In your case, you are a member of a warrior family, an evil man who day and night is involved in the business of killing. Since you have not left your household (to become a priest), but have remained a warrior to the present, by what means can you escape the three evil paths? Should you not think about this very carefully?
The heart of the Lotus Sutra is the revelation that one may attain supreme enlightenment in one's present form without altering one's status as an ordinary person. This means that without casting aside one's karmic impediments one can still attain the Buddha way. Thus T'ien-t'ai said, "The other sutras only predict Buddhahood... for the good, but not for the evil;... This (Lotus) sutra predicts Buddhahood for all."
And Miao-lo said, "The meaning of the perfect teachings lies solely in the fact that those who oppose can be saved as well as those who follow. In the other three teachings, the fate of these two types of people is fixed."
"Reply to Hakiri Saburo", The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. I
Posted by dshimoda at July 4, 2007 10:23 AMHow to interpret this? An evil person can through this teaching realize ultimate truth. Never the less th ereactions and effects of evil actions will be there. Or do you thing cause and effect can be negated by wishing them away. I think when all around you is corrupt and evil you may just give that up as a loss. There are some situations in which things are unavoidable, still to encourage and condone evil is itself evil. And those effects can not be avoided. One may ask what about chanting being able to change karma? My answer is that a change in activities is needed to change karma. Practice or realization may and should lead to that but will not be enough on their own. Evil karma will not be changed by good luck talismans or superstition, if you want to change your karma you must change your actions. Practice correctly and that should help. But you yourself must do it.
ch
No intrepretation necessary. This is not Christianity, this is Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism.
Nichiren said many things to Shijo Kingo, the least of which he is an evil man.
Nichiren also indicated Shijo Kingo was responsible to read the letters he recieved from Nichiren to those close to him; the first district leader along with Toki Jonin.
Many Gosho's written to Shijo Kingo that calarify this one liner approach to understanding is not totaly accurate.
Nichiren also notes that all people possess the buddha nature and not just the potential for buddha nature. "Both good and evil spring forth from the same mind"
Posted by: Patrick at July 20, 2007 09:14 AMGot a single line anywhere saying that it's good?
Possesing buddha nature means nothing Stalin, Mao, Hitler, Pol Pot, all had buddha nature, doesn't make what they do right. Buddha nature is beyond good and evil, so what? Good and evil still exist.
ch
Nichiren wrote many Gosho to both Shijo and Toki Jonin. I would recommend reviewing the WND volumes one and two for many quotes by Nichiren himself.
I believe Nichiren says, "Even a villian loves his wife and children, indicating even an evil person has a buddha nature."
Boddhisattva Never Disparaging had it best in the Lotus Sutra, "I will not belittle or disparage you, for you all are seeking the buddha way!" LS.
Patrick
Posted by: Patrick at July 30, 2007 09:33 AM