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Thoughts and impressions on applying Buddhist principles in daily life, and modern applications of Buddhist concepts.
Sunday, June 29, 2003
The Mystic Law as the First Rule of Law
In Buddhism there is the concept of the Mystic Law, which in essence is the law that governs all life in the universe. This law could be summarized as the "Mystic Law of Cause and Effect" which basically says that everything in the universe is governed by the law that "for every action/thought/word (cause) there is an equal reaction (effect) that influences our life and that of our environment." This law was alluded to by the original Buddha, Shakyamuni, in his teachings later written down in the Lotus Sutra, one of his last teachings before he passed away 2500 years ago.
This fundamental law is one of the most important guiding principles in Buddhism, which, according to the Lotus Sutra, is the means to attaining enlightenment. While other Buddhist sutras and teachings tend to define enlightenment in different ways, spanning countless lifetimes (aka kalpas), the teachings introduced by Nichiren Daishonin in 13th century Japan, affirmed the belief that through applying the Mystic Law of Cause and Effect in one's daily life, one could attain enlightenment in their present lifetime.
In a practical sense, knowing that everything we say, think and do will have effects at some point in the future, means that at a fundamental level, we are in absolute control over our own lives. Through the concept of karma--a storehouse of our life that includes causes made in the 'immeasurable past'--based on the application of Nichiren Daishonin's teachings, the more positive causes we make in our lives, the more positive our future can become and the more fulfilling and purposeful our life will be.
To apply the Mystic Law of Cause and Effect is to effectively dedicate one's life to the pursuit of absolute happiness for oneself and for those around you. Through the application of the inherently human traits of compassion, wisdom and courage--traits that define one's Buddha Nature that all life possesses--we can expiate our negative karma created by causes made in the past, to benefit our present and future circumstances. As Nichiren said in in The Opening of the Eyes, "If you want to understand the causes that existed in the past, look at the results as they are manifested in the present. And if you want to understand what results will be manifested in the future, look at the causes that exist in the present."
While this law can clearly be applied to the individual, it also applies to society as a whole. In addition to the idea of individual karma, society as a whole has its own karma, consisting of the causes created by people of all races, cultures, classes and situations. When taken in this context, the Mystic Law of Cause and Effect can be said to be the first "rule of law." Rule of law is political/philosophical a concept that defines all democratic societies, which in effect, states that no person is above the law. From a Buddhist perspective, no person is above the Mystic Law as no one is uneffected by the law of cause and effect. Just as in physics, there is Newton's Third Law of Motion which states, "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction," so to in society with the Mystic Law of Cause and Effect which states effectively the same thing--except that it was created almost 2000 years before Newton's discovery.
As the first rule of law, from a Buddhist perspective, it is clear that in order to create the conditions for social 'enlightenment', which can be characterized by the idea of world peace, social values need to realize and accept at the individual level, the importance of developing a life condition that is not hindered by causes that create discord, inequality, injustice, and destruction. In other words, people need to realize that the Three Poisons of Greed, Anger and Foolishness should not be the overriding force that governs our lives.
If we are to establish such a state of life, the realization and application of the Mystic Law is a necessary requisite for sustainable and continued development of the humanity that exists in each individual. When we all realize the paramount importance of developing compassion, wisdom and courage to do, think and speak out for what is right, good and true, then we can take further steps to building a societal culture that can be creative rather than destructive.
In Buddhism there is the concept of the Mystic Law, which in essence is the law that governs all life in the universe. This law could be summarized as the "Mystic Law of Cause and Effect" which basically says that everything in the universe is governed by the law that "for every action/thought/word (cause) there is an equal reaction (effect) that influences our life and that of our environment." This law was alluded to by the original Buddha, Shakyamuni, in his teachings later written down in the Lotus Sutra, one of his last teachings before he passed away 2500 years ago.
This fundamental law is one of the most important guiding principles in Buddhism, which, according to the Lotus Sutra, is the means to attaining enlightenment. While other Buddhist sutras and teachings tend to define enlightenment in different ways, spanning countless lifetimes (aka kalpas), the teachings introduced by Nichiren Daishonin in 13th century Japan, affirmed the belief that through applying the Mystic Law of Cause and Effect in one's daily life, one could attain enlightenment in their present lifetime.
In a practical sense, knowing that everything we say, think and do will have effects at some point in the future, means that at a fundamental level, we are in absolute control over our own lives. Through the concept of karma--a storehouse of our life that includes causes made in the 'immeasurable past'--based on the application of Nichiren Daishonin's teachings, the more positive causes we make in our lives, the more positive our future can become and the more fulfilling and purposeful our life will be.
To apply the Mystic Law of Cause and Effect is to effectively dedicate one's life to the pursuit of absolute happiness for oneself and for those around you. Through the application of the inherently human traits of compassion, wisdom and courage--traits that define one's Buddha Nature that all life possesses--we can expiate our negative karma created by causes made in the past, to benefit our present and future circumstances. As Nichiren said in in The Opening of the Eyes, "If you want to understand the causes that existed in the past, look at the results as they are manifested in the present. And if you want to understand what results will be manifested in the future, look at the causes that exist in the present."
While this law can clearly be applied to the individual, it also applies to society as a whole. In addition to the idea of individual karma, society as a whole has its own karma, consisting of the causes created by people of all races, cultures, classes and situations. When taken in this context, the Mystic Law of Cause and Effect can be said to be the first "rule of law." Rule of law is political/philosophical a concept that defines all democratic societies, which in effect, states that no person is above the law. From a Buddhist perspective, no person is above the Mystic Law as no one is uneffected by the law of cause and effect. Just as in physics, there is Newton's Third Law of Motion which states, "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction," so to in society with the Mystic Law of Cause and Effect which states effectively the same thing--except that it was created almost 2000 years before Newton's discovery.
As the first rule of law, from a Buddhist perspective, it is clear that in order to create the conditions for social 'enlightenment', which can be characterized by the idea of world peace, social values need to realize and accept at the individual level, the importance of developing a life condition that is not hindered by causes that create discord, inequality, injustice, and destruction. In other words, people need to realize that the Three Poisons of Greed, Anger and Foolishness should not be the overriding force that governs our lives.
If we are to establish such a state of life, the realization and application of the Mystic Law is a necessary requisite for sustainable and continued development of the humanity that exists in each individual. When we all realize the paramount importance of developing compassion, wisdom and courage to do, think and speak out for what is right, good and true, then we can take further steps to building a societal culture that can be creative rather than destructive.
