T he point of my lecture today is to introduce an Afro-Centric element into Buddhism. Many will try to intimidate me by calling me a racist by my accurately including Africans into world history via a Buddhist lecture. Please get your Gosho and turn to the Gosho by Nichiren Daishonin titled "The Opening of The Eyes". The Opening of the Eyes is one of the 10 major writings of Nichiren Daishonin. Let me be clear and state that I do not profess to know that I can give an accurate lecture on the writings of Nichiren Daishonin. However I do take parts of the Gosho and I think that I understand the spirit of the Daishonin. For example in the Gosho "A Ship to Cross the Sea of Suffering" the Daishonin writes "If there is someone whether man or woman, who secretly teaches to one person even a single phase of the Lotus Sutra, let it be known that he is the envoy of the Buddha." "This means that anyone who teaches others even a single phase of the Lotus Sutra is clearly the Buddha's envoy, whether he be priest or nun, lay man or woman." I would like to think that based on Nichiren Daishonin's Gosho that our writing this lecture we are acting as the envoy of the Buddha.

Let me move back to the Gosho on "Open of The Eyes". In the first paragraph of the Opening of the eyes the Daishonin writes, "There are three types of doctrines that are to be studied. They are Confucianism, Brahmanism, and Buddhism". We who live in this fast paced age of "Mappo" find it difficult just studying Buddhism and certainly we do not have time to study Confucianism and Brahmanism. In the Gosho the "Opening of The Eyes" the Daishonin teaches us some history of Confucianism, Brahmanism and Buddhism. What is exciting for me is to read history and find the Afro-Centric element in history. Also true history will give you a better understanding of "Buddhism". The Daishonin who is the "True Buddha" was a scholar on Buddhist History. Via studying Buddhsit history the Daishonin was able to delineate the correct teachings from the incorrect teachings, which is why he is the Buddha.

Page Four

Main Menu