Hi Everybody,
This is the last episode on this chapter devoted to the principle of the ten worlds, or ten life states, and it brings us right to the nub of the agument, the key implication of this principle in our daily lives. So it goes...
' Indeed the key implication is unmistakeable. It is that Buddhahood can only exist in the presence of the other nine life states, it can only find expression that is, in the lives and behaviour of ordinary people. Us. What that means is that all the lower worlds we've talked about, of Hell, Hunger, Anger and animality are also permanently part of our lives. We can't eliminate them or drive them out in some way. They are part of everyone's life. What we need to do on this journey of building a better life for ourselves and those around us is to the reality of their presence in our life, and set about transforming them through the increased self-awareness and the determination that the practice build up, to limit their negative impact upon our lives. And this is undoubtedly one of the most important aspects of Nichiren Buddhism, that it enables us to take any part of our life about which we feel unhappy or even guilty or ashamed and set about transmuting it, through the practice, into a source of value. Nothing has to be given up. Nothing that can exist in the context of our lives is too difficult to challenge.
The overwhelming message therefore is one of hope and optimism. This is part and parcel of what we mean when we talk about taking responsibility for our life. One interpretation of that word is precisely respond-ability. That is to say, we can learn how to respond to people and situations and events in a more value-creating way. That is why so many people describe the effect of their practice as enabling. They come to feel that it helps them to take more control of their lives, instead of feeling at a loss, or even overwhelmed.
In a sense it is a restatement of the analogy of the weightlifter. It is a fact of life that we can't develop stronger muscles by lifting lighter and lighter weights. From a Buddhist standpoint it is equally clear that we cannot grow our iner strength and resilience, those vital qualities, except by overcoming the biggest obstacles and challenges that life throws at us. The bigger the problem we overcome, the greater the resilience we develop. As Daisaku Ikeda has expressed it so clearly,
' True happiness is not the absence of suffering. you can't have day after day of clear skies....Happiness does not mean having a life free from all difficulties, but that whatever difficulties arise, without being shaken in the least, you can summon up the unflinching courage and conviction to fight and overcome them. '
Speaking personally, I find that I am often ' shaken ' by some challenges that arise, so I think we might make that phrase, ' without being shaken in the least,' an optional extra. The key thing is that we try to summon up the courage and the conviction to overcome them.
Ok that's all for today.
Thank you for reading this far.
Hope to see you next time.
Best wishes,
William
The Case for Buddhism is available on Amazon and as a download on Kindle.
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