[In the Lotus Sutra …] these passages teach that upon looking at people, we see they are unhappy and lost in melancholy. They shut their minds in the dark, and are burned by the fire of the three poisons of greed, anger, and stupidity. They can’t escape their many desires, and in their suffering, they are shackled tightly by their own ego, with which they seek treasure and profit. For this reason, amidst their suffering, they may experience some pleasure, but afterward, they will experience the suffering of the three evil paths of hell, hunger, and animality. Even though they are born in the worlds of rapture or humanity, their hearts are truly corrupt. Consequently, they will undergo distress, trouble, and suffering, from having to part from those they love, and having to meet those whom they hate. Yet in spite of these sufferings, they surrender themselves, fearless, indulging in transient pleasures. They do not try to escape this suffering, even though they are inside the burning house of the threefold world—the world of desire, the world of form, and the world of formlessness. They do not worry about facing great difficulty, but simply amuse themselves by scampering from east to west.
Excerpted: High Priest Nichinyo Shonin Lecture, The Burning House of the Threefold World.
ONLINE INTRODUCTORY MEETING: The Ten Worlds – Making Sense of our Muddy Pond
The Buddhist Concept of the Ten Worlds explains the muddy pond we live in and why we circle endlessly in the six lower paths unable to be happy. REGISTER for this Sunday’s (Feb 21st), to hear our Chief Priest lecture on how Buddhist practice can lift you into the world of Buddhahood.
Online Intro meeting begins at 2pm. Live Stream opens 1:50pm. Both members and guests need to register. Registration closes on Saturday, February 20th at 6pm. Register now and you will be sent the link to the Live Stream Intro at 1pm on Sunday, Feb 21st via email/text.
