Chanting Growers Group

[Bonzo]

Hello EVERYONE!!!! How are you all? Man, its so awesome to see everyone postin' up and gettin' down to the nitty gritty!! This thread is rollin like a freight train and theres no stoppin' it!!!!! HHHHHAAAAAHHHHAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!! Man it feels GOOD, does'nt it?

I dont know, maybe im a lil bananas at times, BUT IT SURE IS FUN!!!!!!

And if im havin' fun that means im smilin' and luaghin' and lovin' life through good times and challenging times. I gotta tell ya'll, i wasnt smilin' very much in the not to distant past. FAITH is takin root, and its a bit freaky and foriegn to me but, IIIIIIIIIIIII LIKE IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I know: "damn, bonz has flipped his fuckin' lid!"

Well, hopefully i have not flipped my lid i'm just stoked to be a part of this thread and be able to interact with all the unbelievably awesome people here!! I am truly blessed to be here.
I thank YOU ALL for bein here from the bottom of my heart.

I get SO MUCH from ALL of your posts. Jeez this may sound cheesy but they touch my heart in a way ive never encountered. There, i said it. and i mean it

So anyhoo at the meeting the other night i was informed i will be recieving my Gohonzon on September 8th. I gotta tell ya im a bit in shock , i was not expecting it at all. But i am thrilled outa my head and nervous and scared cause im accepting it at a fairly large meeting (250 to 300 people) but at the same time im eager to face my fears (which have dwindled away considerably) cause ive been to this meeting before and never have i felt such an awesome, positive vibe from so many people in one place at one time. really incredible.

So if i dont pass out on stage , i'll be fine eh?

Thanks again my chanting friends for just being here and just being yourselves, best dang people ive ever had the pleasure of knowing.

excuse me for rambling, just hard for mr to say what im thinkin sometimes.

peace

bonz




NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO !!!!

 

[PassTheDoobie]

WoW!! Well done Bonzo! You must be impressing some folks too!

So much to say and so little time to say it....

Hello GMT. Thanks for stopping in. Can you say icchantika? According to the Lotus Sutra, even someone of incorrigible disbelief becomes a Buddha (lives in the highest life-state and works to reveal that in others) eventually, if they have come into contact with the Lotus Sutra, or (according to our school) Nam-myoho-renge-kyo now that we are in the time descibed by Shakyamuni as the Latter Day of the Law.

You don't seem to have any questions, so I really suppose you have no questions.

Good for you! Try chanting sometime though. Without having done it, one could never really understand what any of this really means anyway. All the best to you Brother!

Sorry to be so rushed!

T

 

[Delta9-THC]

damn GMT ... I wasn't hiding ...I promise... lol
was actually looking forwards to a theological chat with you too !
not something I'd say very often...
well its 7.45am now I guess your not still there ...?

Try not to be more dismissive but "as" dismissive that way atleast your not only being fair to "them"(me) lol your being fair to yourself too!

I had to get some sleep ... but try to get hold of me I want to see where this goes ...!
Im not even sure in my mind if there is an end to this one ... : )

anyway nice to have that partial bit maybe finish this sometime?

Bonz... there you go again ...."flipping yur f"ckin lid.." dont be hard on yourself
I feel the same way about your posts and I havent quite flipped this lid yet !

I get what your saying and know your doing well .... : )
Hope you can express yourself with ease soon enough

PTD ... keep offering encouragement to the masses ...I need it ! lol : )
and always have respect you know that?

I guess what everyone on this thread is saying is have faith in yourselves ...
and it will happen

Babba ...you always put it so well ... I am so in awe of the spark we call life....
keep it up brother : )

Everyone that contributes to this thread ...
Peace

 

[GMT]

Pass the doobie, I just dont understand who you are chanting too. Is the belief that something is listening and will reward you for chanting or is it just for yourself to still the mind and empty the trash out? If the latter, I dont understand why the emphasis is on the mantra rather than the meditation aspect.

Hi Delta, still here mate

 

[scegy]

gmt: this is the trick part, you'r chanting for YOURSELF, as you said putting the trash out of our heads, chanting is a rhythm that gets you on the right frequency again, try chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo a few times and u'll feel the rhytm
althogh gohonzon looks "hollY" on the first sight it is only a piece of paper which reminds you what you are every time you look or chant at it, the more that you love your life, more meaningfull will the gohonzon be to YOU.

"If the latter, I dont understand why the emphasis is on the mantra rather than the meditation aspect. "
heheh man, that is what i've been asking myself from the begining and i've come to an conclusion after ONE meeting with local chanters. All my life i had thought that there's nothing that can be done in this world, all my efforts to think of some magic formula for making ppl SEE failed and were doomed at sight.
after that meeting i saw that chanting works on all kinds off ppl, they came to the same conclusions only by chanting....so you see I THINK chanting is the rhytmic formula that opens ppl's minds so that they can start thinking too since they've (we've) been born with blindfolds!

 

[PassTheDoobie]

The eternal Buddha Nature is life itself. There is no "who" as in a God. Nothing is "listening" as in a separate sentient diety. And no, chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is not "stilling the mind" or "emptying the trash out." One might percieve it to be 'active meditation.' The concept is that our Original State is Buddhahood. We have Buddha Nature's that when active, have the ability to influence our environments and the karma we manifest in a given moment. The effect or result of that effort, chanting, which translates into the activation of our Buddha Nature, is ultimately a manifestation of us answering our own prayers.

When we chant, we are invoking the name of the Buddha that has given freely of himself and revealed this truth so that we may reveal our Buddhahood as well. This is the Nam-myoho-renge-kyo Thus Come One. The Entity of the Law. Teacher of all Buddhas. Not to be confused with a diety or somehow a universal creator in any way, shape or form.

We believe this to be Nichiren Daishonin. And the dude knew his shit.

T

 

[PassTheDoobie]

[As a youth] he received great wisdom from the living Bodhisattva Space Treasury. He prayed to the bodhisattva to become the wisest person in Japan. The bodhisattva must have taken pity on him, for he presented him with a great jewel as brilliant as the morning star, which Nichiren tucked away in his right sleeve. Thereafter, on perusing the entire body of sutras, he was able to discern in essence the relative worth of the eight schools as well as of all the scriptures.

[ Letter to the Priests of Seicho-ji, WND Page 650 ]

 

[scegy]

pass: you don't think chanting clears our minds and broadens our views? not saying it makes them better or supernatural it just STATES them out as they were ment to see.
as u said, dude new his shit, and he got all figured out
much love to you pass!

 

[Babbabud]

Much love to all who frequent this thread!
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!!

 

[Guest]

"The first thing is to pray. From the moment we begin to pray, things start moving. The darker the night, the closer the dawn. From the moment we chant daimoku with a deep and powerful resolve, the sun begins to rise in our hearts. Hope-prayer is the sun of hope. To chant daimoku each time we face a problem, overcoming it and elevating our life-condition as a result-this is the path of "changing earthly desires into enlightenment," taught in Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism."

-much love

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Yes I agree, scegy

Yes I agree, scegy

pass: you don't think chanting clears our minds and broadens our views? not saying it makes them better or supernatural it just STATES them out as they were ment to see.

But that result is coming from the activation of your own Buddha Nature. It is not the result of singlemindedness as in a meditative state; although having one's Buddha Nature activated can lead to a meditative state. Chanting is in reality, an invocation rather than a meditation. Yes your head sorts everything out in a way that one can clearly see is coming from the chanting. But it's from your invocation of the Law, rather than one's ability to meditate upon that Law. This is why it is truly universal; because intellectual capacity is not part of it. It is all about compassion and what one awakens to and perceives that to be.

and by the way scegy, these are the words of a Buddha. Very perceptive! I'm impressed!

gmt: this is the trick part, you'r chanting for YOURSELF, as you said putting the trash out of our heads, chanting is a rhythm that gets you on the right frequency again, try chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo a few times and u'll feel the rhytm althogh gohonzon looks "hollY" on the first sight it is only a piece of paper which reminds you what you are every time you look or chant at it, the more that you love your life, more meaningfull will the gohonzon be to YOU.

"If the latter, I dont understand why the emphasis is on the mantra rather than the meditation aspect. "

heheh man, that is what i've been asking myself from the begining and i've come to an conclusion after ONE meeting with local chanters. All my life i had thought that there's nothing that can be done in this world, all my efforts to think of some magic formula for making ppl SEE failed and were doomed at sight. after that meeting i saw that chanting works on all kinds off ppl, they came to the same conclusions only by chanting....so you see I THINK chanting is the rhytmic formula that opens ppl's minds so that they can start thinking too since they've (we've) been born with blindfolds!

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"... chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Continue your practice without backsliding until the final moment of your life, and when that time comes, behold! When you climb the mountain of perfect enlightenment and gaze around you in all directions, then to your amazement you will see that the entire realm of phenomena is the Land of Tranquil Light. The ground will be of lapis lazuli, and the eight paths will be set apart by golden ropes. Four kinds of flowers will fall from the heavens, and music will resound in the air. All Buddhas and bodhisattvas will be present in complete joy, caressed by the breezes of eternity, happiness, true self, and purity. The time is fast approaching when we too will count ouselves among their number."

(The Fourteen Slanders - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 760) Selection source: SGI President Ikeda's speech, Seikyo Shimbun, August 29th, 2006

 

[Delta9-THC]

Glad you made it GMT

I appreciate your inquisitive nature as it certainly emulates a socratic approach to your thought process and further admire your profound respect for Plato and possibly sophoceles, aristotle, and pathagoras! All great heros of the past, just as I have a special affinity in my heart for the great classical composers of the last 500 years. I have come to the conclusion that I really like you alot, not only as a comrade here on the site but as someone with enough conviction to really clearly articulate your thoughts and express what you "know" to be true in your life at this point. Thus your overwhelming welcome from yesterday to today here on this thread has further proven to me that Bodhisattva GMT has found his place here among the Bodhisattvas of ICMAG. A heartfelt Welcome and Congrats on letting your seeking spirit lead the way.

As you and Delta both indicated how you are not specifically interested in any other practice at the moment, I will kindly direct you to the fact that I feel you have recently recited Nam Myoho Renge Kyo as I feel Delta may also have on occasion recently. This is a great joy for me to know that two champions of life are embracing the Lotus Sutra and thus opening your minds to the greater potential laden within all our lives. Thats all, I have clearly expressed in the other thread we briefly took part in yesterday that I would never want to have anyone forced into anything, but being who I am, I am compelled to further elaborate on what is working for me. Certainly you cannot see my face nor share a meal with me here on the internet but you can rest assure as I write this post I am smiling proudly knowing that the seeds of "hope" have been planted and I am encouraging you GMT and Delta to just chant whenever your ready and live your lives as you do but when you chant actually "ask yourself for something you desire, need, or would like" it could be anything, just give your mind the benefit of the doubt and chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo and find out what I am talking about.

THEN after three "coincidences" "coinkydinks" "occurances" "materialization or manifestation of your desired benefits" with your own intuition and state of mind express the results if your upto it. I could never put a time frame on any of this since it is just a suggestion on my behalf but I would like for you to "test" this Mystic Law we speak of. Really give it a shot, no need to abandone anything you believe in or go against what you believe in, chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is free and we all can use some meditation before or after we toke, in the morning or in the night, throughout the day or in a daydream. Massage your mind a bit if you will, if not for you, do it for me, I would be very pleased if you just took some time to appreciate your own life by chanting the words Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.

I have been proven countless times, how incredibly awesome chanting really is and have embraced my mission of World Peace through individual happiness from the waking moment of my day to just before my evening slumber. I admire life and all who share it with me, thus I appreciate your recent participation in this thread and also appreciate your questions and beliefs, even my friend Scegy can relate to you further indicating a deeper relationship than we mind be failing to appreciate at this moment in time, since I know in my heart Scegy is my brother from another mother and you GMT are also upto Par. We may live in very different lives but currently exsist in the same time frame, I haramonize myself with the universe when I chant and join you in spirit!

Much love to you Bonz! Your almost there, at the 9/8 Kosen-rufu gongyo i will also be taking part, very exciting day!!!

Much love to scegy, babba, ptd, and ALWAYS! we be jamming!

dont worry disco ...

I am flattered by your words and have never been more open to all ideas
even if I am not fully praticing just using my mind for once lol

Im just Sure you welcomed me kindly

You know I have had much love for you from when I came to this thread and isnt it just that ?

Im too am glad and feel you too ... very skeptical outlook recently but Im coming to see something different and its good ... Never thought I could say that!

PTD... As I always say your wiser than you may know,.,

GMt... You are like me ...(alright not completely lol)..
You know your cool in my book ... and Im glad we did get to chat last night

but i think why easy really invited ya is because he wanted your contribution
Even if it dosent agree with his : )

We are all entitled to our beliefs

Babba ... Hope your well and I dont mean your beliefs are not very similar to mine but I spose if anything makes sense its one more person working for peace ...if anyone one can create some peace its you man

Bonz ... hope your good?! I always enjoy your posts they are from a real (genuine) strong guy

Making those sand castles yet?
: )

Scegy Keep chanting ...! Hope you good?

Sorry long post just enjoying all your company ....
hope Everyones well

You all stay that way if your there !

Peace

 

[scegy]

delta: doing great in these curcumstances, hope you'r well too

 

[GMT]

Delta, ok I'll give it a shot, here goes:

Easy, thanks, I am flattered by your comments, and I do have a respect for any who can communicate without self contradiction. Sophocles wrote in the trandition style of his time and I feel that the Homerian style in todays world does not really have any place any more, and we can only accept what we know of Socrates on faith, as he didn't leave anything behind for us to read. All we can do is accept that Plato accurately recited his words rather than putting his own words into the mouth of his teacher in order to avoid persecution by the same authorities which ordered the life of Socrates to be ended for subversion. I am less of a fan of Aristotle these days than I used to be, while I suppose adopting his approach with greater accuracy than I manage to adopt that of Socrates.
All that I claim to know, is that I exist, independantly from all others, yet in order to continue to exist, I must exist in harmony with others in order to sustain my existence. Beyond that everything is a leap of faith unless dealing directly with mathematics or forms. I doubt all that I am told, and am always aware that the numbers of those who wish to manipulate others for their own gain greatly out weigh those who would suffer themselves in order to avoid taking such actions. In this respect I accept that I am creating for myself a world of mistrust, however I found this to be prudent in more cases than it has proved a liability. I act in accordance with what I believe to be good, however always bear in mind that the ultimate final consequences of any action that I take could be contrary to the intentions that drove those actions in the first place. Because of this I believe that it is essential not to take an action which effects anyone other than myself, without the express consent of those who my actions may effect. Though that which is essential is not always also attainable.
It is not that I am not interested in anything out side of my own life, it is that that which is outside of my understanding, I do not feel comforatable in adopting. And that which works in a placebo manner, I feel to be self deluding. It is my aim to gain as much insight into myself and my surrounds as I am able to before I no longer exist, and feel that anything which deludes me, harms me, even if I may temporarily feel a benefit from it. Rituals from my personal point of view are representations and methods that people use in order to feel that they are doing something about that which they have no control over. This I feel to be self delusionary, and for me, as I have said, that is not something to be desired. I am haveing a hard time seeing chanting as anything other than either a methodology to prepare the mind for clear and rational thought or such a self delusionary process. I do not mean any offence by that comment, and you have seen in my earlier posts that I gave the process the benefit of the doubt and refered to it as the former of the 2, however if it is seen as being more than that, then I perceive it to be the latter of the 2 options. Not that I am attempting to put anyone down for taking actions that make them feel better, we all have something in ourlives that fits that description, including me, however I am not seeking to add to those aspects of my life which I feel to be comforting rather than helpfull. While I have a lot of respect for Buddhism, I consider it to be more of a philosophy than a religion, and for me, Zen represents my personal views better than this branch of Buddhism.
I hope I have shed some light upon my views for anyone interested, and hope that those views do not casue offence to those who aren't. Any questions I have asked in this thread, have been with the intention of assertaining a clearer view of the beliefs held by those who regularly participate in this thread, before outlining the differences between our perspectives.

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Why I say what I say...

Why I say what I say...

icchantika (Skt)
[一闡提] (Jpn.: issendai)

A person of incorrigible disbelief. Icchantika means one who is filled with desires or cravings. Originally icchantika meant a hedonist or one who cherishes only secular values. In Buddhism, the term came to mean those who neither believe in Buddhism nor aspire for enlightenment and therefore have no prospect of attaining Buddhahood. Many sutras say that icchantikas are inherently and forever incapable of reaching enlightenment, but some sutras hold that even icchantikas can become Buddhas. This discrepancy concerning the potential of such people to attain enlightenment became a source of considerable debate among Buddhist schools over the centuries.

The term icchantika also refers to one who slanders the correct teaching of the Buddha and does not repent and rectify the error. The Nirvana Sutra translated by Dharmaraksha says: "Chunda spoke once more, asking, 'What is the meaning of the term icchantika?' The Buddha said: 'Chunda, suppose there should be monks or nuns, laymen or laywomen who speak careless and evil words and slander the correct teaching, and that they should go on committing these grave acts without ever showing any inclination to reform or any sign of repentance in their hearts. Persons of this kind I would say are following the path of the icchantika. Again there may be those who commit the four grave offenses or are guilty of the five cardinal sins, and who, though aware that they are guilty of serious faults, from the beginning have no trace of fear or contrition in their hearts or, if they do, give no outward sign of it. When it comes to the correct teaching, they show no inclination to protect, treasure, and establish it over the ages, but rather speak of it with malice and contempt, their words replete with error. Persons of this kind too I would say are following the path of the icchantika.'" It also says, "Good man, there are icchantikas, or persons of incorrigible disbelief. They pretend to be arhats, living in deserted places and speaking slanderously of the correct and equal sutras of the great vehicle. When ordinary people see them, they all suppose that they are true arhats and speak of them as great bodhisattvas."

In this sense, icchantika refers not simply to those who have no exposure to or interest in Buddhism, but to those who feign Buddhist faith and understanding for self-serving ends. The Nirvana Sutra, however, says, "All living beings alike possess the Buddha nature," thus revealing that icchantikas can also attain Buddhahood. The Lotus Sutra says, "At the start I [the Buddha] took a vow, hoping to make all persons equal to me, without any distinction between us, and what I long ago hoped for has now been fulfilled." In this sutra, Devadatta, who symbolizes the icchantika, is assured of becoming a Buddha in the future.

arhat (Skt)
[阿羅漢] (Jpn.: arakan)

One who has attained the highest of the four stages that voice-hearers aim to achieve through the practice of Hinayana teachings, that is, the highest stage of Hinayana enlightenment. Arhat means one worthy of respect. In Chinese Buddhist scriptures, it is interpreted in several ways: one worthy of offerings; one who has nothing more to learn, meaning that an arhat has completed his learning and practice; destroyer of bandits, meaning that an arhat has repelled the "bandits" that are the illusions of thought and desire; and a person of "no rebirth," because an arhat has freed himself from transmigration in the six paths. Of these, the "one worthy of offerings" is among the ten honorable titles of a Buddha, thus indicating that arhat was originally synonymous with Buddha. With the rise of Mahayana Buddhism, the term arhat came to refer exclusively to the sages of Hinayana Buddhism.

voice-hearer
[声聞] (Jpn.: shomon; Skt.: shravaka)

Also, voice-hearer disciples. Shakyamuni Buddha's disciples who heard his preaching and strove to attain enlightenment. Shravaka, or "one who hears the voice," in Shakyamuni's time referred to his disciples, both monks and laymen. Later Mahayana Buddhists applied the term to those Hinayana monks who "heard" the teachings of the four noble truths and aimed at attaining the state of arhat, and eventually, the nirvana of no remainder. The nirvana of no remainder refers to a state in which both body and mind- the sources of suffering-are extinguished. Mahayana sutras criticize voice-hearers as seeking only their own enlightenment and exerting no effort to save others. As a result, many of these sutras characterize them as being unable to attain Buddhahood. The Lotus Sutra, however, defines voice-hearers as those who "take the voice of the Buddha way and cause it to be heard by all." Voice-hearers and cause-awakened ones are called persons of the two vehicles. While most Mahayana sutras deny that such individuals can attain enlightenment, the Lotus Sutra teaches that they can and predicts that they will. The realm of voice-hearers constitutes the seventh of the Ten Worlds and is sometimes referred to as the world of learning.

cause-awakened one
[縁覚] (Jpn.: engaku; Skt.: pratyekabuddha)

Also, self-awakened one. One who perceives the twelve-linked chain of causation, or the truth of causal relationship. Cause-awakened one also means those who, in an age when there is no Buddha, realize on their own the truth of impermanence by observing natural phenomena. Because their awakening is self-gained, cause-awakened ones are also called self-awakened ones. Together with voice-hearers, they constitute the persons of the two vehicles. Unlike bodhisattvas, they seek their own emancipation without thought of preaching for and instructing others.

The Sanskrit term pratyekabuddha means "independently enlightened one" or "individually enlightened one." In the early Chinese translations of Buddhist scriptures, it was rendered cause-awakened one, which implies one enlightened through perceiving causal relation ship. The Treatise on the Meaning of the Mahayana, written by Hui-yüan (523-592), describes pratyekabuddha as one who perceives the twelve-linked chain of causation or who awakens to the truth by observing natural phenomena such as the scattering of blossoms or the falling of leaves. Later the term was rendered as self-awakened one. In The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra, T'ien-t'ai (538-597) distinguishes these two types of pratyekabud-dha-cause-awakened ones and self-awakened ones. Mahayana, which upholds practice to benefit others, referred to the vehicle of pratyekabuddha, or the teaching that leads one to the state of pratyekabuddha, as Hinayana (Lesser Vehicle), because it concerns only one's own salvation. The realm of cause-awakened ones is also viewed as a condition of life, in which one perceives the transience of life in the six paths and strives to free oneself from the six paths by seeking eternal truth through one's own effort. This realm or state constitutes the eighth of the Ten Worlds.


world of bodhisattvas
[菩�界] (Jpn.: bosatsu-kai)

Also, realm of bodhisattvas. The world of bodhisattvas indicates the state of being a bodhisattva. The ninth of the Ten Worlds and one of the four noble worlds. When viewed as a state of life, the world of bodhisattvas is a condition of compassion in which one not only aspires for enlightenment oneself, but also works for the enlightenment of others even if doing so requires personal sacrifice. Altruism characterizes this world. It is a condition in which self-centeredness is dormant, and an awareness of one's deep connection with others informs one's actions. In The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind, Nichiren states: "Even a heartless villain loves his wife and children. He too has a portion of the bodhisattva world within him" (WND pg 358), indicating that the world of bodhisattvas is innate in all people.

world of Buddhahood
[仏界] (Jpn.: bukkai)

Also, realm of Buddhas. The highest of the Ten Worlds. When viewed as a state of life, the world of Buddhahood is a condition of absolute happiness, attained upon gaining the wisdom to realize the ultimate reality of one's own life and the compassion to direct one's activities constantly toward benevolent goals. A person in this state has access to boundless wisdom and compassion, as well as the courage and power to overcome any obstacle. In Mahayana Buddhism, acquiring this state of life is the goal of Buddhist practice. In teachings based on the Lotus Sutra, in particular, the realm of Buddha-hood is not viewed as a realm apart from the nine worlds, or from the desires and sufferings of life in the real world. In this sense, it is different from the Hinayana view of nirvana, which is a complete annihilation of desire and suffering that can only be achieved fully upon annihilation of the physical body. Rather, in the world of Buddhahood, one is able to keep constantly in check life's innate "fundamental darkness," the source of destructive impulses and delusion, and function based on an inexhaustible supply of supreme wisdom. In The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind, Nichiren states: "That ordinary people born in the latter age can believe in the Lotus Sutra is due to the fact that the world of Buddhahood is present in the human world" (WND pg 358).


Ten Worlds
[十界] (Jpn.: jikkai)

Ten distinct realms or categories of beings referred to in Buddhist scriptures. From the lowest to the highest, the realms of (1) hell, (2) hungry spirits, (3) animals, (4) asuras, (5) human beings, (6) heavenly beings, (7) voice-hearers, (8) cause-awakened ones, (9) bodhisattvas, and (10) Buddhas. The Ten Worlds were viewed originally as distinct physical locations, each with its own particular inhabitants. The Lotus Sutra, however, teaches that each of the Ten Worlds contains all ten within it, making it possible to interpret them as potential states of life inherent in each individual being. In other words, from the standpoint of the Lotus Sutra, the Ten Worlds indicates ten potential states or conditions that a person can manifest or experience. The mutual possession of the Ten Worlds is a component principle of three thousand realms in a single moment of life, which T'ien-t'ai (538-597) set forth in Great Concentration and Insight.

The Ten Worlds may be described as follows: (1) The world of hell. Nichiren's 1273 treatise The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind states, "Rage is the world of hell" (WND pg 358). Hell indicates a condition in which living itself is misery and suffering, and in which, devoid of all freedom, one's anger and rage become a source of further self-destruction. (2) The world of hungry spirits. Also called the world of hunger. A condition governed by endless desire for such things as food, profit, pleasure, power, recognition, or fame, in which one is never truly satisfied. The above work reads, "Greed is the world of hungry spirits" (WND pg 358). (3) The world of animals. Also called the world of animality. It is a condition driven by instinct and lacking in reason, morality, or wisdom with which to control oneself. In this condition, one is ruled by the "law of the jungle," standing in fear of the strong, but despising and preying upon those weaker than oneself. The same work states, "Foolishness is the world of animals" (WND pg 358). The worlds of hell, hungry spirits, and animals are collectively known as the three evil paths. (4) The world of asuras. Also called the world of animosity or the world of anger. In Indian mythology, asuras are arrogant and belligerent demons. This condition is called the world of animosity because it is characterized by persistent, though not necessarily overt, aggressiveness. The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind states, "Perversity is the world of asuras" (WND pg 358). It is a condition dominated by ego, in which excessive pride prevents one from revealing one's true self or seeing others as they really are. Compelled by the need to be superior to others or surpass them at any cost, one may feign politeness and even flatter others while inwardly despising them. The worlds of hell, hungry spirits, animals, and asuras are collectively called the four evil paths. (5) The world of human beings. Also called the world of humanity. The same work reads, "Calmness is the world of human beings" (WND pg 358). In this state, one tries to control one's desires and impulses with reason and act in harmony with one's surroundings and other people, while also aspiring for a higher state of life. (6) The world of heavenly beings. Also called the world of heaven. The same work states, "Joy is the world of heaven" (WND pg 358). This is a condition of contentment and joy that one feels when released from suffering or upon satisfaction of some desire. It is a temporary joy that is dependent upon and may easily change with circumstances. The six worlds from hell through the world of heavenly beings are called the six paths. Beings in the six paths, or those who tend toward these states of life, are largely controlled by the restrictions of their surroundings and are therefore extremely vulnerable to changing circumstances.

The remaining states, in which one transcends the uncertainty of the six paths, are called the four noble worlds: (7) The world of voice-hearers, a condition in which one awakens to the impermanence of all things and the instability of the six paths. Also called the world of learning. In this state, one dedicates oneself to creating a better life through self-reformation and self-development by learning from the ideas, knowledge, and experience of one's predecessors and contemporaries. "Voicehearers" (Skt shravaka ) originally meant those who listen to the Buddha preach the four noble truths and practice the eightfold path in order to acquire emancipation from earthly desires. (8) The world of cause-awakened ones, a condition in which one perceives the impermanence of all phenomena and strives to free oneself from the sufferings of the six paths by seeing some lasting truth through one's own observations and effort. Also called the world of realization. "Cause-awakened ones," also known as "self-awakened ones" (pratyekabuddha), originally meant those who attain a form of emancipation by perceiving the twelve-linked chain of causation or by observing natural phenomena. Persons in the worlds of voice-hearers and cause-awakened ones, which are together called persons of the two vehicles, are given more to the pursuit of self-perfection than to altruism. They are also willing to look squarely at the reality of death and seek the eternal, in contrast to those in the world of heaven, who are distracted from life's harsh realities. (9) The world of bodhisattvas, a state of compassion in which one thinks of and works for others' happiness even before becoming happy oneself. Bodhisattva, which consists of bodhi (enlightenment) and sattva (beings), means a person who seeks enlightenment while leading others to enlightenment. Bodhisattvas find that the way to self-perfection lies only in altruism, working for the enlightenment of others even before their own enlightenment. Nichiren states in The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind: "Even a heartless villain loves his wife and children. He too has a portion of the bodhisattva world within him" (WND pg 358). (10) The world of Buddhas, or Buddhahood. This is a state of perfect and absolute freedom in which one realizes the true aspect of all phenomena or the true nature of life. One can achieve this state by manifesting the Buddha nature inherent in one's life. From the standpoint of the philosophy of the mutual possession of the Ten Worlds, Buddhahood should not be viewed as a state removed from the sufferings and imperfections of ordinary persons. Attaining Buddhahood does not mean becoming a special being. In this state, one still continues to work against and defeat the negative functions of life and transform any and all difficulty into causes for further development. It is a state of complete access to the boundless wisdom, compassion, courage, and other qualities inherent in life; with these one can create harmony with and among others and between human life and nature. In the above work, Nichiren states, "Buddhahood is the most difficult to demonstrate" (WND pg 358), but he also says, "That ordinary people born in the latter age can believe in the Lotus Sutra is due to the fact that the world of Buddhahood is present in the human world" (WND pg 358).

fourteen slanders
[十四誹謗・十四謗法] (Jpn.: jushi-hibo or jushi-hobo)

Fourteen types of slander enumerated in The Annotations on "The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra" by Miao-lo (711-782) based on the contents of the "Simile and Parable" (third) chapter of the Lotus Sutra. They consist of fourteen offenses against the Law, or the Buddha's teachings, and against the people who believe in and practice it. They are (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, (11) despising, (12) hating, (13) envying, and (14) bearing grudges. According to the "Simile and Parable" chapter, the last four offenses are leveled at the practitioners of the Lotus Sutra. The chapter reads, "If this person should slander a sutra such as this, or on seeing those who read, recite, copy, and uphold this sutra, should despise, hate, envy, or bear grudges against them, the penalty this person must pay- listen, I will tell you now: When his life comes to an end he will enter the Avichi hell."

arrogance
[慢] (Skt.: mana; Jpn.: man; Pali.: mana)

In Buddhism, a function of the mind that obstructs Buddhist practice and the way to enlightenment. Arrogance means to hold oneself to be higher than and to look down upon others, and therefore hinders correct judgment. Buddhism discerned the functions and pitfalls of an arrogant mind, and various Buddhist writings define seven, eight, and nine types of arrogance. A number of figures representing arrogance appear throughout the Buddhist scriptures as well, such as the five thousand arrogant persons in the Lotus Sutra and the Great Arrogant Brahman in The Record of the Western Regions. Expressions such as "the banner of arrogance" and "the banner of pride" are also found in Buddhist writings.

Great Arrogant Brahman
[大慢婆羅門] (Jpn.: Daiman-baramon)

(n.d.) A Brahman in the kingdom of Malava in India, described in The Record of the Western Regions, Hsüan-tsang's record of his travels through Central Asia and India in the seventh century. Having mastered a great many Buddhist and non-Buddhist scriptures, he was overly proud of his erudition and boasted that he surpassed all scholars of the past, present, and future. He made four statues-one each of the Hindu gods Maheshvara, Vishnu, and Narayana, and one of the Buddha-and used them as the pillars of his preaching platform, asserting that his wisdom far surpassed that of these four. He was defeated in debate, however, by Bhadraruchi, a Mahayana Buddhist monk of western India. The king of Malava realized that he had been completely deceived by the Brahman and sentenced him to death. The Brahman was spared his life at Bhadraruchi's request to the king. Consumed by rancor against Bhadraruchi, however, the Great Arrogant Brahman slandered him and the Mahayana teachings when Bhadraruchi came to visit. According to The Record of the Western Regions, while he was still spewing abuse, the earth split open and he fell into hell alive.

five thousand arrogant persons
[五千の上慢] (Jpn.: gosen-no-joman)

Also, five thousand persons of overweening pride, five thousand persons of overbearing arrogance, or five thousand arrogant members of the assembly. Five thousand arrogant monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen described in the "Expedient Means" (second) chapter of the Lotus Sutra as refusing to listen any longer to Shakyamuni Buddha preach the teaching of the sutra and leaving the assembly. The chapter states: "When the Buddha had spoken these words, there were some five thousand monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen in the assembly who immediately rose from their seats, bowed to the Buddha, and withdrew. What was the reason for this? These persons had roots of guilt that were deep and manifold, and in addition they were overbearingly arrogant. What they had not attained they supposed they had attained, what they had not understood they supposed they had understood." In the sutra, the Buddha goes on to describe them as "monks and nuns who behave with overbearing arrogance, laymen full of self-esteem, laywomen who are lacking in faith" and all those who "fail to see their own errors, are heedless and remiss with regard to the precepts, clinging to their shortcomings, unwilling to change." Referring to them as chaff, leaves, and branches, the Buddha states that the assembly is now "made up only of those steadfast and truthful." This event is termed "the rising from the seats and withdrawal of the five thousand persons."

nine types of arrogance
[九慢] (Jpn.: ku-man)

Also, nine arrogances. Nine kinds of arrogance explained in The Treatise on the Source of Wisdom and The Dharma Analysis Treasury. They are (1) thinking that one surpasses one's equals; (2) thinking that one is equal to those who are superior; (3) thinking that one is only slightly inferior to those who are far superior; (4) assuming false humility in affirming the superiority of those in fact superior to oneself; (5) asserting equality with one's equals; (6) asserting the inferiority of one's equals; (7) thinking that one is not surpassed by one's equals; (8) thinking that one's equals are not equal to oneself, i.e., that they are inferior; and (9) humbly acknowledging the superiority of superiors and vaunting one's inferiority (a form of false humility).

From source: The Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism

 

[Guest]

Gosho Excerpt:

"Misfortune comes from one's mouth and ruins one, but fortune comes from one's heart and makes one worthy of respect."


New Year's Gosho,
(The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, pg# 1137)
Written to Lady Omosu on 5 January from Minobu
http://sgi-usa.org/buddhism/library/Nichiren/wnd/concord/pages.view/1137.html



Daily Encouragement:

The Daishonin states, "The voice does the Buddha's work" (Gosho Zenshu, p. 708). To chant the Mystic Law is to praise the Gohonzon. Hearing the sound of our daimoku, the heavenly deities will be set into motion and work to protect us. A weak and unclear voice will not move the heavenly deities. That is why it is important for us to chant daimoku with voices that are clear, strong and brimming with joy.

Lectures and articles about Nichiren Buddhism: http://sgi-usa.org/buddhism/



I apologize for editing my last few responses on this thread, but since they were quoted they are still here, I reviewed the definitions by PTD and humbly submit today's encouragement with the Hope that it will help some of you with your Human Revolution.

I shakubukued a very good friend and his sister last night, that made me very happy. Sharing and spreading Kosen-rufu makes me happy yet I must be careful of further slander since I am working too hard to make needless bad causes. Earthly Desires equal Enlightenment.

 

[Bonzo]

Good morning my friends!

Is Hitman on vacation?

Hit, come in Hit... over.

Thanks for the daily encouregement easy!

Well Delta, i would like to biuld a sand castle on this beach and then paddle out and catch a few of these! Nice eh Desi? Rare breaking, semi secret spot, SoCal:

Wishing you ALL the brightest of days!

peace

bonz





>>>>>>>>>>NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO!!!>>>>>>>>>>

 

[PassTheDoobie]

So in my opinion it's this...

So in my opinion it's this...

It is all about compassion and what one awakens to and perceives that to be.

combined with the ability to discern this...

slander
[謗法] (Jpn.: hobo)

More specifically, slander of the Law. To deny, oppose, disparage, or vilify the correct Buddhist teaching. The "Simile and Parable" (third) chapter of the Lotus Sutra reads: "If a person fails to have faith but instead slanders this sutra, immediately he will destroy all the seeds for becoming a Buddha in this world... . When hislife comes to an end he will enter the Avichi hell." Miao-lo (711-782) says in his Annotations on "The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra": "This [Lotus] sutra opens the seeds of Buddhahood inherent in the beings of each of the six paths. But if one slanders the sutra, then the seeds will be destroyed." According to the Nirvana Sutra, not to reproach those who slander the Law amounts to committing slander oneself. The sutra reads: "If even a good monk sees someone destroying the teaching and disregards him, failing to reproach him, to oust him, or to punish him for his offense, then you should realize that that monk is betraying the Buddha's teaching. But if he ousts the destroyer of the Law, reproaches him, or punishes him, then he is my disciple and a true voice-hearer." Nichiren (1222-1282) states, "Those who put their faith in it [the Lotus Sutra] will surely attain Buddhahood, while those who slander it will establish a 'poison-drum relationship' with it and will likewise attain Buddhahood" (WND pg. 882).

These are the real issues most difficult to correctly percieve. It takes a lot of study to have the intellectual foundation of knowing why this is the way it is, and in the absence of that might seem to be blind faith to those that are unaware.

 

[GMT]

I had thought that I was finished here, but took a little time to begin to read some of the thread, as advised by Easy, and found that I have another question.
Passthedoobie, in post #4, you say that "prayer without action is idealism", doesn't this mean that it is not the chanting that will change the world, but rather the actions taken after the chanting has stopped? Again in post#12, "Faith in Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is action. Action is ALWAYS louder than words."