Monthly Archives: March 2019

WONS

Discard Meaningless Doctrines

I pray that people in the Latter Age may somehow discard the meaningless doctrines established by founders of various sects on feeble scriptural bases, putting faith in the significant teaching supported by Śākyamuni and the Buddha of Many Treasures as well as numerous Buddhas manifested in the worlds all over the universe with strong evidence in sūtras. How much less should they rely on latter scholars of various sects preoccupied with sectarian prejudices and the ignorant of the Latter Age who discard sūtras and commentaries according to such latter sectarian scholars?

Therefore, it is stated in the Nirvana Sūtra, the postscript of the Lotus Sūtra, which was preached last in the śāla forest, that the Buddha willed to Kāśyapa Bodhisattva: “Rely upon the dharma preached by the Buddha, not upon the words of the man; upon the true meaning of the Buddha, not upon the words and letters; upon wisdom, not upon knowledge; and upon the sūtras completely revealing the true meaning, not upon sūtras not completely revealing the true meaning not upon knowledge; and upon the sūtras completely revealing the true meaning, not upon sūtras not completely revealing the true meaning.”

Shugo Kokka-ron, Treatise on Protecting the Nation, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 1, Pages 19-20

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – March 15, 2019

There are thousands of fish eggs, but few become fish. Hundreds of mango blossoms bloom, but few become fruit. It is the same with human beings, because most people are turned aside by evil distractions. There is an army of warriors wearing armor, but few are able to fight bravely. Many people search for truth, but few attain Buddhahood.

Nichiren wrote this passage in his Letter to Lord Matsuno. In Nichiren’s lifetime he saw many of his followers charmed by his teaching, but lacking the resolve to practice. This letter was one of many Nichiren used to encourage us not to waste our precious human life with frivolous pursuits, destructive actions, and selfish desires. It reminds us that we all carry the seed of Buddha nature, and to look for ways to nourish that seed.

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

original

Nonlinearity

Quote

In Nichiren’s view, enlightenment is realized in the moment of practice. This enlightenment is a timeless state, in which original cause (the nine realms) and original effect (Buddhahood) exist simultaneously and is ever accessible in the act of chanting the daimoku. The practitioner does not progressively expunge defilements or accumulate merit with a view to reaching eventual enlightenment, because all merit is inherent in the daimoku and “naturally transferred” to the person who embraces it. As in other Buddhist teachings of this time that assert direct and full accessibility of salvation or enlightenment in the present moment, Nichiren’s doctrine nevertheless includes a discourse about the importance of continuing one’s practice or further deepening one’s faith. (Page 295)

Original Enlightenment and the Transformation of Medieval Japanese Buddhism


Profound

The Gist of Cause and Effect

Quote

Chih-i displays the gist in terms of the cause and effect of Buddhahood in the Traces and in the Origin that are stated in the Lotus Sūtra. He says that the gist of the Lotus Sūtra refers to the combination of the cause and effect of Buddhahood in the Origin (stated in the latter half of the Lotus Sūtra), and the cause and effect of Buddhahood in the Traces (stated in the first half of the Lotus Sūtra). (Vol. 2, Page 439)

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


LS32

Day 30

Day 30 covers all of Chapter 26, Dhāraṇīs

Day 30 Text with annotationsPlay MP3

Having last month received the dhārāni spells of World-Holding Heavenly-King, we meet the 10 rākṣasas and their mother, Mother-Of-Devils.

There are rākṣasas called 1. Lambā, 2. Vilambā, 3. Crooked-Teeth, 4. Flower-Teeth, 5. Black-Teeth, 6. Many-Hairs, 7. Insatiable, 8. Necklace-Holding, 9. Kuntī, and 10. Plunderer-Of-Energy-Of-All-Beings. These ten rākṣasas [and their attendants] came to the Buddha, together with Mother-Of-Devils and her children and attendants. They said to the Buddha simultaneously:

“World-Honored One! We also will protect the person who reads, recites and keeps the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma so that he may have no trouble. No one shall take advantage of the weak points of this teacher of the Dharma.”

Then they uttered spells before the Buddha:

“Ideibi (1), ideibin (2), ideibi (3), adeibi ( 4), ideibi (5), deibi (6), deibi (7), deibi (8), deibi (9), deibi (10), rokei (11), rokei (12), rokei (13), rokei (14), takei (15), takei (16), takei (17), tokei (18), tokei (19).”

[They said to the Buddha:]

“Anyone may step on our heads, but shall not trouble this teacher of the Dharma. Neither shall any yakṣa, rākṣasa, hungry spirit, pūtana, kṛtya, vetāda, kumbhāṇḍa, umāraka, apasmāraka, yakṣa-kṛtya or human kṛtya. Neither shall anyone who causes others to suffer from a fever for a day, two days, three days, four days, seven days or forever. Neither shall anyone who takes the shape of a man, a woman, a boy or a girl and appears in his dream.”

Then they sang in gāthās before the Buddha:

Anyone who does not keep our spells
But troubles the expounder of the Dharma
Shall have his head split into seven pieces
Just as the branches of the arjaka-tree [ are split].

Anyone who attacks this teacher of the Dharma
Will receive the same retribution
As to be received by the person who kills his parents,
Or who makes [sesame] oil without taking out worms [from the sesame],
Or who deceives others by using wrong measures and scales,
Or by Devadatta who split the Saṃgha.

Having sung these gāthās, the rākṣasas said to the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! We also will protect the person who keeps, reads and recites this sūtra, and acts according to it so that he may be peaceful, that he may have no trouble, and that poison taken by him may be neutralized.”

Lotus World offers this:

The ten rakshasis, or female rakshasas, are the daughters of Hariti.

Rakshasas are a kind of flesh eating, blood drinking, or spirit draining demon or spirit. The tamer ones are known as yakshas and are the spirits of the trees, forests, and villages. They are considered a powerful type of hungry ghost. They appear as beautiful women (though they are sometimes shown with fangs) in courtly attire bearing various weapons or other symbolic objects.

10 Rākṣasas Daughters from book Lotus World
10 Rākṣasas Daughters from book Lotus World
  • Lamba holds a sword in her right hand and a sutra in her left.
  • Vilamba carries cymbals.
  • Crooked Teeth carries a tray of flowers.
  • Flower Teeth carries the cintamani, or “wish-fulfilling gem.”
  • Black Teeth carries a banner in her left hand.
  • Many Hairs carries a banner in both hands.
  • Insatiable carries a curved scepter in her right hand, while her left hand holds a flower vase.
  • Necklace Holding holds a garland in both hands.
  • Kunti carries a spear.
  • Plunderer of Energy of All Beings holds a staff with rings.

The ten rakshasis and their mother, Hariti., appear in Chapter 26 of the Lotus Sutra and together offer dharanis for the protection of the teacher of the Lotus Sutra.

Spring Writings

Entire Happiness

Quote

Praying for our ancestors is an important and wonderful thing. However without respect and a sense of humbleness, it is difficult to pray for our ancestors. Please try to think of and find out about your ancestors, and raise within you this sense of respect. As in the story of the Buddha’s disciple, when we pray for our ancestors we need to have a compassionate mind, praying not only to save our ancestors, but all suffering spirits too. When we do that, we will be able to save and make peace for our parents, great grandparents and ancestors. Buddhism teaches us about entire happiness, rather than partial happiness. Therefore, we should think of a way to make all beings happy, rather than only thinking of our own happiness. This is a faithful way of life as a Nichiren Buddhist.

Summer Writings

WONS

The Merits Of Chanting Chapters 2 And 16

[E]ach of the twenty-eight chapters of the Lotus Sūtra is as meritorious as the others, but above all chapter 2, “Expedients,” and chapter 16, “Duration of the Life of the Buddha,” are the most worthy chapters. The other 26 chapters are like branches and leaves of these two. Therefore, you should chant all of chapters 2 and 16 for daily services. You may also practice writing these two chapters.

The merits of these two chapters are accompanied by those of the other 26 chapters just as a body is followed by its shadow and a gem has its intrinsic value. Therefore, when you chant these two chapters, even if you don’t chant the other 26 chapters, the merit of chanting them all is yours.

Gassui Gasho, A Letter on Menstruation, Nyonin Gosho, Letters Addressed to Female Followers, Page 36

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – March 14, 2019

Bhikṣus! I will collect Bodhisattvas and Śrāvakas and expound this sūtra to them when I realize that the time of my Nirvāṇa is drawing near, that the living beings have become pure in heart, that they can understand the truth of the Void by firm faith, and that they have already entered deep into dhyāna-concentration.

The Buddha gives this explanation in Chapter Seven of the Lotus Sūtra. When we encounter even the smallest part of the Lotus Sūtra, it is because of all the wonderful things we have accomplished both in this life and in previous lives. Because we hear and practice this Sūtra, we are the Bodhisattvas who have vowed to benefit all beings and the Śrāvakas who have heard and practiced the teaching for their own benefit and are now awakening to the Bodhisattva path. The Buddha sees into the purity of our hearts, even though we may believe we are clouded by delusion and ignorance. He knows we can understand his teaching no matter how inadequate or unworthy we may think we are. No one besides us can bring the Buddha’s teachings to life and purify this world of suffering. This Wonderful Dharma helps us keep sight of who we are and what we are here to do.

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

original

The Moment of ‘Embracing’ the Lotus Sūtra

Quote

[The moment of “embracing” the Lotus Sūtra as conceived in Nichiren’s thought] is a moment of intersection between the present time and the timeless realm of enlightenment, in which the Buddha, the practitioner, and the practitioner’s outer world are all identified. It is described as the “three thousand realms in one thought-moment,” which is implicit in the practitioner as the ontological basis of enlightenment, embodied in the daimoku and the object of worship, accessed in the act of faith and chanting, and manifested outwardly in the transformation of the world. This reality is both inherent in and mediated by the five characters myōhō-renge-kyō conferred by the original Śākyamuni Buddha upon the people of the Final Dharma age and is accessible in no other way. This understanding of the Lotus Sūtra as the sole vehicle of realizing Buddhahood underlies Nichiren’s mandate to uphold it “without begrudging bodily life.” It also enabled him and his followers to challenge the authority of established religious institutions and to define themselves as the unique possessors of truth. (Page 294-295)

Original Enlightenment and the Transformation of Medieval Japanese Buddhism


Profound

The Gist

Quote

The Gist is Chih-i’s third classification of the Five Sections in interpreting the Lotus Sūtra. Having presented his system of understanding Buddhism in the first section “name,” and having sustained his system by presenting the Ultimate Truth as the substance in the second section “substance,” in this section “gist” what Chih-i aims at revealing is the essential teaching of the Buddha in terms of the cause and effect of Buddhahood, because gist is interrelated with the substance: with the substance, gist is sustained; and with the gist, substance is manifested. (Vol. 2, Page 439)

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