Sunday 30 September 2012

Daily Gosho - The Strategy of the Lotus Sutra


It's up to us! The Mystic Law will afford us limitless power and allow us to reach our highest potential but we've got to truly believe it works. Not for everyone else but us. Not for some situations and not others. Its power is universal and encompasses us all. It goes back to whether we actually recognize our own Buddhahood...  
As Nichiren says in the Gosho, The True Aspect of All Phenomena "Now, no matter what, strive in faith and be known as a votary of the Lotus Sutra, and remain my disciple for the rest of your life. If you are of the same mind as Nichiren, you must be a Bodhisattva of the Earth. And if you are a Bodhisattva of the Earth, there is not the slightest doubt that you have been a disciple of Shakyamuni Buddha from the remote past. The sutra states, “Ever since the long distant past I have been teaching and converting this multitude.” There should be no discrimination among those who propagate the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo in the Latter Day of the Law, be they men or women. Were they not Bodhisattvas of the Earth, they could not chant the daimoku." 
So, we all have Buddhahood, we're Bodhisattvas of the Earth, we can all chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, and we all have the power to attain enlightenment in this lifetime. In the words of George Michael, we just "gotta have faith" :)

"It is the heart that is important. No matter how earnestly Nichiren prays for you, if you lack faith, it will be like trying to set fire to wet tinder. Spur yourself to muster the power    of faith."

(The Strategy of the Lotus Sutra - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 1000) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=1000 Selection source: Kyo no Hosshin, Seikyo Shimbun, July 28th, 2012, Selection source: "Myoji no Gen", Seikyo Shimbun, August 15th, 2012


Background
In the tenth month of the second year of Koan (1279), this letter was written in reply to a letter to Nichiren Daishonin from Shijo Kingo, informing him that Kingo had been ambushed by enemies among his fellow samurai, but had managed to escape unharmed.
The Daishonin teaches Kingo that faith must always come first, before any other tactic or strategy, and that faith in the Mystic Law is the ultimate factor that determines victory or defeat.


Saturday 29 September 2012

Daily Gosho - General Stone Tiger


The next line of this Gosho extract is "The Lotus Sutra is a fine sword, but its might depends on the one who wields it." A great reminder that we can sit and chant till the cows come home, but if we are doubtful, or half-hearted, we're not really using the medicine of the Mystic Law to its fullest power; that is, reaching our fullest potential. Let's wield that sword as if our lives depended on it, with the spirit of the youthful disciple Shijo Kingo in our hearts...


"The stronger one's faith, the greater the protection of the gods." This means that the protection of the gods depends on the strength of one's faith."

(General Stone Tiger - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 953) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=952 Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, August 18th, 2012


Background
This letter was written at Minobu in the intercalary tenth month of 1278 to Shijo Nakatsukasa Saburo Saemon, commonly called Shijo Kingo. Kingo was accomplished in both the practice of medicine and the martial arts. For nearly the entire first half of 1278, Nichiren Daishonin had suffered from debilitating and chronic diarrhea. Evidently Kingo had sent the Daishonin various medicines that had helped alleviate his illness.
In the fall of 1277 a virulent epidemic swept Japan, and Kingo’s lord became violently ill. Despite the lord’s deep-seated antagonism toward the Daishonin’s teachings, he turned to Kingo for help. Lord Ema was most grateful for Kingo’s ministrations and rewarded him with an estate three times larger than the one he already had. Yet the Daishonin warns Kingo to be constantly on guard and to take particularly great care to protect himself from attack while traveling.

Friday 28 September 2012

Daily Gosho - The Opening of the Eyes




When Nichiren Daishonin puts it like this, I can't have any doubt, can I?...  

Difficulties - yes! lots! But doubt... no.... We are his disciples, and our enlightenment is guaranteed...but the crucial point in his statement is for us to check the strength of our faith, our determined prayer, and our correct action based on our daimoku. Redetermining with every gongyo to strengthening our three practices so that any doubts are dispelled and our lives shine with benefits, both conspicuous and conspicuous. Creating lives of happiness that shine...

"Although I and my disciples may encounter various difficulties, if we do not harbour doubts in our hearts, we will as a matter of course attain Buddhahood."
(The Opening of the Eyes - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.1, page 283) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=220 Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, August 17th, 2012

Background
This treatise is one of Nichiren Daishonin’s five most important writings, in which he reveals his identity as the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law who possesses the three virtues of sovereign, teacher, and parent. In the second month of the ninth year of Bun’ei (72), still in exile under harsh conditions on Sado Island, the Daishonin completed this work in two volumes and addressed it to Shijo Kingo, one of his leading disciples in Kamakura and a samurai who was in the employ of the ruling Hojo clan, on behalf of all his followers. When the Daishonin was taken to Tatsunokuchi in Kamakura in , Shijo Kingo accompanied him, having resolved to die by his side, and personally witnessed his triumph over execution. Also, he had journeyed to Sado to visit the Daishonin in exile and sent his messengers to him with writing materials and other necessities.
The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind, written in 1273, clarifies, from the viewpoint of the Law, the object of devotion that enables all people to attain Buddhahood. The Opening of the Eyes treats the same subject in terms of the Person; that is, it shows Nichiren Daishonin to be the Buddha who would establish the object of devotion for all humankind to achieve Buddhahood. The object of devotion is the embodiment of the Daishonin’s enlightenment to Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the Law implied in the depths of the Lotus Sutra.
Nichiren Daishonin’s life on the forbidding island of Sado was full of hardship; his hut was open to wind and snow, and he lacked food, clothing, and writing materials. In addition to his physical suffering, he was greatly troubled by the news that many of his followers in Kamakura had abandoned their faith. Feeling himself constantly facing the shadow of death, the Daishonin wrote this treatise to encourage his disciples as though it were his last will and testament.
Nichiren Daishonin later described his motives behind the work in his Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra: “After everyone had gone, I began to put into shape a work in two volumes called The Opening of the Eyes, which I had been working on since the eleventh month of the previous year. I wanted to record the wonder of Nichiren, in case I should be beheaded. The essential message in this work is that the destiny of Japan depends solely upon Nichiren. A house without pillars collapses, and a person without a soul is dead. Nichiren is the soul of the people of this country” ( p. 772).
The title The Opening of the Eyes means to enable people to see the truth, in other words, to free people from illusions and distorted views and awaken them to an understanding of the correct teaching and its correct teacher. The work describes the role the Daishonin played in championing the supremacy of the Lotus Sutra and in spreading its teachings, as he himself viewed and experienced it. A passage from this treatise reads: “On the twelfth day of the ninth month of last year, between the hours of the rat and the ox (11:00 P.M. to 3:00 A.M.), this person named Nichiren was beheaded. It is his soul that has come to this island of Sado” ( p. 269). It was through the Tatsunokuchi Persecution that Nichiren Daishonin revealed his true identity as the eternal Buddha. This passage refers to the death of a common person named Nichiren and indicates that from then on the Daishonin was to reveal in full his enlightenment as the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law.
Nichiren Daishonin begins this treatise with the words, “There are three categories of people that all human beings should respect. They are the sovereign, the teacher, and the parent” (p. 220). The three virtues of sovereign, teacher, and parent are equated with the qualifications of a Buddha. The virtue of sovereign is the power to protect all living beings; the virtue of teacher is the wisdom to lead all to enlightenment, and the virtue of parent means compassion to nurture and support them. These three virtues constitute a theme that runs throughout this treatise, and at the conclusion of this work the Daishonin declares, “I, Nichiren, am sovereign, teacher, and father and mother to all the people of Japan” (p. 287).
At the outset Nichiren Daishonin discusses Confucianism, Taoism, Brahmanism, Hinayana, and provisional Mahayana Buddhism, and then moves on to the Lotus Sutra. He attributes the disasters ravaging Japan to the confusion in Buddhism and the failure by both rulers and subjects to recognize the supremacy of the Lotus Sutra. Here he cites two reasons why the sutra is supreme. One is that the theoretical teaching (the first half of the sutra) reveals that people of the two vehicles can attain enlightenment, a possibility utterly denied in the previous forty- two years of the Buddha’s preaching. This substantiates the mutual possession of the Ten Worlds and the statement that Buddhahood is open to all. The other reason is that, in the essential teaching (the latter half of the sutra), Shakyamuni Buddha proclaims that he first attained enlightenment in an unfathomably remote past.
The Daishonin states that Shakyamuni Buddha himself declared that the Lotus Sutra is “the most difficult to believe and the most difficult to understand.” In this sutra the Buddha implied the supreme teaching, as stated: “The doctrine of three thousand realms in a single moment of life is found in only one place, hidden in the depths of the ‘Life Span’ chapter of the essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra” (p. 224). The Daishonin takes the position that only the revelation of the truth of Buddhism can save the nation and the people. This conviction, he says, has moved him to propagate the essence of the Lotus Sutra in spite of the persecution that he knew he would incur. He realized that his followers might doubt him because of the apparent failure of the gods to protect a votary of the Lotus Sutra. Therefore, he stated: “This doubt lies at the heart of this piece I am writing. And because it is the most important concern of my entire life, I will raise it again and again here, and emphasize it more than ever, before I attempt to answer it” (p. 243).
The second part of this treatise discusses the “Emerging from the Earth” and the “Life Span” chapters of the Lotus Sutra, where Shakyamuni Buddha summons forth countless bodhisattvas from beneath the earth and reveals that he actually attained enlightenment in the remote past, and that all the Buddhas of the other sutras are his emanations and all the bodhisattvas, his disciples. Nichiren Daishonin clarifies that the Buddha of the “Life Span” chapter is the teacher of all Buddhas.
At this point, an implicit analogy begins to emerge. The doubt held by Shakyamuni’s disciples about how he could possibly have taught the countless Bodhisattvas of the Earth in this life leads to the revelation of his true identity as the Buddha who attained enlightenment countless kalpas ago. Similarly, the doubt held by the Daishonin’s followers about why he has been exiled and suffered so many persecutions leads to an understanding of his true identity as the Buddha of the Latter Day.
Then the Daishonin mentions the principle of sowing, maturing, and harvesting. He points to the unsurpassed Law whereby all Buddhas attain enlightenment — Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. This Law is what lies in the depths of the “Life Span” chapter. Nichiren Daishonin directly teaches this Law, the true cause for attaining Buddhahood, and his Buddhism is called the Buddhism of sowing because it implants this “seed of enlightenment” in the lives of those who practice it. In this light, he possesses the virtues of sovereign, teacher, and parent for humanity as a whole.
Nichiren Daishonin explains that each sutra has its own claim to excellence; he also gives examples of statements in which various sutras assert their own superiority to other teachings. But the Lotus Sutra alone declares that it is supreme among all sutras, and the Daishonin reconfirms its supremacy. The Lotus Sutra speaks of the three powerful enemies of the sutra and prophesies opposition and hostility toward the sutra and its votary. All this the Daishonin had himself encountered; all this is predicted in the sutra. As the votary of the Lotus Sutra, he vows to stake his life on the cause of saving all people, saying: “Let the gods forsake me. Let all persecutions assail me. Still I will give my life for the sake of the Law. . . . I will be the pillar of 
Japan. I will be the eyes of Japan. I will be the great ship of Japan. This is my vow, and I will never forsake it” (pp. 280 –81). Then he assures his disciples that they will definitely attain Buddhahood as long as they do not permit themselves to be overcome by doubts, even when difficulties befall them.
In the final section of this treatise, Nichiren Daishonin explains that there are two ways to propagate the Lotus Sutra: shoju, or gentle persuasion, and shakubuku, or strict refutation. Here, the Daishonin argues that both methods should be used, because there are two kinds of countries, those whose people are ignorant of the correct teaching of Buddhism and those whose people deliberately oppose it. But Japan, as a nation that slanders the correct teaching, requires the shakubuku method. Then he concludes that to remove suffering and give joy to the people is the Buddha’s teaching. The Daishonin has devoted himself to refuting and rooting out the causes of human misery. For him, the exile to Sado was only a “small suffering” in this life. Indeed, he feels “great joy” because of the results he is confident will come in the future.


Thursday 27 September 2012

Daily Gosho - Reply to Sairen-bo

The mentor and disciple relationship formed most of the discussion during last night's Women's Division meeting. In President Ikeda's book "A Piece of Mirror", he writes about choosing our mission in life, and attaining absolute happiness by fufilling the profound mission of achieving kosen-rufu. Well, as Sairen-bo did all those years ago, we have chosen our mission in life by standing up, side by side with our mentor in faith. We chose this brave and courageous path in the distant past - the time is now, in the murky pond of the Latter Day of the Law, for us to achieve it...

"You and I have been born together in this defiled age of the Latter Day of the Law, in the country of Japan in the southern continent of Jambudvipa, and with the utmost reverence we chant with our mouths Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the ultimate reason for which the Buddhas appear in the world; we believe in it in our hearts, embrace it with our bodies, and delight in it with our hands. Has all of this not come about solely because of some bond of karma we share from the past?"

Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, August 16th, 2012 Reply to Sairen-bo http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=309

Background
This letter was written to Sairen-bo Nichijo in the fourth month of the ninth year of Bun’ei (1272) at Ichinosawa on Sado Island. Sairen-bo, a former Tendai priest, was also living in exile on Sado. From the letters sent to him by Nichiren Daishonin, it appears that Sairen-bo was well versed in Buddhist teachings. The Daishonin, on receiving the government’s pardon, left Sado and moved to Minobu. Somewhat later Sairen-bo was also pardoned, whereupon he returned to his native Kyoto. He received a number of important writings from the Daishonin, including The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life and The True Aspect of All Phenomena.

In this letter, the Daishonin expresses his heartfelt gratitude for the various articles from Kyoto that Sairen-bo had sent to him as offerings. For an exile such as Sairen-bo, these articles must have been exceedingly precious.

The Daishonin also refers to a letter that Sairen-bo had sent him. In his letter Sairen-bo explained that he had pledged near the beginning of the second month to follow the Daishonin, and he expressed his desire to be considered one of the Daishonin’s disciples.

With regard to Sairen-bo’s recent pledge to become his disciple, the Daishonin quotes from the Lotus Sutra and its commentaries to illustrate the profound relationship between teacher and disciple. He then states that one should discard evil teachers and follow good ones. He reveals that he himself is the true and correct teacher for the Latter Day of the Law and declares that Sairen-bo was born in order to aid him in his efforts, thereby encouraging his disciple to exert himself in Buddhist practice.

The Daishonin reveals the great benefits to be gained by observing the precept of the perfect teaching— in other words, faith in the Mystic Law. And he tells Sairen-bo that, although they may both be exiles, in the future they are sure to attain Buddhahood and that, therefore, he feels great satisfaction and joy. In conclusion, the Daishonin encourages Sairen-bo by suggesting that they are both likely to be pardoned soon.

Wednesday 26 September 2012

Daily Practice - Our Compassionate Practice

A timely reminder for me, this one. After reading Sensei Ikeda's writings on the parable of The Good Physician, I've reflected on how my mind has been swayed a little lately. I suppose it's human nature to expect something back after we've done something for others. I think I need to hone my skills and use my Buddha wisdom to remain compassionate, no matter how much the other person hasn't (tick all that apply) appreciated my time, acknowledged my efforts, applauded my generosity.
Yes, I definitely need to chant about this one... Personally it's always easier for me to behave in the world of Bodhisattva when I'm not tired, running out of time, stressed etc. But that's not daily life, is it! Things happen... 
I'm really going to chant to build up my life-force and carry on giving, keeping my Buddha compassion and kosen-rufu mission at the forefront of my mind...and behaving as such. Sensei most definitely would...
Further reading at http://www.sgi.org/sgi-president/writings-by-sgi-president-ikeda/the-good-physicians-lesson.html Enjoy!

Daily Gosho - In the Continent of Jambudvipa


Roaring like lion cubs, let's banish our fundamental darkness, and prove the validity of this practice to everyone we encounter... 

"My wish is that my disciples will be cubs of the lion king, never to be laughed at by the pack of foxes."

(In the Continent of Jambudvipa - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol.2, page 1026)
Selection source: "Kyo no Hosshin", Seikyo Shimbun, August 15th, 2012

Tuesday 25 September 2012

Daily Gosho - The Four Virtues and the Four Debts of Gratitude

One of the first bits of 'actual proof' I received when I started to chant....the absolute transformation of my relationship with one of my parents. From complete negativity and slander to one of appreciation and gratitude, all thanks to the power of nam-myoho-renge-kyo and determined prayer...

"One never in any way disobeys a parent; is always mindful of providing a parent with all manner of good things, and if this happens to be impossible, in the course of a day one at least smiles twice or thrice in their direction."
(The Four Virtues and the Four Debts of Gratitude - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Volume 2, page 636) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=41 Selection source: Myoji no Gen, August 14th, 2012

Background

Nichiren Daishonin wrote this letter while he was in exile in Ito on the Izu Peninsula. It was addressed to Kudo Sakon-no-jo Yoshitaka, known also as Kudo Yoshitaka, the lord of Amatsu in Awa Province.

Kudo Yoshitaka is said to have converted to Nichiren Daishonin’s teachings around 1256, about the same time Shijo Kingo and Ikegami Munenaka did, a few years after the Daishonin first proclaimed his teachings. While the Daishonin was in exile on Izu, Yoshitaka sent offerings to him and continued to maintain pure faith. He was killed defending the Daishonin at the time of the Komatsubara Persecution in the eleventh month of 1264. The Four Debts of Gratitude is the only letter still extant that the Daishonin addressed to him.

In this letter, in light of the reason for his banishment, Nichiren Daishonin expresses his conviction that he is a true practitioner of the Lotus Sutra. He mentions the “two important matters” that concern his Izu Exile. He states, “One is that I feel immense joy,” and explains the reasons for his joy. The greater part of the letter consists of this explanation. Following this, he states,
“The second of the two important matters is that I feel intense grief.” Cit- ing passages from the Lotus and Great Collection sutras that reveal the gravity of the offense of slandering the Law and its devotees, the Daishonin explains that he grieves at the thought of the great karmic retribution his tormentors must undergo. This is the concluding part of the letter.

In the body of the letter, the Daishonin gives two reasons for his “immense joy.” One is that he has been able to prove himself to be the votary of the Lotus Sutra by fulfilling the Buddha’s prediction made in the sutra that its votary in the Latter Day of the Law will meet with persecution. The other reason is that, by suffering banishment for the sutra’s sake, he can repay the four debts of gratitude. He declares that the ruler who condemned him to exile is the very person to whom he is the most grateful; thanks to the ruler, he has been able to fulfill the words of the Lotus Sutra and so prove himself to be its true votary.

Then, the Daishonin stresses the importance of repaying the four debts of gratitude set forth in the Contemplation on the Mind-Ground Sutra. The four debts of gratitude are the debts owed to all living beings, to one’s father and mother, to one’s sovereign, and to the three treasures—the Buddha, the Law, and the Buddhist Order.
Among these four debts of gratitude, the Daishonin places special emphasis on the debt owed to the three treasures, without which one could not attain Buddhahood.

Monday 24 September 2012

Daily Practice - latest SGI-UK e-bulletin out now!

Latest issue of the SGI-UK e-bulletin is online now at  http://www.sgi-uk.info/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/sgi_e_bulletin_issue80.pdf As ever, packed with inspirational stories of victory from our members, the Bodhisattvas of the Earth!


Sunday 23 September 2012

Daily Gosho - The Strategy of the Lotus Sutra


"Employ the strategy of the Lotus Sutra before any other."

(The Strategy of the Lotus Sutra - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 1, page 1001) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=1000 Selection source: Kyo no Hosshin, Seikyo Shimbun, August 13th, 2012

So simple, but quite often, hard to remember! A wonderful Gosho which just really sums up our practice for me. I don't need to sit and worry, analyse the solution, predict the outcome. I just need to chant, and then base my subsequent actions on daimoku, and my Buddha qualities of courage, compassion and wisdom. Over the years, I've got a lot better at stopping myself when the worry-wort in me comes out to play, and remind myself that all I need to to do is use the strategy of the Lotus Sutra before any other lower-world influence... The other famous line in this Gosho is "Have profound faith. A coward cannot have any of his prayers answered.". So armed with my strong determined prayer, off to Eagle Peak I go. That's all I need. No additional ingredients required :)


Background
In the tenth month of the second year of Koan (1279), this letter was written in reply to a letter to Nichiren Daishonin from Shijo Kingo, informing him that Kingo had been ambushed by enemies among his fellow samurai, but had managed to escape unharmed.
The Daishonin teaches Kingo that faith must always come first, before any other tactic or strategy, and that faith in the Mystic Law is the ultimate factor that determines victory or defeat.


Saturday 22 September 2012

Daily Gosho - The Fourteen Slanders


Reminding us that it's our continued effort that counts above all. Continuing our diligent practice until our mission for this lifetime is complete. Let's support each and every member in our respective districts to maintain their three practices and achieve this wonderful state of enlightenment (Buddhahood) in this lifetime... 

"Continue your practice without backsliding until the final moment of your life, and when that time comes, behold! When you climb the mountain of perfect enlightenment and gaze around you in all directions, then to your amazement you will see that the entire realm of phenomena is the Land of Tranquil Light. The ground will be of lapis lazuli, and the eight paths will be set apart by golden ropes. Four kinds of flowers will fall from the heavens, and music will resound in the air. All Buddhas and bodhisattvas will be present in complete joy, caressed by the breezes of eternity, happiness, true self, and purity. The time is fast approaching when we too will count ourselves among their number."

(The Fourteen Slanders - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Volume 1, page 761) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=755 Selection source: SGI President Ikeda's guidance, Seikyo Shimbun, August 12th, 2012 


Background
Written near the end of 1276, this letter was a reply to the lay priest Matsuno Rokuro Saemon. Four in his family received letters from Nichiren Daishonin — he, his wife, son, and daughter-in-law. One of his daughters married Nanjo Hyoe Shichiro and gave birth to Nanjo Tokimitsu, a staunch supporter of the Daishonin and his disciple Nikko Shonin. It is thought that Matsuno was converted to the Daishonin’s teachings through this connection with the Nanjo family.
This letter explains the fourteen slanders, citing Miao-lo’s Annotations on “The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra.” These slanders are referred to originally in the “Simile and Parable” chapter of the Lotus Sutra. Asked if there is a difference in benefits derived when a sage chants the daimoku and when an ordinary person chants it, the Daishonin answers in the negative. “However, there is a difference,” he continues, “if one chants the daimoku while acting against the intent of this sutra.” He explains “the intent” of the sutra by referring to the fourteen slanders.
The first ten of the fourteen slanders concern one’s attitude and action toward the Law, that is, the Buddha’s teachings; the last four concern those toward people who believe in and practice that Law.
Emphasizing the importance of unity among believers, the Daishonin says, “Always remember that believers in the Lotus Sutra should absolutely be the last to abuse one another.” The reason he gives is that “all those who keep faith in the Lotus Sutra are most certainly Buddhas, and one who slanders a Buddha commits a grave offense.” In other words, he warns against the last four of the fourteen slanders: “despising, hating, envying, and bearing grudges against” fellow believers.
The Daishonin next recounts in detail the story of the boy Snow Mountains, who offers his body to a fierce demon in order to learn a Buddhist teaching. He encourages Matsuno to make this bodhisattva’s spirit a model for his own faith and practice. He further clarifies that a priest who lacks the spirit to study and practice Buddhism diligently, and to strive to refute its slanderers, is “no better than an animal dressed in priestly robes,” a thief who has stolen the title of priest.
The Daishonin concludes by instructing Matsuno how to practice his teaching as a lay believer. He encourages the lay priest to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, provide support for the priests, and, in accord with the Lotus Sutra, put effort into spreading the Law. Clearly, in light of the preceding paragraphs, “priests” here indicates not any priest, but the Daishonin’s disciples— those who are practicing in accord with the spirit elucidated in this letter.


Friday 21 September 2012

Daily Gosho - The Problem to Be Pondered Night and Day

So this Gosho is the reason why I don't get my sleep quota! And by the sounds of it, I'm not alone! I'm cutting short my sleep time because I made a vow in the distant past to propogate the Mystic Law, and if that means less sleep, so be it! This is my mission, this is my aim, and I will not begrudge my life in achieving kosen-rufu. I'm not superhuman, I am tired, but my sense of purpose and my vow to my mentor is overiding... *PS, it's important to remember that we need a sense of balance in our lives too - let's use our wisdom and use our time carefully!


"In the light of the above points, this shows, my followers, that you had better cut short your sleep by night and curtail your leisure by day, and ponder this! You must not spend your lives in vain and regret it for ten thousand years to come."

(The Problem to Be Pondered Night and Day - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Volume 1, page 622)  http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=620 Selection source: Kyo no Hosshin, Seikyo Shimbun, August 11th, 2012

Background
This letter was written to Toki Jonin, a learned and dedicated disciple who lived in Shimosa Province. In it Nichiren Daishonin stresses the extreme seriousness of the offense of slander and also the importance of embracing the supreme Buddhist teaching. The letter is dated simply the twenty-third day of the eighth month, and though it is generally thought to have been written in the first year of Kenji (1275) at Minobu, no firm conclusion has been reached in this regard. Other opinions are that the Daishonin wrote it in 1276 or even in 1273 while he was still on Sado Island.
In the Daishonin’s teaching, rather than adherence to a specific code of conduct, one’s fundamental posture toward the Mystic Law, or ultimate reality, determines one’s happiness or unhappiness in life. A person who seeks and awakens to the ultimate truth within will attain enlightenment, while one who remains in ignorance of it or even slanders it will continue to be bound by suffering. Hence the Daishonin’s emphasis on exclusive commitment to the Lotus Sutra, which teaches the direct attainment of Buddhahood for all people.
In the last part of this letter, the Daishonin raises a question that had crossed many people’s minds: on the basis of what sort of insight does he dare to criticize such eminent teachers of the past as Kobo, Jikaku, and Chisho? However, instead of answering this question directly, he simply says, “You had better cut short your sleep by night and curtail your leisure by day, and ponder this!” This passage, from which the letter takes its name, suggests that the most important task of our human existence is to seek out and uphold the correct teaching leading to enlightenment.

Thursday 20 September 2012

Daily Gosho - The Opening of the Eyes


Nichiren's cry to the world and his disciples. When push comes to shove, do I have the heart of my mentor? When assaulted by persecutions, am I going to stand up for the sake of the Law? Even if I am alone, faced with slander, persecution and abuse?         You betcha!

"This I will state. Let the gods forsake me. Let all persecutions assail me. Still I will give my life for the sake of the Law."

(The Opening of the Eyes - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Volume 1, page 280) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=220 Selection source: Kyo no Hosshin, Seikyo Shimbun, August 10th, 2012

Background
This treatise is one of Nichiren Daishonin’s five most important writings, in which he reveals his identity as the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law who possesses the three virtues of sovereign, teacher, and parent. In the second month of the ninth year of Bun’ei (72), still in exile under harsh conditions on Sado Island, the Daishonin completed this work in two volumes and addressed it to Shijo Kingo, one of his leading disciples in Kamakura and a samurai who was in the employ of the ruling Hojo clan, on behalf of all his followers. When the Daishonin was taken to Tatsunokuchi in Kamakura in , Shijo Kingo accompanied him, having resolved to die by his side, and personally witnessed his triumph over execution. Also, he had journeyed to Sado to visit the Daishonin in exile and sent his messengers to him with writing materials and other necessities.
The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind, written in 1273, clarifies, from the viewpoint of the Law, the object of devotion that enables all people to attain Buddhahood. The Opening of the Eyes treats the same subject in terms of the Person; that is, it shows Nichiren Daishonin to be the Buddha who would establish the object of devotion for all humankind to achieve Buddhahood. The object of devotion is the embodiment of the Daishonin’s enlightenment to Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the Law implied in the depths of the Lotus Sutra.
Nichiren Daishonin’s life on the forbidding island of Sado was full of hardship; his hut was open to wind and snow, and he lacked food, clothing, and writing materials. In addition to his physical suffering, he was greatly troubled by the news that many of his followers in Kamakura had abandoned their faith. Feeling himself constantly facing the shadow of death, the Daishonin wrote this treatise to encourage his disciples as though it were his last will and testament.
Nichiren Daishonin later described his motives behind the work in his Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra: “After everyone had gone, I began to put into shape a work in two volumes called The Opening of the Eyes, which I had been working on since the eleventh month of the previous year. I wanted to record the wonder of Nichiren, in case I should be beheaded. The essential message in this work is that the destiny of Japan depends solely upon Nichiren. A house without pillars collapses, and a person without a soul is dead. Nichiren is the soul of the people of this country” ( p. 772).
The title The Opening of the Eyes means to enable people to see the truth, in other words, to free people from illusions and distorted views and awaken them to an understanding of the correct teaching and its correct teacher. The work describes the role the Daishonin played in championing the supremacy of the Lotus Sutra and in spreading its teachings, as he himself viewed and experienced it. A passage from this treatise reads: “On the twelfth day of the ninth month of last year, between the hours of the rat and the ox (11:00 P.M. to 3:00 A.M.), this person named Nichiren was beheaded. It is his soul that has come to this island of Sado” ( p. 269). It was through the Tatsunokuchi Persecution that Nichiren Daishonin revealed his true identity as the eternal Buddha. This passage refers to the death of a common person named Nichiren and indicates that from then on the Daishonin was to reveal in full his enlightenment as the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law.
Nichiren Daishonin begins this treatise with the words, “There are three categories of people that all human beings should respect. They are the sovereign, the teacher, and the parent” (p. 220). The three virtues of sovereign, teacher, and parent are equated with the qualifications of a Buddha. The virtue of sovereign is the power to protect all living beings; the virtue of teacher is the wisdom to lead all to enlightenment, and the virtue of parent means compassion to nurture and support them. These three virtues constitute a theme that runs throughout this treatise, and at the conclusion of this work the Daishonin declares, “I, Nichiren, am sovereign, teacher, and father and mother to all the people of Japan” (p. 287).
At the outset Nichiren Daishonin discusses Confucianism, Taoism, Brahmanism, Hinayana, and provisional Mahayana Buddhism, and then moves on to the Lotus Sutra. He attributes the disasters ravaging Japan to the confusion in Buddhism and the failure by both rulers and subjects to recognize the supremacy of the Lotus Sutra. Here he cites two reasons why the sutra is supreme. One is that the theoretical teaching (the first half of the sutra) reveals that people of the two vehicles can attain enlightenment, a possibility utterly denied in the previous forty- two years of the Buddha’s preaching. This substantiates the mutual possession of the Ten Worlds and the statement that Buddhahood is open to all. The other reason is that, in the essential teaching (the latter half of the sutra), Shakyamuni Buddha proclaims that he first attained enlightenment in an unfathomably remote past.
The Daishonin states that Shakyamuni Buddha himself declared that the Lotus Sutra is “the most difficult to believe and the most difficult to understand.” In this sutra the Buddha implied the supreme teaching, as stated: “The doctrine of three thousand realms in a single moment of life is found in only one place, hidden in the depths of the ‘Life Span’ chapter of the
essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra” (p. 224). The Daishonin takes the position that only the revelation of the truth of Buddhism can save the nation and the people. This conviction, he says, has moved him to propagate the essence of the Lotus Sutra in spite of the persecution that he knew he would incur. He realized that his followers might doubt him because of the apparent failure of the gods to protect a votary of the Lotus Sutra. Therefore, he stated: “This doubt lies at the heart of this piece I am writing. And because it is the most important concern of my entire life, I will raise it again and again here, and emphasize it more than ever, before I attempt to answer it” (p. 243).
The second part of this treatise discusses the “Emerging from the Earth” and the “Life Span” chapters of the Lotus Sutra, where Shakyamuni Buddha summons forth countless bodhisattvas from beneath the earth and reveals that he actually attained enlightenment in the remote past, and that all the Buddhas of the other sutras are his emanations and all the bodhisattvas, his disciples. Nichiren Daishonin clarifies that the Buddha of the “Life Span” chapter is the teacher of all Buddhas.
At this point, an implicit analogy begins to emerge. The doubt held by Shakyamuni’s disciples about how he could possibly have taught the countless Bodhisattvas of the Earth in this life leads to the revelation of his true identity as the Buddha who attained enlightenment countless kalpas ago. Similarly, the doubt held by the Daishonin’s followers about why he has been exiled and suffered so many persecutions leads to an understanding of his true identity as the Buddha of the Latter Day.
Then the Daishonin mentions the principle of sowing, maturing, and harvesting. He points to the unsurpassed Law whereby all Buddhas attain enlightenment - Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. This Law is what lies in the depths of the “Life Span” chapter. Nichiren Daishonin directly teaches this Law, the true cause for attaining Buddhahood, and his Buddhism is called the Buddhism of sowing because it implants this “seed of enlightenment” in the lives of those who practice it. In this light, he possesses the virtues of sovereign, teacher, and parent for humanity as a whole.
Nichiren Daishonin explains that each sutra has its own claim to excellence; he also gives examples of statements in which various sutras assert their own superiority to other teachings. But the Lotus Sutra alone declares that it is supreme among all sutras, and the Daishonin reconfirms its supremacy. The Lotus Sutra speaks of the three powerful enemies of the sutra and prophesies opposition and hostility toward the sutra and its votary. All this the Daishonin had himself encountered; all this is predicted in the sutra. As the votary of the Lotus Sutra, he vows to stake his life on the cause of saving all people, saying: “Let the gods forsake me. Let all persecutions assail me. Still I will give my life for the sake of the Law. . . . I will be the pillar of
Japan. I will be the eyes of Japan. I will be the great ship of Japan. This is my vow, and I will never forsake it” (pp. 280 –81). Then he assures his disciples that they will definitely attain Buddhahood as long as they do not permit themselves to be overcome by doubts, even when difficulties befall them.
In the final section of this treatise, Nichiren Daishonin explains that there are two ways to propagate the Lotus Sutra: shoju, or gentle persuasion, and shakubuku, or strict refutation. Here, the Daishonin argues that both methods should be used, because there are two kinds of countries, those whose people are ignorant of the correct teaching of Buddhism and those whose people deliberately oppose it. But Japan, as a nation that slanders the correct teaching, requires the shakubuku method. Then he concludes that to remove suffering and give joy to the people is the Buddha’s teaching. The Daishonin has devoted himself to refuting and rooting out the causes of human misery. For him, the exile to Sado was only a “small suffering” in this life. Indeed, he feels “great joy” because of the results he is confident will come in the future.


Wednesday 19 September 2012

Daily Experience - the four sufferings


Here's an experience I gave recently at Chapter Study. Really happy to chat further on this experience - I've condensed it slightly for twitterville... OK, here goes!

As a child I was unusually worried about the sufferings of life and death. I think this was because my mum had died when I was two from ovarian cancer. She was only 27. My spiritual home was with my grandparents, where I was doted upon. I was showered with love, affection and fed in only the way a Jewish family can. It was like living at The Ritz - I loved it!
However I was a very sad child, constantly worried about the day when my grandparents would die. Even at the age of five, I had zero self-esteem and felt like something was missing in my life.
This feeling only got worse when my parents split up. The stress on me was really heavy as I felt very responsible for my siblings. It affected me so much to the extent that one day I woke up and my body was temporarily paralysed through stress. Talk about the mind and body being inseparable! 
As a teenager, my school suggested I go to counselling which did help, but was a very temporary solution. I had the great fortune of meeting the practice when I was 21, in 1995. I started to chant the day after my first discussion meeting. I received Gohonzon in 1997 and then developed a very strong practice within the Youth Division.
My son Louis was born in 2002. I'd chanted for the 'easy delivery of a fortune child'. 27 hours of labour later, he was born very traumatically. He received a 1 out of 10 health score and had been damaged through labour. I was convinced he was dead and that it was my fault. 
Within eight hours, I'd developed psychotic post-natal depression and the voices in my head started, telling me to harm my baby. I never did, as I could fight the messages, but it was extremely frightening and drained me completely.
 My practice which had been so strong, instantly suffered. I could not look at the Gohonzon; the only thing I wanted to do was sleep my life away.  I was 27 then, and convinced I would die that year, just like my mum. Thoughts of suicide constantly plagued me, but somewhere deep inside, I must have recognized my own Buddhahood and I certainly would not have done anything to cause my son suffering.
This continued for about eighteen months, and over time, the anxiety attacks stopped and I resumed my practice.  I tried medicines, counselling, but as ever, it was my practice that saved me.
The next six months were about to become even more traumatic. My mum told us she'd been diagnosed with ovarian cancer, just like my real mum and it was terminal. This shook my practice once more although I did carry on chanting.
That year, I received a call from King George's Hospital to say my nan had been taken ill. When I got there, the consultant sat me down and told me that she had cancer and was very close to dying.  This was the moment I'd dreaded all my life but because I had my practice, I knew our connection was eternal. She died within four days with me at her bedside. 
I picked myself up again, as I was now responsible for my granddad as he was suffering quite badly. He died within a year of losing my nan.  Another loss that shook my life.
When I thought things couldn't get any worse, my mum died the following year. As she reached the end of her life, I was tortured by thoughts that I hadn't supported her enough. And that's when I hit rock bottom. I had daily panic attacks, I became agrophobic, I couldn't get out of the tube station in the morning to get to work. I felt like the worst daughter in the world, the worst mum to my son, in fact the most unlovable person in the world. I am ashamed to say that again, my practice completely slipped away, and my life became very small again. Getting Louis dressed for school and getting to work were massive achievements for me at that time. 
I resumed counselling sessions. After six weeks, my sister rang to ask how it was all going. I said ok to which she replied "But are you chanting about it?". It was like a lightbulb had gone off. 
Christmas 2010, I received a phone call to say my second stepmum had died suddenly. She was only 43. With my stronger life-state, I was able to chant for her eternal life without my faith or practice suffering.
I drew my strength from the training I received in Youth Division, and it gave me the courage to transform these experiences and suffering into victories and an absolute transformation of my life-state. I took on more responsibility and really determined to practice even harder as a disciple of Sensei. I have devoted my life to the three practices, kosen-rufu and our beloved SGI organisation.

Today there are people who have faith in the Lotus Sutra. The belief of some is like fire while that of others is like water. When the former listen to the teachings, their passion flares up like fire, but as time goes on, they tend to discard their faith. To have faith like water means to believe continuously without ever regressing. Since you pay frequent visits to me regardless of the difficulties, your belief is comparable to flowing water. It is worthy of great respect! Two Kinds of Faith http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=899

Tuesday 18 September 2012

Daily Gosho - Reply to the Mother of Ueno


Nichiren Daishonin's compassion for Ueno abounds throughout this Gosho. His sincere words are so comforting for those of us who have suffered with grief or who are experiencing it currently. We will be reunited at Eagle Peak, for sure...

"The seeds of one kind of plant are all the same; they are different from the seeds of other plants. If all of you nurture the same seeds of Myoho-renge-kyo in your hearts, then you all will be reborn together in the same land of Myoho-renge-kyo. When the three of you are reunited there face to face, how great your joy will be!"

(Reply to the Mother of Ueno - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Volume 1, page 1074) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=1074 Selection source: SGI President Ikeda's guidance, Seikyo Shimbun, August 9th, 2012


Background
This letter was written at Minobu in the tenth month of the third year of Koan (1280) to the lay nun Ueno, the mother of Nanjo Tokimitsu. Nichiren Daishonin acknowledges offerings that she had sent him on the occasion of the forty-ninth-day memorial service following the death of her youngest son, Shichiro Goro, and encourages her in the face of her grief.
The lay nun Ueno was the daughter of Matsuno Rokuro Saemon and the wife of Nanjo Hyoe Shichiro, the steward of Ueno Village in Fuji District of Suruga Province. The lay nun’s husband passed away in 1265, while she was pregnant with their youngest son, Shichiro Goro.Shichiro Goro visited Minobu together with his elder brother Tokimitsu to see the Daishonin on the fifteenth day of the sixth month in 1280. The Daishonin had great expectations for the young man, but he died suddenly, at the age of sixteen, on the fifth day of the ninth month of that same year. No sooner had the Daishonin received the news of Shichiro Goro’s death than he wrote a letter of condolence to the lay nun Ueno and Nanjo Tokimitsu.
This present letter is also called On Intermediate Existence. “Intermediate existence” indicates the interval of time between death and rebirth, and was widely believed to last for forty-nine days. On the basis of this belief, people conducted a memorial service on the forty-ninth day.
To reassure the lay nun Ueno that her son has attained Buddhahood, the Daishonin discusses the great benefit gained from embracing the Lotus Sutra, and asserts that a votary of the sutra will be protected by Shakyamuni, Many Treasures, and all the other Buddhas.



Monday 17 September 2012

Daily Gosho - Reply to Kyo'o


Sitting here, writing today's blog, I'm in a situation where I need to achieve the impossible. It's something that 'logically' can't be achieved. I won't know if I've got my victory until March 2013. So I suppose I have two choices... worry about it for six months - or muster my faith! There is only one choice. Victory campaign starts today!

"Kyo'o's misfortune will change into fortune. Muster your faith, and pray to this Gohonzon. Then what is there that cannot be achieved?"

(Reply to Kyo'o - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Volume 1, page 412) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=412 Selection source: Kyo no Hosshin, Seikyo Shimbun, August 8th, 2012

Background
This brief letter was written in the eighth month of the tenth year of Bun’ei (1273) and was addressed to Kyo’o, Shijo Kingo’s infant daughter. Since Kyo’o was then only one year old, however, it may be assumed that the letter was meant for Shijo Kingo and his wife, Nichigen-nyo. They had two children, Kyo’o (Sutra King) and another daughter, Tsukimaro (Full Moon), who was a year older. Both were apparently named by Nichiren Daishonin.
This letter was written in response to news that Kyo’o had become seriously ill. At this time the Daishonin was living in exile on Sado Island.
The Daishonin explains the significance of the Gohonzon, the object of devotion. At the Tatsunokuchi Persecution in 1271, the Daishonin revealed his identity as the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law. Only after this did he begin to inscribe the Gohonzon and bestow it on his followers, particularly those who had staunch faith in his teachings.
In this letter, the Daishonin says that the boundless benefits of the Gohonzon will surely cure Kyo’o’s sickness and urges Kingo and his wife to believe firmly in the Gohonzon.

Sunday 16 September 2012

Daily Gosho - Letter from Sado


So no matter what difficulties, abuse or slander we face as practitioners of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, please rest assured that we can change our karma by changing our 'iron' into a 'fine sword', proving the power of the practice once more.
How do we do this? By chanting nam-myoho-renge-kyo, knowing that after 'great evil', comes 'great good'. Our faith may be tested at times, but following Nichiren's example, let's continue no matter how big the adversity which faces us...there is nothing we cannot transform...

"Iron, when heated in the flames and pounded, becomes a fine sword. Worthies and sages are tested by abuse."

(Letter from Sado - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Volume 1, page 303) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=301 Selection source: Gosho study for Ikeda Kayokai, Seikyo Shimbun, August 7th, 2012


Background
This letter was written on the twentieth day of the third month, 1272, some five months after Nichiren Daishonin had arrived on the island of Sado to begin his exile there. He addressed it to
Toki Jonin, a samurai serving as a leading retainer to Lord Chiba, the constable of Shimosa Province, to Saburo Saemon (Shijo Kingo) in Kamakura, and to other staunch followers.Nichiren Daishonin had been banished on the tenth day of the tenth month, 1271. Charges of treason had been brought against him by Ryokan, the chief priest of Gokuraku-ji temple in Kamakura, and by Hei no Saemon, deputy chief of the Office of Military and Police Affairs. Hei no Saemon was resolved to execute the Daishonin at Tatsunokuchi before he was to be delivered to the custody of Homma Shigetsura, the deputy constable of Sado. The attempt at execution was unsuccessful, however, and after a delay of almost a month Homma’s warriors escorted the Daishonin to the coast of the Sea of Japan. After a delay there caused by bad weather, the Daishonin finally arrived on Sado on the twenty eighth day of the tenth month.
Nichiren Daishonin was housed at first in a dilapidated structure known as Sammai-do, where he lived exposed to the wind and snow that blew in through gaps in the roof and walls. After five months he was able to move to more comfortable quarters at Ichinosawa. The Daishonin engaged in debates with Pure Land and other priests and actively propagated his own teachings. While on Sado he wrote two major treatises, The Opening of the Eyes and The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind. In the second month, 1274, the Daishonin was pardoned and returned to Kamakura on the twenty-sixth day of the third month.
In this writing the Daishonin first states that the only way to attain Buddhahood is to be willing to offer one’s life, one’s most precious possession, to Buddhism. Next, he says that the method of propagation known as shakubuku is appropriate to this age, and that one can attain Buddhahood only by dedicating oneself to it. He then declares that he is the “pillar, sun, moon, mirror, and eyes” of and “father and mother” to the country; these are symbolic references to the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law, who is perfectly endowed with the three virtues of parent, teacher, and sovereign. He also mentions his earlier prophecies in On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land concerning political upheaval and violent feuds within the country.
Lastly, he gives an elaborate explanation of karma or destiny, stating that his present difficulties arise from the fact that he slandered the Lotus Sutra in a past existence. Using himself as an example, he elucidates to his disciples the kind of spirit and practice by which they can alter their karma. He adds that persons who try to propagate the correct teaching of Buddhism vigorously will invariably face opposition, and that such opposition in reality presents an opportunity for them to change their karma. Those who have given up their faith and instead criticize are admonished that their actions bear the heaviest consequences. He compares their lack of vision to fireflies who laugh at the sun.

Saturday 15 September 2012

Daily Gosho - The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings


Loving the reminder of the 'great vow' that we, the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, all made at Eagle Peak. That we would stand up, united with our mentor, and propagate the Lotus Sutra.  As Sensei says in his speech "On Eagle's Peak" (17th September 2006), 

"To strive in faith with the same commitment as one’s mentor means to continue advancing amid great difficulty and adversity with unwavering resolve together with the mentor toward the goal of realizing the great vow of kosen-rufu. Those who maintain this spirit in faith throughout their lives will be able to gain the vast and expansive life-state of the pure land of Eagle Peak -the state of Buddhahood - for all eternity. Moreover, they will be able to lead their family and loved ones to that state of life as well."

Unwavering. Determined. Committed. Let's strive even harder, creating unity based on the oneness of mentor and disciple, and propagate with courage, conviction and compassion....

"The 'great vow' refers to the propagation of the Lotus Sutra."

(The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, page 82) Selection source: Kyo no Hosshin, Seikyo Shimbun, August 6th, 2012

Friday 14 September 2012

Daily Gosho - Letter from Sado


Let's be as courageous as Nichiren Daishonin, who despite facing slander, persecution and exile, kept his courage, faith and determination throughout. He did this out of compassion for those living in the Latter Day of the Law. Every time we do Gongyo, we are redeterminating to practice with this courageous spirit - the heart of a lion king - and if we are the same mind as Nichiren, we most definitely are Bodhisattvas of the Earth... 

"... those with the heart of a lion king are sure to attain Buddhahood. Like Nichiren, for example."

(Letter from Sado - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Volume 1, page 302) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=301  Selection source: SGI President Ikeda's guidance, Seikyo Shimbun, August 5th, 2012


Background
This letter was written on the twentieth day of the third month, 1272, some five months after Nichiren Daishonin had arrived on the island of Sado to begin his exile there. He addressed it to Toki Jonin, a samurai serving as a leading retainer to Lord Chiba, the constable of Shimosa Province, to Saburo Saemon (Shijo Kingo) in Kamakura, and to other staunch followers.Nichiren Daishonin had been banished on the tenth day of the tenth month, 1271. Charges of treason had been brought against him by Ryokan, the chief priest of Gokuraku-ji temple in Kamakura, and by Hei no Saemon, deputy chief of the Office of Military and Police Affairs. Hei no Saemon was resolved to execute the Daishonin at Tatsunokuchi before he was to be delivered to the custody of Homma Shigetsura, the deputy constable of Sado. The attempt at execution was unsuccessful, however, and after a delay of almost a month Homma’s warriors escorted the Daishonin to the coast of the Sea of Japan. After a delay there caused by bad weather, the Daishonin finally arrived on Sado on the twenty eighth day of the tenth month.
Nichiren Daishonin was housed at first in a dilapidated structure known as Sammai-do, where he lived exposed to the wind and snow that blew in through gaps in the roof and walls. After five months he was able to move to more comfortable quarters at Ichinosawa. The Daishonin engaged in debates with Pure Land and other priests and actively propagated his own teachings. While on Sado he wrote two major treatises, The Opening of the Eyes and The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind. In the second month, 1274, the Daishonin was pardoned and returned to Kamakura on the twenty-sixth day of the third month.
In this writing the Daishonin first states that the only way to attain Buddhahood is to be willing to offer one’s life, one’s most precious possession, to Buddhism. Next, he says that the method of propagation known as shakubuku is appropriate to this age, and that one can attain Buddhahood only by dedicating oneself to it. He then declares that he is the “pillar, sun, moon, mirror, and eyes” of and “father and mother” to the country; these are symbolic references to the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law, who is perfectly endowed with the three virtues of parent, teacher, and sovereign. He also mentions his earlier prophecies in On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land concerning political upheaval and violent feuds within the country.
Lastly, he gives an elaborate explanation of karma or destiny, stating that his present difficulties arise from the fact that he slandered the Lotus Sutra in a past existence. Using himself as an example, he elucidates to his disciples the kind of spirit and practice by which they can alter their karma. He adds that persons who try to propagate the correct teaching of Buddhism vigorously will invariably face opposition, and that such opposition in reality presents an opportunity for them to change their karma. Those who have given up their faith and instead criticize are admonished that their actions bear the heaviest consequences. He compares their lack of vision to fireflies who laugh at the sun.


Wednesday 12 September 2012

Daily Gosho - On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime


I'll be honest - I know that throughout my practice, there are times when I've worshipped a Honzon, rather than devoting myself to the Gohonzon and the power of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo.  That Honzon, in the past, could have been a boyfriend and at times, work. Our challenge as Bodhisattvas of the Earth, is to develop our faith in the Mystic Law, as the one true teaching, discarding all provisional teachings. We should  truly believe, within the depths of our whole being, that our lives are Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. In his lecture on this Gosho, Sensei reminds us of President Toda's impassioned guidance: "Propagating the Mystic Law in the Latter Day means firmly believing that your life is nothing apart from Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo!" (p35, Lectures on "On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime") 

"Nevertheless, even though you chant and believe in Myoho-renge-kyo, if you think the Law is outside yourself, you are embracing not the Mystic Law but an inferior teaching."

(On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime - The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Volume 1, page 3) http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=3 Selection source: Kyo no Hosshin, Seikyo Shimbun, August 3rd, 2012


Background
This letter was written to Toki Jonin in the seventh year of Kencho (1255), two years after Nichiren Daishonin established his teaching of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. At the time of this letter, the Daishonin was thirty-four years old and was living in Kamakura, the seat of the military government. Toki was a staunch follower of the Daishonin who lived in Wakamiya in Shimosa Province. He received some thirty letters, including Letter from Sado and one of the major treatises, The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind. A retainer of Lord Chiba, the constable of Shimosa, Toki had become a follower of the Daishonin around 1254.
Of all his writings from the mids, On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime focuses most clearly on the tenets of the Daishonin’s Buddhism; many of the other works of this period are aimed chiefly at refuting the erroneous doctrines of other schools and discussing theoretical questions. This short essay not only reflects the theories T’ien-t’ai formulated based on the Lotus Sutra, but also reveals the concrete practice for attaining Buddhahood - namely, chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo—that is missing in T’ient’ai’s theoretical framework.
Myoho-renge-kyo is the title of the Lotus Sutra, but to the Daishonin it is much more; it is the essence of the sutra, the revelation of the supreme Law itself. Apparent in this work are both the depth of his thought and his conviction that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the only teaching that can lead people to Buddhahood in this lifetime.


Tuesday 11 September 2012

One Europe with Sensei!

SGI-UK members are invited to a Study Lecture by SGI Europe General Women's Leader, Mrs Takahashi, as part of the 30th Scotland General Meeting. It's being held on Sunday 14th October, 2pm - 4pm, in Perth, Scotland.

Please contact your local district leader to register for a place (places are limited and on a first come, first served basis). More information on travel and accommodation can be found at www.horsecross.co.uk/contact  

Hope you get to attend!


The fired-up Singapore Soka Association!

Would love to have seen this performance! Watched by an audience of 26,000, 640 members of the Singapore Soka Association perfected their routine over four months' practice. Looks amazing guys! Many congratulations! http://www.sgi.org/news/c-activities/ce2012/ssa-fiery-performance-national-day-parade.html

Monday 10 September 2012

Daily Practice - latest SGI-UK e-bulletin out now!

Latest issue of the SGI-UK e-bulletin is online now at http://www.sgi-uk.info/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/sgi_e_bulletin_issue79.pdf

So much content, so much inspiration! Wonderful to see how every corner of the land is being touched by our vibrant daimoku...


Daily Study - New Podcast - A Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering, part 1

Another way to increase our study of the Gosho...how fantastic! Jason and Karen Jarrett have published a lecture study on "A Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering", based on President Ikeda’s guidance in Newsletter 8518.  Here is Part 1 of Podcast. For future study material, why not subscribe via A Buddhist Podcast or link up via Twitter!

Background information and the Gosho itself can be viewed at A Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering on the SGI Library.

Thank you very much, Jason & Karen!

Daily Practice - Chanting for safety during the Paralympics


Thanking everyone for their efforts to ensure  a safe and amazing Paralympics!

Daily Guidance for daimoku for the safety of all during the Paralympics ELA'12 - Monday 10th September - tozo hosted by Newham

Now is the time to show brilliant actual proof of worldwide kosen rufu by reading with our lives the Daishonin’s words: ’Try practising as the Lotus Sutra teaches, exerting yourselves without begrudging your lives! Test the truth of Buddhism now!’. Together let us take on the great, altruistic struggle to elevate the life-state of all humankind! President Ikeda, Newsletter 8088

Sunday 9 September 2012

Daily Guidance - The Relationship between you and the Gohonzon


Thanks to the lovely @LolzHeart for sharing this guidance...hope you enjoy it...

The following guidance is by Soka Gakkai Vice President Takehisa Tsuji that appeared in the 16 May 1986 issue of the World Tribune and is so significant to our practice and meaningful to our lives that it should be read, reread and shared with all. This is a great read but, more importantly, it needs to be utilised!

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOU AND THE GOHONZON

Today I would like to explain the relationship between you and the Gohonzon. The telephone was invented by Mr Bell and it enabled people to communicate. The electric light, invented by Thomas Edison, is used everywhere in the world. Although he invented it, it is not the property of a single person. It already existed in life. Telephones and electric lights were possible because of the existence of the natural laws of sound and light. Nichiren Daishonin explained the law of life in the form of the Gohonzon. It is applicable to any person: anyone who chants to this Gohonzon becomes happy. A baby doesn’t know how to use electricity but if he pushes the switch, it works. In the same way, when we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for the first time, it is like a baby putting on the light of the Law of Life.

It seems as if we are chanting to an external object, but actually you are switching the light on within yourself. If you look at a beautiful picture, it doesn’t speak to you and tell you how beautiful it is. You feel its beauty by looking at it: you experience it inside. One you feel beauty inside, you can enjoy the beauty of beautiful flowers, etc, outside. Similarly with music, although it is external, you enjoy its beauty inside yourself.

In the same way, when you do gongyo, the highest state of life wells up from within you. You make a connection with the Gohonzon in your heart. When we talk of faith, we mean developing our connection with the Gohonzon. Try bringing forth that highest state from within you every time you do gongyo.

It is said that with the Gohonzon we can become healthy and rich. When we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we make an invisible connection to and from the Gohonzon, like radio waves. If you receive electric waves, you die, but if you make a connection with the Gohonzon through chanting daimoku, you’re able to circulate Nam-myoho-renge-kyo within your body and attain enlightenment at that moment. You’re rejuvenated. Two people having a love affair have this special connection. Try to develop a similar seeking attitude for the Gohonzon. The Lotus Sutra mentions gen kai e renbo: seeking the Gohonzon as though it were your lover. If the Gohonzon could speak to you, probably you feel it would be easier. The Gohonzon is like a parent which listens to all your prayers and tries to bring you to an equal life condition.

Everyone has a cycle of emotions within including Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, but we can’t see their existence. As the Gosho says: your eyebrows are too close to be able to see them. Your life-states only occur in relation to an external cause. For example, when someone lies to you, anger fills your entire body - every physical aspect is imbued with anger. When you chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, you achieve kosen-rufu in your body. Your entire body is filled with joy.

The Gohonzon doesn’t give you medicine, but you are able to connect the invisible Nam-myoho-renge-kyo in yourself with the visible Nam-myoho-renge-kyo in the Gohonzon and we obtain the same benefit and healing power as is contained in the Gohonzon. When you are chanting, do not chant as if to some external object, but to bring forth Nam-myoho-renge-kyo from within and let it circulate through your entire body.

Seek the Gohonzon as your parent. When we do this, our entire body absorbs Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. It reaches the brain and cures mental illness. It reaches the ears and cures hearing problems, it reaches the eyes and cures eye troubles, as our vocal chords make this beautiful sound. It reaches the lungs and cancer of the lungs or breast is cured. It reaches the stomach, the tips of the hands and feet, everywhere. Chant with the attitude of devoting your life to kosen-rufu, of becoming healthy for kosen-rufu.

Gongyo is bringing forth Nam-myoho-renge-kyo from within yourself which cleanses and purifies the body. It is not asking for benefit from some external object. Gongyo purifies your life from within. Try to taste the daimoku and circulate it through your body to reach the bones and the blood. Express your appreciation to the Gohonzon that you can attain the same life-state as the Gohonzon. There is a phrase in the Lotus Sutra, shiki ko mimi, which means practice faith as though enjoying delicious food. Gongyo done out of force of habit is nothing like this. Chanting with an appreciative attitude as though enjoying delicious food enables you to overcome illness and other problems.

When you take off in an airplane, the crew makes flight checks. When you chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, make an inspection of your life by letting it reach all parts of your body right to the extremities. Then our bodies become the treasure tower of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. The head is MYO, the throat HO, the breast and stomach RENGE, and the legs, KYO.

Recently I met a woman who couldn’t walk properly. She had to walk to tiptoe. I told her about this treasure tower of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and that the feet were KYO. I told her to chant for kosen-rufu, to pledge to cure her feet so that she could run around and do shakubuku. She felt she had not been doing gongyo correctly and changed her attitude. Her feet started to move and the pain went away. Actually, she understood immediately and because of this, was cured right away.

I met a 66-year-old grandmother who was blind. She said she didn’t mind if she didn’t see, but she wanted to see the Gohonzon just once. I told her the same thing, to send Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to her eyes. She changed her attitude in gongyo and determined to work for kosen-rufu. She started to see the light in the room at that moment. She jumped up and shouted! She wrote to me saying that now she chants for hours on end.

These experiences are not because of me; I am not a doctor. I merely told these people the Correct Method of Chanting. The Gohonzon is not just a piece of paper. A dollar bill has value. The Gohonzon has incomparable power to cure any disease or problem. Change yourselves into being magnets of good fortune. Love the Gohonzon above all else and circulate Nam-myoho-renge-kyo through your body. We all have the ultimate Law within us, but only Nichiren Daishonin could bring it forth without external help. This is why he inscribed the Gohonzon for us. A parent yearns for her children to become equal to herself. If all people could chant and live based on Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, there would be no conflicts or wars in this world. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo can harmonise all conflicts.

The invention of the telephone and electric light are praiseworthy indeed. However, these do not enable us to overcome disease and change our karma. Only the Gohonzon enables us to attain happiness. It enables people from all over the world to live happy lives. Telephones and lights have become popular throughout the world because they are so useful. In the case of religion, it is not so easy to let people all over the world know that the Gohonzon enables them to live happy lives. We make daily efforts to do shakubuku. You may have difficulty trying to shakubuku your family, but it is much more praiseworthy than inventing the electric light.

Question: Can we overcome any illness?
Answer: Yes, all diseases. The Gohonzon is almighty. There are four large characters on the Gohonzon in the corners, The Four Heavenly Kings. The one on the bottom left is Zojoten which has the meaning of increasing and enlarging. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo enlarges and increases through the body, allowing any illness to be cured.

Two things are important. Firstly, is one’s practice really joyful? Secondly, make sure we are not chanting for mercy from an external object. It is the difference between chanting like a beggar or bringing Nam-myoho-renge-kyo forth from within and tasting the daimoku. Maybe some people’s attitude is swaying this way and when they are chanting they are not able to obtain full benefit. The Gosho says that if the faith of the believer in the Lotus Sutra is not deep, then it is like a crescent moon. Deep faith is like a full moon. A crescent moon gives some light, but a full moon gives much more. The Gosho likens faith to the ocean. Shallow faith is like bubbles on the waves and deep faith is the ocean itself. Bubbles can disappear, but the water of the ocean always exists. Life in this world is like the bubbles on the surface of the ocean. When we die we still exist like the water itself. In any case, whether you have weak or strong faith, you will be able to be born with the Gohonzon as a human being wherever you want. Make yourself happy, whether you are asleep or awake, living or dead. Soka Gakkai President Ikeda encourages us to become victors in the eternity of life. We are repeating the cycle of life and death. It is important to be born as a human being.

When Nam-myoho-renge-kyo works strongly in your life, you can overcome problems much more quickly than when your faith is weak.

Question: If the power of the Gohonzon is infinite, does that mean we shouldn’t see doctors?
Answer: No, of course not. Medicine is included in the realm of Buddhism. All people mentioned before consulted doctors, but their diseases could not be cured purely by medical science. Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo makes medical treatment more effective.