HARMONY - November 2012

DEAR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF SGI,

There are many schools of Buddhism and all too often they are assumed to be just the same, and the differences go unnoticed.

Growing up in a Judeo-Christian culture in the U.S., my understanding of Buddhism was extremely limited. I had some preconceived notions that all Buddhists were monks who lived in monasteries, wore robes, shaved their heads, were passive, vegetarian and meditated for hours in dark, smoky incense-filled rooms with lots of candles and statues. Too much influence from movies and television shaped that image, I guess.

It wasn’t until I started practicing the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin with the Soka Gakkai that I began to perceive the differences of the various schools and how they evolved from Shakyamuni’s teaching and that of his followers. I came to understand that I can manifest my Buddhahood from within without changing who I am. We don’t need to remove ourselves from society, as we can achieve enlightenment just the way we are. In fact, our mission is right where we are.

It is important that we know the origins of Buddhism and what separates the different forms. We need to understand why we don’t worship a statue of a Buddha, or why we don’t look for help from external
Quote of the Month
deities, if we are to accurately explain that by chanting the phrase Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we can lead truly happy lives.

As Aristotle said:
“If you would understand anything, observe its beginning and its development.”

With that in mind, this month we look at the history of Buddhism and how the various schools came about.

By following the Lotus Sutra, the highest of all of the original Buddha’s sutras, Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism, as practiced in the SGI, is in direct accord with the intent of Shakyamuni. And that is to help all mankind overcome the four sufferings of birth, aging, sickness and death, and to lead truly happy and victorious lives.

We hope that this issue of Harmony will help you understand the roots of Buddhism and the importance of the Lotus Sutra.

Skip Williams

Quote of the month.

“The Buddhist religion is a faith that continues flowing forward into the world, working ceaselessly for the salvation of all sentient beings everywhere.”
(Daisaku Ikeda - Buddhism, The First Millennium, p. xii)

Available at all HKSGI Culture Centres