Who Is a Buddha?
Who is a Buddha, and what does the idea of a Buddha, or Buddhahood, have to do with our everyday lives? The answer may surprise you.
The “Buddha” originally referred to Shakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism who lived around 2,500 years ago. He was an extraordinary person whose life was devoted to uplifting others. Shakyamuni wanted to liberate people—to free them from the impulses and influences that cause unhappiness and make life miserable. So remarkable were his wisdom, compassion and dynamism that after his death his disciples began to portray him as superhuman. This is why today the word “Buddha” usually evokes the image of a god-like, transcendental being, someone totally different from an ordinary person.
Revealing the Buddha Within
The core teaching of Nichiren Buddhism, however, is that the enlightened qualities that made the Buddha so admirable are present in the lives of all of us. Even within the life of a seemingly evil person, there exists the unpolished jewel of the Buddha nature, characterized by great wisdom, deep compassion and undaunted courage. And we can bring forth this Buddha nature at any time. This is the message of the Lotus Sutra, the ultimate teaching of Shakyamuni and the basis of Nichiren Buddhism.
The core teaching of Nichiren Buddhism . . . is that the enlightened qualities that made the Buddha so admirable are present in the lives of all of us.
Because the potential for Buddhahood already exists within us, Nichiren clarifies that it is not so much a matter of “attaining” Buddhahood—becoming someone or something other than who we are—as “revealing” it in our lives. The purpose of Buddhism is to enable us to do so and to make this Buddha nature a reality in our day-to-day existence.
Ourselves and Others
Anyone can realize the state of Buddhahood. As with gold hidden in a dirty bag or lotus flowers emerging from a muddy pond, we first have to believe our Buddha nature is there, then awaken and develop it. In Nichiren Buddhism, it is the practice of chanting “Nam-myoho-renge-kyo” that enables us to do this.
As our inherent Buddha nature is revealed more and more fully and consistently, our attachment to our smaller egotistical self and to differences is lessened. We become more aware of the causes we make through our thoughts, words and actions, based on the understanding that our own happiness cannot be built upon the misfortune of others. We find ourselves connecting sincerely with others and developing genuine concern for them, desiring their happiness as much as our own. Indeed, the purpose of practicing Nichiren Buddhism is to secure happiness for others as well as ourselves. Ultimately, it is about contributing to a world where all people can live with dignity, joy and freedom and where fundamental human rights are upheld for everyone.
The Path of Buddhahood
What then, in a nutshell, does Buddhahood mean? It could be summed up as a state in which we fully respect the dignity and autonomy of others, based on empathy and compassion. When our Buddha nature emerges, our wisdom is activated. We feel courageous and compassionate, filled with vitality. We develop an inner strength that enables us to joyfully surf the waves of difficulty and ride out even the fiercest storms, creating something of value out of any situation. We become fully awakened to life, to the eternal and ultimate truth that is the reality of all things. Buddhahood is a way of being characterized by an unrelenting struggle to generate good and to oppose that which causes suffering.
When our Buddha nature emerges, our wisdom is activated. We feel courageous and compassionate, filled with vitality.
Believing that we possess Buddhahood, however, is difficult, especially when we are struggling with the challenges of life. This is why Nichiren Buddhism stresses that belief in our Buddha nature and that of others enables us to open up the treasure of Buddhahood in our lives.
Daisaku Ikeda describes Buddhahood as not so much a final “destination” but a “path, or orbit” within which we live our daily lives. “It [Buddhahood] does not mean that one day we suddenly turn into a Buddha or become magically enlightened.” Rather, “achieving enlightenment means firmly establishing the faith needed to keep advancing along the path of absolute happiness limitlessly, without end.” In this sense, everyone has the inherent capacity to be a Buddha.
