Many in body, many in mind, one in spirit.

In Nichiren Buddhism, the religion that I practice, we often read and speak of the concept, “Many in body, one in mind.” This idea is supposed to illustrate the unity of purpose of those that may be of diverse backgrounds and bodies (“bodies” in its all-encompassing sense). I, for one, think that a better title of this concept would be, “Many in body, many in mind, one in spirit.” And by spirit in this case I do not mean the supernatural or otherworldly notion of spirit, but rather a spirit of purpose and of shared values. I feel drawn to this altered description. Why? Well, at least in the west, the word “mind” connotes cognition, or what lies within the realm of the intellectual and the emotional. Since the mind is squarely within the realm of the body, diversity within population abounds. And in a society which values plurality, that is - a diversity of opinions, viewpoints, and emotional temperaments - it is necessary to maintain, and in fact encourage the diversity, or “many-ness,” of the minds of the people. A healthy society and a healthy organization depend on it just as evolution and biological mechanisms always favor the diversity of genes. In conclusion, that is why I feel that a unity of spirit, rather than a unity of mind, describes better the Buddha’s intent and the intent of the universal Buddha Nature inherent in all living beings for peace, value, and balance.