Chanting Growers Group

[PassTheDoobie]

Eulogy! Welcome! Try starting here (considering where you live):

SGIA is a lay Buddhist organisation committed to the promotion of Peace, Culture and Education based on Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism. Soka Gakkai means Value-Creating Society. Through their Buddhist faith and practice, our members aim to improve their lives by taking up the challenge to create value and take responsibility for their circumstances. Aiming to live without fear, caring for their families and living with compassion for others leads to their greater individual happiness and a more peaceful society. SGI Australia is one of the constituent organizations of Soka Gakkai International (SGI).

at this link:

http://www.sgiaust.org.au/

More as you seek it,

Thomas

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Contact SGIA

Local Areas

National & NSW Centre
3 Parkview Drive
Homebush Bay
New South Wales 2127
Australia.
Phone: (02) 9763 2283
Fax: (02) 9763 2686
Email: [email protected]

Queensland Centre
90 Waldheim Street
Annerley 4103
Phone: (07) 3391 2027
Fax: (07) 3393 0916

Victorian Centre
12 Ripon Grove
Elsternwick
Vic 3185
Phone: (03) 9523 7669
Fax: (03) 9523 8280


Adelaide
Please contact Victorian Centre

Canberra
Please contact National & NSW Centre

Coffs Harbour
Please contact National & NSW Centre

Darwin
Please contact Queensland Centre

Newcastle
Please contact National & NSW Centre

Western Australia
Please contact National & NSW Centre

Woollongong
Please contact National & NSW Centre

Tasmania
Please contact Victorian Centre

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Dialogue in Buddhism

Dialogue in Buddhism

We are clearly living in a period of profound historical transition. As many point out, more positive forms of human interaction and dialogue must be developed if we are to bring out the creative possibilities of this era. What can Buddhism contribute to building a new culture of dialogue?

The word dialogue comes from the Greek dia--through--logos, a word that includes the meanings of language, principle, rationality, law, etc. Dialogue in Buddhism is not merely a vehicle or means for communicating its message. Rather, the practice of dialogue expresses a central tenet of Buddhism--faith in human beings, in their limitless dignity and potential as possessors and embodiments of universal truth. In the Buddhist tradition, dialogue--open and respect-based human interaction--has played a central part in the quest to discover and identify common or universal values that would allow human beings to live in the best, most humane and empowering ways.

Today the idea of "universal values" is often viewed with suspicion, if not open hostility, as code and cover for one culture imposing itself on another. But a belief in the existence of common human values need not contradict belief in a particular cultural and religious perspective.

If we examine the lives of all of humanity's great religious and philosophical teachers, we find that they have all been masters of the art of dialogue. At the same time, they are without exception people of firm, seemingly unshakable faith. This suggests that strongly-held convictions are not necessarily an impediment to dialogue; rather, they may be the critical condition for its success.

The sutras, which record the teachings of the Buddha, reveal Shakyamuni as a teacher who spent his adult life traveling from one place to another, interacting with people, striving to offer the means of living with confidence and hope in the face of life's inevitable sufferings. The people he encountered were diverse in terms of their level of education, their social and economic backgrounds, and their capacity to grasp the full implications of his teachings. Thus, he engaged in a fluid and organically unfolding style of dialogue through which he sought to awaken people to the dharma--the enduring and universal truth within. And he sought to share with others his profound confidence in their ability to embody and act on that truth in order to realize lives of genuine happiness.

Nichiren, the 13th-century Japanese Buddhist reformer whose teachings inspire the SGI, was himself a master of dialogue. Many of his important works, including those in which he remonstrated with the government, are written in dialogue form. Perhaps his most important treatise, On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land (Rissho ankoku ron), unfolds as a dialogue between two individuals, the host and the guest, whose views are quite at odds, but who find a common ground in their shared concern for the plight of a society wracked by warfare and natural disaster. The host tells the guest, "I have been brooding alone upon this matter, indignant in my heart, but now that you have come, we can lament together. Let us discuss the question at length." The dialogue develops as the two exchange views on the causes and possible responses to the dire situation confronting society; it concludes with the two vowing to work together toward a common goal.

Dialogue has been central to the SGI since its inception. From the earliest years in the 1930s in Japan, small group discussions have been the key venue for study and practice. One-on-one dialogue and encouragement rooted in a sense of mutual respect and human equality have also played a central role.

As SGI President Ikeda has stated: "The conquest of our own prejudicial thinking, our own attachment to difference, is the guiding principle of open dialogue, the essential condition for the establishment of peace and universal respect for human rights."

Humanism is a key concept within the SGI, which often describes its philosophical basis as "Buddhist humanism." Dialogue is a process through which we uncover and reveal our human grandeur. Dialogue withers when our hearts are closed to the infinite possibilities of the other and we assume we already know all we need to know about them. Dialogue flourishes when it is conducted in an open-minded spirit of discovery based on compassion, on the desire to build on what we have in common and transform our differences into rich sources of value.


[ Courtesy January 2007 SGI Quarterly ]

 

[Bonzo]

Eulogy!!!!!!!!!! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! WELCOME!!!!!!! So good to see you here!!!!! Im at a loss for words!!!!

WOW! Congradulations to you!! You have found something very special here, not to mention some of the most incredible people ive/you will ever met!!!!

Including of course the thread starter and most awesome host. Bodhisattva of the Earth, Pass The Doobie or T for short, i see hes got ya all hooked up with centers and all the right connections youll need to get started. WOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I feel so incredibly good for you right now Eulogy!!!! again im a bit speechless....wow!

ill be back!

peace and

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

bonz........................................wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Babbabud]

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

 

[Babbabud]

Sorry for my lack of post lately. Been working on my sons house and battling some physical ailments keepin me a bit on the slow moving side and definetly feeling the pressure to keep this vehicle running a bit longer much love to you all
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

 

[fallenangel]

ive been missing you as of late babba , hope all the physical ailments are just temperary.. your sons a lucky guy to have you work on his home with him ,, lots of love going into it im sure ,, nam myoho renge kyo ,, peace and love to everyone

 

[PassTheDoobie]

A wisteria vine, by twining around a pine, may climb a thousand fathoms into the air; and a crane, because it has wings to rely upon, can travel ten thousand ri. It is not their own strength that allows them to do these things. This applies likewise in the case of the priest Jibu-bo. Though he himself is like the wisteria vine, because he clings to the pine that is the Lotus Sutra, he is able to ascend the mountain of perfect enlightenment.

[ On Offerings for Deceased Ancestors, WND Page 820 ]

 

[fallenangel]

eulogy--
i just read your post and i have to say it brought a great smile to my face . i think this is just wonderfull.. its all abought being positive , being the best person you can be . what a wonderfull thing to happen to you and your familey .

 

[Babbabud]

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Akaasa
So glad to see you have made it to our beutiful thread. I say on this issue that you should perhaps read a bit further into Nichiren Daishonin Buddihism and you will see we are in the latter day of the law. A rather long explanation but a beautiful read. Im sure that all our friends here will bare with us for this beautiful read and perhaps it will inspire you Akaasa to read more of Nichiren Daishonin's teachings.
----------------------------------------------------------------

Immeasurable Meanings Derive From the One Law

Niji seson. Ju sanmai. Anjo ni ki. Go sharihotsu. Sho-but^chi-e. Jinjin muryo. Go chi-e mon. Nange nannyu. Issai sho-mon. Hyaku-shi-butsu. Sho fu no chi.

At that time the World-Honored One calmly arose from his samadhi and addressed Shariputra, saying: "The wisdom of the Buddhas is infinitely profound and immeasurable. The door to this wisdom is difficult to understand and difficult to enter. Not one of the voice-hearers or pratyekabuddhas is able to comprehend it....

At the outset of the "Hoben" chapter, Shakyamuni arises serenely from samadhi and begins expounding the teaching of the Lotus Sutra. Samadhi, or meditative concentration, means to focus one's mind on one point so that it becomes perfectly tranquil and still like a clear mirror, and thereby enter a state of inner serenity. Shakyamuni enters samadhi early in the "Introduction," the first chapter of the sutra, and continues meditating throughout the chapter.

Even though the sutra speaks of Shakyamuni entering samadhi, or meditative concentration, this does not mean that in the Latter Day of the Law people should seclude themselves in mountains and forests and practice sitting meditation or contemplation. Nichiren Daishonin, who struggled in the very midst of society to enable all people to attain supreme enlightenment, rejects such practices as not suited to the time.

Needless to say, in the present age samadhi or "meditative concentration" means doing gongyo and chanting daimoku. We do not, however, carry out this practice of "meditative concentration" secluded in mountains and forests. Rather, on the foundation of our practice of gongyo and daimoku, each day we polish our lives, draw forth infinite wisdom and courage, and go out into society. This is the discipline we are carrying out.

Contemplation or meditation for its own sake is absurd. In the Vimalakirti Sutra, Shakyamuni clearly explains that true meditation is not solitary contemplation beneath a tree but playing an active role in society while embracing the truth.

Mahatma Gandhi, to someone who urged that he pursue a life of meditation, is said to have remarked that he felt no need to withdraw to a cave for that purpose. He carried the cave with him, he said, wherever he went. This episode is characteristic of Gandhi, who devoted his life to taking action and practicing among the people.

Buddhism is not a religion that closes its eyes to people's suffering; it is a teaching that opens people's eyes. Therefore, Buddhism is the path that enables people to become happy. To turn away our eyes from the contradictions of society and rid ourselves of all worldly thoughts is not the way of Buddhist practice.

The true spirit of meditation lies in manifesting our innate wisdom in society and resolutely struggling for the happiness of ourselves and others, and to construct a better society.

The Daishonin Stood Up for All Humankind

The specific type of samadhi Shakyamuni entered is termed "meditation on the truth that immeasurable meanings derive from the one Law." This Law from which immeasurable meanings derive is the foundation of all teachings. Thus the Muryogi Sutra reads, "Immeasurable meanings are born from a single Law." Shakyamuni expounded the Lotus Sutra from the standpoint of this great truth to which he had become enlightened.

Nichiren Daishonin clarified that this "single Law" is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. He revealed this fundamental Law of the universe for all people and expressed it so that anyone can practice it. He expounded it for the sake of the entire world and for all humanity.

Nichiren Daishonin stood up to expound the Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for the happiness of all people. This is what the phrase "calmly arose from his samadhi" signifies in terms of its implicit meaning.

In practical terms from our own standpoint, the phrase "immeasurable meanings are born from a single Law" means precisely that by believing in and embracing the Mystic Law, we can acquire the Buddha's infinite wisdom. By doing gongyo and chanting daimoku, we cause our lives to shine with supreme wisdom and advance along the path of genuine victory in life. Each day, we are able to make a vigorous departure from life's prime point.

Therefore, please be confident that SGI members who pray with the determination, "I will fight again today," "I will do my best tomorrow, too" and who stand up for kosen-rufu in society are themselves practicing the phrase "calmly arising from samadhi" each morning and evening.

The 'Unsolicited and Spontaneous Teaching'

Shakyamuni, having arisen from samadhi, spontaneously begins to expound the Lotus Sutra without anyone first requesting him to do so. This manner of preaching, where the Buddha expounds the Law on his own initiative without any question having been put to him, is termed the "unsolicited and spontaneous teaching."

The doctrine Shakyamuni spontaneously and serenely begins to expound is so profound that his disciples could not have imagined it, let alone have asked him to teach it. In this, we see the outpouring of wisdom and compassion that impelled Shakyamuni to expound the Lotus Sutra.

It is of profound significance that Shakyamuni employs the "unsolicited and spontaneous teaching" format as he begins to expound the Lotus Sutra. All sutras other than the Lotus are provisional teachings expounded "according to others' minds" (Jpn. zuitai), that is, according to the capacity of his listeners; and as such do not represent the Buddha's true intention. By contrast, the Lotus Sutra is described as "according with [the Buddha's] own mind" (Jpn. zuijii), because in this sutra Shakyamuni reveals the truth directly, in accordance with his own enlightenment.

The Daishonin's declaration of the establishment of the Buddhism of the Latter Day of the Law is another instance of "unsolicited and spontaneous teaching." With regard to establishing his teaching, the Daishonin says: "If I speak out, I am fully aware that I will have to contend with the three obstacles and the four devils" (MW-2, 113). He knew, in other words, that if he spread the Mystic Law, he was certain to encounter persecution.

Nonetheless, without being asked by anyone, he began to expound the teaching of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. In his struggles throughout his lifetime, the Daishonin was carrying out the practice of zuijii.

In terms of our own practice, zuijii indicates the spontaneous spirit to praise the Mystic Law out of profound recognition of its greatness, no matter what anyone might say. Such admiration for the Mystic Law is the essential reason that we recite the sutra during gongyo.

Zuijii also indicates the attitude of "propagating the Law to the full extent of one's ability," the irrepressible desire to teach and explain to others even a single word or phrase. By contrast, if you talk about the Mystic Law because you have been told to do so, or in the belief that it will make others think highly of you, then you are following the practice of zuitai, or acting "according to others' minds."

Broadly speaking, "the unsolicited and spontaneous teaching" and the practice of zuijii indicate autonomous and self-motivated action. It does not matter if your words are plain, or if you are not a talented speaker; what is important is to pray earnestly with the determination for others to become happy and to tell others candidly about the greatness of Buddhism --- with conviction and in your own words. This is the spirit of the Lotus Sutra, and the spirit of the Soka Gakkai.

The Buddha Seeks To Enable All People To Attain the Same Enlightened State of Life

Shakyamuni starts out by telling Shariputra: "The wisdom of the Buddhas is infinitely profound and immeasurable. The door to this wisdom is difficult to understand and difficult to enter. Not one of the voice-hearers or pratyekabuddhas is able to comprehend it." This statement extols the great wisdom of the Buddha.

The "wisdom of the Buddhas" is the wisdom that shines like a sun within the Buddha. Shakyamuni praises this wisdom as being "infinitely profound and immeasurable." He calls the Buddha's wisdom "infinitely profound" because it penetrates down to the truth that is the very foundation of life. The Buddha's wisdom is said to be "immeasurable" because its light broadly illuminates all things.

The wisdom of the Buddhas profoundly and broadly illuminates and reveals life in its entirety. Therefore, the Buddha's state of life is said to be "expansive and profound." Likening the Buddha's state of life to a great tree or a mighty river, T'ien-t'ai says: "The deeper the roots, the more prolific the branches. The farther the source, the longer the stream" (MW-4, 272).

Shakyamuni is not praising the wisdom of the Buddhas to say that the Buddha alone is great. In fact, it is just the opposite; his purpose is to encourage others. In effect, he is saying: "Therefore, all of you, too, should make this same great wisdom of the Buddha shine in your own lives and become happy."

Wisdom is the path to happiness. Money, skill at "getting by" in the world, status --- none of these can enable us to overcome the fundamental sufferings of birth, old age, sickness and death. The only way is to cultivate the wisdom with which our lives are inherently endowed.

The purpose of the Lotus Sutra is to enable all people to cultivate supreme wisdom in their hearts and advance along the great path of indestructible happiness. The Daishonin says, "The treasures of the heart are the most valuable of all" (MW-2, 279). That is why Shakyamuni starts out by extolling the wisdom of the Buddhas, which is the supreme wisdom.

The next passage reads, "The door to this wisdom is difficult to understand and difficult to enter." Here Shakyamuni again praises the wisdom of the Buddhas, but from a slightly different perspective.

The "door to this wisdom" is the door to the realm of Buddha wisdom. The various teachings Shakyamuni expounded were means for enabling people to enter the realm of this wisdom.

Prior to the Lotus Sutra, he had expounded various teachings in accordance with the diverse capacities of his listeners. At different times, for example, he taught that life is suffering; that nothing is constant; that happiness lies in extinguishing all desires; and that people should seek to awaken to the principle of dependent origination.

In this way, Shakyamuni, exercising the wisdom of the Buddha, expounded teachings that matched the various capacities of the people. However, these individual teachings did not represent the Buddha's true purpose. The purpose of his teaching, rather, lay in enabling all people to enter the path of wisdom, the path for becoming a Buddha.

This purpose of the Buddha cannot be understood by the wisdom of people of the two vehicles of Learning (voice-hearers) and Realization (pratyekabuddhas). Even though such people may understand the contents of his teaching, they cannot fathom his reason for expounding it.

Their very satisfaction with individual teachings that explained life's impermanence or the need to eradicate desires prevented them from entering the realm of the wisdom of the Buddha who had expounded these doctrines. They reached the gate, as it were, and then stopped. Therefore, Shakyamuni says this wisdom is "difficult to understand and difficult to enter."

Regard Suffering and Joy as Facts of Life

In the foregoing, I have discussed the literal or surface meaning of this passage. President Toda explained this passage from the standpoint of its implicit meaning as follows: "The line, 'The wisdom of the Buddhas is infinitely profound and immeasurable' means that the wisdom of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is infinitely profound and immeasurable. The passage, 'The door to this wisdom is difficult to understand and difficult to enter,' refers to the 'door of faith' in the Gohonzon. By substituting faith for wisdom, we can enter the 'door to this wisdom.' This door is 'difficult to understand and difficult to enter.'"

As the Daishonin indicates where he says, "'Wisdom' means Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" (Gosho Zenshu, p. 725), Nam-myoho-renge-kyo contains the infinitely profound and immeasurable wisdom of the Buddhas in its entirety. And the door to enter the wisdom of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the "door of faith." Thus the Daishonin says, "'Door' means faith" (Ibid., p. 715).

If we believe in the Gohonzon and exert ourselves in practice and study as the Daishonin teaches, then, in accordance with the principle of "substituting faith for wisdom" we can develop a state of life of supreme happiness. This is what it means to enter the "door of faith," to advance along the path of attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime.

However, carrying through with faith becomes difficult when we encounter waves of adversity in life. At such times, people may forget that faith is the "door of wisdom." Instead, filled with complaint, they are tossed about helplessly on the rough seas. Or again, they may fear suffering and give themselves over to lives of pleasure and ease. In this sense, as well, the "door of faith" is difficult to understand and difficult to enter.

For precisely this reason, the Daishonin says, "Regard both suffering and joy as facts of life and continue chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" (MW-1, 161).

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the wellspring of the wisdom of all Buddhas. And gongyo is a "ceremony of kuon ganjo" in which we return to the very foundation of our lives and draw wisdom from the great ocean of the world of Buddhahood.

 

[Babbabud]

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

bodhisattva (Skt)
[菩`] (Jpn.: bosatsu)

One who aspires to enlightenment, or Buddhahood. Bodhi means enlightenment, and sattva, a living being. In Hinayana Buddhism, the term is used almost exclusively to indicate Shakyamuni Buddha in his previous lifetimes. The Jataka, or "birth stories" (which recount his past existences), often refer to him as "the bodhisattva." After the rise of Mahayana, bodhisattva came to mean anyone who aspires to enlightenment and carries out altruistic practice. Mahayana practitioners used it to refer to themselves, thus expressing the conviction that they would one day attain Buddhahood. In contrast with the Hinayana ideal embodied by the voice-hearers and cause-awakened ones who direct their efforts solely toward personal salvation, Mahayana sets forth the ideal of the bodhisattva who seeks enlightenment both for self and others, even postponing one's entry into nirvana in order to lead others to that goal. The predominant characteristic of a bodhisattva is therefore compassion.

According to Mahayana tradition, upon embarking on their practice of the six paramitas, bodhisattvas make four universal vows: (1) to save innumerable living beings, (2) to eradicate countless earthly desires, (3) to master immeasurable Buddhist teachings, and (4) to attain the supreme enlightenment. The six paramitas are (1) almsgiving, (2) keeping the precepts, (3) forbearance, (4) assiduousness, (5) meditation, and (6) the obtaining of wisdom. Some sutras divide bodhisattva practice into fifty-two stages, ranging from initial resolution to the attainment of enlightenment. Bodhisattva practice was generally thought to require successive lifetimes spanning many kalpas to complete. From the standpoint of the Lotus Sutra, which recognizes that one can attain Buddhahood in one's present form, the bodhisattva practice can be completed in a single lifetime.

In Japan, the title bodhisattva was occasionally given to eminent priests by the imperial court, or by their followers as an epithet of respect. It also was applied to deities. When Buddhism was introduced to Japan, deities of the Japanese pantheon were regarded as afflicted with an assortment of flaws, delusions, and vices. Later, their status was raised when they were identified with bodhisattvas due to the syncretism of Buddhism and Shintoism. Great Bodhisattva Hachiman is an example of this.

In terms of the concept of the Ten Worlds, the world of bodhisattvas constitutes the ninth of the Ten Worlds, describing a state characterized by compassion in which one seeks enlightenment both for oneself and others. In this state, one finds satisfaction in devoting oneself to relieving the suffering of others and leading them to happiness, even if it costs one one's life.

 

[Babbabud]

Akaasa if you have read my explanation then you can see I follow the teachings of the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Daishonin. Your explanatin is obviously from the diamond sutra. If you read my explanation then you would see that all sutras prior to the Lotus Sutra have been discarded.
I dont wish to be rude but I would like you to respect the fact that this thread is about Nichiren Daishonin Buddhism and we are not here to debate the teachings. If you wish to discuss more about Nichiren Daishonin then your continued posting is more then welcome. But just so you understand clearly we are not here to debate. We are here to support and encourage one another in our faith and the chanting of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. With respect
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

 

[Bonzo]

Well said and beutifully explained, Nam myoho renge kyo Babba!!!

peace

bonz







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

 

[Babbabud]

I posted the meaning of the word Bodhisattva directly from the Soka Gakkai Dictionary. If you wish to challange that translation your challenge is not with me but with the Soka Gakkai. I still wonder if you read the whole above post. Post #5413 gives a complete definition. There is no slander in using in my avatar, and I do aspire to be enlightened and bring forth my buddhanature. Therefore I truly am a Bodhisattva of the Earth!!
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

 

[PassTheDoobie]

MUCH TO SAY AND NOT ENOUGH TIME TO SAY IT. It' amazing how often people come in here, mouths ablazing, that don't even have enough posts to join chat yet. I'd like to respond to Akaasa a bit more myself a little bit later.

T

 

[fallenangel]

akaasa , i thought that #5417 was your last post .. why are you challenging us . this is the way i feel . if you do not agree with the beliefs in this thread you are free to go .

 

[Babbabud]

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Akaasa I would like to suggest that you take a bit more time and read some more of the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin you might just find something that really works I would start right here at the begining of this thread and spend some time and read and learn what it is we speak of. You can actually see the buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin in action right here in this thread. Then next you could visit the Soka Gakkai homepage. Im sure you will find it quite enlightening. You will also see a group that is actually doing something to bring peace and happiness to this planet. Check this out http://www.sgi-usa.org/ . I truly believe that if you spend some time reading there you will understand much more then "word games" could ever explain to you. Who knows you might even find elightenment right here in this lifetime That could lead to the enlightenment of many others !!
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

 

[PassTheDoobie]

I explained the teachings of the Lotus Sutra to you before. Matters of minor importance arise from good, but when it comes to a matter of great importance, great disaster without fail changes into great fortune.

[ A Warning against Begrudging One's Fief, WND Page 824 ]

 

[Babbabud]

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Akasaa we are very serious about obtaining the type of enlightenment that Nichiren Daishonin spent his life teaching and writing about. Much respect
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

 

[SoCal Hippy]

Buddhism in Daily Life: The Greater Self

Buddhism in Daily Life: The Greater Self

The Buddhist concept of the “greater self” (Jpn. taiga) provides a framework for the kind of shift in awareness that is necessary to restore the harmony of life on our planet.

The idea of the greater self is sometimes discussed in quite abstract, cosmological terms that risk detracting from its more practical value. The greater self could be described simply as a sense of self that can fully identify and empathize with the suffering of others and is thus motivated to alleviate that suffering; an open, expansive character broadened by an empathy that extends not only to other people but to all life, and thus to the natural environment. It is a self grounded in a deep respect for the dignity of all life–including one's own–and the wisdom that perceives the inextricable interdependence of that life.

This type of expansive life condition could be contrasted with the more limited “lesser self” (Jpn. shoga) defined by egotistical concerns and desires.

Buddhism embodies the sustained aspiration and effort to expand one's state of life to manifest the “greater self”–a process of inner-directed struggle that second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda termed “human revolution.”

The development of the greater self, it is important to note, does not merely describe a passive change in perception. It must be reflected in the choices and actions that weave the fabric of our daily lives. Specifically, the greater self expresses itself in a broadened sense of responsibility and a wish to contribute to the well-being of others and of the planet. This sense of responsibility and commitment drives the growth of our human capacities, extending our ability to be a positive influence on our environment.

The environmental degradation and social alienation that plague contemporary civilization are symptoms of humankind's collective failure to transcend the lesser self. Consumerism that fans cycles of insatiable desire; discrimination that exaggerates the significance of differences between people, obscuring our shared humanity and at times justifying oppression and violence; a dulled insensitivity to the other life forms with whom we share the planet–all these are examples of the lesser self in action.

But the lesser self, its desires and impulses, cannot simply be denied or repressed. Rather, we need to learn to transform and redirect such desire. We need to change from a culture obsessed with material goods to one focused on cultural and human values; a change of focus, to quote the Earth Charter, from “having more” to “being more.”

In the most general sense, any process of conscious change starts with embracing an ideal or establishing an intention to move in a positive and upward direction. To grow as human beings requires that we have ideals to strive for. The Buddha, in this sense, is a projection or embodiment of the most positive aspects and goodness inherent in the human heart. The “true Buddha,” as Nichiren writes, is thus none other than the “common mortal.” Buddhahood is not something far off but manifests in the actions of ordinary people who strive toward this ideal.

The key characteristic of a Buddha is intense concern and unrelenting effort for the happiness of others. Anchored in the realities of the era and society, a Buddha constantly seeks ways to alleviate the misery of others and increase their happiness, genuinely seeking their growth and independence through efforts that are free of any patronizing or controlling intent.

It is precisely in challenging our self-centeredness through committed altruistic action that we can expand and extend the lesser self toward the ideal of the greater self. Our life expands, as does our capacity for joy, to the degree that we take action for the happiness of others. Such an expansion brings forth wisdom from our lives, enabling us to be ever more effective in these compassionate efforts.

The concept of the greater self offers a hopeful vision, and the assurance that we can begin–at this very moment, right where we are and just as we are–to transform the world.

[Courtesy April 2006 SGI Quarterly]