This threefold world
is all my domain,
and the living beings in it
are all my children.
Chapter 3 of the Lotus Sutra, A Parable
The Buddha said in the Lotus Sutra that every living being is a part of Him and at the same time His child. The whole universe is contained within Him. It means that the same Buddha nature exists in all of us – in every living being.
Japan is an island country made of many islands. It seems that each of those islands is separate above sea level, but they are all ONE at the bottom of the sea. Likewise, Japan and other countries are all ONE if we go deep enough. Borders are created by us, humans. There is no meaning in fighting each other.
We have different faces, characters, and skin colors. However, we are all connected. We are all one Buddha in our hearts. We are all equal in accordance with the universal law—the oneness of all of us.
When we don’t realize this truth, we love only ourselves and hurt others. By doing that we actually hurt both ourselves and others at the same time.
If we want to be happy,
let’s try to make others happy.
If others are sad,
let’s stand by them in their sorrow.
If others are happy,
let’s be happy for them.
This is what the world should be like.
