There is definitely something extraordinary in the ebb and flow of the tide, the rising and the setting of the moon, and the way in which summer, autumn, winter and spring give way to each other. Something uncommon also occurs when an ordinary person attains Buddhahood. At such a time, the three obstacles and four devils will invariably appear, and the wise will rejoice while the foolish will retreat. (MW-Vol2 p.288, WND p.637)

Enlightenment and delusion have one entity; they are, so to speak, the two possible modes or expressions of life.

Sansho shima is a traditional classification of the types of difficulties and obstacles we encounter when we practise Buddhism, particularly problems or resistance encountered which undermines our faith or stops us from practicing.

Sho of sansho represents the obstacles encountered in the world around us, ma of shima literally means 'devils' and represents the characteristics we have which prevent us from achieving our true potential to reveal Buddhahood.

Obstacles usually refers to external problems we may meet, whereas devils refers not to scary demonic spirits, which do not really exist, but rather to our own innermost negative tendencies, or the workings of life's innate deluded nature. We could say that obstacles are anything that functions to obstruct our practice of faith, whereas devils are self-destructive and destroy the quality of life itself.

In many ways, the three obstacles and four devils overlap. They are united in the way that they conspire to attack us at precisely our most vulnerable point. It can be useful, however, to recognize that our difficulty is sansho shima in its broadest sense and that it has arisen precisely because our faith and practice are getting stronger - at the same time showing us a weak point in our amour of faith which needs strengthening. In fact, it can help us become aware of our potential and see our Buddha nature emerging.

The important thing is to realize that when difficulties appear, they present an opportunity to make renewed efforts in our practice so that we are able to grow further and show proof of the power of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Obstacles and devils are a natural function of our practice and we should not be afraid of them - as our practice and faith deepens, we come to recognize the form our own particular demons take, tailor-made for each of us, so that we can continue to challenge ourselves in our quest to bring out our Buddha nature.

Darkness
Everyone has the pure, indestructible Buddha nature, and deep within life is the desire to manifest it and attain Buddhahood. However, life also has a dark, destructive side that wants to keep us prisoner to our limitations. This is called the inherent 'diabolical' nature or 'fundamental darkness' - the most basic illusion which gives rise to all other illusions and obscures our Buddha nature, personified in Buddhism as 'the Devil of the Sixth Heaven'.

Why do believers have to meet hardships, in spite of their sincerity in Buddhist practice?
First, one's strong faith enables him to rid his life of the bad karma caused by past slanders. This is the principle of lessening karmic retribution.
Second, one meets hardships as a test of faith. By challenging adversity we can make the great cause to develop the depth of faith necessary to enjoy happiness in this world.
Third, obstacles arise as a function of the fundamental darkness which acts to keep us in ignorance of our Buddha nature.

When one tries to improve himself even a little, for example, by correcting a bad habit or improving his self discipline, he must overcome a certain resistance from within. This is all the more true when one tries to elevate his fundamental state of life. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo - 'the doctrine of ichinen sanzen' - is the teaching which enables common mortals to become Buddhas. Therefore it is only natural that great obstacles attend its practice and propagation.

Where do obstacles and devils come from?
Ultimately, they come from within ourselves. As soon as we recognize obstacles and devils for what they are, we also find we have the courage to face up to them. And, in challenging and overcoming them, we will experience our Buddha nature at work, fundamentally change our destiny and 'break through' into a new state of life. Great hardships afford us an unparalleled opportunity to take a major step forward in faith. It is for these reasons that the Daishonin says that 'the wise will rejoice' when obstacles to their Buddhist practice appear.

The three obstacles:

1. Earthly desires (bonno-sho), or obstacles arising from the three poisons of greed (hunger), anger and stupidity. We all have these three poisons; what matters is how we deal with them. Buddhism teaches that everything has a positive and negative aspect. For instance, bacteria carefully cultivated in a microbiologist's laboratory can form the basis of life-saving medicines. Those same bacteria, allowed to thrive in a carelessly tended kitchen, can cause illness or even death. Similarly, when we chant we can harness our desires to spur us to enlightenment, or let them run riot until they dominate us entirely.

2. Karma (go-sho), encompasses the unhappiness created by committing any of the 'five cardinal sins' or 'ten evil acts' in this or previous existences. These include murder, adultery, lying, theft, the disruption amongst fellow Buddhist believers and really relate to the most hurtful wounds we can inflict on those around us. As the law of cause and effect is very strict, it is therefore quite understandable that go-sho often appears in the form of opposition from those closest to our hearts, our spouses and offspring.

3. Retribution (ho-sho), the results of causes made in the three evil paths; Hell, Hunger and Animality, which in turn form the lowest of the Ten Worlds. Ho-sho can appear in the form of opposition from the state, one's employer, parents or other persons who wield power over us.

The four devils:

1. The five components (on-ma), is the summition of all the different sufferings attendant on being alive, a grand gala of the aches and pains of mind, body and spirit. As such, the scope of on-ma is great, as is its potential to hinder the achievement of our goals. On-ma is responsible, for example, for depression, exhaustion and despair - even apathy.

2. Earthly desires (bonno-ma), symbolizes difficulties arising from the three poisons. As such it appears the same as bonno-sho. The reason for this is very simple. Buddhism teaches that everything has both an inherent cause and an external cause. For example, the external cause (bonno-sho) of a person's anger might be the promotion of a colleague rather than himself. The inherent cause (bonno-ma) of his suffering is his thwarted desire for personal advancement, which could be the result of stupidity, in the form of arrogance.

3. Death (shi-ma), This includes the suffering inherent in bereavement and that evoked by the thought of our own demise. In a world where technology seems to have the answers to so many of life's problems, death is often difficult for people to deal with. It is possible to talk to an astronaut on a moon walk, but not to a parent who has died. Worse, we can plan the details of our daily existence minutely, but we cannot plan when or how we will die. Perhaps, in defence, we skirt the issue, and pretend indifference. When the reality is brought home, particularly in the sudden or early death of someone we love or deeply respect, it can provoke so much unease and upset that we seek to hide from it.

Since the basic Buddhist principle of the eternity of life invites the contemplation of the relative brevity of each of our separate lifetimes, if we are not prepared, deep-seated terror can prevent us from exploring its implications, and cause evasion. Ultimately, this can mean the cessation of our practice, which not only prevents the attainment of Buddhahood for the individual but also prevents us from praying for the happiness of others, including those who have already died.

4. The Devil of the Sixth Heaven (tenji-ma). This is the symbol of the most serious hindrance of all. It is the most powerful of all the negative forces, and takes the form most likely to trouble us or cause us to suffer from doubt or illusion. Nichiren Daishonin equates it with the fundamental darkness inherent in all life. Tenji-ma comprises all deceptions and delusions, especially those which arise from misleading religious beliefs. At first sight, this may not appear to amount to much, but actually, the actions taken on the basis of a distorted view of reality can cause tremendous unhappiness, not only to oneself but everyone in one's environment.

The human mind wavers and changes from moment to moment. Over time, one experiences confusion even regarding things that one has previously decided on. This is an unchanging aspect of life. For precisely this reason, guidance and encouragement in the correct practice of faith are very important. (Buddhism in Action, Vol.6, p.8)

The following articles (also on this site) were used in this edit/compilation:
The three obstacles and four devils (from study in UKE February 1991)
Obstacles and Devils (Sansho Shima) (from UKE March 1997 by Catherine Cinnnamon
Sansho Shima (from UKE August 1989 by Paul Reeves and Rebecca Irvine)

index

This page was last modified on Sunday, August 20, 2006.