Chapter 2 - Meditation And The Good Heart

Meditation is the practice Buddhists use to help themselves develop mentally and spiritually. Every Buddhist in any school uses some form of meditation for practice although surprisingly, some of them will vehemently deny it!

Meditation is the commonly chosen word when translating Buddhist texts into English but the word being translated is "Bhavana," which really means "mental culture." So the goal of Buddhist practice is to expose your mind to proper mental culture. If you do this long enough your life will improve because you are living according to the Law that runs the entire universe.

There was a time when silent meditation was appropriate for a certain small percentage of monastic followers but historically most students have used other techniques. Chanting mantras was the most common form of meditation in the past and this is still true today.

When Buddhism came to the attention of modern Western culture in the last century the school that scholars encountered was Theravada. Unfortunately Theravada maintains that they are the only "real" followers of Shakyamuni so they nonchalantly brushed aside the majority of the Buddhist world, dismissing millions of sincere practitioners as somehow "non Buddhist".

This false first impression was later overcome but the concept of monastic silent meditation was implanted in the public consciousness and remains until this day. To a great many people Buddhist practice means sitting on a cushion and being silent for hours while you do "something" mysterious inside your own head.

"The Vimalakirti Sutra" contains this helpful passage: "Not abandoning the principles of the Way and yet showing yourself in the activities of a common mortal—this is quiet sitting." "Entering nirvana without having to put an end to earthly desires—this is quiet sitting. If you can do this kind of sitting, you will merit the Buddha"s seal of approval." (Chapter 3)

The historical record clearly demonstrates that only a small minority of monastic practitioners ever used silent meditation because it is a technique ill suited to most peoples mind, temperament, and environment.

Whatever practice you decide to try, test it meticulously. Set a time period of three months before you start and then check the results. If your life has not changed dramatically then you are using the wrong practice.

From my heart and from my own experience I tell you that three months of the practice taught by my Teacher, Nichiren, will give you proof that you are doing the right thing. As you continue to practice everything in your environment will be changed in a positive way.

You can begin this process now by deciding to dedicate your life to developing a good heart. Every morning check your motivation and make certain to renew your dedication to being a force for good in our society. It is so easy to go off track by "being right" when we dislike other people. Every morning ask yourself, "are my actions helping to spread peace and joy or am I hurting others?"

If you are hurting or disturbing the minds of others then it does not matter if you are "right" or "wrong", your actions are immoral. You cannot be dedicated to developing "the good heart" if your mind is filled with this kind of dualistic garbage!

The path to freedom leads directly to "The Lotus Sutra" and in this final dharma age Nichiren is the only Teacher who is leading his students to practice according to its teachings. I do not want to be dogmatic about this. There may be other Teachers in different places who also follow the instructions of the Buddha. It"s possible that I have simply not encountered these beings. Fortunately it is not necessary to meet more then one Teacher to find the path that leads to nirvana.

I want to take some time here to talk about the actual practice and how we go about bringing peace to our troubled minds. It is important to pray every day in front of the Gohonzon but it is also imperative that we meditate as well. When you are chanting mantra in front of the Gohonzon it is perfectly natural for us to ask for things we need or want. This is called prayer and a good prayer life is necessary for happiness. It is wonderful that we spend so much effort praying for others but please do not neglect your own needs when you devote time to prayer.

Meditation is something every good Nichiren student does but very few of them in the West seem to realize it. They will go to Daimoku Toso"s every week and chant for an hour or perhaps even an hour and a half but they do not consider this to be meditation. It is. After the first few minutes, usually dedicated to prayer, a Nichiren student will focus on the Gohonzon, empty his mind and simply chant. This is the goal of any good meditation technique. It is at this time when we are at our greatest moments of clarity and this is where we can make our greatest strides as Buddhists but nobody talks about this part of the practice!

When you find someone advanced enough in the Nichiren School you will learn about "Shodai", which is the actual practice all students should be doing. To practice Shodai means to empty your mind and simply chant sincere daimoku to the Gohonzon. Then you must make certain that your chanting remains focused on three important points. The first is: The Gohonzon expresses the nature of the original Buddha, this is often referred to as "the truth body" or Dharmakaya. The second point to keep in mind is that the Gohonzon is the realization and expression of enlightenment. The final point is that the Gohonzon is the only path for us that will lead to enlightenment.

As you begin this practice you will discover that it is easy to pray in front of the Gohonzon but somewhat more challenging to empty your mind, let alone focus on the three points that make up our meditation. You will discover that your mind is constantly producing stray thoughts and does not want to be quiet. We call this state "garbage mind" and it will take time and patience for you to stop this mental churning so that your entire focus is on the Mandala.

When your mind wanders and you become aware of it, do not become upset, because this merely makes the process take longer. Instead, gently guide your mind back to the object of focus and relax! This is a skill like any other, the more you practice the better result you achieve.

You will not make the kind of progress you desire if you are tense. In fact, if you are anxious or tense this clearly demonstrates that you are doing something wrong. You must learn to open yourself to the Gohonzon; if you manage to achieve this then your spiritual progress will become accelerated. Please remember that it is improper to seek this Gohonzon outside of yourself, you are the Buddha being manifested!

When you sit in front of the Gohonzon it takes time to demonstrate Buddha nature, the more experience you have the easier it becomes but it is not just a matter of how long you have practiced, you have to realize what it is you are doing before you can begin to really harness the power of this practice.

As you chant in front of the Gohonzon your life condition changes from your normal mixture of worlds to become the one world of Buddhahood. This world of Buddhahood is a place of peace and freedom from anxiety but it is also a place where you can utilize wisdom you might not even know you possess.

It is not enough to read this or merely hear it; please realize that you are the Buddha! You have eternally existed in one form or another and because of this you have a vast accumulation of untapped wisdom that can guide you on any occasion. The purpose of this chapter is to teach you how to manifest Buddhahood on a daily basis so that when you need wisdom it is easily available to you.

As you continue to practice properly your life condition will improve and you will not experience dramatic negative states but in the first year it often happens that your mental energy is negative when you sit down in front of the Gohonzon. Never let your emotional condition keep you from spending time in front of the Mandala because any sincere practitioner will be lifted into the higher worlds after a few minutes of chanting.

It is important that we develop mindfulness if we want to succeed. Every school of Buddhism teaches mindfulness although, again, some groups use different terms to say exactly the same thing. Some Nichiren students have told me that we do not practice mindfulness as part of our training but, again, we use the concept and simply call it by a different name.

In the now classic text "Lecture On The Sutra" Jose Toda writes "One"s body and mind should be always in perfect harmony, but in actuality it is sometimes extremely difficult. The perfect oneness of body and mind is what Buddhism calls Shikishin Funi."

Mindfulness is important when we practice in front of the Mandala but it is equally important that we remain in this state of mental alertness the entire day. I"ve talked about this in other books, so I"m not going to dwell on it here. I trust that you"ve read "Stop Suffering: A Buddhist Guide To Happiness," and "Day By Day" because they are freely available on the Internet.

The question we want to address here is how we remain in this state of mental alertness all day long. There are many different methods but the one I use when teaching others is very simple. All of us breathe. From this moment on be aware of the in and out of your breath and keep this awareness in the forefront of your consciousness. Put your focus on the area of the nose where air enters and remain aware of the in and out of your breath.

No matter what occurs remain aware of the steady process of breathing and always return to this awareness when your attention wavers. In a few days you will discover that your are more alert and far more efficient when you live in the "now." You will also find that your self control is better because your mind is not running wild.

You must make an effort to control the kind of material you allow into your mind, if you have a negative or unpleasant thought recognize it for what it is but do not encourage it to remain. When your mind produces some fantasy don"t put your energy into it, and do not support any kind of negative thinking. These unpleasant thoughts will "pop up" in the first few years but as we continue to train our mind they will begin to fade away until they are completely gone.

The goal of any Buddhist student is to develop a good heart because you cannot attain enlightenment if you are narrow or selfish. A Buddha is a fully developed human being and one critical component to your development is a sense of humor. Please do not ignore this part of your character; it"s very necessary if you want to experience happiness in this lifetime. You will also discover that samsara (or the Saha world) "is a burning house that is greatly to be feared" but it is also sometimes wildly funny. There are occasions when laughter is the only logical response.

To conclude this chapter I would like to remind you that the definition of Shodai is in no way different from that of meditation so we must ask ourselves why many people in the Nichiren School insist on a distinction that is not supported by the facts. The Gosho identifies our practice as meditation in so many different places that you have to wonder exactly what these students are reading for study material. At this time a part of our movement seems very keen on separating ourselves from other Buddhists but how do we establish Kosen Rufu from a posture of separation and indifference?

As we spread these teachings we should expect hatred and abuse from evil teachers and laypeople who think they have attained what they have not attained. When this occurs please remember the words of Mr. Makiguchi, "It is of the greatest honor to be despised by the foolish" and "Unless one is courageous enough to become an enemy of the wicked, one cannot become a friend of the virtuous."

These attacks on us are a blessing and it is quite possible that they are the only way beings this twisted can ever be saved from the folly of their own actions. These people who attack us form a "poison drum" relationship with us. When they have exhausted the evil energy created by their mistaken actions, the karmic connection they have deepened will remain, they will be re born around us again, and this time they will become our students until they attain Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi.

This does not mean that serious students of other Buddhist Teachers are evil or misguided. Nichiren points out that they will attain the merit of whatever sutra they practice as long as they do not engage in slander of the True Law. In "The Opening Of the Eyes" (Part two) Nichiren writes,

"In view of these facts, I believe that the devotees and followers of the various [provisional] sutras such as the "Kegon," "Kammuryoju," and "Dainichi" sutras will undoubtedly be protected by the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and heavenly beings of the respective sutras that they uphold. But if the votaries of the "Dainichi," "Kammuryoju," and other sutras should set themselves up as the enemies of the votary of "The Lotus Sutra," then the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and heavenly beings will abandon them and will protect the votary of "The Lotus Sutra."

As we have seen many students in the Nichiren School of thought choose to label "the Meditation of The Lotus Sutra" taught to us by our Teacher to be something "other" then meditation but this is an argument about semantics and not really very interesting at all. "The Lotus Sutra" clearly states that any person who practices this teaching correctly must meditate.

If we are not meditating when following the guidelines of Nichiren, then we are not practicing "The Lotus Sutra," and our Teacher would be leading us to ruin and misery. My direct, personal experience tells me that this is not the case and I have also heard countless other SGI members recount dramatic positive changes in their own lives that is only possible because they have made a direct connection to the life force of the universe.

In "The True Object of Worship" Nichiren wrote: "Kanjin means to observe one"s own mind and to find the ten worlds within it." The concept of Ichinen Sanzen means that your life and all the things around you that make up your environment are one single entity. There is no separation between what worldly people believe to be "self" and the surroundings that they live in.

If this were not so then we could never attain enlightenment, never experience Nirvana, and never walk in the Pure Land: Shakyamuni taught that "the various kinds of living beings are in themselves the Buddha Lands…" and "if the Bodhisattva wishes to acquire a Pure Land, he must purify his mind. When the mind is pure, the Buddha land will be pure." ("The Vimalakirti Sutra," chapter 1)

There is no easy path to Buddhahood. You will not realize truth merely because you become a member of some religious community, nor is it enough for you to simply pick a teacher or a school and blindly follow whatever guidance you are given. The Buddha makes it quite clear in "The Kalama Sutra" that we are responsible for the causes we make. We must decide for ourselves if an action is right or wrong based on our own experience and wisdom.

You should not make any long tem commitment to follow a Dharma teacher"s instructions until you"ve been around him for a few years. It"s important to read or listen to his teachings but watch everything about this person closely, be on your highest state of mental alertness when you"re around him so you can see the fruit of his personal activities. It"s great that he teaches love, for example, but does he practice it? How does he treat people outside his circle of followers?

A good way to see into his heart is to watch how he treats Buddhists from different sects. As someone who goes to a lot of inter faith activities I can tell you that many people just close their minds and hearts down when they encounter students doing different practices. I do not mean that you should study your prospective teacher in a judgmental way. In other words, you might decide to study with a different teacher but you should not conclude that the person in question is evil or immoral. He is simply not the best possible teacher for you.

It is an unfortunate fact that hatred between Buddhist sects is becoming quite common now in the United States. None of these "schools" are real; students created them long after the Buddha died. Teachers who seem to be full of love and compassion reveal where they really are in their human development when they mistreat other Buddhist students simply because they follow another teacher.

It is easy to become wrapped up in our petty daily concerns but our focus is narrow and limited when we behave in this manner. We need to widen our perspective if we want to see things the way they really are. We live in a fabulous world system but we take it for granted to the extent that we may destroy it from sheer ignorance.

Modern science tells us that the universe is billions of years old. The universe is expanding and we are still in the beginning stages of that expansion because there is far more time ahead of us then has already elapsed. However, we as individuals are composed of elements that come from dead stars and the various life forms that came before us. We should express gratitude to the beings that lived before us. We should also work skillfully to benefit the beings that will come after us. Think about your place in this scheme of things because you are here for a reason and your behavior will make a difference in the way things turn out.

A Guided Meditation

Caution: It is imperative that you learn to chant properly. If you do not pronounce this mantra correctly your efforts are wasted. (Click here to hear the mantra of "The Lotus Sutra") Or you can call our 800-phone number and we will teach you (free of charge). You can call 800-576-9212 anytime. This phone is answered twenty four hours every day of the year. If you prefer, we will send you a free audiotape that allows you to learn in the privacy of your own home.

Before you start your meditation please focus on the three essential points that were mentioned earlier in the chapter. Due to their importance they appear here again:

The first is: The Gohonzon expresses the nature of the original Buddha (referred to as "the truth body" or Dharmakaya). The second point to keep in mind is that the Gohonzon is the expression of enlightenment and the final point is that this Gohonzon is the only path for us that will lead to enlightenment.

Spend a few moments contemplating this before you open the Butsudan. Don"t take this moment for granted, something wonderful is about to happen, you are about to come face to face with the Buddha! When you open the doors of your Butsudan make certain that you do it mindfully, be totally present when the Buddha is revealed.

Now is the time for practicing in front of the great Mandala that leads all seeking people to enlightenment! Sit in a comfortable position so that you will not be distracted. Relax your body; learn to be comfortable within yourself. Keep your eyes open and focused on the Gohonzon. Your eyes should rest at the top of the central part of the Mandala, which reads "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, Nichiren."

Begin to chant Nam Myoho Renge Kyo; the speed and rhythm of your chanting should be like that of a galloping horse. As your practice develops the pace will greatly increase but no matter how fast you chant it is essential that you clearly pronounce the daimoku properly.

Exist in the moment! This is the time for you to demonstrate your mindfulness skills. Relax and focus intensely, in time you will become the daimoku you are chanting. When you reach the moment where everything but Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is forgotten then you have arrived!

When your new awareness drifts away don"t tense up and grasp at what was before, you had a brief moment of success and it will take time to train your mind. If you manage one second of complete mindfulness in front of the Gohonzon then you have been successful in your practice.

Please don"t feel like the rest of the time spent in front of the Mandala is wasted, this is never the case. Any sincere offering to the Law will result in a positive outcome, even the simplest practice, like offering water or incense will definitely produce benefit in the life of the practitioner.

Continue to chant for as long as you feel necessary. It"s great to chant for long periods of time but remember to take care of yourself. Chanting is not a punishment! If you are tired or restless get up, you can always return when you are ready. Your practice should be a joy; if it isn"t then you are doing something wrong.

This meditation is the good medicine that cures all karmic ills. You should take this medication every day for the rest of your life.