March 23, 2006
Human Revolution
Three-Fold Training
Ki to Revitalization
Kanjin Insight Cultivation
This topic has come up in several fora, and got me thinking.
The distinction between 'human revolution', gradual awakening, and/or the provisional 'Mindfulness' practices on one hand; and 'Sokushin Jobutsu' {Sudden Awakening} and/or 'Insight' practices on the other, IMO, goes to the heart of Buddhism. The former deal with Conventional Truth and daily life; the latter with Ultimate Truth and "Awakening to the Deathless." I think both are important.
I always liked the idea of 'Human Revolution'; but found that it was too general, lacking in specfic content, and maybe too much like 'self help,' positive thinking, or "pop psych" for me to effectively implement. So I have blended it with traditional "samatha bhavana" practices borrowed from Theravadin and other sources.
The Metta Bhavana is especially practical. It blends seemlessly with the Zange practice taught by SGI in the 1980's; as well as the way Human Revolution was taught in the 1970's. By the latter, I mean Tenju Kyoju, Hendoku Iyaku, and Hosshaku Kempon.
Confession & Metta Cultivation
Basically, I have placed an emphasis on overcoming the Three Poisons and other defilements {bonno, klesha} in my life; by cultivating relative merits and virtues. For example:
Greed = Non attachment & Generosity.
Hatred/Anger = Loving Kindness, Compassion, & Patience
Stupidity/Delusion/Ignorance = Discernment, Wisdom & Insight
Envy/Jealousy = Sympathetic Joy, Equanimity, & Generosity
Pride/Ego = Equanimity & Humility
I am not talking about suppressing negative feelings. In my experience, the cultivations really work. Some see this as violating what Nichiren told Akimoto about mixing. Oh Well!
lessening one's karmic retribution
(Jpn.: tenju-kyoju)
The principle that one can experience the effects of bad karma from the past to a lesser degree because of Buddhist faith and practice. In general, Buddhism attributes one's present sufferings to one's past actions or causes that remain in one's life as karma, asserting that one must suffer the effect of every negative cause made in the past. The Mahaparinirvana Sutra, Fa-hsien's Chinese translation of the Nirvana Sutra, states, however, "It is due to the blessings obtained by protecting the Law that they can diminish in this lifetime their suffering and retribution." This passage suggests that, due to the benefits accumulated through faith and practice, one can diminish in terms of both time and intensity negative karmic retribution that would otherwise torment one harshly over a longer period, even several lifetimes. Nichiren (1222-1282) states in his writing Lessening One's Karmic Retribution: "If one's heavy karma from the past is not expiated within this lifetime, one must undergo the sufferings of hell in the future, but if one experiences extreme hardship in this life [because of the Lotus Sutra], the sufferings of hell will vanish instantly. And when one dies, one will obtain the blessings of the human and heavenly worlds, as well as those of the three vehicles and the one vehicle". According to this principle, Buddhist faith and practice may cause one suffering and hardship, but will relieve one of the hellish suffering that is one's due.
From source: The Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism
changing poison into medicine
(Jpn.: hendoku-iyaku)
The principle that earthly desires and suffering can be transformed into benefit and enlightenment by virtue of the power of the Law. This phrase is found in a passage from Nagarjuna's Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom, which mentions "a great physician who can change poison into medicine." In this passage, Nagarjuna compares the Lotus Sutra to a "great physician" because the sutra opens the possibility of attaining Buddhahood to persons of the two vehicles, or voice-hearers and cause-awakened ones, who in other teachings were condemned as having scorched the seeds of Buddhahood. T'ien-t'ai (538-597) says in The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra: "That persons of the two vehicles were given the prophecy of their enlightenment in this [Lotus] sutra means that it can change poison into medicine." This phrase is often cited to show that any problem or suffering can be transformed eventually into the greatest happiness and fulfillment in life.
From source: The Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism
casting off the transient and revealing the true
(Jpn.: hos-shaku-kempon)
The revealing of a Buddha's true status as a Buddha, and the setting aside of that Buddha's provisional or transient identity. In the "Life Span" (sixteenth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni declares: "In all the worlds the heavenly and human beings and asuras all believe that the present Shakyamuni Buddha, after leaving the palace of the Shakyas, seated himself in the place of meditation not far from the city of Gaya and there attained supreme perfect enlightenment. But good men, it has been immeasurable, boundless hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of nayutas of kalpas since I in fact attained Buddha-hood." Through this statement, he discards his provisional identity as the Buddha who first attained enlightenment under the bodhi tree in India and reveals his original enlightenment, or the enlightenment he attained numberless major world system dust particle kalpas in the past.
From source: The Soka Gakkai Dictionary of Buddhism
Robin,
I posted this same comment on the article below, but it belongs here.
VW
Robin,
I very much enjoyed reading this article. The theme runs parallel to some of my own studies of recent months. Specifically, just yesterday, I listened to an audio teaching by Thich Nhat Hanh where he discussed, among other things, the Bodhisattva Kuan Yin/ Avalokiteshvara, whose name he said translated to “listening deeply to the sound of the world.” One of his major points of the teaching was that compassion starts with listening deeply which requires being present and mindful. I also liked your discussion about overcoming negative emotions not by trying to suppress them, but instead, by cultivating various positives. This runs parallel to Pema Chodron’s teaching on staying with uncomfortable feeling and then generating compassion. Here is an interesting excerpt from her Noble Heart Series.
“Maitri, compassion, joy, and equanimity actually form an endless circle, all supporting each other in daily practice. Should maitri solidify into self-absorption or attachment, you can apply compassion to melt it. When compassion turns into pity or martyrdom, joy will help you recognize the basic goodness inherent in all of us. Joy can lead to overexcitement, which equanimity pacifies. And finally, should equanimity harden into indifference, maitri will melt it down.”
VW