In my blog of March 21, “Was Nichiren a Nichiren Buddhist?” I talked about Shakamuni and Nichiren each having their own burning question that fueled their search for enlightenment. Shakamuni asked, “How can we be free from suffering?” and Nichiren asked “How can the common man find happiness?” (Maybe one of my readers can word that more accurately.)
I believe we all have a burning question that propels us onto own own spiritual paths. My personal journey began as a teenager with a rabid fear of death. I began searching for a way to calm my panic and accept or transcend my mortality. In a nutshell, my own question was something like “How can I live happily knowing life will end?”
This question ultimately led me to Buddhism, where I learned (or rather, am still learning) how to be present and accept what is. I have also learned (definitely still learning) how to be happy no matter what. Has my burning question been answered? Not completely. But it has lit the way to a gradual unfolding of a very interesting internal adventure. It put me on the path, and brought me to the Wonderful Dharma.
What brought YOU to the path? What is YOUR burning question? Have you found your answer yet? Comments, please!
Queen Lolo
Mine has always been how can I have a positive influence on my surroundings; my city, my work, my family etc. I find the Buddhist message of change beginning within to make the most sense, and to be the only real way to create such change.
Namaste, Engyo Mike Barrett
Posted by: Engyo Mike Barrett at March 24, 2005 07:05 AMBurning question? Why is there braille at an ATM machine?
;-D
Posted by: Dan at March 24, 2005 01:53 PMI really resonate with this idea of a burning question. I first got attracted to Buddhism through the koan literature of Zen. And koans are really just a way of inducing a burning question that will lead to a breakthrough into the authentic meaning of one's life.
For me, the Odaimoku became a koan. "What is the real meaning of Namu Myoho Renge Kyo?" "Is it in the meaning of it?" "Is it in the attitude it expresses?" "Is it pointing to some mystic realization" and on and on with such questions. THey all boil down to "What is the deep significance of this practice for me?"
Lately, however, I have realized that the meaning of the Lotus Sutra and the Odaimoku is not so much that they are pointing to themselves but that they are pointing us back to ourselves, our own true nature, and that this true nature is not limited to our small, contingent, circumscribed self, but to the true nature of everything whatsoever. So my burning question more and more has become "What is this?" By which I mean, "what is this the thusness of what I am encountering in each moment, what is going on here?" It has become a real investigation of what I need to see and do here and now. That sounds so trite, but I can't think of a better way to put it. And now the Odaimoku has turned into a reminder to me to keep looking and keep moving into each moments unfolding.
Anyway, that is not quite what I intended to write. But at any rate, I think our practice needs to be driven by a burning question that is really ours, that really matters to us.
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo,
Ryuei
My burning question is what Nichiren focused on or realized to gain his enlightenment - both as a boy before the statue of Kokuzo, and at Kasagamori in April of 1253, prior to his "first" invocation of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
My other burning question is basically the same, only in regard to Shakyamuni's original enlightenment. What was that rush of ultimate knowledge like?
Charles
Posted by: Charles at March 25, 2005 03:06 PMCharles,
But was there a "burning question" that brought you to Buddhism in the first place, even before you ever heard of Shakamuni or Nichiren?
Simply put, it's stated in the Gosho that the practice varies according to the times. One of my burning questions is: If Nichiren were alive today, how would HE think the practice should be approached in these times? How would he veer from medieval paradigms and employ modern values in all aspects of the practice?
For me, this question spawns another: How would Nichiren evaluate Nichiren Shu, the SGI, and all the other Nichiren sects? Which of these sects would Nichiren think is both the truest to his intent and the most respectful of a contemporary mindset?
Gabrielle
Posted by: Gabrielle Wise at March 25, 2005 10:49 PMYou know, I think the burning question that spurred me to practice Buddhism was how people (or any sentient being, actually) could be rid of psychological ailments. I had forgotton about this initial question, but a friend of mine, who is a staunch SGI member, recently suffered a nervous breakdown. This unfortunate time jogged my memory of the question. To my knowledge, medical or therapeutic advancements in healing mental illnesses have been so modest compared to the progress we've made in curing physical maladies. We're still in sort of a dark age when it comes to addressing the nether-reaches of the psyche. This is certainly no attempt at prognostication and I could be wrong, but lately I've had this strange intuition that sometime in the not-so-distant future, there will be great progress in this area and mental illnesses will be obsolete, almost like polio is now. Am I pipedreaming? I ponder about the many scenarios in which the practice of Buddhism and other religions will set this completion in motion or augment it.
I feel like I'm being very stream-of-conciousness right now. I think my concern about my friend has caused me to think aloud. Thanks for indulging me.
Gabrielle
Posted by: Gabrielle Wise at March 26, 2005 05:08 AM"What brought YOU to the path? What is YOUR burning question? Have you found your answer yet?"
LSD brought me to the path. My burning question was whether meditation and or chanting could induce similar states of higher consciousness. Yes, I did most certainly find the answer I was seeking, and it's not one that comes from the cult-like afterglow of a discussion meeting. Happy trails.
Charles
Posted by: Charles at March 26, 2005 09:01 AMGabrielle made reference to my burning question; how to stop wanting to commit suicide as an answer to chronic depression and a really, really, really crazy and aggressive
family. My first goal was to move as far away as possible and I achieved this goal within one month. Then I began putting myself in wholesome situations rather than self destructive ones.
I give great credit to several individual NSA members who cared enough to help me straighten out some very crooked ways of looking at the world and teaching me to chant
and reflect on all the other people in the world who are also suffering (and how I may actually help them). These are people with names you wouldn't recognise from the WT...just local friends in NSA who are IMO real heros. So, I guess another part of my burning question was to find a spiritual support system.
I honestly don't think I'd be around today if I hadn't found Nichiren Buddhism, chanting, and people acting as Bodhisattvas in my life. And my entry was survival instinct and a recognition of powerful truth. I have continued my Nichiren practice (now as a member of Nichiren Shu) and the questions change as I do.
I like your blog...carry on! Patty
Posted by: Patty at March 27, 2005 08:53 AMDan,
My step-dad visited this website and read my blog. He said to me, "In all honesty, I didn't understand a single thing any of you were talking about. Except for one comment that made me laugh.." I said, "I bet I know what it was. Did it have to do with braille at ATM machines?" and he said, "YES!!!!" Of course this led to a lengthy conversation among my family about that very topic....
:-)
Posted by: Queen Lolo at March 27, 2005 06:05 PMGlad I was able to invoke some chuckles...but darn it, what is it with braille at ATM machines? Man!
;-Dan
silly-ass SGI member