Myogyoji News, March, 1993
"Never seek this Gohonzon outside yourself. The Gohonzon exists only within the mortal flesh of us ordinary people who embrace the Lotus Sutra and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. The body is the palace of the ninth consciousness, the unchanging reality which reigns over all life's functions. To be 'endowed with the Ten Worlds' means that all the Ten Worlds without exception are contained in the one world of Buddhahood. That is why the Gohonzon is called a mandala. Mandala is a Sanskrit word meaning 'perfectly endowed' or 'cluster of blessings.' The Gohonzon is found in faith alone. As the Sutra states, 'Only with faith can one enter Buddhahood.' Since Nichiren's disciples, both priests and laymen, believe in the supremacy of the Lotus Sutra, which states, '....honestly discarding the provisional teachings' and 'Never accept even a single phrase from other sutras' they can enter the Treasure Tower of the Gohonzon. How reassuring! Make every possible effort for the sake of your next life. The most important thing is to chant only Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and attain enlightenment. All depends on the strength of your faith. To have faith is the basis of Buddhism." ("The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon" MW1-213)
Thank you for attending today's Oko in honor of Nichiren Daishonin. I have respectfully offered your gokuyo to the Gohonzon. Today I would like to continue with part two of "The Basics of Faith" and discuss a little about "The Gohonzon and Gongyo"..
First, I would like to touch on the insight I have been able to glean while humbly studying the following passages from the Gosho, 'On Attaining Buddhahood":
"However, even though you chant and believe in Myoho-renge- kyo, if you think the Law is outside yourself, you are embracing not the Mystic Law but some inferior teaching." (MW1-3)
Recently, I have heard that some people have been cooly stating, "Since the Gohonzon exists in own hearts, it's not necessary to have a Gohonzon." They use these Gosho sentences as the basis for making this kind of statement. Not only now, but even fifteen years ago, this same scheme was originated by certain believers. Because this is a truly grave slander, and with the hope that this situation is not repeated, I want to briefly explain about this matter. In a lecture about "The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon," the 66th High Priest Nittatsu Shonin stated:
"The Daishonin inscribed The Treasure Tower (Hoto-hon) of the Lotus Sutra and The Ceremony of the Assembly in the Air (Koku-e) in the Gohonzon. Though the aspect of the Gohonzon is 'the Gohonzon of Ichinen Sanzen (3,000 worlds in a momentary state of existence) which is in the depths of mind', the Daishonin never said to worship our own mind." (Nittatsu Shonin Zenshu, 1-1, p 1071)
Also High Priest Nikken Shonin instructed in his lecture on "To Attain Buddhahood Through The Lotus Sutra":
"This is the realization of the True Buddha of Kuon Ganjo, the teachings about his behavior (as the True Buddha) ...if the Buddha did not teach Myoho-renge-kyo, we could never have understood about this. We did not become enlightened to Myoho-renge-kyo on our own. Most of us had to be shakubuku-ed so we could be able to come to understand this through our practice. This passage [from The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon] is about the True Buddha of Kuon Ganjo and that we should revere only the Dai-mandala of the True Object of Worship. Therefore, it is truly a grave error to think and say [Gohonzon is not necessary. I'll just worship myself.]" (Nikken Shonin Zenshu l-l 1071)
If there were no reasons have Gohonzon, why did Nichiren Daishonin inscribe Gohonzon? What is the reason for him shave inscribed not just one or two, but several hundred Gohonzon in his lifetime? Then couldn't it be said that the True Buddha himself was doing something useless?
It is taught that Buddhism is composed of both the active and the receptive. Simply put, the one who teaches is active, and the one who accepts the teachings is receptive or passive. Of course, this Buddhist concept is much more profound. In applying this to the Buddhahood of the Ten Worlds, even though Buddhahood is the same, the True Buddha's Buddhahood is the active and the Buddhahood of the common mortal is receptive (passive).
For example, is there anyone who can see their own face without using anything to aid them? No one can! This is 100% impossible.Similarly, Buddhahood exists within all sentient, non-sentient beings and all common mortals; however, all are unable to see this Buddha nature by their own efforts alone.
The Daishonin said the reason for this is found in the doctrine of The Palace of the Nine Consciousness". The doctrine of the nine consciousness is composed of the six levels of consciousness, the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind. The ninth consciousness, which originates with these six and continues through the seventh (the conscious) and eighth (subconscious), is the basis of spirituality and life. Because this is a very difficult doctrine, we will study it another time. If we observe a baby, we can begin to understand this. All babies have a face, but because they are not aware of their own faces,they don't understand what they are seeing when they see their reflection in a mirror. From the viewpoint of the Buddha, all common mortals are like babies. Those who do not practice are, like babies, unaware that they are endowed with Buddhahood.
At one time, all Japanese were in this state of unawareness. Even after Buddhism spread throughout Japan, the prevalent doctrine that "common mortals can't attain Buddhahood" held sway at that time. The Nembutsu was one sect that propagated this fallacy. As an example, they taught "We absolutely can't attain Buddhahood. Therefore, if we chant Nam-amida-butsu, we will go to the world of Highest Joy (the name of the Pure Land of Amitabha) in the afterlife." Consequently, they denied the existence of Buddhahood.
Nichiren Daishonin vehemently refuted this belief and stated, "Nembutsu will fall into the hell of incessant suffering!" In a similar vein, Christianity also teaches a belief in heaven or hell after death.
People who believe and practice to the Dai-Gohonzon are at least one level higher. This is because we know about The Mutual Possession of the Ten Worlds and that we possess Buddhahood in the depths of our lives. However, the difference between what we know and don't know is extremely great.
Above all else, the Daishonin instructed, "You, too, are endowed with Buddhahood. Moreover, you can attain enlightenment by practicing faithfully."
Even though we know we have a face, we are unable to see it directly with our own eyes. As I explained before, without using a mirror or something similar, we can't see ourselves.
Nichiren Daishonin stated in the Ongi kuden (The Document of Oral Teachings):
"Those who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, are polishing the mirror that reflects all phenomena and become able to see. This polished mirror is nothing other than the Treasure Tower found in the heart of the Lotus Sutra." (Gosho Zenshu-763)
This is made clearer upon studying Nittatsu Shoshu's lecture about this passage:
"Dai-mandala, the true object of worship,is in the depths of the Lotus Sutra in the Chapter of the Treasure Tower. That is, Gohonzon is the polished mirror which contains and reflects the Mutual Possession of the Ten Worlds and Ichinen Sanzen. Whether or not we can bring forth the power of Buddhahood in our daily lives strongly depends upon doing Gongyo and chanting Daimoku to the bright mirror of the Dai-Gohonzon. Only then do we begin to realize the Buddha nature inherent within us."
Since I cannot possibly convey everything I would like to in today's Oko, I will continue more on this subject in the April or May Oko. Again, thank you very much for coming today.
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