Relational Buddhism: Thread 2
Eugene
Explorer
Hi, folks,
During my lunch hour I came across this quote, which I found inspiring, and wanted to share. I'm new at this, so if this should go on another thread somewhere, enlighten me. It's from a Nichiren Shu priest and talks about the Mahayana, but I think the sentiments would relate to all Buddhists:
"The Lotus Sutra teaches that “Only a Buddha together with a Buddha can know the True Reality of All Existence.” This is because Mahayana Buddhism does not recognize any enlightenment that can be enjoyed alone as authentic. The True Dharma is not about saving “oneself”, it is about discovering that life is actually dynamically relational with no place for the boundaries of self and other. Enlightenment, therefore, is about letting go of the self and opening ourselves up to the empty and marvelous true nature of things. When that happens, even slightly, we begin to realize that the true aim of our lives is an inherently shared experience. It is this which is expressed and celebrated whenever we assert our true natures and reenact the Ceremony in the Air for the benefit of ourselves and all beings during the Sunday service and at all other times when we gather together and uphold Namu Myoho Renge Kyo."
As some of you might guess, I particularly like the phrase "... we begin to realize that the true aim of our lives is an inherently shared experience."
W/gassho to all,
Eugene
Comments
What does that phrase mean, exactly? I really can't make sense of it:
'We begin to realise that the true aim (objective, goal, purpose) of our lives is an inherently (permanently, essentially, or characteristically) shared experience...'
That is - we begin to realise that the reason we are alive is a deep-rooted experience like that of everyone else.
...What?
I'm not sure I get what the intended lesson is.
...And what exactly would our 'true Nature' be?
Some things can't be explained without relationships.
But that was a good try @Eugene...
The OP might have a different answer to your questions, but here's my crack at it...
RE: ...we begin to realize that the true aim of our lives is an inherently shared experience.
I think the answer is already in that exerpt: "The True Dharma is not about saving “oneself”, it is about discovering that life is actually dynamically relational with no place for the boundaries of self and other." In other words, kind of a take on no man is an island...
true nature=Buddha Nature
The Lotus Sutra is big on Buddha Nature, that is, the potential for all to become Buddhas. The lotus itself is an allegory for Buddha Nature, as from a simple seed, the lotus rises pristine from the dirt and the muck below.
@Eugene If you're into Nichiren, I highly suggest the book The Buddha in Daily Life. For some reason, they source it as Soka Gakkai, which is odd because Richard Causton was actually affiliated with Nichiren Shoshu.
The left hand shakes the right; a smile, ever so slight.
It's like what you quoted 'leaves out' an object of the subject, I see what you mean about it being difficult to 'get'.
On the other hand, maybe the 'object' is implied, that 'shared experience' is what the intended lesson is. That sort of makes 'sense' in that certain way where I don't get it logically but intuitively (meaning, I ain't got there yet).
I remember, with loathing, when I learned to diagram sentences, so I'm not in any way trying to be precise in that regard, just more intuition, which isn't worth much for another person . . .
I think it's as zombiegirl says. The operative word is "shared," not "experience," like, "the true aim of our lives is an inherently SHARED experience," rather than something like "the true aim of our lives is that I as an individual become 'enlightened'".