“In the beginning” men and animals were gods, and plants and rocks had speech; but even now, according to the Shinto conception, it is not entirely otherwise.
History of Japanese ReligionQuotes
The Jeweled Stupa
The jeweled stupa arising from the earth represents the emergence of Buddhahood (the stupa) from the ground of Buddha-nature in people’s ordinary lives (the earth). The transformation of this world is a graphic reminder that this world is the real pure land where enlightenment actually occurs. The recall of the emanated Buddhas from the pure lands reveals that these idealized Buddhas are personifications of the enlightened qualities and inner life of the historical Shakyamuni Buddha. The image of Many Treasures Tathagata and Shakyamuni Buddha seated together symbolizes the unity of the true reality of life and the wisdom of the person who awakens to reality.
Lotus World: An Illustrated Guide to the GohonzonThe Meaning of Myoho
“Myoho” means, “The eternal teaching to open all wonderful mysterious gates, awaken hidden power, develop hidden power, develop and resuscitate life.” So all universal laws, all phenomena and all other teachings, even god’s acts, can be expressed by using only the two words: “Myo ho.”
Spring WritingsA Goal Along the Path
Nirvana is taught as an awakening in which illusions and karma that lead to rebirth are extinguished. It is a goal along the path to the ultimate goal of becoming a Buddha. Looking at the predictions given to the contemporary disciples of the Buddha we see that the ultimate prediction given to them is not Nirvana but the attainment of Buddhahood in distant worlds; they become Buddhas. In Chapter XVI we learn that the Buddha does not leave the world, that leaving the world in death is only an illusion. Nirvana is not the final goal, but it is one goal along the continuing path to Buddhahood.
Lecture on the Lotus SutraOur Inspiration and Guide
The Buddha is not some god-like entity. The inner life of Shakyamuni Buddha is within ourselves. The actual qualities and accomplishments of Shakyamnni Buddha flow naturally from his realization of the ultimate truth. They serve as an inspiration and a guide to what we are capable of doing when we take faith in the Buddha Dharma.
Lotus SeedsThe Buddha’s Last Words
Finally, in the night of February 15th, the Buddha spoke the words, “Make yourself your guiding light; rely on yourself instead of on others. Make the Dharma your guiding light; rely on the Dharma instead of on others.”
Awakening to the LotusThe End of Suffering
No more permanent than any other aspect of the world, suffering can be converted into happiness. But seeking the reason for suffering’s existence is the necessary first step toward achieving this transformation. Only by examining the causal relationship giving rise to sorrows is it possible to discover a logical way to eliminate them. Shakyamuni did precisely this. The second of the Four Noble Truths gives the cause of suffering as craving. (The Twelve-linked Chain of Dependent Origination … is a more detailed explanation of the cause of suffering.) The third and fourth Noble Truths enunciate the way to eliminate suffering, testifying to a state in which suffering is extinct and teaching the Eightfold Path as the way to reach that state. Thus we see the close interrelation of the seals of the Law, the Four Noble Truths, and the law of dependent origination.
Basic Buddhist ConceptsJikkai
The Ten Realms (Jikkai) describe the realm of livings beings and the different ways in which sentient beings experience their lives and their environments. When one multiplies ten realms by ten realms, the result is 100 realms. From top to the bottom, the realms are as follows:
- Realm of Buddha: the state of Buddhahood in which one has attained enlightenment and also is leading others to the same realm.
- Realm of Bodhisattva: the state of practitioner in which one is saving others as well as being practicing oneself.
- Realm of Pratyekabuddha: the state of self-practitioner in which one seeks enlightenment by oneself.
- Realm of Srävaka: the state of self-practitioner in which one seeks own enlightenment by hearing the Buddha’s voice.
- Realm of heavenly being: the state of heavenly being and deity.
- Realm of human being: the state of human being.
- Realm of asura: the state of anger.
- Realm of animal: the state of animalistic behavior.
- Realm of hungry spirit: the state of suffering caused by thirst and hunger arising out of greed.
- Realm of hell: the state of overwhelming suffering.
Peace and Prosperity
[W]hen Nichiren began to promulgate his doctrines he composed an essay called the Rissho Ankoku Ron, or “Treatise on the Establishment of the Good Law and Pacification of the State,” which he offered to the Government of that day in hopes that the rulers would accept its precepts and put them into practice. The peace and prosperity of the individual necessarily depend on those of the family, and those of the family on those of the State: for when the State is unprosperous and disturbed the same condition will extend to both families and individuals.
Doctrines of Nichiren (1893)Distractions
In Buddhism it is easy to be distracted by many things. Life can throw at us so many obstacles that sometimes it is like driving through a heavy rain on a highway and the windshield wipers are going so fast we can’t see much of the road ahead and so we slow down or pull over. It isn’t easy though in our daily lives to actually slow down. Life seems to march inexorably forward with or without us. At times like these we may feel as if we are passengers on a bus being driven madly forward to a destination not of our choosing. There are things we can do though once we become aware of this condition. It is possible to limit the number of interrupting distractions. The first thing that helps is to firmly establish the routine of placing our practice first and foremost in our daily lives. When we can begin our day with even the smallest amount of mindful Buddhist practice we set the stage for how we manage our entire lives.
Lotus Path: Practicing the Lotus Sutra Volume 1