Nichiren Daishonin in his "Honzon Mondo Sho" ("Questions and Answers on the Object of Worship") states:
"Question: Why do you worship the Daimoku of the Lotus Sutra as the object of worship instead of worshipping Shakyamuni Buddha? Answer: Please look at the aforementioned sutras and Tien t'ai's words. This is not only my thought. Shakyamuni Buddha and T'ien-t'ai worshipped the Lotus Sutra. I, Nichiren, also worship it as they did in the Latter Day of the Law. Because the Lotus sutra is the mother and father of Shakyamuni Buddha and the eyes of all Buddhas, Shakyamuni Buddha, Dainichi Buddha and all the Buddhas of the ten directions were brought forth from the Lotus Sutra. Therefore, I worship the Lotus Sutra which brings forth all Buddhas."
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 my lecture about the"Gohonzon and Gongyo" which I began in March. Last time I refuted the thinking of some people who advance the idea that "Gohonzon is not necessary" based on a passage from 'The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon". All common mortals do, indeed, possess Buddhahood, but it's like your own face; impossible to see by your own power alone. The Gohonzon is a clear mirror that reflect all phenomena and enables us to see. We can become awakened to the knowledge that we possess Buddhahood when we do Gongyo and chant Daimoku.
To add one last comment on the idea that "it is not necessary to have Gohonzon", that way of thinking comes from the mistaken idea that I call "the Buddhahood of the True Buddha and the Buddhahood of common mortals are the same." It comes from the incorrect notion that "the Gohonzon possess Buddhahood, we possess Buddhahood, Buddhahood equals Buddhahood, therefore, we are equal to the Gohonzon and the Daishonin."
This logic is not the Daishonin's Buddhism. This thinking actually destroys Buddhism and is a grave slander. In addition, those who can so easily slander the heritage of the High Priest, might just as easily forge the Gohonzon. They could also say, "I am a true Buddha, I am a reincarnation of Nichiren Daishonin." A crazy idea brings forth a crazy religion. For example, the unfortunate Waco, Texas incident was brought about by a cult leader who advanced the notion that he was a reincarnation of Jesus.
Today I want to talk about the Gohonzon in terms of the meaning of No (active) and Sho (receptive). Let me read for you the following three Gosho passages.
"The True Object of Worship"
"Question: You have told us about the sources of this doctrine. Now what is meant by Kanjin? Answer: Kanjin means to observe one's own mind and to find the Ten Worlds within it. This is what is called Kanjin (observing the mind). For example, though one can see the six sense organs of other people, he cannot see the six sense organs on his own face. Only when he looks into a clear mirror for the first time does he see that he is equipped with all six sense organs." (MWI-49)
"Sokanmon-sho"
"Although the mirror of the Buddha's mind and the
mirror of our mind are one, common mortals are as if looking into the backside
of the mirror and fail to see the truth of their real nature. That is what
is called mumyo (delusion). However, the Buddha can see the principle of
his true nature because he looks into the mirror directly. In this way,
myo (enlightenment) and mumyo (delusion) are one."
(Gosho zenshu-570)
Ongikuden (The document of Oral Teaching)
"For Nichiren and his followers who chant Nam-myoho-renge- kyo, the Gohonzon, which is the bright mirror for propagation in the Latter Day of the Law, is rare ground for us." (Gosho zenshu-763)
If you read these passages honestly, then you can understand what a clear mirror this Gohonzon really is. Even though "the Buddhahood of the Gohonzon and the Buddhahood of common mortals" are one, "ignorance and enlightenment" and "front and back" are extremely different.
Now please understand me carefully if I say "Gohonzon is a clear mirror that reflects all phenomena and enables us to see (including the enlightenment of shiki shin funi - oneness of body and mind)." Someone might misunderstand this metaphor and think that the Gohonzon really is some kind of magic mental mirror. This idea is nonsense, just like the idea of a person thinking he can forge the Gohonzon. It is not the scroll or block of wood itself that reflects all phenomena, it is the life of the True Buddha with which it is imbued.
"Reply to Kyo-o" states the following:
"I, Nichiren, have inscribed my life in sumi, so believe in the Gohonzon with your whole heart. The Buddha's will is the Lotus Sutra, but the soul of Nichiren is nothing other than Nam-myoho-renge-kyo." (MW1-121)
Never forget that the Gohonzon is the life of the True Buddha who possesses the power of the mirror. Only the High Priest who has inherited the True Buddha's life can transcribe the Gohonzon.
For example, No (active) and Sho (receptive) are like the relationship between parent and child. My parents and I are both the same because we are human beings, just like the Buddhahood of the Gohonzon and the Buddhahood of Common mortals are the same. But my parents gave birth to me; I can't give birth to my parents. Simply put, parents can bear their children, but a child can't bear his parents. In this example, the parent is active, children are receptive. In the same way, common mortals can attain Buddhahood through the Gohonzon, but the Gohonzon doesn't attain Buddhahood through common mortals.
If you can understand this, you can understand the law of Ninifuni (two distinct aspects are one or not different).
I read a few minutes ago from the Gosho that "the Lotus Sutra is Shakyamuni's Father and Mother, and the eyes of all Buddhas." The end of this gosho continues:
The Gohonzon has never been propagated anywhere in this world for two thousand two hundred and thirty some years since Shakyamuni's passing.
This means that the Lotus Sutra referred to is in reality Nichiren Daishonin's Gohonzon. Further, this indicates that all other Buddhas besides the True Buddha were born through this Gohonzon. Therefore, the relationship between the Gohonzon (True Buddha) and all other Buddhas is just like the active and receptive relationship of parent and child.
There is a gosho entitled "How Those Initially Aspiring to the Way Can Attain Buddhahood through the Lotus Sutra" which states:
All Buddhas of the three existences, too, attain Buddhahood by virtue of the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo. (MW6-208)
"Bestowal of the Mandala of the Mystic Law" states:
"Though this mandala is written in but five or seven characters, it is the teacher of all Buddhas throughout the three existences." (MW3-55)
This passage indicates that the difference between the Gohonzon and all other Buddhas is that of the relationship between teacher and student (master and disciple).
"The True Entity of Life" Gosho contains the following passage:
"The two Buddhas, Shakyamuni and Taho, are merely functions of the true Buddha, while Myoho-renge-kyo actually is the true Buddha." (MW1-90)
This passage is indicating that the difference between the Gohonzon and all other Buddhas is like the relationship of lord and retainer.
In other words, only the True Buddha, Nichiren Daishonin, possesses the three virtues: the attributes of sovereign, teacher and parent. All other Buddhas attain enlightenment by the practice of faith and by virtue of the attributes of sovereign, teacher and parent of the Gohonzon inscribed by the True Buddha.
We can realize that inside our life we possess Buddhahood and can gain benefit due to the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin. A person who forgets this deepest of teachings is ungrateful to the True Buddha. This is the kind of person who advances the notion that "the Gohonzon is not necessary" and "The Buddhahood of the True Buddha and the Buddhahood of common mortals are equal" and spreads this wrong thinking triumphantly.
Nichiren Daishonin corrects this kind of person in "Somoku Jobutsu Guketsu" (On the Enlightenment of Plants and Trees):
"The Law of Ichinen sanzen, having been weeded out and rinsed, and inscribed is this mandala. Present day scholars do not know this law and have never even dreamed of it." (Gosho zenshu-1339)
Nichiren Daishonin refutes false ideas strictly. I will lecture more about this next month. Until then, I would like to pray for your ever-increasing faith. Thank you very much.
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