People can Become Buddhas

The Justice Chronicle, provided by Soka Gakkai International-USA, is a free monthly e-mail in support of the Soka Spirit movement. Soka Spirit is the SGI's educational effort to create value and deepen our understanding of Nichiren Buddhism through increased awareness of issues surrounding the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood and the spiritual foundation of the SGI movement.

1) FROM THE WISDOM OF THE LOTUS SUTRA

This excerpt is from SGI President Ikeda's collection of dialogues with Katsuji Saito, Takanori Endo and Haruo Suda entitled, The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra. The following excerpt is from volume 3, part 2, on the Devadatta chapter of the Lotus Sutra.

ORDINARY PEOPLE CAN BECOME BUDDHAS

Ikeda: The supremely evil Devadatta attempted to murder Shakyamuni and created a schism within the Buddhist order. Because she was a female, the dragon girl was discriminated against in society; in addition, her form was that of an animal. In terms of the cultural and social ethos of the time, both Devadatta and the dragon girl were probably seen as having not the dimmest prospect of ever attaining Buddhahood. The teaching that even Devadatta and the dragon girl can attain Buddhahood, therefore, clearly indicates that absolutely every being in the world can attain Buddhahood.

Through the concrete example of Devadatta and the dragon girl becoming Buddhas, people could accept this teaching not merely as theory but as an actuality. This is perhaps why people have felt a particular fondness for the Devadatta chapter.

Even Murasaki Shikibu, the eleventh-century Japanese court writer and author of The Tale of Genji, composed poems to describe how moved she was when she listened to a lecture on the Devadatta chapter and heard the doctrine of the enlightenment of women.

Saito: Nichiren Daishonin refers to the attainment of Buddhahood by Devadatta and the dragon girl as wo enlightening admonitions (see The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, p. 268). By explaining their attainment of Buddhahood, thereby revealing the Lotus Sutra's greatness, Shakyamuni is both encouraging and admonishing the bodhisattvas to propagate the Lotus Sutra after his passing.

In short, evil people and women represent all common mortals. That they can attain Buddhahood reveals the power of the Lotus Sutra to enable all people to do so. In that sense, relating their enlightenment amounts to encouraging and admonishing all people to spread the Lotus Sutra.


Endo: The doctrine that all beings can attain enlightenment has already been explained theoretically in Expedient Means, the second chapter of the sutra. So, from a purely doctrinal standpoint, Nichiren Daishonin characterizes the Devadatta chapter as a ranch and leaf of the 'Expedient Means' chapter (WND, 71).

Ikeda: Yes. But the reason Shakyamuni explains Devadatta's and the dragon girl's attainment of Buddhahood is probably because of the explanation's tremendous power to inspire. Devadatta had thoroughly turned against Shakyamuni Buddha. Since to turn against good is evil, Devadatta is a paragon of evil. The reason for the chapter's powerful impact is that it explains his attainment of Buddhahood.

Again, the dragon girl's becoming a Buddha is important because it indicates not only the enlightenment of women but the principle of attaining Buddhahood in one's present form. In other words, it teaches that ordinary people can become Buddhas without changing their form. This makes a powerful impression. In this chapter, let's discuss the first of these cases, the enlightenment of evil people. (The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra, volume 3, pp. 70-71)

Two in a series.


2) FROM MY DEAR FRIENDS IN AMERICA

This series contains excerpts of speeches SGI President Ikeda made in the United Statesÿ which relate to Soka Spirit and are contained in the book My Dear Friends in America.

This excerpt is from a speech given on Sept. 16, 1993, in Malibu, Calif.

THE GOHONZON IS THE DAISHONIN'S LIFE

In May 1951, soon after his inauguration as the second president, Josei Toda declared that the time had come for a great propagation campaign, and he requested that the high priest transcribe a Gohonzon specially dedicated to the fulfillment of the Daishonin's vow to accomplish kosen-rufu.

Responding to the Soka Gakkai's request, the high priest at that time, Nissho, transcribed the Gohonzon, and down one side he wrote the following dedication: For the Fulfillment of the Great Desire for Kosen-rufu Through the Compassionate Propagation of the Great Law. This Gohonzon clearly reveals the great significance and mission of the SGI, which made its advent to carry out the Buddha's mandate and decree to achieve kosen-rufu.

Now that High Priest Nikken Abe has become an enemy of the Buddha, it is the mission and duty of the SGI to undertake the conferral of Gohonzon for the sake of people who seek it the world over, as well as for the sake of the ongoing advancement of kosen-rufu. This is an undertaking that accords with the time. It is also in perfect accord with the spirit of Nichiren Daishonin and Nikko Shonin.

As I have already discussed at length, there is profound significance in the SGI's conferral of the Gohonzon transcribed by Nichikan, who was directly connected to the original Buddha, the Daishonin.

The Dai-Gohonzon, which the Daishonin bestowed upon all people of the world and which was the ultimate purpose for his advent in this world, is and will always be the basis of our faith. This will never change.

High Priest Nittatsu remarked: The Daishonin has already died. His life, the life of Nichiren Daishonin, is the Dai-Gohonzon of the high sanctuary.... The Gohonzon enshrined in your altar is, itself, the life of Nichiren Daishonin. Your Gohonzon manifests the three enlightened properties of the Buddha † the property of the Law, the property of wisdom and the property of action † that is, Nichiren Daishonin himself (Sept. 7, 1962).

We should look upon the Gohonzon enshrined in each of our homes as the life of the Daishonin, the entity of the original Buddha. When we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with that conviction, it is the same as if we are worshiping the Dai-Gohonzon itself right where we are.

Nittatsu also said: Wherever the Gohonzon is enshrined, that place, in a broad sense, takes on the significance of the high sanctuary. The sincere daimoku you chant to that Gohonzon with a concentrated mind free of all extraneous thoughts is instantly received by the Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of True Buddhism. The place where you chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is instantly transformed into Eagle Peak. And this is where you attain Buddhahood in your present form (Nov. 23, 1977).

Wherever you may be in the world, if you believe in the Gohonzon and chant with sincere faith, you are in contact with the Dai-Gohonzon at that moment and in that place. The claim that unless you visit the head temple you will not acquire true benefit is a great falsehood in violation of the teachings of Nittatsu.

Nichikan wrote of the benefit of the Gohonzon, If only you take faith in this Gohonzon and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo even for a while, no prayer will go unanswered, no offense will remain unforgiven, all good fortune will be bestowed, and all righteousness proven (Commentaries, p. 443).

Let us continue to advance confidently on the golden road to worldwide kosen-rufu, always basing ourselves on the Gohonzon and accumulating infinite benefit on our way. (My Dear Friends in America, pp. 302-04)

Twenty-one in a series.