Depend on the meaning and not the words.
In his blog on March 30th our own Revered Greg wrote “Evolve or perish….” I couldn’t agree more.
Some branches of Christianity seem to be beginning to realize that their core doctrines must evolve or they will perish. The more thoughtful among them realize that thinking people in the modern age no longer buy into the myths of virgin birth, the ark, or someone else being able to purify their lives by dying for their sins, and, we have a more educated view of what exists up and down “there”. But I have to concede, they were right about the fire below.
All of so-called Nichiren Buddhism might benefit from the Reverend’s guidance, “Evolve or perish…. “
I have been of the opinion for the last dozen or more years that so-called Nichiren Buddhism needs to evolve or it will perish.
There is an old movie, a comedy starring Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn. In one scene the comedic actor finds himself hanging by one hand several stories above the pavement clinging to a collapsing lanai. His character, realizing the predicament that he is in, dons a desperate expression and says, “Namumyohorengekyo, Namumyohorengekyo, Namumyohorengekyo…” Abracadabra!
Some might ask, “Did it work?” Some would claim that it did, and it is impossible to prove that it did not; Steve Martin lived to make more movies. Abracadabra! Alakazam! One thing is certain; the writer of this movie’s script has listened to a garden variety SGI discussion meeting’s definition and explanation of chanting Namumyohorengekyo.
We use words as an expedient to make distinctions in an effort to convey concepts, and special words to make distinctions within distinctions. If I said “furry animal”, how would you know that I was referring to a dog? If I said “dog”, you would know it was a furry animal but would you know it was a German Shepard? If I said “German Shepard” you might know it was a furry animal and a dog, but how could you know that it was black and tan, it’s gender, or that it was just a puppy six weeks old? No, you could not.
What if I just said “Abracadabra”? What if I said “Namumyohorengekyo”? Would you know exactly what I mean? I doubt it.
Consider the word fantastic. It was once a word used to describe events or circumstances that where so extreme as to challenge belief. Over the years it has been put to common usage to describe just about everything. There is even a cleaning product that carries the name. A clever marketing ploy, but a name that it can never live up to. A product that removes sticky fingerprints from my refrigerator is not so extreme as to challenge belief. I have never had a cup of coffee that was so extreme as to challenge belief, but at times I have said so. There is no longer anything fantastic about the use of the word fantastic. In a real sense, while its definition remains, because of improper and over use of the word itself, it no longer brings to mind the concept that it was intended to convey.
Do all Buddhas throughout time and space pronounce the Sino-Japanese words Namumyohorengekyo? It is doubtful, but I have no doubt that all Buddhas throughout time and space depend on the meaning. And, I am fairly certain, they are not thinking, “Devotion to the Mystic Law of cause and effect through the sound of my voice”. But then again, years ago we all heard from reliable sources from within the SGI, at least those of us with strong faith, that scientists had pointed the most powerful microphone ever made out into space (or was it toward the Aurora Borealis?) and what they heard was a seven-beat pulsation that sounded like Na-mu-myo-ho-ren-ge-kyo. Abracadabra! The Buddhas throughout time and space do speak Japanese.
The phrase “Depend on the meaning and not the words” teaches us in part that the form and phonic sound of language isn’t as important as the ability of the words used to convey the intended meaning. As with the case of the word fantastic, when a word or concept is attributed to many usages and definitions that were never intended, its meaning has become bastardized, reduced to a cliché. While it’s intended meaning does not change, no one pays it much attention, and there are many that hold distorted views of its meaning.
Which brings me back to Abracadabra! a.k.a., Namumyohorengekyo and “Evolve or perish…. “ . While the meaning of Namumyohorengekyo remains, it has become a cliché, and those that hold distorted views of its meaning write movies, expound false doctrines, and further denigrate the meaning. The magic of words is found in convention and agreement of the meaning that they convey. When a word no longer conveys it’s meaning it’s magic is lost.
Nichiren wrote, “ The supreme principle [that is the Mystic Law] was originally without a name. When the sage was observing the principle and assigning names to all things, he perceived that there is this wonderful single Law [myoho] which simultaneously possesses both cause and effect [renge], and he named it Myoho-renge. This single Law that is Myoho-renge encompasses within it all the phenomena comprising the Ten Worlds and the three thousand realms, and is lacking in none of them. Anyone who practices this Law will obtain both the cause and the effect of Buddhahood simultaneously.”
The given name of a concept or thing is arbitrary. Someone perceives a concept, or makes a discovery, then arbitrarily gives it a name. The meaning of the word created exists by convention and agreement. If there is no agreement on the meaning of a word, or it becomes distorted or confused, the convention is broken. When this happens the words themselves must “Evolve or” the ability for them to convey their intended distinctions will “ perish…. “
This passage continues, “The sage practiced with this Law as his teacher and attained enlightenment, and therefore he simultaneously obtained both the mystic cause and the mystic effect of Buddhahood, becoming the Thus Come One of perfect enlightenment and fully realized virtues.
Thus the Great Teacher Dengyo writes: "A single mind, the entity of Myoho-renge, simultaneously brings to maturity both the blossom of cause and the calyx of effect. The three cycles of preaching that the Buddha employed each contain both the lotus that is the entity and the lotus that is a metaphor. The Lotus Sutra as a whole consists of both entity and metaphor. In particular we may note the seven parables, the three equalities and the ten peerlessnesses, which each contain the lotus of the entity. And the teaching that fully sets forth this principle is called Myoho-renge-kyo,"
Even here there exists an evolution from Myoho-renge to Myoho-renge- kyo . This evolution, is similar to the evolution of distinctions from fury animal to dog, from dog to German Shepard, to the distinction of a specific black and tan puppy that is six weeks old. The evolution is from the general to the specific—from myoho and renge to myoho-renge, then from myoho-renge to myohorenge-kyo, and Nichiren’s accomplishment of adding namu and the evolution to Namumyohorengekyo.
In another writing Nichiren offers a definition of Myohorengekyo that is in keeping with the passages above:
The Jigage section of the chapter states, ‘...single-mindedly desiring to see the Buddha, not hesitating even if it costs them their lives...’ I, Nichiren, have called forth Buddhahood from within my life by living this sentence. This means that I myself embodied the Three Great Secret Laws, or the reality of the three thousand realms in a single moment of life, implied in the Juryo chapter. But let us keep this to ourselves!
Dengyo, the Great Teacher of Mount Hiei, journeyed to China to receive instruction in the profound meaning of this sentence from the sutra. ‘Single’ of ‘single-mindedly’ means the one pure way, and ‘mind’ indicates all phenomena and existences. The Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai explained the Chinese character for ‘mind’ by saying that it consists of four brush strokes representing the moon and three stars and implies that the mind that resides in the effect [of Buddhahood] is pure and clean. My interpretation of the passage is that ‘single’ stands for myo, ‘mind’ for ho, ‘desiring’ for ren , ‘see’ for ge, and ‘Buddha’ for kyo (sutra).
My own interpretation is that myohorenge is the fundamental and eternally constant Law that reigns over all that repeats the eternal cycle of birth and death and kyo of Myohorengekyo is the mind of Buddha that is one with myohorenge.
Nichiren is reported as stating, ”In addition, all the sutras expounded by the seven Buddhas of the past, the thousand Buddhas, or the Buddhas of countless aeons ago, as well as those expounded by the Buddhas presently living in the ten directions, are all followers of the single character kyo of the Lotus Sutra.“
To restate, myohorenge is the Sovereign Law reigning over all of life’s objective realities, and kyo represents The Buddha Law, the subjective reality attained by all Buddhas that is one with the objective truth of myohorenge .
“Evolve or perish…. “
When I say, Namumyohorengekyo what I mean is Namumyohorengemyojisokukyo, so I chant Namumyohorengemyojisokukyo with single-minded resolve to manifest in my actions the wisdom appropriate to the circumstances of the present moment. The Sovereign Law, myohorenge, and the Buddha Law, myojisoku, are expressed as the autonomous self-practice established by the Buddha among men, and while on first hearing this great law, you may not understand it’s meaning, it is no longer associated with the cliché “Namumyohorengekyo” and “Abracadabra!”
“Evolve or perish…. “
chikushonin 智倶諸人
大求道心,妙覚,命時僧倶經.
A great seeking mind, mystically awakened, Buddhahood as manifest reality.
南無妙法蓮華命時儈倶經
Namumyohorengemyojisokukyo
Posted by chikushonin at April 27, 2005 05:27 PM
Wasn't it the John Cleese character who did the chanting in the remake of The Out of Towners? To me nam myoho renge kyo signifies that all of existence is inter-related completely and on every level anything that engenders that thought would give the same result. The words are unimportant. Not seeing anything or anyone as "other" is what matters.
Posted by: Philip Brett at April 28, 2005 09:40 AMPhilip,
Thank you for reading and taking the time to comment.
I don’t know if John Cleese also spoke the phrase in the same movie. If he did, that would have made it twice as funny. There is also a Jack Nicholson film where there is chanting portrayed as a desperate, hopeless and futile act. I have heard that the film ‘Animal House’ also features daimoku. Moving on….
It is not the form of the words that is important; it is the meaning that they convey. Nichiren wrote,
”A person gives utterance to speech on two occasions. On one occasion, he does so to tell other people what he himself does not believe, in an effort to deceive them. His voice in this case "accords with others' minds." On the other, the person gives voice to what he truly has in mind. Thus his thoughts are expressed in his voice. The mind represents the spiritual aspect, and the voice, the physical aspect. The spiritual aspect manifests itself in the physical. A person can know another's mind by listening to his voice.
This is because the physical aspect reveals the spiritual aspect. The physical and spiritual which are one in essence, manifest themselves as two distinct aspects; thus the Buddha's mind found expression as the written words of the Lotus Sutra. These written words are the Buddha's mind in a different form. Therefore, those who read the Lotus Sutra must not regard it as consisting of mere written words, for those words are in themselves the Buddha's mind.”
In another gosho Nichiren states:
”The Buddha's utterances have become the works that compose the body of sutras and bring benefit to all living beings. And among the sutras, the Lotus Sutra is a manifestation in writing of Shakyamuni Buddha's intent; it is his voice set down in written words. Thus the Buddha's mind is embodied in these written words. To illustrate, it is like seeds that sprout, grow into plants and produce rice. Though the form of the rice changes, its essence remains the same.
Shakyamuni Buddha and the written words of the Lotus Sutra are two different things, but their heart is one. Therefore, when you cast your eyes upon the words of the Lotus Sutra, you should consider that you are beholding the living body of the Buddha Shakyamuni.
In this second quotation Nichiren is setting forth his rational for depending on the Gohonzon as the true object for observing ones own mind. Words are important. Even with words, the principle, “Though the form of the rice changes, its essence remains the same” still applies. The seed that sprouts, the plant that flower and produces fruit are analogous of the Three Great Secret Laws, the seed of daimoku, the flower that blooms is the Gohonzon, and the fruit is the Kaidan, the place where one manifests the principle of myojisoku, where self equals others. The essence of all three is the same, each contain the other two, inter-related and inseparable. Nichiren has called them “triple-truth” and “triple axiom” of one dharma. I call them Namumyohorengemyojisokukyo
I agree with your thought that “Not seeing anything or anyone as "other" is what matters”, but perhaps with a somewhat different perspective. I believe we can acknowledge the distinctions between self and other and still manifest in our thoughts, words, and deeds behavior demonstrating that self equals others. This is how we demonstrate manifesting Buddhahood as common mortals; demonstrate Buddhahood without changing form, in the realities of the present moment. This is the essential meaning of myohorenge-myojisoku. Myojisoku is the mind that awakens to the mystic precepts where a person’s actions reflect the principle of self equals others. It is the truth hidden in the depths of the Juryo Chapter. Myojisoku is the Law of the Kaidan, the third of the Three Great Secret Laws. It is “the place of practice” where the Buddhas of the ten directions and three worlds receive the mystic precepts.
"Nichiren’s accomplishment of adding namu"
Hi,
I am being picky. But there is no doubt that Chihi and his followers chanted Namu Myoho Renge Kyo, although we do not know how they pronounced it.
"The seed that sprouts, the plant that flower and produces fruit are analogous of the Three Great Secret Laws, the seed of daimoku, the flower that blooms is the Gohonzon, and the fruit is the Kaidan, the place where one manifests the principle of myojisoku, where self equals others."
I like this too. In terms of Shakyamuni's teaching, first one accepts the Precept. Then the next level is learning Mindfullness practice. The third is direct Insight.
What Nichiren appears to be doing here is reversing that. Insight/wisdom is the scource,
and the Precept is the Fruit.
robin
Posted by: robin at May 2, 2005 12:41 PMHi - I was very relieved to read ths post - I have been wondering myself for sometime if the practice was just some weird imperiolingual (new word?) take-over, or if there was real content in the Daimoku that I was suppose dto be aware of when chanting. I printed out your blog and have been thinking about it -I was this morning when I did gongyo, and it's quite refreshing Thanks, byrd in LA
Posted by: Byrd in LA at May 2, 2005 01:20 PMHi Robin,
In stating, “Nichiren’s accomplishment of adding namu", my meaning is that Nichiren articulated that one should awaken and maintain a seeking mind toward ‘becoming one with [namu] Myohorenge-kyo’ as the good medicine that works on its own.
There is a gosho that lists several variations of the daimoku chanted by T’ien tai and others. I don’t recall which gosho it is. No doubt it was a variation of “Miao-fa-lien-hua-ching”, the Chinese pronunciation of 妙法蓮華經.
You write: “In terms of Shakyamuni's teaching, first one accepts the Precept. Then the next level is learning Mindfullness practice. The third is direct Insight.
What Nichiren appears to be doing here is reversing that. Insight/wisdom is the scource,
and the Precept is the Fruit.”
Actually, because by definition we of the Latter Day of the Law are lacking in wisdom, we are instructed that ‘faith’, a seeking mind, is the cause for wisdom, isshin daie.
’On the Four Stages of Faith and Five Stages of Practice begins:
”Scholars of Buddhism these days all agree that, whether in the Buddha's lifetime or after his passing, those who wish to practice the Lotus Sutra must devote themselves to the three types of learning. If they neglect any one of these, they cannot attain the Buddha Way.
In the past, I, too, subscribed to this opinion, [but now this is no longer the case]. Setting aside here as a whole the sacred teachings of the Buddha's lifetime, let us examine the question in the light of the Lotus Sutra. Here, too, we may set aside the teachings contained in the preparation and revelation sections. That brings us to the transmission section, which constitutes a clear mirror for the Latter Day of the Law and is most to be relied upon [in determining this matter].”
These three types of learning are Wisdom, Meditation, and Precepts. In Nichiren’s interpretation of the Lotus Sutra they are Namumyohorengekyo, the Gohonzon and the Law of the Kaidan respectively. In the Lotus Sutra the practice of chanting daimoku with a seeking mind without attachment to the things that you know is described as “When they have become truly faithful. Honest, upright, and gentle in intent” ; Meditation on the object for observing one’s own mind is described as “Single-mindedly yeaning to see the Buddha. Not begrudging their lives to do so” ; and, awakening to the Mystic Precepts is described as “Then (at that moment) I and the assembly of monks appear/together at Holy Eagle Peak”. In my reading of the Lotus Sutra this is where the Three Great Secret Laws are “hidden in the depths of the Juryo Chapter.” They are the entity, nature, and appearance that can only be shared and understood between Buddhas mentioned in the Hoben Chapter. The entity is the entity of myohorenge, the nature is depicted in the Gohonzon, and appearance is awakening to mystic precept, myojisoku. These three are unified and expressed as one in Namumyohorengemyojisokukyo. It is an the expression of the fusion [namu] of reality [myohorenge] and wisdom [myojisoku] of all Buddhas [kyo]
You are using the term “Shakyamuni’s teaching”. Nichiren’s teaching is in no way different than Shakyamuni’s preaching of the Lotus Sutra. It is different than T’ien-t’ai in terms of direction and practice. It is the same difference between the practice of the Lotus and other sutras. The other sutras lead to the truth of the Lotus teaching whereas the Lotus Sutra starts at the truth and builds from there, or as the parable of the burning house fraught with peril states in describing merit attained by setting aside the formal practices of the Three Vehicles, which are Wisdom, Meditation, and Precepts:
”These wonderful carriages the man presented to each of his sons alike. The sons at that time danced for joy, mounting the jeweled carriages, driving off in all directions, delighting and amusing themselves freely and without hindrance.”
Of the three types of learning, ‘precepts’ represents the practice of the Bodhisattva Vehicle of the provisional sutras. The four characters of myo-ji-so-ku are the virtues of the Four Great Bodisattvas that emerged from the earth of Buddhahood.
Namumyohorengemyojisokukyo.
南無妙法蓮華命時儈倶經
Dear Byrd,
I’d say that was a new word, and I am glad that you enjoyed the post.
I think that we all enjoy the effect of Buddhahood through chanting with a seeking mind, whether we are aware of it or not, and understanding is what follows.
Thanks for considering the argument. I hope you will take the time to consider my next segment about the two kinds of myojisoku.
Sincerely, chikushonin
Hi Chikusan,
I pretty much agree on Kai-Jo-E. Faith is our access to Insight, from which Wisdom is derived. Also, while I had not read the Gosho lately, and never understood it in the past, I am pleased that my conclusion in 'Bearing Fruit' and 'The Great Occult Dharmas' is verifiable.
Keeping in mind I am a heretic, in the views of some, in that I work my way back through the Insight-Wisdom {E} and Quietude-Mindful-Metta {Jo} practices.
Thanks for more thought provoking Insights.
robin
Posted by: robin at May 3, 2005 05:53 PM