HBS BUDDHISM AUSTRALIA

  What is the "Gohonzon?" The Gohonzon is a scroll with calligraphy in Japanese 'kanji' characters stating: "Namu Myo Horenge Kyo" (homage to the lotus sutra). When the Gohonzon is used for praying and chanting, this process is called "odaimoku". The Gohonzon is always inked by hand by the head priest of a temple and presented to a member of HBS inside a frame and placed inside their "daibutsu" (alter). This becomes the focal point of the daibutsu; when praying/chanting, the practitioner looks at the Gohonzon, chanting to make a connection with the Buddha inside of us, the Shakyamuni Buddha and our ancestors. The Gohonzon is like a portal to universe. The Shakyamuni Buddha is the figure most associate with the dissemination of Buddhism and often referred to as the Buddha. In fact, he is only one of many Buddha's. His original name was Siddhartha Gautama; he was responsible for writing the lotus sutra 2,500 years ago - the sutra ...

  "Tamashii" means soul or spirit for both people and inanimate objects. This is a cross-over from the native Japanese religion of Shintoism to Buddhism. This spirit world is often recognised in holidays and festivals in Japan, such as the "obon" festival where people return to their hometowns to welcome the souls of deceased ancestors. The spirit world in Japan has a long history with many and varied beliefs. The big difference between Japanese and Western cultures, is the tradition of seeing objects as having a soul or spirit. This is called "animism." There is a traditional appreciation that all things are derived from nature and by attaching a soul to the object, it shows a sense of gratitude to nature. Respecting and caring for objects out of respect for the "gods" that exist in that object. This is not necessarily present in modern day capitalist Japan, but it was certainly prevalent in traditional Edo Japan. How does this relate to HBS...

In HBS, we believe our deeds and words sow the seeds of karmic destiny. Our positive actions and thoughts lead to  good fortune, and likewise, negative actions and grudges  sow harmful seeds, which can manifest as suffering or misfortune. M indfulness and ethical behavior   are essential to cultivating a positive destiny. What is 'Arayashiki'?  This is a Japanese term derived from the original sanskrit Alayavijnana . It means a 'storehouse of consciousness.' In HBS, it is the 8th level of consciousness and is considered the deepest and most complex one. What are the levels of consciousness? 1. Visual consciousness (gen-shiki) 2. Auditory consciousness (ni-shiki) 3. Olfactory consciousness (bi-shiki) 4. Gustatory consciousness (zetsu-shiki) 5. Tactile consciousness (shin-shiki) 6. Thought consciousness (i-shiki) 7. Ego consciousness (mana-shiki) 8. "Storehouse" consciousness (araya-shiki) The first five are what we would consider to be 'the 5-senses' - ...

  お知らせとお叱り   Signs and Punishment 　　 妙深寺報 2010 年 4 ・ 5 月号巻頭言　 Myoshinji-Ho   April-May, 2010 By Seijun Nagamatsu, Head Priest of Myoshinji   (translated by Keiichi Yamazaki)   　   Immediately after starting to practice this faith of HBS, various signs begin to appear before us. This is because our Buddhism is true Buddhism.   It is because the Lord Buddha and Bodhisattva Nichiren are ‘alive’. It is because our faith in eternal Dharma is correct. Then we come to realize that all the happenings before our eyes are not incidental events but rather inevitable occurrences.   Think of the timing of our seeing and hearing things, encountering people and receiving phone calls and emails.   Faithful of HBS should know that nothing of these is accidental; everything is consequential. 　 In the recent years, more and more religious groups have come to resort to various techniques for making people believe so, I am afraid, considering the “spiri...

Annica (impermanence) is said to be the biggest contributor to Dukkha (sufferings). When we fail to realise that change is inevitable, that we are ever changing both physically and mentally. When we understand all things are in a state flux then we begin to understand our true nature and break the cycle of Samsara (rebirth) and enter the realms of Nirvana (enlightened state). The Buddha talked about the 5 remembrances. They are: 1/ I will grow old. I cannot escape this. 2/ I will have ill health at some stage in my life. I cannot escape this. 3/ I will die. I cannot escape this. 4/ All those whom I love will change. I cannot escape this. 5/ My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. If we can remember these basic life lessons then we realise we are impermanent, incomplete and imperfect. We can then break free from holding onto a false sense of "self." Therefore, the concept of Anicca is closely tied with not only Dukkha but also An...

 Although schools of Buddhism can differ quite radically, there are some foundational concepts that all schools of thought must adhere to. These are part of the Shakyamuni Buddha's direct teachings: THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS 1. Suffering exists 2. Suffering arises from attachment to desires 3. Suffering ceases when attachment to desire ceases 4. Freedom from suffering is possible by practicing the Eightfold Path. *Suffering can  mean anything from mild (for example work stress) through to major (death of a loved one) THE EIGHTFOLD PATH (following the Eightfold Path will alleviate "suffering." 1. Right view 2. Right thought 3. Right speech 4. Right action 5. Right livelihood 6. Right effort 7. Right mindfulness 8. Right contemplation *Note these are all things we are mindful of and need to change within OURSELVES. This is not a judgemental view of others. The Eightfold Path is guided by "Panna" (wisdom), Sila (morality), Samadhi (meditation or chanting). What hinders...

 Particularly in Western countries we have some fairly strong stereotypes as to what Buddhism is about. Here are some of them: 1/ Buddha is a god. 2/ Buddhists don't eat meat or drink alcohol - they are pretty much vegan 3/ Buddhists just meditate 4/ Buddhists are submissive and never get angry 5/ Buddhism is not a religion - it is a philosophy 6/ Buddhists just focus on suffering  7/ To be a real Buddhist you need to become a monk or nun 8/ Buddhists believe in reincarnation In actual fact, all of the the above statements are either completely untrue or mostly false.  Buddhists revere the Buddha but we do not view him as a God but merely a master who found the answers and who we have faith in. The faith is more as a teacher not as an entity who will control our fate or destiny.  Buddhists do eat meat and drink alcohol and even smoke but this can depend heavily on the tradition. Some of the Southern traditions such as Theravada tend to be vegetarian and abstain from ...

  Don’t Let Your Negative Karma Hinder Your Faith Don't Let Your Negative Karma Hinder Your Faith Religious discourse by Seijun NAGAMATSU, head priest of Myoshinji Temple, Honmon Butsuryu Shu (HBS), Yokohama, Japan. Translated by fluteman3 When we smell danger in the wind, instinct pushes us into a protective posture. Similarly, the world charges toward protectionism when it is trapped in an economic predicament. What concerns us today is how we can protect ourselves against and prepare for the unpredictable; we are too self-centered to look after other people and tend to the needs of other countries. When the world seems harsh and discomforting, it is because the minds and hearts of the people are harsh and discomforting. It appears as though we are becoming increasingly egotistical, blaming others for all the woes that we experience in our daily lives. We are permitting the occurrence of incidents such as miscommunications and misunderstandings with the people who are closest to ...

 Here is a phrase that can be said before sharing a meal, particularly with other HBS members: Myoho rufu ni ikinga tame ni ima sono jiki wo, itadakimasu Arigatougozaimasu

 The Lotus Sutra is said to be the finest work of the Buddha. Saint Nichiren derived through his many years of study as a monk, a phrase which anybody could use in the hope of achieving Buddhahood. By chanting the Namu-Myo-horenge-kyo we are paying homage to the lotus sutra.  What should I be thinking when chanting this sutra? As practitioners lucky enough to have access to a temple we can simply look at the 'Gohonzon' as a focus point. The Gohonzon is a a sacred scroll revered by all and treated with utmost respect. Lay practitioners also who are members will also have one of these in their homes preferably in a quiet room placed just above eye-line when seated.  How does chanting this sutra help me? 1. By collecting and spreading good karma. The vibes we give off to other people affects how others interact with us. 2. As a way of praying to our ancestors who are no longer with us. 3. To pray for other people in our family or community who are experiencing illness or oth...

 Zen Buddhism has different schools so there is a different emphasis within each of these schools. Most people in the West have a basic idea about Zen as we have had some exposure to it over the last last 100 hundred years.  Zen has some really great stuff, I respect the positive influence Zen has had in Japanese culture and Chinese culture before the Cultural Revolution. The influence in Japan has been quite profound, in my personal opinion through years of living in Japan and discussing this with Japanese people, is that artisans/craftsmen and tradesmen have a heightened sense of achieving perfection in their chosen field. Their world renowned eye for detail and producing top quality products in contemporary times such as motor vehicles, electronics, food etc all came from practicing the art of patience and perfection cultivated over many hundreds of years. Zen had a major role to play in developing this mind set It is difficult to describe Zen, this would be unfair of me to...