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Most religions preaches about a transcendental and absolute being. Thus, they practice of an idea that believing is the same as dependency. In such religions, we find an insurmountable gap between a transcendental perfect being and weak, fallible human being and those religion poeple tend to depend on an absolute being for their happiness.
In BUddhism, you know, divided into 2 kinds: HINAYANA and MAHAYANA Buddhism. Furthermore, Mahayana Buddhism is divided into 2, that is, the LOTUS SUTRA and other teachings. It is characteristics of the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings that happiness exist somewhere outside this world and that one can attain it through Faith in a Amitabha BUDDHA. It is such a being and it is the Buddha who was descrbe in the sutra as living in Pure LAnd, found in western part of the universe. It's same with an idea of heaven in Christianity or paradise in Islam). And i find it inferior teachings. As we see, the idea of Salvation of God or Amitabha Buddha has its root in both East and west. This kind of idea behind this view that belief is a kind of weakening dependency and i think that kind of faith in any religions is no more than dependence and loss of self.
But,in the quintessential Buddhism of the LOTUS SUTRA's philosophy which i mention is different from other teachings. All of you have no idea about the " LOTUS SUTRA ", the true mahayana and the highest of all teachings of the Buddha(Shakyamuni).Buddha taught in this sutra that we shouldn't try to seek happiness in some other land or in someone else's hands. He taught that true happiness could be gained through our own efforts in this world. He taught us that the great potentiality exist within our lives. I beleive a true religion actually streghtens independence, because it expounds that man is completely for his own happiness and unhappiness.Therefore a Buddhism, in its original form, denies any trascendental being. Maybe you question on me if I don't believe in the Buddha.
The Buddha is no absolute being. It usually indicates Shakyamuni, but a Buddha is any human beings who is enlightened to the TRUTH of LIfe and the universe. Because, Shakyamuni realized this truth, we call him Buddha in the same way you call Jesus the Christ for Christians. But most people believe on him as the "Son of God". There must be something wrong on their beliefs.And that phrase also sounds in Buddhist sutras that a Buddha continues to manifest in this world.But, the true implication on it as Mr. Toda who has deep understanding on the Lotus sutra had said: " the Buddha Life itself! It is an expression of life. The Buddha does not exist outside ourselves, but within our lives. No, it exist outside our lives as well. It is an entity of the cosmic life."
The Buddha and the law(rule, phenomenon) are not two different, separate things- the word life encompasses both. All poeple are endowed with life and life is immesurable precious. The decleration that " the Buddha is life itself " reveals the very essence of Buddhism- the Buddha and the law- is in our own life. And, thus, we are the Children of Buddha.
Socrates said "Know Yourself". But the question is how are we to challenged and find the answer to this question?
It is the enlightenment of Shakyamuni that boundless sea of life lies deep within our lives. He discovered it intuitively and realized that such essential life pulsating with cosmic life is never limited either by time or by space. As such our life itself is Eternal and infinite.
But how can we realize the same?
That is why Shakyamuni expounded so many teachings which are contained in 5,000 to 7,000 volumes of sutras or collectively known as the 80,000 teachings. That is how diverse Buddha's teachings are.
To make practice Buddhism accessible to all people of Body. It was Nicheren daishonin(1222-1282), whom i follow his teachings, who extracted the essential teachings of Shakyamuni and , using them, clarified the ultimate nature of Life. Further, he established the practical method of deriving unlimited life-force from within ourselves. Nicheren Buddhism is not the kind of religion which forces blind faith or obedience. But of course, we have the true object of worship expound and left by Nicheren in a form of Mandala called Gohonzon(literally means the most respectable entity).But we know that because Gohonzon helps us draw infinite life-force from within ourlselves, it is what put the highest value in our lives.So, it's the Gohonzon like a mirror in our life, fusing our lives on it to fill the life-force of the universe within ourselves. Chanting a name of Mystic LAw to the Gohonzon as taught by Nicheren and as he expressed it in a phrase and this is only our basic practice. Faith in the Gohonzon is the only way to become one with the cosmic life. Whether we can break our Karma especially our bad karma and attaining true happiness depends on our faith and practice and through our own efforts based upon our faith in the "Gohonzon", the actual manifestation of MYSTIC LAW, brings out self-reformation. We study and practice buddhist philosophy in order to attain a HUMAN REVOLUTION in order to develope ourselves, we have learn, we have to learn and to live spontaneously. But we also have to undersatand life correctly without losing our self-identity.
As a member of Soka Gakkai(value creation society) International or SGI, a worldwide lay Buddhist network with 163 countries and territorries and whose memebers are practicing Nicheren Buddhism and it's philosophy. And as a non-governmental organization(NGO) with formal ties in UNITED NATION, SGI is dedicated to the universal renouncement of war and armaments. It is, generally, a movement for peace, mutual understanding of cultures and education.
What we believe........
Our SGI president Daisaku Ikeda (whom i once mention in my posts) says: " Our tasks is to establish a firm inner world, a rubost sense of self that will not be swayed or shaken by the most trying circumstances or pressing adversity. Only when efforts to reform society have as their point of departure the reformation of the inner life-Human Revolution- will they lead us with certainty to a world of Lasting peace and true human security.
Our Buddhist philosophy is expressed in the concept of " HUMAN REVOLUTION ", a process of inner transformation arrived at through Buddhist practice. It is a process by which we develop character, cultivate wisdom, courage, and compassion, and come to live, and act for the happiness of others and the betterment of society as well as for personal fulfillment.
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