Faith for Overcoming Obstacles

 

Video Link -https://youtu.be/gQ2IDlhhve4

Quiz Link - https://quizizz.com/join?gc=73623794

Key Points / Summary:

Can anyone claim that they don’t have any problem?

Till the time one is alive = Problems will be there.

The better good you want to do, bigger problem you will face.

So, getting intimidated by problems or challenges is not an option. More so, when you are spreading the greatest good, which is kosen-rufu.

Now, idea is to understand, perceive and categorize the problem / obstacles so that we are better equipped to tackle them. We should not get influenced or frightened by them.

So, Lotus Sutra talks about different kinds of obstacles which we will encounter, remember I have used word “will” and not “may”, so it is bound to happen that we will encounter the obstacles.

and if we are not, that means we need to do more in Kosen-rufu to kind of validate that we are on right track.

Buddhism teaches that as we continue to persevere in our practice, obstacles and difficulties will arise without fail to obstruct us. It is crucial, then, that we be prepared for these, and strive to establish faith that cannot be compromised by any problem or adversity.

Nichiren Daishonin states “There is definitely something extraordinary in the ebb and flow of the tide, the rising and setting of the moon, and the way in which summer, autumn, winter, and spring give way to each other. Something uncommon also occurs when an ordinary person attains Buddhahood. At such a time, the three obstacles and four devils will invariable appear, and the wise will rejoice while the foolish will retreat”

Lotus Sutra not only states that we will find obstacles but also tell what these obstacles will look like so that we can identify clearly and be happy that we are on right track.

So, let’s quickly dive into different types of obstacles talked about in Lotus Sutra.

There are two concepts here

1. Three Obstacles and Four Devils
2. Three Powerful Enemies

Three Obstacles and Four Devils

Obstacles = Functions that hinder us in our faith & practice.

Three Obstacles

1. Obstacle of Earthly Desires

   1. Earthly Desires, Impulses - Greed, Anger and Foolishness (Three poisons)
   2. Obstacle of Karma - Evil acts (causes) in this life : Opposition from those close to one - Spouse and Children
   3. Obstacle of Retribution - Evil acts we did in past lives : Difficult circumstances into which we are born or have come to live. - Opposition from Sovereign and Parents

   If you observe the above, the common thing among all three is that these three obstacles are coming from external. It is coming from external environment may be because of our this life karma, past lives karma or through our greed, anger and foolishness which gets triggered by external environment.

   Four Devils

   In contrary to three obstacles, which were coming from outside, Four Devils talks about challenges that comes from workings within the hearts and minds of those who believe in and practice Buddhism.

   These four devils are

   1. Hindrance of the five components
      1. Disharmony among the workings of the body and mind
      2. sensual desires : Seeking pleasure through the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and physical sensation
      3. ill will : Malice, hostility, resentment, hatred, bitterness
      4. Apathy & laziness : Half-hearted behavior with little or no effort or concentration
      5. anxiousness : the inability to calm the mind and focus energy
      6. and doubt : Lack of certainty or confidence in one's own abilities.
   2. Hindrance of earthly desires
      1. Greed, anger and foolishness that arise from within
   3. Hindrance of Death
      1. When practice is cut short due to his or her death
      2. Death of another practitioner, or of anyone close, causes one to doubt one’s Buddhist faith.
   4. Hindrance of Devil King
      1. Also called Devil King of Sixth Heaven
      2. Most fundamental kind of devilish function described in Buddhism
      3. It arises confusion in our mind - whether we really have Buddhahood or not. Or if the other person has Buddhahood or not - Fundamental Darkness
      4. It gives rise to fundamental darkness.
      5. Also, it will plant confusion in the mind of spouse, ruler, authority to stop you from practising, to persecute or oppress you.

Note - It is important to be aware that earthly desires such as greed, hunger and foolishness, spouses, children, parents, sovereign, death do not in themselves constitute obstacles and devils. Rather, what causes them to function as the three obstacles and four devils is the weakness of our own life force that allows us to be influenced negatively by them.

It is crucial to have the conviction that this is the very time for us to make great progress towards attaining Buddhahood and, as wise people who rejoice at such challenges, persevere in our faith, and overcome them.

The Three Powerful Enemies

Lotus Sutra also talks about three kind of opponents who will persecute those who strive to spread the sutra’s teachings in the Latter Day of the Law.

These three kind of opponents are called “Three Powerful Enemies”

1. Arrogant Lay People

   1. Ordinary people who are ignorant.
   2. Subjecting practitioners to cursing, abuse, speaking ill, slandering
   3. Even attacking with weapons

2. Arrogant Monks

   1. Buddhist clergy who fail to understand the correct teaching
   2. Attached to their own ways of thinking and believing themselves to be superior
   3. Harass and persecute the votaries of Lotus Sutra.

3. Arrogant False Sages

   1. Sages = Mostly residing in places removed from society
   2. Seemingly respect worthy priests and monks
   3. But internally they are consumed with greed and desire for profit
   4. Mostly works against votary of lotus sutra through conniving with authorities, senior officials,
   5. Attempting to motivate those in power to oppress them.

   Out of above 3, the third one is most formidable and pernicious. Reason is that very difficult to comprehend these respect worthy priests and what’s going on in their mind. Also, they generally don’t come directly and you only come to know about their intent when actually persecution happens.

If you look a common theme here - it is “Arrogance” means all these opponents will act in arrogant way - feeling superior, greater than other people, belittling others, displaying high handedness, feeling too much pride and importance in themselves.

With this, we conclude the topic but before saying bye, if you look at the life of Nichiren Daishonin, you will realize that he faced all the persecutions as written in Lotus Sutra.

If you go back to our video on “Life of Nichiren Daishonin”, you will actually map each of these challenges to his life’e events. And so with each of three presidents of Soka Gakkai.

Thank you so much.