I’ve been thinking a lot about why I am turned off by discussions about which Gohonzon is the “real” one, what is the “correct” way to practice, what would Nichiren say about such-and-such. In fact, the more I read this stuff, the more I started questioning Nichiren Buddhism altogether.
Then it hit me. The problem for me isn’t Nichiren Buddhism. The problem is that all these academic musings are about the framework of the practice, not about the practice itself.
Buddhism is beautiful and true because it’s about direct, personal experience, not opinion or dogma or rules or anyone else’s idea of what you should do and how you must do it. And the “direct experience” of Nichiren Buddhism is chanting. I have to believe that if any of us were to meet Nichiren and ask him “What really matters?” he’d say, “Just chant. The rest is detail.”
The truth is, even if this isn’t what Nichiren would say, it’s what works for me. Turning something as precious as Buddhism into an academic subject and arguing the small print is as tiresome to me as having to write a book report on a beloved book. It removes me from the active experience and sucks the life out it. I want to read for the sheer pleasure of reading. I want to practice Buddhism for the sheer experience of practicing. Trying to figure out and bullfight over why we think an author wrote a book, what an artist meant by his painting, or which Gohonzon Nichiren would have endorsed removes us from the direct experience. And besides, trying to second-guess anyone is a total waste of time.
Having said all that, I simply adore reading and writing about Buddhism. But the subject matter needs to be REAL. It needs to be about personal experience. I don’t just mean “I chanted for ten hours and I got a new job” kind of experience. I want to know how Buddhist principles work in YOUR inner life. I want to hear heartfelt, genuine, gutsy, lay-it-out-on-the-table revelations of what Buddhism means to YOU and what YOU bring to the table of this amazing, varied practice.
I want us to share our practices, rather than simply debate the framework of it. Because the framework is just the framework, and personally I could care less which Gohonzon you chant to. Heck, chant to a brick wall or a photo of Mickey Mouse if that’s what works for you. What I want to know is -- What kind of life are YOU creating with your Buddhist practice? What is kind of life is your Buddhist practice creating for YOU?
Queen Lolo:
Joseph Campbell would give you two thumbs up. When Buddhism becomes hair splitting, opinionated, and oppressive, it has ceased to be Buddhism, which is by its very nature, pure, beautiful, and elegently simple.
Charles
Posted by: Charles at April 22, 2005 10:21 AMHi Queen Lolo,
I know exactly how you feel. I too got burned out on all the sectarian politics and even internal sectarian politics. I realized that, while I am still not going to acquiesce to fabrications and slander, the point is not to spend endless time quibbling but to simply practice. And practice means not worrying about anything but doing the practice and encouraging others to practice, and practicing with those who wish to practice with you.
I will not say why, but it all came to a head for me back around January. I just got fed up and decided that from that point on I would no longer be a respecter of sectarian boundaries. I would seek out those who could help me enhance my faith, study, and practice, and would help those who sought my guidance, advice or companionship regardless of affiliation or lack thereof (not that I wasn't doing this before, but I just made a more conscious determination to do so).
The tsunami also made a difference to me. It made me realize how such sectarian bantering is just so much blather in the face of such things.
Some may have seen an actual change in my blog articles and other writings since then. I hope so. I have felt different, and I have been approaching many things differently. It has been very liberating.
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo,
Ryuei