“The meaning of this passage is that those who obtained benefit during the Former and Middle Days of the Law received “conspicuous” benefit, because the relationship they formed with the Lotus Sutra during the lifetime of the Buddha had finally matured. On the other hand, those born today in the Latter Day of the Law receive the seeds of Buddhahood for the first time, and their benefit is therefore “inconspicuous.” — Nichiren from Teaching, Practice, and Proof
SGI background states:
“..In this letter, Nichiren Daishonin states that Shakyamuni’s teachings no longer lead to enlightenment in the Latter Day of the Law, and that only Nam-myoho-renge-kyo combines the three elements of teaching, practice, and proof essential to making Buddhism viable.”
An SGI member regurgitates this misunderstanding:
“In this passage Nichiren states that those who lived in the Former and the Middle day of the Law were able to attain Buddhahood through their relationship with the Lotus Sutra of Shakyamuni and his disciples who have been born together, their cause have matured as the effect accumulated from past existences therefore their harvested benefit is conspicuous since they share the same heriage. However, those who are born in the Latter Day of the Law are no longer connected to Shakyamuni’s harvested enlightenment and are receiving the seed of Buddhahood hidden in the depth of Lotus Sutra for the first time through the very Law that all Buddhas have attained throughout time and space revealed by Nichiren Daishonin being Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.”
Nichiren, on the other hand, goes on to correct this non sequitur:
"Answer: The above-mentioned commentary states that such an interpretation of the last five-hundred-year period is “superficial.” From a more profound viewpoint, the Lotus Sutra will spread throughout the ten thousand years of the Latter Day. The Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai comments on the previously quoted sutra passage, stating: “It is not only the people who live during the Buddha’s lifetime who obtain great benefits. In the last five hundred year period, the mystic way will spread and benefit humankind far into the future.” Does this annotation suggest anything other than the ten thousand years of the Latter Day of the Law? The “Distinctions in Benefits” chapter in the sixth volume of the Lotus Sutra states, “In the evil age of the Latter Day of the Law if there is someone who can uphold this sutra . . . .” Also the “Peaceful Practices” chapter reads, “In the Latter Day of the Law, if one wishes to preach this sutra . . .” These quotations refer to [the propagation of the Lotus Sutra in] the ten thousand years of the Latter Day of the Law. All the Buddha’s teachings other than the Lotus Sutra are covered by his declaration: “In these more than forty years, I have not yet revealed the truth.” Moreover, there are some cases where the sutras have been revised according to the understanding of those who compiled them and therefore cannot be trusted.”
SGI and the above mentioned SGI member have revised the teachings and can not be trusted. Let us look at the most important Gosho, The True Object of Worship to see if what SGI teaches accords with the mind of Nichiren:
“People can attain enlightenment in two ways: by meeting the Buddha and hearing the Lotus Sutra, or by believing in the sutra even though they do not meet the Buddha…” [Writings of Nichiren Daishonin page 359]
Nichiren goes on to say:
“It is evident that the Revelation of Eternity was preached for the sake of those who live at the beginning of the period of Deprivation. In this respect, we are as fortunate as those who heard the Buddha in person, the difference is, they brought to fruition Buddhahood by hearing the ‘One Chapter and Two Halves’, while we are endowed with the seeds of Buddhahood by receiving the Five Words.” (Five Major Writings of Nichiren, Kanjin No Honzon Sho, NOPPA pg 370)
It is always the Lotus Sutra that leads to Enlightenment but the practice of the Lotus Sutra differs according to the age. The seed of Buddhahood is always Shakyamuni Buddha's Myoho renge kyo [Lotus Sutra].
The practice of the Lotus Sutra in the Latter day is Namu Myoho renge kyo, not singing silly songs to Sensei or deprecating the Lotus Sutra by teaching that it is no longer valid in Mappo.
Kanjin Honzon-sho (Writings of Nichiren, Doctrine 2, pg.164:
ReplyDelete" Conclusion: Salvation Through the Odaimoku"- For those who are incapable of understanding the truth of '3,000 existences contained in one thought", 'Lord Shakyamuni Buddha, with His great compassion, wraps this jewel with the five characters of myo,ho,ren,ge and kyo and hangs it around the neck of the ignorant in the Latter Age of Degeneration. The four great bodhgisattvas will protect such people, just as T'ai-kung-wang and the duke of Chou assisted the young ruler, King Chen, of the chou dynasty, or the Four Elders of the Shang-shan attended child emperor Hui of the Han dynasty in ancient China."- Nichiren.
The Lotus Sutra itself is incomprehensible to common mortals in living in this Latter age; chanting the daimoku is the ESSENTIAL practice-- valid for 10,000 years.. and more! SGI members chant the daimoku.
Yes, the “ seed of Buddhahood is Shakyamuni’s Myoho renge kyo”. So far as I know, singing Gakkai songs ( assuming SGI still sings these songs at gatherings of members), has not replaced chanting daimoku at these gatherings. It is noteworthy that even amongst Nichiren’s foremost disciples, the practice of “ founder worship “ was evident, tho Nichiren himself insisted he was not “ an object of worship “. Just - maybe , an aspect of shared karma in this evil age, that worshipping the “person” whom one feels indebted to, is the “ obstacle” to overcome?
ReplyDeleteBut a vessel is susceptible to four faults. The first is being upset or covered, which means that the vessel can be overturned or covered with a lid. The second is leaking, which means that the water leaks out. The third is being defiled, which means that the contents can be contaminated. Though the water itself may be pure, if filth is dumped into it, then the water in the vessel ceases to be of any use. The fourth is being mixed. If rice is mixed with filth or pebbles or sand or dirt, then it is no longer fit for human consumption.
ReplyDeleteThe vessel here stands for our bodies and minds. Our minds are a kind of vessel, and our mouths too are vessels, as are our ears. The Lotus Sutra is the Dharma water of the Buddha’s wisdom. But when this water is poured into our minds, then we may jar and upset it. Or we may shut it out by placing our hands over our ears, determined not to listen to it. Or we may spit it out of our mouths, determined not to let our mouths chant it. In such cases, we are like a vessel that has overturned or has had a lid placed on it.
Again, although we may have a certain amount of faith, we may encounter evil influences and find our faith weakening. Then we will deliberately abandon our faith, or, even though we maintain our faith for a day, we will set it aside for a month. In such cases, we are like vessels that let the water leak out.
Or we may be the kind of practitioners of the Lotus Sutra whose mouths are reciting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo one moment, but Namu-Amida-butsu the next. This is like mixing filth with one’s rice, or putting sand or pebbles in it. This is what the Lotus Sutra is warning against when it says, “Desiring only to accept and embrace the sutra of the great vehicle and not accepting a single verse of the other sutras.”1
The learned authorities in the world today suppose that there is no harm in mixing extraneous practices with the practice of the Lotus Sutra, and I, p.1015Nichiren, was once of that opinion myself. But the passage from the sutra [that I have just quoted] does not permit such a view. Suppose that a woman who had been the consort of a great king and had become pregnant with his seed should then turn round and marry a man of common stature. In such a case, the seed of the king and the seed of the commoner would become mixed together, and as a result, the aid and assistance of heaven and the protection of the patron deities2 would be withdrawn, and the kingdom would face ruin. The child born from two such fathers would be neither a king nor a commoner, but someone who belongs not to the human realm.
This is one of the most important points in the Lotus Sutra. The doctrine of the sowing of the seed and its maturing and harvesting3 is the very heart and core of the Lotus Sutra. All the Buddhas of the three existences and the ten directions have invariably attained Buddhahood through the seeds represented by the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo. The words Namu-Amida-butsu are not the seeds of Buddhahood, nor can the mantras or the five precepts act as such seeds. One must be perfectly clear about this point, because this is the fault referred to as being mixed.
If a vessel is free of these four faults of overturning, leaking, being defiled, and being mixed, then it can be called a perfect vessel. If the embankments around a moat do not leak, then the water will never escape from the moat. And if the mind of faith is perfect, then the water of wisdom, the great impartial wisdom, will never dry up.
yes, do inspect your "vessel/self" dear blogger.
ReplyDeleteI think Myoho renge kyo is considered the essence of the Lotus Sutra- with important caveat regarding the meager capacity of those born in mappo for understanding the Lotus Sutra. Singing songs is not the primary practice of SGI members. Yet you deride what they sing, ignoring and thereby disrespecting their primary activity, chanting daimoku when they gather together. How can you, a Mappo born common mortal, contend they have no virtue and are not worthy of respect for embracing Myoho renge kyo?
ReplyDeleteSince faith in Namu Myoho renge kyo is the primary, secondary, and tertiary practice of the Lotus Sutra, their obsessive faith in Ikeda and his influence and power as intermediary (when no intermediary is necessary), detracts from the primary, secondary, tertiary, and so on practice of faith in Namu Myoho renge kyo. Since it is the exclusive faith in the Daimoku without subsidiary concerns that leads to Buddhahood, it is for their Bodhi that I criticise this practice of faith and reverence for Sensei. Toda taught Yuiga Yoga (Guru Yoga) faith and practice, a Shingon faith and practice and Ikeda ran with it. Apparently, you don't have the compassion or wisdom to correct them. Sorry for you. Wake up! It is strange that with your limited faith and understanding you insist on believing that you are correct. How sad!
ReplyDelete