Earthly Desires are Enlightenment

Earthly Desires are Enlightenment

At their face value, concepts propounded by Nichiren Daishonin appear difficult to accept and understand. Yet, when reflecting upon them with an unbiased open mind, one tends to see the truth and believes in their efficacy for mankind. Nichiren sourced his concepts from the teachings of Gautama Buddha; most supreme of which are those drawn from the Lotus Sutra.

What then does Nichiren imply by stating that “earthly desires are enlightenment”? This is a statement just negating the popular belief that, to achieve a higher level of spiritual advancement or enlightenment (spiritual wisdom), eradication of earthly desires is a prerequisite. Mostly all philosophies espouse that for spiritual advancement; one must challenge and rid oneself of all earthly desires and attachments; as they are the source of all suffering. On the contrary, Nichiren states that earthly desires and enlightenment cannot exist by themselves both being manifestations of the unchanging reality; thus one can achieve enlightenment without eradication of desires. The lotus blooms in muddy water. Even though the muddy water is necessary to sustain the life of the lotus, yet, the lotus is not the muddy water itself.

The three basic earthly desires or “the three poisons” as Nichiren terms them, are those emanating from greed, anger, and foolishness. Greed implies slavery to hunger, fame, riches, and sexual desire etcetera. Anger signifies the state of being controlled by impulsive emotions, arrogance, and ego. Foolishness or stupidity implies the inability to understand the true intrinsic nature of things or the selfish attachment to immediate gains. If we self reflect seriously, we will find ourselves to have been under the sway of “the three poisons” at one time or the other.

Nichiren’s view is that as long as one is alive, one is bound to have desires. Without desires, one is as good as dead. Desires are the stepping stones to spiritual advancement. ‘Greed’ for name, fame and riches in its positive aspect, leads to assiduous endeavors at research and diligence in ones profession. Need for food results in agricultural and industrial progress. Arrogance resulting from pride in ones work drives a person to strive hard to remain a step ahead of others. Likewise, anger may well be directed towards fighting for justice for others and against evil.

It thus ensues that, even though earthly desires are the cause of suffering, yet they can lead one to achieve enlightenment. Where on the one hand earthly desires indicate illusion; on the other, enlightenment indicates awakening to the truth of all phenomena and the transient nature of desires. To actualize our desires, as we progress in chanting “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo”, a raise in our fundamental life condition results through fusion of  the microcosm of the self with the macrocosm of the universe; then what earlier functioned as earthly desires, begins to function as enlightenment as ones awareness arises, and what produced suffering, begins to produce joy. By no means does this imply that earthly desires in themselves are enlightenment but that enlightenment can be achieved without their having been eradicated. In the Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Nichiren Daishonin says “Today, when Nichiren and his followers recite the words of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, they are burning the firewood of earthly desires, summoning up the wisdom – fire of enlightenment.”