In the Lotus Sutra for the first time the Buddha reveals all the secrets, all the answers, all the possibilities. As the Buddha states, the one reason for the appearance of any Buddha is for the purpose of making it possible for all beings to attain enlightenment equal to the Buddha himself. The Buddha opens the gate showing the near to reveal the far. The Buddha opens the gate, causes people to purify themselves, and shows the insight of the Buddha so that all beings may enter the Way to enlightenment.
Lecture on the Lotus SutraQuotes
The Ten Factors: Entity
Of the Ten Factors, Entity is the integration of the spiritual and material aspects in phenomena. Phenomena cannot be understood one-sidedly, either from the viewpoint of external appearances or internal natures. The factor of entity is a recognition that nothing can be understood without both its objective and its subjective sides.
Lotus SeedsAbandoning Mistaken Practices
Buddhist sources say that in Shakyamuni’s day there were sixty-two “mistaken philosophies” in India. That precise number is, of course, the contribution of later Buddhist scholars, but Shakyamuni himself denounced several widely held theories contemporary with his own philosophy. In his sermons, he made it clear that to lead people to Buddhism it is first necessary to show them the fallacies of other religions and philosophies and motivate them to abandon the mistaken practices encouraged by such systems.
Basic Buddhist Concepts
The Ten Factors: Nature
Of the Ten Factors, Nature is the internal or subjective aspect of phenomena. This factor focuses on those intrinsic qualities that make things what they are, as opposed to external or superficial appearances. Nature also indicates our inner thoughts and feelings.
Lotus SeedsThe Meaning of ‘Today’
Buddhism for Today, p94-95The Buddha’s words “I observe that length of time as if it were only today” suggest to us that human life is unlimited. The Buddha gives us hints to realize that our lives continue from the unlimited past to the endless future; “today” does not exist in isolation but is like a deep pool or a shoal of the endless river of life. If we defile our body and mind of today, we exert a bad influence upon the lower reaches of the stream of unlimited life. If we purify our body and mind of today, we cause a favorable change farther down the same stream.
Uttara-kuru
Only to the extent that one envisions a higher way of life does the discrepancy between the real world and the ideal become obvious. There is no need for religion in the Utopian realm called Uttara-kuru, which, according to ancient Buddhist cosmology, lies north of Mount Sumeru (the center of the universe), and where all wishes come true. The Buddha never appeared in Uttara-kuru because the people dwelling there felt no need of the salvation he offered.
Basic Buddhist Concepts
Where You Need To Be
There is no place other than where we are that is more conducive or better for our enlightenment. There may be things we need to change in our environment but until we change ourselves first then every thing we change will end up being the same or similar. This is difficult to accept, because it can be very seductive to think, if only I change my job then it will be better. Yet, when we make a change based upon that thinking without fundamentally changing ourselves, then we invariably end up facing similar problems even if packaged differently.
Lecture on the Lotus SutraThe Ten Factors: Appearance
Of the Ten Factors, Appearance is the external or objective aspect of phenomena. That which is seen, heard, smelled, touched, or tasted is included in this factor. Appearance involves the ways things relate to each other as distinct subjects and objects.
Lotus SeedsThe Acquisition of Religious Spirit
The true spirit of religion does not arise from a desire for economic security or a hope of being cured of disease. Worship inspired by the prospect of worldly benefits is not true worship and does not accord with the higher teachings of the Buddha. It cannot be denied, however, that many people whose original motive for turning to religion was desire for mundane well-being have gone on to acquire consciousness of higher ideals and awareness of the genuine meaning of faith. The religious experience can occur on many levels. The acquisition of the religious spirit is more often than not gradual, and ideals tend to become loftier and deeper as experience grows.
Basic Buddhist Concepts
Understanding Dharma Slander
Two Buddhas, p85Nichiren’s understanding of dharma slander included not only verbal disparagement, as the term suggests, but the mental act of rejection or disbelief. As he declared, “To be born in a country where the Lotus Sūtra has spread and neither to have faith in it nor practice it, is disparaging the dharma.” In other words, one could be guilty of “disparaging the dharma” without malign intent, even without knowledge that one was doing so, simply by following a teacher who had set the Lotus aside in favor of lesser, provisional teachings. Nichiren initially leveled, this charge against Hōnen’s followers but later expanded it to include both Shingon and Tendai adepts who subordinated the Lotus Sūtra to the esoteric teachings; practitioners of Zen, who emphasized its “wordless transmission” over the Buddhist scriptures in general; as well as movements to revitalize precept observance, which based themselves on precepts grounded in provisional teachings.