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From: kde@heawk1.gsfc.nasa.gov ( Keith Evans)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern
Subject: Re: Meditation 2 ways: Different yet the Same
Keywords: Buddhism
Message-ID: <1990Nov25.012803.12936@nas.nasa.gov>
Date: 25 Nov 90 01:28:03 GMT
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  >But, for the interest of knowledge, I really would like to know how to
  >practice in Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism and what the difference between
  >Nichiren Daishonin's and Shakyamuni's. 

Before ND died, he realized that he had fulfilled all the Buddha's 
predictions (about the person who would propagate the law in the Latter
Day (2000 years after his death)) and he enscribed the Gohonzon, which is
the physical manifestation of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. By chanting
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to the Gohonzon, one actually attains the state of
Buddhahood as they are. The practice is to recieve a Gohonzon (a copy of
the original, made only by the High Priest), to recite the 2nd and 16th
chapters of the Lotus Sutra morning and evening (everyday) and chant 
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, abundantly (everyday). To study Buddhisma and help
others learn about the greatness of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism. Living
one's life based on this practice is Nirvana. It does not mean to be a
Buddhist and not live in society. One must use this practice to live the
best life poossible.

  >In buddhism, everybody has the Buddha mind, and in the eyes of Buddhas and
  >Bodhisattvas, we are all Buddhas in some sense.  The prediction is not

Yes, we all have the potential for Buddhahood, but delusion from our past
karma hides it from us and we deny it. Even if we know about it, we still
have to manifest it.

  >too much important to me.   Actually, this is my first time to hear about this
  >prediction.   I am also very interested in knowing which chapter of Lotus
  >sutra about the claim of no-one-get-enlightment-2000-years...  I maybe missed
  >again after I checked my Lotus sutra at home (I cannot find out this claim).

I'm sorry if I lead you to think that that prediction was from the Lotus Sutra,
I do not think it is and am not sure right now which one it is from. But he
actually speaks in terms of 500 year periods. 

  >As Diamond sutra said, even Buddhist Dharma can be got rid of,... and

With the Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

  >Buddhist dharma is like a ship, we can not go to the other side without
  >getting rid of the ship...    Yes, this may not be proper for the

You need the ship to cross the sea of sufferings.

  >beginners, and this is a teaching for Bodhisattvas. But, this is also
  >the main reason I like Buddhism, since it even says we should not just
  >follow the dharma while we are going to reach the other side. In the
  >Buddhist sutras I have read, I never found any idea of *absolute truth*.

See the quotes from the Sutra of Infinite Meaning above.

  >This is the reason I dont understand why you claim Nichiren Daishonin's
  >is the true Buddhism to follow in this day and age.  I think it may be

Very few understood or believed Nichiren when he proclaimed it. According
to the sutras, when the true law is lost, the 3 disasters and 7 calamities
occur. Nichiren proclaimed that in Japan at that time all but 2 had not yet
occurred and predicted that they would occurr (based on the sutras) and
his predictions (based on the sutras, not his own wisdom) came true.

P.S. Thank you, Danesh, for posting my postings.


--
   Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
            Respectfully,
  	         Keith Evans		kde@heawk1.gsfc.nasa.gov