steer the bow into the waves

One of the things which we do on New Year’s Eve is to ring a suspended bell called a “bonsho” 108 times, with each toll of the bell representing the leaving behind of one of the previous year’s 108 "bonnō" or "kleśa"- our worldly concerns which torment and disturb our minds. The bell is struck for the last time at around midnight, coinciding with the first few seconds of the New Year. This signifies the dawning of a new beginning, and hopefully, enables us to start the new year fresh, free of these mental functions which disturb our minds. Actually, as you know, our temple doesn’t have a bonsho! However, I was very happy that many of you were able to join me either on Zoom or on Facebook as I rang our temple bell on 31st December, despite.

So, how do you feel now, as you’re reading this one month later? Is your mind free of disturbances? In your everyday life, how in control of your mind are you?

If you are insulted, do you immediately start thinking of words that are more vicious in order to get even? If someone makes fun of you, do you feel down for the rest of the day? The week? Maybe you hold onto it for longer?

Many things are currently happening in the world. If our shared global experience of the world was represented as an ocean voyage, it might not be completely unjustified to say that at the moment the water is very choppy, and the wind is very gusty. Many people feel as if wave comes after wave, and they are being buffeted around by the wind like a tiny dinghy in rough seas. 

Occasionally some great happiness comes our way; it looks like things are going well, and then an unexpected wave crashes against the side of the hull, sending spray high into the air, and drenching us. The first time this happens, we can usually laugh it off, especially if there’s company - we might point and laugh at our friend whose wet hair covers their face, forcing them to pull it apart to see anything. However, after a second time or a third time, when we’re cold and soaked through to the skin, it starts to become less funny. 

This is the usual way of things. When a wave comes along, we are tipped off balance, sometimes 10º, sometimes 30º, and sometimes we might even be capsized. We’re basically at the mercy of the waves. When the water is calm and there’s a gentle breeze, we can relax and enjoy a nice sunset. When there’s a storm, we just have to hold on, and sometimes barely have time to regain our composure before being pummelled by the next wave.

However, have you noticed, some people can deal with gigantic waves as if they were small ripples? Even when a huge frothing white monster comes along, they don’t tilt very far over - they go up a little, but quickly return to their original position, the wave passing beneath them. This is something which is called jōriki 定力 in Japanese, the “power of stability of mind”. Some people naturally have more of this than the rest of us. But, we can all gain a deep stability of mind by chanting the Lotus Sutra and the Odaimoku. This is the ability to remain settled, fixed, stable and undisturbed. A person being stable-minded means:

1. When you praise them, they will not become wild with joy.
2. When you harm them, they will be unmoved, unperturbed.

Our Buddhist practice allows us to take the helm and steer the bow of the ship into waves. In this much more stable position, our whole experience is totally different. We will not be rocked from side to side, but simply take the waves as they come, gilding over them with a gentle rise and fall. Lots of people in the world react “wildly” whether in response to positive stimuli or negative occurrences. When the world is in such a tense situation as it is now, an uncontrollable and extreme reaction is dangerous and will only create more issues. 

The Odaimoku is medicine for your spirit. Even if you don’t have a deep understanding of Buddhist doctrine or philosophy, even if your mind is very susceptible to the waves coming your way, by chanting Odaimoku, your spirit becomes stronger. Your mind will become more stable.

In a letter he wrote to the two Ikegami brothers called Kyōdai-shō, Nichiren Shōnin quotes the Six Pāramitā Sūtra which says:

““Be the master of your mind; do not make your mind your master.”” (WNS-6, p.84)

This doesn’t mean that we can’t be happy when good things come along, or that we have to passively accept bad things…but we should not react wildly. Instead, with practice, we will be able to keep a clear mind so that we can enjoy happy things simply and peacefully. 

Many challenging things are in fact wonderful fertiliser. One time when I was visiting Japan I saw many orange trees that looked like prisoners - their branches had been tied down to the ground. When I asked my master why, he explained farmers did this. Because they have to struggle, they produce more fruit and release more sugar. Human beings are not so different from orange trees - sometimes hardship and difficulty can reap the best reward and most growth.

However, with the Odaimoku when some suffering occurs if at that moment it is impossible to accept it as a good thing, we can at least suffer proportionately and not be so disturbed that we lose sight of hope and rationality. 

Please try to chant every day to strengthen your spirit. In my experience, with the Odaimoku you can experience a peaceful life even when the water is choppy water. I wish everyone reading this will have “joriki”, and become someone other people can hold onto when they lose their balance. As Nichiren Shōnin said, “Enjoy what there is to enjoy, suffer what there is to suffer, and keep chanting Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō.”

In the current situation, many people feel like we’re being constantly bombarded with news of many global events causing lots of suffering. As aspiring bodhisattvas we wish to compassionately offer prayer, and should therefore offer prayers with compassion. Sometimes though, our prayers may become more like prayers of despair. We feel very worried, and then pray. However, please think about the examples of the great bodhisattvas such as Kannon Bosatsu (most popularly known from the Chinese as “Guanyin”). Do they pray from a place of despair?

As bodhisattvas we should be compassionate, but not be swept up with fear and worry. They are not the same thing. Many people misunderstand this. Through our practice we can develop a very strong compassion, a powerful compassion based on a stable mind. This is not only because of our own effort or ability, but is because when we chant the Buddha is here with us. It is the Buddha’s power which we can manifest. By chanting the Odaimoku we can connect with the Buddha’s power, compassion, stability and wisdom. Please let’s continue the Buddha’s work and manifest his amazing teaching, the Lotus Sutra, in our lives.