A Desperate Plea
Omar067
Veteran
You guys were right. I have been studying the writings of Nichiren Daishonin for the last three days. I have almost completed the whole volume 1 of Nichiren Daishonin's writings. I only have three letters left. Christianity is definitely a Buddhist teaching.I thought it was a falsehood. I am so sorry. In the letter named,"The Kalpa of Decrease" it indeed explains that all non-Buddhist teachings are indeed Buddhist teachings. When bad things were going in the world, the non-Buddhist teachings were helpless to solve the problems of that time. However, the Buddhist teachings were relied on and the problem was solved. Because the non-Buddhist saw the greatness of Buddhism, the non-Buddhist began to add parts of the Buddhist teachings into their own religions. This was explained in previous letters. Example of this are Toaism and Brahmanism. This in turn made these religions become more formidable opponents of Buddhism. If my understanding is correct, Christianity could be considered a provisional Buddhist teaching. Nichiren says that all of the worlds' sages are emanations of the Buddha. If this is correct, then Jesus would have to be considered the Shakyamuni Buddha of a provisional teaching. Although the teaching maybe considered inferior to even Brahmanism and the Confucius teachings. The problem with these teachings is the fact that we are in the Latter Day of the Law, which is an evil age. The Buddha, and his envoy Nichiren Daishonin said that erroneous doctrines will flourish and not even the provisional teachings would remain effective. Not even the theoretical parts of the Lotus Sutra would even be effective on its own. Nichiren Daishonin revealed the practice that will allow people in the Latter day of the Law to attain a life state higher than that of even the two vehicles. Not even the Buddha's most skilled disciples were given the task to spread the Lotus Sutra in the Latter Day of the Law. The task was given to Bodhisattva Superior Practices, who was born in Japan as Nichiren Daishonin. The only practice that will fix the world's problems is the phrase Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. It is the practice that will allow humans beings of our time to achieve Enlightenment. The effectiveness of the phrase is very dependent on faith. In order for the practice to work you must study a lot. The amount of time spent studying the writings of Nichiren Daishonin, is a reflection of your faith. The Buddha said that the Lotus Sutra would be the most difficult teaching to believe. So strengthening faith is crucial. We live in a time when bad religions are flourishing. In the United States, everyone is a Christian. Everyday your probably hearing the Christian religion being spoken of. Words have the power help people, and they have the power to hurt people. The Buddha says that an evil friend is more dangerous than a mad elephant. An elephant will destroy your body, but an evil friend will destroy your mind. We Americans have been hearing the Christian religion since we were children. Because this belief is so rooted in our mind, we might not get much benefit from chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo because the Christian religion is deeply rooted in our mind. Some people will not even consider trying to even utter Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. For this practice to work you must study the writings of Nichiren Daishonin so that you will develop strong faith. Stop relying on laws made up by men who were not enlightened to the correct teaching. Rely on the law of the Lotus Sutra. Read the writings of Nichiren Daishonin everyday. I have made a decision to read the writings of Nichiren Daishonin every day. I will read everyone of his writings everyday. I will not skip a letter. I will read both volumes of the writings of Nichiren Daishonin at least one thousand times before I die. I want you to do the same. Nichiren said that although people arouse the desire for Enlightenment, they only exert themselves no more than two hours out of the day, but I practice the Lotus Sutra 24 hours everyday whether I am walking, sitting or standing. Determination and faith is the key to changing your life. You have a duty to change your life so that others can do the same. You owe each and every human being on this earth a debt of gratitude. People are looking for a hero and we have to show them that it is possible that we can change. Please chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo so we can change the world.
Comments
It does sound more like another kind of Christianity than Buddhism. Pray and be saved seems to be the message. Is this popular in America?
I am glad you are finding something of worth in the writings of Nichiren Daishonin @Omar067. There is almost no version of Buddhism that is not worthwhile on some deep inner level, you will always learn something. And I will keep your recommendation of the writings of Nichiren in mind the next time I am choosing a book to read.
But trying to convince people at large they have a duty is likely to just raise hackles against you. Why not talk instead about the wisdom you have found?
It couldn't be anything further from the truth. Buddhism is as different from Christianity as water is from fire. In Buddhism you are taught that all living brings are endowed with the Buddha nature. A person can only tap into their Buddha nature by chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo and strengthening the their faith. Since the Buddha nature resides inside of us, any Buddhist with the correct understanding of the teaching knows that one can only rely on their own strength. Seeking enlightenment outside of yourself is like counting your neighbors wealth and not receiving half a coin. If anyone tells you that your are not endowed with the Buddha nature and have to rely on something outside of yourself that person should be regarded as non-buddhist. Now on to your point about saving people. If your mother or father, or any of your family was in danger of being killed would you let someone kill them. In Buddhism, we are taught that we must repay the four debts of gratitude. One debts is that own to every human being on earth. In order to reach that status of the Buddha, we must first attain the state of the Bodhisattva. We can not skip that state. The Buddha has asked us to spread the Lotus Sutra through out the whole world. If we call ourselves Buddhist, then we must follow the guidance of our Buddha. Just like a student must listen to his teacher.
The Buddha and many of his disciples have taught numerous ways to tap into our Buddha nature. The path you've mentioned is just one of them.
When the Buddha first gained enlightenment, he knew that what he had attained was something that couldn't be explained. Only Buddha's have the correct understanding of all phenomena. Because this state of mind the Buddha had achieved through very difficult practices would be very hard to describe, he had resort to expedient means. In one of the sutras, the Buddha said that because people's minds vary greatly, I expounded various teachings according to each person's capacity. The Buddha also said that all the teachings he expounded were not uniform. None of them contained the truth. In the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha for the first time, revealed the true teaching. Because none of the teachings prior to the Lotus Sutra contain the true teaching, than none of them can allow one to attain Buddhahood. All of the Buddha's teachings can be divided into different categories. These categories are the Hinayana, provisional Mahayana, and true Mahayana. They can also divided in to the categories of exotoric and esotoric teachings. You must carefully distinguish between these categories. If you don't, you would have to be regarded as non-buddhist. The Lotus Sutra is in the true Mahayana category of teachings. We live in the Latter Day of the Law. It is an evil age and a lot of erroneous teachings were predicted to arise during this time. In this age the Buddha said that any teaching that does not contain the truth about how to become enlightened, would not be able to save anyone. During the former day of the Law, many Buddhist were able adhere to the precepts. In the Middle Day of the Law there were many people who broke the precepts and some were able to abide by them. In the Latter Day of the Law, because the Buddhist teachings are in decline and they are not effective anymore, no person on this earth can adhere to the precepts. The Hinayana teachings are like a small boat, but ignorant people are like a big rock. A small both can't carry very large things. So how can the Hinayana carry people to enlightenment if we don't have the capacity to carry out all of the things that are required. Now on to the Mahayana teachings. When a person speaks it is for two reasons. To express what one really thinks, or to decieve them. If the person expresses their true feelings then you can understand that person's mind. However, if the person lies when speaking, then you can not know what is on that person's mind. When the Buddha taught his various teaching they did not contain the truth about his enlightenment or the state of his
mind that he had achieved. He spoke falsely in order to develop his followers capacity. Because he spoke falsely, his students were not able to know what truly was inside of his mind. If we don't know the mind of the Buddha, then we have not reached his level of enlightenment. When the Buddha said that the people of the two vehicles could not attain enlightenment, he spoke falsely. When he said that women could not achieve Buddhahood he lied. If the Buddha knew that by speaking falsely he could help someone then that is the course of action that he would take. In the Lotus Sutra he discarded the expedient means and revealed the truth. By chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo and studying the writings of Nichiren Daishonin you will achieve Buddhahood. Words have a lot of power. A single word can arouse a feeling in your mind. If a person utters the word pickle than you will definitely start thinking about a pickle and the taste of that pickle. To recite a phrase is to practice navigation. Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is the title of the Lotus Sutra, so if you have faith, it will summon forth your Buddha nature, which will allow you to display your full potential. It was always the Buddha's goal to open the way to enlightenment for all people. He doesn't care about your race and doesn't care if you are a man or woman. It doesn't matter if you are ignorant or evil. The Lotus Sutra allows everyone to attain enlightenment. The Buddha has transcended all prejudice thoughts.
At all times the Buddha is thinking of how can he help each human being gain enlightenment. When we act in accordance with his will, his mind will be more at ease.
Moderator Note:
Hinayana is often taken as a derogatory term. I will thank you to not use it, if in fact you mean Theravada, which is widely recognised and acknowledged as the Original and older school of Buddhism.
The thing about Buddhism is that it is not understood with words. No matter how much we Westerners worship intellect, wisdom is found in the silence between the words. A state of mind that is developed slowly over time.
As for Jesus, he was right for that place, that culture, that time. Truth is there in all religions.
The Buddha warned us about people that have that view. You belief is similar to the Zen school. They think that debates about the validity of various Buddhist doctrines are useless. They call it finger pointing at the moon. He said that there will be people who don't study the sutras but only rely on meditation. They only look at a wall in order to attain Buddhahood. In order to attain enlightenment you have to clear your mind of delusions. You rid yourself delusions by reading Buddhist doctrine.
@Omar067 it appears you are missing the point of the Dharma my friend. Make sure it is the Dharma you are following and not the finger itself that is pointing at the moon.......
I am following the teachings of the Buddha. You are the one that is not following the Buddha's teaching. The Buddha said to rely on the law and not the person. The Lotus Sutra is the teacher of all Buddhas. If the Buddha didn't rely on the law of the Lotus Sutra, he would not have attained Buddhahood. You rely on the teachings of an ordinary person not the Buddha. If the practice that claims it can give you enlightenment is not in agreement with the sutras then it should be branded as false.
@Omar067
You might find this of interest...
https://newbuddhist.com/discussion/26886/the-basic-points-unifying-the-theravada-and-the-mahayana#latest
Whatever floats one's raft and keeps it afloat.......preferably with acts of kindness...
Considering Nichiren is the only tradition of Buddhism that claims to be the "one correct path" and that is in direct opposition to the Buddha's teaching of the Middle Way, I would strongly suggest you are the one being led astray and perhaps the path you are following is more a 700 year old cult than a school of Buddhism.....
Nichiren was the only Buddhist in Japan with the correct understanding of the teaching. He was the son of a fishermen and his family was not wealthy at all. He became a monk at a young age and studied all of the influential Buddhist schools in Japan. When he began to spread this teaching he was harshly persecuted. He was exiled many times, and almost killed on many occasions. Many of his disciples use to get beaten because they took faith in his teaching. None of them gave up and they endured all of that persecution and that is why the teaching exists today. They were not a bunch of cowards like the Buddhists today who fake like they are compassionate.
I have caused you all enough trouble. I've decided to leave the site. I hope you all live a very long happy life.
Take care man. Chill out a bit....
Why do you think you have cause us trouble @Omar067 ?
Personally I'm not troubled by your posts/comments...They are based on what you believe to be the truth and you have every right to believe what you believe as do all the members here ...
Thus have I heard....
It would seem we are all on the path of seeing for ourselves..."Ehipassiko"
Be well and be mindful of thoughts words and deeds...Safe journey @Omar067 ..
And remember...
Sabbe dhamma nalam abhinivesaya Nothing whatsoever should be clung to...
That's just it. He insists he is right and we're all wrong. He doesn't see it as you described, at all...
He will not accept this recommendation as it is not a part of his chosen School of Thought...