Painted image of Nichiren Daishonin and disciples atop Mt. Minobu which he climbed everyday during his 9 years there, in order to face the direction of his parent's graves in the Province of Awa and offer prayers and Odaimoku for them.
Sermon for the Tanjo-E Ceremony Commemorating Nichiren Daishonin's Birth
by Rev. Shoryo Tarabini, at Renkoji Temple, Milano, on Sunday, 17th February 2006
Good morning, thank you all for coming today to celebrate together the birth of our Founder, Nichiren Daishonin the great Bodhisattva personally sent by the Original Buddha during the Age of Mappo to lead each and every one of us towards Buddhahood by teaching us about faith and practice in the Buddha's ultimate teachings of the Lotus Sutra. Nichiren Daishonin was born 786 years ago on 16th February, 1222. The day before this, the Buddha Sakyamuni entered into Nirvana. These dates mystically show the profound relationship that the Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin both share.
755 years ago, the Founder recited the Odaimoku of Namu Myoho Renge Kyo for the first time on 28th April in 1253. Nichiren Daishonin declared his teachings and then recited the Odaimoku for the first time in public in the Jibutsudo hall of the Seichoji Temple complex, where he had first took the tonsure and formally entered the priesthood at the age of 16, just sixteen years before. From that point on, until he himself entered Nirvana on 13th October 1282, Nichiren Daishonin encountered numerous persecutions and obstacles in order to stop him from propagating pure faith in the Lotus Sutra, the Odaimoku and the Eternal Buddha Sakyamuni. Some of his most difficult persecutions in which he risked his life for the sake of the Dharma included the Matsubagayatsu Persecution, the Izu Exile, the Komatsubara Persecution, the Tatsunokuchi Persecution and Sado Exile. Despite continuous attempts on his life and a myriad of constant challenges to destroy his every effort and Buddhist community of disciples and followers, he continued on against impossible odds and never once gave up, took a step backward nor abandoned his own faith and determination to move ahead to fulfill the reason for his advent into this world and help all of us today to embrace pure faith in the Lotus Sutra and the Eternal Buddha Sakyamuni.
It is therefore out of profound gratitude towards Nichiren Daishonin and in sincere recognition of all that he did, taught and struggled throughout his entire life so that each and everyone of us could today enjoy our faith and practice in the Lotus Sutra, that we hold this special commemorative ceremony and study of his teachings today. We further use this occasion to renew our faith and practice, as well as promise to study his teachings and, as priest or lay believer, to strive to continue his work and true spirit.
Over these past few weeks, I have received a few calls, e-mails and letters inquiring into the various aspects of Nichiren Daishonin's teachings. Many have asked about how Nichiren Shu faith and its approach to the Buddha's and Nichiren's teachings differ to other schools or groups, in a concrete manner. Here is a summarized version of the queries I have received recently:
Question:
I have a question concerning Nichiren Shonin and the tenets of Nichiren Shu. Where does Nichiren Shu stand regarding other Buddhist practices and schools? In my studies, I have found that the SGI and other schools similar to them consider all practices outside of Namu Myoho Renge Kyo as totally useless. I have also noticed that even though they chant the Odaimoku and call themselves "true Buddhists", they don't seem to conduct themselves in a very Buddhist manner. How could that be? I feel that Nichiren Shu doesn't share this point of view nor type of behaviour, but I would like to have a straight answer on this.
Answer:
Just as Nichiren Daishonin taught, Nichiren Shu regards the Lotus Sutra to be supreme amongst all the Buddha's teachings. The Lotus Sutra is the principle object of our faith, practice and study.
However, Nichiren Shu does not consider all other practices of Buddhism or other Buddhist schools as totally useless. Other Buddhist teachings and practices can contribute to spiritual growth or awakening, and help one to become closer to the Buddha and his teachings. The Lotus Sutra contains many teachings that were taught in other sutras prior to the Lotus Sutra. In fact, according to the Buddha himself, all the sutras were taught in preparation for the Lotus Sutra. Let me illustrate this a little further. In the Kanjin Honzon Sho (The Object of Veneration for Observing One's Heart Established in the Fifth Five-Hundred Year Period after the Tathagata's Passing), Nichiren Daishonin states,
For more than forty years the Buddha revealed himself in four different ways in the four kinds of teachings; thus, by expounding the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings, the preparative teachings, and the Nirvana Sutra, he was able to benefit all living beings.
This can be seen in more detail in the instruction left to us by the Great Master T'ien T'ai (538-597) of ancient China, in his teachings of "Goji Hakkyo" (the Five Periods and Eight Groups of Teachings) which illustrate this very point. "Goji Hakkyo is an integral part of Nichiren Shu doctrine and traditions. The sequence of the Five Periods are as follows:
1. Kegon (Advanced Mahayana of the Kegon or Avatamsaka Sutra), taught for the first 21 days.
2. Agon (Pali Canon), taught for 12 years.
3. Hoto (Introductory teachings of Mahayana), taught for 8 years.
4. Hannya (Wisdom sutras of intermediate Mahayana), taught for 22 years.
5. Hokke-Nehan (Lotus and Nirvana Sutras, the highest of Mahayana doctrine explaining the origins of the Buddha's enlightenment and how all beings can also become enlightened), taught during the final 8 years of the Buddha's life.
Therefore, as you can see, a vital and profound link does indeed exist between the Lotus Sutra and all the other teachings of the Buddha. It would be a mistake to think otherwise.
Actually, this style of teaching the Dharma in varied phases in order to help the people grow and mature in faith, practice and understanding is called "Shi Shitsudan". The term means "four stages of teaching" and was first introduced and explained in the Daichido Ron (Treatise on the Sutra of the Perfection of Wisdom) of Nagarjuna (150-250), a great Mahayana priest and scholar of ancient India. Simply put, this four-fold methodology is: 1) introduce Buddhism in secular terms to non-Buddhists in order to arouse a heart of wanting to take faith, learn about Buddhism and start Buddhist faith and practice; 2) teach Buddhist doctrine according to the individual's personal capacity, background, circumstances and understanding, and help them to grow in faith and practice while increasing Buddhist merit within their life; 3) awaken the Buddhist practitioner to his/her illusions and help them to free themselves from the three poisons of greed, anger and ignorance; and finally, 4) reveal the ultimate teaching to cause them to awaken to it.
Therefore, to merely say in a haphazard manner that all the pre-Lotus teachings are "totally useless" is not only incorrect and irresponsible, but also deceptive, and can fundamentally distort one's overall view and approach to Buddhism. Nichiren Daishonin wrote in the Essential Significance of the Juryo chapter of the Lotus Sutra,
When Sakyamuni Buddha, the Master of all teachings, expounded the Juryo chapter (16th chapter, the Lifespan of the Tathagata) of the Lotus Sutra, he referred to what all living beings had heard in his preaching throughout his entire life of the pre-Lotus Sutras and preparative teachings of the Lotus Sutra.
The Buddha's teachings were not haphazard. They were taught with logic, clarity and a distinct sense of purpose: to lead all living beings to the same realization the Buddha himself attained so that all people could be forever free of suffering and become Buddhas themselves too. In the 2nd chapter (Hoben-pon) of the Lotus Sutra, this is clearly expressed by the Buddha:
I expounded various sutras of the nine elements
According to the capacities of all living beings.
I expounded various sutras
Because those sutras were a basis for the Great Vehicle.
He further stated in the same chapter:
All the Buddhas, the World Honoured Ones, appear in the worlds to cause all living beings to open the gate to the insight of the Buddha, and to cause them to purify themselves. They appear in the worlds to cause all living beings to obtain the insight of the Buddha. They appear in the worlds to cause all living beings to enter the Way to the insight of the Buddha. Shariputra! This is the one great purpose for which the Buddhas appear in the worlds.
As the Buddha concludes his teaching in the 2nd chapter of the Lotus Sutra, he adds:
Sariputra, other Sravakas and Bodhisattvas!
Know this!
This Wonderful Dharma is
The hidden core of all Buddhas.
As you can see from this passage, all the various teachings prior to the Lotus Sutra touch upon all the various aspects of the Buddha's enlightenment and how little by little, we can open our eyes and start to live as a Buddhist in order to gradually nurture the same heart and insight as the Buddha. Nichiren Daishonin wrote in his Senji Sho (On the Selecting the Time),
In the twenty volumes composing these two works of the Hokke Gengi (Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra) and the Hokke Mongu (Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra), the great master of the Dharma T'ien T'ai likened the teachings of all the other sutras to streams and rivers, and the Lotus Sutra to the great ocean. He demonstrated that the waters that make up the Buddhist teachings of all the worlds of the ten directions flow, without the loss of a single drop into the great ocean of Myoho Renge Kyo.
Nichiren Daishonin read and studied all the Buddha's sutras and teachings, as well as various commentaries of numerous Buddhist masters prior to and after declaring his utmost devotion to the Lotus Sutra. He also maintained most of all the monastic precepts passed on to the Buddhist schools and traditions of Japan at that time from China. Accordingly, he was celibate and was also a vegetarian. However, Nichiren Daishonin's teachings are about honesty, sincere and correct action. For Nichiren Daishonin, it was much more important to maintain one's pure faith in the Lotus Sutra and earnestly live one's life in accordance with the Dharma than merely putting on the appearance of observing the precepts.
As you can see, Nichiren Daishonin encouraged us to always maintain pure faith and practice solely in the Lotus Sutra and the Original Master, the Eternal Buddha Sakyamuni, but never specifically forbade us to read and understand the many and varied teachings of the Buddha prior to the Lotus Sutra.
However, it is only the final teaching of the Lotus Sutra amongst all the Buddha's teachings which expounds the true and complete nature of his enlightenment. While explaining and illustrating the full extent of his Buddhahood, Sakyamuni also clearly shows us how each and every one of us can become a Buddha too, just like himself. This is what makes the Lotus Sutra uniquely stand out amongst the other teachings. To give you an example of how Nichiren Daishonin himself regarded this, he states in the Zui Ji Gosho (On the Buddha's Intention):
The Lotus Sutra is the true teaching because Sakyamuni Buddha taught it from the bottom of his heart exactly as he was enlightened.
Consequently, in Nichiren Shu all priests and lay believers alike strive to learn all the Buddha's teachings as we direct our primary concentration of study, and reflection towards the Lotus Sutra. And as far as faith and practice is concerned, even though we respect other schools and practices, our spiritual and religious practice in Nichiren Shu remains only with the Lotus Sutra. We don't mix our practice of the Lotus Sutra with other traditions. We study the sutras prior to the Lotus Sutra, but we don't recite them as part of our religious devotion. We recite only the Lotus Sutra and its title, the Odaimoku of Namu Myoho Renge Kyo to the Object of Worship of the Lotus Sutra, the Mandala Gohonzon, every single day.
After reading the many sutras and studying the various teachings of the Buddha, thus creating within oneself a Buddhist spiritual culture with Buddhist values for living, the Lotus Sutra becomes the most important key during the age of Mappo to unleash all the other teachings of the Buddha within our life and help us to not only in our spiritual growth, but experience Buddhahood. With a continued proper practice of Buddhism while truly living its values, one can enjoy the fruits of ones Buddhist practice throughout all aspects of one's life. The key is to practice Myoho Renge Kyo while living one's life in accord with the Dharma of the Lotus Sutra. In this way, we can all attain Buddhahood within this lifetime, while also helping others to come closer to accomplishing the same.
There are some groups which chant the Odaimoku as you mentioned above, but from what I have seen, many do not live their lives in accordance with the Dharma. In the past, it made me wonder how this could be possible. When questioning some of these people who had approached me, I asked them about a few basic tenets of Buddhism, but almost no-one was able to reply. They called themselves Buddhists, but knew nothing of Buddhism, not even the most basic of concepts. They only knew terms, concepts or even historical dates unique only to their own particular group or school, but nothing of what the Buddha originally taught or historical dates and events related to the Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin.
Furthermore, some of these groups seem to teach their followers to distrust and dislike all others who are not part of their own religious circle. In addition, one particular tendency I witnessed was that while claiming to be followers of the Buddha and his teachings, many of them embraced a deep rooted distrust or hatred of priests, the monastic system in general and even temples - all of this despite the fact that the Sakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin themselves were priests, lived according to monastic rules, and resided and taught Buddhist doctrine in temples (as well as at times in public places).
Surprisingly, I further found that many of these people claimed to believe in the Lotus Sutra and recite Namu Myoho Renge Kyo. After further probing, however, I discovered that they rarely read or studied the Lotus Sutra. Sadly, many told me they owned a copy of the Lotus Sutra, but had never opened nor read it. It just remained untouched upon their bookshelf. Therefore, in light of all these varied factors, I find it only natural at this point that their actions, attitudes and words often do not correspond to the behaviour, great compassion, wisdom and overall vision of the Buddha, let alone Nichiren Daishonin.
In the 2nd chapter of the Lotus Sutra, we hear that the Buddha has earnestly abandoned all teachings from sutras prior to the Lotus Sutra. The precise wording in the Lotus Sutra referring to this is as follows:
Kon Ga ki mu i.
O sho Bosat-chu,
Shojiki sha Hoben,
Tan setsu Mujodo.
I am now grateful and fearless.
I have honestly laid aside all expedient teachings.
I will expound only unsurpassed enlightenment
To all Bodhisattvas.
Here, the Buddha is not forbidding us to read the pre-Lotus teachings nor to disregard them completely. He is simply declaring that he about to reveal and preach the doctrines of Myoho Renge Kyo, and that he would now only concentrate on teaching the Lotus Sutra from that point on, underlining he would no longer dedicate any of his time and energy to propagating the pre-Lotus doctrines. Obviously, this is because they were no longer necessary. This is a clear indication that the doctrines of the Lotus Sutra are of supreme importance, much more so that all the other teachings he had previously taught in the first forty two years.
To further illustrate this point, let's say we wish to become a doctor, an engineer, a professor or lawyer, etc. We must then go to university, graduate school, attend a doctorate programme and then train as an intern. However, before all of that, if we have not gone to nursery school, kindergarten, elementary, intermediate and superior school. Naturally, once one has reached the doctorate level, it is no longer necessary to attend elementary school. Nor is it necessary to maintain one's study, concentration and research on pre-doctorate courses although occasional "brushing up" can be of help and support.
It is the same for the Buddha, all the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings are the pre-doctorate courses. The Lotus Sutra is the doctorate course the highest teachings of all Buddhist doctrine. However, without the previous teachings, it is hard for a person without the overall Buddhist culture and education to fully understand and appreciate the extensive and profound doctrines of the Lotus Sutra.
Practicing the Lotus Sutra everyday while applying Buddhist doctrine to our daily life, behaviour, speech and thought process is our "internship." To become a Buddhist master means to master all the Buddha's teachings, fully understand the Lotus Sutra and thoroughly live one's life in accord with the Buddha's teachings, above all the Lotus Sutra. In other words, Buddhism is no longer just an intellectual exercise, but we our now living Buddhism. We are Buddhism.
In doing this during the Age of Mappo, one is able not only able to free himself and become a Buddha, but with the same quality of life as Sakyamuni Buddha himself, one is then able to save all other living beings from suffering and skillfully lead them too towards enlightenment just as the Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin have both done for us.
In the West, our ties with Buddhism are still quite new. It is therefore important for the Western student of Buddhism to become well acquainted with all the previous or core teachings and values prior to the Lotus Sutra, in addition to the Lotus Sutra itself. Because only then, can one truly understand and appreciate the great extent, depth and value of the teachings of the Lotus Sutra and the true intent of the Buddha Sakyamuni.
Occasional study and reflection in pre-Lotus sutras can truly help, and lend great support to understanding all of Buddhism. However, due to our profound Karmic relationship to the Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin from the past, we are now able to embrace the faith and practice of the Lotus Sutra. Accordingly, our primary concentration, faith and religious practice must remain therefore in the "doctorate course" if we are to finally to master all the teachings.
With this in mind, in Nichiren Shu we make a vow to study and try to understand all the Buddha's teachings. We repeat this vow everyday when we finish our daily recitation of the Sutra at home and in the temple, in the "Four Vows of the Bodhisattva" (Shigu Seigan):
Sentient beings are innumerable;
I vow to save them all.
Our desires are inexhaustible;
I vow to extinguish them all.
The Buddha's teachings are immeasurable;
I vow to know them all.
The Way of the Buddha is unexcelled;
I vow to attain the Path Sublime.
Finally, we conclude these Four Vows of a Bodhisattva by promising to the Buddha to always maintain our earnest faith and practice of the Lotus Sutra pure, by chanting Namu Myoho Renge Kyo three times - once to each of the Three Treasures.
I hope that I have been of some help to you and properly answered your question. Your sincere faith in the Lotus Sutra is remarkable. Let's learn from Nichiren Daishonin's courage and profound faith. Please continue in your earnest study of the Buddha's teachings and properly practice the Dharma within your own life, while reciting the Lotus Sutra and chanting abundant Odaimoku. Always remain close to your local priest and visit your temple regularly, sincerely striving to lend wholehearted support and protection while continuing to deepen your faith and practice day by day.
Gassho,
Namu Myoho Renge Kyo
Rev. Shoryo Tarabini
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