[General Guideline of HBS]
Rev. Nisso Fukuoka
"My husband drank a lot when he was alive. As a result, he died from cirrhosis of the liver. At last, he became a buddha. I wonder if he would be able to attain buddhahood?" The general public in Japan refers to the deceased as Buddha, but not everyone can become a buddha at the time of death or attain enlightenment. Then, what is the true meaning of "enlightenment"?.
The word “Buddha" is an ancient word of India. A direct translation of the word “Buddha" means a person who found enlightenment. In other words, it refers to a person who acquired the authentication of truth after prolonged training and had attained the state of enlightenment. The Sanskrit word “Buddha" was written into two Chinese “Kanji" words as it sounded, and when Buddhism came into Japan, one character of the Chinese word was removed and read as “Hotoke" (buddha). “Enlightenment" or “to become a buddha" has no other meaning than reaching the world of enlightenment through prolonged training. Therefore, to use the word “buddha" or “had attained enlightenment" for a dead person who had not engaged in religious activities is inappropriate.
It is the source of energy in the universe
If becoming a buddha is reaching the state of enlightenment, what is the state of enlightenment? People, who posses a superhuman ability like Shakyamuni Buddha, may be able to clarify it, but, to an ordinary person, it is an alien world. However, Nichiren Shonin had taught us that there is a state of enlightenment that an ordinary people can attain through the energy contained within the Dharma. But, let's leave that aside for a moment and talk about the state of enlightenment that Shakyamuni Buddha arrived at.
Of course, to describe it in short phrases or in tens of thousand of words are impossible. The Lotus Sutra elucidated: “It cannot be described in words, but there is a path to nirvana". What enlightenment is can only be imagined. The Buddha's figures displayed in old temples of Nara and Kyoto all have a smiling face. From those figures, one can imagine “a state that is unconditioned and quiet, having transcended birth and annihilation". But that is not the true essence. The essence of enlightenment is more dynamic and energetic. Shakyamuni Buddha discovered what has brought this huge universe into existence, the source from which all existences originated and the great life that has kept all things alive, that is, the etenal life. Also the Buddaha discovered that this eternal life exists in each of human beings. For thoze reasons, Shakyamuni Buddha became a “person who was enlightened", thus, becoming a Buddha.
By the way, try to imagine what the universe is like, including the earth. On earth, various living things are born, such as human beings and flowers. Around the earth, clouds are formed and winds are produced, and in its core a whirlpool of red magma exists. Focusing on the outside, there are many existences in the galactic systems that are incessantly functioning in a huge scale. Judging from it, it can be assumed that a powerful energy exist in the universe, and that the energy is produced by a certain universal law. All the existences in this world have always been yielded by something like the so‐called eternal life at the root of this universe. If the noumenon which Shakyamunio Budda perceived is the very source that has brought this univerese into existence and produced all things, his enlightenment is truly dynamic and energetic.
Only throngh one's Faith
The enlightenment that Shakyamuni Buddha attained is referred to as the “Fine Dharma". The “Fine Darma" is not an indifferent (cold) or tranquil thing. It is a single life body of a huge scope, which produces and functions incessantly.
Shakyamuni Buddha elucidated in the Lotus Sutra the world of enlightement he attained. At the same time, he outlined how practitioners of Buddhism or people, after the Buddha's death, can become a Buddha. But, it is not the same for all situations. The methods to realize enlightenment differ in each generation, and on one's ability. There were paths to enlightenment for the wise men who were born in the age of Shakyamuni Buddha and for ordinary people in the Mappo Period (the age of the last Dharma). Shakyamuni Buddha had prepared it for all situations. There is no other person who arranged such worthy paths to enlightenment and buddhahood as Nichiren Shonin.
The merits of Shakyamuni Buddha's enlightenment are contained in the Namumyohorengekyo (Odaimoku). An ordinary person of the Mappo Period need not attempt to use his intelligence to comprehend the “Fine Dharma". Nichiren Shonin taught us that by chanting the Odaimoku, the merits of the Buddha and the life of the universe, can be absorbed into one's soul. Consequently, it is important to believe in the Odaimoku.
One may think that by attaining enlightenment of Buddhahood, they can live a life of leisure. According to the theory elucidated in the Lotus Sutra and based on Nichiren Shonin's teachings, that is not so. To establish a root in this world is to link oneself directly to the eternal life in the sources on the universe. To proceed to the “Pure Land" is not enlightenment. In other words, by chanting the Odaimoku, one should become aware of somethig precious and affluent that is innate in their own souls. To be able to lead a successful life is to live a life helping others and spreading the teachings of the Lotus Sutra. This is the true form of enlightenment.
“Buddhas are people who attained the enlghtenment of the Fine Dharma. In the past, holy people became buddha through the merits of their own power, but, now, people can attain enlightenment only through ther faith (chantig the Odaimoku withouot bling influenced by one's thoudhts). In other words, one who engages in bodhisattva activities will immediately become a tathagata of cause."
(Nissen Shonin's Go Shinan).
Gokyoka:
The more one tries to understand enlightenment,
the more confusing it will become.
Enlightenment is having a soul to enage in the religion of
pure faith of the Lotus Sutra.
01. What is Enlightenment?
