If you have been around older people in East Asian communities, you may hear someone say that nirvana, or enlightenment, is not possible in this life for them due to their actions, but may be in the next life. Hearing such remarks used to suffocate me. The concept of endless cycles of birth and death until one reaches a state of Buddhahood seemed like a non-achievable goal.
Coming across the philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism, and the idea of the mutual possession of the Ten Worlds is an uplifting concept explaining that each of the Ten Worlds possesses the potential for the other nine within itself. In other words, because the potential for Buddhahood exists within each of these worlds, we can bring forth this highest state of life no matter our circumstances in this life.
This concept, unique to the Lotus Sutra, suggests that all Ten Worlds (including the 6 lower worlds of hell, hunger, animality, anger, humanity, and heaven, and the 4 noble worlds, learning, realization, bodhisattvas, and Buddhahood) exist within each other. Sensei Ikeda says “Nichiren Daishonin revealed a fundamental solution to this ultimate problem of human existence. He taught that through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to the Gohonzon, we could break through any karma and establish an inner state of absolute happiness.”
Buddhahood is the state of perfect and absolute freedom in which one realizes the true nature of life. In this state, one continues working against and defeating the negative functions of life, transforming all difficulties into causes for further development.
In an article from Nichiren Buddhism: “A key aim of our Buddhist practice is to transform our state of life and establish Buddhahood as our basic life tendency. Our basic life tendency is the life state we tend to reside in due to our karma. That is because of the causes we made in the past.”
While studying, I understood that we are born with some of these worlds’ tendencies being stronger in us than the others. As we become more mindful through chanting Nam-Myo-Ho-Renge-Kyo and doing our human revolution, we still spend time in lower worlds, but we do not stay there for a long time. For example, a situation may still bring out the anger in us, but we do not stay in that state for a long time. We are able to tap into our Buddhahood more quickly than we did before. As we continue our practice, we strengthen our Buddhahood as our lives become more centered in wisdom, courage, and compassion.
Further in the study, Sensei Ikeda says, “A Buddha who has no connection to the actual sufferings of the nine worlds is not a genuine Buddha—namely, one who embodies the mutual possession of the Ten Worlds.” A genuine Buddha can only empathize with others if they can see that one may be residing in a certain world now but that person also possesses Buddhahood.
When we chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, we are aligning ourselves to the universe by becoming aware of the law of cause and effect. Becoming aware of our and everyone’s potential of Buddhahood pushes us to be loving and compassionate towards all life. This allows us to breakthrough our karma in this life which is a hopeful and encouraging model for life.
Note:
a. I spoke on this topic at a local chapter of Soka Gakai Institute (SGI) as requested by the local leaders. This writing was based on an article published by SGI and my understanding of it. Another member helped me clarify my thoughts and edit some of the writing.
b. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (chant) to me means that I believe in the mystic law of cause and effect. I see my Buddha nature and those of others.
c. The ten worlds are:
1) Hell: Life itself is suffering, devoid of freedom; rage and anger fuel further self-destruction.
2) Hungry spirits (hunger): Governed by endless craving and the suffering that comes from those desires going unfulfilled.
3) Animals (animality): Driven by instinct rather than reason, morality, or wisdom, and reflected in threatening the weak and fearing the strong.
4) Asuras (anger): Inclined to compare oneself with others, preoccupied with surpassing others, feigning humility while inwardly harboring jealousy and resentment.
5) Human beings (humanity): Able to control desires with reason, and act in harmony with others while aspiring to a higher life state.6) Heavenly beings (heaven): Feeling short-lived joy in having various desires fulfilled.
7) Voice-hearers (learning): Dedicated to self-improvement based on others’ ideas, knowledge, and experiences.
8) Cause-awakened ones (realization): Understanding Buddhist truths through one’s own direct perception and experience.
9) Bodhisattvas: Fueled by compassion for others, understanding that self-perfection lies in working for the enlightenment of others.
10) Buddhas (Buddhahood): A state of perfect and absolute freedom in which one realizes the true nature of life. In this state, one continues working against and defeating the negative functions of life, transforming all difficulties into causes for further development.
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