The Truth Behind Your Suffering "The Law of the Twelve Causes" by Karen Fujii

The Truth Behind your Suffering.
Who has suffering?
What is suffering?

Good Morning! My name is Karen Fujii and this is what I would like to share with you, my presentation on the Law of the Twelve Causes.

(Click on Picture to Enlarge)

This Law is also referred to as the Doctrine of the Twelve-Link Chain of dependent origination. It teaches that all phenomena in our lives is constantly changing, based on our actions of cause & effect. This is known as the Law of the Twelve Causes because it is divided into Twelve Stages.

Keep in mind this is as if you already had a previous life.

#1) Ignorance: Is the stage prior to our conception where nothing is known or sensed (fundamental cause of suffering)

#2) Actions: Deed or Karma based on ignorance -spirit is conceived in the mother’s womb through the action of sexual intercourse.

#3) Consciousness: Means “something living” although still incomplete. The moment of conception/memory.

#4) Name and Form: “Name” immaterial being – Spirit or Soul. “Form” is the Material Being – The Human Body. So Name and Form is the “Human Body with a Soul”.

#5) The Six Entrances: As “Mind and Body” grow, they develop the “Six Entrance”, which are the ears, eyes, nose, mouth, touch & body by which they perceive the existence of all things. At this time we still in the mother’s womb and incomplete. This stage is called the Six Entrances because the functions of our minds and bodies are on the point of dividing into six different senses. This is where we are born into this world at the stage of the “Six Entrances”.

#6) Contact: At the age two or three years old the Six Entrances are completed and sensibility is developed. We are now able to notice Shapes, colors, sounds, smell, tastes, physical sensations and so on.

#7) Sensation: When your sensibility is further developed feelings of likes and dislikes naturally develop.

#8) Desire: When such feelings appear, the “Desire” for things arises unexpectedly. Desire referred to as attachment. In other words this is a state of mind that has preferences and that “Clings” to what it likes.

#9) Clinging: When we have a desire for something we try to hold on to it. We try to avoid what we consider unpleasant or undesirable. This is called “Clinging”.

#10) Existence: Is the various feelings, ideas & assertions lead by “Clinging”. This “Existence” means the discriminating mind.

#11) Birth: Due to this discriminating mind, opposition and struggle occur among people and human life as suffering unfolds before you. Such human life is called “birth”.

#12) Old Age & Death: Leading such a life of suffering, “Old Age” comes before you know it and finally you encounter “Death”.

All of this makes up our cycle of life. From our birth to our death to our rebirth. We can separate this cycle into three different groups.

 

 

The first group is your past life karma

Ignorance
Action

The second group is your present life karma

Consciousness
Name & Form
Six Entrances
Contact
Sensation

The third group is our future life karma

Desire
Clinging
Existence
Birth
Old Age & Death

What is karma?
How did I get this karma?

By studying the Law of the Twelve Causes, I read chapter 7 , The Parable of the Magic City, in Buddhism for Today, It spoke a lot on the subject of Karma, which I found most interesting.

It said, If you die in an unenlightened state, your soul will return to the former state of ignorance and will be reborn in the six worlds of illusion and suffering will finally reach old age & death through the 12 stages and will repeat this kind of life over and over again.

But if you purify your soul by hearing the Buddha’s teaching and practicing the Boddhisattva-way you will be reborn into a better world.

Karma is produced by all the deeds we do. For example, the fact that, you are reading or listening to the teachings of the Lotus Sutra is an accumulation of various past deeds.

It is said that Karma leaves traces in our memory, knowledge, habit, intelligence and character.

Most obvious are those on our faces.

A man, no matter how handsome, if he is small minded, his face will look mean or suspicious. Someone who is always angry has a grim look.

But a person who is kind hearted, knowledgeable, and has lots of goodness and control, somehow, is happy looking, clear headed and dignified, even if they do not have particularly striking features.

It is said that of all the Karma from your previous existence, Half is from your ancestors and the other half is made up from your karma of your past life and the karma you are creating now in this life. The idea of Karma clearly states that you will reap the fruits of what you have sown.

So we cannot blame others for our present unhappiness. We should consider that our unhappiness is the efforts of our own deeds of the past, to accept it and take responsibility for it.

So did you ever wonder why you have the parents you do?

I learned that before we are born each of us chooses parents with the same kind of karma. Then we make a promise to do something in our next life to better ourselves. Once we make this promise, we are born into this world. Once we are born, we are not aware of who we were in our past life or what promise we made.

So how do we cleanse our karma?

Through Ancestor appreciation service
Our daily prayers
Our duties at church
Leading others to the founder's teaching
Making others happy
Realizing our misdeeds

Living our lives in this way, this is called the “Buddha Nature Life”.

If we live our lives selfishly, we will live a “Karma Life”.

This is the truth behind your suffering.

To Summarize, "The Law of the Twelve Causes." It says we are all born ordinary human beings, because of our ignorance, from our previous life.

It also says, that if we remove our ignorance, or learn or follow/practice the Buddha’s Teaching in this world, the life that you would have had, according to your Karma from past, will be shown in your future life.

And the phrase “Future Life” means not only our “Next Life” after we are reborn, but the life before us in the future from this point on. So If we get rid ourselves of ignorance and set our minds in the direction of the teachings, a bright and peaceful future will open up before us.

Nine years ago with the encouragement of my mom and sisters I was determined to change my life.

I left my second husband. With no money, no car, a lot of bills, and nowhere to live, my kids & I were welcomed into my sister's home.

There were 10 of us living there, so our beds were the living room floor.

As I started to go to church , I could see how much worry and pain I created for my parents and grandparents. I could really feel and see how disappointed and frustrated my parents were with me when I was younger.

One incident was when my son was doing poorly in high school jeopardizing him to graduate. Another was when my daughter had a boyfriend, who we did not approved of, which was tearing our family relationship apart.

With each conflict I experienced with my children, I could see that they were the same as me. I could see my karma in them.

The only thing I could do was to practice repentance and apologize to my parents and grandparents in front of my alter.

At that point I decided that I was going build merits and to create good Karma for my children and our future life.

I also encouraged my kids to get involved with church activities, as my mom and grandmother had encouraged me.

I wanted them to learn and practice the teaching so they don’t continue the suffering of our family karma, that I had, when I lead my self centered life.

I truly believe that if you set your mind in the direction of the teachings a bright and peaceful future will open up before us.

Today I see things differently, I have a wonderful husband & great kids who support my practice. But only through my suffering, could I realize how selfishly I was living my life.

Studying, Learning & Practicing The Lotus Sutra and the wisdom of the founder is a big part of my life, and I love my life.
All of us have a past
All of us have karma

How are you going to brighten your future and change the Truth Behind your Suffering in your Life ?

Thank you for your kind attention.

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