Attaining Buddhahood in the lifetime and Kosen-rufu

 

Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTi_J55ZbWQ

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Key Points / Summary:

What is the Purpose of Practising Buddhism?

1. Attaining Buddhahood
2. Happiness for Oneself and for Others

Attaining Buddhahood is not equal to

1. Becoming Special Human Being
2. Started looking different from what we are
3. Moving to some other world
4. Being born next time in a pure land

Then what does attaining Buddhahood means?

1. Opening up or Revealing our innate Buddhahood (Qualities)
2. Establishing a state of absolute and indestructible happiness in where ever we are.
3. Appreciating our uniqueness
4. Developing our innate talent to the fullest.
5. Not getting swayed by hardships

So attaining Buddhahood is a process of manifesting the life state of a Buddha, which is originally present within all the people.

So basically, I can attain Buddhahood in MY PRESENT FORM !!

Absolutely !! People can realize the life state of a Buddha just as they are, without having to reborn and changing their present form as ordinary person.

The Daishonin says that “one comes to realize and see that each thing - the cherry, the plum, the peach, the damson - in its own entity, without undergoing any change, possesses the eternally endowed three bodies (of the Buddha)”

I understand that I must appreciate my uniqueness and not compare myself with others. I should focus on my innate talent to the fullest and don’t get swayed by hardships.

Also, It is not the achievement of final goal. It is a continuous struggle based on faith in the mystic law to eliminate evil and create good.

But didn’t understand “Absolute Happiness”. What does it means?

So, there are two types of happiness

1. Relative Happiness
   1. This happiness depends on external conditions or circumstances.
   2. We get happy in relation to this external factors.
   3. Such as promotion, eating favorite food, kids doing well in school, appreciation at workplace
   4. Since, it depends on external factors, it is short lived.
   5. As soon as the external environment changes, we cease to be happy or happiness starts receding.
2. Absolute Happiness
   1. Doesn’t depend on any external factor or circumstance
   2. You are happy from within but why?
   3. For being alive itself !! No other reason.
   4. The happiness is coming from within your life.
   5. Also, while relative happiness disappears with death, absolute happiness stays with us till eternity.

This is good. I can relate to relative happiness now. So, does relative happiness is not good ?

Should I stop getting happy or stop having desires to be first, to excel at workplace or desire to see my kids doing well?

No, it doesn’t mean that you start detaching from everyone around you or stop being happy or stop having desires.

In fact, Lotus Sutra talks about concept called “Earthly desires are Enlightenment”

Now, remember, we started with a concept that we can attain Buddhahood in present form itself.

What is present form?

It means at wherever you are, whatever circumstances you are in and you can attain Buddhahood while fulfilling your duties as an ordinary person.

It is not telling you to go out in Himalayas or become sanyasi or desist yourself from all the relations.

So in essence, you need to find this absolute happiness within yourself while fighting the daily life battle !!

In fact, these earthly desires like getting promotion, healthier, better relationship, kids welfare, parents wellbeing etc.

So instead of getting sad and giving in to present circumstances, accepting the status quo and living life like that, Nichiren Daishonin Buddhism states that to use these earthly desires to challenge the situation, don’t accept the status quo.

Just like muddier the water, more blooming of Lotus.

Similarly, The wonderful thing about faith in Nichiren Buddhism is that it enables those who suffer the most to attain the greatest happiness and those who experience the most daunting problems to lead the most wonderful, meaningful lives.

So, do not run away from problems or accept the problems as part of life, but use these challenges or earthly desires to attain absolute happiness.

How does other types of Buddhism views attainment of Buddhahood?

1. Basically Buddhism is divided into two major buckets - Mahayana Buddhism and Hinayana Buddhism.
2. Mahayana Sutras other than Lotus Sutra teach the attainment of Buddhahood but they require atleast two conditions
   1. Condition 1: You cannot belong to be a practitioner of two vehicles (voice-hearers and cause-awakened one), evil people and women
   2. Condition 2: You need to engage in Buddhist practice for repeated cycles of birth and death.

In Contrast, Lotus Sutra states

1. Each person can reveal the life state of Buddhahood
2. Can achieve it in single life !!

Sounds Great !! But How to do it? What is the secret sauce to do it?

Now, when we understood what and why of Attaining Buddhahood, now let’s talk about “How” part.

Happiness for oneself

1. When we believe in Gohonzon and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, you can turn all these worries and concerns into fuel to propel yourselves forward—you can transform them into life force, into greater depth of character and into good fortune.
2. I therefore hope you will challenge all kinds of problems, chant abundantly about them, and develop yourselves along the way.

Happiness for Others

1. First treatise or major writing that Nichiren Daishonin wrote was “Risho AnkokuRon” - “On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land”
2. “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?”
3. Establishing the Correct Teaching = Promoting Faith, “Peace of the Land” = Realizing peace and prosperity, safety and security of all individuals
4. We must not content with just our own happiness but must actively engage in seeking solutions to the problems and issues facing society.
5. The aim of Buddhism is to do Kosen-rufu - share and spread the correct teaching, guiding all people toward attaining the life state of Buddhahood and realize peace and prosperity for all humanity
6. We are Bodhisattvas of the Earth who vowed to Shakyamuni Buddha to spread kosen-rufu in latter day of the law.
7. Achieving kosen-rufu, the widespread propagation of the mystic law, is the fundamental spirit of Nichiren Daishonin Buddhism.

Soka Gakkai’s Key Role in Propagation of Nichiren Buddhism

1. Soka Gakkai actively engages in society through peace, culturem education and human rights initiatives based on Nichiren Buddhism.
2. It is the organization of Bodhisattvas of the Earth fulfilling the mission of kosen-rufu.
3. It is only Soka Gakkai, that is able to widely spread the mystic law. No other organization since 700 years after the Daishonin’s death has been able to propagate kosen-rufu so far and wide.
4. Carrying on the mission of kosen-rufu, acting in accord with the Buddha’s intent.