Category Archives: 800years

800years, Universal Sage, Blog

800 Years: The Blossoming of Faith

Much of my discussion of faith and the Lotus Sutra this year has involved little more pulling quotes from books I’ve read and splicing them together with my observations. The goal has been to use the books I’ve studied in order to recall and relearn aspects of faith and practice. As I said at the start, “I have done this to perfume my own mind.”

Here’s an example. In all my times through the Sutra of Contemplation of the Dharma Practice of Universal Sage I didn’t understand the symbolism until I read Nikkyō Niwano, Buddhism for Today:

“Another description reads: ‘On the trunk of the elephant there is a flower, and its stalk is the color of a red pearl. That golden flower is still a bud and has not yet blossomed.’ This symbolizes the state in which one’s faith is not perfect, like a flower bud, and in which one has not yet attained enlightenment. However, if one is aware of this state, further repents his sins, and pursues wholeheartedly the bodhisattva practice, he will be able to see the flower of faith instantly blossom and shine with a golden color.”

Buddhism for Today, p429

Looking at the text in this light allows real appreciation. The same is true for this quote about how our Buddha nature revealed by the Lotus Sutra is a gem cherished in the Contemplation of Universal Sage:

“Immediately after it is mined, a gemstone is covered with mud and does not display its true brilliance. It does not disclose its nature as an invaluable gem until the mud is washed off. Washing the mud from the gem is like the first stage of repentance. The surface of our buddha-nature is covered with various illusions acquired in the course of our daily lives. Through repentance we remove such illusions from our buddha-nature, just as water washes the mud from a precious stone.

“Repentance toward others is the first stage of repentance. We must pass through this stage, but as our faith deepens, eventually we come to repent all our sins directly toward the Buddha. We examine ourselves as being imperfect and mistaken, study the Buddha’s teachings more deeply, meditate on Buddhist doctrines, and elevate ourselves ever higher. This is the secret principle of repentance; this is true repentance.

“This second stage of repentance is the practice through which we constantly polish the gem of our buddha-nature. A gem does not reveal its brilliance even after the mud has been washed from it. Its surface is coated with mineral deposits, and it cannot display its intrinsic brilliance until polishing removes such impurities from its surface. The same thing can be said of our buddha-nature. The second stage of repentance is the practice by which we polish our buddha-nature.

Buddhism for Today, p423-424

I had lost sight of this image of polishing my buddha-nature and recalling it now during the course of this journey underscores why I took on this yearlong goal.

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800years, Universal Sage, Blog

800 Years: Contemplation of the Practice of Universal Sage Bodhisattva

As the late Rev. Ryusho Jeffus points out in his Lecture on the Lotus Sutra, “Nichiren teaches that faith comes from practice and study.” The three are the legs of the stool we sit upon before the Gohonzon. The Sutra of Contemplation of the Dharma Practice of Universal Sage Bodhisattva is a manual for putting our faith in the Lotus Sutra into practice.

At the start of the sutra, Ānanda, Mahākāśyapa and Maitreya address the Buddha:

“ ‘World-honored One! After you have passed away, O Tathāgata, how do living beings produce the bodhisattva mind, practice in accordance with the comprehensive sutras of the Great Vehicle, and, with right mindfulness, bring their thoughts into the realm of one reality? How do they avoid losing sight of the aspiration for ultimate enlightenment? Moreover, without cutting off worldly passions and without abandoning the five desires, how do they achieve purity of the sense faculties and eliminate accumulated impurities? Without giving up the five desires, how can they still become capable of seeing events and things free from encumbrance with the pure natural eyes received from their parents at birth?’

“The Buddha addressed Ānanda:

“ ‘Hear me clearly, and consider this well! In the past, on Mount Vulture Peak and at other places, the Tathāgata has already expounded the one genuine path from many perspectives. And now, at this place, for the benefit of all living beings in the future who wish to follow the Supreme Way that is the Great Vehicle—and who wish to learn and follow the practice of Universal Sage, I will now expound the method for that, which I have kept in mind.’ ”

What does this practice involve?

“[I]nternalize the Great Vehicle sutras, recite the Great Vehicle sutras, reflect on the Great Vehicle’s principle, be mindful of the Great Vehicle’s application, revere and render service to those who keep faith with the Great Vehicle, regard all people in the same manner as buddhas would regard them, and regard each living thing in the same manner as would a mother or father.”

We are told in the Sutra of the Contemplation of Universal Sage that this is the same practice that all Buddhas have performed:

“When our aspiration for enlightenment was awakened in the past, we all supremely endeavored to never lose sight of it, in the very same manner as you. These Great Vehicle sutras are the buddhas’ treasury, the essence of past, present, and future buddhas in all of the ten directions, and the seed from which the tathāgatas of the past, present, and future come forth.”

And through our study and practice and especially our faith we are rewarded:

“One who keeps faith with these sutras is an embodiment of a buddha and is one who does a buddha’s work. You should know that such a person is an ambassador of the buddhas, is clothed in the garments of the buddhas, the World-honored Ones, and is a true and genuine Dharma successor of the buddha tathāgatas.”

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800years, PhraseADay

800 Years: Even the Illiterate Could Understand

HOKKE SHOSHIN JOBUTSU SHO

A singing bird in a cage attracts uncaged birds, and the sight of these uncaged birds will make the caged bird want to be free. Likewise, the chanting of Odaimoku will bring out the Buddha-nature within ourselves.

The Buddha-nature of Bonten and Taishaku will be called by the chanting and will protect the chanter. The Buddha-nature of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will be pleased to be called. For attaining Buddhahood quickly, one must lay down the banner of arrogance, cast away the club of prejudice, and chant “Namu Myoho Renge Kyo.”

(Background : 1277, 55 years old, at Minobu, Showa Teihon, p.1433)

Explanatory note

It is not easy for an ordinary person to attain Buddhahood, that is, the perfect enlightenment of the Buddha. Even the Buddha Sakyamuni could not attain this perfect enlightenment easily. It is generally believed that He had practiced various ways and finally attained Buddhahood under the Bodhi-tree. In the 16th chapter of the Lotus Sutra, however, the Buddha Sakyamuni says, “I have obtained My eternal life by training Myself for innumerable aeons,” revealing His attainment of great enlightenment in the eternal past.

Nichiren Daishonin taught that the Buddha’s world has no boundary, and that all living beings are embraced in His world by the Buddha’s great compassion. It was Nichiren’s purpose to propagate this teaching of the Lotus Sutra and to show it to this world with himself as an example.

For that reason, Nichiren Daishonin taught so simply that even the illiterate could understand. It is to chant Odaimoku, “Namu Myoho Renge Ryo.” By chanting it, we are able to bring out the Buddha-nature within ourselves and to be protected by deities of the Lotus Sutra. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are pleased by hearing Odaimoku. In other words, we are always connected with Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and guardian gods through the Buddha nature.

So we should have faith in the Lotus Sutra and should be grateful to the Buddha and to His teachings.

Rev. Akahoshi

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800years, The Buddhist Prophet

800 Years: True Faith

Morality in human relation means … a life of gratitude shown in fidelity to the Lord, obedience toward one’s master, and filial piety toward one’s parents; all other moral relations flow out of these fundamental ones. But this passive aspect of morality implies the active duty of showing gratitude by perpetuating the will of the benefactor. The ruled fulfills his duty by cooperating with the ruler in the maintenance of order and government, the disciple by propagating the truth taught by the master, and the child by perpetuating the life given by his parents. Similarly, with moral duties viewed from the standpoint of religion: the true faith consists in propagating the Truth, and in ourselves living the life of Truth as revealed by Buddha. This is what is inculcated in the [Lotus Sutra] and is the real import of the vows taken by the saints, the faithful disciples of Buddha.

See Chapter 6, Part 5
Nichiren, The Buddhist Prophet

stories, 800years

800 Years: Faith and Understanding

In this story, the Buddha says he intends “to teach the great Dharma, to send down the rain of the great Dharma, to blow the conch of the great Dharma, to beat the drum of the great Dharma, and to explain the meaning of the great Dharma.”

This represents an interesting mix of emotional and intellectual practices. … Dharma rain … is a symbol of equality among the living, in that all the living equally receive the Dharma without discrimination or distinction.

The meaning of the conch and the drum is not so obvious. Almost certainly they are instruments used to lead an army in battle, to inspire and motivate soldiers to move forward. Similarly, those who receive the Dharma Flower Sutra in their hearts are not merely comforted by it; they are motivated to practice it passionately and to share it with others. Buddhism is in this sense a missionary religion. Here in Chapter 1 of the Lotus Sutra we can see that the Dharma is intended for all the living and that those who share it should enthusiastically share it with others. We can also think of the sound of the conch as representing the beauty of the Dharma, while the sound of the drums represents the power of the Dharma.

It is important to notice, also, that even enthusiastic teaching is to be accompanied by explanation of the Dharma. This suggests that we should not attempt to make only emotional appeals on behalf of the Dharma or treat it only as an object of faith. It is equally important that the Dharma be understood. What is both embraced and understood will have a more lasting value than what is embraced merely on an emotional basis. This is probably truer now than it was when the Sutra was composed. Today people are trained to think scientifically, rationally, and critically. For the Dharma Flower Sutra to be accepted by modern people, it has to be carefully taught and explained, and even criticized, in terms that people can understand.

The Stories of the Lotus Sutra, p32-33
800years, WONS

800 Years: With Strong Faith and Deep Determination

A man who longed to see the Buddha took wood to make an image of Him, but he was unable to carve the likeness of even one of the thirty-two marks of the Buddha. At that time the great King Udayāna summoned Viśvakarman, the Carpenter, down from the Trāyastriṃsá Heaven and had a statue carved from red sandalwood. That statue went to meet the original Buddha in the Trāyastriṃsá Heaven, because of King Udayāna’s deep faith. This was the first statue of the Buddha carved in Jambudvīpa. …

As you see, even if people are rich and give great treasures as alms, if their faith is weak they cannot attain Buddhahood. Even though people are poor, if they have strong faith and deep determination they will attain Buddhahood without fail.

Minobu-san Gosho, Mt. Minobu Letter, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 5, Page 129-131

800years, d32b, Blog

800 Years: Living in Faith

Universal Sage is famously late arriving to hear Śākyamuni preach. When he does arrive with “many hundreds of thousands of billions of Bodhisattvas” he asks the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! Tell me how the good men or women who live after your extinction will be able to obtain this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma!”

And Śākyamuni responds with four requirements:

“The good men or women will be able to obtain this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma after my extinction if they do the following four things: 1. secure the protection of the Buddhas, 2. plant the roots of virtue, 3. reach the stage of steadiness [in proceeding to enlightenment], and 4. resolve to save all living beings. The good men or women will be able to obtain this sūtra after my extinction if they do these four things.”

These four things that must be accomplished are examples of how we are led to turn our faith into action. This is how Gene Reeves explains it in The Stories from the Lotus Sutra:

“Three of these are matters of action, things we do or can do. At least to some extent we can choose to plant roots of virtue, choose to join those who are determined to be awakened, and choose to be determined to save all the living. The first of the four, on the other hand, is quite different. Being protected and kept in mind by buddhas is not something we can choose; rather, it is more like a gift. Faith, at least in one of its dimensions, is the trust and confidence that we are always under the care of buddhas.

“Being under the protection and care of buddhas does not mean that no harm can come to us. We should know that even with the protection of buddhas, the world is a dangerous place. Shakyamuni Buddha, we should remember, was harmed more than once during his teaching career and probably died from food poisoning. We can never entirely escape from a whole host of dangers, including disease, aging, crime, and war. What the Lotus Sutra teaches is not that we can be completely free from danger, but that no matter what dangers we have to face, there are resources, both in ourselves and in our communities, that make it possible for us to cope with such dangers. By having faith in the Buddha, doing good by helping others, genuinely aspiring to become more and more fully awakened through wise and compassionate practice, and by extending our compassion not only to our family and our friends but to all living beings, the dangers we face will recede into the background. They will not go away, but we will not be dominated by them.

“To have faith in the Buddha is to take refuge in the Buddha. It means that embodying the Buddha in our everyday lives is our highest good. This is to live in faith, to trust life itself.

The Stories of the Lotus Sutra, p299-300
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800years, d32b, Blog

800 Years: Riding On A Six-Tusk White Elephant

In Chapter 28, Universal Sage promises the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! If anyone keeps this sūtra in the defiled world in the later five hundred years after your extinction, I will protect him so that he may be free from any trouble, that he may be peaceful, and that no one may take advantage of his weak points. Mara, his sons, his daughters, his subjects, his attendants, yakṣas, rākṣasas, kumbhāṇḍas, piśācakas, kṛtyas, pūtanas, vetādas or other living beings who trouble men shall not take advantage of his weak points. If anyone keeps, reads and recites this sūtra while he walks or stands, I will mount a kingly white elephant with six tusks, go to him together with great Bodhisattvas, show myself to him, make offerings to him, protect him, and comfort him, because I wish to make offerings to the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.”

The six-tusk white elephant has great symbolic meaning, as explained by Gene Reeves in The Stories of the Lotus Sutra:

“This can be understood to mean that taking the Sutra seriously gives one extraordinary strength or power. The elephant itself is often a symbol of strength or power, the whiteness of the elephant has been taken to symbolize purity, and the six tusks have been taken to represent both the six paramitas or transcendental bodhisattva practices and purification of the six senses. But if the elephant is taken to be a symbol of power, we should understand that this is not a power to do just anything. It is a power to practice the Dharma, strength to do the Buddha’s work in the world, power to be a universal sage

“Though the image does not come from this story [in Chapter 28] but from the much more involved visualization of the Sutra of Meditation on the Dharma Practice of Universal Sage Bodhisattva, the elephant on which Universal Sage Bodhisattva rides is very often depicted as either walking on blossoming lotus flowers or wearing them like shoes. If the elephant is not standing, a lotus flower will be under the foot of Universal Sage. Such lotus blossoming should be understood, I believe, as an attempt to depict in a motionless picture or statue something that is actually very dynamic – the flowering of the Dharma.”

The Stories of the Lotus Sutra, p304-305

Here again we see how faith and practice are joined to bring about transformative change, both in ourselves and in others. We are not promised salvation by some divine being. We are offered an opportunity to walk a path. As Reeves says:

“It is significant that Universal Sage and his elephant come not to offer us a ride to some paradise above the masses of ordinary people but to bring the strength of an elephant for doing the Buddha’s work in the world, so that the Dharma can blossom in us, empowering us to be bodhisattvas for others, enabling us to see the Buddha in others and to experience the joy of seeing buddhas everywhere.”

The Stories of the Lotus Sutra, p305
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800years, b4today

800 Years: Believing in a Righteous Faith and Endeavoring To Practice It

[There are] twelve merits that a believer can obtain by holding an unshakable belief in the Buddha’s infinite life. In brief, the Buddha teaches us that if we establish the basic idea of faith, we can infinitely generate the power both to deepen our own faith and to extend it to others. He also teaches us that we can expect to surely gain the supreme merit of attaining Perfect Enlightenment in the future if we thoroughly devote ourselves to deepening our own faith.

It is, of course, very difficult to attain Perfect Enlightenment. As preached in this chapter, some bodhisattvas cannot attain it unless they practice religious disciplines for eight more lives. How much less can we know how many years and how much effort it will cost ordinary people?

What great hope it gives us to know that we will surely attain Perfect Enlightenment at some time if we only believe in a righteous faith and endeavor to practice it. As long as we have this hope, life is happy and worth living. A person earns or loses money; he falls in love or is disappointed in love; he rises to a higher position in time or he loses his job because of a trifling mistake; he brings up his child successfully or loses it. If we pass through life in this way with no purpose, merely repeating vain feelings of joy and sorrow, even though each moment seems to be substantial and important, we will have an inexpressible sense of emptiness upon looking back over our life. But if our life has the strong backbone of a righteous faith running through it, and if we have a firm belief that we can advance to Perfect Enlightenment step by step even though life has its apparent ups and downs, its various joys and sorrows, we will be able to pass easily through whatever hardships may come, however long life’s journey may be and however many rebirths it may entail.

Buddhism for Today, p263-264
800years, PhraseADay

800 Years: Faithful to the Spirit of the Buddha Śākyamuni

MYOMITSU SHONIN GO-SHOSOKU

I, Nichiren, sincerely keep the most profound Lotus Sutra among other sutras which have been preached, are being preached, and will be preached. I also chant Odaimoku, gist of the sutra, by myself and teach others to chant it. Mugwort grass grows straight amidst the hemp field. Trees do not grow straight, but by cutting it straight, it becomes useful. If you chant the sutra as it states, your mind will be straightened. Be aware that it is hard for us to chant Odaimoku unless the spirit of the Eternal Buddha enters into our bodies.

(Background : March 5, 1276, 54 years old, at Minobu, Showa Teihon, p. 1166)

Explanatory note

“To live honestly” is fundamental in Nichiren Daishonin’s life and in his religion. Honest means for him not only to be honest in a moral sense but also to be faithful to the spirit of the Buddha Sakyamuni. In other words, it is to be honest to the essential spirit of the Buddha.

Chapter ten of the Lotus Sutra states that the sutra is the most profound among others, so that it is hard to understand and difficult to practice. Accepting this truth, Nichiren Daishonin simplified the difficulty by chanting Odaimoku from the depth of his heart and persuaded others to do the same.

The merits of Odaimoku are like the creeping mugwort grass growing straight in hemp field, or a crooked tree can be cut straight into useful objects. If we earnestly recite Odaimoku, our wavering hearts will unknowingly become right, because we cannot recite it without the spirit of the Eternal Buddha entering our bodies and influencing our life.

When we recite Odaimoku with our whole heart, we are overwhelmed with a mysterious force dwelling within us. It is a refreshing power that only those who have experienced it could understand.

Religion is not necessarily in the realm of reason, but it is in the realm of experience. We can not tell the exact taste of a banana to a person who has never tasted it, even though we may explain its shape, color, and texture. Similarly, Odaimoku is not a theory of life but a way of life. Happiness and sorrow are like the front and back of a single sheet of paper. Many people in the depth of sorrow have found comfort in the recitation of Odaimoku. Others in the depth of suffering, not knowing where to turn, have found their spirits refreshed with the teaching of the Lotus Sutra.

We can never go astray with the sincere recitation of Odaimoku because through this practice we are accepting the teaching of the Buddha with our hearts and bodies.

Rev. Igarashi

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