February 24, 2007
Contemplation in Nichiren Practice
Kanjin Insight Cultivation
Euro-American Buddhists, other than Soka Gakkai and Shin members, are mostly interested in Meditation. As such, those who have looked into Theravada, Zen and Tibetan Buddhism often ask about the role of contemplative practices in Nichiren Buddhism. Here is a short answer:
Nichiren explained the Lotus Sutra Gohonzon {Main Object of Veneration} in Kanjin Honzon Sho. Kan/Kuan is a translation of Vipassana/vipashyana, as in Shikan/Chikuan {samatha-vipassana}. The most standard English translation of Vipassana is Insight. Kan/Kuan is the same Chinese Character as in Kannon/Kuanyin; it also rendered as observation, regarding. seeing, reflection, & contemplation.
Jin/shin here is a rendering of citta. This can mean mind or heart; but it is not limited to the brain organ {Mano} nor the physical heart {Hridaya}. It is more like the core or "heart of the matter." Asanga took citta to mean alaya; or the 8th/storehouse consciousness. The Tiantai School divides the 8th consciousness into the conditioned {alaya} and the unconditioned 9th or Amala
consciousness. So the Honzon can be seen as a tool, like a mirror, to reflect one's deepest levels of consciousness. Chanting meditation in front of the Honzon fully engages the 5 senses and the organic brain in this contemplation.
Also, Nichiren-Lotus Sutra Chanting Medtitation is more of a mindfulness {smrti/Sati/Nen} meditation as opposed to a concentration {Samadhi} meditation. We are not cultivating the 4 form-absortions {rupa-dhyana}. Of course, that is also true of za-zen; which is poorly named {shikan-taza is better}.
Another thing is how chanting kanjin deals with The Five Hindrances and Bonno {Klesha} {Got Bonno? }. This is maybe active rather than passive? The concept we use is sansho shima and we tend to gloss over the meaning. Sansho Shima {three obstacles and four devils} include the Five Hindrances, Bonno, and more.
There is much more to this practice; but that is a summary of the contemplative aspect. There is also the charasmatic evangelical aspect of Nichiren Buddhism . Soka Gakkai International - USA {SGI-USA}, to which I belong, is very weak, even pathetic, at the teaching the contemplative aspect; but is much stronger at the evangelical aspect.
Posted by rbeck at February 24, 2007 10:25 AM