How did the buddha's teachings impact others in his lifetime?
Answers
Very good question. Buddhism teaches the principle of Interconnectedness. Interconnectedness means that one’s life is inseparable from the surrounding or from others. If you look at your life, you find many individuals sharing relationships with you, from family to society, work …etc. Any relationship is between 2 sides: you & others. Your attitude decides on the quality of relationship and its value.
At my everyday work, for example, an attitude based on arrogance, or jealousy, or criticism and complaining - will create situations in which others will respond, and the quality of my dailylife will become in tension, negativity and failure. Buddhism teaches that when we find ourselves in hardships or conflict, let’s first look at our own attitude, and aim for self-transformation with the aim to win a happy meaningful dailylife.
While all relationships express Causes and Effects, then being in harmony with the Law of Cause and Effect to lead our dailylife towards creating value, aiming to transform our situation to the best possible for self&others.
The Buddhist attitude of respecting the humanity in others, responding with compassion, expanding our mind and developing lifeforce - will definitely turn any situation in dailylife into a meaningful, progressive and mature outcome. We reveal our Buddha-mind and courage to face any situation whatsoever, because the Buddhis Law of cause and Effect (NamMyohoRengeKyo) operates in all situations.
As a result we start making a deliberate shift to base our reactions on wisdom rather than on emotionalism, and we deliberately refrain from harming others feelings, maintaining self-mastery over our own weaknesses. This is a Cause, which will definitely create corresponding Effect in the surrounding environment.
As a metaphor for transforming dailylife into success and value, the word Renge (in NamMyoho-RENGE-Kyo) refers to the Lotus flower, which grows on muddy dirty water, transforming its surrounding into its wonderful structure. The Lotus is also a metaphor for how Causes and Effects are inseparable - because the Lotus flowers (Effect) at the same time it releases its seeds (Causes).
Nichiren said: “human beings never fail to prosper when they make correct causes”.