Chanting Growers Group

[Marley]

One love to all, hope life is treatin u well and the herb is keepin u high on life.

I should pass by more i no, hope your havin a good day

peace

 

[Guest]

Welcome Marley. Stop by as frequently as you like. Sgaring is caring.

SG. Congrats!

BOG. Being a know-it-all is a GOOD thing in Nichiren Daishonin's Budhism.

BB. How's it going Bud?

Hope eveyone has a GREAT week!

Avid

 

[BushyOldGrower]

I will do what I can but I am no teacher yet. Still there is no trepidation in my heart as to spreading what I know is true.

Impressed am I. Very lucky am I. Fearless am I.

My book is nearly sold out but I hope it eases some pain in this world and adds a little joy. I tried my best to instill some goodness and my philosophy of life in my book.

I now pray for the means to make my book available to more people so that my contribution will be a reality after I depart this life.

I just hope my attachments dont delay me too long because my time in this life is limited and my progress is slow. Thanks to you I am lucky. BOG

Nam Myoho Renge kyo rings in my heart...

 

[Guest]

The worlds of Boddhisattva/Buddhahood are interchangeable. At one moment we are the student, at the next moment we are the teacher. Whatever teh environment requires we manifest.

Imagine a room full of teachers all talking all at once, each neglecting that the others are also talking. Now imagine with wisdom each teacher speaks in turn, each listening intently to the other teachers adding to the dialogue and not detracting from the dialogue.

Thanks to Nichiren we are all fortunate and lucky. smile.

Avid

 

[BushyOldGrower]

Thanks to the Buddha who comes forth over and over again. BOG

nam myoho renge kyo...

 

[Guest]

ok...I'm getting seriously freaked out by this thread and what it's doing to my life. Just got my latest pkg from seedbay, great news right? Well I also got a letter from thr IRS.
After sitting and forcing my heartbeat to slow down, I opened it. It was a notification that a company I had worked for some time ago was trying to contact me to give me my share of the profit sharing program I had participated in.

Nothing but good things have been happening to me since I started reading this thread and applying only a fraction of what I've learned.

This seriously challenges everything I ever thot I believed in.....

nam myoho renge kyo

 

[SoCal Hippy]

mere coincedence???

mere coincedence???

Stank, that is awesome dude! You will see as you continue many more 'mystical' happenings from your chanting the daimoku of Lotus Sutra - Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.

Keep chanting and find out true happiness in this lifetime. The Law is supreme; we may not be but by fusing our lifes with this Law, our Buddha life condition shines. No knowledge required; otherwise I would have been long gone many years ago.

My apologies to being such a stranger here on this thread. I have been lurking and reading just hadn't had the strong positive energy to contribute. Thanks to all who have continued this awesome most important thread. My sincerest thanks to you all. I will try to have more imput; been going thru lots of stuff but that's no excuse for not contributing to kosenrufu (world peace) which I feel this thread has such a mission. Stank, I can't wait to hear more of your experiences from chanting!

 

[Babbabud]

SoCal so glad to see you pop back in . Its good to know our family is still watching and lurking even if we dont always post. I hope things in your life are working themselves out and that your happiness is shining through Dont be a stranger brother
Stankbud glad to see you stopping in and posting ...hope to see more of you

Nam myoho renge kyo

 

[Guest]

No, I won't be posting much as I don't know a whole lot about this yet. I am however spending a lot of money at 1/2 price books trying to glean more knowledge.

In a nutshell, I am looking for a happiness that I never found with "mainstream" religion. I grew tired of constantly being told that I killed God with my sins and how grateful I should be for that sacrifice,and I would never be worthy of that sacrifice, and please put your money in the plate.

I have done many bad things in my younger years, and some in my not younger years also. Most I regret. One or two I don't. I would like to be a better man in the time I have left alloted to me than I have been.

I have said probably for more than I should. I will go back to reading this thread and the books I have. A man gains wisdom not from his own words but by keeping silent and listening to the words of those who have wisdom.

 

[Babbabud]

Take a gander over here http://www.sgi-usa.org/buddhism/library/SokaGakkai/Study/LectLS/Lectur01.htm
this is an awesome sight and should help lots
nam myoho renge kyo

 

[Guest]

Alot of us don't know what we are talking about either Stankbud. Sometimes we do and sometimes we think we do. It is all a part of the process. You are always welcome.
We can be as the one-eyed turtle! Southern Girl

Hey Babbabud! Love and Light to you

 

[Marley]

Thanks bubbabud i was lookin for a site like that about buddhism, hello agian everyone.

One love to all, goin to watch one of the marley's sons tonite and to feel the vibe.

Blessin to all

Pecae

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Woa!

Woa!

Dudes!

Thems been some unbelievable posts. I am inspired and in tears. What a fucking kick ass collection of know it alls!

Avid, my brother, those were some darts you were throwing, and I cannot express how much it means for me to have you share your wisdom.

SG, the road is long, with many a winding turn; let's not be heavy, cause I'm your brother. Continue, and keep sharing.

I hope Gordy is learning Gongyo!

SoCal, man! You know what up dude! Go read your own posts a few pages ago!

Along with the benefit of practice and developing faith, because we are aspiring to reveal our Buddha Natures, the fucking devil of the sixth heaven will do his work. Without fail, if you pursue Buddhahood, your resolve will be challenged and you will have to overcome, to persevere, to attain. Your seeking spirit must remain constant and that is quite difficult. But never, never, never, doubt the mercy of the Gohonzon! It is infinite! It is beyond description! You can never fuck up so bad as to be cut off from the lifeblood of faith! The Universe EXPECTS you to have a hard time doing this! There is no shame. But the important thing is the kechimyaku, the lifeblood, and that is what is flowing here thanks to all of you!

Bud, I gotta, gotta say this. Did you use to chant or something? You sound like someone that has been practicing for a long time. Your connection to the Law is quite obvious and frankly I am honored that this thread is what connected you to Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, because you are absolutely a Bodhisattva of the Earth.

And you are too BOG! I got my homey getting a number for me. I am going to get this figured out, no matter what. If there were ever a person born in this life to embrace and uphold the Law of Life embodied in the Gohonzon, it is you. I will make sure you get it because I am confident you will achieve anuttara samyak sambodhi in this lifetime. I truly believe that. You keep saying all the right things and your humility is as vast as your wisdom. Read and develop your relationship with Nichiren Daishonin, the Buddha of Limitless Joy!

Marley. Man I have been thinking about you! I really have! It was freaky that you would post now.

And last but not least to Mr Stankbud. So cool of you to let us all know what you're up to brother! You know that what this is all about is chanting. So do it! And do it some more! I NEVER listen to the radio in my car! LOL You can chant anywhere, anytime. Just do it! Good luck and keep chanting!

Ya lurking Mrs. G?

T

 

[Babbabud]

PTD so nice to see you . You always have such nice things to say .
Thank you . Of course we all know that without you this thread would not have taken on such a wonderful life of its own. It is your diligence and desire to turn us all on that has made it what it is thankyou
heheh yes tom I have spent some time chanting but Im afraid it was not the teachings of the latter day It was actually from the Tibetan teachings Om mani padme hum



What is awesome though brother is that it has all brought us to right here and right now
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
the teachings of the latter day

thanks again brother for being our guide and mentor it means a great deal to us all

 

[Babbabud]

Oh and Im not sure how long the SGI has been in Santa Monica but i do faguely remember going to some sort of meeting somewhere up there and Nam myoho renge kyo has seemed so familiar ..... but I do suffer memory loss and cannot remember any real specifics ....... its more like a deja vu type feeling . I would have had to be 19 or 20 at best i would think so like 33 or 34 years ago ?

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Bud, that is really kind of where it all started and during the time frame you are mentioning, there are probably a lot of people that cannot remember going to their first meeting. The old original activity center was right there on the beach! Lots of us went from "hippy to happy". LOL

I AM SURE YOU ATTENDED THE MEETING YOU CANNOT REMEMBER!

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Buddha of limitless joy

Buddha of limitless joy

[自受用身] (Jpn.: jijuyushin)

Buddha of limitless joy is broader in meaning than Buddha of self-enjoyment, which is another translation of jijuyushin.

(1) T'ien-t'ai (538-597) identified the Buddha of limitless joy with the Buddha revealed in the essential teaching (latter half ) of the Lotus Sutra, whom he defined as the Buddha originally endowed with the three bodies-the Dharma body, the reward body, and the manifested body. Here, these three bodies are regarded as the three integral aspects of a single Buddha, i.e., the fundamental truth or Law to which he is enlightened (the Dharma body), the wisdom to realize it (the reward body), and the merciful actions to help people attain Buddhahood (the manifested body).

(2) Dengyo (767-822), the founder of the Japanese Tendai school, is quoted in Nichiren's Real Aspect of the Gohonzon as having stated, "A single moment of life comprising the three thousand realms is itself the Buddha of limitless joy; this Buddha has forsaken august appearances" (832). Dengyo identified the true identity of the Buddha of limitless joy as a single moment of life in which all three thousand realms exist. This is Dengyo's description of the same Buddha T'ien-t'ai mentioned.

(3) Nichiren (1222-1282) identified the doctrine of three thousand realms in a single moment of life as the Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo that he realized within his own life. In other words, Nichiren established two concepts of three thousand realms in a single moment of life; one is T'ien-t'ai's and the other, his own. In his Treatment of Illness, Nichiren writes: "There are two ways of perceiving the three thousand realms in a single moment of life. One is theoretical, and the other, actual. What T'ien-t'ai and Dengyo practiced was theoretical, but what I practice now is actual. Because what I practice is superior, the difficulties attending it are that much greater. The doctrine of T'ien-t'ai and Dengyo was the three thousand realms in a single moment of life of the theoretical teaching, while mine is that of the essential teaching. These two are as different as heaven is from earth" (1114-115). T'ien-t'ai established the doctrine of three thousand realms in a single moment of life based on "the true aspect of all phenomena," the phrase from the "Expedient Means" (second) chapter of the Lotus Sutra.

On the other hand, Nichiren states in The Opening of the Eyes: "The doctrine of three thousand realms in a single moment of life is found in only one place, hidden in the depths of the 'Life Span' chapter of the essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra. Nagarjuna and Vasubandhu were aware of it but did not bring it forth into the light. T'ien-t'ai Chih-che alone embraced it and kept it ever in mind" (224). Obviously what T'ien-t'ai embraced and kept ever in mind does not refer to the doctrine of three thousand realms in a single moment of life that he expounded publicly. Nichiren regarded it as Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

Nichikan (1665-1726), the twenty-sixth chief priest of Taiseki-ji temple, who is known for his commentaries on Nichiren's writings, interpreted Nichiren's teaching, saying that the Buddha of the essential teaching is not the eternal Buddha but the Buddha who attained enlightenment at a fixed point in time. From this viewpoint, the Buddha of the essential teaching is not eternally endowed with the three bodies, but is rather the Buddha who advanced to the state of limitless joy through the bodhisattva way, thereby acquiring the three bodies. In contrast, Nichikan stated that the Buddha who embodies eternal life endowed with all of the Ten Worlds and the Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo whereby all Buddhas attained enlightenment, is originally endowed with the three bodies since time without beginning, and that that Buddha is what Nichiren called the Buddha of beginningless time. Nichikan concluded that Nichiren embodied that Buddha.

And once again for a refresher...

Buddha of beginningless time
[久遠元初の自受用身] (Jpn.: kuonganjo-no-jijuyushin)

Also, eternal Buddha, original Buddha, or true Buddha. The Buddha who has been eternally endowed with the three bodies-the Dharma body, the reward body, and the manifested body, thereby embodying the eternal Law or the ultimate truth of life and the universe. This term appears in Nichiren's (1222-1282) writing given to his successor Nikko and signed by Nichiren. Titled On the Mystic Principle of the True Cause, it refers to "the Mystic Law, uncreated and eternal, of the Buddha of beginningless time," and states that the Mystic Law lies in the depths of the "Life Span" (sixteenth) chapter of the essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra. Nichikan (1665-1726), the twenty-sixth chief priest of Taiseki-ji temple, identified Nichiren as that Buddha, based on the fact that Nichiren was the first to spread the Mystic Law. According to Nichiren, the Japanese term jijuyushin literally means the "body that is freely received and used." The Buddha of beginningless time is also called the Buddha of limitless joy-indicating the Buddha who freely derives boundless joy from the Law while enjoying absolute freedom, and who directly expounds the Law that he realized within his own life. In the "Life Span" chapter, Shakyamuni revealed his attainment of Buddhahood numberless major world system dust particle kalpas in the past. No matter how far in the past, however, it occurred at a fixed point in time and therefore is not eternal. Moreover, he did not clarify the Law or cause that enabled him to attain enlightenment at that time.

In contrast, the Buddha of beginningless time is eternal and also represents eternal life endowed with both the nine worlds and Buddhahood. In The Opening of the Eyes, Nichiren states: "This is the doctrine of original cause and original effect. It reveals that the nine worlds are all present in beginningless Buddhahood and that Buddhahood is inherent in the beginningless nine worlds. This is the true mutual possession of the Ten Worlds, the true hundred worlds and thousand factors, the true three thousand realms in a single moment of life" (235). Here "original cause" refers to the "beginningless nine worlds," and "original effect" to "beginningless Buddhahood." What Nichiren defined as "the true three thousand realms in a single moment of life" is the original state of life. To manifest this state of life is the attainment of Buddhahood for all people. Nichiren established the practice that enables everyone to achieve this by inscribing the Gohonzon, or the object of devotion that embodies this original state of life, and prescribing the invocation of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

From source: The Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism

 

[PassTheDoobie]

The Gohonzon: The Object of Devotion

The Gohonzon: The Object of Devotion

The significance of the object of devotion-the Gohonzon-in the practice of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, lies not in the literal meaning of the characters but in the fact that it embodies the life of the original Buddha, or the law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. No extra benefit accrues to those who can read the Gohonzon, and knowing what is written on the Gohonzon does not mean that one understands the Gohonzon itself. Some of the characters on the Gohonzon are historical persons, mythical figures or Buddhist gods. Nichiren Daishonin used them to represent the actual functions of the universe and of our own lives. All these functions are clustered around Nam-myoho-renge-kyo; therefore, the Gohonzon is the embodiment of the life of Buddhahood within us.

At one time, the second president of the Soka Gakkai, Josei Toda, explained the purpose of embracing the Gohonzon as follows:

The natural power of human beings is very weak. No matter how hard one tries to live one's own life in one's own way, in the end one is easily influenced by others and by external factors.... I believe that to make one's life its strongest, most brilliant and happiest, there is no way but to live the Buddhism of ichinen sanzen [a single life-moment possesses three thousand realms] and the mutual possession of the ten worlds. This is the ultimate philosophy that Nichiren Daishonin delivered to the vast universe more than seven hundred years ago. He perceived people's ignorance of this profound principle and bestowed upon them the gem of ichinen sanzen so that they could attain the state of happiness. This gem of ichinen sanzen is nothing other than the Dai-Gohonzon that he inscribed.... (Buddhism in Action, vol.7, pp. 107-08)

The Gohonzon, in a sense, can be compared to a map pointing to the location of the supreme treasure of life and the universe-the Mystic Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. This treasure map tells us that the treasure is found within our lives. To those who can understand the map, it is not just a piece of paper but an invaluable object equal in value to the "treasure," that is, life's supreme condition and potential itself. To those who fail to grasp its message, however, the map's worth will be reduced to that of a mere scroll.

As Nichiren Daishonin says:

"As for the characters of the Lotus Sutra [the Gohonzon], a blind person cannot see them at all. A person with the eyes of a common mortal sees them as black in color. Persons in the two vehicles see them as void. Bodhisattvas see various different colors in them, while a person whose seeds of Buddhahood have reached full maturity see them as Buddhas. So the sutra states: 'If one can uphold this [sutra], he will be upholding the Buddha's body"' (The Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol.7, p.112).

How then can we correctly understand this map and locate the treasure it leads to? The Daishonin encourages us, "When you chant the Mystic Law and recite the Lotus Sutra, you must summon up deep conviction that Myoho-renge-kyo is your life itself" (MW-1, 4). Nichiren Daishonin teaches us, in other words, that one's life is the greatest treasure. Hence he also writes: "Never seek this Gohonzon outside yourself. The Gohonzon exists only within the mortal flesh of us ordinary people who embrace the Lotus Sutra and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" (MW-1, 213). This realization is what Buddhism calls the condition of enlightenment.

To convey his message, the Daishonin used the theory of a life-moment possessing 3,000 realms-especially the mutual possession of the ten worlds-as a basis for the Gohonzon's graphic image. The Gohonzon itself is the world of Buddhahood in which all the other worlds are represented. This is the depiction of mutual possession.

Down the center of the Gohonzon is written "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo-Nichiren" (Nos. 1 and 2 respectively on the chart). This illustrates the oneness of the person and the law, or that the Daishonin's life itself embodies the Mystic Law, as he writes, "The soul of Nichiren is nothing other than Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" (MW-1, 120). It also indicates that our lives are fundamentally one and the same with the law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, as the Daishonin demonstrated through his life. Put another way, the inscription of "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo -Nichiren" tells us that we have the identical qualities of the original Buddha's life. To the degree we strive for kosen-rufu and pray with the same desire as the Daishonin, we will manifest the same courage, hope and wisdom. This is what the Daishonin meant when he wrote:

"You, yourself, are a true Buddha who possesses the three enlightened properties. You should chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with this conviction" (MW-1, 30).

To the left and right of "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo-Nichiren" are various Buddhist figures that represent the ten worlds in the life of Nichiren Daishonin. The Daishonin included them on the Gohonzon to indicate that even the Buddha's life inherently contains the lower nine worlds.

By writing "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo - Nichiren" prominently down the center with the other, smaller characters around it, the Daishonin graphically indicated that the figures representing the lower nine worlds are illuminated by the Mystic Law, as the Daishonin writes: "Illuminated by the five characters of the Mystic Law, they display the enlightened nature they inherently possess. This is the true object of worship" (MW-1, 212). In other words, these figures signify the nine worlds contained within Buddhahood.

How the ten worlds are represented on the Gohonzon varies. On some Gohonzon each of the ten worlds is represented by a separate character or characters found in Buddhist scriptures. On other Gohonzon, however, the ten worlds are represented as groups, like the four noble worlds. The Daishonin used both styles, as did later high priests.

(from sgi-usa.org)

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Lectures on the Hoben and Juryo Chapters of the Lotus Sutra (25)

Lectures on the Hoben and Juryo Chapters of the Lotus Sutra (25)

Lectures on the Hoben and Juryo Chapters of the Lotus Sutra
by SGI President Daisaku Ikeda

Birth and Death Are Phases of the Great Rhythm of the Mystic Law

Sho-i sha ga. Nyorai nyo jit^chiken. Sangai shi so. Mu u shoji. Nyaku tai nyaku shutsu. Yaku mu zai-se. Gyu metsu-do sha. Hi jitsu hi ko. Hi nyo hi i. Fu nyo sangai. Ken no sangai. Nyo shi shi ji. Nyorai myo ken. Mu u shaku-myo.

"Why do I do this? The Thus Come One perceives the true aspect of the threefold world exactly as it is. There is no ebb or flow of birth and death, and there is no existing in this world and later entering extinction. It is neither substantial nor empty, neither consistent nor diverse. Nor is it what those who dwell in the threefold world perceive it to be. All such things the Thus Come One sees clearly and without error." (The Lotus Sutra, trans. Burton Watson, p. 226)

The Buddha Perceives the World Exactly As It Is

In this passage, Shakyamuni clarifies the Buddha's magnificent perspective on life, which could be said to represent the essence of Buddhism. This sutra passage, in other words, holds the key to elevating the state of life of all people.

For human beings, there is probably nothing so remotely mysterious while yet so close at hand as birth and death. I am convinced that the "Life Span of the Thus Come One" (16th) chapter provides at once the most fundamental and most convincing solution to this enigma. And this passage contains an important part of that solution.

Nichiren Daishonin says, "First study death and then study other matters" (Gosho Zenshu, p. 1404), thus indicating the centrality of the issue of birth and death to Buddhism.

Josei Toda, the second Soka Gakkai president, often said, "The final problem that Buddhism must solve is that of death."

How does one address the issue of birth and death? I think that offering a viable solution will be an important requisite for religions in the twenty-first century. It is partly with this future in mind that we now study the profound teachings of the "Life Span" chapter.

In this passage, Shakyamuni explains the Buddha's wisdom to perceive the true aspect of life in the threefold world exactly as it is.

Previously, in the "Expedient Means" (2nd) chapter, he had explained the Buddha's wisdom in terms of the "true entity of all phenomena." In this passage, he focuses on the life and death of living beings and explains the Buddha's wisdom to perceive the truth of the oneness of birth and death.

With his initial question, "Why do I do this?" he is asking why the Buddha, enlightened since the remote past, can appear in various forms, appropriately expound a variety of teachings, and unerringly guide all people. To explain, he says: "The Thus Come One perceives the true aspect of the threefold world exactly as it is."

The threefold world refers to the world of unenlightened beings who transmigrate within the six paths (from Hell through the realm of heavenly beings). This world is made up of the world of desire, the world of form (or material world) and the world of formlessness (or world of the spirit). These are all "worlds of illusion" in which life is dominated by ignorance (darkness). This ignorance is itself the fundamental source of human misery and suffering.

The Buddha enlightened since the remote past is the Buddha who struggles eternally to lead all people to happiness. This Buddha perceives the true aspect of the threefold world exactly as it is in order to liberate people from the "suffering of birth and death." In other words, the statement, "The Thus Come One perceives the true aspect of the threefold world exactly as it is," indicates the Buddha's wisdom to lead all people to enlightenment.

Shakyamuni then clarifies the nature of the threefold world that he correctly perceives with this wisdom, saying: "There is no ebb or flow of birth and death, and there is no existing in this world and later entering extinction."

In other words, he indicates that in the threefold world there is neither birth nor death, and that beings neither appear nor disappear. Accordingly, there is no distinction between those present in the world and those not.

That there is no birth and death strikes one at first as most surprising, for people generally regard birth and death as solemn facts of human existence.

This sutra passage, however, is not denying the phenomena of birth and death. Rather, while recognizing their reality, it offers a reappraisal of birth and death from a more profound perspective on life.

What is being explained here is the true aspect of the life of the Buddha who attained enlightenment in the remote past. This Buddha is in fact an entity of life without beginning or end who dwells eternally in the saha world. Accordingly, there is no fundamental distinction between birth and death, between existing in this world and later entering extinction. Even so, the Buddha appears in the world and then enters extinction as an expedient means to lead people to enlightenment.

In this passage Shakyamuni is directly applying the reality of the life of the Buddha enlightened since the remote past to the beings of the threefold world. And the comparison is entirely valid; there is in fact no difference between the true entity of life of beings of the threefold world and that of the Buddha enlightened since the remote past. This, therefore, is an exact description of the true nature of the lives of all beings of the threefold world.

Faith in the Gohonzon Leads to a Life Free of Error

Nichiren Daishonin clarifies this in no uncertain terms:

"Thus Come One" indicates the living beings of the threefold world. When we observe these living beings through the eye of the "Life Span" chapter, we can perceive these beings in the Ten Worlds exactly as they are in their original state. (Gosho Zenshu, p. 753)

The Thus Come One and the living beings of the threefold world are each entities of life inherently possessing the ten worlds. Accordingly, the Thus Come One of the "Life Span" chapter represents none other than the living beings of the threefold world. The Daishonin indicates that to view living beings in this way is to perceive them exactly as they are in their original state.

Needless to say, the original entity of life is none other than Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the entity of the life of Nichiren Daishonin. And the Daishonin manifested this entity as the Gohonzon that is endowed with the ten worlds.

When we look at things in this way, we realize on a profound level that even our own birth and death are the birth and death of life in its "original state"; that is, of the entity of our "greater life." Birth and death are simply alternating phases of this entity.

Therefore, the Daishonin says, "Myo represents death, and ho represents life" (MW-1, 21); and "the life and death of all phenomena are simply the two phases of Myoho-renge-kyo" (MW-1, 22). To put it another way, birth and death are part of the great rhythm of the Mystic Law, the very wellspring of the cosmic life.

Accordingly, the Daishonin says that all phenomena in the universe exhibit the phases of birth and death and perform the rhythm of the Mystic Law. To thus see the universe exactly as it is is to "perceive the true aspect of the threefold world."

Our lives in their original state exist eternally together with the life of the universe; they are without beginning or end. When certain conditions are attained, we manifest birth. And, in time, we recede again into the universe, entering a state of rest. This is the nature of our death. It is not the case that our lives are terminated through death; rather, it could be said that death is an expedient means necessary for us to lead a fresh and vigorous existence in the future.

Fundamentally, there is no ebb or flow of birth and death; life, as thus conceived, embodies the oneness of birth and death. Our lives exist eternally and are inextinguishable. Those who thoroughly grasp this truth will neither take birth lightly nor needlessly fear death.

In other words, we can correctly fix our gaze on the present moment, and advance along the path of continual self-improvement --- succumbing neither to impatience nor to negligence. This is the way of life of one who "perceives the true aspect exactly as it is."

The American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-82) confidently remarked: "It is the depth at which we live and not at all the surface extension that imports. We pierce to the eternity ,and, really, the least acceleration of thought and the least increase of power of thought, make life to seem and to be of vast duration." (1)

What matters is the "depth at which we live," the "power of thought" we manifest. A person who leads such a truly profound life can make each day worth 10 days or even a month. In a year, he or she can create the value of 10 or even 100 years. This is the true measure of one's "life span"; it is not decided simply on the superficial basis of length of time.

I have lived my life struggling with this awareness, and I am determined to continue to do so. Therefore, no matter what happens, I have no fear. I can overcome anything with composure and with the spirit of a lion king.

When we base ourselves on this view of life as spanning the three existences of past, present and future, we can overcome the fundamental sufferings of birth and death. We can manifest a state of life of great peace of mind like that of the Buddha. Then, we need fear nothing. We can wholeheartedly devote ourselves to the happiness of all people and the realization of world peace --- to the eternal struggle to create value that is the Buddha's will. We are all children of the Buddha who can lead a dignified and grand existence.

In the sutra passage, Shakyamuni further explains the threefold world that the Buddha who attained enlightenment in the remote past correctly perceives, saying, "It is neither substantial nor empty, neither consistent nor diverse. Nor is it what those who dwell in the threefold world perceive it to be."

In short, the Buddha perceives the threefold world exactly as it is with his perfect wisdom of the Middle Way. His view is not biased as are the views of those dwelling in the threefold world.

Interpreting this passage in terms of its implicit meaning, the Thus Come One who "perceives the true aspect of the threefold world exactly as it is" is Nichiren Daishonin.

The Daishonin embodies the life of compassion and wisdom existing eternally since kuon ganjo --- the life of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo contained in the depths of the "Life Span" chapter.

The Gohonzon we worship is the Daishonin's life of compassion and wisdom. In a lecture, President Toda remarked:

When we reverently chant daimoku-to the Gohonzon and feel the life of the Gohonzon in ourselves, the power of the Gohonzon wells forth abundantly in our lives, because our own lives themselves are Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. When that happens, we will be free of great error in our judgment --- regarding the affairs of society or whatever.

Through our faith, we feel the power of the Gohonzon, and this enables us to unerringly make our way through the world. This is what we assert. Let's lead lives free of error through believing in the Gohonzon.

In the present age, in which we are surrounded by evil, nothing is more difficult than to lead a life free of error. At the same time, nothing is more important. Through faith in the Gohonzon, we feel the Buddha's heart of compassion and the Buddha's wisdom to perceive things exactly as they are, and as a result, we can advance correctly through life.

1. Ralph Waldo Emerson, Society and Solitude (Boston and New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1904), p. 183.

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"Nothing but good things have been happening to me since I started reading this thread and applying only a fraction of what I've learned.

This seriously challenges everything I ever thot I believed in.....

nam myoho renge kyo"



(Does it get any better than this?)