Religion and Theology

Many people around the world go about their daily lives every single day  people whose backgrounds, cultures, citizenship, language, color and faith appear so different from each other to the point that nothing seems to be similar from each other. But each one of us is living in the same planet, live under the same sunlight, breathe the same air, and most of all we share the same humanity. It is this common humanity that the faith of Buddhism values and reveres for over 2,500 years. Buddhisms most fundamental belief is that, every individual and living beings alive in the planet today contains within themselves the capability to surmount their deepest problems by manifesting the their innate Buddha nature, as taught in the Lotus Sutra. The Lotus Sutra teaches that each of us has inherent possibilities and innate power to transform ourselves and our societies. Yet, it is apparent that the places where we are into have never been free of sufferings, conflicts, challenges and chaos. Sufferings in daily lives are inevitable and are inescapable reality of life. The search for answers to questions regarding the living beings sufferings led to the birth of Buddhism. The goal of Buddhism, as taught in the Lotus Sutra is to lead people to the path of enlightenment. Buddhahood in Mahayana teaching is not an abstract concept that is apart from our own lives. It is a state of life that people can attain and grasp right here, right now, no matter who you are.

The philosophy of Buddhism can be traced back to the teaching of the historical Buddha who lived in India 2,500-3,000 years ago. His name is Siddhartha Gautama, also known as Shakyamuni Buddha. In the last years of his preaching, Shayamuni Buddha imparted his penultimate teachings. These teachings are recorded and compiled in what is now known as the Lotus Sutra. The Lotus Sutra contains the Buddhas lifelong desire which is to enable people to be enlightened, to attain the life state he has attained and to realize that people themselves can become Buddha like him, and to differ in no way.

The message that Shakyamuni wanted to impart is only one and the same. But why are there many Buddhist sects around the world today In their 2001 book entitled The Buddha in Your Mirror, Hochswender, Martin and Morino explained that

As the Buddhist philosophy gently flowed from India  north through China and Tibet, south in to Thailand and Southeast Asia  it tended to absorb and be influenced by local religious customs and beliefs. The Buddhism that spread to Tibet, China and eventually to Korea and Japan was called Mahayana, meaning greater vehicle. That which spread southward to Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka was called Hinayana, for lesser vehicle (p 19).

The Hinayana schools of Buddhism typically emphasize strict codes of conducts that were based on the earlier teachings of Shakyamuni. The primary goal is to defy earthly desires towards ones personal salvation. The Mahayana schools of Buddhism on the other hand, emphasize the need for Buddhism to become a passionate means for the majority and common people to attain Buddhahood or enlightenment. Buddhism of the Mahayana tradition is not a solitary and meditative practice, but is rooted on the profound daily realities of human lives. Hochswender, Martin and Morino further explained that Mahayana Buddhism was referred to as the greater vehicle because its goal is to search for a practical method that could serve as a vehicle for greater numbers to make the journey to Buddhahood (p 19).

On very important teaching of Mahayana Buddhism particularly in sects like Nichiren Buddhism of Japan, is the principle of the Ten Worlds. The ten worlds are not places but conditions of life that people experience from moment to moment. From lowest to highest, these are the Hell, Hunger, Animality, Anger, Humanity, Heaven, Learning, realization, Bodhisattva and Buddhahood (Ikeda 35). The purpose of Buddhist practice then, is to bring out the highest state of life, which is Buddhahood.  

The Lotus Sutra contains many important teachings of the historical Buddha in a form that ordinary people could grasp. On of such teachings is the Parable of the Burning House. The parable can be found on the Hiyu Chapter, the third chapter of the Lotus Sutra. The Parable of the Burning House tells of a story of a wealthy man whose house was on fire. The wealthy man has many children, and these children are playing innocently inside the house while the fire is blazing. The wealthy man shouts at his children inside the burning house to get out. But the children were so engrossed with playing games and did not seem to understand or even take notice of their fathers warning that their house is being consumed by flames. Since the children seemed to disregard their fathers warning, the wealthy man devised a practical way to encourage the children to get out of the burning house. Knowing that the children are very interested in toys, he called them saying that he prepared some sort of carts for all of them. According to the rich man, one of the carts is being pulled by a goat, the other is being pulled by a deer and the other one is being pulled by an oxen. Upon hearing this, the children are very eager and interested in going out so they could play with the toys that their father prepared for them. When the children came out of the burning house, the father was relieved to see his children safe. Once outside, the children demanded the carts that their father promised to them. Instead, the wealthy man gave them a much finer and larger cart  one that runs very swiftly with the wind and is adorned with many jewels and treasures. The cart is being pulled by a great white ox (Strong 146).

Putting it in Buddhist perspective, the wealthy man can be compared to the Buddha and the children represent the people of this world. The burning house indicates the daily realities of life that is full of sufferings, challenges and hardships. It also represents our society full of impurities arising from the negative actions of the people. The goat, deer, and the ox carts that the father promised to give his children represent the early teachings of Buddhism taught by Shakyamuni in the early part of his preaching. In those previous teachings, the goal was for people to attain the life states of Learning, Realization or Bodhisattva. Once those levels were reached, the Buddhas followers of the people themselves were then ready to hear about the highest teachings, which is, the Lotus Sutra. The great white ox cart adorned with all the treasures represents the hope-filled teachings of the Lotus Sutra, which opens the direct way to attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime.