Monthly Archives: May 2019

Miracles

Priest Tenjō of Mitake

Priest Tenjō of Yamato Province was living on Mount Mitake. He had a strong character and lost his temper quickly. He relied on the Law, was devoted to the Hokekyō, and had memorized six rolls of the sūtra. However, he was unable to learn the seventh and the eighth rolls even though he spent days and nights in the attempt.

Months and years passed. Now Tenjō was middle-aged. Once again he decided to learn all the chapters of the sūtra and carefully recited so as to learn them by heart. He spent several months but was unable to learn even a few pages of these chapters. How could he learn an entire chapter in this way? With firmer determination, Tenjō repeated a single phrase thirty thousand times, spending days and nights. Yet he could not learn it.

Finally, Tenjō visited the Great Bodhisattva Zaō, remaining for ninety days during his summer retreat. He offered purified water, incense, and tapers six times a day, and prayed nightly three thousand times to Zaō. Towards the end of his retreat, Tenjō dreamed of the Yaksa arrayed in dragon headgear. He was dressed in a heavenly person’s garments with various ornaments, and stepped on lotus flowers, holding an iron rod in his hand. He was surrounded by his relatives. The Yaksa said to Tenjō, “Due to the karmic relationship, you are unable to learn these two chapters. In your former existence, you were a large poisonous snake living in a mountain stable of the Akaho District of Harima Province. One day, a holy man took shelter in the stable. You, the snake on the eaves, were hungry since you had been without food for a long time, and you thought of devouring the holy man.

Unaware of the snake, the holy man washed his hands and mouth, and began to recite the Hokekyō. His voice was clear and resonant as if to expiate the listeners’ sins. As the snake heard the reciting voice, he closed his eyes, suppressed his desires, left his evil thoughts, and fervently listened to the recitation.

When the holy man finished the sixth chapter, day dawned, and he left the stable without reciting the seventh and the eighth chapters. Thanks to having suppressed your evil desires and thoughts, and to having earnestly listened to the recitation, you could alter your suffering state as a snake in numerous cycles of birth and death and were reborn as a human Hokekyō devotee. Since you had not heard the last two chapters in your previous life, you are still unable to learn them in this life. Your characteristics are those of the snake. However, if you practice diligently and recite the sūtra devotedly, you will attain enlightenment in your present life and will leave the cycle of birth and death in the future.”

Tenjō woke up and appreciated his dream. His deep faith was affirmed, and he continued to recite the sūtra more fervently. Finally, a Deva King, Vaiśravaṇa, helped Tenjō to attain the Buddhahood he had desired. Tenjō passed away during the second year of Kashō. (Page 115-116)

Miraculous Tales of the Lotus Sutra from Ancient Japan


Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – May 20, 2019

The Buddha will remove
Any doubt of those who seek
The teaching of the Three Vehicles.
No question will be left unresolved.

Mañjuśrī declares these verses at the end of Chapter One of the Lotus Sūtra. They remind us how important questions are to what the Buddha teaches. Questions come up throughout the book, and they lead to many important aspects of this Wonderful Dharma. It is important for us to ask questions respectfully whenever we hear a teaching, knowing that we will find an answer.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

Blog

Tea and Study in Lewiston, NY

Tea following the Sunday service at Ro-Ō Zan Enkyoji Nichiren Buddhist Temple
20190519-Route_Map
Like a good Mahayana Buddhist, I took the Middle Path to Lewiston.

I’ve been in Churchville, NY, for a week helping to prepare my wife’s parents’ house to be sold. Today, I took the opportunity to visit Kanjo Grohman’s Ro-Ō Zan Enkyoji Nichiren Buddhist Temple and attend the 9am service.

After the service we were discussing tea and the dharma and it occurred to be that understanding the properties of tea – this one will calm, this will energize, this will help digestion – is much like studying the dharma.

As Nichiren Buddhists we know that chanting Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō is the essential practice. Nothing else is required. As I like to envision it, the daimoku is a magnifying glass that focuses the sunlight of the Buddha’s teaching into a single spot so hot that it can burn away our delusions.

But as our practice’s focus shifts from inward to outward, from easing our own troubles to saving all sentient beings, we benefit from studying. The example that came up in the meeting was the use of chamomile tea. Weakly brewed chamomile is soothing and helps relax and promote sleep. Strongly brewed chamomile is bitter and perfect for digestive distress.

In Ichidai Shōgyō Tai-i, Outline of All the Holy Teachings of the Buddha, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Pages 81, Nichiren underscores the importance of study. He writes:

For one cannot correctly understand the teaching of the Lotus Sūtra without learning the pre-Lotus Sūtras, although one may study the pre-Lotus Sūtras without learning about other Sūtras.

In support of this, Grand Master T’ien-t’ai stated in his Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sūtra, “When attempting to spread various sūtras other than the Lotus Sūtra, the essential part of the teaching will not be lost even if a doctrinal analysis of all the teachings of the Buddha is not rendered. When attempting to spread the Lotus Sūtra, however, the essence of the teaching may be lost if a doctrinal analysis is not made.” It is preached in the Lotus Sūtra (chapter 2, “Expedients”), “Although the Buddhas expound various teachings, it is for the purpose of leading the people into the world of the One Buddha Vehicle.” “Various teachings” here refer to all the pre-Lotus Sūtras. “For the purpose of leading the people into the world of the One Buddha Vehicle” means to expound all the scriptures of Buddhism to reveal the Lotus Sūtra.

Personally, I hold to the theory that, especially in a country like America where Buddhism is relatively unknown, it helps to know the expedient teachings that paved the way for the Lotus Sūtra.

However, even with such study, we need to keep our primary focus on the daimoku.

In Ueno-dono Gohenji, A Reply to Lord Ueno, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 119, Nichiren writes:

Some of my disciples pretend to know the details of doctrines. They are mistaken. The odaimoku, Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō, is the essence of the Lotus Sūtra. It is like a human being’s spirit. If any other teachings were to be added to the odaimoku, it would be the cause of great trouble. It would be like the Empress marrying two Emperors, or committing adultery. The teachings of the Lotus Sūtra did not spread far enough during the Ages of the True Dharma and the Semblance Dharma. This was because these periods were intended for other sūtras.

We are presently living in the Latter Age of Degeneration. The Lotus Sūtra and other sūtras are no longer efficacious in bringing about enlightenment. Only the odaimoku can accomplish this. This is not my arbitrary opinion. It was so-arranged by the Buddha, the Buddha of Many Treasures, various Buddhas from all over the universe, and numerous great bodhisattvas from beneath the earth such as Superior Practice Bodhisattva.

It is a serious mistake to mix other teachings with the odaimoku. For example, when the sun rises, we no longer need to use lamps. When it rains, the dew is of no use. A baby does not need any nourishment except for milk. We do not need to add supplements to effective medicine.

Nihon

The Moral of Kyōkai’s Stories

This concludes the introduction to Miraculous Stories from the Japanese Buddhist Tradition.

While many of Kyōkai’s stories didn’t meet my requirements for inclusion in my 32 Days of the Lotus Sūtra practice, I wanted to set aside some of the “morals” that Kyōkai added to his tales.

Swift is the penalty for evil deeds. How can we not believe in the law of karmic causality? Beasts in the present life might have been our parents in a past life. We pass through the six modes of existence and four manners of birth. Reflection shows us that we cannot be without mercy. (Page 133)

* * *

Truly we learn that retribution is close at hand in the present life. Why do we not behave ourselves prudently? The Nehan-gyō [Nirvāṇa Sūtra] is referring to this when it says: “All evil deeds originate in wicked minds.” The Daijōbu-ron says: “If you offer alms with compassion, the merit will be as great as earth; if you do so to all for your own sake, the reward will be as tiny as a mustard seed. It is better to save a person in danger than to make all kinds of offerings. (Page 143)

* * *

How miraculous! Just as the Nehan-gyō [Nirvāṇa Sūtra] says: “If a man does good deeds, his name will be noticed among heavenly beings; if he does evil deeds, his name will be recorded in hell.” (Page 187)

* * *

Indeed, we learn that an evil mind is a sharp sword which kills the bearer; an angry mind is an evil fiend which incurs calamities; greediness causes the suffering of a hungry fiend; avarice is an impenetrable bush to block the offering of compassion. When you see a mendicant, you should be merciful and happy and make spiritual and material offerings. Therefore, the Jōbu-ron gives this passage: “Those who are greedy value even mud more than gold and jewels, while those who are merciful offer gold and jade, caring less for them than grass and trees. At the sight of a mendicant they cannot bear to say they have no alms and wail in sorrow…” (Page 242)

* * *

Speaking of wealth, it is shared by five parties: first, government officials who might come and ask for it unreasonably; second, robbers who might come to steal it; third, water which might wash it away; fourth, fire which might destroy it suddenly; fifth, wicked children who might waste it unreasonably. Therefore, a bodhisattva is very happy to make offerings. (Page 269)

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LS32

Day 32

Day 32 covers Chapter 28, The Encouragement of Universal-Sage Bodhisattva, closing the Eighth Volume of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.

Day 32 Text with annotationsPlay MP3

Having last month heard what one needs to do to hear the Lotus Sūtra in the Latter Day, we hear Universal-Sage Bodhisattva’s vow to protect anyone who practices the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.

Thereupon Universal-Sage Bodhisattva said to the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! If anyone keeps this sūtra in the defiled world in the later five hundred years after [your extinction], I will protect him so that he may be free from any trouble, that he may be peaceful, and that no one may take advantage [of his weak points]. Mara, his sons, his daughters, his subjects, his attendants, yakṣas, rākṣasas, kumbhāṇḍas, piśācakas, kṛtyas, pūtanas, vetādas or other living beings who trouble men shall not take advantage [of his weak points]. If anyone keeps, reads and recites this sūtra while he walks or stands, I will mount a kingly white elephant with six tusks, go to him together with great Bodhisattvas, show myself to rum, make offerings to him, protect him, and comfort him, because I wish to make offerings to the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma. If he sits and thinks over this sūtra, I also will mount a kingly white elephant and appear before him. If he forgets a phrase or a gāthā of the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, I will remind him of it, and read and recite it with him so that he may be able to understand it. Anyone who keeps, reads and recites the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma [after your extinction], will be able to see me with such joy that he will make more efforts. Because he sees me, he will be able to obtain samadhis and a set of dhārāṇis. The set of dhārāṇis will be the dhārāṇis by which he can memorize repetitions of teachings, the dhārāṇis by which he can memorize hundreds of thousands of billions of repetitions of teachings, and the dhārāṇis by which he can understand the expediency of the voice of the Dharma.

Continuing with the content from Miraculous Tales of the Lotus Sutra from Ancient Japan, we learn of Priest Kakunen.

Miracles

Priest Kakunen

Priest Kakunen was an elder brother of Preceptor Myōkai. Avoiding secular affairs, he aspired to the Law. Having shaven his head, he entered the priesthood. After receiving the precepts, he dressed and carried himself properly as a full-fledged priest. He was gentle, pure, and straightforward. Fearing sin, he repented of his past mistakes, affirmed his faith, and recited the Hokekyō regularly.

In reciting the Hokekyō, Kakunen found that he could not memorize and repeat three lines in the text. No matter how much he tried, and no matter how many times he recited, he could not learn these lines by heart. The grieving Kakunen prayed to the Three Treasures and implored the assistance of the deity Fugen. Kakunen dreamed that an old priest said, “Due to karmic causes, you always forget these three lines. In your former existence, you had been born as a bookworm and ate the portion of a text which contained these three lines. Since you were living in a copy of the Hokekyō, you were reborn as a human being in this life and are reciting the sūtra. But you cannot learn these three lines because you had eaten them in the past. Now you have contritely repented and developed your piety. So I will help you and enable you to learn these lines.”

After he awoke, Kakunen learned these three lines without difficulty. He further repented for his past sins in his former existence and was never idle in reciting the sūtra three times a day. Withdrawing from secular fame and profits, he sought Supreme Enlightenment for eternity. Since his practices were in compliance with the Law, he had no doubts about his future life. (Page 98)

Miraculous Tales of the Lotus Sutra from Ancient Japan


Basics

Indestructible Precepts

Quote

[T]he original teaching of the triple doctrine was that the believer should be charitable and observe the precepts in order to earn the karmic reward of rebirth in heaven, but the idea behind the teaching is that through the gradual and continuous practice of giving and the precepts the practitioner will come to understand the true nature of existence, abandon the lesser goal of rebirth in a heavenly realm, and begin to practice giving and the precepts with no thought of karmic reward. When this stage of awareness is reached, the practitioner has perfected the indestructible precepts, one of the four indestructible objects of faith (Buddha, Law, Order, and precepts) and is on the sage path leading eventually to enlightenment. The practitioner will continue on this path through various stages of spiritual development, stopping short of becoming an arhat only because lay people cannot devote themselves fully to meditation. If a practitioner can perfect the final practice of meditation, that reward, too, will be won.

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – May 19, 2019

The mother said to them, ‘Show some wonders to your father out of your compassion towards him! If he sees [the wonders], he will have his mind purified and allow us to go to that Buddha.’

These lines are from a story told by the Buddha in Chapter Twenty-Seven of the Lotus Sūtra. The two sons of King Wonderful-Adornment have asked their mother for permission to leave home and follow the Buddha Cloud-Thunderpeal-Star-King-Flower-Wisdom. The wonders in the story are beyond the capacity of human beings, but they show the King that another way of living is possible, and induce him to seek the teaching of that Buddha. Even if we cannot develop supernatural powers, there are wonders we can develop in our practice. We can learn the value of respecting all beings. We can control our desires and not be devastated by life’s tragedies. We can share “even a word or phrase,” as Nichiren put it, of the teaching and bring great benefit to others. In our normal lives, changed by our practice, we too can purify the minds of others.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

Nihon

Tales of World Voice Perceiver

This is a continuation of the introduction to Miraculous Stories from the Japanese Buddhist Tradition.

In the Lotus Sūtra, World Voice Perceiver, Kannon, is the subject of Chapter 25, The Universal Gate of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva. But he is not a central figure in Nichiren Buddhism. Nor is he included among the Lotus Sūtra bodhisattvas who appear on Nichiren’s Mandala Gohonzon. However, Kannon does feature prominently in the Nihon ryōiki. Here are two examples.

The first is a straightforward illustration of the power of faith in Kannon:

On Suffering War Damage and Gaining an Immediate Reward for Faith in an Image of Bodhisattva Kannon

Ochi no atae, ancestor of the governor of Ochi district in Iyo province was sent to Paekche in the Japanese expeditionary force and taken prisoner by Chinese soldiers and brought to T’ang China.

In China, he and some other Japanese, eight in all, came to live on an island. They acquired an image of Bodhisattva Kannon, worshiping it together with great devotion. They worked together cutting down a pine tree to make a boat, enshrined the Kannon image in the boat, and, meditating on the image, made their individual vows. Fortunately, the boat drifted straight to Tsukushi with the help of the west wind.

At this news the court summoned them for an investigation. When the emperor heard them, he was so moved that he granted them a wish. Ochi no atae said, “I would like to serve you by establishing an estate, and it was granted. Thereupon he established the estate and built a temple in which to consecrate the Kannon image. After that, his descendants followed his example in worshiping the Kannon.

This is nothing but the work of Kannon, and the total maturation of faith. It is said that even a wooden image of Ting-Ian’s mother appeared to be alive, and the woman in a picture loved by a monk responded with sympathy. How, then, can it be possible for the Bodhisattva not to respond? (Page 128)

How such a tale might be applied to personal practice is illustrated in this Daily Dharma from March 26, 2019:

If anyone, guilty or not, calls the name of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva when he is bound up in manacles, fetters, pillories or chains, those things [in which he is bound up] will break asunder, and he will be saved.

The Buddha gives this description of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva (Kannon, Kanzeon, Kuan Yin, Avalokitesvara) to Endless-Intent Bodhisattva in Chapter Twenty-Five of the Lotus Sūtra. The bonds of ignorance and delusion in which we find ourselves are not the result of our personal inadequacy, and neither do they come entirely from the circumstances of the world around us. But these bonds are real, and in our struggles to escape we often just make them worse. When we remember World-Voice Perceiver, the embodiment of compassion, and call on her for help, then we awaken compassion within ourselves and others in the world, and break the bonds of delusion for everyone.

But I don’t know what to make of this next story of personal gratification gained by calling the name of Kannon. If it were published separately I’d speculate that it was meant as an ironic tale of greed.

On Attaining a Great Fortune Immediately Owing to Devotion to Kannon and Praying for a Share of Benefits

In the reign of ex-Emperor Shōhō-ōjin-shōmu residing at Nara Palace Miteshiro no Azumabito went to Mt. Yoshino to practice Buddhist teachings and seek his fortune. Three years passed during which he worshiped Kannon, reciting the name, and saying, “Homage to Kannon. Please give me ten thousand kan of copper coins, ten thousand koku of white rice and many beautiful girls.”

At that time, Awata no asomi of the Junior Third Rank had a daughter who was both unmarried and a virgin. She suddenly fell ill in her home in Hirose. Her suffering was so great that there seemed no prospect of a cure. Her father sent messengers in all directions to call Buddhist monks and lay brothers. Azumabito was called and begged to save her by chanting formulas. The power of the formulas cured the illness, and she fell in love with him, eventually giving herself to him. Her family seized him and kept him confined in a room. Out of her affection, she cried and would not leave the place of his confinement. After a conference, her family decided to free Azumabito and let him marry her and inherit the fortune. He was given the Fifth Rank owing to the report to the Throne.

After several years, when she was dying, she called her sister, and said, “I am dying now. I have but one wish; will you listen?” Her sister said, “I will do as you like.” Whereupon Azumabito’s wife said, “I can never forget my gratitude to Azumabito. I would like to make your daughter his wife and let her be in charge of the household.” Faithful to her wish, the sister gave her daughter to Azumabito and put her in charge of the fortune.

Azumabito was richly blessed in this life because of the mysterious power he gained from his devotional practices and the great virtue of Kannon. How can anyone not believe that? (Page 146-147)

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LS32

Day 31

Day 31 covers Chapter 27, King Wonderful-Adornment as the Previous Life of a Bodhisattva.

Day 31 Text with annotationsPlay MP3

Having last month considered the reaction of Pure Eyes and Pure Store to hearing the Lotus Sūtra and their mother’s instruction, we witness the various wonders displayed by the two sons.

“Thereupon the two sons went up to the sky seven times as high as the tala-tree, and displayed various wonders because they were thinking of their father. They walked, stood, sat, and reclined in the sky. Then they issued water from the upper parts of their bodies, and fire from the lower parts. Then they issued water from the lower parts of their bodies, and fire from the upper parts. Then they became giants large enough to fill the sky, became dwarfs, and became giant again. Then they disappeared from the sky and suddenly appeared on the earth. Then they dived into the earth just as into water, and stepped on the surface of water just as on the earth. [Then they went up to the sky and stayed there.] By displaying these various wonders, they purified the mind of their father, that is, of the king, and caused him to understand the Dharma by faith.

Continuing with the content from Miraculous Tales of the Lotus Sutra from Ancient Japan, we learn of The Hokekyō Reciter Who Escaped From a Demon.