Gratitude in Buddhism It is easy to feel gratitude for the things we perceive as beneficial. In our materialistic world, the receiving of objects of value usually evokes the natural ‘thank you’. Advice from a teacher, or mentor is also something we find easy to give thanks for. Or we particularly find it easy to […]
Here’s a typical quote from Daisaku Ikeda (New Human Revolution Vol 17): Doubt is the source of fundamental delusion in life; it is what Buddhism calls fundamental darkness. It gives rise to anxiety and drags us into the depths of despair. Faith, meanwhile, is the struggle against the doubt that resides within our hearts. The […]
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The Universal Salty Taste
There are several views as to when this was written, but the de facto date accepted is 1261. The recipient of the letter is unknown. This is the fifth Gosho in Vol 1 WND, and is the second time the Daishonin cites the Lotus Sutra as being the only way to achieve enlightenment. In A […]
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On Copying the Gohonzon
Is it wrong to copy the Gohonzon Oh boy, where do I start on this one? This topic has fuelled no end of internet flame wars due to people’s inability to step outside of their particular dogma. I think the argument is complex and based on several issues; What is the Gohonzon, specifically How can […]
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Ichinen Sanzen Pt4
The picture I have chosen to introduce this article is a three dimensional fractal. Hopefully it can demonstrate how a simple universal truth (in this case, a mathematical construct) can give rise to all the beauty and complexity we perceive as reality. Ichinen Sanzen is the Buddhist theory that describes that reality. Despite having written […]
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The Three Realms – Ichinen Sanzen Pt 3
In Part 1 of this series of essays on the Buddhist concept of Ichinen Sanzen we looked at the Ten Worlds, and in Part 2 we studied the concept of the Ten Factors. So, in this penultimate study of Ichinen Sanzen, we are going to turn our attention to the concept of the Three Realms. […]
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The Ten Factors – Ichinen Sanzen Pt 2
Read the other parts of this series – Part 1 – Part 3 – Part 4 Ichinen Sanzen – Part 2 Previously, in the Ten Worlds article, we introduced the concept of Ichinen Sanzen (3000 realms in a single moment of life), and how it is comprised of the Ten Worlds, the Ten Factors, and […]
Read the other parts of this series – Part 2 – Part 3 – Part 4 Ichinen Sanzen – Part 1 The mutual possession of the Ten Worlds is one of the foundations in understanding the broader concept of Ichinen Sanzen. So what is Ichinen Sanzen? What does mutual possession mean, and what are the […]
The decline of religion in the West The precise etymology of the word religion is debatable, but most definitions indicate a common belief system of sorts, or a binding force between humanity and an ideal, or mystic, element. Religion brings people together under a common viewpoint of how we should live and interact. It could be […]
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Common Soka Gakkai Myths
Well, the forces of Sansho Shima are upon me – if only I was a better linux administrator, then maybe I’d have finished the job I started 4 hours ago! While I wait for it to complete, I thought I would upload this article I have been thinking about in the past week or so. […]