Queequeg wrote:Pyrric victory?
Single-Mindedly Yearning to See the Buddha, They do not Begrudge their Lives
(
Isshin yokken butsu fuji shaku shinmyō)
In his Gosho, “Letter to Gijō-bō.” The phrase, “…
single-mindedly yearning to see the Buddha, they do not begrudge their lives” (Hokekyo, p. 439; MW-2, p. 236) appears in the verse (Jigage) section of the Life Span (Juryō) chapter of the Lotus Sutra. It teaches that we must practice single-mindedly and without begrudging our lives, in order to achieve positive karmic effects.
In the Gosho, “Letter to Gijō-bō” (“Gijō-bō gosho”), the Daishonin discusses the benefits described in the Lotus Sutra. The benefit achieved through the practice of the Lotus Sutra is the life condition manifested only between Buddhas. This life condition is known only by Shakyamuni and Tahō Buddha. The Daishonin teaches that it cannot be fathomed even by all the Buddhas of the ten directions.
Furthermore, he explains that there is a diverse variety of practices based on the Lotus Sutra, but the heart of the doctrines were understood only by Tiantai, Miaolo, and Dengyō. This is because they were the only ones in a position to understand the principles of the mutual possession of the ten worlds (jikkai gogu), the hundred worlds and thousand factors (hyakkai sennyo), and ichinen sanzen (three thousand realms in a single life-moment).
Next, Nichiren Daishonin indicates that the doctrine contained in the Life Span (Juryō) chapter is fundamentally significant to him, and although Tiantai and Dengyō were aware of the teachings, they were unable to reveal them in words. In short, he explains that the doctrine of ichinen sanzen is based on his own existence. Here, the Daishonin makes reference to the passage:… single-mindedly yearning to see the Buddha, they do not begrudge their lives. (Gosho, p. 669; MW-2, p. 236)
Through this passage, the Daishonin reveals his internal effect—his karmic manifestation as the Buddha. He explains that, based on this sutra passage, he was able to achieve the Three Great Secret Laws of actual ichinen sanzen described in the Life Span (Juryō) chapter. The Daishonin reveals that the Three Great Secret Laws are none other than his embodiment of ichinen sanzen.
Then, he explains the passage: “single-mindedly yearning to see the Buddha, they do not begrudge their lives.” (ibid.) The essential significance of the phrase “single-mindedly yearning to see the Buddha” is Myoho-Renge-Kyo. The Daishonin further states that “they do not begrudge their lives” means that one must thoroughly propagate the five characters of Myoho-Renge-Kyo. Nichiren Daishonin reveals that he, himself, is the True Buddha, who is endowed with the karmic effect of the uncreated and unadorned three enlightened properties (musa sanjin), since he has lived the conditions described in this passage.
The Daishonin concludes this Gosho by urging us not to let our minds master us. He instructs us to advance with devotion, ready to give our lives—never begrudging our lives—for the sake of the Lotus Sutra.
The Daishonin further explains the passage “single-mindedly yearning to see the Buddha, they do not begrudge their lives”:
This passage means that I have established the Three Great Secret Laws of actual ichinen sanzen based on this passage in the Life Span (Juryō) chapter. (Gosho, p. 669)
The Three Great Secret Laws are the True Object of Worship, the True High Sanctuary, and the Daimoku of the Essential Teaching of true Buddhism. The Daishonin states that he was able to actualize these Three Great Secret Laws, based on the doctrine of “single-mindedly yearning to see the Buddha, they do not begrudge their lives [his life].”
In other words, the actions of Nichiren Daishonin, as he risked his life, characterize actual ichinen sanzen. He teaches that this is precisely the manifestation of the Three Great Secret Laws.
In the Daishonin’s teachings of the ten-thousand years and eternity of the Latter Day of the Law, the Three Great Secret Laws were expressly manifested when he inscribed the Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of the Essential Teaching of true Buddhism, in the second year of Koan, 1279. Based on this, the passage in this Gosho about the actualization of the Three Great Secret Laws seems to be a contradiction, since it was written before the Dai-Gohonzon was inscribed.
Then, how should we regard the establishment of the Three Great Secret Laws as taught in “Letter to Gijō-bō”? In this Gosho, it refers to how Nichiren Daishonin, following the persecution at Tatsunokuchi, came to the realization that he was the True Buddha from the infinite past of kuon-ganjo, while maintaining his existence as a common mortal. With this realization, he traveled to his exile in Sado.
The Daishonin teaches the following in the “Orally Transmitted Teachings” (“Ongi kuden”):
The object of worship is the actual entity of the body of the votary of the Lotus Sutra. (Gosho, p. 1773)
The body and mind of Nichiren Daishonin, as he manifested his life as the True Buddha from the infinite past of kuon-ganjo, represents none other than the Object of Worship of the Essential Teaching of true Buddhism. The Daimoku that he chants is the Daimoku or invocation of the Essential Teaching of true Buddhism. Furthermore, the place where Nichiren Daishonin resides becomes the High Sanctuary of the Essential Teaching of true Buddhism.
Therefore, the establishment of the Three Great Secret Laws, as set forth in the Gosho “Letter to Gijō-bō,” is none other than the actualization of the Three Great Secret Laws within the very life of Nichiren Daishonin. It represents the manifestation of his internal karmic effect of the Buddha.
The phrase, “single-mindedly yearning to see the Buddha, they do not begrudge their lives,” possesses a general meaning and a profound, essential meaning. The general meaning signifies the observation of the mind (kanjin) of the people. This means performing the Buddhist practices. The profound, essential meaning is the entity of the Law of Nichiren Daishonin (the essential nature of existence).
This profound, essential meaning signifies upholding faith in the entity of the Law, possessed by the Daishonin, who received it through Shakyamuni’s transmission of the essence of the Lotus Sutra to the Four Leaders of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, led by Bodhisattva Jogyo.
The phrase, “single-mindedly yearning to see the Buddha, they do not begrudge their lives” expresses the manifestation of the cause and effect embodied by the True Buddha from the infinite past of kuon-ganjo, based on the meaning hidden in the depths of the Life Span (Juryō) chapter. This phrase also reveals the significance of the establishment of the Three Great Secret Laws.
Nichiren Daishonin embodied the spirit of this phrase as he encountered many persecutions, just as predicted in the Lotus Sutra. He lived and confirmed the truth of every word of the Lotus Sutra, as he actualized the Three Great Secret Laws. The actual entity of the Three Great Secret Laws is described in the following way in “Letter to Gijō-bō”:
“Single” means mystic (myo); “mind” represents the Law (ho); “yearning” is the lotus (renge); to “see” signifies the flower (ge); and the “Buddha” is the sutra (kyo). (Gosho, p. 669)
Thus, the Daishonin teaches that those who single-mindedly yearn to see the Buddha are themselves the actual entities of Myoho-Renge-Kyo. They are manifestations of the principles of “the person himself is the Law” (nin soku hō); “the Law itself is the person” (hō soku nin); and “the oneness of the person and the Law” (ninpō taiitsu).
In essence, the phrase, “single-mindedly yearning to see the Buddha, they do not begrudge their lives,” represents the actual practice and actual proof of the True Buddha from the infinite past of kuon-ganjo. The Daishonin explains that “single-mindedly” refers to the singular determination of the True Buddha. In other words, it signifies Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo.
The general perspective refers to the observation of the mind of the people—common mortals like us. In order to attain Buddhahood, we as learners and followers, must uphold faith and practice without begrudging our lives, in the same way as the Buddha. The Daishonin teaches that this kind of faith and practice is indispensable. In “The Interpretations Based on the Principle Hidden in the Depths” (“Egihanmon-shō”), the Twenty-sixth High Priest Nichikan Shonin wrote:
In the first two segments of this phrase, “single-mindedly yearning to see the Buddha” refers to none other than faith. The phrase, “not begrudging their lives,” is the practice of chanting Daimoku. This chanting of Daimoku itself contains both practice for oneself and for others. (Six-Volume Writings [Rokkan-shō], p. 99)
Thus, Nichikan Shonin associated the phrase, “single-mindedly yearning to see the Buddha,” with faith, and the phrase, “they do not begrudge their lives,” with the practice of Daimoku. He instructs us to devote ourselves to chanting Daimoku and urging others to do the same.
We sincerely must chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. Moreover, we must never begrudge our lives—physically and spiritually—and make appropriate offerings in our daily practice. By so doing, we successfully will attain Buddhahood. Our efforts in faith and practice eventually will result in a world filled with people who sincerely uphold true Buddhism. True to the golden words of the Daishonin, the great objective of kosen-rufu will be achieved without fail.
Sincerely Richard H Brown A Votary of The Gohonzon of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
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Sincerely Richard H Brown A Votary of The Gohonzon of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
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