I am not a member of Risshō Kōsei Kai, but I have long found the organization founded by Nikkyō Niwano to be a wealth of information on the Lotus Sutra. No other Buddhist organization of which I am aware places as much emphasis on the study of the Threefold Lotus Sutra. I have benefitted from … Continue reading Chanting ‘Namu-Amida-Butsu’
On my altar is a quote from Nichiren’s letter, Hōren-shō, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 6, Followers I, Pages 56-57. As you read and recite the ‘jiga-ge’ verse, you produce 510 golden characters. Each of these characters transforms itself to be the sun, which in turn changes to Śākyamuni Buddha, who emits the rays of … Continue reading Praying for the dead
Yesterday, I described the gate to the Buddha’s wisdom and faith’s role in entering that gate. With this in mind, it is important to appreciate that there are many gates entering the Buddha’s house. Nikkyō Niwano explains this in Buddhism for Today: The One-vehicle means: All people can become buddhas. The enlightenment obtained by Śrāvakas, … Continue reading 800 Years: The Residence of the Buddha
In 1989, when I first chanted the Daimoku, I was encouraged to chant in order to get stuff. Didn’t matter what stuff. Chanting was magical. Have faith, I was told. Since leaving Soka Gakkai, my understanding of faith has shifted 180 degrees. This was true on Nov. 15, 2015, when I published a blog post … Continue reading 800 Years: The Cause of the Great Purpose
Daimoku literally means “title” in Japanese. In the case of the Lotus Sutra, that title is Myoho Renge Kyo. The text of the sutra begins with the declaration, “Thus have I heard.” Since the principal practice for Nichiren Buddhists is recitation of Namu Myoho Renge Kyo, it is useful to consider the “chicken or the … Continue reading 800 Years: Thus Have I Heard
Yesterday I offered my view of the concluding paragraph of Nichiren’s Shōho Jissō Shō, which I have memorized and recite daily before chanting Daimoku. But that’s not the only translation of that paragraph or even the only interpretation. Ryusho Jeffus Shonin preferred this translation: Have faith in the Great Mandala Gohonzon, the Most Venerable One … Continue reading 800 Years: Shōho Jissō Shō Redux
My ideas about faith and what faith entails are best illustrated in the concluding paragraph of Shōho Jissō Shō, Nichiren’s “Treatise on All Phenomena as Ultimate Reality” [Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 4, Page 79-80]. This is the lone writing of Nichiren’s that I have memorized. Seated before my altar, I look at the top … Continue reading 800 Years: Shōho Jissō Shō
I want to explain at this point in this yearlong journey a little about my personal experience with faith. You see, faith has always come easy to me. Well, not just any faith. Born and raised in a suburban Protestant Christian environment in Southern California, I spent my late teen years proclaiming myself a born-again … Continue reading 800 Years: Abiding Faith
Last year, after deciding to take on my 500-word blog challenge on faith, I contacted Rev. Ryuei McCormick and asked him to give me the definition of faith from his as yet unpublished Nichiren Shu dictionary of Buddhism. Here’s what he provided: faith: (S. śraddhā; J. shin; 信) The Sanskrit term śraddhā can also be … Continue reading 800 Years: The Definition of Faith
My son thinks I’m odd, but I really enjoy saying goodbye to the closing year and hello to the new year with back-to-back services at the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church. The evening begins at 11pm with a standard Nichiren Shu service of chanting Hoben Pon and Ji Ga Ge followed by chanting Daimoku. The priest … Continue reading Ringing in the New Year