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Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Ri-Butsu [very real Buddha]

Chris: Note he is referring to Shakyamuni Buddha, the Lord of Teachings.  This is not the same as his "transient status". You could say that this "Lord of Teachings" is the Well of Wisdom from which each of us draws our water. Nichiren calls him Shakyamuni, but the members of the Fuji School were not totally remise to call the "Buddha of this well" Nichiren. Where they were remis was in calling each other names over the nomenclature rather than seeking to understand the point of the teaching -- which is that the Buddha Wisdom is available to all.
  
Response: Nomenclature? Nichiren was talking about Ri-Butsu or a very real Buddha, the Father, Teacher, and Parent of all the other Buddhas in the universe. His name is not Nichiren nor is his name Myoho renge kyo. His name is Shakyamuni. 

Nichiren had faith in this reality and taught it extensively, second only to his teachings on the Daimoku. But the SGI and the Nichiren Shoshu would change these teachings. 

Nichiren said that because of the severe times [as predicted in the Daijuku Sutra and others] in which we live, self power is not enough to attain the fruits of Buddhist practice.  By necessity, we need to take refuge in the Law of Namu Myoho renge kyo [the Law to which the Eternal Buddha has been eternally Enlightened] by chanting it repeatedly and believe in the Original Eternal Buddha known as Shakyamuni. Our lack of concentration, memory, volition, fortitude and compassion is so attenuated [by merely having been born in this age], we may not, by our powers alone, attain the same unsurpassed Enlightenment as the Original Buddha. 

Therefore, the Buddha by virtue of his limitless compassion leaves for us, the people of this Latter Age, the Great Medicine of his Supreme and Perfect Enlightenmentin order to gain the very same inconceivable field of cognition as he. All we have to do is take (chant and believe in) the medicine [Namu Myoho renge kyo] and by virtue of the vast merit power of the Law and Eternal Buddha, the power to perceive Supreme and Perfect Enlightenment is transfered to us. 

Another way to put it is, thus augmented by the Buddha's limitless  Enlightenment, mercy, and teaching (Namu Myoho renge kyo), we become more powerful than even the lion king

To attempt to separate The Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni's Enlightenment from the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni is as futile as attempting to separate carbon from diamond. Namu Myoho renge kyo is the essential element of the Eternal Buddha as carbon is the essential element of the diamond. Without Namu Myoho renge kyo there is no Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni and without carbon there is no diamond. 

Similarly, just as there would be no proof of the unsurpassed utility and magnificent beauty possible with elemental carbon were it not for the diamond, there would be no proof of the supreme benefits of Namu Myoho renge kyo without the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni. Certainly this newsgroup is not absolute proof of the supreme benefits of Namu Myoho renge kyo and not even Nichiren affords such absolute proof. 

Nichiren wrote in the True Object of Worship in the section, The Pure Land of the Eternal Buddha: 

"Now, when the Eternal Buddha was revealed in the essential section of the Lotus Sutra, this world of endurance (Saha-World) became the Eternal Pure Land, indestructible even by the three calamities of conflagration, flooding, and strong winds which are said to destroy the world. It transcends the four periods of cosmic change: the kalpa of construction, continuance, destruction, and emptiness. Sakyamuni Buddha, the Lord-preacher of this pure land, has never died in the past, nor will He be born in the future. He exists forever throughout the past, present, and future. All those who receive His guidance are one with this Eternal Buddha...." 

And in the section, The Form of the true Object of Worship, he writes: 

"The object of worship (honzon) at the scene of this transmission of   "Namu  Myo-ho-ren-ge-kyo"  from the Eternal Buddha to his original disciples is: Suspended in the sky above the Eternal Buddha Sakyamuni's  Saha-world is a stupa of treasures, in which Buddhas Sakyamuni  and Taho sit to the left and right of "Myo-ho-ren-ge-kyo". They are waited on by four bodhisattvas such as Jogyo (Superior Practice)representing the original disciples of the Eternal Buddha called out from underground. Four more bodhisattvas including Manjusri and Maitreya, take lower seats as followers, other great and minor bodhisattvas---those converted by the Buddha in the theoretical section and those who came from other lands---resemble numerous people sitting on the ground and looking up at court nobles. also  lined up on the ground are Buddhas in manifestation (funjin Buddhas) who gathered together from all the worlds in the universe in praise of the Buddha's preaching, representing provisional Buddhas in their respective lands. 

The true object of worship (honzon) such as this was not revealed anywhere else by Sakyamuni Buddha during more than fifty years of His preaching in this life. Though He spent eight years preaching the Lotus Sutra, the scene was limited to the preaching in the sky above Mt. Sacred Eagle recounted in eight chapters, from the fifteenth to the twenty-second chapters.. During two milleniums after the death of Sakyamuni Buddha, the Ages of the True Dharma and the Imitative Dharma, some worshipped Sakyamuni Buddha accompanied by Kasyapa and Ananda as described in the Hinayana sutras; others worshipped Him accompanied by such bodhisattvas as Manjusri and Samantabhadra as he appeared in quasi-Mahayana sutras. the Nirvana Sutra, or the theoretical section of the Lotus Sutra.. Many wooden statues and portraits were made of Sakyamuni as He preached Hinayana or quasi-Mahayana sutras, but statues and portraits of the Eternal Shakyamuni Buddha revealed in the Duration of Life of the buddha" chapter of the lotus sutra were never made. Now in the beginning of the Latter Age of the Decadent Dharma, is it not the time that such statues and portraits are made?" 

16 comments:

  1. The reason I take note of Shakyamumi and Nichiren is because the eternal 3 bodied Tathagata Thus Come One speaks through them which makes them worth listening to.

    The Musa Sanjin Buddha is talking to us, can we hear his voice coming through Shakyamumi and Nichiren. Listening to Nichiren talk about Shakyamuni is like the Buddha having a conversation with himself

    It takes a Buddha to know a Buddha just as snakes know the ways of snakes

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  2. Thank you, Noel, you have helped me understand Medieval Hongaku!"

    Special Thanks to Mark for posting this:
    "This is a reasonably good example of Medieval Hongaku Thought being falsely represented as the idea of Nichiren Shonin. In it, the Buddha is no longer a real Buddha, sharing his limitless and timeless enlightenment by his compassion but is rather seen as the substance of the universe itself which is originally pure and enlightened and nothing past that. The Buddha is seen as an "originally inherent Buddha" who constantly abides and therefore has no beginning, explaining the limitless Lifespan of the Buddha".

    So, Noel, you say that you listen to Nichiren & Shakyamuni, because the TTCO speaks through them? But, you have also said that, chanting the daimoku of the Lotus Sutra, which you admit is the practice you learned from Nichiren, gives you access to TTCO--So, it seems that you are only giving a token of acknowledgement to Nichiren for revealing the key that unlocked the treasure that is merely the substance of the universe-- ? And now, you are free chant this Law; to entertain yourself or so that you can justify your abdicating "filial conduct"? But--

    You have forgotten your obligation to repaying the debt of gratitude you owe to Nichiren, which is evident in your selective use of his teachings- specifically, you deny the emphasis that Nichiren himself expressed via praising and honoring Shakyamuni Buddha, and Nichiren's declaring that Shakyamuni is the Eternal Buddha.

    Yikes, Noel, that does not reflect *enlightened* behavior on your part :-/

    ~Katie

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  3. Also, Noel, apparently you believe you have attained enlightenment -? Seems like that is implicit in this statement you wrote:

    "It takes a Buddha to know a Buddha just as snakes know the ways of snakes"

    Noel, *this* is NOT Nichiren's teaching, because nowhere does Nichiren claim that one immediately becomes a Buddha by chanting Namu Myoho Renge Kyo-. Apparently you are skipping over Nichiren's own practice that evolved over 20 years, and documents that his life experiences exactly accord with Shakyamuni's teachings in the Lotus Sutra-- . So, *you* have attained automatically what Nichiren himself taught his disciples as the practice for attaining Buddhahood in the Latter Day by *living the Lotus Sutra*-. You aren't living the Lotus Sutra, Noel, so I would caution you in terms of believing you have attained what is *not* taught by Shakyamuni or by his emissary, Nichiren. In fact, you and SGI/NST do claim to have attained that which you have not attained, which is another example of having ignored the teachings of Nichiren-- or rather, using the daimoku of the Lotus Sutra to suit your own personal pursuits. Illustrated by this from Mark's post I referenced above

    "In Original Enlightenment thought, the Universal Body of the Buddha, sometimes called the "Dharma Body" becomes central. The Buddha is "things just as they are", inherent in the fabric of the Universe and all things and beings contained in it. So we can understand how by this view proponents of this theology eventually have declared the common person as the ‘real’ Buddha, or ‘all life’ as the Buddha. We have all seen SGI members say things like "I am the Buddha" or "The Buddha is me !" "

    And I have seen Linda Johnson (former SGI USA - National WD Leader) on stage in Boston, pumping up the volume with her dramatic rendition of "I am Buddha", with the same finesse Oprah exudes after losing enough weight to wear couture. And backing up her motivational speech with an article she wrote, published in WT 2011, entitled: "Buddhahood is Not Something We Attain"-- in which she thoroughly rehashes that crowd pleasing speech she made in Boston, basically echoing Noel's, claim that we all are already "Buddha". There you have it!

    So, I have to agree with Nichiren, again, regarding how few can comprehend, uphold and practice the Ultimate teaching shared by Shakyamuni Buddha. And this situation does seem to point to Nichiren's emphasis on the importance of our hearts, or rather, though many can hear about and chant the Mystic Law, most will fall under the influence of their own selfish, arrogant hearts, while a few will seek the correct practice and rely solely on the writings of Nichiren and the Lotus Sutra, because they have hearts full of great compassion and concern for all living beings.

    I agree, " Now in the beginning of the Latter Age of the Decadent Dharma, is it not the time that such statues and portraits are made?"

    The fully human depictions of Shakyamuni Buddha are essential for gaining a true understanding of our own potential as human beings. It is because Shakyamuni was exactly like us, that we can fully endow him with the titles; Original, True, Eternal Buddha. That is the point that Nichiren took to heart, and due to his great compassion, recorded the teachings by which we can attain Buddhahood, thru Shakyamuni's Lotus Sutra.

    And, BTW-- Why do these "I am Buddha" SGI motivational speakers- AKA, National Leaders, have the appearance of someone who is smoking crack?

    ~Katie

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  4. Thanks for your concern Katie your criticisms are welcome even though some are not valid as you make false assumptions formed from your delusional nature but I'm fine with that because this blog that has been tempered with Marks infinite compassion (I hope) has provided a platform for you and others that may be considered as having the most slanderous views of NB to express themselves unlike what happens in the SGI,NS, NST,KH to name a few

    You have replaced Jesus Christ with Shakyamuni Buddha.

    Because of the Judaic Christian culture that we have been bought up in especially Christian that sees Jesus the person as forever being eternally one with God and not someone who attained enlightenment at one stage of his eternal life and became one with God (Musa Sanjin Buddha) for period of time.

    You have not yet been able to see outside this straight jacket concept that stops you from glimpsing the eternal aspect of our nature but I understand you are on your journey and need to be where you are for now so that you can grow in your depths of your awareness, enjoy the trip... Noel

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    1. Well, I appreciate your responding, Noel, but I have to make a few corrections in what you seem to be responding to, because it bears no resemblance to me.

      "You have replaced Jesus Christ with Shakyamuni Buddha. "

      Gee, Noel, that is a pretty out of left field declaration- error in your premise here. I have absolutely no affinity for reality suspending tales that have gruesome, messed up endings. I don't see Jesus, in any definitive way, and aside from rewriting the book of Genesis (Christian Bible version) so that to made sense-- as a creative writing project with a writer friend of mine, I have about zero interest in monotheism, divine creators-- and the like. So not likely influenced as you have diagnosed.

      "You have not yet been able to see outside this straight jacket concept that stops you from glimpsing the eternal aspect of our nature."

      Sorry? Did I say I am unable to perceive the eternal aspect of our nature? Because I am not suffering from this disability, and I really am amazed at the presumptions you make and state as though they are fact-- By definition, Noel-- that is abject arrogance, patronizing BS on your part-- so unspiritual, a real turn off.

      Whoa-- me and others "have the most slanderous views of NB"-- do you mean Nichiren Buddhism ? I am disregarding the teachings of Nichiren?

      I really wanted to know how the beliefs you expound here address the sufferings of your fellow human beings-- or rather what practical use does your woo really have?

      ~Katie

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    3. Its a subjective experience Katie it up to each of us to determine what is worth going on with or what it is that we should discard. You have to work it out for yourself through trial and error. Good Luck Katie come lately dealing with your closed mind and extreme arrogance

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    4. Yet , it is you , Noel who cannot believe shakyamimi' Buddha's teaching and cannot embrace the correct practice for our age because you think your mappo mind is superior to the Enlightened mind of The True Buddha.

      Consciousness is key to " creating life", so long as you believe your subjective perceptions , you will continue to commit grave errors - slandering the True Law and those who believe , uphold and propagate it as Nichiren taught -.

      No one can attain supreme enlightenment trusting their karma encrusted Latter Day mind, Noel, not even you. But persisting in your belief , it is you who are arrogant presuming that you have insight and understanding that is superior to our parent and teacher, Shakyamuni Buddha.

      There are numerous ways to avoid repaying debts of gratitude - just discard the Buddha's teachings that you don't like , chant daimoku like you invented it - and when The Devil of the Sixth heaven rewards you, assume you need do nothing more, than indulge your karma laden desires .

      Superiority delusions are effects from the poison of anger -- just saying .

      Best
      Katie

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    5. "it is up to each of us to determine what is worth going on with or what it is we should discard". uummm, no! patch the cracks in the vessel.

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    6. The future is still in the making Greg as long as we are open to change it happens with less resistance.

      It's not all a done deal. Look how you and others have changed over the years in understanding of Nichiren Buddhism.

      Lets hope it doesn't stop for to long that it causes us to suffer but if we don't learn from the suffering it only gets worse Noël

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    7. Thanks Katie for your kind concern and consideration but I believe in the source from which all the Buddha's become enlightened more than the interpretations that have been given of these Buddha's themselves

      So when I read the Lotus Sutra and gosho, it is permeated with this view.

      Any other way of looking at it doesn't feel right for me. I know these views that I have are frowned upon but there you have it like it or not. Noël

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  5. Noel, are you saying that Nichiren didn't have, didn't exhibit special consideration and the deepest reverence for Shakyamuni Buddha? That is how you come off. Shameful for a disciple of Nichiren.

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  6. You are saying, you never even intimated that Shakyamuni Buddha is no one special? I think i could find one or two [dozen] of your comments along these lines.

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  7. Any Buddha is special,especially Lord Shakya of this saha world. Any common that comes into contact with the eternal 3 BODIED TATHAGATTA like the buddhas have done are also special

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