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Chanting Growers Group
- Thread starter PassTheDoobie
- Start date
- Status
Our environment is the screen; the projector is our lives.
Our environment is the screen; the projector is our lives.
Nah! That's your own Buddha Nature that's talking to you. Words are words. It's the perception of the hearer that gives them meaning!
You are a Buddha sleepy! Never doubt that fact. It is my honor to know you!
T
Our environment is the screen; the projector is our lives.
Sleepy said:wow, its like you know what i need to hear!
thanks, Thomas!
Nah! That's your own Buddha Nature that's talking to you. Words are words. It's the perception of the hearer that gives them meaning!
You are a Buddha sleepy! Never doubt that fact. It is my honor to know you!
T
"(The element ku in the word kudoku means good fortune or happiness.) It also refers to the merit achieved by wiping out evil, while the element toku or doku refers to the virtue one acquires by bringing about good."
(Ongi kuden - Gosho Zenshu, page 762, The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, page 148) Selection source: President Akiya's encouragement, Seikyo Shimbun, July 21st, 2006
(Ongi kuden - Gosho Zenshu, page 762, The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, page 148) Selection source: President Akiya's encouragement, Seikyo Shimbun, July 21st, 2006
punya (Skt)
[功徳・福徳] (Jpn.: kudoku or fukutoku)
Virtue, benefit, good fortune, blessing, meritorious act, good, or right. Punya is a component of a number of Buddhist terms. For example, the Sanskrit word punya-kshetra was rendered in China as "field of good fortune" or "field of blessing." The seventeenth chapter of Kumarajiva's translation of the Lotus Sutra is titled "Distinctions in Benefits," and its Sanskrit title is Punya-paryaya. Paryaya means arrangement, disposition, or distinction. The Sanskrit title of the "Benefits of Responding with Joy" (eighteenth) chapter of the same work is Anumodana-punya-nirdesha. Anumodana means joyful acceptance, and nirdesha, description or explanation. Thus Anumodana-punya-nirdesha indicates a description of benefits accruing from joyful acceptance. One of the eighteen heavens in the world of form is called Punya-prasava, which means increase of merit.
See also: benefit
benefit
[功徳] (Skt.: guna or punya; Jpn.: kudoku)
Also, merit, virtue, or blessing. In Buddhism, (1) meritorious acts or Buddhist practice that produce beneficial reward in this or future existences; and (2) benefit gained as a result of such good deeds or Buddhist practice. The Buddhist view of the law of causality holds that benefits accompany meritorious deeds. Deeds recognized as bringing about benefits differ among Buddhist schools. In general, however, religious deeds such as building monasteries or temples, erecting stupas, making images of the Buddha, transcribing sutras, and the practice of prayer have been considered throughout the history of Buddhism as major sources of benefit.
The "Expedient Means" (second) chapter of the Lotus Sutra reads, "If there are those who hear the Law, then not a one will fail to attain Buddhahood." The "Perceiver of the World's Sounds" (twenty-fifth) chapter of the sutra describes the beneficent power possessed by the bodhisattva Perceiver of the World's Sounds to save the practitioners of the Lotus Sutra from all kinds of crises. The Immeasurable Meanings Sutra explains ten inconceivable benefits, the fourth of which, for instance, it describes as follows: "If living beings are able to hear this sutra, though they hear only one recitation, one verse, or just one line, they will be filled with brave and stalwart thoughts. Though they have not yet saved themselves, they will be able to save others." The sutras describe the various meritorious deeds and practices Shakyamuni carried out in his past existences and the benefits he consequently enjoyed in his life in India.
In his Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind, Nichiren (1222-1282) states: "Shakyamuni's practices and the virtues he consequently attained are all contained within the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo. If we believe in these five characters, we will naturally be granted the same benefits as he was" (365). Nichiren also states in The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings: "Benefit means the reward of purification of the six sense organs [eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind]... ." Nichiren thus associates benefit with the purification of the mind and other human faculties that results from Buddhist practice, specifically from the practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
From source: The Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism
[功徳・福徳] (Jpn.: kudoku or fukutoku)
Virtue, benefit, good fortune, blessing, meritorious act, good, or right. Punya is a component of a number of Buddhist terms. For example, the Sanskrit word punya-kshetra was rendered in China as "field of good fortune" or "field of blessing." The seventeenth chapter of Kumarajiva's translation of the Lotus Sutra is titled "Distinctions in Benefits," and its Sanskrit title is Punya-paryaya. Paryaya means arrangement, disposition, or distinction. The Sanskrit title of the "Benefits of Responding with Joy" (eighteenth) chapter of the same work is Anumodana-punya-nirdesha. Anumodana means joyful acceptance, and nirdesha, description or explanation. Thus Anumodana-punya-nirdesha indicates a description of benefits accruing from joyful acceptance. One of the eighteen heavens in the world of form is called Punya-prasava, which means increase of merit.
See also: benefit
benefit
[功徳] (Skt.: guna or punya; Jpn.: kudoku)
Also, merit, virtue, or blessing. In Buddhism, (1) meritorious acts or Buddhist practice that produce beneficial reward in this or future existences; and (2) benefit gained as a result of such good deeds or Buddhist practice. The Buddhist view of the law of causality holds that benefits accompany meritorious deeds. Deeds recognized as bringing about benefits differ among Buddhist schools. In general, however, religious deeds such as building monasteries or temples, erecting stupas, making images of the Buddha, transcribing sutras, and the practice of prayer have been considered throughout the history of Buddhism as major sources of benefit.
The "Expedient Means" (second) chapter of the Lotus Sutra reads, "If there are those who hear the Law, then not a one will fail to attain Buddhahood." The "Perceiver of the World's Sounds" (twenty-fifth) chapter of the sutra describes the beneficent power possessed by the bodhisattva Perceiver of the World's Sounds to save the practitioners of the Lotus Sutra from all kinds of crises. The Immeasurable Meanings Sutra explains ten inconceivable benefits, the fourth of which, for instance, it describes as follows: "If living beings are able to hear this sutra, though they hear only one recitation, one verse, or just one line, they will be filled with brave and stalwart thoughts. Though they have not yet saved themselves, they will be able to save others." The sutras describe the various meritorious deeds and practices Shakyamuni carried out in his past existences and the benefits he consequently enjoyed in his life in India.
In his Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind, Nichiren (1222-1282) states: "Shakyamuni's practices and the virtues he consequently attained are all contained within the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo. If we believe in these five characters, we will naturally be granted the same benefits as he was" (365). Nichiren also states in The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings: "Benefit means the reward of purification of the six sense organs [eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind]... ." Nichiren thus associates benefit with the purification of the mind and other human faculties that results from Buddhist practice, specifically from the practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
From source: The Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism
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G
Guest
PLEASE CHANT MORE FOR:
ALL IN ISRAEL and the Surrounding ARAB NATIONS ESPECIALLY LEBANON, SYRIA, IRAQ, IRAN.
ALL IN THE AFRICAN NATIONS ESPECIALLY IN SOMALIA, ESPECIALLY ALL THE SUFFER CHILDREN IN RWANDA AND THROUGHOUT AFRICA.
ALL THE ASIAN CHILDREN ( CHILDREN WORLDWIDE ) ESPECIALLY THE HUNGRY ABUSED AND OPPRESSED INCLUDING THE SUCCESSFUL WHO CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TODAY IF THEY TRY.
ALL OF THE AMERICAS ESPECIALLY THE UNITED STATES AND THE SOUTH AMERICAN NATIONS AND THEIR INHABITANTS.
ALSO THE COUNTRIES TO THE FAR NORTH AND SOUTH AND THE EUROPEAN AND EURASIAN COUNTRIES, INDIAN SUBCONTINENT.
WE MUST PRAY & CHANT MORE FOR THEM, THE WORLD IS AT A CRITICAL JUNCTURE AND OUR DAIMOKU WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
ITS A FIGHTING DAIMOKU!
NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO
NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO
NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO!
ALL IN ISRAEL and the Surrounding ARAB NATIONS ESPECIALLY LEBANON, SYRIA, IRAQ, IRAN.
ALL IN THE AFRICAN NATIONS ESPECIALLY IN SOMALIA, ESPECIALLY ALL THE SUFFER CHILDREN IN RWANDA AND THROUGHOUT AFRICA.
ALL THE ASIAN CHILDREN ( CHILDREN WORLDWIDE ) ESPECIALLY THE HUNGRY ABUSED AND OPPRESSED INCLUDING THE SUCCESSFUL WHO CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TODAY IF THEY TRY.
ALL OF THE AMERICAS ESPECIALLY THE UNITED STATES AND THE SOUTH AMERICAN NATIONS AND THEIR INHABITANTS.
ALSO THE COUNTRIES TO THE FAR NORTH AND SOUTH AND THE EUROPEAN AND EURASIAN COUNTRIES, INDIAN SUBCONTINENT.
WE MUST PRAY & CHANT MORE FOR THEM, THE WORLD IS AT A CRITICAL JUNCTURE AND OUR DAIMOKU WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
ITS A FIGHTING DAIMOKU!
NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO
NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO
NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO!
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...But if you're pressed for time, just sincerely chant for kosen-rufu since that includes all of the above. (^^^)
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kosen-rufu (Jpn)
[広宣流布]
Wide propagation, or wide proclamation and propagation. A term from the Lotus Sutra that literally means to declare and spread widely. The "Medicine King" (twenty-third) chapter of the Lotus Sutra reads, "After I [Shakyamuni Buddha] have passed into extinction, in the last five-hundred-year period you must spread it abroad widely (kosen-rufu) throughout Jambudvipa and never allow it to be cut off." Nichiren (1222-1282), identifying himself as the votary of the Lotus Sutra, made it his lifelong mission to fulfill the above injunction of the Buddha, that is, kosen-rufu. He saw widely propagating his teaching of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, which he identified as the essence of the sutra, as the fulfillment of that mission. Nichiren wrote in his Selection of the Time, "Can there be any doubt that, after this period described in the Great Collection Sutra when 'the pure Law will become obscured and lost,' the great pure Law of the Lotus Sutra will be spread far and wide (kosen-rufu) throughout Japan and all the other countries of Jambudvipa?" (550). In The True Aspect of All Phenomena, he also wrote, "At the time when the Law has spread far and wide (kosen-rufu), the entire Japanese nation will chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, as surely as an arrow aimed at the earth cannot miss the target" (385).
In On Practicing the Buddha's Teachings, he wrote: "The time will come when all people will abandon the various kinds of vehicles and take up the single vehicle of Buddhahood, and the Mystic Law alone will flourish throughout the land. When the people all chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the wind will no longer buffet the branches, and the rain will no longer break the clods of soil. The world will become as it was in the ages of Fu Hsi and Shen Nung" (392). He meant that the spread of the Mystic Law would bring about peace in society and nature.
From source: The Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism
[広宣流布]
Wide propagation, or wide proclamation and propagation. A term from the Lotus Sutra that literally means to declare and spread widely. The "Medicine King" (twenty-third) chapter of the Lotus Sutra reads, "After I [Shakyamuni Buddha] have passed into extinction, in the last five-hundred-year period you must spread it abroad widely (kosen-rufu) throughout Jambudvipa and never allow it to be cut off." Nichiren (1222-1282), identifying himself as the votary of the Lotus Sutra, made it his lifelong mission to fulfill the above injunction of the Buddha, that is, kosen-rufu. He saw widely propagating his teaching of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, which he identified as the essence of the sutra, as the fulfillment of that mission. Nichiren wrote in his Selection of the Time, "Can there be any doubt that, after this period described in the Great Collection Sutra when 'the pure Law will become obscured and lost,' the great pure Law of the Lotus Sutra will be spread far and wide (kosen-rufu) throughout Japan and all the other countries of Jambudvipa?" (550). In The True Aspect of All Phenomena, he also wrote, "At the time when the Law has spread far and wide (kosen-rufu), the entire Japanese nation will chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, as surely as an arrow aimed at the earth cannot miss the target" (385).
In On Practicing the Buddha's Teachings, he wrote: "The time will come when all people will abandon the various kinds of vehicles and take up the single vehicle of Buddhahood, and the Mystic Law alone will flourish throughout the land. When the people all chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the wind will no longer buffet the branches, and the rain will no longer break the clods of soil. The world will become as it was in the ages of Fu Hsi and Shen Nung" (392). He meant that the spread of the Mystic Law would bring about peace in society and nature.
From source: The Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism
Among my disciples, those who think themselves well-versed in Buddhism are the ones who make errors. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the heart of the Lotus Sutra. It is like the soul of a person. To revere another teaching as its equal is to be like a consort who is married to two emperors, or who secretly commits adultery with a minister or a humble subject. It can only be a cause for disaster.
[ The Teaching for the Latter Day, WND Page 903 ]
[ The Teaching for the Latter Day, WND Page 903 ]
G
Guest
very important to understand this is Nichiren Buddhism we are practicing.
I chant to my own Gohonzon, and recognize this Buddhism is a Buddhism I practice for myself and others. I am a member of the Soka Gakkai "Value Creating Society". And yes my mission is Kosen-rufu!
This morning watching the Sunday news shows really made me feel uneasy(disco) I wasnt dancing but on a thread regarding the latest Middle Eastern Crisis here http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?p=515132#post515132
I feel that today, now and the moment are important for us to embrace peace and be the best humans we can be! Be brave for if you uphold peace in the Saha World hostility is right around the corner! Triumph in the face of adversity I know you can!
*Thanks for chanting today Baccas! They say kickit means go and one good turn deserves another, REWIND! NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO!*
Like the Roar of the Lion, Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!
P.S.- My brother Babba and I are creating Nam Myoho Renge Kyo Business cards and passing them out to see how long it takes for us to see each others card, anyone want to join? Post your Nam Myoho Renge Kyo cards when Your GOOD TO GO!
I chant to my own Gohonzon, and recognize this Buddhism is a Buddhism I practice for myself and others. I am a member of the Soka Gakkai "Value Creating Society". And yes my mission is Kosen-rufu!
This morning watching the Sunday news shows really made me feel uneasy(disco) I wasnt dancing but on a thread regarding the latest Middle Eastern Crisis here http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?p=515132#post515132
I feel that today, now and the moment are important for us to embrace peace and be the best humans we can be! Be brave for if you uphold peace in the Saha World hostility is right around the corner! Triumph in the face of adversity I know you can!
*Thanks for chanting today Baccas! They say kickit means go and one good turn deserves another, REWIND! NAM MYOHO RENGE KYO!*
Like the Roar of the Lion, Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!
P.S.- My brother Babba and I are creating Nam Myoho Renge Kyo Business cards and passing them out to see how long it takes for us to see each others card, anyone want to join? Post your Nam Myoho Renge Kyo cards when Your GOOD TO GO!
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Scegy ... I feel it brother!
He he he ... Seriously I did when I first found this thread ... Peace to ya
Pass the D ...Well man.... You know what I mean..
Hitman, Mrs B,easyD, DutchGrown,Marley And
Everyone who posted on this thread Hope your all well and safe
Im still here .. Where we should be
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!
Peace
Edit to say 1005 posts ,,, Wow
He he he ... Seriously I did when I first found this thread ... Peace to ya
Pass the D ...Well man.... You know what I mean..
Hitman, Mrs B,easyD, DutchGrown,Marley And
Everyone who posted on this thread Hope your all well and safe
Im still here .. Where we should be
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!
Peace
Edit to say 1005 posts ,,, Wow
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Hey Scegy and Delta! It's good to see you two!
Are we ocean people or village people? To hell with "YMCA" (no offense MyohoDisco!).
LETS ALL BE OCEAN PEOPLE! We must be ocean people!
If you missed it, go back and read post number 3072!
Thanks SoCal! Hope all is well!
Don't be afraid,don't be defeated! Faith! Victory of GOLD!
Deepest respect!
Thomas
Are we ocean people or village people? To hell with "YMCA" (no offense MyohoDisco!).
LETS ALL BE OCEAN PEOPLE! We must be ocean people!
If you missed it, go back and read post number 3072!
Thanks SoCal! Hope all is well!
Don't be afraid,don't be defeated! Faith! Victory of GOLD!
Deepest respect!
Thomas
The door of the new era has now opened!
To all of our courageous youth,
the stage is yours to proudly play out your role
and to shine in all your brilliance (fulfilling your noble missions).
Be victorious, be successful,
and create a wonderful history!
Daisaku Ikeda
To all of our courageous youth,
the stage is yours to proudly play out your role
and to shine in all your brilliance (fulfilling your noble missions).
Be victorious, be successful,
and create a wonderful history!
Daisaku Ikeda
Hey Marley! I almost forgot to tell you how great it is to hear from you! Thanks for checking back in, man. Trust all is well and we look forward to having you back here with us to chant our hearts out together.
What a wonderful group of Bodhisattvas of the Earth we have here! Peeps from all over the world that enjoy a good smoke and have the seeking spirit to unite for kosen-rufu!
You all bring great joy to my life! Thank you for being who you are--everyone of you!
I bow in obeisance....You are all infinitely worthy! You are all surely Buddhas of the Mystic Law! Zen-chishiki--one and all!
Thomas
What a wonderful group of Bodhisattvas of the Earth we have here! Peeps from all over the world that enjoy a good smoke and have the seeking spirit to unite for kosen-rufu!
You all bring great joy to my life! Thank you for being who you are--everyone of you!
I bow in obeisance....You are all infinitely worthy! You are all surely Buddhas of the Mystic Law! Zen-chishiki--one and all!
Thomas
good friend
[善知識] (Jpn.: zen-chishiki; Skt.: kalyana-mitra)
Also, good companion. One who leads others to the correct teaching, or helps them in their practice of the correct teaching. In this sense, good friend may also be called good teacher. A good friend is contrasted with an evil friend, who leads people away from the way of Buddhist practice and into the evil paths, that is, into suffering. Buddhism teaches that, in pursuing the way to enlightenment, one should associate with a good friend to strengthen one's faith and practice. In the "Devadatta" (twelfth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha describes Devadatta, who tried to kill him, as a good friend who in a past life instructed him in the Lotus Sutra. Shakyamuni states that it is therefore because of Devadatta that he was able to attain enlightenment and save living beings. The "King Wonderful Adornment" (twenty-seventh) chapter of the sutra describes the two brothers Pure Storehouse and Pure Eye as good friends to their father, King Wonderful Adornment, because they converted their father to the correct teaching. This chapter defines a good friend as "the great cause and condition by which one is guided and led, and which enables one to see the Buddha and to conceive the desire for supreme perfect enlightenment."
See also: evil friend
evil friend
[悪知識] (Jpn.: aku-chishiki)
Also, evil companion or evil teacher. One who causes others to fall into the evil paths by misleading them in connection with Buddhism. An evil friend deludes others with false teachings in order to obstruct their correct Buddhist practice. The Nirvana Sutra states: "Bodhisattvas and mahasattvas, have no fear of mad elephants. What you should fear are evil friends! Why? Because a mad elephant can only destroy your body; it cannot destroy your mind. But an evil friend can destroy both body and mind. A mad elephant can destroy only a single body, but an evil friend can destroy countless bodies and countless minds. A mad elephant merely destroys an impure, stinking body, but an evil friend can destroy both a pure body and a pure mind. A mad elephant can destroy the physical body, but an evil friend destroys the Dharma body. Even if you are killed by a mad elephant, you will not fall into the three evil paths. But if you are killed by an evil friend, you are certain to fall into them. A mad elephant is merely an enemy of your body, but an evil friend is an enemy of the good Law. Therefore, bodhisattvas, you should at all times keep away from evil friends." The term evil friend is contrasted with good friend who helps lead people to the correct teaching. Evil friends refer to those who influence or approach other people with the intention of leading them away from correct Buddhist practice and to an erroneous teaching. Nichiren (1222-1282) suggests, however, that even the most evil of individuals- those who persecute or harass practitioners of the correct teaching-can function as good friends if one is determined to use their presence as a stimulus to deepen one's faith and practice and attain enlightenment. In The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra, he states, "Devadatta was the foremost good friend to the 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" (770).
See also: mitra
mitra (Skt)
[知識] (Jpn.: chishiki)
Friend, companion, or ally. Mitra was translated into Chinese as chih-shih (Jpn chishiki ), meaning acquaintance or friend. Kalyana-mitra means a good friend, friend of virtue, or good counselor; papa-mitra means a bad friend. In Buddhism, good friend indicates one who leads others to the correct teaching or helps them in its practice, i.e., in the attainment of enlightenment. Bad friend refers to one who instructs others in an incorrect teaching, leading them away from enlightenment and toward the evil paths or suffering.
From source: The Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism
[善知識] (Jpn.: zen-chishiki; Skt.: kalyana-mitra)
Also, good companion. One who leads others to the correct teaching, or helps them in their practice of the correct teaching. In this sense, good friend may also be called good teacher. A good friend is contrasted with an evil friend, who leads people away from the way of Buddhist practice and into the evil paths, that is, into suffering. Buddhism teaches that, in pursuing the way to enlightenment, one should associate with a good friend to strengthen one's faith and practice. In the "Devadatta" (twelfth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha describes Devadatta, who tried to kill him, as a good friend who in a past life instructed him in the Lotus Sutra. Shakyamuni states that it is therefore because of Devadatta that he was able to attain enlightenment and save living beings. The "King Wonderful Adornment" (twenty-seventh) chapter of the sutra describes the two brothers Pure Storehouse and Pure Eye as good friends to their father, King Wonderful Adornment, because they converted their father to the correct teaching. This chapter defines a good friend as "the great cause and condition by which one is guided and led, and which enables one to see the Buddha and to conceive the desire for supreme perfect enlightenment."
See also: evil friend
evil friend
[悪知識] (Jpn.: aku-chishiki)
Also, evil companion or evil teacher. One who causes others to fall into the evil paths by misleading them in connection with Buddhism. An evil friend deludes others with false teachings in order to obstruct their correct Buddhist practice. The Nirvana Sutra states: "Bodhisattvas and mahasattvas, have no fear of mad elephants. What you should fear are evil friends! Why? Because a mad elephant can only destroy your body; it cannot destroy your mind. But an evil friend can destroy both body and mind. A mad elephant can destroy only a single body, but an evil friend can destroy countless bodies and countless minds. A mad elephant merely destroys an impure, stinking body, but an evil friend can destroy both a pure body and a pure mind. A mad elephant can destroy the physical body, but an evil friend destroys the Dharma body. Even if you are killed by a mad elephant, you will not fall into the three evil paths. But if you are killed by an evil friend, you are certain to fall into them. A mad elephant is merely an enemy of your body, but an evil friend is an enemy of the good Law. Therefore, bodhisattvas, you should at all times keep away from evil friends." The term evil friend is contrasted with good friend who helps lead people to the correct teaching. Evil friends refer to those who influence or approach other people with the intention of leading them away from correct Buddhist practice and to an erroneous teaching. Nichiren (1222-1282) suggests, however, that even the most evil of individuals- those who persecute or harass practitioners of the correct teaching-can function as good friends if one is determined to use their presence as a stimulus to deepen one's faith and practice and attain enlightenment. In The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra, he states, "Devadatta was the foremost good friend to the 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" (770).
See also: mitra
mitra (Skt)
[知識] (Jpn.: chishiki)
Friend, companion, or ally. Mitra was translated into Chinese as chih-shih (Jpn chishiki ), meaning acquaintance or friend. Kalyana-mitra means a good friend, friend of virtue, or good counselor; papa-mitra means a bad friend. In Buddhism, good friend indicates one who leads others to the correct teaching or helps them in its practice, i.e., in the attainment of enlightenment. Bad friend refers to one who instructs others in an incorrect teaching, leading them away from enlightenment and toward the evil paths or suffering.
From source: The Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism
The Great Teacher Nan-yüeh has stated, "If one sees a foe of the Lotus Sutra and yet fails to censure him, one becomes a slanderer of the Law and will fall into the hell of incessant suffering." Even a man of great wisdom, if he sees such a person and fails to speak out, will fall into the depths of the hell of incessant suffering, and as long as that hell shall endure, he will never escape.
[ Letter to Akimoto, WND Page 1021 ]
[ Letter to Akimoto, WND Page 1021 ]
G
Guest
PassTheDoobie said:
This is so important it cannot be stressed enoughed in my opinion! Remember these words and reflect on their corresponding meaning because they are ESSENTIAL not only to my practice but our continued growth.
If you lie to your children and confuse them with errorneous teachings how will they grow up properly? Or more importantly how will you ever escape from suffering? (the answer is Nam Myoho Renge Kyo)
I EasyDisco as dedicated as a samurai to this thread and my brethren here on earth have posted in the past and at times conflicting information which thankfully PTD has cared enough to let me know and also make me aware of the magnitude of each mistake because he cares enough for us to show us the proper teachings and not let me fall victim to the abstract or self derived errorneous teachings/guidance which leads to accumulation of slander and suffering beyond belief. As a member of this "Value Creating Society" I find that its so very important to begin to grasp the Mentor Student/Disciple union, some people practicing for 30 years + have told me they are just starting to understand this! The mentor's expirience and guidance is important to my life since in times of distress the "tailor made" guidance really adds enough "humanity" to really KEEP IT REAL!
This Buddhism is not outside yourself thus the changes come from within and even though your heart my be in the right place, please recognize that your "understanding" my be flawed unless your 100%. I love to sing and chant all things Nichiren these days, and if you get me started on the Gohonzon I could talk you to sleep! Thus I wish to learn more and speak the true meaning of the Lotus Sutra and all its accomplished in my life by chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, You cannot go wrong with Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!
Take it from me, (not a fan of the Village People after that wild indian goosed! me, I figuratively stomped my extra large cowboy hat at that reference to YMCA, just kidding )
OK, bad joke, I'm no Verite! lol.Here enjoy these two pictures one is a small scroll I was given months ago from Japan and your supposed to jot down a few things you want to chant for and then do 1000 Daimoku for each square or a hundred for each square, as you can see its not filled in since me and the Gohonzon are always busy! Also a close up of this cool Lotus Flower ala gold band. and some pot we had a few weeks ago since this is a cannabis site too....
Staying young--An Essay by Daisaku Ikeda
Staying young--An Essay by Daisaku Ikeda
When I was younger, I thought I had nothing to do with those who were elderly. I think most young people find it hard to believe that they themselves will grow old. The reality is however, that now I am among the "elderly," and I can't move with the speed and ease that I once did.
My teacher used to say that the last years of our life are the most important. If those last few years are happy ones, we have had a happy life.
Old age is a time of spiritual fruition and completion. When people are no longer pursuing position or status, money or material possessions, they can look closely at themselves and at the reality of life and death without the distractions of superficial concerns.
When you reach old age, you know in your heart if you have lived a satisfying life or not. No one else can know this or decide it for you. The single greatest challenge we each will face is whether we can honestly say at the end of our days on this Earth that our life has been well spent.
I believe that whether we can live a truly satisfying life to the end depends to a considerable extent on how we view death. Sadly, many older people are anxious and fearful about death. But, as a Buddhist, I find it helpful to compare the cycles of life and death to the daily rhythms of waking and sleeping. Just as we look forward to the rest sleep brings after the efforts and exertions of the day, death can be seen as a welcome period of rest and re-energizing in preparation for a new round of active life. And just as we enjoy the best sleep after a day in which we have done our very best, a calm and easy death can only follow a life lived to the fullest without any regrets.
It is natural for trees to bear fruit in the harvest season, and in the same way, "old age" is a period of ripening. It can be the most valuable time in human life, when we have rich experience, deeply polished character, and a pure and gentle heart. The loss of certain capacities with age is nothing to be ashamed of. Rather, I feel the various infirmities of age should even be seen as badges of honor and worn with pride.
There is a saying that goes, "To a fool, old age is a bitter winter; to a wise man it is a golden time." Everything depends on your own attitude, how you approach life. Do you view old age as a period of decline ending in death, or as a time in which one has the opportunity to attain one's goals and bring one's life to a rewarding and satisfying completion? The same period of old age will be dramatically different depending upon your own outlook.
I received a letter a few years ago from a woman in Kyoto who was then 67 years old. Her advice was as follows: "We need to banish any expression of defeat from our minds—statements or thoughts such as 'I can't do it,' 'I'm too old,' 'There's no point in my trying,' 'I'm past it,' or 'It's too hard.' Instead we should be telling ourselves: 'I won't give up yet,' 'I'm still young,' 'I can still do it,' 'I've still got plenty of energy.' Just by changing the way we speak to ourselves and others we can change our pattern of behavior in a positive direction."
Research shows that when people make continuous use of their powers of memory and concentration, these abilities need not fade. An active interest in others, finding new pastimes and making new friends—such positive attitudes have been shown to slow physical and mental decline.
Even though our bodies may age, if we maintain an active, positive attitude, our hearts and minds will remain "youthful" as long as we live.
To quote the poet Samuel Ullman, "Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind; it is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees; it is a matter of the will, a quality of imagination, a vigor of the emotions; it is the freshness of the deep springs of life."
It is vital to always look to the future, to have plans and aspirations-such an outlook is crucial to making the last years of one's life rewarding and fulfilling.
One woman whose youthful attitude greatly impressed me was the American painter known as "Grandma Moses." She had produced around fifteen hundred paintings by her death at the age of one hundred and one. Yet she didn't even start painting until she was seventy-five. She had never studied painting and was an ordinary farmer's wife until then.
She had faced many difficulties in her life. Five of her ten children died young, and she lost her husband when she was sixty-six. She said that though she had experienced real pain and hardship, she refused to be dragged down by suffering and always looked ahead.
Whatever she encountered, Grandma Moses strove to make each day and each moment shine with her smile. After her surviving children left home and her husband died, she refused to give in to loneliness or step back from life. She took up the challenge of painting, and her last years glowed like a beautiful sunset. She wrote, "I look back on my life like a good day's work. It was done and I feel satisfied with it. I was happy and contented. I knew nothing better and made the best out of what life offered. And life is what we make it; always has been, always will be."
There is a great difference between simply living a long life and living a full and rewarding life. What's really important is how much rich texture and color we can add to our lives during our stay here on Earth — however long that stay may be. Quality is the true value, not quantity.
(from: http://www.ikedaquotes.org/contents/short_essays/staying_y.html )
Staying young--An Essay by Daisaku Ikeda
When I was younger, I thought I had nothing to do with those who were elderly. I think most young people find it hard to believe that they themselves will grow old. The reality is however, that now I am among the "elderly," and I can't move with the speed and ease that I once did.
My teacher used to say that the last years of our life are the most important. If those last few years are happy ones, we have had a happy life.
Old age is a time of spiritual fruition and completion. When people are no longer pursuing position or status, money or material possessions, they can look closely at themselves and at the reality of life and death without the distractions of superficial concerns.
When you reach old age, you know in your heart if you have lived a satisfying life or not. No one else can know this or decide it for you. The single greatest challenge we each will face is whether we can honestly say at the end of our days on this Earth that our life has been well spent.
I believe that whether we can live a truly satisfying life to the end depends to a considerable extent on how we view death. Sadly, many older people are anxious and fearful about death. But, as a Buddhist, I find it helpful to compare the cycles of life and death to the daily rhythms of waking and sleeping. Just as we look forward to the rest sleep brings after the efforts and exertions of the day, death can be seen as a welcome period of rest and re-energizing in preparation for a new round of active life. And just as we enjoy the best sleep after a day in which we have done our very best, a calm and easy death can only follow a life lived to the fullest without any regrets.
It is natural for trees to bear fruit in the harvest season, and in the same way, "old age" is a period of ripening. It can be the most valuable time in human life, when we have rich experience, deeply polished character, and a pure and gentle heart. The loss of certain capacities with age is nothing to be ashamed of. Rather, I feel the various infirmities of age should even be seen as badges of honor and worn with pride.
There is a saying that goes, "To a fool, old age is a bitter winter; to a wise man it is a golden time." Everything depends on your own attitude, how you approach life. Do you view old age as a period of decline ending in death, or as a time in which one has the opportunity to attain one's goals and bring one's life to a rewarding and satisfying completion? The same period of old age will be dramatically different depending upon your own outlook.
I received a letter a few years ago from a woman in Kyoto who was then 67 years old. Her advice was as follows: "We need to banish any expression of defeat from our minds—statements or thoughts such as 'I can't do it,' 'I'm too old,' 'There's no point in my trying,' 'I'm past it,' or 'It's too hard.' Instead we should be telling ourselves: 'I won't give up yet,' 'I'm still young,' 'I can still do it,' 'I've still got plenty of energy.' Just by changing the way we speak to ourselves and others we can change our pattern of behavior in a positive direction."
Research shows that when people make continuous use of their powers of memory and concentration, these abilities need not fade. An active interest in others, finding new pastimes and making new friends—such positive attitudes have been shown to slow physical and mental decline.
Even though our bodies may age, if we maintain an active, positive attitude, our hearts and minds will remain "youthful" as long as we live.
To quote the poet Samuel Ullman, "Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind; it is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees; it is a matter of the will, a quality of imagination, a vigor of the emotions; it is the freshness of the deep springs of life."
It is vital to always look to the future, to have plans and aspirations-such an outlook is crucial to making the last years of one's life rewarding and fulfilling.
One woman whose youthful attitude greatly impressed me was the American painter known as "Grandma Moses." She had produced around fifteen hundred paintings by her death at the age of one hundred and one. Yet she didn't even start painting until she was seventy-five. She had never studied painting and was an ordinary farmer's wife until then.
She had faced many difficulties in her life. Five of her ten children died young, and she lost her husband when she was sixty-six. She said that though she had experienced real pain and hardship, she refused to be dragged down by suffering and always looked ahead.
Whatever she encountered, Grandma Moses strove to make each day and each moment shine with her smile. After her surviving children left home and her husband died, she refused to give in to loneliness or step back from life. She took up the challenge of painting, and her last years glowed like a beautiful sunset. She wrote, "I look back on my life like a good day's work. It was done and I feel satisfied with it. I was happy and contented. I knew nothing better and made the best out of what life offered. And life is what we make it; always has been, always will be."
There is a great difference between simply living a long life and living a full and rewarding life. What's really important is how much rich texture and color we can add to our lives during our stay here on Earth — however long that stay may be. Quality is the true value, not quantity.
(from: http://www.ikedaquotes.org/contents/short_essays/staying_y.html )
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