Great Lakes RTC Chapel1

10 Factors of Life10 Factors of LifeMaking the Best of Everything

Soka University of AmericaSoka University of America

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Introduction – 10 Factors

Life is dynamic

Describes the workings of our lives in context of the 10 Worlds and how we manifest change from one moment to the next

Clarifies the functions common to ALL life in any given condition or any given moment

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Nyo Ze…Nyo Ze…Appearance Nyo ze so

Nature Nyo ze sho

Entity Nyo ze tai

Power Nyo ze riki

Influence Nyo ze sa

Inherent Cause Nyo ze in

Relation Nyo ze en

Latent effect Nyo ze ka

Manifest effect Nyo ze ho

Consistency from beginning to end

Nyo ze honmatsu kukyo to

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Review – 10 WorldsReview – 10 Worlds1. Hell2. Hunger3. Animality4. Anger5. Humanity6. Rapture –

Heaven7. Learning8. Realization9. Bodhisattva10. Buddhahood

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““Expedient Means” ChapterExpedient Means” ChapterLotus SutraLotus Sutra

“The true entity of all phenomena can only be understood and shared between

Buddhas. This reality consists of appearance, nature, entity, power, influence, inherent cause, relation,

latent effect, manifest effect, and their consistency from beginning to end.”

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Reality of LifeReality of LifeAppearance

– Facial expressions/behavior– Physical, material aspects of life

Nature– Inner quality/tendencies– Spiritual aspect of life

Entity– Life as a whole or essence of life. Manifests

both appearance and nature, yet is neither

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Workings of Life & Their Workings of Life & Their CharacteristicsCharacteristics

Power – capability latent within lifeInfluence – when latent power becomes manifestInherent cause – our ‘karmic’ orientations or

tendencies formed by our past actions (thoughts, words, deeds) - possibilities

Relation – our relationships with external circumstances – ‘external cause’

Latent Effect – result implanted in life when an ‘inherent cause’ acts in ‘relation’ with an external event

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Workings of Life & Their Workings of Life & Their CharacteristicsCharacteristicsManifest Effect – when latent effect

becomes visibleConsistency from beginning to end – when

life’s appearance, nature, entity, power, influence, inherent cause, relation, latent effect and manifest effect all consistently express the condition that life is at any particular moment

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““What state or condition of being we What state or condition of being we manifest at any given moment manifest at any given moment

determines how we experience our determines how we experience our environment…”environment…”

Appearance Nature Entity

Power Influence Inherent cause RELATION Latent Effect Manifest Effect Consistency from

beginning to end

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RelationshipRelationship

1. Hell2. Hunger3. Animality4. Anger5. Humanity or Tranquility6. Rapture or Heaven7. Learning8. Realization or Absorption9. Bodhisattva10.Buddhahood

On the deepest level, it is not our environment or external circumstances that determine our state of life but the nature of our ‘relationship’ with our environment

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example

Appearance Nature

ILLNESS Pale Depressed

ENTITYExpresses state of suffering (HELL)

Relation-upon hearing a troublingdiagnosis from doctorInherent cause Fear of illness

Latent effect Hopelessness

Manifest effect Anxiety, breathlessness, sweat

Consistency from beginning to end

Hearing the bad news, all aspects of their entire being consistently manifest hell

HELL

Power – inherent capacity is usually weak

Influence

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Every Person is UniqueEvery Person is Unique The same event may cause different reactions in

different people– What state of life are you in now?– 10 worlds are potentials within each of us – what we

experience differs vastly from one person to another

How we relate to our environment largely depends on how we have lived our lives, not only in this lifetime but perhaps from our past lives– Past actions, life habits, constitute ‘inherent causes’

React automatically, positively or negatively to stimuli in our environment – sometimes beyond our conscious control or intellectual understanding

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Review – 10 WorldsReview – 10 Worlds1. Hell2. Hunger3. Animality4. Anger5. Humanity6. Rapture – Heaven7. Learning8. Realization / ABSORPTION9. Bodhisattva10. Buddhahood

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Forrest GumpForrest Gump Appearance Nature Entity

PowerInfluence

Inherent cause

Relation

Latent effect

Manifest effect

Consistency from beginning to end

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Appearance Nature

Ordinary; everyday manBlank tabula rasa / selfless

Instinct (Animality) / Unlimited potential; just needs target or mission

ENTITYExpresses state of ?

RELATION- He Runs Away/ Towards- He Doesn’t Know to STOP

Inherent cause Mother / Jenny / to be part of something greater

Latent effect Instinct / Humanity / Friendship / Love

Manifest effect Outruns a pickup truck / scores TDs for Alabama Crimson Tide / Captain Dan’s orders / Shrimp boat captain / SUCCEEDS

Consistency from beginning to end

Lives in world ofABSORPTION/REALIZATION

Forrest Gump

Power – Does what he’s told - “OK”

Influence

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10 x 101. Hell2. Hunger3. Animality4. Anger5. Humanity6. Rapture – Heaven7. Learning8. Realization9. Bodhisattva10. Buddhahood

Appearance

Nature

Entity

Power

Influence

Inherent Cause

Relation

Latent effect

Manifest effect

Consistency from beginning to end

X 10

Ichinen SanzenIchinen Sanzen10 x 10 x 3 Realms = 3,00010 x 10 x 3 Realms = 3,000

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Ten FactorsTen FactorsTeaches us importance of developing good

karmic habits– Form positive ‘relations’ with events in our

environment regardless of what they areThrough Bodhisattva or Buddhahood, we

can transform every hardship into personal growth – inherent causes – solidifying our state of happiness