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'Evil Latter Day of the Law' ?

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  • 07-12-2004 2:59am
    #1
    solas
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,999 ✭✭✭


    "Buddhists believe we are now in an era known as the 'Evil Latter Day of the Law'. This, the Buddha said, would be a time when people became perverse and the True Law was all but lost. It is supposed to be followed by a 10,000-year period of peace and enlightenment. This matches the Indian idea of the Kaliyuga, or dark age. It also fits the western view that we are about to see the dawning of an Age of Aquarius."



    first I've heard of it, anyone care to discuss or enlighten?


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    #2
    Yoda
    Registered Users Posts: 1,853 ✭✭✭Yoda


    I do not wish to discuss this until (1) you cite the place you got it from and (2) you present evidence that "Buddhists believe" this.


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    #3
    Raphael
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,880 ✭✭✭Raphael


    Well a quick google shows a mention in the Lotus Sutra of said period

    "By citing these impossible feats as "easy" Shakyamuni stresses the courageous and persevering spirit necessary to embrace the Mystic Law and teach it to others in the evil Latter Day of the Law."

    http://etherbods.com/sutra/summaries/ls11.htm

    That would tie in with what the threadstarter said about the evil latter day of the law being a time of despair etc.


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    #4
    Yoda
    Registered Users Posts: 1,853 ✭✭✭Yoda


    Ah. That. Well, I don't mean to dampen anyone's spirits, but I don't consider Nichiren Daishonin's teachings to be particularly Buddhist. "Chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and you will get what you want", isn't that how it goes?

    There is no reason to "believe" that any particular time period would prevent anyone from realizing Enlightenment from the Buddha's teachings. It isn't magic. It's psychological science. Though a certain amount of "grace" is often acknowledged, since it's thought that nirvana cannot be, per se, caused. The Buddha taught us to remove impediments to real knowledge.

    Nichiren Daishonen is not "the true Buddha of the age", in my view.


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    #5
    solas
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,999 ✭✭✭solas


    sorry bout that..I got it when reading my horoscopes :)...not exactly great reference material but all the same, the reason I asked is because my understanding of buddhist philosophy is akin to this bit.."Chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and you will get what you want", isn't that how it goes?..,
    never knew there was a buddhist version of christianity's revelations..


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    #6
    Yoda
    Registered Users Posts: 1,853 ✭✭✭Yoda


    Buddhist philosophy is about realism. It isn't about revelation either. It's about realization. It's about how the mind works, and how the world works, and how to deal with both.

    As I say, I don't consider Nichiren Daishonin's teachings to be particularly Buddhist.


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    #7
    Talliesin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,314 ✭✭✭Talliesin


    Also, while it does fit with a Western view of the Age of Aquarius, it's only one view of many about that era, and frankly a rather twee one.


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