In the first seal of the Law, all things are impermanent, “all things” means all physical and mental phenomena. Everything is constantly changing, and Shakyamuni made this statement of the ephemeral nature of all things first as a fact that people must experience in daily life. Clearly the operations of the mind are fluid, but even such apparently stable objects as rocks and trees are constantly undergoing change. From the minutest physical particles to the largest celestial bodies, nothing ceases to move for a moment. Modern scientific theories about this kind of flux make it easier than in the past to accept the idea that all things are impermanent.
Basic Buddhist Concepts
Quotes
‘Equality As Such’
“Equality as such” means that every one of the ten suchnesses is not separate from each other. They are always contained in one body in relationship to each other. The idea of ten suchnesses applies not only to human beings but also to all things, mind, or even life after death. The ten suchnesses exist in all one hundred realms. … Each realm of the one hundred has its own ten suchnesses such as appearance, nature, entity, power and so forth. In other words, one hundred realms multiplied by the ten suchnesses create one thousand suchnesses.
Buddha Seed: Understanding the OdaimokuNot by Bribes, Nor Menace
The promulgation of Buddhist doctrines has been divided from the earliest times into three periods, the last of which is called the Period of the Latter-day Law. Nichiren regarded his own time as falling under this designation, and considered it as the proper occasion for promulgating the doctrines of the [Lotus Sutra]. He therefore began his work in the year 1252 of the Christian era. At this epoch, the true original doctrines of the faith had become corrupted by the intermixture of much that was false and temporary, so that popular belief in the Buddha had lost its purity, and divisions had crept in. Deeply grieved at the error and confusion which reigned, Nichiren set himself very laboriously to work in promulgating the Good Law. He found, however, not only that its acceptance would be a matter of some time, but that his efforts to enforce it raised up many enemies and opponents, whose hostility gave him no small amount of trouble. The difficult position in which he now found himself coincided almost exactly with that predicted by Sakyamuni two thousand years before. “The Law,” he said in the [Lotus Sutra], has many opponents and enemies, even now while I am in the world. It will necessarily have many more after my departure.” Now, being determined to stake his very life in promulgating the Good Law, Nichiren thus addressed the Buddha: “To despise and reject the Holy Book of our Sect, be it good or bad, is an action proper only to the denizens of hell. Suppose an emperor were to offer me the sovereignty of the empire on condition that I cast away the Holy Book and took up, instead, the religious works used by other sects: and were to threaten me with the decapitation of my father and mother unless I contented myself with repeating the name of Buddha, as the “Pure Land” sectarians do, in order to be born in the Pure Land after death; neither the bribe on one hand, nor the menace on the other, would have the slightest effect upon me. Nothing could ever move me except being outreasoned by a wiser man than myself; and I do not believe that such a man will ever be discovered. Benefits and troubles are alike unable to make any impression on my mind. I want to be, as it were, the pillars for Japan; to be the eyes for Japan; to be the ship for Japan. Of this object I will never lose sight; the oath I have sworn I will never break.” Thus, attesting his professions with an oath, Nichiren founded his new sect; sometimes called by his own name, and sometimes Hokke, after the title of the [Lotus Sutra].
Doctrines of Nichiren (1893)Playing Our Role
We should not forget that as a householder, businessman, computer programmer, maintenance technician, clerk, no matter what, we are indeed playing a role. We have chosen to manifest ourselves in this life as common ordinary people who are in fact Buddhas. At the core of our life is the truth that, no matter what, we are Buddhas who have assumed a role in order to lead others to enlightenment.
Lotus Path: Practicing the Lotus Sutra Volume 1The Ideal World, the Pure Land and Heaven
The foundation of the Lotus Sutra gives us a new concept of religion. It was expounded 2,500 years ago that, “This world can be a pure land or an ideal world.” We tend to complain about this world, seeing it as a corrupted human world. People want to give up the real world, and expect a pure land in another world after death. However, the Lotus Sutra teaches us that the pure land is neither another world, nor a place to go to after death. “Here is the ideal world, the pure land and heaven.”
Spring WritingsAlong the Path to Our Ultimate Destination
Sometimes I’ll use the idea of Magic City as an explanation to the benefits we see in our lives as a result of our practice. As humans we naturally have difficulties arise in our lives that we wish to address. Sometimes these are material in nature and we achieve our desired goal. Yet all of those benefits are in a sense our Magic City along the path toward our ultimate destination of Buddhahood. They are necessary to our ultimate spiritual development, just as the Magic City was essential to the travelers. The Magic City, though an illusion, actually did provide benefit to the travelers because they could rest and become refreshed. So too the accomplishment of overcoming our difficult circumstances are necessary to our practice, but it is not the final objective.
Lecture on the Lotus SutraAwakening to the Truth
The One Vehicle is the teaching that there are no permanent barriers to attaining Buddhahood. Even the worst evil-doers have the ability to awaken to the truth about themselves, repent of their wrong-doing, and begin to follow the way to Buddhahood if they take faith in the One Vehicle. Those who are looked down upon by others for any reason also have the ability to awaken to the incomparable dignity of Buddhahood if they take faith in the One Vehicle. There is no discrimination in the One Vehicle. People may be different based on race, class, ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual orientation, intelligence, personal habits, interests, spiritual maturity, and many other factors, but in the end all people have the same capacity to attain Buddhahood.
Lotus SeedsThe Three Seals
Fundamental to the law of dependent origination are the seals (or marks) of the Law. Seal is used in the sense of a brand that guarantees the validity of a document and serves as a person’s mark. Thus the seals of the Law are simultaneously its characteristics and its proof. Any theory that conforms to these characteristics is true; any theory that fails to do so is false. The three seals state that all things are impermanent, nothing has a persisting self, and nirvana is tranquility. Sometimes a fourth, all existence is suffering, is added to make the four seals of the Law.
Basic Buddhist ConceptsExperiencing 10 Realms
Human beings can experience the heart of compassion like a Buddha or a Bodhisattva. We also experience anger (asura), greed (hungry spirit), or mercilessness (animal), or sink into the bottom of sufferings (hell).
“Anger represents hells; greed—hungry spirits; ignorance—beasts; flattery—asura demons; delight—gods; and calm—men.” (Kanjin Honzon- Shö, WNS2, p. 134)
“The ‘mutual possession of ten realms’ doctrine is as difficult to maintain as it is to see fire in a rock and flowers in wood. However, it is not totally impossible because rocks spark when struck together and a tree blooms in spring.” (Kanjin Honzon-Shö, WNS2, p. 136)
Buddha Seed: Understanding the OdaimokuThe Changes We Make in Ourselves
Our goal is to become enlightened as we are in this life. What is necessary is to find out what within our own life needs to fundamentally change in order to manifest enlightenment. The answer to that search is found only within us and not in the life of another. It is the changes we make in ourselves that will bring forth enlightenment.
Lotus Path: Practicing the Lotus Sutra Volume 1