The Lotus Sutra expounds that we, human beings, have multiple evils in our mind such as demon-like, hellish, and animal behavior, but we also have a noble mind, with emotions such as compassion, kindness, sympathy, and Buddha-nature. Therefore, our minds can be influenced or tempted by those states to make people become sages, wise men, bad men, foolish men, and occasionally, terrorists. We humans always have the potential to be good or bad. In order to control our nature, or minds, Buddhism has expounded the teachings of enlightenment for over 2000 years. What is enlightenment? It is difficult to explain simply, but I dare to say, “It improves the values in your life.”
Spring WritingsQuotes
One Candle
It says in the sutra, and Nichiren repeats it in his letters, it only takes one candle to instantly eliminate the darkness that has filled a cave for thousands of years. Chanting Odaimoku is like that candle. No matter how small or feeble, that one candle does begin to light up your life. That spark of hope can be the foundation of faith in your life that anything is possible to change if you follow the teachings of the Lotus Sutra.
Lecture on the Lotus SutraStriving to Become Buddhas
Mahayana Buddhism teaches that the Buddha actually has three bodies: a historical body; an ideal body, which can only be seen by bodhisattvas; and a transcendent universal body, which is ultimate reality itself. In its highest form, Mahayana Buddhism teaches that we all have Buddha-nature and that we should all strive to become Buddhas ourselves.
Lotus SeedsEquality Before Buddha
Ultimately, the largest treasure and most precious “benefit” one will receive is none other than the Buddha’s enlightenment. This goes without saying, that in the true spirit of the Lotus Sutra, one need not first be a holy or religious man in order to benefit from this practice. It does not matter whether one is a priest, lay person, man, woman, educated or not, employed, nonemployed, perfect, imperfect, with or without problems, etc. A human being is always a human being, and before the Buddha, all are equal. Buddhism therefore addresses all life in an entirely impartial manner. All living beings can become a Buddha, without exception.
Odaimoku: The Significance Of Chanting Namu Myoho Renge KyoOur Opportunity
“A man who misses his opportunity, and a monkey who misses his branch cannot be saved.” Hindu proverb
When you consider the many opportunities we have had to practice any number of other religions other than Buddhism we can appreciate how rare the chance we were presented with. Buddhism is not the most common religion in America. I have heard that Buddhism is the fourth major religion in America, yet it is still rare to come into contact with Buddhism, especially in some areas of the country.
The two princes in Chapter XXVII of the Lotus Sutra realized what a rare gift they had been given to meet the Buddha. If you have a copy of the Lotus Sutra you might enjoy refreshing your memory of Chapter XXVII.
The choice has been presented to us. We have been given a wonderful and rare opportunity. Now, do we miss this chance, will we be like the monkey who misses his branch as he swings through the forest? There is no saving either the monkey who misses his branch, nor the person who misses the opportunity to practice the Lotus Sutra when given the option to do so. The branch presents itself – the Lotus Sutra presents itself – but it is up to us just as it is up to the monkey whether or not we reach out and hold fast.
Lotus Path: Practicing the Lotus Sutra Volume 1Living Life Skillfully in the Middle Way
We are each tasked with making friends with our past selves and past experience and past causes. We are not given the job of passing judgment on the actions of our past selves. This is not our Buddhist practice. Judgment is not really compatible with Buddhism. Instead, we are called upon to live life skillfully in the middle way.
Physician's Good MedicineThe Ideal Kingdom of Buddha
Nichiren’s fervor never declined, but in his quiet life as a recluse his mind was occupied, perhaps exclusively, with enthusiasm for his ideal. His method was no longer confined to vehement warnings to the nation, and fiery attacks upon other Buddhists; he reflected calmly, and examined again and again the meaning of the ideal Kingdom of Buddha as the basis of the Buddhist Catholic Church of which his proposed Holy See should be the centre. He was always firm in the conviction that the Holy See was to be established in Japan, the land where the savior of the Latter Days was destined to appear, and where he, the man, was actually born and was doing the savior’s work. Yet, on the other hand, his work was not merely for the sake of a small country, composed of many islands. Just as he recognized in his own life two aspects, the actual and mortal, on the one side, and the ideal and eternal, on the other, so he saw in Japan a similar twofold significance, one, the physically limited, and the other, to be realized through transformation according to his high ideal. In this latter sense, Japan meant for him the whole world. He said once: ‘The great master Myoraku says in his commentary on the Scrip ture, “The children benefit the world by propagating the Truth of the Father.” “The children” means here the Saints-out-of-earth; “the Father” is the Lord Sakyamuni; “the world,” Japan; “benefit” means the attainment of Buddhahood; and “Truth,” the Adoration of the Lotus of Truth. Even now, this is not otherwise because “the Father” means Nichiren; “the children,” Nichiren’s disciples and followers; “the world,” Japan; “benefit,” the life (of these men) laboring to perpetuate (the Truth) and hasten the attainment of Buddhahood; and “Truth” means the Sacred Title handed down to us from Visistacaritra.’
Nichiren, The Buddhist ProphetHandy Principle of Enlightenment
There are ten realms in the human mind: Hell, Gaki, Animal, Ashura, Human, Ninten, Sravaka, Pratyekabuddha, Bodhisattva, and Buddha. Hell means having a hellish mind, filled with things such as hatred and suffering. Gaki means having an ignorant mind, an ego, and selfishness. Animal means being driven by instinctive desire, as an animal is. Ashura means anger, jealousy, and combat. Human being means love, sadness, and regret. Ninten means joy and happiness. Sravaka means sympathy. Pratyekabuddha means emptiness. Bodhisattva means patience and unconditional love. Buddha means compassion and wisdom. Our human mind is always moving throughout the ten realms as a result of stimulation, or the situations we are in. … Even if your mind changes constantly, there is a level or realm that you will occupy most often. That realm is your level of enlightenment so far. This teaching is called Ichinen Sanzen or “One Thought Contains Three Thousand Worlds,” which is the central core of the doctrine of the Lotus Sutra. This shows us a handy principle of enlightenment.
Spring WritingsSleeping in the House of the Buddha
This Parable of the Rich Man and His Poor Son teaches us that we should have confidence in not only the truth of the Buddha’s words, but also in the truth that we are already inherently completely endowed with the basic fundamental enlightened life condition equal to that of all Buddhas. … It may be easier for you to think, not this lifetime but perhaps I can do it next lifetime. The end of the tunnel in your life may seem so far off that you feel it will never become light again. This may sound like some empty promise. It may sound like some feeble attempt at encouraging you to have positive thoughts, when it may be just a struggle to have any thought. You may think it has been so hard that nothing could possibly make it better. I know those feelings and thoughts. I can only tell you that in my experience the Lotus Sutra was the one thing that did give me hope. When I thought my world could never get better, that nothing would change, little by little as my life began to change through the practice of the Lotus Sutra, I began to see other options, other ways of being. It wasn’t easy, it didn’t happen overnight. Slowly I began to change my way of being in the world, in a sense I become more comfortable sleeping in the house of the Buddha.
Lecture on the Lotus SutraEmphasizing the Six Perfections
Mahayana Buddhism emphasizes the “Six Perfections” of the bodhisattva instead of focusing solely on the Eightfold Path. The Six Perfections are generosity, discipline, patience, energy, meditation, aud wisdom. Mahayana also explains the doctrine of Emptiness to deepen our understanding of Dependent Origination so we can break free of our false ideas and harmful obsessions.
Lotus Seeds