I’ve been reading Anesaki’s “Nichiren the Buddhist Prophet”. Masaharu Anesaki was a professor of Japanese Literature and Life at Harvard between 1913 and 1915. His book is popular reading among us “freemen” in the Nichiren world. While writing this blog I noticed with some sardonic sense of amusement that the preface was written on June 9th, 1915, on “the 634th anniversary of the arrival of the Mongol armada at the Bay of Hakata”. Was he being funny? Isn’t that like bragging you did something special on Hitler’s birthday?
*note – after some thought I finally arrived at the conclusion that the Mongol Invasion was the final and greatest prophetic occurrence validating the advent of Nichiren as the votary of the Lotus Sutra.
Anyhow, Anesaki’s book is special. Written well before the advent of the Soka Gakkai, while Nichiren Shoshu was a very tiny and powerless little backwater sect, “Nichiren, the Buddhist Prophet” is one of the few unpolluted historical thesis on the life of the man Nichiren written in English.
Anesaki’s style is both scholarly and lyrical, but what strikes me is how he emphasizes how Nichiren read the Lotus Sutra, but first, an extreme overview. Nichiren had a religious vision while praying to Kokuzo in 1243. In most versions of the story of his life, Nichiren was praying to a statue of this Bodhisattva to “become the wisest man in Japan”. Anesaki’s version speaks only of an extreme religious crisis that ended in Nichiren coughing up blood. I like that version better.
Between 1243 and 1253 Nichiren went to Mt. Hiei, a head temple of Tendai Buddhism which by this time had become polluted by Shingon mysticism. 10 years are believed to be the time Nichiren studied the extant Sutras and writings of Buddhism which lead him to the awakening that the Lotus Sutra was supreme among the teachings of Shakyamuni.
But it is how Nichiren read the Lotus Sutra that is so intense. Anesaki elucidates “…Nichiren’s peculiar conception of the whole scripture, namely, that it was a book not to be read simply by the eyes, or merely understood by the mind, but to be read by the body – that is – by flesh and blood”.
Throughout Nichiren’s career as a persecuted prophet and votary of the Lotus Sutra he refers again and again to lines in the Lotus Sutra which describe how the true votary, the person who’s purpose in life was to spread and teach the ultimate law of the universe put forth by the Buddha, would be persecuted again and again, his home repeatedly destroyed and his life threatened. This was the very heart and energy of Nichiren Daishonin’s faith in the scripture and in his life’s mission.
You see, people lie. It’s not so much that we lie to others, which we do, but we lie to ourselves. We’re constantly deluded, some of us suffer from a total lack of confidence and self-worth, and others are narcissists and obsessed with convincing themselves they are someone they are not. I know - I’ve had them as teachers and friends (not me of course).
Throughout my Buddhist “career” I’ve come to trust the circumstances of my life rather than my thoughts, opinions or perceptions. Sometimes the best way to decide on a path is to look at the events that occur. It appears to me that many people ignore the "signs" and follow their intellect. Hey, maybe they're more intelligent than I; I just know what’s real.
This book sums up what has fascinated me about the life and history of Nichiren Daishonin; his circumstances totally validate his mission. Unlike another prophet I won’t mention (the one hung out on planks of wood) Nichiren lived true to his faith and purpose, and died peaceably at a ripe old age. Anesaki talks about the outrage of the fellow priests when Nichiren gave his first sermon after proclaiming Namu Myoho Renge Kyo (they must have been truly pissed off, perhaps like if I took a protest sign to City Hall that said “support the Taliban!”) and I have often fantasized being able to whisper in one of their ears “dude, people around the world are going to be practicing Nichiren’s Buddhism into the 2000’s, you’re going to be dead and forgotten in a few years” but of course that couldn’t happen because, lets be reasonable, I don’t speak Japanese, and the word “dude” wouldn’t translate even if I could. But you get the idea…..
Since Nichiren Buddhists began fighting it out on the internet I have heard individuals claim they have been persecuted on behalf of the Lotus Sutra. Being forced out of your home is persecution. Being attacked and cut on the head, your friends killed – that’s persecution. Having some asshole try and cut off your head on a beach, and being saved only by a comet – thats being persecuted.
Having someone insult you, cross-post your comments inappropriately, or argue with you unreasonably – shut the hell up, that is not persecution – that’s just being rude. To those of you wondering how to correctly practice the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin, I offer this guidance;
Chant Nam myoho renge kyo with all your heart. Understand who this man named Nichiren was, and what he experienced throughout his life. Try and develop a sense of how incredible it is that this wonderful Buddhism has survived the centuries and made the mystical journey across the ocean. Find others to practice with - practicing via discussion lists is just weak. And forget trying to play Votary – none of us measures up to Nichiren. If your inspiration in life is to show others the “correct” Nichiren Buddhist practice – just don’t, please?
Start there, and work your way out. It’s so worth the effort. But… if you’re really lazy, I offer you this shortcut –
Pray to me, Rev. Greg Dilley and send me money though paypal. I’ll take it from there.
Rev. Greg, Shidoshi
Hey Greg! Great Job. When I first joined SGI some 20 years ago, my chapter chief pointed me to the Anesaki book, and it's been one of my touchstones ever since. Alas, it is now very hard to get. The copy I have is not the original Harvard, but one from a reprint house. I believe that the text may well be in public domain, in which case a reprint is surely in order.
Brian
Posted by: Brian Holly at April 6, 2004 10:14 AMHi Rev.
Love this post and especially love "Nichiren the Buddhist Prophet". It is an amazing piece of work. I have one of the 1966 printings from Peter Smith Press. Would love to find a copy of the original 1915 Harvard University Press printing.
I wish the SGI would just acquire the rights to this book and publish it as we did with Causton's book. The SGI no longer publishes a biography of Nichiren in English.
You might like the following article by Ruben Habito from the Japanese Journal of Religious Studies. It is from their special "Revisiting Nichiren" issue from 1999.
http://www.nanzan-u.ac.jp/SHUBUNKEN/publications/jjrs/pdf/549.pdf
Thanks, Michael
Posted by: Michael Stewart at April 5, 2004 02:49 PM"So Chikushonin- who is Mujihi?"
In context of this conversation, Mujihi would be the present life of the future Ninja Buddha Who Slays Doubt With His Sword Of Compassion.
Mujihi means 'No Mercy' or 'Lacking Compassion'. Good name for a ninja. Sends chills down the spine.
Posted by: Chikushonin at April 4, 2004 01:30 PMOh, I forgot - David, Nichiren, the Buddhist Prophet has been out of print since like Go-hockey-nintendo. Try www.addall.com for used and out-of-print books.
RG,S
Posted by: Rev. Greg at April 3, 2004 08:21 PMDavid - Chiku, thanks so much for both your wonderful replies...
I acknowledge both of your comments. What I meant to illustrate was that I don't believe any longer in the "correct" Nichiren Buddhist faith or practice, at least to the extent that so many choose to tell others how wrong they are.
Thanks for reading..., and David, thanks for the promotion! Yoohoo! Buddha at last!
Rev. Greg
Posted by: Rev. Greg at April 3, 2004 08:19 PMRev. Greg,
I'd like to get a copy of that book. Amazon?
I agree that "persecution" isn't getting your parking space taken away. In Jacqueline Stones' immense undertaking "Oringinal Enlightenment..." she writes that that the Nichiren priesthood would often provoke persecution by admonishing the government on a regular basis as Nichiren did. That stuck me as the same as what your arguing against. However, I must concur with Chikushonin-baby about your own Buddhahood. Understand the teachings, the man, but don't do to him what is being done to Ikeda by the organization. You even spoke about that. So maybe this was just a slip of you fingers on the keys. But it sure got me thinking, so thanks pal. You are a cool messenger. I appreciate you. You will attain enlightenment and absolute happiness in this lifetime and be called Ninja Buddha Who Slays Doubt With His Sword Of Compassion.
I agree about being lazy. Seems that as soon as three people get together, someone says, "hey, let's get organized." One person says, "let's do it this way." Another says, "okay." The third says, "why do we have to do it that way?" Now you have a leader, a follower, and a heretic. Takes a lot of life force to be a seeker. Easier to just follow.
Leis
"And forget trying to play Votary – none of us measures up to Nichiren. If your inspiration in life is to show others the “correct” Nichiren Buddhist practice – just don’t, please?"
Dear Rev Greg,
Perhaps I'm just too tired from work today, but aren't you putting Nichiren on a pedestal?
Do you think your comment is self denigrating? I do. Reminds me of a burning house, fraught with peril.
Then there is Shakyamuni's stated mission, "“Shariputra, you should know that at the start I took a vow, hoping to make all persons equal to me, without any distinction between us, and what I long ago hoped for has now been fulfilled.”
And then there is the concluding verses of the Juryo Chapter,
"At all times I think to myself:
How can I cause living beings
to gain entry into the unsurpassed way
and quickly acquire the body of a Buddha?"
Not to diminish Nichiren, but his teaching is that we all possess the seeds of Buddhahood, where self equals others, without distinction.
Regarding these 'seeds', Nichiren wrote:
Myoho-renge-kyo is likened to the lotus. The mahamandara flower in heaven and the cherry blossom in the human world are both celebrated flowers, but the Buddha chose neither to compare to the Lotus Sutra. Of all the flowers, he selected the lotus blossom to symbolize the Lotus Sutra. There is a reason for this.
Some plants first flower and then produce fruit, while in others fruit comes forth before flowers. Some bear only one flower but many fruit, others send forth many flowers but only one fruit, and still others produce fruit without flowering. Thus there are all manner of plants, but the lotus is the only one which bears flowers and fruit simultaneously. The benefit of all the other sutras is uncertain, because they teach that one must first make good causes and only then can one become a Buddha at some later time.
The Lotus Sutra is completely different. A hand which takes it up immediately attains enlightenment, and a mouth which chants it instantly enters Buddhahood, just as the moon is reflected in the water the moment it appears from behind the eastern mountains, or as a sound and its echo arise simultaneously. It is for this reason that the sutra states, "Among those who hear of this Law, there is not one who shall not attain Buddhahood." This passage means that if there are a hundred or a thousand people who embrace this sutra, without a single exception all one hundred or one thousand of them will become Buddhas.
Nichiren, November 15, 1281
Any thoughts?
I have one; Is your ninja name Mujihi?
Sincerely, Chikushonin
Daikudoshin, myokaku, myojisokukyo/
Namumyohorengemyojisokukyo
My pleasure - now if someone else would just write! I miss Buddhajones as much as anyone. Again, thanks go to Christoph for making this happen so fast.
Glad to have you reading Brian.
RG,S
Posted by: Rev. Greg at April 2, 2004 07:24 AMThanks, and congrats, Greg, for getting this web site up and running so soon. (I just discovered it a few minutes ago.) The sudden closure of Lisa's site came as quite a shock to practically all of us “regulars” on that site. Although signs pointing in that direction were getting pretty damned apparent, it seems that just a few days previously NO ONE anticipated that happening so soon, even, quite possibly, Lisa herself, judging by her references in her blog to "future posts". Makes me wonder, which devil in which heaven was responsible for that? Be that as it may... With the shutting down of Lisa Jones.com we lost not only a tremendous source of insight and fine writing about Nichiren Buddhism today, but a considerable resource to refer to in advocating for thorny causes like financial accountability in the SGI. (Personally I’m just happy that I printed out most of the best articles!) Anyway, thanks again Greg for keeping alive this vital forum!
Posted by: Brian Campbell at April 1, 2004 10:58 PM