There is the practice of the Trace Gate wherein one has faith one will realize buddhahood and the practice of the Origin Gate wherein one has faith that realization is making itself known as needed in your life here and now.
The 'Non-exclusive Middle'
If life were not a process, if thought were not continuous, we would have no freedom of choice, no alternative to the human condition. It is because each thought is a moment of its own that we can change. That is the essence of the Buddha’s universe and the whole theme of the Dhammapada. If we can get hold of the thinking process, we can actually redo our personality, remake ourselves. Destructive ways of thinking can be rechanneled, constructive channels can be deepened, all through right effort and meditation.
Pilgrimage to Mt. Minobu
It was extremely cold that morning and I could see my breath as I made my way through the other halls and corridors to get to the Main Hall. Once there, however, I forgot about the cold and the cramps caused by sitting in the seiza posture. It was an overwhelming experience to hear so many voices chanting the sutra and Namu Myoho Renge Kyo, and to see the Ceremony in the Air represented by such a stunning array of golden larger than life images in such a huge hall.
Overcoming Nonduality
Question: In nonduality, how does an awakened person deal with the desire to grow, to develop, to advance in life if there is nothing better than the other, no good-bad, up-down, success-failure. How can one choose and act if all is one?
Response:
Nonduality also means there cannot be a duality between the relative dualistic way of apprehending and dealing with reality and the nondualistic one of non-differentiation. A true nonduality basically short circuits itself so to speak.
Western Buddhism may be dying but Global Nichiren Buddhism is just getting started (I hope)
I recently came across this blog post about Buddhism in the West:
This article confirms for me that Nichiren Buddhism is the right way to do Buddhism. He makes three points I'd like to reflect on:
The Zen of Otis Reading
The other day, I was driving around in my car and I happened to be listening to Otis Redding’s “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” and it occured to me as I was listening to the lyrics that this song is all about the practice of “just sitting.” So I thought I would share the thoughts and associations that came into my mind while hearing this song:
Sitting in the morning sun
I’ll be sitting when the evening comes
The Practice of the Odaimoku
Nichiren Buddhism’s primary practice of chanting in praise and acceptance of a Buddhist scripture may sound odd, so I want to say more about this. To begin with, the Odaimoku is not just the name of a scripture or sutra but is meant to indicate the supreme teaching or Dharma of the Buddha which is what the sutra is about. In fact, in China and Japan long books have been written explaining how each of the words used in the title embrace all the many profound teachings and practices taught by Shakyamuni Buddha. To chant in praise of the title is a way to keep in mind and devote ourselves to the most comprehensive and profound teaching of Buddhism.
What I Never Thought I'd Get to See/Hear
So this past Saturday night I got to see something I never expected to see (and hear) a live performance of Jesus Christ Superstar wherein the music and singing was as good as the so-called Brown Album (with Ian Gillan singing the part of Jesus).
https://ustour.jesuschristsuperstar.com
I also realized things watching it that for whatever reasons I did not get before.
I realized that (within the parameters of this musical or rock opera) Judas did not think that the religious authorities would kill Jesus. It seems to me that he thought they'd just rough him up a bit and kick him out of Jerusalem, because they didn't have the authority to "put a man to death." He just wanted Jesus reigned in so they could all go back to having a quiet little prayer circle and charity group.
Now it is obvious that Judas is really the protagonist of this rock opera, but what I did not really get before is that Mary is his foil, his opposite number and provides an interesting contrast (obvious in that they both sing "I don't know how to love him" but they do so in almost opposite manners). Judas is full of convictions (cynical worldly ones for the most part) but has no faith (he doesn't know what Jesus is up to and fears it will lead to disaster for all of them, he wants a quiet contained Jesus for himself). Mary, however, is bewildered and frankly admits she doesn't know where any of this is going but she has faith. She is just there for Jesus and sticks by him and she is the one who gets it when none of the men seem to (going by what Jesus sings in the beginning).
Also, after all these years of loving this musical (or rock opera) I finally looked up the verse that the last musical number (no singing) is named for. The verse is John 19: 40 which says: "Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid." Why that verse? Why not include verse 42 in the title? Verse 42 says: "And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus in it." Maybe it's because to end with this verse is to end with an "empty tomb" wherein no one has been interred. It leaves things very open-ended. It made me think of the original ending of the gospel of Mark (the earliest gospel) that ends with the empty tomb (the part about the resurrection appearances in verses 9-19 are a later interpolation). Mark 16:6 has an angel saying to the disciples who came to the tomb after the interment: ""Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look there is the place they laid him." Of course that music would have to be one of great portent and mystery whereas the track in JC Superstar John 19:40 is sad and the action in the play is of the disciples taking down the body. The verse in Mark is a positive announcing of the resurrection, so it is a post-resurrection empty tomb, whereas John 19:40 is a pre-resurrection empty tomb. There is still an empty tomb but the one in John is not a positive indication of anything but can be seen as either an anticipation of an imminent resurrection or simply as the location of the final resting place of Jesus - it is left up to each audience member to imagine how things go from that empty place.
And the empty tomb of course also connects by association with the Phillipians 2:5-11 which says: "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death - even death on a cross. Therefore, God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every other name so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of our Father."
I am not a Christian (nor am I not one, nor a Christian and not a Christian, nor neither a Christian or not a Christian); but if I were I would find it marvelous that a cosmic story that begins with an emptying also ends with an emptiness ready to be filled and emptied again.
Also, if I were a Christian I would remind everyone that going by the New Testament Jesus compassionately and out of love died for the sins of me and you and Donald Trump and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. So if anyone has a problem with that kind of universal love and compassion and impartiality they can take it up with the Christian God.
Victory Must be Observed Like A Funeral
ISIS and other fundamentalist movements that terrorize and oppress people are something I would like to see the world be rid off. Buddhists can't, without going against the most fundamental values and precepts taught by Shakyamuni Buddha condone killing or say that it is "good." However, even certain Mahayana teachings present circumstances where a bodhisattva will take it upon themselves to kill a bandit to save the life of others and prevent the miscreant from doing any further evil deeds to their own karmic detriment. This, of course, can open the way to rationalizing all kinds of killing as acts of transcendent compassion. Nevertheless, even those stories make it clear that the bodhisattva, in killing an evildoer, are also doing an "evil" deed with karmic repercussions. Such things are done with a seriousness, sobriety, and awareness of consequences foreseen and unforeseen.
Therefore, to be gleeful, make up things about one's now dead enemy so as to emasculate them and display one's own toxicity is repugnant. Reading the article below made me think of the more mature attitude expressed in the Tao Te Ching. May we someday have a leader who will have such poise and maturity:
Tao Te Ching - Lao Tzu - chapter 31
Good weapons are instruments of fear; all creatures hate them.
Therefore followers of the Tao never used them.
The wise man prefers the left.
The man of war prefers the right.
Weapons are instruments of fear; they are not a wise man's tools.
He uses them only when he has no choice.
Peace and quiet are dear to his heart.
And victory no cause for rejoicing.
If you rejoice in victory, then you delight in killing;
If you delight in killing, you cannot fulfill yourself.
On happy occasions precedence is given to the left,
On sad occasions to the right.
In the army the general stands on the left,
The commander-in-chief on the right.
This means that war is conducted like a funeral.
When many people are being killed,
They should be mourned in heartfelt sorrow.
That is why a victory must be observed like a funeral.
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NEWS.YAHOO.COM
Trump says al-Baghdadi died 'screaming and crying.' U.S. officials aren't sure how he knows that.
Gen. Mark A. Milley, who watched the raid with Trump in the Situation Room, told reporters at the Pentagon that he doesn't know "what the source of that was."
