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The expressions "triumph" and "victory" are words
that are part of a vocabulary that is often used in Nichiren
Daishonin's
Buddhism as well in SGI activities and in our own vocabulary
as practitioners.
In general, in society at present we are constantly confronted
with
these concepts related to a policy of consumerism. To name
just a few
examples, phrases like "the woman 10", "Bio Bodies",
cars, houses, cigarettes, positions at work and even clothes
are associated
with success in one's life.
However, quoting President Ikeda, the period of "El Senorito
Satisfecho"
that worried Ortega and Gasset more than 60 years ago, refers
exactly
to our days. The truth is that although the average person of a
modern
industrialized country carries on a life that not even the
kings and
aristocrats from the past would have dreamed of, in relation
to material
progress, this has not been enough, of course, to determine
"triumph"
or "victory" in life.
Even practicing Buddhism we can confuse are idea of "actual
proof"
with fantasy. We shouldn't expect the triumph over ourselves,
for example,
to be so striking as to leave everybody shocked and
hallucinated. In
daily life, even when our basic needs to live are satisfied or
when
the idea of success is measured by our material satisfaction,
whether
or not imposed by the environment, it is extremely hard to
relate it
to a true sense of 'triumph". The victory over oneself in
Nichiren
Daishonin's Buddhism is related to winning over the
fundamental darkness,
inherent in human beings themselves.
This fundamental darkness has two aspects: on the one hand it
can manifest
itself as a feeling of resignation, a low opinion of oneself
that leads
to seeking happiness in an external power. On the other hand,
it manifests
itself as a perverse pleasure in controlling others and
exerting power
over others. This last aspect is what Buddhism calls "the
devil
of the sixth heaven"
The Devil of the Sixth Heaven - explains Daisaku Ikeda - can
be viewed
as lives fundamental tendency to use everything and everybody
to attain
one's own goals. In a way, this is a natural tendency, common
to all
human beings, whereas developing our compassion, love for
human kind,
the spirit of serving others and of improving the environment
are great
qualities, that are extremely difficult to develop. Whatever
the reality
of our lives might be at this very moment, as long as we chant
Nam-myoho-rengue-kyo
in order to find solutions to our problems, we get stronger
and are
able to see how our own map of the world is.
Little by little we turn the prism and that, which seemed
heavy and
difficult at the beginning, because we made it dependent on the
external
world, starts transforming through our own change, into an
opportunity
to grow in our own life and to create value in our
environment. Fundamental
darkness is when we do not deeply understand the
"inseparability
of oneself and the universe". Because of this ignorance about
the
real nature of life, people try to use any thing and any being
in the
universe, as a simple tool. This is the function of the "devil
of the sixth heaven" of the evil nature of power.
The "me" lacking identification with the "other"
is not sensitive to the pain, anguish and suffering of others.
In this
life state there is a tendency to confine him/herself to
his/her own
world either by feeling threatened by the smallest provocation
and developing
violent behavior or by trying to get through situations
without taking
responsibility or thinking of others. The Lotus Sutra teaches
that the
"me" equals the universe and its concrete practice is to show
compassion, and to respect and honor everybody as if they were
the treasure
tower, and to make others happy because "me" and the "others"
are the same thing.
In the same way that Buddhahood is not a goal but refers to
the continuous
and daily effort to make our enlightened nature emerge, we
should never
have a relaxed attitude towards our practice, thinking that we
have
won definitively over our fundamental darkness because of
having many
years of practice.
In the final analysis, victory over oneself is to win every
day in
one's circumstances and in the place where one is and over
one's fundamental
darkness, one's own negative tendency. The accumulation of
each daily
victory is what finally will become victory in life, the
victory over
oneself.
Gosho Phrase
You must never seek any of Shakyamuni's teachings or the Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the universe outside yourself. Your mastery of the Buddhist teachings will not relieve you of mortal sufferings in the least unless you perceive the nature of your own life. If you seek enlightenment outside yourself, any discipline or good deed will be meaningless. (On attaining Buddhahood. Main Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 1, Page 4 )
You must never seek any of Shakyamuni's teachings or the Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the universe outside yourself. Your mastery of the Buddhist teachings will not relieve you of mortal sufferings in the least unless you perceive the nature of your own life. If you seek enlightenment outside yourself, any discipline or good deed will be meaningless. (On attaining Buddhahood. Main Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, Vol. 1, Page 4 )
The accumulation of each daily victory is what finally will
represent
the victory in life, the victory over oneself.
The victory over oneself is to win everyday in one's
circumstances
in the place where I am and to win over my own fundamental
darkness
very interesting post! makes it clear that Buddhism, like any other worthwhile endeavor, takes practice to be perfect :D
ReplyDeleteverification word: awagna
like, Natalie Woods husband was awagna