> Now that I think of it, I wonder how Nichiren could know such
> things as the Buddhas' past lives? A good guess, or did he just
> make it up, or was he there?

It is clear that Nichiren held some superstitious beliefs but Nichiren's
words lose much of their 'magical' aspects and take on objective meaning
only when reviewed with understanding of what is 'actually' written in
the texts he studied.

"But I, Nichiren, make the gods of the sun and moon, Shakra and Brahma,
my allies" can have a certain meaning when read in the context of the
Lotus. It can have another, possibly even more profound, in the context
of the Flower Garland.

Nichiren obviously knew intimately both and probably in the context of
both T'ient T'ai and Zen.

So what is he trying to tell us here? More study perhaps.

--- In SokaGakkaiUnofficial@yahoogroups.com, "Don Gropp" <djgropp@...>
wrote:
>
> Robin<<Where in the LS refer to Shakyamuni having an eternal mentor?>>
>
> The universe is the eternal mentor, I guess, even for Shakyamuni who,
at one time was just "an ordinary mortal." Now that I think of it, I
wonder how Nichiren could know such things as the Buddhas' past lives? A
good guess, or did he just make it up, or was he there?
>
> "Numberless major world system dust particle kalpas in the past the
Thus Come One Shakyamuni, who was then an ordinary mortal, came to
realize that his body was made up of the elements of earth, water, fire,
wind, and space, and having done so, he immediately attained
enlightenment. After that, in order to instruct and convert others he
appeared in the world again and again, in age after age going through
the process of acquiring the way in place after place manifesting the
eight phases of a Buddha's existence. Later he was born in the palace of
a king, gained enlightenment under the bodhi tree, and made it appear to
living beings that he had attained Buddhahood for the first time. In the
forty and more years following, he set forth various expedient teachings
in order to lead and guide living beings.
> ...
> "preached the correct and straightforward doctrine of the Lotus Sutra
of the Wonderful Law, revealing the truth of the seeds of the five
wisdom Thus Come Ones" (The Unanimous Declaration by the Buddhas, WNDII,
850-51). [Heaven, earth, water, fire, and wind are the five wisdom Thus
Come Ones]
>
> Recall the Daishonin's own words, "You people look to human beings to
be your allies. But I, Nichiren, make the gods of the sun and moon,
Shakra and Brahma, my allies" (WND, 1057).
>
> President Ikeda also states, "On a different level, I, too, have tried
to live with the universe as my ally."
>
> Robin <<The sole heir is the original mentor?>>
>
> No. "When Shakyamuni Buddha was preparing to transmit this document
[the Lotus Sutra] handed down from the Buddhas of the three existences,
he patted the heads of the numerous bodhisattvas ..." (ibid).
>
> Robin <<Where is Mappo mentioned?>>
>
> Five time in this one Gosho:
>
> Indicating the time he had in mind, he exhorted them to expound this
Law specifically for the sake of us today, the living beings of this
Latter day of the Law, and to use the above document of the Buddha and
bestow the Law without fail upon us. Three times he spoke, carefully
repeating the same words over.
> ...
> Following the ceremony of preaching the Law of the Buddhas of the
three existences and their manner of setting forth the Law, this
transfer document indicates in the same words the period to which the
Law" should be transmitted, the Latter Day of the Law.
> ...
> it is indicated that in the last five-hundred-year period this Lotus
Sutra of the Wonderful Law should be the sole means for attaining
Buddhahood. This is clearly indicated in this document that was handed
down from the Buddhas of the three existences.
> ...
> The "Peaceful Practices" chapter of the Lotus Sutra has described how,
after the world has entered the Latter Day of the Law,
> ...
> as the chapter says, "in the latter age hereafter, when the Law is
about to perish." (ibid)
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --- In SokaGakkaiUnofficial@yahoogroups.com, "Robin Beck"
rrobinrb2000@ wrote:
> >
> > . Shakyamuni makes it abundantly clear in his Lotus Sutra that
> > > > Bodhisattva Superior Practices is the sole heir of this mission
that only the Original, True Buddha (Shakyamuni's eternal teacher/mentor
from "Time Without Beginning") can accomplish in this most corrupt
Latter Day of the Law.
> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> > Where, exactly, did find that Claire?
> >
> > Where is it said that Superior Practices is a sole heir?
> >
> > Where in the LS refer to Shakyamuni having an eternal mentor?
> >
> > The sole heir is the original mentor?
> >
> > Where is "Time Without Beginning" mentioned?
> >
> > Where is Mappo mentioned?
> >
>