Law of the Twelve Causes

Law of the Twelve Causes, 

namely:
'Ignorance causes action; action causes consciousness; consciousness causes name and form; name and form cause the six entrances [or sense organs]; the six entrances cause contact; contact causes sensation; sensation causes desire [or love]; desire causes clinging; clinging causes existence; existence causes birth; birth causes old age and death, grief, lamentation, suffering, and distress.'

Ignorance annihilated, then action is annihilated; action annihilated, then consciousness is annihilated; consciousness annihilated, then name and form are annihilated; name and form annihilated, then the six entrances are annihilated; the six entrances annihilated, then contact is annihilated; contact annihilated, then sensation is annihilated; sensation annihilated, then desire is annihilated; desire annihilated, then clinging is annihilated; clinging annihilated, then existence is annihilated; existence annihilated, then birth is annihilated; birth being annihilated, then are annihilated old age and death, grief, lamentation, suffering, and distress.' 

Tathagata Universal Surpassing Wisdom
Lotus Sutra Chapter VII -The Parable of the Magic City

Karma

What is Karma? Karma is the Sanskrit word for action. It is equivalent to Newton’s law of ‘every action must have a reaction’. When we think, speak or act we initiate a force that will react accordingly. This returning force maybe modified, changed or suspended, but most people will not be able eradicate it.

This law of cause and effect is not punishment, but is wholly for the sake of education or learning.

A person may not escape the consequences of his actions, but he will suffer only if he himself has made the conditions ripe for his suffering. Ignorance of the law is no excuse whether the laws are man-made or universal.

To stop being afraid and to start being empowered in the worlds of karma and reincarnation, here is what you need to know about karmic laws.

- “As you sow, so shall you reap”. This is also known as the “Law of Cause and Effect”.

- Whatever we put out in the Universe is what comes back to us.

- If what we want is Happiness, Peace, Love, Friendship… Then we should BE Happy, Peaceful, Loving and a True Friend.

2. THE LAW OF CREATION

- Life doesn’t just HAPPEN, it requires our participation.

- We are one with the Universe, both inside and out. – Whatever surrounds us gives us clues to our inner state.

- BE yourself, and surround yourself with what you want to have present in your Life.

3. THE LAW OF HUMILITY

- What you refuse to accept, will continue for you.

- If what we see is an enemy, or someone with a character trait that we find to be negative, then we ourselves are not focused on a higher level of existence.

4. THE LAW OF GROWTH

- “Wherever you go, there you are”.

- For us to GROW in Spirit, it is we who must change – and not the people, places or things around us.

- The only given we have in our lives is OURSELVES and that is the only factor we have control over.

- When we change who and what we are within our heart our life follows suit and changes too. THE

5. LAW OF RESPONSIBILITY

- Whenever there is something wrong in my life, there is something wrong in me.

- We mirror what surrounds us – and what surrounds us mirrors us; this is a Universal Truth.

- We must take responsibility what is in our life.

6. THE LAW OF CONNECTION

- Even if something we do seems inconsequential, it is very important that it gets done as everything in the Universe is connected.

- Each step leads to the next step, and so forth and so on.

- Someone must do the initial work to get a job done.

- Neither the first step nor the last are of greater significance,

- As they were both needed to accomplish the task.

- Past-Present-Future they are all connected…

7. THE LAW OF FOCUS

- You can not think of two things at the same time.

- When our focus is on Spiritual Values, it is impossible for us to have lower thoughts such as greed or anger.

8. THE LAW OF GIVING AND HOSPITALITY

- If you believe something to be true,then sometime in your life you will be called upon to demonstrate that particular truth.

- Here is where we put what we CLAIM that we have learned, into actual PRACTICE.

9. THE LAW OF HERE AND NOW

- Looking backward to examine what was, prevents us from being totally in the HERE AND NOW.

- Old thoughts, old patterns of behavior, old dreams…

- Prevent us from having new ones.

10. THE LAW OF CHANGE

- History repeats itself until we learn the lessons that we need to change our path.

11. THE LAW OF PATIENCE AND REWARD

- All Rewards require initial toil.

- Rewards of lasting value require patient and persistent toil.

- True joy follows doing what we’re suppose to be doing, and waiting for the reward to come in on its own time.

12. THE LAW OF SIGNIFICANCE AND INSPIRATION

- You get back from something whatever YOU have put into it.

- The true value of something is a direct result of the energy and intent that is put into it.

- Every personal contribution is also a contribution to the Whole.

- Lack luster contributions have no impact on the Whole, nor do they work to diminish it.

- Loving contributions bring life to, and inspire, the Whole.

Source:

BlissReturned , RavenEmrys, social-consciousness , 

The Odaimoku 御题目

  The form of worship instituted by Nichiren Daishonin is the repetitive recitation of the Scripture's Scared Title or the Odaimoku :"Namu Myoho Renge Kyo," that is the "Adoration to the Scripture of the Lotus of the Perfect Truth."

  His profound understanding of theology casused him to see the need for a simplified practice of affirming our affinity to Budhha and his true teachings. The answer he asserts is found uttering the Odaimoku. According to Nichiren Daishonin, the Odaimoku is not mere representation of Budhha's Truths. Rather it is the embodiment of the Buddha's Truths when the formula is uttered with a firm belief of the truths contained in the Lotus Sutra and full acceptance of Buddha as the Saviour.

  日莲大圣人创立的供佛形式是不断重复地唱诵 ＜妙法莲华经＞。也称之为御题目 ＜南无妙法莲华经＞，意思是"对 ＜法华经＞ 的经文根本真理的归依＂。

  日莲大圣人对佛学的深奥理解使他意识到，通过一种表明我们信奉佛陀与其教义的简化修行方式的须要。他所主张的简化的修行方式就是反复唱诵御题目。根据日莲大圣人，御题目不仅是代表佛陀的真教义，而当人们心中坚信 ＜法华经＞ 所揭示的真理，并接受佛陀为救世主时，他们此时所唱诵的御题目＂南无妙法莲华经＂便成为佛陀真理的化身了。


Namu Myoho Renge Kyo
Namo Buddhaya
Namo Dharmaya
Namo Sanghaya

Reference Nichiren Shu 日莲宗

佛和心

心就是佛

佛就是心

心法也就是佛法

佛法也就是心法

当修成心法时

也就是悟道时

Special Thanks to Master Ma

Heart of Shurangama Mantra

 

Om

Anale Anale

Visada Visada

Bandha Bandha

Bandhani Bandhani

Vaira Vajrapani Phat

Hum

Bhrum Phat Svaha



Upagupta

Upagupta, the disciple of Buddha, lay sleep in
the dust by the city wall of Mathura.
Lamps were all out, doors were all shut, and
stars were all hidden by the murky sky of August.
Whose feet were those tinkling with anklets,
touching his breast of a sudden?
He woke up startled, and a light from a woman's
lamp fell on his forgiving eyes.
It was dancing girl, starred with jewels,
Wearing a pale blue mantle, drunk with the wine
of her youth.
She lowered her lamp and saw young face
austerely beautiful.
"Forgive me, young ascetic," said the woman,
"Graciously come to my house. The dusty earth
is not fit bed for you."
The young ascetic answered, "Woman,
go on your way;
When the time is ripe I will come to you."
Suddenly the black night showed its teeth
in a flash of lightening.
The storm growled from the corner of the sky, and
The woman trembled in fear of some unknown danger.

* * * **
A year has not yet passed.
It was evening of a day in April,
in spring season.
The branches of the way side trees were full of blossom.
Gay notes of a flute came floating in the
warm spring air from a far.
The citizens had gone to the woods for the
festival of flowers.
From the mid sky gazed the full moon on the
shadows of the silent town.
The young ascetic was walking along the lonely street,
While overhead the love-sick koels uttered from the
mango branches their sleepless plaint.
Upagupta passed through the city gates, and
stood at the base of the rampart.
Was that a woman lying at his feet in the
shadow of the mango grove?
Stuck with black prestilence, her body
spotted with sores of small-pox,
She had been hurriedly removed from the town
To avoid her poisonous contagion.
The ascetic sat by her side, took her head
on his knees,
And moistened her lips with water, and
smeared her body with sandal balm.
"Who are you, merciful one?" asked the woman.
"The time, at last, has come to visit you, and
I am here," replied the young ascetic.

 

 

Poem by Rabindranath Tagore

* Upagupta is also known as Moggaliputta Tissa or Upakut. I personally love this poem very much. This story touches my heart and I like to share with all of you the wisdom, compassion and the philosophy of Buddhism in this story.

Gassho,
Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo,
Chikai




出家

什么是出家？

 

我曾经遇到一位高人。我跟他说我要出家。那位高人问我，什么是出家？我听了后，愣了一下之后，我说：“出家不是离开家里，到寺庙里当和尚。”

 

那高人笑了笑后，就说：“ 剃度和披上加沙只不过是形式及外表上的出家而不是真正的出家。” “ 真正的出家是心里能脱离三界。”

 

“ 那三界是那三界呢？” 我问。

 

那高人说：“三界是色界，无色界和欲界。”

 

听了后，我想了想，这世上有多少人能做的到呢？相信没有几个人能做得到啊！

 

 

 

南无妙法莲华经

智海



Nichiren Shōnin’s Goibun Words - New Year’s Gosho: Seed of Buddhahood

“New Year’s Day marks the first day, the first month, the beginning of the year and the start of spring. A person who celebrates this day will gain virtue and be loved by all, just as the moon becomes full gradually, moving from west to east, and the sun shines more brightly travelling from east to west.
 ...…… Suppose we ask where the Buddha is, or where hell is. Some sutras state that hell is below the earth, while the others state that the Pure Land of the Buddhas is in the west. However the explicit truth is that both hell and the Buddha exist within five feet of our bodies. It probably can be said that hell exists in one’s mind when one despises his father and neglects his mother. As the seed of the lotus brings forth its root and flower, we have the Buddha in our minds.”

(Written on 5th January 1281, at Mt. Minobu)
 Ref.: 《Letter to Mrs. Omonsu》also known as《New Year’s Gosho》
 - The Major Writings of Nichiren Daishōnin: Volume 1 (MW 1), p. 271 and A Collection of Nichiren’s Wisdom: Volume 1, p. 43;
 - The Writings of Nichiren Daishōnin: Volume 1 (WND 1), p. 1137

日蓮聖人御遺文 - 新年御書﹕成佛之種子

 "正月一日，是日之始、月之始、歲之始、春之始。善能崇奉者，如月之由西向东而漸盈，如日之自東往西而增輝。德愈勝，人益尊！
 夫地獄與佛究在何處？経文有稱在地下，亦有経文稱在西方等地。然、論其委細，則見其正在我等五尺之身内也。如是，我等心内若有篾父疏母者，則是地獄在其人心内也。譬如花與果可具見於蓮子之中，佛亦存於我等心内。"
 (寫于1281年一月五日，發信地：身延山)
 查閱：《重須殿女房御返事》別名《十字蒸餅書》(《十字御書》)
 - 日蓮聖人御遺文﹕第1冊、第43頁，日蓮大聖人御書全集、第1573頁

Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo

Shinkoku-O Gosho Part 6

Shinkoku-O Gosho 

(Sovereign of Our Divine land)

Part 6

The Juei and Jokyu Incidents

The 81st sovereign, Emperor Antoku, was the eldest son of Emperor Takakura, and his mother, Kenrei Mon'in, was a daughter of Lay Priest Prime Minister Taira no Kiyomori. Emperor Antoku, defected by the army of Minamoto Yoritomo, was drowned in the Sea of Yashima on the 24th day of the 3rd month in the first year of the Genryaku Period (1184).

The 82nd sovereign, Emperor Gotoba, was later called the ex-Emperor in Buddhist Robe on Oki Island. He was the third son of Emperor Takakura and was enthroned in the first year of the Bunji Period (1185). The 83rd sovereign was Emperor Tsuchimikado, known as ex-Emperor of Awa province. He was the fist son of Emperor Gotoba  and was placed on the throne in the second year of Kennin Period (1202). The 84th was Emperor Juntoku, known also as ex-Emperor on the Island of Sado. he was the second son of Emperor Gotoba who ascended the throne on the 26th of the second month in the third year of Jokyu Period (1221) but was exiled to Sado Island in the seventh month of the same year. Thus, the three sovereigns of 82nd, 83rd and 84th emperors were a father and his two sons. defeated by Hojo Yoshitoki, vassal of Minamoto Yoritomo of Kamakura, these three sovereigns were banished respectively to Oki, Awa, and Sado Provinces, an event of disgrace that never been paralleled in history.

by Nichiren Daishonin
12th year of Bun'ei Era (1275) 

Is Buddhism scientific?

Before we answer that question it would be best to define the word 'science'. Science is, according to the dictionary, 'knowledge which can be made into a system, which depends upon seeing and testing facts and stating general natural laws, a branch of such knowledge, anything that can be studied exactly'. There are aspects of Buddhism that would not fit into this definition but the central teaching of Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths, most certainly would. Suffering, the First Noble Truth, is an experience that can be defined, experienced and measured. The Second Noble Truth states that suffering has a natural cause, craving, which likewise can be defined, experience and measured. No attempts is made to explain suffering in terms of a metaphysical concept or myths. According to the Third Noble Truth, suffering is ended, not by relying upon a supreme being, by faith or by prayer but simply by removing its cause. This is axiomatic. The Fourth Noble truth, the way to end suffering, once again, has nothing to do with metaphysics but depends on behaving in specific ways. And once again behavior is open to testing. Buddhism dispense with the concept of a supreme being, as does science, and explains the origins and workings of the universe in terms of natural laws. All of this certainly exhibits a scientific spirit. Once again, the Buddha's constant advise that we should not blindly believe but rather question, examine, inquire and rely on our own experience, has a definite scientific ring to it. In his famous Kalama Sutta the Buddha says;

'Do not go by revelation or tradition, do not go by rumor or the sacred scriptures, do not go by hearsay or mere logic, do not go by bias towards a notion or by another person's seeming ability and do not go by the idea "He is our teacher". But when yourself know that a thing is good, that it is laudable, that it is praised by the wise and when practiced and observed that it leads to happiness, then follow that thing'. A.I,188

So we could say that although Buddhism is not entirely scientific, it certainly has a strong scientific overtone and is certainly more scientific than any other religion. It is significant that Albert Einstein, the greatest scientist of the 20th century said of Buddhism:

'The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It should transcend a personal God and avoid dogmas and theology. Covering both natural and the spiritual, it should be based on a religion sense arising from experience of all things, natural and spiritual and a meaningful unity. Buddhism answers this description. If there is any religion that would cope with modern scientific needs, it would be Buddhism'.

by S. Dhammika

Words of Wisdom 19

All that we are is the result of what we have thought;

is is founded on our thoughts.

If a man speaks or acts with pure thought,

joy will follow him,

like a shadow tat never leaves him.

Short Katha for Phra Somdej Archan Toh

Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato

Samma Sam Bud Tassa x 3

Metta Khunang Arahang Metta x 9

Katha for Tok Raja Phra Pidta

Namo Tassa Bhavato Arahato 
Samma Sam Bud Tassa  x 3

Namo Bodhi Sato 
Punnak Suwanno Pasittimay  x 3

E Rak Ja Kha

Tha Rak Sa

Ti Hang Jak

Tho Ro Ti Nang

Pi Sam Ra Ro

Bu Sa Bu

( You can repeat 3, 9 or as many time as you like)

Words of Wisdom 18

Hatred never cease by hatred,

But by love.

Why are there so many different types of Buddhism?

There are many different types of sugar - brown sugar, white sugar, rock sugar, syrup and icing sugar - but it is all sugar and it all tastes sweet. It is produced in different forms so that it can be used in different ways. Buddhism is the same: there is Theravada Buddhism, Zen Buddhism, Pure Land Buddhism, Yogacara Buddhism, Vajrayana Buddhism and Nichiren Buddhism but it is all the teaching of the Buddha and it all has the same taste - taste of freedom. Buddhism has evolved into different forms so that it can be relevent to different cultures in which it exists. It has been reinterpreted over the centuries so that it can remain relevant to each new generation. Outwardly, the types of Buddhism may seem very different but at the center of all of them are the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold path. All major religions, Buddhism included, have split into schools and sects. Perhaps the difference between Buddhism and some other religions is that the various school have generally been very tolerant and friendly towards each other.


* Reference to S.Dhammika

Gohonzon

The Great Mandala is the object of worship for the believers, known as the Gohonzon. Whereas the inspiration of the Odaimoku comes from  verbal display, the Gohonzon provides for a visual interaction as well. The Gohonzon is the graphical representation that expresses the oneness between the Great Truths (Dharma) and the personage of the Eternal or Primeval Buddha.

Inspiration wells from a reverent gazing of the Gohonzon coupled with the chanting of the Odaimoku. For the faithful the experience is one of being bathed by the rays of wisdom and compassion that emanates from the Eternal Buddha. Thus are we embraced in the Buddha's realm of enlightenment and brought to a state of " Kanno Dokyo", a resonance between the Buddha's power and our spiritual receptivity.

Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo

Namo Buddhaya

Namo Dharmaya

Namo Sanghaya

Why is it that you don't often hear of charitable work being done by Buddhist?

Perhaps it is because Buddhists don't feel the need to boast about the good they do. Several years ago the Japanese Buddhist leader Nikkyo Niwano received the Templeton Prize for his work in promoting inter-religious harmony. Likewise a Thai Buddhist monk was recently awarded the prestigious Magsaysay Prize for his excellent work among drug addicts. In 1987 another Thai monk, Ven. Kantayaoiwat, was awarded the Norwegian Children's Peace Prize for his many years of work helping homeless children in rural areas. And what about the large scale social work being done like schools, child-minding centers, dispensaries and small-scale industries for self-sufficiency. Buddhists see help given to others as an expression of their religious practice just as other religions do but they believe that it should be done quietly and without self-promotion.

by S.Dhammika

If Buddhism is so good why are some Buddhist countries poor?

If by poor you mean economically poor, then it is true that some Buddhist countries are poor. But if by poor you mean a poor quality of life, then perhaps some Buddhist countries are quite rich. America, for example, is an economically rich and powerful country but the crime rate is one of the highest in the world; millions of elderly people are neglected by their children and die of loneliness in old people's homes; domestic violence, child abuse, drug addiction are major problems; and one in three marriages end in divorce. Rich in terms of money but perhaps poor in terms of the quality of life. Now if you look at some traditional Buddhist countries you find a very different situation.

Parent are honored and respected by their children, the crime rates are relatively low, divorce and suicide are rare, and traditional value like gentleness, generosity, hospitality to strangers, tolerance and respect for other are still strong. Economically backward but perhaps a higher quality of life than country like America. However, even if we judge Buddhist countries in terms of economics alone, one of the wealthiest and most economically dynamic countries in the world today is Japan where a good percentage of the population call themselves Buddhist.

by S.Dhammika

Buddhist Poem #7

I sit quietly on the rock,

Watching train of clouds fleeting by.

Sun shines ever so bright.

by Dok Kem Pa

Words of Wisdom 17

Rain fall, wind blows,

plants bloom, leaves mature

and are blown away;

these phenomena are all interrelated with causes and conditions,

are brought about by them, 

and disappear as the causes and conditions change.