Doing the right thing.

[WorkingOnIt]

It doesn't have to be Nichiren Buddhism, but at least some form of Buddhism. The correct view of life is one based on causality.

I'm not sure your shorthand is giving the message you intend.  "You make me angry so I will smack you hard enough to make you stop or to make me feel better" is too a view of life based on causality.  Clearly both right and wrong view are unavoidably associated with the law of causality. 

Buddhist right view takes into account the myriad details including causality.  This delving into the specifics or "the rest of the story", accounting equally for all aspects of the human condition and not delegating ultimate control to an outside entity (including simple causality) is one of the differentiators between Buddhist and non Buddhist philosophy.

http://www.mahindarama.com/e-tipitaka/Majjhima-Nikaya/mn-9.htm

[markp]

"You make me angry so I will smack you hard enough to make you stop or to make me feel better" is too a view of life based on causality.

No it isn't. The person that lives a life of causality understands that every action will return back to them. That is the difference.

[Masaru]

Yes, the story of Angulimala is very profound.  

"He drew his sword, and started running towards the Buddha. But although Angulimala was running as fast as he could, he couldn't catch up with the Buddha who was walking calmly."

I think this says more about the powers of Angulimala to disparage his own life then it does the superhuman powers of Shakyamuni.

The correct view of life is one based on causality.

I agree. I think that the importance of Shakyamuni's peaceful and unperturbed countenance is that he is a mirror of what we possess inside of ourselves. Even if we disparage ourselves, no matter how deeply, the Buddha-nature is always within us.

It also brings to mind another parable that I half remember. There was a king who thought the wife of a traveling merchant was beautiful, so he arranged to have the man sentenced to death and have his wife taken as a courtesan. Just before the executioners blade fell on the man's neck, the face of the man who was about to be beheaded changed before the kings eyes. It was his own face! He yelled "Stop executioner! The man that you are about to kill is myself!"

I think there is a hint at how to treat others here. Is the principle that defines morality for us simply respect for the life of others? Is it treating others as we wish to be treated or as they wish to be treated? What about compassion? Is compassion actually a sort of profound respect? Is it respect that tells us what causes are skillful or not?

Sorry Mark. I was jumping to a contusion.

You're hinting at the three poisons somewhat, though I assume that by "follow the correct view of life" you mean for them to follow Nichiren Buddhism. AssUMe is never a safe word, what do you mean by that phrase? Just wanna be sure we've got the same thing in mind.

It doesn't have to be Nichiren Buddhism, but at least some form of Buddhism.

I thought that other forms of Buddhism had to be refuted because they're provisional.

[master builder]

Masaru,

We were discussing this last evening and it seems that the way to tolerate hindrances, thus rendering them without a chance to bring you to a low life condition, is to have enough faith to return again and again to practice and, in practice, develop the kind of compassion that develops only when we reflect on our lives and our actions and 'go through' exactly what arises in us, as a result of , yes, of the actions that we have taken.   This is where we determine what actions to take in the future.  We can only determine these actions for the future if we incorporate the past and present.  I think as we think, observe, interact, and act in  the world with compassion then makes us wise.  This wisdom will ultimately cause us to treat others as buddhas regularly instead of reacting quickly and then reflecting on it all the time (which is what we often do.)

Probably, if we came to the realization now that obstacles 'have no chance' as they are devoid of abiding nature, then we could better enjoy them when they seem to arise.

[markp]

I thought that other forms of Buddhism had to be refuted because they're provisional

.

I'm not worried about other Buddhists. They are already on the path and if they convert to Nichiren Buddhism or not makes no difference to me. Nichiren lived in a Buddhist country, but we live in a Christian one. One thing at a time!

[WorkingOnIt]

"You make me angry so I will smack you hard enough to make you stop or to make me feel better" is too a view of life based on causality.

No it isn't. The person that lives a life of causality understands that every action will return back to them. That is the difference.

Understanding simply that every action will return something is basic.  Everyone who acts with righteous belief that what they are doing is "for the best" is using this understanding.  But as evidenced by the continued cycle of suffering simply knowing something-in-something-out is not enough.

There is a difference between volitional causality and fundamental mechanical causality with regards to cumulative and recurring mental states and their impact on further volitional actions.  
 
The person who lives a life that accords with the details of the Buddhist view is freed.  Others simply go round and round in a cycle of illusionary punishment/reward.

 
          

[markp]

Understanding simply that every action will return something is basic.

Except that no one really understands because they normally will not see the relationship between the cause and the effect. When a person naturally starts displaying the precepts in their life, without being told to do so, then they have begun to understand. Till then, even though people may say they understand it is purely from the basis of theory. Only when it becomes action will the person start to see their environment reflecting this purity.

This is called living the Lotus Sutra.

[Masaru]

Masaru,

We were discussing this last evening and it seems that the way to tolerate hindrances, thus rendering them without a chance to bring you to a low life condition, is to have enough faith to return again and again to practice and, in practice, develop the kind of compassion that develops only when we reflect on our lives and our actions and 'go through' exactly what arises in us, as a result of , yes, of the actions that we have taken.   This is where we determine what actions to take in the future.  We can only determine these actions for the future if we incorporate the past and present.  I think as we think, observe, interact, and act in  the world with compassion then makes us wise.  This wisdom will ultimately cause us to treat others as buddhas regularly instead of reacting quickly and then reflecting on it all the time (which is what we often do.)

Probably, if we came to the realization now that obstacles 'have no chance' as they are devoid of abiding nature, then we could better enjoy them when they seem to arise.

So the upshot of what you're saying, if I understand you correctly, is that ultimately compassion and forbearance, based on practice, is how we become moral people and "do the right thing" as Buddhists?

Understanding simply that every action will return something is basic.

When a person naturally starts displaying the precepts in their life, without being told to do so, then they have begun to understand. Till then, even though people may say they understand it is purely from the basis of theory. Only when it becomes action will the person start to see their environment reflecting this purity.

This is called living the Lotus Sutra.

And if I understand you right, you are saying that we become moral as we begin to integrate the truth behind the precepts into our lives rather than just mimicking pious behaviors, right?

[markp]

And if I understand you right, you are saying that we become moral as we begin to integrate the truth behind the precepts into our lives rather than just mimicking pious behaviors, right?

Exactly! This is the problem that Nichiren had with the Nara sect and the Precepts School that supposedly followed the precepts, but even though they said they followed the precepts they displayed all the signs that they didn't truly follow them. They displayed anger and ill will as well as other human frailties, yet they professed to follow the precepts.

It is also why Nichiren stated the he was neither with nor without the precepts.

[master builder]

Yes, i agree.

[Masaru]

So doing the right thing is also like asking oneself: What Would Buddha Do?

[markp]

No need to wonder what the Buddha would do. The wisdom comes of itself through practice.

[Masaru]

No need to wonder what the Buddha would do. The wisdom comes of itself through practice.

... And if it doesn't?

[master builder]

And if it doesn't then one is not looking hard enough.

[markp]

I would just like to add one thing about the precepts that is very important. When people start to think about precepts and the relation to themselves they think about what they need to change about themselves. Some mistakenly think that they must become perfect, stop drinking, smoking, etc, and although there is no problem with this type of change, it is the change of the mind that is the true purity.

Tientai states: "There is no contradiction between one’s worldly livelihood to sustain oneself and one’s thoughts and speculations about Bodhi,as was previously taught in the Buddhist scriptures."