When a person is ill time is measured differently than generally when healthy. In some instances especially when pain is present time can seem as if it stands still or even goes backward. Has it ever happened to you when you’re in pain and you have said something to the effect that things seem to be going backwards getting worse rather than better? Perhaps not. Time, Chih-I advises is to be not even considered a…
Under the section which talks about Means Chih-I advises that you should skillfully employ healing methods as appropriate. I take this to include the use of doctors and medicines which may be prescribed to you for your treatment and care. Here I am going to reveal my prejudice to the use of Western medicine. What informs my preference towards Western medicine would be a fair question to ask. Mainly it boils down to the…
Fourth of the Ten Characteristics is Constancy. By this Chih-I means that the methods we employ for living in disease should all be consistent. Every thought, every effort, every should be focused upon our belief and actions in living in disease. It would be counter productive for us as believers in the Lotus Sutra and Buddhism to then employ thoughts and beliefs that contradict what we say is our core belief. As Nichiren points out…
Chih-I is quite strict when speaking of diligence and my experience bears out the necessity of taking to heart in all seriousness the advice he offers. When it comes to our diligence in overcoming or living with illness there is no room to slack off. Chih-I says that night and day from sunup to sunset with out rest from the “beginning, middle, and late night to the morning” we should practice diligently. He says your…
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