Chanting Growers Group

[PassTheDoobie]

Falling ill is not a form of failure or defeat. It doesn't happen because our faith is weak. The hardship of illness that occurs when we are striving for kosen-rufu is simply the action of devilish influences trying to obstruct our attainment of Buddhahood. As such, we mustn't let illness intimidate us. The Daishonin teaches us how to bring forth courage to face illness and attain Buddhahood in this lifetime.

It is vital to rouse even stronger faith when you experience illness. Keep chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with the determination to make this illness an opportunity to demonstrate the tremendous power of faith and achieve truly amazing growth as a human being.

SGI Newsletter No. 8588, SGI President Ikeda's Guidance for Youth, To My Young Friends—Leaders of a New Age, Translated on August 15, 2012

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"Each of you should summon up the courage of a lion king and never succumb to threats from anyone. The lion king fears no other beast, nor do its cubs."

(On Persecutions Befalling the Sage - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 997) Selection source: Kyo no Hosshin, Seikyo Shimbun, August 24th, 2012

 

[Babbabud]

Nam myoho renge kyo

 

[Payaso]

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!

Thank you for the wisdom for today!

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Letter from Sado / WND pg. 301

Letter from Sado / WND pg. 301

Background

This letter was written on the twentieth day of the third month, 1272, some five months after Nichiren Daishonin had arrived on the island of Sado to begin his exile there. He addressed it to Toki Jonin, a samurai serving as a leading retainer to Lord Chiba, the constable of Shimosa Province, to Saburo Saemon (Shijo Kingo) in Kamakura, and to other staunch followers.

Nichiren Daishonin had been banished on the tenth day of the tenth month, 1271. Charges of treason had been brought against him by Ryokan, the chief priest of Gokuraku-ji temple in Kamakura, and by Hei no Saemon, deputy chief of the Office of Military and Police Affairs. Hei no Saemon was resolved to execute the Daishonin at Tatsunokuchi before he was to be delivered to the custody of Homma Shigetsura, the deputy constable of Sado. The attempt at execution was unsuccessful, however, and after a delay of almost a month Homma’s warriors escorted the Daishonin to the coast of the Sea of Japan. After a delay there caused by bad weather, the Daishonin finally arrived on Sado on the twenty-eighth day of the tenth month.

Nichiren Daishonin was housed at first in a dilapidated structure known as Sammai-do, where he lived exposed to the wind and snow that blew in through gaps in the roof and walls. After five months he was able to move to more comfortable quarters at Ichinosawa. The Daishonin engaged in debates with Pure Land and other priests and actively propagated his own teachings. While on Sado he wrote two major treatises, The Opening of the Eyes and The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind. In the second month, 1274, the Daishonin was pardoned and returned to Kamakura on the twenty-sixth day of the third month.

In this writing the Daishonin first states that the only way to attain Buddhahood is to be willing to offer one’s life, one’s most precious possession, to Buddhism. Next, he says that the method of propagation known as shakubuku is appropriate to this age, and that one can attain Buddhahood only by dedicating oneself to it. He then declares that he is the “pillar, sun, moon, mirror, and eyes” of and “father and mother” to the country; these are symbolic references to the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law, who is perfectly endowed with the three virtues of parent, teacher, and sovereign. He also mentions his earlier prophecies in On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land concerning political upheaval and violent feuds within the country.

Lastly, he gives an elaborate explanation of karma or destiny, stating that his present difficulties arise from the fact that he slandered the Lotus Sutra in a past existence. Using himself as an example, he elucidates to his disciples the kind of spirit and practice by which they can alter their karma. He adds that persons who try to propagate the correct teaching of Buddhism vigorously will invariably face opposition, and that such opposition in reality presents an opportunity for them to change their karma. Those who have given up their faith and instead criticize are admonished that their actions bear the heaviest consequences. He compares their lack of vision to fireflies who laugh at the sun.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter from Sado

This letter is addressed to Toki. It should also be shown to Saburo Saemon, the lay priest Okuratonotsuji Juro, the lay nun of Sajiki, and my other followers. Send me the names of those killed in the battles at Kyoto and Kamakura. Also, please have those who are coming here bring me the anthology of non-Buddhist texts, volume two of The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra, volume four of The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra and the commentary on this volume, and the collected official opinion papers and collected imperial edicts.

The most dreadful things in the world are the pain of fire, the flashing of swords, and the shadow of death. Even horses and cattle fear being killed; no wonder human beings are afraid of death. Even a leper clings to life; how much more so a healthy person. The Buddha teaches that even filling the entire major world system with the seven kinds of treasures does not match offering one’s little finger to the Buddha and the [Lotus] sutra.(1) The boy Snow Mountains gave his own body, and the ascetic Aspiration for the Law peeled off his own skin [in order to record the Buddha’s teachings]. Since nothing is more precious than life itself, one who dedicates one’s life to Buddhist practice is certain to attain Buddhahood. If one is prepared to offer one’s life, why should one begrudge any other treasure for the sake of Buddhism? On the other hand, if one is loath to part with one’s wealth, how can one possibly offer one’s life, which is far more valuable?

The way of the world dictates that one should repay a great obligation to another, even at the cost of one’s life. Many warriors die for their lords, perhaps many more than one would imagine. A man will die to defend his honor; a woman will die for a man. Fish want to survive; they deplore their pond’s shallowness and dig holes in the bottom to hide in, yet tricked by bait, they take the hook. Birds in a tree fear that they are too low and perch in the top branches, yet bewitched by bait, they too are caught in snares. Human beings are equally vulnerable. They give their lives for shallow, worldly matters but rarely for the Buddha’s precious teachings. Small wonder they do not attain Buddhahood.

Buddhism should be spread by the method of either shoju or shakubuku, depending on the age. These are analogous to the two worldly ways of the literary and the military. The great sages of old practiced the Buddhist teachings as befitted the times. The boy Snow Mountains and Prince Sattva offered their bodies when urged that by doing so they would hear the teaching in return, and that giving one’s life constitutes bodhisattva practice. But should one sacrifice one’s life at a time when it is not required? In an age when there is no paper, one should use one’s own skin. In an age when there are no writing brushes, one should use one’s own bones. In an age when people honor the observers of the precepts and the practitioners of the correct teaching while they denounce those who break or ignore the precepts, one should strictly follow the precepts. In an age when Confucianism or Taoism is used to suppress Shakyamuni’s teachings, one should risk one’s life to remonstrate with the emperor, as did the Dharma teachers Tao-an and Hui-yüan and the Tripitaka Master Fa-tao. In an age when people confuse Hinayana and Mahayana teachings, provisional and true teachings, or exoteric and esoteric doctrines, as though unable to distinguish gems from tiles and stones or cow’s milk from donkey’s milk,(2) one should strictly differentiate between them, following the example of the great teachers T’ien-t’ai and Dengyo.

It is the nature of beasts to threaten the weak and fear the strong. Our contemporary scholars of the various schools are just like them. They despise a wise man without power, but fear evil rulers. They are no more than fawning retainers. Only by defeating a powerful enemy can one prove one’s real strength. When an evil ruler in consort with priests of erroneous teachings tries to destroy the correct teaching and do away with a man of wisdom, those with the heart of a lion king are sure to attain Buddhahood. Like Nichiren, for example. I say this not out of arrogance, but because I am deeply committed to the correct teaching. An arrogant person will always be overcome with fear when meeting a strong enemy, as was the haughty asura who shrank in size and hid himself in a lotus blossom in Heat-Free Lake when reproached by Shakra. Even a word or a phrase of the correct teaching will enable one to gain the way, if it suits the time and the capacity of the people. But though one studies a thousand sutras and ten thousand treatises, one will not attain Buddhahood if these teachings are unsuitable for the time and the people’s capacity.

Twenty-six years have passed since the battle of Hoji (3), and fighting has already broken out twice (4), on the eleventh and the seventeenth days of the second month of this year. Neither non-Buddhists nor the enemies of Buddhism can destroy the correct teaching of the Thus Come One, but the Buddha’s disciples definitely can. As a sutra says, only worms born of the lion’s body feed on the lion (5). A person of great fortune will never be ruined by enemies, but may be ruined by those who are close. The current battle is what the Medicine Master Sutra means by “the calamity of revolt within one’s own domain.” The Benevolent Kings Sutra states, “Once the sages have departed, then the seven disasters are certain to arise.” The Golden Light Sutra states, “The thirty-three heavenly gods become furious because the king permits evil to run rampant and fails to subdue it.” Although I, Nichiren, am not a sage, I am equal to one, for I uphold the Lotus Sutra exactly as it teaches. Furthermore, since I have long understood the ways of the world, the prophecies I have made in this life have all come true. Therefore, you must never doubt what I have told you concerning future existences.

On the twelfth day of the ninth month of last year, when I was arrested, I called out in a loud voice, “I, Nichiren, am the pillar, sun, moon, mirror, and eyes of the ruling clan of Kanto (6). If the country abandons me, the seven disasters will occur without fail.” Did not this prophecy come true just 60 days and then 150 days later? And those battles were only the first signs. What lamenting there will be when the full effect appears!

Ignorant people wonder why Nichiren is persecuted by the rulers if he is truly a wise man. Yet it is all just as I expected. King Ajatashatru tormented his father and mother, for which he was hailed by the six royal ministers. When Devadatta killed an arhat and caused the Buddha to bleed, Kokalika and others were delighted. Nichiren is father and mother to the ruling house and is like a Buddha or an arhat to this age. The sovereign and his subjects who rejoice at my exile are truly the most shameless and pitiable of all. Those slanderous priests who have been bewailing the exposure of their errors may be overjoyed for the moment, but eventually they will suffer no less than myself and my followers. Their joy is like Yasuhira’s when he killed his younger brother and Kuro Hogan (7). The demon who will destroy the ruling clan has already entered the country. This is the meaning of the passage from the Lotus Sutra that reads, “Evil demons will take possession of others.” (8)

The persecutions Nichiren has faced are the result of karma formed in previous lifetimes. The “Never Disparaging” chapter reads, “when his offenses had been wiped out,” indicating that Bodhisattva Never Disparaging was vilified and beaten by countless slanderers of the correct teaching because of his past karma. How much more true this is of Nichiren, who in this life was born poor and lowly to a chandala family. In my heart I cherish some faith in the Lotus Sutra, but my body, while outwardly human, is fundamentally that of an animal. It was conceived of the two fluids, one white and one red, of a father and mother who subsisted on fish and fowl. My spirit dwells in this body as the moon is reflected in muddy water, or as gold is wrapped in a filthy bag. Since my heart believes in the Lotus Sutra, I do not fear even Brahma or Shakra, but my body is still that of an animal. With such disparity between my body and my mind, no wonder the foolish despise me. Without doubt, when compared to my body, my mind shines like the moon or like gold. Who knows what slander I may have committed in the past? I may possess the soul of the monk Superior Intent or the spirit of Mahadeva. Perhaps I am descended from those who contemptuously persecuted Bodhisattva Never Disparaging, or am among those who forgot the seeds of enlightenment sown in their lives (9). I may even be related to the five thousand arrogant people (10), or belong to the third group [who failed to take faith in the Lotus Sutra] in the days of the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence (11). It is impossible to fathom one’s karma.

Iron, when heated in the flames and pounded, becomes a fine sword. Worthies and sages are tested by abuse. My present exile is not because of any secular crime. It is solely so that I may expiate in this lifetime my past grave offenses and be freed in the next from the three evil paths.

The Parinirvana Sutra states: “Those who enter the monastic order, don clerical garments, and make a show of studying my teachings will exist in ages to come. Being lazy and remiss, they will slander the correct and equal sutras. You should be aware that all these people are followers of the non-Buddhist doctrines of today.” Those who read this passage should reflect deeply on their own practice. The Buddha is saying that those of our contemporary priests who wear clerical garments, but are idle and negligent, were disciples of the six non-Buddhist teachers in his day.

The followers of Honen, who call themselves the Nembutsu school, not only turn people away from the Lotus Sutra, telling them to “discard, close, ignore, and abandon” it (12), but also advocate chanting only the name of the Buddha Amida, a Buddha described in the provisional teachings. The followers of Dainichi, known as the Zen school, claim that the Buddha’s true teachings have been transmitted apart from the sutras. They ridicule the Lotus Sutra as nothing more than a finger pointing at the moon or a meaningless string of words. Those priests must both have been followers of the six non-Buddhist teachers, who only now have entered the stream of Buddhism.

According to the Nirvana Sutra, the Buddha emitted a radiant light that illuminated the 136 hells underground and revealed that not a single offender remained there. This was because they had all achieved Buddhahood through the “Life Span” chapter of the Lotus Sutra. What a pity, however, that the icchantikas, or persons of incorrigible disbelief, who had slandered the correct teaching, were found to have been detained there by the wardens of hell. They proliferated until they became the people of Japan today.

Since Nichiren himself committed slander in the past, he became a Nembutsu priest in this lifetime, and for several years he also laughed at those who practiced the Lotus Sutra, saying that “not a single person has ever attained Buddhahood” through that sutra (13), or that “not even one person in a thousand” (14) can be saved by it. Awakening from my intoxicated state of slander, I felt like a drunken son who, on becoming sober, laments at having delighted in striking his parents. He regrets it bitterly, but to no avail. His offense is extremely difficult to erase. Even more so are the past slanders of the correct teaching that stain the depths of one’s heart. A sutra states that both the crow’s blackness and the heron’s whiteness are actually the deep stains of their past karma (15). The non-Buddhists failed to recognize this and claimed it was the work of nature. Today, when I expose people’s slanders in an effort to save them, they deny it with every excuse possible and argue back with Honen’s words about barring the gates to the Lotus Sutra. From Nembutsu believers this is hardly surprising, but even priests of the Tendai and True Word schools actively support them.

On the sixteenth and seventeenth days of the first month of this year, hundreds of priests and lay believers from the Nembutsu and other schools here in the province of Sado came to debate with me. A leader of the Nembutsu school, Insho-bo, said: “The Honorable Honen did not instruct us to abandon the Lotus Sutra. He simply wrote that all people should chant the Nembutsu, and that its great blessings assure their rebirth in the Pure Land. Even the priests of Mount Hiei and Onjo-ji temple who have been exiled to this island praise him, saying how excellent his teaching is. How dare you try to refute it?” The local priests are even more ignorant than the Nembutsu priests in Kamakura. They are absolutely pitiful.

How terrible are the slanders Nichiren has committed in his past and present existences! Since you have been born into this evil country and become the disciples of such a man, there is no telling what will happen to you. The Parinirvana Sutra states: “Good man, because people committed countless offenses and accumulated much evil karma in the past, they must expect to suffer retribution for everything they have done. They may be despised, cursed with an ugly appearance, be poorly clad and poorly fed, seek wealth in vain, be born to an impoverished and lowly family or one with erroneous views, or be persecuted by their sovereign.” It continues: “They may be subjected to various other sufferings and retributions. It is due to the blessings obtained by protecting the Law that they can diminish in this lifetime their suffering and retribution.” Were it not for Nichiren, these passages from the sutra would virtually make the Buddha a liar. The sutra says, first, “They may be despised” ; second, “They may be cursed with an ugly appearance” ; third, “They may be poorly clad” ; fourth, “They may be poorly fed” ; fifth, “They may seek wealth in vain” ; sixth, “They may be born to an impoverished and lowly family” ; seventh, “They may be born to a family with erroneous views” ; and eighth, “They may be persecuted by their sovereign.” These eight phrases apply only to me, Nichiren.

One who climbs a high mountain must eventually descend. One who slights another will in turn be despised. One who deprecates those of handsome appearance will be born ugly. One who robs another of food and clothing is sure to fall into the world of hungry spirits. One who mocks a person who observes the precepts and is worthy of respect will be born to an impoverished and lowly family. One who slanders a family that embraces the correct teaching will be born to a family that holds erroneous views. One who laughs at those who cherish the precepts faithfully will be born a commoner and meet with persecution from one’s sovereign. This is the general law of cause and effect.

My sufferings, however, are not ascribable to this causal law. In the past I despised the votaries of the Lotus Sutra. I also ridiculed the sutra itself, sometimes with exaggerated praise and other times with contempt— that sutra as magnificent as two moons shining side by side, two stars conjoined, one Mount Hua (16) placed atop another, or two jewels combined. This is why I have experienced the aforementioned eight kinds of sufferings. Usually these sufferings appear one at a time, on into the boundless future, but Nichiren has denounced the enemies of the Lotus Sutra so severely that all eight have descended at once. This is like the case of a peasant heavily in debt to the steward of his village and to other authorities. As long as he remains in his village or district, rather than mercilessly hounding him, they are likely to defer his debts from one year to the next. But when he tries to leave, they rush over and demand that he repay everything at once. This is what the sutra means when it states, “It is due to the blessings obtained by protecting the Law.”

The Lotus Sutra says: “There will be many ignorant people who will curse and speak ill of us and will attack us with swords and staves, with rocks and tiles . . . they will address the rulers, high ministers, Brahmans, and householders, [as well as the other monks, slandering and speaking evil of us] . . . again and again we will be banished (17).” If the offenders are not tormented by the wardens of hell, they will never be able to [pay for their offenses and] escape from hell. Were it not for the rulers and ministers who now persecute me, I would be unable to expiate my past sins of slandering the correct teaching.

Nichiren is like Bodhisattva Never Disparaging of old, and the people of this day are like the four categories of Buddhists who disparaged and cursed him. Though the people are different, the cause is the same. Though different people kill their parents, they all fall into the same hell of incessant suffering. Since Nichiren is making the same cause as Never Disparaging, how could it be that he would not become a Buddha equal to Shakyamuni? Moreover, those who now slander him are like Bhadrapala (18) and the others [who cursed Never Disparaging]. They will be tortured in the Avichi hell for a thousand kalpas. I therefore pity them deeply and wonder what can be done for them. Those who belittled and cursed Never Disparaging acted that way at first, but later they took faith in his teachings and willingly became his followers. The greater part of the fault of their slander was thus expiated, but even the small part that remained caused them to suffer as terribly as one who had killed one’s parents a thousand times. The people of this age refuse to repent at all; therefore, as the “Simile and Parable” chapter states, they must suffer in hell for a countless number of kalpas; they may even suffer there for a duration of major world system dust particle kalpas or of numberless major world system dust particle kalpas.

Aside from these people, there are also those who appeared to believe in me, but began doubting when they saw me persecuted. They not only have forsaken the Lotus Sutra, but also actually think themselves wise enough to instruct me. The pitiful thing is that these perverse people must suffer in the Avichi hell even longer than the Nembutsu believers.

An asura contended that the Buddha taught only eighteen elements (19), but that he himself expounded nineteen. The non-Buddhist teachers claimed that the Buddha offered only one way to enlightenment, but that they had ninety-five (20). In the same way, the renegade disciples say, “Though the priest Nichiren is our teacher, he is too forceful. We will spread the Lotus Sutra in a more peaceful way.” In so asserting, they are being as ridiculous as fireflies laughing at the sun and moon, an anthill belittling Mount Hua, wells and brooks despising the river and the ocean, or a magpie mocking a phoenix. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

Nichiren

The twentieth day of the third month in the ninth year of Bun’ei (1272), cyclical sign mizunoe-saru

To Nichiren’s disciples and lay supporters.

There is very little writing paper here in the province of Sado, and to write to you individually would take too long. Nevertheless, if even one person fails to hear from me, it will cause resentment. Therefore, I want people with seeking minds to meet and read this letter together for encouragement. When great trouble occurs in the world, minor troubles become insignificant. I do not know how accurate the reports reaching me are, but there must surely be intense grieving over those killed in the recent battles. What has become of the lay priests Izawa and Sakabe? Send me news of Kawanobe, Yamashiro, Tokugyo-ji (21), and the others. Also, please be kind enough to send me The Essentials of Government in the Chen-kuan Era (22), the collection of tales from the non-Buddhist classics, and the record of the teachings transmitted within the eight schools. Without these, I cannot even write letters.


Notes

1. Based on a passage in chapter 23 of the Lotus Sutra.
2. Cow’s milk indicates the Lotus Sutra, while donkey’s milk, thought to be poisonous, represents all the other sutras.
3. The battle waged in 1247 between the Hojo clan and its kin Miura family for control of the regency. The Hojo clan was victorious. In 1272, some twenty-six years later, the Kamakura government was again plagued by internal strife.
4. Fighting here refers to the rebellions hatched by Hojo Tokisuke, an influential commissioner in Kyoto, to overthrow the regent Hojo Tokimune, his half brother. Tokisuke’s coconspirators in Kamakura were killed by government forces on the eleventh day of the second month, while Tokisuke himself was attacked and killed in Kyoto on the fifteenth. The “seventeenth” either was based on inaccurate information or else was a mistake that entered when the original document was copied.
5. Lotus-like Face Sutra.
6. Kanto refers to the Kamakura government.
7. Yasuhira refers to Fujiwara Yasuhira (1155–1189), the son of Fujiwara Hidehira, lord of the province of Mutsu in northeastern Japan. Yasuhira killed his brother and seized power for himself. Minamoto no Yoritomo, the Kamakura shogun, ordered him to kill Kuro Hogan Yoshitsune, Yoritomo’s brother, which he did to prove his loyalty. Later, however, Yoritomo had him executed to consolidate his own power in the northern part of Japan.
8. Lotus Sutra, chap. 13.
9. “Those who forgot the seeds of enlightenment” are individuals who, because of the slanders they have committed, do not remember that they received the seeds of Buddhahood from Shakyamuni Buddha numberless major world system dust particle kalpas ago.
10. According to the “Expedient Means” chapter of the Lotus Sutra, five thousand people— monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen— left the assembly as Shakyamuni began to preach about “the replacement of the three vehicles with the one vehicle,” because they supposed they had attained what they had not attained.
11. This is described in the “Parable of the Phantom City” chapter of the Lotus Sutra. Major world system dust particle kalpas ago, the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence preached the Lotus Sutra to his sixteen sons. These sons then preached the sutra to the people, some of whom took faith in it and attained enlightenment. The third group comprises those who heard the Lotus Sutra at that time, but did not take faith in it. And even though they were reborn in Shakyamuni’s lifetime, they still were unable to believe in the Lotus Sutra.
12. Honen does not use these words in this particular form, however. Nichiren Daishonin took these words from The Nembutsu Chosen above All and put them together as a set.
13. Tao-ch’o’s Collected Essays on the World of Peace and Delight.
14. Shan-tao’s Praising Rebirth in the Pure Land.
15. Presumably a rephrasing of a passage in the Shuramgama Sutra (Sutra of the Resolute Meditation).
16. One of the five sacred mountains in China.
17. Lotus Sutra, chap. 13. This chapter actually refers only to “swords and staves.” “Rocks and tiles” is an interpolation from the “Never Disparaging” chapter.
18. Bhadrapala was the leader of the five hundred bodhisattvas involved in the persecution of Never Disparaging.
19. Eighteen elements: The comprehensive concept of the three interrelated categories: the six sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind), the six objects they perceive, and the six consciousnesses or the sense organs’ functions of perceiving the objects.
20. Based on a passage in The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom. The “ninety-five” ways may be ascribable to the fact that there were ninety-five non-Buddhist schools during Shakyamuni’s day.
21. Kawanobe, Yamashiro, and Tokugyoji were followers of the Daishonin, said to have been imprisoned in a dungeon following the Tatsunokuchi Persecution.
22. A work written by Wu Ching during the T’ang dynasty. The work discusses the state of political affairs between the emperor and his subjects during the Chenkuan era (627–649).

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"Whether you chant the Buddha's name, recite the sutra, or merely offer flowers and incense, all your virtuous acts will implant benefits and roots of goodness in your life. With this conviction you should strive in faith."

(On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 4) Selection source: The New Human Revolution, Seikyo Shimbun, August 25th, 2012

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"You have triumphed through your own effort, haven't you. The Soka Gakkai values actual achievement and is a realm of faith, so educational background really doesn't matter. At the same time, learning is important. No matter how busy you are, you should read avidly and study as widely as possible.

"It's vital that you educate yourself and demonstrate wisdom to such an extent as to cause first-rate people in society to hold Soka Gakkai leaders in high regard.

"Those who work hard and achieve success even though they aren't able to attend university are really praiseworthy. However, they can also tend to disregard people with advanced educational backgrounds, become overconfident and arrogant, and put on a false front. That brings their personal growth to a halt and may even lead them astray in life. It's important to remain grounded, retain a clear view of oneself and one's original purpose, and preserve a humble spirit of seeking and self-improvement throughout life."

SGI Newsletter No. 8586, The New Human Revolution––Volume 25: Chapter 3, "Gentle Breeze" 57, Translated on August 10, 2012

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"You must simply make up your mind. Look at the world this year as a mirror. The reason that you have survived until now when so many have died was so that you would meet with this affair."

(Reply to Yasaburo - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 829) Selection source: Kyo no Hosshin, Seikyo Shimbun, August 25th, 2012

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"Thrust aside evil friends and associate with good companions."

(The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, page 832) Selection source: New Human Revolution, Atsuta Village - 60, Seikyo Shimbun, August 24th, 2012

 

[PassTheDoobie]

The Daishonin writes: "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is like the roar of a lion. What sickness can therefore be an obstacle?" (WND-1, 412). The Mystic Law is the power source that enables us to vanquish the sufferings of illness. It is the best of all medicines for our life. Mr. Toda often used to say: "The human body is one big pharmaceutical factory."

The important thing is to pray intensely and continuously so that the great life force of the Buddha can manifest itself in your body and vanquish the devil of illness. If you fight against sickness based on faith in the Mystic Law, you can definitely transform all poison into medicine.

SGI Newsletter No. 8588, SGI President Ikeda's Guidance for Youth, To My Young Friends—Leaders of a New Age, Translated on August 15, 2012

 

[Babbabud]

Nam myoho renge kyo
be working a bit closer to home for a while hope to see you all more often !!

 

[Babbabud]

Babba chants
Nam myoho renge kyo

 

[PassTheDoobie]

Letter from Teradomari / WND pg. 206

Letter from Teradomari / WND pg. 206

Background

After his unsuccessful attempt to execute Nichiren Daishonin at Tatsunokuchi on the twelfth day of the ninth month, 1271, Hei no Saemon, deputy chief of the Office of Military and Police Affairs, had no choice other than to follow the government’s original instructions to deliver the Daishonin into the custody of Homma Rokuro Saemon Shigetsura, the deputy constable of Sado. The Daishonin was confined for nearly a month at Homma’s residence in Echi, Sagami Province, awaiting word of his fate from the government.

On the tenth day of the tenth month, Nichiren Daishonin left Echi, escorted by Homma’s warriors. When the group reached the coast of the Sea of Japan on the twenty-first, snow covered the ground and the sea was very rough. They were forced to stop for several days at a harbor called Teradomari in Echigo and wait for the winds to abate before crossing to Sado Island. Teradomari is said to have prospered from the early ninth century on as a port for shipping traffic between the island of Sado and the Japanese mainland. The day after arriving at Teradomari, the Daishonin wrote this letter and entrusted it to a lay priest whom Toki Jonin had sent to accompany him.

The community of believers in Kamakura had been badly shaken by the events of the Tatsunokuchi Persecution and the Sado Exile, and many among the Daishonin’s disciples and lay supporters succumbed to government pressures and gave up their faith, or began to have doubts when they saw the Daishonin persecuted. In order to help his followers dispel their doubts and persevere in faith, the Daishonin during his exile produced a number of writings. This letter is the first of these writings, which include The Opening of the Eyes, Letter from Sado, and On Practicing the Buddha’s Teachings.

At the beginning of this letter, the Daishonin mentions in passing the hardships and difficulties he experienced during the twelve-day journey to Teradomari. He then quotes scriptural passages to show that, in the Latter Day of the Law, hatred and jealousy of the Lotus Sutra will be worse than during the Buddha’s lifetime. He himself is actually confronting such opposition, he says. Next, citing T’ien-t’ai’s view of the Nirvana Sutra as precious jewels to redeem the life of the Lotus, the Daishonin declares the superiority of the Lotus over all other sutras and points out the mistaken views of the scholars of the various schools who fail to recognize this. In particular, he mentions the erroneous opinions of the True Word school deriving from Shan-wu-wei and others. He warns that the followers of the various schools are committing the offense of slandering the Lotus Sutra, unaware that their patriarchs inwardly concurred with the teachings of the T’ien-t’ai school, which are based on the Lotus Sutra.

The Daishonin next enumerates four frequent criticisms of his method of propagation, raised not only by his enemies but by some of his own followers as well, and declares that the hardships he has encountered perfectly match the prophecies of the “Encouraging Devotion” chapter of the Lotus Sutra. In light of the sutra, he makes clear that he himself is the votary who propagates the sutra in the Latter Day of the Law.

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I HAVE received the string of coins that you sent. Those resolved to seek the way should gather and listen to the contents of this letter.

This month (the tenth month), on the tenth day, we left the village of Echi in Aiko District of the province of Sagami. Along the way we stopped at Kumegawa in the province of Musashi and, after traveling for twelve days, arrived here at the harbor of Teradomari in the province of Echigo. From here we are going to cross the sea to the island province of Sado, but at the moment the winds are not favorable, so I do not know when we will depart.

The hardships along the way were worse than I could have imagined, and indeed more than I can put down in writing. I will leave you to surmise what I endured. But I have been prepared for such difficulties from the outset, so there is no point in starting to complain about them now. I shall accordingly say no more of the matter.

The fourth volume of the Lotus Sutra states, “Since hatred and jealousy toward this sutra abound even when the Thus Come One is in the world, how much more will this be so after his passing?”(1) The fifth volume says, “It will face much hostility in the world and be difficult to believe.”(2) And the thirty-eighth volume of the Nirvana Sutra states: “At that time all the non-Buddhists spoke [to King Ajatashatru], saying: ‘O Great King, at present there is a man of incomparable wickedness, a monk called Gautama. . . . All sorts of evil people, hoping to gain profit and alms, have flocked to him and become his followers. These people do not practice goodness, but instead use the power of spells and magic to win over men like Mahakashyapa, Shariputra, and Maudgalyayana.’ ”

This passage from the Nirvana Sutra recounts the evil words that the various non-Buddhists spoke against Shakyamuni Buddha because he refuted the scriptures preached by their original teachers, the two deities(3) and the three ascetics.

In the above passages from the Lotus Sutra, however, it is not the Buddha himself who is being looked upon as an enemy. Rather, as T’ien-t’ai explains, it is [the Lotus Sutra that is being opposed by] “the various voice-hearers and cause-awakened ones and the bodhisattvas who seek only the Buddha of recent enlightenment.”(4) In other words, persons who show no desire to hear or believe in the Lotus Sutra or who say that it does not match their capacity, though they may not actually slander it in so many words, are all to be regarded as persons of hatred and jealousy.

Observing the situation when the Buddha was in the world and comparing it with the situation since his passing, we may say that the scholars of the various schools in the world today are like the non-Buddhists of the Buddha’s time. They too speak of “a man of incomparable wickedness,” by which they mean me, Nichiren. They speak of “all sorts of evil people who have flocked to him,” by which they mean my disciples and followers. The non-Buddhists, having incorrectly received and transmitted the teachings of the earlier Buddhas, displayed hostility toward the later Buddha, Shakyamuni. The scholars of the various schools today are just the same. In effect, they have let their own way of understanding the Buddha’s teachings lead them into erroneous views. They are like persons who, dizzy from drink, think that the huge mountain in front of them is spinning round and round. And so we now have these eight schools or ten schools all disputing with one another over their various doctrines.

The eighteenth volume of the Nirvana Sutra sets forth the doctrine of “the precious jewels that redeem life.”(5) The Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai, after studying and pondering this passage, concluded that “life” refers to the Lotus Sutra, and the “precious jewels,” to the first three of the four teachings expounded in the Nirvana Sutra. But what then of the fourth or perfect teaching, which the Nirvana Sutra also expounds? This teaching represents a reiteration of the doctrine already expounded in the Lotus Sutra concerning the eternally inherent Buddha nature, and was preached to lead people to the Lotus Sutra from which it originated. The Nirvana Sutra’s perfect teaching of the eternally inherent Buddha nature in fact belongs to the Lotus Sutra. The merits unique to the Nirvana Sutra are consequently limited to the first three of the four teachings.

The third volume of T’ien-t’ai’s Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra states, “The Nirvana Sutra offers precious jewels to redeem the life [of the Lotus Sutra], and thus the hands are clapped and the bargain concluded.”(6) The third volume of The Annotations on “The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra” explains this by saying, “The T’ien-t’ai school cites this metaphor to indicate that the contents of the Nirvana Sutra are to be regarded as precious jewels.”

The Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai, in his work entitled The Four Meditations, cites the passage in the Lotus Sutra that reads, “Though they [the Buddhas] point out various different paths . . . ,”(7) and declares that the four flavors of teachings are also to be regarded as precious jewels. If so, then the sutras that were preached before and after the Lotus Sutra are all to be regarded as precious jewels offered for the sake of the Lotus Sutra.

But the Buddhist scholars in the world today are of the opinion that this interpretation represents a doctrine put forward by the T’ien-t’ai school alone, and that none of the other schools accepts it. When I consider the matter, however, I have this to say: The eight or ten schools we are speaking of all came into existence after the passing of the Buddha and are the creation of the various scholars and teachers of the time. But we should not evaluate the sutras that the Buddha preached during his lifetime on the basis of the doctrines of schools established after his passing. The judgments put forward by T’ien-t’ai, however, completely accord with the teachings of all the sutras. It is wrong to discard them on the grounds that they represent no more than the opinions of a single school.

The scholars of the various schools continue to cling to the mistaken opinions of their respective teachers. Therefore, they declare that Buddhist practices must be accommodated to the people’s capacities, or they defer to the opinions of their founders or try to persuade the worthy rulers of the time to be their allies. The upshot of all this is that in the end they give themselves up wholly to evil intentions, engage in wrangling and doctrinal disputes, and take delight in inflicting injury upon people who are guilty of no fault.

Among the various schools, the opinions of the True Word school are particularly distorted. Its founders, Shan-wu-wei and Chin-kang-chih, maintained: “The concept of three thousand realms in a single moment of life is the most important of all T’ient’ai’s principles and the heart and core of the teachings put forward by the Buddha in the course of his lifetime. But setting aside this doctrine that the three thousand realms are encompassed by the mind, which constitutes the foundation of both the exoteric and the esoteric teachings, the mudras and mantras form the most crucial part of the Buddhist teachings.” The teachers of the True Word school in later times have used this pronouncement as a pretext to declare that all sutras that do not mention mudras and mantras are to be regarded as inferior and, in fact, as no different from non-Buddhist teachings.

Some of the esoteric teachers assert that the Mahavairochana Sutra was preached by [the Thus Come One Mahavairochana], a Buddha other than the Thus Come One Shakyamuni, others declare that it is the highest of all the teachings put forth by the lord of teachings, Shakyamuni Buddha, while still others say that the same Buddha manifested himself once in the form of Shakyamuni Buddha to preach the exoteric sutras, and on another occasion, in the form of the Thus Come One Mahavairochana to preach the esoteric sutras. Thus, misunderstanding the underlying principles of Buddhism, they produce an endless array of erroneous opinions. They are like a group of people who, unaware of the true color of milk, venture various speculations as to what the color might be, though none are able to surmise it correctly.(8) Or they are like the blind men in the parable who try to guess the true shape of the elephant.(9) In this connection, the scholars of the various schools should understand that the Mahavairochana Sutra, if preached before the Lotus Sutra, is on a level with the Flower Garland Sutra, and if preached after the Lotus Sutra, is on a level with the Nirvana Sutra.

Is it not possible that the Lotus Sutra in India contained descriptions of mudras and mantras, but that those who translated the text into Chinese omitted those sections—Kumarajiva calling his version the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law? And is it also not possible that Shan-wu-wei added mudras and mantras and called his version the Mahavairochana Sutra? For example, there were other versions of the Lotus Sutra, such as the Lotus Sutra of the Correct Law, the Supplemented Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law, the Lotus Meditation Sutra, and the Saddharmapundarika Sutra.(10)

In India after the Buddha’s passing, Bodhisattva Nagarjuna was the one who truly understood the relationship between the Lotus Sutra and the other sutras, while in China the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai Chih-che was the first to grasp it correctly. Men like Shan-wu-wei of the True Word school, Ch’eng-kuan of the Flower Garland school, Chia-hsiang of the Three Treatises school, and Tz’u-en of the Dharma Characteristics school each publicly upheld the doctrines of the school they had established, but in their hearts they were all won over to the teachings of the T’ien-t’ai school. Yet their disciples were ignorant of this fact and hence developed erroneous opinions. How can they avoid being guilty of slandering the correct teaching?

Some people criticize me, saying, “Nichiren does not understand the capacities of the people of the time, but goes around preaching in a harsh manner—that is why he meets with difficulties.” Other people say, “The practices described in the ‘Encouraging Devotion’ chapter(11) are for bodhisattvas who are far advanced in practice; [Nichiren ought to follow the practices of] the ‘Peaceful Practices’ chapter, yet he fails to do so.” Others say, “I, too, know the Lotus Sutra is supreme, but I say nothing about it.” Still others complain that I give all my attention to doctrinal teachings.(12)

I am well aware of all these criticisms against me. But I recall the case of Pien Ho,(13) who had his legs cut off at the knee, and of Kiyomaro(14) (Pure Man), who was dubbed Kegaremaro (Filthy Man) and almost put to death. All the people of the time laughed at them with scorn, but unlike those two men, those who laughed left no good name behind them. And all the people who level unjust criticisms at me will meet with a similar fate.

The “Encouraging Devotion” chapter says, “There will be many ignorant people who will curse and speak ill of us.” I observe my own situation in this passage. Why should it not apply to all of you as well? “They will attack us with swords and staves,” the passage continues. I have experienced this passage from the sutra with my own body. Why do you, my disciples, not do likewise?? Further on, the passage says, “In the midst of the great assembly they constantly try to defame us,” and “they will address the rulers, high ministers, Brahmans, and householders, [slandering and speaking evil of us].” And they “will confront us with foul language and angry frowns; again and again we will be banished.” “Again and again” means time after time. And I, Nichiren, have been repeatedly driven away, and have twice been condemned to exile.

The Lotus Sutra accords with the fashion of the preaching employed by all Buddhas of the three existences.(15) The past events described in the “Never Disparaging” chapter(16) I am now experiencing as predicted in the “Encouraging Devotion” chapter; thus the present foretold in the “Encouraging Devotion” chapter corresponds to the past of the “Never Disparaging” chapter. The “Encouraging Devotion” chapter of the present will be the “Never Disparaging” chapter of the future, and at that time, I, Nichiren, will be its Bodhisattva Never Disparaging.

The Lotus Sutra consists of a single work in eight volumes and twenty- eight chapters, but I have heard that the sutra as it existed in India was long enough to stretch over a whole yojana. In other words, there must have been many more chapters to it. The twenty-eight chapter version used today in China and Japan represents the most essential portion of an abbreviated version.

Let us set aside for now the revelation section(17) of the sutra. In the following transmission section, the three pronouncements(18) of the “Treasure Tower” chapter are delivered to the assembly gathered at Eagle Peak and present at the Ceremony in the Air. As to the vow made in the “Encouraging Devotion” chapter by the twenty thousand, eighty thousand, and eight hundred thousand million nayutas of great bodhisattvas, a man of shallow wisdom like myself cannot comprehend it. But the phrase “in an age of fear and evil” that appears in this chapter nevertheless indicates the beginning of the Latter Day of the Law. The following “Peaceful Practices” chapter refers to this “age of fear and evil” with the words “in the latter age.” And looking at other translations of the sutra, we find that in the Lotus Sutra of the Correct Law it appears as “in the latter age hereafter” or “in the latter age to come,” while in the Supplemented Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law it appears as “in an age of fear and evil.”

In this latter age, which corresponds to our own time, the three types of enemies have appeared, but not a single one of the eight hundred thousand million nayutas of bodhisattvas is anywhere to be seen. It is like a lake that has dried and is missing its full share of water, or a waning moon that is far from full. If the water is clear, it will reflect the moon’s image, and if trees are planted, then birds can nest in them. Therefore, I, Nichiren, propagate this sutra in place of the eight hundred thousand million nayutas of bodhisattvas. I ask that those bodhisattvas grant me their aid and protection.

The lay priest who bears this letter tells me that you instructed him to accompany me to the province of Sado. But in view of the expenses of the trip and other difficulties, I am sending him back to you. I already know the depths of your consideration. Please explain to the others what I have written here. I am very much concerned about the priests who are in prison,(19) and I hope you will inform me of their situation at your earliest convenience.

Respectfully,

Nichiren

The hour of the cock (5:00–7:00P.M.), the twenty-second day of the tenth month

To Toki



Notes

1. Lotus Sutra, chap. 10.
2. Ibid., chap. 14.
3. Shiva and Vishnu.
4. A rephrasing of a passage in The Annotations on “The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra.” The “Buddha of recent enlightenment” refers to Shakyamuni in his provisional capacity as the Buddha who first attained enlightenment in India.
5. This quotation actually appears in The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra. The Nirvana Sutra states that the store of seven gems can redeem one’s life when threatened by famine, bandits, or an evil king. On the basis of this passage, Profound Meaning uses the expression “precious jewels that redeem life” to indicate that the Nirvana Sutra functions to protect and support the perfect teaching of the Lotus Sutra, which is reiterated in the Nirvana Sutra.
6. The statement “The hands are clapped and the bargain concluded” indicates that after Shakyamuni expounded the perfect teaching in the Lotus Sutra he reiterated it in the Nirvana Sutra.
7. The Four Meditations cites not this passage but another from the same “Expedient Means” chapter that reads, “I used the power of expedient means to preach to
the five ascetics.” Because both passages agree in principle, the Daishonin may have cited the one rather than the other.
8. The Nirvana Sutra states that Brahmans, being ignorant of Shakyamuni’s teachings of eternity, happiness, true self, and purity, fall into erroneous views, like blind men who do not know the true color of milk.
9. This parable appears in the Nirvana Sutra. A king had his high minister bring an elephant to a group of blind men, let them touch it, and then asked them to describe it to him. One blind man who pressed his hands against the elephant’s stomach said that it was like a pot; another who touched the elephant’s tail said that it resembled a rope; still another who stroked the elephant’s trunk insisted that the animal resembled a pestle; and so on. In this parable, Shakyamuni likened the king who knows the truth to the Buddha’s wisdom, the high minister to the Nirvana Sutra, the elephant to the Buddha nature, and the blind men to ordinary mortals who are ignorant of the Buddha nature.
10. The Lotus Sutra of the Correct Law and the Supplemented Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law are two of the three extant Chinese translations of the Lotus Sutra, done by Dharmaraksha in 286 and by Jnanagupta and Dharmagupta in 601, respectively. The Lotus Meditation Sutra has been lost. The Saddharmapundarika Sutra here does not indicate the Sanskrit text but a Chinese translation. This version has also been lost.
11. The “Encouraging Devotion” chapter describes how the eight hundred thousand million nayutas of bodhisattvas vow to teach the sutra far and wide in an age of fear and evil after the Buddha’s passing. They express their determination to meet the various persecutions that will result from their propagation. The practice of shakubuku is what calls forth such persecution and is what the Daishonin is referring to here. In contrast, the “Peaceful Practices” chapter details the four peaceful means of practice, by peaceful deeds, words, thoughts, and vows.
12. In contrast to “the observation of the mind,” or the perception through meditation of the ultimate reality inherent in one’s life. This, along with the doctrinal study of the sutras, is one of the two integral aspects of practice taught in the Tendai school. The Daishonin gives emphasis to the meditational aspect (the invocation of the daimoku), but expresses here that he is criticized for not doing so. This was because he also emphasized scriptural comparison to establish the superiority of the Lotus Sutra.
13. Pien Ho was a native of the state of Ch’u in China during the Spring and Autumn period (770–403 B.C.E.). According to Han Fei Tzu, Pien Ho found a precious stone at Mount Ch’u and presented it to King Li. When the king had it appraised, it was identified as a mere stone. So the king had Pien Ho’s left leg cut off at the knee. After the king’s death, Pien Ho again presented the precious stone, this time to King Wu, only to have his right leg cut off at the knee on a second charge of deception. Later, after King Wen had ascended the throne, Pien Ho wept for three days at the foot of Mount Ch’u, holding the precious stone and shedding tears of blood at the kings’ ignorance. Hearing of this, King Wen asked for Pien Ho’s stone and had it polished. It was then recognized as being genuine and, in consequence, is said to
have been widely treasured by the populace.
14. Kiyomaro is Wake no Kiyomaro (733–799). A high-ranking court official who thwarted the attempts of the priest Dokyo, Empress Shotoku’s favorite, to ascend the throne and was persecuted as a result. After the death of the empress, however, Dokyo was stripped of power, and Kiyomaro was pardoned from his sentence of exile and recalled to service at court.
15. This statement derives from a passage in the “Expedient Means” chapter of the Lotus Sutra, which reads: “Following the same fashion that the Buddhas of the three existences employ in preaching the Law, I now will do likewise, preaching a Law that is without distinctions.” The five categories of Buddhas—all Buddhas in general, past Buddhas, present Buddhas, future Buddhas, and Shakyamuni Buddha —invariably follow the same method of preaching, first expounding various provisional teachings over a relatively long period to lead people to the one Buddha vehicle, or the Lotus Sutra, which they reveal later.
16. The “Never Disparaging” chapter describes the practices of Bodhisattva Never Disparaging, who lived in the Middle Day of the Law of the Buddha Awesome Sound King, persevered in the face of persecution for the sake of the correct teaching, and finally attained Buddhahood.
17. The revelation section is one of the three divisions of a sutra—preparation, revelation, and transmission—used in interpreting the Buddhist teachings. Here the Daishonin applies these divisions solely to the theoretical teaching (former half) of the Lotus Sutra. From this viewpoint, preparation consists of the Immeasurable Meanings Sutra and the “Introduction” chapter; revelation, the “Expedient Means” through “Prophecies” chapters; and transmission, the “Teacher of the Law” through “Peaceful Practices” chapters.
18. The three pronouncements are exhortations by Shakyamuni, three times urging the assembly before him to propagate the Lotus Sutra after his passing.
19. After the Tatsunokuchi Persecution, five of the Daishonin’s disciples, including Nichiro, were confined in a dungeon.

 

[PassTheDoobie]

The “Encouraging Devotion” chapter says, “There will be many ignorant people who will curse and speak ill of us.” I observe my own situation in this passage. Why should it not apply to all of you as well? “They will attack us with swords and staves,” the passage continues. I have experienced this passage from the sutra with my own body. Why do you, my disciples, not do likewise??

Why not us? Are we not Entities of the Mystic Law? It says no where anywhere taht this is supposed to be easy!

Bowing in humble obeisance,

T

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"The accepting and upholding of this original Law is expressed in the single word "belief" or "faith". The singe word "belief" is the same sharp sword with which one confronts and overcomes fundamental darkness or ignorance. The commentary [Words and Phrases] says, "Belief means to be without doubt." You should think about this."

(The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, page 120) Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", August 30th, 2012

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"'The seeds of one kind of plant are all the same; they are different from the seeds of other plants. If all of you [in your family] nurture the same seeds of Myoho-renge-kyo in your hearts, then you all will be reborn together in the same land of Myoho-renge-kyo. When . . . you are reunited there face-to-face, how great your joy will be!'- From “Reply to the Mother of Ueno” (WND-1, 1074).

"Family members united by the Mystic Law will definitely be reborn together again in a land where the Mystic Law is propagated. We can live out our lives forever with our families, our hearts never separated for even a moment.

"The greatest thing that we can do for loved ones who have passed away is to confidently continue our work for kosen-rufu. While wholeheartedly chanting for the deceased, please develop a lofty life-state together as a family, pervaded by the four noble virtues of eternity, happiness, true self, and purity."

SGI Newsletter No. 8594, Living the Gosho, (88) The Happiness of Our Families, translated Aug. 24th, 2012, from the Aug. 9th, 2012, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun.

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"Belief means to be without doubt." You should think about this."

Mugi wasshin baby!!!!!

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"'This principle of the Ten Worlds applies not only to living beings. All things that make up the objective and the subjective worlds, as well as insentient beings such as plants and trees and so on down to the tiniest speck of dust, are every one of them endowed with the Ten Worlds.'- From “The Differences between Hinayana and Mahayana” (WND-2, 471).

"Viewed from the true essence of Buddhism, we find that not only human beings but all things in the universe possess the supremely noble Buddha nature. The wisdom to establish the dignity of life as a universal principle and to promote our harmonious coexistence with others, the natural world, and the universe is found in the teaching of the Mystic Law.

"Many people around the world are beginning to deeply seek this supreme philosophy. Our grassroots dialogue movement to share the greatness of the Daishonin’s Buddhism is a noble endeavour to make the 21st century shine as a century of life."

SGI Newsletter No. 8593, Living the Gosho, (87) The Happiness of Our Families, translated Aug. 24th, 2012, from the July 28th, 2012, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun.

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"Although I and my disciples may encounter various difficulties, if we do not harbour doubts in our hearts, we will as a matter of course attain Buddhahood."

(The Opening of the Eyes, The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. I, page 283) Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, August 31st, 2012

 

[PassTheDoobie]

"Referring to the Bodhisattvas of the Earth who vow to endure all manner of difficulties to propagate the Mystic Law in the evil age after the Buddha’s passing, the Daishonin writes: 'These bodhisattvas are the ones who had thoroughly forged their resolve' (WND-1, 953). To be able to withstand hardship, be undaunted by it, and surmount it—that is a sign that one’s life is 'thoroughly forged,' as the Daishonin puts it. The inherent life force of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth is profound, strong, and immense beyond measure. In his writings, the Daishonin clearly states that they have the power to overcome every great hardship and persecution."

SGI Newsletter No. 8592, Our Brilliant Path to Victory, Youth Are the World’s Treasure—Part 2 [of 2], from the Aug. 8th, 2012, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, translated Aug. 23rd, 2012