Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ Beyond Human Lotus Sutra

The Nichiren sect's aims are to remove karma and attain buddhahood. Whether they achieve either of these goals remains to be seen. There's nothing wrong with spiritual people becoming materially well off, as long as they don't degenerate into pure materialism. At least they could have more time to pursue spirituality without worrying about paying the bills. Controlling the ego can be a problem.

Tibetan Buddhism came directly from India and retains much of the original Buddhism, moreso than the Buddhism in China and Japan. Tibetan Buddhists fled their country when the Chinese Communists took over and most of them live in India. I've had great experiences with Tibetan Buddhist monks.

Remember that Buddhism came from India and borrows many of the concepts and practices from Vedic religions such as chanting. You seem draw to the Tibetan tradition and that may very well be more suited to you.

Shr33m, my reason for stating that some of the members of the Nichiren sect of SGI tend to buy into a kind of magical thinking belief is because many of them rely exclusively on chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as a way of attaining what they want. In many cases I have not seen the results that they claim this sacred mantra is capable of producing. If all a person does is chant but has poor skills in constructing an action plan and does not take action, I believe the chances of achieving the desired goal is very slim. I definitely agree that having money can be an asset in living a spiritual life. There is nothing wrong with being wealthy. Maybe I'm a cynic but I think that relying exclusively on chanting to become financially successful is even worse than playing the Lotto every week and believing this will get you to become a millionaire one day. Just my opinion.

bhenry,

agreed. no one should rely on chanting alone if the goal is as lofty as enlightenment. i like to be skeptical of anyone's claims, and i would never put all of my eggs in one basket. besides chanting there is the acquisition of knowledge of the essence of the teachings, devotional practice and surrender to the divine, releasing attachments, meditation, satsang, darshan with a genuine master. mantras are often a form of prayer (to whom is often a good question) which you could spend a lifetime or so reciting but are not absolutely necessary for everyone.

Thanks for your replies. I am also looking into Tibetan Buddhism. Just read "How to Practice" by The Dalai Lama last night. Found it quite fascinating. It appears that Tibetan Buddhism is similar to Mahayana Buddhism in the belief that one can become enlightened in this lifetime. They emphasize the mantra: OM MANE PADME HUM, which is loosely translated as the jewel in the center of the lotus. Here's another interesting website:
http://dharma-haven.org/tibetan/meaning-of-om-mani-padme-hung.htm

Peace,

Robert

I just photoread "The Lotus Sutra" (Burton Watson translation)... several times through.. followed by "The Bhagavad Gita"...

Coming from a mostly Christian background, it is interesting to let go of positionalities and expand the awareness of divinity/consciousness...

As A Course in Miracles says, "I am beginning to see things differently."

This journey is truly amazing.

Peace,

Robert

Enlightenment...is not this or that. Enlightenment does not calibrate to a scale; it does not lie in books. You don't need a master, besides the Master. There is nothing the matter, so to with enlightenment then!
If you wish for enlightenment you must enter within- into the moment of raw experience. You must enter into it so thoroughly that you are 'never' unsettled. When your mind wrestles with the greatest of problems, when you enter into experience these problems dissolve. Follow this for enlightenment- the quest for enlightenment will come to fruition when you no longer seek it, but live it! It is here with you now, underneath your keyboard. There, you can find it! Forget scales, teachers, mudras, sutras and mantras- the Great Man simply abides in the Great Thoroughfare. But yet continue your practises, they will reap some benefit, and, possibly enlightenment. The revelation is yours- in you it begins and terminates, not in the practises. If your mind thinks of anything but the raw truth of experience- as I have tried to convey it-: such thoughts as, "he must be confused", "I cannot understand, so I may as well continue with what Im doing", you may be right! But the intellective meaning-imputer to those statements is wrong. The existential ortho-ontological experientially-acquiesced ranceur most assuredly pontificates in a deconstructionist aporia! Now, there, in that moment of confusion, enter it and really see the mind which you must abandon!
For this your books are truly useless.

Kristoff "Guerilla-illuminater" Olafsson