On the Three-Fold Training
The seed that sprouts, the plant that flower and produces fruit are analogous of the Three Great Secret Laws, the seed of daimoku, the flower that blooms is the Gohonzon, and the fruit is the Kaidan, the place where one manifests the principle of myojisoku, where self equals others." -- Chikushonin
I read this at "Starting at the Truth"; hosted by Fraught with Peril and thought it was well put. I thought it was a Gosho quote at first, but now I think it is Chikusan's interpretation of a passage?
Traditional Buddhist practice consists of The Three Types of Learning, or sangaku; precept, meditatative cultivation of spirituality, and insight/wisdom. First one recieves the Precepts(s). Then, through various practices, one cultivates the merits of emotional quietude {samatha}, mindful attentiveness {smrti/sati/nen}, deep powers of concentration(samadhi), and the spiritual absorption {dhyana}of the 4 divine attributes {brahma vihara}. Finally, in the last stage, one overcomes klesha through the opening of one's inherent Wisdom {prajna} & Direct Insight {vipassana, kanjin} into the 3 Marks of Existence {anicca, dukkha, anatta; or Emptiness {sunyatta, ku}.
However, Nichiren Buddhism appears to reverse that? The Daimoku gives us direct access to Insight? Next, through contemplating the Mandala, we polish our lives spiritually? Then the fruit is that we naturally display the merits of the Precepts; without observing them by rote?
Ideally, we all ought to discover the priceless jewel without even seeking it. The problem is that requires good coaching. And so many of us were coached to believe that Bonno soku Bodai means "Fullfilling our Desires is Awakening", {provided we had the proper desires}; which is close to utter nonsense.
Actually, we are, in a sense, working backwards. We sort of start at the finish line. But in order to develop our lives spiritually, at some point, we must want that. And oddly, those who want that the most are often those who have encountered disappointment when seeking to material benefits. If we enjoy the comforts of life we are often easily defeated by the Five Hindrances, {specifically, that is the first one},swayed the 8 winds, and lapse into self satisfied practice. When that happens, people either quit, or the Soka Gakkai makes them senior leaders. {joke on myself}
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Posted by rbeck at May 3, 2005 09:50 PM
Comments
Interesting food for thought. I felt the last line was a pretty petty thoughtless swipe though the rest of it was good.
Posted by: Philip Brett at May 3, 2005 09:19 AM
Robin:
"When that happens, people either quit, or the Soka Gakkai makes them senior leaders."
Is that how you came to be the Chapter Chief in Champaign? Someday I'd like to hear (again) about that experience. Seems like they can't keep a male leader for long until they snap.
Charles
Posted by: Charles at May 3, 2005 02:39 PM
Charles,
The members were great in Central Illinois. Dealing with higher up leaders was ... frustrating? Have you heard from or about my predecessor {sp?} Kenji Hasegawa since around the time of the Lady Liberty event?
robin
Posted by: robin at May 3, 2005 05:30 PM
Robin:
Oh, yea....the higher ups. Sounds about right. It's been many, many moons since I heard about Kenji Hasegawa - a person of tremendous experience and capability. The very last time I heard something about him is when a Chicago area Japanese senior leader accused Kenji of being a traitor to the SGI. My understanding of the situation is that Kenji, like so many others, rejected demands of time and obedience from the organization. Once he made it clear that he wasn't going along with "whatever," he was branded a traitor. Sound familiar?
I can't tell you anything about what's going on up this way other than Lynn, my ex-wife is running the show, and doing a pretty good job I hear.
Charles
Posted by: Charles at May 4, 2005 06:23 AM
Charles: "My understanding of the situation is that Kenji, like so many others, rejected demands of time and obedience from the organization. Once he made it clear that he wasn't going along with "whatever," he was branded a traitor. Sound familiar?"
I know exactly what happened to Kenji. It was much worse than that. I think Dave Overland and Mike Barrett had kind of a similar experience dealing with official SGI. Not exactly the same, but the same kind of high handed duplicity. They ran Kenji off, and then called him a traitor? That is pathetic.
robin
Posted by: robin at May 4, 2005 08:40 AM