Urban Buddha

Sunday, July 17, 2011

ARE YOU PRACTISING CORRECTLY....

friends, i came across this cartoons which explain the correct way to do gongyo and daimoku.
It conveys the message in a simple and funny way....
so here it is

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Now the time has arrived
for the widespread propagation
of the correct teaching,
we stake our lives
on the single character myo

Thursday, July 22, 2010

THE BENEFITS OF THE TEACHER OF THE LAW

i was reading lotus sutra other day and in chapter 17. i found this verses.
these verses expounds the benefit which one will receive for upholding the lotus sutra and hence nichiren daishonin's buddhism

The faculties of this person's tongue will be so pure
that he will never experience any bad tastes,
but all that he eats
will become like sweet dew.
With his deep, pure and wonderful voice
he will preach the Law in the great assembly,
employing causes, conditions and similes
to lead and guide the minds of living beings.
All who hear him will rejoice
and offer him their finest alms.
Heavenly beings, dragons, yakshas,
as well as asuras and others
will all approach him with reverent minds
and together come to hear the Law.
If this preacher of the Law
wishes to use his wonderful voice
to fill the three thousand worlds
he can do so at will.
Wheel-turning kings great and small
and their thousand sons and retinues
will press their palms together with reverent minds
and constantly come to hear and accept the Law.
Heavenly beings, dragons, yakshas,
rakshasas and pishachas
likewise with rejoicing minds
will constantly delight in coming to bring alms.
The heavenly king Brahma, the devil king,
the deities Freedom and Great Freedom,
all the multitude of heavenly beings
will constantly come to where he is.
The Buddhas and their disciples,
hearing the sound of him teaching the Law,
will keep him constantly in their thoughts and guard him
and at times show themselves for his sake.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

jewel in the topknot

Once upon a time there was a great king. He was the greatest of kings and was called the Wheel-Rolling King. It was said that he owned a magical wheel of jewels that would spin while he governed.

The king was a fine ruler, and when he found a country that was run by evil people, he would wage war against it. He continually fought such evil countries until he had crushed them all.

The king was very glad to see that some of his soldiers were very brave in war. He rewarded these soldiers with treasures such as gold, silver, shell, agate, coral, and amber. He gave some of them farms, houses, villages, and cities. He also gave elephants, horses, and vehicles to those who were worthy.

Every time the soldiers were given these gifts from the king, they boasted, saying “I received golden rings and necklaces from the Wheel-Rolling King.”

Or: “He gave me a fabulous elephant and an ox-cart, praising my brave fight in the war.”

Or: “It was clothes this time for me. But I’ll get much more next time for my valiant fight.”

Or: “But you’ll not outdo me. I’ll be fighting with all my might, too.”

There was one thing that the king kept for himself: the brilliant gem which he was keeping in his topknot. This gem was the only one of its kind in the world. If he had given it to anyone, his followers would have been shocked.

Finally, one day, the Wheel-Rolling King saw an especially brave soldier and gave him that precious gem.

The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs

The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs

The world has many kinds of plants — more kinds than can be named. There are bushes and trees, mosses and ferns, flowers and grains. There are herbs that can be made into medicines.

All over the earth there are plants growing. Different plants grow in different areas: on the tops of mountains and at the bottom of the sea, in the desert and in the jungle.

Clouds also cover the earth. In one moment, a cloud can rain life-giving water onto the plants. The rain nurtures the plants and soaks the soil.

Through the soil, the water soaks down, down, down to the plants’ roots. Some of the roots are woody and big. Some are thin and fine. The water goes to all the millions of kinds of plants.

Each plant uses this water according to what kind of plant it is. Some plants may blossom. Some trees may bear fruit. Some mushrooms may grow. Some vines may grow long. Some herbs may grow to be used for medicine. Each plant uses the water differently.

Although all these plants and trees grow in the same earth and are moistened by the same rain, each has its differences. But all may be nourished.

such a simple analogy to explain so profound things. isnt it:)
well just like plants are different, we are all different, we all have our own individuality , characteristics, and basic tendancies.
but inspite of all that just like mother earth treats them all equally, lotus sutra makes them all equal and eligible to attain buddhahood. and whats more?
all that in this lifetime only.

The Parable of the Impoverished Son

The Parable of the Impoverished Son
From the Lotus Sutra Chapter 4, Belief and Understanding

Once a boy ran away from home and wandered for many years becoming more and more poor and confused.

The boy’s father loved his son very much, but had no idea where to find him. As time went on, the father became very rich.

Fifty years passed. One day, the son showed up at his father's estate. He did not know whose grand home this was, but wondered if he could find a job there. The father recognized his son, and set messengers to greet him. The father was overjoyed that his son had returned.

But the son misunderstood. He thought the messengers were trying to arrest him for doing something wrong.

The father saw his son’s fear and confusion. He realized his son was not ready to accept the truth, so he told the messengers to leave his son alone.

Later the father had some of his servants dress in rags. He had these servants go to his son and offer him a job shoveling excrement. The son had been living so poorly for so long, he saw this job as a wonderful opportunity.

Over the years, the father showed an interest in his son. He praised him, increasing his pay, and gave him better jobs. But he never told him his true identity.

After twenty years, the father was old and near death. By then the son was in charge of all of the wealthy man’s business. The son had become a responsible but humble man.

Finally, just before his death, the father gathered all of his friends and all the powerful people of the city to his bedside. He told them all the true identity of his son. He said his son was heir to all his fortune.

THREE CARTS AND THE BURNING HOUSE

The Three Carts and the Burning House
[from the Hiyu chapter (Chapter 3) of the Lotus Sutra]

One day, a fire brokes out in the house of a wealthy man who had many children. The wealthy man shouts at his children inside the burning house to flee. But, the children are absorbed in their games and cannot understand his warning, though the house is being consumed by flames.

Then, the wealthy man devises a practical way to lure the children from the burning house. Knowing that the children are fond of interesting playthings, he calls out to them, “Listen! Outside the gate are the carts that you have always wanted: carts pulled by goats, carts pulled by deer, and carts pulled by oxen. Why don't you come out and play with them?"

The wealthy man knows that these things will be irresistible to his children.

The children immediately race out to get into the carts. In this way, the wealthy man is able to get his children safely away from the burning house.

Once outside, the children demand the carts they have been promised. Instead, the wealthy man gives them a much finer and larger cart — one that runs as swiftly as the wind — adorned with many jewels and drawn by a great white ox. This cart is called the Great White Ox Cart.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

BSG & SUA student exchange videos

Thursday, June 3, 2010

the daimoku parrot

i read it while surfing the net. it is really very funny. i hope you all will like it.

A guy walks into the pet shop to buy a parrot. The shopkeeper shows him three parrots — a one thousand dollar parrot, a two thousand dollar parrot, and a three thousand dollar parrot.

The guy asks, "What is the difference?"
The shopkeeper says, "The one thousand dollar parrot speaks English. The two thousand dollar parrot speaks eight languages. The three thousand dollar parrot mumbles something and when he does, you get whatever you want."
The guy buys the most expensive parrot. He takes him home and removes the cage cover. The bird starts saying "Myohorengekyo ... nam-myohorengekyo ... nam-myohorengekyo..." An hour later, the guy's girlfriend calls and says "Honey, I miss you. How soon can we get together?" Two hours later, his boss calls and says, "We are sorry we fired you. We will give you a raise if you can come back Monday."
Eight hours later, the parrot is still chanting, so the guy calls the pet store and says "This bird is driving me nuts. How do I get him to stop saying these words?"
The shopkeeper says "Oh! I forgot to tell you. You gotta ring the bell three times."
So the guy finds the bell and the ringer in the cage and sounds: "Ding, ding, ding."
The parrot slows to a finish with "Myo...ho...renge...kyo."
Then he starts again: "Niji sesson ju san mai..." etc.