Gongyo as Practiced by Nichiren Buddhism Sects.

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Queequeg
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Re: Gongyo as Practiced by Nichiren Buddhism Sects.

Post by Queequeg »

My position at this site as a global moderator is like a referee. I try not to censor substance but in keeping discussions from becoming derailed by comments that contravene the Terms of Service of this site, I unfortunately do remove posts that contain substantive comments from time to time. If you have a problem with moderation, please send me or any of the other moderators a personal message and in a few words explain your grievance. Your comments questioning my moderation in this thread are actually violations of the Terms of Service. I am leaving them and will instead address your claims about me.

Unlike you, I have no conceit that I am Hoshi (Dharma Teacher, or in your vocabulary, Teacher of the Law). I just practice.

I don't have any illusions about my words carrying any more weight than the reason and truth behind them.
JazzIsTvRicky wrote::shrug: If you follow Q's advice you are not following Nichiren's Teachings.

"Wed Jul 19, 2017 9:16 pm

Q writes
"We talk and talk and talk on this site, but, what gets lost, what should be implicit, is that without practice, none of this makes sense.

If you have any question about what the point of chanting daimoku is, here is what I would suggest...

chant daimoku for at least a half hour every morning and evening for thirty days.

You don't need any elaborate ritual or preparation. Just sit, get comfortable with a stable posture, and chant. If it helps to set the mood by lighting candles and burning incense, go ahead.

To newbies that might sound like a lot, but we're talking about opening buddhahood. If you think that happens just because you have happy and optimistic thoughts and try to be a good person, you are a fool.

Probably good natured and pleasant, but still a fool. Also,

if you think you can intellectually open buddhahood, think your way to enlightenment, you are delusional - you ought not be so enamored with your intellect - there will be robots much smarter than you within a couple decades.

Just do it. Don't worry about what you will get out of it or achieve." Q

This what Cults teach. No where dose he suggest you seek out Nichiren's Teachings to sincerely begin your practice. And come to an understanding of what you are taking on!
Well, actually, earlier in this thread I wrote:
Queequeg wrote: The teaching here is Myohorengekyo 妙法蓮華経. We express our resolve in its truth by adding Namu 南無, which is an expression of refuge/devotion. By chanting this, we are able to develop our resolve. We start with a faint, tentative resolve that ripens with repetition and reinforcement. And as you know, rounding out the Three Pillars, our faith and practice is enriched with study. These three serve to reinforce and enhance the others.
Further, my post you criticize opens,
We talk and talk and talk on this site, but, what gets lost, what should be implicit, is that without practice, none of this makes sense.
I am addressing the fact that we rarely discuss and emphasize the actual practice. Look at this thread that is supposed to be about practice... There are a lot of theories and quotes brought up, but hardly anything about actually practicing. That's why I added this comment.

Now, as to your claim that we must study Nichiren, I refer you to one of your favorites, Shishin Gohon Sho, Four Depths of Faith and Five Stages of Practice:
Question: If a person simply chants Namu-myoho-renge-kyo with no understanding of its meaning, are the benefits of understanding thereby included?
Answer: When a baby drinks milk, it has no understanding of its taste, and yet its body is naturally nourished. Who ever took the wonderful medicines of Jīvaka knowing of what they were compounded? Water has no intent, and yet it can put out fire. Fire consumes things, and yet how can we say that it does so consciously? This is the explanation of both Nāgārjuna and T’ien-t’ai, and I am restating it here.

Implicit in my recommendation about practice is confidence that the practice of Daimoku, in and of itself, has an effect that is immediately discernible even for someone who doesn't even know what those sounds mean. This is completely consistent with Nichiren's teachings.

Finally, to clarify my 'fool' comment. If you think that just endeavoring to be nice and good in a conventional sense, without also making energetic effort to attain enlightenment will lead to enlightenment, then you will not attain enlightenment. To be nice and good in a conventional way does not transcend the cycle of birth and death. At beat it reaches to the heavens. It does not reach to the four higher realms of sravaka (ie. Learning) pratyekabuddha (ie. Realization), bodhisattva and Buddhahood. Only Dharma practice leads to manifestation of those realms. All of these realms are intrinsic in our lives, and the goal of Buddhist practice is to embody all of them in the Perfect way.
There is no suffering to be severed. Ignorance and klesas are indivisible from bodhi. There is no cause of suffering to be abandoned. Since extremes and the false are the Middle and genuine, there is no path to be practiced. Samsara is nirvana. No severance achieved. No suffering nor its cause. No path, no end. There is no transcendent realm; there is only the one true aspect. There is nothing separate from the true aspect.
-Guanding, Perfect and Sudden Contemplation,
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Re: Gongyo as Practiced by Nichiren Buddhism Sects.

Post by CedarTree »

JazzIsTvRicky wrote:
CedarTree wrote:
JazzIsTvRicky wrote: :shrug:

Teaching the Law is very much a part of the practice my friend!

I have devoted my life to the Practice of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism and I view this unprecedented discussion on True Buddhism as groundbreaking and fresh. Your contributions here have been nothing but critical and void of any doctrinal input.

Tell us something of value and change your ichinen of complaint and moaning! :techproblem:

Nichiren Teaches :reading:

"In this letter, I have written my most important teachings. Grasp their meaning firmly, and make them a part of your life.

Believe in the Gohonzon, the supreme object of devotion in all of Jambudvīpa.

Be sure to strengthen your faith, and receive the protection of Shakyamuni, Many Treasures, and the Buddhas of the ten directions.

Exert yourself in the two ways of practice and study. Without practice and study, there can be no Buddhism.

You must not only persevere yourself; you must also teach others. Both practice and study arise from faith.

Teach others to the best of your ability, even if it is only a single sentence or phrase. Nam-myohyo-renge-kyo, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo."
http://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/wnd-1 ... 40#para-16

Offer us something that can help us understand Nichiren my friend! :group:

We will be delighted and thankful! :applause:

Sincerely, A Teacher of The Law

Why don't you become one? :bow:

How to begin Your Practice of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism

Let us help you begin.

Download this Gohonzon of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo which fits perfectly on your Smartphone.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/or ... 177374.jpg

Study Materials

http://nichiren.info/gosho.html

https://dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?t=23047

http://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/

Do not join any organization or Sects

Enjoy the beginning of your Practice!

Sincerely Richard H Brown A Votary of The Gohonzon of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

How to begin Your Practice of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism
Listen Jazz on my end I forget about you till I check the site, on your end you may be more worked up or less and forget whenever in a second or a week. Doesn't matter.

Purity of heart is your life. Don't waste your life trying to be "the one".
Wayyyyyyyyyyy :offtopic:
Jazz I won't be replying anymore but in your own life take time to think on this. This post and other things like this are fleeting. No one remembers them and they like everything else are impermanent.

You live with yourself with every moment. Purity of heart and work on character and loving kindness.

Don't throw your life away trying to Lord over people, in the end your the one that will be alone.

Queequeg; You do an excellent job being a moderator although I practice Zen and come from a Gyobutsuji Zen Monastery - Antaiji Temple focus on Zazen I respect how you approach debate and instruction. Shows a lot of character and someone actually developing virtue, humility, and patience.

I suggest you lock this thread with you having the last word or this being last word. This thread isn't about substance anymore it's about Jazz and his need for last word and the imaginary type element that last word solidifies him being right and on top.

That isn't helpful for him and is detrimental to engage that negative repeatedly. The sad thing is he is the one most being injured by this.

Practice, Practice, Practice
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Re: Gongyo as Practiced by Nichiren Buddhism Sects.

Post by Minobu »

Queequeg wrote: Finally, to clarify my 'fool' comment. If you think that just endeavoring to be nice and good in a conventional sense, without also making energetic effort to attain enlightenment will lead to enlightenment, then you will not attain enlightenment. To be nice and good in a conventional way does not transcend the cycle of birth and death. At beat it reaches to the heavens. It does not reach to the four higher realms of sravaka (ie. Learning) pratyekabuddha (ie. Realization), bodhisattva and Buddhahood. Only Dharma practice leads to manifestation of those realms. All of these realms are intrinsic in our lives, and the goal of Buddhist practice is to embody all of them in the Perfect way.
i loathe the whole jump on one word and toss the lesson out...
unfortunate that certain people gravitate to that...anywho..yer an alright mod..i'm still ticked and wonder why celebrating our differences got shut down...
CedarTree wrote:I suggest you lock this thread with you having the last word or this being last word. .
locking things down changes the course of many a thought pattern and learning experience.
take this thread...it has jarred open with a crowbar so many levels of the religion we all are trying to practice.

it's so in your face and nothing but learning and seeing the dark corners of what we practice.

brushing it under the rug/locking it down , is the worse damage a person could do while this is at a boiling point.

if you don;t see the obvious and the need to explore the way we react to these words by this guy...

i mean this guy was a lot of us at one time or other...well maybe not the make a new sect deal and wear some sort of self professed laurel leaves online..

it hurts , it's painful...but it is us..
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Re: Gongyo as Practiced by Nichiren Buddhism Sects.

Post by narhwal90 »

I moderate a forum on a website devoted to an entirely different subject but I feel Q's pain. The owner of that forum has decreed that particular subjects in the forum I moderate are proscribed, so there are sticky threads at the top discussing that but newcomers usually don't read them- so the forum policy is I close the thread as soon as I see it. Sometimes the proscribed subject is tangential enough to let it go with a warning. Besides the proscribed technical subjects there is a specific rule against any discussion of religion or politics- that one requires little interpretation but there are always cranks of various kinds who just can't help going off the deep end. I am infrequently compelled to take a hatchet to the thread after closing it so at least the record sort-of conforms to the forum rules, and I leave a posting summarizing what I did.

If you re-open a thread like that generally it falls apart again, often more quickly than the first time since passions are aroused. A thread that goes off the deep end (like the celebrating thread, or this one) usually does not recover, and when they go bad it can happen quickly; a forum which might see a dozen posts in a day on several topics might get dozens in an hour so locking it is the only reasonable way to recover decorum. Q and co on here are far more inclined to re-open threads than I am, I've sucessfully re-opened a very few in 10 years.

Usually the cranks go elsewhere when their threads are consistently moderated and closed since they seem to crave an open forum and appear to be encouraged by noise, perhaps sometimes they get the message and bring their tone and postings into line with the forum policy. A few have in the forum I moderate. But even then nearly anyone can fall off the edge in a moment. I've done it myself and been moderated accordingly... it happens.
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Re: Gongyo as Practiced by Nichiren Buddhism Sects.

Post by Minobu »

narhwal90 wrote:
Usually the cranks go elsewhere
so i'm a crank now...great! ...
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Re: Gongyo as Practiced by Nichiren Buddhism Sects.

Post by narhwal90 »

we'll you're still here, so crank or not is indeterminate ;) :D personally I am at all times capable of manifesting as a crank, so not judging.
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Queequeg
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Re: Gongyo as Practiced by Nichiren Buddhism Sects.

Post by Queequeg »

Ask my wife - my default mood is crank.
There is no suffering to be severed. Ignorance and klesas are indivisible from bodhi. There is no cause of suffering to be abandoned. Since extremes and the false are the Middle and genuine, there is no path to be practiced. Samsara is nirvana. No severance achieved. No suffering nor its cause. No path, no end. There is no transcendent realm; there is only the one true aspect. There is nothing separate from the true aspect.
-Guanding, Perfect and Sudden Contemplation,
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Re: Gongyo as Practiced by Nichiren Buddhism Sects.

Post by JazzIsTvRicky »

On the blasphemy of my calling myself "A Teacher of The Law"

Nichiren Teaches

"The other sutras explain the existence of the six worlds, the eight worlds, or the ten worlds, but they do not make clear the mutual possession of these various worlds.

But when, through the Lotus Sutra, we meditate moment by moment on the meaning of threefold contemplation in a single mind and the principle of three thousand realms in a single moment of life, then we come to realize that we ourselves are Thus Come Ones of original enlightenment.

Then the clouds of ignorance part and the moon of the essential nature of phenomena shines forth.

We wake from dreams of delusion and the round moon of original enlightenment is seen in all its brilliance. We see that this fleshly form received in birth from our parents, this body bound by earthly desires, is none other than the Thus Come One who has existed always and is ever-abiding.

This is what is called the attainment of Buddhahood in one’s present form, the realization that earthly desires are none other than enlightenment and that the sufferings of birth and death are none other than nirvana."

http://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/wnd-2 ... 80#para-28

So let me correct myself! :oops:

I am A Thus Come One of Original Enlightenment!! :bow:

Sincerely Richard H Brown A Votary of The Gohonzon of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
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Re: Gongyo as Practiced by Nichiren Buddhism Sects.

Post by Minobu »

JazzIsTvRicky wrote:I am A Thus Come One of Original Enlightenment!! :bow:
eSincerely Richard H Brown A Votary of The Gohonzon of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
how old are you? One !
any semblance of seriousness just went out the window with that desperate act of trying to get a rise from people.

do you really think this has any effect except sealing your persona forever here...

and i thought you said good bye like last week ?

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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Re: Gongyo as Practiced by Nichiren Buddhism Sects.

Post by JazzIsTvRicky »

:alien: Those of you who are sincerely reading and studying the doctrine and opinions presented here and giving this most important and unprecedented debate in Nichiren's Teachings, a serious study, I thank you!

One very important observation, I hope you take note of the activities of the participants, who seem to all offer personal opinions with nothing Doctrinal to support their assertions! :shrug:

Buddhism is not intellectual nor is it based on knowledge. Faith is the only prerequisite in the Practice of Nichiren's Buddhism! :bow:

Nichiren Teaches :reading:

"Among my disciples, those who think themselves well versed in Buddhism are the ones who make errors. :crazy:

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the heart of the Lotus Sutra. It is like the soul of a person.

To revere another teaching as its equal is to be like a consort who is married to two emperors, or who secretly commits adultery with a minister or a humble subject. It can only be a cause for disaster.

This teaching was not propagated in the Former or Middle Day of the Law because the other sutras had not yet lost their power of benefit.

Now, in the Latter Day of the Law, neither the Lotus Sutra nor the other sutras lead to enlightenment.

Only Nam-myoho-renge-kyo can do so.

This is not my own judgment. Shakyamuni, Many Treasures, the Buddhas of the ten directions, and the bodhisattvas who emerged from the earth as numerous as the dust particles of a thousand worlds have so determined it.

To mix other practices with this Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is a grave error. :oops:

A lantern is useless when the sun rises. How can dewdrops be beneficial when the rain falls? Should one feed a newborn baby anything other than its mother’s milk? :shrug:

No addition of other medicines is needed with a good medicine.

Somehow this woman remained true to this principle, and continued to uphold her faith until the last moment of her life. How admirable, how worthy!"

With my deep respect,
Nichiren"

The first day of the fourth month in the first year of Kōan (1278)

http://nichiren.info/gosho/EntityMysticLaw.htm

Nichiren Teaches :reading:

"I must observe sadly that, although it would be simple enough to point out the error of the views propounded by these men, if I did so, the people of today would not even look in my direction.

They would go on in their erroneous ways and, in the end, would slander me to the ruler of the country and put my life in jeopardy.

Nevertheless, our merciful father Shakyamuni Buddha, when he faced his end in the grove of sal trees, stated as his dying instructions that we are to “rely on the Law and not upon persons.”

“Not relying upon persons” means that when persons of the first, second, third, and fourth ranks preach, even though they are bodhisattvas such as Universal Worthy and Manjushrī who have attained the stage of near-perfect enlightenment,

if they do not preach with the sutra in hand, then they are not to be accepted." :techproblem:

Sincerely Richard H Brown A Votary of The Gohonzon of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
A فوتاري أوف ذي غوهونزون أوف نام ميوهو رينج كيو
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Re: Gongyo as Practiced by Nichiren Buddhism Sects.

Post by JazzIsTvRicky »

Hail Nichiren!

Shayamuni's Buddhism is like last years calendar...USELESS in this The Latter Day of The Law.

The only way to truly understand it, is through a thorough and concentrated study of Nichiren's Teachings.

This is why 'I am The Teacher of The Law' in this thread which I started and which has never before been revealed anywhere in the World, until now!

Nichiren Teaches :reading:

"The first three of the ten factors represent the Thus Come One of original enlightenment.

When one has attained an understanding of the Thus Come One of original enlightenment, then one is a Buddha of perfect enlightenment.

And one [who is the embodiment of the Thus Come One of original enlightenment] thus becomes the father and mother of this [Buddha of] perfect enlightenment, and the Buddha is the child that one gives birth to.

Thus the first volume of Great Concentration and Insight says, “Concentration is none other than the mother of the Buddha, and insight is none other than the father of the Buddha.”

:hi: Suppose, for example, that there are ten persons all of whom have treasures piled up in their respective storehouses. But, being unaware that they have such treasures in their storehouses, they are on the point of starving to death or dying of the cold.

Among these ten, however, there is one clever person who awakens to the true situation. :reading:

The other nine are utterly unable to do so, and must be enlightened by the clever person and shown how to eat, or have food put in their mouths. :group:

The first volume of The Annotations on “Great Concentration and Insight” states, “The two words ‘concentration and insight’ represent the entity that is to be perceived by one who hears the teachings.”

One who fails to hear the teachings will not understand the true meaning of “consistency from beginning to end.”

http://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/wnd-2 ... 80#para-17

Thank you for alllowing me to share what I have experienced in the Faith, Practice and Study of The True Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin's Teachings!

This is what I heard!

Sincerely Richard H Brown A Votary of The Gohonzon of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
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Re: Gongyo as Practiced by Nichiren Buddhism Sects.

Post by JazzIsTvRicky »

Queequeg wrote:Never mind, Richard. You know all there is to know about Nichiren - you know his soul, right? We're American and we speak American. Who needs to know no Chinese!
This is the true you my friend. Anger and Arrogance are the lower worlds as described in Buddhist Doctrine. Yet you respond with this childish behavior in dealing with Doctrinal Teaching.

This shows me you are on an ego trip and have been exposed as one who needs to control and guide every discussion you are involved in.

Well my friend your inability to stay on topic tells me all!

No! We do not need to read or speak another language to Practice Nichiren Buddhism Correctly. The resources we have available in English are quite sufficient and reliable.

Get a grip and check your own life condition when dealing with those who absolutely have a greater understanding of Nichiren's Teachings!

Nichiren Teaches
"The priest Sammi-bō may be lowly, but since he can explain even a little about the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, you should respect him as you would the Buddha and ask him about the teachings. “Rely on the Law and not upon persons” should be your guideline."

Show me where Nichiren Teaches what you are inferring!
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Re: Gongyo as Practiced by Nichiren Buddhism Sects.

Post by Caoimhghín »

JazzIsTvRicky wrote:
Queequeg wrote:Never mind, Richard. You know all there is to know about Nichiren - you know his soul, right? We're American and we speak American. Who needs to know no Chinese!
[...edited about a bunch of irrelevant passages, edited out an exhortation to respect even lowly teachers of the Lotus Sūtra]

Show me where Nichiren Teaches what you are inferring!
This is a bizarre request.

Queequeg: you must now immediately demonstrate that Nichiren teaches that Richard knows all there is to know about Nichiren.

The command is self-serving to the max.

Its also possible that Queequeg is being accused of arguing that you need to learn Chinese to practice Nichiren Buddhism, and is being asked to demonstrate where that is argued by Nichiren, but that is also a bizarre request to an assertion invented by the OP.
Last edited by Caoimhghín on Fri Jul 21, 2017 9:43 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Then, the monks uttered this gāthā:

These bodies are like foam.
Them being frail, who can rejoice in them?
The Buddha attained the vajra-body.
Still, it becomes inconstant and ruined.
The many Buddhas are vajra-entities.
All are also subject to inconstancy.
Quickly ended, like melting snow --
how could things be different?

The Buddha passed into parinirvāṇa afterward.
(T1.27b10 Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra DĀ 2)
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Re: Gongyo as Practiced by Nichiren Buddhism Sects.

Post by JazzIsTvRicky »

Queequeg wrote:
DGA wrote:Oh, I get it now.

JazzIsTVRicky is to illarazza as Weird Al Yankovic is to Madonna.

With that thought, go back and reread this thread, and convince me this isn't an attempt at parody
If only...

:facepalm:
:shrug:

Another example of what you revert to when you don't feel superior to those who have offered sensible and
Verifiable information! :reading:
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Re: Gongyo as Practiced by Nichiren Buddhism Sects.

Post by JazzIsTvRicky »

Queequeg wrote:
JazzIsTvRicky wrote:
Queequeg wrote:勤行 gongyo

善戒経云。若無菩薩性者。雖復発心勤行精進雖復発心懃修精進。終不能得阿耨菩提

From Chu Hokkekyo, Nichiren's annotated Lotus Sutra.

'Gotta do gongyo to attain bodhi.'
I live in America and speak English! What dose this suppose to mean to me?

Let us see a real translation by Nichiren Buddhist and direct us to your source!

I suppose you know how to read and properly translate what you have posted!
You're the only one in the world teaching what Nichiren taught. You translate it for us. Better yet, tell us what it means.

BTW, I edited my last post and linked to a source where you can read the ChuHokkekyo.

My friend your behavior is rather elementary and defining of your lost of control!

This is your way of dealing with a serious Doctrinal Study!
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Re: Gongyo as Practiced by Nichiren Buddhism Sects.

Post by JazzIsTvRicky »

Queequeg wrote:Richard, you may not realize, but I am trying to understand what you are saying.

I agree that Nichiren counseled that those who are just embarking on the path should not concern themselves with any practice other than cultivating faith. This is done, as you assert, in the simplest, complete sense by chanting the daimoku with a mind of faith. No other practice is necessary to attain enlightenment in this body - but the meaning of daimoku with faith evolves with as one's faith evolves. And its this that you seem to condemn.

This is wrong. You won't agree and you will call me names, accuse me of heresy, etc. That is nothing I can control. That's on you.

As one's faith and practice evolves, it ripens into a reading of daimoku with our mind and body in the world we live - not just in front of the Gohonzon chanting daimoku.

You're aversion to gongyo seem to stem from your experience in NSA, SGI? Shoshu. In arguing with me and others, you seem to have in mind that we're telling people to recite the sutra five times in the morning and three times in the evening. This is not the case. I don't think anyone here has said that recitation of sutras is required to attain enlightenment.

Let's take a look at the section of the Shishin Gohon Sho, The Four Depths of Faith and Five Stages of Practice, you focus on, the section about reciting daimoku exclusively. This is based on the Seventeenth Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, the portion included in the Chapter and Two Halves. Based on the sutra, and Zhiyi's (Tiantai's) commentary and Zhanran/Miao-lo' commentary on it, Nichiren teaches one first embarking on the path is not required to undertake all six paramitas - dana (generosity), sila (right behavior), ksanti (forbearance/patience), virya (diligence), dhyana (concentration), but only the paramita of prajna (wisdom). However, lacking in wisdom, we substitute adhimukti for prajna. Adhimukti is a condition of the mind in which the subject establishes resolve in a teaching. Its often translated as "faith", but has a different nuance. In any event, we hear the Buddha's teaching and through adhimukti accept what he teaches as true.

The teaching here is Myohorengekyo 妙法蓮華経. We express our resolve in its truth by adding Namu 南無, which is an expression of refuge/devotion. By chanting this, we are able to develop our resolve. We start with a faint, tentative resolve that ripens with repetition and reinforcement. And as you know, rounding out the Three Pillars, our faith and practice is enriched with study. These three serve to reinforce and enhance the others.

The passage of the Shishin Gohon Sho, as well as other Gosho explain that the Daimoku contains all the teachings and practices of the Buddha just as the two characters for Japan 日本 refers to all the provinces, all cities, towns, and villages, the mountains, the forests, and all the people of Japan. If someone wants to name all of those discrete dharmas, all the provinces, cities, towns, villages - let alone each being - there is a danger that they might lose their way and become confused, but there is nothing wrong if one is able to do so. In fact, with a little practice, it would not be a particular challenge to name all the provinces and reflect on unique features of each - thereby bringing to mind a more detailed and nuanced meaning to Japan 日本. If Japan is foreign to you, you could substitute your own country and think of the subdivisions.

Gongyo, as has been pointed out in this thread by participants, is a way to enhance our practice of daimoku. By reflecting on the three ways of understanding the ten factors, we develop our appreciation for the varied nature of reality. By reciting the 16th Chapter, we reflect on the beginningless and endless nature of Buddhahood.

These practices are not required, but if someone is inclined and capable, there is nothing that should hold them back.
Here is where you come to the realization of what Nichiren is teaching, and you elegantly proceed to reality!

This is the point if this entire thread my friend!

Q you got it! :reading:

Sincerely Richard H Brown A Votary of The Gohonzon of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
A فوتاري أوف ذي غوهونزون أوف نام ميوهو رينج كيو
jkarlins
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Re: Gongyo as Practiced by Nichiren Buddhism Sects.

Post by jkarlins »

JazzIsTvRicky wrote:
Queequeg wrote:Richard, you may not realize, but I am trying to understand what you are saying.

I agree that Nichiren counseled that those who are just embarking on the path should not concern themselves with any practice other than cultivating faith. This is done, as you assert, in the simplest, complete sense by chanting the daimoku with a mind of faith. No other practice is necessary to attain enlightenment in this body - but the meaning of daimoku with faith evolves with as one's faith evolves. And its this that you seem to condemn.

This is wrong. You won't agree and you will call me names, accuse me of heresy, etc. That is nothing I can control. That's on you.

As one's faith and practice evolves, it ripens into a reading of daimoku with our mind and body in the world we live - not just in front of the Gohonzon chanting daimoku.

You're aversion to gongyo seem to stem from your experience in NSA, SGI? Shoshu. In arguing with me and others, you seem to have in mind that we're telling people to recite the sutra five times in the morning and three times in the evening. This is not the case. I don't think anyone here has said that recitation of sutras is required to attain enlightenment.

Let's take a look at the section of the Shishin Gohon Sho, The Four Depths of Faith and Five Stages of Practice, you focus on, the section about reciting daimoku exclusively. This is based on the Seventeenth Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, the portion included in the Chapter and Two Halves. Based on the sutra, and Zhiyi's (Tiantai's) commentary and Zhanran/Miao-lo' commentary on it, Nichiren teaches one first embarking on the path is not required to undertake all six paramitas - dana (generosity), sila (right behavior), ksanti (forbearance/patience), virya (diligence), dhyana (concentration), but only the paramita of prajna (wisdom). However, lacking in wisdom, we substitute adhimukti for prajna. Adhimukti is a condition of the mind in which the subject establishes resolve in a teaching. Its often translated as "faith", but has a different nuance. In any event, we hear the Buddha's teaching and through adhimukti accept what he teaches as true.

The teaching here is Myohorengekyo 妙法蓮華経. We express our resolve in its truth by adding Namu 南無, which is an expression of refuge/devotion. By chanting this, we are able to develop our resolve. We start with a faint, tentative resolve that ripens with repetition and reinforcement. And as you know, rounding out the Three Pillars, our faith and practice is enriched with study. These three serve to reinforce and enhance the others.

The passage of the Shishin Gohon Sho, as well as other Gosho explain that the Daimoku contains all the teachings and practices of the Buddha just as the two characters for Japan 日本 refers to all the provinces, all cities, towns, and villages, the mountains, the forests, and all the people of Japan. If someone wants to name all of those discrete dharmas, all the provinces, cities, towns, villages - let alone each being - there is a danger that they might lose their way and become confused, but there is nothing wrong if one is able to do so. In fact, with a little practice, it would not be a particular challenge to name all the provinces and reflect on unique features of each - thereby bringing to mind a more detailed and nuanced meaning to Japan 日本. If Japan is foreign to you, you could substitute your own country and think of the subdivisions.

Gongyo, as has been pointed out in this thread by participants, is a way to enhance our practice of daimoku. By reflecting on the three ways of understanding the ten factors, we develop our appreciation for the varied nature of reality. By reciting the 16th Chapter, we reflect on the beginningless and endless nature of Buddhahood.

These practices are not required, but if someone is inclined and capable, there is nothing that should hold them back.
Here is where you come to the realization of what Nichiren is teaching, and you elegantly proceed to reality!

This is the point if this entire thread my friend!

Q you got it! :reading:

Sincerely Richard H Brown A Votary of The Gohonzon of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo
Jazz=Tv ricky, please explain your name
JazzIsTvRicky
Posts: 235
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2016 11:34 am
Location: Los Angeles
Contact:

Re: Gongyo as Practiced by Nichiren Buddhism Sects.

Post by JazzIsTvRicky »

:shrug: :spy: :broke:
Just kidding my friend. Over time I have adapted monikers according to what vibes or environmental influence I enter and become one with.

TheCatwithTheHats
TvRicky
JazzIs
JazzIsTvRicky

These names have a meaning in time and will be revealed in my Movie ZipAvenueTheMovie or Zip Avenue!

JazzIs is my Musical Moniker as I am a Musician and Composer. 'Evolution On The One' is my latest Jazz Composition.

My background is The Entertainment Industry particularly Movies.and TV.

Hope this explains my friend!
A فوتاري أوف ذي غوهونزون أوف نام ميوهو رينج كيو
jkarlins
Posts: 561
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2016 10:58 am
Location: Amesbury, MA USA

Re: Gongyo as Practiced by Nichiren Buddhism Sects.

Post by jkarlins »

JazzIsTvRicky wrote::shrug: :spy: :broke:
Just kidding my friend. Over time I have adapted monikers according to what vibes or environmental influence I enter and become one with.

TheCatwithTheHats
TvRicky
JazzIs
JazzIsTvRicky

These names have a meaning in time and will be revealed in my Movie ZipAvenueTheMovie or Zip Avenue!

JazzIs is my Musical Moniker as I am a Musician and Composer. 'Evolution On The One' is my latest Jazz Composition.

My background is The Entertainment Industry particularly Movies.and TV.

Hope this explains my friend!
:namaste:
JazzIsTvRicky
Posts: 235
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2016 11:34 am
Location: Los Angeles
Contact:

Re: Gongyo as Practiced by Nichiren Buddhism Sects.

Post by JazzIsTvRicky »

Nichiren Teaches :reading:

In your letter you ask, “What is signified by the Thus Come One Many Treasures and his treasure tower, which appeared from beneath the earth?” The teaching on the treasure tower is of great importance. In the eighth volume of his Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra, the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai explains the appearance of the treasure tower. He states that it has two distinct functions: to lend credence to the preceding chapters and to pave the way for the revelation to come. Thus the treasure tower appeared in order to verify the theoretical teaching and to introduce the essential teaching. To put it another way, the closed tower symbolizes the theoretical teaching, and the open tower, the essential teaching. The open tower reveals the two elements of reality and wisdom.1 This is extremely complex, however, so I will not go into further detail now.
In essence, the appearance of the treasure tower indicates that on hearing the Lotus Sutra the three groups of voice-hearers perceived for the first time the treasure tower within their own lives. Now Nichiren’s disciples and lay supporters are also doing this. In the Latter Day of the Law, no treasure tower exists other than the figures of the men and women who embrace the Lotus Sutra. It follows, therefore, that whether eminent or humble, high or low, those who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo are themselves the treasure tower, and, likewise, are themselves the Thus Come One Many Treasures. No treasure tower exists other than Myoho-renge-kyo. The daimoku of the Lotus Sutra is the treasure tower, and the treasure tower is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
At present the entire body of the Honorable Abutsu is composed of the five elements of earth, water, fire, wind, and space. These five elements are also the five characters of the daimoku. Abutsu-bō is therefore the treasure tower itself, and the treasure tower is Abutsu-bō himself. No other knowledge is purposeful. It is the treasure tower adorned with the seven kinds of treasures—hearing the correct teaching, believing it, keeping the precepts, engaging in meditation, practicing assiduously, renouncing one’s attachments, and reflecting on oneself. You may think you offered gifts to the treasure tower of the Thus Come One Many Treasures, but that is not so. You offered them to yourself. You, yourself, P.300are a Thus Come One who is originally enlightened and endowed with the three bodies. You should chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with this conviction. Then the place where you chant daimoku will become the dwelling place of the treasure tower. The sutra reads, “If there is any place where the Lotus Sutra is preached, then my treasure tower will come forth and appear in that spot.”2 Faith like yours is so extremely rare that I will inscribe the treasure tower especially for you. You must never transfer it to anyone but your son. You must never show it to others unless they have steadfast faith. This is the reason for my advent in this world."

'On the Treasure Tower'

And this wonderful Debate on 'Gongyo as Practiced by Nichiren Buddhism Sects' is part of my mission as A Votary of The Gohonzon of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.

Thank all of you for participating in this Unique and Revealing Study of Nichiren's Teachings as never before presented by modern day Practioners!

I hope this will serve as a Study Guide on the 'Practice of Faith' in Nichiren's Buddhism!

Sincerely, Richard H Brown A Votary of The Gohonzon of Nam Myoho Renge
A فوتاري أوف ذي غوهونزون أوف نام ميوهو رينج كيو
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