Egbert Moray-Falls

"The Vimalakīrti Sutra states that, when one seeks the Buddhas’ emancipation in the minds of ordinary beings, one finds that ordinary beings are the entities of enlightenment, and that the sufferings of birth and death are nirvana. It also states that, if the minds of living beings are impure, their land is also impure, but if their minds are pure, so is their land. There are not two lands, pure or impure in themselves. The difference lies solely in the good or evil of our minds.

"It is the same with a Buddha and an ordinary being. When deluded, one is called an ordinary being, but when enlightened, one is called a Buddha. This is similar to a tarnished mirror that will shine like a jewel when polished. A mind now clouded by the illusions of the innate darkness of life is like a tarnished mirror, but when polished, it is sure to become like a clear mirror, reflecting the essential nature of phenomena and the true aspect of reality. Arouse deep faith, and diligently polish your mirror day and night. How should you polish it? Only by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

"What then does myō signify? It is simply the mysterious nature of our life from moment to moment, which the mind cannot comprehend or words express. When we look into our own mind at any moment, we perceive neither colour nor form to verify that it exists. Yet we still cannot say it does not exist, for many differing thoughts continually occur. The mind cannot be considered either to exist or not to exist. Life is indeed an elusive reality that transcends both the words and concepts of existence and nonexistence. It is neither existence nor nonexistence, yet exhibits the qualities of both. It is the mystic entity of the Middle Way that is the ultimate reality."

Nichiren, On Attaining Buddhahood in this Lifetime.

This excerpt of a letter to a follower is considered the most simple and complete expression of Nichiren's faith. He is explaining in simple terms and exoteric manner, the most esoteric teachings of Buddhism. He states that the way to attain enlightenment is "only by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo", this mantra is considered direct devotion to the universal Dharmakaya, bypassing any emanations. I have come to believe that this mantra is designed to allow those of lesser capacity (or of any capacity, to be polite) to participate in the highest teachings of Buddhism in the Latter Day of Shakyamuni's teaching. The reason I now favour the Tibetan Tantras is because I believe they are suitable for creating an elite of practitioners of higher capacity, and that tantric meditation provides attainments that are simply not possible with mantras alone.

As I work on my response, I would like, very quickly, to capture a thought. Namely, how happy I am that this debate is happening. We are aspiring to genuine syncretism through comparative religion. This, however, by its very nature, requires wide knowledge of many very complex traditions in both East and West. As a result this work can only be accomplished by the collaboration of many sharp minds.

Here we are making a worthy start.

I am currently thinking of constructing a two part reply to the debate at hand.

Firstly I shall do as the others have and respond directly to individual points.

Secondly, as I am representing the Nichiren perspective, I shall elucidate some principles of that school.

Nichiren has very specific reasons for taking the relatively extreme views he takes, and without understanding his historical context and intentions he is a very difficult figure to comprehend.

One must always understand the intentions of Buddhist texts; no matter how dense the abstractions, or how strange the metaphors if one understands the intention one will be guided to enlightenment. If one does not, then one will be trapped in samsara's dualism.

"The right needs to win the argument against its enemies to win the war. But that's not enough — the right has won (i.e. proved its case) in every argument it's ever had. If the goal is to be right, the goal has mostly been achieved. If the goal is to win, something more is needed. Being right is only the beginning, and maybe not even that"

https://t.me/ImperiumPressOfficial/1095

"‘It is a womanly thing to establish superiority through convincing arguments; it is a manly thing to conquer the world through one’s power.

Reasoning, argument, and inference may be the work of other schools [shastras]; but the work of the Tantra is to accomplish superhuman and divine events through the force of their own words of power [mantras].’

– Tantrattva 1:27

I found this quote in Julius Evola's The Yoga of Power. I will post a book review of it tomorrow – to the great delight of all Average Book-Review Enjoyers"

https://t.me/thegoldenone/2336

If anyone discovers a means of posting Tantric siddhis directly to Telegram I would love to know it.

Both of the above quotes are very true, but debate is a way of building our community, a way of developing the culture of the Right and strengthening ourselves for the struggles ahead.

We are approaching a turning point, but at this stage we must learn about history, doctrine and, most importantly, our inner selves. We live in a time of unprecedented access to information. We must use this to build the foundation of our future.

A very exciting discussion! I may have to take some time on my response, I have many things I would like to clarify but yet again, there is more agreement than anything.

Above all, I must concur with The Elders that this sort of cross channel dialogue, is essential to the future of the Right, or rather of our people as a whole.

Debate is central to the Dharmic way.

"A Buddha has thirty-two features. Each of these features is endowed with the characteristics of hundredfold merit that that Buddha has acquired. The knot of flesh on the crown of his head, the tuft of white hair between his eyebrows, and the other features are like fruit, while the practices that the Buddha has carried out in the past are like flowers that produce so many blessings; in this way, the thirty-two features come to appear in the body of the Buddha.

"One feature of the Buddha is the unseen crown of his head. Shakyamuni Buddha’s body was sixteen feet in height, but a Brahman of the Bamboo Staff school was unable to measure it. When he attempted to see the top of Shakyamuni’s head, he was unable to do so. Bodhisattva Worthy of Upholding likewise was unable to see the top of the Buddha’s head, and so was the heavenly king Brahmā. Inquiring as to the reason, we will find that in the past the Buddha bowed his head to the ground in order to pay reverence to his parents, his teacher, and his sovereign, and he acquired this feature as a result.

"The foremost among the Buddha’s thirty-two features is his pure and far-reaching voice. Lesser kings, great kings, and wheel-turning kings all possess this feature in some degree. Therefore, a single word from one of these kings can destroy the kingdom or insure order within it. The edicts handed down by rulers represent a type of pure and far-reaching voice. Ten thousand words spoken by ten thousand ordinary subjects cannot equal one word spoken by a king. The works known as the Three Records and the Five Canons represent the words of lesser kings.

"What brings order to this small kingdom of Japan, what enables the heavenly king Brahmā to command the inhabitants of the threefold world, and what enables the Buddha to command Brahmā, Shakra, and the other deities, is none other than this pure and far-reaching voice. The Buddha’s utterances have become the works that compose the entire body of sutras and bring benefit to all living beings. And among the sutras, the Lotus Sutra is a manifestation in writing of the Thus Come One Shakyamuni’s intent; it is his voice set down in written words. Thus the Buddha’s heart is embodied in these written words. To illustrate, it is like seeds that sprout, grow into plants, and produce rice. Though the form of the rice changes, its essence remains the same.

"Shakyamuni Buddha and the written words of the Lotus Sutra are two different things, but their heart is one. Therefore, when you cast your eyes upon the words of the Lotus Sutra, you should consider that you are beholding the living body of the Thus Come One Shakyamuni."

Nichiren, The Pure and Far Reaching Voice

Here Nichiren emphasises the Lotus Sutra, but the same benefits apply to any of the Sutras containing the Buddha's words. There is a discussion to be had about the relative merits of the Sutras (and Nichiren's position is clear) but with the understanding that all lead to the same goal and the realisation of emptiness one ought not to shun any of the Buddha's words, which are all pure and true whether they are expedient means or not.

I am convinced that the above Yamantaka and Vajra Yogini initiation will become an historic moment for the Dissident Right. We are spiritual beings and our quest to transform society for the better is a spiritual quest. We may seem as ridiculous as Don Quixote charging at windmills, we may be accused of "larping", but in us burns the heroism of our great ancestors. We can proudly say "Don Quixote was right, and we shall follow his example!"

Though, I must wonder what dear old Jhampa Shaneman would make of it if he new the kind of berserk Dharma warriors he is about to unleash on the world.

It is one of my chief frustrations that leading figures on the dissident right do not work harder to cover each others blind spots and synthesise their views. Here's to the Socratic method! May it flourish!

"The Ni to Ichi (Two and One) Way of strategy is recorded in the book of the Void.

"What is called the spirit of the void is where there is nothing. It is not included in man's knowledge. Of course the void is nothingness. By knowing things that exist, you can know that which does not exist. That is the void.

"People in this world look at things mistakenly, and think that what they do not understand must be the void. This is not the true void. It is bewilderment.

"In the way of strategy, also, those who study as warriors think that whatever they cannot understand in their craft is the void. This is not the true void.

"To attain the Way of strategy as a warrior you must study fully other martial arts and not deviate even a little from the Way of the warrior. With your spirit settled, accumulate practice day by day, and hour by hour. Polish the twofold spirit heart and mind, and sharpen the twofold gaze of perception and sight. When your spirit is not in the least clouded, when the clouds of bewilderment clear away, there is the true void.

"Until you realise the true Way, whether in Buddhism or in common sense, you may think that things are correct and in order. However, if we look at things objectively, from the viewpoint of laws of the world, we see various doctrines departing from the true Way. Enact strategy broadly, correctly and openly.

"Then you will come to think of things in a wide sense and, taking the void as the Way, you will see the Way as void.

"In the void is virtue, and no evil. Wisdom has existence, principal has existence, the Way has existence, spirit is nothingness."

Shinmen "Miyamoto" Musashi, master swordsman, The Book of Five Rings.

Above is a fascinating document from The Elders, raising points of contention with my views of the Buddhist nature of soul.

https://t.me/eldersofficial

I say raising points of contention rather than debating because it is my belief that we have more views in common than in opposition.

Later today I shall provide my detailed response. I would like to say now that most errors are solved by abandoning dualistic thinking. However, the conceptual teachings are an important support for the essential practice.

I shall also make a post explaining the ultimate teaching of the Tendai school, and elaborating on the nature of the Nichiren school.

For now, suffice it to say, that Nichiren widely expounded teachings originally reserved for those with understanding of emptiness. His reason for doing so was his firm belief that we had entered into the final period of Shakyamuni's teaching when the true way would be lost, therefore it was essential to rely on the most profound teachings.

As for establishing the historical validity of various sutras, it is a noble and scholarly goal and one which Nichiren himself dedicated much time to. I however will leave that to men better suited to such study and rely on what is taught.