Nichiren’s Buddhism is based on the Lotus Sutra. Few dispute this since it’s clearly documented in his treatise and letters to his believers. Many innocently try and make Nichiren’s Buddhism into rocket science when it’s not. The problem lies not with Nichiren rather with the Lotus Sutra itself.
Throughout the Lotus Sutra, which is a vast drama and a dialog between the Buddha and his believers, Shakyamuni speaks of the enternal and true teaching of the sutra itself. The conflict arises when one realizes that the true teaching of the Lotus Sutra is only referred to as – the true teaching of the Lotus Sutra. Like an image viewed through a series of reflecting mirrors as a never-ending and descending reflection, one can never grasp the truth of the image itself no matter how many times it is viewed.
So we are left with the essential question, what is the teaching of the Lotus Sutra that all Buddhas throughout the universe are charged to teach?
But I digress, so let’s get back to the original subject;
Nichiren’s Buddhism is simply the true teaching of the Lotus Sutra: it is the ultimate teaching of individual human self-discovery. Self-discovery is in essence human revolution, which is the process of discovering and challenging the purpose of our individual existence by way of our individual karma.
This means, as we all know inside, that there’s no way to circumvent or escape our own destiny or karmic path. This is what is so perilous about Buddhism, and specifically Nichiren’s Buddhism, which is uniquely the Buddhism of self-discovery. There is no amount of money, no proper attitude, no “group-speak", and certainly no organizational position that will allow one to bypass having to undergo the painful process of human revolution.
You see, the truth about Nichiren, and also the truth hidden in the Lotus Sutra, is found not in writings, scripture or orally transmitted teachings (by the way, NEVER trust orally transmitted teachings in ANY religion) rather it is found in the entirety of Nichiren’s life.
Nichiren is the Buddha of self-discovery. He discovered in himself the function of the votary of the Lotus Sutra throughout his life, painfully and with uncertainty on many occasions.
In the end enlightenment can only be a path we find we have traveled after we look back to see from where we have come. The misperceptions of Buddhism mostly deal with our own fear and self-loathing and it is only our own life experience, and our own karma, that can serve as the vehicle for our own path of self-discovery.
Bottom line is we can’t escape it. If we refuse to continue on our own path of human revolution and self-discovery we risk being run over by it. I’ve met people who seem to scream from within their lives “fuck it, I’ve changed enough, time for everyone ELSE to change”.
Most of them happen to be Republicans… but again, I digress....
Rev. Greg Dilley, Shidoshi
“I fear that many of us somehow harbor in our lives this thought that we have to be seek to be someone else in order to attain enlightenment.”
How very true. Nichiren wrote that the doctrine of the Lotus Sutra reveals the eternity of the Buddhas lives and the doctrine of manifesting Buddhahood in one’s present form. This only makes sense when we make the simple leap in logic that any manifestation can only exist in the present moment—the past is in the past; the future is yet to come.
Still, in the context of karmic reward and the eternity of life, past, present and future exist in the present moment. Therefore there is no other time that we can manifest Buddhahood then in the reality of our historical existence in this very moment.
“I think this ties in alot with our basic self-asteem.”
With certainty. Chapter four of the Lotus Sutra teaches the parable of the Rich Man’s son. If we come to understand that we are the entity and function of the Three Treasures there is no need to look to any other time or place, no need to believe that unity is to be found only in belong to a certain tribe, or in doing the same things, at the same time, in the same place.
Although I shy away from using the term ‘human revolution’ because of the abuse it has seen in use as a means to coerce participation in organizational activities, in my opinion, our human revolution is the process of dispelling the illusions that cause us to suffer from low self-esteem. The Juryo Chapter puts it this way:
“My pure land is not destroyed,
yet the multitude see it as consumed in fire,
with anxiety, fear and other sufferings
filling it everywhere.
These living beings with their various offenses,
through causes arising from their evil actions,
spend asamkhya kalpas
without hearing the name of the Three Treasures.”
“All the rest could be one giant conspiracy...”
This would be the current Republican neo-conservative administration.
And *I* thought *MY* sentences were long...
"It is simply a matter of living within the realities that are our karmic reward and manifesting in one’s actions the wisdom appropriate to the circumstances of the present moment without thought of self or other, this or that--in terms of personal gain or loss--naturally teaching others the art of living long and rewarding lives, as Nichiren did with the entirety of his life, as naturally as scratching an itch, or drawing your next breath of air."
Thanks for another ground-breaking comment Chiku. I fear that many of us somehow harbor in our lives this thought that we have to be seek to be someone else in order to attain enlightenment.
I think this ties in alot with our basic self-asteem. This is also why Americans are so vulnerable to following Indian gurus, or anyone who is Asian. We think somehow the grass is always greener on the other side.
In truth I believe that it is our own individual life experience that is the only valid vehicle for doing human revolution. After all, what we ourselves have experienced is the only thing we know to be absolutely true.
All the rest could be one giant conspiracy...
Rev. G
Posted by: Rev. Greg at September 3, 2004 09:59 AMDear Greg,
I enjoyed your article. In general, I can relate to much of what you wrote, and can agree with some of your conclusions.
Where I disagree, not only with you but also with many others, is in the conclusion that the teaching of the Lotus Sutra is never revealed in the sutra. To me this sounds like a person stating that because something is not apparent to oneself, that thing cannot exist.
Nichiren grasped (or, awakened to) the essence of the Lotus Sutra and embodied his realization in the Gohonzon of the Three Great Secret Laws.
A person can make the statement that this great mandala is a perfect manifestation of the ceremony in the air. For the sake of argument, let us accept that this is true. This being true, if another person comes along and cannot grasp this truth, making a statement such as, “I do not perceive this object as manifesting the ceremony in the air, therefore the ceremony in the air does not exist in this object!”, is this person’s conclusion anything other than arrogance born of self satisfied ignorance?
At the same time I agree with you that the teaching hidden in the depths of the Lotus Sutra is found in the entirety of Nichiren’s life. If in this context ‘the entirety of Nichiren’s life’ is meant as Nichiren’s life activities, then ‘Nichiren’s life’ was a demonstration of the third of the Three Great Secret Laws, one perspective of a triple axiom—the reality of life itself, myohorenge; life’s spiritual reality, kanjin; and the behavior of living beings, the high sanctuary, as demonstrated by Nichiren’s life activities. This triple axiom being three views of a single truth.
I agree that there is no need to turn Nichiren’s Buddhism into rocket science when it’s not. At the same time, no need to over simplify.
I also agree that we cannot avoid karmic retribution. A seeking mind towards the Lotus Sutra (Namumyohorengekyo), a seeking mind towards the Gohonzon, a seeking mind towards Nichiren’s life teachings all provide the means to break the chains of our karma, the chains of ignorance of the true power and nature of our own lives. Freed of these chains we are no longer destined to repeat the cycle of sufferings arising through actions borne of our ignorance of the true nature of our lives, specifically that we are the entity and function the Buddhas three bodies and corresponding virtues of Sovereign (myohorenge), Teacher (Gohonzon) and Parent (Nichiren [representing any awakened living being]).
I would say you are correct, that Nichiren’s teaching is about self-discovery. In the course of self-discovery one reveals the truth that there is no distinction between self and other. This is the virtue of a Parent. Of the three treasures, this is what is meant by ‘so’儈, or ‘sangha’ and ‘Priest’.
To a person so awakened, karma is no longer ‘human revolution’, nor is it rocket science. It is simply a matter of living within the realities that are our karmic reward and manifesting in one’s actions the wisdom appropriate to the circumstances of the present moment without thought of self or other, this or that--in terms of personal gain or loss--naturally teaching others the art of living long and rewarding lives, as Nichiren did with the entirety of his life, as naturally as scratching an itch, or drawing your next breath of air. This what is meant by being free of karmic outflows.
No, I am not a Republican. ‘All is changeable, nothing is constant—this is the law of birth and death.’
Yes, in that case the orally transmitted teachings would be *my* teachings. Once I turn around and try and teach them however they become something else.
Keeping in mind of course that usually my Ninja teachings involved something tangible, i.e. a technique of some flavor...
RG,S
Posted by: Rev. Greg at August 31, 2004 04:53 PMRev. Greg -
Do you trust teachings "orally transmitted" to you by your *ninja sensei* (don't know the proper term) if you are face to face with him when the transmission takes place? Just curious....
Namaste, Engyo Mike Barrett
Posted by: Engyo Mike Barrett at August 31, 2004 12:21 PM