Thus the pure land is implicit in the ontological basis of the three thousand realms in one thought-moment but must be concretely realized through the practice and propagation of the daimoku. This aspect of Nichiren’s thought draws on apotropaic notions that the proper Buddhist prayer rituals could rid the land of misfortune, grounding them in traditional Tendai teachings concerning the immanence of the pure land in the present world and in his own exclusive practice of the Lotus. Nichiren’s idea that faith in the Lotus would materially transform the world inspired repeated memorializing of rulers throughout the medieval period and has underlain the political, activist, and millenarian aims of a number of Nichiren Buddhist movements in the modern era. (Page 292)
Original Enlightenment and the Transformation of Medieval Japanese BuddhismMonthly Archives: March 2019
Seeing the Gold in the Rock
Seeing that the correct Ultimate Truth as substance is difficult to describe, Chih-I employs three analogies to single it out. With these analogies, four cases are illustrated that correspond to the Four Teachings. This indicates that the Ultimate Truth bears different definitions in each of the Four Teachings. …
The employment of the third analogy with gold further illustrates the Ultimate Truth that is contained within all beings. This is about the gold contained inside the yellow rock. A foolish man does not realize that the rock contains gold and mistakes the gold-rock as a rock. This refers to an ignorant man who, though being endowed with the Buddha nature as the Ultimate Truth, does not know how to cultivate this inherent nature. The appraiser is able to melt the rock and extracts the gold, but he only keeps its value. This is analogous with the Two Vehicles, who only eliminate defilements for themselves, but do not know how to benefit others. When the goldsmith gets the gold, he is able to utilize it to produce all kinds of jewelry. This analogizes the bodhisattva of the Separate Teaching, who can enter the view of the Provisional Existence in order to transform living beings. When the immortal gets the gold, he is able to make elixir, whereupon he attains physical freedom, transformation, and sovereignty. This analogizes the bodhisattva of the Perfect Teaching, who is able to identify the Absolute Truth with the facts, for he knows that phenomenal appearances embrace truth, whereupon they are not different. With such a view of an integrated reality, Chih-i stresses that this bodhisattva is able to attain enlightenment at the moment when he brings forth a resolve to the Bodhi-mind. His accomplishment of one single body contains immeasurable bodies, whereon he can universally respond to all beings.
In view of an integrated reality, according to Chih-i, whether it is an ignorant man or the bodhisattva of the Perfect Teaching, all of them represent the Ultimate Truth, inasmuch as they all possess gold. In view of differences of the facts, rock is different from gold, gold is different from golden jewelry, and jewelry is different from elixir. (Vol. 2, Page 411-412)
The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra: Tien-tai Philosophy of BuddhismDay 25
Day 25 covers all of Chapter 20, Never-Despising Bodhisattva, and opens Chapter 21, The Supernatural Powers of the Tathāgatas.
Having last month learned whose past lives are revealed in this story, we repeat in in gāthās the story of a Buddha Called Powerful-Voice-King and a Bodhisattva Called Never-Despising.
Thereupon the World-Honored One, wishing to repeat what he had said, sang in gāthās:
There was once a Buddha,
Called Powerful-Voice-King.
His supernatural powers and wisdom
Were immeasurable.
Leading all living beings, he is honored
By gods, men and dragons with offerings.Some time after the extinction of that Buddha,
His teachings had almost died out.
At that time there lived a Bodhisattva
Called Never-Despising.
The four kinds of devotees at that time
Were attached to views.Never-Despising Bodhisattva
Went to them,
And said,
“I do not despise you
Because you will practice the Way
And become Buddhas.”When they heard this,
They spoke ill of him and abused him.
But Never-Despising Bodhisattva
Endured all this.Thus he expiated his sin.
When he was about to pass away,
He heard this sūtra,
And had his six sense-organs purified.
He prolonged his life
By his supernatural powers,
And expounded this sūtra
To many people.Those who were attached to views
Were led into the Way
To the enlightenment of the Buddha
By this Bodhisattva.
I’m going to take advantage of this opportunity to point out a difference of interpretation of the verse:
Thus he expiated his sin.
Senchu Murano includes a footnote for this verse.
“4. The expiation of sin is referred to in connection with those who abuse the Bodhisattva, not with the Bodhisattva, on p. 294.”
Nichiren, however, makes a very different interpretation in his letter, Tenjū Kyōju Hōmon, Lightening the Karmic Retribution. He writes:
It was not without reason that Never Despising Bodhisattva was spoken ill of, slandered, beaten with sticks and pieces of wood, or had rubble thrown at him. His persecution in this life seems to be the consequences of his slandering the True Dharma in his previous lives. Therefore it is stated in the sūtra, “His sins have been atoned.” I believe it means that Never Despising Bodhisattva’s past sin ceased to exist through his persecution. Source
Making Buddha Within Take Form
The realm of Ichinen Sanzen of Ji is the realization of Śākyamuni Buddha within oneself. However, it is not true Ichinen Sanzen of Ji. It remains Ichinen Sanzen of Ri, the theoretical Ichinen Sanzen as the Buddha within oneself is still resting. If we say, ” Śākyamuni Buddha is in me,” we must make the Buddha within visible and active. This is the true meaning of Ji, to make the Buddha within us take form.
Buddha Seed: Understanding the OdaimokuDaily Dharma – March 9, 2019
Why do you look at me so anxiously? You do not think that I assured you of your future attainment of Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi because I did not mention you by name, do you? Gautamī! I have already said that I assured all the Śrāvakas of their future attainment [of Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi]. Now you wish to know my assurance of your future attainment [of Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi].
The Buddha has this discussion with his aunt, Mahā-Prajāpatī, also called Gautamī, in Chapter Thirteen of the Lotus Sutra. She raised the young Siddhartha after his mother Queen Māyā died when he was only six weeks old. Gautamī was also the first woman to be ordained into the Sangha. Since women then were thought by some to be not as capable as men, the Buddha specifically assures Gautamī, and thus all women, of the certainty of her enlightenment.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
The Immanence of the Pure Land
The immanence of the pure land in the present world had long been asserted by both Tendai and Shingon schools and was by no means unique to Nichiren’s teaching. Where Nichiren’s position differed was that, for him, the identity of the Sahā world and the Buddha’s land was not only to be realized subjectively in the moment of practice but manifested in actuality: as faith in the Lotus Sūtra spread from one person to another, there would occur an objective, visible transformation of the outer world. This vision is expressed in a letter written from Sado Island in 1273:
When all people throughout the land enter the one Buddha vehicle and the Wonderful Dharma alone flourishes, because the people all chant Namu- myōhō-renge-kyō as one, the wind will not thrash the branches nor the rain fall hard enough to break clods. The age will become like the reigns of [the Chinese sage kings] Yao and Shun. In the present life, inauspicious calamities will be banished, and the people will obtain the art of longevity. When the principle becomes manifest that both persons and dharmas “neither age nor die,” then each of you, behold! There can be no doubt of the sūtra’s promise of “peace and security in the present world.”
(Page 291-292)
Original Enlightenment and the Transformation of Medieval Japanese BuddhismTwo Gems
Seeing that the correct Ultimate Truth as substance is difficult to describe, Chih-I employs three analogies to single it out. With these analogies, four cases are illustrated that correspond to the Four Teachings. This indicates that the Ultimate Truth bears different definitions in each of the Four Teachings. …
The employment of the second analogy is to single out the correct Ultimate Truth by comparing two kinds of gem. One is the crystal gem, and is named P’o-li, and another is the wishing-grant gem, and is named Ju-i (cintāmapi). Chih-i maintains that the former contains no treasure, analogizing the view of emptiness only; the latter contains treasure, analogizing the view of the Middle Way. Treasure is compared with the Middle Way that functions to save living beings. The view of mere emptiness is the view of the Two Vehicles (Śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha), who only strive for self-enlightenment. Chih-i believes that even if it is the same gem Ju-i, if it is obtained by the Two Vehicles, they would not know how to use it, which would render this gem Ju-i no function of saving living beings. However, if it is obtained by the bodhisattva, it can function to benefit all living beings. (Vol. 2, Page 411)
The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra: Tien-tai Philosophy of BuddhismDay 24
Day 24 concludes Chapter 19, The Merits of the Teacher of the Dharma, and closes the Sixth Volume of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
Having last month considered the twelve hundred merits of the mind, we conclude today’s portion of Chapter 19, The Merits of the Teacher of the Dharma, in gāthās.
Thereupon the World-Honored One, wishing to repeat what he had said, sang in gāthās:
Their minds will become pure, clear, keen and undefiled.
They will be able to recognize with their wonderful minds
The superior, mean and inferior teachings.
When they hear even a gāthā [of this sūtra],
They will be able to understand
The innumerable meanings of [this sūtra].When they expound [this sūtra]
In good order according to the Dharma
For a month, four month or a year,
They will be able to understand at once
The thoughts of gods, dragons, men, yakṣas, demigods,
And of all the other living beings
Inside and outside this world
Composed of the six regions
Because they keep
The Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.They also will be able to hear and keep
The Dharma expounded to all living beings
By the innumerable Buddhas of the worlds of the ten quarters
Who are adorned with the marks of one hundred merits.When they think over the innumerable meanings [of this sūtra],
And endlessly repeat the expounding of those meanings,
They will not forget or mistake the beginnings and ends [of quotations]
Because they keep the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.They will see the reality of all things.
Knowing the position [of this sūtra in the series of sūtras],
And the names and words [of this sūtra], according to the meanings of it,
They will expound [this sūtra] as they understand it.They will expound the Dharma
Already taught by the past Buddhas.
Therefore, they will be fearless
Before the multitude.Anyone who keeps the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma
Will have his mind purified as previously stated.
Although he has not yet obtained the [wisdom-]without-āsravas,
He will be able to obtain [these merits of the mind].When he keeps this sūtra,
He will be able to reach a rare stage.
He will be joyfully loved and respected
By all living beings.He will be able to expound the Dharma
With tens of millions of skillful words
Because he keeps
The Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.[Here ends] the Sixth Volume of the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
The Daily Dharma from Dec. 10, 2018, offers this:
They will expound the Dharma
Already taught by the past Buddhas.
Therefore, they will be fearless
Before the multitude.
The Buddha declares these lines to Constant-Endeavor Bodhisattva in Chapter Nineteen of the Lotus Sūtra, describing those who keep the Lotus Sūtra. By understanding fear, and demonstrating our fearlessness in this world of conflict, we can inspire and bring courage to other beings. One form of fear arises when we believe that we are in a situation that we cannot handle. This is simply a form of arrogance: believing that something is true when in reality we do not know that it is true. When the Buddha assures us who practice this Wonderful Dharma of the certainty of our future enlightenment, we then know how things will turn out. No matter what difficulties we find ourselves in, there are always more choices available to us. Often outcomes that seem horrible at the time can bring us more wisdom and compassion.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Seeing Buddha Potential
In so many ways it is easy for us to actually deny the Buddha, the very thing, which we seek to understand. We think the Buddha isn’t here; this place is too messed up. We think the Buddha isn’t in me; I’m too messed up. We think the Buddha isn’t in others; they’re too messed up. Bodhisattva Never-Despise was able to see the Buddha in others, and the Buddha tells us that he always is here. But this is difficult to believe, and difficult to practice. Part of the process of becoming enlightened is, I believe, to develop the ability, to awaken within us the capacity to begin to see our own Buddha potential and then to see it in others. It is to learn to not deny in others or ourselves the very promised reality of being Buddhas. Enlightenment is after all being awakened.
Lotus Path: Practicing the Lotus Sutra Volume 1Daily Dharma – March 8, 2019
For many hundreds of thousands of billions of asaṃkhyas of kalpas, I studied and practiced the Dharma difficult to obtain, and [finally attained] Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. Now I will transmit the Dharma to you. Propagate it with all your hearts, and make it known far and wide!
The Buddha entrusts his highest teaching to all those gathered to see him in Chapter Twenty-Two of the Lotus Sūtra. He had already explained how difficult it is to believe and practice this highest teaching, and all the trouble it took for him to reach it. He also realizes that this teaching is not something he can keep for himself, and is meaningful only when it was shared with others. This is yet another example of the Buddha showing us how to live with the beings we want to benefit. We realize that our treasure is not what we keep for ourselves, but what we have in common with others. We are diminished not by what we lose, but by attempting to hold on to our delusions.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com