Good morning!
We are at the autumnal equinox, equal in day and night, heat and chill, or rather
neither heat nor chill. So, in Buddhist countries, we celebrate it as Higan (彼岸),
Yonder Shore, with two days before and after it. Yonder Shore means nirvana, which
is the shore beyond the rough sea of suffering in the karma world. Nirvana,
unconditioned peace, and anuttara samyak- sambodhi, unsurpassed right complete
awakening – both sides of one thing – are the goals of Buddhists. Though the equinox
is only twice a year, anyone at any time, anywhere, can attain them with cultivation
and verification.
The Buddha was awakened to the fact that all living beings are karma-heirs, karma-
owners, karma-machines, and karma-refuged. He provided us with the most direct,
practical, and effective way to attain equanimity or nirvana, no-wind of karma, and
to be awakened to the Dharma (Truth) of all dharmas (phenomena): Dependent Co-
origination. It is Zazen, sitting meditation, stilling karmas and seeing the Dharma
and dharmas. Dogen recommended the Practice Way Cycle (gyōji-dōkan) of
aspiration, cultivation, awakening, and unconditioned peace, assuring us that anyone
can attain nirvana-bodhi.
On the first day of the equinox, the Abe administration upset the Japanese Peace
Constitution with laws that allow collective self-defense, prohibited even by the
ruling LDP for seventy years after WWII. The Peace Constitution is in the Buddhist
tradition of peace without weapons and wars: The Buddha prescribed the triple
learning of morality, concentration, and prognosis, seeing his own kin terminated in
the war for empire. King Ashoka erected the Dharma edicts, sending envoys after his
Kalinga campaign. Prince Regent Shotoku set the Seventeen Article Constitution
after the clan wars.
The first article of Shotoku’s constitution says that harmony is precious, and the
second requests respect of the triple treasures of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha
(Community), because we are all ordinary people to counsel among them (in the
Awakened Way) as described in the sixth article. The Abe administration, with 62%
of the seats in the last lower house election and only 17% at proportional
representation due to the single-member district voting system, passed the laws
despite a poll result of 80% insufficient explanation, 60% against them, and
insufficient debate. It is a big blow to the Awakened Way also.
9/21/15
