SGI Members Testmonial- Marching Forth with Kosen Rufu & Daily Life By Hong Ching Theng - Johor Baru A brilliant new history for the Johor State kosen-rufu took off in March 2001 and the members marched in smartly to attend the opening ceremony of the SGM Johor Culture Centre in Johor Baru. Ching Theng, the YMD Headquarters leader of SGM Johor, was among this group of members. In his thirty years of faith, his daily life is imbued with the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin and with his conviction for kosen-rufu. A Poor Childhood In his childhood memories, Ching Thengs father turned to drinking following the collapse of his business. To support the twelve children, his mother went through great hardship. Faith in this religion, will transform your whole familys karma. This was the encouragement from his aunt to his eldest brother who began to practise Nichiren Daishonins Buddhism. Later, his mother also took faith. When they had no food for the three meals of the day, his mother would ask all the children to help and chant. At that time I was too young to contribute financially towards my family. Nevertheless, I could chant. Therefore, it can be said that I took faith because of my mother. My mother is now seventy-seven years old and she is still actively involved in SGM activities. She always says with gratitude: The philosophy of SGI President Ikeda has made each and every one of us live a meaningful and valuable life. Sufferings will Enhance a Person In 1985, when Ching Theng could not continue with his studies at university, he began to look for a job. That was during the economic downturn. After much effort, he still could not find a job. Failing to further his studies and, worse still, not being able to be employed, he became very depressed. During those difficult times, he was fortunate enough to have his mother who encouraged him. Even though the future was uncertain, he never gave up hope but continued to chant and pray. He always turns to reading President Ikedas guidance for encouragement. One of the guidance which he recalled was that youth must welcome sufferings. This gave him great encouragement and is now his motto in life. His sufferings became the treasure which help to polish his life. In his opinion, these sufferings gave him the opportunity to take faith in the Daishonins Buddhism. In June 1986. Ching Theng finally got a job as a temporary teacher. Even though it was only temporary, he valued the job for teaching has always been his interest. He concentrated on his job wholeheartedly while practising the guidance from the Gosho, Regard your service to your lord as the practice of the Lotus Sutra. (WND, pg 905 [MW-III-270]) Being a serious teacher, he cared about his students, and would always try to do his best to help them solve their personal problems. Even though he was only a temporary teacher, he managed to gain the trust of his headmaster. In 1989, SGM Johor was organising the Third Youth Peace Culture Festival. Ching Theng was twenty-five years old then. Everyday, he would travel on his old motor cycle for his practices for the cultural festival, and, he would worry about his old motor cycle breaking down during his journey. This caused him to think seriously about improving his financial situation. Since I was one of the persons in charge in the dance group, I dreamt of buying a car to transport my members. Thus, I prayed earnestly to have the financial ability to buy a car. After the completion of the cultural festival, Ching Theng started tuition classes in his spare time. Two years later, he saved enough to buy a van. But misfortune struck! On that particular day before he was to make his payment, a burglar broke into his house early in the morning and stole his savings. Looking back, Ching Theng said, At that moment, I was so shocked, my mind was filled with all types of negative questions, Why? Why? Why? Later, I calmed down and told myself, When great evil occurs, great good follows. (WND, pg 1119 [MW-V-161]) Turning Point in My Career To expand his tuition classes, he put an advertisement in the local newspapers. His advertisement was so effective that he had a few hundred new students, which was beyond is no surprise that the Daishonin uses this character to explain to Lord Matsuno the importance of respecting all people: Bodhisattva Never Disparaging of old said that all people have the Buddha nature and that, if they embrace the Lotus Sutra, they will never fail to attain Buddhahood. He further stated that to slight a person is to slight the Buddha himself. Thus, his practice was to revere all people. He revered even those who did not embrace the Lotus Sutra because they too had the Buddha nature and might someday believe in the sutra. Therefore, it is all the more natural to revere those priests and lay people who do embrace the sutra. (WND, pg 756 [MW-III-207-208]) The Buddha nature is a potential for the highest human state, a condition rich with compassion and wisdom. Bodhisattva Never Disparaging perceived the Buddha nature in all people he met and told them: I have profound reverence for you, I would never dare treat you with disparagement or arrogance. Why? Because you are all practising the bodhisattva way and are certain to attain Buddha-hood. (LS20, 266-267) This passage consisting of twenty-four characters in the Chinese translation by Kumarajiva (344-413) � is known as the twenty-four-character Lotus Sutra, for it captures the heart of the Lotus Sutra. Many in the West have recognised the sanctity of the human being as well. The German philosopher, Immanuel Kant, for example, in his Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morak, asserted that we must pattern our actions after a categorical imperative, which states: So act that you use humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, always at the same time as an end, never merely as a means. Kant explained that since every rational being wants to be free, his or her existence should be regarded as an end in itself. If the existence of a rational being is treated as a means, it will never be free, and its worth will become relative to what it is good for. While Kant argued that the absolute worth* of human existence derives from its rational nature Bodhisattva Never Disparaging sees the Buddha nature as the source of dignity in every person that deserves respect from everyone. Setting aside the difference between the rational nature and the Buddha nature, we could say that Bodhisattva Never Disparaging put Kants categorical imperative into practice in the sense that he followed the only possible course of action towards something of absolute worth: respect. Viewing each person as an end rather than a means, and acknowledging his or her absolute worth, is a fitting imperative for all humanity in the 21st century, and the Daishonins Buddhism has much to contribute towards making this a reality. Respect for Life as the Basis of Propagation Towards the end of the letter, the Daishonin urges Lord Matsuno to exert himself in spreading Buddhism: You should also teach the sutra to the best of your ability. (WND, pg 760 [MW-III-216]) Bodhisattva Never Disparaging serves as one of the most excellent models in the Lotus Sutra for our efforts to communicate the greatness of the Daishonins Buddhism to others, for he makes respect for each person the very basis of pro計agation. This might well be one reason why the Daishonin introduces the story of Bodhisattva Never Dis計araging in this letter. When Bodhisattva Never Disparaging meets people, he sees their Buddha nature, something of absolute worth that demands his respect. He cannot remain silent about the existence of this supreme potential, so he tells them, in spite of their violent reaction: You ... are certain to attain Buddhahood. (LS19, 267) This bodhisattva is said to have lived in the period of Counterfeit Law when monks of overbearing arrogance exercised great authority and power. (LS20, 266) Buddhism had degenerated into mere formality, something that these arrogant monks capitalised upon, and few practised Buddhism correctly. So when the bodhisattva tells people, You are all practising the bodhisattva way, (Ibid) he is expressing his expectation that if they embrace the Lotus Sutra, they will never fail to attain Buddhahood, just as the Daishonin interprets this statement, (WND, pg 756 [MW-III-217]). Bodhisattva Never Disparaging paid respect to people for their yet-to-be realised potential and encouraged them to practise the bodhisattva way, regardless of who they are or what they do now. This is easier said than done, however. It is no easy task to look at a person who is in the depth of suffering and confusion, who is given to bad or destructive behaviour, and envision a truly happy person full of wisdom and compassion. It is as difficult as seeing a giant oak tree in an acom. Bodhisattva Never Disparaging did exactly this, however. He was like a gardener who saw a giant tree of happiness in a tiny seed left neglected on the parched ground. He patiently cared for the acom by planting it in good soil where there is plenty of sunlight and water, always reminding it that it will certainly grow into a magnificent tree. And imagine this acorn not only refusing to be cared for, but also trying to attack the gardener! The story of Bodhisattva Never Disparaging teaches us that at the core of our efforts to spread the Daishonins teaching must be our respect for the supreme potential that all people possess. We must have wisdom not to judge them based on how they appear today and have courage to believe in what they can become down the road. When we develop such respect, we can benefit not only others, but also ourselves; for when we respect the Buddha nature of others, we are praising our own as well. In this regard, the Daishonin explains: There is a fundamental oneness of self and others. Therefore, when Bodhisattva Never Disparaging makes his bow of obeisance to the four groups of people, the Buddha nature inherent in the lives of the four groups of arrogant people bowed towards Bodhisattva Never Disparaging. This is the same as how when one bows facing a minor, the reflected image bows back. (Gosho Zenshu, pg 769) All people, regardless of who they are, or what they believe in, share the Buddha nature. When we respect them for it, we are treating ourselves with the same respect. From the viewpoint of the Daishonins Buddhism, therefore, failing to respect others is failing to respect ourselves.
Posted on: Wed, 01 Oct 2014 07:58:16 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015