Chanting Growers Group

[PassTheDoobie]

Unity in Buddhism

Unity in Buddhism

'Many in Body - One in Mind' and the 'Oneness of Mentor and Disciple'

In many of Nichiren Daishonin's writings, the principle of unity is stressed again and again. Unity starts with the individual. He writes: 'Even an individual at cross purposes with himself is certain to end in failure.' (1)

We all know what it is like to be 'at cross purposes' - those feelings of indecision, confusion or vagueness. Maybe we have also experienced the opposite feeling when we are focused on a goal and confident that we will not deviate from our path towards it, and ready for any problem that may appear to try to hinder us.

Truly fulfilling our potential, however, is dependent on more than not being 'at cross purposes' with our self. Although practising Nichiren Buddhism brings happiness to each of us as individuals, this alone is not enough. As Nichiren Daishonin explains:

All disciples and lay supporters of Nichiren should chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with the spirit of many in body but one in mind, transcending all differences among themselves to become as inseparable as fish and the water in which they swim. This spiritual bond is the basis for the universal transmission of the ultimate Law of life and death. Herein lies the true goal of Nichiren's propagation. When you are so united, even the great desire for widespread propagation can be fulfilled. But if any of Nichiren's disciples disrupt the unity of many in body but one in mind, they would be like warriors who destroy their own castle from within. (2)

Many in Body, One in Mind

When we look at our neighbours, our colleagues, even members of our family, we can see that while there are clearly similarities between some groups of people, there are also enormous differences. Around the world, cultural and language differences can appear insurmountable.

Nichiren Daishonin accepts that we are all very different; in fact we are each unique. He asks us to learn to respect other people's unique characteristics and differences. This becomes much easier to do when we look beneath the surface and recall that everyone has the qualities of a Buddha deep in their lives, even if it is not yet apparent.

Although we are all different ('many in body'), it is possible for us to share a common goal, or 'one mind'. This does not mean that we all have to 'think the same', as past experience of totalitarian regimes may indicate. Indeed, it is essential for us to develop our own unique qualities to the full. As Nichiren Daishonin pointed out, different sorts of fruit are perfect in themselves. A pear, for example, should not try to be, or to taste like, a plum. All of our own individual talents and characteristics are necessary for us to realise our goal of a harmonious peaceful world. The essence of 'many in body - one in mind' (Jp. itai doshin) is for us to learn how to transcend the differences between us; to develop respect for each person in our environment.

The concept of many in body, one in mind is based on the vow of Shakyamuni Buddha, which is contained in the Lotus Sutra, 'to make all persons equal to me, without any distinction between us.' (3) Therefore true enlightenment only comes from helping others to achieve the same state of life. This vow is at the heart of Nichiren Daishonin's teachings.

Consequently, those who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo share the same ideal of basing their actions on the qualities of courage, compassion and wisdom, which is in fact 'attaining Buddhahood'. When we see a positive change in our self, we naturally want to encourage others to reveal their potential in the same way. This leads to a desire for the widespread propagation of Buddhist philosophy throughout the world so that society becomes based on fundamental respect for life, rather than on greed, anger or foolishness.

This leads to another important principle - that of the 'oneness of mentor and disciple', or as it is sometimes referred to - 'the mentor and disciple relationship'.

The Oneness of Mentor and Disciple

The 'oneness of mentor and disciple' is a principle which has profound significance in Buddhism. Nichiren Daishonin re-confirmed Shakyamuni's plea to his followers to: 'Rely on the Law and not upon persons'(4). Therefore, we do not worship or pray to statues of the Daishonin or Shakyamuni. Rather we have an object of devotion - the Gohonzon - which is a representation of Nichiren Daishonin's enlightened life state. However, the Daishonin also stated that we should 'seek out the votary of the Lotus Sutra and make him our teacher.' (5)

There are many examples in society of the relationship between a teacher and student, or a master and apprentice. Generally this relationship occurs when a mentor or teacher has some knowledge or skill which they want to pass on to someone else. In the case of Nichiren Buddhism it is the essence of the teachings that the mentor is communicating. Both mentor and disciple are therefore equal and united in their desire to become enlightened. A true mentor desires that the disciples will eventually surpass them in understanding whilst a true disciple shares the same sense of responsibility and commitment to the Law as the mentor.

We may come to a time when we think we understand everything about Nichiren Buddhism. At this point we can stop making as much effort in our practice as we previously did. Then, without being aware of it, start to stagnate in faith and stop seeing positive changes in our life. In order to continue developing our self and speaking with sincerity to others about the teachings, it is vital for us to remain close to the heart of Nichiren Buddhism so that we are able to maintain a strong life state.

We consider that Nichiren Daishonin is our mentor because he provided us with a profound teaching. He first expounded Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and inscribed his enlightened life-condition in the Gohonzon, which enables us to reveal our own inherent Buddha nature. His life is an inspiring example of the potential an ordinary human being has to single-mindedly achieve all their goals. We are able to read about his extraordinary life in the many letters of encouragement he wrote to his followers. Consequently, Nichiren Daishonin has been called the 'mentor of life' (6).

Daisaku Ikeda was born in 1928 and began practising this Buddhism just after the Second World War, when he was 19 years old. He became the third President of the Soka Gakkai in 1960. His example has shown us how to practise and spread Nichiren Daishonin's teachings in twenty-first century. Therefore, he has been described as the 'mentor for kosen-rufu [widespread propagation]' (7). SGI President Daisaku Ikeda's guidance and activities are thoroughly based on his profound understanding of the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin.

Studying any of Daisaku Ikeda's guidance we can see how he has continually applied the principles of Nichiren Buddhism in order to achieve wonderful victories in all areas of his life. Yet he does not proclaim himself to be our 'mentor'. His great pride is to be the disciple of his predecessor second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda (1900 - 1958), who in turn was the disciple of Tsunesaburo Makiguchi (1871 -1944).

The mentor-disciple relationship in Nichiren Buddhism depends upon the disciple or how the disciple responds. We choose the mentor, not the other way round. If we look at this from another angle, we can see that it is the activities and achievements of the disciple that validates the mentor. This concept is very different from a traditional understanding of the function of religious leaders, such as guru's, saviours or saints, to give security and reassurance to their disciples.

President Ikeda clarifies this as follows:

The Daishonin urges his followers to practise 'just as Nichiren' and to 'spread the Lotus Sutra as he does'. Disciples who wait for the mentor to do something for them are disciples of the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings. True disciples of the Lotus Sutra are those who struggle just as the mentor does.(8)

The oneness of mentor and disciple in Nichiren Buddhism is not a passive relationship, where the disciple waits for instructions from the mentor. It is an active two-way process based on a vow or pledge that both disciple and mentor make to continuously develop their characters for the sake of the happiness of other people.

President Ikeda has likened the concepts of 'many in body, one in mind' and the 'oneness of mentor and disciple' to the process of making a beautiful cloth or carpet:

The warp represents the bond of mentor and disciple, and the weft to the bond of fellow members. When these are interlaced, a splendid brocade of kosen-rufu is created. (9)

The mentor-disciple relationship provides the vertical 'structure' and the members are like the individual multi-coloured strands of thread that bonded together form the 'pattern or design'. This principle applies to people chanting together in small local groups as well as to the world wide organisation.

If we wish to see a change in the core values of our society, then learning how to work in harmonious co-operation with our fellow human beings is crucial. Nichiren Daishonin's teachings are rooted in a humanistic belief that each person is deeply worthy of respect. Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo gives each person the ability to reveal their highest life condition. President Ikeda's guidance and actions for peace becomes a model for us to transform our society.

__________________________________

(1) Nichiren Daishonin, 'Many in Body, One in Mind' (WND p. 618).
(2) Nichiren Daishonin, 'The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life' (WND p. 217).
(3) Burton Watson, The Lotus Sutra (Columbia University Press, 1993) p. 36.
(4) Nirvana Sutra
(5) Nichiren Daishonin, 'The Opening of the Eyes' (WND p. 278).
(6) See Suzanne Pritchard's article 'The Oneness of Mentor and Disciple' in the Art of Living, September 2004.
(7) ibid
(8) Daisaku Ikeda, The World of Nichiren Daishonin's Writings (SGI-Malaysia, 2004) Vol. 1, pp. 164-165. See also 'The World of Nichiren Daishonin's Writings' No. 8 (SGI Newsletter No. 5290, 2 October 2002).
(9) Daisaku Ikeda, The World of Nichiren Daishonin's Writings (SGI-Malaysia, 2004) Vol. 1, p. 135. See also 'The World of Nichiren Daishonin's Writings' No. 7 (SGI Newsletter No. 5251 22 August 2002).

 

[GeorgialouWho]

Just wanted to leave this short essay by Daisaku Ikeda in regards to Happiness:



What is the purpose of life? It is to become happy. Whatever country or society people live in, they all have the same deep desire: to become happy.

Yet, there are few ideals as difficult to grasp as that of happiness. In our daily life we constantly experience happiness and unhappiness, but we are still quite ignorant as to what happiness really is.

A young friend of mine once spent a long time trying to work out what happiness was, particularly happiness for women. When she first thought about happiness she saw it as a matter of becoming financially secure or getting married. (The view in Japanese society then was that happiness for a woman was only to be found in marriage.) But looking at friends who were married, she realized that marriage didn't necessarily guarantee happiness.

She saw couples who had been passionately in love suffering from discord soon after their wedding. She saw women who had married men with money or status but who fought constantly with their husbands.

Gradually, she realized that the secret of happiness lay in building a strong inner self that no trial or hardship could ruin. She saw that happiness for anyone — man or woman — does not come simply from having a formal education, from wealth or from marriage. It begins with having the strength to confront and conquer one's own weaknesses. Only then does it become possible to lead a truly happy life and enjoy a successful marriage.

She finally told me, "Now I can say with confidence that happiness doesn't exist in the past or in the future. It only exists within our state of life right now, here in the present, as we face the challenges of daily life."

I agree entirely. You yourself know best whether you are feeling joy or struggling with suffering. These things are not known to other people. Even a man who has great wealth, social recognition and many awards may still be shadowed by indescribable suffering deep in his heart. On the other hand, an elderly woman who is not fortunate financially, leading a simple life alone, may feel the sun of joy and happiness rising in her heart each day.

Happiness is not a life without problems, but rather the strength to overcome the problems that come our way. There is no such thing as a problem-free life; difficulties are unavoidable. But how we experience and react to our problems depends on us. Buddhism teaches that we are each responsible for our own happiness or unhappiness. Our vitality — the amount of energy or "life-force" we have — is in fact the single most important factor in determining whether or not we are happy.

True happiness is to be found within, in the state of our hearts. It does not exist on the far side of some distant mountains. It is within you, yourself. However much you try, you can never run away from yourself. And if you are weak, suffering will follow you wherever you go. You will never find happiness if you don't challenge your weaknesses and change yourself from within.

Happiness is to be found in the dynamism and energy of your own life as you struggle to overcome one obstacle after another. This is why I believe that a person who is active and free from fear is truly happy.

The challenges we face in life can be compared to a tall mountain, rising before a mountain climber. For someone who has not trained properly, whose muscles and reflexes are weak and slow, every inch of the climb will be filled with terror and pain. The exact same climb, however, will be a thrilling journey for someone who is prepared, whose legs and arms have been strengthened by constant training. With each step forward and up, beautiful new views will come into sight.

My teacher used to talk about two kinds of happiness — "relative" and "absolute" happiness. Relative happiness is happiness that depends on things outside ourselves: friends and family, surroundings, the size of our home or family income.

This is what we feel when a desire is fulfilled, or something we have longed for is obtained. While the happiness such things bring us is certainly real, the fact is that none of this lasts forever. Things change. People change. This kind of happiness shatters easily when external conditions alter.

Relative happiness is also based on comparison with others. We may feel this kind of happiness at having a newer or bigger home than the neighbors. But that feeling turns to misery the moment they start making new additions to theirs!

Absolute happiness, on the other hand, is something we must find within. It means establishing a state of life in which we are never defeated by trials and where just being alive is a source of great joy. This persists no matter what we might be lacking, or what might happen around us. A deep sense of joy is something which can only exist in the innermost reaches of our life, and which cannot be destroyed by any external forces. It is eternal and inexhaustible.

This kind of satisfaction is to be found in consistent and repeated effort, so that we can say, "Today, again, I did my very best. Today, again, I have no regrets. Today, again, I won." The accumulated result of such efforts is a life of great victory.

What we should compare is not ourselves against others. We should compare who we are today against who we were yesterday, who we are today against who we will be tomorrow. While this may seem simple and obvious, true happiness is found in a life of constant advancement. And the same worries that could have made us miserable can actually be a source of growth when we approach them with courage and wisdom.

One friend whose dramatic life proved this was Natalia Satz, who founded the first children's theater in Moscow. In the 1930s, she and her husband were marked by Soviet Union's secret police. Even though they were guilty of no crime, her husband was arrested and executed and she was sent to a prison camp in the frozen depths of Siberia.

After she recovered from the initial shock, she started looking at her situation, not with despair, but for opportunity. She realized that many of her fellow prisoners had special skills and talents. She began organizing a "university," encouraging the prisoners to share their knowledge. "You. You are a scientist. Teach us about science. You are an artist. Talk to us about art."

In this way, the boredom and terror of the prison camp were transformed into the joy of learning and teaching. Eventually, Mrs. Satz even made use of her own unique talents to organize a theater group. She survived the five-year prison sentence, and dedicated the rest of her long life to creating children's theater. When we met for the first time in Moscow in 1981, she was already in her 80s. She was as radiant and buoyant as a young girl. Her smile was the smile of someone who has triumphed over the hardships of life. Hers is the kind of spirit I had in mind when I wrote the following poem on "Happiness":

A person with a vast heart is happy.
Such a person lives each day with a broad and embracing spirit.
A person with a strong will is happy.
Such a person can confidently enjoy life, never defeated by suffering.
A person with a profound spirit is happy.
Such a person can savor life's depths
while creating meaning and value that will last for eternity.
A person with a pure mind is happy.
Such a person is always surrounded by refreshing breezes of joy.


"
Happiness is not a life without problems, but rather the strength to overcome the problems that come our way." I particulary like this line; I like the whole essay but this line in particular struck a cord and resonates with me. Life is going to happen but how we get through it is entirely up to us! Can't wait to read T's post when he is able to compose all of those thoughts and continue this great dialogue! oxox Georgialouwho
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

 

[bartender187]

Howdy all! God, I have so much to say that I have writers block. So if I get nothing else done to completion, at least let me get this started. My warmest regards to all of you! But to hear that Bartender is chanting daily, EVEN if it is for just a few minutes, brought and ear to ear grin on my face and made my day.

Dude! You and Sleepy! It’s freaking been years now already! It’s so cool that you have made Nam-myoho-renge-kyo a part of your life! Thanks for posting that man. It meant a lot to me.

By the way Brother, have you still got our back(-up)?

if any thanks is warranted, it is me to you all, chanting warms the soul, all you lurkers out there, try it, out loud or to yourself, while in the shower, or on your daily commute, or whenever you feel flustered. clears my mind and helps focus my energy, much love to you all

this thread im sure has touched many lives for the better,

ptd- I recently reformatted, I will re-backup this thread here in a few days and get a copy PMed to you. thanks again for all your work- bartender187

nam myoho renge kyo

 

[Babbabud]

Woooop Great to see you all posting up friends old and new. This thread rocks. Geogialouwho .....wooohooo!!! Great to see you !! Thank you all for dropping in and all the encouragement you bring with you. Awesome to hear so many of you Chanting.
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
Our Group Continues To Grow
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

 

[PassTheDoobie]

It’s so funny because for some reason Peaceful_Mind reminded me SO much of you, Scegy! And then as it turns out you two share the same mother-tongue. HA! But for all that are unaware of it, Scegy and I have a tradition of where he comes in and says what he says and I do my best to respond. So I’m going to do that again Brother. I know you won’t mind.

The subject that has been forced upon me is too broad to respond to all at once so I will do it in chunks. Here is where I am coming from whether anyone wants to accept it as fact or not. Buddhism has certain tenants which the Daishonin reinforces through his writings and which have been discussed here on many occasions. All of my comments are based on my understanding of these issues. Take them for what they are worth.

Is it OK to formulate our own opinions about Buddhism? Yes. Can we express any opinion we honestly feel without committing slander? NO! What is the first of the fourteen slanders? Arrogance. What is the fifth of the five cardinal sins in Buddhism? Disrupting the unity of the body of believers. Let’s take a look at the definitive definitions of these three terms:

eight types of arrogance
[八慢] ( Jpn hachi-man )

Also, eight arrogances. They are (1) thinking that one is superior to others, though one is really inferior; (2) thinking that one is superior to others, when actually one is equal to them; (3) boasting of one's superiority over others and belittling them; (4) thinking that one's life, a temporary union of the five components, is permanent; (5) thinking that one has attained enlightenment when in fact one has not; (6) thinking that one is only slightly inferior to those who far surpass one; (7) thinking that one possesses virtue though one lacks virtue, and (8) thinking little of others or paying no respect to people of virtue or who are superior to oneself.

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

Fourteen types of slander enumerated in The Annotations on "The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra" by Miao-lo (711-782) based on the contents of the "Simile and Parable" (third) chapter of the Lotus Sutra. They consist of fourteen offenses against the Law, or the Buddha's teachings, and against the people who believe in and practice it. They are (1) arrogance, (2) negligence, (3) wrong views of the self, (4) shallow understanding, (5) attachment to earthly desires, (6) not understanding, (7) not believing, (8) scowling with knitted brows, (9) harboring doubts, (10) slandering, (11) despising, (12) hating, (13) envying, and (14) bearing grudges. According to the "Simile and Parable" chapter, the last four offenses are leveled at the practitioners of the Lotus Sutra. The chapter reads, "If this person should slander a sutra such as this, or on seeing those who read, recite, copy, and uphold this sutra, should despise, hate, envy, or bear grudges against them, the penalty this person must pay— listen, I will tell you now: When his life comes to an end he will enter the Avichi hell."

five cardinal sins
[五逆・五逆罪] (Jpn go-gyaku or go-gyakuzai )

The five most serious offenses in Buddhism. Explanations vary according to the sutras and treatises. The most common is (1) killing one's father, (2) killing one's mother, (3) killing an arhat, (4) injuring a Buddha, and (5) causing disunity in the Buddhist Order. It is said that those who commit any of the five cardinal sins invariably fall into the hell of incessant suffering. The last three offenses are collectively referred to as the three cardinal sins. Devadatta is well known for committing these three.

What is the classic definition of arrogance in the Lotus Sutra? "Thinking you know what you don’t know", as revealed by the five-thousand arrogant persons:

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

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

Remember that Nichiren didn't invent this thinking. It has existed as part of Buddhism since its beginnings.

So always be careful of what you say, because if you are wrong, and it influences others to doubt the Law then you will definitely get the effect for that cause. We can all be reckless if we want to be. But we wouldn’t be very good friends if we didn’t at least try and help others see the risks associated with such behavior. I am not giving anyone shit, I am sincerely doing my best, based on personal life experience, to minimize the causes of suffering as I have experienced them. More to follow……

T

 

[PassTheDoobie]

PS:

PS:

(To make one more thing perfectly clear, let me add that I know for a fact Scegy IS NOT an Ikeda hater. He is a cynic that hates hypocrisy. My attempt will be to show my dear friend what real hypocrisy is by broadening his perspective through sharing my own. This is mentoring, as mandated by the Daishonin, to achieve enlightenment in one's present form.)

And the bottom line will be, as it always is: Faith

"Exert yourself in the two ways of practice and study. Without practise and study, there can be no Buddhism. You must not only persevere yourself; you must also teach others. Both practise and study arise from faith."

(The True Aspect of All Phenomena - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 1, page 386) Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, November 15th, 2007

 

[scegy]

hey chanters!

i'm very glad i started a debate, as it has given me a lot again,

after reading all you've written i googled for Natalia Satz and i saw whom Ikeda was talking about and the woman was a real Budda

i'm glad that thomas gets me, i never hated Ikeda, i have no reason to do so. All i have for him is respect, doubt, and trust as for every living being in this universe and in every other universe

i'm gonna change my statement a little as it was false, i will not put ikeda out off my chantings, instead i'm gonna accept that i have doubts about him as i always do about ppl, maybe thiis time i forgot for a short time that Ikeda is also a being, a human one that has done much good in the past and he'll not grow into a Superman if i chant for him, i wish him everything that i wish for myself, and yes that is, NO hipocrisy

and again, i'm back to myself have none and wish none, hipocrisy i mean so why not help Ikeda if he's in any kind off similar trouble? i won't give him money, i won't give him my woman, nothing that could ever hurted me in any kind off way...i'll give him positive vibes, have the liberty to tune in

u see, me taking someone as a mentor, is like saying i smoke weed
i learn as i go, so thank you again thomas, for trusting me and reminding me!

p.s.

to explain a little better why this turned out to be a hate/non hate Ikeda thing, funny but true story

as my friend Disco said in a state of true happines that he googled for Nichiren Buddhists and the first thing it showed up was Thomas

well the thing is, being a cynic that sounds like propaganda and that's why i googled it myself, the strange thing was that it lead me to a place where there was full of doubts in Ikeda, doubts not fully explained
so you see, before i pasted that link "o jesus" i had no true believing in what it said there. In my life, i never came in a situation that i couldn't do anything but beg, there are million things that you can do, before
but it also had some truth in it, Ikeda being a president brings him all sort of things, bad things too

so that's like a blur to me, and i realized that it doesn't matter what actually happened there, as soon as we praise or think that someone is praised....he becomes praised, and that's not what nichiren was talking about, chanting not prasing damn it

 

[EasyMyohoDisco]

Its about being that badass only you can be! Your the Buddha you make the benefits!

Its about being that badass only you can be! Your the Buddha you make the benefits!

as my friend Disco said in a state of true happines that he googled for Nichiren Buddhists and the first thing it showed up was Thomas

hahaha, its true! I typed in the words "concept of ganken-ogo" as a refresher upon rereading the thread as I usually do which leads to the bulk of my Buddhist study.

Deliberately Creating the Appropriate Karma------> that my friend is what it seems we've been up to for a while, hahahaha!

I'm high on life and happily chanting and gain some more conspicuous benefit (much needed!!), I got a job and another person I spoke to today regarding Buddhism, a new introduction with a new job!

I bow in obeisance to the Chanting Growers!

Great volley of posts, I'm riveted here and loving the sincere steps towards Gohonzon, other manifestations of (within) Gohonzon here on the thread are showing us here on the thread!

Here is some guidance by Daisaku Ikeda:

SGI President Ikeda's Daily Encouragement for November 29

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

Whatever it takes to get you over the hurdle of getting your own Gohonzon Scegy will be a huge benefit for those around you as well as us. Bonno Soku Bodai!!

 

[Babbabud]

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

Hope everyone is doing well. We will be chanting at the San Fran. Soka Gakkai center on sunday. Kosen Rufu sunday so we will be hoping for a large group. Will be in front of the big Gohonzon and you will all be in our prayers. Going to work for a bit tomorrow then head down to have a few puffs with some other ICmaggers. Hoping to get the whole group to chant with us sunday Shakabuku in action. Lots of good fortune for all that follow this thread. !! woooooop !!
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

 

[catmanR]

catmanrob here saying hello to my buddist friends..

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Hello Catman!

Hello BUD! Hello Scegy! Hello Mr. Myoho Disco Man! Hello SoCal!

Hello Tracy! Hello Joe! Hello Peaceful! Hey 3's! Hey Hendoku! Hey iShack!

Hey Bartender! Hey Sleepy! Hey DG!

HEY EVERYBODY!

I have myself my new mentor! This is so Myoho! His is a generation older, Japanese, and all he does is study. Any question I ask him he brings out copious amounts of written material, but most importantly he has a capacity for interpretation of the deeper meanings that is straight from the Gohonzon. I am so sure of this that tears flow down my face as I share with you all this most greatest of good fortunes for myself!

For anyone interested, once I found out last night that he was retiring from his senior position in our SGI organization, I straight up asked, "Good! That will give you time to be my mentor then! Please, will you become my mentor?" What do you know, in responding to the affirmative, he didn't say a word about Daisaku Ikeda! WOW! LOL

IN BUDDHISM, THE MENTOR/DISCIPLE RELATIONSHIP PRECEEDS THIS INCARNATION. One could not have karmically returned to a manifest state and encounter and devote oneself to the Law without this relationship already being in place.

It must be ties of karma from the distant past that have destined you to become my disciple at a time like this. Shakyamuni and Many Treasures certainly realized this truth. The sutra’s statement, “Those persons who had heard the Law dwelled here and there in various Buddha lands, constantly reborn in company with their teachers,” cannot be false in any way. The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life.

If you chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with faith in the Gohonzon (which eliminates those folks that chant Daimoku to Shakyamuni), your ETERNAL MENTOR is Nichiren Daishonin who is still alive in your life when you chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to the Gohonzon with faith in the Gohonzon. Whether you perceive this reality or not is inconsequential to the result. One may perceive renge as either the 'figurative lotus' or 'the entity of the lotus'; it is ultimately a matter of capacity which bears no valuation (superior capacity is not "better" than inferior capacity--a Buddha is a Buddha).

Notice that the quote the Daishonin gives from the 23rd chapter of the Lotus Sutra is stated in the plural tense. One may have several significant teachers during the course of a lifetime of practice. If I am able to obtain what I wish to obtain, this will be my third. I have never considered Daisaku Ikeda my personal mentor, with no disrespect to Sensei.

However, all three of these indivuals that I would consider as mentors ALL embrace or embraced (Mr Matsuoka and Mr. Osaki have passed on) Daisaku Ikeda as their mentor! Bigtime! So why would it be considered cult-like to find MANY MANY MANY people (like freaking millions, literally) practicing the Daishonin's Buddhism--chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to the Gohonzon BECAUSE OF THE EFFORTS OF THE SGI AS DIRECTED BY DAISAKU IKEDA--to have a sense of enormous gratitude, respect and admiration for this man???

Check back on your history folks! I know I would not be chanting if not for the efforts of Daisaku Ikeda. The entire process that facilitated my introduction to Buddhism, my ability to grasp its fundamentals and incorporate them into my life, to have the training and comradship to fight that Devil of the Sixth Heaven, the comfortable gathering place to feel proud of what I was involved with and doing--ALL OF THAT CAME AT THE DIRECTION OF DAISAKU IKEDA!

The dude is about nothing but Kosen-rufu!

(But that's just my opinion...)

T

PS: You know what I see when I see those shiny SGI community centers? I see money that has been donated without it being asked for, being put right back out into society to support the efforts of all of us to achieve Kosen-rufu. Who wants to be part of a movement that has it's ass hanging out? I am proud of the fact that the Gakkai has all that money! IT IS A REFLECTION OF THE GOOD FORTUNUE THAT COMES WITH THE ASPIRATION TO HAVE THE SAME MIND AS NICHIREN, JUST AS THE DAISHONIN INSTRUCTED.

Deep respect,

Thomas

 

[EasyMyohoDisco]

Kosen-rufu is the Key! Tell your neighbors tell your friends.... Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!

Kosen-rufu is the Key! Tell your neighbors tell your friends.... Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!

PasstheDoobie is my teacher and since I hooked up with Babba I have been chanting for Mr. Tony Matsuoka and Mr. Ted Osaki during the Silent prayer regarding Kosen-rufu and the SGI. I do not use a Gongyo book because I sing this song everyday, but I have engrained Mr. Matsuoka and Mr. Osaki into my appreciation and respect for their life because through PasstheDoobie's efforts he has been able to convey very precious gems of Buddha-wisdom from them to him to me and now to others. The most crucial I believe is has been regarding propagation, when it comes to showing others or telling others about this practice and forming a life to life connection, look no further than your heart having the mercy to correct something that is wrong and further employ others when you shakubuku. By that last thing I mean, introduce new members to the practice and introduce them to others simultaneously, that will considerably help you proper convey points you may have missed and show others that we are many in body yet one in mind.

If it wasn't for Babba and Socal and PTD's suffering, it would have been a little bit more difficult in my opinion to re-encounter the amazing friends I have had (seemingly from the distant past) with those on this thread whom have introduced me to Buddhism and support my Buddhist practice everyday! That's why I tell everyone about this, some say "ohh that's nice" others say "tell me more....".

Its clear not everyone will chant, but I'm aiming to know that a 1/3rd of the world's population chants in my lifetime and another third of the earth's population will be compassionate towards the practice established by the Buddha of Beginningless Time Nichiren Daishonin for us living in the Latter Day of the Law from the passing of Shakymuni Buddha (historical time reference).

I have also had a hard time including Daisaku Ikeda in my silent prayers with Makiguchi and Sensei Toda, more so because he is still alive and yet I do include him because he is the Top Kosen-rufu Cheerleader of our time and thanks to his efforts I am able to practice properly and not subject to slanderous priests whom commit the most grave offense of all! I actually tried doing Gajokai Shifts and Soka Group Shifts, I completed about 6 or 7 in the last 1 3/4, and I did not do those voluntary shifts for myself, I did them to support the members who I care about dearly and to also represent my appreciation to Nichiren Daishonin my eternal mentor.

The Gohonzon is inside of you and inside of the most wicked people you can imagine, be compassionate to others and have the wisdom to know that The Gohonzon of the Three Great Secret Laws lives within the hearts of ordinary people. I know this to be true and I try my best to live it everyday. Like some of my friends, I have a picture of Daisaku Ikeda on my altar, but I also have a picture of The Doobies and The Babbas right there (and a mountain very similar to Fuji in the cloud structure that forms above that mountain) and the SGI United Prayer and a Card that says SGI-Women's Division (they always support me so much). I have made lists for things to consistently chant for and more and more I am chanting for other people's happiness.

Be Good, Handle Those Struggles Well and Work it like only you can work it!

Peace amigos,
MyohoDisco

 

[Babbabud]

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
Thankyou Daisaku Ikeada , thankyou PTD , thankyou SoCal , thankyou Easy, thankyou Georgialouwho, thankyou , vegas buddha thankyou Mr. Matsuoka and Mr. Osaki I bow in obeisance to you all!!
Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

 

[EasyMyohoDisco]

My friend called me and said to me today

"Things are going rough, I'm barely scrapping by, Seems like these circumstances I'm in are gonna end up against me, I can't stop smoking and I need a break, my friend tells me to take a day off and its hard, I have to learn Microsoft excel and do all these spreadsheets!"

He is a chanting toker like many of us here, so I said to him

"Thanks for sharing that man, hey have you been chanting lately?"

He said,

"Nah, not really, just when I goto meetings...."

I said to him,

"Dude, do you realize you have had so much good fortune from chanting for 8 months that it seems to me like you've become a little arrogant and doubt the power of Gohonzon due to negligence, since your not doing Gongyo in the morning or even chanting some daimoku its like your using your bank card yet you have no funds in the bank and you keep getting over-the-limit surcharges and all sorts of wicked fees yet you fail to make a deposit in your bank and wonder why things are taking a turn for the worse! You must chant, otherwise how can you expect the protective forces of nature to grant you protection! Dude, I'm asking Gohonzon to have Nichiren Daishonin enter my body be one with me and stay with me for this life and the next, HUGE WIRE TRANSFER! I think its time you sat down and opened those doors and made a huge deposit, I know you got the funds bro...."

He said,

"wow dude, thank you so much, wow, thanks alot man your so right!"

I told him,

"Don't thank me go thank Gohonzon, its not me telling you this its Gohonzon, you've made causes in your life recently to have people encouraging you but you have to remember how it feels when you chant with your heart in it consisntently! Thanks for reinforcing that to me, this kinda felt like deja vue!"

........................................................................................................


Thanks to Bonzo and Tom and everyone else encouraging me to chant more! Big thanks to Babba and Socal too!

Have fun friends!

SGI President Ikeda's Daily Encouragement for November 30

President Toda often said: "Those of you who have problems or sufferings, pray earnestly! Buddhism is a deadly serious win-or-lose struggle. If you should [pray with such an earnest attitude] and still have no solution forthcoming, then I will give you my life!" This invincible conviction on which Mr. Toda was willing to stake his life inspired the members.

Daily Wisdom: From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin

November 30
"Though water may be muddied, it will again become clear. Though the moon may hide behind the clouds, it will surely reappear. Similarly, in time my innocence became apparent, and my predictions proved not to have been in vain."
Reference:

WND Page 1007
Page 1005 Letter to the Lay Priest Nakaoki
Written to Nakaoki Nyudo on 30 November 1279 from Minobu www.sgi-usa.org

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"And yet, though one might point at the earth and miss it, though one might bind up the sky, though the tides might cease to ebb and flow and the sun rise in the west, it could never come about that the prayers of the practitioner of the Lotus Sutra would go unanswered."

(On Prayer - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 1, page 345) Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, November 28th, 2007

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Let's really try to help
bring out the very best in every one of our talented capable fellow members.
With fresh energy and enthusiasm,
let's create a new trend in our advancement.
Summoning forth the great courage and strength of a lion king,
let's all advance consistently and ceaselessly!

Daisaku Ikeda

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"The Swiss philosopher Carl Hilty (1833-1909) observed: 'Vanity is always noticed and pleases no one.' There is no need to put on airs or pretend to be better than you are. We are all human beings, and no one can be anything greater than a human being. The lives of those who take action for the sake of others and for the sake of the Law, just as they are and in the way most natural for them, are the most beautiful."

SGI Newsletter No. 7412, from the December 2007 issue of the Daibyakurenge, the Soka Gakkai monthly study journal, Soka Women Are the Sun of Time without Beginning, translated Nov. 27th, 2007

 

[PassTheDoobie]

The One Essential Phrase / WND pg. 922

The One Essential Phrase / WND pg. 922

For you to inquire about the Lotus Sutra and ask its meaning is a rare source of good fortune. In this age of the Latter Day of the Law, those who ask about the meaning of even one phrase or verse of the Lotus Sutra are far fewer than those who can hurl Mount Sumeru to another land like a stone, or those who can kick the major world system away like a ball. They are even fewer than those who can embrace and teach countless other sutras, thereby enabling the monks and lay believers who listen to them to obtain the six transcendental powers. Equally rare is a priest who can explain the meaning of the Lotus Sutra and resolve people’s doubts concerning it. The “Treasure Tower” chapter in the fourth volume of the Lotus Sutra sets forth the important principle of the six difficult and nine easy acts. Your asking a question about the Lotus Sutra is among the six difficult acts. This is a sure indication that, if you embrace the Lotus Sutra, you will become a Buddha in your present form.

Since the Lotus Sutra defines our body as the Dharma body of a Thus Come One, our mind as the reward body of a Thus Come One, and our actions as the manifested body of a Thus Come One, all who uphold and believe in even a single phrase or verse of this sutra will be endowed with the benefits of these three bodies. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is only one phrase or verse, but it is no ordinary phrase, for it is the essence of the entire sutra. You asked whether one can attain Buddhahood only by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, and this is the most important question of all. This is the heart of the entire sutra and the substance of its eight volumes.

The spirit within one’s body of five or six feet may appear in just one’s face, which is only a foot long, and the spirit within one’s face may appear in just one’s eyes, which are only an inch across. Included within the two characters representing Japan is all that is within the country’s sixty-six provinces: the people and the animals, the rice paddies and the other fields, those of high and low status, the nobles and the commoners, the seven kinds of treasures and all the other precious gems. Similarly, included within the title, or daimoku, of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the entire sutra consisting of all eight volumes, twenty-eight chapters, and, 384 characters, without the omission of a single character. Concerning this, Po Chü-I (1) stated that the title is to the sutra as the eyes are to the Buddha. In the eighth volume of his Annotations on “The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra,” Miao-lo states, “When for the sake of brevity one mentions only the daimoku, or title, the entire sutra is by implication included therein.” By this he means that, although for the sake of brevity only the title of the sutra is spoken, the entire sutra is contained in the title alone.

Everything has its essential point, and the heart of the Lotus Sutra is its title, or the daimoku, of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Truly, if you chant this in the morning and evening, you are correctly reading the entire Lotus Sutra. Chanting daimoku twice is the same as reading the entire sutra twice, one hundred daimoku equal one hundred readings of the sutra, and one thousand daimoku, one thousand readings of the sutra. Thus, if you ceaselessly chant daimoku, you will be continually reading the Lotus Sutra. The sixty volumes (2) of the T’ien-t’ai doctrines give exactly the same interpretation. A teaching this easy to uphold and this easy to practice was expounded for the sake of all living beings in the evil world of this latter age. A passage from the Lotus Sutra reads, “In the Latter Day of the Law . . .”(3) Another reads, “If a bodhisattva or mahasattva in the latter age hereafter, when the Law is about to perish, should accept and embrace, read and recite this sutra . . .” A third states, “In the evil age of the Latter Day of the Law if there is someone who can uphold this sutra . . .”(4) A fourth reads, “In the last five-hundred-year period you must spread it [the Lotus Sutra] abroad widely.”(5) The heart of all these passages is the admonition to embrace and believe in the Lotus Sutra in this Latter Day of the Law. The learned authorities in Japan, China, and India have all failed to comprehend this obvious meaning and have slandered the sutra. They follow and practice the Hinayana and the provisional teachings upheld by the Nembutsu, True Word, Zen, and Precepts schools, thereby discarding the Lotus Sutra. They misunderstand the Buddha’s teachings, but the people are ignorant of their mistakes. Because they appear to be true priests, the people trust them without the slightest doubt about what they preach. Therefore, without realizing it, the people who follow them have become enemies of the Lotus Sutra and foes of Shakyamuni Buddha. It is obvious from the sutra that not only will all their wishes remain unfulfilled, but their lives will be short, and after this life, they will be doomed to the great citadel of the hell of incessant suffering.(6)

Even though one neither reads nor studies the sutra, chanting the title alone is the source of tremendous good fortune. The sutra teaches that women, evil men, and those in the realms of animals and hell— in fact, all the beings of the Ten Worlds— can attain Buddhahood in their present form. [This is an incomparably greater wonder than] fire being produced by a stone taken from the bottom of a river, or a lantern lighting up a place that has been dark for a hundred, a thousand, or ten thousand years. If even the most ordinary things of this world are such wonders, then how much more wondrous is the power of the Buddhist Law! We ordinary beings are fettered by evil karma, earthly desires, and the sufferings of birth and death. But due to the three inherent potentials of the Buddha nature— innate Buddhahood, the wisdom to perceive it, and the actions to manifest it— we can without doubt reveal the Buddha’s three bodies— the Dharma body, the reward body, and the manifested body. The Great Teacher Dengyo states, “Through the power of the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law they can do so in their present form.”(7) He is referring to the example of the dragon king’s daughter, who achieved Buddhahood in her reptilian form through the power of the Lotus Sutra. Do not doubt this in the least. Please tell your husband that I will explain this in detail when I see him.

Nichiren

The third day of the seventh month in the first year of Koan (1278), cyclical sign tsuchinoe-tora

Reply to the lay nun Myoho


Background

Nichiren Daishonin sent this letter from Minobu in the seventh month, 1278, to the lay nun Myoho, who lived in Okamiya Village in Suruga Province. Very little is known about Myoho. This letter was written in response to a letter she had sent the Daishonin, asking whether one can attain enlightenment by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo alone.

A later letter from the Daishonin to Myoho tells us that the lay nun’s husband died shortly after the present letter was written, and that her inquiry was most likely made on behalf of her sick husband. She survived her husband and her elder brother. She was a sincere believer and received several letters from the Daishonin, who apparently placed great trust in her.

Notes

1. Po Chü-i (772–846) is a famed Chinese poet, much admired in Japan.
2. T’ien-t’ai’s three major works, The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra, The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra, and Great Concentration and Insight, and Miao-lo’s commentaries on them.
3. Lotus Sutra, chap. 14. The next quotation is from the same chapter.
4. Ibid., chap. 17.
5. Ibid., chap. 23.
6. This statement is based on a passage of the “Simile and Parable” chapter of the Lotus Sutra, which reads: “If a person fails to have faith but instead slanders this sutra, immediately he will destroy all the seeds for becoming a Buddha in this world. . . . When his life comes to an end he will enter the Avichi hell.”
7. The Outstanding Principles of the Lotus Sutra. The full passage reads, “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.”

 

[PassTheDoobie]

So back to Scegy’s post….

So back to Scegy’s post….

Scegy,

Go here and read this: http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=690&m=0&q=

ON REPAYING DEBTS OF GRATITUDE

Background

This lengthy treatise is one of Nichiren Daishonin’s five major writings. It is dated the twenty-first day of the seventh month, 1276, a little more than two years after the Daishonin had taken up residence at Minobu. It was prompted by the news of the death of Dozen-bo, a priest of Seicho-ji temple in Awa Province, who had been the Daishonin’s teacher when he first entered the temple as a boy of twelve. Nichiren Daishonin wrote this treatise to express his gratitude to Dozen-bo and sent it to Joken-bo and Gijo-bo, senior priests at the time he entered the temple, who later became his followers. He entrusted this text to Niko, one of his disciples, and requested that it be taken to Seicho-ji on his behalf and read aloud at Kasagamori on the summit of Mount Kiyosumi where he had first chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, and again in front of the tomb of his late teacher.

In 1233, Nichiren Daishonin entered Seicho-ji temple to study under Dozenbo. At that time, temples served as centers of learning as well as religion. During his stay at this temple, the Daishonin developed his extraordinary literary skills that later proved so valuable in propagating his teachings. He also embarked on a lifelong journey to find and proclaim the unique truth of Buddhism, which had been all but obscured by the emergence of various misleading schools.

On the twenty-eighth day of the fourth month, 1253, the Daishonin proclaimed Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to be the sole teaching leading directly to enlightenment in the Latter Day of the Law, while denouncing the doctrines of the then prevalent Pure Land school. Tojo Kagenobu, the steward of the area and a fervent Pure Land believer, became furious on hearing of this and sent his men to the temple to arrest the Daishonin. Dozen-bo, a devotee of the Pure Land teaching, could not defend him openly, but instructed the two senior priests, Joken-bo and Gijo-bo, to guide his young disciple to safety.

Nichiren Daishonin and his former teacher met again in 1264, when the Daishonin visited his home in Awa after returning from exile on the Izu Peninsula. He later wrote that Dozen- bo had asked him on this occasion if his practice of the Pure Land teaching would lead him into the hell of incessant suffering. In reply, the Daishonin told Dozen-bo that he could not free himself from the effects of his slander unless he revered the Lotus Sutra as the fundamental teaching. Afterward, though Dozen-bo did not entirely abandon his belief in Amida, he carved a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha. The Daishonin rejoiced that Dozen-bo was apparently beginning to see his error because he felt indebted to this man who had initiated him into the priesthood and earnestly desired to lead him to the correct teaching.

Nichiren Daishonin begins this treatise by emphasizing the need to repay one’s obligations to one’s parents, teacher, the three treasures of Buddhism, and one’s sovereign. He teaches the importance of repaying debts of gratitude as a fundamental aspect of human behavior. Of these four debts of gratitude, this work stresses specifically repaying the debt owed to one’s teacher. Next, the Daishonin states that to repay such debts one must master the truth of Buddhism and attain enlightenment. To accomplish this goal, one must dedicate oneself single-mindedly to the Buddhist practice. However, to attain enlightenment, one must also practice the correct Buddhist teaching. The Daishonin traces the development of the various schools of Buddhism in India, China, and Japan, and examines their doctrines in terms of the relative superiority of the sutras on which they are based, emphasizing the supremacy of the Lotus Sutra. In particular, he refutes the erroneous doctrines of the True Word school. He vehemently denounces Jikaku and Chisho who, though they were patriarchs of the Japanese Tendai school, corrupted the school’s profound teachings, which are based on the Lotus Sutra, by mixing them with esoteric elements. The Daishonin concludes that only the Lotus Sutra contains the ultimate truth and, moreover, that the essence of the sutra, and of the whole of Buddhism, is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. This is the teaching to be propagated in the Latter Day of the Law.

The concluding part of this work makes clear that the Buddha of the Latter Day is none other than Nichiren Daishonin himself, and that the Buddhism he teaches comprises the Three Great Secret Laws— the invocation or daimoku of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the object of devotion, and the sanctuary— which are implicit in the “Life Span” chapter of the Lotus Sutra but have never before been revealed. The Daishonin also makes it clear that, in establishing the Three Great Secret Laws for the enlightenment of all people, he is at the same time repaying his debt of gratitude to the deceased Dozen-bo. Flowering and Bearing Grain, written two years later, states, “The blessings that Nichiren obtains from propagating the Lotus Sutra will always return to Dozen-bo” (p. 909). This passage restates the message of the concluding part of this letter.

The present treatise is particularly important because it is the first extant writing in which Nichiren Daishonin specifies each of the Three Great Secret Laws, declaring that this teaching will save people for the ten thousand years of the Latter Day and more, for all eternity. These three, the core of the Daishonin’s Buddhism, represent the Law that was transferred to the Bodhisattvas of the Earth in the “Supernatural Powers” chapter for propagation in the Latter Day. The object of devotion is the Gohonzon that enables all people to attain Buddhahood; the daimoku is the chanting of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with faith in the object of devotion; and the sanctuary is the place where the object of devotion is enshrined and the daimoku is chanted to it.

_______________________________________________

Scegy, if you do that, you may come to understand about Ikeda in the prayer book as part of the acknowledgment toward the founding three presidents of the Soka Gakkai. Ikeda had nothing to do with the decision to put it in there, but obviously approved it. That change was made by members by committee and that committee is also responsible for the change in the format of gongyo which we practice today. The truth is that according to the teachings of the Daishonin, for all of us to receive the incredible benefit of the teachings of Nichiren having been spread throughout the world by the efforts of these three men, without having any sense of gratitude toward their successful efforts to establish a mechanism to achieve kosen-rufu, we would be lacking in the foundational sense of gratitude required by his teachings. The acknowledgement in the sutra book is for your benefit, not theirs.

 

[PassTheDoobie]

observation of the mind
[観心] (Jpn kanjin )

To perceive or awaken to the ultimate reality inherent in one's life. Also, the method of practice that makes this possible. In contrast with doctrinal study of the Buddhist sutras, observation of the mind means to perceive in the depths of one's being the truth that is beyond verbal explanation. Observing the mind is particularly stressed in T'ient'ai's practice, in which meditation is focused on the true nature of the mind rather than upon some exterior object. In Great Concentration and Insight, T'ient'ai (538-597) taught meditation to perceive "the region of the unfathomable," which is interpreted as either the unification of the three truths in a single mind or three thousand realms in a single moment of life. This means, in essence, to perceive one's inherent Buddhahood, which is the goal of the T'ient'ai system of meditation. Nichiren (1222-1282) defined T'ient'ai's observation of the mind as follows: "The observation of the mind means to observe one's own mind and to find the Ten Worlds within it" (WND/pg.356). Nichikan, the twenty-sixth chief priest of Taiseki-ji temple, interpreted the above statement in his Exegesis on "The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind" as follows: "'To observe one's own mind' means to believe in the Gohonzon [the object of devotion in Nichiren's teaching]. 'To find the Ten Worlds within it' means to chant [the daimoku of] the Mystic Law. If only you believe in the Gohonzon and chant the Mystic Law, then the Ten Worlds of the Gohonzon will become the Ten Worlds of your own life." This interpretation is based on the passage from Nichiren's Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind that reads: "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" (WND/pg.365). In Nichiren's teaching, the observation of the mind means to believe in the Gohonzon, the embodiment of three thousand realms in a single moment of life, and chant the daimoku. This is the teaching that embracing the Gohonzon is in itself observing one's own mind, i.e., attaining enlightenment. Observation of the mind also means to interpret the sutras from the viewpoint of the truth one realizes in one's life. In Nichiren's teaching, it means to read the sutras from the viewpoint of the principle of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.