Writing these short meditation essays is an engaging activity causing me to look at things in different ways in order to find connections between our everyday lives and the teachings presented in the Lotus Sutra. I have always looked for Buddhism in everyday experiences but writing it down and sharing has been a new experience. One question that arises is who is reading these things? Another question is where are you when you are reading the posts? Take a moment right now and look about you and consider where you are. Are you in a comfy spot; are you in your kitchen sipping a cup of coffee or tea? Perhaps you’re on some public transportation reading on your way to or from work. You might also be at work, sneaking some me time for yourself. Or perhaps you are in some uncomfortable place; some place that is not a pleasant place to be. All of those are one way of looking at and responding to the question, where are you. But there is an equally viable alternative way to consider the question and that is where are you personally in your life? Where are you spiritually in your life? Where are you?
Lotus Path: Practicing the Lotus Sutra Volume 1Monthly Archives: October 2018
Messengers of the Buddha
The fundamental goal is to honor the Original Buddha, to have faith in the Lotus Sūtra and to chant the Odaimoku faithfully. By doing so, we receive the Buddha’s great compassion, and we get involved in the Buddha’s life as His messengers. We will improve ourselves, because the Original Buddha’s Ichinen Sanzen is naturally transferred to us. Having gratitude, respect and compassion improves our consciousness of being messengers of the Buddha. When we make efforts to exceed our small ego of self, we are able to become messengers of the Buddha.
Daily Dharma – Oct. 29, 2018
I still remember vividly how you accompanied me to Tatsunokuchi holding a horse by the bridle, and breaking into tears when I was about to be beheaded there. I will never forget this no matter how many lifetimes come and go. If by chance you should fall into hell, I will refuse the invitation of Śākyamuni Buddha to become a Buddha. Instead I will go into hell with you. If we both entered into hell, how could it be that we would not find Śākyamuni Buddha and the Lotus Sutra there?
Nichiren wrote this passage in his “Emperor Shushun” Letter (Sushun Tennō Gosho) addressed to his disciple Shijō Kingo. Despite the hardships he faced in his life, Nichiren never forgot the kindnesses shown to him by ordinary people. His great determination to save all beings made him fearless even were he to be threatened by the Buddha with the torments of the Hell realms for the sake of those dear to him. Nichiren knew that he would be able to find the Buddha anywhere, and that his devotion would overcome any difficulty.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Shoeizan Enkyoji Buddhist Temple of Rochester
Enjoyed attending Sunday’s Shodaigo service at Shoeizan Enkyoji Buddhist Temple of Rochester.
Last week, Shami Kanyu Kroll commented on my great fortune to have opportunities to practice at home and my home away from home. It is my great fortune, indeed.
Tomorrow, the wife and I leave for Sacramento. We are driving a 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer that belonged to my wife’s parents. Even with the trip across the country, the car will have less than 40,000 miles on it when we give it to our son in Sacramento.
Chih-i’s Dharma of Buddha
[T]he subtlety of the Dharma of Buddha is expressed in a passage of the Lotus Sūtra:
“Cease! Cease! No need to explain. My dharma is too subtle to be conceptualized.”
Chih-i concludes:
“The Buddha-dharma is not beyond the Relative and the Ultimate, which is so profound and subtle that it is difficult to be viewed and difficult to be comprehended.”
The meaning of the Subtlety of Knowledge concerning the Ultimate Truth (Shih-chih Miao) is drawn from this sentence:
“Among all sentient beings, none of them can conceive the Buddha.”
The Subtlety of Knowledge concerning the Relative Truth (Ch’üanChih Miao) is drawn from this sentence:
“When it comes to the other categories of the Buddha-dharma, nobody can fathom them either.”
The subtlety of the Dharma of Buddha, composed of the Relative and Ultimate Truth, is evident from the above quotation. Chih-i remarks: “Only Buddhas and Buddhas can ultimately exhaust the Ultimate Truth of all dharmas.”
Basically, the category, Dharma of Buddha, addresses the Ultimate Truth and the Relative Truth that can be the foundation for all the doctrines in the Buddha’s teachings. (Vol. 2, Page 69)
The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra: Tien-tai Philosophy of BuddhismHokke-kyō
Besides its characteristic as a source of religious inspiration, the Hokke-kyō was rich in literary qualities. It contained an abundance of materials appealing to the fancy and imagination. The transfiguration of the Vulture Peak and the manifestation of supernal glories set forth in the opening scene; the resplendency of the heavenly worlds in response to the spiritual illumination of a king who, having left his royal dignity, has attained supreme enlightenment; the heavenly shrine (stūpa) appearing in the sky, from which Buddha proclaims and gives assurance of the further propagation of his religion in the Latter Days; the myriads of mysterious beings issuing out of the earth and taking vows before Buddha to work strenuously for religion, these are depicted in a highly imaginative style and with the vividness of apocalyptic vision. The prodigal son who is welcomed home by his noble father and educated to be his worthy heir; the scene of a thunderstorm and heavy rainfall after which plants and flowers grow luxuriantly; the burning house from which a thoughtful father, by means of a special device, takes out his children, these parables are intended to elucidate the all-embracing tact of the educative methods adopted by Buddha. The showers of heavenly flowers scattered upon the spot of Buddha’s sermon; the illumination of all beings by the rays of Buddha’s spiritual illumination; and finally the revelation of the eternal entity of Buddha’s person, these were told and heard in pious devotion. The guarantee given by Buddha to his disciples of their future destiny as Buddhas; the instantaneous enlightenment of a girl Naga (serpent) on hearing Buddha’s sermon, these inspiring stories in assuring salvation for all beings were received with tears of hope and gratitude. In addition to these stimulating stories and good tidings contained in the book, the supreme beauty of the Chinese translation played a great part in deepening and extending its inspiration. It is, then, no wonder that the Hokke-kyō played in Japanese literature a rôle nearly akin to that of the Bible in English literature.
History of Japanese ReligionDaily Dharma – Oct. 28, 2018
I see all living beings equally.
I have no partiality for them.
There is not ‘this one’ or ‘that one’ to me.
I transcend love and hatred.
The Buddha makes this declaration in Chapter Five of the Lotus Sūtra. He compares himself to a rain shower that waters all plants equally. He uses this example to show us how we should approach all living beings. Our respect for them and wish that they become enlightened cannot depend on whatever personal feelings we have towards them.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Dharma of Sentient Beings
The subtlety of the Dharma of Sentient Beings (Chung-sheng-fa Miao) is also portrayed in the passage of the Lotus Sūtra regarding the material eyes of beings (Ch., Jou-yen; Skt., māṃsacakṣus) which enjoy an equivalent status with either the heavenly eye (Ch., T’ien-yen; Skt., divyacakṣus) or the wisdom-eye (Ch., flui-yen; Skt., prajn͂ācakṣus), or the Dharma-eye (Ch., Fa-yen; Skt., dharmacakṣus), or the Buddha-eye (Ch., Fo-yen; Skt., buddhacakṣus). This proves that Dharma of Sentient Beings is subtle. This is to say that the five eyes are fundamentally one unity, and one inherently possesses them all. From within oneself, one is able to open the Buddha’s knowledge and insight, and perceive the worldly phenomena correctly with one’s own material eyes. Basically, the category Dharma of Sentient Beings concerns the doctrine of the Buddha nature that is possessed by all beings, with which the Buddhahood as the ultimate goal for universal salvation is sustained. (Vol. 2, Page 68-69)
The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra: Tien-tai Philosophy of BuddhismDaily Dharma – Oct. 27, 2018
Deep in their minds they are thinking of me,
And observing the pure precepts.
Therefore, they will be filled with joy
When they hear they will become Buddhas.
I know their minds.
Therefore, I will expound the Great Vehicle to them.
The Buddha sings these verses in Chapter Two of the Lotus Sūtra. He speaks of those who come to his teachings wanting only to end their own suffering. He understands the part of our existence that is obscured by our delusions, and that the teaching of enlightenment of all beings in the Lotus Sūtra inspires us to purify this world of conflict. The joy we find in the Buddha’s wisdom is incomparable to the happiness we find when our desires are met. When we learn the Buddha’s mind through his teachings, we learn about our own true minds.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Understanding Buddhism Through the Lotus Sūtra
The … elaboration of the meaning “subtle” paves the way to Chih-i’s own interpretation of the Lotus Sūtra, which is his attempt to establish the Lotus Sūtra as the doctrinal foundation for his system of understanding Buddhism. This is because the most significant feature of the Lotus Sūtra concerns the Ultimate Truth as the Buddha vehicle that embraces all types of the Buddha’s teaching. With the One Buddha-vehicle as the unifying force, Chih-i is able to incorporate different viewpoints, to classify the teaching of the Buddha, to reconcile differences among various divisions of Buddhism, and to give a reasonable explanation of various theories that are held by different schools. By doing so, Chih-i demonstrates that Buddhism can be viewed as a whole, and that various doctrines and theories of practice that are apparently contradictory to each other are in fact coherent, for they are part of the scheme in the Buddha’s teaching. Chih-i’s endeavor of establishing a coherent system of presenting Buddhism as a whole reflects the need of his time that calls for the unification of the Buddhist world in Southern and Northern China (as we have mentioned in the background introduction in Chapter One of Volume I). Chih-i’s effort of establishing a coherent system of understanding Buddhism may be driven by his own religious devotion as well as his own realization of the Lotus teaching. Having fully digested the teaching expressed in different Buddhist scriptures, Chih-i must have felt obligated to use his talent to take upon himself the huge task of systematizing the teaching of the Buddha, in order to reconcile contradictory views among various Buddhist schools, and to assure that Buddhism, as a whole, would further flourish in Chinese soil. (Vol. 2, Page 67-68)
The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra: Tien-tai Philosophy of Buddhism