By Reverend Shoshin Kawabe, Myogyoji Temple, West Chicago
Myogyoji News, Oct/Nov 1993
Nichiren Daishonin wrote about True Buddhism in his "Letter to The Brothers":
"If you propagate it, devils will arise without fail. Were it not for these, there would be no way of knowing that this is the true teaching. One passage from the fifth volume of the Maka Shikan] reads, "as practice progresses and understanding grows, the three obstacles and four devils emerge, vying with one another to interfere...., You should be neither influenced nor frightened by them. If you fall under their influence, you will be led into the paths of evil If you are frightened by them, you will be prevented from practicing true Buddhism." This quotation not only applies to Nichiren but also is the guide for his disciples. Reverently make this teaching your own and transmit it as an axiom of faith for future generations." (Mw1-145)
Good morning everybody. I appreciate your attending Nichiren Daishonin's Oko today out of your deep faith. I have respectfully offered your Gokuyo to the Gohonzon. Also I prayed for the deepening of your faith, the progress of your shakubuku, the keeping of Hotto-sozoku (passage of faith to the future generation), the safety of your family, the fulfillment of your wishes and Itai Doshin.
From today on I would like to talk about Gongyo, but I want to talk about the function of "devils" in Buddhist practice before going further. If we compare faith to food, then the function of a devil is that of a poison. We can select a wholesome food to eat, but if it has been tainted by the addition of poison, it will cause sickness or death. Our faith is the same.
Even though people do Gongyo, Shodai and shakubuku prodigiously, if they commit the fourteen slanders and slander the Three Treasures, they will assuredly fall under the sway of devils, and devilish functions. Not only will they fail to receive benefit, but even more serious, it will cause them to fall into hell.
But, as the passage from the "Letter to the Brothers" indicated, people who practice True Buddhism correctly, will surely be confronted by devilish functions; obstacles, interference to one's practice, and attempts to destroy unity. Therefore, I want to talk about these "Sansho Shima" before discussing Gongyo itself.
Sansho Shima means three obstacles and four devils. The three obstacles are bonno-sho, go-sho and ho-sho. (he four devils are bonno-ma, on-ma, shi-ma and tenshi-ma. I won't explain the meaning of each individual word today, rather I will concentrate on their effect on our Buddhist practice.
The Daishonin said earlier in the same Gosho:
"The Devil of the Sixth Heaven enters the lives of a man's wife and children and deludes him. He also possesses the sovereign in order to threaten the votary of the Lotus Sutra, or causes parents to hinder the faith of devoted children." (MW 1-137)
There are many kind of obstacles and devils, countless kinds. They can be divided into seven main categories (three kinds of obstacles and four kinds of devils). If people have no faith and don't practice True Buddhism, then these devils will not appear. However, then people would also bc unable to eradicate negative karma, and could never realize true happiness. Sansho Shima will appear when people have strong faith and confidence and try to develop strong unity between the priesthood and laity.
Nichiren Daishonin teaches us in the Gosho "Three Obstacles and Four Devils":
"There is definitely something extraordinary in the ebb and flow of the tide, (he rising and setting of the moon, and the way in which summer, autumn, winter and spring give way to each other. Something uncommon also occurs when an ordinary person attains Buddhahood. At such a time, the three obstacles and four devils will invariably appear, and the wise will rejoice while the foolish retreat." (MW2-288)
The appearance of devils is proof of correct faith. Consequently, we should rejoice when they appear. Our Buddhist practice is a form of training; it trains our life correctly. Therefore, our enlightened life condition, which has been trained through our practice, will manifest in times of adversity. Our lives may not appear different from others in good times, but in time of crisis we are able to prove our real worth and the value of this practice. However, if you don't possess the correct attitude toward faith in your heart, then your practice will also be incorrect.
If somebody tells you that "If you do this practice, then you can fulfill any desire and never have unpleasant circumstances or any problems" and they tell you that only these things are the Gohonzon's benefit, they are making a drastic mistake. That kind of thinking is not only a source of unhappiness, but it degrades the person and may lead to an irreparable error for the future. People can get big money or a big house to be sure, this is one kind of benefit, but it is a secondary or side benefit of practice, not the main purpose or result. With this kind of thinking you might as well have your big house built on a dirt floor, and drive your luxury car with a flat tire. It is this dangerous.
We find stated in the Gosho "On the Buddha's Behavior":
"If, with (he mind of the Buddha, one practices the Lotus Sutra as the Buddha taught, in the right manner and at the right time, then these seven obstacles and devils will confront him. The Devil of the Sixth Heaven is the most powerful. He will possess one's sovereign, parents, wife or children, fellow believers or evil men, and through them will attempt in a friendly manner to divert him from his practice of the Lotus Sutra, or will oppose him outright." (MW 1-185)
The Daishonin warns us here about tenshi-ma (devils of heaven). This passage mentions "fellow believers." This means aha[ the devil of heaven will confront you and your fellow believers. You may feel that you practice honestly, but the Devil of the Sixth Heaven watches for a mind or heart made weak and vulnerable by slander, doubt or arrogance, and will provide the temptation to destroy Buddhism in an unguarded moment.
Often a very serious disease has a silent or slow onset. There aren't any subjective symptoms to indicate that the person is ill. By the time the person becomes aware of his disease, it is too late for treatment. Dreadfully, people who allow devils to enter their minds also have no subjective symptoms. While believing strongly in the righteousness of their own words and actions, they, nonetheless, set about to systematically destroy Buddhism. Disgracefully, although they slander the faith, these people are convinced that their actions are correct.
In "The Opening of the Eyes" Gosho, the Daishonin quotes from the thirteenth chapter of the Lotus Sutra in the following way:
"There will be monks in that evil age with perverse views and hearts that are fawning and crooked who will say they have attained what they have not attained, being proud and boastful in heart." (MW2-178)
Although this quotation refers to the behavior and hearts of priests of other religions in the Latter Day of the Law, lay believers, too, can be guilty of the same things. This is when people commit the Fourteen Slanders.
Of the fourteen slanders:
"arbitrary, egotistical judgment" is using your own self judgment about this Buddhism.
"Shallow, self-satisfied understanding" is having the illusion that your own shallow knowledge is absolute and never changing your mind.
"Arrogance" is taking it for granted that your ideas are better than the priest's teachings and never changing your mind.
"Lack of seeing spirit" is not wanting to understand the priest's warnings and being self satisfied.
"Not believing" is not wanting to believe the teachings of the priest as well as doubting the Three Treasures of the Buddha, the Law and the priest. Other slanders include hate, holding grudges, having contempt and disparaging the Three Treasures.
Now, are there any people like that here? Each of you should question yourself privately in your own heart.
"Letter from Sado" states:
"Neither non-Buddhists nor the enemies of Buddhism can destroy the Buddha's True Law, but the Buddha's disciple definitely can. As the Sutra says, a parasite in the lion's bowels will devour the lion. A man of great fortune cannot be ruined by his enemies but only by those close to him." (MW 1-35)
This Nichiren Shoshu can never be destroyed from outside, but like the mighty king of beasts, it can be destroyed from within. The Hokkeko is like the lion and any believer who succumbs to the influence of devils because he fails to correct his twisted attitude, becomes the parasite eating away from within. Worst of all, this kind of member fails to realize that his own behavior is the act of sabotage. This is frightening.
In the "Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life" the Daishonin says:
"If any of Nichiren's disciples should disrupt the unity of itai-doshin, he will destroy his own castle from within." (Mw 1-22)
The Daishonin admonishes this strictly. Regardless of what one professes to call himself, such a person will never bc a real Nichiren Shoshu member or the Daishonin's disciple in reality. Moreover, those who make friends in order to form a clique, try to attract others with words like honey. If, however, the other person doesn't follow them, then "it is the nature of beasts to threaten the weak and fear the strong" (MW1-35).
They then try to make a person give in by abuse and cruelty. Those who are causing disunity among believers are committing one of the worst sins -- one of The Five Cardinal Sins. Shakyamuni taught that anyone who commits one of the five cardinal sins invariably falls into the hell of incessant suffering just like Devadatta who was jealous of the Buddha and tried to steal his followers and destroy him. The Daishonin expounds that those who self-reflect and never repeat the sinful action, and practice the true leaching honestly, can expiate their suffering and karma and attain Buddhahood. Nonetheless, people who do Gongyo and chant Daimoku but cause disunity between the priesthood and lay believers receive no benefit and still fall into hell. It is the same as drinking poison with goad food. Please take note of the following three admonishments from the Gosho.
"The Fourteen Slanders"
"There are many forms of slander that go against the correct practice of this Sutra. All those who keep in the Lotus Sutra are most certainly Buddhas, and one who slanders a Buddha commits a grave offense." (MW3-208)
"Reply to Konichi Shonin"
"Because of their sin of slander to the Three Treasure of the Sutra, the Buddha and the priest, they will in this life enter into the life condition of anger, and after their deaths fall into the hell of incessant suffering." (GZ-933)
"The Appearance of Slander" (Ken hobo sho)
"If Buddha were to explain the suffering of this hell in detail, those who heard his words would surely drop over dead vomiting blood." (GZ-447)
We must be diligent in our practice and lake these Gosho passages seriously to heart.
People who overcome the persecution of Sansho-Shima, are traveling straight to Buddhahood in the future.The Gosho mentions this, too. "On Persecutions Befalling the Buddha" states:
"Even if we, too, should meet such severe trials, we will attain Buddhahood in the future. Our present tribulations are like moxa cautery, minor pain necessary to remove greater pain." (MW l-242)
However, I feel great pain and pity in my heart when I see people who are traveling the straight road to hell because of Sansho shima, even though they are Nichiren Shoshu believers. Please be careful to practice honestly. Today's lecture was very strict, but it was meant for the sake of your practice, I would like to quote a passage for the guidance of your practice in the future. "Questions and Answers on Embracing the Lotus Sutra"
"Now, if you wish to attain Buddhahood, you have only to lower the banners of your arrogance, call aside the staff of your anger, and devote yourself exclusively to the one vehicle of the Lotus Sutra. Worldly lame and profit are mere baubles of your present existence, and arrogance and prejudice are ties that will fetter you in a future one. Ah, you should be ashamed of them! And you should fear them, too!" (MW5-25)
Finally I pray for the ever increasing purity of your faith.
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