In Mahayana Buddhism, Dharma means the Buddha’s teachings, and also indicates the fundamental cosmic or universal law. This law, however, does not mean a law established by legislative and social duties, but indicates a natural law of life, just as in the law of gravity or other natural phenomena. It is the pulse of life that permeates the entire universe and, in turn, is identical to the truth: the doctrine and the essence of all the Buddha’s wisdom, insight and subsequent teachings.
Odaimoku: The Significance Of Chanting Namu Myoho Renge KyoQuotes
Prayer
Prayer in Buddhism is a somewhat different animal from the way it is frequently spoken of in other faith traditions. Prayer is about changing us and not changing something outside of ourselves. Yet, still it is not uncommon and in fact quite human to need certain things in our lives and so we may pray for them. When we pray for things outside ourselves we must realize that we may not have our prayer answered specifically as we decide it should be. Our intent in prayer should focus on the necessary change that needs to occur in our lives so that we can attain enlightenment.
Lotus Path: Practicing the Lotus Sutra Volume 1The Heart of Enlightenment
The Lotus Sutra as the Physician’s Cure can bring us back from spiritual death by revealing the heart of what enlightenment is and what our relationship with the infinite past and infinite future means. This life, this lived experience, is not just this moment, or just a collection of previous moments or just the unfolding of future moments. This life is all of those and our connection with all life in the universe. Intellectually this has no energy; on the spiritual level of the heart it has unlimited energy. This I know; this I have felt. My experiences, though, are beyond the realm of theoretical understanding or sharing. I do this writing and tell these stories in the hope of in some small way sharing my experience.
Physician's Good MedicineThe Buddhist Body
[T]o abstract a phase of Buddhist thought, apart from other factors, is as if one were to dissect a human body into parts, and treat one of them as a unit.
Nichiren, The Buddhist ProphetAnger and Retaliation
Giving peace and appeasing people’s anger is one purpose of religion. Anger cannot calm anger by itself. Retaliation cannot stop retaliation by itself. Anger can be calmed by a peaceful mind, and retaliation can be calmed only by compassion. Unfortunately, though we know this well, our actions are often less ideal than we intend them to be. This is one of the silliest characteristics of human beings. Animals know better than we do. We must change our ways now, otherwise the tragedies of human life will continue forever.
Buddhism is a teaching that can provide peace, ease, and compassion. There are many teachings that can help to prepare us to accept these virtues.
Spring WritingsThe Final Teaching
Some people say that Buddhism is not a religion but a lifestyle, or a way of living. In fact, Buddhism originated as a means to save suffering people. The scriptures containing the Buddha’s teachings are collectively known as the “sutras” or “0-kyo.” Of all the sutras, the Lotus Sutra is the conclusion, the final teaching.
Spring WritingsActualizing the Lotus Sutra in Our Own Lives
[W]hether or not we identify with the Bodhisattvas who emerge from the ground is a matter for our practice. I do believe that as we practice we do realize a connection with the Lotus Sutra that transitions it from a historical document to a living teaching directed specifically to ourselves. This is a transition that is available to us buried in the Lotus Sutra, but unlike those specifically spelled out in the teachings this one requires us to manifest it through our practice. This is also a transition from theoretically understanding the teaching to actualizing it in our own lives.
Lecture on the Lotus SutraThreefold Training
The Eightfold Path is often taught in terms of the “Threefold Training,” consisting of precepts, meditation, and wisdom.
Precepts refer to the ethical demand of right speech , right action, and right livelihood. Right effort is sometimes included in this category, as well. There are five precepts at the heart of Buddhist morality. These are: not killing, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct, not lying, and not using intoxicants that cloud the mind. Through ethical living, we refrain from making bad causes and take responsibility for developing a life of integrity and confidence.
Meditation refers to mental discipline and refinement, covering right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. By training the mind, we are able to sharpen and strengthen our ability to maintain a peaceful mind and see things as they are, not simply as we wish them to be.
Wisdom refers to the development of right views and right intentions. This means that we are able to see the true nature of reality just as the Buddha sees it.
The Buddha taught that we are able to free ourselves from craving and ignorance and attain awakening when precepts, meditation, and wisdom are developed together.
Lotus SeedsDharma
The syllable Ho of Myoho is the translation of the Sanskrit word “Dharma” and is written with the Chinese character that expresses the concept of “law.” In the ancient teachings of the Hindu Vedas and Upanishads that all came before the advent of the Buddha, Dharma is defined as a religious duty in the life of every person. According to these pre-Buddhist traditions, through the observance of one’s religious duty or Dharma, life throughout the universe is maintained and can continue to flourish.
Odaimoku: The Significance Of Chanting Namu Myoho Renge KyoThe Cause for Enlightenment
In the Lotus Sutra the Buddha assures us our ability to attain enlightenment! Nichiren established the most efficacious manner to carry out the practice of the Lotus Sutra: chanting Odaimoku – Namu Myoho Renge Kyo – assures us of manifesting our inherent Buddhahood in this very lifetime.
There are numerous predictions in the Lotus Sutra of future enlightenment of various people representing all the conditions of enlightenment. So no matter how we may view our present condition, the cause for enlightenment exists in this very moment within the phrase of the Sacred Title of the Lotus Sutra.
Lotus Path: Practicing the Lotus Sutra Volume 1