If the Gohonzon mandala were merely a representation of the Ceremony in the Air and not the actual Ceremony, there would be no need for a mandala Gohonzon. If it was merely a representation, we could create such a representation in our minds as did Tientai.
Would like some comments on this post, particularly from Shinkei, since I'm not sure of its validity.
ReplyDeleteI would like to know why there is no instruction for inscribing/copying and bestowing Gohonzon mandala's in Nichiren's major writings? It would seem that Nichiren did not regard his Gohonzon mandala as a crucial aspect of correct practice, or that he left it up to his disciples to determine how to pass on and replicate "the object of worship" ??
ReplyDeleteI stopped asking these questions years ago because the emotional reaction that ensued prohibited any thoughtful, meaningful study or dialogue on the subject.
Thanks,
~Katie
not sure where this statement comes from. copying the teachings is one of the eternal practices within buddhism. like the eternal shakyamuni/lotus sutra, the ceremony in the air is eternal, real then, and now. life does not go past the moment. specifically transferred to nichiren and generally to the bodhisattvas of the earth, who are related to the eternal shakyamuni. according to nichiren the gohonzon is the eternal buddha shakyamuni preaching the lotus sutra and transferring his merits to us. it is the correct object of worship for the latter age. one of the functions of the priesthood was the copying of the gohonzon and the protection of the buddhist teachings. about 130 years after nichirens death, we know through the eyes of nichiju(kempon hokke), the priests of that time had begun to stray from, and began to mix, what nichiren really taught. not the same mind/faith as nichiren. the vows of a priest are much more strict than for a lay person. the priest shinkei will agree. we promote a gohonzon inscribed by nichiren because we can trust the faith(eye opening) of nichiren as opposed to a nichikan honzon, which is at odds with real buddhism. the buddha shakyamuni promised he would appear in front of anyone who takes faith and upholds the L.S. we also know that nichiren had many followers who had no gohonzon and just chanted the daimoku with the lotus sutra in hand. faith, correct faith, seems to be the bottom line. truth: by the middle seventies ikeda/sgi stopped caring what nichiren taught. what they taught in the late sixties to the middle seventies was very different to the 80's,90's etc., progressively getting worse. the poor membership of the sgi/nst only have the devil for a parent. certainly it is not the eternal shakyamuni. cheers all.
ReplyDeleteIt is neither a representation nor does it represent the actual ceremony. When the treasure tower was opened the various demons and daibadatta had already been removed to other lands.
ReplyDeleteThink about jikai gogu, the mutual posession of the ten worlds.