2/4 Mantra and Mandala

A couple of days ago I looked at differences between the Nichiren sects concerning leaders (http://nichirenbuddhist.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/14-leaders-of-pack.html) and today the focus is on the chanting and the object of devotion.

Gongyo (Daily Practice)

Basically, all of the Nichiren schools have a daily practise (Gongyo), or twice daily practise, which includes a combination of recitations from the Lotus Sutra, silent prayers (of gratitude and intent), daimoku and bell-ringing/striking a wooden block.

All of the various schools have their own particular style but generally chant extracts which they consider to be the core of the Lotus Sutra.  Some ring the bell continuously during daimoku, some use it to indicate what stage of the gongyo they are at, some chant extracts from the two main chapters of the Lotus Sutra (2^nd and 16^th) and others use longer extracts from these chapters or key extracts from other chapters.  All believe that their way is the correct way to practice and is usually based on their founders’ (or subsequent leaders’) guidelines of what should be focussed on.  As Nichiren hasn’t really written about this practice, there doesn’t seem to be a major conflict online about how to do gongyo and most of the schools chant in Japanese (although some don’t).

 

“Nam” or “Namu”

The core of Nichiren’s teaching though is to chant “Nam(u)-Myoho-Renge-Kyo” and some Nichiren schools can get quite hung up on this issue, believing that because Nichiren Shoshu and the SGI says “nam” instead of “namu” we are not practising correctly and will get no benefit from our practise. 

Personally, I see it as something of a non-issue because the “mispronounced” word is a Japanese transliteration of the Sanskrit word “namas” which means “devotion”.  It’s not like a mispronunciation of the title of the Lotus Sutra “myoho-renge-kyo” but a small discrepancy over an approximation of a foreign word for devotion. 

If Nichiren wanted to avoid confusion, he could have used any of the Japanese words for devotion, but he obviously felt that the Sanskrit word more fully embodied the depth of this devotion/unity with the Lotus Sutra and wanted to include a Japanese approximation of it in his mantra.  Even though I think it’s a non-issue, let’s look at some examples of Japanese:

CONTEXTUAL PRONOUNCIATION -  Sometimes the final syllable of a word is pronounced as though the final vowel were not there:  Squirrel in Japanese is RISU and is pronounced RI-SU, but the verb to be - DESU - is often pronounced as DE-S not DE-SU.

PHONETIC CONTRACTION – Sometimes during conversation, or when speaking quickly, the final vowel sound may be dropped, especially when the following word starts with the same syllable sound.  If this is the case, we might get the use of NAMU AMIDA BUDDHA, NAMU ICHIJO-MYOTEN, NAMU NICHIREN, etc. but when the following word starts with an “M” we would get NAM(u) MYOHO RENGE KYO.

JAPANESE SYLLABLES - Unfortunately because we don’t have a recording of Nichiren chanting, we have to rely on the Gosho to guide us, but this doesn’t help us either.  Japanese is a syllabic language and while most of the Japanese syllables are two or three characters and usually end in a vowel there are also solitary vowels AND a solitary “n” and ”m” syllable.  i.e. the Japanese word for newspaper is shimbun, which has both the solitary “m” in the middle and a solitary “n” at the end.  In the Gosho, Nichiren sometimes refers to the seven syllables of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, but this is true whether we say “namu” or “nam” because although in English “nam” is one syllable, it is still two syllables - “na” and “m” – in Japanese.

As I say, I think this is something of a non-issue, but some sects get really worked up about this.  It’s a shame, but if it was such a big deal, I’m sure Nichiren would have clarified the correct pronunciation of “nam”/”namu” much more clearly in one of his letters, stressing that it should always be pronounced “MU” especially as the following word does start with an M and “NAM(u) MYOHO RENGE KYO” is so central to our practise.  He didn’t, so he either believed everyone was chanting correctly or he didn’t see it as an issue.

Which Gohonzon is Best?

A Gohonzon is a mandala used by the various schools of Nichiren Buddhism.  Carl Jung described a mandala as a universal expression of the human subconscious and Nichiren’s various Gohonzon are reifications of the Mystic Law of “nam-myoho-renge-kyo”. On the surface they represent pictorially or calligraphically the world and its spiritual nature, but on a deeper level they are a guide for transforming our ordinary human minds into enlightened ones. 

So why do we have a Gohonzon?

In the Gosho, “Questions and Answers on the Object of Devotion” we have the following conversation:

QUESTION: In the evil world of the latter age, what should ordinary men and women take as their object of devotion? 

ANSWER: They should make the daimoku of the Lotus Sutra their object of devotion.

QUESTION: Which is superior, a Buddha or a sutra?

ANSWER: As the object of devotion one should select which is superior… in Buddhism, Shakyamuni should be regarded as the object of devotion.

QUESTION: If that is so, then why do you not take Shakyamuni as your object of devotion, but instead make the daimoku of the Lotus Sutra the object of devotion?

ANSWER: …Shakyamuni Buddha and T’ien-t’ai are the ones who have declared that the Lotus Sutra should be the object of devotion.  And now, in this latter age, I, Nichiren, too, following the example of the Buddha and T’ien-t’ai, take the Lotus Sutra as the object of devotion.  I do so becaue the Lotus Sutra is the father and mother of Shakyamuni Buddha, the eye of the Buddhas, and Shakyamuni, Mahavairochana and all the other Buddhas of the ten directions were born from the Lotus Sutra.  Therefore, as the object of devotion I now take that which is capable of bringing forth such life force.

Even though Nichiren inscribed the Dai-Gohonzon on Oct. 12, 1279 for the happiness of all humanity, he doesn’t specifically refer to it in any of his writings, and throughout his life, he inscribed many subsequent Gohonzon with various scenes, characters and concepts from the Lotus Sutra.  All of them are intended to act as a representation of the Lotus Sutra, an embodiment of the Mystic Law and the reification of “Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo” and to act as a mirror to our lives.  They are not just objects of devotion, but objects of devotion for observing the mind.  The Gohonzon is the life of Nichiren Daishonin and the life of Shakyamuni Buddha.  And, equally as important, the Gohonzon is YOUR LIFE. 

When we chant we are connecting ourselves with the Buddha nature of the universe bringing forth our Buddhahood and accessing our Buddha wisdom. 

"A bronze mirror will reflect the form of a person but it will not reflect that person’s mind. The Lotus Sutra, however, reveals not only the person’s form but that person’s mind as well.  And it reveals not only the mind, it reflects, without the least concealment, that person’s past actions and future as well”   (Rulers of the Land of the Gods, WND2 – 619)

Despite all of this evidence from the Gosho though, some schools of Nichiren Buddhism still worship statues of the Buddha instead of a mandala or have both the Gohonzon and a statue of Buddha as their objects of worship.

With so many Gohonzon to choose from – there are 125 official Nichiren ones in existence as well as those inscribed by the priests of various schools - which one will give us the best benefit.  Is it the Dai-Gohonzon of Nichiren Shoshu?

In an article about the Dai-Gohonzon, Ted Morino, the SGI-USA Study Department Senor Advisor writes “What is most important is the power of our faith and practice, which enables us to tap the power of the Buddha and the Law in the Dai-Gohonzon and in all other Gohonzon, and within ourselves.”

He also quotes Daisaku Ikeda as saying “The Gohonzon enshrined at our home carries the same significance as the Dai-Gohonzon” and Mr. Morino continues “Since the Dai-Gohonzon is made of wood, its physical longevity is naturally limited. But the essence of the Dai-Gohonzon, the Law, will never perish because it inherently exists in the universe and within each of us.”

Returning to the Gosho, in The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon, Nichiren writes “Never seek this Gohonzon outside yourself. The Gohonzon exists only within the mortal flesh of us ordinary people who embrace the Lotus Sutra and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.” (WND1 – p832)

All of this implies to me that it is your faith in the Lotus Sutra, your practise of Nichiren Buddhism and your daimoku of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo (which is the actual “object” of devotion), that is more important than which version of the Gohonzon you have chosen to “observe your mind”. 

If anything, the only significance of your specific Gohonzon, is that it identifies which school of Nichiren Buddhism you belong to.  Some people argue online that their Gohonzon is more beautiful or more complete than that of another school, but again if all Gohonzon are embodiments of the daimoku of the Lotus Sutra, you are comparing the beauty and completeness of the same object, and implying that Nichiren’s decision to include, or not include, certain characters or the less symmetrical nature of some of his Gohonzon are reflections of his attitude to his followers.  As a Nichiren Buddhist I would be honoured to receive a Gohonzon from the Daishonin, even one that had bits “missed off” and it would be a great treasure irrespective of its aesthetic beauty.

BONUS – I’ve put links below for a website which has images of the 125 different mandala that Nichiren inscribed and also a youtube link which has the same mandala displayed as a video and it contains the chanting of “Namu-Myoho-Renge-Kyo”.

WARNING - Some of you may not want to check out this webpage or youtube video as they contain images of the Gohonzon, which some members and schools consider to be bad luck.  Personally, I have no problem with it and think it’s interesting from a historical point of view to look at the history of Nichiren’s embodiment of the Lotus Sutra over time.  Similarly, the youtube video was put on by a Nichiren Shu member and you may feel uncomfortable listening to their members chanting “namu” if you are used to chanting “nam”.  Again, for me watching and listening to this video is interesting from a study point of view, and I don’t feel it constitutes a change of faith.  If you do listen and prefer the sound of this chanting though, feel free to find out more about them (or Kempon Hokke another “namu” school) online.

Here are the links if you’re still interested:

The images: http://nichirenscoffeehouse.net/GohonzonShu/001.html

The youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB3fTV74yco

On 30th August, the next post in this series looked at specific criticisms of the SGI such as commemorative days, politics and multi-faith initiatives:  http://nichirenbuddhist.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/34-s-g-why.html

1/4 The Leaders of the Pack

If you look online, there are quite a lot of anti-SGI sites, blogs, posts, etc.  Most of these are coming from other Nichiren Buddhist schools, rather than other Buddhist sects or other religions.  So, why do they oppose us?  How different can our teachings and philosophy be?

Nichiren warned one of his followers (and us) “Those who believe in the Lotus Sutra should beware of and guard themselves against the sutra’s enemies. … If you do not know your enemies you will be deceived by them.  How I wish I could see you personally and talk to you about these matters in detail!”  (WND-1, p664)

I've looked at aspects of the SGI being a cult before ( http://nichirenbuddhist.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/cult-vs-sgi.html and three other posts in May), but here I want to look at doctrinal differences between us and other Nichiren schools.

There will be four posts altogether, and as today is the day when President Ikeda received his Gohonzon 65 years ago, I decided to focus the first post on issues of leadership.

(i) Daishonin vs. Shonin

According to Nichikan (the 26th High Priest), the Taiseki-ji priesthood and the SGI, Nichiren Daishonin was the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law, rather than simply a wise man or shonin (sage/teacher).  Other schools refer to him as teacher/sage because Nichiren has said in the Gosho he is waiting for the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law to reveal himself, but in The Opening of the Eyes, he writes, "I, Nichiren, am sovereign, teacher, and father and mother to all people of Japan", implying he has the same characteristics as the Buddha himself.    Maybe it was modesty or a genuine belief that he was just a normal person, but the teachings of the Lotus Sutra may have died out without the advent of Nichiren Daishonin, which implies to me, he was the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law, whose advent was to ensure the teachings of the Lotus Sutra didn't become lost for all eternity.

(ii) Nikko or not Nikko

The transmission of the Law is another area of concern and while the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood and Soka Gakkai believe that Nikko Shonin was Nichiren’s chosen successor, other schools believe Nichiren passed the baton for propagation to all of the senior priests.   The transfer document handing over responsibility to Nikko is thought to be fake because it's not in Nichiren's handwriting, but the originals were stolen and destroyed a long time ago and only copies exist today.

This passing on of the teachings from one person to the next has been a theme in Nichiren Shoshu buddhism to prove the validity and heritage of the High Priests and their teachings, but it's not entirely necessary.  Some people may be impressed by this lineage, but as several priests have deviated from the teachings throughout Nichiren Shoshu's history, the actual lineage has been frequently corrupted, and is of less importance than the behaviour of the high priests or accuracy of our spiritual leaders' practice.

Several modern schools follow this philosophy and ignore any of these "old schools" claims to being the true buddhism, in favour of their own founders being the only ones of their day that were practising Nichiren Buddhism correctly and how this correct practice has been handed down to them.

The SGI is also a combination of these as it believes in the heritage of our lineage back to Nichiren Daishonin via the Nikko Shonin line, but saw High Priest Nikken as a slanderer of the Law.  Our appeals to the priesthood to return to the true practise were ignored, leading to our excommunication.  It now means that we in the SGI are currently carrying the flame of Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism until such a time as there is a high priest that returns to the true teaching.

(iii) Who's Next?

There have also been several occasions, similar to the initial handing over to Nikko, where other priests have started their own spin-off schools of Buddhism when they have been ignored as successors and believed the wrong person was chosen.    For example, when Nikken became the 67th high priest, the son of the former high priest, who believed he would have been the chosen one, started his own school - Shoshinkai (correct faith association)  - when his bid to become the 67th high priest failed.  At that time about 200 other Nichiren Shoshu priests that supported him also became Shoshinkai members.

(iv) Mentor/Disciple

In a previous blog (http://nichirenbuddhist.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/mentor-disciple-day.html ) I covered some of the issues concerning the master/disciple relationship and mentioned that this relationship originates from the Bodhisattvas of the Earth rising up in the Lotus Sutra to prove their loyalty and devotion to Shakyamuni to go forth and teach others in accordance with his wishes, but I just wanted to add some more here.

In the Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life (WND-1, p217), Nichiren says that it’s our ties of karma that have destined us to become his disciple and that according to the Lotus Sutra we will constantly be reborn in company with our teachers. 

From this it would imply that our ties of karma choose our mentors every time we are reborn. But how does this karmic tie know who we should choose? Is it Nichinyo (68^th High Priest of Nichiren Shoshu), President Ikeda (of the Soka Gakkai), or the spiritual leaders of any of the other Nichiren Buddhist schools?

But how can we decide WHO to follow, when we are warned to “Follow the Law, not the person”?  This phrase implies to me that if we are constantly reborn with our teachers, we must find a teacher to follow, but as we are supposed to be following the Law, we need to find a teacher who is following the Law in their daily lives and modelling the wisdom, compassion and courage of someone who follows the Law.  Then, by chanting "nam-myoho-renge-kyo" we can awaken our Buddhist wisdom and our karmic ties to "see" the true nature of the many potential mentors that are out there and make sure we choose the right one.

As SGI members while we may have many teachers or people who inspire us, the ultimate mentor/disciple relationship is the one we have with our spiritual leader, President Ikeda, but we may not all come to accept him as our mentor at the same time and there is nothing wrong with this.  Basically, the only thing to keep in mind, is that while you may not be exactly the same as President Ikeda as individuals (with differences in age, culture, depth of faith and learning, etc.), you are equal as Buddhas and you are advancing together in faith shoulder to shoulder.

A lot of negativity towards the SGI comes from this mentor/disciple relationship because of  SGI members who indulge in the hero-worship of President Ikeda, rather than seeing him as a friend in faith or an equal.  This hero-worship and deification is not sought by President Ikeda, and I’m not sure if it’s pressure from leaders or group mentality thinking, but it creates a very distorted image of a relationship that’s based on supporting our faith and encouragement.

Returning to “The Heritage of the Law”, the Daishonin says: “Shakyamuni Buddha who attained enlightenment countless kalpas ago, the Lotus Sutra that leads all people to Buddhahood, and we ordinary human beings are in no way different or separate from one another. To chant Myoho-renge-kyo with this realization is to inherit the ultimate Law of life and death. This is a matter of the utmost importance for Nichiren's disciples and lay supporters, and this is what it means to embrace the Lotus Sutra” (WND-1, p216)

Bearing this paragraph in mind, when members deify President Ikeda, putting him on a pedestal, they are saying “I am not equal to President Ikeda” and they are effectively slandering their own Buddha nature and going against the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin.

Part 2 of this series looking at the difference between the Nichiren Sects concerning chanting and the object of devotion is here: http://nichirenbuddhist.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/24-mantra-and-mandala.html

How Many Squares?

Try this quick exercise. 

Copy this figure onto a thin piece of paper, take a good look at it and then say out loud how many squares you can see?

So… how many squares could you see?  Did you say the number out loud?

Some people may only see the 16 small squares and maybe the one extra large square (4x4) on the outside.  Others may also see four 3 x 3 squares and others will see four or nine 2 x 2 squares.  Altogether I think there are 30 squares of different sizes, but if you did copy the figure onto a thin piece of paper, hold it up to the light and turn it around you might see twice as many!  To be honest the number of squares that there ARE isn’t really important and the question I asked was how many squares can you see? 

This was an activity that my uncle did with me once and the point of it is that different people will see different things, even when they are faced with the same situation.  Also, if you want to see change in your life (or the growth of your district) you need to really see the possibility of this change first.

When President Josei Toda became the second president of the Soka Gakkai, he said at his inauguration:

“In my lifetime, I will convert by my own hand 750,000 families through shakubuku. …  If my goal should not be attained by the end of my life, you need not hold a funeral for me, but just throw my remains into the sea off Shinagawa.”

President Toda could SEE 750,000 families practising Nichiren Buddhism, but it wasn’t enough for him just to see it, he also SAID IT OUT LOUD making a determination that he chose to share with the members.  At the time, most of the people in attendance couldn’t see that vision and thought he had misspoken or was showing off, but before his death, his vision of 750,000 families chanting across Japan came true.  On that day, President Toda saw 750,000 squares, whereas the members saw much less.

With any venture you are planning, whether it’s looking for a career change, a promotion, a new relationship, wanting a better relationship or improving and expanding your district, the first step is to SEE the potential for growth.  What are you capable of achieving?  Do you have small goals or big dreams?  Whatever you are hoping to achieve, try to think BIG and SEE what your life WILL look like in the future or SEE what your district WILL look like in five or ten years time.

If you want to see a change in your relationship tomorrow, you need to be able to SEE what that change in your relationship will look like today.  If you want to see a change in your weight tomorrow, you need to be able to SEE what that change in your weight will look like today.  If you want to see your district or division grow in the future, you need to be able to SEE what your district or division will look like at that time today.

Open your mind by chanting and really SEE what your future could look like and then make a DETERMINATION to achieve it. 

SEE IT, CHANT ABOUT IT and SAY IT ALOUD TO PEOPLE and one day you WILL SEE that future become a reality in your life.

The 26 Admonitions

Both Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin warn us about "evil priests that pretend to be sages" that will arise to challenge our faith and disturb our practise.  It can be difficult to know who is or isn’t a bad priest, and whether we should or shouldn’t speak up, but fortunately we have the guidance of the Gosho and Nikko Shonin, the 2^nd high priest who we give thanks to in our daily prayers  and who left us a list of 26 guidelines that Nichiren Shoshu priests and high priests should follow.  Throughout his life he had dealt with many slanderous priests, some of whom doubted his legitimacy as Nichiren Daishonin’s appointed successor and when he wrote this list a few weeks before he died, he was obviously concerned that in the future similar priests and high priests would emerge and try to interrupt the flow of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism.

With this in mind, let’s look at the 26 points, Nikko Shonin left us:

Article 1: “The doctrines of the Fuji school must not differ in the least from the teachings of the late master.”

Second president Josei Toda ensured that everyone could have access to the Gosho, taking some of the power away from the priests and allowing us to read the teachings for ourselves.  President Ikeda often delivers lectures to bring out the message of the Gosho or Lotus Sutra, but we can also access the writings ourselves and confirm whether we are being deceived or not. 

Article 2: “The doctrines of the five senior priests differ in every regard from the teachings of the late master.”

This refers to Nichiren’s five senior priests that failed to watch over him after he died, denied their allegiance to him after he died to avoid persecution, rejected some of his Gosho as being fake without real justification and/or allowed Mt. Minobu to become a place of slander.

Article 3: “There will (in the future) appear persons who slander our school, saying that the Gosho are forged writings. You must not associate with such evil priests.”

Both the Lotus Sutra and the Gosho point out that slander and evil priests will emerge, and here Nikko also let’s us know that they WILL come.  It’s a case of WHEN not IF.  He obviously strongly believed they were coming or he wouldn’t have bothered to make this list of 26 points to watch out for.

Article 4: “Those who produce forged writings and say that they are Gosho, or who practice with the view that the essential and theoretical teachings (of the Lotus Sutra) are the same, are parasites in the lion’s body.”

Here we are being warned about priests that will deliver fake teachings and also people who will misinterpret the true intent of Nichiren Daishonin’s words to benefit themselves.

Article 5: “You should refrain from indulging in poetry or non-Buddhist works, or from engaging in idleness and chatter without (having the aim of) rebuking slander.”

Don’t forget this advice is for priests, not lay members.  As professional teachers and guardians of Buddhism, priests shouldn’t be wasting time watching TV and gossiping instead of fulfilling the duties they have vowed to undertake.  Their prime mission as priests is to ensure the continuation of Nichiren Buddhism and to achieve the goal of kosen-rufu.  

Article 6: “Lay believers should be strictly prohibited from visiting (heretical) temples and shrines. Moreover, priests should not visit slanderous temples and shrines, which are inhabited by demons, even if only to have a look around. To do so would be a pitiful violation (of the Daishonin’s Buddhism.) This is not my own personal view; it wholly derives from the sutras (of Shakyamuni) and the writings (of Nichiren Daishonin).”

This is one of the articles that seems the hardest to understand – a strict ban on visiting all heretical temples and shrines, especially as Nichiren spent many years visiting these same temples while deciding what the true message of Shakyamuni’s teachings was.  I believe the intention is that as Nichiren Daishonin has clearly explained the contradictions in these heretical Buddhist groups’ beliefs, by continuing to reject and slander the superior teachings of the Lotus Sutra, these temples have become tainted.

But does this apply to the places of worship of other faiths, such as Christianity, Islam and Judaism?  I don’t believe so.  During Nichiren and Nikko’s time, some of the other ancient Chinese and Indian religions were known, but these places of worship are not specifically referred to in the same way that heretical (Buddhist) temples and Japan’s native Shinto shrines are.  Why?  Because religions that are not based on the teachings of Shakymuni are not specifically behaving slanderously by rejecting the Lotus Sutra.  The closest analogy I can think of is, if you're a Manchester United football fan, why would you even want to watch Chelsea play (but there may be times that you visit their grounds to watch your team play)  At the same time, I don't have any problem going to see a basketball game when I visit my cousin in the States or going to watch a sumo match when I visit Japan, because I don't have any strong feeling either way for basketball or sumo.

I’ll leave it up to you as an individual to decide how strictly you choose to follow this 6^th Admonition, but in a lecture from the end of 1992, Richard Causton, the head of the SGI-UK between 1975 and 1995, said:

“As lay people who live in a non-Buddhist country, it is not so easy for us to relate to the great significance of this. As a foreigner, if we go to Japan we may be taken sightseeing by somebody to some ancient heretical temple. We will probably be told that as long as we quietly chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo on arrival and departure and do not give offerings, we are not committing any form of slander. The important point is that we view our visit to such a place as a museum concerning the culture of Japan and the history of Buddhism, not as a place of worship.

In the same way in our own country, we may be invited to a church, for example for a family wedding. A church is not even a heretical Buddhist temple and it may well be important for us to be at that particular event from the point of view of respecting the rest of our family and the happiness of the occasion. While the service is going on, we can chant silently inside ourselves and offer our own prayers.  However, as a Japanese member living in Japan, surrounded by heretical temples, strictness in these matters is important.”

Article 7: “Disciples of ability should be allowed to devote themselves to the study of the Gosho and other doctrines of Buddhism, without being pressed to perform miscellaneous services for their teachers.”

Nichiren Buddhism is a religion that encourages study, but this study should be free and open.  In particular, trainee priests should have access to the Gosho and have time to study it, rather than going through months and years of un-scholarly apprenticeship tasks such as cleaning and looking after the more senior priests.

Article 8: “Those of insufficient learning who are bent on obtaining fame and fortune are not qualified to call themselves my followers.”

Priests that are unfamiliar with the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin are more prone to adapt the teachings to suit their lives and then use these to advance themselves within society.  This is equally true of the laity, and members who are unfamiliar with the Gosho are more likely to worship senior leaders and put them on a pedestal rather than simply respecting them as role models of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism and as equals.

Article 9: “Until they are well versed in the difference between the provisional and true teachings, followers of later generations should visit this temple, setting aside the debt of gratitude they owe to their parents and teachers, and undertake various studies in order to free themselves (from the sufferings of birth and death and attain the Way).”

This desire to study is one of the reasons why we have study exams and study courses.  We should make time daily or monthly to study and become more familiar with the Gosho and the teachings of the Lotus Sutra independently, but there are also occasions where we can study as a group.  We may struggle to get time off work and to be away from our loved ones to take part in these study events but it is an important part of our faith in Nichiren Buddhism.

Article 10: “Unless you have a thorough understanding of and firm faith in the teachings (of Nichiren Daishonin), you should not study T’ien-t’ai’s doctrines.”

In “The Selection of the Time” Nichiren is asked “The sutra passages you have cited clearly prove your point. But are there any prophecies in the writings of T’ien-t’ai, Miao-lo, or Dengyo that would support your argument?“  (WND-1, p543) He mentions that it’s not really necessary given the excellent examples from the Lotus Sutra, but as they find the explanations of a commentary easier to understand he goes on to do so. 

Remember these articles are for the priesthood themselves and Nikko is saying that priests SHOULD understand the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin and his commentaries on the Lotus Sutra, rather than relying on the commentaries of pre-Nichiren religious figures.

For many Japanese people the Gosho is difficult to read and understand as it is written in an old style of Japanese (think Shakespeare or Chaucer’s English), so it is okay for priests to “understand the time” and try to illuminate Nichiren’s teachings and make them more accessible to modern followers.  They just need to ensure that they don’t distort the teachings as they do so.

Article 11: “Followers of this school should engrave the teachings of the Gosho in their lives and thereby inherit the ultimate principles expounded by the master. Then, if they have any leisure time, they should inquire into the doctrine of the T’ien-t’ai school.”

Followers refers to both us and the priests and this article is directing us to really get to grips with the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin and his commentary on the wisdom and benefits of the Lotus Sutra.  We may, or may not, need help from a teacher to truly engrave these teachings into our lives, but we are told we don’t need to worry about the commentaries of people between Shakyamuni and Nichiren Daishonin, unless we have time to do so.  To be honest, within the Gosho itself, Nichiren sometimes quotes previous scholars, such as T’ien-t’ai, so the main aspects of their commentaries as they relate to Nichiren Buddhism will already be covered anyway.

Article 12: “You should be inclined to engage in discussion or deliver lectures (on Buddhism), and you should refrain from pursuing secular concerns.”

We can see from this article that it is okay for priests or high priests to lecture on Buddhism and they should also be engaged in discussion with others.  They are warned however to refrain from taking part in non-religious activities, but as has been mentioned before this advice is primarily for the priesthood, not for the laity, so we must find a balance within our lives between the two.

Article 13: “Until Kosen-rufu’ is achieved, propagate the Law to the full extent of your ability without begrudging your life.”

This is advice for priests again.  I’m not sure what the growth figures for Nichiren Shoshu are, but in today’s society it seems to be the members of the Soka Gakkai that are contributing the most to the spread of Nichiren Buddhism.

Article 14: “As for practitioners who treasure the Law more highly than their own lives, even if they are but humble teachers of the Law, you must hold them in great esteem, revering them as you would the Buddha.”

Article 15: “You should revere a teacher of the Law who engages in its propagation as a sacred priest, even though he may be your junior.”

Article 16: “Even though they may be lowly, you should deeply respect and regard as your teachers those whose understanding of Buddhism surpasses your own.”

Article 17: “Do not follow even the high priest if he goes against the Buddha’s law and propounds his own views.”

These four points all have the same thing in common and express Nikko’s desire that anyone who teaches the Law should be respected as a Buddha irrespective of their status within society or the priesthood, and that we should not respect or follow those who go against the Buddha’s law even if they are of a high status. 

In “Letter to Niike”, Nichiren supports this point saying “There are two kinds of wisdom, correct and perverse. No matter how wise a person may appear, if his assertions are warped you should not listen to him.  Nor should you follow priests merely because they are venerable or of high rank. But if a person has the wisdom to know the true meaning of the Lotus Sutra, no matter how lowly he may appear, pay respect to him and make offerings to him as though he were a living Thus Come One.”  (WND-1, p1026)

Article 18: “Even if a view is set forth unanimously by a conference (of believers), the high priest should repudiate it if it goes against the Buddha’s Law.”

President Ikeda’s commentary on this is as follows: “The basic point is that truth or falsity should be determined neither by authority (i.e. by the High Priest), nor by the weight of the view of the multitude  (i.e. by a conference of believers). In all matters what counts most is whether something accords with the correct Buddhist teaching.  And it goes without saying that the Daishonin’s golden words are the standard that is to be used in making any such determination.”

We have seen in the past that the temple has encouraged Nichiren Shoshu followers to enshrine Shinto talisman with their Gohonzon and they changed the wording of the silent prayers to reflect an allegiance to the Shinto gods and the military power of Japan during World War II.  Mr Makiguchi, the first president of the Soka Gakkai remonstrated with the priests at that time not to deviate from Nichiren Buddhism, but he, Josei Toda and a handful of others (who later recanted) were alone in this respect and went to prison for their refusal to follow these heretical teachings.  Richard Causton asks “How many of us would have braved the wrath of the military government in those times and stood firm?  Amazingly, at crucial times of crisis somehow such people appear. Another example of this was the persecution at Atsuhara during Nichiren Daishonin’s lifetime, when three lay believers were beheaded because they refused to succumb to the pressures of the authorities and give up their faith.”

It’s believed that the significance of this event indicated to Nichiren that the time had come to inscribe the Dai-Gohonzon as the object of devotion for the enlightenment of all humanity.  Priests would usually inscribe their first mandala once they had achieved enlightenment and realized the true way to practice.  This wasn’t considered important enough to Nichiren Daishonin though and he waited for the emergence of followers with steadfast faith that would be prepared to stand up for their belief in his Buddhism.  This was proof that Nichiren Buddhism based on Shakyamuni’s Lotus Sutra was being carried out correctly by his followers and worthy of a mandala.

Article 19: “Black robes should not be worn priests”

Article 20: “Jikitotsu should not be worn by priests”

Nichiren Shoshu priests should differentiate themselves from other Buddhist orders by not wearing the same black robes as other sects, nor should they wear a jikitotsu (often in black or other dark colours) which was a more elaborately designed robe used while on pilgrimages and travelling, rather than during services.

Article 21: “You should not sit together with slanderers of the Law (at religious ceremonies) for fear of suffering the same punishment as they.”

Like Article 6, this refers specifically to priests and to religious ceremonies within Japan, a Buddhist country.  Other non-Buddhist faiths are not seen as heretical, but it is ultimately up to us to decide how strictly we follow this Article.

Article 22: “You must not accept offerings from slanderers of the Law.”

One of the “rules” of the SGI is that people wishing to make voluntary contributions MUST be members.  You must have received Gohonzon and be a member of the SGI.

Article 23: “Carrying a sword or staff in order to protect the Buddhist Law is permissible. However, (weapons) should not be worn when presiding over religious services, though accompanying priests may be permitted to carry them (to protect themselves and others).”

A strange one for 21^st century Japan which is relatively crime free compared with some other countries today, but obviously the intent is that the priest should not be thinking of violence and attack while carrying out a service for others.

Article 24: “(At religious ceremonies) young acolytes should not occupy seats lower than those of high-ranking lay followers.”

Obviously in accordance with the Lotus Sutra all Buddhas are equal, so as an organisation which has both priesthood and laity we should all be seen as advancing shoulder to shoulder together.  The laity should not be treated as though they are beneath the priesthood and the junior priests should not be treated as though they are beneath the senior priests.  All Buddhas are equal when it comes to the Lotus Sutra. 

Article 25: “My disciples should conduct themselves as holy priests, patterning their behaviour after that of the late master. However, even if a high priest or a priest striving for practice and understanding should temporarily deviate from (the principle of sexual abstinence), he may still be allowed to remain in the priesthood (as a common priest without rank).”

The issue of celibacy in Buddhism, as in Christianity, is a two-edged sword that has good and bad points.  Basically a high priest or senior priest should be devoted to Buddhism and the flow of kosen-rufu 24 hours a day and with a wife or girlfriend is likely to be distracted by more secular matters.  On the other hand, celibate priests are often seen as out of touch with the struggles of people in relationships or with families, and the suppression of their natural desires may result in more underhand sexual conduct, such as illicit affairs with parishioners or illegal acts with vulnerable children.

Since Nikko’s time, the guidelines on marriage have become more relaxed and many priests are now married.  They obviously need to find the balance between their home life and their religious calling, but it can cause problems when children or relatives are given positions of power or nominated as successors.  Is it nepotism or is it just that they know their family members’ intentions and depth of faith more deeply than non family members?

Article 26: “You should treasure those practitioners who are skilled in difficult debate, just as the late master did.”

Many lay members have priests or senior leaders that truly inspire them.  They have a natural way with words and can explain even the most difficult concepts of Buddhism in a clear and easy to understand way.  With a complete grasp of the knowledge of the Gosho and the Lotus Sutra they may also be skilled in debate, just as Nichiren, Nikko and Nichimoku were.

These skills have always been useful in the propagation of Buddhism and in debates with other sects, and they are equally important today when it comes to dealing with the media or questions from other organisations.

Conclusion

These 26 Articles lay out clearly how Nikko Shonin believes that his successors should behave and are a useful guide to evaluate the behaviour and correct practice of our own leaders. 

If you find this list of 26 points difficult to remember, the only thing you really need to consider is “FOLLOW THE LAW NOT THE PERSON” and then assess whether the leader of your faith is encouraging you to follow the mystic law of the Lotus Sutra and the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin or encouraging you to worship them and their teachings. 



Immeasurable Meanings

The Immeasurable Meanings Sutra is an introductory sutra to the Lotus Sutra.  It starts by setting the scene in preparation for the Lotus Sutra, and this blog will focus on the first part of Chapter 2 – Preaching the Law – which outlines that there is a Sutra which will help you to gain enlightenment quickly, that different people learn and understand in different ways and that teaching people about the one true Law will lead you to enlightenment quickly.

After introducing the cast of characters (devils, animals, people, bodhisattvas, etc.) that are attending the lecture and outlining some of the previous teachings in Chapter 1, this extract from Chapter 2 Preaching the Law contains an outline of what is to follow (and also introduces us to the Ten Worlds).  Extracts from the sutra are in bold.

It begins with the assembly asking Shakyamuni if there is a teaching that will lead them to enlightenment quickly and his response that there is:

Bodhisattva Great Adornment and the others of the eighty thousand bodhisattvas, speaking in a single voice, then addressed the Buddha, saying: “World-Honored One, if bodhisattvas mahasattva wish to succeed quickly in gaining supreme perfect enlightenment, what sort of doctrines should they practice? What sort of doctrines can cause bodhisattvas mahasattva to succeed quickly in gaining supreme perfect enlightenment?”

The Buddha said to Bodhisattva Great Adornment and the others of the eighty thousand bodhisattvas, “Good men, there is a single doctrine that can cause bodhisattvas to succeed quickly in gaining supreme perfect enlightenment. If bodhisattvas study this doctrine, then they will be able to gain supreme perfect enlightenment.”

 They then ask him to tell them the name and how to practice it:

“World-Honored One, what is the name of this doctrine? What is its meaning? What practices does it prescribe for bodhisattvas?”

He gives them the name “the doctrine of immeasurable meanings” and explains that they need to see the reality of all phenomena:

The Buddha said: “Good men, this single doctrine is called the doctrine of immeasurable meanings. If bodhisattvas wish to practice and study these immeasurable meanings, then they should observe and perceive how all phenomena, from the beginning down to the present, are in nature and aspect empty and tranquil, without bigness or littleness, without birth or extinction, not abiding, not moving, neither advancing nor retreating, but like vacant space, without any dualism.”

He continues that most people are deluded in their understanding of life and follow the six paths of existence (Hell, Hunger, Animality, Anger, Humanity and Rapture) which causes them to suffer the effects of their actions:

“But living beings in their vain delusions make wild calculations, saying, this is one thing, that is another, this brings gain, that brings loss, and give rise to thoughts that are not good, carrying out evil acts, transmigrating through the six paths of existence and undergoing sufferings and bitterness for immeasurable millions of kalpas without ever being able to escape.”

He then states that when bodhisattvas can see this reality which causes the suffering of others, they are compelled to act and help others who are living deluded lives:

“Bodhisattvas mahasattva, clearly perceiving that this is so, are moved to pity in their minds, and inspired by great compassion, wish to rescue these beings from their plight.”

To be able to see this reality though, the World-Honored-One explains that bodhisattvas need to study and learn about the reality of life, such as the laws of appearance (birth), existence, change and disappearance (death):

“They should then once more enter deeply into the study of all phenomena. If the aspects of phenomena are such, then such-and-such phenomena will be born. If the aspects of phenomena are such, then such-and-such phenomena will abide. If the aspects of phenomena are such, then such-and-such phenomena will change. If the aspects of phenomena are such, then such-and-such phenomena will undergo extinction. If the aspects of phenomena are such, this can lead to the birth of bad phenomena. If the aspects of phenomena are such, this can lead to the birth of good phenomena. And the same applies in the case of the abiding, changing, and extinction of phenomena.”

These studies will lead them to a true realization of the law:

“When bodhisattvas have in this manner observed the beginning and end of these four aspects and have understood them in their entirety, then they will clearly perceive that all phenomena, never abiding from one instant to the next, are constantly being born anew and passing into extinction, and then they will immediately perceive the true aspect of birth, abiding, change, and extinction.”

And they will then be able to teach others of this Law.  They will also have awareness that people have different capabilities and states of life and so may need to teach in different ways to help people understand this one true Law.

“Once they have gained this perception, then they must turn to the capacities, natures, and desires of living beings. Because such natures and desires are immeasurable in variety, the ways of preaching the Law are immeasurable; and because the ways of preaching the Law are immeasurable, its meanings are likewise immeasurable. These immeasurable meanings are born from a single Law, and this Law is without aspect. What is without aspect is devoid of aspect and does not take on aspect.  Not taking on aspect, being without aspect, it is called the true aspect.”

By Learning and through Realization of the truth of this law, they can then teach others compassionately (Bodhisattva) who will then go on to teach others as well.

“When bodhisattvas mahasattva rest and abide in this understanding of the true aspect of all phenomena, then the pity and compassion that they put forth will be based on clear understanding and not groundless, and they will be truly capable of rescuing living beings from the sufferings that they undergo. And once they have rescued them from suffering, they will preach the Law for them and enable living beings to enjoy ease and delight.”

Finally, The World-Honored-One concludes his response to the question by saying that if bodhisattvas practise in such a way they will achieve enlightenment (Buddhahood) quickly and he reassures them that this one true Law is protected by all Buddhas and cannot be disproved by devils or non-believers:

“Good men, if bodhisattvas are able in this manner to practice the immeasurable meanings of this all-embracing doctrine, then they are certain to succeed quickly in attaining supreme perfect enlightenment. Good men, this profound, unsurpassed great vehicle Immeasurable Meanings Sutra is true and correct in word and principle, worthy of unsurpassed veneration. It is guarded and protected by all the buddhas of the three existences. There is no devil host, no congregation of non-Buddhist believers who can invade it, nor can it be destroyed by any erroneous views or accidents of birth and death. Therefore, good men, if bodhisattvas mahasattva wish to gain unsurpassed enlightenment quickly, they should practice and study this profound, unsurpassed great vehicle Immeasurable Meanings Sutra.”

 All extracts are taken from pages 11 – 13 of Burton Watson’s “The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras”