Why do we use the word evil in Buddhism? 


Living in the UK, with its Christian history, we are used to the word evil being used about a person to indicate someone wicked, bad, or immoral. This use of the word suggests a judgement that they are a thoroughly bad person, possibly unable to reform their ways. We may be surprised, therefore, to find that the word evil is also used in Nichiren Buddhism and the SGI. However, it has a very different meaning and one which doesn’t come with such a loaded judgement.

We use the word evil in Nichiren Buddhism to mean fundamental darkness, or fundamental ignorance about the true nature of our life. It means a lack of belief in, and respect for, the value and worth of our life and other people’s lives. From the standpoint of the high life-state of a Buddha, the purpose of fundamental darkness or evil becomes to enable us to attain Buddhahood. It is to turn our fundamental ignorance into the values of courage, compassion and wisdom that characterise a Buddha and we do this through faith, practice and study.

What is the Buddhist perspective on good and evil?

Buddhist teachings at different times have viewed evil differently. In the sutras other than the Lotus Sutra, it was taught that to attain Buddhahood one must eradicate all evil in one's life. However, it is not actually possible for human beings to do this.

In contrast, the Lotus Sutra teaches that both good and evil are inherent within our lives and that evil can never completely disappear. As the Daishonin says: ‘Good and evil have been inherent in life since time without beginning.’1

In modern terms, the Buddhist view of evil is that which robs people of their humanity, their life-force and their dignity

In modern terms, the Buddhist view of evil is that which robs people of their humanity, their life-force and their dignity. If we allow our fundamental darkness to influence us it can lead us to make negative judgements about others, which can easily turn into behaviour and action that is disrespectful.

The teachings of Nichiren Daishonin therefore centre on turning delusion, ignorance, and fundamental darkness into enlightenment.

From the perspective of Nichiren Buddhism, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo represents the highest good. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the great Law, eternal and unchanging, that pervades the entire universe. Because it is a universal law, it is not something that has been created by someone. Nor is it something that can be changed. The Mystic Law governs all phenomena in the universe. It is the great cosmic connecting life-force.

Within human life Nam-myoho-renge-kyo corresponds to the ninth consciousness. In this sense, our lives ultimately are Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is pure. It does not have a negative aspect. The negative or fundamental darkness arises from our small self and our karma, the seventh and eighth consciousnesses. However, ultimately these too are expressions of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. We call this ‘the oneness of good and evil’ and it enables us to transform our negative or ‘evil’ tendencies into enlightenment. Human beings are thus dynamic manifestations of life in a constant state of flux with boundless potential to manifest both good and evil. Buddhism is a win or lose struggle, a never-ending battle between the Buddha and devilish functions.

How can we distinguish between good and evil?

In November 2022, a fellow SGI member verbally attacked me. I could not sleep that night, realising that this was a significant encounter for my life. I suddenly saw that I was inwardly judging this individual negatively. But more importantly, I also saw that I was doing this with quite a number of other people as well. Unknown to them, the person had given me a great gift. I could see my own ‘negativity factory’ was creeping into my life and I determined to stop its hitherto hidden advance. I had the power to stop this insidious advance of ‘evil’ within me.

I had the power to stop this insidious advance of ‘evil’ within me

The following day I was able to share this realisation with the person and to thank them. They then shared that they had stopped practising but had now started again in earnest as a result of our encounter. This experience shows that we can distinguish good and evil in the midst of daily life and change ourselves without blaming others or harbouring resentment.

The whole purpose of our movement is, that based on individual human revolution, we steer this evil age of the Latter Day of the Law towards one of genuine peace. This age is one of conflict when the poisons of greed, anger and stupidity are at their most intense in human history. While some people know they have negativity going on inside them all the time, not many humans yet know there is a far more powerful and pure life-force of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo available to them.

This ninth consciousness is more powerful than the ‘negativity factory’. This is the purpose of our movement: to enable more and more people to use this potential for transformation and live happy lives, increasingly filled with good fortune. It is right and good to take action with the spirit to enable others to become happy and to steer the world in the direction of peace.

Photo by Debbie Ripley

Can ‘evil’ people ever really change?

With this Buddhist understanding of evil, it is clear ‘evil’ people can change. When we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the good and evil capacities of our lives begin to function as higher forms of fundamental existence. In relation to the Buddhist concept of the Ten Worlds, lives that are full of the pain of the life-state of Hell, lives that are in the state of Hunger, lives warped by the state of Anger, begin to move in the direction of creating happiness and value. Lives being pulled towards misfortune and unhappiness are redirected and pulled in the opposite direction, towards good, when they make Nam-myoho-renge-kyo their base.

What about the case of Devadatta who persecuted Shakyamuni relentlessly throughout his lifetime? Shakyamuni revealed that it was Devadatta's role to persecute him precisely so that he could establish his teachings. What really mattered is that, like Bodhisattva Never Disparaging, who the Daishonin teaches us to emulate, Shakyamuni never ceased to believe in Devadatta’s Buddhahood, responding to him accordingly.

In general, we are not Devadattas! And our individual transformation is greatly aided by being surrounded by supportive fellow members, who will invariably be chanting for us to have a breakthrough. It is much harder to be overcome by one's evil when surrounded by a positive network. SGI President Daisaku Ikeda summarises the transition we are making as our human revolution proceeds and we subdue our inherent evil as follows:

Through chanting daimoku, the causality of Buddhahood comes to supplant the causality of negativity that has existed in our lives. And when we forge truly strong faith that is impervious to any attack of fundamental darkness or devilish functions, the causality for attaining Buddhahood takes root in the very core of our beings. Faith, therefore, is absolutely crucial.2 ●

References
  1. Nichiren Daishonin ‘The Treatment of Illness’ (WND‑1, p. 1113).
  2. Daisaku Ikeda, On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime: SGI President Ikeda’s Lecture Series (World Tribune Press, 2011) p. 55.