Mary –
I have read your letter and my heart aches at the thought of the suffering you have endured in this lifetime.
While a good minister would attempt to arouse feelings of warmth, sympathy and support, in essence it is like taking a narcotic painkiller for an illness. It changes nothing.
I would like to offering to following;
The phenomenon of life remains unchanged regardless of what we believe. What is certainly verifiable through Buddhist practice is the law of cause and effect. We can change many things in our lives with Daimoku and faith in the Lotus Sutra. However the basic laws, old age, sickness, birth and death, remain an unchangeable constant.
Often times I feel that religion offers the illusion that somehow we can change the rules for ourselves in the larger scheme of our lives. Often people even behave this way. Religions that teach an enlightened afterlife at the expense of this life, I have noticed, seem to lead believers to behave dishonestly, or greedily towards each other. These kinds of behaviors are validated by the religion itself which may teach that only faith is needed to enter the afterlife, even if said faith is proclaimed in the crucial final moment. In essence no religion or religious philosophy goes un-abused. Genuine faith does not exist as an escape hatch from our bad behavior throughout our lives, no matter how much money we drop on the plate.
As a species, we all seem to be distracted with searching for easy ways out, ways in which we can circumvent the basic workings of life.
The question is not “why am I experiencing all this suffering?” rather "why is there so much human suffering in the world?" The answer is not simple, nor is it easy to face.
Why do you suffer? Simply because it’s a dirty job and someone has to do it. Suffering and pleasure, happiness and sadness, are integral aspects of the expression of human life. All life throughout the universe is expressed in varying degrees of yin and yang, ura and omote, dark and light. Without the dark life simply would be pointless.
Consider that if it is your karma from the remote past to be the holder of suffering in this life, then how you face your karma and how you transform your suffering could in fact have an effect on further suffering in all life.
This is totally theoretical, and I’m certain isn’t making you feel much better, but it is food for thought.
Chant Nam myoho renge kyo. Challenge your karma that is your karma created from throughout your existence. In doing so, perhaps you will serve as an active architect in the fate of mankind.
All my best wishes and sympathy for your loss,
Rev. Greg Dilley, Shidoshi
I agree with Queen Lolo; I perceived Josef's comments as harmless inquiry.
Josef, if you're reading this, I actually find your candor refreshing and delightful.
Happy Fourth, all!
Gabrielle
Posted by: Gabrielle Wise at July 2, 2005 02:59 AM“Consider that if it is your karma from the remote past to be the holder of suffering in this life, then how you face your karma and how you transform your suffering could in fact have an effect on further suffering in all life.”
Hi Greg. This excellent advice.
Actually guys, I was interested in what Krishnamurti said about all this. I enjoy reading different perspectives and it's been a long time since I read Krishnamurti and this was a reminder that I should take a look at him again. Personally, I didn't read Joseph's comments as criticism, but rather as a question about chanting.
Posted by: queen lolo at June 24, 2005 08:36 PM"I do not choose to denigrate others' spiritual choices when they differ from mine..."
Well Engyo Barrett, you *would* if you were desperately seeking any sort of attention. Remember, negative attention is better than none at all. Basic child-pyschology.
Thanks for commenting!
Rev. Greg
Posted by: Rev. Greg at June 23, 2005 05:56 PMMr. Cohen -
My question to you (or to Krishnamurti) is whether you have made a sincere effort to practice this yourself? If you have, and still cannot understand it, then I have no other advice to offer. If you have not practiced it yourself, then I respectfully suggest that you are talking through your hat until you have done so.
Suffice to say that obviously these types of practice work, and for millions of people. If they did not, they would not have survived to the present day. They may not work for you; I won't attempt to claim that every practice works for everyone. I do, however, claim that chanting Nichiren's mantra (Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo) is an effective and efficient form of meditation, whether you or Krishnamurti approve or not. Granted it will not be a practice that will fit all people; no single practice is. Personally, I do not choose to denigrate others' spiritual choices when they differ from mine. Your mileage may vary.
Namaste, Engyo Mike Barrett
Posted by: Engyo Mike Barrett at June 23, 2005 03:11 PMRev Greg,
It's so hard to know what to say to someone who is suffering. Your words were just perfect. So often we try to make OURSELVES feel better by making others feel better... You didn't attempt any of this. If I were in Mary's shoes (and aren't we all?) I would have found your words very reassuring and helpful. Thank you.
I like the notion that it is not evident what has happened to Mary, and that the reader does not know her. That´s the way, incidentally, I write too. Thank you again for a great essay. I don´t see how or why daimoku should benefit anything though? Why repeat the same sentence again and again? Why not just say it once and then, that´s it? Of course, it´s nice to chant with other people since one has a certain set of rules to adhere to. So there must be a difference between chanting alone and chanting with others. Anyway, since I was introduced in March, 2003 the notion of repeation the same sentence endlessly has always struck me as rather odd, to say the least. I still don´t get it. Look at what Khrisnamurti says on this matter: "another method [of meditation] presents you with a certain word and tells you that if you keep repeating it something unusual will happen. It is pure nonsense. It is a form of self-hypnosis. By repeating Amen eller Aum or Coca-Cola [or nam-myo-ho-renge-kyo one might add] you will of course experience something because by repetition the mind becomes calm. It is a well-known phenonemon which has been practiced in India for centuries: It is called Mantra Yoga. By repetition you can make a friendly and gentle mind, but it is still a mediocre, phoney, small mind." (Khrishnamurti, Freedom from the known, 137)
Posted by: Josef Cohen at June 22, 2005 09:39 PM