Great career enabling me to help thousands of people over the years and earn a good living.
Married for 30 years to a wonderful supportive wife.
Two fantastic succesful children who each gave us a grandchild.
Ever increasing faith in the Law, the Buddha (Gohonzon), and Nichiren
Helping dozens of people to chant Namu Myoho renge kyo
Incredible loving animals
A house on a mountain surrounded by nature and great neighbors
True friends
Surpassing by three years the age of my father at death
A beautiful Butsudan
Encountering and overcoming the Three Obstacles and Four Devils*
Practicing Buddhism with my wife
*"The three obstacles in this passage are the obstacle of earthly desires, the obstacle of karma, and the obstacle of retribution. The obstacle of earthly desires is the impediments to one’s practice that arise from greed, anger, foolishness, and the like; the obstacle of karma is the hindrances presented by one’s wife or children; and the obstacle of retribution is the hindrances caused by one’s sovereign or parents. Of the four devils, the workings of the devil king of the sixth heaven (authorites) are of this last kind." - Nichiren, Letter to the Brothers
The Four Devils are:
1). The hindrance of the five components**—hindrances caused by one’s own physical and mental functions;
2). The hindrance of earthly desires—hindrances arising from greed, anger and foolishness;
3). the hindrance of death—one’s own untimely death obstructing one’s Buddhist practice or doubts arising from the untimely death of a fellow practitioner;
4). and the hindrance of the devil king of the sixth heaven—a strong negative influence taking various forms to cause practitioners to discard their Buddhist practice.
** Also known as the Five Aggregates: Form, Perception (the five sense organs and the mind), Conception (forming concepts from what we perceive), Volition (acting upon what is concepted), Consciousness (awareness of Perception, Conception, and Volition).
No comments:
Post a Comment