I attended two study meeting this week - one for each district. In the past Greg led the meeting in our district and I did the other district. As you can imagine these meetings would be very different. I used personal experience and kept it light - as in light-weight. Greg would use extensive history, information from various Buddhist texts and whatever he was studying at the time. We usually talked about the material, but we didn't "prepare" a speech. It would be fun if the two meetings were on the same weekend. The members of both chapters were interested in Greg's extensive knowledge of Japanese history and Buddhism.
These were the first study meetings I would attend since Greg's death. I wasn't prepared to lead a discussion without Greg there. So I asked one of my members to help me. We both wanted to do something different that would be more encouraging and involve discussion. We used the study material from the World Tribune instead of the extensive material in the Living Buddhism. No one reads the 13 pages of Pres. Ikeda's lecture and no one has anything to say because they didn't read it. So we lead a discussion of Changing Poison Into Medicine and The Correct Mind at the Moment of Death which are concepts from the gosho The Drum at the Gate of Thunder (MW Vol.1 pg. 949). At first everyone just stared - which is typical of the other district. I think the Japanese women don't have confidence in their English and the Americans are timid at first. We did get some members to talk and then I talked about Greg and a few others talked about Greg and the meeting was over. I think it was encouraging, interesting and informative.
Then Sunday it was my district's meeting. We used another article from the World Tribune called Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Almost everyone had something to say - experience, determination, opinion. The two Japanese women were confused because we didn't stick to the routine, but that was OK.
All the offenses committed by a woman in her lifetime are like dry grass, and the single character myo of the Lotus Sutra is like a small spark. When a small spark is set to a large expanse of grass, not only the grass but also the big trees and large stones will all be consumed. Such is the power of the fire of wisdom in the single character myo. Not only will all offenses vanish, but they will become sources of benefit. This is what changing poison into amrita means.
When I first read this, I thought of Christianity - take Jesus as your savior and all your sins are wiped out. Just one myo and all your sins are burned off. I have a problem with this gosho. If Greg was here he'd have some insight to help me understand what Nichiren was talking about. Or he'd know if it is truly from Nichiren. I'm betting on apocryphal. I just doesn't sound like Nichiren. We did have a couple of good discussions about it and that's what counts.
Next I have to write to Greg's friend who doesn't know what happened. I've been putting this off for a month and I have to do it. BTW, my typing is getting better. Rnjf;forfjfnv es cd s;lc sl (that's a joke... get it?)
Nancy
Posted by nt at July 31, 2008 07:51 PMJust wanted to say that I will chant for Greg and that I have some understanding of how hard it must be for you right now. My husband Bill and I are in sinc as a couple just as I imagine it was for you and Greg. Anyway your blog really touched me and I will continue to read it.
Posted by: Jean Anker at August 18, 2008 09:57 PMHi Nancy,
Not much I can say about Buddhism or Nichiren Shu or SGI.
I just want to say I am thinking of you and Greg.
Elizabeth
Kashiwa, Chiba Pref. Japan
Hi Nancy,
I finally read the July 24 blog, and Byrd's comments. Wow! She was a tough Byrd; but she was Wendy too. She wrote me recently and signed it Wendy.
I can not recall which day, but I know she was gone. At first I suspected. I had been thinking about Greg; and stupid thoughts came into my head. Natural thoughts. Superstitious thoughts. I think we all have them? I felt a sense of cree[py dread.
So I meditated and entered an absorption. Byrd popped into my vision. I saw Greg's face, then Wendy's. I saw an angelic like figure and a white dove emerge from Byrd's heart and ascend into the blueness where clouds become castles in the sky. I think I saw the sentries.
If you read my NDE, it was like that, but she did not come back. A few days passed, and the image kept coming back. Another day or so passed, they have all been running together, and I finally asked Michele if she had heard from Byrd.
The next day, I went to the computer very early in the morning, knowing what I would find. The piece I posted about Byrd flying away, I had already composed. That is hoe it was up so fast. I did not include the part about flying away because I thought people would think I was making light of Byrd passing.
I like that Gosho quote. It reminds me of the "How quickly the days pass." Gosho. It is poetic. I do agree, Nichiren may not have written it. Though, maybe he had a romantic side -- in the sense of the Romance poets like Keats, Yeats, & Byron?
It is not that we accept an external being who takes sway our defiled thoughts, emotions, and passions. That is a metaphor. The Transfer of Merit flows from our own 9th Consciousness.
It transforms greed into generosity of spirit, resentment into forbearance, enmity into amity, envy into appreciative gladness, malevolence into benevolence, pity into heartfelt compassion, and so on.
I used to think "Bonno soku Bodai" meant I could be an Enlightenment sarcastic prick; that I could stay as I was; demented, unkind, conceited, and usually drunk; and be a buddha. Not so; but the change came from within, not the outside. It was always there, it was a matter of when I wanted to wake up to it. And, still, the Ego fights back.
Also, thanks for the comments on the playlists. I assemble those and take photos to express no- things my analytical mind can not express with words.
abd yiu typr brttwrv tham nme.
gassho
robin
Posted by: robin at August 9, 2008 07:17 PMGOSHO REFERENCE....
THE ROKU NAI
The list Called "Roku nai" list was compiled by the Six Senior Monks at the first anniversary of Nichiren's death collected from the people who had Goshos, and listed 148 Goshos into 40 volumes. (Note: Actually 146, because SHUJU OFURUMAI GOSHO is made up of about three Goshos)
This is the list that I supplied all the Nichiren Sects in 1999. Nancy you can use this to validate any Gosho to see if it is authentic.
THE ROKU NAI LIST (146)
1. RISSHO ANKOKU RON
2. KAIMOKU SHO (first volume)
3. KAIMOKU SHO (second volume)
4. SENJI SHO (first volume)
5. SENJI SHO (second volume)
6. HO=ON SHO (first volume)
7. HO=ON SHO (second volume)
8. KANJIN HONZON SHO
9. HOKKE SHUYO SHO
10. HONZON MONDO SHO
11. SHUGO KOKKA RON
12. HOKKE DAIMOKU SHO
13. SHO HOKKE DAIMOKU SHO
14. KEN HOBO SHO
15. ICHIDAI SHOKYO TAII (ICHIDAI TAII SHO)
16. KEN RITSU SHOI SHO
17. MYOHO BIKUNI GOHENJI
18. OTOGOZEN GOSHOSOKU
(OTOGOZEN HAHA AMA GOSHO or YO NICHIMYONI SHO)
19. SANZE SHOBUTSU SOKANMON KYOSO HAIRYU
(SANZE SHOBUTSU SOKANMON SHO)
20. SHIMON BUTSUJYO GI
(TOKIDONO SHO or SYUJYU SOTAI SHO)
21. HOREN SHO
22. KYODAI SilO
23. JUPPOKAI MEI INGA SHO
(JUKKAI INGA SHO or JUKKAI MEI INGA SHO)
24. KITO SHO
25. SHIJO KINGO YURUSHI GOMON
(SHO HACHIMAN SHO or NICHIGENNYO GOSHO)
26. SHISHIN GOHON SHO
27. HOKKE GYOJA CHINAN NO KOTO (YO MONJIN SHO)
28. TERADOMARI GOSHO
29. SHIGON SHOSHU IMOKU (SHOSHU IMOKU SHO)
30. SADO GOSHO
31. TENSU KYOJU HOMON (SHURI HANDOKU SHO)
32, SHIJO KINGO DONO GOHENJI (KO SHOHO SHO)
33. SHOKYO TO HOKEKYO TO NAN I NO KOTO (NANSHIN NANGE SHO)
34. BO JIKYO NO KOTO
35. SHIJO KINGO DONO GOHENI
(ONSHITSU DAIJIN KIHAJI)
36. SHUKUN NO MIMI NI HOMON WO IRE YODOZAI WO MANUKARURU KOTO (SHUKUN SHO)
37. SHIJO KINGO DONO GOHENJI (I HOKEKYO FUKASHAKU SHORYO JI)
38. SHIJO KINGO DONO GOHRNJI (SHORYO SHO)
39. MINOBUSAN GOSHO
40. TAN=E SHO (UENO DONO GOHENJI or YO NANJO SHI SHO)
41 NAKAOKI NYUDO GOSHOSOKU
(YO NAKAOKI NYUDO TSUMA SHO or NAKAOKI SHO)
42. GESSUI GOSHO (HO DAIGAKU SABURO TSUMA SHO or DAIGAKU SHO)
43. DAIMOKU MIDA MYOGO SHORETSU NO KOTO
44. SAN SANZO KIU NO KOTO (NISHJYAMA SHO or HO OUCHI SHI SHO)
45. NYONIN OJO SHO
46. MISAWA SHO
47. JOREMBO GOSHO
(ZENDO SKO or GOSHA SHICHISHU SHUJO GOSHO)
48. SUSHUN TENNO GOSHO (SHIJO SHO or DO JIGOKU SHO)
49. SHIJO KINGO DONO GOHENJI (BONNONJO SHO)
50. NICHIMYO SHONIN GOSHO
51. SENNICHI AMA COZUN GOHENJI <S E N VOL 2 P 1597
52. KOU AMA GOZEN GOSHO
53. SHINNICHI AMA GOZEN GOHENJI
(SADO ABUTSUBO GOSHO or ABUTSUBO GOSHO)
54. NANJO HYOE SICHIRO DONO GOSHO (UENO DONO GOSHO)
55. KOUNICHIBO GOSHO
56. JI MYOHOKKB MONDO SHO
57. AKIMOTO GOSHO
58. MYONICHI NYO GOHENJI (MYONICHI AMA GOHENJJ)
59. HOKKE SHOSHIN JOBUTSU SHO
60. NANJO HYOE SHICHIRO DONO GOHENJI
61. SHONIN GONANJI (GONAN SHO)
62. TOTAI GI SHO
63. JIKAKU DAISHI NO KOTO (OTA NYUDO GOHENJI)
64. NYOSETSU SHUGYO SHO
65. HONZON KUYO GOSHO (NANJO HEISHICHIRO GOSHO)
66. SHUJU OFURUMAI GOSHO
67. SHUKU JUSSHO GOSHO
68 SOYA NYUDO DONO YURUSHI GOSHO
69. SAINAN TAIJI SHO
70. KYOKIJIKOKU SHO
71. ISSAKUJITSU GOSHO
72. SHIMOYAMA GOSHOSOKU (KEMPON SHO)
73. KANGYO HACHIMAN SHO
74. KEMBUTSU MIRAIKI
75 GO GOHYAKUSAI AIMON
76. HOKYO HOJU JI
77. JUNYOZE NO KOTO
78. MYOHO MANDARA KUYO NO KOTO (HONZON KUYO SHO)
79. SHONIN SANZE WO SHIRU NO KUTO (SHONIN CHI SANZE JI)
80. SHIJOKINGO SHAKABUTSU KUYO NO KOTO
81. NICHIGENNYO ZORYU SHAKABUTSU KUYO JI
82. DOJOSHIN SHUGO NO KOTO
83. CHIBYO DAISHO GONJITSU IMOKU
84. YORIMOTO CHINJO (RYUZO MONDO SHO)
85. YADOYA NYUDO YURUSHI GOSHO
8B. ANKOKU RON OKUGAKI
87. KYOJIN JO GOHENJI
88. ZEMMUI SHO
89. OTA DONO YURUSHI GOSHO (SHOKYO CHU OU JI)
90. HOMMON KAITAJ SHO
91. JUSSHO SHO
92. HOMON MOSARUBEKI YO NO KOTO
93. MONCHU TOKUJ SHO
94. MOKUE NIZO KAIGEN NO KOTO (SOMOKU JOBUTSU SHO)
95. SENNICHI AMA GOHENJI (CHO ABUTSUBO SHO)
96. TOKI NYUDO DONO GOHENJI (JONIN SHO or RINKEN SHUKKAI SHO)
97. TOKI DONO GOHENJI (TOKJ DONO GOSHO)
98. DAIGAKU SABURO DONO GOSHO
99. TOKIMITSU DONO GOHENJI
100. MYOHO AMA GOZEN GOHENJI
101. UENO DONO GOHENJI (CHIBABO SHO or RYUMON SHO)
102. UENO DONO GOHENJI (GAMOKU SHO)
103. UENO DONO GOHENJI (HOYO SHO)
104. UENO DONO GOHENJI (SHO ICHIDA SHO)
105. NANJO DONO GOHENJI (NANJO OHASMITARO SHO)
106. YAKUOHON TOKUI SHO
107. SEICHOJI DAISHU CHU (KOKUZO BOSATSU SHO)
108. HIKIRI DONO GOSHO
109. OTA DONO NYOBO GOHENJI
110. MUJO SEMMETSUSHO
111. NIZEN TOKUDO UMU GOSHO
112. TOSH NEMBUTSUSHA MUKENJJGOKU NO KOTO
113 JUPPOKAI NO KOTO
114. MATSUNO DONO GOKE AMA GOZEN GOHENJI
115. OSHAJO NO KOTO
116, HOKKE SHINGON SHORETSU NO KOTO
1.17. SKINGON TENDAJ SHORETSU NO KOTO
118. ICHINOSAWA NYUDO NYOBO GOHENJI
119. NANJO DONO GOHENJI (SHOSHUN SHO)
120. UENO DONO GOHENJI (SOMOKU NIJO SBNDAr JOBUTSU SI)
121. UENO DONO GOHENJI (NIKAN SHO)
122. TAKAHASHI NYUDO DONO COHBNJI (NISHIYAMA SHO)
123.ICHINEN SANZEN RIJI (ICHINEN SANZEN SHO)
124. NIIKE DONO GOSHOSOKII (HO NIIKEZAEMONJO SHO)
125. NEMBUTSHUSHA TSUIHO SENJO JI
126. SHINGON KEMMON
127. SOYA DONO GOHENJI (YAKIGOME SHO)
128. MAMA SHAKABUTSU GOKUYO OIJO
129. GYOBIN SOJO GOETSU
130. RISSHO KANSHO
131. RJSSHO KANSHO OKURIJO
132. KITOKYO OKURIJO (SEN HOKKE SHO)
133. OTA DONO NYOBO GOHENJI (HACHI KANJIGOKU SHO)
134. JOMYO SHONIN GOHENJI
135. OTA DONO NYOBO GOHENJI (SOKUSHIN JOBUTSU JI)
136. NIZEN NIJO BOSATSU FUSABUTSU JI
137. SHIJO KINGO DONO NYOBO GOHENJI
138. KAITAI SOHUSHIN JOBUTSU GI
139. HYOE NO SAKUWAN DONO GOHENJI (KANGYO SHO)
140 KANJIN RONZON TOKUI SHO
141. SHIJO KINGO GOSHO (NAKATSUKASA SAEMON NO JO DONO GOSHO)
142. ITAI DOSHIN JI
143 SHIJO KINGO DONO GOHENJI (KOKUKAI SHO or BUPPO OHO SHOBU SHO)
144. SHION SHO (IZU GOKANKI SHO)
145. SHOMITSUBO GOSHO
146. JIHIKI GOSHO (ICHINICHIKYO GOSHO)
These are authentic letters.
Bruce
Good One. I bet Jackie Stone herself couldn't have picked that up without weeks of research. It sure sounded good to me maybe because I'm a lazy bstrd who need all the help he can get.
Mark
Posted by: Mark Rogow at August 2, 2008 07:54 AMFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Amrita or Amrit (Sanskrit: अमृत; Punjabi: ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ; Kannada: ಅಮೃತ; Telugu: అమృతము) is a Sanskrit word that literally means "without death", and is often referred to in texts as nectar. Corresponding to ambrosia, it has differing significance in the religions of the Indian religions.
Hinduism
Amrit is repeatedly referred to as the drink of the gods, which grants them immortality.
This is on the Nichiren Shu apocryphal list. Nichren Shoshu doesn't have an apocryphal list as far I have seen, but someone else may know better.
Ind yur typng s gtting bttr.