Our Inherent Character

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi lectures on Ichinen Sanzen and its role in our character.

On Sept. 2, 2018, Ven. Kenjo Igarashi held a followup lesson on Ichinen Sanzen, building upon what he discussed on Aug. 12. The first lesson dealt with the logic; this lesson the character.

“What is our self, our character,” asked Rev. Igarashi. “Where does it come from?”

To set the stage for his lesson, Rev. Igarashi contrasted Western ideas with his own “Oriental” view. (I suppose when a Japanese man describes himself as Oriental it cannot be considered offensive. I’ll stick to Asian in this discussion, however.)

In the west, he explained, a child’s character is molded and shaped by the parents and the immediate environment. It is as if the child is a blank slate or an empty vessel, and character is decoration added from the outside.

In Asia, he explained, “All character comes from the spirit, not from outside.”

Tapping on the chalkboard illustration of Ichinen Sanzen, he said, “That’s why this idea is very important.”

“Our spirit is born in the realm of men and our action is in the realm of men. But also we have Buddha realm, bodhisattva realm,” he said, explaining each person is unique, that our previous life created our current life.

“Perhaps in a previous life our actions were in the realm of asuras or animals, and that’s why we have trouble,” he said. “Or maybe our actions were in the realm of Bodhisattavas or Sravakas and our present life is better.

“Nichiren Shonin said, If you want to know your previous life then look at your present life. If you want to know about your future life, look at your present life.”

“Our character, all our self, comes from our previous life, from our spirit, not just from what happens after we are born,” he stressed. “We cannot make character after we are born through education.”

After the class a young Japanese woman who is new to Nichiren Buddhism asked me whether I agreed with Rev. Igarashi’s comparison of Western and Asian views on character and I said I did.

I feel this is illustrated most clearly by the Western focus on our life as a single event. Nothing happened before therefore only today and tomorrow matter.

The Asian view is nicely illustrated is this quote from the Lotus Sutra in Chapter 25, The Universal Gate of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva:

“A woman who, wishing to have a boy, bows and makes offerings to World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva, will be able to give birth to a boy endowed with merits, virtues and wisdom. [A woman] who, wishing to have a girl, [does the same,] will be able to give birth to a beautiful girl who will be loved and respected by many people because of the roots of virtue which the [newly-born] girl planted in her previous existence.

Underscore a boy endowed with merits, virtues and wisdom and a beautiful girl who will be loved and respected by many people because of the roots of virtue which the [newly-born] girl planted in her previous existence.

I find this view of life so much more appealing than the Western view of a God, loving or vengeful, who controls our fate, or creates a plan for our life or abandons us in the illusion of free will.

A floral offering

The following service included a seven-year memorial prayer for a church member’s deceased relative. Rev. Igarashi used his sermon to explain how Ichinen Sanzen comes to bear on our memorial prayers.

In both of his class lectures on Ichinen Sanzen he explained that these 3000 realms in a single moment are not limited to sentient beings. The entire universe – sentient and insentient – is contained within those 3000 realms.

In his lectures, he used a piece of chalk to illustrate this. Sunday he picked up a pencil.

“This pencil has Ichinen Sanzen, too,” he said. “This pencil can’t act but if I use it to write down something about Buddhism and someone reads what was written and understands Buddhism, this pencil, therefore, makes good actions. If this pencil is used to poke someone in the eye, this pencil’s action is pretty bad. That’s how this pencil has Ichinen Sanzen and bad karma and good karma.”

The deceased relatives can be likened to the pencil. When they die they lose the ability to act on their own behalf.

“This is like the pencil,” he said. “It cannot do anything. But we can pray and pass on our merit. Eventually that spirit will gain our benefit of chanting Namu Myoho Renge Kyo and reciting the Lotus Sutra.

“That’s why we perform memorial services for deceased people.”

Daily Dharma – Sept. 7, 2018

Thereupon Star-King-Flower Bodhisattva said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! Why does Medicine-King Bodhisattva walk about this Sahā-World? World-Honored One! This Medicine-King Bodhisattva will have to practice hundreds of thousands of billions of nayutas of austerities in this world.

This excerpt is from Chapter Twenty-Three of the Lotus Sutra. Star-King-Flower Bodhisattva is aware of the difficulties that Medicine-King or any other Bodhisattva will encounter while living in this world of conflict (Sahā) and asks the Buddha why this Bodhisattva would give up the pleasures of the higher realms to which he is entitled. The Buddha then tells the story of Medicine-King’s previous life, in which he gave up many attachments, including the attachment to his own body. These stories of Bodhisattvas are reminders of our own capacities, and that no matter what difficulties we face in our lives, our determination to benefit all beings, our certainty of enlightenment, and the help we receive from other beings will lead us to overcome any problems.

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

Number 6

Number “six” plays an important role in the system of hexagrams in the Book of Changes, which reflects in six lines forming a complete pattern of succession of six positions of Yin and Yang. This suggests that what “six” represents is the completion of the pattern of the universe represented by a hexagram, which is constituted by the doubled three powers (that can refer to heaven, earth, and man). The pattern of the hexagram is formulated by the elements of Yin and Yang, each of which is employed in succession, forming six lines. It is interesting to note that Chih-i uses a similar way to define the Origin and the Traces in terms of using the numerical category of six and in terms of the two elements being employed in succession. This indicates that Chih-i defines the Traces and the Origin in six groups in terms of the six polar concepts (i.e., “principle” and “phenomenal appearances”, “principle” and “teaching”, “teaching” and “practice”, “substance” and “function”, “ultimate” and “relative”, and “present” and “past”), and each of the following groups of definition takes the meaning of its proceeding one. With the employment of these six polar concepts, the Traces and the Origin are defined in succession. Such a way to define the Traces and the Origin denotes a complementary relation between these two entities. Moreover, instead of the two elements of Ying and Yang that constitute the hexagram as the representation of a complete pattern of the universe (possibly intended by Chih-i himself), this pattern is also completed with number six. However, since this pattern is defined in the Buddhist context, it is spoken of in terms of time (embodied by the Traces) and space (embodied by the Origin).

The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra: Tien-tai Philosophy of Buddhism


Overworking and Suffering

Shakyamuni earnestly explained the rational way to eliminate delusion and the fires of suffering. Deeply moved by what he heard, Vappa said, “World-honored One, a person who engages in the horse trade to become rich and fails to make a profit overworks and suffers greatly. Similarly, in search of merit, I became a Jainist, and when I failed to attain merit, I overworked and suffered. Now that I have heard the teaching of the World-honored One, for the first time I have attained merit. I will blow away my Jainist faith, as with a great wind, and will cast it into the rapid stream. I entrust myself to the Buddha, the Law, and the Order. Please accept me as a lifelong believer in the Buddhist faith.”

The Beginnings of Buddhism

Day 1

Day 1 covers the first half of Chapter 1, Introductory

Having last month considered what Maitreya is seeing, we consider examples of Bodhisattvas of those worlds illuminated by the light of the Buddha.

Mañjuśrī!
I see and hear
Hundreds of thousands of millions of things
Such as these
From this world.
I will tell you briefly some more of them.

I see as many Bodhisattvas of those worlds
As there are sands in the River Ganges,
Who are seeking the enlightenment of the Buddha
[In various ways] according to their environments

Some of them practice almsgiving.
They joyfully give treasures
Such as gold, silver,
Pearls, manis, shells, agates, and diamonds.
They also give menservants and maidservants,
Vehicles and palanquins adorned with treasures.

They proceed to the enlightenment of the Buddha
By the merits obtained thereby,
Wishing to obtain this vehicle,
The most excellent vehicle
In the triple world,
The vehicle praised by the Buddhas.

Some Bodhisattvas give
Jeweled chariots yoked with four horses,
Equipped with railings and flower-canopies,
And adorned on all sides.

I also see some Bodhisattvas
Offering their flesh or their limbs
Or their wives or their children
In order to attain unsurpassed enlightenment.

I also see some Bodhisattvas
Joyfully offering
Their heads or their eyes or their bodies
In order to attain the wisdom of the Buddha.

From this “introduction” I look forward to seeing these acts of Bodhisattvas repeated by Never-Despising Bodhisattva, Gladly-Seen-By-All-Beings Bodhisattva, Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva and Universal-Sage Bodhisattva. What was then, is now and will be in the future.

Imprinted Gate and Original Gate

In the first half of the Lotus Sutra, the “imprinted gate” (Japanese, shakumon), the theoretical teaching of the One Vehicle is taught. This teaching is called theoretical because it teaches that “in theory” all people can become buddhas because all along the Buddha was teaching the One Vehicle that leads to buddhahood. The provisional bodhisattvas, like Maitreya Bodhisattva and Accumulated Wisdom Bodhisattva, represent this principle by providing a model of gradual cultivation to attain buddhahood. For them, bodhisattva practice must precede buddhahood as its cause.

The latter half of the Lotus Sutra, the “original gate,” is the essential teaching of the Eternal Shakyamuni Buddha. The essential teaching reveals that buddhahood has no beginning or end: the cause of buddhahood, bodhisattva practice, is actually simultaneous with the effect, buddhahood in the eternal enlightenment of Shakyamuni Buddha. One enters into this unity of practice and enlightenment through faith in the living actuality of buddhahood already present in the figure of the Eternal Shakyamuni Buddha. This is his teaching, and only his original disciples, the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, are entrusted to propagate such a teaching during the critical time of the Latter Age of the Dharma.

Lotus World: An Illustrated Guide to the Gohonzon

Daily Dharma – Sept. 6, 2018

Anyone who keeps, reads and recites this sūtra, memorizes it correctly, understands the meanings of it, and acts according to it, know this, does the same practices that I do. He should be considered to have already planted deeply the roots of good under innumerable Buddhas [in his previous existence].

Universal-Sage (Fugen, Samantabhadra) Bodhisattva makes this declaration to the Buddha in Chapter Twenty-Eight of the Lotus Sūtra. In our mundane practice of the Wonderful Dharma, it is easy to overlook our place in the world and the benefits we bring to all beings. The magnificent character of Universal-Sage reminds us that despite our feelings of insignificance, we are the result of countless lives of practice and equal in our merits to this great Bodhisattva.

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

Number 10

Number “ten” symbolizes the completion of a concept or the infinity of the universe in Buddhism. The traditional view in Buddhism of the ten directions: east, west, north, south, north-east, north-west, south-east, south-west, above, and below, are intended to encompass the whole space. The concept of the Ten Dharma-realms (i.e., the realms of hell-dwellers, hungry ghosts, animals, asuras, humans, heavenly beings, śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas and Buddhas that are arranged hierarchically), is formulated by Chih-i, and is Chih-i’s system in encompassing the whole universe. Completeness is an important character of Chih-i’s philosophical system. Correspondingly, that the Hsüan-i (Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sūtra) consists of ten volumes can be seen as this symbol of completeness.

The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra: Tien-tai Philosophy of Buddhism


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 heard the vow of Universal-Sage Bodhisattva, we hear his promise to help those who study and practice this sūtra.

“World-Honored One! The bhikṣus, bhikṣunīs, upāsakās or upāsikās who seek, keep, read, recite and copy this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma in the defiled world in the later five hundred years after [your extinction], if they wish to study and practice this sūtra, should concentrate their minds [on study and practice] strenuously for three weeks. When they complete [the study and practice of] three weeks, I will mount a white elephant with six tusks, and appear before them with my body which all living beings wish to see, together with innumerable Bodhisattvas surrounding me. I will expound the Dharma to them, show them the Way, teach them, benefit them, and cause them to rejoice. I also will give them dhārāṇi spells. If they obtain these dhārāṇis, they will not be killed by nonhuman beings or captivated by women. Also I myself will always protect them. World-Honored One! Allow me to utter these dhārāṇis spells!”

Thereupon he uttered spells before the Buddha:

“Atandai (1), tandahatai (2), tandahatei (3), tandakusharei (4), tandashudarei (5), shudarei (6), shudarahachi (7), botsudahasennei (8), sarubadarani-abatani (9), sarubabasha-abataru (10), hu­abatani (11), sōgyahabishani (12), sōgyaneku-kyadani (13), asogi (14), sōgyahagyadai. (15), teirei-ada-sōgyatorya-aratei-haratei (16), sarubasogya-sammaji-kyarandai (17), sarubadaruma­shuharisettei (18), saru-basatta-rodakyōsharya-atogyadai (19), shin-abikiridaitei (20).”

This is my 34th time posting on the subject of Chapter 28, The Encouragement of Universal-Sage Bodhisattva. Back on the 10th time through this chapter I discussed the “maleness” of this chapter. Clearly, the target audience is young boys and men who have not yet grown to realize women are more than objects of desire, deserving of equality in their humanity. Fortunately that equality is a bedrock on the Lotus Sūtra and, by extension, the teachings of Nichiren Shōnin, as illustrated in today’s Daily Dharma.

Apropos of this discussion, I am publishing the tale of How Nanda, Shakyamuni’s Half-Brother, Came To Be A Disciple from The Beginnings of Buddhism.

How Nanda, Shakyamuni’s Half-Brother, Came To Be A Disciple

After Shakyamuni left the palace for the life of religion, the royal family took great pleasure in the upbringing of Shakyamuni’s own son, Rahula, and of Nanda. When Nanda turned twenty, he acceded to the position of crown prince and would, it was believed, someday succeed to the throne of the aging Suddhodana. Simultaneous with the ceremony to mark his becoming crown prince, he was to marry Sundari, the most beautiful girl in the kingdom. As the wedding was about to take place, Shakyamuni went to beg food at the new home of these two young people. Nanda himself filled the beggar’s bowl with food. But when he went to the house entrance to return it, the Buddha was nowhere to be seen. Nanda thereupon prepared to go in search of him. When she heard Nanda’s footsteps, Sundari realized that he was going to find Shakyamuni and said, “Please come home before my makeup dries.”

But, having followed Shakyamuni to the Nigrodha Garden, Nanda peremptorily had his head shaved and abandoned the ordinary world for the life of religion. Because he joined the Order in this sudden, careless way, however, he did not have the true heart of faith. All he could think of was Sundari, whom he had left behind. He could not turn his thoughts to religious training. Although he waited for a chance to run away and join his beloved, no opportunity presented itself. He could take no part in the joys or the disciplines of the other members of the Order. Sundari was always on his mind, and he is even said to have made a picture of her for consolation.

All of this finally reached the ears of Shakyamuni, who used his mystical powers to transport himself and Nanda to the Himalayas. In a part of the mountains where there had been a fire sat a wounded, burned female monkey. Shakyamuni asked Nanda, “Who is more beautiful, this monkey or Sundari?”

“There can be no comparison between Sundari’s beauty and this wretched female monkey.”

Then Shakyamuni took him still higher in the Himalayas to the abode of the Thirty-three Devas. There he saw five hundred nymphs of unworldly loveliness playing and amusing themselves. They were all unmarried, and no men were in the place.

Shakyamuni asked, “Who is more beautiful, Sundari or these nymphs?”

“Just as there can be no comparison between the female monkey and Sundari, so there can be none between Sundari and these nymphs.”

“Then shall I see to it that these nymphs become yours?”

“If you would do that, I would devote myself entirely to religious training.”

Thereafter Nanda forgot Sundari and, thinking only of the nymphs who would someday be his, gave himself over to religious discipline. The other members of the Order were at first moved by the change in Nanda’s attitude. But when they learned that it had come about as a consequence of his desire to be reborn in heaven and possess the beautiful women, they regarded him as a hireling. They felt that devotion to religious training because of a wish to possess women was identical to working for money or to engaging in disciplines for the sake of profit. And that is not the way to conduct true Buddhist discipline.

Nanda found it hard to put up with the contempt he saw in the eyes of the people around him. But, after reflecting that the fault was his and that the shame was only his due, for the first time he experienced the true spirit of religion and began to dedicate himself to serious discipline along with the other members of the Order. In this way, he attained the enlightenment of an arhat and, it is said, requested the Buddha to dissolve the agreement they had made about the nymphs. (Page 91-93)

(See also this quote.)

The Beginnings of Buddhism