Monthly Archives: October 2021

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Remembering Honge Jogyo

Rev. Igarashi prepares for Sunday’s Oeshiki Service at the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church
Table setting in the Social Hall after the Oeshiki Service

I attended the Oeshiki Service at the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church Sunday. Oeshiki marks the passing of Nichiren, who died on Oct. 13, 1282. Rev. Igarashi made the point in his sermon that the memorial service for Nichiren is different than the ones we hold for our ancestors. The difference, Rev. Igarashi explained, is that we know where Nichiren went after he died. He returned to his existence as Honnge Jogyo, one of the four leaders of the Bodhisattvas who rose from the earth in Chapter 15.

Since I began reading and re-reading the Lotus Sutra as part of my 32 Days of the Lotus Sutra Practice  I’ve enjoyed playing with what I read. For example, consider where all those bodhisattvas who rose up from the earth came from.

They lived in the sky below this Sahā-World.

At the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church we have a new member who lived in Melbourne Australia before moving to Sacramento. One of the first things I asked her was whether she saw anything unusual in the sky Down Under. She was very confused by my question.

LS32

Day 7

Day 7 concludes Chapter 3, A Parable, and begins Chapter 4, Understanding by Faith.

Day 7 Text with annotationsPlay MP3
Having last month considered why the Buddha says he teaches only Bodhisattvas, we consider why lesser teachings are inadequate.

[I said:]
“To those who have little wisdom,
And who are deeply attached to sensual desires,
The Buddhas expound the truth that all is suffering.
Those [who hear this truth]
Will have the greatest joy that they have ever had.
The statement of the Buddhas that all is suffering
Is true, not false.
To those who are ignorant
Of the cause of all sufferings,
And who are too deeply attached
To the cause of suffering
To give it up even for a moment,
The Buddhas expound
The [eight right] ways as expedients.

The cause of suffering is greed.
When greed is eliminated,
There is nothing to be attached to.
The extinction of suffering
Is called the third truth.
In order to attain this extinction,
The [eight right] ways must be practiced.
Freedom from the bonds of suffering[,]
[That is, from illusions] is called emancipation.”

From what illusions can one be emancipated, however,
[By the practice of the eight right ways]?
He can be emancipated only from unreal things
[That is, from the five desires] thereby.
He cannot be emancipated from all illusions.
The Buddhas say
That he has not yet attained
The true extinction
Because he has not yet attained
Unsurpassed enlightenment.
I also do not think that I have led him
To the [true] extinction thereby.

I am the King of the Dharma.
I expound the Dharma without hindrance.
I appeared in this world
In order to give peace to all living beings.

Śāriputra!
I expound this seal of the Dharma
In order to benefit
[All living beings] of the world.
Do not propagate it carelessly
At the place where you are!

Anyone who rejoices at hearing this sūtra,
And who receives it respectfully,
Know this, has already reached
The stage of avaivartika.

Anyone who believes and receives this sūtra
Should be considered
To have already seen the past Buddhas,
Respected them, made offerings to them,
And heard the Dharma from them
In his previous existence.

Anyone who believes what you expound
Should be considered
To have already seen all of us,
That is, you and me,
And the Saṃgha of bhikṣus,
And the Bodhisattvas.

The Daily Dharma from June 1, 2021, offers this:

Anyone who believes and receives this sūtra
Should be considered
To have already seen the past Buddhas,
Respected them, made offerings to them,
And heard the Dharma from them
In his previous existence.

The Buddha sings these verses in Chapter Three of the Lotus Sūtra. Whatever view we may have of our past lives, we can agree that it is difficult to remember what happened in them. In these verses the Buddha reminds us that our joy in hearing his teaching in this life indicates that we have already heard and practiced what he taught, no matter how difficult it may seem to us now. This also means that by believing and receiving the Lotus Sūtra we are respecting and making offerings to all Buddhas.

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

history

Mahāyāna Buddhism

While it is believed that the Buddhism of the Mahāyāna, which means “great vehicle,” arose as a criticism of the Buddhism of the Hinayāna, which means “small vehicle,” careful judgment is needed regarding this matter. We do not clearly understand issues such as the background from which Mahāyāna Buddhism arose and whether or not an actual identifiable Hinayāna Buddhist organization existed. It is clear that Mahāyāna Buddhism criticizes those who seek practices only for self-improvement.

History and Teachings of Nichiren Buddhism, p 38
WONS

The Shadow of a Tree in Darkness

The Nirvana Sūtra states also that benefits of understanding the teachings of the Buddha through such means as the “five periods,” “eight teachings (four doctrinal teachings and four methods of teaching),” provisional and true teachings, and Mahāyāna and Hinayāna doctrines are like the shadow of the tree, which is the doctrine of “The Life Span of the Buddha” chapter in the essential section of the Lotus Sūtra. The sūtra also declares that those who negate the eternal life of the Buddha are like a tree without a shadow in darkness. It means that benefits of those sūtras expounded by Śākyamuni Buddha during His lifetime before “The Life Span of the Buddha” chapter are likened to the shadow of a tree in darkness. They are of those who had listened to the teaching of “The Life Span of the Buddha” chapter and been planted with the seed of Buddhahood in the distant past. Those who had not received the seed have neither a tree nor a shadow to speak about.

Toki Nyūdō-dono Go-henji: Hongon Shukkai-shō, A response to Lay riest Lord Toki: Treatise on Overcoming Illusions of the Triple World by Provisional Teachins, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 277

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Oct. 24, 2021

They felt lonely and helpless because they thought that they were parentless and shelterless. Their constant sadness finally caused them to recover their right minds. They realized that the medicine had a good color, smell and taste. They took it and were completely cured of the poison.

The Buddha explains his parable of the wise physician in Chapter Sixteen of the Lotus Sūtra. In the story, the physician’s children take poison by mistake. Some refuse the antidote provided by their father until he leaves home and sends word back that he has died. The children realized that they had to accept what their father had left for them, rather than continuing to refuse his cure. In the Lotus Sūtra the Buddha stops adapting to our minds and brings us into his mind. It is only when we use our suffering to increase our determination to reach enlightenment, rather than as an indicator of our shortcomings, can we recover our right minds and realize what the Buddha teaches.

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

LS32

Day 6

Day 6 continues Chapter 3, A Parable

Day 6 Text with annotationsPlay MP3
Having last month repeated in gāthās the description of the perils in the manor house, we meet the rich man who owns the house and consider the what happened when the fire broke out.

This old and rotten house
Was owned by a man.
Shortly after he went out
To a place in the neighborhood,
Fires broke out suddenly
In the house.

Raging flames came out
Of all sides at the same time.
The ridges, rafters,
Beams and pillars
Burst, quaked, split, broke and fell.
The fences and walls also fell.

All the demons yelled.
The eagles, crested eagles,
And other birds, and kumbhandas
Were frightened and perplexed.
They did not know
How to get out of the house.
The wild beasts and poisonous vermin
Hid themselves in holes.

In that house also lived
Demons called pisacakas.
Because they had few merits and virtues,
They suffered from the fire.
They killed each other,
Drank blood, and ate flesh.

The small foxes were
Already dead.
Large wild beasts
Rushed at them and ate them.
Ill-smelling smoke rose
And filled the house.

The centipedes, millipedes,
And poisonous snakes
Were driven out of their holes
By the fire,
And eaten
By the kumbhanda demons.

The hair of the hungry spirits caught fire.
With hunger, thirst and burning,
The spirits ran about
In agony and dismay.

The house was so dreadful.
[In that house] there were
Poisonings, killings and burnings.
There were many dangers, not just one.

See The Buddha and This Dangerous World

history

Bodhisattva

The term bodhisattva refers to a sentient being who seeks bodhi. It is a term that can be found in early Buddhist scriptures. There was also the notion that Śākyamuni appeared as the seventh of seven buddhas, after Vipaśyin, Śikhin, Viśvabhū, Krakucchanda, Kanakamuni, and Kāśyapa, and that there is a buddha in each buddha-land in the ten directions. This notion later developed into a view that multitudes of buddhas exist.

Along with this new view of Śākyamuni, various bodhisattvas who perform a variety of roles appeared in Mahāyāna Buddhism. They were significant as individuals who carried out practices for the benefit of others — one of Mahāyāna Buddhism’s distinguishing characteristics — rather than seeking enlightenment for themselves. In three vehicle thought, they were established as beings who reject the practices of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas of engaging in practices for self-improvement. Avalokiteśvara was characterized as a bodhisattva who saves sentient beings. Mañjuśrī a bodhisattva symbolizing wisdom. Maitreya is a future savior bodhisattva.

Bhaiśājyaguruvaiḍūryaprabhā is a remover of sentient beings’ illnesses. Kṣitigarbha is a bodhisattva who takes on the suffering of believers in the latter age of the Dharma. The bodhisattva ideal exerted a significant influence on sculptures and other Buddhist art.

History and Teachings of Nichiren Buddhism, p 38
WONS

Priest Nichiren’s Predictions

The people of Japan, both wise and ignorant, and rulers as well as the ruled, all say, “How can Priest Nichiren claim to be superior to the commentators, Buddhist teachers, grand masters, and virtuous priests of the past?” In order to clear their suspicions of me, I predicted two great calamities to overtake Japan in the near future: domestic disturbance and foreign invasion, which I foresaw upon seeing the severe earthquakes of the Shōka Era and the great, long comet of the Bun’ei Era. The domestic disturbance would be the fighting among the descendants of Lord Hōjō Yoshitoki, while the foreign invasion would occur in all directions but mostly in the western region. The sole cause for this to happen is that Buddhists in Japan all believe in false teachings, causing the King of the Brahma Heaven and Indra, protectors of the True Dharma, to order a neighboring country to attack Japan. Unless the Japanese people listen to me, Nichiren, even if they have millions and tens of millions of generals such as Taira Masakado, Fujiwara Sumitomo, Abe Sadatō, Fujiwara Toshihito, and Sakanoue Tamuramaro, there is no way to defend the country. I spoke far and wide, “If this prediction of mine does not prove to be true, you may believe in the false teachings of Shingon and Pure Land Buddhism.”

Seichōji Daishū-chū, A Letter to the People of the Seichōji Temple, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 5, Page 176

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Oct. 23, 2021

When they expound the Dharma to the great multitude with their tongues, they will be able to raise deep and wonderful voices, to cause their voices to reach the hearts of the great multitude so that the great multitude may be joyful and cheerful. Hearing their speeches given in good order by their deep and wonderful voices, Śakra, Brahman, and the other gods and goddesses will come and listen to them.

The Buddha declares these lines to Constant-Endeavor Bodhisattva in Chapter Nineteen of the Lotus Sūtra, describing those who keep the Lotus Sūtra. When we share the Buddha Dharma with others, it is as if the Buddha’s mind is finding voice in our words. It should then come as no surprise to us that beings of all dispositions will want to hear more of what the Buddha has taught us. When we “practice the sūtra with our bodies,” as Nichiren described, when we make this teaching a part of our lives, then we find the words we need to reach all beings and lead them to the Buddha’s enlightenment.

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

LS32

Day 5

Day 5 begins Chapter 3, A Parable

Day 5 Text with annotationsPlay MP3
Having last month considered Śāriputra’s joy, we consider in gāthās Śāriputra’s reaction to what he has just heard.

Thereupon Śāriputra, wishing to repeat what he had said, sang in gāthās:
Hearing this truthful voice,
I have the greatest joy
That I have ever had.
I have removed all the mesh of doubts.

You have taught us the Great Vehicle without a break from of old.
Your voice is rare to hear.
It dispels the sufferings of all living beings.
I once eliminated āsravas.
Hearing this voice of yours,
I have now removed all sorrows.

I walked about mountains and valleys,
Or sat under a tree in a forest, thinking this over.
I reproached myself with a deep sigh:
“Why was I deceived?
We also are sons of the Buddha
[Just as the Bodhisattvas are].
We entered the same [ world]
[Of the] Dharma-without-āsravas.
But we shall not be able to expound
Unsurpassed enlightenment in the future.
We are in the same [ world of the] Dharma.
But we shall not be given
The golden body with the thirty-two marks,
The ten powers, and the emancipations [of the Buddha].
We are deprived of the hope
To have the eighty wonderful marks,
The eighteen unique properties
And the other merits [of the Buddha].”

[Sitting] in the midst of the great multitude,
You benefited all living beings.
Your fame extended over the worlds of the ten quarters.
When I was walking alone,
I saw all this, and thought:
“I am not given this benefit. I have been deceived.”

I thought this over day and night,
And wished to ask you,
“Am I disqualified
[From having this benefit] or not?”

I always saw you praising the Bodhisattvas.
Therefore, I thought this over day and night.
Now hearing from you,
I understand that you expound the Dharma
According to the capacities of all living beings.
You lead all living beings
To the place of enlightenment
By the Dharma-without-āsravas, difficult to understand.

The Daily Dharma from May 29, 2021, offers this:

You skillfully expound the Dharma with various parables and similes,
And with various stories of previous lives.
Now my mind is as peaceful as the sea.
Hearing you, I have removed the mesh of doubts.

Śāriputra, the wisest of the Buddha’s disciples, sings these verses in Chapter Three of the Lotus Sūtra. After the Buddha announced in Chapter Two that he had not revealed his highest wisdom, that everything he had taught before then was preparation, Śāriputra was the first to understand what the Buddha meant. The parables, similes and other parts of the Lotus Sūtra help us to understand how to read them, and how to make them real in our lives. When we find the true purpose of what the Buddha is teaching us, our mind and the world become peaceful together.

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