Nichiren Buddhism Human Revolution

Even though all people have the deep fundamental desire to live happily, human society is continually subjected to forces that vigorously oppose this basic desire – rampant, wanton environmental destruction, widespread violence and activites that foster inequalities between people. Buddhism illuminates the workings of the human mind that shows the way for us to build such a detrimental reality. According to the perspective of Buddhism one of the most destructive, malicious and powerful desires inherent in human life is the want for control over others, the desire to subjugate other people to our will. In this state, the ego realizes its most harmful desire, considering others as a means to satisfy its selfish aims. Buddhism symbolizes this

It is often believed that the focus, discipline and concentration necessary for such a process requires a set of ideal circumstances not available to most people. Nichiren Buddhism on the contrary teaches that it is only by squarely facing the challenges that confront us in grim, harsh reality that we can carry out the task of changing our own lives and the world for the better. Human revolution is the work of transforming our lives at the very core. It involves identifying and challenging those things which inhibit the full expression of our positive potential and humanity. Nichiren Buddhism is based on belief in a pure, positive and enlightened condition of life which exists equally within all people. This life state of "Buddhahood" is characterized by the qualities of compassion, wisdom and courage, which enable us to create something of value from any situation. Nichiren realized that the deepest process of transformation and purification takes place when we bring forth this state, and he taught the practice of chanting "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" as the direct means for accessing and experiencing the life state of "Buddhahood". This Buddha nature expresses itself in substantial ways. We achieve the conviction that our life contains limitless potential and myriad possibilities and a deep sense of our human dignity.

His towering character was a profound inspiration to all. Over time, however, the ideal of Buddhahood shown in Shakyamuni's living example became increasingly abstract and distant. An apparently unbridgeable gap developed between the Buddha and ordinary people as the Buddha came to be seen as an otherworldly being. The objective of Shakyamuni's teaching was, according to the Lotus Sutra, to "make all beings equal to me." However, in some schools of Buddhism he became regarded as an esoteric unique being, and the aim of religious practice became the attainment of stages of enlightenment less final than that of Buddhahood. In fact, in certain schools of Buddhism, Buddhahood came to be viewed as an extremely distant goal requiring many lifetimes of ascetic, austere effort, something definitely not within the capabilities of ordinary people. In Nichiren Buddhism, however, Buddhahood is not a static end point which one may eventually attain. That is, a person does not become a Buddha at some future point in time. The rich characteristics and qualities of Buddhahood are seen as naturally inherent in all people. Buddhist practice is about manifesting these qualities - for instance,