect that would denigrate and disrespect others without even having a clue as to the true nature of their lives. You’re a fraud! You are a legend in your own mind. YOU ARE AN OBTUSE SLANDERER! Frankly, regardless of your professional status, I think you need to get professional help.

Over the course of an 80 line denigrating tirade, you manage to slip in a quick, “Yes, I will chant for you despite being so cowardly that you won't let me respond on your site.” Sorry Bro, but we don’t allow trolls on this site, and that’s all you are, a troll. But thank you for admitting that you had not yet begun to genuinely aspire for my happiness. What a deep and sincere disciple you are! Like I said, the honest answer to that question told me everything about who you really are. Shame on you!

I’ll say it again; this is not an SGI thread. Spin it and distort it however you like, because I know you will anyway. However, anyone else that might like to discover the truth can use the thread’s search options and find me reiterating that point for the last five and a half years consistently. One can also find out my position on Daisaku Ikeda and the concept of Mentor and Disciple, reiterated here consistently for the last five years and a half years as well.

Even if you didn’t mean to, by not investing the time to get the facts straight, you have proven to me that on top of everything else, you’re a liar. If you lie out of negligence and sloth with me, how much do you do so with the other “incontrovertible evidence” you purport to present in your thread? Is it possible you’re just full of shit? Period?

Based on your actions, that fact has to remain a distinct possibility. As the old saying goes, “Never wrestle a pig. You’ll be covered in filth and the pig will love it.” So say oink and roll in the mud with someone else. I’m not interested.

PS: So you’ll know I wasn’t lying about chanting for your happiness, I’m going to add my response to a fellow member who wrote to ask me who “Mark” was, back in mid-October:

I have been chanting for Mark, ever since he first got on to us. I also go in the same way that you do, and that has been there for a while now. Look, you and I know this guy is a slanderous asshole, but he doesn't.

Regardless of what he says, have compassion for him and pray for his happiness. Do you have any idea of the Karma he is creating by challenging us? But he is also rather single handedly responsible for about six new links to the thread for those outside of our conversation to share in it (for good or bad, it's happened).

He's a doctor living in Oklahoma if you check him out. He got burned in his practice with the SGI AS MANY MANY PEOPLE HAVE! But so you know, he IS NOT a temple member.

His sect is another of the MANY Nichiren sects that chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as a basis of differing belief sets. And of course they have a doctrinal basis for their positions. But they are so steeped in DOGMA and the righteousness of being the "most pure and correct" that they limit themselves to literal interpretations and do not grasp anything "hidden in the depths".

In my opinion, cause and effect is SUPREME. So for me, if one were to judge the merit of the various interpretations of the Daishonin's legacy of teachings and the many groups that have embraced these teachings over the ensuing centuries, the proof is in the pudding. It is all cause and effect.

What does karma reflect? Whose effect demonstrates the most correct cause? There are only around 100,000 people that practice according to the teachings of his sect in the whole world. Ha! They are more than one hundred times smaller than the SGI and would be even smaller in the absence of their practitioners that were introduced to the Daishonin's teaching through the SGI.

Chant for his happiness and don't give him another thought!

Much love and deepest respect,

T

 

[Lapides]

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo

Thank you everyone.

 

[SoCal Hippy]

But Mark, how can anyone take you seriously? It must hurt that even your fellow sect members consider you a buffoon. Whether you’re aware of it or not, you are a great embarrassment to them.

My first encounter from a member of the K H sect and what a sad one it is!

 

[SoCal Hippy]

A Universal Religion for the Happiness of All Humankind

A Universal Religion for the Happiness of All Humankind

Daisaku Ikeda Lectures, "On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime:

A Universal Religion for the Happiness of All Humankind

Generally speaking, religions expound some infinite and eternal entity that transcends both human beings and the impermanence of this world, using such terminology as 'god' or 'law'. This infinite and eternal entity may variously be regarded by different religions as a source of fear and awe, an object of adoration, a great void of emptiness, or a wellspring of all-embracing love.

The Daishonin saw the power of the Mystic Law that encompasses and sustains all things in the universe as existing within human beings, and he established a means for actually manifesting that Law in their lives.

During my second lecture at Harvard University (in September 1993), I proposed three areas where Mahayana Buddhism could contribute to modern civilization: (1) in fostering the creation of peace, (2) in paving the way towards the restoration and rejuvenation of humanity, (3) and in providing a philosophical basis for the symbiotic coexistence of all things. In connection with the second point, I stressed the important significance of the approach of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, which teaches neither a one-sided reliance on the individual's own power nor on external power. This perspective has resonated deeply with many scholars.

According to the view of the Daishonin's Buddhism, it is only by praying to and fusing with the external power of the eternal, unchanging truth transcending our limited, finite selves, that we can wholly activate our own power. At the same time, however, this eternal, all-encompassing, external power actually exists inherently in our lives. The Daishonin writes: "People are certainly self-empowered, and yet they are not self-empowered ... People are certainly orher-empowered. and yet they are not other empowered." (GZ, pg 403)7

What this means, I believe, is that by relying neither exclusively on external power nor on the power of the self, we can manifest the transcendent power that exists within us. It is chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo that enables us to do this.

In this way, the Daishonin's Buddhism opens up a broad new vision of a universal religion for the happiness of all humankind—one that transcends the approach of teachings that strictly divide external power and the individual's own power and that emphasize one over the other.

7. The Daishonin states: "Now in the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, persons are certainly self-empowered, and yet they are not self-empowered. This is because one's own self, or life, at the same time possesses the nature of all living beings in the Ten Worlds. Therefore, this self has from the beginning contained one's own realm of Buddhahood and of the realms of Buddhahood possessed by all other living beings. Consequently, when one attains Buddhahood one does not take on some new or 'other' Buddha identity.
"Again, in the teaching of the Lotus Sutra, persons are certainly
other-empowered, and yet they are not other-empowered. The Buddhas who are considered separate from us are actually contained within our own selves, or the lives of us ordinary people. Those Buddhas manifest the realms of Buddhahood of all living beings in the same manner as we do." (GZ, pg 403)

 

[EasyMyohoDisco]

Holiday Fatness is upon us! Chant long and chant strong!

Feeling good and I'm so busy with my end of the year madness rush at school that I'm going to totally win once again. I'll end this year correctly and catapult next year education wise while advancing at work!

I support this thread with my life and hope to report that my friend will receive his Gohonzon soon. Let's keep doing shakubuku together, this is the best way!

I've seen many messages and qualities in many posts and I must admit PasstheDoobie really demonstrates Nichiren's spirit in accordance with my belief that us chanting growers are interconnected and from the same thread (fabric of our lives)!

Pleased to support this movement with my life and I vow to always continue and support my friends in the same way. Early in my practice Bud and Tom and So held me together. Bud kept encouraging me, Tom kept referring me back to daimoku and more daimoku and the cycle continues as I continue to grow and win. We are all demonstrating Nichiren's super cool vibe and I dig the awesomeness of all the actual proof documented here!

Growing your meds is fun isn't it? We Bodhisattva's chant daimoku and support each other throughout each life, of this I am convinced I know more than one truth! Keep growing with me, I'm so thrilled once again to be a part of this super great movement. Our words are extending through the past, present and future with every other word we type on this thread!

PEACE through Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Nichikan
[日寛] (1665–1726)

The twenty-sixth chief priest of Taiseki-ji, the head temple of the Nikko school (also known as the Fuji school), or what today is called Nichiren Shoshu, in Japan. He is revered as a restorer of Nichiren's teachings because he worked to clarify their true meaning. His father was a retainer of the lord of Maebashi in Kozuke Province, and his childhood name was ItoIchinoshin. Around age fifteen, he moved to Edo (now Tokyo) and served at the residence of a direct retainer of the Tokugawa shogunate. In 1683, however, he entered the priesthood and studied under Nichiei, the twenty-fourth chief priest of Taiseki-ji. Thereafter he devoted himself to the practice and study of Nichiren's teachings, and in 1689 entered Hosokusa Seminary in Kazusa Province, where priests were instructed in Nichiren's teachings. In 1708 he became head of the seminary and took the name Nichikan. In 1711 he was appointed the chief instructor of Taiseki-ji by Nichiei. During the four centuries after Nichiren's death, a number of errors and misconceptions had arisen as his followers split into many schools, beginning with the dissension of the five senior priests, whom Nichiren had designated as his senior disciples along with Nikko, his successor. Nichikan worked tirelessly to clarify the true meaning of Nichiren's teachings. He completed exegeses on Nichiren's five major writings and other works, and authored The Six-Volume Writings, which distinguishes the correct interpretations of Nichiren's teachings from misleading ones. He thus contributed greatly to the doctrinal clarification and study of Nichiren's teachings. In 1718 Nichikan became the twenty-sixth chief priest of Taiseki-ji, and in 1720 he retired from that post and devoted himself solely to lecturing on Nichiren's works and instructing priests. Three years later, however, the chief priest who had succeeded him died, and Nichikan again assumed that responsibility. He also collected funds and promoted the repair and construction of buildings at Taiseki-ji.

Six-Volume Writings, The
[六巻抄] (Jpn Rokkan-sho )

A work by Nichikan, the twenty-sixth chief priest of Taiseki-ji temple and scholar of Nichiren's teachings, completed in 1725. During the four hundred years after Nichiren's death, various interpretations of his teachings were adopted by different Nichiren schools, and Nichikan held that the true meaning of Nichiren's teachings had become obscured. He wrote this work to refute what he felt were serious misconceptions and to clarify the true meaning of Nichiren's teachings. As the title indicates, it is a collection of six treatises:

(1) "The Threefold Secret Teaching," which explains the teaching for the Latter Day of the Law by interpreting the meaning of the passage from The Opening of the Eyes, one of Nichiren's major works, that reads, "The doctrine of three thousand realms in a single moment of life is found in only one place, hidden in the depths of the 'Life Span' chapter of the essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra" (224). Nichikan thus established the concept of the threefold secret teaching, or threefold comparison: first, the "doctrine of three thousand realms in a single moment of life," which Nichiren himself identified as Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, is found in the Lotus Sutra and not in any of the other sutras; second, it is found in the "Life Span" (sixteenth) chapter of the essential teaching (latter half) of the Lotus Sutra and not in its theoretical teaching (first half); and third, it is found in the depths of the "Life Span" chapter. "Secret" in this context indicates that the Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo hidden in the depths of the "Life Span" chapter had been kept secret, or remained hidden, until it was revealed by Nichiren.

(2) "The Meanings Hidden in the Depths," which clarifies that the teaching hidden in the depths of the "Life Span" chapter is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo of the Three Great Secret Laws. It discusses the Three Great Secret Laws in detail.

(3) "Interpreting the Text Based upon Its Essential Meaning," which interprets important passages of the Lotus Sutra from the standpoint of the teaching of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo of the Three Great Secret Laws.

(4) "The Teaching for the Latter Day," which sets forth the correct object of devotion to be established in the Latter Day of the Law. This treatise explains why the object of devotion inscribed by Nichiren, rather than an image of Shakyamuni Buddha, is the correct object of faith in the Latter Day of the Law. This treatise also indicates that the correct practice of reading and reciting the Lotus Sutra in the Latter Day of the Law is to read and recite its two key chapters, "Expedient Means" (sec-ond) and "Life Span," and not the entire sutra.

(5) "The Practices of This School," which explains that correct practice in the Latter Day of the Law consists of two kinds: primary and sup-porting. The primary practice is the chanting of the daimoku, or the invocation of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, and the supporting practice is the reading and recitation of the "Expedient Means" and "Life Span" chapters. This work explains why these two chapters are recited in daily practice. It also defines the three treasures in the Latter Day of the Law and describes the great benefits of chanting the daimoku.

(6) "The Three Robes of This School," which defines the "three robes" as the traditional gray robe, the white surplice, and the prayer beads of the priests of the Fuji school, and explains their significance.

 

[SoCal Hippy]

I vowed to summon up a powerful and unconquerable desire for the salvation of
all beings and never to falter in my efforts.

(WND, 240)
The Opening of the Eyes
Written to Shijo Kingo in February 1272