The Universe 10 billion years ago,

some five billion years "old"

The Great Life (4)

From documentary “Inner Worlds, Outer Worlds” : The universe is literally like a giant brain. It is constantly thinking, using a type of hidden energy that science is only starting to understand.  Through this universal network unfathomable energy moves, providing for the expansion and growth of the universe.

Nikkyo Niwano continues:

  Shakyamuni Buddha expanded on the rule that events and the functions of the mind are similar through the doctrine of dependent origination, meaning that all phenomena are produced and annihilated by causation. A thing does not take form unless there is an appropriate condition. This truth applies to all existence and phenomena in the universe. . .

  When we look carefully at things around us we find that water, stone, and human beings are produced each according to a certain pattern with its own individual character. Through what power or direction are the conditions generated that produce various things in perfect order from such an amorphous thing as the pure void or  emptiness? When we consider this regularity and order, we cannot help but admitting that some rule exists. It is the rule that causes all things to live. This is indeed the Law taught by the Buddha.

  We do not exist accidentally, but exist and live by means of this Law. As soon as we realize this fact, we become aware of our firm foundation and can set our mind at ease. Far from being capricious, this foundation rests on the Law with which nothing can compare in firmness. This assurance is the source of the great peace of mind that is not agitated by anything. It is the Law that imparts life to all of us. This Law is not something cold, but is full of vigor and vivid with life.

The Great Life (3)

There is one  consciousness, one field, one force that moves through all. This field is not happening around, you it is happening through you and happening as you. – Daniel Schmidt’s “Inner Worlds – Outer Worlds.”

  Our awareness of being caused to live is our true salvation. Our absolute devotion to the truth that imparts life to us . . . the state of religious exaltation in which we feel inexpressible gratitude to and joy in the Law [Niwano embeds this in the supreme practice of followers of the Lotus Sutra, devotion to the “Mysterious Law of the Lotus” – Namu Myoho Renge-Kyo] . . . We do not worship a thing, a person a spirit, or a god existing outside ourselves, but devote ourselves to the Law which causes us to live and unites us with it—this is the purest and supreme faith, the expression of practice of taking refuge in the Law with our entire heart and mind, uttering the sacred title, Namu Myoho Renge-kyo.

  In is natural that understanding of the Law is different in each period, and according to the capacity of each person.  As most people today receive a scientific education, they have a tendency to believe only that which is clearly visible, or only that which has been scientifically proved. They are apt to doubt such concepts as the Law and “that which causes everything to live” as mere ideas produced by religious leaders. But they should think of the composition of all physical substances as elucidated by nuclear physics; all substances in this universe are electrons, protons, neutrons and other subatomic particles, and the differences between various substances are caused by different combinations of the basic particles. . . modern scientists say that these elemental particles are produced by “energy.”

  Energy is generally considered as “the force through which matter functions.” But before matter can function, there must already exist energy which produces matter. . .

  We cannot see energy with our naked eyes, or otherwise discern it as a physical entity. Energy seems at first to be “nothingness.”

  Shakyamuni Buddha, however, taught about matter correctly more than two thousand years ago.  He proclaimed in the Heart Sutra that all phenomena are produced from an equal energy or force: form or matter is identical with emptiness or “void” and void is identical with matter.

The Great Life (2)

“the absolutely quiet stage in which we cling to nothing.”

 What way can we gain such consciousness? Needless to say, the way is to study the teachings of the Buddha repeatedly and to root them firmly in our minds by meditating on them. We must keep firmly in our mind the realization that our lives should be united with the universal life, the Buddha. This indeed is meditation from the religious point of view. Through this kind of meditation, we can purify even the mind of which we cannot be conscious ourselves; that is, our subconscious mind, and we can make our thought and conduct harmonize spontaneously with our surroundings [“free from measuring, comparisons, and free from all becoming—samsara.]
  If our mind and thought are in harmony with our surroundings, sufferings and worries cannot trouble us. This mental state is true peace of mind; it is the stage of “Nirvana is quiescence,” the absolutely quiet stage in which we cling to nothing. This state of mind is not limited to a passive mental peace. Our consciousness of being enlivened by this great universal life gives us great hope and courage. Energy springs from the consciousness so we advance to carry out our daily lives, our work, and our bodhisattva way for the benefit of others in this world.

The Great Life

Strengthened practice in 1984, discovering

Nikkyo Niwano’s “Buddhism for Today”

Chapter 16, The Eternal Life of the Tathagata

The Great Life (1)

What then should we depend upon for our salvation? We must here remember the Buddha’s teaching: “Make the self the light. Make the Law your light,” the words Shakyamuni, before dying, spoke to Ananda, one of his ten great disciples. In response to Ananda’s anxiety, the Buddha taught him as follows: “Ananda, in the future you should make the Law your light and depend on your own self. You must not depend on other people.”

  There is no better teaching than this to sum up the essence of a right religion in a few words. The Buddha first taught, “You can depend on your own self.” If we depend upon other people, we do not know what to do if we are forsaken by them, or they disappear. Therefore the Buddha admonished us to depend upon ourselves and walk the Way through our own efforts
. But on what should we depend in living our lives? The Buddha taught that this is nothing other than the Law, namely, the truth, that we must not depend absolutely on others. Here “others” means “gods,” beings who are considered to be outside ourselves and to be our masters. The Buddha taught emphatically that we must not depend upon such gods but only upon the Law, the truth.

  Indeed, his words carry great weight. A single word of the teaching “Make the self your light, make the Law your light” is more valuable than all the innumerable teachings concerning human life and religion that have been promulgated by the many great men and women of past ages.

  Through this teaching we understand that what we depend on, the Law, exists both within and outside us. It is the truth that permeates the entire universe, not establishing a distinction between outside and inside. Our body is produced by this truth and is caused to live by it. Our mind also is produced by it and caused to work by it. All things, including society, heaven, earth, plants, birds and beasts are produced by this truth and caused to live by it.

  A person who feels the word, “truth,” is somewhat cold and abstract can replace it with the term, “the great life,” which makes everything in this world exist and live. When we are fully aware in the depths of our mind that we are given life by this great life that permeates the universe, we can attain the true mental peace that is not diminished by anything.

Nirvana—Awakening

”Nirvana is this moment seen directly”

(from PBS Documentary, “The Buddha”)

As the morning star appeared, Siddhartha roared like a lion.  “My mind,” he said, “is at peace.” The heavens shook and the Bodhi tree rained down flowers. He had become the Awakened One, the Buddha.

Something new opens up for him, which he calls “nirvana,” which he calls, “awakening.” He said, “At this moment, all beings and I awaken together.” So it was not just him, it was all the universe. “As earth is my witness, seeing this morning star, all things and I awaken together. “

It’s  not like entering a new state. It’s uncovering or surrendering to the reality that has always been there. He realized he’d always been in nirvana, that nirvana was always the case. Your reality itself is nirvana. It’s the unreality, your ignorance that makes you think you’re this self-centered separate being trying to fight off an overwhelming universe, and failing. You are that universe. You’re already enlightened. He’s saying the capacity for enlightenment—that your awake-ness already exists within you.

Nirvana is this moment seen directly. There is nowhere else than here. The only gate is now. The only doorway is your own body and mind. There’s nowhere to go, there’s nowhere else to be. There’s no destination. It’s not something to aim for in the afterlife. It’s  simply the quality of this moment. / / /

“All existences from the beginning are ever of the  nirvana-nature. . . “ from the Lotus Sutra, ch. 2 Tactfulness.  (The “three-vehicle Law” is to teach the Law for persons of learning—“shrávakas,” for the self-enlightened—“pratyekabuddhas,” and for the compassionate ones—“bodhisattvas.”):

“All existences from the beginning
are ever of the nirvana-nature.
When sons or daughters of the Buddha
have fulfilled their course,
in the world  to come they become buddhas.
Only by my powers of tactfulness
do I manifest the three-vehicle Law.
All the world-honored ones
expound the One-vehicle Way.”

“the One-vehicle Way.” – the “Buddha-vehicle;” in the Lotus Sutra, the vehicle leading to Perfect Enlightenment and buddhahood (distinguished from “Nirvana” which exists “from the beginning”) and transcending both Hinayana (small) and Mahayana (great) teachings. After this absolute One Buddha-vehicle has been revealed, none of the other vehicles is to exist independently; all Buddhism is to depend upon and be unified in it. Only this sutra contains this doctrine and is therefore known as the One-vehicle sutra.

NEXT: “The one consciousness, one field, one force that moves through all.  You are the “U” of the universe. . .” from Daniel Schmidt’s documentary, “Inner Worlds, Outer Worlds.”