Who or what is the Eternal Buddha?

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tkp67
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Re: Who or what is the Eternal Buddha?

Post by tkp67 »

p.62When you look at those of superior capacity, do not disparage yourself. The Buddha’s true intention was that no one, even those of inferior capacity, be denied enlightenment. Conversely, when you compare yourself with persons of inferior capacity, do not be arrogant and overproud. Even persons of superior capacity may be excluded from enlightenment if they do not devote themselves wholeheartedly.

One may think fondly of one’s native village, but, paying no visit and with no particular reason to go, one in time gives up the idea of returning. Or one may pine for a particular person, but, with no hope of winning that person’s love and having exchanged no vows, one abandons the thought of waiting. So in like manner we neglect to journey to the pure land of Eagle Peak, though it surpasses in grandeur the palaces of nobles and high ministers, and moreover is quite easy to reach. We fail to behold the gentle and benign figure of the Buddha, who has declared, “I am a father to you,”31 though we ought surely to present ourselves before him. Should we not grieve at this, until our sleeves are drenched with tears and our heart consumed by regret?

The color of the clouds in the sky as twilight falls, the waning light of the moon when dawn is breaking—these things make us ponder. In the same way, whenever events remind us of life’s uncertainty, we should fix our thoughts on the existence to come. When we view the blossoms of spring or the snow on a winter morning, we should think of it, and even on evenings when winds bluster and gathering clouds tumble across the sky, we should not forget it even for an instant.

Life lasts no longer than the time the exhaling of one breath awaits the drawing of another. At what time, what moment, should we ever allow ourselves to forget the compassionate vow of the Buddha, who declared, “At all times I think to myself: [How can I cause living beings to gain entry into the unsurpassed way and quickly acquire the body of a Buddha]?”32 On what day or month should we permit ourselves to be without the sutra that says, “[If there are those who hear the Law], then not a one will fail to attain Buddhahood”?33

How long can we expect to live on as we have, from yesterday to today or from last year to this year? We may look back over our past and count the years we have accumulated, but when we look ahead into the future, who can for certain number himself among the living for another day or even for an hour? Yet, though one may know that the moment of one’s death is already at hand, one clings to arrogance and prejudice, to worldly fame and profit, and fails to devote oneself to chanting the Mystic Law. Such an attitude is futile beyond description! Even though the Lotus Sutra is called the teaching that enables all living beings to attain the Buddha way, how could a person such as this actually attain it? It is said that even the moonlight will not deign to shine on the sleeve of an unfeeling person.

Moreover, as life does not go beyond the moment, the Buddha expounded the blessings that come from a single moment of rejoicing [on hearing the Lotus Sutra]. If two or three moments were required, this could no longer be called the original vow of the Buddha endowed with great impartial wisdom, the single vehicle of the teaching that directly reveals the truth and leads all living beings to attain Buddhahood.

As for the time of its propagation, the Lotus Sutra spreads during the latter age, when the Buddha’s Law is about to perish. As for what capacity of persons it is suited to, it can save even those who commit the five cardinal sins, or who slander the correct p.63teaching. Therefore, you must be guided by the intent of [the Lotus Sutra, which is] the immediate attainment of enlightenment, and never give yourself up to the mistaken views that stem from doubts or attachments.

How long does a lifetime last? If one stops to consider, it is like a single night’s lodging at a wayside inn. Should one forget that fact and seek some measure of worldly fame and profit? Though you may gain them, they will be mere prosperity in a dream, a delight scarcely to be prized. You would do better simply to leave such matters to the karma formed in your previous existences.

Once you awaken to the uncertainty and transience of this world, you will find endless examples confronting your eyes and filling your ears. Vanished like clouds or rain, the people of past ages have left nothing but their names. Fading away like dew, drifting far off like smoke, our friends of today too disappear from sight. Should you suppose that you alone can somehow remain forever like the clouds over Mount Mikasa?34

The spring blossoms depart with the wind; maple leaves turn red in autumn showers. All are proof that no living thing can stay for long in this world. Therefore, the Lotus Sutra counsels us, “Nothing in this world is lasting or firm but all are like bubbles, foam, heat shimmer.”35

“[At all times I think to myself]: How can I cause living beings to gain entry into the unsurpassed way?” These words express the Buddha’s deepest wish to enable both those who accept the Lotus Sutra and those who oppose it to attain Buddhahood. Because this is his ultimate purpose, those who embrace the Lotus Sutra for even a short while are acting in accordance with his will. And if they act in accordance with the Buddha’s will, they will be repaying the debt of gratitude they owe to the Buddha. The words of the sutra, which are as full of compassion as a mother’s love, will then find solace, and the cares of the Buddha, who said, “I am the only person who can rescue and protect others,” will likewise be eased. Not only will Shakyamuni Buddha rejoice, but because the Lotus Sutra is the ultimate purpose for which all Buddhas appear in the world, the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three existences will likewise rejoice. As Shakyamuni said, “[If one can uphold it even for a short while] I will surely rejoice and so will the other Buddhas.”36 Not only will the Buddhas rejoice, but the gods also will join in their delight. Thus, when the Great Teacher Dengyō lectured on the Lotus Sutra, Great Bodhisattva Hachiman presented him with a purple surplice,37 and when the Honorable Kūya38 recited the Lotus Sutra, the great deity of Matsuo Shrine was able to gain protection from the cold wind.
---> https://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/wnd-1/Content/8

Embracing the Lotus Sutra
illarraza
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Re: Who or what is the Eternal Buddha?

Post by illarraza »

"In the “Life Span” chapter of the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha says, “Sometimes I speak of myself, sometimes of others.” The Buddha Good Virtue of the eastern region, the Thus Come One Mahāvairochana of the center, the Buddhas of the ten directions, the seven Buddhas of the past, the Buddhas of the three existences, Bodhisattva Superior Practices and the other bodhisattvas, Manjushrī, Shāriputra and the others, the great heavenly king Brahmā, the devil king of the sixth heaven, the heavenly king Shakra Devānām Indra, the sun god, the moon god, the morning star god, the seven stars of the Big Dipper, the twenty-eight constellations, the five planets, the seven stars, the countless eighty-four thousand other stars, the asura kings, the heavenly gods, earthly gods, gods of the mountains, gods of the seas, household gods, village gods, and the rulers of all the various countries of the world—not one of these is other than [a provisional manifestation of] Shakyamuni Buddha, the lord of teachings! The Sun Goddess, Great Bodhisattva Hachiman—both these in their original form are Shakyamuni Buddha, the lord of teachings.

Shakyamuni Buddha is like the one moon in the sky, and the various other Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and beings are like the reflections floating on ten thousand different bodies of water. Thus a person who fashions a single image of Shakyamuni Buddha is in effect making images of all the Buddhas of the worlds in the ten directions." - Concerning the Buddha Statue Fashioned by Nichigen-nyo (1279)
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Re: Who or what is the Eternal Buddha?

Post by illarraza »

"The Vairochana Buddha seated on the lotus pedestal with other Buddhas surrounding him in the ten directions, who is described in the Flower Garland Sutra, and the Thus Come One Mahāvairochana of the Diamond Realm and the Womb Realm, who is described in the Mahāvairochana and Diamond Crown sutras, are attendants who stand on the left and right of the Thus Come One Many Treasures, the Buddha described in the “Treasure Tower” chapter of the Lotus Sutra. They are like two high ministers in attendance on a worldly ruler. And this Many Treasures Buddha is a follower of Shakyamuni Buddha, the lord of teachings of the “Life Span” chapter.

We, the various beings who live in this world, have been the beloved children of Shakyamuni Buddha, the lord of teachings, since numberless major world system dust particle kalpas in the past. And though because of the offense of our unfilial behavior we are unaware of this to this day, we are nevertheless not the same as the beings of another realm.

A Buddha with whom one establishes a connection that leads to enlightenment, and the various beings who establish such a connection, may be compared to the moon in the sky as it is reflected in countless bodies of clear water. But in the case of a Buddha with whom no such connection can be established, the various beings are comparable to deaf persons straining to hear the sound of thunder or blind persons facing the sun or the moon.

And yet there are some teachers who deprecate Shakyamuni and pay reverence to the Thus Come One Mahāvairochana, or some teachers who declare that one cannot establish a connection leading to Buddhahood with Shakyamuni, but can establish such a connection with Amida. Other teachers support the Shakyamuni of the Hinayana teachings, the Shakyamuni of the Flower Garland Sutra, or the Shakyamuni of the theoretical teaching of the Lotus Sutra. All these teachers and their supporters who forget [the] p.485Shakyamuni [of the “Life Span” chapter] and choose some other Buddha instead are like Prince Ajātashatru, who killed his father, King Bimbisāra, and, turning against Shakyamuni, became a patron of Devadatta." - Choosing the Heart of the Lotus Sutra

Even the ancient Buddha Many Treasures (Taho) is a follower of Shakyamuni Buddha but not Daisaku Ikeda nor Nichinyo. How lamentable.

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Re: Who or what is the Eternal Buddha?

Post by illarraza »

"And yet there are some teachers who deprecate Shakyamuni and pay reverence to the Thus Come One Mahāvairochana, or some teachers who declare that one cannot establish a connection leading to Buddhahood with Shakyamuni, but can establish such a connection with Amida. Other teachers support the Shakyamuni of the Hinayana teachings, the Shakyamuni of the Flower Garland Sutra, or the Shakyamuni of the theoretical teaching of the Lotus Sutra. All these teachers and their supporters who forget [the] Shakyamuni [of the “Life Span” chapter] and choose some other Buddha instead are like Prince Ajātashatru, who killed his father, King Bimbisāra, and, turning against Shakyamuni, became a patron of Devadatta." - Choosing the Heart of the Lotus Sutra
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Re: Who or what is the Eternal Buddha?

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The Buddha stated, “At the start I took a vow, hoping to make all persons equal to me, without any distinction between us, and what I long ago hoped for has now been fulfilled. I have converted all living beings and caused them all to enter the Buddha way.”54 Shakyamuni Buddha, who has attained perfect enlightenment, is our own flesh and blood. His practices and the resulting virtues are our bones and marrow. The “Treasure Tower” chapter of the Lotus Sutra says, “He who is capable of guarding the Law of this sutra will thereby have offered alms to me and to Many Treasures. . . . One who guards this sutra will also have offered alms to the emanation Buddhas who have come here adorning and making brilliant all the various worlds.” Shakyamuni, Many Treasures, and the Buddhas of the ten directions represent the world of Buddhahood within ourselves. By searching them out within us, we can receive the benefits of all these Buddhas. This is what is meant by the following passage: “If one listens to them [the preachers of the Law] for even a moment, one will immediately attain supreme perfect enlightenment.”55 The “Life Span” chapter reads, “It has been immeasurable, boundless hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of nayutas of kalpas since I in fact attained Buddhahood.” The Shakyamuni Buddha within our lives is the eternal Buddha since time without beginning, who obtained the three bodies more than numberless major world system dust particle kalpas ago. The “Life Span” chapter states, “Originally I practiced the bodhisattva way, and the life span that I acquired then has yet to come to an end but will last twice the number of years that have already passed.” He was speaking of the world of the bodhisattva within ourselves. The bodhisattvas, as numerous as the dust particles of a thousand worlds, p.366who emerged from beneath the earth, are the followers of the Shakyamuni Buddha present in our lives. They follow the Buddha just as T’ai-kung Wang and Tan, the Duke of Chou,56 served as ministers to King Wu of the Chou dynasty and later assisted his son and successor, the infant King Ch’eng; or just as the Chief Minister Takenouchi57 supported Empress Jingū and later her grandson Crown Prince Nintoku as a highly valued minister. The bodhisattvas Superior Practices, Boundless Practices, Pure Practices, and Firmly Established Practices represent the world of the bodhisattva within ourselves. The Great Teacher Miao-lo says: “You should understand that one’s life and its environment at a single moment encompass the three thousand realms. Therefore, when one attains the Buddha way, one puts oneself in accord with this fundamental principle, and one’s body and mind at a single moment pervade the entire realm of phenomena.”58

First, at his place of enlightenment, Shakyamuni Buddha [preached the Flower Garland Sutra in which he] revealed the Lotus Treasury World. In the following fifty years, until he entered nirvana in the grove of sal trees, Shakyamuni preached about the lands of the various Buddhas, such as the Lotus Treasury World and the Land of Secret Solemnity [in the Secret Solemnity Sutra], revealed the three kinds of lands when he three times purified countless lands [in the theoretical teaching of the Lotus Sutra], and revealed the four kinds of lands according to the four different views59 [in the Nirvana Sutra]. These lands—the Land of Transition, the Land of Actual Reward, and the Land of Tranquil Light; the Land of Peace and Sustenance, the Pure Emerald World, the Land of Secret Solemnity, and the lands of all the other Buddhas—are transient lands that change in the course of the kalpas of formation, [continuance, decline, and disintegration]. The Buddhas of these lands had been magically conjured by Shakyamuni Buddha, and when the lord of teachings entered nirvana, all these Buddhas likewise entered extinction. In the same way, their lands also vanished.60

The sahā world Shakyamuni Buddha revealed in the “Life Span” chapter is the eternal pure land, impervious to the three calamities and to the cycle of the four kalpas. The Buddha neither has entered into extinction in the past nor will be born in the future. And the same is true of his disciples. This means that their lives are perfectly endowed with the three thousand worlds, that is, with the three realms of existence.
The Buddha did not reveal this truth in the theoretical teaching, or the first fourteen chapters, of the Lotus Sutra because the time was not right and the people’s capacity was not yet developed.

Shakyamuni Buddha did not transmit the five characters of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the heart of the essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra, even to the bodhisattvas Manjushrī and Medicine King, let alone to any lesser disciples. He summoned from beneath the earth the great bodhisattvas as numerous as the dust particles of a thousand worlds and, as he preached the eight chapters,61 transferred it solely to them.
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Re: Who or what is the Eternal Buddha?

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This habit of posting walls of copy-paste text needs to stop. As instructed prior, provide the reference, by giving both a link to the website and the chapter and name of translation or book.
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Re: Who or what is the Eternal Buddha?

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jake wrote: Thu Dec 03, 2020 10:38 am This habit of posting walls of copy-paste text needs to stop. As instructed prior, provide the reference, by giving both a link to the website and the chapter and name of translation or book.
The link for Nichiren library is intermittently and inappropriately flagged as containing virus. As a 30 year IT professional I cannot fathom the determinant being used since at best it is a false positive.

The wall of text is an indiscriminate measure lacking a comparative basis as there is no ground work to define a wall of text. The same with word salad. However the later however is more than just a pejorative.

The goal posts on the rules for posting are not consistent or static. I fail to fathom the reasoning.
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Re: Who or what is the Eternal Buddha?

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Also topically I understand some of the Lotus SEEMS to counters other teachings.

The eternal and equal concepts for example really evoke difficult reactions. These are reflections of meaning of attachments to the words not the meaning extolled.

The meaning extolled is congruent with all the teachings (thus all the words of Shakyamui are golden). What this really means is that all teachings outside the absolute perspective of the one vehicle are simply contextually relative to cause, condition and capacity.

Cognitive dissonance caused by the conceptualization of these things is the medicine of the "great physician" at work because it simply should not have residence in one's mind. When such phenomenon express in the mind in that way it illustrates the obstacle for which there are specific medicines (provisional and absolute teachings).

This is why contextually Nichiren buddhists only propagate the one vehicle which in their own lives is expressed as one, two, three or whatever means brought them to this tradition.

There is no grand deviation here which is often the way this tradition seems to be viewed.
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Re: Who or what is the Eternal Buddha?

Post by GDPR_Anonymized001 »

tkp67 wrote: Thu Dec 03, 2020 12:28 pm
jake wrote: Thu Dec 03, 2020 10:38 am This habit of posting walls of copy-paste text needs to stop. As instructed prior, provide the reference, by giving both a link to the website and the chapter and name of translation or book.
The link for Nichiren library is intermittently and inappropriately flagged as containing virus. As a 30 year IT professional I cannot fathom the determinant being used since at best it is a false positive.

The wall of text is an indiscriminate measure lacking a comparative basis as there is no ground work to define a wall of text. The same with word salad. However the later however is more than just a pejorative.

The goal posts on the rules for posting are not consistent or static. I fail to fathom the reasoning.
I don't know what relevance your professional background or the pejorative nature of the phrase "word salad" has to do with anything I posted above. Are you saying that in your original post you provided the weblink but that some anti-virus programme removed it from your post? If that is the case then please say so. If not, then please provide the url without hyperlink if some people have problems following the links. This also does not prevent you from providing the Chapter, title, or author information.

For clarity, I highlight the two relevant passages in the Terms of Service with regard to quoting and citing sources:

QUOTING AND REFERENCING SOURCES

When quoting a source, please provide a citation and if possible, a link. Do not copy and paste full articles or long passages. Instead, select and copy a few sentences or, at most, paragraphs, that are relevant to the discussion and paste them with proper citation.
What you pasted above is clearly commentary on the Lotus Sutra perhaps? Or something, I don't know. Further, I've no idea what relevance it has to the OP as you don't try to provide any tie into previous posts or introductory thoughts to place what you're about to write in context. You do, at seemingly random places, bold sentences but again, I've no idea why. Nor do I understand how the various bolded sentences relate. Are you bolding these sentences because when read together they present a coherent argument? To the casual reader unfamiliar with the nuances of Nichiren's thought several of the bolded passages seemingly contradict.

If you are trying to contribute to a broader discussion and engagement of other users then please make an effort to provide context and explain why you are quoting passages. Otherwise just send an email.
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Re: Who or what is the Eternal Buddha?

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tkp67 wrote: Thu Dec 03, 2020 1:05 pm Also topically I understand some of the Lotus SEEMS to counters other teachings.

The eternal and equal concepts for example really evoke difficult reactions. These are reflections of meaning of attachments to the words not the meaning extolled.

The meaning extolled is congruent with all the teachings (thus all the words of Shakyamui are golden). What this really means is that all teachings outside the absolute perspective of the one vehicle are simply contextually relative to cause, condition and capacity.

Cognitive dissonance caused by the conceptualization of these things is the medicine of the "great physician" at work because it simply should not have residence in one's mind. When such phenomenon express in the mind in that way it illustrates the obstacle for which there are specific medicines (provisional and absolute teachings).

This is why contextually Nichiren buddhists only propagate the one vehicle which in their own lives is expressed as one, two, three or whatever means brought them to this tradition.

There is no grand deviation here which is often the way this tradition seems to be viewed.
I have grown weary of being told I don't understand the Lotus Sutra when I am simply asking you to abide by the terms of service for the forum and/or asking you to further explain one of your comments. The argument that my failure to understand or my "reaction" is proof of the truth of the Nichiren understanding of the LS seems a bit strange, frankly. But that is off-topic.
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Re: Who or what is the Eternal Buddha?

Post by narhwal90 »

jake- I don't think its you. I've been in Nichiren-land for 30 years, like it a lot and still find it a real aid when things are tough and so maintain a practice. I used to think the copy-and-paste of quotations was a reasonable form of conversation and debate until I started hanging out with some Zen folks.
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Re: Who or what is the Eternal Buddha?

Post by Minobu »

jake wrote: Thu Dec 03, 2020 1:14 pm
tkp67 wrote: Thu Dec 03, 2020 1:05 pm Also topically I understand some of the Lotus SEEMS to counters other teachings.

The eternal and equal concepts for example really evoke difficult reactions. These are reflections of meaning of attachments to the words not the meaning extolled.

The meaning extolled is congruent with all the teachings (thus all the words of Shakyamui are golden). What this really means is that all teachings outside the absolute perspective of the one vehicle are simply contextually relative to cause, condition and capacity.

Cognitive dissonance caused by the conceptualization of these things is the medicine of the "great physician" at work because it simply should not have residence in one's mind. When such phenomenon express in the mind in that way it illustrates the obstacle for which there are specific medicines (provisional and absolute teachings).

This is why contextually Nichiren buddhists only propagate the one vehicle which in their own lives is expressed as one, two, three or whatever means brought them to this tradition.

There is no grand deviation here which is often the way this tradition seems to be viewed.
I have grown weary of being told I don't understand the Lotus Sutra when I am simply asking you to abide by the terms of service for the forum and/or asking you to further explain one of your comments. The argument that my failure to understand or my "reaction" is proof of the truth of the Nichiren understanding of the LS seems a bit strange, frankly. But that is off-topic.
these gosho TKP67 copy pastes are vital for me...

believe it or not so many times i wake up thinking about some aspect of this Buddhism and wonder about this or that and TKP67 posts a copy paste of exactly the gosho i needed to read...

seriously i don't exaggerate when it comes to this stuff...

i wondered how does this person do this for me....

Also TKP67 has brought me to understanding that we should all work together and not worry so much what the other person believes to be true or not...for we all are trying our best to get it right....in our own capacity.

I see this Buddhism as the work of Buddha...The Eternal Dharmakaya Buddha .....lending enlightenment to all Buddhas of the past and our present Lord Guru Sakyamuni Buddha...


I don't know if TKP67 really disturbs the function of the TOS in regarding copy paste....


For some odd reason i could not access the Nichiren library over at SGI either. Chrome would not go there....

in any case i'm telling you...for real ...TKP67 somehow gets inspired to copy paste the exact gosho i need to read at certain times...almost frightening ...

So yeah Lord Guru Sakyamuni Buddha knows of this person and somehow lends this person the Boon to help me...

DW is so much more than just a forum for me....it's a portal for Dharma.......people get inspired to post vital information for people in distress or just confusion...

i've seen this happen...


take a simple off the cuff remark from Malcolm..."Buddhas don't see sentient beings they only see other Buddhas "

now at first i thought it some arcane nonsensical post...

months of it though floating round me head finally figured it out...It aided me in seeing that we are of three bodies...

the physical body...the Dharma Body which is the chakras and channels and drops ...and our Buddha Nature ...

So we are designed the way we are due to Buddha Nature...in other words we are Buddhas...
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Re: Who or what is the Eternal Buddha?

Post by illarraza »

narhwal90 wrote: Thu Dec 03, 2020 2:06 pm jake- I don't think its you. I've been in Nichiren-land for 30 years, like it a lot and still find it a real aid when things are tough and so maintain a practice. I used to think the copy-and-paste of quotations was a reasonable form of conversation and debate until I started hanging out with some Zen folks.
Nichiren was a scriptural Buddhist. Have you not read Nichiren's criticism of the Zen school?

Mark
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Re: Who or what is the Eternal Buddha?

Post by narhwal90 »

Yes, and I think he's wrong. Or at least misinformed- or mistook the condition of some schools at the time for the entire tradition.
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Re: Who or what is the Eternal Buddha?

Post by illarraza »

narhwal90 wrote: Fri Dec 04, 2020 7:28 pm Yes, and I think he's wrong. Or at least misinformed- or mistook the condition of some schools at the time for the entire tradition.
YIKES! I guess you follow Daisaku Ikeda on the Four Dictums:

Nichiren's Four Dictums:

“But I, Nichiren, one man alone, declare that the recitation of the name of Amida Buddha is an action that leads to rebirth in the hell of incessant suffering, that the Zen school is the invention of the heavenly devil, that the True Word school is an evil doctrine that will destroy the country, and that the Precepts school and the observers of the precepts are traitors to the nation.”

Daisaku Ikeda on the Four Dictums:

Ikeda teaches, “The modern significance of the four dictums is not limited to the simple refutation of Japanese Buddhist schools but in fully developing the positive power of human life. This is the Mystic Law of the simultaneity of cause and effect inherent in human life, and to embrace it is to create boundless value.”– Ikeda

Mark
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Re: Who or what is the Eternal Buddha?

Post by narhwal90 »

Whatever dude :rolling:
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Re: Who or what is the Eternal Buddha?

Post by tkp67 »

jake wrote: Thu Dec 03, 2020 1:14 pm
tkp67 wrote: Thu Dec 03, 2020 1:05 pm Also topically I understand some of the Lotus SEEMS to counters other teachings.

The eternal and equal concepts for example really evoke difficult reactions. These are reflections of meaning of attachments to the words not the meaning extolled.

The meaning extolled is congruent with all the teachings (thus all the words of Shakyamui are golden). What this really means is that all teachings outside the absolute perspective of the one vehicle are simply contextually relative to cause, condition and capacity.

Cognitive dissonance caused by the conceptualization of these things is the medicine of the "great physician" at work because it simply should not have residence in one's mind. When such phenomenon express in the mind in that way it illustrates the obstacle for which there are specific medicines (provisional and absolute teachings).

This is why contextually Nichiren buddhists only propagate the one vehicle which in their own lives is expressed as one, two, three or whatever means brought them to this tradition.

There is no grand deviation here which is often the way this tradition seems to be viewed.
I have grown weary of being told I don't understand the Lotus Sutra when I am simply asking you to abide by the terms of service for the forum and/or asking you to further explain one of your comments. The argument that my failure to understand or my "reaction" is proof of the truth of the Nichiren understanding of the LS seems a bit strange, frankly. But that is off-topic.
Let me answer both posts in one response for brevity.

The passage I quoted was 4-5 paragraphs and was needed in the entirety for context. It seems most prominent when the concepts Nichiren teaches contrasts with other traditional teachings. The fact that the nichirenlibrary.org is now "intermittently" flagged as viral (it is not) is an example of undue bias. The word salad and other obstacles are more of the same. None of that is really important.

What is important is no one who contests aspects of these teachings can dismiss them through a superior understanding of them. They can only put contrasting teaching vs contrasting teaching even though the golden words of the buddha are never in contest.

One does not need to understand anything but the human realm to respect and even apply this statement. Another very critical aspect of this teaching.

What is most interesting to me personally is that people dismiss Nichiren's apocalyptic warning without understanding them in context with the lotus itself. Yet there is deep reasoning which reveals observable cause and effect (it is expressed here constantly) to why those warnings are simply true.

I can't claim to understand Nichiren and Shakyamuni verbatim but it isn't necessary to penetrate wisdom of that level to reveal the nature of this sutra . That is the whole reason I continue to insist on paying back my debt to the buddhas in this regard.

Note this doesn't mean that the internet is Nichiren's medieval japan 2.0. It is actually far from it but it doesn't look as if many have taken such a measure of such things.

and fwiw that section was from the writings and the citation information is why ti was flagged but it had no virus.

BTW it is closer to 40 years in IT.
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Re: Who or what is the Eternal Buddha?

Post by GDPR_Anonymized001 »

I really don't understand what you're trying to say. Or who has bias against Nichiren online or whatnot. Nor do I understand what it has to do with simply appending your long quotes with "Text from Nichiren's Gosho XYZ, found on the Nichiren Library website." That's all I was asking you to do, write a simple citation.

With regard to some Internet-wide bias against the Lotus Sutra or something, I've got no idea. I don't have a single year of IT experience but I'm betting what will solve your issue is if you be sure to write "HTTPS" instead of "http."

Check it for yourself: With the httpS versus "without that added S"

The owner of the website might want to put a redirect from http:// to https://

Back to topic. :)
tkp67 wrote: Wed Dec 09, 2020 1:36 pm
jake wrote: Thu Dec 03, 2020 1:14 pm
tkp67 wrote: Thu Dec 03, 2020 1:05 pm Also topically I understand some of the Lotus SEEMS to counters other teachings.

The eternal and equal concepts for example really evoke difficult reactions. These are reflections of meaning of attachments to the words not the meaning extolled.

The meaning extolled is congruent with all the teachings (thus all the words of Shakyamui are golden). What this really means is that all teachings outside the absolute perspective of the one vehicle are simply contextually relative to cause, condition and capacity.

Cognitive dissonance caused by the conceptualization of these things is the medicine of the "great physician" at work because it simply should not have residence in one's mind. When such phenomenon express in the mind in that way it illustrates the obstacle for which there are specific medicines (provisional and absolute teachings).

This is why contextually Nichiren buddhists only propagate the one vehicle which in their own lives is expressed as one, two, three or whatever means brought them to this tradition.

There is no grand deviation here which is often the way this tradition seems to be viewed.
I have grown weary of being told I don't understand the Lotus Sutra when I am simply asking you to abide by the terms of service for the forum and/or asking you to further explain one of your comments. The argument that my failure to understand or my "reaction" is proof of the truth of the Nichiren understanding of the LS seems a bit strange, frankly. But that is off-topic.
Let me answer both posts in one response for brevity.

The passage I quoted was 4-5 paragraphs and was needed in the entirety for context. It seems most prominent when the concepts Nichiren teaches contrasts with other traditional teachings. The fact that the nichirenlibrary.org is now "intermittently" flagged as viral (it is not) is an example of undue bias. The word salad and other obstacles are more of the same. None of that is really important.

What is important is no one who contests aspects of these teachings can dismiss them through a superior understanding of them. They can only put contrasting teaching vs contrasting teaching even though the golden words of the buddha are never in contest.

One does not need to understand anything but the human realm to respect and even apply this statement. Another very critical aspect of this teaching.

What is most interesting to me personally is that people dismiss Nichiren's apocalyptic warning without understanding them in context with the lotus itself. Yet there is deep reasoning which reveals observable cause and effect (it is expressed here constantly) to why those warnings are simply true.

I can't claim to understand Nichiren and Shakyamuni verbatim but it isn't necessary to penetrate wisdom of that level to reveal the nature of this sutra . That is the whole reason I continue to insist on paying back my debt to the buddhas in this regard.

Note this doesn't mean that the internet is Nichiren's medieval japan 2.0. It is actually far from it but it doesn't look as if many have taken such a measure of such things.

and fwiw that section was from the writings and the citation information is why ti was flagged but it had no virus.

BTW it is closer to 40 years in IT.
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Re: Who or what is the Eternal Buddha?

Post by narhwal90 »

Speaking as a Nichiren practitioner for 33 years (just did the math) I don't particularly buy Nichiren's apocalyptic warnings. He says a lot of stuff about how practitioners of the various other schools are bound for various hells but what is the proof? Frankly it comes across to me as a scare tactic and isn't compelling. What <is> compelling for me is his care and attention to his family, friends, followers- and his steadfast determination to be out in front as an example.
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Minobu
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Re: Who or what is the Eternal Buddha?

Post by Minobu »

narhwal90 wrote: Wed Dec 09, 2020 3:16 pm Speaking as a Nichiren practitioner for 33 years (just did the math) I don't particularly buy Nichiren's apocalyptic warnings. He says a lot of stuff about how practitioners of the various other schools are bound for various hells but what is the proof? Frankly it comes across to me as a scare tactic and isn't compelling.
So what else do you wish to change?
It's part and parcel to the journey one takes when deciding to Follow Nichiren's Teachings..

we are not talking about fake gosho here...these are Nichiren's Edicts..

also when you say
but what is the proof?
what is the proof that NIchiren Shonin got it wrong?

it's one thing to say you believe in shoshu's ideas or Kempon hokke, or shu ....and another to bash one of the core teachings.
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