What sort of mindset or attitude should a Nichiren Buddhist have?

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bcol01
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What sort of mindset or attitude should a Nichiren Buddhist have?

Post by bcol01 »

Also, how are we to treat others?
My understanding is w respect and compassion. But what does this mean?

Thanks everyone ☺️ :namaste:
In his writing, Hokkemongu (Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra), The Great Master Nichiren said, “If the practitioners of the Lotus Sutra wholeheartedly devote their life to the Lotus Sutra and practice according to its golden words, it is certainly needless to say that not only in the next life, but also in this lifetime they will overcome severe difficulty, prolong their life, receive the great, good fortune of unsurpassed enlightenment, and accomplish the great vow of the widespread, propagation of True Buddhism.”
muni
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Re: What sort of mindset or attitude should a Nichiren Buddhist have?

Post by muni »

bcol01 wrote: Thu Nov 24, 2022 7:12 pm Also, how are we to treat others?
My understanding is w respect and compassion. But what does this mean?

Thanks everyone ☺️ :namaste:
Since no answer came here: I don't know if there is a particular difference in Nichiren method but I guess not so much. I agree with you and you give me a good reminder! It could be described as respect and compassion. Never forgetting the suffering of all beings in a variety of ways and at the same time their great gift, since it is by all of them and really no any excluded that we get liberation out of our self made prison. So all people of different tradition, religions, races, all animals...
Therefore impartial mind can result from our practice.
When mind is lost in agition, there is been said: do not think, do not speak, do not act and so be as a rock. Because it can harm own practice in the first place. And what does so automatically can harm beings.
By awareness the other is nothing different of own being.

Perhaps you or anyone can explain better. Thanks. :namaste:
bcol01
Posts: 365
Joined: Mon Dec 05, 2016 10:20 pm

Re: What sort of mindset or attitude should a Nichiren Buddhist have?

Post by bcol01 »

Hi thanks, that makes sense. It's my understanding that Nichiren Buddhist teachings on ethics are based on situational ethics.
muni wrote: Fri Nov 25, 2022 8:04 am
bcol01 wrote: Thu Nov 24, 2022 7:12 pm Also, how are we to treat others?
My understanding is w respect and compassion. But what does this mean?

Thanks everyone ☺️ :namaste:
Since no answer came here: I don't know if there is a particular difference in Nichiren method but I guess not so much. I agree with you and you give me a good reminder! It could be described as respect and compassion. Never forgetting the suffering of all beings in a variety of ways and at the same time their great gift, since it is by all of them and really no any excluded that we get liberation out of our self made prison. So all people of different tradition, religions, races, all animals...
Therefore impartial mind can result from our practice.
When mind is lost in agition, there is been said: do not think, do not speak, do not act and so be as a rock. Because it can harm own practice in the first place. And what does so automatically can harm beings.
By awareness the other is nothing different of own being.

Perhaps you or anyone can explain better. Thanks. :namaste:
In his writing, Hokkemongu (Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra), The Great Master Nichiren said, “If the practitioners of the Lotus Sutra wholeheartedly devote their life to the Lotus Sutra and practice according to its golden words, it is certainly needless to say that not only in the next life, but also in this lifetime they will overcome severe difficulty, prolong their life, receive the great, good fortune of unsurpassed enlightenment, and accomplish the great vow of the widespread, propagation of True Buddhism.”
narhwal90
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Re: What sort of mindset or attitude should a Nichiren Buddhist have?

Post by narhwal90 »

bcol01 wrote: Thu Nov 24, 2022 7:12 pm Also, how are we to treat others?
My understanding is w respect and compassion. But what does this mean?

Thanks everyone ☺️ :namaste:
I agree wrt respect and compassion. For questions like this I go to the dictionary;

respect - "due regard for the feelings, wishes, rights, or traditions of others."
compassion - "sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others."

or perhaps put a different way, cultivation of the paramitas. Its a shame Nichiren didn't take them up formally in his goshos, though I suppose he demonstrates them in some. IMHO they are fundamental elements of practice. From long exposure to practice in SGI I'm inclined towards them being part of the forms of the collective practice eg dana, sila, and the others are often seen but not named as such. Perhaps that is also the case in the other schools.
muni
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Re: What sort of mindset or attitude should a Nichiren Buddhist have?

Post by muni »

respect - "due regard for the feelings, wishes, rights, or traditions of others."
compassion - "sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others."
That would be really great, it would help us to be freed from our me grasping, what causes us suffering and helps no one.
Only, I can be totally wrong, but learned that pity ( Dalai Lama) is more like by a bit looking down on others, as being there poor ones, having no understanding or having no value compared to me.
Like throwing some coins in the lap of a beggar, here you, that's for you! While Compassion and Respect is opening our selfish door and so free us from the illusion of separate self.

However you mention sympathetic pity, that I don't know. Maybe that is much better. :namaste:
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