Rev. Hohon Takagi
In Buddhism, we call them the six senses. Senses are compared to the roots of grasses and trees since the six senses are branched out from one human body. Our life that lives in the Latter Day of the Law is constantly filled with sufferings, illusions caused by earthly desires, and negative offences from the past. When ordinary people's lives are purified, their six senses are also purified. This is possible when we practice the True Buddha's true Law correctly in accordance with at the right time.
As you already know, the eye sense is ability to see, the ear sense is ability to hear, the nose sense is ability to smell, the tongue sense is ability to taste, the body sense is ability to feel, and the mind sense is ability to compute the information collected by the other five senses all together. When these six senses are covered with earthly desires or illusions, we are not able to recognize things correctly. As a consequence, we may make a wrong decision and create a cause of unhappiness in the end.
For instance, I assume that most of you drive a car. I think that you will wash and tune up your car when it gets dirty. Why do you do this? The answer is simple. If you do not, the dirt will cover the windshield and obstruct your vision. This could cause an accident. If you do not tune up your car, this will also cause an accident. In order to prevent an accident, keep your car in the best condition. You know you should wash and tune up your car.
The same is true with constantly purifying our six senses. In the Hosshi kudoku chapter of the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni in India states on purifying the six senses as follows:
If good man and women accept and uphold this Lotus Sutra, if they read it, recite it, explain and preach it, or transcribe it, such persons will obtain eight hundred eye benefits, twelve hundred ear benefits, eight hundred nose benefits, twelve hundred tongue benefits, eight hundred body benefits, and twelve hundred mind benefits. With these benefits they will be able to adorn their six sense organs, making all of them pure.
(The Lotus Sutra, Watson, p. 251)
The eye benefits will enable us to know the cause and effect of everything correctly. Ear benefits will enable us to distinguish the true voice or untrue voice. Nose benefits will enable us to distinguish various smells correctly. Tongue benefits will give us keen sense of taste. With the tongue benefit, when we use our voice, we can make others happy to hear it. Body benefits will provide us with a healthy body and because of this, our body is able to adapt to our environment automatically. Mind benefits will enable us to think clearly and to deepen our wisdom.
This is to say that when the dust of the six senses is cleaned, we are able to judge everything correctly. This is the benefit of purifying our six senses.
As you all know, the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law is the Daishonin. The practice of the Latter Day of the Law is to practice for oneself to improve our faith and practice, and to practice for the sake of others in order to teach people who do not yet know how to purity their six senses.
As we can see in the proverb: “An uncut gem does not sparkle,” when we strive in our Buddhist practice honestly, we can receive the benefit from the Gohonzon to purify our six senses.
The Daishonin states in the “Ongi kuden” (“Orally Transmitted Teachings”):
Benefit means to attain Buddhahood in one's present form, which is specially the purification of the six sense organs. One must understand that to practice the teaching in accord with the Lotus Sutra is the purification of the six sense organs.
(Gosho, p. 1775)
The High Priest, Nichinyo Shonin states the following regarding this passage:
Purifying the six senses is same as attaining enlightenment in one's present form. … When we practice the five characters of Myoho-Renge-Kyo to the true Gohonzon honestly as the Lotus Sutra teaches, through the power of Myoho, without eradicating our earthly desires and separating ourselves from the Five Desires, we are able to attain Buddhahood in our present form, transforming our present body of a common mortal into the body of the Buddha obtaining the benefit of purifying our six senses.
(Kosen-rufu Shodai Ceremony, Oct. 2006)
I would like to conclude my lecture by praying that you acquire the correct knowledge of purifying the six senses and strive in your faith and practice. Thank you very much for your attention.
