The starting point of this short study is to recognize that the purpose of life is to become happy. If the objective of life is not to become happy, then it becomes worthless to discuss Buddhism. For a true religion must serves to make the happiness of humanity a priority. That is the original purpose of religion. Unfortunately, it is all too easy for religion to become corrupted and degrade into a moneymaking enterprise or a propaganda device for hate and discrimination. This is why study is important. Correct study is to be informed and to empower individuals with the ability to discern right from wrong.
With regard to the topic of happiness, there are two kinds as explained by Josei Toda, the second Soka Gakkai president. They are “relative happiness” and “absolute happiness”.
Relative happiness is the result of fulfilling our desires. Hence, it is dependent on whether on the conditions which surround our desires. Moreover, “relative” indicates “comparison”. Relative happiness is felt when one feels better off or advantageous in comparison to others. Therefore, we can also say that “earthly desires” denotes a yearning to be better off than others. That means that desires such as “wealth”, “status” and “attractiveness” only has meaning when compared to others.
Absolute happiness, on the other hand, is a state of life which people continue to experience joy in living wherever they may be or whatever they may be doing regardless of their prevailing circumstances. It is a difficult endeavor to cultivate such a life-state, but a necessary one if we ever hope to derive true joy from our existence. To achieve absolute happiness requires ceaseless efforts to develop oneself in the acquirement of wisdom, good fortune and strong life-force. This is the purpose of attaining Buddhahood.
To attain Buddhahood can then be equate to the ceaseless efforts to acquire wisdom, good fortune and strong life-force in order to overcome all life’s sufferings. Practicing Buddhism will then mean that we shift the focus of our lives towards the achievement of absolute happiness instead of relative happiness.
A little more is required to explain on the idea of what a Buddha is. Traditionally, when we hear the name “Buddha”, we automatically associate it with Shakyamuni, the founder of the original Buddhist Order. But we have to understand that Shakyamuni is the first historically recorded Buddha. And his mission is to teach others that they too, can become a Buddha just like him. But over the years, with emphasis on how great the life-state of a Buddha is, Shakyamuni eventually got deified by many Buddhists schools and treated as if he were a God of some kind. This is incorrect.
Buddhism expounds that every individual is equally endowed with a great innate potential within our lives and that this potential is none other than Buddhahood. Hence, Buddhism is a teaching that strives to remind everyone that we should not feel that we are inherently weak or dependent, but to be awakened to the fact that we can all become individuals of strength and spiritual autonomy.
There continues to be many schools of Buddhism which mistakenly regard Shakyamuni as a form of Supreme Being or a deity, and it is with great gratitude that I am able to study Buddhism under the Soka Gakkai International, an organization currently demonstrating actual proof of the original spirit of Buddhism.
The next important point to note is that although there are some other Buddhists schools that recognized the fact that we can all become Buddhas, many held the beliefs that it requires counts lifetimes of assiduous Buddhist study and practice to attain this enlightenment. But this is also incorrect. In the Lotus Sutra, it is revealed implicitly that we are all capable of becoming Bodhisattvas of the Earth. This type of Bodhisattvas are Buddhas in nature but took the appearance of a Bodhisattvas in order to lead others to enlightenment.
Nichiren Daishonin was the person who first recognizes that fact based on his studies into the Lotus Sutra and strives to explain it to others. He then taught that in order for us to manifest our capacity as a Bodhisattva of the Earth, we had to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo which is the name of the Buddha nature within us.
To be continued…
DISCLAIMER: This study is the product of my personal study of Buddhism. I do not claim to be perfect in my understanding but I just try my best to share what I learnt. I can’t help it if, in the event of you reading this, that there are points you disagree with but I welcome to contact me in person and speak with me so that we may learn from our exchanges. Anyone with any enquires are also welcome to contact me.
Buddhism is best studied and learnt through direct human-to-human, heart-to-heart dialogue!!
With regard to the topic of happiness, there are two kinds as explained by Josei Toda, the second Soka Gakkai president. They are “relative happiness” and “absolute happiness”.
Relative happiness is the result of fulfilling our desires. Hence, it is dependent on whether on the conditions which surround our desires. Moreover, “relative” indicates “comparison”. Relative happiness is felt when one feels better off or advantageous in comparison to others. Therefore, we can also say that “earthly desires” denotes a yearning to be better off than others. That means that desires such as “wealth”, “status” and “attractiveness” only has meaning when compared to others.
Absolute happiness, on the other hand, is a state of life which people continue to experience joy in living wherever they may be or whatever they may be doing regardless of their prevailing circumstances. It is a difficult endeavor to cultivate such a life-state, but a necessary one if we ever hope to derive true joy from our existence. To achieve absolute happiness requires ceaseless efforts to develop oneself in the acquirement of wisdom, good fortune and strong life-force. This is the purpose of attaining Buddhahood.
To attain Buddhahood can then be equate to the ceaseless efforts to acquire wisdom, good fortune and strong life-force in order to overcome all life’s sufferings. Practicing Buddhism will then mean that we shift the focus of our lives towards the achievement of absolute happiness instead of relative happiness.
A little more is required to explain on the idea of what a Buddha is. Traditionally, when we hear the name “Buddha”, we automatically associate it with Shakyamuni, the founder of the original Buddhist Order. But we have to understand that Shakyamuni is the first historically recorded Buddha. And his mission is to teach others that they too, can become a Buddha just like him. But over the years, with emphasis on how great the life-state of a Buddha is, Shakyamuni eventually got deified by many Buddhists schools and treated as if he were a God of some kind. This is incorrect.
Buddhism expounds that every individual is equally endowed with a great innate potential within our lives and that this potential is none other than Buddhahood. Hence, Buddhism is a teaching that strives to remind everyone that we should not feel that we are inherently weak or dependent, but to be awakened to the fact that we can all become individuals of strength and spiritual autonomy.
There continues to be many schools of Buddhism which mistakenly regard Shakyamuni as a form of Supreme Being or a deity, and it is with great gratitude that I am able to study Buddhism under the Soka Gakkai International, an organization currently demonstrating actual proof of the original spirit of Buddhism.
The next important point to note is that although there are some other Buddhists schools that recognized the fact that we can all become Buddhas, many held the beliefs that it requires counts lifetimes of assiduous Buddhist study and practice to attain this enlightenment. But this is also incorrect. In the Lotus Sutra, it is revealed implicitly that we are all capable of becoming Bodhisattvas of the Earth. This type of Bodhisattvas are Buddhas in nature but took the appearance of a Bodhisattvas in order to lead others to enlightenment.
Nichiren Daishonin was the person who first recognizes that fact based on his studies into the Lotus Sutra and strives to explain it to others. He then taught that in order for us to manifest our capacity as a Bodhisattva of the Earth, we had to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo which is the name of the Buddha nature within us.
To be continued…
DISCLAIMER: This study is the product of my personal study of Buddhism. I do not claim to be perfect in my understanding but I just try my best to share what I learnt. I can’t help it if, in the event of you reading this, that there are points you disagree with but I welcome to contact me in person and speak with me so that we may learn from our exchanges. Anyone with any enquires are also welcome to contact me.
Buddhism is best studied and learnt through direct human-to-human, heart-to-heart dialogue!!
