Monthly Archives: February 2018

Lecture on Lotus Sutra

The Teachings of Nirvana

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In the Parable of the Magic City, the Buddha continues with his message explaining that all he had taught before the Lotus Sutra was only designed to get folks to the place where they would be able to understand and follow the Lotus Sutra. Because the Lotus Sutra is being taught the other teachings are not invaluable, nor are they to be discarded.

The teachings of Nirvana are not the final objective of Buddhist practice; it can be compared to the magic city the guide conjured in the Parable of the Magic City. If the Buddha had not taught Nirvana and instead opened his teaching career with the Lotus Sutra then people would have thought it was impossible and not have made the effort. The Buddha knew the road to the enlightenment equal to all Buddhas is a long and difficult path and he knew that the people of his time, his disciples, would not be able to complete the journey if he had started with that as the objective. As it is, even in their own lifetime his disciples could not attain enlightenment, they are only able to attain this after several lifetimes and only in places other than this Saha World.

Lecture on the Lotus Sutra

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Feb. 26, 2018

Suppose you are sentenced to death,
And the sword is drawn to behead you.
If you think of the power of World-Voice-Perceiver,
The sword will suddenly break asunder.

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. World-Voice-Perceiver is the embodiment of compassion. When we think of this Bodhisattva, and the power that she holds in this world, we realize what we can accomplish through compassion. When we can be present for the suffering that exists in other beings, and see them without judgement for the flawed creatures that they are, then we allow them to make that same connection with us. The power of compassion is that it inspires others to face what lies at the core of their being: the wish that all beings be peaceful and free from suffering. To break the sword of violence in this world, we must first break it within ourselves.

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

Blog

Is this recording? Check Check Test

20180225_service_flowers
Ven. Kenjo Igarashi’s wife, Mihoko, is a master of Japanese flower arranging. I asked Rev. Igarashi if his wife offered Ikebana classes and he laughed. No such luck.

I have permission from Ven. Kenjo Igarashi to record services as long as I don’t publish the actual recording. I use the recordings to capture Rev. Igarashi’s gosho lectures and then summarize them here.

Before today’s service commemorating Nichiren’s birthday, which was followed by a Kaji Kito purification ceremony, I placed my voice recorder on the lectern. I returned to my seat, got distracted while greeting my friends, enjoyed Rev. Igarashi’s talk and, after chatting with friends after the service, got in my car to leave.

As I started the car Rev. Igarashi walked up and handed me the voice recorder. “This wasn’t on,” he said as he gave me the recorder.

Oh, well. Rev. Igarashi promises a gosho on Namu Myoho Renge Kyo next time. Here’s hoping I have better luck.

On the topic of Odaimoku, I’ve added brochure from The Nichiren Buddhist International Center to the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church’s website. I now have 10 brochures available there.

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 learned how the good men or women who live after Śākyamuni’s extinction will be able to obtain this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, we hear Universal-Sage’s vow to protect anyone keeps this sūtra.

Thereupon Universal-Sage Bodhisattva said to the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! If anyone keeps this sūtra in the defiled world in the later five hundred years after [your extinction], I will protect him so that he may be free from any trouble, that he may be peaceful, and that no one may take advantage [of his weak points]. Mara, his sons, his daughters, his subjects, his attendants, yakṣas, rākṣasas, kumbhāṇḍas, piśācakas, kṛtyas, pūtanas, vetādas or other living beings who trouble men shall not take advantage [of his weak points]. If anyone keeps, reads and recites this sūtra while he walks or stands, I will mount a kingly white elephant with six tusks, go to him together with great Bodhisattvas, show myself to rum, make offerings to him, protect him, and comfort him, because I wish to make offerings to the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma. If he sits and thinks over this sūtra, I also -will mount a kingly white elephant and appear before him. If he forgets a phrase or a gāthā of the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, I will remind him of it, and read and recite it with him so that he may be able to understand it. Anyone who keeps, reads and recites the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma [after your extinction], will be able to see me with such joy that he will make more efforts. Because he sees me, he will be able to obtain samadhis and a set of dhārāṇis. The set of dhārāṇis will be the dhārāṇis by which he can memorize repetitions of teachings, the dhārāṇis by which he can memorize hundreds of thousands of billions of repetitions of teachings, and the dhārāṇis by which he can understand the expediency of the voice of the Dharma.

See Striving to Live a Better Life

LS32, LS Introduction

Striving to Live a Better Life

We have desires as long as we live. Even if we satisfy one desire, another immediately arises to succeed it. As a result, we are always unsatisfied and even frustrated. Besides, to satisfy any desire we must make an effort; we cannot get anything by remaining idle. Thus, whether we act or just sit and dream, we are always unsatisfied. Although there are physical sufferings, such as illness or poverty, suffering in essence may be psychological. (What matters is not the problems of life but how we react to them.) We suffer dissatisfaction as long as we are seeking fulfillment in life. Even striving in the pursuit of happiness means we have not yet achieved the happiness we desire. For this reason, “All existence is suffering” is not a pessimistic view of life. Rather, it can be the reverse image of a positive view—striving to live a better life.

Introduction to the Lotus Sutra

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Feb. 25, 2018

Universal-Sage! If you see anyone who keeps, reads and recites the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma in the later five hundred years after my extinction, you should think, ‘Before long he will go to the place of enlightenment, defeat Māra and his followers, attain Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi, turn the wheel of the Dharma, beat the drum of the Dharma, blow the conch-shell horn of the Dharma, send the rain of the Dharma, and sit on the lion-like seat of the Dharma in the midst of the great multitude of gods and men.’

The Buddha gives this instruction to Universal-Sage Bodhisattva (Fugen, Samantabhadra) in Chapter Twenty-Eight of the Lotus Sūtra. Nichiren explained that the later five hundred years mentioned in this passage is the time in which we are living today. The Buddha is therefore talking about all of us who practice the Wonderful Dharma. When we can grow our capacity to respect each other as we respect the Buddha, it inspires the respect at the core of all beings, and transforms this world.

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

LS32

Day 31

Day 31 covers Chapter 27, King Wonderful-Adornment as the Previous Life of a Bodhisattva.

Having last month learned the value of teachers, we hear King Wonderful-Adornment praise Cloud-Thunderpeal-Star-King-Flower-Wisdom Buddha.

“King Wonderful-Adornment came down from the sky and said to that Buddha [staying in the sky], ‘World-Honored One! You are exceedingly exceptional. You have merits and wisdom. Therefore, the fleshy tuft on your head shines bright. Your eyes are long, wide, and deep blue in color. The curls between your eyebrows are as white as a bright moon. Your teeth are white, regular and bright. Your lips are as red and as beautiful as the fruits of a bimba-tree.’

“Thereupon King Wonderful-Adornment, having praised the Buddha for his many hundreds of thousands of billions of merits including those previously stated, joined his hands together towards the Tathāgata, and with all his heart, said to that Buddha again, ‘World-Honored One! I have never seen anyone like you before. Your teachings have the e inconceivable, wonderful merits. The practices performed according to your teachings and precepts are peaceful and pleasant. From today on, I will not act according to my own mind. I will not have wrong views, arrogance, anger or any other evil thought.’ Having aid this, he bowed to that Buddha and retired.”

See The Only Path for Overcoming Sufferings

LS32, d21b, LS Introduction

The Only Path for Overcoming Sufferings

[W]hy do we end up suffering while pursuing happiness? That is a fundamental question. The answer is that ordinary people think of happiness as the satisfaction of worldly desires, seeing their lives only from a biological viewpoint. If perfection of our biological lives is our only desire and goal, this world quickly becomes a battlefield of clashing egos, all struggling for survival. Each person pursues his own interests at the expense of the others. In order to achieve true happiness, we must break out of our selfish limitations somehow and find a path which transcends biological existence.

We must first realize that true happiness cannot be the satisfaction of our desires by winning the battle for survival (which is impossible), but rather the establishment of a world without conflicts, where each individual considers the happiness and interests of others to be the same as his own. This is the Buddha’s “Pure World.” (In it, the Buddha is at the center, not I or anyone else.) Its realization is the only path for overcoming sufferings.

Introduction to the Lotus Sutra

Awakening to the Lotus

The Lesson of Bodhisattva Never Despise

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Because all human beings have the potential to become Buddhas – their lives contain the world of Buddhahood because of ichinen sansen – we should treat all other people was we wish to be treated ourselves. We should keep in mind the lesson of Bodhisattva Never Despise in Chapter 20 of the Lotus Sutra, who told everyone that he met that he respected them because they would become Buddhas one day.

Awakening to the Lotus

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Feb. 24, 2018

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