Putting Joy Into Action
Thank you for coming to our Higan service and our second open
house. The theme we have picked for today’s open house is
“Putting Joy Into Action,” so I would like to tell you
about the place of joy in the teaching of the Lotus Sutra
and how we express that joy through our daily Buddhist practice.
First, however, I realize that some of you may not be familiar
with the meaning of the Ohigan service, so let me briefly explain
it and how it relates to our theme of putting joy into action.
Higan literally means “the other shore” and it refers
to the other shore of the pure land of the Buddha as opposed to
this world of hardship and delusion. Traditionally Higan is a
time for remembering one’s ancestors who we hope have
already transcended the cycle of birth and death and attained
enlightenment. It is also a time to reflect upon our own lives
and efforts to follow the path to enlightenment for ourselves and
others. Though Higan is often thought of as a day to remember
one’s ancestors, it is really about joy and putting joy into
action as well. It is about joy, because we express our faith
that those who have lived before us have been able to attain the
joy of ultimate reality now that they have passed beyond the
concerns of this world, and it is about the joy that we can find
even in the midst of the concerns of this world and how we can
allow that joy to motivate us to transform this world into a pure
land.
During the Higan service we recited a portion of the 16th chapter
of the Lotus Sutra known as the Verses of Eternity or
the Jigage. There is one passage in particular that
expresses the insight that the underlying true reality of life is
joyful once one pierces the veil of self-interest and anxiety.
The passage reads:
“The deluded people think:
‘This world is in a great fire.
The end of the aeon of destruction is coming.’
In reality this world of mine is peaceful.
It is filled with gods and people.
The gardens, forests, and stately buildings
Are adorned with various treasures;
The jewelled trees have many flowers and fruits;
The living beings are enjoying themselves;
And the gods are beating heavenly drums,
making various kinds of music,
And raining mandarava-flowers on the great multitude and
me.”
“The living beings are enjoying themselves...” This
is a very important thing to keep in mind. What the Lotus
Sutra is saying is that once we are able to let go of
attachment, worry, and self-concern -- all the things that
occasionaly make it seem as though the world (or at least our own
personal world) is coming to an end -- then we will be able to
see how wonderful true reality really is. Then we will be able to
truly enjoy ourselves.
This theme of joy is something that appears throughout the Lotus
Sutra from the very beginning. In the second chapter it
states:
“When you have great joy, you will become
Buddhas!”
Later on, after Shakyamuni Buddha has made predictions that
his disciples will not merely attain liberation from suffering
but will become Buddhas themselves, the disciple Mahakashyapa
says:
“Hearing your teaching of today, we are dancing with
joy. We have never had such joy before. You say: ‘the
disciples will be able to become Buddhas.’ We have
obtained unsurpassed treasures although we did not seek
them.”
I especially like that passage. The disciples are dancing for
joy because they have obtained more than they could have ever
wished for. There is a warmth and a spirit of celebration here
that demonstrates that enlightenment is not about becoming
detached, cold and aloof. There is something about awakening to
the true nature of reality, and the word Buddha means “one
who is awake,” which gives rise to joy and which transcends
even our own limited notions of what being enlightened would be
like.
So joyfulness is a very important theme in the Lotus Sutra,
and expressing that joy in our lives is also very important. In
fact, authentic Buddhist practice is really all about responding
with joy to the truth and then expressing that joyful response in
order to share it with others. In this way, joy increases and
transforms not only our own lives but the lives of others as
well.
I remember taking the bus to work one day, and the bus driver
cheerfully greeted me and everyone else who got on that bus. Not
only that, the driver was not shy about making jokes and comments
on the bus speakers throughout the ride and he also said goodbye
and have a nice day to everyone as they got off the bus. It was
amazing how a usually somber Monday morning commute was uplifted
for so many people by the joyful actions and attitudes of just
one man. Daniel Goleman in his bestselling book Emotional
Intelligence opened his book with a similar experience. This
is what Buddhist practice is really about. It is about becoming
aware of and touching the deep joyfulness which is reality
unburdened by self-concern and ignorance and then sharing that
joyful reality with others. This is why the Buddha says:
“If after my passing anyone rejoices, even on a
moment’s thought, at hearing even a verse or phrase of
the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma,
I also will assure that person of their future attainment of
perfect and complete enlightenment.”
Today, we have celebrated the Lotus Sutra in our
Higan service through chanting Namu Myoho Renge Kyo
(which means "I rejoice in the Wonderful Dharma of the Lotus
Flower Sutra"), the Verses of Eternity, and even drumming.
Later on, we will engage in the practice of copying the
Buddha’s image and there will be time to share and discuss
our experiences of finding joy through our practice and putting
our joy into practice. I hope that through this, all of us will
be able to partake of the joy which is the teaching of the Lotus
Sutra, and that this joy will inspire us to share it with
others through all of our thoughts, words and deeds.
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