April 30 2019
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is not about romancing the metaphorical wish-granting jewel said to produce whatever ones desires, seeking patronage though the use of flattery to further one’s own interests for the purpose of receiving benefits, nor is it a love affair with human society, where we will suddenly achieve world peace. Both physical and spiritual aspects of all human activities (Ten Worlds) manifest in terms of how living entities respond to their surroundings (Three Realms of Existence), which reality possesses distinct characteristics (Ten Factors). Society relates to a normative standard for evaluating and making judgment about one’s behavior and outcomes, which is a PHENOMENA in human society that designates some actions or outcomes as good or desirable or permissible, and others as bad or undesirable or impermissible. “The true aspect invariably manifests in all phenomena, and all phenomena invariably manifest in the ten factors. The ten factors invariably manifest in the Ten Worlds, and the Ten Worlds invariably manifest in life and its environment.” (Nichiren) The phenomena that a great deal of present day norms manifest are states of life marked by suffering and despair, where some are governed by the impulse to destroy both them self and others (hell), insatiable selfish desires for wealth, fame, and pleasure (hunger), states in which one follows desires and instincts, turning totally toward self-preservation and immediate profit for lacking the wisdom of self-control (animality), and one who is driven by the competitive spirit to dominate, but cannot grasp things as they are and therefore trample on others (anger) to name a few. Whether society chooses to perceive (Five Components) normative values, such as profanity, public nudity, indecency, asexuality, abortion, homosexuality, birth control, adultery, and other stigmatized behaviors as good or desirable, or permissible, rather than as bad, undesirable or impermissible behavior is irrelevant to the question of world peace; only that there is no romancing the wish-granting jewel into effectuating states of life uncharacteristic of any cause. So when you ask, “Do you think everyone in the World should chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo before we can achieve World Peace?” it’s more like asking about how Nam-myoho-renge-kyo should be understood, which is essentially a claim about reason. The “concept” (Five Components) of a reason is difficult to explain, and best explained by example, in terms of experiences. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo roughly “gives the reason for,” counting in favor of opening the portal of wisdom in our life, to achieve claims about reason given the facts. No one stands to intervene between you and your embodiment of the Law in a dispute, in order to bring about an agreement or reconciliation. Buddhism makes no claim about how things should or ought to be, how to value them, which things are good or bad, or which actions are right or wrong. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo forms a relationship with, is an expression of your life, which involves one or more variables in terms of what is expressed in your daily life and what values one creates or depends on to achieve that. Thus; Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the wish-granting jewel said to have the power to produce whatever one desires. “In every living soul, a spirit cries for expression — perhaps this plaintive, wailing song of Jazz is, after all, the misunderstood utterance of a prayer.” –text of the opening title card from The Jazz Singer, 1927, Hollywood’s first feature-length “talkie.” In response to Lucious D Hiriams Do you think everyone in the World should chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo before we can achieve World Peace? https://www.facebook.com/groups/77525792766/?multi_permalinks=10157239296472767¬if_id=1556590500191809¬if_t=group_highlights