When we think of carving an image of the Buddha I suspect that generally we think in terms of taking some material and simply carving a Buddha. But if we think about this in terms of our lives and sculpting our day and lives we can see another meaning to this.

If we want ourselves to be like the Buddha, an image of the Buddha, we need to carve it out of our lives. Every day, slowly and carefully, chipping away at all the things in our lives that are keeping us from being Buddhas.

When we chant Namu Myoho Renge Kyo let us do so with great joy welling up from within our lives, with the mind of praise for the Lotus Sutra and with the desire to enable not only our own self to become enlightened but for everyone to attain enlightenment.

Enlightenment is the only indestructible condition of life, the gem resident inside us that allows us to exist in a constant state of happiness free from the illusions of suffering, and the illusions of birth and death.

Prayer in Buddhism is a somewhat different animal from the way it is frequently spoken of in other faith traditions. Prayer is about changing us and not changing something outside of ourselves. Yet, still it is not uncommon and in fact quite human to need certain things in our lives and so we may pray for them. When we pray for things outside ourselves we must realize that we may not have our prayer answered specifically as we decide it should be. Our intent in prayer should focus on the necessary change that needs to occur in our lives so that we can attain enlightenment.

In the Lotus Sutra the Buddha assures us our ability to attain enlightenment! Nichiren established the most efficacious manner to carry out the practice of the Lotus Sutra: chanting Odaimoku – Namu Myoho Renge Kyo – assures us of manifesting our inherent Buddhahood in this very lifetime.

There are numerous predictions in the Lotus Sutra of future enlightenment of various people representing all the conditions of enlightenment. So no matter how we may view our present condition, the cause for enlightenment exists in this very moment within the phrase of the Sacred Title of the Lotus Sutra.

Complacency has no place in Buddhism. Continuous efforts are required to fully polish our lives so that we can manifest our inherent Buddha. We should not be lulled into accepting our life as it is no matter if it is good or not so good.

“… all of you present here! Understand the Dharma by faith with all your hearts!” (Lotus Sutra, Chapter II)

Though our practice is simple and seemingly easy it should not be thought that we can attain our goal without great effort. As the quote above says, “with all your hearts.” Think of how we pursue something we love and cherish in our heart. Is the effort you put into your practice in accord with your expectation of benefit?

The opening chapter of the Lotus Sutra is full of example after example of the great efforts that individuals have gone through to attain the wisdom of the Buddha.

Many of the things those individuals practiced are no longer applicable in this age. It isn’t necessary for us to practice the severe austerities those ancient practitioners engaged in. For us the single practice of chanting the Odaimoku, sacred title of the Lotus Sutra, is the most appropriate practice.

The greatest benefit of practicing the Lotus Sutra is the attainment of Enlightenment equal to that of all the Buddhas. It is the end to suffering, the end to delusions.

When we become Buddhas then this land in which we live will become the Buddha’s pure land. What greater joy is there than this?

The quest for material gain, fueled by craving leads to suffering, or as the Buddha says: “You will be burned by them.” In the case of the Parable of the Burning house the children inside were so busy engrossed in their games, in their play, in their pursuit of happiness that they failed to notice the house was on fire and they were in great danger. If we approach our Buddhist practice as a way to gain benefit and not as a way to become enlightened then we will continue the cycles of suffering, of getting burned. Instead we should approach Buddhism as a way to become enlightened.