Category Archives: WONS

WONS, 100 Days of Study

Day 4 of 100

Leaving aside this question, I will write this for my followers. Others will not believe in me and go to hell for slandering the True Dharma, which would in turn cause them to obtain Buddhahood. It is possible to know the salinity of the ocean by tasting one drop of water, and the advent of spring by seeing a flower bloom. In the same way without sailing thousands of miles over to Sung China, without spending as long as three years as Fa-hsien did to visit Mt. Sacred Eagle, without entering the Dragon Palace as Nāgārjuna did, without visiting Bodhisattva Maitreya as Asaṅga did, or without attending the “three meetings at two places for lectures on the Lotus Sutra (two on Mt. Sacred Eagle and one up in the sky) you will be able to perceive the relative merits of all the sutras preached by the Buddha during His lifetime by reading this writing of mine.

Kaimoku-shō, Open Your Eyes to the Lotus Teaching, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 89

When I read “Others will not believe in me and go to hell for slandering the True Dharma, which would in turn cause them to obtain Buddhahood,” I was reminded of Bodhisattva Never Despise.

In Chapter 20, Śākyamuni says about those who abused Bodhisattva Never Despise:

“Great-Power-Obtainer! The four kinds of devotees: the bhikṣus, bhikṣunīs, upāsakās, and upāsikās at that time failed to meet the Buddha, hear the Dharma, and see the Saṃgha for twenty thousand million kalpas because they abused me with anger. They suffered much in the Avici Hell for one thousand kalpas. Having expiated their sin in this way, they met [me, who was] Never-Despising Bodhisattva again, and were led into the Way to Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.

“Great-Power-Obtainer! What do you think of this? The four kinds of devotees who always abused [me, who was] that Bodhisattva at that time are now present here in this congregation in the persons of the five hundred Bodhisattvas including Bhadrapala, the five hundred bhikṣunīs including Lion-Moon, and the five hundred upāsakās including Thinking-Of-Buddha. Now they do not falter in seeking Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.

I ponder the idea: Could I have been a slanderer of the True Dharma in Nichiren’s day? Is that the source of my fortune to meet the True Dharma in this lifetime?

100 Days of Study

WONS, 100 Days of Study

Day 3 of 100

The Miao-fa lien-hua-ching is a Chinese designation for the Lotus Sutra, which is called the Saddharma-pundarīka-sūtra in India. Tripitaka Master Subhākarasimha’s mantras representing the gist of the Lotus Sutra are as follows: “I put my faith in the everywhere-penetrating Buddha, the three-bodied Buddha. When one attains Buddha Wisdom, which is opened and revealed to all the people, he will, like the crisp-clear sky, be able to get rid of all delusions and evil passions, accept the teaching of the Sutra of the Wonderful Dharma and live with joy, firmly upholding the teaching.”

These mantras representing the gist of the Lotus Sutra came from an iron Stupa in Southern India. The Satsuri-daruma among them means the True Dharma, while “satsu” means shō (true) or myō (wonderful). Therefore, the Lotus Sutra is called either the Sūtra of the Lotus Flowers of the True Dharma or the Sūtra of the Lotus Flowers of the Wonderful Dharma. Placing the two words of na and mu in front of the latter, we get Namu Myōhō Renge-kyō (I put my faith in the Sutra of the Lotus Flowers of the Wonderful Dharma).

Kaimoku-shō, Open Your Eyes to the Lotus Teaching, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 67

Working my way through Kaimoku-shō I am humbled. My goal of reading all of Nichiren’s letters in 100 days of study could just as easily have been 100 days of study of Kaimoku-shō. An idea for a future 100 days.

100 Days of Study

WONS, 100 Days of Study

Day 2 of 100

But now, it has been over 200 years since the beginning of the Latter Age of Degeneration. I have not been allowed to meet opponents in debate; instead I have been banished with my life in jeopardy. It proves that the warning in the Lotus Sutra about much hatred and jealousy after the death of the Buddha is not an empty threat. It also proves that we are in the beginning of endless warfare and in a decadent world of corruption where unreasonableness takes precedence over reason.

Therefore, although my comprehension of the Lotus Sutra is not worthy even one ten millionth of that of T’ien-t’ai and Dengyō, I dare say that my endurance on its behalf and compassion for the people are beyond these masters. I am sure that I deserve to receive heavenly protection, but there is not even a shred of it. Instead I have been condemned to heavier and heavier penalties. Looking back in this light, I wonder whether or not I am a practicer of the Lotus Sutra and whether or not various gods and deities have left this land.

However, if only I, Nichiren, had not been born in this country, the twenty-line verse of the thirteenth chapter, “The Encouragement for Upholding This Sutra,” in the fifth fascicle of the Lotus Sutra would be empty words and the Buddha would almost be a great liar. Those uncountable number of bodhisattvas, who made the vow to uphold the Lotus Sutra, would be accused of committing the same sin of lying as Devadatta did. The verse says, “Ignorant people will speak ill of us, abuse us, and threaten us with swords or sticks.”

In the world today, is there any Buddhist priest other than me, Nichiren, who is spoken ill of, abused, and threatened with swords or sticks on account of the Lotus Sutra?

Kaimoku-shō, Open Your Eyes to the Lotus Teaching, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Pages 56-57

I want to underscore here Nichiren’s “compassion for the people.” There is no ulterior motive.

100 Days of Study

WONS, 100 Days of Study

Day 1 of 100

Ignorant of the past and future [these Four Chinese] sages cannot help in the future lives of their parents, rulers and teachers. Not knowing what they owe to them in the past, they cannot be considered truly holy and wise. This is why Confucius said, “Truly wise and holy men do not exist in China, but in the land to the west, there is a man called Buddha. He is a true sage.”

Confucius thus indicated Confucianism, which is non-Buddhist (geten), to be the first step toward Buddhism. It would be easier, Confucius knew, for the people to understand the fundamental Buddhist teachings of commandments, meditation, and wisdom if they first learned the fundamental Confucian concepts of rituals and music.

He therefore taught the kings’ subjects to be loyal to their rulers, children to be devoted to their parents, and students to respect their teachers. Grand Master Miao-lê therefore declared in his Annotations on the Great Concentration and Insight: “The dissemination of Buddhism in China indeed depended on Confucianism. Buddhism found its way by following on the heels of the rituals and music of Confucianism.”

Kaimoku-shō, Open Your Eyes to the Lotus Teaching, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Pages 32-33

For the next 100 days I will follow this format: A quote from something I’ve read that day accompanied with something pithy from me. I hope to devote a minimum of an hour a day to reading the seven volumes of the official Nichiren Shū collection of Nichiren’s writings. I’m starting in Doctrine 2 (the book titles shift to “volume” after Doctrine 3) since I read Doctrine 1 last July. I don’t think I’ll make it through the six remaining books in 100 days, but if I do I’ll return to Doctrine 1.

I’m not a quick reader and my progress will be slowed by copying of quotes that I’ll start publishing daily after I finish this 100-day adventure. Again, the purpose, as with all of the quotes on this site, is to remind me and to provide a means of recalling what I’ve forgotten.

100 Days of Study

WONS, Blog, 100 Days of Study

100 Days of Study

Nichiren VolumnsOver the past few months I’ve been reading books about Bodhisattvas and the Six Perfections from Zen authors, books on the basics of Buddhism and introductions to the Lotus Sutra by authors outside Nichiren Shu. On my to-read pile are books on T’ien-Tai philosophy and the Establishment of the Japanese Tendai School, two volumes of dharma talks by the Most Venerable Nichidatsu Fujii and, for good measure, the Vimalakirti Sutra.

This is all part of my effort to follow Nichiren’s admonition: “Strive to carry out the two ways of practice and learning. Without practice and learning, Buddhism will cease to exist.” (Shohō Jissō Shō, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 4 p.79)

But I realize I need to circle back and ensure my foundation in Nichiren Buddhism is sound. I’m reading the Lotus Sutra daily but I haven’t re-read Nichiren’s letters recently.

Today, March 1, I’m starting a 100-day study of Nichiren’s writings that will continue daily through June 9.

I would like to think that I do this in the spirit of “The Best Way for Recompensing Indebtedness,” which comes from Nichiren’s essay on gratitude:

“What is the best way for Buddhists to express their gratitude for the unfathomable kindness that they have received? Mastering Buddhism completely and to be sagacious is the way. How can anyone guide blind persons across a bridge, if he himself is blind? How can a captain, who does not know the direction of the wind, sail his ship to transport many merchants to a mountain of treasure?”

At this point I need to confess that I actually started this on Feb. 26. I’m sort of rounding up so I can start at the beginning of the month. Who starts stuff at the end of the month?

The need for my study was actually underlined for me when I was reading Jisshō-shō — A Treatise on the Ten Chapters of the Great Concentration and Insight — written in Kamakura in 1271.

Nichiren writes:

“Non-Buddhist religions in India claimed that this world was eternal, joyful, free and pure. On the contrary, the Buddha insisted that this world was impermanent, painful, empty and egoless in order to destroy their superficial views. The Two Vehicles (two kinds of Buddhist known as śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha) were stuck to the principle of emptiness preached by the Buddha and could not grasp the idea of eternity in Mahayana Buddhism. The Buddha, therefore, reproached them saying that even the five rebellious sins and evil passions could be a cause of enlightenment, but their inflexible belief in emptiness will never lead them to Buddhahood.” (Writings of Nichiren Shonin, Doctrine 2, Page 5.)

Having just finished two Zen-focused books explaining emptiness, I’m intrigued by Nichiren’s “idea of eternity in Mahayana Buddhism.” What is that? Is there something more than Chapter 16’s assurance that Śākyamuni’s lifespan is immeasurable – not eternal but immeasurable?

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Realization of Buddhahood

KANJIN HONZON SHO

The Saha-world is the world of the Original Buddha and is the eternal Pure Land, which is free from the three calamities and the four kalpa. In this eternal world, the Buddha never disappeared in the past, nor is He to appear in the future. In consequence, all living beings under the Buddha in the Saha-world are one with Him and eternal. It is because those who believe in the Lotus Sutra, live in the land where they have united themselves with the Buddha and attained the truth of “the three thousand existences in one thought.”

(Background : April 25, 1273, 51 years old, at Sado, Showa Teihon, p.712)

Explanatory note

The world of the Original Buddha Sakyamuni is permanently peaceful and blissful without the traumas of birth and death. Contrarily, in the Saha-world of human beings, there are various sufferings and anxieties caused by three calamities of fire, flood, and storms; and the four types of transitions (Four kalpa): origination, duration, destruction, and annihilation.

In fact, in the realm of the Original Buddha, all existences are absolutely pure and tranquil. The Buddha himself with all other existences has never disappeared in the past nor will He appear in the future. The Buddha and all His disciples are equally enlightened by the glory of the sacred power of Odaimoku.

All beings have already been saved by the Original Buddha and are identified as one with the Buddha.

Despite the Buddha-land being perfect and beautiful, many people still have perverted views in which everything is still burning by the fire of illusions.

Nichiren Daishonin has found truth in the Lotus Sutra which is neither extreme idealism nor extreme realism. According to his teaching, the Buddha-land is not different from the human world. This land is the Buddha-land because it is where the Buddha is expounding the Lotus Sutra.

We, human beings, are the real disciples of the Original Buddha Sakyamuni, and had been taught by Him and have accomplished the Supreme Enlightenment.

This is the sacred relationship between the Original Buddha and the human beings in the Latter Age of the Declining Law. While we believe in the Lotus Sutra and recite Odaimoku, we can recognize our own existence and be able to realize our own divine Buddhahood.

Rev. Syaku

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Great Compassion

HO-ON JO

I, Nichiren, believe my compassion is boundless because I am devoting myself to salvation of all mankind, overcoming many persecutions. Therefore, “Namu Myoho Renge Ryo,” the teaching for the people in the Latter Age of the Declining Law, will spread forever beyond the ten-thousand-year period. It has the merit of curing the (religious) blindness of all people and blocks the way to hell. This merit is superior to those of Dengyo of Japan, T’ien-t’ai of China, Nagarjuna of India, and Kasyapa, who was the Buddha’s disciple.

Therefore, the practice for a hundred years in the peaceful Pure Land is not worth the merit of chanting Odaimoku for one day in this defiled world. Propagation of the Lotus Sutra in the two-thousand-year period following the death of the Buddha does not give benefit as much as spreading Odaimoku for a while in the Latter Age of the Declining Law. This is not due to my wisdom; it is solely due to the time of the Latter Age in which I live.

(Background ; July 21, 1276, 54 years old, at Minobu, Showa Teihon, p.1248)

Explanatory note

What is the truth of humankind? This has been a long quest in human history. The development of human society was only possible through this quest, and our ancestors had sought the fundamental truth by physical and spiritual training. In other words, the history of humankind is the history of seeking happiness. Civilization has proved that happiness could be attained not by satisfaction of one’s own self but by faith in truth.

However, the quick development of the modern science made us forget this fundamental spirit of humankind, and the civilization that our ancestors have built up is in danger of being corrupted because modern people became more selfish and forgot to work together with others in harmony.
Buddhism also has tried to find true nature of humankind which Buddha taught us. In this modern age, we, Buddhists, should not neglect to find the true spirit of Buddhism and the true mind of the Buddha Sakyamuni.

It is easy to chant “Namu Myoho Renge Kyo.” But it is difficult to understand and believe it, unless we find the true teaching and salvation of the Lotus Sutra, which the Buddha Sakyamuni revealed to us. “Namu Myoho Renge Kyo” was what the Buddha had kept deep in the sutra, and Nichiren Daishonin has revealed it for the first time in the thirteenth century. Nichiren believed that Odaimoku was the most important virtue he could leave behind for us in Buddhist history and proudly announced it to people. He said that it is most important for us to have faith in the teaching and practice in this real world, rather than to practice it in the Pure Land.

Although we read this “Ho-on Jo” quite often without thinking deeply, we must think of the true meaning of the words which Nichiren showed us.
We receive Odaimoku and preserve it in our bodies. At the same time we attain Buddhahood as a natural result of accepting and maintaining the “Namu Myoho Renge Kyo. ”

Rev. Akahoshi

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WONS

Propagation

SENJI-SHO

The ocean consists of water from many rivers.
Mount Sumeru consists of soil and rocks. When I, Nichiren, began to believe in the Lotus Sutra, I was like one drop of water in the ocean or a handful of soil of the mountain, compared to all people of Japan. However, if the number of the believers increases from two to three and to hundreds, thousands, millions; then, it becomes the huge Mount Sumeru of Buddhahood or the great ocean of nirvana.

(Background : June 1275, 53 years old, at Minobu, Showa Teihon, p.1054)

Explanatory note

The Nichiren Sect has traditionally held such a slogan as “Itten Shikai Kaiki Myoho,” or “Convert the entire people under the heaven within four seas to the teachings of the Lotus Sutra.” Kenji Miyazawa, a poet and follower of the Lotus Sutra, stated, “There will be no individual happiness until the whole world becomes happy.

Nichiren Daishonin’s earnest desire for the attainment of Buddhahood through the recitation of Odaimoku does not stop at the level of individual salvation. The voice of the recitation should not only penetrate the heart of the individual who recites it but should also achieve the attainment of Buddhahood for the entire people.

He had appealed his religious view to Kamakura Government three times. They were 1.) “Rissho Ankoku Ron” completed and given to the government in 1260, 2.) appeal on the occasion of his persecution at Tatsunokuchi in 1271, and 3.) the appeal to the government in 1274. They were all his frantic efforts to materialize his sincere desire. The four major persecutions and the numerous lesser persecutions all befell him around the time he made these expostulations. They served as tests of his prayer for the happiness and attainment of Buddhahood for the entire world.

He kept his composure throughout these hardships, and stated that the vast ocean consists of drops of water, and Mt. Sumeru is composed of grains of soil. That is, each individual’s voice in the prayer of the Lotus Sutra which he advocated may not reach afar, yet the voice will gain compassion in due course of time and will spread far and wide, eventually reaching the pinnacle of the absolute spiritual awakening of our original teacher, the Buddha Sakyamuni. Nichiren had no doubt that the vast ocean of absolute salvation (i.e., nirvana) would reveal itself to the world. Thus, he confidently predicted the future of propagation and spread of his teaching.

Today, we receive our salvation through the prayer of the Lotus Sutra and enjoy its protection. But we must question to what extent we have responded to Nichiren’s great compassion.

Nichiren has led us to the world of great salvation of the Lotus Sutra. We must in turn do our utmost to spread the salvation of the sutra to the numerous individuals covering the entire land. We must realize that it is the proof of our faith to help to guide the whole world to happiness and attainment of Buddhahood.

Rev. Ikuta

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Attainment of Buddhahood

MYOICHI AMA GOZEN GOSHOSOKU

Those who believe in the Lotus Sutra are like the winter season for many hardships come incessantly. Winter is surely followed by spring. We have never heard nor seen that winter returned to fall. We have never heard that the believers in the Lotus Sutra go back to ordinary men. The Lotus Sutra says, “All people who listen to this sutra will attain Buddhahood.”

(Background : May, 1275, 53 years old, at Minobu, Showa Teihon, p.1000)

Explanatory note

Nichiren Buddhists believe tomorrow brings improvement. Nichiren Daishonin’s life was full of conStant persecutions. He had strong belief in the Lotus Sutra and believed in the Buddha’s protection; therefore, he never gave up his hope of attaining Buddhahood. His life was the practice of his belief and materialization of his faith. So he earnestly preached to us to have the same belief and hope in the sutra.

At his time, there were unseasonable weather, poor harvests, famines, epidemics, and social disorders. Nichiren sought causes of these natural disasters and social disorders in various sutras. As a result, he wrote “Rissho Ankoku Ron” which says at the end, “Ye men of little faith, turn your minds and trust yourselves at once to the unique truth of the righteous way! Then ye shall see that the triple worlds of the unenlightened will become the Buddhaland.” The disasters and disorders, he said, were caused by the people’s disbelief in the Lotus Sutra.

“Strong spirit to overcome any hardship” – this is Nichiren Daishonin’s foundation throughout his life. His strong spirit came out of “hope” which he always kept during many continuous persecutions. The hope was belief in the Eternal Lord Buddha who was watching and protecting him always.

Compared with Kamakura Era, we today are living in an unbelievably comfortable environment. But this comfortable living has many weak points as if we are standing on thin ice. It will easily melt.
Chapter 12 of the Lotus Sutra says that the Buddha Sakyamuni had accumulated merits by practising austerities in His previous lives for innumerable kalpa. To practice Buddha’s way, we must foresee our long steps to Buddhahood.

We adhere in small matters, and we are joyful or sad only for matters before our eyes. But we must open our eyes wide and keep the “hope” revealed in the Lotus Sutra deep in our minds.

Rev. Kanai

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Practice in Actions, Voices, and Spirit

TSUCHI-RO GOSHO

Tomorrow, I (Nichiren) will be exiled to Sado Island. In this cold evening, I am thinking of you in the cold dungeon.

My thought is that you have read and practiced the Lotus Sutra with your heart and action, which would save your parents, brothers, sisters, relatives, ancestors, and everyone around you. Other people read the sutra vocally without feeling in their hearts. Even though they might read it with their heart, they do not experience it as the sutra teaches. Compared with them, you are very precious since you are practicing the sutra in your actions, voices, and spirit.

(Background : October 9, 1271, 49 years old, at Echi, Showa Teihon, p.509)

Explanatory note

Nichiren Daishonin believed himself to be the Buddha Sakyamuni’s messenger and conducted his spiritual train. ing in accordance with the teaching of the Lotus Sutra. He put it into practice.

Nichiren said, “We must put into practice the teachings of the Lotus Sutra in all phases of life.” He asserted that it is not true practice if we only understand it with our minds. Instead, he said, we must devote our hearts and souls to the fullest when we read the sutra.
He was a practician of the Lotus Sutra and requested his disciples and believers to be the same.

The above quotation is the opening paragraph of a letter to his disciple Nichiro and who was arrested with Nichiren at the time of the Tatsu-no-kuchi Persecution and who was put into a dungeon. The night before Nichiren’s departure for Sado Island, Nichiren wrote the above letter to him.

Once he is exiled to the island, he might not be able to return to Kamakura. Even in such a circumstance, Nichiren worried about his disciples. We can see his compassion in this letter. He consoled those who were suppressed because of practicing the Lotus Sutra. He praised his disciples who practiced the sutra with their spirit and bodies.
Reflecting on people today, many are ill spiritually. How thoroughly do they understand themselves? How seriously are they seeking the true teaching? Most likely, people try to solve their problems superficially without going to the source. This is just a patchwork. In order to cure sickness of mind and body, we must find spiritual support. We must firmly believe in the Lotus Sutra and devote ourselves to it.

To practice the Lotus Sutra with one’s action, voice, and spirit is to hold it “through three karmas.” We hope to keep our daily lives in accordance with this phrase.

Rev. Ogawa

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