Gosho Zenshu - Part 03
"It is by the four ways of teaching [(1) to teach Buddhism in secular terms; (2) to teach in accord with the individual's capacity; (3) to awaken people from their illusions; and (4) to reveal the ultimate truth directly] that the Buddhist practice can be carried out in accord with the time."
(Kenryu Shoi Sho, GZ-537)
"The idea that life and death are two is the reasoning of dreams, deluded and inverted. If when wide awake we examine our true nature, we will find no beginning that requires our being born and no end that requires our dying. What we will find is the essence of life, which can neither be burned by apocalyptic flames, nor worn away by flood, nor cut by sword, nor pierced by arrow. It is not too large to enter the seed of a flower without the seed expanding. It is not too small to fill the universe without the universe contracting.
People, confused by their minds, fail to understand and awaken to the true nature of their lives. The Buddha is awakened to and manifests the wondrous workings of life, which he has called 'transcendental.' By transcendental he means 'in command of all laws of life, unobstructed by anything.' This free transcendental power exists in the lives of all sentient beings. Therefore, foxes, raccoon dogs and the like can manifest their respective transcendental powers. This is [the expression of] their relative enlightenment.
It is from this single entity of life that the differences among lands arise. Explaining the wonder of life is the prime objective of all the sutras [that Shakyamuni preached], termed the 84,000 teachings. These doctrines all exist in one's life. Accordingly, the 84,000 teachings are the diary of one's life
(Sanze Shobutsu Sokammon Sho, GZ-563)
"Words manifest through sound while conveying the workings of the mind".
(Sanze Shobutsu Sokammon Sho, GZ-563)
We hold and embrace the 84,000 teachings in our lives. To suppose that the Buddha, the Law and the Pure Land of Eagle Peak exist apart from one's life and to seek them outside is a delusion."
("Sanze Shobutsu Sokammon Sho," GZ-564)
"All phenomena in the universe are manifestations of the Buddhist Law."
("Sanze Shobutsu Sokammon Sho," GZ-564)
"The example of one person represents the impartial truth inherent in all human beings."
("Sanze Shobutsu Sokammon Sho," GZ-564).
"The Kegon Sutra states: 'Just as a skilled painter creates each of the five components of life, the mind creates all phenomena throughout the entire world.... No phenomena exist outside the mind. Explaining the wonders of the mind is the prime objective of all the sutras and treatises. One who is awakened to the mind is called a Buddha."
("Sanze Shobutsu Sokammon Sho," GZ-564)
"The inhaling and exhaling of breath through our nose is like wind that wafts through the mountains and valleys; the inhaling and exhaling of breath through our mouth is like the winds that course through the open skies. Our eyes are like the sun and the moon; their opening and closing is like day and night. The hair on our heads is like the stars, our eyebrows are like the northern dipper. Our blood flow is like rivers and streams, and our bones are like gems and stones. Our skin and flesh are like the earth and soil, and the fine hairs of our body are the grasses and forests that cover the earth"
(Miao-lo, Maka Shikan Bugyoden Guketsu, cf. GZ-567)
"When Shakyamuni was a common mortal in the period of gohyaku jintengo, he realized that his body was composed of the five elements of earth, water, fire, wind and space and attained enlightenment instantaneously."
("Sanze Shobutsu Sokammon Sho," GZ-568)
"In the final analysis, when you perceive that your own mind and the body of the Buddha are one and the same, you will quickly become a Buddha. For this reason, Miao-lo's 'Annotations on the Maka Shikan states, 'It is by perceiving their own minds are in no way different from the mind of the Buddha that all Buddhas attain enlightenment.' This is what it means to observe one's mind. One who perceives that his own mind and the mind of the Buddha are in fact one and the same will, at the moment of death be troubled neither by disturbances caused by evil karma, nor by distracting thoughts confining him to the sufferings of birth and death.
"One who realizes that all phenomena in the universe are manifestations of the Buddhist Law will have no need for zenchishiki to instruct him. One will think exactly as the Buddha thinks, do things exactly as he does them, speak exactly as he speaks, and act exactly as he acts. And the four actions of going and staying, sitting and reclining will all accord perfectly with the heart of the Buddha. Such a person will be free of offenses and enjoy complete freedom."
("Sanze Shobutsu Sokammon Sho," GZ-569)
"If one attains full awakening to the truth that the mind of common mortals and the mind of the Buddha are one, neither will evil karma obstruct her dying in peace nor will distracting thoughts bind her to the cycle of birth and death."
("Sanze Shobutsu Sokammon Sho," GZ-569-570)
"The five universal elements of heaven, earth, water, fire and wind are Buddhas who represent the five kinds of wisdom. Since they dwell in the bodies and minds of all ordinary people without leaving them even for an instant, the realm of delusion and the realm of enlightenment exist fused within one's mind. There is no law that exists apart from one's mind. When people listen to this teaching, therefore, they will very naturally attain Buddhahood, immediately and without hindrance."
("Sanze Shobutsu Sokammon Sho," GZ-573)
"Reaching the supreme Land of Tranquil Light unimpeded, in the space of a moment one will return to the midst of the dream of birth and death in the nine worlds. One's body pervades the Dharma worlds in the ten directions and one's mind enters the lives of all sentient beings. Impelled from within and drawn from without, in the harmony of [internal] cause and [external] relation, one freely exercises the transcendental power of compassion and widely brings benefit to living beings without any impediment."
(Sanze Shibutsu Sokanmon Kyoso Hairyu, GZ-574)
"As long as Buddhist scholars and their students remain unaware of this, even though they read and recite all the sutras and know the twelve types of scripture by heart, they will find it impossible to free themselves from the sufferings of birth and death. Although their prayers may seem to produce some signs at the beginning, they can never be effective enough to be heard by heaven and earth."
(Kangyo Hachiman Sho, GZ-577)
"[And the Great Bodhisattva Hachiman, who pledged to protect the votary of the Lotus Sutra,' in failing to strip them [the abbots and high-ranking priests of the Tendai school] of their robes is committing a fault of the utmost gravity."
(Kangyo Hachiman Sho, GZ-581)
"... kill the Buddha, gouge out his eyes, end his life and slit his throat.
(Kangyo Hachiman Sho, GZ-583)
"Anger can be found in good and evil alike.
(Kangyo Hachiman Sho, GZ-584)
"I have merely been trying to make all the people of Japan hold in their mouths the five or seven characters of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Mine is like the compassion of a mother trying to breast-feed her baby."
(Kangyo Hachiman Sho, GZ-585)
"All the sufferings of the people are without exception Nichiren's own sufferings."
(Kangyo Hachiman Sho, GZ-587)
"The moon rises in the west and moves eastward, a sign of how the Buddhist teachings of India spread in an easterly direction. The sun rises in the east, an auspicious sign of how the Buddhist teachings of Japan are destined to return to the land of India."
(Kangyo Hachiman Sho, GZ-588)
"If the persons of the two vehicles cannot attain Buddhahood, then neither can the bodhisattvas, because the bodhisattvas have made a vow to save innumerable beings."
(?,GZ-589)
Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden
"The voice does the Buddha's work (koe butsuji o nasu). This is the meaning of kyo (sutra)."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-708)
"'Nam' [of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo] derives from Sanskrit and is rendered here [in Japanese] as kimyo, meaning 'to devote one's life.' This means to devote one's life to the Person and the Law. Devotion to the Person means to dedicate one's life to Shakyamuni [i.e., Nichiren Daishonin]. Devotion to the Law means to dedicate one's life to the Lotus Sutra [i.e., the Gohonzon of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo]. In addition, 'devotion' (ki) indicates dedicating our lives to the principle of the eternal and unchanging truth revealed in the theoretical teachings of the Lotus Sutra. 'Life' (myo) indicates basing ourselves upon wisdom that functions in accord with changing circumstances as revealed in the essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra. Thus, to 'devote one's life' is the very meaning of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. T'ien-t'ai states: 'The eternal and unchanging truth and wisdom that functions in accord with changing circumstances are at each moment both contained within life, which embodies and permeates all phenomena.'
"In addition, 'to devote' expresses our physical aspect and 'life,' our spiritual aspect. The oneness of the physical and spiritual aspects is the ultimate reality. T'ien-t'ai states that because we devote our lives to the ultimate reality, our devotion is called the Buddha Vehicle.
"Also, while Nam of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo derives from Sanskrit, Myoho-renge-kyo is Chinese. Therefore, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo comprise both Sanskrit and Chinese. Moreover, Myoho-renge-kyo is rendered from the Sanskrit, Saddharma-pundarika-sutra. Sad is translated as myo, dharma as ho, pundarika as renge and sutra as kyo. These nine syllables correspond to the nine honored ones and express the principle that the nine worlds inherently possess Buddhahood.
"Myo indicates the nature of enlightenment, while ho indicates darkness or delusion. The oneness of delusion and enlightenment is indicated by Myoho, the Mystic Law.
"Renge expresses the two principles of cause and effect. It also indicates the oneness of cause and effect. Kyo means the words and speech, sounds and voices of all living beings. Change-an states, 'The voice does the Buddha's work and is therefore called kyo.' Kyo also signifies that life spans the three existences of past, present and future. All things are myoho, all things are renge and all things are kyo. Renge indicates the Buddha's body surrounded by the eight honored ones on the eight-petaled lotus.
"You should ponder this well."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-708)
"The substance of a doctrine [refers to] the heart of all phenomena.... This [of 'This is what I heard'] indicates 'the substance of a doctrine heard from the Buddha,' while 'what I heard' indicates 'a person who can uphold that doctrine'."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-709)
"Now Nichiren and his followers who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo dispel the darkness of birth and death and cause the fire of nirvana's wisdom to burn before their eyes."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-710)
"[The presence of Ajnata Kaundinya] indicates the principles of 'earthly desires are enlightenment' and 'life and death are nirvana' at work in the lives of us votaries of the Lotus Sutra."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-710)
"The light from the white tuft of hair is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-712)
"Now when Nichiren and his followers perform ceremonies for the deceased, reciting the Lotus Sutra and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the ray of light from the daimoku can even reach the depths of the hell of incessant suffering and enable [the deceased] to attain enlightenment."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-712)
"That all living beings are in fact the Buddha of the true entity of all phenomena is a wonderful thing, an unfathomable thing! But persons who slander the Law are at present unaware of this fact. Therefore it is referred to as secret."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-714)
"But in the end persons who slander the Law and fail to have faith in it are followers of provisional teachings outside the body of truth, the teachings represented by the two types of expedient means known as 'functional-teaching expedients' and 'truth-gateway expedients' ... Now Nichiren and his followers, who recite Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, are observers of the 'secret and mystic expedient,' a teaching which is within the body of truth."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-714)
"Even persons who are called great slanderers of the Law will in time come to accept and uphold Myoho-renge-kyo. This is the purpose of the 'Expedient Means' chapter of the Lotus Sutura."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-714)
"'Door' [in the passage from the Hoben chapter of the Lotus Sutra, 'door to this wisdom'] means faith."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-715)
"'To open' is another name for faith."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-716)
"Myo is the head, ho is the neck, ren is the chest, ge is the belly and kyo is the legs, and so our entire body represents the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-716)
"It is by the four ways of teaching [(1) to teach Buddhism in secular terms; (2) to teach in accord with the individual's capacity; (3) to awaken people from their illusions; and (4) to reveal the ultimate truth directly] that the Buddhist practice can be carried out in accord with the time."
(Kenryu Shoi Sho, GZ-537)
"The idea that life and death are two is the reasoning of dreams, deluded and inverted. If when wide awake we examine our true nature, we will find no beginning that requires our being born and no end that requires our dying. What we will find is the essence of life, which can neither be burned by apocalyptic flames, nor worn away by flood, nor cut by sword, nor pierced by arrow. It is not too large to enter the seed of a flower without the seed expanding. It is not too small to fill the universe without the universe contracting.
People, confused by their minds, fail to understand and awaken to the true nature of their lives. The Buddha is awakened to and manifests the wondrous workings of life, which he has called 'transcendental.' By transcendental he means 'in command of all laws of life, unobstructed by anything.' This free transcendental power exists in the lives of all sentient beings. Therefore, foxes, raccoon dogs and the like can manifest their respective transcendental powers. This is [the expression of] their relative enlightenment.
It is from this single entity of life that the differences among lands arise. Explaining the wonder of life is the prime objective of all the sutras [that Shakyamuni preached], termed the 84,000 teachings. These doctrines all exist in one's life. Accordingly, the 84,000 teachings are the diary of one's life
(Sanze Shobutsu Sokammon Sho, GZ-563)
"Words manifest through sound while conveying the workings of the mind".
(Sanze Shobutsu Sokammon Sho, GZ-563)
We hold and embrace the 84,000 teachings in our lives. To suppose that the Buddha, the Law and the Pure Land of Eagle Peak exist apart from one's life and to seek them outside is a delusion."
("Sanze Shobutsu Sokammon Sho," GZ-564)
"All phenomena in the universe are manifestations of the Buddhist Law."
("Sanze Shobutsu Sokammon Sho," GZ-564)
"The example of one person represents the impartial truth inherent in all human beings."
("Sanze Shobutsu Sokammon Sho," GZ-564).
"The Kegon Sutra states: 'Just as a skilled painter creates each of the five components of life, the mind creates all phenomena throughout the entire world.... No phenomena exist outside the mind. Explaining the wonders of the mind is the prime objective of all the sutras and treatises. One who is awakened to the mind is called a Buddha."
("Sanze Shobutsu Sokammon Sho," GZ-564)
"The inhaling and exhaling of breath through our nose is like wind that wafts through the mountains and valleys; the inhaling and exhaling of breath through our mouth is like the winds that course through the open skies. Our eyes are like the sun and the moon; their opening and closing is like day and night. The hair on our heads is like the stars, our eyebrows are like the northern dipper. Our blood flow is like rivers and streams, and our bones are like gems and stones. Our skin and flesh are like the earth and soil, and the fine hairs of our body are the grasses and forests that cover the earth"
(Miao-lo, Maka Shikan Bugyoden Guketsu, cf. GZ-567)
"When Shakyamuni was a common mortal in the period of gohyaku jintengo, he realized that his body was composed of the five elements of earth, water, fire, wind and space and attained enlightenment instantaneously."
("Sanze Shobutsu Sokammon Sho," GZ-568)
"In the final analysis, when you perceive that your own mind and the body of the Buddha are one and the same, you will quickly become a Buddha. For this reason, Miao-lo's 'Annotations on the Maka Shikan states, 'It is by perceiving their own minds are in no way different from the mind of the Buddha that all Buddhas attain enlightenment.' This is what it means to observe one's mind. One who perceives that his own mind and the mind of the Buddha are in fact one and the same will, at the moment of death be troubled neither by disturbances caused by evil karma, nor by distracting thoughts confining him to the sufferings of birth and death.
"One who realizes that all phenomena in the universe are manifestations of the Buddhist Law will have no need for zenchishiki to instruct him. One will think exactly as the Buddha thinks, do things exactly as he does them, speak exactly as he speaks, and act exactly as he acts. And the four actions of going and staying, sitting and reclining will all accord perfectly with the heart of the Buddha. Such a person will be free of offenses and enjoy complete freedom."
("Sanze Shobutsu Sokammon Sho," GZ-569)
"If one attains full awakening to the truth that the mind of common mortals and the mind of the Buddha are one, neither will evil karma obstruct her dying in peace nor will distracting thoughts bind her to the cycle of birth and death."
("Sanze Shobutsu Sokammon Sho," GZ-569-570)
"The five universal elements of heaven, earth, water, fire and wind are Buddhas who represent the five kinds of wisdom. Since they dwell in the bodies and minds of all ordinary people without leaving them even for an instant, the realm of delusion and the realm of enlightenment exist fused within one's mind. There is no law that exists apart from one's mind. When people listen to this teaching, therefore, they will very naturally attain Buddhahood, immediately and without hindrance."
("Sanze Shobutsu Sokammon Sho," GZ-573)
"Reaching the supreme Land of Tranquil Light unimpeded, in the space of a moment one will return to the midst of the dream of birth and death in the nine worlds. One's body pervades the Dharma worlds in the ten directions and one's mind enters the lives of all sentient beings. Impelled from within and drawn from without, in the harmony of [internal] cause and [external] relation, one freely exercises the transcendental power of compassion and widely brings benefit to living beings without any impediment."
(Sanze Shibutsu Sokanmon Kyoso Hairyu, GZ-574)
"As long as Buddhist scholars and their students remain unaware of this, even though they read and recite all the sutras and know the twelve types of scripture by heart, they will find it impossible to free themselves from the sufferings of birth and death. Although their prayers may seem to produce some signs at the beginning, they can never be effective enough to be heard by heaven and earth."
(Kangyo Hachiman Sho, GZ-577)
"[And the Great Bodhisattva Hachiman, who pledged to protect the votary of the Lotus Sutra,' in failing to strip them [the abbots and high-ranking priests of the Tendai school] of their robes is committing a fault of the utmost gravity."
(Kangyo Hachiman Sho, GZ-581)
"... kill the Buddha, gouge out his eyes, end his life and slit his throat.
(Kangyo Hachiman Sho, GZ-583)
"Anger can be found in good and evil alike.
(Kangyo Hachiman Sho, GZ-584)
"I have merely been trying to make all the people of Japan hold in their mouths the five or seven characters of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Mine is like the compassion of a mother trying to breast-feed her baby."
(Kangyo Hachiman Sho, GZ-585)
"All the sufferings of the people are without exception Nichiren's own sufferings."
(Kangyo Hachiman Sho, GZ-587)
"The moon rises in the west and moves eastward, a sign of how the Buddhist teachings of India spread in an easterly direction. The sun rises in the east, an auspicious sign of how the Buddhist teachings of Japan are destined to return to the land of India."
(Kangyo Hachiman Sho, GZ-588)
"If the persons of the two vehicles cannot attain Buddhahood, then neither can the bodhisattvas, because the bodhisattvas have made a vow to save innumerable beings."
(?,GZ-589)
Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden
"The voice does the Buddha's work (koe butsuji o nasu). This is the meaning of kyo (sutra)."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-708)
"'Nam' [of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo] derives from Sanskrit and is rendered here [in Japanese] as kimyo, meaning 'to devote one's life.' This means to devote one's life to the Person and the Law. Devotion to the Person means to dedicate one's life to Shakyamuni [i.e., Nichiren Daishonin]. Devotion to the Law means to dedicate one's life to the Lotus Sutra [i.e., the Gohonzon of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo]. In addition, 'devotion' (ki) indicates dedicating our lives to the principle of the eternal and unchanging truth revealed in the theoretical teachings of the Lotus Sutra. 'Life' (myo) indicates basing ourselves upon wisdom that functions in accord with changing circumstances as revealed in the essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra. Thus, to 'devote one's life' is the very meaning of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. T'ien-t'ai states: 'The eternal and unchanging truth and wisdom that functions in accord with changing circumstances are at each moment both contained within life, which embodies and permeates all phenomena.'
"In addition, 'to devote' expresses our physical aspect and 'life,' our spiritual aspect. The oneness of the physical and spiritual aspects is the ultimate reality. T'ien-t'ai states that because we devote our lives to the ultimate reality, our devotion is called the Buddha Vehicle.
"Also, while Nam of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo derives from Sanskrit, Myoho-renge-kyo is Chinese. Therefore, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo comprise both Sanskrit and Chinese. Moreover, Myoho-renge-kyo is rendered from the Sanskrit, Saddharma-pundarika-sutra. Sad is translated as myo, dharma as ho, pundarika as renge and sutra as kyo. These nine syllables correspond to the nine honored ones and express the principle that the nine worlds inherently possess Buddhahood.
"Myo indicates the nature of enlightenment, while ho indicates darkness or delusion. The oneness of delusion and enlightenment is indicated by Myoho, the Mystic Law.
"Renge expresses the two principles of cause and effect. It also indicates the oneness of cause and effect. Kyo means the words and speech, sounds and voices of all living beings. Change-an states, 'The voice does the Buddha's work and is therefore called kyo.' Kyo also signifies that life spans the three existences of past, present and future. All things are myoho, all things are renge and all things are kyo. Renge indicates the Buddha's body surrounded by the eight honored ones on the eight-petaled lotus.
"You should ponder this well."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-708)
"The substance of a doctrine [refers to] the heart of all phenomena.... This [of 'This is what I heard'] indicates 'the substance of a doctrine heard from the Buddha,' while 'what I heard' indicates 'a person who can uphold that doctrine'."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-709)
"Now Nichiren and his followers who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo dispel the darkness of birth and death and cause the fire of nirvana's wisdom to burn before their eyes."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-710)
"[The presence of Ajnata Kaundinya] indicates the principles of 'earthly desires are enlightenment' and 'life and death are nirvana' at work in the lives of us votaries of the Lotus Sutra."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-710)
"The light from the white tuft of hair is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-712)
"Now when Nichiren and his followers perform ceremonies for the deceased, reciting the Lotus Sutra and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the ray of light from the daimoku can even reach the depths of the hell of incessant suffering and enable [the deceased] to attain enlightenment."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-712)
"That all living beings are in fact the Buddha of the true entity of all phenomena is a wonderful thing, an unfathomable thing! But persons who slander the Law are at present unaware of this fact. Therefore it is referred to as secret."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-714)
"But in the end persons who slander the Law and fail to have faith in it are followers of provisional teachings outside the body of truth, the teachings represented by the two types of expedient means known as 'functional-teaching expedients' and 'truth-gateway expedients' ... Now Nichiren and his followers, who recite Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, are observers of the 'secret and mystic expedient,' a teaching which is within the body of truth."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-714)
"Even persons who are called great slanderers of the Law will in time come to accept and uphold Myoho-renge-kyo. This is the purpose of the 'Expedient Means' chapter of the Lotus Sutura."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-714)
"'Door' [in the passage from the Hoben chapter of the Lotus Sutra, 'door to this wisdom'] means faith."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-715)
"'To open' is another name for faith."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-716)
"Myo is the head, ho is the neck, ren is the chest, ge is the belly and kyo is the legs, and so our entire body represents the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo."
(Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Ongi Kuden, GZ-716)
