Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life, Part 3

How To Live

When I joined the members said Buddhism taught us how to live. Sometimes they'd say things like, “The Gakkai is like a world-wide school on how to live. Or, “Sensei is teaching us all how to live.” By the way, this was before there were any Soka schools. Even Soka University Japan wasn't open then.

I did not understand what they meant by “how to live.” They taught us to chant and do shakubuku. I don't remember anyone teaching me how to live. No one said anything about flossing my teeth, parallel parking or, most importantly, how to meet women. When I read Sensei's guidance and later, when I met him, it seemed the last thing he did was tell anyone how to live.

I didn't get it.

It has taken a while but I get it now. All along the Soka Gakkai has been teaching me the principles of how life works and teaching me the skills to live in accordance with those principles.

Sensei's lecture that we are studying on the Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life is one of the lessons in this education. It is one of the most intense, jam-packed lessons. He is teaching us the principles of how life works and the skills for us to live it. He is teaching us about the amazing power that exists in each of our lives and how to tap that power. Developing and using those skills will guarantee us absolute happiness – courage, wisdom and compassion.

The skills and principles of happiness is the “Ultimate Law of Life.” Getting it and passing it on is the “Heritage.” That's all there is to it, mostly.

The Law Of Life and Death

Twenty five hundred years ago Shakyamuni set out to free all us folks from suffering. He wasn't especially interested in his own happiness; in fact he left behind a rather comfortable life. He discovered that the source of our suffering was our misunderstandings about how life worked. He called our misunderstandings 'delusion'.

Shakyamuni wasn't trying to eliminate pain from our lives. Good thing, since pain is unavoidable; pain is part of life. Sensei has tried to teach the world that pain and suffering are two different things. The opposite of pain is pleasure. The opposite of suffering is joy. The purpose of Buddhism, he's said, is to relieve suffering and replace it with joy. The world continues seeking pleasure and avoids pain. The net result is not much joy and way too much suffering.

Shakyamuni figured out that of all the things we misunderstand, the thing we most misunderstand is death. And that our confusion about death is the source of many of our sufferings.

The relationship between our misunderstandings about death and our suffering may not be immediately apparent. I invite you to seriously consider this relationship.

Likely most everyone is afraid of dying. Curiously the more you are afraid of dying the less you are able to live fully. I have a friend, let's call her Mary. Mary is afraid of everything the evening news tells her to be afraid of. If you sneeze near her she is sure she will catch SARS. When she moved she didn't buy a house in Mackenzie because it is on a flight path and she says, “planes fall.” It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Mary has problems with living as much as with dying. Normal, daily decisions are a source of anguish. Positive actions to effect real change in her life are next to impossible.

Shakyamuni did not invent the idea of reincarnation. Most Indians of his day believed in some form of reincarnation. Shakyamuni's awakening was the understanding that the process of living and dying was the same for gods and dogs, for people and elephants and the universe itself. He realized that the process was compassionate, that by taking compassionate action we could live in accordance with our fellows, our selves and our environment. In the Lotus Sutra Shakyamuni developed fully the idea that this moment and this life contained the sacred. Nirvana, bliss, heaven are nowhere other then here and now.

Part one of Sensei's lecture explains the two common views of life and death – the nihilist view that life comes from nowhere and goes to nowhere and the idealist view that life comes from nowhere and goes to eternity. Both views see one lifetime as sandwiched between two absolute
walls. Birth is seen as the absolute beginning and death as the absolute end.

The sandwich is a rut. We are trapped with an absolute birth on one side and an absolute death on the other. The path may twist and turn but we can't get out. We can't make real decisions that will change our life. Do you feel in a rut? Do you feel in a box? Do you feel unable to effect real change? Do you feel chronically unfulfilled, chronically dissatisfied?

This is our delusion about life and death. This is how NOT to become happy, how NOT to live. The Law of Life and Death is how to become happy, how to live.

The Ultimate Bit

OK, the Law of Life is the principles and skills of living happily. Why is it called “Ultimate?” The term “Ultimate” is taken from the Lotus Sutra. It is from the Expedient Means chapter, a passage following the portion we recite in Gongyo. The passage refers to the Buddha's purpose:

“The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones , wish to open the door of Buddha wisdom to all
living beings, to allow them to attain purity. That is why they appear in the world. They wish to show the Buddha wisdom to living beings, and therefore they appear in the world. They wish to cause living beings to awaken to the Buddha wisdom, and therefore they appear in the world. They wish to induce living beings to enter the path of Buddha wisdom, and therefore
they appear in the world. Shariputra, this is the one great reason for which the Buddhas
appear in the world.”

See the expression “one great reason?” Our Gosho title “Ultimate” is translated from those three words, “one great reason.” Ultimate means the Buddha's purpose, the one great raison d'etre for the Buddha's appearance. It is the Buddha's motivation; the Buddha's vow. For the last few years our organization has taught us over and over about the “vow.” Are you tired of hearing about the vow? Do you know everything about the vow already? Well, here it is again.

The vow is not a wish, a hope nor a New Year's resolution. A vow is a decision. It is a decision to spend our life as the Buddha did – taking compassionate action in accord with the compassionate principles of life.

Of course when we make a decision to work compassionately we will face difficulties. What to do may not be clear. Often the greater the decision the less clear are the steps to fulfill the decision. You may have a great goal, but not the faintest idea what steps to take to get there. Once I heard Sensei talk about this topic. He asked how do you walk on a path where there is no path?

He told us about the time after Toda-Sensei died. He said members talked about world-wide propagation but no one had any clear idea how to do it. It was a lofty goal, almost pure idealism. Sensei said that instead of looking out at some idealistic dream he looked down. He looked down at the earth and at his feet. He took one step forward, then another. Gradually, painstakingly, he created a path where there'd been no path.

You may not always feel especially compassionate. That's OK. Compassion in Buddhism is not a feeling. Compassion is action, behavior. You may not be the compassionate type. I understand. I can relate.

What to do?

What are we non-compassionate folks to do?

The SGI is working 24/7 around the world to fulfill the Buddha's purpose of relieving suffering and giving joy. The SGI is tirelessly behaving compassionately. We can help in that great effort.

We can pitch in. Find a way to be part of that great work.

You might think that you have to be strong to work compassionately. You might think you have to first get the benefit before you share the joy of faith with others. You are wrong. You've put the cart before the horse. Strength is the result of compassion, not the cause. Sharing the joy of faith is the cause for benefit. Mrs Izumi often taught us that those who are struggling are closest to Sensei.

Recently I heard a story that illustrates this point. The story was told by the personal growth psychologist Gay Hendricks. Hendricks got a long distance phone call from a guy who was extremely distraught and depressed. The guy could barely speak into the phone. He had almost no life energy. Hendricks had no idea what to say. So Hendricks asked him, “Think about everything that happened today. Was there anything you saw or heard, any situation that you could be of help?” Hendricks said the phone went silent for a very long time. Finally the guy said that there was an old lady who lived in the apartment below him. The entrance to her apartment was filled with garbage. It always pissed him off but she was too frail to clean it up. Hendricks said, “Don't hang up. I'll stay on the line. Go get a broom and garbage bags, whatever you need, and clean up the mess. Get back on the phone when you are done.” and the guy did. He cleaned up the mess. When he got back on the phone his voice was stronger. He had hope.

So don't ever think you aren't capable of helping others. Don't ever think “someone else can do it.” Don't ever think “Back in the old days I did it, but times have changed.” That is living in the past. Don't ever think, “When I get my life together (get healthy, get my degree, get more time).” That is living in the future. Don't ever think, “Over there (in Japan, in L.A., outside Japan, back where I came from) they really fight hard.” That is living outside yourself. Don't ever think “I can't do it cause my leader is a stinker.” That is just silly.

What about if you are too stupid or too fat or too thin or too poor? Nonsense! You aren't too anything. You can't be too anything. Nichiren says you are a happy Buddha. Nichiren says the heritage exists in you and only in you. Our movement needs you just the way you are, now, today. Suffering people are waiting for you to relieve their suffering and give them joy, now, today.

Figure out what you can do here and now. It can be something really small. Decide to do it and do it. No one has to know.You don't need anyone's permission. It can be your little secret.

Don't know what to do? Here are some suggestions. You may find some of these hard to do, some easy. All of them are fun, if you do them. I am sure you can think of your own.

Find some member who is alienated and doesn't attend the meetings. Befriend them. Study with them. I bet that will help you feel less alienated.

Teach someone gongyo. Don't just hand them a CD with gongyo on it. Do slow gongyo with them. I bet that will help improve your gongyo.

Here is another idea: You know how when there is a special meeting and they receive a message from Sensei, often in the message he will say, "Please give my regards to those who could not attend" or something similar. He means it. Print copies of the message and take them to everyone in your district who did not attend the meeting. If you can, read the message with them. This is amazingly powerful. You will be blown away by what happens.

Here is another idea: Some districts make lists of people who we are supposed to chant for. Do it. If the district leaders aren't on the list you add them to the list. What does it mean to chant "for" someone? It means three things: 1) that they realize their mission, their life's purpose. 2) that they fulfill their life's purpose. 3) that they fully experience the joy of the Law. When I was in the hospital recently many people chanted for me, thank you all so very, very much. One member, let's call her Sue, sat down and chanted ten hours for me. Wow. Her little secret. How do I say thank you for that?

Here is another idea: You know how when there is a pot luck certain people bring stuff and certain people don't and usually it is the same people? Are you a "don't bring stuff" person? Next time find one of the "bring stuff" people and help them prepare their pot luck. Pick up the ingredients or help them clean up or something. Are you a "bring stuff" person? Next time find one of the "don't bring stuff" people and invite them over and prepare the pot luck together. You will have fun; you will create unity.

When Yoshiko moved to Canada. She worked for an affluent Jewish family, the Cohens. The Cohens built the Performing Arts Centre downtown. I saw Harry Cohen twice before he died. Once Yoshiko took me to his office to meet him. I saw him one other time. He was standing in the parking lot of the Jewish Funeral Home on 17th Ave. You know the one as you go up the hill near the old Children's Hospital? He was standing there all alone wearing what looked like a very expensive suit. He was picking up trash off the parking lot floor. There was Harry Cohen, all alone. He could hire a hundred garbage men. I thought, now that is cool.

Later we built the Calgary Community Centre. Every time I go there before I walk in I pick up the trash that has accumulated in front of the building. Twenty years. Every time. Whether I am in high spirits or not, whether I am feeling all bitter and self-righteous and ornery. My little secret.

I have a friend, let's call her Anne. Anne has just about everything wrong you can imagine. When she was young she experienced all kinds of abuse. Later she was struck with all kinds of diseases. Later still she had her spine crushed, yes crushed. Recently she was diagnosed with lymphoma. As far as I can tell she has no apparent source of income. She is most definitely not independently wealthy. You'd look at her circumstances and think, “probably not much she can do.” Anne thinks there is nothing she can NOT do. She travels around the world giving lectures and organizing groups to support the United Nations. She also travels around the world organizing support for aboriginal people. She tells me it is getting harder to travel around the world as she gets older (duh). It is hard to sit on airplanes with a crushed spine (double duh.) The last time Yoshiko and I visited her she gave us stuff. Anne would not stop giving us stuff. She gave us music CDs. She gave us shakubuku cards. She gave us magazines that I already have. She gave us food. She gave us words of encouragement that went right into the centre of our being. She spoke to Yoshiko after knowing her for two hours with more insight then anyone who has known Yoshiko for decades. She has more real fortune and less wealth then anyone I've ever met. One of my daughters said to me, “Dad, you have to understand, anne doesn't need things the way other people need things.” She is totally engaged in people's lives while totally self sufficient and independent. Anne is about the happiest and wisest person I know. She has learned well the lessons of how to live. Anne has been paying attention in this wonderful world-wide SGI classroom. She figures out what she can do to relieve others' suffering and give joy, here and now.

Heritage

“Heritage” means learning the lessons of life and death and passing them on to others. Heritage does not mean some ritual that only special people can attend. Nichiren knew well the tendency to make heritage into entitlement. In this writing he goes out of his way to reject that notion. Still that tendency exists. Some people believe and may try to tell you that Nichiren's heritage was inherited in some secret ceremony of priests. Or that some select group has got the answers. As we study this gosho and Sensei's lecture it should become clear how wrong that belief is. But the tendency will always be with us whenever we look to the outside for our salvation or look to the outside to blame for our problems.

Have you ever been to a reading of a will? Ordinary people gather, usually at a lawyer's office. They are the heirs to a deceased persons inheritance. The will is read and everyone learns what they are to receive from the deceased. They experience all manner of extraordinary feelings – grief, guilt, jealousy, fear, doubt.

Consider an SGI meeting. Ordinary people, with all the struggles and pains of ordinary people, gather, usually at someone's house. It is also a law office -- a Mystic Law office! They gather to encourage each other and to share the extraordinary joy of faith with others. Whether knowingly or not they are “reading” the Buddha's will and struggling to apply it in their world.

The heritage must flow through us. It must not flow into us. If it just flows into us and we don't share it, the flow stops. The heritage stops. We are stuck in the rut again. Worse, all the people who are waiting for you will be lost. We have to work for the happiness of others. Shakubuku is not just for the people who are good at it. You've heard of the two ways of practice for self and for others? Sometimes I hear people using one to trump the other. Huh? Sometimes if I am talking about doing shakubuku someone will say, “Well, yes, but you have to practice for yourself first,” as if there are two practices and we pick one or another according to circumstances. As if when we are struggling we need to practice for ourselves; when we are doing well then we should practice for others.

This is nonsense. For nearly eighty years the founding presidents of Soka Gakkai have taught that the way to change your destiny is by engaging in Bodhisattva practice. If the water of the heritage doesn't flow it becomes stagnant. Our lives become stagnant and we don't experience the joy of the law. There aren't two practices, one for oneself and one for others. There is only one practice – for oneself and others.

As I study Sensei's lecture on the Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life I notice that he doesn't spend much time talking about what happens after death. Although the subject matter is life and death he keeps most of the discussion in the here and now. It can be fun to speculate about after-life and such; never-the-less I suggest we follow his example.

In lecture 3 he talks about life and death being the “innate rhythm” of the Mystic Law. (NC Feb 08, pg 2) Right here and right now the Mystic Law is at work.. Death isn't the termination of life. Living and dying are two phases of all existence. Just as your lungs can be inhaling or exhaling, just as the moon can be becoming fuller or becoming narrower, just as the tide can be coming in or going out, everything can be in the state of life or death.

Life and death apply to all things not just those that are biologically alive. The actual structure of our world is living and dying. Death isn't just this inevitable finale to life. Death and life are with us every moment. In fact Sensei says, “life and death are the true substance of all beings.” (NC Feb 08, pg 3)