1720 ‘NAM’ or ‘NAMU ...’ ~ Nikko Shonin
(In light of this document all sects chanting just ‘NAM’ should review their practice ... MBB. C.)
In the Shuso Gosenge Kiroku, concerning the Honmon O’daimoku and the syllable ‘Mu’, Nikko writes;
(The Shuso Gosenge Kiroku is No. 000141 in the listing of important cultural properties in the Shizuoka area. Date listed as important cultural property: 20th Jan 1993, Heisei 5.)
Handwriting on document: 日興筆 Nikko
Date of document: 弘安五年十月十六日 (16th Oct 1282, Koan 5).
"Since ancient times, people worshipped heaven. Without heaven, they say, there would be no earth. So heaven is older. It is therefore the source of all things.
古人说，没有天就没有地。所以，天比地古老。天是万物之源。
The Son of Heaven, when he worshipped heaven, faced south. Therefore, south came to represent heaven.
当天子祭天的时候，就会南部方向。因此，南来代表天。
How old is heaven?
天的年龄是如何？
The Lotus Sutra says:
“Since I became Buddha, it has been measureless and limitless...“
寿量品曰:
我実成佛已来。無量 無辺 百千万億 那由他劫。
無量 (Muryo) = 永 = cannot be measured; measureless; eternal.
Therefore, with regards to time, heaven is eternal (=measureless).
因此，关于时间，天(南) 是 無量(永恒) 的。
However, since the formation of the present physical universe, there has passed “hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, hundred millions of nayutas of aeons”. (Hyaku sen man oku nayuta ko).
然而, 目前物理宇宙 的 形成 已来 已经过了 百千万億 那由他劫。
That is why, the duration of the syllable “Na” (南) is very long.
这就是为什么，音节的 “Na”（南）的持续时间很长。
It represents a very, very, very, long time.
这 代表 一个 非常长 的 时间。
The word “Mu” (無) = void; space (空).
無 = 空
Without space, there is nowhere anything can exist.
如果 空(=無) 不存在， 所有的事物 都不可能存在。
Therefore, “Mu” (無) represent all things; everything, without exclusion.
所以 無 代表 全存在 的事物，毫无例外。
The Lotus Sutra says:
“Since I became Buddha, it has been measureless and limitless...“
寿量品曰:
我実成仏已来。無量 無辺.. (Ga jitsu jo butsu irai, muryo muhen..)
Limitless (muhen 無辺) represents boundless space.
無辺 = 非常远 非常廣袤 的 空间。
How big is space?
空是多大?
The Lotus Sutra tells us:
Suppose, someone takes five hundred thousand, ten thousand, hundred million nayuta asogi three thousand great thousand fold worlds. Crush them into particles, travel east, and drop one particle each time he passes five hundred thousand, ten thousand, hundred million nayuta asogi lands. He proceeds this way, until he exhausts all the particles. Good people, what do you think? Can their total be imagined or calculated?
寿量品 告诉 我門:
譬如五百千万億那由他阿僧祇三千大千世界。假使有人末為微塵。過於東方五百千万億那由他阿僧祇国。乃下一塵。如是東行尽是微塵。諸善男子。於意云何。是諸世界。可得思惟校計知其数不。
Therefore, the Lotus Sutra, uses the age and size of the present physical universe to give an idea of when the World Honored One became Buddha.
Here, becoming Buddha means the World Honored One brings about the Excellent Medicine for living beings.
Therefore, the duration of the syllable “Mu” (無) is very long
所以, 为什么 音节的 “Mu”（無）的持续时间 很长?"
Representing the excellent medicine of the Honmon O’daimoku of Namu-Myoho-Renge-Kyo.
The really interesting aspect about this document, is that it was written in 1282, long before the existence of the SGI or Nichiren Shoshu or any of the subsequent nonsense that has since been written ...
Since Honmon Shoshu appear incapable or unable to publish Nichimoku's treasured notes on how we should be chanting the Honmon O'daimoku, and correctly practice Nichiren's teachings, I was lucky enough to find a letter written by Nikko Shonin in 1282 called; "The Shuso Gosenge Kiroku" (The Shuso Gosenge Kiroku is No. 000141 in the listing of important cultural properties in the Shizuoka area. Date listed as important cultural property: 20th Jan 1993, Heisei 5.) concerning the syllables “Na” (南) and "Mu" (無).
In light of this document, it seems that our current understanding of "Na Mu" is extremely limited in the context of what Nichiren taught. The idea that "Nam" is a shortened version of Nama or Namaste is shallow in the extreme, misleading and misunderstood.
Interestingly, Nikko explains that "Na", as well as meaning South, also represents Heaven. He explained the importance of "Mu" in such a way that "Mu" should be included in the O'daimoku/daimoku. Moreover, he also insinuated that the character "Mu" should be chanted in such a way to represent a very long time, suggesting that the timings of the Honmon O'daimoku are correct. Indeed, in the light of this, great care should be heeded in the "general" understanding of recently posted suggestions by SGI/NST members regarding three different Japanese lexicons to justify the shortening of "Na" and "Mu" to the phonetic of just "Nam". Such an understanding in the light of what Nikko wrote is likely gravely wrong. Indeed, in using such an understanding, we are likely going down the wrong path and as such are completely missing the point of whatever Nichiren was trying to teach us. I'm sure that there are all sorts of wonderful meanings, both long and short of Nam or Namu, Nama or Namaste, but the point being made is to represent the profound meaning of each character in whatever it represents in a clear and concise WAY when each character is chanted, as in “Na” (南) "Mu" (無), as against the shortened version of "Nam". Given what Nikko wrote in this document, just the invocation of "Nam" is incapable of justifying the full and complete meaning of "Na” (南) "Mu" (無). This document, written in 1282, was long before the existence of any of the subsequent nonsense and takes us back to the bare basics. Indeed, according to this document, the characters "Na Mu" are chanted to signify;
“Since I became Buddha, it has been measureless and limitless...
寿量品曰:
我実成佛已来。無量 無辺 百千万億 那由他劫。
無量 (Muryo) = 永 = cannot be measured; measureless; eternal.
Therefore, with regards to time, heaven is eternal (=measureless).
因此，关于时间，天(南) 是 無量(永恒) 的。
However, since the formation of the present physical universe, there has passed “hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, hundred millions of nayutas of aeons”. (Hyaku sen man oku nayuta ko).
然而, 目前物理宇宙 的 形成 已来 已经过了 百千万億 那由他劫。
That is why, the duration of the syllable “Na” (南) is very long.
这就是为什么，音节的 “Na”（南）的持续时间很长。
It represents a very, very, very, long time.
这 代表 一个 非常长 的 时间。"
The only way this is could be done would be to elongate the timings of these characters, thus complimenting the timings of the Honmon O'daimoku.
And regarding "Mu", Nikko continues ...
"The word “Mu” (無) = void; space (空). 無 = 空
Without space, there is nowhere anything can exist.
如果 空(=無) 不存在， 所有的事物 都不可能存在。
Therefore, “Mu” (無) represent all things; everything, without exclusion.
所以 無 代表 全存在 的事物，毫无例外。
The Lotus Sutra says:
“Since I became Buddha, it has been measureless and limitless...“
寿量品曰:
我実成仏已来。無量 無辺.. (Ga jitsu jo butsu irai, muryo muhen..)
Limitless (muhen 無辺) represents boundless space.
無辺 = 非常远 非常廣袤 的 空间。
How big is space?
空是多大?
The Lotus Sutra tells us:
Suppose, someone takes five hundred thousand, ten thousand, hundred million nayuta asogi three thousand great thousand fold worlds. Crush them into particles, travel east, and drop one particle each time he passes five hundred thousand, ten thousand, hundred million nayuta asogi lands. He proceeds this way, until he exhausts all the particles. Good people, what do you think? Can their total be imagined or calculated?
寿量品 告诉 我門:
譬如五百千万億那由他阿僧祇三千大千世界。假使有人末為微塵。過於東方五百千万億那由他阿僧祇国。乃下一塵。如是東行尽是微塵。諸善男子。於意云何。是諸世界。可得思惟校計知其数不。
Therefore, the Lotus Sutra, uses the age and size of the present physical universe to give an idea of when the World Honored One became Buddha.
Here, becoming Buddha means the World Honored One brings about the Excellent Medicine for living beings.
Therefore, the duration of the syllable “Mu” (無) is very long
所以, 为什么 音节的 “Mu”（無）的持续时间 很长?"
This certainly seems to represent the excellent medicine of the Honmon O’daimoku of Namu-Myoho-Renge-Kyo.
I understand how attached both SGI and NST members are to their individual sects and practice of Nam, but this is not about individual sects or loyalties, but about the very real realisation of Kosen Rufu.
In light of this document all sects chanting just ‘NAM’ should review their practice in the light of this writing ...
MBB. C.
No comments:
Post a Comment