Chapter 2: The Wheel of Becoming

“So it is, so it is. It is just as you say. Śāriputra! The same can be said of me. [I thought, ‘]I am the father of the world. I eliminated fear, despondancy, grief, ignorance and darkness. I obtained immeasurable insight, powers and fearlessness. I have great supernatural powers, the power of wisdom, the pāramitā of expedients, the pāramitā of wisdom, great compassion, and great loving-kindness. I am not tired of seeking good things or of benefitting all living beings. I have appeared in the triple world, which can be likened to the rotten and burning house, in order to save all living beings from the fires of birth, old age, disease, death, grief, sorrow, suffering, lamentation, stupidity, darkness, and the three poisons, to teach all living beings, and to cause them to attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. I see that all living beings are burned by the fires of birth, old age, disease, death, grief, sorrow, suffering and lamentation. They undergo various sufferings because they have the five desires and the desire for gain. Because they have attachments and pursuits, they have many sufferings in their present existence, and will suffer in hell or in the world of animals or in the world of hungry spirits in their future lives. Even when they are reborn in heaven or in the world of men, they will still have many sufferings such as poverty or parting from their beloved ones or meeting with those whom they hate. Notwithstanding all this, however, they are playing joyfully. They are not conscious of the sufferings. They are not frightened at the sufferings or afraid of them. They do not dislike them or try to get rid of them. They are running about this burning house of the triple world, and do not mind even when they undergo great sufferings.”['] (The Lotus Sūtra pp.63-64)

It would be more accurate to refer to the teachings of the Buddha as the “Buddha Dharma” than as “Buddhism.” Buddhism is not an “ism” because it is not an ideology or set of dogmatic statements that one must accept on blind faith. Rather, it is a way of life designed to help people see things as they really are, free of delusion, projections, paranoia, and false assumptions. This way of life is composed of a doctrine and a discipline which help its followers see the Truth for themselves. In the beginning, these things may need to be taken on faith; but the expectation is that they will prove themselves to those who endeavor to live in accordance with the Buddha Dharma. In this sense, faith really means confidence in the sound reasoning of the Buddha Dharma and one’s own ability to practice it. Unlike an “ism,” which demands that one blindly believe something that can not be verified, practicing Buddha Dharma is more like an experiment in seeing the Truth directly for oneself by utilizing the methods passed down to us from Śākyamuni Buddha. As Nichiren wrote in the letter entitled “Three Tripitika Masters Pray for Rain:”

Through practicing the Buddha Dharma, I have found that reason and the evidence of the sutras are the best guides for discerning the truth. And even better than reasoning and the evidence of the sutras is the evidence of actual fact. (San Sanzō Kiu no Koto, Shōwa Teihon p.1066. Authentic copies extant. Also see p. 205, WNS: D 3)

In this passage, Nichiren tells us that the authentic teaching and practice of Buddhism should meet three criteria. It should be in accord with the scriptural record of the Buddha’s teachings, it should be reasonable and not in conflict with logic or science, and, most importantly, it should actually enable us to free ourselves from suffering and live happier lives.

Essentially, Buddhism is about finding true happiness by awakening to the Truth for ourselves. To wake up from the nightmare of confusion and suffering and to become fully aware of the true nature of life is to become a buddha, which means “awakened one.” Fortunately, the Lotus Sūtra tells us that all of us can awaken and become buddhas. Our potential buddhahood is rooted in our buddha-nature. Buddha-nature is our inherent capacity to awaken from our dream of a separate static self and to become fully aware of the dynamic interdependent nature of reality which operates according to the law of cause and effect. Based upon this true vision of things as they are, we are able to live a life that is healthy, creative, compassionate, and full of peace and clarity.

So if we are all capable of attaining buddhahood, what is preventing us from realizing it? Why does life seem so full of suffering, confusion, disappointment and frustration? Life can often seem like a roller coaster ride. It seems that for every up period in our life there is a corresponding down. Even the best of jobs has difficult bosses or co-workers, even the best of relationships has moments of crisis or tragedy, and every gain brings with it the fear of loss. Life can seem like a wildly spinning wheel of fortune in which we win the lottery one moment and become the target of a tax audit the next. All of this has been portrayed quite graphically in a diagram from Tibet known as the “wheel of becoming.” It represents all of the vicissitudes of life, from the lowliest states of degradation and suffering to the most exalted states of triumph and joy. It also portrays the cycle of cause and effect that keeps us on this roller coaster of happiness and suffering. The following descriptions of the wheel of becoming refer to the diagram at the beginning of this book.

The Three Poisons

The best place to begin an exploration of the wheel of becoming is with the rooster, the snake, and the pig chasing each other at the hub of the wheel. These three symbols represent greed, anger, and ignorance, respectively. These three forces poison our lives and keep us pinned to the wheel of becoming in which it is impossible to find lasting self-fulfillment. These “three poisons” are actually our mistaken way of relating to reality, alienating us from ourselves and others. It seems obvious that greed, anger, and ignorance are qualities that we would be better off without. However, it is actually very difficult to eliminate them. One could say that we are biologically programmed to attempt to get what we want, get rid of what we don’t want, and ignore what disturbs or doesn’t interest us. At a certain level, these instincts are even necessary for our survival and well-being. It is very hard to go against our natural impulses, even when they have become distorted and unhealthy. In addition, because these three poisons never give us a moment’s rest, we never become aware of the true nature of existence, remaining passive participants in the wheel of life. However, through the practice of chanting Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō, we can gain the space we need to stop reacting, taking instead positive action to control the direction of our lives and eventually jump off the wheel altogether.

For a better understanding of the three poisons, let’s look at them in more detail.

Greed is a poison because under its influence we reduce everything and everyone to an object for our consumption. We are not able to deeply appreciate things apart from their perceived capacity to gratify our desires and needs, so we fail to appreciate life’s beauty and the true value of things. Even if we should gain the objects of our desires, it is not long before we discover that either we are disappointed by them or they are lost to us. Finally, greed keeps us looking for happiness outside of ourselves instead of seeking our happiness within, where it can actually be found.

Anger is the natural result of greed, because it is our reaction to anything which frustrates the fulfillment of our desires. However, since all objects of desire are either vulnerable to loss or unobtainable in the first place, we are liable to spend a lot of our time storing up anger in the form of resentment and frustration. Again, this prevents us from appreciating the true value of the people, places, and things in our life as well as leading to all kinds of hostility and paranoia. Anger can also be a literal poison. It often leads to increasing stress, which makes one vulnerable to disease. Finally, anger is a state of mind which has not discovered the true security which can only come from within — a security transcending our fear of vulnerability to outside forces.

Ignorance prevents us from seeing or acknowledging the impermanent nature of things. Since the failure to recognize impermanence is the root of greed and anger is greed’s result, ignorance is the source of both. Ignorance fools us into thinking that we can get something for nothing, that we can get away with immoral acts, that there is a way to achieve fool-proof security for ourselves, that we can attain lasting self-fulfillment from among the transient things of life, and that our self is separate from the world in which it lives. Ignorance does not see that all things arise and fall due to causes and conditions in accordance with the law of cause and effect. Ultimately, ignorance is fear of the selfless and unfathomable nature of reality.

Greed, anger, and ignorance do not just ruin our inner lives, they can also erupt into acts of violence, exploitation, and dishonesty. Though much of life’s pain may indeed be unavoidable, we create a lot of unnecessary pain for ourselves and others when we violate basic ethical principles in order to satisfy our desires. A glance at any news program, magazine or newspaper is all we need to find countless examples of the three poisons at work. Providing an antidote for the three poisons is a very important aspect of chanting Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō. Through chanting the Odaimoku, the blind process of impulsively giving in to the three poisons is interrupted and our thoughts turn instead towards the Wonderful Dharma. In a crisis, chanting Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō, or even reciting it silently to ourselves, is a swift and powerful way of recalling that there is more to our lives than the three poisons. When we stop to see the true nature of our lives through chanting the Odaimoku, we see that the narrow and confused selfishness of the three poisons has no real power over us.

The Four Infinite Virtues

Now, let’s consider the circle surrounding the hub. There we see a group of people progressing to higher states of being and another group of people falling into lower states all in accord with the extent to which they allow the three poisons to dominate their thoughts, emotions and actions. It is probably safe to say that we would all like to progress, but how do we do it? It is not enough to simply rid ourselves of the three poisons, though that is a good start. We must also foster positive emotions and healthy ways of relating to ourselves and others. Buddhism specifically teaches that there are four “infinite virtues.” They are loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. They are called “infinite virtues” because as we nurture these virtuous qualities within ourselves, we are taking the path towards infinite happiness.

They are also called the “divine abodes” because through them one becomes worthy of rebirth in the heavenly realms. The idea behind the four divine abodes or infinite virtues is that these are the very qualities that people are hoping to find in God. Together, they correspond to the ways that other religions seek union with God. The Buddha used the four infinite virtues as a form of contemplation for those who needed to overcome feelings of aversion, hatred and contempt for others. They were also taught for those who firmly believed that the highest aim in life was to seek union with a deity or higher power because many were not ready for the teaching that happiness must come from our own awakening. According to the Buddha, however, these are qualities that we can sow, cultivate, and nourish within ourselves through Buddhist practice.

This is another aspect of the practice of Odaimoku. It is a way of reminding ourselves of the Wonderful Dharma, which is the source of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. Reciting Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō allows us to establish the Wonderful Dharma in our lives so that we can warmly and selflessly open up to others and realize that the greatest blessing is to be loving and peaceful in all our thoughts, words, and actions.

In this regard, Nichiren once wrote to a follower:

The treasures of the body are superior to treasure in a storehouse, and the treasures of your heart are more important than the treasures of your body. After you read this letter, I hope you will accumulate the treasures of the heart. (Sushun Tennō Gosho , Shōwa Teihon p.1395. Authentic copy known to have existed. Also see p. 123, WNS: F&P 4)

Loving-kindness is the most important of the four infinite virtues because the other three are different aspects of loving-kindness. Loving-kindness is an attitude of openness and unselfish friendliness towards all beings. Those who are loving and kind wish for nothing but happiness and freedom from suffering for all. Those who are full of loving-kindness are free of anger and resentment. On the other hand, it should not be mistaken for infatuation or obsession. It is more accurate to call it unconditional love extended to all beings. Loving-kindness can be seen whenever we are able to befriend others and work for their happiness as well as our own.

Compassion is openness to the feelings of others and the caring we show towards those who are suffering. Compassion lifts us out of our complacency and indifference, but it is not pity or condescension. Compassion is that aspect of loving-kindness which strives to assist others and to empower them to help themselves. True compassion is about seeing ourselves in others and working with them to improve things for everyone. It is expressed whenever we give a sympathetic ear, lend a helping hand, volunteer our time, or donate money or other resources to assist those in need.

Sympathetic joy is about sharing the joys and triumphs of others. It is freedom from envy and jealousy. If loving-kindness is the general wish to see others happy and well, then sympathetic joy is what we feel when others are able to live happily and free from suffering. Sympathetic joy recognizes that life is not a zero-sum equation, and that happiness actually increases when it is shared.

Equanimity is the ability to maintain poise and impartiality in our day-to-day dealings with others. It must not be mistaken for indifference or aloofness. Rather, it is a deep sense of unbiased caring that does not get carried away by the triumphs and tragedies of life. The person who has cultivated equanimity accepts people and situations for what they are, then acts creatively and appropriately in order to bring about the best results for everyone. Sometimes, equanimity simply calls for tolerance, understanding, and patience. Equanimity is also the deep sense of peace that is free of fear and untroubled by life’s ups and downs.

Those who have replaced the three poisons with the four infinite virtues are not only unlikely to commit acts that harm others, but they also become the kind of people who are known for their generosity, integrity, and calm self-confidence. With a heart that is loving, compassionate, joyful, and at peace, one naturally brings about positive changes in one’s environment and relationships. At first, one may express one’s newfound attitude in simple ways, like giving up a seat on the bus to someone in need or in the way that one greets co-workers or customers at work. As the four infinite virtues grow in strength, one may wish to help others through volunteer work or through donations of money and other resources. Such open-heartedness and enthusiasm in working for the welfare of all beings is the beginning of the true insight and happiness that is the goal of the Buddha Dharma.

In the opening to the letter “The Wealthy Man Sudatta,” a sacred writing of the Nichiren tradition, the author writes:

Like many other things in life, becoming a buddha is nothing extraordinary. It is to give water to thirsty people in time of drought; it is to give fire to people who are freezing in the icy cold; and it is to give something irreplaceable to someone on the verge of death in order to save that person’s life. (Ueno-dono Go-henji, Shōwa Teihon p. 1828. Listed in the Rokunai. Copy by Nikko Shōnin at Taisekiji.)

One does not need to believe in any metaphysical system of rewards or punishments to agree that a person whose thoughts are dominated by greed, anger, and ignorance is an unhappy person. Such a person’s actions and relationships with others and the world will inevitably reflect the need, hostility, and confusion of the three poisons. On the other hand, one whose heart and mind are filled with loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity will be a person whose happiness, creativity, and peaceful spirit will have a correspondingly positive effect on others and the world around them. The Buddha, however, did teach that life extends beyond a single birth and a single death. Based upon his deep insight into the processes of life and death and cause and effect the Buddha saw that who we are and what we are faced with in this life is the result of actions committed in previous lifetimes. Furthermore, what we will become in future lifetimes will be determined by what we do in the present. In other words, our every thought, word, and deed has the power to create our own destiny both now and in the future.

The Six Worlds

In the Buddha’s vision of the universal process of rebirth governed by the law of cause and effect (or karma), our actions and attitudes may not even qualify us for a human rebirth. In other words, according to the Buddha, our very humanity is at stake. If we habitually give in to the three poisons and live in an inhumane manner, we will be reborn in a subhuman state. On the other hand, those who transcend basic decency and everyday ethics by successfully cultivating the four divine abodes will be able to ascend into a more heavenly and refined existence after death. The various worlds (including that of humanity) through which living beings are said to transmigrate based upon the causes that they have made are called the “six worlds” or “six paths of transmigration.” These are portrayed on the next ring on the wheel of becoming.

Before going into each of the six worlds in detail, it must be pointed out that this teaching does not have to be accepted literally to be of value. The six worlds are not so much descriptions of actual beings and geographical locations as they are metaphors for states of mind and ways of viewing and interacting with the world based on habits, tendencies and assumptions. In fact, according to Buddhism it is far more important to take control of our lives in the present and direct ourselves towards the human and heavenly states of mind than it is to speculate about life after death. The six worlds assist us in this endeavor by helping raise our awareness of the way in which these different states manifest themselves from moment to moment. Nichiren often emphasized this point.

A particularly poignant passage in the sacred writings of the Nichiren tradition entitled “Hell Is the Land of Tranquil Light” states:

Neither the pure land nor hell exists outside ourselves. They only exist within our hearts. One who is enlightened to this is called a buddha. One who is uncertain about this is called an ordinary person. This realization [that hell and the pure land are within ourselves] is the Lotus Sūtra’s teaching. Those who follow the Lotus Sūtra realize that hell is itself the Pure Land of Tranquil Light. Those who part from the Lotus Sūtra, even though they train themselves according to the expedient teachings for innumerable millions of ages, will always be in hell. (Ueno-dono Goke-ama Go-henji, Shōwa Teihon p. 329. Listed in the Rokuge. Also see p. 46, NG)

That being said, let us examine each of the six worlds in depth so that we will know how to recognize them.

The lowest of the six is the world of the hells (nārakas in Sanskrit) at the bottom of the wheel. According to Buddhism, there are more than a hundred hells, including the eight major hot hells and eight major cold hells, reserved for those who are so consumed with hatred, bitterness and despair that their only wish is to destroy themselves and others out of spite and the desire for non-existence.

The world of the hungry ghosts (pretas in Sanskrit) is only slightly better. It takes up the bottom right section of the wheel. Hungry ghosts are said to have large mouths and bellies, but only tiny throats. Hungry ghosts can never be satisfied and are consumed by craving. This is the state of those who suffer from various forms of addictions which control and dominate their lives. One’s addiction can be to drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling, power, work, entertainment, or even religion.

The world of animals (tiryagyonis in Sanskrit) is shown on the bottom left. It is the state of cunning, primitive aggression and instinctive desires. It is a state of mind that does not look beyond immediate gratification and pays no heed to consequences or long term benefit. Here, pleasure and pain reign supreme over reason and there is no sense of morality. Though not as inherently painful as the first two states, those who are in this state will inevitably meet with frustration and confusion, if not pain and suffering.

The world of the fighting demons (asuras in Sanskrit) is shown in the upper right. This world is the home of the arrogant demons who are obsessed with their own power and whose sole wish is to overthrow the benevolent gods of heaven. The story of a war in heaven came to Buddhism through the Vedic myths of ancient India. This story is echoed in Greek mythology in which the titans made war upon the gods of Olympus. It also appears in the Bible’s Book of Revelations wherein the rebellious angels, led by Satan, attempted to overthrow God and were cast out by the angels loyal to God. Those in this state are full of pride and arrogance, and are extremely competitive and envious. They can never rest or feel secure because they must constantly strive to maintain and improve their position and prestige, no matter how well off they may actually be.

The world of humanity (manusyas in Sanskrit) is on the upper left. In the human world, suffering is recognized for what it is, and morality and reason are called upon to ameliorate the human condition. At this point, civilized life can truly begin. The human state is considered a very fortunate one because reason is not dominated by the sufferings and strivings of the “four lower paths” (as the previous four worlds are called), nor is it distracted by the pleasures of the heavenly path. From the world of humanity, those who are able to make a connection with the Buddha Dharma, and who have a clear head and strong discipline will be able to cultivate insight and attain the path of liberation.

At the top of the wheel is the world of the heavens where the gods (devas in Sanskrit) make their abode. Unlike the Western concept of heaven, however, the Buddhist heavens do not refer to a realm of eternal salvation. Rather, they are temporary realms of bliss wherein all of one’s desires are satisfied. The heavens are also realms of increasing subtlety and refinement, which transcend our worldly concepts of time, space, and matter. The heavens are attained as a reward for good deeds, as well as through the cultivation of meditation and other spiritual disciplines. They remain, however, a part of the wheel of becoming. Eventually, those in the heavens will have to leave them and “come back down to earth.”

These are states of mind all people experience constantly throughout everyday life. Each state flows smoothly and swiftly into the others many times over the course of a day.

In his most important treatise, Kanjin Honzon-shō (Spiritual Contemplation and the Focus of Devotion), Nichiren observed:

As we often look at each other’s faces, we notice our facial expression changes from time to time. It is full of delight, anger, or calm sometimes; but other times it changes to greed, ignorance, or flattery. Anger represents the hells; greed – hungry ghosts; ignorance – beasts; flattery – fighting demons; delight – gods; and calm – humanity. Thus we see in the countenance of people six worlds of illusion, from hells to the realm of gods. (Adapted from Kanjin Honzon-shō, p. 135, WNS: D 2)

Each of these worlds or states of mind contains the others within itself. They are not mutually exclusive. Despair, craving, impulsiveness, reasoning, pride, and rapture are all states of being that condition and even create each other. For instance, if we rationalize a thoughtless action in order to gratify our desires and still maintain our sense of moral superiority we are mixing the worlds of humanity, animality, hungry ghosthood, and fighting demonhood. Another example would be a drug addict hitting bottom and then having a religious conversion, thereby demonstrating one way in which the worlds of hungry ghosthood, hell, and heaven cause and condition one another. These are just a few of an infinite number of combinations.

Each of us, however, tends to gravitate towards one or two of these worlds as our most common way of experiencing life. One of the initial goals of chanting Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō is to raise our minds into the clarity and relative stability of the world of humanity so that the real journey to awakening can begin. According to the Buddha, the turmoil of the four lower paths leads us to believe that suffering is inevitable and further aggravate the three poisons which cause us to descend into these states of mind. Similarly, the world of the heavens can too easily lead to complacency and mislead us into disregarding suffering as no great concern. Our greatest task is to liberate ourselves from the wheel of becoming; but it is very difficult to do this when we are either basking in luxury or overwhelmed by tragedy.

Consider as an example of this the case of the man with a leaky roof. When it is raining, the man claims that it is too difficult to fix the roof in such bad conditions, so he must suffer the hell of a leaking roof. When it is bright and sunny, the man claims that it is too heavenly a day to bother worrying about his leaking roof. Though the man should fix his roof at the first opportunity and stop making excuses, an overcast day might help dissuade him from going on a picnic. It might remind him of the coming rain and motivate him to finally fix his roof. In the same way, only in the human state is there an equal tension between happiness and suffering. For this reason, the human state is the most conducive to the cultivation of the path to liberation.

One thing those dwelling in the six worlds have in common is that they all look outside themselves for happiness. Even those who have raised their consciousness through cultivating the four infinite virtues apart from the Buddha Dharma may not have discovered the true source of those virtues. They do not realize that the true source of virtue and happiness is the Wonderful Dharma which must be cultivated upon the field of buddha-nature within their lives. From the highest heaven to the deepest hell, all are capable of awakening to the true nature of reality. That is why each of the six worlds in the wheel of becoming has a bodhisattva, or awakening being, within it. These bodhisattvas represent the potential all beings have to cultivate awakening because all have the buddha-nature.

The bodhisattvas also represent the active presence of the Buddha within the six worlds. They manifest the Buddha’s true intentions by propagating the “One Vehicle” doctrine of the Lotus Sūtra that leads all beings to buddhahood.

A sacred writing of the Nichiren tradition says:

If you chant as the sutra says, you will not have a twisted mind. You should know that if the Buddha’s mind does not enter your body, the daimoku will be difficult to chant. (Myomitsu Shōnin Goshōsoku, Shōwa Teihon p.1166. Listed in the Rokuge.)

This does not mean that we are possessed or that we are channeling Śākyamuni Buddha. It refers to the all-pervading nature of the Eternal Buddha’s spirit of awakening that shines within us as the mind of faith that upholds the Lotus Sūtra so that all beings can attain buddhahood.

The Three Obstacles and Four Devils

The heavenly and demonic forces inhabiting the six worlds also serve to remind us that there are many inner forces working within the subconscious mind. These forces may either help or hinder us. Past memories, good and bad associations, built up prejudices, habits or predispositions – all serve to darken our vision or dampen our aspirations. On the other hand, we also have leaps of intuition or bursts of enthusiasm. In times of crises, many of us may also discover hidden reserves of courage, compassion and determination that we didn’t even know we had. There may even be actual spiritual entities at work. In The Varieties of Religious Experience, William James points out that if in fact there are spiritual forces at work in our lives, then it would be through just such subconscious phenomena that they would make themselves felt.

But just as our primary wide-awake consciousness throws open our senses to the touch of things material, so it is logically conceivable that if there be higher spiritual agencies that can directly touch us, the psychological condition of their doing so might be our possession of a subconscious region which alone should yield access to them. (The Varieties of Religious Experience, p. 198.)

In addition, outside events and opportunities seem to have an uncanny way of corresponding to the necessities of our inner life, providing us with the needed catalysts to facilitate our growth as human beings. C.G. Jung called these meaningful coincidences “synchronicity.” Whatever the name or explanation for these internal and external forces, they are a factor in many people’s lives, especially those who are perceptive or sensitive enough to realize it. The gods, demons, and other supernatural phenomena of the six worlds serves to remind us that there is more at work in our lives than just our conscious decisions and the seeming randomness of outside events.

Nichiren often quoted the views of Chih-i (538-597), the Chinese founder of the T’ien-t’ai school of Buddhism, on the subject of the obstacles, both external and internal, that one must face when beginning to follow the Buddhist path. The following passage is a good example :

The fifth volume [of Chih-i’s Great Concentration and Insight] says: “As you understand these sentences and train yourself in accordance with them, the three obstacles and the four devils will angrily rise up and compete with each other to overawe you and lead you down evil paths. They always try to scare people in order to prevent them from mastering the True Dharma.” This quotation is like a bright mirror for both myself and my followers. Respectfully master it and use it to fortify yourself for the future.(Kyōdai-shō, Shōwa Teihon p. 932. Authentic copies extant. Also see p. 83, WNS: FI 6)

The three obstacles and the four devils were Chih-i’s way of cataloging all the various phenomena that can keep us from practicing Buddhism. The three obstacles consist of self-centered desires or defilements, the unwholesome habits arising from those defilements, and the painful consequences of such activity. The three obstacles describe the vicious circle created by our usual self-centered way of interacting with the world. They describe the way in which we bring so much unnecessary suffering upon ourselves, that naturally leads to further frustration and anxiety that in turn leads to even more selfishly motivated activities and so on, ad nauseum… All of this keeps us mired in our own problems. If we are not careful, it will even prevent us from putting into practice the very teachings that can break the cycle.

The four devils consist of the devil of the five aggregates, the devil of the defilements, the devil of death, and the devil king of the sixth heaven. The devil of the aggregates refers to the inherent insecurity, anxiety, and outright suffering that results from trying to identify ourselves with various physical and mental components that are in constant flux. The devil of the defilements refers to the ways that self-centered desires inevitably arise based upon the needs of the body and mind for nourishment, security, pleasurable stimulation, and self-aggrandizement. The devil of death refers to the dread, fear, and terror which arise in the face of the inevitable dissolution of the body and mind upon death. The devil king of the sixth heaven refers to those things in life which tempt us to forget about Buddhist practice and live only for worldly goals and aspirations. The devil king of the sixth heaven personifies all those people, situations, and inner impulses that tempt or threaten us to forsake Buddhism and return to the old cycle of unthinking habit, fleeting pleasures and familiar pains. One could say that the other name for the devil king of the sixth heaven is “the devil we know” who attempts to frighten or cajole us away from the unfamiliar territory of liberation back into the vicious cycle of our self-centeredness.

According to Chih-i and Nichiren, whenever we make efforts to seek out the Buddha Dharma, to practice it and to ultimately free ourselves of suffering and attain buddhahood, we will inevitably have to confront opposition from forces within and without. Internally, our own laziness, doubt, lack of confidence, fear of the unknown, and many other negative habits and feelings will try to distract us and prevent us from making serious efforts. Externally, our obligations to work, family, and friends as well as various temptations, pressing projects, crises, and even full fledged disasters will provide us with many reasons why we should hold off on Buddhism until circumstances have improved. This is what the six worlds are all about – one thing after another after another without end. It is up to us to break the cycle and free ourselves by defying the internal and external obstacles and dedicating ourselves to the actual practice of Buddhism. This does not mean that we need to retreat alone into the mountains in order to spend all of our time meditating. It simply means setting aside a little bit of time each day to chant Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō so that we can recenter our lives on the Wonderful Dharma. When we do this, we will find that our life will gradually become less hectic, our actions will be more thoughtful and efficient, and we will build a foundation of happiness for ourselves and others.

Nichiren also discussed the blessings and positive transformation brought about by chanting Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō in terms of the various beings within the six worlds as well as the buddhas, bodhisattvas, and disciples who were free of the wheel of becoming. In Nichiren’s view, to call upon the Wonderful Dharma through chanting Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō is not just self-involved contemplation or inner transformation. It is in fact a cosmic activity that calls upon the universal buddha-nature, whereby we discover our unity with all of life by freeing ourselves from narrow self-interest and opening up to the hidden drive for buddhahood within all life.

An inspiring passage from the sacred writings of the Nichiren tradition states:

Ordinary people who give voice to “Myōhō Renge Kyō” call upon the buddha-nature of sentient beings; the buddha-nature of Brahmā, Indra and so on; the buddha-nature of Śāriputra, Maudgalyāyana, and so on; the buddha-nature of Mañjuśrī, Maitreya and so on; the awakening of the buddhas of the three time periods of past, present, and future which is the Wonderful Dharma; and the principle of unity and non-duality. All of these are Myōhō Renge Kyō. Therefore, once you chant Myōhō Renge Kyō, you will call and manifest the buddha-nature in the heart of all the buddhas; all the dharmas; all the bodhisattvas; all the voice-hearers; all the gods, including Brahmā, Indra, King Yama, the sun, the moon, the many constellations of stars, the heavenly and earthly deities; those dwelling in hell; the hungry ghosts; the animals; the fighting demons; human beings; those in heaven; and all other living beings. This merit is infinite and boundless.

As the focus of reverence, I respect the Myōhō Renge Kyō that is within the mind. The buddha-nature, which is Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō within the mind, manifests itself both by calling [to us] and by being called [by us]. This is what we call the Buddha. It is like the caged bird singing out and the birds of the sky gathering around it [in response to its call]. When the [free] birds gather round, the caged bird feels as if it were also free. [In the same way,] our own buddha-nature is called and absolutely manifested when we invoke the Wonderful Dharma with our mouths. [Like the free birds who gather round the caged bird at its call,] the buddha-natures of Brahmā and Indra are invoked and they protect us. The buddha-natures of the buddhas and bodhisattvas are [also] invoked and they rejoice. [That is why] the Lotus Sūtra says, “I shall be glad to see anyone keeping it even for a moment. So will all the other Buddhas.” That is the whole reason for my preaching.

The buddhas of the three time periods attain buddhahood by upholding the five characters myō hō ren ge, and kyō. These five characters are the real meaning of the appearance of the buddhas in the three time periods and the Wonderful Dharma by which all the people are established in the buddha-way. In order to understand these things easily and attain the buddha way, you should chant “Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō” with patience and without prejudice. (Hokke Shoshin Jōbutsu-shō, Shōwa Teihon p. 1432-33. Listed in the Rokunai.)