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Nara Buddhism

Sunday, September 2nd, 2012

Nara not only constitutes a time in Japanese history but also refers to various Buddhist schools associated with this movement such as Kusha, Jujitsu, Sanron, Hosso, Kegon and Ritsu.

Originally these religious sects were not intended for the masses or general public but were primarily governmentally sponsored for the express interest and purpose towards the protection of the nation and the imperial family.

Many of the religious elements that make up the essential aspects of the teachings of these groups revolve around both Theravada and Mahayana beliefs. I have already wrote somewhat about Theravada philosophy and the concept of pain/suffering and even though I have not dealt with the question exhaustibly;this may be another resource or dimension towards the possibility of this dilemma in the drama of the human struggle.

Theravada Buddhism

What is controversial to these schools are the varied outlooks on Buddhist thought as originating a standard of how to perceive or achieve reality based on the pseudo scientific method of cognizant reasoning of what does it know, how does it know, how can it be known and what does it do. At first glance it appears to be more of an unbiased approach to knowledge but only as it fits within the framework of Buddhism whereby it conforms to a self specified reality of preconceived biases and world views which does not necessitate truth but rather only preferences.

Also much of what makes up historical Buddhism comes from its birthplace in India in which there are multitudes of gurus and swamis who make truth claims all the time as having the answer to life making buddhism just one possibility among the countless ideas which are as numerous as the pantheon of Indian gods themselves which make up a cultural expression of a pick and choose society of Athenian proportions which much like ancient greek culture mythologized their god(s) as to personalize their whims and fears regarding the latest and greatest ideas as encompassing truth. It is the wisdom of the world or the age so to speak which is equivalent to the foolishness and folly of men who have been skillfully seduced through the ignoramus of human ingenuity making them so smart that they are nonsensical. To present the brilliance of abstract ideas or thoughts does not mean that it is right or even plausible no more than the mathematical ideals of presenting an infinite set of numbers which only exists in the imagination of the numerical statistician.

Furthermore much of the mysterium of these so called philosophers and their mystical teachings were birthed in legend and superstition whether it be Dosho and his magical kettle or Nagarjuna and the hagiographic traditions that he somehow attained the alchemical ability to extend his life along with his reception of the “perfection of wisdom” from the legendary land of the nagas/serpent spirits or the fiction of Asanga ascending to tusita heaven to be taught of the bodhisattva Maitreya in which Maitreya comes down to Jambudvipa and gives a series of lectures which many scholars think that this resultant text of Yogacarabhumi did not originate with the quasi-historical character of Maitreya but rather was a compilation of Yogacara scholars.

In the same way that these collective stories were fabricated by others in making these outrageous tales is no different than the elaborate philosophical ideas that they produced as being the imagination of men.

Much of what predominates Buddhist thought revolves around the dilemma or condition of human suffering and its chief goal to eradicate this concept or potential in the mind/life of the spiritual practitioner by leading them on a scavenger hunt for nirvana and spiritual enlightenment. Some deal with this matter in perceiving it as a mental state of mind as merely being an illusory idea of human ignorance or delirium which practicality does nothing to effectively eliminate its influence on human society as it is self absorbed and preoccupied in dealing with it intrinsically therefore they ignore the practical implications of removing the causal and effectual agents because according to theory it is essentially non existent or unrealistic but ironically this is inconsistent with most peoples activities as this philosophy or belief system is neither livable nor real. This is just like the Indian philosopher Vasubandhu who had influenced the Kusha thinkers by making the irrational remark as implying that the nature of life resides in some kind of illusionary Matrix in that all seemingly external objects are only mental representations. Which also reminds me of the philosophy of Harivarman who has been influential among the Jujitsu sect who stated that all things are merely designations devoid of reality and that human beings are enveloped in the illusion that the ego or the world is real and neither are.

Harivarman also goes on to state that the past does not exist, the future has not come to be and the present as soon as it comes into being disappears. Hence the sense of continuity is illusory. If the past does not exist then does that include Harivarmans’ past existence and teachings/philosophy. Also what good is there to believe in this illusionary influencer if it can neither have a present or future reality?

To put these philosophies in their proper perspective I once heard a contemporary Indian man say that even Indians look both ways before crossing the street because they invariably know through experience that even though the mass of the vehicle supersedes the size of the human brain logic overrules and thus does not impair the person to safely reason that such philosophy is realistically fatal thus averting the potential of being the victim of a philosophers road kill.

Next is the philosophical culmination of the wisdom of the ages which supposedly came through the Indian philosopher named Nagarjuna and his influential teachings upon the Sanron group. However, ironically much of his lessons can be diminished to absurdum through his false beliefs in stating that all propositions about existence and non existence are erroneous which in turn is self refuting as including his own claims or remarks regarding these very same matters. Also his philosophical position of sunyata as being void of all false thinking and subsisting in selflessness is non coherent to someone who put a lot of wrong notions into the minds of these adherents as applying it selfishly to themselves and thus is inconsistent with reality based on his own criteria. Moreover the preoccupation of personal freedom from suffering is focused on the self as well and is contradictory to what would be defined as self denial. Nagarjuna also presumptuously makes such remarks that ignorance or avidya distorts all mental states of an ordinary person and yet can he demonstrate that he is extraordinary as not being under the influence of his own statement about delusion? After all he wants others to divorce their intuitive and conceptual ideas of suffering to marry a radical and foreign ideal which instinctually goes against the grain of corporate society in presenting an elitist view which is so predictive of cultic behavior as presenting falsehood as reality to the degree that he claims that suffering is perceived as merely the mental state of ignorance and that there is no distinction between Samsara or the realm of suffering and nirvana/ enlightenment which may become an easy fix of escapism as a way to relieve the tension between these two concepts but this does nothing to convincingly prove his theory or equation/formula of belief. This whole notion of equality between these terms is self contradictory as he makes a distinction by formulating an idealistic view of compassion which commentators associate as a means to eliminate the suffering of all beings. Also to say that we are not real and that there is no such thing as mankind ultimately existing in that we are contingent or dependent beings may be a way to somehow handle the inconspicuous way of Buddhas silence on the subject regarding the metaphysical continuance of the soul or spirit but does nothing to disprove it. To make such claims that dependent beings are not real is to make a statement about his own life and philosophy which would be equally questionable and thus unprovable. To even contemplate or question such matters as ones being is it to prove ones reality and existence apart from just some random firing of synaptic neuruons. As the famous philosopher Rene Descartes once said “I think” therefore “I am” makes more sense than defining oneself as just a bundle of nerve fibers submerged in a vat of chemicals. To minimize mankind to the elements of physical constituents or molecules through reductionism as equating man to merely an animal or beast is Darwinian in thought but does not adequately explain such superior qualities as the uniqueness of volition/will, self consciousness, moral aptitude and intelligence/reason which are matters that can not be proven to be merely biologically determined even though the brain may be a vehicle of expression for the mind and thus to degrade man to a nothingness is an oversimplification of which scientists are still trying to discover in the innermost regions of our being which far outweigh the antiquated views of a pre-scientific philosopher. Perhaps the bigger question is not how we ontologically exist but rather answering the all the pervasive question of why we even exist at all which is a higher purpose that deals with origin which may be a better starting point as putting the horse before the cart. Has it occurred to you that it is much more plausible to consider an intelligent creator or designer who eternally possesses the qualities of independent personhood having the attributes of omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence as a sovereign and “ultimate being” in existing as the primal causal agent as the first and only uncaused cause which alone has not been generated but is the pure essence of “being” rather than “becoming” as creating all of reality thus making a teleological argument for God? Also to make a reductional analogy between a life breathing human with that of an inanimate object in comparing you with the basal components of a water bottle is a category mistake. To make this kind of comparison there are obvious limitations even though we share the common features as being in part a physical entity which like a receptacle can hold water and likewise are formed apart from ourselves but the distinctions should go without mention as the one who pours from the receptacle is greater then the receptacle itself. Also for this buddhist philosopher to further disqualify any kind of God concept or interference by stating that any sort of relational identity between objects disqualifies an entity as an ultimate being does not disprove God and can easily be explained as a transcendent being who is immanently present in the role of creator as a maestro who orchestrates in this drama of life. To be instrumental does not reduce that entity to its level as being biologically finite and determined as what appears to be a temporal being who is trapped within the confines of time and space but God unlike us can freely enter that dimension yet is not subjected, controlled or bound by its variables.

To possess the degree of intelligence we have along with the remarkable complexity and beauty to all living and non-living things shows or displays the mark of Gods glory upon the creative order apart from making any kind of pantheistic association. I know that traditional Buddhism is basically atheistic and I have written more posts in dealing with this subject at

Atheist-and-Agnostic

The disadvantage to this whole concept of being “not real” as an empty host which has no ego and is merely just extinguishable material that is subjected to the mere destiny of annihilation as being under the influence of decay has historically backfired leading to the unrestraint of atheistic regimes to treat other human beings less than humane as this philosophy has germinated the seedbed for genocide which sees no ultimate sense of reality nor accountability. Concurrently this whole concept of sunyata or emptiness is just a fable of hopelessness for people leading to an identity crisis as misdefining the reality of self based on negative connotations of a restrictive/limited and pessimistic outlook towards nihilism of which Nagarjuna reacted by backtracking in stating that all emptiness is not real emptiness.

Furthermore I think another controversial doctrine is the traditional viewpoint of nirvana or enlightenment as being subjective as an insightful realization that can’t be conveyed and could merely be heartburn or just the flippant experience of emotionalism. If no one absolutely knows what it is then there is no definitive boundaries which could ascertain its fulfillment and thus it becomes just an illusory concept as being unreal.

Another thing is He also believed in Kaccayana, in that the world is in bondage to attachments, clingings (sustenances), and biases, fixations of awareness, obsessions yet he too is also subjected to his own criteria as being partial to Sravaka philosophies and Mahayana tradition in opposition to the metaphysical approach of others such as avoiding the substantialism of the Sarvastivadins as well as the nominalism of the Sautrantikas along with some of the elements of Brahmic tradition combined with rejecting certain aspects regarding the schools of thought as related to Kusha and Jujitsu philosphy. Thus I am convinced that Nagarjuna received these “texts of wisdom’ on the basis of intentionality as a reactionary response to support his own values by which he too is subjected to Kaccayana.

Lastly he is attributed as having magical powers in which I concur as he has mesmerized his audience through deceitfulness by means of pulling his philosophical tricks out of his hat which has left the audience stupefied as being in a state of awe as he holds them spellbound under the illusionary power of his trance.

Next there is the Hosso School or Faxiang which is also called Yogocara or Vijnanavada that basically deals with the chaos of life in finding tranquility through a dissociative practice of avoidism by basically teaching that what a person perceives does not correspond with reality as the conscious makes us think that we are somehow experiencing reality when in actually it is only a figment of ones false imagination. It is proposed that through their discipline of Yogic meditation that a person is said to reprogram or reset their minds to focus correctly on life by purging themselves of misconceptions or error.

Among some of these various schools of thought it has been debated that the mind is the true essence of reality as being purely illuminous while others state that even the conscious which is in constant state of flux is transitional and that it changes moment by moment in that what the conscious was milliseconds ago is not what it is now and thus does not conform to ultimate reality because it is not immutable making life purely subjective. Also it is believed that what a person perceives to exist as dharmic data is somehow lost in translation as the deception of the conscious manipulates the process by arranging the various variables including our sense perception by using a complicated template as a way to make us think that we are somehow living a realistic life when we are essentially just plugged into the Matrix of a “conscious only” reality. Supposedly the brilliance of the conscious somehow orders these unreal events so as to make sense of our lives by adapting a coherent filter in giving us relevance and meaning to maintain a sense of control or normality as through a system with a constant pattern of continuity and regularity.

In response to this head game philosophy I find this wrong on so many levels which I think its own presupposition refutes its illogical predisposition as succumbing to becoming a victim of their own system which doubts the apprehension of conscious reality which should include their own thinking or reasoning on this matter as falsely constituting realism. It fails to prove that what a person is experiencing in the external world is not realistic and it counterintuitively wants you to adopt a counter perspective as a way of brainwashing your mind by ignoring the obvious to adapt a revisional thought pattern.

Essentially making truth claims is one thing but proving them is another and my challenge to this group is where is the burden of evidence and how do you know that you are not the one who is being deceived? Just to make an association such as someone subconsciously or unconsciously experiencing the make believe world of entering a “dream state” or a person being able to visualize an object as evidence to show that we can’t really trust our perceptions is fallacious in that our minds know the difference upon awakening and even while sleeping there are times that I have been fully aware that I was dreaming. Furthermore the mind knows how to discern between imagination and what is tangibly real.

In addition to this there are other things I question such as where did the mind of intelligence come from or how did it originate and why does it exist or what is its purpose?

Which leads into my next question is how are they able to validate or substantiate their belief in the eternality of the mind and based on what we know of the universe that there is nothing that is eternal and that everything originates as a result of causality as an effect and so it would be difficult to authenticate or establish that an individual has a perpetual existence in a beginning-less state of time as continually existing through the transmigration of the soul or rebirth which seems more like a fairytale of fictional speculation. Again I have written somewhat about this in my previous posts on atheism, hinduism, theravada buddhism which you can reference above along with this documentary on life after death or near death experiences.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQ8TEGMj-jc&feature=player_embedded

If in actuality a person comes to exist at the moment or time of natural birth much of this philosophy dissolves as this system builds upon the previous history or lifetimes of karmic traces as being a great storehouse, alayavijnana, or seedbed of adaptive thought. If the soul/spirit does exist eternally then how do you account for the universal differentiation and large gap of knowledge/experience between a young child and a mature adult since essentially they have both lived over eons of time and amassed an insurmountable amount of common knowledge of previous life times therefore according to the scale of time essentially they would only be minutely separated by different stages of life. If these karmic imprints or bijas is really intact and functional then why would a youthful individual have to really learn instead of recall data? Conversely how come young children seem to be more adept or have a greater capacity to learning new languages as showing they have stronger developmental skills which again indicates the inequality between individual minds and consciousness which does not support the theory of particular seeds as this age gap is universally applicable as surpassing the restraints of accidentals.

It appears that it may be more probable when taking into account universal similarities that the shared denominator is not just the mind itself but rather the originator of the mind or a common creator who developed like creatures accordingly.

Furthermore regarding this whole matter is the philosophy really livable and does your life reflect these doctrinal beliefs? If not then how do you know that all of this is essentially true since it is not even consistent with your own lifestyle or existence? Also how do you know that you can really achieve a pure state of absolute “suchness” or tathata, to buddhahood. How can you conclusively know you have arrived at this state and is it possible that once you have entered into ultimate reality that a situation won’t occur which may cause you to regress? Also is yoga really a final emancipation if once you have achieved it that you still have to maintain it otherwise it might be lost which seems more like a system of bondage than liberation? Moreover why do we have misconceptions to begin with and how can it be the offspring of the accountability of karmic debt when theoretically morality could be classified as a part of the phenomenal world of which is not even real? Who or what determined that ultimate reality is to be reduced to the faculty of conscious over and against the perceivable world as perhaps it is a both/and equation instead? Who is able to rightfully make that judgement call? Also how do you differentiate between the biological functioning of the brain with that of the mind?

Anyway Indian philosophers are plentiful and it goes to show that you can pick and choose what you want to believe as corresponding to your own preference to reality. This concept of reality as being offered in the marketplace of Indian fare as suiting your personal taste in feasting your eyes on it desirous wares is based on the real world of sensory or felt needs which includes theorizing and systemizing a process to rid oneself of pain and suffering. Likewise some people deal with this problem in different ways whether through the psychology of religion, philosophy along with chemical dependency or some kind of combination of these as a means or methodology to cope with life’s troubles yet this doesn’t necessarily correspond with reality which maybe only treating the symptoms of this human sickness or tragedy.

Another school which is a apart of this movement is knows as Kegon which Fazang or Fatsang is considered to be its main founder based on the supposed teachings of the Buddha Vairocana as communicated through the Avatamsaka-sutra. One of the major drawbacks of the sect is the dichotomy between its philosophy about reality regarding the nature of the universe and how things really are. This conflict has resulted in a disharmony concerning their proposal of the principles and facts regarding their claims of perfect knowledge. For instance to state that the universe is self creating is principally flawed as it is impossible for the universe to rise simultaneously. This is because the phenomenal world can not exist and exist at the same time and in the same way based on the same relationship. Furthermore this discrepancy is not verifiable or observable based on phenomenal realities of experience and thus does not correspond with certainty. Moreover there is no proof in support of this view of spontaneous generation as this theory has already been debunked by other cosmologists. Therefore not only is this central tenet inconsistent with it own views of the universe but it is also contrary to the modern advent of the scientific age and is not even a potential explanation for ultimate reality or truth. However the metaphysical concept of an almighty and eternal being existing beyond the dimensions of time and space is at least philosophically possible and is a more probable explanation for maintaining a created order through a harmonious design. Again I write more about this on my posts about atheism/agnosticism at

Atheist and Agnostic

Lastly the school of Ritsu or Risshu is a religious sect which stresses morality based on traditional Theravadic views of Vinaya which lays down virtuous regulations to lead their society in diverse ways of life by which they will ultimately obtain enlightenment and purification of the mind. It appears that many of these moral laws they adhere to or espouse are generally good for any society as maintaining a civilization but my challenge is whether they are fully attainable through the vehicle of a strict religious observation. So I am wondering what is the level of efficacy as a spiritual practitioner in achieving and maintaining their spiritual goals. Christianity also has a moral code of conduct which reflects the nature and character of God but the difference is that a person must first become born again or born anew where they are enlightened by God the Spirit who comes to indwell them thus cleansing them from defilement by making them a regenerated person as receiving a new nature which reflects the character of God in their personal lives. It differs from other religious orders as it is not about the worshipper achieving it through their own merit but rather it is a gift and sovereign work of God acting on on our behalf by which we trust and receive by faith resulting in the miracle of conversion which is not merely a sacramental antidote or expression but rather it is tangibly real and dynamic as evidenced by a radical change or alteration in the person’s character and nature thereby objectively confirming or affirming the reality. Moreover this concept is consistent with my testimony and that of many others.

jesusandjews.com/wordpress/my-personal-testimony-with-jesus/

www.cbn.com/700club/features/Amazing/

Finally Jesus simply invites you to rest in His grace as He shoulders the religious burdens and difficulties in life that has rattled our homes and society. Also He is able to give you the personal harmony and tranquility from the ills that plague your heart and soul as properly relating to a righteous God and an immoral society as being receptacles of His love, joy and peace which as humans we so desperately crave along with bringing about an ultimate sense of fulfillment and purpose to life as His people.

Matthew 11:28-30 ²⁸“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

How to know God

Nara Buddhist Resources

Religions of the world: a comprehensive encyclopedia of beliefs and practices/ J. Gordon Melton, Martin Baumann, editors; Todd M. Johnson, World Religious Statistics; Donald Wiebe, Introduction-2nd ed., Copyright 2010 by ABC-CLIO, LLC. Reproduced with permission of ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara, CA.

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Shingon Resources

Thursday, August 23rd, 2012

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Shingon

Sunday, August 19th, 2012

Shingon Buddhism or Shingon-shu is an esoteric religious sect refereed to as Tomitsu which bases enlightenment and the experience of the buddha nature on that of Vajrayana or Tantric Buddhism belief and practice. This group or movement which was established by Kūkai AKA Kōbō-Daishi or O-Daishi-sama was steeped in controversy during its uprising as competing among other Buddhist sects in the development of its spiritual procedures. Scandalously it appears that Kukai’s inspiration which came to make this movement rich and powerful may have been more about gaining influence and prestige by impressing the royal court in finding spiritual novelties than determing the “word of truth”. I have already written about Tendai and Shingon in another post as they both share a common ancestry and background which you can read more about through this link

jesusandjews.com/wordpress/2012/07/14/tendai/

Also the dispute that revolves around this group sprang from the use of oral tradition by which this movement has relied heavily upon until recent years in passing down many of their doctrines and practices which for the previous 1100 years was transmitted by word of mouth through their spiritual masters or gurus. The validity of oral tradition is hard to substantiate over a lengthy period of time especially if one believes that these teachings and techniques have somehow maintained their original or pristine state as they have travelled transcontinentally through its introduction by Nagarjuna in India to Tibet then to Java and China before finally arriving in Japan. This handling of information over such a diverse geographical area of various cultures over a vast amount of time makes me skeptical that these teachings as passed down to Kukai were accurate to begin with let alone what he shared and gave to others up to this present time considering that whatever originality he may have derived was also modified in systemizing his methodology of these esoteric practices. Moreover this movement has been accommodating by adapting its truth claims in absorbing the cultural values through its syncretism of Shintoism which was more politically motivated than spiritually enlightening. Also it has improvised in marketing it beliefs to coincide with popular trends which during the medieval period adopted the Buddha Amida and his pure land of bliss. Furthermore it also merged its practices with shamanism and the bon religion which does not even make this a distinct or exclusive movement to begin with but rather a conglomeration of other religious world views as stealing their spiritual recipes in making a superior truth claim among the hierarchy of these other temporary religious expressions which were to be only advancements of progression in the move towards this perfected faith.

Based on these charges are you confident that these teachings really survived in tact without outside influences or tampering? If these teachings are really as important as Kukai claimed them to be as tantamount to ultimate truth apart from all other transitional faith claims then surely written records would have been the best method of retaining their content. Anyway we know as kids from playing the game of telephone in passing down a simple phrase or story to a series of people that over a relatively short period of time the details of the message may have changed drastically or been altered from the original storyline and therefore it is not a reliable method to retain vital information. Moreover what further complicates the matter are the various different fragmented schisms and divisions or splintered offshoots that have branched off from one another which makes it even that much more difficult to ascertain that the essential matters have been properly communicated and maintained among the subjectivity of it various groups. Of course not every one can be right so which one if any has the valid teachings of pure mikkyo tradition as these movement are divided on ritual and text as claiming special access to knowledge and the original teachings of honsetsu or orthodox shingon instruction. Another deviation, like all other Mahayana movements, is that it is not classified as orthodox Buddhism which is better defined under Theravada practice and philosophy but rather it is a religious program with a buffet of specialty items to appeal to the pallet of the epicurean. Buddha supposedly did not even teach many of the things that are believed by orthodox esoterics having strayed from its Indic roots of historical buddhist thought and instead has evolved these tantric beliefs as a whole different creature originating more from the dark side of occultic practice or sorcery with its use of spells, magic formulas, ceremonies and masses for the dead. Moreover these teachings were not derived by the original Buddha, Gautama, nor the Buddha Mahavairocana also known as Dainichi Nyorai or the Great Sun Buddha. Even their principle text known as dainichi-kyo or the great sun sutra is relatively late in development having originated from China therefore making it difficult to ascertain or authenticate any kind of credibility as a spiritual authority. Another thing which is hard or difficult to swallow is that this belief system resembles both Indian and Japanese folklore, mythology and superstition with the inclusion of its many and varied gods, devas, buddhas, bodhisattvas, kamis and icons making it beliefs somewhat more compatible with Hinduism and Shintoism more so than Buddhism which is basically atheistic. My point is that I am not making a case or defense for orthodox Buddhism here but rather I wanting to show the inconsistency within its own movement to be coherent and cohesive let alone among its parent affiliation of traditional or classical Buddhist philosophy. Furthermore to state that the Buddha is somehow mysteriously instructing today is conflicting especially if these gurus have contradictory teachings which again makes this system hard to validate.

Now for some of the other matters which show the superstitious behavior of this group is their belief in a physical fire or goma which is not unique to Shingon but is administered in other religious services as well as a ritual observance. It is said that this practice along with the invocation of Acala or Fudo Myoo somehow benefits the worshipper with its magical qualities to ward off negative energies and provide good luck in acquiring blessings. Additionally there are further claims that their monks can summon rain, improve harvests, avert natural disasters, and protect the state and even the most powerful ones can render entire armies useless yet based on the troubled history of Japans past and its many natural calamities along with its painful defeat in warfare makes me wonder how efficient or potent these spiritual elitists or guides are in marketing their religious skills. Which brings me to my next point on how effectual are their supposed guardian deities or devas in light of these horrific realities which have plagued and traumatized Japan.

Along with these superstitious beliefs are the legends behind this religious sect such as the story that Kukai never really died but rather has passed into an unbroken meditation which supposedly was evidenced when his tomb was opened revealing that his nails and hair were still growing. There is also the superstitious beliefs that the recitation of the mantra of clear light over pure sand would be empowering if spread upon an ill person or corpse resulting in them being healed or reborn in Amitabha’s Pure Land. Lastly are the use of icons as recognizing some kind of reality in spite of the fact that these images are not real representations of the persons identity showing their vulnerability to succumb to delusion. Nonetheless I am not challenging the possibilities of having a metaphysical view or experience but rather the realism behind these associations.

In retrospect to all of this how do you known if you have really achieved enlightenment or come to realize your buddha nature? How can these spiritual calisthenics of the mind, soul, body or three mysteries/sanmitsu really secure for you a spiritual reality of reaching akanishtha/heaven or are you still somehow left empty and wondering if this is all there is? Have you considered for yourself apart from the influence of your spiritual master whether you can really obtain enlightenment in the frailty of your human experience in this present life and body? Can you honestly say that buddha consciousness has been your experience or will become the reality of your anticipated venture? How do you know that you have prescribed to the right ritual or meditative practice in aligning oneself with the cosmic forces and what is the evidence for this? Are the keys to attaining spiritual enlightenment really found in the gnostic teachings of spiritual formulae by manipulating body parts in the symbolism of devotional gestures in a mudra, or through the pronouncement of mystical syllables by means of devotional rhetoric knows as dharani (mantra) along with the visualization technique of sacred art or mandala combined with the mental capacity of yogic meditation? Can such superficiality make someones self aware as recognizing their true buddha nature when there is essentially no significant or tangible change to the individual apart from religious observances and practices? Also what kind of real intrinsic value is there to handle the supposed sacred instruments of the vajra or diamond and the lotus? Lastly have you unleashed the extraordinary power of controlling the cosmic forces by averting evil and bringing supernatural help in everyday life?

Maybe in the final analysis perhaps much of what is really expressed here is just the imagination of Kukai and others who like the iconic creations of artists produced these religious figurines and presented them in a realistic fashion when in essence these visual references are only fictitious symbols having never known or seen their images except in the campfire stories that have been passed down through generations. It reminds me of watching a good movie and entering into the drama only to realize latter that is was only the genius or talent of a Hollywood production crew that momentarily held me captivated and made me believe at least temporarily that it was all real.

Philosophically speaking I think it also ironic and perplexing regarding the person of Mahavairocana which is said to be beyond earthily dualism and impurity but at the same instant to be within all things as the buddha nature. I believe this is conflicting in face of the reality of evil that is resident within all people and thus how can you disassociate this reality from the Buddha who is a participant in this facet or realm of society as a Cosmocat. Also the nature of Buddha seems to be incoherent to reality as he is said to immanently embody the universe in the base elements of existence such as the earth and wind and yet these destructive elements having wreaked havoc on many of these island worshippers who have been devastated by the effects of these forces through earthquakes and tsunamis in bringing about pain and suffering to the devotee. Thus how is the worshiper reassured that a better future fate awaits him or her based on the evidence of their present reality? This seems more like the capricious outcome of some mythological avenging kami then the sovereign act of one who is to benefit all mankind.

Another contrasting belief or discrepancy is the realization that ones own buddha nature is identical with Mahavairocana which is said to bring enlightenment as one appropriates this reality in understanding ones true self as identical to the Buddha known as rigu jobutsu. If this is true then why does an individual need to make any distinction as to worship and honor another being when essentially you are equal to that reality and therefore whatever action is taken toward the Buddha is essentially redirected back to ones self because in essence you are that ultimate being. After all it is essentially the same to contemplate ones self reality with deity reality and in essence the objectivity of worship in giving reverence to the Buddha is to praise oneself. According to these doctrinal views you are essentially Mahavairovana in this very body and the reality of this unity can be inferred from the statement that the buddha enters the self and the self enters the buddha or nyuga ganyu. In conclusion the practitioner realizes his own iconic nature as both the worshiper and the object of worship which is incomprehensible as the subject collapses with the object in projecting themselves as the realization of the buddha within. However intuitively we know that this is flawed as we are not transcendent eternal beings but rather we are contingent beings who have no basis for this kind of contemplation.

Also another controversial concept is to go through the motions of actualization when one is supposedly already potentially or inherently awakened which is known as kaji jobutsu. To psyche themselves up in proving to themselves and others that they are what their spiritual leaders claim they are which in my view is not enlightenment but fraudulence and deception. To have to convince or prove to yourself and others through our actions is really doubt in disguise masquerading itself as buddha consciousness. Yet does practicing make this notion any more or less real after all either you are or you aren’t. In other words does a child have to act like a child to be a child also acting like a child doesn’t make you a child but only childish?

Anyway you or your spiritual guide may try to rationalize these inconsistencies in trying to justify any misunderstandings but perhaps there was a time when deep down in side of yourself you were questioning this philosophy as well. Also just because you are undertaking a spiritual journey does not qualify or necessitate a spiritual reality.

Finally I appeal to the spiritual practitioner who perhaps is altruistic in their spiritual pursuit or plight and I beckon to you that in the same way in which you were open to such philosophy and practice to begin with to also be attentive to other resources or avenues of faith. The reason why I labor my point to awaken you to other possibilities concerning spirituality is that as humans we are mostly innately aware or perceptive regarding a spiritualistic reality, presence and value but nonetheless could be misdirected no matter how sincere we might be at times as fallible human beings. Thus I would like to share with you my life story on how I was radically changed along with many others and I hope that you won’t ignore my plea to research and hopefully discover a reality in your pursuit of truth. Also I believe that as you rally for spiritual fulfillment that your goal should not be to merely hear or mimic something that appeals to your heart or tickles your ears in entertaining notions of spiritual grandeur because it may lead you down the wrong path by giving you a false sense of accomplishment/achievement or security. Rather it should be more desirous to undertake an authentic pursuit of truth no matter where it may lead you even if it takes you far away from what you may have previously believed/thought or valued.

In summary I apologize if my words seem difficult as I would not purposely do anything to disrespect you and if my appeal seems to be strong or forthright then please forgive me for my insensitivity. My final request is to simply ask God in your time of prayer or meditation with all sincerity of heart to reveal to you this Jesus which I wanting to share with you and then see what God will do as you wait in willful expectation.

jesusandjews.com/wordpress/my-personal-testimony-with-jesus/

www.cbn.com/700club/features/Amazing/

How to know God

Mt 11:28-30

²⁸Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

John 8:12

¹²Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 14:6

⁶Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.

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Tendai Resources

Sunday, July 15th, 2012

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Tendai

Saturday, July 14th, 2012

The Tendai or Tendai-shu religion is a revisional model of the Chinese form of Tiantai. It is known as an eclectical movement that holds to the syncretistic values of uniting all Buddhism under a common religious banner in taking in the belief systems of other buddhist groups such as Chan or Zen, Esoteric/ Tantric/Mikkyo ritual known as Taimitsu, Pure Land beliefs which share some common values with this movement especially as it relates to nembutsu and the teaching of the Vinaya school for monastic discipline.

This amalgam of pluralistic beliefs was a means of bringing Buddhism under one vehicle of salvation as the ultimate truth, Haigon Ryujitsu, but contrary to the vision of its Chinese founder Tientai Chihi and Saicho it has had limited success. Not only has it failed its mission in having a world wide impact especially in the West but these other buddhist groups have maintained their exclusive identity or started new groups of their own. Nevertheless Tendai has attempted this universalization beyond their parent movement by the inclusion and accommodation of non-buddhist traditions such as mountain ascetics or Shamanism and Shintoism. Tendai went as far to recognize these polytheistic and animistic beliefs of Shinto by associating the Kami with the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas,Suijaku, who descend in the world to help mankind yet ironically there are certain Kami who are antagonistic as being bent on doing evil and violence. It appears that this diversification to adapt to new cultures by evolving new practices is more preoccupied with the goal of uniting Buddhism then it is to establish any sort of absolute truth.

Saicho or Dengyo Daishi who is the main founder of the Tendai sect in Japan pushed his agenda out of self interest which I believe is not complimentary with an authentic seeker who is submitted to finding truth wherever it will lead them but rather was on a quest to meet his personal goals and objectives as evidenced by his political maneuvering and influence with the court of Japan. For instance when he returned to Japan from China with his Tientai/Tiantai teachings Saicho was caught off guard because the court had more of an interest in esoteric beliefs which wasn’t as significant to this Chinese movement. He then revised his approach to include more of an esoteric emphasis to his teachings which over time continued to evolve with this sect in order to satisfy the whims of nobility in retaining power and influence even to the point that there was a competition for patronage through power struggles among the Shingon Tomitsu and Hosso schools to gain affluency in controlling the secrecy of these rituals and doctrines. Also the nobles sought to control these ritual lineages as well by limiting commoners and women from obtaining positions of authority which seems counter intuitive to the prospect of everyone obtaining enlightenment or buddhahood in this present age and body. Anyway this dual was ongoing as Ennin and Enchin were persistent on finding the most and best rituals by traversing to China to secure more information but latter others like Ryogen would change or adopt them based on their own stipulations and needs for developing other rituals. Consequently this brawl continued until Enchin’s school of Jimon and Ennin’s school of Sanmon were fighting amongst themselves leading to bloodshed and the burning of their temples. Even today this movement which teaches a universal buddhahood is segregated between ritual and doctrine being subdivided into at least 20 different Tendai sects. In the final analysis what was meant to unite has only divided.

Furthermore this adaptation shifted again when Dengyo began to lose about half of his disciples who defected to other religious orders or returned home. Therefore he tried to use his political influence with the court to retain his followers in a cultish form of isolation by the reformation of the educational system of monastic discipline and the ordination procedure in which they were to remain secluded within the monastery boundaries on Mount Hiei for a 12 year period. Moreover, he resorted to writing some of his major works in defense of Tendai and argued that everyone can obtain buddhahood in this lifetime through Tendai and esoteric practices. Mostly Saicho’s work was polemical in trying to prove Tendai doctrine and practice as superior to other Japanese buddhist schools in a pick and choose sort of fashion which was inclusive in many things while rejecting other doctrines such as the Hosso school and Nara buddhism. These teachings and practices were further altered as Japanese monks, who like Saicho, revised maters through their commentaries according to their own personal concerns and views by sometimes taking the sutras out of context to suit their own purposes by pushing this movement in a new direction.

Thus this whole paradigm shift was not due to the pursuit of truth or enlightenment but was rather concerned with appealing to the royal court in attracting the nobles and imperial family along with their personal interests.

Another discrepancy with this movement is the violation to the basic values of buddhist philosophy as following the soft way in keeping harmony and peace with others through compassion, tolerance, passiveness and gentleness which is oxymoronic to the historical records of this bloody and violent movement in which there was even warrior monks who were not given over to just mediation but rather to protect and fight in the temples interest.

Contrarily the Buddha taught the middle way by avoiding extremes in reference to the four noble truths of ceasing worldly attachment and desire and yet their actions have violated and transgressed these principles by being politically minded and motivated through their participation in the unethical practices of gaining privileges, power, prestige, financial gain and domains which caused them to mercilessly fight among their buddhist brethren.

In retrospect to all of this, Saicho taught that all believers should seek self perfection and act for the benefits of others which is the manifestation of the “bodhisattva ideal” in their outward life. Yet I see no evidence of this based upon the historical background of this movement. You might say well it isn’t that way now and that was the past but what good is the present structure if it has a faulty foundation as being built on the bedrock of immorality? Does this radical departure from orthodox Buddhism signify the essence of truth? Also if the original founders were unable to obtain these standards of morality then what hope is there for the common practitioner? In summary I find a lack of evidence and consistency between their actions and doctrinal statements.

In conclusion Saicho believed that the religious faculties in Japan had matured among buddhists and that they were ready to advance to the perfect teaching, Engyo, of the Tendai school. Yet based on my research I find their own claims internally inconsistent. Also he thought that he was living at the end of the period of the counterfeit dharma, Zomatsu, described as an era in which many monks would be corrupt and covetous yet within his own movement this would be prophetically descriptive and self fulfilled according to this philosophical position. Lastly does Saicho’s appeal for perfection coincide with the reality of your own personal life? Especially as it relates to your present state of achieving enlightenment or buddhahood in this life, Sokushin Jobutsu?

Also as a side note what I find irreconcilable is the folklore and superstition of pantheistic beliefs as teaching that buddhahood is intrinsic to all things which includes animate and inanimate objects such as ants, crickets, mountains, rivers, grass, trees and that the Buddha of the sutras is just a provisional sign as the real Buddha is the worldling or the phenomenal world. Yet going back to my previous question if you are an enlightened being then what is the evidence of your obtaining buddhahood as being indicative of your life? Perhaps this whole concept is as mythological as the fictional storyline of Saicho’s stating that the chinese Bodhidharma would be mysteriously reborn in Japan or perhaps as erroneous as Saicho’s disciple Kojo who claimed Shotoku was a reincarnation of Nanyue Huisi when Shotoku was born before Huisi died.

In closing this religion lacks coherency as borrowing a hodge podge of ideas from other groups and so how can you be confident that this movement has really assimilated every essential doctrine? Also if Tendai is the present standard then based on its previous tendency to change over time then what would protect or guarantee this sect from mutating and devolving in transforming it’s appearance for the philosophical appeal of future generations as adapting to the changing landscape of the next horizon of religious beliefs? If doctrine and practice can be modified and obsolete then it seems inconsistent that you can both say that presently it is a perfect teaching and then latter revise it and still hold to it as being the quintessential component of truth. This would be to say that the essential aspects of truth are variable and are subjective but our needs do not dictate the reality of truth as we conform to it not vice versa. Adaptability may be seen as a survivalist strategy to cultural changes but this does not necessitate the essence of truth which is beyond the temporary confines of time and space as being eternally set. We don’t see some of the laws of nature changing or being manipulated this way as they are typically the same now as they have been in the distant past or future and just because we find methods of dealing with their effects does not remove their imposing presence and influence upon reality. This movement has used pragmatism or that “which works” as a measuring rod for what is necessarily true and yet truth isn’t dependent upon us but is outside of our control as being a fixed constant. Our concern as a genuine prospector of truth is not trying to make dirt into gold but rather looking for this rare element in areas which may lay beyond our immediate search area of experience and culture. Also we essentially should not need our concept of truth to be correct merely to satisfy our desire to be right about our spiritual experiences as truth is not dependent upon our emotional state or personal needs which could lead us astray by betraying and deceiving our hearts. Therefore I would encourage you to look at an alternative movement that has had a world wide and universal impact regardless of socio-political boundaries as incorporating all of mankind.

Based on the evidence of the Christian worldview it is Jesus not the Lotus Sutra which is unifying every tribe, tongue and nation under the banner of one direct path, Jikido, of salvation in that Jesus is the only way. One of the many ways this confidence can be verified is as we see this reality from more of a global perspective as millions of lives have been changed including my own.

jesusandjews.com/wordpress/my-personal-testimony-with-jesus/

www.cbn.com/700club/features/Amazing/

Finally the history of this movement and its leadership is controversial and are you willing to base your life of trusting in this organization as being potentially detrimental towards your spiritual well being? Additionally at the end of the day what do you do with your guilt? Its presence should be a wake up call that there is something definitely wrong in your heart of which reciting the Lotus Sutra in the morning and the Buddha’s name at night can never relieve.

To bring this to a close I must apologize if it seems I gave an unbalanced or harsh assessment of this movement as I would do nothing to purposely harm or hurt the precious person who has read the content of this post. My intent is to simply make you aware of the underlying issues of this movement by exposing its falsehoods and give you other opportunities to seek spiritual fulfillment. My friend in my appeal I can assure you that my motives are altruistic and all I would simply ask of you is to be open and receptive to other possibilities and to pray to God to reveal to you this Jesus in such a way so as to entrust your life to Him. God bless.

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Reiyukai Resources

Saturday, June 30th, 2012

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Reiyukai

Saturday, June 30th, 2012

Mainly what I am discussing in this post concerning Reiyūkai Shakaden are the nuances of belief which I have not yet covered in the other two posts which I wrote regarding Nichiren Buddhism and Rissho Kosei Kai.

jesusandjews.com/wordpress/2012/06/15/nichiren-buddhism/

jesusandjews.com/wordpress/2012/06/28/rissho-kosei-kai/

To begin with some of the controversy that surrounds this sect centers upon its spiritual leader, Kimi Kotani, who is regarded by some as a living buddha but I believe she has failed to live up to her title of greatness due to financial corruption along with participating in the occultic ritual of quasi shamanistic faith healing. Moreover I question whether or not she fully lived up to her causes as bettering the habitability of others along with imparting self-esteem to her followers. Anyway it is customary for many religions and faiths to overextend the magnitude of their beloved leaders and I apologize if my opening statement seems disrespectful or offensive by taking a direct approach of confronting these issues but even if it seems sacrilegious for me to speak this way towards someone whom you highly honor and admire it is equally scandalous to overlook the evidence as defrauding others as an impostor.

To start with the Reiyukai sect combines both the teaching of the Lotus Sutra along with ancestor worship. Ironically the Lotus Sutra, which is the primary sacred text of this group, does not even recognize this practice and for something that is so pivotal towards spiritual acclamation to not even mention ancestor veneration should be cause enough among themselves to question this entire system of belief.

Also this groups reemphasis and reformation of ancestor worship was due to the negligent duties among the clergy resulting in this lay movement which took over the rites as a means of saving their society from what was perceived as an apocalyptical disaster as indicated by the social, political and natural realms of Japanese society. This same reactionary response was reminiscent of Nichiren’s time in the 1200’s as he interpreted his age as the degeneration of society in fulfillment to the concept of mappo or mafo . However I find both claims and positions to be questionable in having not proven their theories which seem to stem from more of an emotional appeal or response to their contemporaneous age of affairs.

As applying the prescriptive procedures of Nichiren Buddhism and Reiyukai through its significant group of followers there is still today a considerable threat to the breakdown of Japanese culture as they have endured major warfare and ongoing natural calamities thus the efficacy of these religious positions lacks conviction based upon their impotent outcome. Moreover perhaps Reiyukai has come to realize their shortcomings of restoring society through ancestor veneration and have more recently resorted to taking a proactive approach as being involved in the social, welfare and youth programs as a way of making a difference.

In response to the concept of ancestor worship as a spiritual discipline; I find it more akin to folklore and superstition in seeing ones relatives as a means to deal or cope with the tragedy of life. Furthermore ancestor worship is a syncretistic practice shared by various religions and in the same way it has failed to produce verifiable evidence of success among these various cultures it likewise is inconclusive on drawing any kind of relationship between the causal agent of ancestor distress as coinciding with any dysfunctional effects on Japanese society. Additionally this phenomena of deterioration goes beyond this island mentality as we live in a sick world that has gone viral in its pandemic contribution to the illness of mankind of which every aspect of society has been infected.

Accordingly the bible as a parental guide offers a more probable or consistent application or scope to what is happening globally in our world today as being indicative of God’s judgment upon the evil of mankind for rejecting the truth of God. This may not all together be a negative thing as these retributive signs could be considered a positive act of grace or a wake up call for what will catastrophically and irreversibly take place in the last days. Nevertheless the good news is that when we embrace and receive His righteousness then we can experience peace with God which first transforms individuals and then society.

In conclusion you may say that I am in the same dilemma of proving my point but what I am overwhelmed with is the trustworthiness of the overall evidence of at least the impact of this reality as regenerating millions of lives including my own. Thus I am leaving you with some testimonials and I would simply ask you to listen or read these stories with the same openness that a child might have towards new or fresh ideas. Finally I would encourage you to pray to God to open your heart and reveal Jesus to you in such as way so as to believe upon Him.

jesusandjews.com/wordpress/my-personal-testimony-with-jesus/

www.cbn.com/700club/features/Amazing/

Romans 1:18-23

¹⁸For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. ¹⁹For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. ²⁰For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. ²¹For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. ²²Claiming to be wise, they became fools, ²³and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

Romans 5:1-3;8-11

5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. ²Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

⁸but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

How to know God

Reiyukai Resources

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Rissho Kosei Kai Resources

Thursday, June 28th, 2012

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Rissho Kosei Kai

Thursday, June 28th, 2012

I have previously written about Nichiren Buddhism of which Rissho Kosei Kai shares a common origin with along with the movement known as Reiyukai .

jesusandjews.com/wordpress/2012/06/15/nichiren-buddhism/

It founders Nikkyo Niwano and Myoko Naganuma have incorporated questionable methods of spirituality as being involved in the occultic practices of fortune telling and shamanism. Nikkyo employed fortune telling as a means to gain converts by using peoples names, dates (rokuyo) and directions (shichishin).

Myoko used shamanistic practices and was referred to as a prophetess who occasionally received revelations or messages from the spirit world by means of divination. She also claimed miraculous healing but ironically and tragically her life was plagued with disease and illness which calls to question her position as a spiritual elitist or the belief system regarding karmic forces or both.

My question to you based on the integrity and background of these individuals is why would you place your trust in them as spiritual leaders as being involved in the dark practices of satanic ritual and superstitious behavior?

Anyway on the positive side of this movement is their humanitarian and social achievements nonetheless this is something in which other Japanese people are interested in as well and it doesn’t justify a religious identity or platform to support a philanthropic program. Their ability to be able to behave humanely towards others does not mean that they hold the quintessential key to truth as there are other groups and organizations which are globally doing the same thing.

Originally this movement had its roots in happiness through the elimination of negative karmic forces but latter adopted the perfection of personality and the practice of achieving peace on earth which was a paradigm shift and a reactionary response to several factors such as global conflict, economics and a new generation of believers and thus this move was not primarily inspired by the sacred text of the Lotus Sutra as necessitating truth. So if this group has set its own values and course as based on the emotional tide of cultural changes then what would guarantee that the scenery would stay the same due the shifting landscape of time and how is this centered on a eternal reality due to its temporal scope of activity which might be a short term fix or application of pragmatism?

Anyway based on the position of this organization which allows for interfaith dialogue and participation from other religious backgrounds I would simply ask you to take the opportunity in researching other areas of faith especially if they are already in agreement with the common goal of helping humanity.

In closing I am leaving you with some websites which may be helpful in your quest for spiritual truth.

Four Spiritual Laws

Jesus Film: view in Japanese

Japanese Living Bible

Faith Comes By Hearing

How to know God

Rissho Kosei Kai Resources

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