While I was playing poker (which I do semi-professionally), my wife had been reading Chapter 7 of the Lotus Sutra, The Parable of the Phantom City and Chapter 16, The Lifespan of the Tathagata. I found this out after playing and calling her with the good news. Never had I completed so many flushes and full houses in my more than 50 years of playing poker and I won the second most I ever won in the low stakes game I usually play, close to $1500 dollars. Usually, I average about $400 dollars a session x 3-4 sessions a week. Speaking to Nancy, she had been deeply moved by the message in Chapter 7 which recounts all the major themes of the Buddhism that came before the Lotus Sutra was preached and the common misconceptions (even among Arhats and Pratyekkabuddhas) of the nature of Nirvana.
Nancy too was moved at the compassion of the Excellent Physician, Shakyamuni Buddha of the 16th Chapter of the Lotus Sutra who cured his children gone mad from ingesting poison by composing an expedient that he had died. The children refused to take the excellent medicine that would have cured them because of their insanity. The Excellent Physician sent a "messenger" to tell the maddened children that their father had died. In their grief, they awoke and finally took the excellent medicine. I mentioned to her that the "messenger" of the Excellent Physician is Nichiren Daishonin and when I have any questions about the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, I go to the Buddha's messenger... for example, explaining further the Twelve Linked Chain of Causation taught in Chapter 7. Anyway, I was sure my good fortune last night was my wife chanting Namu Myoho renge kyo and reading the Lotus Sutra while I went to "work".
Do you have a gambling addiction or is your practice your drug of choice? or both?
ReplyDeleteCan't find this amongst the benefits Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren taught for upholding the Lotus Sutra-Hmmm
Does look a lot like True Word school that Nichiren handily refuted...tho..
~Katie Higgins
My my. As judgmental as a an evangelical. What are you two doing for Kosen Rufu? Another idiot who doesn't realize the skill and study involved to became capable at poker. Tell that to the young men and women much more financially successful than you or I. Go do some shakubuku and come back to me.
ReplyDeleteAnd you don't think poker players have a need to hear about the Law? You are short sighted indeed. I didn't know the lotus Sutra taught that poker players could not attain Buddhahood, yet murderers, warriors, thieves, and matricidal sinners can. Get out of hear. You too are both already in hell for cursing at a votary of the Lotus Sutra and diciple of Nichiren.
ReplyDeleteEvangelicals condemn their challengers to hell, too, Mark.
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of person makes accusations without information? Would a follower of Nichiren call me an idiot without even knowing my skill level at poker or my actions for kosen rufu? I think not, but an Ikedabot would definitely go the route of bullbaiting , which BTW doesn't
phase me a bit :)
I didn't curse, and by your own words and actions you are not a votary of the Lotus Sutra.
~Katier Higgins
Poor choice of words. I should have said, misinformed.
ReplyDelete