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| 1. What is Enlightenment? |
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| c. Only throngh one's Faith: |
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| The enlightenment that Shakyamuni Buddha attained
is referred to as the "Fine Dharma". The "Fine
Darma" is not an indifferent (cold) or tranquil thing. It is
a single life body of a huge scope, which produces and functions incessantly.Shakyamuni
Buddha elucidated in the Lotus Sutra the world of enlightement he
attained. At the same time, he outlined how practitioners of Buddhism
or people, after the Buddha's death, can become a Buddha. But, it
is not the same for all situations. The methods to realize enlightenment
differ in each generation, and on one's ability. There were paths
to enlightenment for the wise men who were born in the age of Shakyamuni
Buddha and for ordinary people in the Mappo Period (the age of the
last Dharma). Shakyamuni Buddha had prepared it for all situations.
There is no other person who arranged such worthy paths to enlightenment
and buddhahood as Nichiren Shonin. |
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| The merits of Shakyamuni Buddha's enlightenment are
contained in the Namumyohorengekyo (Odaimoku). An ordinary person
of the Mappo Period need not attempt to use his intelligence to comprehend
the "Fine Dharma". Nichiren Shonin taught us that by
chanting the Odaimoku, the merits of the Buddha and the life of the
universe, can be absorbed into one's soul. Consequently, it is important
to believe in the Odaimoku. |
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| One may think that by attaining enlightenment of Buddhahood,
they can live a life of leisure. According to the theory elucidated
in the Lotus Sutra and based on Nichiren Shonin's teachings, that
is not so. To establish a root in this world is to link oneself directly
to the eternal life in the sources on the universe. To proceed to
the "Pure Land" is not enlightenment. In other words,
by chanting the Odaimoku, one should become aware of somethig precious
and affluent that is innate in their own souls. To be able to lead
a successful life is to live a life helping others and spreading the
teachings of the Lotus Sutra. This is the true form of enlightenment.
"Buddhas are people who attained the enlghtenment of the Fine
Dharma. In the past, holy people became buddha through the merits
of their own power, but, now, people can attain enlightenment only
through ther faith (chantig the Odaimoku withouot bling influenced
by one's thoudhts). In other words, one who engages in bodhisattva
activities will immediately become a tathagata of cause." (Nissen
Shonin's Go Shinan). |
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Gokyoka:
The more one tries to understand enlightenment,
the more confusing it will become.
Enlightenment is having a soul to enage in the religion of
pure faith of the Lotus Sutra.
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