THIS YOU SHOULD KNOW
* Copyright © 2003 All rights reserved. No reproduction, redistribution, nor any medium of use with out the Publisher and Authors consent. All applicable copyright laws prevail.
This Book is formally dedicated to the following persons
for the influence and teachings have broadened our
Buddhist experience. The Late Reverend Shinshun Kan
Reverend Yesafumi Sato Reverend Shinshi Ohseki
The Late Reverend Hozen Seki
Reverend Rebecca MacDonald
Reverend Mitzuye Kamada
Reverend T Kenjitsu Nakagaki
Reverend Kenryu Tsuji Sprinfield, Va
To the members of the New York Buddhist Temple.
Steve Whittley Gary Moi, and Allen Kehler
To The Members of the Seabrook Buddhist Temple.
To Russell Hamada and Masami Kodani for the New York
Temple Altar Guide (Ref Traditions of the Jodo Shin Shu
Hongwanji-Ha) Without much of this book would not be
finished.To The Members of the Springfield Va Temple.
Ken Nakamura and Jeanette Shinn. Grateful Acknowledgements to Reverend Seki of the HonpaHonganji,Honolulu,Hawaii,and The Reverend Kato, Rinban
of the Lahaina Honganji, Maui, Hawaii.
Especial thanks to Professor Hisao Inagaki, Takasuki, Japan.
James Davis in Springfield, Mo.
Diane Pentenaude Ames, Berkeley Buddhist Temple
Reverend Ronald Nakasone and others in California.
Finally, to all my Buddhist Friends of all Denominations.
Tino Rozzo is also Author of: Cucino Paradiso: The Sardinian Kitchen and
With Gratitude: A Westerner cooks Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.
Available at Barnes and Noble and Amazon, online and retail book dealers world wide.
INTRODUCTION
It is very difficult for a convert to first change
from one religion to the other with out encumberment.
What makes Buddhism difficult to convert to is, not
only is it the basics of adapting to new ideology,
but its concepts, expressions, and " theology ".
It differs from what a Christian, and other former
semitic believer, may encounter.
The mission in writing this book is to communicate
to the new comer, and not so much the scholar, the
basic prinicples of their new found religion.
It was very difficult for me at first and it took
a while to ferret out the details. I remember a lot
of frustrations and difficulties. I am no scholar,
but perhaps it takes a unschooled person to explain
some details to help the convert on his way to
appreciating his or her new religion much better.
There are many good books in print, yet a lot of
them do not explain much at all. Buddhism was never
meant to be the intellectuals fancy. It is for every
one. You, " Come as you are, Just as you are". That
is for just plain folks like you and me.
The intent of this book is to help the religious
person find a bit more joy and meaning into his or
her faith so they do not feel left behind. We should
feel grateful to be embraced by such a teaching. Jodo
Shin Shu will warm your heart and soul.
_ YOUR OLD RELIGION
For some people their old religion has let them down.
When your old religion lets you down, you go out and
seek another. Some will say they convert for more
intellectual reasons. There are many reasons to convert
and people everyday find a new religion.
On your conversion to Buddhism you will find that it is
the largest religion in the world. Not so much in
population as in Doctrine. The Tripitaka is like 10 bibles
times ten. 100 volumes of bibles. In Mahayana Buddhism
the Tripitaka consists of, the Vinayas (Moral conduct),
the Sutras(scripture), and Sastras (commentaries).
The teachings Pure Land followers adhere to is the
Triple Pure Land Sutras. The Larger and Smaller
Sukahavati Sutras, and the Meditation Sutra on the
Eternal Buddha. More on these Sutras later. Your old
religion at one time or another may have been painful.
The rules where unrealistic. The doctrine was not apt,
you have changed personally and cannot follow the
credo of past convictions.
Many people do not convert to Buddhism because of the
lack of ego appeal. They wish for more. They turn to
pseudo practices for Magick, or other trendy items
that choose to change things through "external
causes". Much of this is for ego reinforcement it
is a desire to be something special and indulge in
the strange and exotic. Even some forms of Buddhism
indulge in these practices. They promise new levels
of awareness through parapsychology. Shinran Shonin,
in the Shozomatsu Wasan said:
" How sorrowful, both monks and laymen
place faith in auspicious omens "
In revering the gods of heaven and earth"
My conversion came to me at a desperate time in my
life. I was working in New York City, my true home,
and was about to loose my job. I went to church every
day. It was Saint Francis of Assisi church across
from Madison Square Garden. Being brought up in the
tradition of Catholicism. I was taught prayer would
be the answer. I even expected a miracle, like
expecting the porcelain Jesus to come to life and
bless me. As you could imagine, this never happened
and my prayers where not answered.
Not to mention I was already into pseudo practices. I
followed Edgar Caseys candle burning techniques and
Incense burning accompanied with magical incantations.
This also let me down.
When I went to work the next day, I was fired. My
boss blamed me for the elevator getting stuck. I am
not a elevator repair man.
I was furious and disappointed. The following Sunday I
visited the New York Buddhist Church and met Reverend
Kan, my first Sensei. He explained causal relations
and the working of Karma. He was a wonderful person.
This was my entrance in Jodo Shin Shu.
I owe Reverend Kan a great debt of gratitude for his
inspirations and humble intelligence as my teacher.
Many people have had many problems with there old
religion. Some take turns into fouled practices like
Satanism. There was a man who entered this religion
and was a practicing Satanist. He would kill animal
for sacrifice. Involve himself in lewd worship. Not
to mention involve himself in violence when ever the
mood took him.
He went to a compound in the country side somewhere,
which could be considered a Satanist monastery. He
wished to leave that Monastery one day and he was
forced to stay. Something went wrong and violence
broke out. He hid under a cabin for 48 hours until
they stopped looking for him. He actually at one
point almost had to kill someone to escape. He was
lucky to make it out alive.
We see on the news everyday about the most sinister
aspects of religion. From the greed of Jimmy Baker to
the violence of Waco, Texas.
Not all religious conversions come from old religions.
There are people with absolutely no background at all
who suddenly look for enlightenment and find Buddhism
parallel to their way of thinking. Many people are
former political activists and find Buddhism to be
altruistic. They supplemented the political life with
one of spirituality.
_ It is said any religion can lead you to enlightenment
and as Buddhists we are tolerant and allow others to
seek. All because our religion of old is not ours to
embrace, doesn't mean others cannot embrace theirs
and find enlightenment. We all have Buddha Nature,
every sentient being.
Even though one is a Buddhist one can still enjoy the
teaching of another faith. One can enjoy the Philosophy
of Tomasso Campanella, a Catholic monk, who wrote
"City of the Sun", a Utopian poem of great imagination.
Some of his theories could be similar to emptiness,
Sunyata. Like Shinran he was also persecuted for his
beliefs and was imprisoned, then exiled.
Shinran gave up his old religion, Tendai, for Honen's
Nembutsu. Shinran was disappointed in his religious
experience and was coming down from Mount Hiei when
he met a Nembutsu follower. This Nembutsu follow saw
Shinran was distraught. He invited Shinran to meet
the Master Honen. Shinran did just that. Leaving
Tendai behind, he found his new faith in Honen's
Nembutsu. In a postscript in the Kyo Gyo Shin Sho
Shinran wrote:
In the first year of Kenin (1201) I abandon
the way of ascetic practices and and began to
follow the way of the causal vow.
Finding the Nembutsu is a wonderful experience for
the truly spiritual.
_ So as you leave your past religion and enter a new
one, you are beginning a heart felt journey in the
life of a Nembutsu follower. There may be a few
things you will wonder about. You will not be able to
answer all questions. All things considered, you must
leave things up to Buddha when the issue can be
settled.
You maybe angry at your past religion, and even sad
about it. You must learn to let go and go on. You
must try and be understanding of why things are the
way they are. As the saying goes, time heals all
wounds. You will also find you never completely let
go of your old religion.
When Shinran had fallen Ill he had once resorted to a
Tendai practice. Of course this is understandable
since this "programming" kicked. It was an act from
his subconscious mind. I once knew a convert who
bought lottery tickets and prayed to god. He also
anointed them with holy water. I his excitation his
past programming kicked in and he reverted to his past
religion. We should not feel guilty for
this. Everything in our past is sill with us and it
always will be. The results of our past are part of
the karma that makes us what we are now, at this very
moment, and we change. We are always in the process
of becoming and that is the essence of Buddhism. We
will all change.
THE BUDDHA AND BUDDHISM
The historical Buddha was a prince by the name of
Gautama Siddhartha, born in the lumbini garden, he
was the son of a wealthy and powerful King by the
Name Suddhodana and Queen Maha Maya. Maha means great
or the Great Maya. They ruled in Kapilavastu in what
is now in the modern state of Nepal.
The Queen died soon after Gautama Siddhartha's birth
and he was raised by his step mother Prajnpati.
The King did all he could to insure his son had all
the comforts of life. He would lack nothing.
At age nineteen he married the Princess Yashodara. She
gave birth to their son Rahula. They lead a opulent
Life. He was never really comfortable with this way
of living.
He was on a chariot leaving his Castle. Through one
gate he saw a poor man. He asked the Chariot driver
and the Chariot driver informed him of poverty.
The next day he left through another gate and saw a
very old man. He asked the Chariot driver about
this and the Chariot driver told him of the passing
of youth to old age.
The following day they went through another gate. He
saw a sick man. He inquired about the sick man and
the Chariot driver told him of disease and pestilence
The Final time Gautama Siddhartha went through a
different gate, he saw a dead man. The Chariot driver
told him of the passage of time.
With this he felt a deep despair and wished to go out
and find the light of truth. So he, at the age of
twenty nine left his wife and child and went to find
his salvation.
For many years he mixed with ascetics, monks, and
hermits. They taught him subjecting his body to the
severest of disciplines. This made him realize the
extremes of luxury and ascetics where the road to
nowhere.
The truest path of enlightenment was in the patient
and systematic examination of life and resolving
suffering.
As he quietly meditated under the Bodhi tree he
reached Nirvana, the supreme enlightenment. He
developed with in himself the deep spiritual insight
into the nature of existence. He became the Buddha,
the fully enlightened one.
He spent the next 45 years of his life spreading the
Dharma through out the land, spreading his wisdom and
compassion to everyone of all walks of life regardless
of where they came from or who they where. The Dharma
was for everyone.
At age eighty, Buddha passed away. His message to his
sorrowing disciples was: " The Dharma that I have
given you shall be your teacher when I am gone."
A: BUDDHISM :
The Buddhas biography in which is given in this book
is by no means a complete story. Many good books have
been written, and you should look them up in your
Bookstore or Library.
The following of all doctrine is found in its every
principles. Buddhism has many and here are the
basics.
The Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths which he
stated:
"O Bhikshus, this is the cause of suffering. Decay,
Illness, objects and persons we hate, separation from
the things we love, and not to obtain or wants is
suffering".
"O Bhikshus, Suffering is caused by thirst that leads
to rebirth, pleasure and lust, finding delight,
thirst for all kinds of prosperity, ect".
"O Bhikshus, there is away to liberate your self from
thirst and desire".
"O Bhikshus, the way to liberation is following the
Eight Fold Noble Path. Which are 1. Right Views. 2
right aspirations. 3 Right speech. 4 Right conduct.
5 Right livelihood. 6 Right Mindfulness. 7 Right
effort. 8 Right meditation.
This was the Buddhas first sermon often compared to
Christ's sermon on the mount. It may be concluded that
the Buddha was pessimistic in his view of life.
_In truth Buddha recognized the truth in life. The
major goal for all Buddhists is to end suffering for
themselves and others. To turn over Ignorance,
illusion, and Suffering and obtain the freedom of
enlightenment.
B THE NATURE OF DOCTRINE:
There are six sanskrit words Anitya, Duhkha, Anatean,
Karma, Nirvana, and Bodhisattva. These are the basic
fundamentals of Buddha Dharma. In fact these are all
part of Dharma, the laws of truth. All of the above
are Sanskrit words in which Buddhism tends to be
replete.
Anitya; All things in this universe are transient and
lack substance. They are empty. All that exists is in
a state of constant flux. A cherry blossom blooms one
day, is no more the next. Impermanence is the law of
the physical universe all entities are subject to it.
All forms of life, all by products, and all we come
in contact with.
Dukkha, This is the word for suffering. It can be
combined with sorrow and dissatisifaction. This is
what the first noble truth is all about. Suffering
and its ramifications are to vast to consider. We
know what makes us suffer. We know the pains of life.
We see others suffer, we come to know theirs.
Anatman, This is the doctrine of egolessness. There
is no permanent entity separating man from others.
Humans are made up of aggregates such as the five
skandas. 1 Materiality, 2 sensation, 3 perception,
4 discrimination, 5 consciousness. It is not that a
person has no soul, his soul constitutes many various
combinations of aggregates with in form.
Karma, This is the law of causation. Cause and
effect. Most Buddhist do not subscribe to this on a
Hindu level of life after life upon death. Now, in
simplistic terms, it is just the law of causation.
As in the bible, we reap what we sew.
Nirvana, it is the highest enlightenment, It is the
supreme goal of all Buddhists. It could be deemed
perfect tranquility of the mind, turning over
delusion, knowing all as it is, just as it is.
Bodhisattva, You and I are Bodhisattvas, aspirants
for enlightenment. We are endowed with Buddha Nature
therefore we have the potential to become Buddhas.
There are other Bodhisattvas, it is the ten levels
of stages to Buddhahood.
These are basic definitions and can be read in more
detail in more elaborate sources. The Buddha Dharma
is quite vast and it is possible to study the
doctrine to your satisfaction.
When someone converts to Buddhism, this doctrine is
the most acessable. It will be the first initial
contact with the faith and will determine you initial
decision to become a devotee.
C: KARMA, REINCARNATION, AND, SOUL:
It would not be out of the question to discuss Karma
further, since it is a major doctrine and it needs
clarity. The beginner needs to know that a definition
on a important subject needs a wider point of view.
Everything is the effect of some cause an is itself
the cause of some other effect. Buddha said this law
held true in every quadrant of the universe.
No deity, of ritual, or what ever can not alter it.
Buddhas conception of Karma has nothing to do with
predestination. A Mystic would say there are no true
coincidences. They are fatalists with notions of
pre-design. Buddhists are not fatalists. Every thing
that happens now, is a result of the past. All we do
now, will result in our future. We fashion our past
lives, which take place in this mortal existence, and
the result is what we made. We now fashion our present
so in our future lives, in this mortal existence, we
will determine our place in this very life.
Karma has a matter of mechanics in wich it works,
this is known as Dependent Origination. The twelve
links of conditioned co-production. They are as
follows: 1 Ignorance, 2 Karma formations, 3
Consciousness, 4 name and form, 5 six sense organ ,
6 contact, 7 feelings, 8 desire, 9 grasping,
10 becoming, 11 birth, 12 decrepitude and death.
to explain six senses, mind is included as a sense
organ. Buddha never teaches that some happens from
nothing. Every existence is depended upon another.
A certain thing is the cause of certain things, not all
things. Everything is ether direct or indirect and is
cause for everything in the future. Our deeds direct
or indirect, are our actions. These actions yield
conditions and results So as you see, Karma is more
then just simple cause and effect, it is deeds,
actions, causes, and conditions.
This brings us to reincarnation, transmigration,
Samsara is the result of Dependent
Origination. It is the cycle of birth and death with
occurs in this mortal life, and the road to Nirvana
happens in spiritual progressions in this mortal
existence.
In Buddhism, the transmigration of the soul, as in
other eastern philosophies, is denied. There is no
unchanging self since we are always in the process of
becoming. Buddha taught being born again and again in
this world is not desirable. But seeking the realm
of "Birthlessness" is our goal. Buddha is permanent
and ceases the cycle of birth and death in this
mortal existence. Our human existence is temporal and
there is no soul. Soul as ethereal double or astral
entity. This soul dose not transmigrate forever.
Transmigration is the spiritual process that takes
place within this mortal life.
_ So What is soul in Buddhist Conception? Through the
senses, soul forms are manifested. These souls forms
constitute soul groups. It is the interaction of
senses as the organ of thought. Actions of life gel
into the habitual character. All these are part of
the functioning of Karma. Samskara is a word that
comes into the picture, and is defined as a beings
disposition", due to impressions, experience, mind,
perceptions, sensations, and the realm of
psychological, and sociological orientation. It is
the process of "being".
So as you see, Karma is a by product of many things.
D BUDDHA AND BUDDHAHOOD
Since we are all Bodhisattvas that means we tread
the path toward Buddhahood. Was Gautama Siddhartha
the only Buddha? No, is the answer. Can we become
Buddhas? Well, it is possible. No one can determine
that. Buddha means simply to "enlighten" or " The
enlightened one ". According to the Tathagata Sutra
it in essence says, since we are all endowed with
Buddha Nature, we all have seeds of Buddha. We all
have the potential of becoming enlightened, Buddhas.
Buddhahood is the goal of all Buddhist. We strive for
the enlightenment obtained by the Buddha. So what is
a Buddha? A Buddha can be defined as one who realized
the perpetual truth of the universe and who could
see the true nature of existence and all phenomena as
they are. Turning over delusion into enlightenment.
The term Buddha in this day refers to the historical
founder of Buddhism, Gautama Siddhartha. This Buddha
is a historical person. There are many " historical"
Buddhas not recorded in historical records. Buddhas
today who are the unknown, unsung segments of
society.
However, reading scripture, there are many Buddhas
who are not historical, but cosmological Buddhas.
Examples would be Amida Buddha, Maha Vairoccana
Buddha, Maitreya, and Kannon. Kannon in Chinese is
the Kwan Yin Bodhisattva who saves beings in distress
deemed as the goddess of mercy.
In Buddhism there are no gods, of beings in astral
dimensions. Just this very earth we live. Buddhism is
a earthly religion grounded in the life of the
Buddhist follower.
As you can determine, Buddha was just a man. He was
not god, or anything else, just a man who found and
taught the way to enlightenment.
As Buddhists we adhere to the teachings of Gautama
Siddhartha. We as the Buddha desire to become as him
and gain enlightenment in this mortal life. We abide
by the principles and standards of the Buddhist
faith. If you attend a church or temple. No one can
enlighten you. You are responsible for your own
enlightenment. You tread the path with others though.
One thing about reading Sutras is you will find
Gautama the Buddha had many titles. This is more or
less conceived by the Sutra writers if anything. More
on Sutras later. What where the Buddhas titles?
Sukyamuni. Sukya is Gautama's clan, Muni is sage. He
was the " Sage of the Sukya's ".
World Honored One. Tathagata, which means One who has
come and gone. Baghavat, Blessed one. .
Buddhism is a simple religion with many variable
complexities. We as Buddhists act as liaisons for the
teachings when we learn. This is our way of
perpetuating the spread of Buddha Dharma. The Dharma
is the universal law, principles, teachings, ect.With
in the Buddhist teachings. Dharma is not just subject
to written law, but personal experiences and life
situations. A prominent psychologist once said
Buddhism was a back to the womb religion. It is
not. It is an active and vital religion. It involves
action and energy. Because some sit and meditate in
Zazen, it is a misconception that is all Buddhists
do. We live in the same world everyone else does. We
are active vital and part of the world
community. Even the Buddha traveled many miles to
teach and save people. He was energetic and active.
When misconceptions arise, we must be patient and
understand and teach that person what the meaning of
our faith truly is.
THE SUTRAS AND MAHAYANA
One of the things that I as a convert was truly
angry with was the cosmology involved in Mahayana
scripture. I did away with my Christian ideology and
Mahayana scripture seems just as metaphysical.
However soon after understanding this was not to be
believed as real, but Upaya (Hoben), provisional means.
The Mahayana scriptures appeared 600 years after the
Buddhas death.
Mahayana, Large Vehicle, is part of the Madyamika
school, other wise known as the middle way. These are
different from Theravada. Which is the way of the
elders. Theravada is dominant in South East Asia,
in countries like Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka, etc.
Mahayana is predominant in Japan, China, Korea,
Vietnam. ect.
There are definitive structural differences between
the two schools.
1. The Buddha of the Theravada school is historical.
In Mahayana he is Metaphysical and religious.
2. Non ego in Theravada is analytical and
schoolastic. In Mahayana Experimental and
intuitive.
3. Theravadan view of Enlightenment individual, while
Mahayana is altruistic.
4. In Mahayana there is less distinction between monk
and laymen.
5. Nirvana is comparative.
6. In Mahayana all have desire for Bodhi, and have
Buddha Nature. All may obtain enlightenment.
7. Bodhisattva and Arhat Ideals are similar.
The system we follow as Mahayana was conceived by a
Indian Buddhist Philosopher by the name of Nagarjuna.
Author of the Mahayana Karika. He lived between the
2nd and 3rd century AD.
His principles are incorporated in every teaching
of the Mahayana. Every school flourishes because of
his philosophy. Many Sutras conceived where
originally Theravada in nature, where soon changed
and altered giving them a diverse and improved, if
not more interesting appeal. Others where conceived
in China. Having no historical ties to the Buddha.
In a Chinese catalogue of the Buddhist Tripitaka the
works are subdivided:
in Fasciculi
1. Sutras Mahayana 784 1718
Theravada 845 1304
2. Vinaya Mahayana 50 82
Theravada 63 381
3.Abhidharma Mahayana 68 381
Theravada 116 482
4.Later Work records 144 627
extracts 68 185
5. Indian/ treaties 119 134
Chinese total 2357 5294
_*Fasciculi means extracts of books published in
parts.
The Mahayana concepts are various and large but can
be discussed in simple terms. Here they will be. The
Sutras are the Focal point of concepts and thusly are
constructed in such a away. What is a Sutra? A Sutra
is a teaching of A, The Buddha, B, Disciple, or C , A
person with a Buddhistic teaching. The Bible or Koran
can be considered a Sutra. Non Buddhist of course.
Sutra in english means that what strings together.
They have four functions:
1. They string the principles of Buddha Dharma
together.
2. They bring people who need the teachings together.
3. They have a method. Pure Land Sutras teach about
Amida. The Lotus Sutra teaches Buddhist facts.
4. The Sutras are adamantine in the fact that the
Dharma teaches a eternal truth.
Sutras also mean path, or way. the are instructional
aids toward enlightenment. Of course in a Mahayana
sense they are like fingers pointing to the moon.
They are a supplement to actual experience. What
truly enlightens an individual is a direct transmission
to the mind. But the unenlightened as well as the
enlightened need Sutras. They nourish the mind, ease
the soul, and expand the mind. We are all constantly
involved with Sutras. We live Sutras every day.
MAHAYANA
Mahayana Buddhism is the essence of all Buddhist
Sutras we follow. Each one embellishing aspects of
Mahayana Thought. One would think the sol of all
concentration is on emptiness, Sunyata.
It is not the only concept. Madhyamika doctrine is
vast and certainly gets very complicated. Even some
highly educated Buddhist masters say they do not
grasp all the literature they read. So, the subject
will be kept at a level we could all grasp and enjoy.
The purpose behind this school of thought is to
eliminate the discriminating mind and purge
dichotomies. Lets look into wisdom. Wisdom , prajna,
reveals the nature of suffering and the phenomenal
world as it really, truly is. It also turns over all
selfish cravings. This allows us to develop wisdom
and compassion, Karuna on a universal scale. When
perfection of Prajna and Karuna are achieved, they
dispel, anger, greed, and ignorance. Along with
violence, ill will, and other passions. This cannot
be achieved with out the turning of the dharma wheel,
the Eight Fold Noble Path. The Dharma Wheel is the
Dharmacakra. Prajna is the concentration of some
Buddhist schools, but the Karuna is its balance.
Love and Kindness, Metta, are its key features. How
is it that we define Emptiness? It is that all things
in the Universe have no substance and all is
interelated and interconnected in the Universe.
Emptiness is not "empty", but is the fullness of
possibility. The universe is as a fabric, different
on either side, they are made of the same fabric and
are woven together into each other. With out the
weaving of the fabric, it would not exist as a piece
of material, it would be in strands. All fabrics are
not permanent, they eventually wear out.
Nagarjuna said: " Mistaking conceptual absoluteness
for ultimate reality is at the heart of mans own
suffering." Nagarjuna thought the basic and most
exciting fact was mans endeavor to be. Man embraces
the fundamental of experience in that quest. In
obtaining Bodhi, the quest to be, does not come from
text, scholarism, or intellectual constraints. It is
the true life experience that awakens man to his true
self and enlightens him to the ways of the world. It
is his empirical experiences that lead him to Buddha.
Compassion is the counter balance of wisdom. When we
look into compassion. It is not a political, or
rhetorical. It is pure from any contrivances. A
Buddha is always moving toward us. We need him to
embrace us and take us from a world of delusion to a
world of enlightenment. A Buddha whenever he is able
will reach out to the suffering and like a doctor
with the right cure for our ailments, gives us our
full dose of medicine to save us from Samsara.
GRATITUDE AND HUMBLENESS
With out either gratitude or humbleness it is
difficult to truly know wisdom and compassion. In
fact depending on us and our ignorance, we may not
even give this a second thought. We owe many people a
debt of gratitude. People who aid us in our daily
lives. We immediately are grateful to people we
know. Friends, relatives, associates, ect. There are
people in our daily lives, such as, public servants,
scholars, artisans, farmers, and merchants, who make
mutual contributions. We are all indebted to our
fellow beings. Both Human and Animal, which help
make it possible to depend on each other for a
living. It is because of them life becomes better.
We all each contribute to society in different ways.
Humbleness is the way we learn to quell our ego's.
Through good manners, not acting egotistical, or
haughty, or being willfully stubborn. But living in
harmony with everyone else. We learn equality,
respect, repose, and we are nice. Humility and
Humanity walk hand in hand and all our false pride
and ego reinforcements are gone. We act the best we
can and try to manifest wisdom and compassion. In a
booklet, Gratitude: Its Source and Power, By
Taitetsu Unno there is a much about this subject I
it is a Sutra on wisdom, compassion, Gratitude, and
humbleness. It is highly recommended.
SHINRAN SHONIN
Shinran Shonin was born in Kyoto, Japan on May 21,
1173. At a very young age he lost both his parents.
Orphaned at a young age. His given name at birth was
Matsuwakamaru. At age eight, entered a monastery at
Mount Hiei and was given the name Hannen. He was a
monk of the Tendai Order. They follow the Lotus
Sutra. Tendai has its beginnings in China as T'ien
T'ai. Its philosophy embraces the principle of the
Perfectly Harmonious Threefold Truth. That means:
1 All Dharmas are emptry and have no self nature.
2 They have temporary existence.
3 Both are empty and temporary which is the mean.
Emptyness, temporaryness, and the mean. All three are
one. The relative is thus being the absolute. Tendai
with in itself is very metaphysical and elaborate.
Shinran stayed on Mount Hiei for the next twenty
years, practicing the most arduous of mental and
physical disciplines. There is a Tendai practice
called " A Thousand Turns Around The Mountain." Monks
run around this mountain rigorously. Some do not
survive. After those two decades he decided that
enlightenment was impossible for the common man. What
had happened was Shinran enclosed himself in a temple