Chapter 3_Awakening to the Inherent Nature of Life and Death_Heritage of Ultimate Law
Chapter 3 — The Ultimate Law of Life and Death
Exam-Focused Notes
1. Central Theme
Chapter 2 established the legitimacy of the heritage of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo .
This chapter explains the deeper relationship between:
Life & Death ↔ Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
The key understanding is:
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the fundamental Law governing life and death.
2. Meaning of Myoho
A simple way to remember:
Myo → Death / unmanifest or latent aspect of life
Ho → Life / manifest aspect of life
Therefore:
Myoho encompasses both life and death.
Life and death are not two separate realities. They are two phases of the same Mystic Law.
Easy analogy
Ocean ↔ Waves
Wave appearing = Life / manifestation
Wave disappearing back into ocean = Death / unmanifestation
Both are ultimately part of the same ocean
Similarly:
Life and death are two phases of the Mystic Law.
3. Ice → Water → Steam Analogy
Ice, water and steam appear different, but their fundamental nature is H₂O .
Similarly, life may appear in different forms, but its fundamental nature is:
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
Therefore, according to the material:
We are Buddhas in life and Buddhas in death.
The fundamental Law continues regardless of the manifested or unmanifested state.
4. Dependent Origination
Meaning
Nothing exists in isolation.
Everything is interconnected and influences everything else.
This includes:
Life and environment
Individuals and society
Living beings and their surroundings
This is closely related to the principle of the oneness of life and environment .
Remember:
Dependent Origination = Nothing exists independently; everything arises through interconnected relationships.
5. Mystic Law Governs All Life
All living beings:
Exist within the Ten Worlds
Experience life and death
Are subject to cause and effect
Exist within the workings of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
Therefore:
Life, death, the Ten Worlds and causality are all governed by the Mystic Law.
Awakening to the fact that our own life is an entity of the Mystic Law is awakening to Buddhahood.
6. Renge — Simultaneity of Cause and Effect
The lotus flower represents simultaneity of cause and effect .
Unlike ordinary plants where flower and seed appear at different times, the lotus produces flower and seed simultaneously.
Therefore:
Cause and effect exist simultaneously.
A cause may produce a latent effect that is not immediately visible and later becomes a manifest effect when appropriate conditions arise.
7. Two Levels of Causality
Level 1 — General Causality
Simple cause and effect:
Good causes → Good effects
Bad causes → Bad effects
This corresponds to ordinary karmic causality.
Level 2 — Fundamental Causality
The deeper principle is:
Manifesting Buddhahood itself becomes the highest cause.
Through chanting Daimoku with faith:
Chanting → Manifest Buddhahood → Wisdom / Courage / Life Force → Transform circumstances
This is why the material emphasizes that we are not helpless victims of destiny .
We can create causes in the present.
8. Mutual Possession of Ten Worlds
The principle gives us tremendous hope.
Whatever life state we are experiencing now:
Buddhahood is always inherent within us.
Therefore:
Hell → Buddhahood
Anger → Buddhahood
Despair → Buddhahood
We don't have to wait for circumstances to change before becoming happy.
We can change our life state first through faith and chanting and then take wise action.
Key point:
The environment does not have to change first. We can change our life state and transform the situation.
9. Life Force
Life force is essential for overcoming difficulties.
The material connects high life force with:
Courage
Wisdom
Determination
Ability to take action
Ability to overcome health, financial and relationship challenges
Makiguchi Sensei explains that:
The life force of each person is a manifestation of the great life force of the universe.
Therefore, our determination and attitude before the Gohonzon directly influence how we approach our daily life.
10. Buddhahood Appears Through Bodhisattva Action
Buddhahood is not merely an internal feeling.
It is manifested through Bodhisattva action .
Therefore:
Chant → Bring forth Buddhahood → Take action for oneself and others
Especially:
Chanting
Encouraging others
Home visits
One-to-one dialogue
Shakubuku
Working for kosen-rufu
These are opportunities to manifest Buddhahood in daily life.
11. Faith Requires Consistent Practice
Nichiren Buddhism is simple in the sense that we can practice wherever we are .
But it requires assiduous practice .
The material emphasizes:
Morning and evening practice
Daimoku
Gongyo
Activities for kosen-rufu
Continuous efforts
It is not simply:
“I believe, therefore everything will automatically change.”
Faith must be translated into action .
12. Sickness
The material gives three key points for dealing with illness:
① Do not fear illness
Fear can weaken life force.
② Raise life force
High life force helps us develop resilience and the strength to confront illness.
③ Obtain proper diagnosis and treatment
Faith and medical treatment are not substitutes for each other .
Remember:
Do not fear → Raise life force → Obtain proper treatment
13. Compassion — The Driving Force
Why do we practice for others?
Not merely for personal benefit.
The fundamental motivation is:
Compassion.
When we deeply understand that:
My life = Mystic Law
and
Everyone else's life = Mystic Law
we naturally develop:
Life force
Compassion
Wisdom
And:
Wisdom + Compassion + Action = Ability to overcome difficulties and help others
14. Life and Death Filled With Joy
The ultimate goal is not merely to live happily.
It is to develop a state of life where:
Both life and death are filled with joy.
The material emphasizes maintaining a correct view of life and death based on the Middle Way , avoiding the extremes of:
Annihilation — believing everything ends completely with death
Permanence — believing the individual self remains unchanged forever
For practitioners, death is viewed as:
The beginning of a hope-filled journey toward the next existence.
⭐ KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER FOR THE EXAM
1. What does Myoho represent?
Myo = Death / unmanifest
Ho = Life / manifest
2. What does Nam-myoho-renge-kyo govern?
Life and death of all living beings.
3. What does Renge represent?
Simultaneity of cause and effect.
4. What is Dependent Origination?
Everything exists through interconnected relationships and nothing exists in isolation.
5. What is the deeper level of causality?
Manifesting Buddhahood is the highest cause and enables us to establish unshakeable happiness.
6. What enables us to manifest Buddhahood?
Faith, chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and Bodhisattva action.
7. What are the three key points regarding illness?
Don't fear illness + Raise life force + Get proper diagnosis/treatment.
8. What is the driving force behind practice for others?
Compassion.
9. What is the ultimate goal regarding life and death?
To develop a state in which both life and death are filled with joy.
🧠 One-Minute Revision
Myoho → Life + Death
Renge → Cause + Effect
Dependent Origination → Interconnectedness
Ten Worlds → Every life state contains Buddhahood
Chanting → Manifest Buddhahood
Buddhahood → Life force + Wisdom + Courage
Bodhisattva action → Manifest Buddhahood in society
Illness → Don't fear + Life force + Treatment
Practice for others → Compassion
Ultimate goal → Joy in both Life and Death