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Sunday, July 24, 2016

Josei Toda's inferior enliightenment

Toda's enlightenment was based on the Sutra of Infinite Meanings, not on the Lotus Sutra, Namu Myoho renge kyo, nor Nichiren's Gohonzon. His enlightenment was born of the following passage of the Sutra of Infinite Meanings:

His body is neither existing nor nonexisting; 
Without cause or condition, 
Without self or others; 
Neither square nor round, 
Neither short nor long; 
Without appearance or disappearance, 
Without birth or death; 
Neither created nor emanating, 
Neither made nor produced; 
Neither sitting nor lying, 
Neither walking nor stopping; 
Neither moving nor rolling, 
Neither calm nor quiet; 
Without advance or retreat, 
Without safety or danger; 
Without right or wrong, 
Without merit or demerit; 
Neither that nor this, 
Neither going nor coming; 
Neither blue nor yellow, 
Neither red nor white; 
Neither crimson nor purple, 
Without a variety of color. 

Toda taught that by contemplating this passage he came to understand that Buddha is life itself. Neither the Buddha in the Lotus Sutra nor Nichiren Daishonin in any of his authentic writings ever taught such a thing. His enlightenment does not go beyond the Shingon masters who understood Buddha as the Dharma Body. This is the meaning of this passage. The Three Bodied Tathagata has both form and fragrance. Reason this for a moment. The cockroach has life. Does that mean that the cockroach is Buddha?

1 comment:

  1. "Reason this for a moment. The cockroach has life. Does that mean that the cockroach is Buddha?"

    Judging from those on ABRN who insist THEY are Buddha, why not the cockroach?

    ~Katie

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