Paradigm Shift From Karma to Nirvana Rosan Osamu

Paradigm Shift From Karma to Nirvana Rosan Osamu Yoshida, Ph. D. Presentation At Fo Guang Shan Saint Louis Buddhist Center March 11, 2017 C. E.

Karma • = Ceremony: Action: Habit: Heredity • √ kṛ : create with body, mouth, mind • “All beings are karma-heirs, -owners, -machines, -refuged. ” - the Buddha

“The World Is on Fire!” The World Doomed to Destruction 　

Problems of Civilization 　　　　 Civilization Realm men over- population class-crime-war Ideology-ism-WMD Fanaticism-nationalism Mass-production/consumption /wasting/pollution/depletion/damage /disorder/disease/deterioration/demise Animal Field 　　 　 Life Realm　 Loss of life/species/life function/habitat/biodiversity/ Adaptability/invasion of new species/disturbance of system Plant Field Loss of forests//coral reefs/lakes/marshes/rivers/streams/ vitality/resistance-disease-dislocation-deterioration-destruction-demise Life Field 　　 global warming・loss of land/glacier/iceberg/water-sealevelrise-dissertificationpollution of air/water/earth-depletion of resources/ozone layer-abnormal weather/season 　

Pyramidal Civilization power matter ego (population) greed, anger, ignorance discrimination, exploitation, killing production, consumption, wasting deterioration, depletion, pollution malfunction, abnormality, extinction heart ECO 　 life

Pyramidal Civilization Three Steps 力 matter power delusion action suffering heart 　 life

Problems & Sufferings • All problems and sufferings are dependently originated on karmas (past, present bodily, verbal, and mental actions/functions). • Karmas create the triple poisons of craving, hatred, and delusion: sources of suffering.

Problems & Sufferings • 1. 4 individual S. : Birth, Aging, Sickness, Death • 2. 8 individual S. : 1 + Not attaining the desired, Parting with the loved ones, Meeting the hated ones, In short, Rampant raging of the five aggregates (karmas) • 3. Social P. & S. : Nukes, Power Pyramids, etc. • 4. Global P. & S. : Global warming, Mass extinction

Solution of Suffering & Samsara • 1. Two roots of suffering: Craving & Nescinece • 2. One root of samsara (becoming): Nescience • Nescience = no witness of selfless nature (: self-sama, self-sovereign), i. e. , Dependent Co-origination • 3. Source of Suffering & Samsara: Karma = • Triple Poisons (nescience, • craving, hatred or discrimination)

12 -limbed Dependent Origination (1) 1. Old oral tradition (can be only in linear representation): Nescience → formations → consciousness → name-form → six bases →contact → feeling → craving → appropriation → becoming → birth → aging-death 2. New structural interpretation = showing suffering of samsara (impermanence): Notes on the terms: name-form contact Name-form = sense object = dharma six bases Six bases = six sense organs consciousness Contact = contact of sense organ, sense object and consciousness feeling Formation = function (karma) craving nescience Becoming = birth/aging/death formations (karma) appropriation becoming birth/aging-death suffering = samsara (flow) Craving, formations & suffering are called “three steps (sando)” Nescience (existential ignorance) appropriates body-mind as self, involved in becoming (birth, aging, death = samsara).

Zen = Stilling Karma • Zen (Zazen: sitting meditation) stills Karma, sees Dharma, serves and saves all, reaching Nirvana. • • • Nirvana = No-wind (of Karma) “Nivāte padīpa” (lamp-light in no-wind)

1 st stage of zen (jhāna) 　reflection 　contemplation 　joy 　comfort one-pointedness 5 coverings (lust-desire, covetousness-malevolence, sloth-drowsiness, agitation-worry, doubt) extinct 4 fluxes (lust, becoming, view, nescience) still extant

2 nd stage of zen (jhāna) 　 joy comfort one-pointedness of mind 　4 fluxes (lust, 　becoming, 　view, 　nescience) now extinct

3 rd stage of zen (jhāna) 　　　　　 　　 comfort one-pointedness of mind equipoised

4 th stage of zen (jhāna) 　　　　　 　　 one-pointedness of mind equanimity

Nirvana Definition (1) • Definition: No-wind (nir-vāna: ni-vāta), of karma • (= not blown up & down by karma) • Characteristics: • Essence: Universal (beyond influence of karma) • Nature: Pure (before influence karma) • Function: Free (unbound by karma) • Practicality: Here now (for all beyond karma)

Nirvana: Practice (2) • Universal, but w/o cultivation not developed & • w/o verification not attained (due to karma) • Cultivation/verification allows anyone to attain • Nirvana/awakening allows anyone to appreciate • and use all (as the treasure house) at will.

Nirvana: Fruit (3) • Free function (from karma: triple poisons, sins, discriminations, defilements, delusions, death, conventions: comparative truth (view/values), unmoved, indestructible, no coverings, etc. • Full function (awakening/activation of the ultimate truth: wholly wholesome way/world; prognosis/peace in original nature, limitless life, light, liberation, love, appreciation, use of all, etc.

Karma & Nirvana (4) • 1. Nirvana & Dependent Cessation: • a. Cessation of craving ⇨ suffering • b. Cessation of nescience ⇨ samsara • c. Cessation of mental fabrication • (: pure perception: “seen only, etc. ”) • 2. Nirvana w/ remainder and w/o remainder: • a. Nirvana w/ remainder (5 aggregates) • b. Nirvana w/o remainder (5 aggregates)

12 -limbed Dependent Origination (2) Composition of 3 Dependent Origination Processes: 1. D. O. of consciousness/perception: top portion 2. D. O. of suffering (dissatisfaction): middle portion 3. D. O. of samsara (becoming): bottom portion Notes on the terms: name-form contact Name-form = sense object = dharma six bases 1⇨ Six bases = six sense organs consciousness Contact = contact of sense organ, sense object and consciousness feeling Formation = function (karma) 2⇨ craving nescience (karma) appropriation becoming 3⇨ Becoming = birth/aging/death formations birth/aging-death (Samsara) suffering = samsara (flow) Craving, formations & suffering are called “three steps (sando)” Nescience (existential ignorance) appropriates body-mind as self, involved in becoming (birth, aging, death = samsara).

Nirvana: Advantages (5) • • Purity Penetration Peace Prognosis Perspective Perfection Practice Precious

　　　 Indra-net System Network 　 Every crystal reflecting all others limitlessly

Dharma • A. Meanings of Dharma 1. Dharma = form = phenomena 2. Dharma = norm = law/truth 3. Dharma = teaching • B. Dharma of all dharmas • (Law of all phenomena) • = Dependent Origination • (All phenomena Dependently Originated on causes and conditions. )

5 Fictitious Bodies Mutual influence Major players in the modern civilization with its global problematique

5 Fictitious Bodies’ Transformation Interreligious dialog NGO NPO Information Revolution Lifelong education Mutual Development

5 Fictitious Bodies’ Transformation NGO Inter-religious cooperation NPO Information Networking Centerless centers Lifelong education Global interchange Mutual Interpenetration

　　　 Dharma-world = a clear crystal ball “Entire world in ten directions is a clear crystal ball” Limitless life, light, liberation and love

　　　 一顆明珠