Gongyo: How To Get the Most Out of Gongyo

THE DAILY PRACTICE OF GONGYO

The assembly meets at Holy Eagle Peak (Ryojusen). This represents the mundane world. They ascend to the Ceremony in the Air. This represents cosmic consciousness, enlightenment, the wisdom that embraces all species, and etc. Then they return to the mundane world informed by their experience. Infusing their world with universal understanding.

This is the motif of the Lotus Sutra. It is similar to the motif of the “Hero’s Journey” as described by Joseph Campbell in his research into the myths of mankind.

We repeat this Hero’s Journey every day. We wake up mundane as can be. We do Gongyo to the Gohonzon (thereby joining the Ceremony in the Air). We return to our daily lives empowered with this experience.
— Daisaku Ikeda, Lectures on the ‘Expedient Means’ and ‘Life Span’ Chapters of the Lotus Sutra, vol 3, pages 88-89 

The jigage expresses the life of the Buddha in its totality. In the “Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings,” Nichiren Daishonin says: The ji (self) of ji ga toku burrai (since I attained Buddhahood) represents the beginning, while shin (body) of soku joju busshin (quickly acquire the body of a Buddha) represents the end. In other words, the Daishonin teaches that the jigage from beginning to end explains the Buddha’s self or life.

The ‘Jigage’ also represents Oneself. In other words, the jigage from beginning to end elucidates the self [because ji plus shin form the word oneself]. (Gosho Zenshu, p. 759). Nichiren Daishonin indicates that the body of the jigage in its entirety, coming between the words ji and shin, signifies the actions and conduct of oneself. Thus the “Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings” says, “The jigage section represents the ‘body that freely receives and employs,’ or the ‘body of limitless joy”’ (Gosho Zenshu, p. 759). The body or self that “freely receives and employs” represents realizing that the entire universe is in fact oneself and freely receiving and employing the power of the Mystic Law that is the wellspring of universal life. In other words, the Daishonin here indicates that the jigage expresses the state of life of absolute freedom of the original Buddha himself. 

The jigage elucidates the vast and eternal state of life of indestructible happiness that is free of all hindrance and, moreover, exists forever, freely and joyously acting throughout the universe. The “body that freely receives and employs” also refers to the ordinary outward appearance of the Buddha. It indicates the form of ordinary people as distinguished from that of a Buddha assuming august attributes.

The second Soka Gakkai president, Josei Toda, said that the jigage “is the scripture of the Buddha himself, and the scripture of us ourselves.” It might be said that the jigage is a poem that praises the “greater self” and sings of the totally free state of life of this self.

The Daishonin says, “The example of one person represents the impartial truth inherent in all human beings” (Gosho Zenshu, p. 564). The jigage celebrates the self of the original Buddha of kuon ganjo and at the same time praises our own selves.

And, as suggested by the expression “cause and effect in one moment of life,” both the true cause and the true effect exist in the moment of belief in the single law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

This “mystic moment of life” is the ultimate meaning of the Daishonin’s teaching of the mystic principle of true cause, and the culmination of the doctrine of “a life-moment possesses 3,000 realms.” Both the true cause and the true effect exist in the lives of ordinary people. A change in a person’s moment of life fundamentally changes everything.

The view of life of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism, which recognizes the existence of true cause and true effect in a of extremely great importance. Namely, it teaches how we can initiate fresh and forward advance by always basing ourselves on life’s prime point.

We live moment to moment, experiencing happiness and sadness, suffering and joy. The condition we experience in the present moment of life is an effect produced by causes we created in the past. This is relatively easy to grasp. But at the same time, our lives at the present moment are also the cause for future effects. While this follows most naturally from a theoretical standpoint, it is difficult to actually live with this awareness.
— Daisaku Ikeda, Lectures on the ‘Expedient Means’ and ‘Life Span’ Chapters of the Lotus Sutra, Vol. 3, page 13

The Buddha’s revelation of the true entity of all phenomena is very important. The truth (true entity) of things is not found in some distant realm removed from reality. In this unwavering focus on the true form (true entity) of everyday reality, never moving away from real things and events (all phenomena), we can discern the true brilliance of the Buddha’s wisdom.

The “Life Span” chapter of the Lotus Sutra reveals: “The Thus Come One perceives the true aspect of the threefold world exactly as it is (Lotus Sutra, Chapter 16, p. 226). The “threefold world” is the world of reality. The Buddha is determined never to become alienated or divorced from the actual world (all phenomena). At the same time, the Buddha is not influenced by the superficial appearance o the actual world (all phenomena), but instead grasps the supreme truth (true entity) concealed therein and teaches it to others so that they may understand and apply it in their own lives. This is the wisdom of Buddhism.

President Toda said, “We who practice the Buddhism of the mystic principle of true cause view the continuous stream of reality occurring in our lives at each instant as the cause of the future. To put it another way, we determine to make the present reality the cause for the future.” He also said, “In the daily life of someone who firmly believes in the Gohonzon, daily events are activated as the pure causes of kuon ganjo. Boundless life force wells forth in such a person due to the benefit of the Gohonzon. Therefore, when this cause is translated into effect, the person is sure to experience good results.”

True cause and true effect are both contained in our lives at each instant. This is the simultaneity of cause and effect. Through our life moment of faith, therefore, we can turn everything that arises in the course of our daily lives — no matter what happens and even if the effect is unfortunate — into the true cause of kuon ganjo, into a fundamental cause for our happiness. We can set out in all endeavors based on the pure, fundamental wellspring of life. And as a result, we can direct our entire being toward establishing a state of life of unshakable happiness. This is what it means to “live based on the mystic principle of true cause.”

In terms of the sutra’s literal meaning; the passage, “since I attained Buddhahood, an extremely long period of time has passed. My life span is an immeasurable number of asamkhya kalpas, and during that time I have constantly abided here without ever entering extinction,” clarifies the mystic principle of true effect. This passage explains that the Buddha who attained the true effect of enlightenment in the remote past constantly abides here in this world without ever entering extinction.

In short, the doctrine of true cause and true effect in the “Life Span” chapter reveals that not only is the life of the world of Buddhahood — the true effect — eternal, but so is the life of the nine worlds — the true cause.
— Daisaku Ikeda, Lectures on the Expedient Means & Life Span Chapters of the Lotus Sutra, Vol. 3, p 13

... the true entity of all phenomena is fundamentally a principle of transforming the present. We do not seek to remove ourselves from reality, full as it is of sufferings. We do not try to escape it. The true entity o f all phenomena is the wisdom that enables people to bring forth the state of Buddhahood within their lives, to realize a world where peace and tranquillity prevail within the reality of everyday existence.
— Daisaku Ikeda, Dialogue on the Lotus Sutra, section 8.