A Guide to the - Rissho Kosei-kai

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ecause they are alive, and that the sun gives light and heat as just a natural phenomenon. Inother words, there is no cause to be thankful.There is no way for such thinking to make people happy. It can only make people egoistic, coldhearted,puffed up, and lonely. By contrast, we cannot imagine how much happier it makes usto be grateful to our parents, to the people around us, to the plant kingdom, and for theblessings of heaven and earth. If the number of people who feel such thankfulness grows intothe thousands and millions, not only will they support one another with affection, but they willbe able to exist in harmony with the plants, the oceans, and the atmosphere. This planet willbecome a peaceful, comfortable place to live.When one looks at how the world is formed, one can understand that everything isinterdependent, and is connected in some way. Nothing exists entirely in and of itself. Ourenvironment is one of constant, interrelated change, in which the death of one thing becomesthe source of life for another. With everything so interdependent, a grand but subtle harmonyis built up. As a consequence, we can say that it is most natural to live in grateful acceptance ofevery encounter with those who share this bond. Conversely, as long as we do not forget to seethings as they are, the feeling of gratitude for all things will surely spring forth.Happiness comes from the thankfulness we feel as we become aware of the many earthly anddivine blessings we receive, including the support of many other people.14
Looking Into the DepthsEach of us meets many people in our daily lives, and the key to happiness lies in how we relateto them. If we can practice amicability in relationships with people we meet for the first time,and also with those we see regularly, then we ought to be that much happier.A poem by Matsuo Basho (1644‐‐94) reads, "Someone wears a rush mat in a springtime offlowers." The usual interpretation of this poem is that on a beautiful spring day in Kyoto thesight of a beggar wearing a rush mat reminded Basho of the distinguished Zen priest ShuhoMyocho (1282‐‐1337), who for twenty years was "combed by the wind" (wandering thecountry), and Basho thought the man wearing the rush mat might also be a devout priest whohad renounced the world. Basho may have had an even more profound insight. He may havesensed something sacred deep in the heart of the mat wearer.Here is another poem by Basho: "Looking closely, I see a shepherd's purse blooming on thehedge." Sticking out of a common hedge, even the lowly shepherd's purse, a flower one wouldhardly stop to look at, revealed something of the nobility of life to Basho's eye. In this way ofseeing, one does not merely look at a person's surface and decide that they are good or bad.Instead, one looks into a person's depths to find the nobility of life that is linked to the Buddha.When one does this, one discovers respect for the person. The same is true of things. Whenone stops to wonder why a particular thing exists, one can only assume that the great source ofall life causes things to exist as they are. Moreover, when one considers the deep karmicconnection that brought the thing into one's hands, one must feel deep love and veneration.There are undoubtedly some who would say, "What is the point of all this respect?" There mayeven be some who think that, after all, it is merely idealistic. This, however, is a narrow point ofview, and if we lack respect for all things, society will not attain true peace. What would happenif people did not respect others at all? They would think nothing of cheating, intimidating, andharming others, and conflicts would proliferate unabated. If one does not respect others, onecannot trust them. If one cannot trust others, one is always on guard. In such a situation, thosewith power use it against others; those without power use lies and deception to protectthemselves. Neither has a moment of peace.The same is true of products. Without respect for its products, a manufacturer thinks only ofprofit. The consumer uses the product and throws it away before it wears out. For example, inJapan one sees abandoned cars along the side of the road, and if this problem grows worse theplanet will one day be covered with waste, and people would have no place to live.I may seem to be going too far, but isn't this the way the world seems to be heading? Thereason there is less respect today for people and things is that people look only at the surfaceof things and do not attempt to see their true value. We tend to judge people only by theiracademic background, ability, or position, as if to determine whether they might be of benefitto us. Even those who look a little deeper seem to consider only personality‐‐whether someoneis friendly and a suitable companion. As long as one judges others only with such an egocentricstandard of values, it is impossible to feel true respect.The reason we are swayed by this shallow way of seeing things is that we are so busy in ourdaily lives that we have no spiritual breadth. It also seems that there are faults in our education:too much rote memorization, and little attention to teaching students to think for themselves.It is here, in my opinion, that religion becomes necessary. Religion makes us study things moredeeply. It restores our hearts to their original purity. A person with faith venerates all humanity,respects things, and reveres life itself. When people respect one another and physical things,15
Page 1 and 2: Invisible EyelashesSeeing What is C
Page 3 and 4: THE TWO FUNCTIONS OF A CELL 55The P
Page 5 and 6: For this to take place, it is vital
Page 7 and 8: Pleasure is filling the empty rice
Page 9 and 10: Rose or Thorns?The rose is beautifu
Page 11 and 12: The Contents of Hotei's SackThe mor
Page 13: GratitudeFor the past two decades I
Page 17 and 18: Self‐AwarenessSometimes we allow
Page 20 and 21: the mountains, Po Chu‐i went to m
Page 22 and 23: and hesitating to take a first step
Page 24 and 25: "Nothing has an ego" means that all
Page 26 and 27: self‐love, endeavoring to develop
Page 28 and 29: ampant, Dr. Schweitzer devoted his
Page 30 and 31: Everyone has some ability that is b
Page 32 and 33: een pondering Kepler's theories of
Page 34 and 35: improved, I would return home only
Page 36 and 37: work.In another section, "The Daily
Page 38 and 39: Hakone, I finished in fifty‐five
Page 40 and 41: Many people want to work in their o
Page 42 and 43: eplied, "One hundred divided by two
Page 44 and 45: at the gate, the Buddha appeared an
Page 46 and 47: once again sinks into despair, it t
Page 48 and 49: individuality grows beyond the boun
Page 50 and 51: this truth, one becomes keenly awar
Page 52 and 53: suddenly turned irritable and said,
Page 54 and 55: well in a sport, one obeys the rule
Page 56 and 57: There is, however, one infallible r
Page 58 and 59: The offering of kind words means sp
Page 60 and 61: We must never think of ourselves an
Page 62 and 63: The Wind Blowing from the FutureThe
Page 64 and 65:
Courage That Opens DoorsI have many
Page 66 and 67:
"Even Insects Work and Eat"My paren
Page 68 and 69:
Home Is More Than a HavenIn recent
Page 70 and 71:
Where Affection and Gratitude Begin
Page 72 and 73:
Forever Young at HeartAlmost every
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