Monthly Archives: December 2016

LS32

Day 2

Day 2 completes Chapter 1, Introductory.

Having last month begun Manjusri’s answer to Maitreya, it’s time to explore the background for what he saw.

Good men! Innumerable, inconceivable, asamkya kalpas ago, there lived a Buddha called Sun-Moon-Light, the Tathagata, the Deserver of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One, the Man of Wisdom and Practice, the Well-Gone, the Knower of the World, the Unsurpassed Man, the Controller of Men, the Teacher of Gods and Men, the Buddha, the World-Honored One. He expounded the right teachings. His expounding of the right teachings was good at the beginning, good in the middle, and good at the end. The meanings of those teachings were profound. The words were skilful, pure, unpolluted, perfect, clean, and suitable for the explanation of brahma practices. To those who were seeking Sravakahood, he expounded the teaching of the four truths, a teaching suitable for them, saved them from birth, old age, disease, and death, and caused them to attain Nirvana. To those who were seeking Pratyekabuddhahood, he expounded the teaching of the twelve causes, a teaching suitable for them. To Bodhisattvas, he expounded the teaching of the six paramitas, a teaching suitable for them, and caused them to attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, that is, to obtain the knowledge of the equality and differences of all things.

After his extinction there appeared a Buddha also called Sun­-Moon-Light. After his extinction there appeared another Buddha also called Sun-Moon-Light. In the same manner, twenty thousand Buddhas appeared in succession, all of them being called Sun­Moon-Light with the surname Bharadvaja.

Maitreya, know this! All those Buddhas were called Sun-Moon­light with the ten epithets. Their expounding of the Dharma was good at the beginning, good in the middle, and good at the end. The last Sun-Moon-Light Buddha was once a king. He had eight sons born to him before he renounced the world. The first son was called Having-Intention; the second, Good-Intention; the third, Infinite-Intention; the fourth, Treasure-Intention; the fifth, Increasing-­Intention; the sixth, Doubts-Removing-Intention; the seventh, Resounding-Intention; and the eighth, Dharma-Intention. These eight princes had unhindered powers and virtues. Each of them was the ruler of the four continents [of a Sumeru-world]. Having heard that their father had renounced the world and attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, they abdicated from their thrones, and followed their father. They renounced the world, aspired for the Great Vehicle, performed brahma practices, and became teachers of the Dharma. They had already planted the roots of good under ten million Buddhas in their previous existence.

Thereupon the last Sun-Moon-Light Buddha expounded a sutra of the Great Vehicle called the ‘Innumerable Teachings, the Dharma for Bodhisattvas, the Dharma Upheld by the Buddhas.’ Having expounded this sutra, he sat cross-legged [facing the east] in the midst of the great multitude, and entered into the samadhi for the purport of the innumerable teachings. His body and mind became motionless.

Thereupon the gods rained mandarava-flowers, maha­mandarava-flowers, manjusaka-flowers, and maha-manjusaka­flowers upon the Buddha and the great multitude. The world of the Buddha quaked in the six ways. The great multitude of the congregation, which included bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas, upasikas, gods, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kirmnaras, mahoragas, men, nonhuman beings, the kings of small countries, and the wheel turning-holy kings, were astonished. They rejoiced, joined their hands together [towards the Buddha], and looked up at him with one mind.

Thereupon the Tathagata emitted a ray of light from the white curls between his eyebrows, and illumined all the corners of eighteen thousand Buddha-worlds in the east just as this Buddha is illumining the Buddha-worlds as we see now.

The points to underline here are twofold. First, what Manjusri saw before is what Maitreya and the congregation see now. The other point, and I think most important, is the rarity of this event. “Twenty thousand Buddhas appeared in succession, all of them being called Sun­-Moon-Light with the surname Bharadvaja” and all expounded the Dharma broken into three vehicles. Only the last Sun­-Moon-Light exhibited the good omen the congregation sees now.

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Dec. 6, 2016

Mañjuśrī! A Bodhisattva-mahāsattva who performs this third set of peaceful practices in the latter days after [my extinction] when the teachings are about to be destroyed, will be able to expound the Dharma without disturbance. He will be able to have good friends when he reads and recites this sūtra. A great multitude will come to him, hear and receive this sūtra from him, keep it after hearing it, recite it after keeping it, expound it after reciting it, copy it or cause others to copy it after expounding it, make offerings to the copy of this sūtra, honor it, respect it, and praise it.

The Buddha gives this explanation to Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva in Chapter Fourteen of the Lotus Sūtra in which he describes the peaceful practices of a Bodhisattva. The third set of practices involves not despising those who practice the Wonderful Dharma in any way, or hindering their practice by telling them that they are lazy and can never become enlightened. Such treatment goes against the true nature we all share, and can only create conflict.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

LS32

Day 1

Day 1 covers the first half of Chapter 1, Introductory

Having last month discussed the gods and other non-humans present in the gathering who are protective deities, I should mention King Ajatasatru, who gets a special mention in the introduction:

King Ajatasatru, who was the son of Vaidehr, was also present with his hundreds of thousands of attendants. They each worshipped the feet of the Buddha, retired, and sat to one side.

Rev. Ryuei Michael McCormick‘s “Lotus World: An Illustrated Guide to the Gohonzon,” offers this about the king, who was chosen by Nichiren for inclusion on the Mandala Gohonzon:

King Ajatashatru was the king of Magadha, whose capital city was Rajagriha, at the time that Shakyamuni Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra. Vulture Peak, where the Lotus Sutra was taught, is located just outside of Rajagriha to the northeast. King Ajatashatru and his attendants appear in the assembly in the first chapter.

If the wheel turning king represents the unattainable ideal of a monarch as conceived by Indian mythology, then King Ajatashatru represents the brutal reality of Indian history. In the course of his life he murdered his father, attempted to murder his mother, engaged in constant warfare and plotting against his neighbors, and even tried to have the Buddha assassinated.

According to the Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra, King Ajatashatru was eventually overcome by guilt because of his misdeeds and developed life-threatening boils all over his body. Jivaka, the court physician, finally convinced Ajatashatru to go and ask the Buddha for help. He was very impressed by the Buddha’s teaching and repented. He took refuge in the Three Treasures (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha), and became a lay-disciple of the Buddha. In this way, he eradicated the evil karma that brought about the boils and was able to prolong his life.

In the Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra, King Ajatashatru represents the icchantika. An icchantika is an incorrigible disbeliever who, according to some teachings, is utterly devoid of the seeds of buddhahood. The Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra, however, teaches that even icchantika such as Ajatashatru have buddha-nature. The Lotus Sutra’s prediction of Devadatta’s eventual buddhahood is taken to mean that even the icchantika’s buddha-nature will someday come to full flower.
Lotus World: An Illustrated Guide to the Gohonzon

The Buddhist Prophet

The Truth Revealed by Buddha

Quote

The Dhamma is the truth revealed by Buddha, the Lord of Truth; yet he is not the creator of it. We are enlightened by the truths taught by him, but we can be thus enlightened because our existence and nature are based on the same Dhammata that is found in Buddha himself.

Nichiren, The Buddhist Prophet

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Dec. 5, 2016

“Good man! Go to Śākyamuni Buddha who is now living on Mt. Gṛdhrakūṭa! Ask him on my behalf, ‘Are you in good health? Are you peaceful? Are the Bodhisattvas and Śrāvakas peaceful or not?’ Strew these jeweled flowers to him, offer them to him, and say, ‘That Buddha sent me to tell you that he wishes to see the stūpa of treasures opened.’“

In Chapter Eleven of the Lotus Sūtra, Buddhas and their devotees from innumerable worlds come to our world of conflict and delusion to see Śākyamuni Buddha open the tower inhabited by Many-Treasures Buddha. As our capability for enlightenment wells up from within us, the tower of treasures sprang up from underground when the Buddha asked who would teach the Wonderful Dharma after the Buddha’s extinction. The treasures in the tower are nothing more than Many-Treasures Buddha declaring the Lotus Sūtra to be the Teaching of Equality, the Great Wisdom, the Dharma for Bodhisattvas and the Dharma upheld by the Buddhas.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

LS32

Day 32

Day 32 covers Chapter 28, The Encouragement of Universal-Sage Bodhisattva, closing the Eighth Volume of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.

Having last month covered the promises made to anyone “who keeps, reads and recites this sutra, memorizes it correctly, understands the meanings of it, and acts according to it,” we come to the promises made to those who copy the Lotus Sutra.

Anyone who copies this sutra will be reborn in the Heaven of the Trayastrimsa Gods immediately after his present life. On that occasion, eighty-four thousand goddesses will come and receive him, making many kinds of music. A crown of the seven treasures will be put on his head, and he will enjoy himself among the ladies in waiting. Needless to say, [more merits will be given to] the person who [not only copies this sutra but also] keeps, reads and recites it, memorizes it correctly, understands the meanings of it, and acts according to it. Anyone who keeps, reads and recites this sutra, and understands the meanings of it, will be given helping hands by one thousand Buddhas immediately after his present life. He will be fearless. He will not fall into any evil region. He will be reborn in the Tusita Heaven. There he will go to Maitreya Bodhisattva who, adorned with the thirty-two marks, will be surrounded by great Bodhisattvas, and attended on by hundreds of thousands of billions of goddesses. He will be given the benefits of these merits. Therefore, anyone who has wisdom should copy this sutra with all his heart, cause others to copy it, and also keep, read and recite it, memorize it correctly, and act according to it.

World-Honored One! I will protect this sutra with my supernatural powers so that it may be propagated and not be destroyed in the Jambudvipa after your extinction.

Back in July I detailed my thinking on this chapter’s depiction of women and their roles. I have nothing to add to that.

The Doctrines of Nichiren (1893) offer this interpretation of the purpose of this chapter:

Now selfish motives and disinterested motives form the point of differentiation between the good and the bad. Therefore it was that Sakyamuni chiefly insisted on the doctrines that we ought to forget the difference between Self and Non-Self, that we ought to pursue the conduct of Fugen [Universal-Sage Bodhisattva] or the Personification of Reason, and that we ought to live in peace with all our neighbours.Doctrines of Nichiren (1893)

Doctrines of Nichiren

The Intrinsicality of the Mortal, Material and Spiritual

Quote

According to Sakyamuni’s idea, all mountains, rivers, and lands, as well as all kinds of flora and fauna, are identical with his own person. Therefore the three worlds [ – the mortal, the material, and the spiritual – ] are said to be his own possession, and all inhabitants his own children. This last phrase means that living creatures of whatever kind are merely the images and metamorphoses of his own body. But this was not known to Sakyamuni until he was thirty years old. It is for this reason that in the above sentence he says, “Now, the three worlds,” and so on. The word “now” implies that Sakyamuni had been ignorant of his original enlightenment, or Buddhahood, until that moment, and that he recognized it for the first time then. Therefore the [Lotus Sutra] says, “The Buddha begins to perceive and to know the intrinsicality of the three worlds, the mortal, the material, and the spiritual.”

Doctrines of Nichiren (1893)

Spring Writings

Biography of Nichiren

Quote

[2003 was] the 750th anniversary of Nichiren Shonin chanting Odaimoku for the first time, in the year 1253. In all of human history, there may be no other person who has had such an extraordinary and eventful life as Nichiren Shonin. He experienced near execution once, exile twice, and the number of assaults by assassins against him was uncountable. He said in a letter late in his life, “I faced major persecution four times, and other persecutions were uncountable.” However, despite the many persecutions, his faith and motivation continued to deepen. How could he endure so many persecutions? In the Lotus Sutra, Chapter XIII, Bodhisattvas vow to the Buddha that they will expound the Lotus Sutra after the Buddha passes away. They say, “Buddha, do not worry! We will expound this sutra in the dreadful, evil world after your extinction. Ignorant people will speak ill of us, abuse us, and threaten us with swords or sticks, but we will endure all this … We will wear the armor of endurance because we respect and believe you. We will not spare anything, even our lives. We treasure only unsurpassed enlightenment. .. because we are thinking of your teaching and command … We are your messengers.” (Murano 1991, p.206-208)

For Nichiren Shonin, persecution was proof of the truth of the Lotus Sutra and its prophecy, which was expounded over 2500 years ago. Therefore, he came to realize that he was a Bodhisattva (practitioner of the Lotus Sutra) by himself, as a result of having to face persecutions.

Motivation
Nichiren Shonin was born a son of a fisherman’s family on February 16, 1222, in the tiny fishing village of Kominato, on the southern tip of the Boso Peninsula, in Chiba Prefecture. He was named Zen-nichi-maro. His father was Nukina Jira Shigetada, hls mother, Umegiku. He had been fond of studying since he was a child, and he had some questions: “Who is the Buddha? Amida? Which is the right sect and the right teaching? If Buddhism is supposed to bring peace and happiness, why is the country always disturbed by civil war and so many disasters? Especially, why do many Amida priests’ lives come to a bad end?”

At the age of twelve, he went to Seichoji Temple to study Buddhism, and Confucianism as well. At the age of sixteen, he made the decision to become an ordained priest under the Master Dozen, in order to find the answers he sought. His priestly name was Zesho-bo Rencho, or “Lotus Eternal”.

In those days, Seichoji had a library of many books and materials, and functioned as a school or university. As he was keen on learning, after four years of studying Nichiren Shonin had mastered all the subjects in the temple, and there was no one who could teach him any more. After his four years of study, he left the temple with his master’s permission, and went to Kamakura, Kyoto, Osaka, and Koyasan for a journey of studying. He also went to Hieizan, to attend the highest institution of learning in Japan. He continued to study and practice there for another 12 years.

Proclamation
As a result of his studies, he was convinced that
the Lotus Sutra was definitely the ultimate teaching which explains best of all, and most fully, the Buddha’s will. There is no other true teaching except the Lotus Sutra to save all living beings throughout the past, present, and future. He established his view of Buddhism based on the Lotus Sutra, and was prepared for persecutions for trying to reform Buddhism. As an expression of his determination, he changed his name to “Nichi-ren” or the Sun and Lotus: “Nichi” comes from Chapter XXI of the Lotus Sutra: “The light of the sun and the moon eliminates all darkness”; “Ren” from Chapter XV; “They are not defiled by worldliness just as the Lotus Flower is not defiled by water”. He returned to Seichjoji Temple and his hometown with his restorative fruit, where Master Dozen was delighted about his return.

In the early morning of April 28, 1253, on the top of Mt. Kiyosumi, facing the Pacific Ocean, Nichiren Shonin chanted Odaimoku ten times hile facing the rising sun, and vowed to reform Buddhism all over the world. This meant that he vowed to the Buddha to follow the teaching of the Lotus Sutra, and to save all living beings. This is the day Nichiren Shu was established. After that, he delivered his first sermon to an audience in Seichoji Temple. As he had suspected they might be, most of the audience were frightened, angry and mad at his teaching, especially those who believed in the Nembutsu Sect who recited the name of Amida Buddha, including Tojo Kagenobu, who was the ruling Lord of Kominato. He screamed out orders for Nichiren’s immediate execution, but Master Dozen stopped him and helped ichiren Shonin escape to the city of Kamakura during the night. After that, 1ichiren Shonin energetically started to expound the Lotus Sutra in Kamakura.

Features of the Lotus Sutra
Nichiren Shonin focused on the Lotus Sutra out of the many number of Buddhist scriptures. The features of the Lotus Sutra are:

The Eternal Buddha
Sakyamuni Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, revealed his true figure for the first time in the Lotus Sutra: He had already attained Buddhahood long ago as the Eternal Buddha, even before He was born as a prince 2500 years ago. He is in this world eternally to save all living beings, throughout the past, present, and future. Therefore, all other Buddhas are regarded as His replicas.

The One Vehicle to Buddhahood
In other teachings of Buddhism, there were some exceptional people who were denied Buddhahood, such as selfish practitioners, wicked people and women. But the Lotus Sutra denied this discriminating idea, and gives them an assurance that they will equally be able to attain Buddhahood.

3000 Existences Contained in One Thought
This is the principle in the Lotus Sutra with which all living beings attain enlightenment. The Lotus Sutra expounds to us a way to attain enlightenment equal to that of the Buddha.

Awakening own Buddha-nature
The Lotus Sutra teaches us that through the faith of Sakyamuni Buddha, we will not only receive compassion from the Buddha, but also be able to deliver our compassion to others, as a Buddha. This is the Buddha’s command. This teaching doesn’t appear in any other teachings of Buddhism apart from the Lotus Sutra, which was expounded for eight years before the Buddha passed away.

Matsubagayatsu Persecution
In those days, Japan faced constant disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, famine and disease. These were an indication to Nichiren Shonin that if something were not done to end the present calamities and to avert similar disasters in the future, a disaster would soon come. His plan for saving the country was set down clearly in his essay Rissho Ankoku-ron: establish the right law and save the country of Japan, otherwise, civil war would occur and other countries would invade in the future. Nichiren Shonin engaged in propagation in Kamakura, and he remonstrated with the military government by submitting his essay to them. On the night of August 27, 1260, a ruthless mob crept through the darkness towards Matsubagayatsu, where his hermitage was, and they attacked his hermitage with the intention of murdering him, but miraculously he escaped, at the age of 39.

Komatsubara Persecution
When he was 43, Nichiren Shonin received a message that his mother was near death, and he hurried to Kominato. Unfortunately, he was too late, and by the time he arrived, his mother had already passed away. He chanted the Sutra for his mother, and then a miracle happened. The breath whispered once more from her body, and her health was soon restored under her son’s gentle care. Her life was extended for another four years. Those who witnessed the miracle gathered to listen to his teaching and many people converted. The news of this disgusted Lord Tojo Kagenobu. At this time, he made a plan to murder Nichiren Shonin that could not fail.

On November 11, 1264, in a pine forest called Komatsubara, Kagenobu and his troops ambushed Nichiren Shonin on his way to a follower’s house. As he was travelling, suddenly from the darkness, a troop of well-armed men fell upon the defenseless priest and his retainers. Nichiren Shonin later described the attack, ‘We were waylaid by hundreds of the Nembutsu followers. We were about ten in number. Arrows flew like rainfall, and swords sparked like lightning. One of my disciples was killed, and two others seriously wounded. I had cuts and blows, but fortunately managed to survive.” Kagenobu attacked Nichiren Shonin with a sword while on horseback. Nichiren Shonin deflected the sword with his Juzu, but the sword broke his left arm and wounded his forehead with a deep cut. The frightened horse threw off Kagenobu, and he struck his head on a rock. He died one week later. After this persecution, ichiren Shonin was motivated more deeply, and knew that he was a messenger of the Buddha.

Tatsunokuchi Persecution
The leader of the Nembutsu movement, Ryokan, had a grudge against Nichiren Shonin due to having been defeated by him in a competition to pray for rain. He submitted a document to the government falsely accusing Nichiren of collecting bows and arrows and all manner of weapons, and inviting rebels and outlaws to gather at his hut. Nichiren Shonin was arrested again, and unjustly found guilty of high treason. He was officially sentenced to exile, but actually, there was a plot to have him executed immediately.

On September 12, 1271, he was placed astride a saddleless horse, and led to Tatsunokuchi, an execution ground, surrounded by many guards. After midnight, all was prepared. Behind him stood the executioner, with sword, and armed guards surrounded them. Kneeling, Nichiren Shonin started to chant, “Namu Myoho Renge Kyo”. All of a sudden, a “ball of light” fell to the executioner’s sword, the sword shattered in three pieces, and the soldiers ran in fright. There was panic in the execution ground. The plot had failed, but Nichiren Shonin was still sent to Sado Island, age 50.

Sado Persecution
November 1, 1271. Sado is an isolated island, surrounded by waves tossing and crashing against the rock-strewn coastline, creating a most effective prison wall, in this primitive wildness. No one could escape from this island. Nichiren Shonin was given a small shelter, an abandoned Buddhist shrine. Even here in exile, a samurai, Abutsu, had a design on Nichiren Shonin’s life, but Nichiren Shonin pacified him with the Lotus Sutra, and Abutsu became Nichiren Shonin’s disciple. He and his wife secretly supplied Nichiren Shonin with food, clothing and firewood. He survived his first winter on Sado. ichiren Shonin wrote two important essays in Sado, Kaimoku-sho and Kanjin Honzon-sho.

In 1273, the military government reccivctl am ·ssag · from the Mongols, threatening to invade Japan. They remembered the advice Nichiren Shonin had given in the Rissho Ankoku-ron. They issued an edict ending his exile and allowed him to return to Kamakura, age 53.

Entering Mount Minobu
Nichiren Shonin was summoned by the military government for an interview about the Mongol’s attack. He answered the questions put to him logically and firmly. They seemed to listen to his advice, but that was only temporary. Nichiren Shonin made a decision to retreat to Mt. Minobu based on the proverb: “If you admonish them three times and they hear not, then leave.”

On May 12, 1274, Nichiren Shonin left Kamakura for a five day journey to Mt. Minobu, on the West side of Mt. Fuji. He built a tiny hermitage on Mt. Minobu. This isolated retreat became his first – and last – peaceful dwelling place. “This dwelling place of mine surpasses the Holy Eagle Peak of India. I am the richest being in the whole world … Like screens, steep mountains surround my abode. Trees and grasses grow luxuriantly, wolves howl, and deer woo each other in the forested mountain.” He engaged in teaching his disciples and his followers energetically. They often sent him gifts of rice, millet, and yams, along with cotton and linen cloth. These gifts were always acknowledged with a kind letter of thanks. “I have lately almost forgotten my home town. Seeing your gift of seaweed, I am reminded of many old things. This seaweed is the same as that which I saw on the beach of Kominato. The color, shape, and taste of seaweed do not change, but my parents changed. I am moved to tears.”

Nichiren Shonin spent several hours writing each day – creating over four hundred works during these Minobu years, sending counsel to his disciples and followers living in faraway places. In the winter of 1277, Nichiren Shonin fell seriously ill. The long years of persecution, the hunger and hardships of Sado Island, the bitter cold and isolation at Minobu had all left their mark. A stomach disorder and loss of appetite led to chronic illness, from which he would never fully recover. “For the past ten days, I have had little appetite. It is snowing heavily now. I wa as chilled as stone, and my breast was as cold as ice before I took my medicine with sake. Now I feel as if a fire was lit in my breast, and as if I had taken a hot-water bath, and shall be able to cleanse myself by sweating.” In 1281, at age 61, Nichiren Shonin’s suffering increased, and the pain became intense. So, in order to take care of his health, he made a decision to journey to a natural hot spring near Ikegami.

Ikegami
On September 18, 1282, Nichiren Shonin arrived at Ikegami after ten days journey by horse. He was exhausted and tormented by pain, and he could go no further. He understood that his death was near. “We have arrived at Ikegami without any trouble. I am very glad to say that, although it was very hard for me to cross the hills and rivers, I was able to reach here with the kind help of your sons and others. I shall return to Minobu by the same road I passed through, but I am not sure that I shall be able to return due to my illness. Many people live in Japan, but very few of them wish to receive me warmly. You protected me for the past nine years. I have no words to express my gratitude to you properly. Wherever I may pass away, please make a tomb for me at Minobu because I lived and chanted Namu Myoho Renge Kyo there peacefully for nine years.

In the morning of October 13, 1282, Nichiren Shonin asked that the Great Mandara, and an image of Sakyamuni Buddha, be brought to his room. Gazing at these sacred objects with loving reverence, quietly, gently, the weary master’s eyelids closed, and he passed peacefully away surrounded by the solemn chanting by his disciples and followers. According to tradition, at that moment, the ground quaked and trees bloomed cherry flowers out of season.

Nichiren Shonin dedicated his whole life to reforming Buddhism, and the country of Japan, with the Lotus Sutra. Although he faced many persecutions from people, he always prayed for the people’s peace and happiness, and lived his life as a messenger of the Buddha. There have been many kinds of Buddhism since olden times, but there has never been such an indomitable priest as Nichiren Shonin.

Buddhism has a good image as a religion that teaches peace, compassion and happiness, but also a negative image for being a passive teaching. Nichiren Shonin’s was a powerful Buddhism, based on the Lotus Sutra. He left an honorable message for us. He proved how wonderful the teaching of the Lotus Sutra is with his life.

Spring Writings

Spring Writings

Spring Writings

Spring Writings of Kanto Tsukamoto Shonin
Spring Writings of Kanto Tsukamoto Shonin

From the forward

It has been a wish of mine to publish these wonderful teachings of our lineage of Nichiren Shu Buddhism for a long time, in order to disseminate their wisdom throughout the world. They are very special to me, because they are from the many newsletters that I collected during my Buddhist education at the Toronto Nichiren Buddhist Temple under my teacher Kanta Tsukamoto Shonin, who was the head priest of that Temple for over 10 years. I carried this collection of newsletters with me when I moved from Buffalo to Seattle, waiting for the right opportunity and support to bring this project to fruition. So indeed, this is a happy event.

Tsukamoto Shonin’s teachings are wonderful, because he reveals to us a very simple but profound insight into our daily lives, through many stories and allegories. Through each story he shares his very personal and emotional experience of life, with an awareness which has allowed people, despite cultural and language differences, to relate with the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Buddhism.

Tsukamoto Shonin became a Kaikyoshi early in Nichiren Shu’s activities outside Japan in order spread the teachings of Nichiren Shu Buddhism across the ocean to English speaking people. This was at a very important time in our propagation efforts, and began the movement towards establishing Nichiren Shu Buddhism outside of Japanese ethnic communities. …

With Gassho.

Kanjin Cederman Shonin
Head Priest of Seattle Choeizan Enkyoji Nichiren Buddhist Temple

Biography of Nichiren

 
Book List

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Dec. 4, 2016

The Nirvāṇa we attained was
Only part of the immeasurable treasures of yours.
We were like a foolish man with no wisdom.
We satisfied ourselves with what little we had attained.

Five hundred of the Buddha’s monks give this explanation in Chapter Eight of the Lotus Sūtra. They had spent all of their time with the Buddha working to rid themselves of suffering. While this is a remarkable achievement, it does not compare to the true purpose of the Buddha’s teaching. When these monks heard the Buddha teach the Lotus Sutra, and understood that their true purpose was to benefit others, they realized that their earlier practice was preparation. By remaining preoccupied with suffering, they had lost sight of the treasure of enlightenment.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com