Slide 3 Key Points
1.
The mutual possession of the Ten Worlds
is a revolutionary
concept to
view the inner workings of life
.
2.
We bring out the 10th, or highest, world of Buddhahood by
chanting Nam-
myoho
-renge
-kyo and caring for others.
3.
The aim of our Buddhist practice is to make Buddhahood our
basic life
tendency.
Notes: Slide
3:
•
We will be going over three key points today.
•
They are:
1.
The mutual possession of the Ten Worlds is a revolutionary concept to view the inner
workings of life.
2.
We bring out the 10th, or highest, wor
ld of Buddhahood by chanting Nam
-myoho
-
renge
-kyo and caring for others.
I3.
The aim of our Buddhist practice is to make Buddhahood our basic life tendency.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Read On Slide 4:
The Mutual Possession of
the Ten Worlds
The "Ten Worlds"
is a classification of 10
states of life that we all inherently possess.
Each of these Ten Worlds has the potential
for all the other worlds in itself
this is called
the "mutual possession of the Ten Worlds."
We can each experience
any of
the Ten Worlds
at any time.
Most
important,
whatever our
life
condition
, through our
Buddhist practice
we
can bring forth
the world
of Buddhahood in an
instant.
So
, even in the miserable
state of
hell,
through chanting
Nam
-myoho
-renge
-kyo
, we
can
instantly experience
the joy of Buddhahood.
[Comment:]
Since everyone is experiencing the higher and lower worlds that means
there's no
such thing as a "purely good" or "purely bad" person.
Notes:
•
For
our first key point, let
's review
the Ten Worlds and the
mutual possession of the Ten Worlds.
•
The "Ten Worlds" is a classification of 10 states of life that people inherently possess.
•
Within e
ach
of the Ten Worlds is the potential
to bring forth all the other
nine
worlds
—this is
called the "mutual possession of the Ten Worlds."
•
Throughout
the day, w
e experience any of the Ten Worlds at any time. This means there's no
such thing as a "purely good" or "purely bad" person.
•
The key is:
Whatever
world we are experiencing now
, through Buddhist practice
, we can bring
forth the world of Buddhahood in an instant.
So, for example, even
if we're
in the state of hell,
by
chanting Nam
-myoho
-renge
-kyo, we can instantly experience the joy of Buddhahood.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Read On Slide 5 :
The Ten Worlds are potential states of life.
Any of thsee ten worlds can emerge in our life at any time.
Even in the lowest state of Hell we can bring forth the highest state of Buddhahood
Notes:•
All the Ten Worlds, including Buddhahood, are states of life that we
already
possess.
•
We can experience any of these life
states
, just as we are
.
•
Here's an
example
Let's s
ay
that
you wake up
one morning with
a massive
headache,
putting
you
in the world of hell
. What's more, at work
,
your boss
yells at
you
, and
now
you're
in the world of anger.
•
Your friend helps you
calm down
and you're in
the world of humanity.
Later, your significant
other takes you out to
dinner
and eating your favorite
dish brings you to
the world of heaven.
But
then you get into a fight and, all of a sudden
,
you
're
back
in
the world of anger or hell.
•
So
, we see how easy it is to go from world to world in the course of a day.
The 10 Worlds are not
a
ladder you climb
up or down —
we can jump from one world to ano
ther in an instant
• the earlier example shows
someone
reacting
to their environment,
letting
each
situation dictate what world they are in.
•
The mutual possession of the Ten Worlds teaches
that
we can CHOOSE
what world to be in and
CHOOSE
to bring forth the world
of Buddhahood.
A key point is we may descend into these lower states over and over again,
so it is crucial not to give in to this and be discouraged, to dwell, judge, and condemn ourselves
but instead to pick ourselves up, move on and try again, knowing that we have power
and the opportunity to shift back to the world of Buddhahood. |
Text on Slide 6:
When you're suffering, when you're sad, when you're hurting, just chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with an open heart.
Keep chanting just as you are, as if sharing your feelings with a caring parent. …
Most important, as you chant, you will experience courage surging up from within, filling you with the conviction
that you can triumph over what's troubling you. Even if the problem isn't resolved immediately, the time will come when
"the sufferings of hell will vanish instantly"
Notes
•
Our
second key point is that
we can bring out Buddhahood through chanting Nam
-myoho
-
renge
-kyo and taking action for others.
•
Ikeda Sensei explains that no matter how we are feeling, we can always chant Nam
-myoho
-
renge
-kyo
just as we are.
•
"When you're suffering, when you're sad, when you're hurting, just chant Nam
-myoho
-renge
-
kyo with an open heart.
Keep chanting just as you are, as if sharing your feelings with a caring
parent. ...
•
"Most important, as you chant, you will experience courage surging up from within, filling you
with the conviction
that you can triumph over what's troubling you
. Even if the problem isn't
resolved immediately, the time will come when
"the sufferings of hell will vanish instantly"
("Lessening One's Karmic Retribution," WND
-1, 199).
"
•
Through sincere prayer, we can transform our sufferings into sources of
joy and happiness.
|
Text Slide 7:
The World of Bodhisattva Leads Us to Buddhahood.
There are countless people in the world whose hearts have been wounded for some reason.
We need to extend a healing hand to them all. Through such efforts, we in fact heal ourselves. …
When we look after and care for others—that is, help others draw forth the strength to live—
our own strength to live increases.
When we help people expand their state of life, our lives also expand. This is the marvel of the bodhisattva path; actions to benefit others cannot be separated from actions to benefit oneself.
Notes on 7:
•
Coupled with chanting, taking action for others enables us to access t
he world of bodhisattva
,
which
is the ninth, or second highest, world among the Ten Worlds.
•
In addition to Buddhahood, the world of
bodhisattva
is the only one
in
which
we
are aware of
and take action for other people.
•
It is a noble way of life and
, as
Buddhism teaches
, we
attain Buddhahood in this lifetime
by
engaging in bodhisattva practice
.
•
Sensei says: "
There are countless people in the world whose hearts have
been wounded for
some reason.
We need to extend a healing hand to them all. Through such efforts, we in fact
heal ourselves. ...
•
"When we look after and care for others
—that is, help others draw forth the strength to live—
our own strength to live increases.
When we help people expand their state of life, our lives also
expand. This is the marvel of the bodhisattva path; actions to
benefit others cannot be
separated from actions to benefit oneself.
" |
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Read On Slide 8 :
Establishing Buddhahood in our lives means having total peace of mind.
Our daily practice of gongyo …
is a solemn ceremony in which our lives become one with the life of the Buddha.
By applying ourselves steadfastly to this practice
we strive to firmly establish our inherent Buddhahood.
so that it becomes solid and unshakable…
When we establish Buddhahood as our basic life tendency,
we can move toward a future of hope
while
creating positive value from all our activities in the nine worlds,
both past and present. In fact, all of our
hardships and struggles
in the nine worlds
become the nourishment that strengthens the world of Buddhahood in our lives.
We can choose to live in the world of Buddhahood
rather than react to our circumstances.
Attaining Buddhahood doesn't mean denying or denouncing our desires.
Rather, it is about
being able to create the most value
in any circumstance, while enjoying
peace of mind
Notes:
•
Our
final key point is that we practice Buddhism
in order to make Buddhahood our basic life
tendency.
•
We
may know someone who always seems angry about something or
others
who alway
s try
to
take advantage of people.
•
On the other hand, we may also
know those who are always looking out for us and are always
there
when we need them
.
•
We also
have a life
state or one of the Ten Worlds that we default to.
•
Those who tend to be in the world of
hunger
may, for instance, hunger for more money or
possessions and
therefore,
work hard to
earn more
. But because of their
greed
, no matter how
much money or
possessions they gain
, it will never be enough.
On the flip side, the world of
hunger illuminated by Buddhahood
may lead them to constantly seek ways to help others or
benefit s
ociety.
•
Buddhism teaches that we can
gradually
change our basic life tendency to that of Buddhahood.
•
Sensei explains: "
Our daily practice of gongyo ... is a solemn ceremony in which our lives become
one with the life of the Buddha.
By applying ourselves ste
adfastly and persistently to this
practice for manifesting our inherent Buddhahood, we firmly establish the
world of Buddhahood
in our lives so that it is solid and unshakable like the earth. ... |
•
"When we establish Buddhahood as our basic life tendency, we
can move toward a future of
hope while creating positive value
from all our activities in the nine worlds, both past and
present. In fact, all of our hardships and struggles in the nine worlds become
the nourishment
that strengthens the world of Buddhahood
in our lives.
"
•
Isn't this so wonderful? E
arlier, I said that we can choose to live in the world of Buddhahood
rather than react to our circumstances
.
We can decide to chant Nam
-myoho
-renge
-kyo, attend
Soka Gakkai activities
, just like today's meeting
, and
work for others' happiness
.
Such action
s
lead us to bodhisattva and
Buddhahood.
•
Attaining Buddhahood doesn't mean denying or denouncing our desires. Rather, it is about
being able to create the most value
in any circumstance, while enjoying
total peace o
f mind |
|
Text on 9:
Real Life Example: Aiko Anderson
"I
kept working even during the horrible war years of
my early 20s, the memories of which
scare me even
today
—fires; air raid sirens and
[bombs dropping];
boats exploding; everyone running.
Though I worked
and worked, my life was asleep
.
Daimoku
, chanting Nam
-myoho
-renge
-kyo
, woke me
up
. ...
A new, joyful Aiko was waking up. She was saying OK!
to chanting, OK! to studying and OK! to doing Soka
Gakkai activities.
This Aiko rolled up her sleeves for a
new kind of work
—refreshing, joyful work for the
peace of the land
."
|
Notes on 9:
•
Now let's look at a real
-life example of someone who brings forth Buddhahood
each day
.
•
Aiko Anderson is longtime
member in Texas
, who
grew up in Japan during the second World
War.
•
She says: "
I kept working even during the horrible war years of my early 20s, the memories of
which scare me
even today
—fires; air raid sirens and the B-
29s; boats exploding; everyone
running. Tho
ugh I worked and worked, my life was asleep.
Daimoku, chanting Nam
-myoho
-
renge
-kyo, woke me up. ...
A new, joyful Aik
o was waking up.
She was saying OK! to chanting,
OK! to studying and OK! to doing Soka Gakkai activities. This Aiko rolled up her sleeves for a new
kind of work
—refreshing, joyful work for the peace of the land."
•
Through
chanting, Aiko decided that she wou
ldn't live by reacting to her surroundings
anymore.
She
chose
to live in the world of Buddhahood.
•
She moved from Japan to Texas, a pretty dramatic change
, but never let that keep
her from her
new "work" of
supporting
others' happiness and chanting Nam
-myo
ho
-renge
-kyo.
•
At
100 years old
, she's
forever youthful
and showing actual proof of happiness. S
he has
remained youthful precisely because of her
efforts for kosen
-rufu
.
What
a fine example of
choosing
the
life condition
of Buddhahood every day.
•
(OPTIONAL
: please add your own, brief, experience related to how you were able to change
the world you were experiencing through this practic |
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10 - Discussion Questions
1.
How has chanting and sharing Buddhism helped you transform
your state of life?
2.
What does making Buddhahood your basic life tendency look
like to you? |
|
|