"... the Two Dharmas of the Causal Practices and Effect [Virtues] of Lord Shakya are fully possessed in the Five Characters 'Myo ho ren ge kyo'; when we receive and keep these Five Characters He spontaneously yields and assigns [to us] the merits of those Causes and Effect" (Kanjin Honzon sho, STN, v. 1, 711).
"One receives because of faith; one keeps because of recalling." (Hokke mongu (Text Commentary on the Lotus Sutra) T.34.107c).
"The people who hear and receive this Sutra are many; the people who, as they have truly heard and received it, though great persecutions come, keep it in memory and do not forget it are few. To receive it is easy; to keep it is difficult. Therefore, attaining Buddhahood lies in keeping. The persons who would keep this Sutra keep it with the understanding that they shall encounter persecution.There is no doubt that 'They then will quickly obtain The Supreme Buddha Way' ["Chapter of the Jeweled Stupa"11 (T.9.34b)]. To recall 'Namu Myoho renge kyo' which is the Great Matter of the Buddhas of the Three Eras [Past, Present, and Future] we call 'keeping.' In the Sutra it says, '[We] shall guard and keep what the Buddha has entrusted.' ["Chapter of the Practices of Peaceful Joy"(T.9.36c)] Tendai Daishi says, 'One receives because of faith; one keeps because of recalling.' It also says,
"This Sutra is difficult to keep;
If there is one who keeps it even for short while,
I shall at once rejoice
And the Buddhas shall likewise do so' "
["Chapter of the Jeweled Stupa" 11 (T.9.34b)] (Shijo dono gohenji, STN, v. 1, 894).
"Each person of Japan and so on to the Land of Han, the Yuezhi [India], and the whole of Jambudvipa, regardless of whether they have wisdom or have no wisdom, should uniformly abandon other matters and chant 'Namu Myoho renge kyo'" (Hoon sho, STN, v. 2, 1248).
I will die badly soon. Like teardrops in the rain
ReplyDeleteCould you please expound? I have seen many miracles regarding those destined to die but who continue to live.
ReplyDeleteBack to back hurricanes . A Tree came through the roof. I have a Broken ulna. A occured bad hurricane this week, a week after the one, just down the road.. Some say a nuke reactor in Louisina is already spewing radioactive shit and critical after the hurricane ida, a week or so ago. How stupid humans are. One more hurricane, in this now three week period, will set off one or two reactors, in Louisiana and texas.
ReplyDeleteLouisiana and south Texas will be underwater, like it was during Harvey.
A million homes will be destroyed.
Three tropical storms in a Row, set off the flooding and destruction of harvey. Harvey destroyed 250k homes. 2 or 3 hurricanes in a week. I'm moving back to Alaska. Be careful!
Back to back hurricanes . A Tree came through the roof. I have a Broken ulna. A occured bad hurricane this week, a week after the one, just down the road.. Some say a nuke reactor in Louisina is already spewing radioactive shit and critical after the hurricane ida, a week or so ago. How stupid humans are. One more hurricane, in this now three week period, will set off one or two reactors, in Louisiana and texas.
ReplyDeleteLouisiana and south Texas will be underwater, like it was during Harvey.
A million homes will be destroyed.
Three tropical storms in a Row, set off the flooding and destruction of harvey. Harvey destroyed 250k homes. 2 or 3 hurricanes in a week. I'm moving back to Alaska. Be careful!
Trolls must be attacking your widgets.
ReplyDeleteWe have to worry about tornados
ReplyDeleteYou will have to move if a nuclearplant, in south Texas or by Dallas or Louisiana blows. 2 frikin hurricanes in a row again. It was too weird this time . SGI is a major instrumental factor, in Fukushima . SGI with their greed and phoniness,is a primary force in the enormous ecocide and suffering going on in japan
ReplyDeleteAs I wrote you on a another post, many SGI were the top administrators of TEPCO. They are far from being enlightened.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the benefit of hearing the one essential phrase? Even the truncated version ? Widespread propagation of Nichiren’s essential practice, chanting Namu Myoho Renge Kyo is abated by the vicious attacks against the SGI who propagated Nam Myoho Renge Kyo by those who began their journey in faith with that truncated version of daimoku. By this , I mean, those who propagate Namu while attacking and defaming their original teachers who continue chanting daimoku are not demonstrating the great benefit of faith in the correct teaching but rather exhibiting weakness and turning their backs on Nichiren, who admonished his followers against this very behavior. Is there evidence for making this contention?
ReplyDeleteWhat if it has been a grave error to personally attack and vilify anyone who chants the daimoku? Worth pondering when comparing the vitriol unleashed towards and from the SGI to the depraved state of American politics and insane culture wars.
I have yet to find a single example of Nichiren personally defaming another who chants the daimoku, saying just that they can and do chant after encountering the True teaching, means they are believers. Nor have I read a single authenticated writing by Nichiren that condones such behavior, rather he warns against it. No exceptions! Nichiren maintained respect and gratitude for his teacher Dozen-bo, despite not being able to convert his teacher.
Believers should correct errors through mutual examination and respect for the teachings, never claiming authority to impose their views based on personal preferences and personal opinions. The true teachings are relevant to our times is my main message. One who knows the Lotus Sutra understands occurrences in this world , Nichiren wrote. We should start with where we live, IMHO.
You are not unlike the SGI who takes Nichiren like a Chinese buffet, I'll take the beef and broccoli but not the salty fish. Actually Nichiren says there are slanderers among those who embrace the Lotus Sutra and chant the Daimoku. The difference between Nichiren's day and today, is that today there are millions who chant the Daimoku but slander the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren. Those who alter his teachings hate Nichiren. Certainly not SGI neophyte Bodhisattvas but the leaders of the SGI. For a year or more on ARBN you refuted the SGI. What happened? You awoke? I don't think so, you regressed.
ReplyDeleteRegarding Dozen-bo, only through "harsh words" did Nichiren succeed in awakening him (though partially).
"Even though one may resort to harsh words, if such words help the person to whom they are addressed, then they are worthy to be regarded as truthful words and gentle words. Similarly, though one may use gentle words, if they harm the person to whom they are addressed, they are in fact deceptive words, harsh words.
The Buddhist doctrines preached by scholars these days are regarded by most people as gentle words, truthful words, but in fact they are all harsh words and deceptive words. I say this because they are at variance with the Lotus Sutra, which embodies the Buddha’s true intention.
On the other hand, when I proclaim that the practitioners of the Nembutsu will fall into the hell of incessant suffering or declare that the Zen and True Word schools are likewise in error, people may think I am uttering harsh words, but in fact I am speaking truthful and gentle words. As an example, I may point to the fact that Dōzen-bō has embraced the Lotus Sutra and fashioned an image of Shakyamuni Buddha, actions that came about because I spoke harshly to him. And the same thing holds true for all the people of Japan. Ten or more years ago, virtually everyone was reciting the Nembutsu. But now, out of ten persons, you will find that one or two chant only Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, while two or three recite it along with the Nembutsu. And even among those who recite the Nembutsu exclusively, there are those who have begun to have doubts and so in their hearts believe in the Lotus Sutra; some have even begun to paint or carve images of Shakyamuni Buddha. All this, too, has come about because I have spoken harsh words."
Thanks to my harsh words several dozen people that I know have left the SGI and adopted the same Three Treasures and Three Great Secret Laws as Nichiren. Many have taken up the Lotus Sutra, read and studied it.
I claim the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren as authority. Certainly not you, Greg, nor I.
Correcting people you know sounds reasonable. Publishing defamatory editorials on SGI leaders and experiences of personal loss blaming the SGI is not respect worthy —all had the great benefit encountering the daimoku through connection with the SGI. All could address actual people life to life and choose to continue their faith following Nichiren. It’s a personal lifetime journey. Intermediaries not needed. “Good Friends” are the teachings, NOT PERSONS. Nichiren said this. I quoted him. You deleted my comment .
ReplyDeleteNo. Those who alter the teachings and fail to follow Nichiren suffer punishment. They die miserably. The last moment of their life reveals itself as they darken and become rigid. Pointing this out is shakubuku, the forceful practice which you have all but forgotten how to do. Good friends are not only the teachings but real flesh and blood beings. How far you have strayed. See if Greg agrees with you. He has been excoriating the SGI for dozens of years, or has he too fallen?
ReplyDelete