by Reverend Yosai Yamada
Chief Priest, Myohoji Temple Los Angeles
Part I
The UNESCO Constitution states:
"Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed." Regarding "world peace," it may be safely said that the most important question for us today is "How does one gain a peaceful way to live?" A European philosopher once said that human beings have the potential for a holy existence, similar to an angel. On the other hand, people can become uglier and more frightening than wild animals.
There is no existence more interesting, mysterious, incomprehensible and complex than human life. Buddhism completely explains life through the principles of the Mutual Possession of the Ten Worlds. Our physical. appearance and our actions in this world are explained by the concept of shiki shin funi the unity of our minds and bodies.
The present and any future state of the world we live in is explained by the concept of esho funi the unity of man and his environment. Or, to put it another way, our world is consistent with our ideals, and as we act upon those ideals, we make the world as it is.
The Mutual Possession of the Ten Worlds explains the reality of the complex and changeable aspects of existence that are the result of the Law of Cause and Effect. By discussing the Mutual Possession of the Ten Worlds, I would like to examine how to live and how to attain world peace.
Since ancient times, philosophers have defined humans as "Homo sapiens, 'a thinking, upright creature.'" However, Buddhism defines human beings as entities which possess ten sorts of worlds. In other words, the Ten Worlds are the ten realms of thought and emotion that are influenced by environmental changes. These changes are reflected in many aspects of our physical
appearance and surroundings.
In the Gosho, "The True Object of Worship," Nichiren Daishonin gives an outline of the Ten Worlds. He states:
When we look from time to time at a person's face, we find him sometimes joyful, sometimes enraged, and sometimes calm. At times greed appears in the person's face, at times foolishness, and at times perversity. Rage is the world of Hell, greed is that of Hunger, foolishness is that of Animality, perversity is that of Anger, joy is that of Rapture and calmness is that of Humanity. These worlds, the six paths, are all present in the physical appearance of the person's face. The remaining four noble worlds are hidden and dormant and do not appear in the face, but if we search carefully, we can tell that they are there.
(MWN vol. 1, p. 52)
He also states:
The fact that all things in this world are transient, is perfectly clear to us. Is this not because the worlds of the two vehicles are present in the world of Humanity? Even a heartless villain loves his wife and children. He too has a portion of the Bodhisattva World within him. Buddhahood is the most difficult to demonstrate. But since you possess the other nine worlds, you should believe that you have Buddhahood as well. Do not permit yourself to have doubts.
(MWN vol.1, pp. 52 53)
As these passages indicate, the Ten Worlds are nothing but various aspects of our human lives. Now let's look further at human existence in the Ten Worlds.
The first is HELL.
Hell indicates a condition in which one is dominated by the impulse to destroy oneself and everything else. Rage is the dominating force. In this state, we are utterly devoid of freedom and undergo extreme and indescribable suffering.
HUNGER is the second.
Hunger is a state characterized by an insatiable desire for food, clothes, wealth, pleasure, fame, power, and so forth. In this state, a person is tormented by relentless craving and by his inability to satisfy it.
ANIMALITY is the third.
The state of Animality is governed by instinct, and one has no sense of reason or morality.
The Shushi Shin Gosho, ("On the Sovereign, Teacher and Parent") describes the state of Animality as follows: "The short are swallowed by the long, and the small are eaten by the large, feeding upon each other without pause." A man in the state of Animality stands in fear of the strong but despises and preys upon those weaker than himself.
Since these three conditions, from Hell through Animality, are states in which we scarcely function as human beings (although we have indeed been born human), they are collectively called the Three Evil Paths.
The fourth world is ANGER.
In the state of Anger, a man is dominated by a selfish ego. A person in this state is compelled by the need to be superior to others in all things, despising others and valuing himself alone.
Nichiren Daishonin's "Jippokai Myoiga Sho" ("Causality Within the Ten States of Life"), describes it as follows:
The first volume of the Maka Shikan reads, "He who is in the world of Anger, motivated by the warped desire to be better than everyone else, is forever belittling others and exalting himself. He is like a hawk sweeping the sky in search of prey. He may outwardly display benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and good faith, and even possess a rudimentary moral sense, but his heart remains in anger."
But in comparison with the Three Evil Paths, there is a little humanity within the realm of Anger. These four states are collectively called the Four Evil Paths.
The fifth world is HUMANITY or TRANQUILITY.
In this state, one can pass fair judgment, control his instinctive desires with reason, and act in harmony with his environment or society.
The sixth world is HEAVEN or RAPTURE.
This state indicates the sense of pleasure which one feels when his desire is fulfilled. However, the joy in the state of Heaven is temporary and disappears with the passage of time or with even a slight change in circumstances.
These states, from Hell through Heaven, are called the Six Paths. The majority of people spend most of their time moving back and forth among them. In these states, one is governed by his reactions to external influences and is therefore extremely vulnerable to changing circumstances.
LEARNING is the seventh world.
Learning is a condition in which one awakens to the impermanence of all things and understands the instability of the Six Paths, and therefore seeks some lasting truth. He aims at self reformation through the teachings of others. Men of Learning originally meant those who listen to the Buddha preach the Four Noble Truths. They practiced the Eightfold Path in order to acquire emancipation from earthly desires. This definition is expounded in Hinayana Buddhism. This life condition is relatively free from avarice, anger, stupidity, arrogance and doubt, as well as from bias or depravity.
Generally speaking, one enters this life condition when he has, in his own way, reached a certain enlightenment, after pursuing the truth of life through the writings of others. However, a selfish or arrogant mind, although hidden, is still present to some extent in this life condition.
The state of REALIZATION is the eighth world.
It is a condition in which one perceives the impermanence of all phenomena and strives to free himself from the sufferings of the Six Paths by seeking some lasting truth through his own observations and effort. Men of Realization originally meant those who attained a kind of emancipation by perceiving the twelve linked chain of causation, or by observing the natural order. In other words, he understands cause and effect as the nature of life in the universe. Because this is a life condition a man reaches upon discovering the truth in the universe after much thinking and effort, the sense of fulfillment felt in this state may be deeper than that gained in the World of Learning.
This is the definition of both Learning and Realization expounded in Hinayana Buddhism:
Realization as well as Learning often turn into arrogance, because people in these life conditions become stubbornly attached to their own realization with its limited perspective. Learning and Realization are called the two vehicles. The defect of the two vehicles lies in the fact that persons in these states seek only their own salvation.
BODHISATTVA is the ninth world.
In this state, one not only aspires to enlightenment himself but also devotes himself to compassionate actions.
The characteristic of the Bodhisattva lies in his dedication to altruism. The Gosho, "Causality in the Ten States of Life," states about this life condition:
Those in the state of Bodhisattva dwell among the common mortals of the Six Paths and humble themselves while respecting others. They draw evil to themselves and give benefit to others.
This life condition is characterized by the great desire to extend help to those who are suffering.
The tenth and final world is that of BUDDHAHOOD.
This is the highest life condition in all of the Ten Worlds. It is a state
of perfect and absolute freedom, in which one enjoys boundless wisdom and compassion, and is filled with the courage and power to surmount all hardships. However, in the Gosho, Nichiren Daishonin states: "Buddhahood is the most difficult to demonstrate." Exhibiting Buddhahood from within is difficult. Explaining this life condition is also difficult. The Twenty Sixth High Priest, Nichikan Shonin, says: "Strong faith in the Lotus Sutra is called Buddhahood."
Therefore, the determination, will, and faith to believe in the Gohonzon is the manifestation of Buddhahood. It is itself Buddhahood.
This is the great life condition which underlies the rich, altruistic activities of the Bodhisattva, in which one takes the sufferings of others as his own and defies all obstacles to help others change their destiny. It is this True Buddhism that demonstrates how to help people call up their own Buddhahood from within themselves.
I firmly believe that the way to salvation lies only in the richness of the Bodhisattva practice, beneath which lies the life condition of the Buddha. It is universally able to help people out of difficulty and find a way out of deadlocks to rescue this planet and its inhabitants from the scourge of war.
In the next lecture, we will talk about the Mutual Possession of the Ten Worlds and how even the worst individuals possess it. Thank you very much.
