Buddhism

Final essay on Buddhism

Rev. Rita Lamptey

I have thoroughly enjoyed studying the course, it has been informative and an excellent learning curve. I have been a practicing Buddhist for the past 19 years and through studying the course I have enjoyed learning about the other forms of Buddhism in depth and have deepened my own knowledge and understanding.

Theravada Buddhism has 100 million followers, mainly in Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka and Thailand, and parts of Vietnam. It started in Sri Lanka when Buddhist missionaries arrived from India. They promoted the Vibhajjavada School. By the 15th century, this form of the religion reached almost its present extent.

Buddhism contains many distinct schools: T'ein-t'ai, Hua-yen, Pure Land teachings, and the Meditation school. Buddhism has perhaps 10 million adherents in parts of China, Mongolia, Russia and Tibet.

SGI Buddhism is a religion that dates back almost three thousand years, yet its practical philosophy means that it is even more applicable in today's difficult times. The Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin, as spread through the SGI movement, teaches individual empowerment and inner transformation which at the same time contributes to global peace, enabling people to develop themselves and take responsibility for their lives, no matter what their circumstances or background.

Shakyamuni`s key message is contained in his highest teaching, the Lotus Sutra. This states that Buddhahood, a condition of absolute happiness and freedom from all fear and illusions, is inherent in all life, and is eternal. This means that 'the Buddha' is nothing other than an ordinary person who is aware of this state in his or her life. `The Buddha` is not a special or divine being. The development of this inner life state can enable all people to overcome their problems and live a fulfilled and active life, engaging fully with others and with society.

Shakymuni taught many teachings on the way to teaching the Lotus Sutra. After he died Buddhism took different forms as it spread. It spread in two main forms, the Theravada (or Hinayana - 'lesser vehicle') and the Mahayana ('greater vehicle'), and traveled into China along the commercial Silk Route. The sutras were translated into different languages and the teachings were adopted and merged into different cultures in Asia. This is the origin of the great variety and diversity of the Buddhist teachings that currently exist across Asia today.

Nichiren Daishonin was born in Japan on 16th February 1222 in a country that was rife with conflicts and calamities that took a heavy toll on the ordinary people. He entered the priesthood as a boy, and it is said that while he was studying at Seicho-ji Temple he prayed to become the wisest person in all Japan, so that he could make sense of the Buddhist teachings, and lead his parents, and indeed all people, to enlightenment.

For 14 years he traveled around the main temples of Japan to conduct his research and became convinced that the key to transforming people's suffering and enabling society to flourish lay in the Lotus Sutra, and particularly its title, Myoho-Renge-Kyo. On 28th April 1253 he declared that the correct Buddhist practice in this age is to chant the phrase Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, which enables everyone to attain enlightenment and true happiness throughout their lives, manifesting inherent Buddhahood and gaining the strength and wisdom to challenge any adverse circumstances.

Nichiren Daishonin challenged the established schools of Buddhism that served the interests of the powerful and encouraged passivity in the suffering masses. After this a series of persecutions began, which served to confirm that the Daishonin was acting in accordance with the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, which include a warning of the difficulty of spreading its teaching of fundamental respect in future ages. In 1260 he submitted his treatise 'On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land,' to the most powerful figure in the government, urging the government to take responsibility for the suffering of the people, and to use his philosophy to remedy the situation.

Nichiren Daishonin inscribed the Dai-Gohonzon on 12th October 1279 so that all people could have the means to reveal their inherent Buddha nature. He died surrounded by his closest disciples on 13th October 1282.

Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism was passed from generation to generation, in Japan, for some 700 years until a lay society that became known as the Soka Gakkai (Value Creating Society) started to spread its teachings in 1930. Soka Gakkai was founded by the educators Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and Josei Toda, who found parallels in the Daishonin's teaching with their philosophy of education.

The key message of Buddhism is that it provides a path of individual transformation which teaches us to look within ourselves for the inner peace and happiness.

Buddhist philosophy teaches that by deepening our wisdom and compassion, we can improve the quality of our life and gain great power to help others.

nmrk

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