Who Am I?
Nichiren Buddhism is built upon the interpretations of the teachings of the Lotus Sutra which is said to explain that all of us can attain Buddhahood in our own lifetime. Does this explain Who Am I? So are we all potential Buddhas?
Well, according to Daishonin, yes! Nichiren Daishonin was a Japanese monk from the 13th Century who re-examined all of Shakyamuni’s (the originator of Buddhism to mankind – aka Guatama Buddha) writings and declared that this was the true teaching for the Latter Day and the essence and power of the teachings (and Buddhahood) could be summed up (and revealed) by chanting the phrase Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. These are ancient sounds that have resonated through the ages and are used to call all the past Buddhas to our aid as we journey to our enlightenment. I was a practising Nichiren Buddhist and chanting was the highlight of my day and turned my life around in so many ways. It CAN change yours.
Taoism and Zen Buddhism believe the same (as does the Law of Attraction I suppose), that we can attain all we aspire to in our lifetimes by adopting certain practices and attitudes.
But hang on, where is this Buddhahood? Is it the same place as where all my bad stuff is?
When we are dealing with the mind we are dealing with consciousness, and people have different levels of consciousness. So, essentially, “it’s all in the mind”, is right. What we think we become. What we believe we will see more of because we attract what we dwell on. The only problem with that is we are trying to describe in words concepts and feelings – and (much of ) language has major limitations. As the Tao Te Ching writes, ‘The Tao that can be described is not the eternal Tao’ (one of many translations – in essence, it’s beyond verbal description because it is beyond our comprehension). Buddhism agrees with the limitations of language and the Law of Attraction encourages us to ‘feel’ good to get what we want.
So, contestants, the question is, ‘are we our minds’? Does all this stuff sit in my mind, my ego, my brain? How does it get in – and get out? Who hasn’t thought they had dealt with something (an emotional issue) only to have it come back and bite them? How come I can’t seem to control my thoughts? Or my behaviour?
What is going on in there??!!
To answer this, we have to pedal back a bit and see how these three ways of experiencing reality align and how we as beings relate to reality.
Stay with me…….it’ll make more sense soon……
All beliefs are thoughts we keep thinking. These instruct our ideas of reality and are ‘ours’ uniquely although, like our values, many are shared. Values and beliefs hold up our map of the world. All three schools of thought believe in a single consciousness, a Unity Consciousness, One Mind, and accept that within the single consciousness, collectives, or raised consciousnesses, or more enlightened beings, exist in an eternal, expanding dance. E.g. although we are all Buddhas (in waiting) there’s no question that Bodhidharma (or Ta’ Mo in China), who brought (Zen or Chan) Buddhism to China, and is said in some texts to be the 28th direct Buddha from Shakyamuni, is/was a very powerful Buddha, as are many of the ancient Taoists priests.
So, we are beings?
Pretty much. The Law of Attraction says we are eternal source energy beings, Taoism doesn’t appear to explore the science of that too much apart from ‘no end and no beginning’ and ‘before follows after’, and in Buddhism (and other schools) we are eternal souls. In all three we are in complete control (or should be) of our destiny, and achieve enlightenment through consistent application of certain practices and thought patterns (beliefs). In all three, love is the overwhelming positive force that will grease the wheels of our carts and put the wind at our backs (sorry, a metaphor moment), and in all three we are powerful beyond measure, able to tap into the same power that moves planets. Oh, and all three require faith….
Does that make sense?
Well, mega-powerful eternal souls as part of a single consciousness having a subjective human experience and we can’t work out how to get off chocolate biscuits???!! It’s all a bit depressing….
Ahhhhhhhh…….you’ve spotted the big flaw in every school of thought – free choice. You are Buddha, Guru, Christ Consciousness, Source Energy – all in a potential state of possibility, and are guaranteed enlightenment (and your desires), as long as you make the right choices, or you’ll be the victim of your Karma, early programming and dysfunctional behaviour for a bit longer! This is the Way and how the Law of Attraction works. When you ask, who am I, you are all of the above and more. I know it doesn’t help, but it’s better to know who you are not. You are not your thoughts, memories, experiences, programmes, attitudes, opinions, beliefs (although they do hold you up)……you are the space between.
Hang on…….Karma?! Isn’t that what John Lennon sang about?
More next week grasshopper….
