The Stories of the Lotus Sutra, p65What Shariputra gains from realizing that he is a bodhisattva is not a safe quick trip directly to being a buddha, as on an elevator, but something more like admission to a long stairway. The stairway will be difficult. But the most important point is that there is a stairway, a way to overcome suffering from the unsatisfactoriness of life, and the Buddha’s teachings can lead us to such a stairway.
Is life really meaningful? That is what the story of Shariputra is about. And the Sutra’s answer is that life is and can be experienced as meaningful, or can be meaningful, because it is meaningful.
The Sutra understands itself to be good news for everyone – in one sense, a kind of wake-up call to enter a new world, or to experience the world in a new way; in another sense, it is a kind of public announcement that everyone is a bodhisattva and therefore that you are already a bodhisattva and are on your way to becoming a buddha. Hearing such an announcement, really hearing such an announcement, we should all be glad and full of joy!
Monthly Archives: April 2021
Fully Embracing the Entire Lotus Sutra
Buddhism is not a practice of isolating ourselves in our homes and doing our daily service, and having it stop there. How can we expect our efforts of sharing Buddhism with others to be effective if we ourselves have no connection to all of the Three Jewels?
No matter how hard one tries, if a person is not himself fully embracing the entire Lotus Sutra of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha then it is impossible to teach others and to fully share with others the truth, the entire truth of the Lotus Sutra. The Lotus Sutra does not stop at one’s own life. The Buddha demonstrates this when he asks who will teach this on into the future.
Lecture on the Lotus SutraEasy Readings of the Lotus Sutra
From the NBIC Online Store
This prayer book is a handy new edition by Rev. Jodo Kiyose of Nichihonji Temple, published by Rev. Shukai Oikawa of Joenji Temple, designed to serve as an introduction to the liturgy of the Nichiren Order. Although it is impossible to replace a teacher who could explain the liturgy, this book will be helpful for those who may have been chanting the Japanese without a clear notion of its meaning as many of the important quotations of the liturgy have been extracted and broken down into simple components to acquaint the practitioner with its basic meaning.
Contents:
- Dojokan – Establishing the Place of Prayer
- Sanmon – Adoration of Gohonzon
- Seigon – Words of oath before reciting the Lotus Sutra
- Hobempon – Chapter 2: Expedients
- Juryohon – Chapter 16: The Duration of the Life of the Tathāgata
- Shodaigyo – The Practice of Odaimoku Chanting
- Shikyonanji – Chapter 11: Beholding the Stūpa of Treasures (Hōtōge)
- Iyogonshi – Chapter 21: The Supernatural Powers of the Tathāgatas
- Eko – Offering of Merits
- Hosshin – Resolve
- Sange – Repentence
- Kie – Prayer to declare faith
- Japanese Readings ‐ Shindoku for Hobenpon and Juryohon
- Phrases of Nichiren Daishonin ‐ Short snippets from Nichiren’s writings
Published: April 28th, 2014
Editor: Rev. KIYOSE Jōdō
Nichihon-ji Temple, 1820-1, Tako-machi, Katori-gun, Chiba-ken 289-2257
Publisher: Rev. OIKAWA Shokai
Jōen-ji Temple, 7-12-5, Nishi-shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tōkyō 160-0023
Book Quotes
Easy Does It
For the next 12 days, I’ll be publishing excerpts from Easy Readings of The Lotus Sutra, a fascinating little book that is both “easy” to read and informative. It certainly meets its stated objective: “Although it is impossible to replace a teacher who could explain the liturgy, this book will be helpful for those who may have been chanting the Japanese without a clear notion of its meaning.”
An excellent example of this is the English translation of the Ten Suchnesses from Chapter 2
This true state of all things must be viewed from the following 10 kinds of perspectives: “sō” is the outside appearance; “shō” is the nature hidden inside; “tai” is the combination of the two. These three factors are the fundamentals of existence. “Riki” is the inner power; “sa” is the outside effect; “in” is the direct cause; “en” is the indirect cause; “ka” is the result; “hō” is a new interrelationship with the surroundings suitable to its effect. The factors of “hon”, which encompasses “sō” , “shō” and “tai”, and “matsu”, which encompasses the rest, are the factors existing in all things and always complement one another. This is “tō” or equality.
After I add this material I will incorporate it into my “Where to Begin” content.
Three Kinds of Messengers
The Lotus Sūtra can be viewed differently, depending on the recipient’s ability, on the era and country in which it is preached, and on the people who spread it. However, even bodhisattvas at the highest rank almost equal to the Buddha do not seem to understand this, much less ordinary people in the Latter Age of Degeneration. When I think about it, there are three kinds of messengers. One is extremely wise, another is neither simple-minded nor wise, and the last is very simple-minded but honest and dependable.
Of these three, the first one has wisdom so that mistakes are not made. Although the second one is not as wise as the first, wisdom is present. This messenger might add arbitrary words to the master’s; making this messenger the most dangerous of all. The third one lacks any wisdom and thus does not think about adding words. Also, since this messenger is extremely honest, the words of the master are transmitted accurately; therefore, this messenger may be a superior to the second type. In fact, in some cases the third one is better than the first messenger. The first messenger is compared to the four ranks of bodhisattva leaders after the death of the Buddha in India, the second messenger is compared to Buddhist masters in China, and the third messenger is compared to ordinary people in the Latter Age of Degeneration who are simple-minded but honest.
Zui-jii Gosho, The Sūtra Preached in Accordance to [the Buddha’s] Own Mind, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 155
Daily Dharma – April 1, 2021
Muddy water has no mind but it still catches the moon’s reflection and naturally becomes lucid. Plants and trees catch the rain in order to blossom, but can we say they do this deliberately? The five characters of Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo are not the text of the sutra nor a mere explanation; rather they are the sole intent of the whole sutra. Beginners may practice this without knowing the heart (of the Lotus Sutra), but their practice will naturally harmonize with its intention.
Nichiren wrote this passage in his Treatise on The Four Depths of Faith and Five Stages of Practice (Shishin Gohon-Shō). This is another way of saying that we do not need to rely on our own skills or wisdom to practice the Buddha Dharma. Whether we are brilliant or slow, focused or distracted, calm or agitated, when we rely on the Ever-Present Buddha, we are in harmony with the world.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com