Winston Churchill said: “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” Makes sense to me. There isn’t much point in stopping in hell, not if you can keep going and get out. The trick is to know and realize that we are in hell, since sometimes we are not even aware that we are suffering. I think many of us become so acquainted with sufferings that we just think it is a normal part of our lives and there is nothing to do about it. Yet, as we learn in Buddhism, that doesn’t have to be the case. We can wake up from our anesthetized state, a state of almost being immune to the effects or feelings of suffering and begin to move on through.
Lotus Path: Practicing the Lotus Sutra Volume 1Monthly Archives: May 2017
Daily Dharma – May 17, 2017
His precepts out of his loving-kindness brace us up as thunderbolts.
His wishes out of his compassion are as wonderful as large clouds.
He pours the rain of the Dharma as sweet as nectar,
And extinguishes the fire of illusions.
The Buddha gives this description of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva (Kannon, Kanzeon, Kuan Yin, Avalokitesvara) to Endless-Intent Bodhisattva in Chapter Twenty-Five of the Lotus Sūtra. This Bodhisattva is the embodiment of compassion. As we cultivate our own nature as Bodhisattvas, we find that the only thing that separates us from the happiness of others is our attachment and delusion. When we allow our compassion to grow, we come to see the world as it is.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 3
Day 3 covers the first half of Chapter 2, Expedients.
Having last month covered Śāriputra’s request and Śākyamuni’s response, we come to the departure of the twigs and leaves.
Thereupon the World-Honored One said to him:
“You asked me three times with enthusiasm. How can I leave the Dharma unexpounded? Listen to me attentively, and think over my words! Now I will expound [the Dharma] to you.”
When he had said this, five thousand people among the bhikṣus, bhikṣunīs, upāsakās, and upāsikās of this congregation rose from their seats, bowed to the Buddha, and retired because they were so sinful and arrogant that they thought that they had already obtained what they had not yet, and that they had already understood what they had not yet. Because of these faults, they did not stay. The World-Honored One kept silence and did not check them.
Thereupon the World-Honored One said to Śāriputra:
“Now this congregation has been cleared of twigs and leaves, only sincere people being left. Śāriputra! Those arrogant people may go. Now listen to me attentively! I will expound [the Dharma] to you.”
Śāriputra said, “Certainly, World-Honored One! I wish to hear you.”
Of all of the scenes depicted in the Lotus Sūtra, this is one of the most realistic to me. I have no problem imagining 5,000 self-important people thinking they know everything and leaving before hearing what Śākyamuni has to say.
Participating Fully in Life
When some people hear a term such as spiritual awakening they immediately think of some mystical experience, perhaps some brilliant light, or some other physical or emotional experience. Fundamentally, I believe it is an awakening, even if only subtly of an awareness of the ability to participate fully in life, living, and even death and dying.
Physician's Good MedicineDaily Dharma – May 16, 2017
She said, “Look at me with your supernatural powers! I will become a Buddha more quickly.”
These are the words of the young daughter of Dragon-King Sāgara in Chapter Twelve of the Lotus Sūtra. Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva knew that she was capable of becoming a Buddha, but none of the other Bodhisattvas or anyone else gathered to hear the Buddha teach believed that she could attain enlightenment. Before making this statement, she offered a priceless gem to the Buddha. In less time than it took for the Buddha to accept her offering, she herself became a Buddha before the eyes of all who doubted her. This story shows that all beings can become enlightened, male and female, young and old, human and non-human. When we lose our doubts about others’ enlightenment, we also lose our doubts about our own.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Flowers
Attended services at the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church Sunday. After each service I take a photo of the flowers arranged by Rev. Kenjo Igarashi‘s wife, Nihoko. Periodically, Google likes to volunteer an enhanced version of the photo and that’s what I’ve got here. (Here’s the original.)
And flowers are one of the things I enjoy most about difference between Soka Gakkai (and by extension Nichiren Shoshu) and Nichiren Shu. I never could understand why offering flowers would be frowned upon. After all, offering flowers is one of the specific ways of showing faith in the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
Each week I offer new flowers. This week I got a little carried away.
Day 2
Day 2 completes Chapter 1, Introductory.
Having last month heard what Mañjuśrī’s saw illumined by the ray of light, we come to the Buddha’s expounding of the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
He who was honored by gods and men
Emerged from his samādhi,
And praised Wonderful-Light Bodhisattva, saying:
“You are the eyes of the world.You are believed and relied on
By all living beings.
You are keeping the store of the Dharma.
Only you will understand the Dharma which I shall expound.”Having praised Wonderful-Light
And caused him to rejoice,
That World-Honored One expounded
The Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
He never rose from his seat for sixty small kalpas.
Wonderful-Light, the Teacher of the Dharma,
Kept the Wonderful Dharma
Expounded by that World-Honored One.
Of all the supernatural powers of the Tathāgatas, the talent to make it possible for his listeners to sit quietly and listen intently for “sixty small kalpas” is one I admire most.
Daily Dharma – May 15, 2017
Anyone who visits a monastery to hear
The Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma
And rejoices at hearing it even for a moment,
Will be able to obtain the following merits:
The Buddha sings these verses to Maitreya (whom he calls Ajita – Invincible) in Chapter Eighteen of the Lotus Sutra. The joy we find in the Buddha’s highest teaching is different from what we experience when our desires are satisfied. It is a joy we can learn to find at the heart of everything we think, say and do. The merit that comes from this joy does not make us better than anyone else; it only allows to see the world as the Buddha does. Joy is not something that needs to be added to our lives. It is what we find remaining when we let go of our attachment and delusion.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 1
Day 1 covers the first half of Chapter 1, Introductory
Having last month begun Maitreya’s gāthās, we continue with the Buddhas Maitreya sees.
I also see the Buddhas,
The Saintly Masters, the Lion-like Ones,
Who are expounding
The most wonderful sūtra
With their pure and gentle voices,
And teaching
Many billions of Bodhisattvas.
The brahma voices of the Buddhas
Are deep and wonderful,
Causing people to wish to hear them.I also see the Buddha of each of those worlds
Expounding his right teachings to all living beings
In order to cause them to attain enlightenment.He explains his teachings
With stories of previous lives,
And with innumerable parables and similes.To those who are confronted with sufferings,
And tired of old age, disease, and death,
The Buddha expounds the teaching of Nirvana,
And causes them to eliminate these sufferings.To those who have merits,
Who have already made offerings to the past Buddhas,
And who are now seeking a more excellent teaching,
The Buddha expounds [the Way of] cause-knowers.To the Buddha’s sons
Who are performing various practices,
And who are seeking unsurpassed wisdom,
The Buddha expounds the Pure Way.
We are seeing in Śākyamuni’s light Buddhas giving their “right teachings to all living beings in order to cause them to attain enlightenment.” Tomorrow, Mañjuśrī will recall in the past having seen Buddhas giving their “right teachings to all living beings in order to cause them to attain enlightenment.” And for the rest of the month we will have Śākyamuni giving his “right teachings to all living beings in order to cause them to attain enlightenment.” Among the various meanings of “Introductory,” the title of this first chapter, is this: “intended to persuade someone to purchase something for the first time.” To purchase with faith.
Paradise
Where there lives a true Buddhist, there is manifest in his spirit and life, the Mandala, the cycle embodying the cosmic truth. Where the Truth is manifest, there, is realized the eternal light of Buddhahood, and therefore the place is a paradise.
Nichiren, The Buddhist Prophet