"There is a time when the Hinayana teachings are disseminated for the benefit of humanity, a time when the provisional Mahayana doctrines are disseminated for the benefit of humanity, and a time when the true Mahayana teaching is spread to enable people to obtain the fruit of Buddhahood. The two millennia of the Former and Middle Days of the Law required the spread of the Hinayana and provisional Mahayana teachings, but the first five hundred years of the Latter Day call for only the Lotus Sutra, the pure and perfect teaching of the one vehicle of Buddhahood, to be spread abroad widely. As predicted by the Buddha, now is the age of quarrels and disputes when the pure Law becomes obscured and lost, and the provisional and true teachings are hopelessly confused."
"On the other hand, those who practice the provisional teachings against the admonition of Shakyamuni, Many Treasures, and the Buddhas of the ten directions will definitely fall into the hell of incessant suffering. Now that so wondrous a precept [the Diamond Chalice Precept of the Lotus Sutra] has been revealed, none of the precepts expounded in the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings or in the theoretical teaching have the slightest power to benefit people. Since they provide not the slightest benefit, it is totally useless to observe them, even for a single day."
But Reverend Tsuchiya of the modern Kempon Hokke and Reverend Ryuei of the Nichiren Shu say that we should use and apply such base teachings to our lives. Not only is it useless to observe them, it is useless to follow such priests as they.
Actually, it is useless to follow anyone other than Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin, especially at this time when there are no true Lotus Sutra priests.
ReplyDeleteunfortunately today, even if there was such a priest, such as the priest shinkei, in this day and age no one would pay attention to the real teachings of the buddha and his emissary nichiren. still, one should speak out to the best of their ability. today, as in nichirens day, there is only hostility towards the true buddhist teachings. so the world gets uglier and uglier. one wonders what it will take to wake the people of the saha world up. when mankind is truly brought to its knees, possibly that will do it. for sure things will not get better as they are.
ReplyDeleteas the buddha and nichiren said - the latter age is indeed a frieghtful time to live.
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