Six Stages of Practice

Something Phil Wilder talked about at the men's division meeting stuck with me for some reason. He discussed something called the six stages of practice, referring to Burton Watson's translation of the Ongi Kuden, the Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings.

According to Phil, the six stages are (paraphrased):
1. Possessing the Buddha nature. This is true of everyone.
2. Hearing about Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.
3. Chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.
4. Receiving benefit.
5. Doing shakubuku.
6. Realizing that one is a Buddha. As Phil put it, realizing that stage 1 is really true.

I decided to find out what Phil was talking about. I found the answer on page 124 of the Ongi Kuden translation.

1. Being a Buddha in theory. Ordinary mortals are in this stage.
2. Hearing the name and words of the truth. One has, for the first time, heard the daimoku.
3. Perception and action. One proceeds to practice.
4. Resemblance to enlightenment. One succeeds in overcoming various obstacles of illusions.
5. Progressive awakening. One sets out to convert others.
6. Enlightement. One comes to the realization that one is a Buddha.

Why is this important. Not sure. I think it has to do with the Daishonin's use of the Lotus Sutra to validate his philosophy. In his lectures on the sutra, Sokagakkai President Josei Toda said that the Daishonin used the Juryo chapter to elucidate its true meaning while repudiating its superficial meaning in the light of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism.

He also said that you need not read the Hokkekyo for learning but for practice. Study the Gosho, not the Hokekyo or its interpretations.

Hope Springs Eternal

Phil Wilder commented in his opening remarks at the MD meeting that he had received guidance to conduct the meeting as if it were his last. Let's hope.

Advancing with Buddhist Optimism

About 25 PG Area men met this morning for the annual commemorative meeting (commemorating Pres. Ikeda's joining Sokagakkai in 1953(?), a Phil Wilder production. The theme, 'Advancing with Buddhist Optimism', was introduced by Phil, who then spoke at some length about the six stages of practice, referencing the Oral Teachings of Nichiren Daishonin.

The sixth stage is the final realization that everyone really does have the seed of Buddhahood. This is the important part. The rest is only to trace theory back to the Lotus Sutra.

Tom Joray showed us a video, lasting 20 minutes or so, of a Japanese study department leader delivering a lecture (in Japanese, of course, but with English translation). I was so thrilled. Courage, faith...

Jennifer Bryant then lectured us about how men should be more proactive with World Tribune, mentoring, etc.

By this time my cup runneth over and I left. So I missed out on final guidance.

I also missed the hotdogs & hamburgers. But I wanted to get an oil change at Jiffy Lube.

Men's Division General Meeting

The annual MD commorative meeting will be held at the DCCC at 10am, 27 August (Saturday). The theme has something to do with getting the youth division off their butts. The format is likely to be some intro stuff followed by some discussion groups followed by summation. Afterward there will be hot dogs and hamburgers. There's no better way to spend a Saturday morning.

World Tribune Promotion

SGI-USA is having a nationwide World Tribune promotion campaign in September. The goal, as I understand it, is to have all leaders and 50% of the general membership as subscribers. Leading me to think that the subscription rate is not great. A couple of things that would help might be a) put in some interesting articles and b) provide better service.

The general WT format is a President Ikeda speech and some personal experiences. But not enought to compel an acceptable subscription rate. President Ikeda's message hasn't changed for 40 some years. Some members, it would seem, really like this format. But, if you've read one World Tribune, you've read them all.

Service sucks. They come as much as a month late; I have received 2 issues at the same time. Its's not unusual to receive them out of order.

Gakkai Online

Here's a link to the Ruby's web site. There is a lot of stuuf here.

http://www.gakkaionline.net/

a Nichiren Reader

a Nichiren Reader

Here's a link to a collection of translations of Nichiren Daishonin's writings. These are probably not endorsed by SGI since, in the introduction, the author refers to some twisiting of meaning. There are also some translations of the Oral Transmissions. This is not riveting reading but may be enlightening to some.

January discussion meeting

The theme of our meeting on 14 Jan is ‘Peace Begins with Friendship’. The 10 Dec WT carries a speech given by President Ikeda that offers some guidance on this subject.

 

The gosho contains a number of references to good friends:

 

In the Nirvana Sutra, we read: "If a person separates himself from good friends, refuses to listen to the correct teaching, and instead embraces evil teachings, then as a result he will sink down into the Avichi hell, where the size of his body will become eighty-four thousand yojanas in total length and breadth."

 

Therefore, the best way to attain Buddhahood is to encounter a good friend. How far can our own wisdom take us? If we have even enough wisdom to distinguish hot from cold, we should seek out a good friend. But encountering a good friend is the hardest possible thing to do. For this reason, the Buddha likened it to the rarity of a one-eyed turtle finding a floating log with a hollow in it the right size to hold him, or to the difficulty of trying to lower a thread from the Brahma heaven and pass it through the eye of a needle on the earth. More-over, in this evil latter age, evil companions are more numerous than the dust particles that comprise the land, while good friends are fewer than the specks of dirt one can pile on a finger-nail.

 

The side bar on page 3 provides additional insight from President Ikeda.