Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism
How
to Practice it Independently
©
2007, Gerald T. Aitken.

Nichiren
Daishonin, 1222-1282 A.D.
Introduction
This document is designed to give those interested in
Nichiren Buddhism everything they need to practice, all in one place. Both theory and actual practice are described
thoroughly and concisely. The document
is only 84 pages long. With what is in
this document, you can practice Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism independently,
without belonging to any of the sectarian organizations. Here is a summary of the information found in
this document, in order of appearance:
The Author’s Personal Testimonial

The author in 2004, age 50.
Hello. My name is Gerry Aitken. I was born in 1954. I grew up in a suburb of
My success in
defending myself in the latter years of high school gave me an animalistic
world view. I felt that force was the
prime motivator of life, that the strong survive, the weak perish, and that
there is no room in life for compassion.
I was now “strong”, and I was never going to be “weak” again.
Fortunately for me,
in my first few years of college in the early seventies, the TV show “Kung Fu”
with David Carradine was popular (the original version of the show). From watching this I learned that martial
arts and Buddhism had a connection. Then
I started reading, and I found out that Bodhidharma (Daruma) is the founder not
only of Kung Fu but also of Ch’an (Zen) Buddhism. While reading up on all this, I was isolated
in the suburbs of
However, in
September, my karate instructor, Mark Spencer, told me that he was practicing Nichiren Buddhism, and
he recommended I do that rather than Zen.
Based on the trust I had for Mark personally, I took his advice and made
the first moves in my Nichiren Buddhist practice.
Practicing Nichiren
Buddhism changed my compassionless view of life. My fellow Buddhists consistently showed
concern for my happiness and took good care of me, teaching me the basics of
Buddhism. This inspired me to start
having compassion and kindness myself.
Eventually, I was transformed – from a worshipper of force to a
humanistic person.
I learned to cope
with my past (being bullied) by chanting a lot, studying Buddhism, and sharing
Buddhism with others (I introduced several people). I also taught karate in the 1980s. Teaching it – helping others learn to defend
themselves – was very therapeutic for me.
I also did work in the security field, and it was likewise very
therapeutic for me to work protecting people, property, and information. In the 1990s I developed a large collection
of plastic toy soldiers and museum quality military miniatures. I stage rubber band gun battles with the plastic
toy soldiers, a harmless way to sublimate anger.
Today the years when
I was bullied are just a dim, distant memory.
That experience no longer holds back my happiness.
Manifesting my Buddha
Nature by practicing Nichiren Buddhism has given me an uncanny affinity with
animals. I have four happy cats, two of
which I took in as strays. The fact that
my apartment landlady lets me have four cats in a one bedroom apartment is
itself a benefit from practicing!
Incidentally, she only charges me a surcharge for two cats, not four,
even though she knows I have four! I have also saved seven other stray cats and
one stray dog – by feeding them, getting to know them, and then taking them to
a no-kill shelter, where every one was eventually adopted. I almost always win the trust of animals,
even semi-wild ones, because animals have the same Buddha Nature that I
cultivate in myself through Buddhist practice.
Even wild raccoons and skunks have briefly socialized with me (I leave
food out for them, and occasionally they let me talk to them briefly, without
running away).
My Buddhist practice
has always given me money, job benefits, cars, insurance, housing, medical
care, and other material things. I had
to work for all these things, but by practicing Buddhism my efforts bore fruit
consistently.
Practicing Nichiren
Buddhism will help you become a big success at work. My line of work is being an elite, highly
trained, higher-paid security guard. I
have done it for decades. In early 2009
my boss told me that I am one of the best employees in the company, and that he
wished he had more employees like me. I
think Buddhist practice helps you at work because it unleashes your Buddha
wisdom and life force. More Buddha
wisdom means you have an instinct for the right actions to take at work,
especially in unrehearsed situations.
More life force means you can apply more energy to the job without
becoming depleted over time.
I have also been
protected dramatically in two car accidents (the other party’s fault) and two
self defense situations (which I was able to resolve without serious injury to
either party, and with humane dialogue being the final outcome).
My physical health is
very good, and always has been. I have
never had any diseases, and I very seldom catch a cold. I attribute this to my Buddhist practice, as
well as to a common sense lifestyle (good diet, enough sleep, exercise, annual
checkups).
When I am chanting
sincerely about some problem or goal, I find I become more creative. I am in the process of coding 300 Windows
software programs, and as they are completed I am selling them on another web
site. Most of the 300 programs are small
– each one can be coded in my spare time in two or three evenings. All 300 of these programs are new and unique
– they’ve never been done before as application software. There are really only 71 core ideas – the
other 229 programs are variations on the core ideas. Still, 71 new software ideas is quite a feat
of creativity. I got the 71 ideas gradually,
a few at a time, at times when I was chanting seriously about something
unrelated. I recently (November 2008)
got 100 ideas in one evening, a few hours after chanting an hour for my cat
Zippy’s diabetes to stabilize.
One of the biggest
benefits I get from being a Nichiren Buddhist is having an internal locus of
control. For example, if I have a
difficult boss, I know from studying Buddhism that I must change first, rather
than waiting for my boss to change. By
changing myself, I can eventually win over my boss or get a better boss.
Another benefit I get
from practicing Nichiren Buddhism is accountability. I am taught that everything I do comes back
to me, so it is in my own interest to make good causes and avoid doing bad
things. Thus, I have a practical reason
to try to be a good person.
Another benefit is
that the fear of death is eliminated. I
firmly believe in reincarnation, so when death comes (hopefully in advanced old
age), I can face it with serenity.
Indeed, serenity is
my biggest benefit right now, day to day.
I know that I can tackle any obstacle and turn it around into an impetus
for my growth, changing poison into medicine.
Why
practice Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism?
Practicing Nichiren
Daishonin’s Buddhism will make you happy, secure and prosperous. It will make you more enlightened. It will let you become one with the Universal
Law.
In practical terms,
what does it mean to be “one with the Universal Law”? The answer is nothing remarkable. Here is a list of hints and clues:
Enjoying life’s challenges,
not only the smooth times. Turning every
obstacle into an impetus for personal growth.
Turning one’s sufferings into one’s mission – the mission to overcome
the suffering in order to be encouraging to others faced with similar
circumstances.
Achieving a balance
in daily life. More appreciation. More determination. More optimism. More energy.
Better relationships. Caring more
about others. Respecting other people
more. Respecting other life-affirming
religions and their practitioners.
Being law
abiding. Not needing to be a substance
abuser. Being ethical - but, from
enthusiasm to do the right thing, not from guilt. Standing up with integrity even in the face
of workplace politics and discrepancies.
At the same time, experiencing uncanny protection in one’s work
environment - as well as one’s social and natural environment.
Respecting the
natural environment. Respecting animals
- being kind to them, and without condescension. Realizing that just because it’s a bug, it
doesn’t thereby automatically deserve to die (people should nevertheless
protect their homes from infestations).
Some people may
express more enlightenment by becoming vegetarians. Others by eating less meat than before, and
by avoiding meats where the animals are raised inhumanely.
Some people may
express more enlightenment by refraining from hunting. Others may express more enlightenment by
hunting more carefully - taking pains to become a good woodsman and marksman,
so as to make the kill swiftly and surely.
Feeling genuine gratitude for the sacrifice made by the quarry. Hunting primarily for meat to be eaten, not
explicitly for trophies. Feeling
sincerely good about the conservation role of hunting - thinning herds to
prevent mass starvation.
(In this sect we have
no Precepts or specific rules of
conduct. Behavioral improvements do
happen, but they arise from one’s growing inner enlightenment, and are
undertaken voluntarily. That’s because
we believe external codes of conduct cannot lead to lasting changes; in the
long run, people must become internally persuaded to do better, of their own
volition.)
Cherishing life is a
sign of increasing oneness with the Universal Law. And being less afraid of death is an
indication of increasing enlightenment.
Cherishing life more and fearing death less, are two improvements that
tend to develop together.
Oneness with the
Universal Law also means living a natural lifestyle - living as nature intended
us to. Such as rising in the morning,
working all day, and sleeping at night (of course, some people have to work the
night shift).
When a young couple
is suddenly faced with an unexpected pregnancy and they are barely able
financially to support a child, being one with the universal law means
accepting the challenge to struggle to upgrade their finances, and having the
child despite all difficulties. This
shows respect for the sanctity of human life, which is part of being one with
the universal law. On the other hand, if
the couple takes the easy way out and has an abortion, that is slandering the
universal law, because it is showing contempt for human life.
Other signs of being
one with the Universal Law: Being self
restrained when necessary. Having
exuberance, being joyful, being playful - in measure, and when
appropriate. Being tolerant when
appropriate; being relentlessly discerning when necessary. Controlling one’s anger, refraining from
unnecessary violence, yet courageously defending the innocent and the helpless
when required. Exercising. Quitting smoking. Taking better care of one’s health.
Being strict yet
compassionate with oneself. Always
looking for self improvement, while always forgiving oneself (and others) for
being less than perfect.
How Nichiren Buddhism is practiced in the
There are a large number of different schools of Nichiren
Buddhism. Many of these are active in
the
The statistics quoted below are from 2006. However, the percentage of Buddhists in the
There are about 153,846 Nichiren Buddhists in the
Nichiren Shu and Kempon Hokke believe that Shakyamuni is the
most fundamental Buddha, “the Original Buddha”.
Whereas Soka Gakkai and Nichiren Shoshu revere Nichiren as the Original
Buddha, and regard Shakyamuni as a provisional Buddha.
The Nichiren Buddhist Association of America (NBAA)
advocates harsh confrontation with the dominant religions of
Also, Nichiren Shu reveres all six senior priests who
inherited Nichiren’s teachings. Whereas
Soka Gakkai and Nichiren Shoshu believe that only Nikko Shonin, one of the six
senior priests, accurately preserved Nichiren’s teachings.
Nichiren Shoshu and Soka Gakkai used to be one sect, but
they split apart in 1991 and have had an ugly, often vicious rivalry ever
since. Nichiren Shoshu is a group of
priests and temples and they teach blind obedience to the High Priest. Soka Gakkai, on the other hand, is a laymen’s
organization that teaches that lay people can manifest enlightenment on their
own. At the same time, Soka Gakkai
members revere Daisaku Ikeda, their President, as their mentor, and they regard
themselves as Ikeda’s disciples, so they are not completely independent either.
(This was written in 2007, when Ikeda was 78. Soka Gakkai plans to maintain Ikeda as the
mentor after his death by referring to the voluminous body of writings and
speeches he has left behind).
For those new to Nichiren Buddhism, a special note is
necessary here. The “Gohonzon” is the
object of worship in Nichiren Buddhism.
It is a scroll or tablet with calligraphy on it. It represents the state of enlightenment or
Buddhahood.
Nichiren Shoshu and Soka Gakkai revere the Dai-Gohonzon,
which is in the possession of Nichiren Shoshu at
The Three Great Secret Laws of Nichiren Buddhism are the
Object of Worship (the Gohonzon), the Daimoku (Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, the mantra
we chant), and the High Sanctuary (the place where the Gohonzon is
enshrined). Since Nichiren Shoshu holds
that the Dai-Gohonzon is the foremost Gohonzon, they naturally hold that the
High Sanctuary is specifically Taisekiji, where the Dai-Gohonzon is enshrined. But other schools of Nichiren Buddhism do not
agree that the High Sanctuary is Taisekiji.
Also, in this web site there is a download link for the
Gohonzon transcribed by Nichikan, currently the Gohonzon the
Likewise Nichiren Shoshu, Nichiren Shu, etc, state that a
priest must perform an “Eye Opening Ceremony” over a Gohonzon before it can be
empowered. This is actually designed to
preserve and enhance the power of priests over their lay parishioners, a ploy
similar to the
Nichiren Shu believes that the valid object of worship is
not only the Gohonzon, but also, an inscription of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo alone,
or, a statue of Shakyamuni, or a statue of Shakyamuni flanked by the Four
Bodhisattvas, or, a statue of Taho Buddha (a mythological Buddha who appeared
in the Lotus Sutra to attest to its veracity).
Whereas Nichiren Shoshu and
Finally, although Nichiren created an unsurpassed method for
cultivating fortune and enlightenment, he abrasively asserted that all the
other forms of Buddhism, and all the non Buddhist religions, were no good, and
that his teaching alone was valid.
However, today, many independent Nichiren Buddhists believe that many
other religions are also worthwhile, not only Nichiren Buddhism. Although Nichiren is the Original Buddha, he
is not infallible; this is because the life of Buddha and the life of the
common mortal coexist in everyone, including Nichiren.
Here is what Gerald Aitken, the author of this web site,
believes. His beliefs are implicit and
explicit throughout this web site:
Those who disagree with some of the author’s beliefs (for
example, those who believe Shakyamuni is the Original Buddha) may nevertheless
find some of the other information in my web site useful and informative. Everyone is welcome to use my web site. You do not have to agree with me about
everything.
I believe the main thing that creates good or bad karma is intention,
and, for example, even though Nichiren Shu Buddhists believe Shakyamuni Buddha
is the Original Buddha, they have sincere intention, and so, they manage
to create good karma through their practice.
As another example, when Christians worship Christ or God, through their
intention they are metaphorically worshipping the Universal Law, even
though they do not realize it, and so they are creating good karma
indirectly.
Each of the world’s major religions gives people a reason to
be good and compassionate, by making them accountable through some mechanism of
cause and effect; and alleviates the fear of death, by promising some form of
positive afterlife for those who have been good. Looking at it this way, all the world’s major
religions are equal.
The point is, as the author, I have definite beliefs, yet I
believe “my way” is not “the only way”.
Eleven Advantages of Practicing Independently
Here are eleven advantages of practicing Nichiren Buddhism
independently, without joining any of the sectarian organizations:
I belonged to the Soka Gakkai from 1975 (age 21) to 2000
(age 46). However since 2000 I have been
independent. I felt that it was time to
graduate from being President Ikeda’s disciple.
I felt competent enough to become my own man, entirely.
When I was a kid I had braces on my teeth for several years,
because my teeth were crooked. But when
my teeth took the desired shape, my braces were no longer necessary, and they
came off. It would have been strange to
keep them on permanently.
Likewise, a cast is appropriate for a broken leg, but once
the leg heals, it would be strange to keep the cast on the leg throughout life,
impeding one’s ability to walk, and necessitating crutches.
As another example, before the Industrial Revolution, a
young man would learn a craft by becoming an Apprentice to an existing Master,
and then a Journeyman to the same Master.
However the goal was for the young man to become a Master himself, not
to remain an Apprentice or a Journeyman for life. Unfortunately in the Soka Gakkai there is
only one Master, and that is Ikeda. That
means that the vast majority of
During the latter part of my 25 years in the Soka Gakkai, several
times I objected to the Ikeda worship and stated that I was thinking of going
independent. My senior leaders told me
that if I left the Soka Gakkai, my personal karma (life circumstances) would
deteriorate steadily from the moment I left, leading me to unhappiness. I was also told that if I practiced alone I
would lose my power of compassion.
Well, at this writing (2007) it’s been seven years since I
went independent. My life was good when
I was a Soka Gakkai member. But I can honestly
say that since I went independent, my life has become even better.
Furthermore, I have not lost my power of compassion. I continue to tame and save stray cats. I have a way with animals. They instinctively trust me. This could not happen if I did not have a lot
of compassion in my life. Also, I always
take the time to answer the emails I get from my readers; sometimes they ask
lengthy questions, and I always respond at length and promptly. Does this not indicate compassion?
I created this web site to enable anyone with a computer to
learn Nichiren Buddhism from scratch, without help from anyone, and without
having to join any of the sectarian organizations. My 25 years of experience in a sectarian
organization are all contained in the 84 pages of this web site, and after
using and studying this web site thoroughly, you will be as competent as if you
yourself had had 25 years of sectarian experience.
Cult
Identifier
I have written a
Windows program which I call “Cult Identifier” which I would like to offer you
free. It will help you determine whether
the religious organization to which you currently belong is a cult or not, and
if it is a cult, how bad of a cult. After
you download it, when you try to run it, you will get a security warning. Windows always issues a security warning
whenever you are about to run an
Life
has infinite potential, so there is reason for optimism. (Ichinen Sanzen)
Life is dynamic,
constantly changing, and infinitely malleable.
So we have infinite potential.
For this reason, we should always be hopeful and determined, no matter
what our momentary feelings or circumstances.
Life has 3000
conditions in a single moment. The point
of this analysis is to show that we are never stuck in a particular life state,
but that life is constantly changing and infinitely malleable through self
improvement. Thus the conclusion of the theory of 3000 Conditions in a Single Life
Moment is that we should be hopeful and determined at all times, because we
always possess infinite potential to improve ourselves and our surroundings.
As for the details of
this theory, we will first briefly summarize the theory. It might seem a little abstract. But then we will go over it a second time in
more detail with analogies to make it clear. We are trying to prove that “Life
is dynamic, constantly changing, and infinitely malleable. So we have infinite potential. For this reason, we should always be hopeful
and determined, no matter what our momentary feelings or circumstances.”
There are: 10 life
states, times their mutual possession, making 100 states, times the 10 factors,
making 1000 states, times the 3 realms, making 3000 conditions in a single
moment of life.
The 10 life states
are: Hell (helpless suffering), Hunger (extreme want, or greed), Animality (fawn on the powerful, bully
the weak), Anger (arrogance,
retribution), Humanity (transient
calmness, dependent on good circumstances), Rapture (transient joy, dependent on good circumstances), Learning (from books, teachers,
experience, independent of circumstances), Realization
(from experience, intuition, nature, meditation, independent of circumstances),
Altruism (caring for others), and Enlightenment (some degree of oneness
with one’s innermost nature and the macrocosm).
These 10 states are mutually inclusive, making 100 states;
thus someone who is enlightened may feel anger for social justice.
The 10 Factors explain how we change from
one life state to another. They are: Appearance (how you look), Nature (what you’re like inside), Entity (the essential identity that
gives rise to both Appearance and Nature), Force
(your life force), Influence (how
your life force affects your surroundings), Latent Cause (John was compassionate), Manifest Cause (John fed a stray cat), Latent Effect (John carried the destiny for two years that someone
someday would do him a kindness), Manifest
Effect (two years later someone returned John’s lost wallet with all the
money), and Consistency from Beginning
to End (John is unlikely to kick a dog).
The factoring of
these 10 Factors now makes 1000 states.
Then there are the Three Realms:
The first one is The Realm of the
Individual Consciousness - your awareness on all levels, including
subconscious and psychosomatic; it includes the elements of form, perception,
conception, volition, and consciousness.
The second realm is The Realm of
Living Beings - plants, animals, all sentient beings. The third realm is The Realm of the Environment - your neighborhood, your region, the
earth, the solar system, our galaxy, the universe.
Thus the grand total
is 3000 conditions in a single life moment.
Now let’s go through
the Theory of 3000 States in a Single Life Moment in more detail. We will use analogies to make it more
clear. Again, we are trying to prove
that “Life is dynamic, constantly changing, and infinitely malleable. So we have infinite potential. For this reason, we should always be hopeful
and determined, no matter what our momentary feelings or circumstances.”
A human life is like
a nine story building. The building has
an elevator. Let’s analyze the way the
elevator works to discover the factors that figure into it. Let’s do this
analysis not as mechanical engineers, but as “life engineers” who observe and
study the dynamics we find in life itself.
The whole elevator
looks a certain way. You’ve used the
elevator 5 days a week for 3 years. Next
month you’re going abroad on business for 4 weeks. When you return you notice a few minor
changes to the elevator. Some bits of
paint have flecked off that were still there 4 weeks ago when you last used the
elevator. And of course the floor
indicator light is changing according to a different pattern than the last time
you used the elevator 4 weeks ago.
Although some aspects
of the elevator visibly change, and at varying rates, something about the
elevator is still the same, uniquely identifying it, visibly designating it as
an elevator and distinguishing it from other elevators. It’s hard to put your finger on exactly what
is changeless, what is uniquely identifying, about this elevator. If you say it’s the paint job, then when a
fleck of paint falls off, is it not the same elevator?
The “suchness” that
makes the elevator an elevator, and a particular elevator, is its Nature. Its changeable physical characteristics – the
floor indicator, flecking paint, a fresh paint job – is its Appearance.
But which is
the elevator – its Nature or its Appearance?
If an elevator is its Nature not its Appearance, then you should be able
to use the elevator without standing inside it, pushing any buttons, seeing it,
or being anywhere near it.
On the other hand, if
an elevator is its Appearance not its Nature, then an identical clone (with the
same age paint and the same paint flecks, same dirt, etc.) would be the same
elevator as the original elevator; yet the original and clone elevators in fact
make two distinct elevators.
So since an elevator
is not solely its Nature and not solely its Appearance, yet the elevator
possesses both its Nature and its Appearance, the elevator must be a union of
Nature and Appearance – something more fundamental that gives rise to both
outward aspects. That union of Nature
and Appearance is the elevator’s suchness, its identity, which is called its
Entity.
The elevator’s Entity
is what allows it to exist (appear on your floor, or surround you as you ride
it), not exist (not surround you, and leave your floor for another floor), and
change state, both while existing and while not existing (floor indicator light
changes; elevator changes mode to up, down or stop; elevator changes floors;
paint flecks off; the floor gets dirty; the floor gets cleaned; new paint
job). And all these changes are
happening whether you can see the elevator or not, whether it exists or
not-exists from your perspective.
Since the elevator is
an Entity that possesses an inner Nature and an outward Appearance, it must
follow that the elevator’s Nature and Appearance are interrelated co-aspects
that both arise from, or manifest, the elevator’s Entity.
The Entity, Nature
and Appearance of the elevator are its fundamental characteristics. If an elevator could exist in isolation in a
complete vacuum, then, hypothetically, the elevator could consist of nothing
but its own intrinsic characteristics (Entity, Nature, Appearance) without any
peripheral characteristics or factors that allow it to relate to other Entities
as part of a larger environment.
But although this
seems possible as a hypothetical abstraction, the concept proves nonsensical,
so it could never happen in actual reality.
An elevator’s Nature
is, in part, to follow and oppose gravity in a directed way. If the elevator existed in a special plane
all by itself, in a total vacuum, then gravity would have no be neither
existent nor nonexistent nor simulated nor enhanced nor opposed. This would mean the elevator has no
Nature. And since its Appearance is
related to its Nature, then it has no Appearance either. Since every Entity manifests a Nature and an
Appearance, there is no Entity either – which means there is no elevator. Not in a manifest state, latent state, or
even an abstract state (since the abstraction is nonsensical and so cancels
itself away).
Remember that we are
using an elevator as a simplified analogy for human life. All this therefore proves that life cannot
exist in a vacuum, relating only to itself.
This is true of elevators (insentient life), as well as turtles, cats,
and humans (sentient life forms).
Returning to the
elevator metaphor: The elevator cannot exist alone, but must have various means
of relating or connecting its Nature and Appearance to other Entities, as part
of a larger environment. That is why the
elevator has 10 Factors, not only 3. The
first 3 are of course Entity, Nature and Appearance. The Last 7 are Force, Influence, Inherent
Cause, Manifest Cause, Inherent Effect, Manifest Effect, and Consistency From
Beginning To End.
The elevator has the Force
to go up, go down, stop, close doors, open doors, change the floor indicator
light, and sound an emergency alarm.
Whenever the elevator
expresses its Force, it has an Influence. For example, when it opens its doors, people
arrive at the office or leave. So at
The elevator’s Force
of opening its doors has an Influence that – with other Influences, exerted by
other Entities – helps determine whether a caller at a particular time is
answered by a live person or by voice mail.
You work on Floor
3. In the morning you enter the elevator
and press the “3” button. The elevator
now has an Inherent Cause, your button push. The Inherent Effect occurs
simultaneously – it is now virtually inevitable that the elevator will soon go
to Floor 3. However, other people
pressed 4 and 7 before you pressed 3.
After stopping at 4 and 7, the elevator makes a Manifest Cause by
moving from Floor 7 to Floor 3. The Manifest
Effect is that you are now right in front of the entrance to your office
suite.
“Consistency From
Beginning To End” means that the previous 9 Factors – Appearance, Nature,
Entity, Force, Influence, Inherent Cause, Manifest Cause, Inherent Effect, and
Manifest Effect – all functioned consistently.
They all belonged to the same elevator.
They all behaved like an elevator, not like a construction crane or a
conveyor staircase. And all the Factors
were consistently focused on bringing you from Floor 7 to Floor 3.

The elevator’s Ten
Factors enable it to change state, that is to say, to change floors. Because all Entities, sentient or insentient
– an elevator, a tree, a cat, a rock, a human – have the Ten Factors, that is
why “Life is dynamic, constantly changing, and infinitely malleable.”
But that in itself
does not prove that life possesses “infinite potential to improve oneself and
one’s surroundings.” The keyword that has not yet been substantiated is
“improve”. If an elevator can improve
its life-state, or that of a passenger, by moving from one floor to another,
then there must be important subjective differences when experiencing work on
the building’s various floors, or all
the floors must be experienced in an enlightened way.
At this moment, each
of the 9 floors in the office building where you work has a different
life-state. Let’s list the floors in
ascending order by life-condition, not by floor number:
Hell 5th Floor
Hunger 2nd Floor
Animality 9th Floor
Anger 7th Floor
Humanity 4th Floor
Rapture 1st Floor
Learning 6th Floor
Realization 8th Floor
Altruism 3rd Floor
Each floor in your
building houses a different company; your employer is on Floor 3.
On the 5th
Floor, Hell predominates because the employees of Run Round Inc., an
accounting and consulting firm, just found out the
On Floor 2, the
employees at Gobble Group are in a Hunger life state, feverishly trying
to finalize their unfriendly takeover of FreshMeat Corporation.
On Floor 9, Animality
predominates as FreshMeat employees desperately try to fend off Gobble Group’s
unfriendly takeover, knowing most of the jobs eliminated in the restructuring
will come from FreshMeat.
On Floor 7, the
partners and staff at the law firm of Koop, Acconte, Reese, Sieves, Able, &
Curran are in an Anger life condition, because FreshMeat owes them a lot
of money and just informed them payment will be delayed indefinitely.
The 4th
Floor houses no offices, but is filled with concessions such as a cafeteria,
news stand, gift shop, gym, etc. The
people who work on this floor calmly go about their daily routine, neither
worried nor overjoyed about their livelihoods.
So on the 4th Floor a state of Humanity is prevalent.
Rapture predominates on
Floor 1, where the employees at AppleTree Inc. – makers of a leading firewall
program – just went into public trading, and all became instant millionaires.
The Floors that are
in a condition of Hell, Hunger, Animality, Anger, Humanity or Rapture all have
something in common: their life state is determined entirely by their
fluctuating environment. The remaining
Floors are in conditions of Learning, Realization and Altruism, and they have
something in common too: the inner discipline to influence their own destiny by
proactively improving their own feelings and circumstances.
Floor 6 houses Jones
& Klein Pharmaceuticals, Research Division.
The employees here are involved in medical research and have no role in
the financial side of the business. On
the 6th Floor, a condition of Learning is prevalent.
Realization predominates on
Floor 8, where the Detroit Motors Think Tank has been subjecting the Detroit
Motors Company to self scrutiny – analyzing past mistakes and conceiving new
strategies to keep foreign competition at bay.
Your fellow employees
on Floor 3 are in a condition of Altruism, where they are attending a
half-day seminar entitled “Corporate Responsibility, Employee Volunteerism, and
the Real Book Value of Goodwill.”
But you personally
have been excused from this seminar, as you already attended it at another
company location. You have the rest of
today off. Your special friend is out of
town; your relatives are out of town; your friends are still at work; your
apartment is being fumigated; you have a slight cold, so you don’t feel like
going to the gym.
But you feel a little
light exercise might do you good. You’ve
always been curious about the other companies in your building, so you decide
to wander around and have a look at the other floors.
It is the elevator,
your 10 Factors – Appearance, Nature, Entity, Force, Influence, Inherent Cause,
Manifest Cause, Inherent Effect, Manifest Effect, and Consistency From
Beginning To End – that enables you to freely fluctuate among the life-states
of Hell, Hunger, Animality, Anger, Humanity, Rapture, Learning, Realization,
and Altruism.
But are these
movements just changes, or really improvements?
Logically, there can
be only two ways the elevator’s movements can bring any gain. (a) The elevator must frequent the floors
with high life conditions and avoid the floors with low life conditions, or,
(b) the elevator must learn to experience every life condition it encounters –
whether high or low – in a more enlightened way.
The problem with
solution (a) is that it is impractical.
People have to report to work on all 9 floors. And the elevator may need to cross a “low
condition” floor to get from one “high condition” floor to another. Likewise, human beings cannot entirely avoid
the lower life conditions, nor would it be desirable to do so; without anger,
how could you seize a broom and defend a small child from a vicious dog?
So, for the
elevator’s movements to be improvements, and not merely changes, the solution
is not for the elevator to try to visit only the floors with high life
conditions. So since life cannot avoid
experiencing all of its conditions, the key is to experience them in a more
enlightened way. This points to the
importance of tapping the 10th, highest life state – enlightenment.

In the above illustration, a human being is tapping his or
her 9th Consciousness, and invigorating his Entity. This signifies a gradually increasing degree
of Enlightenment. Thus the lower 9
states can be experienced in a more enlightened way – even the lowest ones!
Pictured below is the life of a person who does not manifest
his or her Buddha nature. His or her
enlightenment is only a dormant potential; it is not currently being
manifested.

Now we have substantiated that when human beings manifest
their Buddha nature through Buddhist practice, human life can be characterized
as “possessing infinite potential to improve oneself.” But the full opening statement of this
section was
“we always possess infinite potential to improve ourselves and
our surroundings.”
If self-improvement
arising from enlightenment is mostly subjective, mostly internal, then it
cannot consistently or reliably improve our objective circumstances. In that case, there is no basis for saying
“we should always be hopeful and determined, no matter what our momentary
feelings or circumstances.”
The elevator in your
office building has 9 floors, Hell through Altruism, with the building as a
whole being considered a ‘10th floor’ called Enlightenment. The elevator can go from any floor (1-9) to
any floor (1-9), which makes the first 9 floors Mutually Possessive. And no
matter which of the 9 (Hell through Altruism) floors you’re on, potentially, Enlightenment
can be manifested there. So all 10
Floors, or states, have a Mutual Possession – each of the 10 states contains
the other 9.
So far, our analysis
of human life, using an elevator metaphor, has stated that there are 10 Factors
x 10 States x their Mutual Possession.
10 x 10 x 10 = 1000 Factors. To
improve our surroundings, however, we need to be connected to our
environment. Fortunately, life has not
just 1000 Factors but 3000. That’s
because the first 1000 Factors must be multiplied by the 3 Realms.

We’ve determined that every life has 10 Factors, 10 States,
and Mutual Possession of the 10 States, making 1000 Factors. This is an analysis of the Self, which we
will call “The Realm of the 5 Components”.
From another standpoint, this Realm consists of Form, Perception, Conception,
Volition, and Consciousness.
The next 2 Realms are the larger setting in which the Self
exists and plays a role. “The Realm of
Living Beings” includes all other life forms, whether insentient (a rock),
semi-sentient (a virus), or sentient (a bacterium, a fish, a tree, a dog, a
human).
“The Realm of the Environment” is the earth, solar system,
galaxy, and the entire universe throughout space and time.
Since every life has 3 Realms, every life is directly
connected with its environment, and can directly influence its environment –
both its social environment and its natural environment; both spatially and
temporally; both physically and spiritually.
Through Buddhist practice we can empower our Entity, making
it capable of positively influencing the Self, the social environment and the
natural environment. That is why “Life is dynamic,
constantly changing, and infinitely malleable.
So we have infinite potential.
For this reason, we should always be hopeful and determined, no matter
what our momentary feelings or circumstances.”
Every life has 10
Factors x 10 States x Mutual Possession (of the 10 States) x 3 Realms = 3000
Factors in a Single Moment of Life.
We are accountable for everything we say, do, and
think. So we should, from now on, try
our best to make good causes and refrain from making bad causes. And beyond that, we needn’t feel overwhelmed
by our prior accumulation of bad effects, no matter how great it may be,
because there is a way to supercede this accumulation rapidly.
Life is eternal. Our lives eternally go through a cycle of Birth, Maturity, Decline, and Death. Death “recharges our batteries” and nets us a
fresh new body for our next incarnation. Simply stated, that is the Theory of Reincarnation.
Every thought, word
and deed we perform, whether positive or negative, forms a Latent Cause and
simultaneously, a Latent Effect. At some
point (either right away, or in the future), we will meet up with an
appropriate Manifest Cause which triggers the Latent Effect into becoming a
Manifest Effect. This process could
happen within one lifetime or across lifetimes.
So it’s obviously in our own interest, as well as virtuous, that we,
from now on, try our best to make good causes and refrain from making bad
causes. That is the Theory of Karma.
If our previous
accumulation of negative effects is great, we can feel overwhelmed and
hopeless, like someone too deeply in financial debt to get out from under it
(which itself is one form of negative karma!).
Yet the truth is, we needn’t ever feel “doomed” by our prior
accumulation of bad effects, no matter how great it may be, because there is a
way to supercede this accumulation rapidly, in an accelerated mode. This ‘mega method’ is faster and, in the long
run, easier than the slow, excruciating, ‘conventional method’ of expiating our
negative karma, while creating further incremental good karma, and refraining
from creating any further bad karma. The
next section explains what this ‘mega method’ is all about.
Our previously accumulated negative karma exists on a
superficial level of our psyche. So when
we make good causes on the most profound level of our psyche, we are able to
supercede our negative karma, expiating a small portion of it, while quickly
eliminating the major portion. (9 Levels
of Consciousness)

There are 9 Levels of Consciousness. Levels 1 through 5 are the consciousness
possessed by our five physical senses - sight, hearing, taste, touch and
smell. The 6th level of consciousness is
our ability to integrate these into a coherent impression - as when we are
repulsed by a beautiful looking but bad smelling object. The 7th level of consciousness is the
Intellect, the Super-Ego and Ego, the level on which the reader is primarily
experiencing his or her reading of this web site. The 8th level of consciousness is karma
storage (including karma from previous lifetimes), and also corresponds to the
Id, the Subconscious, and the Collective Unconscious.
The 9th level of
consciousness is our pure, eternal, immaculate consciousness that is untainted
by karmic accretions. It is our Buddha
Nature. When we are tapping our 9th
consciousness we are Buddhas - human beings manifesting their inherent oneness
with the Universal Law.
When we tap this pure
consciousness by fusing our lives with the Universal Law - with which our 9th
consciousness is inherently linked from within ourselves - we are able to
‘flush out’ most of our negative karma relatively quickly, like a volcano
expelling lava. The karma is ‘pushed out
from underneath’. In contrast, an
incremental approach to improving our karma takes eons - and may not succeed at
all, due to the karmic inertia we already possess, which can make us confuse
bad causes for good causes, or even give up along the way.
We’ve seen that even
the ‘mega method’ of cleansing karma leaves a small residue of our karmic
accumulation for us to expiate now. That
is so we can train ourselves through overcoming it, in order to elevate our
life condition. With an elevated life
condition, we are less likely to repeat the same mistakes as before and
eventually wind up back in the same impasse.
Our training period is like an airplane’s struggle to get off the
runway; that’s the time of maximum aerodynamic tension. Once the plane is in the sky, things are much
easier and more assured, because the plane enjoys both updraft (protective
response from the universe) and momentum (people in high life states tend to
accumulate more good karma than bad).
The training period involves at least one whole incarnation, in the case
of immutable karma, and may involve a much shorter period in the case of
mutable karma. The time it takes depends
upon the depth and intensity of accumulated karma, upon the individual’s efforts
and sincerity, and upon the validity, efficacy, and profundity of the
individual’s spiritual beliefs. And
beyond merely expiating bad karma, a process of building up further happiness
and good fortune likewise depends on the individual’s efforts and sincerity,
and upon the validity, efficacy, and profundity of the individual’s spiritual
beliefs.
To further clarify
the difference between mutable and immutable karma with some examples: Having a broken arm is mutable karma; being
born without legs is immutable karma.
Being neurotic is mutable karma; being psychotic is immutable
karma. Growing up poor in the
Our desires and attachments cause us to suffer, because they
are sometimes based on beliefs at variance with the true nature of life, or
because, since life is constantly changing, we cannot cling to the desired
object or circumstance forever. Yet
desires and attachments are intrinsic to life and, indeed, the motivating power
of life. To totally negate desire and
attachment is to deny the value of life itself.
So the solution is to elevate desire, transforming earthly desires into
enlightenment. (Bonno Soku Bodai)
There are ten worlds:
Hell, Hunger, Animality, Anger, Humanity, Rapture, Learning, Realization,
Altruism, and Enlightenment. The desire
for Enlightenment stems from the world of Enlightenment. All our other desires stem from the lower
nine worlds. When we want something, as
Nichiren Buddhists, we chant for it. Our
chanting gradually elevates our desires, transforming even negative desires
into higher, positive desires. Through
this process, we can reveal the enlightened aspect of the lower nine worlds.
Someone whose default
life condition is Hell can, through inner reformation, manifest this
condition in an enlightened way - empathizing with others who are suffering,
and taking action to relieve their sufferings.
This can bring great satisfaction to the caregiver and great relief to
the recipients. Thus because of the Mutual Possession of the Ten Worlds,
Hell can manifest Humanity, Rapture and Altruism from within itself. The key is basing one’s existence on the 10th
life state, Enlightenment, which allows all nine lower life states, such as
Hell, to express their enlightened aspect.
Similarly: Hunger
can be transformed from greed to a hunger to benefit others through research or
service. Animality can be
transformed into a relentless struggle against evil in society - win or lose,
them or us. Anger can be
transformed from arrogance or retribution to anger for social justice. Humanity can be transformed from a
‘yawning’ life-state into a vigorous, imperturbable, incorruptible sense of
fair play and equity. Rapture can
be transformed from foolish abandon to enlivening and refreshing others, on a
deeper level and toward a more valuable objective. Learning (for example, insight
attained through academic education) can be transformed from knowledge for its
own sake, elitism, or diabolical applications of knowledge, to the pursuit of
knowledge to benefit others. Realization
(for example, insight attained through experience or meditation) can be
transformed from myopic preoccupation with one’s own sole salvation, to using
one’s realization empathetically to benefit everyone. Altruism, when based on enlightenment,
functions more deeply and powerfully and is less likely to go tragically wrong.
These changes benefit
not only others but also oneself. First
of all, it feels good to be empathetic, to feel linked with the greater
universe, and to take action for others.
Second, one’s life attracts protection and fortune from the environment
- both discernible and inconspicuous - in direct proportion to how much we
manifest empathetic qualities and behaviors.
That’s because everything is
inherently connected; our happiness and well being depends on how much we
realize and reflect that reality. (So
then, why sometimes do bad things happen to “good” people, or good things
happen to “bad” people? Again, because
karma is a process that can transpire across lifetimes.)
By thus elevating our life condition, we can transform any
circumstance from poison into medicine.
(Hendoku Iyaku)
For example, when we
are full of life force, desire for self improvement, and empathy - all aspects
of enlightenment - we can transform a difficult boss from a source of anguish
into an impetus for personal growth. We may
thus win our boss over, by changing ourselves, or even be promoted - by our
boss’s boss - to a higher level in a different department. And, more importantly, in so doing, we have
deepened, expanded, and purified our state of life.
Changing poison into
medicine can express itself in transient everyday situations like the example
above. But most fundamentally, changing
poison into medicine means that as intelligent beings who think independently,
we are prone to get ourselves misaligned with the Universal Law; but by
redirecting our intelligence under the guidance of our Buddha Nature, we can
use our intelligence to regain a new oneness with the Universal Law. All of the little problems of life, such as a
difficult boss, are the fuel that makes the more profound process possible.
The body and mind are essentially one, though superficially
distinct. (Shikishin Funi)
For instance, once we
transform a difficult boss from poison into medicine, our blood pressure may
lower, our ease of sleep increase, and our general health improve. This is an example of the mind influencing
the body. Of course, the body can also
influence the mind. A motorcycle highway
patrolman with hemorrhoids may be irritable at his job! This underscores the importance of taking care
of our health; it affects not only our body but also our mind, life state and
environment.
The entity of life is
the 9th level of consciousness - enlightenment or Buddhahood. Each individual has its own unique entity,
yet all entities are linked, uniting the entire universe and everything in it
throughout space and time. Each entity
has two functions: potential and manifestation.
The reason our mental state is linked with our physical health is not
merely because the mind and body are related, but more profoundly, because both
body and mind arise from entity, and the entity is always in a life-state
somewhere from Hell to Buddhahood.
In the Lotus Sutra,
the ten factors of life represent the oneness of mind and body. The ten factors are listed in the Second
(“Expedient Means”) chapter of the sutra, where it states that the true aspect
of all phenomena consists of appearance, nature, entity, power, influence,
internal cause, internal effect, external cause, external effect, and their
consistency from beginning to end. The
Gosho (letter) “On the Profound Meaning” states: “Appearance exists only in
what is material; nature exists only in what is spiritual. Entity, power, influence, and relation in
principle combine both the material and the spiritual. Internal cause and latent effect are purely
spiritual; manifest effect exists only in what is material.”
The
Self and Environment are essentially one, though superficially distinct. (Esho
Funi)
One needn’t be a
Buddhist to agree that when we put our ‘best foot forward’ with a positive
attitude, others will respond to us more favorably, all other factors
equal. This denotes a superficial,
observable aspect of the relationship between self and environment. Buddhism illuminates this connection on a more
profound level as well.
The universe is, in a
sense, like a personal computer’s motherboard.
On top, the components appear separate; but flip it over, and it’s clear
they’re all interconnected. The Theory
of 3000 Conditions expounds that each entity of life has ten life conditions
and their mutual possession, ten factors, and three realms, making 3000 life
states in a single moment. The Three
Realms are the Realm of Individual Consciousness, and Realm of Living Beings,
and the Realm of Environment. The Realm
of Living Beings includes other sentient beings both human and non-human. The Realm of Environment is the Earth, solar
system, galaxy, and universe throughout space and time.
Since every life has
Three Realms, every entity is directly connected with its environment. That is why by living correctly, we
invariably draw protection and good fortune from our environment - all other
factors equal - even in situations where there is no discernible link between our
good causes and our good effects. Our
good effects do not always come through human intermediaries who consciously
decide to help us because they like our way of living; sometimes our good
effects appear to be random unrelated occurrences, separated by time and
context from the good causes we made.
Conversely, if we
carry bad causes and effects within our life, our environment and circumstances
will eventually come to reflect that also, just like a body and its shadow.
Then why sometimes do
good things happen to “bad” people, and bad things happen to “good”
people? That is because karma is a
process that can come to fruition across more than one lifetime.
All of the above
illuminates our previous example of changing our relationship with a difficult
boss by changing ourselves, rather than waiting for our boss to change, which
is something over which we have no control.
A Mantra is a short syllabicated phrase
chanted over and over rhythmically, to help attain some objective through
spiritual means. A mantra is a symbolic
device, but that does not mean it is ‘not real’. Symbolism belongs to the realm of mental functions,
potential, and non-substantiality. Since
potential and manifestation are both functions of the same life-entity,
symbolic phenomena and actual phenomena are inherently connected. That is why the entity can express its power
and influence in the realm of observable phenomena through both tangible and
symbolic actions, especially when these two are combined and coordinated.
The idea of using a
mantra will seem less foreign if we consider that many of us already use the
mantra’s cousins - the proverb, the slogan, the refrain, the poem, and
song.
“All’s well that ends
well.” “A penny saved is a penny
earned.” Proverbs usually have a
positive message.
Slogans can be
positive or negative. “Power to the
people”, a common slogan of the late 1960s, expressed populist and democratic
yearnings. Whereas “Heil Hitler” was obviously
a negative slogan.
Refrains can also be
positive or negative. “I love you” is a
positive refrain; “let’s get to work” is another one. Whereas “Here we go again!” uttered while
rolling one’s eyeballs to the ceiling, expresses exasperation and resignation;
it helps create an external locus of control, removing both one’s
responsibility for, and one’s control over, the annoying situation. If someone at work uses “Yes boss” as a
refrain, he may get a reputation as “the boss’s yes-man”. And “Not now!” used too often may erode
relationships within a family.
Poems are obliquely
similar to mantras, especially when they are put to music as songs. In fact, chanting in Buddhist ceremonies is
really no more strange or alien than singing in Christian Church worship. And even Christianity has the famous,
beautiful spiritual and musical tradition of the Gregorian Chant.
From our experience
with proverbs, slogans and refrains, poems and songs, we can intuitively see
that mantras are more than just rhythmic gibberish that evens out our brain
waves. The content matters.
The lyrics of two
different rap songs may be innocuous, in one case, and violent, in the other,
even though the rhythm may be the same in both songs. Since the content of a song is important, not only the rhythm, why should the same not be
true for mantras?
Chanting “Bingo Bango
Bongo” to a Coke bottle may sooth us, but it would also make us seem rather
silly to anyone who heard us and saw us.
Truly beneficial mantras are not merely rhythmical devices. They also have a deep and positive content -
a hopeful, empathetic, and empowering message.
Such as mantra is the one employed in Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism.
Mantra (and Sutra)
recitation should be syllabic, rhythmic and seamless, and at a moderate pace,
not rushed. In the beginning, slow is
OK.
Myoho
(each syllable rhymes with “go”)
MYO
means the Mystic Law. The Mystic Law
cannot be sensed directly. It is the
cause and maintainer of all that exists.
It is eternal. It exists within
each one of us and within all things. It
is the ultimate source of goodness, capability, wisdom, fortune and
compassion. HO are the phenomenal
manifestations of MYO. These expressions
are both physical and spiritual. HO is
the part that can be grasped through the senses.
Renge (pronounced
“Wren-Gay”)
RENGE
stands for the Lotus Flower, which flowers and seeds at the same time. Thus the Lotus Flower is a symbol for the
simultaneity of cause and effect. When
we chant, our Buddha Nature emerges simultaneously. On the other hand, it takes years of repeated
daily chanting to make Buddhahood the central tendency in our lives. The Lotus Flower blooms from a muddy swamp
yet is untainted by the mud, remaining immaculate. This symbolizes how Buddhahood can emerge
from the life of an ordinary person, and real, actual society can be
transformed for the better when enough people are chanting.
Kyo (rhymes with “go”)
As a whole, NAM MYOHO
RENGE
Below
is a link to a web site where you can play or download sound files of
http://www.comp.glam.ac.uk/pages/staff/srharris/nmhrk/audio.htm#whole
How we fuse our lives
with the Universal Law to tap our 9th Consciousness: Using a Mandala
A mandala is an external object used as a
focus of concentration for meditation or chanting. Since we worship a Law which we believe to be
within us, our mandala is not an idol, which entails worshipping something
outside oneself.
Our Mandala is called
the “Gohonzon”, which means the supreme object of worship. It is a paper
inscription with calligraphic characters.
It is a textual and graphic synopsis of our core teaching.
But it is more than
just a listing of doctrines, like the table of contents of a book on
Buddhism. As a mandala, it is a physical
embodiment (manifestation) of a body of spiritual teachings (potential). Remember that manifestation and potential are
the two functions of the entity, and that all three always occur together. So our mandala is not just a list of
teachings, but the entity of our teaching in physical form.
Physical objects in
our environment have the power to influence us.
A good looking member of the opposite sex may arouse our Hunger
nature. A good book may arouse our
Learning nature. An entity of Buddhism
helps make our Buddha nature leap from potential into manifestation. Our mandala is an entity of the core Buddhist
teachings.
Our mandala is also a
mirror. There is more than one kind of
mirror in existence. A glass mirror
shows our physical selves. Competitive
sports put the athlete into a pressure cooker, revealing his or her
psychological strengths and weaknesses, essentially functioning as a spiritual
mirror. But both physical and mental
functions arise from entity. Our mandala
is a mirror of your life entity. It
provides the deepest possible way to see yourself.
For instance, if
someone chants to the Gohonzon about their difficult boss, the situation at
work may seem to get worse before it gets better. That’s because, with his life-eyes open, he
can no longer kid himself. As he dimly
begins to get an inkling that the buck stops with him, no matter how unfair it
may seem, this heightens his pain in the short run. Yet this painful process enables him to make
a fundamental change for the better, both in his external situation and in his
internal life condition. No pain no
gain; this is true even for shallow achievements, and that much more so for
fundamental ones.
Not
all Gohonzons are identical, but they are closely similar. We will now analyze the Nichikan Gohonzon
with a brief overview. The Nichikan
Gohonzon is the one granted to believers by the

Is a downloaded Gohonzon as good as one officially granted
to a believer by a sectarian organization, such as for example, the Soka
Gakkai? Yes it is. Keep in mind that Gohonzons granted by Soka
Gakkai, Nichiren Shu, Nichiren Shoshu, etc. are virtually nothing more than
digital photocopies; they are manufactured as a scroll, but they are still
digital copies. A downloaded Gohonzon is
trimmed, framed, and mounted above and behind your altar. It is the same thing as an official Gohonzon
– a digital copy!
You do not need to worry that no priest has performed an
eye-opening ceremony on your Gohonzon.
As the Soka Gakkai points out, it is your own chanting with faith that
opens the eyes of your Gohonzon. A
priestly eye-opening ceremony is just a formality from esoteric Buddhism.
Nevertheless, for those who want an eye-opening ceremony,
one is provided below. This is an
eye-opening ceremony you can perform yourself.
You are just as qualified to do it as a priest is, because the Lotus
Sutra and Nichiren Daishonin’s teachings state that
Here is a Gosho quote to confirm that a common mortal can
consecrate a Gohonzon:
“A common mortal is an entity of the three bodies, and a
true Buddha. A Buddha is a function of the three bodies, and a provisional
Buddha. In that case, though it is thought that Shakyamuni Buddha possesses the
three virtues of sovereign, teacher, and parent for the sake of all of us
living beings, that is not so. On the contrary, it is common mortals who endow
him with the three virtues.”
- - The True Entity of Life
“Shakyamuni Buddha” above can refer to any Buddha, including
the Gohonzon. Although the quotation
talks about bestowing the Three Virtues on the Gohonzon, once the Gohonzon
possesses the Three Virtues that Gohonzon is a Buddha. By definition, a Buddha possesses all 32
Properties of the Buddha, including the 32nd property, the “clear
and far reaching voice”. So, if a common
mortal bestows the Three Virtues on a Gohonzon, that common mortal is by
definition also bestowing the 32nd property of the Buddha on the
Gohonzon.Therefore, the above quotation can mean that common mortals can bestow
the 32nd property of the Buddha on the Gohonzon. The 32nd property of the Buddha is
spiritual. The other 31 properties of
the Buddha are physical properties already contained within the scroll or paper
before consecration.
Gohonzon Eye Opening Ceremony
For
new Gohonzons
(This Eye-Opening
Ceremony is based on a previously existing ceremony that exists in Nichiren
Shu, a
What the author
did was change the points of Nichiren Shu doctrine implicit in the ceremony to
make them more compatible with the Fuji-
This special
eye-opening ceremony may be performed, once the downloaded Gohonzon is trimmed,
framed, and mounted on the wall above and behind your altar. You perform the eye opening ceremony by
reading the entire text out loud, as you are seated at your altar.
1. Dojoge (Verse, Place of Enlightenment)
This place of enlightenment is as luminous as the gems of
the net of King Sakra.
All the Three Treasures of the worlds of the ten directions manifest themselves
here. Now I am before them. I bow to the Buddhas and worship their feet with my
head.
2. Samborai (Bow to the Three Treasures)
With my whole heart,
I bow to the Eternal Buddha emanating the Buddhas of the worlds of the ten
directions. (bow)
With my whole heart,
I bow to the Eternal Dharma establishing the teachings of the Buddhas of the
worlds of the ten directions. (bow)
With my whole heart,
I bow to the Eternal Samgha comprising the devotees of the Buddhas of the
worlds of the ten directions. (bow)
3. Kanjo (Invitation)
With reverence I adore the Great Mandala of the Most
Venerable One, the
With reverence I venerate Sakyamuni Buddha, the Buddha of the Former and Middle
Day of the Law.
With reverence I venerate Prabhutaratna Tathagata, who appeared in this world
to bear witness to the truthfulness of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the
Wonderful Dharma.
With reverence I venerate the Buddhas of the worlds of the ten directions in
the past, present and future, the emanations of the Original Buddha Nichiren
Daishonin.
With reverence I venerate Bishamonten, Anryugyo, Jyogyo, Jogyo Bosatsu,
Muhengyo, the Eight Dragon Kings, Dengyo Daishi, the Jurasetsunyo, Kishimojin,
Tendai Daishi, Zochoten, Hachiman, Tensho-daijin, Komokuten, Jikokuten, Aizen,
Myojoten, Gattenno, and Taishaku.
With reverence I venerate the four kinds of devotees
who joined the congregations of the Lotus Sutra.
With reverence I venerate Nikko Shonin and Nichimoku Shonin, who inherited and
transmitted Nichiren Daishonin’s true teachings.
May all Venerable Ones come to this place of
enlightenment, see me with their eyes of wisdom, and receive the savor of the
Dharma out of their compassion towards me.
4. Kaikyoge (Sutra Opening Verse)
This sutra of the Supreme, Most Profound and
Wonderful Dharma is difficult to meet in thousands of millions of kalpas. Now I
have been able to see, hear, receive and keep it. May I understand the ultimate
import of the teachings of the Tathagata. The Ultimate Truth of the Great
Vehicle is, however, very difficult for me to understand. All who see, hear or
touch this sutra shall come closer to Bodhi.
The expounder of this sutra is the Sambhogakaya aspect of the Buddha.
What is expounded in this sutra is the Dharmakaya aspect of the Buddha. The
characters of this sutra are the Nirmanakaya aspect of the Buddha.
Since innumerable merits are contained in this sutra, all living beings are
benefited by this sutra without hindrance as implicitly as incense is perceived
by a thing put nearby. By merits of this
sutra, anyone will be able to expiate his sin, do good deeds, and attain the
enlightenment of the Buddha, whether he is wise or not, whether he believes or
slanders this sutra. The Dharma attained
by the past, present and future Buddhas is expounded in this most profound and
wonderful sutra. May my posterity, generation after generation, meet and
receive this sutra with reverence.
5. Dokyo (Sutra Chanting. Chant the Hoben and
Juryo Chapter excerpts normally done during Gongyo. See next section, “Lotus Sutra”)
6. Shodai (Daimoku Chanting) (Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo) 5 minutes
7. Kaigen (Consecration)
I am a benighted common mortal in which both
enlightenment and defilement coexist.
Therefore, I beseech the soul of Nichiren Daishonin, the Original
Buddha, the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law, the embodiment of the perfect
Oneness of Person and Law, to descend to this place of Consecration for a few
moments, to support me by lending me a portion of his enlightened life
condition. Nam Myo ho Ren ge
8. Nichiren's
Instructions (Sokun)
"...it is imperative that one repay one's debt of gratitude to the three
treasures. In ancient times, there were sages such as the boy
9. Eko (Dedication)
The present Buddhas as well as the past Buddhas have
appeared in the worlds for the purpose of expounding the Wonderful Dharma. So
will the future Buddhas. Lord Teacher Sakyamuni Buddha, the World-Honored One,
and the Great Original Buddha Nichiren, the Founder of my religion, are nothing
without the Wonderful Dharma. When I chant the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the
Wonderful Dharma, all the Buddhas will immediately manifest themselves before
me. When I chant the sutra before the Great Mandala inscribed on paper, the
paper will instantly bear mind of its innate Buddha-nature, and the Great
Mandala will reveal the Pure World of the Original Buddha Nichiren.
Now as I chant the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma and the
Daimoku before this Great Mandala, the Great Mandala is consecrated. It will
benefit me boundlessly. May the Great
Mandala do the work of the Buddha by releasing its brillant light so that I may
be able to keep my faith firm and strong, serve the Great Mandala with
sincerity, and fulfill my goals for my present and future lives.
10. Shisei (The Four Vows)
I vow to save all living beings however countless
they may be.
I vow to eliminate all illusions however numberless they may be. I vow to study
all teachings however limitless they may be. I vow to attain the supreme
enlightenment of the Buddha.
11. Sanki (The Three Refuges)
With most reverence, I take refuge in the Buddha.
May all living beings understand the
I take refuge in the Dharma.
May all living beings enter deep into the storehouse of the Lotus Sutra and
their wisdom be as vast as the sea.
I take refuge in the Samgha.
May all living beings forge one great congregation without hindrance.
12. Buso (Farewell)
Venerable Ones!
Remember me, be where you like, and come again out of your great
compassion toward me!
Downloading
a Gohonzon
Please remember that the Gohonzon is
the physical embodiment of your ideal enlightened life condition, and as such,
it must be treated with great care and respect.
Here are some rules to follow when downloading a Gohonzon:
Download the Nichikan Gohonzon
distributed by the
Note: You should put
this file on a CD and bring it to a professional commercial printing shop. It will not print with sufficient resolution
on your ordinary inkjet printer or laser printer.
Download a Gohonzon inscribed by Nichiren himself (there are
many to choose from).
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GohonzonInfo/
Note: These PDF
images will print adequately on your inkjet printer or laser printer.
The
Basis of Our Mantra and Mandala – The Lotus Sutra
First a brief timeline:
Shakyamuni Buddha: 5th or 6th
Century B.C., started Buddhism.
Kumarajiva: 343 or 344 – 413 A.D.,
T’ien-tiai:
surnames Chih-i, Chih-k’ai, 531-597 A.D.,
Dengyo Daishi (surname Saicho), 767 – 822 A.D.,
Hui-Yuan (334 – 416 A.D.) and Honen
(1173-1212 A.D.): founders of Pure Land Buddhism in
Nichiren Daishonin (1222 – 1282 A.D.,
(end of timeline)
The Lotus Sutra is Shakyamuni Buddha’s declaration
of human dignity and equality. Its
essential message is that Buddhahood is inherent in the lives of ordinary
common mortals (Hoben Chapter), that the lives of ordinary common mortals are
inherent in Buddhahood (Juryo Chapter), and that everyone without exception has
the potential for Buddhahood. This
bridges the gap between the Buddha and the ordinary person. Buddhas are ordinary people who realize they
have Buddhahood at the core of their lives.
Common mortals are essentially Buddhas, but they do not yet realize this
fact. Buddhas have the lower nine
conditions (Hell to Altruism) of common mortals, and common mortals have
inherent Buddhahood, whether they are currently manifesting it or not.
Long after Shakyamuni, another Buddhist named
Kumarajiva made a particularly good translation of the Lotus Sutra from
Sanskrit into Chinese. And still later,
a Chinese Buddhist named T’ien-t’ai derived the Theory of 3000 Conditions in a
Single Moment of Life from the Lotus Sutra.
He also devised a complex, subtle, arduous regimen of mind-observing
meditation, which is compiled in his “Great Concentration and Insight” (Maka
Shikan). It was practical only for
individuals of extraordinary ability who also had lots of free time – mostly
monks, clergy, nobility, and wealthy retirees.
In the 13th century A.D. in
This principle was the basis for developing the
Graphical User Interface for personal computers. Suppose Xerox, Apple and Microsoft, and all
other software developers, had tried to make the microcomputer as difficult
to use as possible?
Conversely, the more superficial or confused
something is, the more difficult it is to use.
A good metaphor for this is a cat tangled up in a ball of yarn.
At this writing it is the year 2006. Compared to, say, 1976, people in the U.S.
and elsewhere now work longer hours, are connected by more real-time
communications devices, have more single-parent homes, and - for these and
other reasons – now have less free time.
According to the Mahayana ideal, sharing Buddhism with others is of
paramount importance. One indispensable
aspect of sharing it is making it accessible.
The Lotus Sutra uses parables, dramatic imagery,
metaphor, verses of praise, affirmations, hyperbole, and other literary devices
to convey key principles. This was in
accord with the stylistic conventions of ancient Indian society. People in that society didn’t have hundreds
of emails every day. In today’s society
we must get right to the point, or the point will be missed in our haste.
The point of the Lotus Sutra is, again,
that: Buddhahood is inherent in the lives of common mortals, the lives of
common mortals are inherent in Buddhahood, and everyone without exception has
the potential for Buddhahood.
Two sections of the Lotus Sutra, the Hoben and Juryo
chapters, are chanted by believers.
Here are the two Lotus Sutra excerpts, with an
English translation.
Hoben Chapter
Myo ho ren ge kyo. Ho
ben pon. Dai ni.
Identifies the
excerpt to come as the Hoben Chapter of the Lotus Sutra.
Niji seson. Ju sanmai.
Anjo ni ki. Go shari-hotsu. Sho-but^chi-e. Jinjin muryo. Go chi-e mon. Nange
nannyu. Issai shomon. Hyaku-shi-butsu. Sho fu no chi.
At this time the World-Honored One serenely
arose from meditation and addressed Shariputra: "The wisdom of all Buddhas
is infinitely profound and immeasurable. The portal to this wisdom is difficult
to understand and difficult to enter. Neither men of Learning (shomon) nor men
of Realization (engaku) are able to comprehend it."
Sho-i sha ga. Butsu zo
shingon. Hyaku sen man noku. Mushu sho butsu. Jin gyo sho-butsu. Muryo doho.
Yumyo shojin. Myosho fu mon. Joju jinjin. Mi-zo-u ho. Zui gi sho setsu. Ishu
nange.
"The reason is this. A Buddha has carried
out countless austerities under many hundred thousand myriads of kotis of
Buddhas. He devoted himself to these practices so valiantly and untiringly that
his name is universally known. He realized the profound, unparalleled Law and
preaches it according to the people's capacity, yet his intention is very
difficult to understand."
Shari-hotsu. Go ju
jo-butsu irai. Shuju innen. Shuju hiyu. Ko en gonkyo. Mu shu hoben. Indo shujo.
Ryo ri sho jaku.
"Shariputra, ever since I attained
Buddhahood, I have widely expounded my teachings through many stories of past
relationships and many parables, and by countless means have led the people to
renounce all their attachments.
Sho-i sha ga. Nyorai hoben.
Chiken hara-mitsu. Kai i gu-soku.
The reason for this is that the Tathágata is
possessed of both means and perfect wisdom."
Shari-hotsu. Nyorai
chiken. Kodai jinnon. Muryo muge. Riki. Mu-sho-i. Zenjo. Gedas.^Sanmai. Jin nyu
musai. Joju issai. Mi-zo-u ho.
"Shariputra, the wisdom of the Tathágata
is all-encompassing and profound. His mercy is infinite, and his teaching knows
no bounds. Endowed with power, fearlessness, concentration, emancipation [from
sufferings and desires] and the capacity to meditate, he dwells in the
boundless and awakens to the never before-realized Law."
Shari-hotsu. Nyorai
no. Shuju fun-betsu. Gyo ses^sho ho. Gonji nyunan. Ekka shushin. Shari-hotsu.
Shu yo gon shi. Muryo muhen. Mi-zo-u ho. Bus^shitsu joju.
"Shariputra, the Tathágata has the power
to perceive which among the various teachings [is suited to his audience], to
preach the teachings in a skillful way, and to gladden the hearts of the people
with warm and tender words. That is to say, Shariputra, the Buddha has realized
the infinite, boundless and unparalleled Law."
Shi shari-hotsu. Fu
shu bu setsu.^Sho-i sha ga. Bus^sho joju. Dai ichi ke-u. Nange shi ho.
"Shariputra, I will say no more, because
that which the Buddha has achieved is the rarest and most difficult Law to comprehend."
Yui butsu yo butsu.
Nai no kujin. Shoho jisso. Sho-i shoho. Nyo ze so. Nyo ze sho. Nyo ze tai. Nyo
ze riki. Nyo ze sa. Nyo ze in. Nyo ze en. Nyo ze ka. Nyo ze ho. Nyo ze
honmak^kukyo to.
"The true entity of all phenomena can
only be understood and shared between Buddhas. This reality consists of
appearance, nature, entity, power, influence, internal cause, relation, latent
effect, manifest effect, and their consistency from beginning to end."
Juryo Chapter
Myo ho ren ge kyo. Nyo
rai ju ryo hon. Dai ju roku.
Identifies the
excerpt to come as the Juryo Chapter of the Lotus Sutra.
This part may be omitted.
Niji butsu go. Sho
bo-satsu gyo. Issai daishu. Sho zen-nanshi. Nyoto to shinge. Nyorai jotai shi
go. Bu go daishu. Nyoto to shinge. Nyorai jotai shi go. U bu go. Sho daishu,
Nyoto to shinge. Nyorai jotai shi go. Zeji bo-satsu daishu. Mi-roku i shu.
Gassho byaku butsu gon. Seson. Yui gan ses^shi. Gato to shinju butsu-go. Nyo ze
san byaku i. Bu gon. Yui gan ses^shi. Gato to shinju butsu-go
At this time the Buddha addressed the
bodhisattvas and all the multitude: "Men of devout faith, believe and
understand the true words of the Tathágata" Again the Buddha addressed the
people: "Believe and understand the true words of Tathágata."
"At this time the bodhisattvas and the
multitude beginning with Miroku, pressed their palms together and said:
"World-Honored One, our only wish is that you teach us. Certainly we will
believe the Buddhas words. Thus they spoke three times, repeating the words.
" Our only wish is that you teach us. Certainly we will believe the
Buddha's words.
Niji seson. Chi sho
bo-satsu. San sho fu shi. Ni go shi gon. Nyoto tai cho. Nyorai hi-mitsu. Jinzu
shi riki.
When the World Honored One says that the
bodhisattvas repeated their petition three times and more without ceasing he
addressed them "Listen well and hear the Tathágata’s secret and his mystic
power."
Issai seken. Tennin
gyu. Ashura. Kai i kon shaka-muni-butsu. Shus^shaku-shi gu. Ko gayajo. fu on.
Za o dojo. Toku a-noku-ta-ra san-myaku sanbodai. Nen zen-nanshi. Ga jitsu
jo-butsu irai. Muryo muhen. Hyaku sen man noku. Nayuta ko.
"All gods, men and asutras of this
world believe that after leaving the palace of the Shakyas, Shakyamuni Buddha
seated himself at the place of meditation not far from the city of
Hi nyo go hyaku sen
man noku. Nayuta. Asogi. Sanzen dai sen sekai. Ke shi u nin. Matchi mijin. Ka o
tobo. Go hyaku sen man noku. Nayuta. Asogi koku. Nai ge ichi-jin. Nyo ze to
gyo. Jin ze mijin. Sho zen-nanshi. O i unga. Ze sho sekai. Ka toku shiyui.
Kyokei chi go. Shu fu.
"Suppose there is one who reduces five
hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand, nayuta (1011)
asogi (1059) major world systems to particles of dust, and then
takes them all toward the east, dropping one particle each time he traverses
five hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand, nayuta, asogi worlds.
Suppose that he continues traveling eastward in this way, until he has finished
dropping all the particles. Men of devout faith, what is your opinion? Can the
total number of all those worlds be imagined or calculated ?"
Mi-roku bo-sat^to. Ku
byaku butsu gon. Seson. Ze sho sekai. Muryo muhen. Hi sanju sho chi. Yaku hi
shin-riki sho gyu. Issai shomon. Hyaku-shi-butsu. I murochi. Fu no shiyui. Chi
go genshu. Gato ju. A-yui-ot-chi-ji. O ze ji chu. Yaku sho fu das^seson. Nyo ze
sho sekai. Muryo muhen. Niji butsu go. Dai bosas^shu. Sho zen-nanshi. Konto
funmyo. Sengo nyoto. Ze sho sekai. Nyaku jaku mijin. Gyu fu jaku^sha. Jin ni i
jin. Ichi-jin ikko. Ga jo-butsu irai. Bu ka o shi. Hyaku sen man noku. Nayuta.
Asogi ko.
Bodhisattva Miroku and the others said to the
Buddha " World Honored One, these worlds are infinite and boundless. They
are beyond calculation. They exceed the power of the imagination. Neither men
of Learning nor men of Realization even with their illusion-free wisdom could
imagine or calculate the number. Although we are now at the stage where we will
never backslide in faith we are totally incapable of comprehending this,
World-Honored One, these worlds are infinite and boundless." Then the
Buddha addressed the great bodhisattvas: "Now, men of devout faith I
clearly proclaim to you. Suppose all these worlds, whether they received a
particle or not are once more reduced to dust. Let one particle represent one
aeon. Then the time which has passed since I attained Buddhahood suppose this
by one hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand, nayuta, asogi
aeons."
Ji ju ze rai. Ga jo
zai shi.
"Ever since then I have been constantly
in this world expounding the Law and instructing [the people]. Also I have led
and benefited the people in one hundred thousand, ten thousand hundred thousand
nayuta asogi other worlds."
Sho zen-nanshi. O ze
chugen. Ga setsu nen-do-but^to. U bu gon go. Nyu o nehan. Nyo ze kai i Hoben
fun-betsu.
"Men of devout faith during this time I
taught people about Nento Buddha and others saying that I would end all
sufferings and pass away. All this I did through different methods of teaching
that were suited to the capacity of the people."
Sho zen-nanshi. Nyaku
u shujo. Raishi ga sho. Ga i butsu-gen.
"Men of devout faith, when the people
came to me, I perceived with the eyes of a Buddha the degree of their faith and
other qualities depending upon whether their capacities were keen or dull. I
made my appearance teaching in many different worlds using different names, and
explaining how long a period my teaching would be efficacious. On other
occasions when I made my advent I told the people that I would soon enter
nirvana, and employed many methods to expound the wonderful teachings and
caused the people to be gladdened their hearts."
Sho zen-nanshi. Nyorai
ken sho shujo. Gyo o shobo. Toku hak^ku ju sha. I ze nin setsu. Ga sho shukke.
Toku a-noku-ta-ra. San-myaku sanbodai. Nen ga jitsu. Jo-butsu irai. Ku-on nyaku
shi. Tan ni hoben. Kyoke shujo. Ryo nyu butsu-do. Sa nyo ze setsu.
"Men of devout faith, I the Tathágata,
observed that the people delighted in inferior teachings and were meager in
virtue and weighted down by defilement. Therefore I taught them that I had
renounced the world in my youth and later attained enlightenment. But in truth
the time since I attained Buddhahood is the tremendously long period I have
already revealed. This was only an expedient I used to teach the people and
cause them to enter on the path to Buddhahood."
Sho zen-nanshi. Nyorai
sho en kyoden Kai i dodas^shujo. Waku sek^koshin. Waku set^tashin. Waku ji
koshin. Waku ji tashin. Waku ji koji. Waku ji taji. Sho sho gon-setsu. Kai
jitsu fu ko.
"Men of devout faith the sutras which the
Tathágata expounded are all for the purpose of saving people from their
sufferings. Sometimes I spoke of myself sometimes of others; sometimes I
presented myself, sometimes others; sometimes I showed my own actions sometimes
those of others. All my doctrines are true and none are false."
Sho-i sha ga. Nyorai
nyojit^chiken. Sangai shi so. Mu u shoji. Nyaku tai nyaku shutsu. Yaku mu
zai-se. Gyu metsu-do sha. Hi jitsu hi ko. Hi nyo hi i. Fu nyo sangai. Ken no
sangai. Nyo shi shi ji. Nyorai myo ken. Mu u shaku-myo.
"The reason is that the Tathágata
perceives the true aspect of the threefold word exactly as it is. There is no
ebb and flow of birth and death nor life in this world and later extinction. It
is neither substantial nor empty neither consistent nor diverse. Nor is it what
those who dwell in the threefold world perceive it to be. All such things the
Tathágata sees clear and without error."
I sho shujo. U shuju
sho. Shuju yoku. Shuju gyo. Shuju oku-so. Fun-bek^ko. Yoku ryo sho sho zengon.
I nyakkan innen. Hiyu gonji. Shuju seppo. Shosa butsu-ji . Mi zo zan pai .
"People have differing natures, differing
desires, differing modes of behavior, and differing ideas and outlooks.
Therefore out of my desire to plant the seeds of enlightenment in their hearts
I have taught the various teachings through stories of past relationships
parables and other sayings. This practice proper to a Buddha I have continued
unceasingly."
Nyo ze. Ga jo-butsu
irai. Jindai ku-on. Jumyo muryo. Asogi ko. Joju fu-metsu. Sho zen-nanshi. Ga
hon gyo bo-satsu do. Sho jo jumyo. Kon yu mi jin. Bu bai jo shu. Nen kon hi
jitsu metsu-do. Ni ben sho gon. To shu metsu-do. Nyorai i ze hoben. Kyoke
shujo.
"Since I attained Buddhahood an
unimaginably long period has passed. The length of my life is infinite aeons.
My life has always existed and shall never end. Men of devout faith, once I
also practiced the bodhisattva austerities, and the life, which I then
acquired, has yet to be exhausted. My life will last yet twice as many aeons
from now. Although I never really pass away I predict my own death. With this
means, the Tathágata teaches the people."
Sho-i sha ga Nyaku
buk-ku-ju o se. Haku-toku shi nin. Fu shu zengon. Bingu gesen. Ton-jaku go-yoku
Nyu o oku-so. Moken mo chu. Nyakken nyorai. Jo zai fu-metsu. Ben ki kyoshi. Ni
e endai. Fu no sho o. Nanzo shi so. Kugyo shi shin.
"The reason is this If the Buddha remains
in the world too long those people with shallow virtue will not be able to
accumulate the good fortune necessary to attain enlightenment. They will fall
into poverty and debasement. Greedy with the five desires they will be caught
in the snares of deluded thoughts and ideas. By seeing the Tathágata constantly
present and undying in this world, they will become arrogant and selfish and
will neglect their practice of Buddhism. They will fail to realize how
difficult it is to meet the Tathágata and will feel no reverence for him."
Ze ko nyorai. I hoben
setsu. Bi-ku to chi. Shobus^shus-se.
"As an expedient, therefore, the
Tathágata speaks to the monks, saying, "You should know it is a rare thing
to live at a time when a Buddha appears in the world. "The reason is that
even after the lapse of infinite hundred thousand, ten thousand, hundred
thousand aeons, some of the men of little virtue may chance to see a Buddha,
but others still may not." Therefore I tell them, "Monks, it is rare
that may see the Tathágata" When the people hear these words, they are
sure to realize how rare it is to see a Buddha, and then they will yearn and
thirst for him. In this way they will plant the cause of enlightenment in their
hearts. Therefore the Tathágata announces his own death even though he does not
really become extinct."
U zen-nanshi.
Sho-butsu nyorai. Ho kai nyo ze. I do shujo. Kai jitsu fu ko.
"You men of devout faith, any teaching of
any Buddha is always like this. Since Buddhas reveal their teachings in order
to save people all of them are true and none are false."
Hi nyo ro-i. Chi-e
so-datsu. Myo ren ho-yaku. Zen ji shubyo. Go nin ta. sho shi-soku. Nyaku ju
niju. Nai-shi hyaku-shu. I u ji-en. On shi yo-koku.
"Imagine a wise and skilled physician who
can compound medicines to cure any disease. He has many sons, perhaps ten, twenty,
ore even a hundred. He goes off to a distant land to see some matter."
Sho shi o go. On ta
doku-yaku. Yaku hotsu monran. Enden u ji.
"Later the children drink some kind of
poison that makes them wild with pain, and they fall writhing to the
ground."
Zeji go bu. Gen rai ki
ke. Sho shi on doku Waku shitsu honshin. Waku fu shis^sha. Yo ken go bu. Kai
dai kangi. Haiki monjin. Zen nan non ki. Gato guchi. Go buku doku-yaku. Gan ken
kuryo. Kyo shi jumyo.
"At this time the father comes back to
his home and finds that his children have drunk poison. Some are out of their
minds while others are not. Seeing their father from afar all are filled with
joy and kneel down to entreat him saying, "How wonderful that you have
returned safely! We were stupid and by mistake drank some poison. We beg you to
cure us and let us live longer." "
Bu ken shi to. Kuno
nyo ze. E sho kyobo. Gu ko yaku-so. Shiki ko mimi. Kai shitsu gu-soku. Toshi
wago. Yo shi ryo buku. Ni sa ze gon. Shi dai ro-yaku. Shiki ko mimi. Kai shitsu
gu-soku. Nyoto ka buku. Soku jo kuno. Mu bu shugen.
"The father seeing his children suffering
like this follows various prescriptions. Gathering fine medicinal herbs that
are perfect in color fragrance and flavor he grinds sifts and mixes them
together. Giving a dose of these to his children he tells them, "This
highly beneficial medicine is perfect in color fragrance and flavor. Take it
and you will quickly be relieved of your sufferings and will be free of all
distress." "
Go sho shi chu. Fu
shis^shin ja. Ken shi ro-yaku. Shiki ko gu ko. Soku-ben buku shi. Byo jin jo
yu. Yo shis shin ja. Ken go bu rai. Sui yak-kangi. Monjin gu-shaku ji byo. Nen
yo go yaku. Ni fu ko buku.
"Those children who have not lost their
senses can see that the beneficial medicine is good in both color and
fragrance, so they take it immediately and are completely cured of their
sickness. Those who are out of their minds are equally delighted to see their
father return and beg him to cure their sickness but when they are given the
medicine they refuse to take it."
Sho-i sha ga. Dokke
jinnyu. Ship^ponshin ko. O shi ko. Shiki ko yaku. Ni i fu mi. Bu sa ze nen. Shi
shi ka min. I doku sho chu. Shin kai tendo. Sui ken ga ki. Gushak^kuryo. Nyo ze
ko yaku. Ni fu ko buku. Ga kon to setsu hoben. Ryo buku shi yaku. Soku sa ze
gon. Nyoto to chi. Ga kon sui ro. Shi ji i shi. Ze ko ro-yaku. Kon ru zai shi.
Nyo ka shu buku. Mot^tsu fu sai. Sa ze kyo i. Bu shi ta-koku. Ken shi gen go.
Nyo bu i shi.
"This is because the poison has
penetrated deeply, causing them to lose their minds. Therefore they think that
the medicine will not taste good in spit of its fine color and fragrance. Then
the father thinks, "My poor children! The poison has attacked them and
completely deranged their minds. Although they are happy to see me and ask me
to cure them, they refuse to take this fine medicine I offer them. Now I must
use some means to get them to take it." So he tells them this:
"Children, listen, I am now old and weak. My life is nearing its end. I
leave this good medicine here for you now. You should take it and not worry
that it will not cure you." So instructing them, he again goes off to
another land, where he sends a messenger home to announce: "Your father is
dead." "
Zeji sho shi. Mon bu
haiso. Shin dai uno. Ni sa ze nen. Nyaku bu zai sha. Jimin gato. No ken kugo.
Konja sha ga. On so ta-koku. Ji yui koro. Mu bu jiko. Jo e hikan. Shin zui
shogo. Nai chi shi yaku. Shiki ko mimi. Soku shu buku shi. Doku byo kai yu. Go
bu mon shi. Shichi toku sai. Jin ben rai ki. Gen shi ken shi.
"Hearing that their father has deserted
them and died, the sons are overcome by anguish and reflect "If our father
were alive, he would have pity on us and protect us, but now he has forsaken us
and died in some faraway land. We are now mere orphans with no one to rely
on." In their incessant grief, they finally awaken. They realize that the
medicine actually does possess excellent color, fragrance and favor, and so
they take it and are healed of all the effects of the poison."
Sho zen-nanshi. O i
unga. Ha u nin no. Sesshi ro-i. Komo zai fu. Hot^cha. Seson. Butsu gon. Ga yaku
nyo ze. Jo-butsu irai. Muryo muhen. Hyaku sen man noku. Nayuta. Asogi ko. I
shujo ko. I hoben-riki. Gon to metsu-do. Yaku mu u no. Nyo ho setsu ga. Komo ka
sha.
"Now, men of devout faith, what do you
think about this? Can anyone say that this excellent physician is guilty of
lying?"
"No, World-Honored One"
Then the Buddha spoke, saying: "It is the
same with me. The time is limitless? A hundred, thousand ten thousand, hundred
thousand, nayuta, asogi aeons ?since I attained Buddhahood. For the sake of the
people I have used these expedient means telling of my own passing. But no one
can reasonably accuse me of lying."
Niji seson. Yoku ju
sen shigi. Ni setsu ge gon.
(End of part which may be omitted)
Ji ga toku bur^rai.
Sho kyo sho kosshu. Muryo hyaku sen man. Oku sai asogi. Jo seppo kyoke Mushu
oku shujo. Ryo nyu o butsu-do. Nirai muryo ko.
At that time the World-Honored One, desiring
to emphasize this teaching once more, spoke in verse.
"Since
I attained Buddhahood,
countless aeons have passed,
a hundred, thousand, ten thousand,
hundred thousand, asogi aeons.
I have taught the Law continuously
during these countless aeons
and caused infinite millions
to enter on the road to Buddhahood."
I do shujo ko. Hoben
gen nehan. Ni jitsu fu metsu-do. Jo ju shi seppo.
"I
let the people witness my nirvana
as a means to save them,
but in truth I do not die;
I am here always, teaching the Law."
Ga jo ju o shi. I sho
jin-zu-riki. Ryo tendo shujo. Sui gon ni fu ken.
"I
am here always,
yet because of my mystic powers
the deluded people cannot see me
even when I am close by."
Shu ken ga metsu-do.
Ko kuyo shari. Gen kai e renbo. Ni sho katsu-go shin.
"When
the people witness my passing,
they pay widespread reverence to my relics
All of them harbor thoughts of yearning,
and in their hearts a thirst for me is born."
Shujo ki shin-buku.
Shichi-jiki i nyunan. Isshin yok^ken butsu. Fu ji shaku shinmyo. Ji ga gyu
shuso. Ku shutsu ryojusen.
"When they have become truly faithful,
honest and upright, gentle in mind, single-mindedly yearning to see the Buddha,
not begrudging their lives to do so, then I and the assembly of monks appear
together on
Ga ji go shujo. Jo zai
shi fu-metsu. I hoben-rik^ko. Gen u metsu fu-metsu. Yo-koku u shujo. Kugyo
shingyo sha. Ga bu o hi chu. I setsu mujo ho.
"Then
I tell the people
that I am always here never dying,
that l seem at times to live, at times to die,
merely as all expedient means.
If there are those in other worlds who are reverent and sincere in faith,
among them also I teach the highest Law of all."
Nyoto fu mon shi. Tan
ni ga metsu-do. Ga ken sho shujo. Motsu-zai o kukai. Ko fu i gen shin. Ryo go
sho katsu-go. In go shin renbo. Nai shutsu i seppo.
"But
you refuse to heed my words
and insist upon thinking that I die.
I see the mass of people
drowned in a sea of woe,
and for that reason I do not show myself,
causing them to thirst for me
When their hearts commence to yearn,
I appear to once to teach the Law."
Jin-zu riki nyo ze. O
asogi ko. Jo zai ryo jusen. Gyu yo sho jusho. Shujo ken ko jin. Dai ka sho sho
ji. Ga shi do annon. Tennin jo juman. Onrin sho do-kaku. Shuju ho Shogon. Hoju
ta keka. Shujo sho yu-raku. Soten gyaku tenku. Jo sas^shu gi-gaku. U mandara
ke. San butsu gyu daishu. Ga jodo bu ki. Ni shu ken sho jin. Ufu sho kuno. Nyo
ze shitsu juman.
"Such
are my mystic powers.
For innumerable kotis of aeons
I have always been on
and have lived in various other lands
When men witness the end of an aeon
and all is consumed in a great fire,
this, my land, remains safe and unharmed,
constantly filled with gods and men.
The halls and palaces in its gardens and groves
are adorned with all kinds of gems.
Precious trees bear plentiful flowers and fruit,
and the people there are happy and at ease.
The gods strike heavenly drums
making a ceaseless symphony of sound.
A rain of white mandara blossoms
scatters over the Buddha and the people.
My pure land is indestructible yet men see it as consumed in fire,
filled with sorrow fear and woe,
a place of countless troubles."
Ze sho zai shujo. I
aku-go innen. Ka asogi ko. Fu mon sanbo myo.
"These
people with their various crimes,
because of the effects of their evil deeds,
will never even hear the name of the three treasures,
though countless aeons go by."
Sho u shu ku-doku.
Nyuwa shichi-jiki sha. Sokkai ken gashin. Zai shi ni seppo. Waku-ji i shi shu.
Setsu butsu-ju muryo. Ku nai ken bussha. I setsu butsu nan chi.
"But
those who follow meritorious ways,
who are gentle, peaceful and upright,
all of them will see me
here in person, teaching the Law.
At times I will teach these people the immeasurable length of the Buddha's
life,
and to those who see me only after a long while
I will explain how difficult it is to meet the Buddha."
Ga chi-riki nyo ze.
Eko sho muryo. Jumyo mushu ko. Ku shugo sho toku.
"Such
is the power of my wisdom
that it illuminates infinitely far.
This life that endures for countless aeons
I gained as the result of lengthy practice."
Nyoto u chi sha. Mot^to
shi sho gi. To dan ryo yo jin. Butsu-go jip^puko. Nyo i zen hoben. I ji o shi
ko. Jitsu zai ni gon shi. Mu no sek^komo. Ga yaku i se bu. Ku sho kugen sha.
"You
men of wisdom,
rid yourselves of all doubts about this!
Cut them off once and for all.
The Buddhas words are true not false,
He is like the skilled physician
suing some devices to cure his deluded children.
He lives but tells them he has died.
No one can call his teaching false.
I am the father of this world,
saving those who are suffering and afflicted."
I bonbu tendo. Jitsu
zai ni gon metsu. I joken ga ko. Ni sho kyoshi shin. Ho-itsu jaku go-yoku. Da o
aku-do chu. Ga jo chi shujo. Gyo do fu gyo do. Zui o sho ka do. I ses^shuju ho.
"Because
of the delusions of ordinary people,
I say I have departed though in fact I live,
for if they see me constantly,
arrogance and selfishness arise in their hearts,
Abandoning themselves to the five desires,
they fall into the paths of evil.
I am ever aware of which people practice the Way, and which do not."
Mai ji sa ze nen. I ga
ryo shujo. Toku nyu mu-jo do. Soku joju busshin.
"This
is my constant thought:
how I can cause all living beings
to gain entry to the highest Way
and quickly attain Buddhahood."
Recitation
of the Sutra
Recite the "Expedient Means" (Hoben)
chapter excerpt. When completed, sound the bell. Recite the Juryo chapter. When
completed, sound the bell as you begin chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Continue
chanting for as long as you wish. But
you should chant for a minimum of five minutes.
When completed, sound the bell and chant
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo three times. Then offer the first, second, third, fourth,
fifth and sixth silent prayers below.
First
Silent Prayer
Appreciation for Life's Protective Forces (shoten zenjin)
I offer appreciation to the functions in life
and the environment (shoten zenjin) that serve to protect us, and pray that
these protective powers be further strengthened and enhanced through my
practice of the Law.
Chant
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo three times.
Second
Silent Prayer
Prayer of Appreciation for the Gohonzon
I offer profound appreciation and pray to
repay my debt of gratitude to the Gohonzon of the Three Great Secret Laws,
which was bestowed upon the entire world; to Nichiren Daishonin, the Buddha of
the Latter Day of the Law; and to Nikko Shonin. I offer appreciation and pray
to repay my debt of gratitude for Nichimoku Shonin.
Chant
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo three times.
Third
Silent Prayer
Prayer For the Attainment of Kosen-rufu
(Kosen-rufu means the spread of harmony in
society based on True Buddhism).
I pray that the great desire for kosen-rufu be
fulfilled. I pray that I will personally
contribute to kosen-rufu during my lifetime. I offer appreciation and pray to
repay my debt of gratitude to all those who have taught me Nichiren
Buddhism.
Chant
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo three times.
Fourth Silent Prayer
I pray to bring forth Buddhahood from within my
life, change my karma, and fulfill my wishes in the present and the future.
(Offer additional prayers here.)
Chant
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo three times.
Fifth Silent Prayer
I pray for my deceased relatives and for all
those who have passed away, particularly for these individuals:
(Sound the bell
continuously while offering prayers.)
Chant
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo three times.
Sixth Silent Prayer
I pray for peace throughout the world and the
happiness of all living beings.
Sound
the bell and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo three times to conclude (group chants in
unison).
How to Perform this Religion
There are three aspects to the religion of Nichiren
Buddhism: Practice, Study, and Faith.
Practice can be divided into the Practice for Oneself and the Practice
for Others.
The Practice for Oneself (Gongyo)
The Practice for Oneself consists of a twice-daily
ritual, best performed at the start of the day, and the early evening. The ritual is called “Gongyo” which literally
means “assiduous practice”.
Your altar consists of a small table, against a
wall, with optional offerings of food, water, evergreens, incense, candles, and
a small bell and gong (traditional Buddhist type is preferable). The food may be consumed sometime after the
ceremony. The water should be emptied
after the ceremony. The altar should,
obviously, be kept clean, changing the evergreens as needed (artificial
evergreens may be used in urban or tropical areas). Likewise the altar should be kept free of
knick-knacks, personal memorabilia, extraneous esoterica, icons from other
religions or sects, notes, clocks, wish lists, etc.
If you have a scroll style Gohonzon, the Gohonzon is
enshrined in a Butsudan (traditional Buddhist protective box with doors that
open and close) which can be purchased, built or improvised – as from an old,
but clean and polished, wooden cabinet.
You can find Butsudans you can buy on the Internet by simply doing a
Google search for “Butusdans” or “Butsudan”.

The Butsudan is securely atop the altar and snug against the
wall. Since I have cats, my altar table
and Butsudan are anchored to the wall inconspicuously with small screw-eye
hooks and thin metal wire. Be sure that
the top one-third of the Gohonzon is just above eye level as you sit.
If you have this book’s Gohonzon in a frame, mount the frame
on the wall above and behind your altar.
Sit down (in a chair) in front of your Gohonzon, which
is enshrined behind your altar. Open the
doors of the Butsudan. Ring the
(optional) bell three times. Chant the
mantra or daimoku (Nam Myo ho Ren ge Kyo) three times, elongated and
solemnly. The left hand holds the
liturgy (if necessary); the right hand (and optionally the left hand) is in a
prayer position. Then recite the Hoben
excerpt, then the Juryo excerpt, then chant daimoku (Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo) for
at least five minutes, ring the (optional) bell, then do the first, second,
third, fourth, fifth, and sixth silent prayers, chanting daimoku three times
and ringing the (optional) bell between prayers.
Then chant the mantra (daimoku) three times,
elongated and solemnly, with the hands in a prayer position. Blow out the (optional) candle(s). Close the Butsudan. Extinguish the (optional) incense. Remove water and food, dump excess (optional)
ashes, change the evergreens (once a week), and dust the altar area.
Once you get used to it, the whole ritual takes
about 15 minutes – 10 minutes to perform the actual ceremony, plus 5 minutes to
clean up. This is the Practice for
Oneself.
Some believers use a Juzu – prayer beads. You can
buy Juzu with a leather Juzu case.
These, as well as other Butsugu (altar accessories) can be purchased from the
Internet – just do a Google search for “Butsugu”. Butsugu includes an incense burner, a water
cup with lid, candle holders, a rice cup, a bell with a cushion, and a
container for evergreens. You can buy
candles and incense usually at the same web site where you find Butsugu. Some Butsugu sites also sell artificial
evergreens.
Below is an illustration of an altar with a downloaded,
printed, trimmed and framed Gohonzon.

The Butsugu shown on the altar are – from left to right – a
water cup, a candle, an evergreens holder, a bell with cushion and gong, an
incense burner, a juzu case with juzu beads inside it, another candle, and a
rice cup. The drawer beneath the
table-top contains a supply of incense sticks, candles, and matches. If the believer is new to Gongyo, there is
also an 8-1/2 by 11 copy of the Liturgy in the drawer, which the believer
photocopied from this document (the Liturgy is near the end of this web page).
The reader might wonder why the author recommends a minimum
of merely five minutes’ daimoku (chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo) with each
Gongyo. That’s only ten minutes a
day.
First of all, whenever I, the author, have a serious
problem, such as illness or unemployment, I chant an hour or more of daimoku
each day, plus taking lots of conventional action. Ten minutes a day is for normal times when
things are going smoothly.
Bear in mind that prescription medicines come in tiny
tablets. This is because such substances
are very potent, so a little is all that is needed. Likewise one tiny hereditary gene can
fundamentally alter the entire future destiny of a fetus. The same is true of daimoku. Precisely
because daimoku connects us with the core of our own lives, and the essence
of all universal life, a small amount of daimoku exerts a tremendous beneficial
influence.
One of my readers, a female independent Nichiren Buddhist in
her sixties, recently reprimanded me by email for recommending on this web page
that people chant as little as ten minutes of daimoku a day. I got to know her through several rounds of
email exchanges. She is always chanting
and reading the Gosho, several hours each day (she also works full time). She even chants daimoku under her breath
while she is using public transportation, commuting to and from work.
And at every moment she is self-consciously examining and
dissecting her motives and decisions to see if they are in harmony with the
Universal Law. She never relaxes. She does not have any hobbies or interests
outside of her Buddhist practice. She is
afraid that if she lets up even a little, she will fail to attain enlightenment
in this lifetime.
I have a few reactions to her. First of all, she reminds me of certain
guilt-ridden fundamentalist Christians who are always beating up on themselves
and always preoccupied with damnation and sin.
Second, she is anticipating some kind of magnificent
transcendent enlightenment in the future that she will miss out on if she
relaxes even a little. Whereas I say, if
you do a brief gongyo to the Gohonzon with faith, twice a day, and study the
Gosho ten or fifteen minutes a day, and live with basic compassion, generosity
and integrity, then you are enlightened,
quite naturally, just as you are. You do
not have to self consciously pick apart your every thought, word and deed at
every moment, living in a straight jacket.
Chanting to the Gohonzon automatically
elevates your thoughts, words and actions - as long as you do not act in obvious and blatant contradiction to the
principles of common sense and benevolence.
The kind of self consciousness this woman practices is only
necessary when we are about to get angry at someone, or when we are tempted to
do something wrong, such as an opportunity for petty theft or cheating on one’s
spouse. At those times we need to
scrutinize ourselves painstakingly. But
to live like that twenty four hours a day is unnatural and unnecessary, and
turns life into a tragic austerity, robbing us of spontaneity and joy. Relax!
Trust the Gohonzon! You do not
need to overwork your SuperEgo.
The Practice for Others
The Practice for Others consists of sharing this religion
with other people. If you have something
efficacious and beneficial your natural inclination is to share it with
others. It feels good to share, it
benefits the people you share with, and it helps to make the world a better
place.
At the same time, we do not pressure others to accept this
religion. We simply make it available to
those who step forward and express an interest in it. High pressure proselytizing is
counterproductive and disrespectful of others’ autonomy.
If you are practicing Nichiren Buddhism alone, and using
this document as your guide, you need not practice alone forever. As soon as you introduce one other person in your neighborhood to this practice, your
neighborhood thereby has a Buddhist Sangha (community of believers). Then if you and your friend each introduce
two more people, you have a community of six believers. You can use this web site as the basis for
your practice. You can meet in each other’s homes to chant and study and share
your experiences. Then if each of you
six introduces one more person, you have a Sangha of twelve people – and so on
and so on.
There is also an online forum specifically for independent
Nichiren Buddhists. Here is the link:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndependentSangha/
Practice for others, on a more general level, also
optionally involves working with benevolent people of varied beliefs on secular
good works.
Practice for others can even involve providing secular help
to individuals in need. But it is
unmerciful both to yourself and to the recipient of your help to allow yourself
to be exploited, or to render too much help, keeping the disadvantaged
person dependent longer than he or she needs to be. It’s best in the long run to help people help
themselves, except in cases of emergencies and permanent incapacities.
There are three main grades of compassion. Small compassion is giving someone a fish a
day. Medium compassion is teaching him
how to fish, then insisting he fish for himself. Great compassion is giving him a means to
reveal his enlightenment. Then he will
learn to fish on his own, and acquire by himself the discipline to fish for his
own supper.
Thus there are three aspects to the religion of Nichiren
Buddhism: Practice, Study and Faith. We
have examined Practice for Oneself and Practice for Others.
Study
Keep in mind the preeminence of the Lotus Sutra in asserting
and justifying human dignity, equality, and potential. Shakyamuni taught that it was preeminent
among the Sutras in this respect. And
this is demonstrable when one examines the Sutras – by looking for disparity,
and the closure of disparity, between the Buddha and the common mortal.
In the Juryo Chapter Shakyamuni states: “All gods, men and
ashura of this world believe that after leaving the palace of the Shakyas,
Shakyamuni Buddha seated himself at the place of revelation not far from the
city of Gaya and attained the supreme enlightenment. However, men of devout faith, the time is
limitless and boundless – a hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand
nayuta eons – since I in fact attained Buddhahood.”
Here Shakyamuni is telling his disciples that all human
beings appear, on the surface, to be unenlightened common mortals, but are
essentially Buddhas – have been so since the infinite past, and will be so
eternally. A Buddha is simply a common
mortal, an ordinary person, who realizes he or she has inherent enlightenment.
Yet in this same Juryo Chapter Shakyamuni states: “Once I
also practiced the Bodhisattva austerities.”
By this he means that he himself was once a pre-enlightened
seeker of the Law, not yet a Buddha. But
that is only the superficial meaning.
More profoundly, he means that even a Buddha possesses the lower nine
states (Hell through Altruism) and appears in the world as a common
mortal. By extension this means a Buddha
is an ordinary person who has goals, hopes, relationships, worries, problems,
and so on.
Shakyamuni’s disciples naturally revered their Teacher and
saw themselves as incapable of attaining anything that approached his state of
life. So for Shakyamuni to suddenly tell
them that there is no fundamental difference between a Buddha and an ordinary
person – that ordinary persons can and should become Buddhas – would have been
too much for them to believe and understand, without preparation.
So Shakyamuni first preached the Hoben Chapter to prepare
his disciples to believe and understand the Juryo Chapter. The Hoben Chapter lays the theoretical
groundwork for the Juryo Chapter by revealing the Ten Factors – Appearance,
Nature, Entity, Force, Influence, Inherent Cause, Manifest Cause, Inherent
Effect, Manifest Effect, and Consistency From Beginning To End.
Our Buddhist practice in this lifetime is a Manifest Cause,
which wakes up the Inherent Cause of our intrinsic Buddhahood. The Inherent Effect is the activation of this
Buddhahood in the depths of our lives.
The Manifest Effect is that while outwardly, we still appear in the
world as common mortals (Appearance), we go through life’s ups and downs with
new life force, confidence and compassion resulting from our realization of our
inherent Buddhahood (Nature). There is
no essential difference between our outward appearance as common mortals
struggling to make achievements and overcome problems (Force) in the real world
(Influence), and our inner life as Buddhas residing in a place of perfect
serenity (Entity; Consistency From Beginning To End).
The other Buddhist Sutras and their attendant Treatises and
Commentaries make sense only in the context of the Lotus Sutra’s essential
message. Without this prime point,
exploring the Sutras is like getting lost in a vast, remote, untracked rain
forest.
The point of the Lotus Sutra
is, again, that: Buddhahood is inherent in the lives of common mortals, the
lives of common mortals are inherent in Buddhahood, and everyone without
exception has the potential for Buddhahood.
Therefore, it is recommended that
further study be focused on:
You
can find the Gosho online at:
http://www.sgilibrary.org/writings.php
Also,
here is a download link for a small selection of Gosho’s that for the most part
do not attack other religions. These are
Gosho’s that a modern, tolerant Nichiren Buddhist can believe in. After you download the file, when you
try to run it, you will get a security warning.
Windows always issues a security warning whenever you are about to run
an
http://www.nichirendaishoninsbuddhism.com/gosho.exe
Doing the lengthy, cumbersome, difficult regimen of meditation
prescribed in T’ien-t’ai’s Maka Shikan (Great Concentration and Insight) is not
part of the practice of Nichiren Buddhism.
Instead we use the condensed practice you just read about – Sutra,
Mantra, Mandala. “Time” (cosmic time) is
very important in Buddhism, and this (the Latter Day of the Law) is a time when
Buddhism must be accessible to masses of busy working people, to make any
difference for the better in society.
That is because for society to improve, the Sovereign must have a life
affirming philosophy, and today, the Sovereign is the common people.
Those who get lost in a maze of complex practices may tend
to neglect their daily responsibilities, thereby negating their personal
benefits, and becoming poor reflections of Buddhism in the eyes of others.
Study is not just ‘reading more’. The important thing is how much you can
actualize what you’ve already read, not how much added theoretical detail you
can acquire. The foremost type of study
is experiential – carefully noting your experiences as you try to apply what
you’ve read in daily life.
Added reading is secondary and optional, and its main
function is to help deepen faith, not knowledge for its own sake.
So much for Practice and Study. The third aspect of this religion is Faith.
Faith
Faith is having a positive expectation that your efforts in
Practice and Study will yield a positive result. At first this means merely being open to the
possibility that this will happen. As
you experience benefit, your faith will deepen, and your deepened faith will
attract still more benefit, starting a self fulfilling positive momentum.
As one’s practice and study accumulate and mature, faith
deepens to become a commitment to support the well being of others and to live
with integrity. But these fine
attributes are not absolutely necessary in the beginning. That’s because this practice transforms
earthly desires into enlightenment, so you don’t need to be fully enlightened
already just to start practicing.
Traditional Buddhism has a concept called
The Four Noble Truths and The Eightfold Path.
Independent Nichiren Buddhism interprets this concept in a unique way.
The Four Noble Truths are:
The Eightfold Path consists of:
In Independent Nichiren Buddhism, the Eightfold Path consists of
chanting the mantra and sutra to the mandala, study, and helping other
people. All of the 8 points of the
Eightfold Path are implicit in the three practices of Faith, Practice (for
oneself and others) and Study.
Right speech,
behavior, and livelihood are decided by situation ethics on the basis of our
Buddha wisdom which we bring forth through Practice, Study and Faith. There are no absolute rules for speech,
behavior and livelihood. As long as
decisions about speech, behavior and livelihood are made on the basis of
sincere chanting, then those decisions will reflect Right Knowledge, Right
Aspiration, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Absorption, because
those properties are already embedded in the mandala we chant to.
Then Right
Speech, Right Behavior and Right Livelihood will come of themselves, adapted to
the specific circumstances of the believer’s life, due to Consistency From Beginning
To End, one of the 10 Factors.
A comparison of
Nichiren Buddhism with other religions
First let’s compare Nichiren Buddhism with other forms of
Buddhism. Then we will compare Nichiren
Buddhism with the major non Buddhist religions.
Nichiren Buddhism
and Theravada Buddhism
There are two main streams within Buddhism, Theravada and
Mahayana. Theravada is the original
stream of Buddhism. Mahayana came
later. Nichiren Buddhism is a branch of
Mayahana Buddhism.
Theravada Buddhism has hundreds of rules or precepts for
conduct, in order to maintain monastic discipline. Enlightenment is only open to priests and
monks, who have renounced society. The
only way lay people can advance toward enlightenment is to financially support
the monastery, which gives the lay believer karmic merit which, when sufficiently
accumulated, will enable the lay believer to be reborn himself or herself as a
monk, whence he can proceed to develop his enlightenment.
Theravada Buddhist monasteries tend to be aloof from society. The goal is personal perfection for the
practitioner. The ultimate reward for
Buddhist practice is to attain, after death, a state of nirvana - a blissful oneness with the universe from which rebirth
onto earth or earth like planets is no longer necessary.
Theravada Buddhism is widely practiced today in southeast
Asia.
Mahayana Buddhism split from Theravada in the first few
centuries after the Buddha’s death. The
Mahayanists claimed that Theravada was too oriented toward individual self
perfection and that the Theravadins were ignoring the welfare of the mass of
common people. Mahayana Buddhism reduced
the number of monastic precepts and instead emphacized the essential Buddhist
spirit of compassion. A Mahayana bodhisattva (seeker, altruist) takes a vow
to postpone his or her entry into nirvana until all other sentient beings can
likewise be saved. Thus the Mahayana
practitioner continues to be reborn onto earth or earth like planets in order
to save his fellow sentient beings by spreading Buddhism.
In Nichiren Buddhism, the bodhisattva is PERPETUALLY reborn
on earth or earth like planets to work compassionately for his fellow sentient
beings. Thus nirvana in Nichiren
Buddhism occurs while alive on earth – and it consists of a serene realization
that any obstacle or problem can be turned around into an impetus for growth
and a source of benefit.
Nichiren Buddhism
and Pure Land Buddhism
However
Nichiren Buddhism is definitely NOT an opiate. Nichiren taught that even in this, the
benighted Latter Day of the Law, human beings CAN attain enlightenment through
their own efforts here on earth.
They just need a simple practice, since it’s the Latter Day. Thus Nichiren Buddhism, instead of teaching
people to “give up”, instead gives people the means to challenge their destiny
right here, right now, both individually and as a society.
Incidentally, although the ultimate reward in Christianity,
Judaism and Islam is to attain a paradise after death, these three religions
also teach that the human condition can and should be improved here on earth,
right now. So the western deistic
religions are a far cry from Pure Land Buddhism.
Nichiren Buddhism
and Zen Buddhism
It is well known that Zen Buddhism uses primarily medit