Various Viewpoints

St. Nichiren says, "Just as a picture of a devil has no meaning, but it is frightening, a picture of a beautiful woman may not capture a man, but a jealous wife will view it with jealousy." It means that the fearful thought of the devil in our mind will make us view a picture of a devil with fear. Also, a wife who is very jealous of her husband will become very envious when she sees a picture of a beautiful woman.

Depending upon one's thought and points of view, a person could become a Buddha or a devil. In many cases, we misjudge others and say, "He or she is bad." It is often because we judge him or her from our own one-sided thinking.

Nichiren Shonin appreciated others even though they spoke ill of him, because he learned important lessons from those who persecuted him. He said, "Without them I would not have become a saint to preach the Lotus Sutra in the Era of the Latter Law." In this way, we learn to love, trust, and appreciate others even though they speak ill of us.

A poet writes his view of watching falling leaves. A young couple will think of love when leaves are falling, while a farmer will think of how good the fallen leaves are for fertilizer, while a sick person will see a falling leaf and think of his or her approach to death. Then, a Buddhist saint will realize the law of uncertainty watching the leaves falling. A busy person will not notice the leaves at all.

To view a statue of the Buddha, one who believes it is an idol will not place their hand together in front of the statue. However, those who have faith and believe the statue as the sacred will be able to accept with warmth and sensitivity. Many temples and shrines in Japan give amulets to their worshippers. These are of no value if it is thought of only as a piece of paper, wood, or copper. If we believe in the power of the Buddha's blessing on the amulet, it gives us the power to live in the hardship of life.

May 16, 1987