| Translated and edited by Udumbara Foundation staff. |
| This is NOT an official site of the Nichiren Shoshu Shoshin-kai |
| THOUGHTS By Reverend Raidou Hirota 2004 |
The "Rissho Ankoku Ron" says, if you oppose True Buddhism you
will have disharmony with your parents, brothers, sisters and
relatives. In the Latter Day there will be illness and trouble with the
economy, and anyone who tries to fix the problems will be
unsuccessful. These troubles will be widespread, occurring
everywhere. Doctors will try to cure diseases, but can't. They will
try to treat wounds that never heal. There will be more sickness
than can be cured. Wars will breakout. People will fall into the four
lower worlds. Even if you are fortunate to be born human, you and
your country will be embroiled in wars. You, yourself, will learn
how to kill. That's the kind of life you'll have. This teaching,
expounded by Nichiren Daishonin, was based on the teachings of
Shakyamuni Buddha. What is happening today is exactly as
Shakyamuni taught.
If human beings view the world as strong versus weak, rich versus
poor, big versus small, and feel that these distinctions are important
in their lives, then society will be confused and eventually our
civilization will collapse.
will have disharmony with your parents, brothers, sisters and
relatives. In the Latter Day there will be illness and trouble with the
economy, and anyone who tries to fix the problems will be
unsuccessful. These troubles will be widespread, occurring
everywhere. Doctors will try to cure diseases, but can't. They will
try to treat wounds that never heal. There will be more sickness
than can be cured. Wars will breakout. People will fall into the four
lower worlds. Even if you are fortunate to be born human, you and
your country will be embroiled in wars. You, yourself, will learn
how to kill. That's the kind of life you'll have. This teaching,
expounded by Nichiren Daishonin, was based on the teachings of
Shakyamuni Buddha. What is happening today is exactly as
Shakyamuni taught.
If human beings view the world as strong versus weak, rich versus
poor, big versus small, and feel that these distinctions are important
in their lives, then society will be confused and eventually our
civilization will collapse.
Nichiren Daishonin said that we cannot eliminate our desires. But we must realize
how foolish we are if we think, "I am the best," "Stronger is better," etc. such
thoughts add to the confusion. That's why we must practice
Namu-myoho-renge-kyo and have strong faith.
In the "Rissho Ankoku Ron" Nichiren Daishonin appealed to the Kamakura
government, warning that if the nation continued to worship the wrong religious,
there would be disease and pestilence, other countries would invade Japan, natural
disasters such as earthquakes would occur again and again and there would be
irregularities in the heavens. Of course, long ago the Japanese believed that comets
were a bad omen, and were frightened when they occurred. Nowadays, science
has proven that illness, earthquakes, comets and the like are natural occurrence and
not a result of religious belief. Scientists ridicule people who are afraid of
scientifically proven phenomena. Nevertheless, Nichiren Daishonin pointed out
hundreds of years ago that human life and the environment are interrelated. Yet to
scientists, an earthquake is an earthquake, a comet is a comet, and sickness is
sickness. Each are separate and independent of each other.
Just because you chant, there is no immediate possibility of having a world free of
war, disasters and hardship. But if each of us who believes and practices true
Buddhism were to stop practicing, society would worsen.
how foolish we are if we think, "I am the best," "Stronger is better," etc. such
thoughts add to the confusion. That's why we must practice
Namu-myoho-renge-kyo and have strong faith.
In the "Rissho Ankoku Ron" Nichiren Daishonin appealed to the Kamakura
government, warning that if the nation continued to worship the wrong religious,
there would be disease and pestilence, other countries would invade Japan, natural
disasters such as earthquakes would occur again and again and there would be
irregularities in the heavens. Of course, long ago the Japanese believed that comets
were a bad omen, and were frightened when they occurred. Nowadays, science
has proven that illness, earthquakes, comets and the like are natural occurrence and
not a result of religious belief. Scientists ridicule people who are afraid of
scientifically proven phenomena. Nevertheless, Nichiren Daishonin pointed out
hundreds of years ago that human life and the environment are interrelated. Yet to
scientists, an earthquake is an earthquake, a comet is a comet, and sickness is
sickness. Each are separate and independent of each other.
Just because you chant, there is no immediate possibility of having a world free of
war, disasters and hardship. But if each of us who believes and practices true
Buddhism were to stop practicing, society would worsen.
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