The Use and Symbolism of
Nichiren Buddhist Meditation Beads
by David Heimburg
Buddhists chanting beads or juzu (in Japanese) while meditating.
They were used for counting by early Buddhists, but the current
predominant and enduring use is as a tactile sensory focus and
stimulus while chanting. They have much symbolism and are an
important tool to use while meditating. Notice that I said "important"
not absolutely necessary. How important, though? Well, let me
put it this way, anything that enhances the effectiveness of
chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo is extremely important. The very
act of chanting is a significant ritual. During the chanting
meditation you strengthen and elevate your life condition. Access
to one's life condition is by means of your senses. Using the
beads engages an important one, the sense of touch. That's their
primary purpose and using them actually helps many people focus
better while chanting. As well, there is a lot of symbolism
of the beads that is meaningful for your meditative practice.
If you currently belong to a Nichiren Buddhist organization
other than Transcendent Life Condition Buddhism, you will be "discouraged" from using
meditation beads with tassels. Instead, you will be asked to
buy beads with ridiculous looking little pom-poms. Those other
Nichiren Buddhist organizations currently say that only priests
are "allowed" to use beads with tassels (or pom-poms
with extended tassels) because this denotes their "status
as teachers of the Law and to share their benefit." They
further explain that the balls or pom-poms that all people other
than priests must use symbolize the spread of Buddhism world-wide
(aka kosen rufu). The idea, I suppose, is that the pom-poms
extend their ends in every direction from the center, and this
indicates spreading Buddhism. Nice thought, until you consider
what "center" they're alluding to. Presumably it's
the sangha, which specifically means the group of monks and
nuns who renounced secular life and dedicated themselves to
Buddhist practice night and day but more generally includes
all Buddhist practitioners: monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen;
collectively, the grouping of all Buddhist practitioners. If,
in fact, that is what the pom-poms mean then why don't they
mean the same thing for priests who should be part of this sangha?
What they're really saying by enforcing the use of only pom-poms
for non-priests, is that priests are really special and should
be treated with more respect than you deserve.
This is NOT a Transcendent Life Condition Buddhism priest.
This is Reverend Shiba, a Nichiren Shoshu priest, holding
his beads with tassels
Both Buddhists (laity & priests) should have the same
kind of Buddhist practice, according to Nichiren. He advocated
that there should "be no distinction" between those
who practice Buddhism, presumably referring to the thought that
there should be no distinctions of the status of each person
rather than differences in the personal mission of each. Priests
perform ceremonies such as weddings and funerals. Laity do not
(usually). Laity have more opportunity to talk with others about
Buddhism than priests do, and typically are more effective at
teaching Buddhism broadly within society.
There is a current point of view among some other Buddhist
organizations that Buddhism is best propagated by keeping
the roles of laity and priests distinct and separate. We of
Transcendent Life Condition Buddhism feel that while certainly there will be different personal
areas of emphases for as many individuals, whether they be
priests or laity, as there are, those who practice Buddhism
are not really different from each other at all in terms of
function and purpose.
Then there are people who choose not to directly teach Buddhism
to others but will instead invite friends to attend meetings
or attend their temple to hear a priest. There are still others
who just financially support the priesthood and in this way
consider their offerings as their practice for the accomplishment
of kosen rufu or world wide propagation of Buddhism. There
may be circumstances that people find themselves in which
make these methods the most viable and appropriate for them.
Some examples might be that you're living in a country in
which you don't speak the native language fluently yet. Or
you may have certain physical or mental illness that limits
your opportunity to engage with others socially and you therefore
have few opportunities to teach Buddhism. By using priests
or others' ability to teach Buddhism on your behalf, you can
still participate in the spread of Buddhism using these indirect
methods.
But if you are capable of teaching Buddhism to others you
should definitely do so. Teaching Buddhism becomes your arena
for developing your compassion, your Buddhahood. The more
you teach, and the more sincerely you teach, the more you,
in the process, will learn about Buddhism and about your own
path to the development of Buddhahood. Certainly it all starts
with your own practice of Buddhism. But almost immediately
your practice can include your own sincere efforts to teach
and encourage others as well. There's a quote from the Lotus
Sutra, "Teacher of the Law" (tenth) chapter, that
says: "… [O]ne who secretly teaches to another even
a single phrase of the sutra should be regarded as the Buddha's
envoy, sent to carry out his work." Nichiren teaches
that "a single phrase" can mean Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo.
That phrase is not only the title of the Lotus Sutra, it's
also the essence and meaning of the entire Lotus Sutra. So
teaching someone to chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo is teaching
Buddhism. The term envoy in the quote above, refers to a person
who acts as an agent for another. This signifies that teachers
are envoys of their own and others' Buddha nature and that
their own Buddha nature is revealed and brought out in the
act of compassionately teaching another person about Buddhism.
You're acting as an envoy of your own Buddha within. So being
a teacher of the law is not outside the grasp of everyone.
So for Transcendent Life Condition Buddhism members, each has taken vows to devote their
entire lives to the practice and study of Buddhism. In this
regard they are no different from priests (and some in fact
are priests). They accomplish the task of fulfilling their
vows while remaining within society. That is, they hold jobs,
raise families, and otherwise carry on normal lives.
There are various bead makers and vendors who sell both beads
with tassels and beads with pom-poms. Transcendent Life Condition Buddhism is the only Buddhist
organization today that encourages its members to use only
the tassel beads. But anyone, regardless of organizational
affiliation should consider using tassel beads. And they should
consider taking vows as well. In this way we hope to encourage
more and more individuals to become teachers of the Law and
individuals who are on the path to Buddhahood.
There
are five strands of beads that extend off from the main loop
or circle of beads. This is the most obvious distinction between
Nichiren Buddhists' beads and beads used by other forms of Buddhism
who typically use two end strands (or sometimes four) on their
beads. As you look at the various symbols of Nichiren Buddhist
beads, all of the symbolism used refers back to the individual
Buddhist practitioner and the relative significance of this
specific form of Buddhism. The following are some of the symbolic
reasons for using chanting beads with five strands instead of
the two used by other Buddhists.
If you lay out the beads on a table with a single
twist in the middle of the large circle, it's easy to see
how they give shape to a symbolic human. The three tassels
become a head and two arms. The twist in the large circle
of beads becomes a waist. The two tassels become two legs.
All of Buddhism relates back to the individual and the individual's
practice to eliminate all sufferings in both themselves and
others. All references of the symbolism of the chanting beads
to humans is significant and instructive. It's important to
always keep that in mind. It is never about a deity or external
power, rather it is about your subjective life and how to
transform yourself into a Buddha.
Centuries ago, Buddhists came up with the
hypothesis that each individual human being has come into
existence through the temporary uniting of five components.
The theory tries to describe both the physical and spiritual
aspects of human life. The five are: form, sensation, idea,
choice, and cognition.
- Form means the physical aspect
of life and includes the five sense organs - eyes, ears, nose,
tongue, and body - with which one perceives the external world.
- Sensation is the function of receiving external information
through the six sense organs (the five sense organs plus the
"mind," which integrates the impressions of the
five senses).
- Idea is the function of creating mental
images and concepts out of what has been perceived.
- Choice is the will that acts on the idea and motivates action.
- Cognition is the conscious function of discernment or reasoning
that integrates the components of sensation, idea, and choice.
Form represents the physical aspect of your life, while sensation,
idea, choice, and cognition represent the spiritual aspect.
Because the physical and spiritual aspects of life are inseparable,
there can be no form without cognition, and no cognition without
form.
All life carries on its activities through the interaction
of these five components. Their workings are colored by karma
previously formed and at the same time create new karma. We
acknowledge that these five components are coming together
in the moment we begin chanting.
The practice of chanting meditation is
an act of purification. The five impurities or defilements
is a concept that appears in Shakyamuni's "Expedient
Means" (second) chapter of the Lotus Sutra where it says,
"The Buddhas appear in evil worlds of five impurities…."
- Impurity of the age includes repeated disruptions of the
social or natural environment.
- Impurity of desire is the
tendency to be ruled by the five delusive inclinations, i.e.,
greed, anger, foolishness, arrogance, and doubt.
- Impurity
of living beings is the physical and spiritual decline of
human beings.
- Impurity of thought, or impurity of view,
is the prevalence of wrong views such as the five false views
(see next explanation).
- Impurity of life span is the shortening
of the life spans of living beings.
Simply put, this indicates
that our Buddhahood is made manifest amid the impurities of
whatever age we live in. There is no need to change all of
the evil in the world before we can attain happiness and enlightenment.
But at the same time we acknowledge that as we chant, the
five impurities influence us away from our goal of developing
the compassionate Buddha within.
The Buddhist scholar T'ien-t'ai (538-597)
of China held that there are five false views or ways of thinking
that give rise to desires. The five false views are:
- Though
the mind and body are no more than a temporary union of the
five components, one regards them as possessing a self that
is absolute; and though nothing in the universe can belong
to an individual, one views one's mind and body as one's own
possession.
- The belief in one of two extremes concerning
existence: that life ends with death (disregarding the vestigial
traces and historic influences), or that life persists after
death in some eternal and unchanging form (as an intact identity
of your former self).
- Denial of the law of cause and effect.
- Adhering to misconceptions and viewing them as truth,
while regarding inferior views as superior
- Viewing
erroneous practices or precepts as the correct way to enlightenment.
By utilizing the practice and study of Buddhism and by pursuing
scientific inquiry into natural laws that affect our lives,
we can change the five false views that we hold. As we chant,
when we recognize desires that arise in our minds as having
come from these five false views, we can adjust our way of
thinking and meditating. To always advance and continuously
correct erroneous views of life that we may find ourselves
settling for, we acknowledge that the study of life is a necessary
aspect of our Buddhist practice. The five false views reminds
us to diligently use scientific inquiry, Buddhist meditation,
and compassionate practice in order to remain on the path
to Buddhahood. This requires much humility, courage, and determination.
Nichiren (1222-1282) in his writing
titled The Opening of the Eyes developed the fivefold comparison
as a way of demonstrating the superiority of his teaching
of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo over all other teachings. The fivefold
comparison ranks teachings according to the effectiveness
of each at bringing about the enlightenment, that is, absolute
happiness and fulfillment, of the individual. To fully understand
these five comparisons, the reader is encouraged to read this
profound writing. The fivefold comparisons, briefly described
are:
- Buddhism is superior to non-Buddhist teachings. In Nichiren's
day in Japan, the common non-Buddhist teachings he was dealing
with were Confucianism and Brahmanism. He said that Confucianism
and Brahmanism are not as profound as Buddhism in that they
do not reveal the causal law of life that penetrates the three
existences of past, present, and future. Today, non-Buddhist
teachings abound and are well known, with Christianity, Judaism,
and Islam being the most prominent.
- Mahayana Buddhism is superior to Hinayana Buddhism (aka
Theravada). Hinayana (lesser vehicle) Buddhism is the teaching
for people of the two vehicles. These vehicles are the teachings
used by the so-called voice-hearers (Skt. Shr?vaka) and cause-awakened
ones (pratyekabuddha) to their respective levels of enlightenment.
The voice-hearers used the four noble truths; the cause-awakened
used the vehicle of causal relationship via the teaching of
the twelve-linked chain of causation. The pratyekabuddhas
lived apart from other humans, and along with the voice-hearers
were renounced by provisional Mahayana Buddhist's for seeking
their own enlightenment without working for the enlightenment
of others. In contrast, Mahayana Buddhism is the teaching
for bodhisattvas who aim at both personal enlightenment and
the enlightenment of others; it is called Mahayana (great
vehicle) because it can lead many people to enlightenment.
So in that sense, Mahayana teachings are superior to Hinayana
teachings.
- True Mahayana is superior to provisional Mahayana. True
Mahayana is defined by Nichiren as relating to the teachings
of the Lotus Sutra, while Provisional Mahayana refers to pre-Lotus
Sutra teachings. In the provisional Mahayana teachings, the
people of the two vehicles, women, and evil persons are excluded
from the possibility of attaining enlightenment; in addition,
Buddhahood is attained only by advancing through progressive
stages of bodhisattva practice over incalculable periods of
time. In contrast, the Lotus Sutra reveals that all people
have the Buddha nature inherently, and that they can attain
Buddhahood immediately by realizing that nature. Furthermore,
the provisional Mahayana teachings assert that Shakyamuni
attained enlightenment for the first time in India and do
not reveal his original attainment of Buddhahood in the remote
past, nor do they reveal the principle of the mutual possession
of the Ten Worlds, as does the Lotus Sutra. For these reasons,
the true Mahayana teachings are superior to the provisional
Mahayana teachings.
- The essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra is superior
to the theoretical teaching of the Lotus Sutra. The theoretical
teaching consists of the first fourteen chapters of the Lotus
Sutra, and the essential teaching the latter fourteen chapters.
The theoretical teaching takes the form of preaching by Shakyamuni
who is still viewed as having attained enlightenment during
his lifetime in India. In contrast, the essential teaching
takes the form of preaching by Shakyamuni who has discarded
this transient status and revealed his true identity as the
Buddha who attained Buddhahood in the remote past. This revelation
implies that the eternal condition of Buddhahood is an ever-present
potential of human life. This is called the essential teaching
and is superior to the theoretical teaching in that it points
to the ever-present potential for Buddhahood rather than Buddhahood
being considered merely a historic occurrence.
- The Buddhism of sowing is superior to the Buddhism of
the harvest. Nichiren got this comparison from T'ien-t'ai's
concept of sowing, maturing, and harvesting in his writing
The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra. The seed being referred
to here is the seed cause for attaining Buddhahood.
Helping each other was a survival mechanism that early humans
had in order to endure the ravages of the environment as well
as competing animals and other competing human tribes. As
time passed, humans developed more cognitive capabilities
as well as more sophisticated tools and machinery that allowed
survival of individuals who had little concern for those outside
their family. The current age continues with this disconnecting
of humans from one another and interferes with the compassion
that is so necessary for Buddhahood to develop within our
lives. Surprisingly, though, when an individual does go against
the trend of the times and does develop compassion beyond
their family unit, that compassion is further-reaching than
their ancestors' compassion. Compassion that drives bodhisattva
caring in modern times tends to be a more universal compassion
than the clan-concerns of early times. Through better forms
of communication we've had individual lives who are no more
than remotely evolutionarily related to us brought to our
attention. We find ourselves weeping in concern for those
subjected to religious atrocities such as the beheading of
Islamic apostates and stoning of violators of Islamic sexual
codes of conduct. We see other species of animals suffering
from the effects of human corruption of their environment
and feel empathy and pity for them. We have learned to care
for other life without the expected reciprocation that our
predecessors hoped for when supporting others of their clan.
This caring or compassion when consciously evoked or strengthened
through the Buddhist practice of chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo
is vastly superior to the practices that preceded it that
involved family and ancestral lineages. This practice is limitless
and timeless. While there is no "bad" or inconsequential
amounts of compassion, and while all compassion supports the
development of one's Buddhahood, the more selfless caring
we can muster, the more powerful a force it becomes. In modern
times we are able to see beyond our immediate world and honestly
and passionately care about ending the suffering of all beings
around the world. This is an act of planting the seeds for
Buddhahood in our own lives, then nurturing that seed until
it matures. Finally, and within our own lifetimes, it is possible
to realize an end to our own suffering that is rooted deeply
in our compassion for many, many others. This is the highest
form of Buddhism and is called the Buddhism of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo,
the Buddhism of sowing.
In summary, people in this age don't believe that there is
any practice that will lead to enlightenment in this lifetime.
They have become jaded, lost hope, and don't focus their lives
on developing compassion and altruism, what's known as a bodhisattva
practice. Therefore they don't plant the seed for attaining
Buddhahood in their lives. In other words, they have no hope-seed
of Buddhahood in this lifetime. Nichiren described Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo
as the seed of Buddhahood that people of our times can implant
into their lives and in one lifetime mature and harvest it.
Ultimately, Nichiren says that there was nothing in the Lotus
Sutra or pre-Lotus Sutra teachings that can give realistic
seed-hope for the attainment of Buddhahood. The cause of the
bodhisattva practice is contained in chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo.
As Nichiren puts it in his writing titled The Teaching for
the Latter Day, "Now, in the Latter Day of the Law, neither
the Lotus Sutra nor the other sutras lead to enlightenment.
Only Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo can do so."
Notice
the two larger beads on the main loop of beads. These represent
objective reality (bead with two strands coming off it, held
on the left hand looped over the third finger) and subjective
wisdom (bead with three strands, held on the right hand over
the third finger).
The concept of the fusion of objective reality and subjective
wisdom is analogous to the process of attaining Buddhahood.
It considers that there exists truth, or objective reality,
and that this truth can be obtained or realized subjectively
through the development of our compassionate wisdom. It further
posits that objective reality is otherwise known as the law
or principle of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. By fusing the subjective
law of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo by chanting it and thereby subjectively
"activating" it, with the external law of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo
in its environmental reality, each individual can gradually
attain Buddhahood.
This
relationship of self to objective reality is also represented
by Shakyamuni Buddha (subjective wisdom) on the right hand and
Many Treasures (aka Taho) Buddha (objective reality) on the
left hand. The historical existence of Shakyamuni Buddha who
developed the subjective wisdom that enabled him to become a
Buddha symbolizes the same potential in each one of us to manifest
that wisdom with our Buddhist practice. The mythical existence
of Many Treasures Buddha first appeared in the "Treasure
Tower" (eleventh) chapter of the Lotus Sutra. The fusion
of Shakymuni and Many Treasures Buddha represents the application
of wisdom to the objective world, the application of an enlightened
perspective on natural phenomena. While the objective world
remains the same, our spiritual relationship to it can be either
positive and fruitful or negative and destructive. Many Treasures
Buddha represents the concrete outcome or result of happiness
within reality. That is, it is happiness amid the reality of
life in all its manifestations. This affirms that the inevitable
result of chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo with great subjective
compassion results in happiness within our present lifetime.
These two beads are also sometimes referred to as the "parent
beads". This is another symbolic and analogous representation
of the process of offering our subjective compassion and love
while chanting and having that cause result in giving birth
to or obtaining the result of happiness that's been thereby
awakened within our lives. We remind ourselves that unconditional,
parental compassion for other living beings is just the kind
of compassion that we attempt to summon up in our practice of
chanting. It is the kind of compassion that led Shakymuni, in
the "Life Span" (sixteenth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra,
to declare "I am the father of this world, saving those
who suffer and are afflicted."
The
main loop of beads is made up of 108 beads (interspersed with
four smaller "bodhisattva beads" which will also
be explained) which represent all categories of ways that
desires affect us at any given moment.
This number is derived at by the following calculations:
(1) Six senses are the main means by which desires affect
us. These are analogous to the sense of sight, hearing, smell,
taste, touch, and the mind that receives sensory input.
(2) Six senses are multiplied by the three aspects of time:
past, present, and future. [6 senses x 3 aspects of time =
18 aspects of desire]
(3) Two characteristics of good or evil intent within our
mind affect our desires. Good intent is associated with desires
that benefit ourselves or others or society at large, while
evil intent relates to the desire to cause deliberate harm
to another or to society. [18 aspects of desires x 2 kinds
of intent = 36 aspects of desire]
(4) Three levels of attention or preferences that we have
at any moment affect our desires. We can like (intend to act
on), dislike (intend to not act on), or be indifferent to
(momentarily ignore) any of the multitude of desires that
bombard us at any given moment. We tend to quickly rank our
desires within these categories and thereby multiply the affect
of any of the 36 aspects calculated thus far. [36 aspects
of desires x 3 levels of preference = 108 aspects of earthly
desires]
Early Buddhists perceived the connection between desires and
suffering. There's a direct connection. So their early attempts
were to use ascetic practices to cut off their desires and
thereby eliminate suffering. These were some of the first
crude attempts at attaining Buddhahood or the elimination
of suffering. The logical errors contained in such efforts
finally dawned on those who attempted to deprive themselves
of sexual relations, family and social relationships, and
even food and drink. Extinguishing all desires in order to
attain enlightenment would paradoxically include the desire
for enlightenment itself and even the desire to live. It's
clear to us that such efforts are futile and foolish to the
point of absurdity.
The Mahayana teachings deal with earthly desires entirely
differently than the Hinayana (early) teachings do. Hinayana
teachings held that earthly desires and enlightenment are
two independent and opposing factors, and the two cannot coexist.
Mahayana teachings turn that Hinayana principle over and say
that earthly desires cannot exist independently on their own;
therefore one can attain enlightenment without eliminating
earthly desires. Mahayana Buddhist teachings say that these
108 categories of earthly desires are actually one with and
inseparable from enlightenment. This is because all things,
even earthly desires and enlightenment, are manifestations
of the unchanging reality or truth - and thus are non-dual
at their source.
So from a practical standpoint, we still acknowledge the harmful
effects of giving ourselves over to desires. Through the means
of fusing our subjective wisdom with objective reality (as
symbolized with the two large beads) we come to transform
our harmful desires while maintaining the supportive ones
that allow us to fully embrace our lives as well as the suffering
lives of others. With the compassionate meditative practice
of chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, our overriding desires for
the happiness of others become directly connected to and result
in our own attainment of Buddhahood. As Nichiren put it, "Today,
when Nichiren and his followers recite the words Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo,
they are burning the firewood of earthly desires, summoning
up the wisdom-fire of enlightenment."
If you look among the 108 beads in the main loop you'll see four
different sized and sometimes different colored beads. These
four beads represent the four leaders of the bodhisattvas of
the earth. These bodhisattvas represent characteristics that
you acquire as a result of chanting and teaching Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo.
In the "Emerging from the Earth" (fifteenth) chapter
of the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni tells a story about the earth
splitting open and bodhisattvas in countless numbers coming
forth. Their bodies are golden and they possess the thirty-two
features that characterize a Buddha. They are led by four bodhisattvas
- Superior Practices, Boundless Practices, Pure Practices, Firmly
Established Practices - and Superior Practices is the leader
of them all. This analogy was used to indicate the bodhisattva
practice of compassion that directly leads to Buddhahood.
As an aside, it's interesting to note that the question as to
where these four bodhisattvas came from and who they are led
straight to the "Life Span" chapter, considered to
be the heart of the Lotus Sutra and a description of enlightenment.
In other words, even in the construct of the text of the Lotus
Sutra, the four bodhisattvas led the way to the highest stage
of enlightenment.
The four bodhisattva leaders signify the Buddha conditions or
virtues of
- true self
- eternity
- purity
- happiness
These four bodhisattvas, or aspects of Buddhahood, are associated
explicitly with the Lotus Sutra, and more specifically with
the teaching of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. These four bodhisattvas
are said to be so much superior to the bodhisattvas associated
with other Buddhist teachings that the other bodhisattvas, although
seemingly magnificent and wonderful in isolation, pale by comparison
to Superior Practices, Boundless Practices, Pure Practices,
and Firmly Established Practices. Nichiren likens the comparison
to a scene in which humble mountain folk are seen mingling with
nobles or humble fishermen appear in an audience before the
emperor. Such a statement is obviously intended to suggest the
superiority of the results attained from a Buddhist practice
based on these four principles.
True self, eternity, purity, and happiness are both the leaders
of all people to the enlightenment of the Lotus Sutra as well
as descriptions of the kind of enlightenment attained by this
practice. We can use them as guides for our desired state of
mind as we chant - in other words, objects of focus.
True self refers to the Buddha nature within, the Buddha you.
Eternity refers to the eternal aspect of the Buddha nature inherent
within all things and the eternal aspect of yourself. In essence,
it means that all things have the potential to become Buddhas
or lead others to enlightenment. This potential lies eternally
dormant, in potentia, throughout the whole of the universe (or
universes). As one cannot be totally fulfilled and happy while
others suffer, Buddhas don't exist outside of their struggle
to lead others to enlightenment.
In practice, all four bodhisattvas are related to compassion.
After all, they are all bodhisattvas, representatives of the
life condition of bodhisattva, the internal condition of compassion.
Superior Practices can be said to symbolize the unswerving determination
to save all others from suffering. It is a self-confidence grounded
in compassion that leads all others to Buddhahood. In his writings,
Nichiren refers to himself as Bodhisattva Superior Practices
incarnate.
Boundless Practices relates to the enduring life condition of
Buddhahood which results from a vow and commitment to the bodhisattva
practice of compassion. Pure Practices describes the process
of purification that results from devoting oneself to the bodhisattva
practice of compassion for all species, and indeed all living
beings. When we internalize the reality that we are an aspect
of the universe, as one's view of "self" expands to
incorporate all of the natural world, caring and concern for
others progresses to include more and more individuals of various
species. The life condition that results is thereby purified
to include a broader and broader definition of self. Conversely,
being only concerned about selfish desires pollutes the flow
of one's practice and leads to stagnation. Firmly Established
Practices describes the condition where happiness continuously
arises within a person who devotes their entire life to establishing
a compassionate bodhisattva practice.
The placement of the four bodhisattva beads among the 108 desires
has important symbolism. If we are to effectively deal with
our desires, we must develop other, freeing and noble, aspects
of ourselves. As we chant, true self, eternity, purity and happiness
naturally surface and give rise to the development of caring
and compassion for others. This is the place where your hands
touch together. This is where the action is. Knowing theoretically
that the fusing of subjective wisdom and objective reality leads
to Buddhahood is not the same as actualizing or realizing it.
In order to realize Buddhahood one must commit to the attainment
of these four aspects of our lives and become more compassionate
by means of a bodhisattva practice. There is no need to isolate
oneself from others or even from our own desires. The four bodhisattva
characteristics, as symbolized by the four small beads, remind
us that we need to determinedly vow to put ultimate meaning
and significance into our own lives.
If you look at the left hand Many Treasures bead, the one with
two long strands extending from it, you'll notice a small circle
of ten beads. These ten beads symbolize the mutual possession
of the Ten Worlds or ten life conditions that a person can exhibit
at any given moment. This categorization of life condition is
a component principle of three thousand realms in a single moment
of life, which T'ien-t'ai (537-597) established in his work
titled Great Concentration and Insight. The important aspect
of this principle is that the World of Buddhahood or enlightenment,
is found within the reality of our lives in the other nine Worlds,
not somewhere separate. This is why the Ten Worlds bead circle
appears on the left or "Objective Reality" side of
the beads. The mutual possession of the Ten Worlds is also symbolized
by the touching together of our ten fingers while using the
beads.
Here is a brief explanation of the Ten Worlds.
Hell indicates a condition in which living itself is
misery and suffering, and in which, devoid of all freedom, one's
anger and rage become a source of further self-destruction.
A condition governed by endless desire
for such things as food, profit, pleasure, power, recognition,
or fame, in which one is never truly satisfied.
It is a condition driven by instinct and lacking
in reason, morality, or wisdom with which to control oneself.
In this condition, one is ruled by the "law of the jungle,"
quivering in fear of the strong, but despising and preying upon
those weaker than oneself.
It is characterized by persistent, though not necessarily overt,
aggressiveness. It is a condition dominated by ego, in which
excessive pride prevents one from revealing one's true self
or seeing others as they really are. Compelled by the need to
be superior to others or surpass them at any cost, one may pretend
politeness and even flatter others while inwardly despising
them.
In this state, one tries to
control one's desires and impulses with reason and act in harmony
with one's surroundings and other people, while also aspiring
for a higher state of life.
This is a condition of contentment
and joy that one feels when released from suffering or upon
satisfaction of some desire. It is a temporary joy that is dependent
upon and may easily change with circumstances. These six worlds
are called the six paths.
Beings in the six paths, or those
who tend toward these states of life, are largely controlled
by the restrictions of their surroundings and are therefore
extremely vulnerable to changing circumstances. The remaining
four states, in which one transcends the uncertainty of the
six paths, are called the four noble worlds:
In this state, one dedicates oneself to creating a
better life through self-reformation and self-development by
learning from the ideas, knowledge, and experience of one's
predecessors and contemporaries.
In this condition one perceives the impermanence of all phenomena
and strives to fee oneself from the sufferings of the six paths
by seeing some lasting truth through one's own observations
and effort. People in the worlds of learning and realization
are given more to the pursuit of self-perfection than to altruism.
The world of bodhisattva is a state of compassion in which
one thinks of and works for others' happiness even before becoming
happy oneself. The term bodhisattva consists of bodhi (enlightenment)
and sattva (beings), meaning a person who seeks enlightenment
while leading others to enlightenment. The condition of bodhisattva
is an awareness that the way to self-perfection lies only in
altruism, working for the enlightenment of others even before
their own enlightenment.
The world of Buddhahood is characterized
as a state of perfect and absolute freedom in which one realizes
the true aspect of all phenomena or the true nature of life.
One can achieve this state by manifesting the Buddha nature
inherent in one's life. Attaining this condition does not mean
becoming a special being, separate from the other conditions
of life. Mutual possession of the ten worlds indicates that
within each of the other nine worlds the world of Buddhahood,
or tenth world, can manifest itself. In this state one still
continues to work against and defeat the negative functions
of life and transform any and all difficulties into causes for
further development. It is a state of complete access to the
boundless wisdom, compassion, courage, and other qualities inherent
in life; with these one can create harmony with and among others
and between human life and nature.
On
the long tassel strands there are thirty more beads remaining
that have not yet been discussed. On the ends with two strands
there are five beads each, and on the end with three strands
there are five beads on two of them and ten beads on the remaining
one. (These beads are far easier to observe than explain their
location.) This is a complex philosophical system established
by T'ien-t'ai (538-597) of China. The theory states that three
thousand realms, or the entire phenomenal world, exists in
a single moment of life. A "single moment of life"
is also translated as one mind, one thought, or one thought-moment.
The number three thousand comes from the following calculation:
10 (ten worlds) x 10 (ten worlds - within the previous ten)
x 10 (ten factors) x 3 (three realms of existence) = 3000.
Life at any moment manifests one of the ten worlds. Each of
these worlds possesses the potential for all of the ten within
itself, and this "mutual possession," or mutual
inclusion, of the ten worlds is represented as 10 x 10 = 100
possible worlds. Each of these hundred worlds possesses the
ten factors, making one thousand factors or potentials, and
these operate within each of the three realms of existence,
thus making three thousand realms.
The ten factors are descriptions of spiritual aspects of life
or reality. They are:
Attributes of things
discernible from the outside, such as color, form, shape,
and behavior.
The inherent disposition or quality
of a thing or being that cannot be discerned from the outside.
T'ien-t'ai also refers to the "true nature," which
he regarded as the ultimate truth or Buddha nature.
The essence of life that permeates and integrates appearance
and nature.
[These first three factors describe the reality
of life itself. The next six factors explain the functions
and workings of life.]
Life's potential energy.
The action or movement produced when life's
inherent power is activated.
The cause
latent in life that produces an effect of the same quality
as itself, i.e., good, evil, or neutral.
The
relationship of indirect causes to the internal cause. Indirect
causes are various conditions, both internal and external,
that help the internal cause produce an effect.
The effect produced in life when an internal cause
is activated through its relationship with various conditions.
The tangible, perceivable result that
emerges in time as an expression of a latent effect and therefore
of an internal cause, again through its relationship with
various conditions.
The unifying factor among the ten factors. It indicates
that all of the other nine factors from the beginning (appearance)
to the end (manifest effect) are consistently and harmoniously
interrelated. All nine factors thus consistently and harmoniously
express the same condition of existence at any given moment.
An analysis of the nature of a living entity in
terms of how it responds to its surroundings.
The individual living being, formed of a
temporary union of the five components, who manifests or experiences
any of the ten worlds.
The
place or land where living beings dwell and carry out life-activities.
The state of the land is a reflection of the state of life
of the people who live in it.
A land manifests any of the
ten worlds according to which of the ten worlds dominate in
the lives of its inhabitants. These three realms are not to
be viewed separately, but as aspects of an integrated whole,
which simultaneously manifests any of the ten worlds.
A single moment of life means life as an indivisible whole
that includes body and mind, cause and effect, and sentient
and insentient things. A single moment of life is endowed
with the three thousand realms or possibilities within it.
Nichiren advocated that by chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo one
can "see" or observe the existence of the realm
of Buddhahood within their own life and within the lives of
others from among any other of the possible realms.
On the ends of four of the five strands you'll find tube or jar
shaped beads. These signify vessels to accumulate fortune through
one's practice of chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. They have a
pass-through hole for the tassels to be attached, and this is
indicative of the flow of Buddhahood. Attaining Buddhahood is
a process rather than a point in time. As you chant and develop
your bodhisattva practice of compassion for others, the merits
of your efforts accumulate in your life. Sometimes, you're so
focused on helping others attain Buddhahood you scarcely notice
your own happiness that has resulted from such efforts. But
whether you notice it or not, happiness does begin to build
up from the very first moment you begin your practice of chanting
meditation. But this happiness is not a static state. It is
more akin to a flowing river the current of which is determined
by your efforts to practice Buddhism. Happiness, thus built
up, is difficult to extinguish and is commensurate with your
own efforts to give it to others.