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On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime
On Attaining Buddhahood In This Lifetime This letter was written to Toki Jōnin in the seventh year of Kenchō (1255), two years after Nichiren Daishonin established his teaching of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Myoho-renge-kyo is the title of the Lotus Sutra, but to the Daishonin it is much more; it is the essence of…
Eternity In A Moment
The Buddhist principle of “three thousand realms in a single moment of life” suggests that the past, future and all aspects of the physical environment exist in the present. [1] Nichiren Daishonin writes: Just as a commoner can become a…
Pleasure Is Different Than Happiness
Dorian Gray, or perhaps Oscar Wilde once said that pleasure is different than happiness. Aristotle said “Happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.” [1] According to Buddhist teachings, there are two…
Trailblazers of Joy
Photography is the magic of light ~ it can capture the present moment forever. “The White Sand Horse of Hawaii” World Tribune Apr 8, 2022 p. B (insert) Future Division Earth is a planet of life. This world we call…
On Repaying Debts of Gratitude
It is not one’s allies but one’s powerful enemies who assist one’s progress…I am grateful when I think that without them I could not have proved myself to be the votary of the Lotus Sutra.” The Actions of the Votary…
Buddhism Is About Winning
Our Prayer for Peace “If you care anything about your personal security, you should first of all pray for order and tranquility throughout the four quarters of the land, should you not?“ ~ On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the…
Cultivating Flower Gardens of Happiness
The Great Beneficial Medicine
The way to become a Buddha is nothing special. It is the same as … providing fire for a person freezing in the cold. ~ “The Wealthy Man Sudatta ” WND-1 p. 1086 The Lotus Sutra is like a lamp…
Refute the Erroneous & Reveal the True
Rune_poem_Hickes_1705 The Teaching of Universal Enlightenment The practice of refuting erroneous teachings in the realm of Buddhism is ultimately a struggle of compassion fought with the force of reason. The Lotus Sutra or Nam Myoho Renge Kyo constitute the name…
The Strategy of the Lotus Sutra
Employ the strategy of the Lotus Sutra before any other. “All others who bear you enmity or malice will likewise be wiped out.”4 Looking at the world today, it is easy to feel despair. A kind of powerlessness seems to be the prevailing mood in the world…
Courage Is Different From Recklessness
Respectful Actions Convey the Heart of Buddhism “The aspiration of leading all people to enlightenment would just be a pipe dream unless the Buddha taught the importance of our behavior as human beings.” As Nichiren Daishonin states: “The purpose of…
