BUDDHISMBUDDHISM

BUDDHA: • A person who perceives within his own life the essence, or reality of life • This ultimate reality supports and nourishes humanity and all other living beings • Those who have perceived this ultimate reality inherent in their own lives truly

know themselves

BODHISATTVA: • Those who truly strive for the sake of others • The power, which infuses them with the desire to help others, is the impartial and infinite compassion of the Buddha called jihi

Shakyamuni Shakyamuni (Gautama Sidhartha)(Gautama Sidhartha)• One person’s search for a solution to human

suffering• After years of strenuous effort, he experienced a

profound enlightenment to the essential nature of reality

• He spent the rest of his life traveling throughout India to share with people the insight he had gained (Sutras)

• His last 8 years were spent teaching the Lotus Sutra, which contains the key message that Buddhahood – a condition of absolute happiness, freedom from fear and from illusions – is inherent in all life

500 BC

2000 AD

1222

550 8000

Shakyamuni:Lotus Sutra – enlightenment is possible for all people

India China Korea Japan

T’ien-tai:3000 realms in a single moment of life

Dengyo:Lotus Sutra proclaims the Buddha nature inherent in all human beings

Sri Lanka

South East Asia

190 Countries

& TerritoriesTibet

Nichiren:Everyone has potential to attain Buddhahood in this life time, in one’s present form, by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo

1930

Soka Gakkai: Nichiren Buddhism spreads throughout the world

Nam-myoho-renge-kyoNam-myoho-renge-kyo

•Nam ~ to devote oneself; correct action one needs to take and attitude one needs to develop to attain Buddhahood in this life time

•Myoho ~ the Mystic Law; very essence of life which defies intellectual understanding, and its tangible manifestations

•Renge ~ lotus flower; simultaneity of cause and effect – we create our destiny and we can change it

•Kyo ~ sutra, the voice or teaching of the Buddha; sound, rhythm, or vibration; continuity of life throughout past, present, and future

Human RevolutionHuman Revolution• The liberation of the spirit from withinThe liberation of the spirit from within

• Continual process of renewal and Continual process of renewal and invigoration, the development of one invigoration, the development of one person’s boundless inner capacity to lead a person’s boundless inner capacity to lead a creative and contributive life through his or creative and contributive life through his or her own efforther own effort

• ““A great revolution in a single individual A great revolution in a single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of will help achieve a change in the destiny of a society, and further, will enable a change a society, and further, will enable a change in the destiny of humankind.” – Daisaku in the destiny of humankind.” – Daisaku IkedaIkeda