How and why many of us continued, aspiring to attain the Mind of the Buddha—Perfect Enlightenment. This is not the same as “Nirvana.” As the Buddha says in the Lotus Sutra, “All existences from the beginning are ever of the nirvana nature.” One cannot reach Perfect Enlightenment as the Buddha did under the Bodhi tree unless, along the path, one recognizes this true nirvana nature. Following are some of the words that inspired many of us to continue on this path, free of debilitating attachments, quiescence—Perfect Enlightenment—the Buddha’s intent: “Ever making this my thought, how shall I cause all the living to enter the Way supreme and speedily accomplish their Enlightenment?”

Science jump-starts practice

  In 1982-83 the process of learning and study jump-started by the Timothy Ferris article in the Sunday New York Times Magazine, “Beyond Newton and Einstein” and from his PBS special, “Creation of the Universe,” luring me into a world of cosmology and quantum physics. Cosmologists study the history of the universe; quantum physicists, the very small, seeking a theory of a grand, unified force field derived from primordial energy, resulting in the formation of all matter in the universe. Following this in 1983, further insights from Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time; Timothy Ferris’s Coming of Age in the Milky Way; Fritjof Capra’s The Turning Point. Further significant writings over the years to the present day, not surprisingly resonate with the teachings of the Buddha.

  When particle physicists began to explore the inner workings of atoms which make up everything in the universe, quantum mechanics and theories of relativity opened up “two very different paths for physicists to pursue, leading to, as Fritjof Capra says in The Turning Point, “the Buddha or the Bomb, and it is up to each of us to decide which path to take.”

  These explorations led physicists to conceptions of the universe as an interconnected web of relationships—webs of energy we call matter—and to the conclusion that these “cosmic webs of energy” are intrinsically dynamic and can be understood only in terms of movement, action and interaction.

  Timothy Ferris reminds us in Coming of Age in the Milky Way that quantum physicists discovered in their observations that what is perceived in experiments depend on the point of view of the observer, and this “tore down walls, reuniting mind with the wider universe . . . we do not see things in themselves, but only aspects of things. What we see in an electron path . . . is not an electron, and what we see in the sky are not stars.”  (One is reminded here of the central lesson of “The Magic City” – Chapter 7 of the Lotus Sutra – to see beyond appearances.)

  Just as the Buddha taught: things, phenomena, are what we choose to call them, in reality, not really what they are; that the true aspect is the one law, namely, nonform. These insights emerged from the most significant of all, discovering in 1985 the writings of Nikkyo Niwano, co-founder of Rissho Kosei-kai, a Buddhist layperson group numbering several million throughout the world. Niwano, tireless worker for world peace, devoted his life to the Lotus Sutra. He called himself a “Lifetime Beginner,” the title of his autobiography. His Guide to the Threefold Lotus Sutra and Buddhism for Today, a modern interpretation of the Threefold Lotus Sutra and his other writings, insured my own “lifetime” dedication to the sutra, and to the Buddha’s teachings.

Meditations 2/21/19

  From The New York Times article: “According to the Standard Model, the Higgs boson is the only manifestation of an invisible force field, a cosmic molasses that permeates space and imbues elementary particles with mass.  Particles wading through the field gain heft the way a bill going through Congress attracts riders and amendments, becoming ever more ponderous. [The possibility exists that other force fields – bosons – will be discovered.  “String theorists” believe this is so.]

  “Without the Higgs field, as it is known, or something like it, all elementary forms of matter would zoom around at the speed of light, flowing through our hands like moonlight.  There would be neither atoms nor life.” //

  Perhaps now we are given a new perspective on the inspired declaration of Nikkyo Niwano (which had a profound affect on my practice when I first stumbled upon it): We are caused to live by the great life-force of the universe. Caused to live simply because symmetry was broken—the symmetry that is, of all elementary forms of matter broken up by force field(s)  that gives them mass. Energy becomes matter—becomes us. We exist. Sitting in front of the Mandala and proclaiming once again devotion to the “Mysterious Law of the Lotus” I am returning to the symmetry found at the very beginning of time. Today, here and now, another opportunity presents itself to begin again—accepting the miracle of existence.

Here concluding the meditation “The Miracle of Existence” – at Ancestral Well blog (in reverse order)

Meditations 2/20/19

Accepting the Miracle of Existence

As to the Higgs boson, or “Higgs force field,” the event is an inspiration.  All those men and women, Peter Higgs among them, who never gave up  believing this boson exists, even though some called them bonkers.  “Here at the Aspen Center for Physics, a retreat for scientists, bleary-eyed physi­cists drank Champagne in the wee hours as word arrived via Webcast from CERN. It was a scene duplicated in Melbourne, Australia, where physicists had gathered for a major conference, as well as in Los Angeles, Chicago, Princeton, New York, London and beyond – everywhere that members of a curious species have dedicated their lives and fortunes to the search for their origins in a dark universe.” [emphasis added]

  As to practice of the teachings of the Buddha, we ourselves perhaps qualify as members of this “curious species.” Returning each morning to the deserted home of our potential enlightenment is to discover the “blazing fireplace of reality.” This morning’s experience with Sunday contempla­tions and celebration of The Threefold Lotus Sutra, was pre­ceded by a rereading of “Physi­cists Find Elusive Particle Seen as Key to Universe” in The New York Times (quoted above).  Attempted practice of the Buddha’s teachings over the years has been, and very early on, informed by reading in quantum physics and other related matters. There are simply too many insights to be gained relative to the practice of the teachings of the Buddha to be ignored. Many of these “links” are quite extra­ordinary.

  And so it is that we arrive this morning at the meditation center, recognizing above all that the Buddha’s teachings extol the sanctity and miracle of life itself. The isness of existence, if you will.  No longer concerned with what if I do this or that? But simply accepting what is­—the miracle of existence and the potential for enlightenment accessible to all. We begin here and now in each moment of time.

Meditations

“Even if I should lose my life, fall into hell and receive innumerable sufferings, I should never slander the Righteous Law of the buddhas. . .” The Sutra of Meditation on the Bodhisattva Universal Virtue.

  Forty-two years now and counting, and asking the question, from the outset of practice of the Lotus Sutra, commencing in the autumn of 1976, have I ever once turned away from, doubted, or given up on the teachings of the Buddha, or on any of the “Righteous Laws of the enlightened ones, the buddhas”? Yes, there’ve been times when consistency has faltered, the Mandala which proclaims devotion to the Lotus Sutra tucked away and not at the center of meditation; perhaps some days altogether not meditating on the sutra for one reason or another. (Happily, commencing in the year 2000, continuing with  consistent daily devotion to the teachings of the Buddha in the Threefold Lotus Sutra, except for a few weeks in hospital for one reason or another, yet always with the English translation of the Threefold Lotus Sutra at my bedside.)

  It can be stated unequivocally, never once doubting, questioning, or turning away from “the Righteous Law” – from the teachings of the Buddha.  As Nikkyo Niwano puts it:  “We do not worship a thing, a spirit, or a god existing outside ourselves, but devote ourselves to the Law which causes us to live, and unites us with it.”

  Also to note: in the myriad writings read from the great teachers, from scientists and others which have been essayed, mostly through the blog, Ancestral Well—all are consistent with and supportive of the teachings of the Buddha and the Lotus Sutra, the One Vehicle Sutra which embodies all those teachings.

  Herewith are presented, quotes from some of those meditations and essays.

The Deliberate Oaks

Reading “The Deliberate Oaks” from the New York Times Op-Ed page (November, 1968) – “The oaks are deliberate trees, slow to leaf out in the spring, slow of growth, slow to color in the fall, and even reluctant to shed their outworn leaves which sometimes cling to the branches until new leaves burst from the buds in the spring.” Reading this, I’m reminded how much it bugged me as I tossed sticks for proud male poodle, Daiquiri, in Central Park, oak leaves clung to the branches all through winter. Be gone! I commanded, Away with you! This is not as I expect. This is not how it should be.

  A lot of things bugged me.  Expectations, anticipations – living life in terms of what I wanted, how I wanted things to be. Expecting others to behave in a certain way. It got me into a lot of trouble – including trouble with my own mindfulness. Tensions – you bet!

  It’s taken a long time to release the ego from these desires of expectation – and perhaps some still linger like the oak leaves – but Buddhist contemplation in the last ten years or so (and a lot of other conciliatory teachings resonating with the practice of the Buddha’s teachings) has helped to disperse these debilitating desires. “Oh, Lord of my own ego, you do not exist, you are pure illusion. The earth is my witness.”

  The freedom to be – now – to perceive – to know that we are all caused to live by the great life-force of the universe. Yet still the leaves cling to the oak trees – and to California sycamores – “challenging the rush of time.” How precious to be free enough to participate fully in the rush of time!

“Your head is right where it should be, stop turning to the outside.” Lin Chi, 2005 Zen Calendar.

From Chapter 5, “The Parable of the Herbs” – the Lotus Sutra:

To give peace to all creatures I appear in the world,
and for the hosts of the living
preach the Law pure as sweet dew,
the one and only Law of emancipation and nirvana.
With one transcendent voice I proclaim this meaning,
constantly taking the Great-vehicle as my subject.
I look upon all everywhere with equal eyes,
without distinction of persons, or mind of love or hate.
I have no predilections nor limitations or partiality;
ever to all I preach the Law equally. . .