Not only those sutras preached by Śākyamuni Buddha but also those expounded by seven Buddhas and 1,000 Buddhas in the past, numerous Buddhas from the remotest past, as well as various Buddhas of all the worlds in the universe today are all subordinates to the Chinese character kyō of the Lotus Sūtra. Therefore, the Lotus … Continue reading Various Sūtras Contained in Single Chinese Character Kyō
Speaking of all the phenomena embraced in the five Chinese characters of Myō, Hō, Ren, Ge, and Kyō, the character Kyō is the king of all sūtras because it contains all the Buddhist sūtras in this single character. During 50 years or so after the Buddha appeared in this world, He preached the 80,000 Holy … Continue reading Followers of the Character ‘Kyō’ of the Lotus Sūtra
On Sunday, March 3, I got up early, did my regular morning service and then drove to the Sacramento Amtrak station downtown to catch the 9 am Capitol Corridor train to Oakland. Normally, I attend services at the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church on the second Sunday of the month, but with no service scheduled this … Continue reading About That Photo
Introduction from Open Your Eyes: A Nichiren Buddhist View of Awakening. On September 12, 1271, Nichiren Shōnin was arrested and taken to the execution grounds on Tatsunokuchi beach. He was saved from death when a mysterious ball of light that flew through the sky frightened the executioner and the other samurai. A messenger from the … Continue reading An Introduction to Open Your Eyes
In Nikkyō Niwano’s Buddhism for Today, he offers this explanation for the 12-linked chain of causation, one of the basic teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha. The Buddha preached the Law of the Twelve Causes in detail to Ānanda in the Dirghagānta-sūtra (Jō-agon-gyō). This law rules the growth of the human body as well as the changes … Continue reading Understanding the 12-Linked Chain of Causation
Those who have not learned the teaching of this Lotus Sūtra do not read between the lines. Encountering such passages as “They will be reborn among men and gods” in the “Devadatta” chapter, “Anyone … will be reborn in the Trāyastriṃsá Heaven or Tuṣita Heaven (in ‘The Encouragement of Universal Sage Bodhisattva’),” or “Anyone will … Continue reading Closing the Buddha-Eye of All Living Beings
If those of high rank reproach you, view them as formidable enemies of the Lotus Sūtra. Consider the opportunity as rare as seeing an udumbara that blooms only once in 1,000 years or a blind turtle by chance encountering a log floating in the ocean and respond with confidence. Even a person who possesses a … Continue reading Don’t Give Up the Lotus Sūtra
QUESTION: You cannot burn anything by simply uttering the word, “fire,” repeatedly. Indeed, you have to use your hand in order to burn something. You cannot quench your thirst by just saying “water.” You need to use your mouth for drinking water. The same is true with the daimoku. I doubt it is possible to … Continue reading Imagine the Wonders that Occur with the Daimoku
You have a grandson, Lord Jibu, who is a Buddhist priest. This priest is neither an upholder of precepts nor especially rich in wisdom. He neither observes even one of the 250 precepts nor maintains even one of the 3000 solemn rules of conduct. In wisdom he is like a horse or a cow while … Continue reading Daily Dharma – Nov. 29, 2019
The gravest level of hell is that of the Hell of Incessant Suffering. This hell is 20,000 yojana in length and width, and measures 80,000 yojana each in the eight directions. Most of those who fall into this hell will have their bodies enlarged to 80,000 yojana. Their bodies become as soft as cotton and … Continue reading The Gravest Level of Hell