To see a Buddha is as difficult As to see an udumbara[-flower]. To avert a misfortune is also difficult. These verses are sung by two sons of a king in a story told by the Buddha in Chapter Twenty-Seven of the Lotus Sūtra. In the story, the boys have heard the Dharma from a previous … Continue reading Daily Dharma – July 6, 2016
Day 21 covers all of Chapter 16, The Duration of the Life of the Tathāgata. After focusing on the need for “faith” and what is so difficult to believe, I want to step back at this point and just marvel at how long the Buddha has been the Buddha. Listen to me attentively! I will … Continue reading Day 21
Today was Hanamatsuri, the flower festival service honoring the birth of Sakyamuni Buddha. The beautiful flower arrangement covering the statue of the baby Sakyamuni was done by Ven. Kenjo Igarashi using flowers grown on the grounds of the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church. According to tradition, when Sakyamuni was born he immediately walked seven steps and … Continue reading Happy Birthday, Sakyamuni
Day 16 concludes Chapter 11, Beholding the Stupa of Treasures, and completes the Fourth Volume of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma. In the grand scheme of things – as in that giant stupa of treasures – something about Many Treasures and his vow and his role proving the veracity of … Continue reading Day 16
When the sky is blue, the land is bright. In this way those who know the Lotus Sutra can see the reasons for occurrences in the world. For those who are incapable of understanding the truth of the “3000 existences contained in one thought,” Lord Śākyamuni Buddha with his great compassion, wraps this jewel with … Continue reading Daily Dharma – April 2, 2016
Below is the March, 2016, Sermon by Ven. Kenjo Igarashi, the priest at the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church. I have attended services with Rev. Igarashi for a little more than a year and I believe he sincerely lives his faith. The Meaning of Higan Higan is the practice of leaving our deep attachments in order … Continue reading The Summit of Greed
Day 14 covers all of Chapter 9, The Assurance of Future Buddhahood of the Śrāvakas Who Have Something More to Learn and the Śrāvakas Who Have Nothing More to Learn, and opens Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma. Chapter 9 covers the assurance of Buddhahood for Ananda, foremost in hearing the sutras, and Sakyamuni’s … Continue reading Day 14
Day 25 covers all of Chapter 20, Never-Despising Bodhisattva, and opens Chapter 21, The Supernatural Powers of the Tathāgatas. The teachings of Powerful-Voice-King Buddha “innumerable, limitless, inconceivable, asamkhya kalpas ago”: Powerful-Voice-King Buddha expounded the Dharma to the gods, men and asuras of his world. To those who were seeking Sravakahood, he expounded the teaching suitable … Continue reading Day 25
From the author Rev. Ryuei Michael McCormick’s Preface to the book: At the age of 18 I was introduced to Nichiren Buddhism. Since that time I have voraciously read everything I could find in English translation connected to Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, the Lotus Sutra, the teachings of Tiantai, and the life and writings of Nichiren … Continue reading Lotus in a Sea of Flames
Attended Sunday online services performed by Ryusho Jeffus Shonin at Myosho-ji in Charlotte, NC. In the year that I have been attending Nichiren Shu services in Sacramento, San Jose and online with Myosho-ji and Houston’s Myoken-ji, I’ve come to appreciate the rituals. In fact, it was the lack rituals that pushed me away from my … Continue reading Sunday Rituals