Peaceful Action, Open Heart, p52The teachings of the shravakayana – the Four Noble Truths, and so on – were taught to help people free themselves from delusion and get some relief from their suffering. The fruit of this path, nirvana, literally means “to extinguish,” just as one blows out a candle flame. The idea was that you would leave the burning house of samsara once and for all, never to be reborn. But leaving behind one’s delusions and thinking of nirvana as extinction are not yet the authentic liberation. It is the first part of liberation, but it is not the whole picture. The idea of nirvana as extinction is a teaching that uses skillful means to bring people into the path of practice.
The Mahayana proposed an understanding of nirvana, which is not separate from our existence in the world. True nirvana is possible in the here and now when we are able to get in touch with the ultimate dimension of reality. Just as a wave does not have to die in order to live in its ultimate dimension of water, we do not have to “extinguish” ourselves in order to reach nirvana. When we get in touch with our true nature, our ultimate dimension, we are freed from fears of existence and nonexistence. We know that “samsara” and “nirvana” are just distinctions in the realm of the historical dimension, and no such distinction exists in the ultimate dimension. As bodhisattvas, assured of Buddhahood, we ride joyfully on the waves of birth and death, abiding fearlessly in samsara to help guide others to liberation.
Monthly Archives: November 2020
Due to the Great Favor of the Lotus Sūtra
All bodhisattvas and ordinary beings tried in vain for incalculable kalpa (aeons) to attain Buddhahood by practicing the sūtras preached by the Buddha during the 40 years before the Lotus Sūtra. They became Buddhas instantly, however, by practicing the Lotus Sūtra and now exist in all the worlds throughout the universe. These Buddhas with the 32 marks of physical excellence and 80 minor marks of physical excellence are looked upon by those in the nine realms as if they are stars revolving around the moon, Mt. Sumeru is surrounded by eight mountains, the sun is looked upon by the people in the four continents, or the Wheel-turning Noble King is revered by the whole nation. Is not this solely due to the great favor of the Lotus Sūtra?
Kitō Shō, Treatise on Prayers, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 60
Daily Dharma – Nov. 16, 2020
The Indian lizard kṛkalāsa eats in the wind; it won’t grow if there is no wind. A fish lives in the water, and a bird makes a nest in the tree. Likewise, Buddhas live in the Lotus Sutra. As the moon’s reflection resides in the water, Buddhas reside in the Lotus Sutra. Therefore, you must remember that where there is no Lotus Sutra, there are no Buddhas.
Nichiren wrote this passage in his Response to My Lady the Nun, Mother of Lord Ueno (Ueno-dono Haha-ama Gozen Gohenji). We may take for granted our opportunity to find and practice the Lotus Sūtra in this lifetime. In Nichiren’s writings, and in the Lotus Sūtra itself, we are reminded of the great benefit we have created and the great hardships we have already endured to allow us to find this Wonderful Dharma and have the opportunity to practice it. When we try to rely on the transitory aspects of our lives, we are surely disappointed. It is only when we keep and practice this Sūtra that we find the Buddha leading us to our true birthright, the enlightenment he knows we and all beings can reach.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 4
Day 4 concludes Chapter 2, Expedients, and completes the first volume of the Sūtra of the Lotus flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
Having last month considered what the Buddha thought upon seeing people of no wisdom, we consider how all Buddhas utilize expedients to teach the dharma.
I expounded the teaching of the Three Vehicles
Only as an expedient.
All the other World-Honored Ones also
Expound the teaching of the One Vehicle [with expedients].The great multitude present here
Shall remove their doubts.
The Buddhas do not speak differently.
There is only one vehicle, not a second.The number of the Buddhas who passed away
During the past innumerable kalpas was
Hundreds of thousands of billions,
Uncountable.All those World-Honored Ones expounded
The truth of the reality of all things
With various stories of previous lives, parables and similes,
That is to say, with innumerable expedients.All those World-Honored Ones expounded
The teaching of the One Vehicle,
And led innumerable living beings [with expedients]
Into the Way to Buddhahood.All those Great Saintly Masters
Who knew the deep desires
Of the gods, men, and other living beings
Of all the worlds,
Revealed the Highest Truth
With various expedients.
The Meaning of Dharma
While it can mean other things such as “way” or “method,” there are four chief ways in which “dharma” is used in Buddhism:
- things—all the objects of experience that we can see, feel, hear, and touch, often translated as “phenomenon”;
- the Buddha’s teaching, a use which is often extended to include Buddhist teachings and practices generally, and thus can mean Buddhism itself;
- the truth that is taught in the Buddha’s teachings, especially the highest truth disclosed in the awakening of the Buddha; and
- the reality that the truth reveals, that which enables and sustains all things in accord with interdependence.
The Father of All
Peaceful Action, Open Heart, p50-51The Sutra tells us that the Buddha says to himself, “I am the Father of the beings; I must rescue them from their woes and troubles and give them the joy of incalculable and limitless Buddha wisdom.” The word “Father” here is a symbol of the Buddha’s love and concern for his children, all living beings. A father will use any means to rescue his children from a dangerous situation. That is how the Buddha feels about us. He sees how we are attached to our games, living in an illusion, and because of this we are not able to see the danger of our situation. So out of his love for his children, all living beings, he uses various methods to lead them out of suffering.
A disciple of the Buddha is the spiritual child of the Buddha. Our parents brought us into the world; they give us our physical body. When we come to the practice, we are reborn into our spiritual life, thanks to the Buddha. In the sutras it is said that the disciple is “born from the mouth of the Buddha.” From the mouth of the Buddha comes the sound of the true teachings, and from the true teachings comes our spiritual life. This beautiful image of the Buddha as the spiritual father of all beings is a symbol of his great love. The idea of “father” here symbolizes only a heart of love that is able to embrace all beings. It is not about authority or domination. The father does not fly into a rage, he does not punish us and send us away. His only function is to love. And because the father loves his children, he uses many different ways – skillful means – to save beings from danger. The verses say:
Even though the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones,
Resort to expedient devices,
The living beings whom they convert
Are all bodhisattvas.All the Buddhas throughout space and time, not just Shakyamuni Buddha, use these skillful means to help bring living beings out of the burning house. The Buddha’s original teachings – the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, the Three Dharma Seals, and dependent co-arising – contained the idea of the essential Buddha nature of all beings, their capacity for Buddhahood, in fact, their assurance of Buddhahood. Once living beings are able to enter the One Vehicle, they are all bodhisattvas. These two ideas in this chapter of the Lotus Sutra are very important.
The Merits of the Daimoku
Here, I would like to elucidate the merits of the daimoku, the title of the Lotus Sūtra, for saving those who only chant it from the three evil realms. It is stated in the Lotus Sūtra, fascicle 5, chapter 14, “Peaceful Practices”: “Mañjuśrī, this Lotus Sūtra is so difficult to encounter that its name has never been heard in innumerable countries.” The sūtra also preaches in the eighth fascicle, chapter 26, “Mystic Phrases”: “You will gain incalculable good fortune by simply protecting those who believe in chanting the title of the Lotus Sūtra.” Again, in the “Devadatta” chapter, chapter 12 of the Lotus Sūtra, it is stated: “Upon listening to the ‘Devadatta’ chapter of the Lotus Sūtra, those who believe in it wholeheartedly with a pure mind will not fall into hell and realms of hungry spirits and beasts.” The chapter on the “Myōji-kudoku (merit of the title)” of the Nirvana Sūtra asserts: “There is no reason for the virtuous people, men or women, hearing the title of this sūtra, to fall into evil realms.” The Nirvana Sūtra is specially cited here because it was preached to amplify the merits of the Lotus Sūtra.
Shugo Kokka-ron, Treatise on Protecting the Nation, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 1, Page 65
Daily Dharma – Nov. 15, 2020
I collected firewood and the fruits of trees and grasses,
And offered these things to him respectfully from time to time.
I never felt tired in body and mind
Because I was thinking of the Wonderful Dharma.
The Buddha teaches these verses in Chapter Twelve of the Lotus Sūtra. They are part of a story of one of his previous lives. He was a king who gave up his throne to search for someone to teach him. When he found a seer who knew the Wonderful Dharma, he became the servant of the seer and served him with enthusiasm. These verses remind us of the enthusiasm that comes from hearing the Buddha’s teachings.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 3
Day 3 covers the first half of Chapter 2, Expedients.
Having last month heard Śāriputra repeat in gāthās his puzzlement over what the Buddha has said, we consider Śāriputra’s request and the Buddha’s response.Thereupon the Buddha said to him,
“No, no, I will not. If I do, all the gods and men in the world will be frightened and perplexed.”Śāriputra said to him again:
“World-Honored One! Explain it, explain it! The many hundreds of thousands of billions of asaṃkhyas of living beings in this congregation have active functions of mind and clear wisdom because they have seen the [past] Buddhas in their previous existence. If they hear you, they will respect and believe you.”
Thereupon Śāriputra, wishing to repeat what he had said, sang in a gāthā:
King of the Dharma, Most Honorable One!
Explain it! Do not worry!
The innumerable living beings in this congregation
Will respect and believe you.The Buddha checked him again, saying, “No. If I do, all the gods, men and asuras in the world will be frightened and perplexed, and arrogant bhikṣus will fall into a great pit.”
Thereupon the Buddha repeated this in a gāthā:
No, no, I will not say any more.
My teaching is wonderful and inconceivable.
If arrogant people hear me,
They will not respect or believe me.Thereupon Śāriputra said to him again:
“World-Honored One! Expound the Dharma, expound the Dharma! The hundreds of thousands of billions of living beings in this congregation like me followed the [past] Buddhas and received their teachings in their consecutive previous existences. They will respect and believe you. They will be able to have peace after the long night and obtain many benefits.”
Thereupon Śāriputra, wishing to repeat what he had said, sang in gāthās:
Most Honorable Biped!
Expound the Highest Truth!
I am your eldest son.
Expound the Dharma!The innumerable living beings in this congregation
Will respect and believe the Dharma.
They have been taught by the [past] Buddhas
In their consecutive previous existences.
They are joining their hands together [towards you],
Wishing with all their hearts to hear and receive your words.Expound the Dharma
To us twelve hundred men,
And also to the other people
Who are seeking Buddhahood!
We shall be very glad to hear the Dharma.
The other people will also.
The Daily Dharma from Feb. 21, 2020, offers this:
No, no, I will not say any more.
My teaching is wonderful and inconceivable.
If arrogant people hear me,
They will not respect or believe me.
The Buddha sings these verses in Chapter Two of the Lotus Sūtra. This was his response the first time Śāriputra asked to receive the Buddha’s highest teaching. The Buddha knew we must be prepared for his wisdom. We must discern clearly the difference between what we know and what we do not know. Because all things are impermanent, the truths we cling to may no longer apply. The ignorance and confusion at the root of our suffering will disappear as we set aside what is no longer true and gain wisdom.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Burning Craving
Peaceful Action, Open Heart, p49When we hear this story [of the burning house], we may think it’s just a children’s story and that it doesn’t really have anything to do with our lives. But if we look more deeply into our minds and the state of mind of those around us, we see that this parable expresses the truth about our situation. We’re full of craving, always running after things. We want to become the director or president of a company, we want to buy a beautiful car or a nice house, or go on an exotic vacation. We don’t see that the world we’re living in, driven by craving and delusion, is like a burning house.