tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070186063250309253.post2297196588322097321..comments2024-03-24T20:41:19.447-05:00Comments on Eagle Peak Blog: "Arouse Them To Accept": Nichiren's Practice of Aggressive ConversionMark Rogowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05176132114346404556noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070186063250309253.post-89497249910957476872016-08-16T15:11:57.169-05:002016-08-16T15:11:57.169-05:00greg, I don't get what you're saying. Wha...greg, I don't get what you're saying. What teaching of Nichiren's am I *disregarding*?/slandering?<br /><br />I notice that the confusion regarding the True or Original Buddha's identity-- the switcheroo that Taisekeji Priests accomplished is a matter of claiming that Nichiren himself is superior to-- actually I think they say he was "Shakyamuni's" teacher--<br /><br />One very consistent theme throughout Nichiren's authenticated writings proves that he had reverence for Shakyamuni-- that Nichiren was Shakyamuni's disciple, not the other way around.<br /><br />In any case, I understand completely the point you are making about provisional versus essential teachings--- and specifically about pre-Lotus Sutra teachings. All I am saying is that for the sake of simplicity & continuity making distinctions between teachings and not the identity of the Buddha seems the most in accordance with "Follow the Law-- not persons"<br /><br />~Katie <br /><br /><br /><br />Katie Higginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05688676386085212349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070186063250309253.post-44449468083008977362016-08-16T11:30:51.017-05:002016-08-16T11:30:51.017-05:00yeah ok folks...................lets make excuses ...yeah ok folks...................lets make excuses for what nichiren taught.<br /><br />that way we can be just like the rest of the slanders. nichiren said this but really meant that. no thanks.<br /><br />cheers...................really.greg romerohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09314590915345938193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070186063250309253.post-19767709711318618712016-08-16T10:50:45.329-05:002016-08-16T10:50:45.329-05:00I do understand and appreciate the use of metaphor...I do understand and appreciate the use of metaphor, and clearly Nichiren describes Shakyamuni in a myriad ways, however, from the onset of Nichiren's propagation of the title of the Lotus sutra, Myoho-Renge-Kyo he is clear regarding Shakyamuni's highest teaching, his intent and the myriad ways we are indebted to Shakyamuni Buddha. Can one who follows Nichiren, relying on this writings and the Lotus sutra fail to comprehend that it is the Law, not the person that is the object of devotion? The person, Shakyamuni is thus the True Buddha-- whose intention was always to rescue all living beings in this saha world. Does one who knows the teaching, The Lotus Sutra as taught by Nichiren, have to change Shakyamuni's *identity* in order to understand this?<br /><br />Just wondering...<br />~KatieKatie Higginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05688676386085212349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070186063250309253.post-17650065946013328112016-08-16T08:49:52.386-05:002016-08-16T08:49:52.386-05:00In the beginning of the kalpa of continuance, a pl...In the beginning of the kalpa of continuance, a plant existed. The sage observed its principle and gave it the name renge, or lotus. The lotus plant resembles the principle of Myoho-renge in that it simultaneously contains both cause [blossom] and effect [seed]. Hence the plant came to bear the same name as the principle. The lotus that grows in water is the lotus that is a plant, such as the pink variety or the white variety. When we speak of the figurative lotus, or the lotus that is a metaphor, it is this lotus plant we mean. This lotus plant is used to help clarify the difficult concept of Myoho-renge. That is what the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai means when he says that, through the use of this metaphor, the difficult-to-understand Mystic Law is rendered more comprehensible."Mark Rogowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05176132114346404556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070186063250309253.post-71997943519916885242016-08-16T08:49:28.229-05:002016-08-16T08:49:28.229-05:00I think there is some room for the lotus as name a...I think there is some room for the lotus as name and the lotus as metaphor. Likewise Shakyamuni...<br /><br />“Answer: It in fact refers to the lotus that is the essence of the Lotus Sutra. But because the essence of the Lotus Sutra is difficult to understand, the metaphor of the lotus plant is introduced. People of sharp faculties will hear the name and immediately grasp the principle. They have no need to rely upon a metaphor but can understand the Lotus Sutra directly. But people of intermediate or inferior perception will not understand immediately. Only through the medium of a metaphor will they be able to understand. Thus the easily understood metaphor of an actual lotus plant is used to make clear the difficult-to-understand lotus that is the essence of the Lotus Sutra.<br /><br />“Thus, in the Lotus Sutra the Buddha employed three cycles of preaching in accordance with the respective understanding of those of superior, intermediate, or inferior capacity. For people of superior capacity, the renge, or lotus, that is the name of the Law was taught. But, for people of intermediate or inferior capacity, the lotus was used as a metaphor or symbol. As long as one understands that the word is being used both as a name for the Law itself and as a metaphor, depending upon which of the three groups of people is being addressed, then there should be no reason to argue over it.”<br />This passage of commentary means that the supreme principle [that is the Mystic Law] was originally without a name. When the sage was observing the principle and assigning names to all things, he perceived that there is this wonderful single Law [myōhō] that simultaneously possesses both cause and effect [renge], and he named it Myoho-renge. This single Law that is Myoho-renge encompasses within it all the phenomena comprising the Ten Worlds and the three thousand realms, and is lacking in none of them. Anyone who practices this Law will obtain both the cause and the effect of Buddhahood simultaneously.<br /><br />The sage practiced with this Law as his teacher and attained enlightenment, and therefore he simultaneously obtained both the mystic cause and the mystic effect of Buddhahood, becoming the Thus Come One of perfect enlightenment and fully realized virtues.<br /><br />Thus the Great Teacher Dengyō writes: “A single mind, the entity of Myoho-renge, simultaneously brings to maturity both the blossom of cause and the calyx of effect. The three cycles of preaching that the Buddha employed each contain both the lotus that is the entity and the lotus that is a metaphor. The Lotus Sutra as a whole consists of both entity and metaphor. In particular p.422we may note the seven parables, the three equalities, and the ten peerlessnesses, which each contain the lotus of the entity. And the teaching that fully sets forth this principle is called Myoho-renge-kyo [the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law].”<br /><br />The Great Teacher Miao-lo says: “When interpreting the seven parables, one should understand the renge, or lotus, in each of them in terms of the doctrine of the provisional and true teachings. Why? Because these lotuses are no more than metaphors for the fact that the provisional teachings were set forth for the sake of the true teaching, and that the provisional teachings are opened in order to reveal the true teaching. All the seven parables are to be understood in this way.”<br /><br />cont...Mark Rogowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05176132114346404556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070186063250309253.post-11256102760197768982016-08-16T04:33:25.638-05:002016-08-16T04:33:25.638-05:00Not offended-- not in the least. I just really don...Not offended-- not in the least. I just really don't see the point of this dynamic duo version of Shakyamuni-- <br /><br />I think it is at the end of Opening of the eyes II when Nichiren recapitulates Shakyamnui's evolution-- from previous lifetimes to Eternal Buddha-- I think he makes the point that you don't have to split Shakyamuni in order to embrace and practice his highest teaching-- In fact, though this is just my humble opinion, I sometimes think Nichiren is encouraging us to employ whatever means we can arouse in order to establish a close and clear connection to shakyamuni-- <br /><br />So, if I see him sitting in the Lotus position as I chant the Juryo Chapter, am I apt to get confused?? Hasn't happened yet.<br /><br />~Katie<br /><br />Katie Higginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05688676386085212349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070186063250309253.post-44637224128615665062016-08-16T00:45:36.527-05:002016-08-16T00:45:36.527-05:00excuse me katie, did someone offend you? are you t...excuse me katie, did someone offend you? are you talking to me or to nichiren? either way, nichiren is my teacher, not you, mark or anyone else. things that i did not understand years ago, many, i understand now. things that i may not fully understand now, hopefully, i will understand later. faith.<br /><br />greg romerohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09314590915345938193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070186063250309253.post-23658733786997570102016-08-15T22:01:17.492-05:002016-08-15T22:01:17.492-05:00Really? What exactly is the point of dividing Shak...Really? What exactly is the point of dividing Shakyamuni in TWO?<br /><br />Is there any reason to doubt the Shakyamuni Buddha, who declared that "in these past forty years I have not revealed the truth?"<br /><br />At what point would anyone go back and cling to teachings, Shakyamuni himself declared were not his highest teaching??<br /><br />How many fairies can fit on the point of a pin?<br /><br />Really??<br /><br />~KatieKatie Higginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05688676386085212349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070186063250309253.post-4845184341863362022016-08-15T15:00:24.706-05:002016-08-15T15:00:24.706-05:00"true intent sakyamuni buddha"."true intent sakyamuni buddha".greg romerohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09314590915345938193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070186063250309253.post-19622294949309737032016-08-15T14:55:44.850-05:002016-08-15T14:55:44.850-05:00kanjin honzon sho - noppa pg151-152.
"moreov...kanjin honzon sho - noppa pg151-152.<br /><br />"moreover,fourteen chapters in the essential section can be regarded as one sutra with three parts: the preface, the main discourse, and the epilogue. the first half of the fifteenth chapter,"appearance of the bodisattvas from underground", is the epilogue. the second half of the fifteenth chapter, the sixteenth chapter, "the life span of the buddha", and the first half of the following, the "variety of merits", (a chapter and two-halves in all) make up the main discourse. the remainder constitutes the epilogue.<br /><br />the lord who preaches here is the eternal buddha, not sakyamuni buddha who attained buddhahood for the first time in this world under the bodhi tree in buddhagaya. accordingly, what is preached here differs from what was preached previously as clearly as heaven and earth. that is to say, it is revealed here that all living beings in the ten realms as well as the world in which they live manifest themselves to be eternal. it comes close to revealing the truth of the "3,000 existences contained in one thought", with only an extremely thin bamboo film separating them.<br /><br />compared to this eternal buddha and his teaching preached in the essential section, those preached in the theoretical section, the pre lotus sutras, the sutra of infinite meaning, and the nirvana sutra, namely, all the sutras preached prior to, at the same time as, and after the lotus sutra, are easy to believe in and understand. it is because they are provisional teachings and adjusted to meet the faith and comprehension of the unenlightened while what is preached in the essential section transcends them all and is difficult to believe in and comprehend because it adheres to the try intent of sakyamuni buddha".greg romerohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09314590915345938193noreply@blogger.com