Chanting Growers Group

[PassTheDoobie]

"In this age as well, it is not one's allies but one's powerful enemies who assist one's progress."

(The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 770) Selection source: Living Buddhism, Seikyo Shimbun, May 27th, 2007

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Good Friends

Good Friends

Ananda, one of Shakyamuni Buddha's closest disciples, once asked him: "It seems to me that by having good friends and advancing together with them, one has already halfway attained the Buddha way. Is this way of thinking correct?"

Shakyamuni replied, "Ananda, this way of thinking is not correct. Having good friends and advancing together with them is not half the Buddhist way but all the Buddhist way."

This may seem surprising, as Buddhism is often viewed as a solitary discipline in which other people might be seen as more of a hindrance than a help. However, to polish and improve our lives ultimately means to develop the quality of our interpersonal relationships--a far more challenging task than any solitary discipline. Our practice of Buddhism only finds meaning within the context of these relationships.

From another perspective, given that Buddhist practice of polishing and aiming to improve our lives from within is a constant challenge and a difficult process, it is only natural that we need support from others also dedicated to walking a correct path in life, trying also to create value in their lives.

SGI President Daisaku Ikeda has written, "Having good friends is like being equipped with a powerful auxiliary engine. When we encounter a steep hill or an obstacle, we can encourage each other and find the strength to keep pressing forward." And as Nichiren (1222--1282) wrote: "Even a feeble person will not stumble if those supporting him are strong, but a person of considerable strength, when alone, may lose his footing on an uneven path..."

In Nichiren Buddhism, good friends are known as zenchishiki or good influences, while akuchishiki refers to bad influences. People affect each other in subtle and complex ways, and it is important to develop the ability to discern the nature of that influence. According to Buddhism, "bad" friends are those who encourage our weaknesses. In Nichiren's words: "Evil friends are those who, speaking sweetly, deceiving, flattering and making skillful use of words, win the hearts of the ignorant and destroy their goodness of mind."

Even when intentions are good, the degree of our positive influence on each other will vary. Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, founder of the Soka Gakkai, used the following illustration. Say you have a friend who needs a certain amount of money. Giving your friend the money they need is an act of small good, while helping them find a job is an act of medium good. However, if your friend is really suffering because of a basic tendency toward laziness, then constantly helping him or her out may only perpetuate negative habits. In this case, true friendship is helping that person change the lazy nature that is the deep cause of their suffering.

A truly good friend is someone with the compassion and courage to tell us even those things we would prefer not to hear, which we must confront if we are to develop and grow in our lives.

Ultimately, however, whether people are good or evil influences in our lives is up to us. In Buddhist terms, the best kind of zenchishiki is one who leads us to strengthen our own faith and practice in order to thoroughly transform our karma. To quote Nichiren again, "the best way to attain Buddhahood is to encounter a zenchishiki, or good friend." Further, Nichiren comments that Devadatta, the cousin of Shakyamuni who tried to kill him and divide the Buddhist order, was "the foremost good friend to Thus Come One Shakyamuni. In this age as well, it is not one's allies, but one's powerful enemies who assist one's progress."

This expresses a key concept in Buddhism. Due to the immense transformative powers of Buddhist practice, even "bad" friends can have a good influence if we make our relationships with them into opportunities to examine, reform and strengthen our lives. The ideal is ultimately to develop the kind of all-encompassing compassion expressed by Nichiren when he wrote that his first desire was to lead to enlightenment the sovereign who had persecuted him, repeatedly exiling and even attempting to behead him.

[ Courtesy January 2004 SGI Quarterly ]

 

[SoCal Hippy]

Mistaking Arrogance for Confidence

Mistaking Arrogance for Confidence

Adapted from the March 7 & March 14, 2003, World Tribune article written by Shin Yatomi, SGI-USA Study Department Leader

Nichiren Daishonin was often condemned by his contemporaries as "an extremely arrogant priest" for his confidence as a votary of the Lotus Sutra to "fulfill the Buddha's predictions and reveal the truth of his words" (WND, 400-01). Just as Nichiren's confidence was misconstrued as arrogance, we may be inclined to mistake our arrogance for confidence and others' confidence for arrogance. One of the five delusive inclinations, arrogance is considered in the Buddhist tradition both as a hindrance to enlightenment and as a cause for suffering. For this reason, mistaking arrogance for confidence is likely to set off a downward spiral of delusion and suffering. The fine line between arrogance and confidence, therefore, must be redrawn more clearly to distinguish happiness from delusion.

Judging One's Self-worth by Comparison with Others

The first of the seven types of arrogance, which are enumerated in some Buddhist scriptures, points to the essential quality of arrogance-"to think that one is superior to those inferior to oneself and that one is equal to one's equals" (The Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism, p. 579). Why is this arrogance? Isn't it just telling it like it is? What is implied here is that arrogance is essentially our inclination to judge our self-worth by comparing ourselves with others.

Certain comparisons between oneself and others may be objectively true-such as income, IQ or physical appearance. But to constantly judge one's self-worth through comparison with others in whatever standards chosen is to become arrogant. Of course, this is not to deny some merits that comparison and competition bring to our lives, such as motivation for improvement and an opportunity for self-reflection.

The correct assessment of our circumstances through comparison is essential to improving our lives. In fact, those living in isolation or unwilling to learn from others are arrogant. Comparison with others becomes a cause for concern when it becomes the sole measure for judging our existence. Put simply, if we start thinking of our lives as happy or unhappy, meaningful or meaningless, solely based on comparison with others, we may as well consider ourselves arrogant.

Arrogant people feel good about themselves only through affirming their superiority to others. Our sense of superiority is always relative to whomever we are compared with and never constant because of our changing circumstances. False confidence based on superiority, therefore, easily turns into a feeling of inferiority and self-disparagement, like a millionaire feeling poor among billionaires, a Ph.D. feeling foolish among Nobel laureates or a healthy person feeling overweight among supermodels. This is why false humility or self-disparagement is considered as arrogance in Buddhism. (See the nine types of arrogance in The Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism, p. 457.) Put another way, arrogance and self-disparagement are two sides of the same coin; we cannot have one without the potential for the other.

Genuinely confident people, on the other hand, feel great about themselves without comparing themselves with others. Such people are aware of their intrinsic personal strength or merit worthy of praise and respect. Confident people can put into perspective their ups and downs of life. Their missed promotion or lost love does not spell out their failure as human beings. Their financial success or academic achievement does not necessarily make them superior to their peers. So long as they continue to be aware of their innate positive quality and strive to cultivate it, people will remain confident regardless of their external circumstances. And Buddhism teaches that the most reliable source of confidence is our innate Buddha nature.

Arrogance is Egotism, Confidence is Altruism

What clearly distinguishes the arrogant from the confident is whether they desire and act for others' happiness greater than their own. Arrogant people are keenly aware that their self-esteem depends upon their superiority to others, so they often take delight in pitying the less fortunate since it reaffirms their superior status.

The "kindness" of the arrogant, however, extends only so far as it supports their self-importance; it continues as long as the less fortunate remain less fortunate. Precisely for this reason, the arrogant cannot desire and act for the supreme happiness of others because they fear it would diminish their own happiness. This explains why it is often easier to feel ambiguous pity for our underpaid coworkers than to share their joy over their sudden promotion. One's loss must be another's gain-this is the basic assumption of life held by the arrogant who cannot stop comparing their fortune with that of others.

Confidence, on the other hand, makes genuine altruism possible. Since confident people's self-worth does not depend upon others, they are free to care for others and fight for their happiness with the hope that it exceeds their own. In fact, the confident see their contribution to others' happiness as proof of their expanding humanity and as a source of great joy.

Confidence is to Appreciate Oneself

In the late winter of 1272, Nichiren Daishonin wrote with his numbing hand: "I, Nichiren, am the richest man in all of present-day Japan. I have dedicated my life to the Lotus Sutra, and my name will be handed down in ages to come" (WND, 268).

A reformer who challenged the corrupt religious authority of his day, Nichiren was exiled, after a failed execution, to a remote northern island of Japan, expected to die naturally or to be murdered. Destitute, he was living in a hut in a field scattered with abandoned corpses, and everything pointed to his approaching death.

These words, however, clearly express Nichiren's confidence that he gave his life to the spread of the essential teaching of Buddhism, that is, the universality of Buddhahood. His life meant something for him, although it seemed to have come to nothing. When he lost everything, he gained the one thing that mattered most-indomitable confidence that all people, no matter how miserable they may appear, have the supreme potential of Buddhahood.

Through his own example, Nichiren demonstrated that confidence need not depend on possessions or circumstances. Genuine confidence is to love and praise ourselves even in the worst possible state, not for how we appear to others but for what we are in the innermost of life.

The Arrogant are Insecure and Needy

The difference between arrogance and confidence also shows in our emotional state. Arrogance makes us insecure, whereas confidence gives us peace of mind. The more arrogant we become, the more keenly we feel the dependence of our happiness upon the misfortune and weakness of others.

This ironic dependence makes the seeming confidence of the arrogant increasingly insecure. The more they bolster this false self-confidence on the outside, the less secure they become inside; so the "happiness" of the arrogant is selfconsuming.

As mentioned earlier, confident people are deeply aware that they derive their confidence from strengthening their innate qualities and need not depend on others. So the more confident people are, the more peaceful they will be with both themselves and others. Even in disagreement or when pointing out the errors of others, confident people can remain calm and open-minded. Since they need not defend their self-worth by "winning" the argument, confident people can stay focused on the merits of different views and opinions without becoming hurtful toward others.

Nichiren, for example, wrote from exile, "Whatever obstacles I might encounter, so long as persons of wisdom do not prove my teachings to be false, I will never yield!" (wnd, 280). His vow to be steadfast in his belief comes with the condition-"so long as persons of wisdom do not prove my teachings to be false." This was an expression of the unruffled openness of the confident, not the blind obstinacy of the arrogant.

Think about how people behave at work. Unlike an arrogant manager who takes any suggestion as a personal criticism and everyone in the office as a potential threat, a confident manager takes even personal criticism as an opportunity for self-reflection and further improvement. The inner state of an arrogant person is constantly agitated, waiting for any opportunity to assert a sense of superiority. But the inner state of a confident person absorbs even an untoward event like a pebble tossed into a bathtub as opposed to a wineglass.

As it is clear now, arrogance is not too much confidence. The essential difference between arrogance and confidence is not one of quantity or degree but of quality and origin. Arrogance is needy and dependent on others, derived from comparison with the external. Confidence is free and independent of others, found and cultivated in the self.

Absolute Superiority is a Dangerous Illusion

Mistaking arrogance for confidence distorts our view of humanity-the way we relate to others and ourselves. Such misconception spells out only tragic suffering for individuals and society. Long before his rise to power, Adolf Hitler wrote: "Self-confidence must be inculcated in the young national comrade from childhood on. His whole education and training must be so ordered as to give him the conviction that he is absolutely superior to others" (Mein Kamph, Ralph Manheim, trans., p. 411).

The epitome of arrogance, Hitler mistook the illusion of absolute superiority for supreme confidence. He debased education, turning it from a vehicle of equality and happiness into a cogwheel in the evil machinery of discrimination and destruction. Education must teach confidence, not arrogance. Likewise, Buddhist learning is to strengthen our faith in the inherent Buddha nature of others and ourselves, not to promote elitism among practitioners.

Nichiren was well aware of the danger of judging one's self-worth through comparison with others. He, therefore, admonished his disciples: "When you look at those of superior capacity, do not disparage yourself. The Buddha's true intention was that no one, even someone of inferior capacity, be denied enlightenment. Conversely, when you compare yourself with persons of inferior capacity, do not be arrogant and overproud. Even persons of superior capacity may be excluded from enlightenment if they do not devote themselves wholeheartedly" (wnd, 62).

Here Nichiren explains that one's potential for enlightenment is in no way diminished by one's capacity to understand Buddhism since all people are equally endowed with supreme Buddhahood. What is most important for our happiness is to develop conviction in this intrinsic potential shared by all people. Our tendency to compare our capacity with that of others will only lead us astray from genuine happiness.

Nichiren, therefore, urges us to win over our arrogance in order to enjoy authentic happiness: "Now, if you wish to attain Buddhahood, you have only to lower the banner of your arrogance, cast aside the staff of your anger, and devote yourself exclusively to the one vehicle of the Lotus Sutra" (wnd, 58-59). Here, Nichiren indicates the close relationship between arrogance and anger. T'ien-t'ai, a sixth-century Chinese Buddhist scholar, described those in the state of anger as "always desiring to be superior to others" (gz, 430). Anger is akin to arrogance; it may be described as frustrated arrogance.

As Nichiren suggests here, we can overcome our deep seated arrogance and anger through our devotion to the "one vehicle of the Lotus Sutra"-that is, the teaching of the universality of Buddhahood and its essential practice as chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. As we deepen our confidence in our own Buddhahood and this selfsame potential of others, the need to compare ourselves with others will diminish, and we will be free to appreciate and enjoy lives of our own making.

 

[SoCal Hippy]

I say this for your sake. I know your faith has always been admirable,
but now you must strengthen it more than ever. Only then will the ten
demon daughters lend you even greater protection.

(WND, 614)
The Supremacy of the Law
Written to Oto and her mother, Nichimyo, on August 4, 1275

 

[SoCal Hippy]

"Education definitely changes people's lives. This is why the SGI is so
earnest when it comes to Buddhist study, which is the highest field of
learning; it is the study of human beings and the foremost education.
Buddhist study is the soul of the SGI."


Daisaku Ikeda

 

[PassTheDoobie]

The Daishonin states,
"Each and every one of you should be certain
deep in your heart (that sacrificing your life for the Lotus Sutra
is like exchanging rocks for gold or dung for rice)."*
Those who have great courage have nothing to fear!
Such people never miss an opportunity
and are certain to be victorious, without fail!

Daisaku Ikeda

* "The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra" - WND, Vol. 1, 764

 

[Bonzo]

"Buddhism is a teaching conveyed through the mentor-disciple relationship. The oneness, or shared commitment, of mentor and disciple forms the essence of Buddhist practise. If we forget the mentor-disciple relationship, we cannot attain Buddhahood. Nor can we achieve eternal happiness or realise kosen-rufu. For it is through the bond of mentor and disciple that the Law is transmitted. Buddhism is the Law of life; and the Law of life cannot be transmitted through words or concepts alone.

"The heritage of the ultimate Law of life and death flows in the lives of those who strive for kosen-rufu based on the path of mentor and disciple. Please remember that without the mentor-disciple relationship, the flow of this heritage will be cut off."

SGI Newsletter No. 7237, LECTURES ON 'THE HERITAGE OF THE ULTIMATE LAW OF LIFE,' [9] The Oneness of Mentor and Disciple--The Eternal Bond of Mentor and Disciple Who Dedicate Their Lives to the Great Vow for Kosen-rufu, translated June 6th, 2007

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

wow! Hello my friends!!! WOW!!! I'm just floored. This whole page, along with "The opening of the eyes" has really just blown me away, in an awesomly great way, i dont even really know what to say?! I have learned a TON about myself and a few things i really need to work on.

HOW DID YOU GUYS KNOW THIS!!!!!! he he he!!! CRAZY MAN!!!!

So now i have some things i know i have to do, and beleive me i would be lyin' if some of em' did'nt frieghten me a bit. At least i have been doing dialy morning and evening Gongyo without fail and chant for as long as i have the time.

Irealized the other day how lonely i feel these days and i have been going to the Friendship Center a few times a week to do evening Gongyo WITH OTHER PEOPLE!!! AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! :smile: I think i will instead of just criusing in and out i will hang around a bit and see what happens.

I am just so filled with, thought , emotion, but most importantly some of the realizations i have come to reading just this one page, this is a heavy page man!!!! a page for the ages!!!


I'm just blown away!!!


Dont know what else to say.


peace and deepest respect and love to you all

bonz








>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Nam myoho renge kyo!!!!!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Nam myoho renge kyo!!!!!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Nam myoho renge kyo!!!!!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Hey Bonz! I'm going to give you that call. Hang in there!

I almost forgot to say thank you to everyone for three complete years of sharing here on these pages. As of two days ago, we began year FOUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I bow in obeisance to all!

Thomas

 

[Babbabud]

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Hey everyone Love to see you all posting up. Bonzo what a wonderful post SoCal thanks my brother Nam Myoho Renge Kyo . PTD wooohoooo heya buddy Thanks for a beautiful three years and the begining of the fourth!!
EASY whats up buddy? hows it all going . Post it up brother whats happening
Chanting Growers
you know who your are !!! post it up !! So much love to you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo Like the Roar of the Lion !!

 

[PassTheDoobie]

FAITH

FAITH

From:The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon, WND pg. 832-33

Never seek this Gohonzon outside yourself. The Gohonzon exists only within the mortal flesh of us ordinary people who embrace the Lotus Sutra and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. The body is the palace of the ninth consciousness, the unchanging reality that reigns over all of life’s functions. To be endowed with the Ten Worlds means that all ten, without a single exception, exist in one world. Because of this it is called a mandala. Mandala is a Sanskrit word that is translated as “perfectly endowed” or “a cluster of blessings.” This Gohonzon also is found only in the two characters for faith. This is what the sutra means when it states that one can “gain entrance through faith alone.”

Since Nichiren’s disciples and lay supporters believe solely in the Lotus Sutra, honestly discarding expedient means and not accepting even a single verse of the other sutras, exactly as the Lotus teaches, they can enter the treasure tower of the Gohonzon. How reassuring! Make every possible effort for the sake of your next life. What is most important is that, by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo alone, you can attain Buddhahood. It will no doubt depend on the strength of your faith. To have faith is the basis of Buddhism. Thus the fourth volume of Great Concentration and Insight states, “Buddhism is like an ocean that one can only enter with faith.” The fourth volume of The Annotations on “Great Concentration and Insight” explains this: “With regard to the phrase ‘Buddhism is like an ocean that one can only enter with faith,’ even Confucius taught that faith is first and foremost. How much more so is this true of the profound doctrines of Buddhism! Without faith, how could one possibly enter? That is why the Flower Garland Sutra defines faith as the basis of the way and the mother of blessings.” The first volume of Great Concentration and Insight says, “How does one hear, believe in, and practice the perfect teaching to attain perfect enlightenment?” The first volume of On “Great Concentration and Insight” says, “To ‘believe in the perfect teaching’ means to awaken faith through doctrine and to make faith the basis of practice.”


faith, practice, and study [信行学] (Jpn shin-gyo-gaku ) The three fundamentals in the practice of Nichiren's teachings. Faith means to believe in the Gohonzon, or the object of devotion. Practice means to chant the daimoku of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, as well as to explain Nichiren's teachings to others. Study means to study and understand the Buddhist teachings. Among these three, faith is the most fundamental for the attainment of Buddhahood. Faith gives rise to practice and study, and practice and study serve to deepen faith. In The True Aspect of All Phenomena, written in 1273, Nichiren states: "Believe in the Gohonzon, the supreme object of devotion in all of Jambudvipa. Be sure to strengthen your faith, and receive the protection of Shakyamuni, Many Treasures, and the Buddhas of the ten directions. Exert yourself in the two ways of practice and study. Without practice and study, there can be no Buddhism. You must not only persevere yourself; you must also teach others. Both practice and study arise from faith. Teach others to the best of your ability, even if it is only a single sentence or phrase" (WND pg. 386).

Faith [信] (Skt shraddha; Pali saddha; Jpn shin ) A basic attitude emphasized in both early Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism. Faith constitutes the first of the five roots, or the five elements of practice conducive to enlightenment, expounded in early Buddhism. The five roots are faith, exertion, memory, meditation, and wisdom. Mahayana Buddhism likewise emphasizes the importance of faith. The Flower Garland Sutra says, "Faith is the basis of the way and the mother of blessings." The Mahaparinirvana Sutra says, "Although there are innumerable practices that lead to enlightenment, if one teaches faith, then that includes all those practices." In the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni addresses Shariputra, who was known as foremost in wisdom, as follows: "Even you, Shariputra, in the case of this sutra were able to gain entrance through faith alone. How much more so, then, the other voice-hearers." The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom attributed to Nagarjuna (c. 150-250) reads, "The great ocean of Buddhism can be entered through faith." In Great Concentration and Insight, T'ient'ai (538-597) states, "Buddhism is like an ocean that one can only enter with faith." Another Sanskrit word for faith is adhimukti, which means confidence and is rendered in Chinese Buddhism as "belief and understanding." It means faith based on understanding; it also means to first take faith in the Buddha's teaching and then to understand it. Adhimukti is the Sanskrit title of the "Belief and Understanding" (fourth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra translated by Kumarajiva. The "Distinctions in Benefits" (seventeenth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra says, "Ajita, if there are living beings who, on hearing that the life span of the Buddha is of such long duration, are able to believe and understand it even for a moment, the benefits they gain thereby will be without limit or measure." In The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Nichiren (1222-1282) states: "Belief represents the value or price we attach to a jewel or treasure, and understanding represents the jewel itself. It is through the one word belief that we are able to purchase the wisdom of the Buddhas of the three existences. That wisdom is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo."


From: Conversation between a Sage and an Unenlightened Man (WND pg. 99)

“The blessings of the entire Lotus Sutra are all contained solely within the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo. While the words in the eight volumes of the Lotus Sutra differ according to the contents of the twenty-eight chapters, the five characters of the daimoku remain the same throughout. To illustrate, within the two characters for Japan are included the more than sixty provinces and the two islands. Are there any districts or provinces that are not contained within this name?

“If one uses the term ‘birds,’ people know that one is talking about creatures that fly in the sky; if one says ‘beasts,’ people understand that one is referring to animals that run over the ground. In all things, names are of great importance precisely because they can convey general meanings in this way. This is what the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai meant when he said that names convey the basic nature of a thing while phrases describe how it differs from other things, or when he said that names designate the fundamental character of a thing.

“In addition, names have the virtue of being able to summon the things to which they refer, and things as a matter of function respond to the name that refers to them. In similar fashion, the name, or daimoku, of the Lotus Sutra has the power [to summon the Buddha nature to which it refers].”

The unenlightened man said: “If it is as you say, then the blessings of the daimoku are very great indeed. But these blessings must differ according to whether or not one understands the significance of the daimoku. I am a man who carries a bow and arrows and devotes himself to the profession of arms. I have no understanding of the true nature of the Buddhist teachings. How could a person such as I gain any great amount of good fortune?”

The sage replied: “According to the principle of the perfect and immediate enlightenment, there is no essential difference between the earlier and later stages of practice, and the blessings of the advanced stages are inherent in the initial stages as well. To carry out one practice is to carry out all practices, and there is no blessing that is not included therein.

“If the situation were as you say and one could not obtain good fortune until after one had understood the truth of Buddhism, then no one, from the bodhisattvas at the stage of near- perfect enlightenment on down to those at the stage of hearing the name and words of the truth, would be able to obtain any good fortune at all. This is because, as the Lotus Sutra says, the truth can only be understood ‘between Buddhas.’

“In the ‘Simile and Parable’ chapter of the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha declares, ‘Even you, Shariputra, in the case of this sutra were able to gain entrance through faith alone. How much more so, then, the other voice-hearers!’

“This passage is saying that even Shariputra, who was known for his great wisdom, was, with respect to the Lotus Sutra, able to gain entrance through faith and not through the power of his wisdom. How much more so, therefore, does this hold true with the other voice-hearers!

“Thus, with the preaching of the Lotus Sutra, Shariputra, because he had faith, was able to rid himself of the name of one who could never attain Buddhahood and was told that he would in time become the Thus Come One Flower Glow.

“It is like the case of a baby being given milk to drink. Even though the baby may not understand the flavor of milk, the milk naturally nurtures the baby’s growth. Similarly, if a physician gives medicine to a sick person, even though the sick person may not know the origin and nature of the medicine, if he takes it, then in the natural course of events his illness will be cured. But if he objects that he does not know the origin of the medicine that the physician gives him and for that reason declines to take it, do you think his illness will ever be cured? Whether he understands the medicine or not, so long as he takes it, he will in either case be cured.

“The Buddha has already been called a skilled physician, and the Law has been likened to good medicine and all living beings to people suffering from illness. The Buddha took the teachings that he had preached in the course of his lifetime, ground and sifted them, blended them together, and compounded an excellent medicine, the pill of the Mystic Law. Regardless of whether one understands it or not, so long as one takes the pill, can one fail to be cured of the illness of delusion?? Even though the sick person may not understand the medicine or even know the nature of the disease from which he suffers, if he takes the medicine, he is bound to recover.

“It is the same way with the practitioners of the Lotus Sutra. Though they may not understand the principles of Buddhism and may not know that they are suffering from delusion, if only they have faith, then without a doubt they will be able to free themselves simultaneously from the illnesses of the three categories of illusion— illusions of thought and desire, illusions innumerable as particles of dust and sand, and illusions about the true nature of existence. They will reach the lands of Actual Reward and Tranquil Light, and cause the three bodies of a Thus Come One that they inherently possess to shine.

“Therefore, the Great Teacher Dengyo says: ‘Neither teacher nor disciples need undergo countless kalpas of austere practice in order to attain Buddhahood. Through the power of the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law they can do so in their present form.’ This means that both the teacher who expounds the principles of the Lotus Sutra and the disciple who receives his teachings will, in no long time, together become Buddhas through the power of the Lotus Sutra.

“The Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai produced The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra, The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra, and Great Concentration and Insight, thirty volumes of commentary on the Lotus Sutra. And the Great Teacher Miao-lo in addition produced the thirty volumes of The Annotations on ‘The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra,’ The Annotations on ‘The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra,’ and The Annotations on ‘Great Concentration and Insight’ to comment on T’ien-t’ai’s works. Together these works are known as ‘the sixty volumes of the T’ien-t’ai school.’

“In Profound Meaning, T’ien-t’ai established the five major principles of name, entity, quality, function, and teaching, and in their light explained the power and efficacy of the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo. In the section on the third of the five major principles, that dealing with the quality of the Lotus Sutra, he writes, ‘When one pulls on the main cord of a net, there are no meshes that do not move, and when one raises a single corner of a robe, there are no threads in the robe that are not lifted up.’ The meaning of this passage is that, when one carries out the single practice of exercising faith in Myoho-renge-kyo, there are no blessings that fail to come to one, and no good karma that does not begin to work on one’s behalf. It is like the case of a fishing net: though the net is composed of innumerable small meshes, when one pulls on the main cord of the net, there are no meshes that do not move. Or it is like a garment: though the garment is composed of countless tiny threads, when one pulls on a corner of the garment, there are no threads that are not drawn along.

“In Words and Phrases, T’ien-t’ai explains the various words and phrases in the Lotus Sutra, from the opening words ‘This is what I heard’ to the final words ‘they bowed in obeisance and departed.’ He explains them in terms of four categories, namely, causes and conditions, correlated teachings, the theoretical and essential teachings, and the observation of the mind.

“Next, in Great Concentration and Insight, he expounds the meditation on the region of the unfathomable, namely, on the three thousand realms in a single moment of life, based on his thorough understanding of the Lotus Sutra. This is a practice that derives from the Buddha’s original enlightenment and represents a principle of truth inherent in one’s being. I will not go into it in detail here.

“What an occasion for rejoicing! Though born into an evil age that is stained with the five impurities, we have been able to see and hear the true words of the one vehicle. We read that a person who has planted roots of good fortune [under Buddhas] equal in number to the sands of the Hiranyavati or the Ganges River is able to encounter this sutra and take faith in it. Now you have aroused the mind that rejoices in faith. Thus without a doubt, just as a box and its lid fit together, so will your own faith evoke the Buddha’s compassionate response, and the two will unite as one.”


From, The Quotable Nichiren: On Faith, pages 57-62

The strong and steadfast power of faith is precious indeed. (WND, 197) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=197&m=0&q=

I have found that even those who appear to believe just as the sutra teaches may not actually have strong faith at all, as you are already well aware. Moreover, a woman’s mind is harder to understand than it is to tie up the wind. The fact that her prayers have gone unanswered is like a strong bow with a weak bowstring, or a fine sword in the hands of a coward. It is in no sense the fault of the Lotus Sutra. (WND, 489) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=489&m=0&q=

I cannot see the sun in the daytime or the moon at night. In winter there is deep snow, and in summer the grass grows thick. Because so few people come to see me, the trail is very hard to travel. This year, especially, the snow is so deep that I have no visitors at all. Knowing that my life may end at any time, I put all my trust in the Lotus Sutra. (WND, 779) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=779&m=0&q=

Suffer what there is to suffer, enjoy what there is to enjoy. Regard both suffering and joy as facts of life, and continue chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo no matter what happens. How could this be anything other than the boundless joy of the Law? Strengthen your power of faith more than ever. (WND, 681) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=681

He states, however, that if a woman’s faith is weak, even though she embraces the Lotus Sutra, she will be forsaken. For example, if a commanding general is fainthearted, his soldiers will become cowards. If a bow is weak, the bowstring will be slack. If the wind is gentle, the waves will never rise high. This all accords with the principles of nature. (WND, 464) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=464&m=0&q=

Faith in this sutra means that you will surely attain Buddhahood if you are true to the entirety of the Lotus Sutra, adhering exactly to its teachings without adding any of your own ideas or following the arbitrary interpretations of others. (WND, 1030) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=1030&m=0&q=

Kyo’o’s misfortune will change into fortune. Muster your faith, and pray to this Gohonzon. Then what is there that cannot be achieved? There can be no doubt about the sutra passages that say, “This sutra can fulfill their desires, as a clear cool pond can satisfy all those who are thirsty,” and “They will enjoy peace and security in their present existence and good circumstances in future existences.” (WND, 412) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=412

Whether or not your prayer is answered will depend on your faith; [if it is not] I will in no way be to blame. When water is clear, the moon is reflected. When the wind blows, the trees shake. Our minds are like the water. Faith that is weak is like muddy water, while faith that is brave is like clear water. Understand that the trees are like principles, and the wind that shakes them is like the recitation of the sutra. (WND, 1079) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=1079

On the other hand, if you believe these doctrines, you will become a Buddha of perfect enlightenment. How, then, are you to go about nurturing faith in the Lotus Sutra? For if you try to practice the teachings of the sutra without faith, it would be like trying to enter a jeweled mountain without hands [to pick up its treasures], or like trying to make a thousand-mile journey without feet. The answer is simply to examine the proof that is close at hand, and thus to take hold of faith that is far off. (WND, 511) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=511&m=0&q=

What is called faith is nothing unusual. Faith means putting one’s trust in the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni, Many Treasures, the Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions, and the heavenly gods and benevolent deities, and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as a woman cherishes her husband, as a man lays down his life for his wife, as parents refuse to abandon their children, or as a child refuses to leave its mother. (WND, 1036) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=1036

Strengthen your faith day by day and month after month. Should you slacken in your resolve even a bit, devils will take advantage. (WND, 997) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=997&m=0&q=

Thus faith is the basic requirement for entering the way of the Buddha. In the fifty-two stages of bodhisattva practice, the first ten stages, dealing with faith, are basic, and the first of these ten stages is that of arousing pure faith. Though lacking in knowledge of Buddhism, a person of faith, even if dullwitted, is to be reckoned as a person of correct views. But even though one has some knowledge of Buddhism, if one is without faith, then one is to be considered a slanderer and an icchantika, or person of incorrigible disbelief. (WND, 141-42) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=141&m=0&q=

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Silence is darkness whereas eloquence is the sun.
[Embracing the spirit of the Daishonin's words,]
"The voice carries out the work of the Buddha"(*),
let's continue to constantly convey the plain, unadulterated truth.

Daisaku Ikeda

(*)"Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" chapter, THE RECORD OF THE ORALLY TRANSMITTED TEACHINGS, p. 4.

 

[Bonzo]

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Nam myoho renge kyo!!!!!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Nam myoho renge kyo!!!!!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Nam myoho renge kyo!!!!!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

3 Cheers for 3 years and one more for year 4!!!!!!!!!!!

Woooooooooooooooooo Hooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi my friends!

Woke up and read the above post about Faith 3 times, then did my morning routine! Was feelin' great, then my day kinda took a nose dive, The tension in my house has turned to a mood of extreme emptiness is as best i can describe it and thier are reasons why that is but i feel i cant go into detail as i would be talking about other people and really this is about me.

Ya know without going into what other people are doing or feeling i think i shoulda just headed to the friendship center when i felt the darkness and gloom taking me over, or me letting it in rather, shit to be honest i dont know what the fuck i shoulda done.

oops i gotta run to the store, i'll be back.

peace

bonz






>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Nam myoho renge kyo!!!!!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

[Bonzo]

shin-gyo-gaku. Maybe i shoulda excersized my SHIN and got down to some GYO and then maybe a bit of GAKU!!

i will not give up and or give in. Everytime i chant i chant for my faith to deepen, among other things, but allways for my faith to continue to deepen.

what am i missing? i know its right it front of me and i cant see it, or rather its within me and i cant unlock it, cant bring it out.

i have a choice tomorrow to go surfing with a good friend of mine, sailing with a good friend, or going to my Saturday morning Westside Soka Spirit Meeting at the Friendship Center where im sure to be around the people i have met and are in my district that i can relate to and get down for 2 hours of chanting and Gongyo.

what to do......

Ya know both of my friends really wanna hang out with me tomorrow, really makes me feel good and i love em both for it, but deep down i allready hear myself calling them and telling them im sorry but i cant make it this time.

My gut is telling me Friendship Center all the way, from way deep down.

Friendship Center it is.!!!!


peace and love my friends!!!

bonz







>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Nam myoho renge kyo!!!!!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

[Jetzoid]

Okay, call me lazy, but there are 4,000 posts in this thread! Can someone link me to the meat here? I'm a faithful yoga practitioner and discovering meditation in a big way, but this chanting is new to me. Help!!!!

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Hey Jet! Here's a link that should help. Check it out thoroughly and many q's will be answered only to cause many more to occur.

That's a good thing! We're here to help in any way we can!

www.sgi-org

 

[PassTheDoobie]

In our activities for kosen-rufu, there is no such thing as holding back!
This is the faith with which we will most certainly win!
Boldly let's take the offensive.
And courageously, courageously let's advance one step.

Daisaku Ikeda

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Actually...

Actually...

but there are 4,000 posts in this thread! Help!!!!

there are more than 6,000 posts on more than 400 pages here. There is meat everywhere. All you have to do is seek it and renounce being a vegetarian. (That was a haha)

The key is that all of what you read here, or there, is mind-candy if you don't take the action of faith. Faith is to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and challenge the Law to show you it's power. Chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and think about what you want to have happen and it will.

No shit.

It's why all of us here do it.

Nothing more and nothing less.

It works, so we do it. And as we do it, we are able to come to understand it. And our personal enlightenment is the ultimate destination. For each of us. Regardless of our intellect.

It is completely and absolutely dependant on our faith, for which nothing but the size of our heart matters. Read the above post for more on that! Good luck on the journey!

Deep respect,

Thomas

 

[Babbabud]

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Lets not forget that this thread has also generated nearly 100k hits !!!!!! All you have to do is say the words !!!!!!! and have faith ........wooooooooohoooooooooo!!!!!!!! we are so lucky!!!!!!!
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!!!!

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Faith is about the challenges
that we place on ourselves to challenge (our own weaknesses.)
First of all, it is we who must change!
Let's win over the self of yesterday and
joyfully accomplish a dramatic
transformation of our life's circumstances!

Daisaku Ikeda

 

[PassTheDoobie]

We practice the faith that enables us to
change poison into medicine*.
Any and all difficulties we encounter
are valuable assets to our lives.
No matter what we might come up against,
let's take on every challenge and overcome every obstacle
as courageously and confidently as would a lion king!

Daisaku Ikeda

* Changing Poison into Medicine:
http://www.sgi.org/buddhism/daily-life/list/changingpoison.html