Able to awaken to our innate Buddha-nature through our actual practice?

Malcolm
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Re: Able to awaken to our innate Buddha-nature through our actual practice?

Post by Malcolm »

tkp67 wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:55 pm
Malcolm wrote: Sun Mar 21, 2021 2:30 pm
Assuming awakening means the realization of the emptiness of causes and effects, including the causes and effects of buddhahood, the question beings asked here is how chanting the title of the Lotus Sutra results in the realization of emptiness more effectively than any other practice. In other words, how is chanting this title a more efficient cause for realizing emptiness than say practicing zazen.
Well Nichiren's perspective was that the daimoku was not just the title of the sutra. Based on the attributes Nichiren identified the true benefit of chanting daimoku is true lotus meditation.
That's fine. So, the question is how does that help one realize emptiness, eliminate afflictions that cause rebirth, and so on? Why is it more effective than all the other teachings of the Buddha? For example, why is it more effective than zazen, keeping in mind that in Japanese monasteries of the Soto Tradition, passages from the Lotus are included in their daily recitations?
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Re: Able to awaken to our innate Buddha-nature through our actual practice?

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Malcolm wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 1:30 pm
tkp67 wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:55 pm
Malcolm wrote: Sun Mar 21, 2021 2:30 pm
Assuming awakening means the realization of the emptiness of causes and effects, including the causes and effects of buddhahood, the question beings asked here is how chanting the title of the Lotus Sutra results in the realization of emptiness more effectively than any other practice. In other words, how is chanting this title a more efficient cause for realizing emptiness than say practicing zazen.
Well Nichiren's perspective was that the daimoku was not just the title of the sutra. Based on the attributes Nichiren identified the true benefit of chanting daimoku is true lotus meditation.
That's fine. So, the question is how does that help one realize emptiness, eliminate afflictions that cause rebirth, and so on? Why is it more effective than all the other teachings of the Buddha? For example, why is it more effective than zazen, keeping in mind that in Japanese monasteries of the Soto Tradition, passages from the Lotus are included in their daily recitations?
Chanting nam myoho renge kyo is not just the title or the text but the intet, i.e. the will of Shakyamuni as it was when he taught the Lotus Sutra.

The Teacher of the Law chapter of the Lotus Sutra explains the benefits of those who chant daimoku.
"Medicine King, if there are good men and good women who, after the thus come one has entered extinction, wish to expound this Lotus Sutra for the four kinds of believers, how should they expound it? These good men and good women should enter the thus come one’s room, put on the thus come one’s robe, sit in the thus come one’s seat, and then for the sake of the four kinds of believers broadly expound this sutra.

“The ‘thus come one’s room’ is the state of mind that shows great pity and compassion toward all living beings. The ‘thus come one’s robe’ is the mind that is gentle and forbearing. The ‘thus come one’s seat’ is the emptiness of all phenomena. One should seat oneself comfortably therein and after that, with a mind never lazy or remiss, should for the sake of the bodhisattvas and the four kinds of believers broadly expound this Lotus Sutra.
The meaning of the daimoku as it translates to enlightenment and the lotus schools it is derived from starting with Nagarjuna is far deeper than described.

It is interesting to note Nichiren's teachings were directed to the mind's of his audience and not written for the general public as a direct teaching. This is why it does not present itself with a direct thesis and exposition to the practice per say.

There could be many pages of dialog describing the meaning of daimoku which I would welcome. I also think there is a tl:dr practical and simple discussion to be had but it is observational and anecdotal. Just a look at it from the very ordinary aspect.
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Re: Able to awaken to our innate Buddha-nature through our actual practice?

Post by narhwal90 »

tkp67 wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 1:48 pm
Malcolm wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 1:30 pm
tkp67 wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:55 pm

Well Nichiren's perspective was that the daimoku was not just the title of the sutra. Based on the attributes Nichiren identified the true benefit of chanting daimoku is true lotus meditation.
That's fine. So, the question is how does that help one realize emptiness, eliminate afflictions that cause rebirth, and so on? Why is it more effective than all the other teachings of the Buddha? For example, why is it more effective than zazen, keeping in mind that in Japanese monasteries of the Soto Tradition, passages from the Lotus are included in their daily recitations?
Chanting nam myoho renge kyo is not just the title or the text but the intet, i.e. the will of Shakyamuni as it was when he taught the Lotus Sutra.

The Teacher of the Law chapter of the Lotus Sutra explains the benefits of those who chant daimoku.
"Medicine King, if there are good men and good women who, after the thus come one has entered extinction, wish to expound this Lotus Sutra for the four kinds of believers, how should they expound it? These good men and good women should enter the thus come one’s room, put on the thus come one’s robe, sit in the thus come one’s seat, and then for the sake of the four kinds of believers broadly expound this sutra.

“The ‘thus come one’s room’ is the state of mind that shows great pity and compassion toward all living beings. The ‘thus come one’s robe’ is the mind that is gentle and forbearing. The ‘thus come one’s seat’ is the emptiness of all phenomena. One should seat oneself comfortably therein and after that, with a mind never lazy or remiss, should for the sake of the bodhisattvas and the four kinds of believers broadly expound this Lotus Sutra.
The meaning of the daimoku as it translates to enlightenment and the lotus schools it is derived from starting with Nagarjuna is far deeper than described.

It is interesting to note Nichiren's teachings were directed to the mind's of his audience and not written for the general public as a direct teaching. This is why it does not present itself with a direct thesis and exposition to the practice per say.

There could be many pages of dialog describing the meaning of daimoku which I would welcome. I also think there is a tl:dr practical and simple discussion to be had but it is observational and anecdotal. Just a look at it from the very ordinary aspect.
TK, if what you say is true as an identifiable feature of daimoku as opposed to nembutsu, or reading/recitation of the sutra then it must be possible to explain it. I'm not trying to push you, but its way too easy to repeat Nichiren quotes or sutra passages as talking points without ever penetrating the matter in question. I think people are interested in why the effects of reciting title of the sutra are more effective or at least different from those caused by other forms of practice.

For what its worth I've been cultivating "Don't Know" instead of having opinions. lol, its possible I should have started with that instead of diving into this topic...
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Re: Able to awaken to our innate Buddha-nature through our actual practice?

Post by Minobu »

Astus wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 11:43 am
Minobu wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:33 amHow does one incite Emptiness ? what does that even mean.
Methods to gain insight is given in the works of Zhiyi for instance.
thats a TenDai thing i believe.
We don't actually contemplate the three thousand realms we are just made aware of them.
Yes, it is the first of the ten meditations in the Mohezhiguan of Zhiyi. So, you say then that it is used as a purely theoretical background and not for actual meditation? If so, how is wisdom developed?
you are now looking at the whole matter from a provisional methodology
According to Zhiyi (introduction of Xiaozhiguan): 'Insight (vipaśyanā) is the primary essential through which one is able to cut off the delusions.' If that is not how Nichiren understood it, then what can remove ignorance according to him?
Although tkp67 quoted On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime that points to polishing the mirror of the mind with recitation, but then the text also mentions looking into the mind to see the meaning of myō, so that seems like an act of contemplation to gain insight. Or is that not how it is interpreted?


First up I now understand your use of the word incite .

I looked at it like you are trying to incite actual Emptiness , which is a view..
We incite MyoHo RenGe Kyo so i thought you were on that page of developing an aspect inside you.

Can i be so bold as to ask you if you have insight into Emptiness . You asked us if we incite Emptiness , now i realize it's meaning by you..

As the whole Zhiyi Ichinen Sanzen meditation thing...are you accomplished in this.

I ask for i have never met anyone who discusses these heavy terms and conditions that actually has experience.

We get , Us Nichiren folk that is, people asking these various conditions of enlightenment as if they are accomplished. then argue and debate about it when they actually only are doing an intellectual theorizing exercise.

So we understand that each of the ten worlds is empty ..so like you start to experience some form of anger like you did pre chanting the ODaimoku.

and it goes off the rails and you end up killing someone.

We see the emptiness of anger and know it is just but one factor in the whole 3000 world thing..So we get to sit back and view it as such and don't act on it.

I actually meditate on higher worlds whilst chanting ODaimoku after one of these episodes of anger or hunger nature etc..and it allows me to move on..
So we use the knowledge to adjust our daily living. Also it shows me my life condition and we then must acknowledge our passing into the lower worlds and we must work on it.

Chanting with Gohonzon , or even just the knowledge of Ceremony in the Air , is the same as Tantric Buddhism.

In the sense you get the initiation you get to visualize yourself as a certain Buddha...lets say Lord MahaKala Buddha ...

From there you generate that particular energy ..All of the Buddha's various aspects like Lord Manjushri Buddha can be found inside your five foot body. Nichiren teaches we have the Dharma Body and Buddha Nature.

this is what i mean by all the Buddhist rules are in play.

In other schools i've never found anyone who actually accomplished the goals set out people pay for ...That could be a Mappo thing or the fact Lord Sakyamuni Buddha's teachings as predicted have become corrupted by the times.

in our school people develop better lives and learn to work on their lives which are marred by negative Karma.

when you say how is wisdom developed.

The approach is much different.

It's like this ....you chant to call forth the ultimate Reality inside you ..and you promise to keep this practice for your entire life and pray to meet up again in future rebirths... so your life becomes one of being,student , and a son or daughter, and a subject of Sovereign Lord Sakyamuni Buddha..

You take on a whole new way of growth and development...under the Robe of Lord Sakyamuni Buddha.

for some it boils down to having the necessities of life...which is mentioned in the Lotus sutra , Hurvitz translation says something about vinegar as well when talking about the necessities of life. It's mentioned in The Lotus sutra not to worry for the votaries will be taken care of.

It's all very practical..
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Re: Able to awaken to our innate Buddha-nature through our actual practice?

Post by Minobu »

Malcolm wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 1:30 pm
tkp67 wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:55 pm
Malcolm wrote: Sun Mar 21, 2021 2:30 pm
Assuming awakening means the realization of the emptiness of causes and effects, including the causes and effects of buddhahood, the question beings asked here is how chanting the title of the Lotus Sutra results in the realization of emptiness more effectively than any other practice. In other words, how is chanting this title a more efficient cause for realizing emptiness than say practicing zazen.
Well Nichiren's perspective was that the daimoku was not just the title of the sutra. Based on the attributes Nichiren identified the true benefit of chanting daimoku is true lotus meditation.
That's fine. So, the question is how does that help one realize emptiness, eliminate afflictions that cause rebirth, and so on? Why is it more effective than all the other teachings of the Buddha? For example, why is it more effective than zazen, keeping in mind that in Japanese monasteries of the Soto Tradition, passages from the Lotus are included in their daily recitations?
These ideals you ask of us.

Have you accomplished any of them?

You are like a Buddhist search engine and seem to know everything...but have you actually realized any of these realizations and if so please share..
Seriously , you act like people are actually attaining these life conditions you talk about.
honesty is the best policy .

especially when it comes to yourself.. never lie to one's self.

read my post to Astus and realize what we do...
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Re: Able to awaken to our innate Buddha-nature through our actual practice?

Post by Astus »

tkp67 wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 1:48 pmThe Teacher of the Law chapter of the Lotus Sutra explains the benefits of those who chant daimoku.
The quoted section talks of what a teacher should do or have as prerequisites (similarly to chapter 14), not what the benefits of expounding are (as given in chapter 19 for instance). So it seems like a valid question to me to ask how one can actually have the mentioned qualities of compassion, gentleness, forbearing, and the wisdom of emptiness in order to be able to then expound the sutra.
1 Myriad dharmas are only mind.
Mind is unobtainable.
What is there to seek?

2 If the Buddha-Nature is seen,
there will be no seeing of a nature in any thing.

3 Neither cultivation nor seated meditation —
this is the pure Chan of Tathagata.

4 With sudden enlightenment to Tathagata Chan,
the six paramitas and myriad means
are complete within that essence.


1 Huangbo, T2012Ap381c1 2 Nirvana Sutra, T374p521b3; tr. Yamamoto 3 Mazu, X1321p3b23; tr. J. Jia 4 Yongjia, T2014p395c14; tr. from "The Sword of Wisdom"
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Re: Able to awaken to our innate Buddha-nature through our actual practice?

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Minobu wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 2:50 pmWe see the emptiness of anger and know it is just but one factor in the whole 3000 world thing..So we get to sit back and view it as such and don't act on it.
I actually meditate on higher worlds whilst chanting ODaimoku after one of these episodes of anger or hunger nature etc..and it allows me to move on..
So we use the knowledge to adjust our daily living. Also it shows me my life condition and we then must acknowledge our passing into the lower worlds and we must work on it.
Are there teachings and techniques taught for such alleviation of impulses by Nichiren, or is it something you learnt on your own or from somewhere else?
in our school people develop better lives and learn to work on their lives which are marred by negative Karma.
I think it's what everyone tries to do. The question is about how that is achieved and to what extent, like actually awakening to buddha-nature.
when you say how is wisdom developed.
The approach is much different.
It's like this ....you chant to call forth the ultimate Reality inside you ..and you promise to keep this practice for your entire life and pray to meet up again in future rebirths... so your life becomes one of being,student , and a son or daughter, and a subject of Sovereign Lord Sakyamuni Buddha..
Would you say then that the goal is not much about accomplishing the bodhisattva path by becoming a buddha, but more earthly ones?
1 Myriad dharmas are only mind.
Mind is unobtainable.
What is there to seek?

2 If the Buddha-Nature is seen,
there will be no seeing of a nature in any thing.

3 Neither cultivation nor seated meditation —
this is the pure Chan of Tathagata.

4 With sudden enlightenment to Tathagata Chan,
the six paramitas and myriad means
are complete within that essence.


1 Huangbo, T2012Ap381c1 2 Nirvana Sutra, T374p521b3; tr. Yamamoto 3 Mazu, X1321p3b23; tr. J. Jia 4 Yongjia, T2014p395c14; tr. from "The Sword of Wisdom"
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Re: Able to awaken to our innate Buddha-nature through our actual practice?

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I get the qualities that are present within our nature, but the other Sutras say the same thing “if good men and women, expound, copy, recite even a passage or dharani from this sutra,...” I am thinking those Sutras are supported by Buddhas...in using “other power” which is congruent of Mahayana the great vehicle. What some people argue is that Buddhas can’t liberate sentient beings...no problem because each of individual has to experience enlightenment ourselves. But they support and help us as much to get us there.
Last edited by LastLegend on Mon Mar 22, 2021 3:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Able to awaken to our innate Buddha-nature through our actual practice?

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Astus wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 3:11 pm
Minobu wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 2:50 pmWe see the emptiness of anger and know it is just but one factor in the whole 3000 world thing..So we get to sit back and view it as such and don't act on it.
I actually meditate on higher worlds whilst chanting ODaimoku after one of these episodes of anger or hunger nature etc..and it allows me to move on..
So we use the knowledge to adjust our daily living. Also it shows me my life condition and we then must acknowledge our passing into the lower worlds and we must work on it.
Are there teachings and techniques taught for such alleviation of impulses by Nichiren, or is it something you learnt on your own or from somewhere else?
in our school people develop better lives and learn to work on their lives which are marred by negative Karma.
I think it's what everyone tries to do. The question is about how that is achieved and to what extent, like actually awakening to buddha-nature.
when you say how is wisdom developed.
The approach is much different.
It's like this ....you chant to call forth the ultimate Reality inside you ..and you promise to keep this practice for your entire life and pray to meet up again in future rebirths... so your life becomes one of being,student , and a son or daughter, and a subject of Sovereign Lord Sakyamuni Buddha..
Would you say then that the goal is not much about accomplishing the bodhisattva path by becoming a buddha, but more earthly ones?
no comment
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Re: Able to awaken to our innate Buddha-nature through our actual practice?

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The argument that individual’s defiled karma cannot be lessened or decreased by Buddhas because of if Buddhas can do that then there is no need to practice and everyone would be enlightened. We still have to practice. People who practice recitation of Pure Land’s Namo Amitabha over time experience peace. They might not experience enlightenment. Buddhas cannot experience enlightenment for us, but I think they do their best.
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Re: Able to awaken to our innate Buddha-nature through our actual practice?

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I find it odd that people outside of Nichiren Schools wish to ask us about stuff they never attained only study and discuss over and over here at DW.

Then if I say something about every day life it becomes "OH you want to answer your earthly desires and not consummate Buddhahood in your life."

how do you separate everyday life from Buddhahood...
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Re: Able to awaken to our innate Buddha-nature through our actual practice?

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Minobu wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 4:33 pmThen if I say something about every day life it becomes "OH you want to answer your earthly desires and not consummate Buddhahood in your life."
how do you separate everyday life from Buddhahood...
There can be different goals and accordingly there are different means to reach them. Accumulating merit is an important and widespread practice in Buddhism, and it can give one all sorts of benefits in this life, in the next life, in the human and the heavenly realms, and can help not only oneself but others too. It is no small thing at all. It can also assist in attaining liberation, however, the one thing it cannot generate is liberation itself, because that requires wisdom. I have no doubts about reciting the title of the Lotus Sutra has immeasurable merits. What I fail to see is how one can also accumulate wisdom with it.
1 Myriad dharmas are only mind.
Mind is unobtainable.
What is there to seek?

2 If the Buddha-Nature is seen,
there will be no seeing of a nature in any thing.

3 Neither cultivation nor seated meditation —
this is the pure Chan of Tathagata.

4 With sudden enlightenment to Tathagata Chan,
the six paramitas and myriad means
are complete within that essence.


1 Huangbo, T2012Ap381c1 2 Nirvana Sutra, T374p521b3; tr. Yamamoto 3 Mazu, X1321p3b23; tr. J. Jia 4 Yongjia, T2014p395c14; tr. from "The Sword of Wisdom"
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Re: Able to awaken to our innate Buddha-nature through our actual practice?

Post by LastLegend »

What is wisdom? What is merit?
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Re: Able to awaken to our innate Buddha-nature through our actual practice?

Post by narhwal90 »

pragmatic definitions;

wisdom - the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise

merit - the quality of being particularly good or worthy, especially so as to deserve praise or reward

why ask when dictionaries abound?
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Re: Able to awaken to our innate Buddha-nature through our actual practice?

Post by frankie »

You could check Christmas Humphreys for the answer, he was an excellent judge of Buddhism.
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Re: Able to awaken to our innate Buddha-nature through our actual practice?

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Can merit be turned into wisdom?
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Re: Able to awaken to our innate Buddha-nature through our actual practice?

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narhwal90 wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 2:27 pm TK, if what you say is true as an identifiable feature of daimoku as opposed to nembutsu, or reading/recitation of the sutra then it must be possible to explain it. I'm not trying to push you, but its way too easy to repeat Nichiren quotes or sutra passages as talking points without ever penetrating the matter in question. I think people are interested in why the effects of reciting title of the sutra are more effective or at least different from those caused by other forms of practice.
Before I start ... Astus I hope this will also serve to answer your question. I will read your posts again and address anything I feel is lacking. Please feel free to ask for specifics. Thank you.

This really deserves some layers of explanation. I want to be understandable so let me start with a simple explanation of how it seems to work. I believe another layer would be to discuss the various teachings on the individual words and their significance. The discourse on this is complex so perhaps it would deserve a thread of its own. The third layer that comes to mind is tracing the origin in the lotus sutra itself. This would probably work well in unison with the discourse on the words myoho, renge and kyo. Then there is the doctrinal aspect of the teachings that validate the practice of chanting as a complete practice compared to other practices. Then there are ancillary investigations that look to the sciences and academics for evidence of efficiency.

From a simple standpoint when one chants during the moment of evocation the words are being held in the chanter’s mind for that period of time. This wording is a seed in and of itself. It could be reasoned that this alone without any other knowledge what so ever can lead to deeper meaning.

My teacher was taught to say Nam(u) Myoho Renge Kyo and nothing else and could find no other references. He would say it fairly often and some years later he encountered someone who understood what it meant. 45 years later he is deeply dedicated to a very fulfilling practice.
This simple practice is far deeper even in this simple format.

The Lotus Sutra represents Shakyamuni’s enlightenment, both cause and effect throughout all times and in all directions. The daimoku represents the intent of the sutra. The ultimate goal is an inexpressible true aspect that is only understood between Buddha. It cannot be transmitted outside the tenth realm.

This is more difficult to express so please bear with the descriptive.

So at some point it becomes apparent myoho renge kyo is the doorway to the tenth realm. This represents Shakyamuni’s enlightenment as expressed by his existence. This is absolutely critical. He taught for 52 years after experiencing enlightenment. At some point he realized that his teachings would attenuate in different directions and that conflicts would arise around them. He realized that direct teaching was a nucleus to saving all sentient beings and making them equal. He then taught the true nature of his enlightenment. The very important takeaway here however is his behavior as a human being. He taught according to the minds around him. If he encountered suffering he was no longer swept up from it but could act according to liberate people. His existence represented the various capacities, causes and conditions of sentient beings. He very much played the role Nichiren describes.

This is important because the wisdom he had experience by the time he taught the lotus is contained within. It is the high point of his own realization and thus passed it down as such intentions and all.

Thus for that brief period a person chants daimoku they actually hold the whole of this experience within their mind stream. There is no practice that takes all of the requirements to fulfill the lotus sutra so one might gain the benefits therein.

When one chants daily for a period of time the benefits manifest accordingly. Gongyo and the gohonzon fulfill the sutra. Chanting in the degenerate age in this manner removes all potential degeneracy that could distort practice in this age. Every moment dedicated to presenting this to the mind is a moment closer to fulfilling the intent of the sutra.

Because the lotus is always the point of reference here there is a object upon which one can proof and discover the teachings as they were seen, how they were applied and how they have manifested. There are many compelling pointers that I have seen that I have yet to notice being discussed elsewhere but the vast majority of dialog is not available to me as I don’t speak pr read Japanese. I say this to simply encourage such efforts. The writings remain true to the sutra without fail as far as I can perceive it.

I imagine Ieft a wealth of even simple detail out but I am trying not to let my mind go everywhere with this as it really enjoys doing.

:anjali:
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Re: Able to awaken to our innate Buddha-nature through our actual practice?

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I think it is important to mention that I while I agree with propagation of the single vehicle now I believe the provisional teachings on the internet are deserving of the same respect as according when they were taught. The internet defies the boundaries in which this teaching is normally appropriated. Historically and even practically dharma is still in infancy in regards to human need. It needs to flourish before it is challenged in such a way that all humans can rally behind one buddha banner.

I don' think it will be an issue to address it later on when buddhism is held widely by all people as the ultimate truth.

This of course is my individual opinion and not representative of any other interest, Nichiren or otherwise.
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Re: Able to awaken to our innate Buddha-nature through our actual practice?

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Astus wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 5:12 pm
Minobu wrote: Mon Mar 22, 2021 4:33 pmThen if I say something about every day life it becomes "OH you want to answer your earthly desires and not consummate Buddhahood in your life."
how do you separate everyday life from Buddhahood...
There can be different goals and accordingly there are different means to reach them. Accumulating merit is an important and widespread practice in Buddhism, and it can give one all sorts of benefits in this life, in the next life, in the human and the heavenly realms, and can help not only oneself but others too. It is no small thing at all. It can also assist in attaining liberation, however, the one thing it cannot generate is liberation itself, because that requires wisdom. I have no doubts about reciting the title of the Lotus Sutra has immeasurable merits. What I fail to see is how one can also accumulate wisdom with it.
This quest for wisdom noble as it may feel to you , has nothing to do with the actual ability to awaken our innate Buddha nature, with this practice in Mappo.

Yours is what is deemed in The Lotus Sutra as no longer a viable path in Mappo.

case in point no one you know or will ever know experiences the realizations you and Malcolm claim to be the gold standard in Buddhism ...You judge Nichiren's practice with zero experience of the practices you deem essential....the best Malcolm can offer is a deathbed awakening of some kind....



We are taught emptiness, except they use Japanese terms like Ku Ke Chu . It was taught to me , rather badly in shoshu and pretty much nothing in the Gakki. But you cannot judge Nichiren and His knowledge and Buddhist Wisdom.

He brought this practice of what id referred to as Lotus Buddhism to the masses...the peasantry can awaken no more or less than you Astus if you practice...A mere uneducated illiterate peasant can awaken their innate Buddha Nature...Why...

Because their teacher is The Eternal Buddha ...what you see as some calming effect in chanting is like one fleck of ice crystal on the iceberg...

Your blind to this practice this time out lad..


.These Buddhist teachings you claim are a must are no longer considered medicine to us.

They once were according to the Lotus Sutra but no longer. and the proof that Nichiren so demands is in the pudding...
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Re: Able to awaken to our innate Buddha-nature through our actual practice?

Post by narhwal90 »

I'm not so sure Minobu- why can't Nichiren and his propositions be subject to the same critical review and investigation that might be applied to the commentary of any other teacher? There are any number of commentaries and analyses of the Lotus Sutra.

So does invoking the title of the sutra instruct the follower on the contents of the sutra without any further study? Meaning, no need for goshos? Back in my Shoshu days and in SGI now there is a continuing emphasis on faith, practice, study. Meaning (to me) belief that the practice works, doing the practice, study of the practice (gosho etc), by implication all three are needed.

Besides recitation of the title, Nichiren specifcally accepts recital of the sutra, contemplation of Ichinen-sanzen and the so-called 3 Truths propositions, if the follower is capable. Is it the case that the essential practice is chanting but elaboration of the practice with more complex forms is beneficial- and therefore of some importance?
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