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The Nichiren Buddhist
International Center
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Hayward, CA 94544
Telephone: (510) 690-1222
Fax: (510) 690-1221
Web site: www.nichiren-shu.org
E-mail: [email protected]
No. 42 / 2003 • Winter
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THE WORLD OF THE ODAIMOKU - PART 6
The Awakened One, Sakyamuni Buddha
Rev. Junichi Nakamura P. 1~2
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Nichiren Buddhist
International Center
The Lotus Sutra for children
Rev. Koge Matsumoto P. 3~4
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
(August 2003 – October 2003)
Kisho-shiki
Initiation Ceremony P. 5
George Jeffus, Ronald Funt, Chawanda Charae,
Rev. Shokei Steffens, Ann Miller (ad design)
No.
42
2003 • Winter
The Nichiren Buddhist International Center
THE WORLD OF THE ODAIMOKU — PART 6
The Awakened One,
Sakyamuni Buddha
Article by Jun-ichi Nakamura • Illustrations by Hiroshige Katsu
December 8th is the day we commemorate
Sakyamuni Buddha's attainment of enlightenment. There are also other reasons that we
should not forget this day. December 8th in
Japan (December 7th in Hawaii due to the
International Date Line) is the anniversay of the
Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Although it is
said that the Japanese Navy won a victory, it was
really a tragic day because it was the beginning of
the war between Japan and the U.S. If mankind
is to avoid making the same mistake again, we
must remember this day and its lessons.
People in U.S. pass the memory of this tragedy
from generation to generation with the phrase
“Remember Pearl Harbor.” In the same way, the
Japanese say, “No more Hiroshima. No more
Nagasaki.” However, we should all remember
the Buddha's words, “You should not respond to
someone's hatred with your own hatred. Your
hatred stops when you abandon your hating
mind.” (Dhammapada) Even Sakyamuni
Buddha had things that he could complain
about. But he discarded his complaints, sat
under the Bodhi tree, and entered a state of
meditation to find the Truth. “Bodhi tree” is
another name for the Pippala tree, a kind of
mulberry tree. In India, Pippala is believed to
have spiritual power, so the Buddha chose to
meditate under this tree.
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No. 42 / 2003 • Winter
The Buddha's biography doesn't say
for how long he meditated under
the Bodhi tree. But it does tell us
about the king of devils who disturbed the Buddha's meditation.
This devil king appears on the Great
Mandala. You may wonder why
Nichiren Shonin put a devil on the
Great Mandala. He did to show that
the Lotus Sutra would even save
such a horrible devil.
In the story of Sakyamuni's enlightenment, he and the king of devils
fight a terrific battle in the realm of
meditation. The devil king first sent
an image of three beautiful women
to Sakyamuni's mind. But
Sakyamuni said,
“Everything is impermanent
in this world,”
and drove the women away. He
knew that even if the women were
appealing, young and beautiful, age
would eventually mar their youth
and their beauty would fade.
Next, the devil king tempted
Sakyamuni with wealth and power.
But Sakyamuni was totally
unmoved, saying,
“If I were attached to wealth
and power, I wouldn't have
abandoned my castle.
Instead, I feel empty seeking
such things. Therefore I have
become a monk with no
belongings.”
The devil king had no other strategy
except threatening Sakyamuni with
weapons to frighten him into sub-
mission, like a bully who can only
win an argument by force. The devil
king shot arrows poisoned with the
108 earthly desires, such as the desire
to avoid the four sufferings of birth,
old age, sickness, and death.
However, the arrows were transformed into flower petals, decorating
Sakyamuni's seat under the Bodhi
tree. You may have heard the phrase
“Bonno Soku Bodai,” or
“Earthly desires are
themselves enlightenment.”
Earthly desires are suffering for ordinary people, but in Sakyamuni's
meditation they became seeds of
enlightenment and began blooming.
Said the Buddha,
“Devil! I have rose above the
world of life and death. Now
I am a man enjoying the
Truth. You have lost.”
The devil king is said to live in the
Sixth Heaven of the Realm of Desire
(Dairokuten). The Sixth Heaven is
the highest realm in the world of
desire, in which living beings exist in
bodily form. The king is also recognized as a god called Take-Jizai-Ten.
This god controls every object of
desire. Powers like this may seem to
be what some humans covet most,
but we must ask ourselves if it should
actually be feared. This is why he is
called the king of the Sixth Heaven of
the realm of desire. In Buddhism he is
recognized as a brutal devil who interferes with Buddhist practitioners.
Did the Buddha conquer the devil
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king? Even though he was defeated
by the Buddha, he did not die or vanish permanently. In fact, according to
the Buddha's biography, throughout
the Buddha's life the king often reappeared and debated with him.
Once the Buddha defeated the devil
king, he entered into a deeper realm
of meditation. He then realized the
law of dependent origination,
“Because this exists, so does
that. Because this doesn't
exist, neither does that.
Because this arises, so does
that. Because this passes into
extinction, so does that.”
Before the Buddha taught, seekers of
wisdom in India focused on saving
themselves. The focus was entirely
on the individual. But the Buddha
was able to unify himself with the
Truth of the universe. In other
words, he realized that he himself
was an inseperable part of all life in
the universe.
At the moment he attained enlightenment, the Buddha saw the morning star as if awakening from sleep.
In fact, the word “buddha” means
awakened one. We should also
awaken to the Truth of the universe
in the same way the Buddha did.
Since in this world there always
seems to be the risk of war, I strongly believe that this will serve
mankind. Unless we awaken to the
law of dependent origination, world
peace is not possible. This beautiful
earth shouldn't be destroyed by the
temptations of the devil king.
No. 42 / 2003 • Winter
Prince Siddhartha answered her quietly, “Do not worry.
The King will take care of you and his grandson. Rahula
should succeed the King’s throne. I will tell him to do so.
You don’t have to worry. It is not for my selfish desire to
renounce the prince hood. It is for the sake of all people
who suffer and worry. I will become a monk to search
the way of freedom from the suffering of birth and death.
When I find the way, I will return to teach you, Rahula,
and my parents from whom I have received many favors.
I will also teach the people. At that time you and Rahula
will clearly understand my feeling today.” Thus, he
explained his strong decision.
The Lotus Sutra
for children
by Rev. Koge Matsumoto
Translated by Rev. Shokai Kanai
(The book was written for grandparents and parents
to read to their children. The content is very deep
but easy for all to understand.)
THE PRINCE IS SAKYAMUNI
BUDDHA (VOLUME 1)
The King realized Siddhartha’s decision was firm, and called
five of his servants including Kaunidinya. He ordered them,
“Listen well. You must follow after the Prince when he leaves
the palace. Try to convince him to give up becoming a
monk and bring him back as soon as possible.” Of course
all of them opposed the Prince renouncing his prince hood,
so they believed that they could easily convince the Prince to
return to the castle. They promised the King that they would
bring back the Prince.
~ Chapter 8 ~
SEEKING TRUTH
“Oh! Now I know where I should go! I should be like
the pure monk. Then I will be able to save people who
are suffering.” That was Prince Siddhartha’s decision. He
would renounce the world to become a monk.
Prince Siddhartha was impatient to leave the castle. He
whispered secretly into his charioteer, Chandaka. “I will
leave the palace tonight. Be ready with my favorite horse,
Kanthaka, at the north gate.”
His decision caused serious trouble. The princely heir
refused to take over his father’s throne and said, “I want
to be a monk!” People of the palace and the kingdom
were thrown into an upheaval.
Princess Yashodhara was so sad and cried. “What’s the
matter with you? How could you leave your own newborn baby, Rahula and me? How can the baby and I live
after you leave the castle?”
~ Chapter 9 ~
CASTING AWAY PRINCE HOOD
AND TRAVELING IN
SEARCH OF AN ANSWER
Later that night, Prince Siddhartha and Chandaka left
the castle from the north gate. This was the same gate
where the Prince had met the pure hearted monk a few
days ago. With his favorite horse, the Prince and
Chandaka traveled quickly away from the castle.
Once they were far away, the Prince took off all of his
clothes and jewelry and changed into a simple monk’s
robe. He then gave his clothes, jewelry and even his
sword and crown to his charioteer, Chandaka. The
Prince instructed the charioteer to return to the castle
with his favorite horse and to give the King his best
regards. After thanking the charioteer for his many years
of service, the Prince finally said good-bye to his favorite
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No. 42 / 2003 • Winter
~ Chapter 10 ~
WHAT
IS THE WAY OF SALVATION
FROM BIRTH AND DEATH?
The Prince’s practice of asceticism was unbelievably harsh.
Even though he practiced very hard for twelve years trying
many types of asceticism, the Prince could not reach his
goal of finding ‘Salvation from the Cycle of Birth and
Death.’ “There is no way to find my goal with asceticism!”
thought the Prince.
horse, the snow-white Kanthaka, and to his charioteer,
Chandaka. The Prince walked by himself and disappeared
to where he thought no one would find him. He did not
know that the King sent five servants to follow him.
It was autumn in the twelfth year after he left the castle. He
bathed in the Nairanjana River to cleanse himself of twelve
years of dust and dirt. As he was bathing, a village girl with
milk in a bowl happened to pass by. When she saw the
weakened monk in the river, she gave him the milk. He
accepted it without hesitation and recovered his strength.
Prince Siddhartha’s main purpose for leaving the castle
was to find the way to salvation. Salvation was a way to
be free from the cycle of birth and death. He looked for
scholars and wise men and asked them to teach him the
way to salvation.
However, he could not
find a teacher who
could answer his question.
“I could not attain Enlightenment with asceticism. I should
go with the Middle Way!” the Prince thought. The Middle
Way would avoid excessive hardship or excessive pleasure.
The Middle Way should be the way to attain Enlightenment.
The five companions who had lived with the Prince during
the twelve years of his harsh practice, saw Prince Siddhartha
receiving milk from the hand of the village girl. They looked
down on the Prince for accepting the milk and stopping the
practice of self-denial. They left him and continued their
own practice of asceticism in the woods called Deer Park.
He decided to seek the
answer by himself and
to practice asceticism.
Asceticism is the practice of self-denial, such
as not eating or drinking, trying not to
sleep, or standing on
one foot for a long
time. The Prince went
into a forest where
many monks practiced
asceticism.
After recovering from his weakened body, the Prince went
to a town called Gaya. He sat and meditated under a huge
bdhii tree for forty-nine days. “What is the way to be free
from the cycle of birth and death? What is the purpose of
one’s life?” He asked these questions to the universe. He
meditated in deep concentration.
In the meantime, the five servants the King had sent followed the Prince into the same forest. They thought this
was a good chance for them to convince the Prince to give
up being a monk and to return home. They pretended to
be monks and approached him. However, their attempts to
convince the Prince to return to the palace failed. Instead,
the five monks were convinced to practice together with the
Prince. He and the five monks stayed there seeking the path
to salvation for another twelve years.
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No. 42 / 2003 • Winter
Kisho-shiki
I
C
N I T I A T I O N
For the last few years the teachings of
Nichiren Shu have been spreading
widely in North America, Europe, and
Asia. Two kinds of people are now
coming to Nichiren Shu temples:
those who have never heard of the
Lotus Sutra and the Odaimoku, and
those who have practiced chanting the
Odaimoku before in other groups but
now want to study and practice the
authentic teachings of the Lotus Sutra
and the Odaimoku.
One of the most common first questions is, "How can I become a member of Nichiren Shu?" It is a very
important and great decision to
become a member of Nichiren Shu
because it is a decision to devote one's
life to the Lotus Sutra and the
E R E M O N Y
Odaimoku. One should be very sure
of a decision of such importance.
The first step in becoming a member
is to visit a Nichiren Shu temple,
church, or sangha (community). It is
best to choose a group that is as close
to one's home as possible. One should
talk to the minister and ask for his or
her assistance. Even if one has studied
Buddhism before, one shouldn't be
arrogant thinking, "I already know
everything." The individual should
study Buddhism and practice under
the minister's instruction. When one
is finally sure of the decision and the
minister agrees that the person is ready
to become a member of Nichiren Shu,
the individual participates in the
Kisho-shiki, or Initiation Ceremony.
In this ceremony, the new member
vows to the Three Treasures (the
Buddha, the Dharma, and the
Sangha) that he or she will uphold the
precepts, the Great Mandala
Gohonzon, and the Odaimoku not
only in this life but until attaining
Buddhahood. At that time, the new
member receives the Great Mandala,
most important for all Nichiren Shu
members. The individual is now officially a Nichiren Shu member.
The Kisho-shiki, or Initiation
Ceremony, is not just a formality. It
is making a vow to the Buddha and
Nichiren Shonin. We should regard
it with respect and recognize its seriousness.
Presentation of the Great Mandala at Initiation Ceremony
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