Chanting Growers Group

[Pacridge]

Very Cool

Very Cool

Having just read through this thread from the begining I must say I'm impressed. Wisdom beyond words without a doubt. I believe I'll keep following this thread. Although I must say at times I'm not completely certain what everyones talking about. It's not the first time I've been confused and I'm certain it won't be the last.

I found the poem submitted by Babbabud to be especailly enlighting. As well as the words of wisdoms from main contributors such as VB and PTD. Keep up the great thread.

Thanks!

 

[Guest]

The Story of Wang Liu

The Story of Wang Liu

PTD,
Regarding our phone call, I wanted to relay the central story behind my understandingas well. This story is in the Gosho pasage, "The Four Debts of Gratitude", WND

Wang Liu was a chinese son of a printer. His father would copy any sutra, but would not copy the Lotus Sutra, because he did not feel the Lotus Sutra deserved to be copied. No matter how often or vigourously the Ruler would request of Wang Liu's father to copy the Lotus Sutra, he always refused.

On his deathbed, Wang Liu's father requested that Wang Liu honor his desire to never copy the Loyus Sutra. On his death, Wang Liu's father was reborn into the hell of incessant suffering.

After his father's death, the ruler approached Wang Liu and requested he copy the Lotus Sutra for him. As his ruler, he indicated Wang Liu owed a debt of gratitude to his ruler.

Wang Liu also indicated he owed a debt of gratitude to his parents as well, as the debt of gratitude owed to his ruler. If he was to honor one he would fail at the other. Wang Liu found himdelf at this impasse, until the ruler offered Wang Liu a solution.

The ruler noted that if Wang Liu only copy the titles of the twenty-eight chapters of the Lotus Sutra and not the entire text of the Lotus Sutra, Wang Liu could honor the debt of gratitude owed to both his oparents and his ruler, and deny neither.

Upon completing copying the titles of the twenty-eight chpaters of the Lotus Sutra; Myoho Renge Kyo; and hanging the banners up as the ruler requested, the chacteres Wang Liu had finished copying went flying through the air of his father's Hell of Incessant Suffering. First the character myo, followed by ho, and than ren, followed by ge, and than finally kyo.

Upon seeing this strange event, Wang Liu's father went to the Buddha of this land, and inquired into the strange events he had just witnessed. The Buddha of this land informed Wang Liu's father what his son had done, and that his son's act had freed him from the hell of incessant sufering.

In some similar way, I believe, I have found a way as well to repay my debt of gratitude to my parents, teacher, and soverign.

"Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, Like the Roar of the LIon!"

VegasBuddha

 

[Guest]

Compassion and Wisdom

Compassion and Wisdom

PTD,
It is really great that you noticed this relationship.

Nichiren Daishonin states, "Shakyamuni and Many Treasures are functions of the Great Law Myoho Renger Kyo." Nichiren further states Shakyamuni Buddha represents Compassion and Many Treasures Buddha represents Wisdom.

In the Treasure Tower Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, Many Treasures appears to hear the One Vehicle being expounded by Shakyamuni Buddha. In appearing to hear the One Truth of life the Great Buddha Many Treasures offers half of his seat to Shakyamuni Buddha.

The seat they share is the seat of emptiness or nothing more than Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.

The Devedatta Chapter of the Lotus Sutra best explains this relationship of Compassion and Wisdom as functions to attain enlightenment.

The Dragon King's Daughter is brought to show the assemby at eagle peak how to quickly attain enlightenment in our present form. Wisdom. The Dragon KIng's daughter offers her precious jewel to the Buddha and the Buddha accepts it; chanting nam nyoho rengeo to the Gohonzon.

However, the assembly does not understand this simple act of attaining enlightenment through Wisdom.

The Dragon King's Daughter than appears to enter nirvana, become reborn as a man, expound the One Great Truth to the assembly, and appear to enter nirvana again, and acquire the thirty-two features of the Buddha. Compassion.

At firsts the Dragon King's Daughter used her wisdom to attian enlightenment for herself, and show the assembly she had become enlightened. However, the assembly was still suffering with the delusions of birth, death, old age, and sickness, and did not understand her wise ability to attian enlightenment quickly. So, in order to reach the minds of deluded beings, she became a man and expounded the one great law of life.

The dragon King's Daughter used both Compassion and Wisdom to quickly acquire complete and total enlightenment. However, other people did not understand until she used compassion to show others how to quickly attain the Way.

Wisdom will activate the nature of arrogance and jealousy, leading us into the lower worlds of hell, Hunger, Anger, and Animality, instead of leading us to the Noble worlds where we desire to dwell with our life-state. Compasion for others activates our Buddha nature in the Noble world of Boddhisattva. Lur desire for Boddhisattva Practices. Compassion for Others!

Through compassion for others we are able to well up the Buddha nature of both you and me, instead of just me.

The reason for the Buddha's appearance is his behaviour.

These two functions of Life Wisdom and Compassion equally lead one to enlightenmnet, However, Compassion will lead many more at one time, than with Wisdom; only one at a time.

Kosen Rufu; World Peace; can only be accomplished with both Compassioon and Wisdom. However, Compassion will get us there much faster than Wisdom.

The Lotus Sutra states we have all the Wisdom of the 84,000 teachings laying dormant within our own life; The bebeficient rain of Wisdom. It is with Compassion we can access and activiate all this Wisdom to save others.

Compassion for others!


"Nam Myoho renge Kyo, Like the Roar of the Lion!"
VegasBuddha

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Compassion for others!

Compassion for others!

....begins and is only possible with compassion for oneself! I am remembering more clearly.....

(4) The world of 'asuras'. Also called the world of animosity or the world of anger. In Indian mythology, 'asuras' are arrogant and belligerent demons. This condition is called the world of animosity because it is characterized by persistent though not necessarily overt, aggressiveness. 'The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind' states, "Perversity is the world of 'asuras'. It is a condition dominated by ego, in which excessive pride prevents one from revealing one's true self or seeing others as they really are. Compelled by the need to be superior to others or surpass them at any cost, one may feign politeness and even flatter others while inwardly despising them.

The worlds of hell, hungry spirits, animals, and 'asuras' are collectively called the four evil paths.

(5) The world of human beings. Also called the world of humanity. ..."Calmness is the world of human beings". In this state one tries to control one's desires and impulses with reason and act in harmony with one's surroundings and other people, while also aspiring for a higher state of life.

(6) The world of heavenly beings. Also called the world of heaven. ..."Joy is the world of heaven". This is a condition of contentment and joy that one feels when released from suffering or upon satisfaction of some desire. It is a temporary joy that is dependent upon and may easily change with circumstances.

The six worlds from hell through the world of heavenly beings are called the six paths. Beings in the six paths, or those who tend toward these states of life, are largely controlled by the restrictions of their surroundings and are therefore extremely vulnerable to changing circumstances.

The remaining states, in which one transcends the uncertainty of the six paths, are called the four noble worlds:

(7) The world of voice-hearers, a condition in which one one awakens to the impermanence of all things and the instability of the six paths. Also called the world of learning. In this state, one dedicates oneself to creating a better life through self-reformation and self-development by learning from the ideas, knowledge, and experience of one's predecessors and contemporaries. "Voice-hearers" originally meant those who listen to the Buddha preach the four noble truths and practice the eightfold path in order to acquire emancipation from earthly desires.

(8) The world of cause-awakened ones, a condition in which one perceives the impermanence of all phenomena and strives to free oneself from the sufferings of the six paths by seeing some lasting truth through one's own observations and effort. Also called the world of realization. "Cause-awakened ones," also known as "self-awakened ones" (pratyekabuddha), originally meant those who attain a form of emancipation perceiving the twelve-linked chain of causation or by observing natural phenomena.

Persons in the worlds of voice-hearers and cause-awakened ones, which are together called persons of the two vehicles, are given more to the pursuit of self-perfection than to altruism. They are willing to look squarely at the reality of death and seek the eternal, in contrast to those in the world of heaven, who are distracted from life's harsh realities.

 

[Guest]

Enlightenment

Enlightenment

This is probably one of the most talked about, as well as misunderstood concepts in Buddhism. However, understanding this concept remains central in practicing any Buddhism, not just Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism.

Nichiren Daoshonin says, "Happiness in this world means a Joyful Practice." Gosho Zenshu

What Nichiren Daishonin is speaking in reference to the Lotus Sutra's Happiness in this world of the Thus Come One Shakyamuni Buddha. Complete and Ultimate Enlightenment or samyaku sambodi (sp), true happiness in this world.

Nichiren Daishonin is teaching us to understand the core understanding of enlightenment is to be "happy just as we are!"

The Lotus Sutra gives the perfect example of this simple act in the Devedatta Chapter. The Dragon King's Daughter did not change to become enlightened, she merely offered her precious jewel to the Buddha; chanted nam myoho renge kyo to the Gohonzon of the Latter day of teh Law; and found herself completely happy and content just as she was. The daughter of a dragon king. Not a man or a Buddha. But Enlightened nontheless.

When each of us sincerely chants nam myoho renge kyo to the Gohopnzon; just as the Dragon King's Daughter did;, we can be completely happy and contentjust as we are a that very moment, just as she did..

Enlightenment is not just understood between the minds of Nuddha's but it is much easier to comprehend this concept when we chant nam myoho renge kyo with Joy in our hearts.

VegasBuddha

 

[PassTheDoobie]

The last most important two!

The last most important two!

(9) The world of bodhisattvas, a state of compassion in which one thinks of and works for others' happiness even before becoming happy oneself. Bodhisattva, which consists of bodhi (enlightenment) and sattva (beings), means a person who seeks enlightenment while leading others to enlightenment.

Bodhisattvas find that the way to self-perfection lies only in altruism, working for the enlightenment of others even before their own enlightenment. Nichiren states in 'The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind': "Even the heartless villain loves his wife and children. He too has a portion of the bodhisattva world within him".

(10) The world of Buddhas, or Buddhahood. This is a supreme state of perfect and absolute freedom in which one realizes the true aspect of all phenomena, or the true nature of life. One can achieve this state by manifesting the Buddha nature inherent in one's life.

From the standpoint of the philosophy of the mutual possession of the Ten Worlds, Buddahood should not be viewed as a state removed from the sufferings and imperfections of ordinary persons. Attaining Buddhahood does not mean becoming a special being. In this state, one continues to work against and defeat the negative functions of life and transform any and all difficulty into causes for further development.

It is a state of complete access to the boundless wisdom, compassion, courage, and other qualities inherent in life; with these one can create harmony with and among others and between human life and nature. In the above work, Nichiren states, "Buddhahood is the most difficult to demonstrate", but also says, "That ordinary people born in the latter age can believe in the Lotus Sutra is due to the fact that the world of Buddhahood is present in the human world."

 

[Guest]

The Eternal Ten Worlds

The Eternal Ten Worlds

PTD,
Now that we can see there are ten differing life-states or worlds or realms of life, we can recognize that our actions can be associated with any one of the ten worlds at every given moment of our life. These Ten Worlds could be called "self".

But there is a more interesting phenomena occuring, that we may or may not be aware of. Normally, within every given situation, we will repond in a manner we feel comfortable with. Each of us will respond to the same set of circumstances in a different manner or style. This is what makes each of us unique. "Apple, Peach, Plum, Damson."

What predestins our basic human trait that identifies each one of us as unique is how we act or respond to any given set of circumstnces is based on our karma. Our karma is a collection of our thoughts, words, and deeds throughout the three existence of past, present, and future.

Our karma pre-destines us to react to a given situation in a given manner. We can identify our karma in the same manner as we identigy our ten Worlds. This karma could be considered our Eternal Ten Worlds.

These Eternal Ten Worlds; from Hell at the loweest to Buddhahood at the highest all exist within each of our Ten Worlds, we call self. In each of our Ten Worlds resides a prerecorded response for all of lifes situations that bring us to that world.

As an example, there is a world of hell within the worl of hell, as well as the world of Buddhahood within the world of hell. These two great life-states lay dormant until we enter that world, due to external circustances. Once we enter that world we don the robe of that world we have pre-selected for ourselves. Buddhaood or Hell.

As an example, whenever my life would come to some inexcuseable conclusion for which I could forsee the outcome, I would always seek someone else to blame for my suffering and misery, instead of accepting my suferuign as a form of growth. One is the life-state of hunger, and the other is the life-state of Buddhahood. All the other Eternal Ten Worlds work in a similar manner.

Observing this action from a buddhist persepective, we can only come one logical conlcusion. If we expect to change our response to a given situation, we will have to change the life-state of that recorded response, i.e. we must chant nam myoho renge kyo to the Gohonzon in order have the wisdom to recognize our response pattern, and change it. In this manner, we can elevate our recorreded responses to a higher life-state. We can acomplish human revolution or self mastery.

This process is called changing earthly desires into enlightenment. What troubles us, will truly lead us to our ultimate happiness. A Joyful practice in the saha world. When we chant to the Gohonzo with this type of understanding we can begin to elevate our own expectations of the outcomes instead accept whatever comes comes.This is, I believe, manifesting the True Cause and True Effect, simultaneously.

Our Eternal Ten Worlds are inter-connected to the Great Law of Life itself, called Myoho Renge Kyo, Thus Come One. The Great Buddha of All life itself. We all are connected to this One Great Buddha and each other through this One Law of Life called myoho renge kyo. When we chant with the understanding our life is not just one life, but is inter-connected with all life, than we can we realize our Vow to save All living beings; The Four Debts of gratitude. The most basic teaching of Buddhism.

The debt of gratitude owed to All living Beings, The debt of gratitude owed to our mother and father, the debt of gratitude owed to our teacher, and the debt of gratitude owed to our sovereign.

VegasBuddha

 

[PassTheDoobie]

For those of you who don't know it, that was about the most outstanding short explaination of the REALITY of the Mutual Possession of the Ten Worlds that one will likely hear in their lifetime. As ususal, all I can do is reread the fucking post a few times and say, "Damn Pat!!! That was a NAIL!!!"

Thank you from somewhere in SouthEast Asia....

I just rolled about a third of the World away from everybody.

Thomas

 

[Guest]

The Ten Factors

The Ten Factors

"The true aspect of all phenomena can only be understood and shared between Buddhas. This reality consists of the appearance, nature, entity, power, influence, internal cause, relation, latent effect, manifest effect, and their consistency from beginning to end."

These Ten factors; which we recite three times twice daily in gongyo; are in essence our "Self" functioning from moment to moment.

Our appearance changes from moment, reflecting our thoughts words, and actions. Our nature changes from moment to moment as well based on our thoughts words and actions. However our entity is consistant but influenced by our other factors from moment to moment. Our power and influence are self-explanatory.

Our internal cause, relation, latent effect and manifest effect, are no more than our mind and our Karma, the oneness of the person and the law. Their consistancy from beginning to end indicates the eteranl nature of our "Self".

These Ten factors are manifest within our "Ten Worlds" called "Self" These ten factors are highly influenced by outside forces as well as internal forces, like water in a container.

The water can heated, cooled, re-shaped, re-formed, vaporized, and on and on. In the end it is still just water in a container. That is how I life functions from moment to moment. The form our water or "self" tqakes on from moment to moment is influenced by external factors and forces, internal forces, internal causes and aeffects, as well as external causes and effects.

Our "Self" or Ten Worlds can be thought of as our Little Ego, while our latent "Self" Or Eternal Ten Worlds van be thought of as our Big Ego. Our Little Ego for "self" norrmally leads the way in life, while our Big Ego or "Latent Self" for others follows obediently. We possess the ability to allow our Big Ego to lead our little Ego instead of the other way around. We can accommpllish this by manifesting compasssion for others.


Each moment of our life we posses the ability to perform both good or evil in thoughts, words, and actions. Our ability to be influenced by either of these two directions is based on our big ego and little ego. From moment to m oment eah is infleunced by the other, as well as our inherent Buddhahood. One is called deliission, the other is called enlithenment.

These two states of delussion or enlightenment effect our eight consciousnesses. Our five senses; site, sound, taste, smell, and touch, form our physical "self" while our mind is just that our mind. The five senses are the five consciousnesses, the mind is the six , and the sub-conscious is our seventh consciousnes, our eighth consciousness is our karma, and the ninth is our buddhahood or just Myoho Renge Kyo.

Myoho Renge Kyo resides at the very center of "Self" as we know ourself both physically and mentally, effecting all eight consciousnesses. Our outer shell or the fifth, sixth, and seventh consciousnesses effect our external environment as well as our internal environment.

However, we possess the ability to "chamge" our karma; or our internal environement; as well as our external environment through embracing the Wonderful Law of Cause and Effect with our Very life; Myoho renge Kyo. The ninth consciousness, or our Eternal Ten Worlds Storehouse , or Myoho Remge Kyo, Thus Come One, Our Buddha; we can receive all the benefits oif all the Buddhas of the three existences and the ten directions, and these benefits we can shower both our internal and external environments simultaneously.

This is called Buddhahood or revealing our enlightened state of life we have possessed since before time began. Our Eternal Buddha. It is this Buddha that vowed practice Boddhisattve practices in the evil age after the Buddha's pasising, to save all living beings, and be equal to Shakyamuni Buddha, just as he desired in the Lotus Sutra.


VegasBuddha

 

[Guest]

The Three Proofs

The Three Proofs

Hang in there! We have travelled some important ground for a ery important reason. There is a concept we are moving towards, but it takes a foundation of understanding to comprehend and understand.

Buddhism is concerned with The Three Proofs; Therotical proof, Documentary Proof, and Actual Proof. Nichiren Daishonin read all 84,000 sutra's expounded by Shakyamuni Buddhain his lifetime to determine which sutra were expounding the theoretical truths of enlightenment and which sutras expounded the essential truths of enlightenment.

Applying the Three proofs is important in Buddhism if you are to follow the Buddha's highest teachings that lad to immediate enlightenment. Nichiren Daishonin accomplished this great task and announced in 1253 thye results of his studies.

Nichiren observed the teachings of Chi-i to be the theoretical proof, the Lotus Sutra to be documentary proof, but there was no actual proof of the concept both speak of called ichinen sanzen, or three thousand realms in a single moment of life.

To appreciate this concept there is one more component we should explore. The three existences of life.

VegasBuddha

 

[Guest]

The Three Exisences

The Three Exisences

Shakyamuni Buddha expounded in the Life-Span Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, that all life is endless and boundless or eternal in nature. The concept Shakyamuni is expounding on is the three existences of life. Spanning POast, Present, and Future.

Shakyamuni Buddha expounded that if there is a Buddha for the present, therefore there must be a Buddha representijg our past as well as a Buddha representing our future. Shakyamuni Buddha awakened to this understanding of eternal life under the Bodhi tree in India three thousand years ago. Chi-i expounded on this concept in the Great Insight and Concentration.

However, for us to grasp or even understand this eternal conecpt of life we need some sort of expediency to help us see what Shakyamuni Buddha and Chi-i expounded regearding eternal life spanning past, present, and future.

If we look at our present moment. We can say we "Now" exist in the present. However, if we look back at our previous moment, we can also say we have previously existed at that moment, as well. Observing our curent moment, we can clearly see the future from where we sit as well. Just one breath away from our present moment to the futuret moment, and one breath away from the past moment. Life!

Our life is constanlty spanning all three existences of past present, and future, but we do not use our wisdom to observe this great feat occuring right before our very eyes!

Taking this idea of existing within the three moments we have just observed, we can use the same understanding to gain understanding of the Buddhas of the Three Existences.

"Buddhism is reason"

It is reasonable to state since I was here one moment ago, I am here now, and pending unforseen disaster, I will be here one moment from now. Life is the same way!

Expanding this idea across our three existences, we could just as easily say, If I was born, now, I must have been born befor, and I will be born again! Each as a different "Self", but yet connected to my "Eternal Self" or my "Eternal Ten Worlds."

At whatever state of life I reach at the end of my life, my next life will begin with the same life-state I finished with. Right where I left off with my last exiistence, I will coontinue with my next existence.. As if awaking from a dream each morning from a nights sleep.

With this understanding, it is difficult to put off today what you can do tomorrow, because always comes!

Each life continues where the last life left off. Accumulating causes and efects alomng the way; karma; whether I am aware of it or not.

Nichiren Daishonin teaches to understand our past circumstances, all we must do is observe our current circumstances. The same is true of our future circumstances as well. All we have to do is observe our current circumstances and the causes we are making right now, to understand our future cirstumances in this life and the next.

Using our wisdom and compassion, we can forge a great, today, an outstanding tomorrow, and not have to worry about yesterday. We already took care of yesterday, when it was yesterday. We can not re-visit the past. The sane is true of our lthree existences.

However we can dispatch one of our three Buddhas; past ,present, or future to assist this person or that circumstance with their three existences, that we feel we did not adress fully.

Now the question is how do we use the Three Buddhas, The Eternal Ten Worlds, Our Ten Worlds, and The Ten factors of life to effect our life and the lives of others?

VegasBuddha

 

[Guest]

Ichinen Sanzen

Ichinen Sanzen

Three thousand realms in a single moment of life. This is the translation of what ichinen sanzen means in english. However, this does not really provide any help regarding any further understanding of ichinen sanzen.

As in all other teachings of Buddhism there are the three proofs. The same is true for Ichinen Sanzen or Three thousand realms in a single moment of life. it is easier to write ichinen sanzen.

Ichinen sanzen possesses documentary proof, theoretical proof, and actual proof.

The Documentary Proof is the Expedient Means and The Life Span Chapters of the Lotus Sutra. It is here that Shakyamuni Buddha first revealed the true nature of life possessing ten factors, within any one of our ten worlds. In the Life Span Chapter Shakyamuni reveals the true nature of life's existence having a past, present, and future, as well as the ten Buddhas of the directions or the eternal ten worlds.

The theoretical Proof was documented by T''ien-t'ai or Chi-I in the Great Insight and Concentration for observing the mind, and the Great teacher Dengyo. Chi-I systemized the uderstanding of ichinen sanzen as being the mutual possession of the eternal ten worlds, our ten factors, our ten worlds, and our three existences, alll mutually possessed. Chi-I taught to observe the mind to accomplish this great feat. Few if any could accomplish this great feat.

Our Ten Worlds X TOur en Eternal Worlds X Our Ten Factors X Our Three existences equals three thousand realms in a single moment of life. This is what we are striving to understand and achieve.

Nichiren Daishonin not only understood this, but he manifested ichinen sanzen into actual physical proof through inscribing the Gohonzon for all mankind. "I inscribe my life in sumi ink!"Nichiren Daishonin manifested three thousand realms in a single moment of life and inscribed the Gohonzon for all mankind.

Nichiren Daishonin wrote at least two letters regarding this issue. One of the Letters was written to Gijo-bo, one of his teachers. The other is a letter to all of his followers detailing the actions of Shakyamuni Buddha, T'ien-t'ai; Chi-i; Dengyo, and Nichiren called "On Persecutions befalling the Sage." Both can be read in the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin available on the sgi website. The adress is http://www.sgi-usa.org select library and good raeading. Both the Lotus Sutra and the writings of Nichiren are available online.

Here is the only existing picture ever taken of this Gohonzon.

url=http://www.icmag.com/gallery/data/500/2206DaiGohonzon.jpg]

Click for Larger Image[/url]

Nichiren Daishonin encourages each of us to chant nam myoho renge kyo to this great Gohonzon that "exists only within the mortal flesh of men" Nichiren Daishonion says, Abutsu-bo is the treasure tower, and the treasure is Abutsu-bo. No other knowledge is necessary."

Nichiren Daishonin teaches that the great gohonzon exists within the lives of all life, just as Buddhahood exist within the lives of all life.

Through chanting nam myoho renge kyo to the gohonzon; the essential teaching of the latter day of the law; we can change our karma and become enlightend just as we are. Just like the Lotus Sutra promises.

Nichiren Daishonimn teaches his practice is the heart of the Lotus Sutra, embracing the five or seven charcters of myoho reneg kyo is the essential practice of the Lotus Sutra, or the heart of the Lotus Sutra.

Nichiren also teaches, "It is the heart that is most important!"

VegasBuddha

 

[Guest]

Very intense conversation you guys are having.. quite deep.. Seems like you have made a strong bond and I for one, think that is beautiful..

ps- congrats on your recent win passthedoobie!! you must be doing something right.

 

[Guest]

Ms. Grat3ful,
The kind words are appreciated. PTD and myself and others on this forum have all practiced to this one law we are speaking of, and that is where our bond develops. Our bonds are actually eternal in nature, and we are awakening to our individual responsibilites regarding our relationships.

I agree PTD is a winner!

VegasBuddha

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Dear Ms. Grat3ful,

May I add that what you said was the nicest, most special thing I could have heard anyone say. You are a Bodisattva of the Earth. I know it. What you are responding to is the awakening of the Law within you. I hope in the quiet or spare moments of your daily life that you will pause to take a few moments to say this 'Nam Myoho Renge Kyo' over and over again. Think about something positive you would like to have happen in you life. Something that would show you power or the Actual Proof that makes this philosophy different from all others. Your life knows what you need, and you life has the power to be in rythem with your environment so that yo are in harmony with your surroundings and they respond in kind. The things that you think about will occur.

Thomas

 

[Guest]

Oneness of the Person and the Environment

Oneness of the Person and the Environment

Esho Funi - Oneness of The Person and the Environment

This concept ties together all of the understandings of the ten worlds as we understand them. The external ten worlds or our environment, has a strong influence on our internal ten worlds or self.

Our understanding of our own ten worlds, helps us in observing the conditions of other people's lives, or their ten worlds, within our environment. We can allow them; their ten worlds of self; to influence our ten worlds of self or we can choose to influence their ten worlds of self. The choice is always ours and ours alone. We choose which influences our next thought word, or action. We are the only one responsible each moment, and noone else.

It is not a matter of right or wrong regardiong observing the ten worlds of another or self, it is only to observe their ten worlds from the position of buddhist compassion and wisdom. My sensei referes to this process as self-mastery. Observeing another's ten worlds allows us to observe our own ten worlds, from their viewpoint

Another pseron's perception of our ten worlds is how they see us at that moment, and not how we want them to see us at that moment. What they peceive us to be is just that our true self observed by another. That is our responsibility to ensure other's receive a clear understanding of our ten worlds life-state. If others perceive us as being poor, or rich, it is our responsibility how they perceive us and no more. The same is true as we perceive others.

So chanting nam myoho renge kyo to the Gohonzon allows us to positively infleunce our outward appearance so that others observe us from opur inner life-state and not the other way6 around. We are the one responsible for bringing both Joy and sorrow in our life, and no more.

BTW, Welcome back PTD from your travels.

VegasBuddha

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Kind of burned out by 16 hour time change

Kind of burned out by 16 hour time change

Hi everyone!

I just got back tonight, a day later than planned. It is always the wierdest experience to get back earlier than you left. I am sorry to have been so sketchy with my responses, but my baby daughter just learned a new trick to play on Daddy. (Push the button on the computer and make the lights go off and watch Daddy get all excited!) She did it to me twice just replying to Pacridge alone!

She is great, the boys are great, the wife is great, EVERYTHING IS GREAT! That is a really good feeling! And I made it happen for myself by getting my head out of my ass. And it was so easy! It was a bit messy, but not hard at all.

So thank you Big Brother! It's good to be back!

Thomas

 

[Pacridge]

Where'd ya go?

Where'd ya go?

I knew you we're going but guess I didn't have any idea you were going some place so far off. Where did you go?

 

[Guest]

Damn

Damn

PTD<
You da Man!

VegasBuddha

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Pac, I PM'ed you where I live

Pac, I PM'ed you where I live

I don't make that general public info because that is where I grow.

And Pat....

NO! YOU DA MAN! Thank you Big Brother! Blatant PMed me calling you the Abbot. I think that is an appropriate nick-name. Came back with an upper respiritory infection and jet lag, so I just woke up from a 20 hour sleep and am completely sweated out. What's the first thing that I do? Turn on the comp to ICMAG!

Thomas