March 18, 2008
Between A Rock And A Mandala
Recently I had a conversation with someone whose opinion I greatly respect. We spoke about the essence of the Nichiren Gohonzon, the one all of us in the Soka Gakkai International practice with. This person expressed the their understanding of this mandala as an expedient. That is, something that wouldn’t be needed if only we could tap into our Buddha nature on our own, without relying on an external object. This made perfect sense to me. Since we seem to be at the whim of external influences that consistently affect our momentary states of being, having an object whose sole purpose is to help us provoke the most positive effect possible is something to be desired. And for economy’s sake, let’s just say this effect is that we see things as they are from an enlightened perspective.
There is a phrase “opening of the eyes” that has been used in the past by both the Nichiren laity and the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood. It’s also the title given to one of Nichiren’s most important letters. In the past the priesthood has claimed that to “open” any given copy of a Nichiren Gohonzon’s “eyes,” to activate its properties that enable individuals to “see things from an enlightened perspective,” it must be placed before the so called Dai-Gohonzon and be chanted over. “So called” because the documentation normally referred to in supporting it’s claim to existence comes from Nichiren’s letter entitled On Persecutions Befalling The Sage: “The Buddha fulfilled the purpose of his advent in a little over forty years, the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai took about thirty years, and the Great Teacher Dengyo, some twenty years. I have spoken repeatedly of the indescribable persecutions they suffered during those years. For me it took twenty-seven years, and the great persecutions I faced during this period are well known to you all.” WND, Vol.1, page 996. The background of the letter explains: “Nichiren Daishonin wrote this letter at Minobu on the first day of the tenth month of the second year of Koan (1279) to his followers in general. It reviews some of the outstanding incidents in his life. But more importantly, it contains the sole allusion to his inscription of the object of devotion for all humanity as the purpose of his life, a task that he accomplished on the twelfth day of the same month.” WND, Vol.1, page 998. The word “it” in “For me it took twenty-seven years…” is the documentation. It seems paradoxical for those who profess discipleship to a man who showed such a breadth of detailed knowledge, argued his points so meticulously and extensively in his writings, to use one word, in one sentence, out of over 400 extant writings as documentary proof. This falls short of his benchmark. It’s the kind of proof that works better when presented to a choir of true believers rather than to a jury of reason.
Nichiren himself reasons us to this point in The Openings Of The Eyes II: “It is also laid down that one should ‘rely on sutras that are complete and final and not on those that are not complete and final.’(Nirvana Sutra) We must therefore look carefully among the sutras to determine which are complete and final and which are not, and put our faith in the former. Bodhisattva Nagarjuna in his Commentary on the Ten Stages Sutra states, ‘Do not rely on treatises that distort the sutras; rely on those that are faithful to the sutras.’ The Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai says, ‘That which accords with the sutras is to be written down and made available. But put no faith in anything that in word or meaning fails to do so.’ The Great Teacher Dengyo says, ‘Depend upon the preachings of the Buddha, and do not put faith in traditions handed down orally.’ Enchin, also known as the Great Teacher Chisho, says, ‘In transmitting the teachings, rely on the written words [of scriptures].’” WND, Vol.1, pages 263-264. Just to add a little irony to all this, the last quote used by Nichiren is ascribed to “A Collection Of Orally Transmitted Teachings”.
What is commonly referred to as the Dai-Gohonzon is a wooden Gohonzon, which is a copy of a paper Gohonzon that was supposedly inscribed by Nichiren for all mankind. In other words, a template Gohonzon that would be used for “everyman” so all who practice to it could reap the benefits of what the nature and purpose of a Nichiren Gohonzon is for. That puts whoever is in possession of this Dai-Gohonzon in a position of power over those who actually believe the Dai-Gohonzon possesses this power over other Gohonzon to “open eyes”. This very medieval thinking is the foundation of Christianity’s success throughout Europe. It is interesting to note that throughout history, no religion was exclusive in erecting temples to worship relics: it just makes good business sense. It works especially well when working in conjunction with whatever happens to be the current governing authority. Instead of “power to the people,” it’s “power over the people,” because the premise consists of subjugating individuals who relinquish control of their lives to an external source.
The Soka Gakkai International organization has refuted this claim of the Nichiren Shoshu Priesthood, and has asserted that each individual “opens” the Gohonzon’s “eyes,” activates its properties, every time it’s practiced to. That makes sense, because in reading Nichiren’s letter The Opening Of The Eyes, he consistently battles against any idea, person or bureaucracy that comes between an individual and his or her potential enlightenment. What doesn’t make sense is for the Soka Gakkai membership to be cajoled into believing that each person needs to continue to repay a debt of gratitude to “it,” the Dai-Gohonzon, as stated in their liturgy books. That’s medieval thinking too, and seems to me to be self-defeating in purpose. It’s a conflicting message about the nature of a Gohonzon, which very well may be residue from what the Soka Gakkai considers its lineage. Here is an example of a perpetuation of existing conflicting dogma:
If...
"Never seek this Gohonzon outside yourself. The Gohonzon exists only within the mortal flesh of us ordinary people who embrace the Lotus Sutra and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" (MW-1, 213). http://www.sgi-usa.org/buddhism/library/Nichiren/Gohonzon/
And.
"Thus Nikken's destruction of the Grand Main Temple, has encouraged SGI members to internalize the meaning of the high sanctuary. And to fully realize the inner implications and significance of any event or phenomena is the proper spirit of Buddhism." The Untold History Of The Fuji School. Pg. 196
Therefore...
"To those who fail to grasp its message, however, the map's (Gohonzon) worth will be reduced to that of a mere scroll." http://www.sgi-usa.org/buddhism/library/Nichiren/Gohonzon/
Then why...
"Photographs should never be taken of the Gohonzon and should be destroyed if accidentally taken." http://www.sgiusa.org/buddhism/library/Nichiren/Gohonzon/offering.htm
Is the Soka Gakkai still practicing surplus Nichiren Shoshu precepts? Or are they just stuck in transition? I can understand the confusion since also contained in the condemnation of the priesthood in The Untold History Of The Fuji School is "We should look upon the Gohonzon enshrined in each of our homes as the life of the Daishonin, the entity of the original Buddha. When chanting daimoku with that conviction, it is the same as worshipping the Dai-Gohonzon itself, right where we are." pg. 11. Is that the same Uber-Gohonzon that the priesthood told us that we needed to open each Gohonzon's eyes? Or is this the one we should not seek outside of ourselves? I took a picture of my stepdaughter’s bulldog Egor. I tried to play fetch with the picture but that didn’t work out so well. I put the picture next to a bowl of delicious dog food. Unlike with the actual Egor, the food didn’t disappear instantly. Then again, I’m also not sitting in front of the likeness of Egor as the entity of the original bulldog attempting to manifest my bulldog nature.
The idea of “opening eyes” is wondrous in its inclusiveness. As it happens to an individual it also is what happens to the mandala itself. It becomes more than paper and ink. Or more than wood and etchings. Or more than pixels on a screen. This process has been expressed in ways not relating to enlightenment, but never the less aptly portraying the effects of contemplating a thing or idea with some degree of diligence. Nietzsche warns of the negative affects of such efforts in his “Beyond Good And Evil” when he writes, “Those who would fight monsters be wary not to become one. For when you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss gazes long into you.” His warning was for those combating evil. But it can apply to any endeavor a person may immerse their self into. There is a tendency to become alike. At first glance it might seem that if an individual has found a quintessential positive to be devoted too, then ignorance is bliss. But since every relationship is symbiotic — everything flows both ways — it would behoove the devotee to understand as fully as possible all aspects of the relationship so as not to, as the saying goes, ruin a good thing. Daisaku Ikeda addresses this same idea in a positive way: “An active life retains the ability of selection, in that it decides what circumstance should be confronted and what substances to assimilate. In response to this life, the outer circumstances or object is certain to undergo a delicate and relative change in significance.” Dialogue On Life, Vol.1, page 40.
I had a similar but separate conversation with another person about the nature of a Gohonzon a couple of years ago. In this particular conversation I posed the question that if insentient phenomena such as a Gohonzon or a rock, have the same potential for enlightenment as sentient phenomena, then why can’t we chant to a rock as an expedient means and attain the same result as chanting to a Gohonzon? The answer I got was, “the nature of a rock is to be a rock, and the nature of a Gohonzon is to be a Gohonzon.” I do believe this person gave me more credit for understanding what they said than was due me. As simplistic as this statement reads, it has rattled around in my brain for a couple of years looking for a place to lodge itself. I have eventually translated it into meaning that a Gohonzon has a deliberate intention and a rock doesn’t. A rock has many potentials: to become soil, a foundation for organic growth: to be strapped to a piece of wood to be used as a tool or a weapon: to be marketed as a pet in a box. Can I see the potential in a rock? Sitting on the shoulders of human evolution and Madison Avenue, I certainly can. And as part of the environment that I co-exist in, I can appreciate it for what it is, a rock with many potentials. It has an intention, which is to fulfill it’s potential as a rock. Those potentials are imbued upon the rock from an external source, me. The rock has undergone as Daisaku Ikeda has said, “a relative change in significance.” Can I see the potential in a Gohonzon? When I look at it, can I, metaphorically speaking, make it look back at me, open its eyes, and fulfill its necessary intention? Can I then see the potential in all phenomena, sentient and insentient alike? Can I appreciate this potential? Sitting on the shoulders of my own human revolution, yes I can.
But in my conversation, what really got my attention, what interested me most was this persons’ reluctance to speak openly about what the Gohonzon actually is. “Don’t tell anyone I said the Gohonzon is an expedient.” Like it’s a big secret. Nichiren said himself that it is not to be found outside of one’s life. It isn’t actual enlightenment, but the representation of the potential of enlightenment for human life. Yes it contains its own potential for enlightenment, but it still needs human life interaction to activate it. If the Gohonzon is an expedient, why whisper the fact to a select few in secret? And why refer to it as something it isn’t? Is it for power, as in medieval times when the only people who could read were the priests and the nobility so they have a “power” over others? I really don’t believe this particular individual is into power of that nature. Doubt, is more likely, but doubt about what? This attitude of not speaking about what something is, but rather, what it is not, reminded me of the early Deists. Fearful of being labeled persona-non-grata, which could lead to social banishment and financial ruin, they hedged their way around what they really were: atheists. There was also a fear of tearing apart the fabric of society, which they mistakenly believed was held together by the common people’s belief in an omnipotent being. Fear that the common man couldn’t comprehend a godless world without falling into hedonism. The first fear — personal, social, and financial ruin — was, and still is, well founded. The second fear was proven completely false. This happened with profound resonance in the publishing of Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense,” when the world did not fall backwards into time, but instead leapt forward with a gusto never before seen in the history of mankind. Isn’t that what we are trying to do in the Soka Gakkai, lead mankind into a new paradigm of common sense?
TO BE CONTINUED...THE IMPORTANCE OF DOUBT AS BETRAYAL
Posted by joeisuzu at March 18, 2008 12:45 AMI really, really like what you have to say. Please keep it coming.
thanks
Everything you ever wanted to know about the Dai -Gohonzon but were afraid to ask...Thank you!
Can't wait to hear to more.
I love FWP!
It occurred to me as I have been piecing together what I understood with the Dai-gohonzon that maybe the SGI-policy folks were eventually going to transition away from Dai-gohonzon? Slowly?
maybe so as not to upset the fabric of folks with old attatchments to it? not sure. The conflicting messages confused me especially having not gone through the split back in the early nineties. Instead of an honest discussion when I asked about the gohonzon I got a booklet which just created more questions for me. there seems to be a need to protect members. I understand that sentiment but that is in a way kind of undermining the members too. It is not a perfect organization-but one in constant evolution /revolution I hope! I do think it is really okay for them to reexamine their older beleifs honestly and openly. are they fearing losing members if they do this? Does anyone think they want to revise thier stance on this issue at all?
Glad someone else is writing about this.
I believe we're in transition. SGI is addicted to the idea of "WE'RE NUMBER 1!!!" and the Daigohonzon plays in to that. Of course we have to add that the DG is being held hostage in order to make that work.
Unfortunately the idea of "our team is best" is totally un-Buddhist and embodies everything that Buddhism ISN'T.
The Japanese don't know how to say "ok, we were wrong". They fear this more than anything. For anyone who has ever experienced or studied the Japanese people and their culture they know that risk taking is never worth the risk and playing it safe is the only way to live one's life - period.
In this way back-peddling on the DG is a HUGE risk and so they are backing out ever so slowly.
The combined world of Nichiren Buddhism never acknowledged or refuted the idea of the Daigohonzon. It was ignored, as was the tiny and insignificant Fuji school - until the Soka Gakkai partnered with them.
Now unfortunately this age-old lack of refutation is held against the rest of the Nichiren world when in fact the whole idea of a single super Gohonzon for all of mankind is so ridiculous, and so ANTI-Nichiren, that is has never warranted a response.
The Soka Gakkai has, among other things, a unique tradition of practice. This is infinitely more valuable than some nebulous connection to a mythical magical object. We don't need magical objects, and we don't need to scream "WE'RE NUMBER ONE!!!".
Rev. Greg
Posted by: Rev. Greg at March 18, 2008 05:56 PMGreg,
Please consider using only one exclamation point. That gets the job nicely without being redundant. Unless, of course, your illustrating the redundant exuberance of certain SGI-USA factions by encapsulating it in that phrase. Then you're spot on and ready to infiltrate the Youth Division armed with your ninja prowess masked by mindless enthusiasm.
In last months video, President Ikeda made direct reference to the Dai-Gohonzon; the english translation was Gohonzon.
The SGI is not back-peddling with regards to the understanding of the Dai-Gohonzon, just not arguing with American's about the issue, perhaps until our understanding grows.
Dai-Gohonzon is not a super-Gohonzon, as some would offer, but a model for kosen rufu for the future.
This argument is a straw man as there is no more information available today, than there was in the 14th C Japan.
The Dai-Gohonzon is the enlightened life of Nichiren, is what the SGI teaches. No redudnency here, I would think, The Law and The Person both One yet not one. Gohonzon/Nichiren/Person.
Repaying a debt of gratitude to Nichiren; and in extension to all humanity; is the basis of our individual Buddhist practice as Nichiren Daishonin outlined in his gosho the Four Debts of Gratitude.
Patrick
Posted by: Patrick at March 18, 2008 09:24 PMThe Gakkai continues to embrace such anachronisms as the "Dai" Gohonzon because to do otherwise would be to admit that Josei Toda had it wrong.
The Gakkai has a very challenging tightrope to walk. How to move towards the mainstream of Nichiren Buddhism while still hanging onto the myth that we alone have correctly "inherited the Law"? This can only be accomplished through some very twisted dotrinal contortions.
To me, the Gohonzon is the gateway to the Ceremony in the Air. I participate in this ceremony twice a day, and take as many other souls with me as want to come along for the ride. This is a cool thing to do, and does not depend on any plank of wood in Japan or even a scroll of paper in my butsudan. The paper keeps me aware of what it is that I'm doing, that's all- nothing magical.
Gotta go,Wahzoh
Posted by: Byrd in LA at March 18, 2008 09:46 PMByrd,
Toda didn't have anything wrong for his time, country and people. Japan was close to committing national suicide when for the first time the emperor spoke to the people via radio and told them not to after it had been expected for everyone to do so. Everything they had based their life on, their belief system as a culture, had been handed back to them as the penultimate betrayal; a feudalistic society with medieval precepts which had been existing in a twentieth century world, now totally destroyed. How do you encourage an individual who has never thought of their self as one? A people who for centuries have understood that they are subjects of a living God who embodies both religion and government? Give them something to replace it that they can hold on to. An expedient. Now it is time to move forward, with compassion.
I had an interesting conversation yesterday with an old friend. This friend was in fact the very person who encouraged me to give Nichiren Shoshu of America a try way back when. Now he feels that all practices other than Anapannasati (mindfulness of the breath) are expedients, and that these expedients have been more trouble than they are worth because while they encourage practice of a sort, the practices they encourage don't directly or even necessarily lead to insight. Instead, they often lead to attachment, sectarianism, irrational mythic or even worse magical thinking and so on. This is someone who now finds even Zen too mythic and ceremonial.
I disagree, in fact I even said that I think that if the historical Buddha was himself only a teacher of Anapannasati then we should say that he too was one-sided. But it is really challenging to come up with a response to the challenging assertion that aside from attending to the real just as it is, everything else is just mental and emotional proliferation that actually obscures being fully present and leads instead to simply more daydreams and nightmares, daymares and nightdreams.
And then again, in the "Teachings of the Buddhas of the Three Times" Nichiren (or whoever actually wrote it) asserted that the Lotus Sutra was dream language used in our dream in order to get us to wake up.
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo,
Ryuei
Ryuei,
I dreamed I attained enlightenment...in my Maiden Form Bra.
"This sutra {Lotus Sutra} deals with the original mind of enlightenment in the waking state. But because living beings are accustomed to thinking in the mental terms appropriate to a dream state, it borrows the language of the dream state in order to teach the waking state of the original mind. However, though the language is that employed in a dream state, the intention behind it is to give instruction in the waking state of the original mind. This is the aim of both the text of the Lotus Sutra itself and of the commentaries on it. Of one does not clearly understand this, one will invariably misunderstand the wording of both the sutra and it's commentaries."
"The Testimony Common to all the Buddhas of the Three Ages" or retitled as "The Unanimous Declaration By The Buddhas..." page 840 Vol. II.
One of my favorite letters. I first read of it in Anesaki's book, "Nichiren, the Buddhist Prophet".
Posted by: joe at March 18, 2008 11:46 PMi've been outa touch with the Gakkai for over two decades (shit, almost three) and i'm surprised that the provenance of the Dai Gohonzon is still an issue. i've continued chanting, doing gongyo and, of course, studying all these years unrestrained by the dogma of "True Buddhism" thus i'm free to discover Buddhism everywhere i look, including other Nichiren sects. when the destruction of the Sho Hondo debacle was going on i did a lot of research into the doctrinal claims of the Gakkai and Nichiren Shoshu during their utterly juvenile viscous breakup.
i can find no authenticated gosho reference to a "universal" gohonzon inscribed for all mankind or him ordering one carved in wood. Nichiren was a very meticulous deliberate guy and something that important would have merited a "major writing". there was also no priesthood established, succession protocol for a high priest, transfer document, or "secret" transmission nonsense. from my studies i've concluded Nichiren loathed these sorts of elitist self-aggrandizing things.
as Joe so eloquently points out (and we can trust him, i saw it on tv), we "open the eyes" of the gohonzon as much as the gohonzon opens our eyes.
"as perceived, so appears" says the Buddha, predating quantum theory by a coupla millenia.
get over it SGI and NS or become a footnote in the history of the ineluctable rise of Buddhism in mappo.
great blog Joe, keep the faith.
Posted by: JC at March 19, 2008 09:53 AMHi, Joe - I agree with you 100% that Toda gave the post WWII Japanese something they desperately needed...self-respect and the notion that the Big Buddha of All Time was one of them. As a people, they were Special.
He also gave them a way of understanding their nations' defeat, as well as a light to move forward into the future. I agree completely that the teachings in question are mere expedients. But they are expedients that have worked for the Japanese, not for us in the West.
I like Greg's exclamation points. They totally convey the level of boundless, youthful enthusiasm which we will carry into our bright and shining future, no matter what!!!
The whole question of being addicted to "We're Number 1" is about growing up. Remember when you were in high school, and nothing was as important as winning that football game? When you were embarassed to admit that you had made a mistake and made something up in order to cover your ass? The Gakkai is at that level of emotional development.
Thanks for this topic - I find it very, very interesting.
Posted by: Byrd in LA at March 20, 2008 09:35 PMByrd,
Are you now saying that Toda didn't get it "totally" wrong because he wasn't necessarily promulgating in any other country but Japan and perhaps the Gakkai, in transposing a too exacting interpretation of his example, is "totally" missing the point here in the USA and elsewhere? Hmm?
Your honor, please direct the witness to confine their answer to a simple yes or no without any excessive exclamation points which will otherwise render them in contempt of this hearing and subject to a possible mandatory gag rule, fines, and or imprisonment retroactive to the afore mentioned high school days.
Posted by: joe at March 21, 2008 05:15 AM****ing great! Can't wait to see what you will say about doubt,
ch
I think that's a roger, there, Joe.
I'd like you to rephrase the question, though, as it is wildly incoherent. My roger may not be a roger after all. It might be more of a hemming and hawing kind of a roger.
Happy Easter, all. Byrd in LA
Posted by: Byrd in LA at March 23, 2008 12:29 AMSeems like Toda got the formula right for post-war Japan; Makiguchi's Philosophy of Value, association with the venerable Fuji sect of Nichiren Buddhism, and brilliant business acumen. As Buddhism takes the shape of its container, he fashioned a vessel that carried the Myo Ho water through some unimaginably tough times. I gotta cut him a lotta slack, as I do the early leaders of NSA like Masayasu Sadanaga (aka, George Williams). You know, chapter two, expedient means.
That being said, what was appropriate then and there is not completely appropriate now and here in America. I see the Gakkai and Ikeda's business empire as Buddhism applied to a corporate model that grew out of a decidedly non-democratic society. We're having trouble keeping democracy going here in America and we've been at it for over 200 years. The challenge I see before us is to fill the democracy vessel with Buddhism.
An awful lot of energy goes into parsing the doctrinal differences between Buddhist groups and sects, whereas the real enemy of Buddhism and human happiness is mono-theism and all it's tendrils corrupting society, science and the human mind. The current pope Benedict, whom I prefer to call Ratzinger, was once the head of the modern day descendants of the Inquisition. Just before he became pope he declared that the enemy that was communism had been destroyed and the new enemy is Buddhism. The flip side of that coin is historian Arnold Toynbee's reply when asked what the most significant development was in the 20th century, "The introduction of Buddhism to the West".
Time to do some real shakubuku and dash the poisonous worldview inherent in mono-theism. That'll require some Nichiren size cajones and some deft diplomacy at your family xmas dinner.
JC,
You make some valid points. Nobody knows the Catholic Liturgy better than Ratzinger and he casts a mighty "docturnal" shadow. And while were trying to fill the democratic vessel with Buddhism, maybe we can try filling some of the Born Again Buddhists with it too.
There is no democracy in Buddhism. There is either Davy Crockett individualism and being king of the wild frontier of birth, old age, illness, and death as was Shakyamuni or there is complete subjugation of the ego in following the Law and those wiser than ourselves, like Shakyamuni and Nichiren Daishonin. I am not a leader of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth so I subjugate my ego to the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Daishonin. Either way, whether we are a leader of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth or a follower of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth we are alone in our decision and determination and it is hardly up to any majority to determine our path. Our Sangha, any sangha is made up of individuals. We treasure the Sangha of like minded individuals because it is these individuals who will establish the Right Law.
Majority doesn't rule in our enlightenment and when the last moment comes we will remain alone following "those thousand Buddhas extending their hands... like so many melons or moonflowers extending their slender vines" across the turbulent sea of death.
Mark
Posted by: mark rogow at March 29, 2008 04:47 PMMark,
The last moment of what?
Joe, you are a very intelligent person. I don't think I have to spell everything out for you or are you trying to trick me? Hope you will see those 1000 Buddhas extending their hands. "When the crucial moment comes the foolish will often forget what they have promised".
Mark
Posted by: Mark Rogow at March 30, 2008 12:47 AMMark,
Sorry. I was looking at the word "last" and didn't see any correlation to "crucial". Probably because there isn't one. It reads like you were waiting for the Rapture or The End of Times. In fact it still does. But for arguments sake, let's just say that there are a thousand Buddhas waiting. And since there never is any "last" moment but a "crucial" one, because there is no time, I've already experienced those Buddhas an infinite number of times. But it makes no difference because I don't recall it. Besides, what do metaphysical entities that transcend time a space need with hands anyway?
You say there is no correlation between last moment of life and crucial but Nichiren Daishonin teaches that of the few or many crucial moments of life, the last moment is always crucial. Sunning yourself on a beach is not a crucial moment of life. Tatsunokuchi was a crucial moment. The moment of death is always crucial. Believing in the eternal lifespan of the original buddha Shakyamuni one is "splendidly composed" at the moment of death and it is a sign of ones strong and correct faith. The very first and last issue to approach in buddhism is the issue of death according to Nichiren. "Witness the result at the last moment of your life" [of singleminded chanting the Daimoku morning and night]. 'Continued to uphold a correct faith until the last moment of her life" or "at the last moment he regretted his life". "And when the time comes, look carefully." Even the Diamond precept teaches "until the last moment".
Because i said it that you can't bring yourself to agree that the last moment of life is a crucial one? I sincerely hope it is just being contrarian and not a fast and hard belief that that moment is of little significance.
Here's some more,"However, as he believed in Shakyamuni buddha and the Lotus Sutra, his last moment must have been peaceful." "Chant as if i were the last moment of your life.
Taking what i said about those thosand Buddhas being an actual event and not just indicative of an easy transition, is being even more literal than I. The main pointof this discussion anyway, is democracy and Buddhism. We come into this world alone and leave alone. Our mother tells us not to cross the street in traffic, where is the democracy there? Just do as your told. The Lotus Sutra and Nichiren tells me that having this or that belief and practice leads to Buddhahood, I don't need a committee of senior leaders or other members to tell me that is correct or that isn't.
Mark
Posted by: Mark Rogow at March 30, 2008 06:24 AMMark,
If your talking about this current life, then there is a last moment of it. But as you can see "Joe, you are a very intelligent person. I don't think I have to spell everything out for you", you are not always right. I hope you see your 1000 Buddhas when it's your last moment whether it's today or later tomorrow afternoon. I hope they have hands too.
Here's a little song you inspired:
"Shakya,...Shakyamuni. King of the wild frontier.
Born on a mountain top in Lum-bi-ni,
Lived him a life free of pov-er-ty.
Went to a gate,
Saw some stuff,
Told his pop,
'Enough's enough!'
Shakya, ...Shayamuni. Livin' for Democracy!"
A "mighty docturnal shadow" indeed. Ratzinger makes Darth Vader's force roil and Dick "Dark Side" Cheney's fossil heart fibrillate.
No democracy in Buddhism? Must say I agree; there is only nothing in Buddhism. But, lest I quip too much, what I would like too see is more Buddhism in democracy. Democracy being a method of politics and politics being the art of controlling one's environment vis-a-vis a group dynamic. Majority rule is just one way of doing democracy and not the approach put into practice by the longest functioning, still extant democracy in human history; the Hau De Ne Sau Ne, the Iroquois League. Their approach was/is based upon consensus and universal suffrage. Central to the success of the community, whether in the local village or the nation, is constant vigilance to guard against the rise of vertical hierarchy. In other words, no "committee of senior leaders or other members to tell me that is correct or that isn't". Consensus for the Iroquois Confederacy is based on a very Buddhistic yet difficult to translate into English concept they call ondinonk, a natural pulse of benevolence emanating from the heart. This is uncannily similar to the Hawaiian practice of ho'oponopono, coming together to talk as equals, uninterrupted and as long as it takes to make things right.
Regards democracy in SGI, quien sabe? Buddhism livens any system into which it is introduced and, like salt, cannot be removed once it's in the sauce. Democracy can be removed or lost or taken away or blocked from being introduced, but the idea of self-rule cannot be extinguished as long as there is a human race now that the Founders have put it down in words. Corporations and armies are not democracies, couldn't do what they're designed to do if they were. Perhaps SGI is the same way. However, the French mercenary Lafayette, hired by the Continental Congress to help Washington whip the Continental Army into shape, was appalled at first when common soldiers would question his battle plans and ask questions about them. He found that when he explained his reasoning in detail they, in Lafayette's words, would fight with great courage "as if possessed by some demon". Back in the days of NSA Productions I saw this phenomenon at work.
So I guess that upon my final mortal breath I hope to have the presence of mind to utter Namu Myoho Renge Kyo and enjoy my final hard-on. Being greeted by Buddhas sounds cool. I'll pass on the 72 virgins, too much maintenance.
Great lyric, Joe, you American Idol. Is that book-thumping I hear in the background of this thread of comments?
JC,
Book thumping...OMALOL!
Joe,
I think Nichiren said to live 'each moment' as if it was our last moment.
With the above understanding, life itself is the 'crucial moment' and not the last moment of life, as 'there is no separation between life and death.'
I loved the song!
Patrick
Posted by: patrick at March 31, 2008 06:20 PM"Joe,
I think Nichiren said to live 'each moment' as if it was our last moment.
With the above understanding, life itself is the 'crucial moment' and not the last moment of life, as 'there is no separation between life and death.'"
Yeah, that kinda was my point. Kinda, sorta.
Thanks for the positive on the song. I just had a vision. Instead of Fess Parker, Keanu Reeves in Little Buddha with a coon skin cap talking to his father while he's getting his beard died black; "Dude! You are so busted and I'm so outta here."
Since I believe that film actors have larger brains than the average Joe, I purchased the Sagan book on Kristen's recommendation. I am enjoying it very much. Please thank her for me.
Wahzoh
Posted by: Byrd in LA at April 1, 2008 09:26 PMIt is a member of the site.
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