Re: Gongyo as Practiced by Nichiren Buddhism Sects.
Posted: Thu Jul 20, 2017 1:55 pm
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.
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:
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.
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.
Well, actually, earlier in this thread I wrote:JazzIsTvRicky wrote: 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!
Further, my post you criticize opens,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.
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.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.
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.