All we have to do is to open our eyes and look at the Truth; then, in spite of our anger and fury we shall experience peace and happiness, we shall be able to establish equality and impartiality between ourselves and others, and attain to that state of content and pleasure which they and we shall enjoy together. What possible reason is there against our succeeding to become Buddhas, except our continuance under the spell of anger and fury, unless we reduce ourselves to emptiness and annihilation? Even ignorant men and women who can neither read nor write may surely attain the Buddhahood, if they will but sincerely repeat the Daimoku Na-mu Myo Ho Ren-ge Kyo. This is the miraculous oral discipline in our Sect.
Doctrines of Nichiren (1893)Quotes
Attaining Enlightenment Just As We Are
Sometimes we think of Buddhism and think we need to be just like the Buddha. We may even think that we need to sit under a tree and be peaceful like we imagine the Buddha. But I think we miss the point sometimes by wishing to become exactly like the Buddha and fail to realize our goal is to attain enlightenment just as we are.
Lotus Path: Practicing the Lotus Sutra Volume 1Two Perspectives on Doctrine of Ichinen Sanzen
The doctrine of Ichinen Sanzen must be considered from two perspectives: the doctrine as taught in the theoretical section (shakumon) of the Lotus Sutra and the doctrine as taught in the essential section (honmon) of the Lotus Sutra. Simply speaking, the theoretical section refers to the first 14 chapters of the Lotus Sutra, which is the realm of the historical Buddha, while the essential section refers to the latter 14 chapters, which is the realm of the Eternal Śākyamuni Buddha who is eternally engaged in the activities of saving living beings. The theoretical section is known as the “Ichinen Sanzen of Ri, ‘ while the essential section is known as “Ichinen Sanzen of Ji
A Comparison of Chih-i’s Five Sections with the Human Body
This is the third analogy for the Five Sections, indicating the completeness of the Five Sections in elaborating the teaching of the Buddha as a whole. The human body (Jen-shen) is analogous with the section “Name”, for the name indicates the general characteristics of the teaching of the Buddha. The other four sections indicate the specific characteristics of the teaching of the Buddha. Chih-i says that “Substance” is analogous with consciousness (Shih); “Gist” is analogous with life (Ming), “Function” is analogous with heat (Nuan), and “Characteristics of the Teaching” is analogous with the mind that distinguishes (Fen-pieh).
The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra: Tien-tai Philosophy of BuddhismThe Highest Blessing
The second example of practical guidance occurs in the Sutra of Good Fortune, which explains the maximum happinesses to which men can attain and suggests practical ways they can be achieved. This sutra is recited daily by the faithful in lands where Southern (Theravada) Buddhism prevails.
Once when Shakyamuni was in the Jetavana Monastery, a deity of surpassing beauty approached him and said, “Many gods and men have longed for various blessings and have sought the highest blessing. World-honored One, tell me what the highest blessing is.” And Shakyamuni answered with the following precepts:
- Not to associate with fools but to associate with wise men and to revere people who are worthy of reverence. This is the highest blessing.
- To live in a suitable place, to have accumulated merits and virtues in previous lives, and to have correct wishes. This is the highest blessing.
- To be learned and skillful, to be trained and to have studied much, and to speak words of good teachings. This is the highest blessing.
- To care for parents, to provide well for wife and children, and to have a way of making a living that is pure and correct. This is the highest blessing.
- To give alms, to perform correct actions, to care lovingly for and to protect relatives, and to do nothing that is blameworthy. This is the highest blessing.
- To take no pleasure in wickedness and to refrain from evil acts, to control one’s own consumption of intoxicants, and to be selfless in all things. This is the highest blessing.
- To respect others, to be humble, to know what is sufficient, to be grateful for what others do, and from time to time to hear the Law taught. This is the highest blessing.
- To be forbearing, to speak gently, to meet with people of religion and occasionally to discuss the Law and teachings. This is the highest blessing.
- To make efforts, to be trained in the Buddha’s way, to comprehend the Noble Truths, and to find enlightenment in nirvana. This is the highest blessing.
- To remain unshaken by contact with the things of the secular world, to be free of anxiety, to be undefiled, and to be tranquil. This is the highest blessing.
Those who do these things are undefeated in all things, prosperous in all things, and theirs is the highest blessing. (Page 194-195)
The Beginnings of BuddhismLiving the Life of the Universal Self
The fundamental maxim of Tendai ethics is “to put on the robes of the Tathāgata, to occupy the seat of the Tathāgata, and to enter the abode of the Tathāgata,” in short, to live the life of the universal self.
History of Japanese ReligionChih-i’s Five Types of Polarity
These five types of polarity are Chih-i’s summarization of various aspects of the teaching of the Buddha.
- The polar concept “phenomenon and noumenon” can summarize the doctrinal aspect of Buddhism, for the doctrines expounded by the Buddha center on phenomenon as the Worldly Truth and noumenon as the Absolute Truth.
- The polar concept, “teaching and practice”, can summarize the major components that constitute Buddhism, for Buddhism is about the teaching of the Buddha and one’s practice of attaining liberation according to the teaching.
- The polar concept, “cause and effect”, can summarize the nature of Buddhism}for Buddhism concerns nothing else but the practice for attaining enlightenment as the cause and the attainment of enlightenment as the effect.
- The polar concept, “self-cultivation and transforming others”, can summarize the functional aspect of Buddhism, for self-cultivation is the knowledge of penetrating the truth, and transforming others is the knowledge of benefiting others.
- The polar concept, “speech and silence”, can summarize the methods of the Buddha’s teaching, for both speech and silence are for t!le purpose of teaching and transforming others.
Since these five types of polarity reveal different aspects of Buddhism, together, they represent Buddhism as a whole, and therefore, are related more or less to each of the Five Sections. (Vol. 2, Page 27)
The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra: Tien-tai Philosophy of BuddhismThe Chronology of the Buddha’s Life
[A footnote accompanying the story of Subhadda, an old ascetic who became the last person converted by Shakyamuni himself says:] This account contains a verse that is the oldest reference to chronology in Shakyamuni’s life: “At twenty-nine, I gave up the secular life in search of what is good, Subhadda, and fifty-one years have passed since then.” Seven years passed from the time that he left his father’s house until his enlightenment at the age of thirty-five, and he was active as a Buddha for forty-five years. (page 187)
The Beginnings of BuddhismFive Sections Arising
[In Chih-i’s elaboration of the Five Sections,] each section is related to the next section – the preceding one is a necessary step for the following one to arise. Chih-i explains:
“Name is to name dharma. Dharma is identical to the Substance. When the Substance is recognized through the name, the Substance would not be perceived without the Gist. When the Substance is perceived, it at once becomes perfect. From the Substance, the Function arises. The Function generates benefits and embraces knowledge. Since there are multiple benefits, it is necessary to distinguish the Characteristics of the Teaching.”
This passage means that the necessity to have name is to name the dharma (truth in Buddhism), because in order to express dharma, language is an indispensable instrument. When dharma bears name, it is legible and can guide one to recognize the substance, because dharma as truth is taken as the substance of the Lotus Sūtra. However, this substance–substance of the Ultimate Truth (Shih-hsiang Chih-t’i) relies on the insight of the Buddha to be perceived. The insight of the Buddha is the outcome of the gist (the practice of the Buddha and his attainment of Buddhahood as the cause and effect). Only when the gist is taken into account, could the substance as the Ultimate Truth be understood and realized (Hui-t’i). Since this substance embraces all entities, it is perfect. The perfect substance results in powerful function. This is to say that the powerful function is derived from one’s knowledge that concerns the Ultimate Truth. This is because when the Buddha realizes the Ultimate Truth, the Buddha’s knowledge that concerns this Ultimate Truth exerts the power to function in fulfilling his soteriological goal of liberating all living beings. (Vol. 2, Page 26)
The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra: Tien-tai Philosophy of BuddhismLast Supper
Even in his last hours of pain and old age, Shakyamuni was concerned about the feelings of the faithful. He said to Ananda, ”It is possible that someone will cause Chunda the smith to feel remorse by telling him he has incurred evil and loss by giving me the meal that has caused my death. But you must relieve Chunda of remorse by telling him that you have heard it from the very mouth of the Tathagata that, through this meal, he has incurred great good and gain. There are two meals of equal merit and fruit and of greater merit and fruit than any other: the meal offered to a Tathagata at the time of his perfect enlightenment and the meal offered a Tathagata at the time of his passing into nirvana. By giving me this meal, Chunda the smith has laid up great good karma leading to long life, fame, heavenly fortune, and sovereign power.” This incident is concluded with the following stanza:
“Good fortune increases for him who gives.
Malice does not accumulate for the person who controls
his mind.
The good person abandons all evil
And, by destroying lust, wrath, and ignorance, becomes
completely tranquil.” (Page 185)