Monthly Archives: December 2021

WONS

The Intelligence and Faith of the Audience

Although scholars in the world often say that the Buddha preached according to the intelligence and faith of the audience, actually it is not so according to the Buddha. If great dharmas are to be preached for those with superior intelligence and faith, why is it that the Lotus Sūtra was not preached upon attainment of Buddhahood by Śākyamuni? Mahāyāna sūtras should have been spread during the first half (500 years) of the Age of the True Dharma. If great dharmas are to be preached for close relations, the Buddha should have preached the Lotus Sūtra instead of such quasi-Mahāyāna sūtras as the Meditation on the Buddha Sūtra and the Māyā Sūtra to his father, King Suddhodana, and mother, Queen Māyā. If secret teachings are not to be revealed to those evil people without close relation to and slanderers of the True Dharma, Monk Virtue Consciousness should not have preached the Nirvana Sūtra to those numerous violators of the precepts of the Buddha. Or, why did Bodhisattva Never-Despising preach the Lotus Sūtra to slanderers of the True Dharma? Therefore, I think it a great mistake to say that dharmas are preached taking the intelligence and faith of the audience into consideration.

Senji-shō, Selecting the Right time: A Tract by Nichiren, the Buddha’s Disciple, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 1, Page 208

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Dec. 25, 2021

When he keeps this sūtra, He will be able to reach a rare stage. He will be joyfully loved and respected By all living beings.

The Buddha sings these verses in Chapter Nineteen of the Lotus Sūtra. He describes those who put this sūtra in their lives, and dedicate their existence to liberating all beings from ignorance and delusion. When the Buddha became enlightened, he realized all beings can become enlightened. When we work for the benefit of all beings, we find the Buddha’s mind and bring harmony into our lives and the world.

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

LS32, Innumerable, b4today

Another Innumerable Day Before Day 1

Having last month considered who was present for the Sutra of Innumerable Meanings, we consider the great Bodhisattvas.

Without exception, all such bodhisattvas as these are great beings that embody the Dharma. They have achieved perfection in behavioral principles, perfection in concentration, perfection in discernment, perfection in emancipation, and perfection in the perspective that pertains to emancipation. Their minds are calm and tranquil, constantly in contemplation, at peace and at ease—having no cravings and creating no causes, and immune to contrary thinking and distraction. Their quiet and pure resolve is boundlessly profound. Having steadfastly maintained this condition over hundreds of thousands of koṭis of kalpas, all of the countless approaches to the Dharma7 are before them here and now. Having gained great wisdom, they fathom all phenomena: their full grasp and discernment of the truth of natures and aspects, of existence and nonexistence, and of length and brevity is manifest and clear.

In Buddhism for Today, Nikkyō Niwano offers this about these Bodhisattvas:

This admiration of the bodhisattvas and bhikshus is not mere empty praise. It indicates the pattern of how these people have practiced the teachings of the Buddha. We cannot attain the same state of mind as the Buddha in a single leap. In the first place, we must study the practice of the bodhisattvas and the bhikshus. Some people consider our inability to follow the same kind of practice as due to its being far removed from the realities of everyday life. It is natural that they should think this, but that is no reason not to try to follow the pattern of the bodhisattvas and bhikshus. There is a key or a chance of opening the gate of enlightenment in following even only one of the many virtuous practices of the bodhisattvas that are expressed in the sutras.
Buddhism for Today, p5-6

history

Predictions of Civil Disturbance

[A] huge incident, known as the February Disturbance, occurred in Kamakura and then in Kyoto. This was an attack on the Hōjō clan and their retainers. On the 11th in Kamakura, Hōjō Tokiakira, also called Nagoe Tokiakira, and Hōjō Noritoki were put to death. Continuing on the 15th of the same month in Kyoto, Hōjō Tokisuke of the southern quarter of Rokuhara Tandai killed Hōjō Yoshimune of the northern sector of the same area. Hōjō Tokimune, the tokusā, considered his illegitimate elder brother, Tokisuke, as a threat to the his established authority. This incident, therefore, was a purge intended both to solve disunity within the Shogunate and to consolidate the authority of the tokusō.

The February Disturbance was the realization of the internal rebellion predicted by the Risshō Ankoku-ron. When Nichiren Shōnin was arrested on September 12 of the previous year, he warned Taira Yoritsuna. He described this warning in the Senji-shō: “You will immediately face the calamities of revolt within your own domain and invasion by a foreign nation. Not only will the people of this country be beaten to death by foreign invaders, but many will also be taken prisoner.” This also came true just as predicted. As a result, the activities of Nichiren Shōnin and his disciples who accompanied him to Sado, were invigorated. Even on Sado Island, new believers and followers appeared.

History and Teachings of Nichiren Buddhism, p 153-154
WONS

The Honzon Established in the 16th Chapter

The honzon (most venerable one) established in the 16th chapter of the Lotus Sūtra is Lord Śākyamuni Buddha, who has been closely tied with us in this Sahā World by the bond of cause and effect ever since attaining Buddhahood “500 (million) dust-particle kalpa” ago, and who is equipped with the eternal three bodies (Dharma, Reward, Accommodative Bodies) of the Buddha. “The Life Span of the Buddha” chapter refers to this as “the Buddha’s secret lore and divine powers,” which were explained by Grand Master T’ien-t’ai in his Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sūtra: “It is mysterious (pi) of one body being identical to a triple-body and confidential (mi) of a triple-body being identical to one body. It is mysterious because it has never been explained, and confidential because only the Buddha knew it. The Buddha has always been equipped with the three bodies attained in the eternal past throughout the past, present and future, but He has kept it confidential without ever revealing it in other sūtras. ”

Sandai Hiho Honjo-ji, The Transmission of the Three Great Secret Dharmas, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 289

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Dec. 24, 2021

Flower-Virtue! Now you see Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva here and nowhere else. But formerly he transformed himself into various living beings and expounded this sūtra to others in various places.

The Buddha makes this declaration to Flower-Virtue Bodhisattva in Chapter Twenty-Four of the Lotus Sūtra. In their efforts to benefit all beings, Bodhisattvas develop the capacity to adapt themselves to their circumstances. They know they cannot use the same methods to teach everyone. Instead of seeing the beings in our world of conflict as obstacles to getting what we want, we can learn to see them as great teachers who have transformed themselves into what we need to become enlightened. This can also help them to realize their nature as Bodhisattvas, rather than beings stuck in the world of conflict, absorbed in their own gratification.

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

LS32, Universal Sage

Between Day 32 and Day 1: The Core of the True Way

Having last month considered the participant’s taking refugee in the three treasures, we consider what constitutes the core of the true Way of the buddhas in the ten directions.

Having taken refuge in the Three Treasures, the practitioner must personally vow to adopt the six appropriate behaviors. Having embraced the six appropriate behaviors, she or he must then diligently strive to cultivate unwavering pure conduct, awaken a mind to universally ferry others, and adopt the eight appropriate behaviors. Having made this commitment, the practitioner, in a quiet secluded location, must burn fine incense, scatter flowers, offer respects to all buddhas and bodhisattvas and to the comprehensive Great Vehicle as well, and say these words:

“Here, this day, I have awakened the aspiration for enlightenment! Through the beneficial effects of this, may I universally ferry all living beings!”

After saying this, the practitioner must again humbly pay homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas, and reflect on the comprehensive principle over the course of one to three-times-seven days. Whether renunciant or layperson, the practitioner will not need a mentor, will not need stewards, and will not need to take vows in a ceremony because of the power of accepting, keeping faith with, reciting, and internalizing the Great Vehicle sutras, and because of Universal Sage Bodhisattva’s encouragement to engage in this practice. This is the core of the true Way of the buddhas in the ten directions. By means and reason of this Way, the practitioner will naturally attain the five attributes of an enlightened one: perfection in behavioral principles, perfection in concentration, perfection in wisdom, perfection in emancipation, and perfection in the perspective that pertains to emancipation. Buddha tathāgatas become so by following this Way; the promise of their buddhahood is obtained in the Great Vehicle sutras.

history

Tatsunokuchi Persecution

From the standpoint of the political circumstances of the time, the Tatsunokuchi Persecution had to happen. Nichiren Shōnin’s criticism of the Zen and Ritsu schools was religious criticism of Hōjō Tokiyori and Hōjō Shigetoki, who were faithful believers, as well as supporters and protectors of those schools. The tokusō, Hōjō Tokimune, was responsible for strengthening the Shogunate’s structure for defense against the Mongols. Nichiren Shōnin’s criticism of the tokusō within that structure was considered as opposing that defense system. This defense structure’s fundamental theme was to maintain discipline nationwide by suppressing malicious parties. Nichiren Shōnin’s criticism, especially in the vicinity of Kamakura where the seat of the government was located, could not be permitted.

History and Teachings of Nichiren Buddhism, p 152
800years, Blog

500 Yojanas Ago

Ryusho Jeffus
Ryusho Jeffus

At 8:27 am on Aug. 11, 2020, I received word that Ryusho Jeffus Shonin had died at the Syracuse, New York, VA Medical Center. It has now been 500 days since.

In Ryusho’s book, The Parable of the Magic City, he explains that a yojana is both a measure of distance – the distance an oxcart can travel in a day – and a measure of time – one day for each yojana. And as used here, it is a measure of endurance.

As Ryusho put it in his book, “I wonder what you could accomplish in your life if you made a commitment from today for 500 days to practice on a regular consistent basis towards the achievement of some change in your life? Would you be able to travel the entire 500 days without giving up or abandoning or forgetting your goal and effort?”

Currently I am working on what I call my 800 Years of Faith project. I am marking the 800th anniversary of the birth of Nichiren in 1222 with a yearlong discussion of the topic of faith. On weekdays I will re-publish quotes from Nichiren and other writers that I have gathered here from books I’ve read. On the weekends I will publish 500-word essays on the topic.

As of today I have drafted 77 of these essays. Most of these are products of my 32 Days of Lotus Sutra practice. Using the background and commentary I’ve gathered here, I’ve worked my way through the entire Threefold Lotus Sutra to craft essays on faith related to each chapter.

There are 106 weekend days in 2022 and so I have invited a number of Nichiren priests, shami and others to contribute. I’ve had some interest expressed but haven’t received any essays.

The goal is to fill all 106 weekend days. Ryusho would appreciate this project.

WONS

A Visible Form of the Brahma’s Voice of the Buddha

The written words of the Lotus Sūtra express in a visible and tangible form the Brahma’s voice of the Buddha, which is invisible and intangible, so that we can see and read them with our eyes. The Buddha’s pure and immaculate voice, which had disappeared, is resuscitated in the form of written characters for the benefit of humankind. These are two fundamental reasons why people give utterance to speech. First, people utter sounds that deceive others though unintentionally. This is the voice produced in accordance with the minds of other people. Secondly, one utters a voice in order to express what one truly has in mind. In this case one’s own mind is revealed as voice. Mind is called the spiritual aspect while voice is the physical aspect. Therefore, the spiritual aspect reveals the physical aspect. But it is also possible to perceive the mind by listening to the voice. In this case the physical aspect (voice) reveals the spiritual aspect (mind). The physical aspect and the spiritual aspect were inseparable, yet sometimes they appear separately, revealing the intent of the Buddha as the letters of the Lotus Sūtra or the letters of the Lotus Sūtra as the mind of the Buddha.

Mokue Nizō Kaigen no Koto, Opening the Eyes of Buddhist Images, Wooden Statues or Portraits, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 91