Yoshiro Tamura, "Introduction to the Lotus Sutra", p50-51In chapter 15, “Springing Up from the Earth,” a group of bodhisattvas led by four, such as Bodhisattva Superior Practice, emerge from this Sahā world and reveal themselves to be direct disciples of the Buddha. They are described as ones who, having been entrusted by him to do so, will disseminate the Dharma after the Buddha is gone. This may be an indication that those who struggle within actual society are especially authentic Buddhists.
It is explained that these bodhisattvas dwell below, in an empty space under this Sahā world. As we have seen earlier, this “empty space” is another name for emptiness, and the two terms are often used interchangeably. Thus, we can interpret “living in an empty space below this Sahā world” to mean that being grounded in an experience of emptiness, they remain in this Sahā world without clinging to it. In other words, chapter 15 criticizes the way of the holy ones, the shravakas, for transcending actual reality in order to stagnate in emptiness, thereby falling into nihilism. Instead, it highly values the figure of the ordinary person, the bodhisattva, who lives in the actual world, the temporal world, without getting bogged down in it, and works diligently, with emptiness in the background behind the scenes, to bring about the realization of truth and the reformation of the world. Such empty space (emptiness) and actual reality (the temporal) express the true Buddha way—that is, the dialectical dynamic of the bodhisattva way of duality in nonduality, and nonduality in duality. A verse in chapter 15 says:
They have learned the bodhisattva way well,
And are untainted by worldly things,
Just as the lotus flower in the water
Emerges from the earth.In other words, they emerged from the earth like a lotus flower untainted by water, coming together in the here and now, untainted by worldly things. Here the bodhisattva way is explained through the symbolism of the lotus. That is, the idea that the lotus flower can only grow in muddy water, but also blossom there into a beautiful flower, is applied to the image of the bodhisattva. Moreover, it is taken from the title of the Lotus Sutra.
Monthly Archives: August 2025
The Joy of Śākyamuni and Devadatta’s Relationship
Following yesterday’s Rahula and Yaśodharā and Cause and Effect from volume 8 of Master Hsuan Hua’s commentary on the Lotus Sutra, I offer Master Hsuan Hua’s explanation of why Śākyamuni and Devadatta were linked together in lifetime after lifetime.
Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v8, p127-129What’s the meaning of the name Devadatta? It means “heat of the heavens.” During his lifetime, Devadatta specialized in helping people by opposing them; his generosity would incite heated emotions in its recipients. That, in turn, would cause the “heat of the heavens.” This is an example of naming someone according to causes and conditions. With this cause and condition, his name was Heat of the Heavens. Why did Devadatta, in a backhanded way, come to aid Śākyamuni Buddha to accomplish Buddhahood? Another factor was also at play. I’ll talk about that first.
Long ago there was a wealthy elder named Sudatta who had an immense fortune, including specimens of the rare and precious seven treasures. His eldest son was called Sumati. When his wife died, Sudatta, though advanced in years, remarried and had another son named Suvyā. The elder became older and older, and he passed away when his younger son was only about eighteen or twenty. The two sons proceeded to divide their father’s riches. But Sumati, the elder brother, decided he didn’t want to give half the riches to his younger brother. So he came up with a scheme. What kind of scheme?
Sumati said to Suvyā, “Vulture Peak has many sources of entertainment. Let’s plan to go there someday.” Suvyā replied, “Yes, I’ve long been hoping to have a trip there. Let’s go there for a vacation, do some outdoor activities, or have a barbecue!” So the two brothers decided to go there together. When they got near the top of the mountain, Sumati pushed his younger brother off a cliff, so his younger brother fell into the creek at the base of the mountain, breaking his skull and other bones. Then Sumati smashed Suvyā body into pieces with rocks, murdering him. Sumati then returned home and took possession of all his father’s wealth.
Who was Sumati? Don’t think that Śākyamuni Buddha never did anything wrong. He, too, took someone’s life. Sumati was Śākyamuni Buddha in a former life. Who was Suvyā? He was Devadatta in a former life. Who was the father, Sudatta? He was King Ajātaśatru, son of Vaidehi. Ajātaśatru locked his father up in jail with seven sets of gates. In life after life, Śākyamuni Buddha was involved with these people in different relationships, so even after he became a Buddha, they continued to give him trouble.
[Chapter 12] doesn’t discuss these events, but does tell how Devadatta helped the Buddha attain Buddhahood. You could see this as a case of the suffering of being around those whom one hates. However, it would be more correct to call it the joy of being around those whom one hates. Why so? The more Devadatta opposed the Buddha, the more the Buddha liked it. So it’s not really a case of hatred. If they had truly hated one another, then they wouldn’t have been together life after life. Since there was no hatred between them, they met and helped each other life after life. Two people who hate one another would draw further and further apart; they wouldn’t be together. This indicates that the relationship between Devadatta and the Buddha was not a case of dislike.
Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Aug. 22, 2025
In my lifetime or after my extinction
Some will slander Myōhō Renge Kyō,
And despise the person
Who reads or recites
Or copies or keeps Myōhō Renge Kyō.
They will hate him,
Look at him with jealousy,
And harbor enmity against him.
Listen! I will tell you
How they will be punished.When their present lives end,
They will fall into the Avici Hell.
They will live there for a kalpa,
And have their rebirth in the same hell.
This rebirth of theirs will be repeated
For innumerable kalpas.
Yoshiro Tamura: Interpreting A Little Differently
Yoshiro Tamura, "Introduction to the Lotus Sutra", p79A Bodhisattva will be peaceful,
And free from timidity
If he stays in a quiet room
For some time,
Recollects the Dharma correctly,
Understands the Dharma
According to the meanings of it,
And then emerges
From his dhyāna-concentration,
And leads kings, princes,
Common people and brahmanas
By expounding this sūtra to them.Another interesting thing is the fact that, in chapter 4 of the Commentary on the Lotus Sutra attributed to Prince Shotoku (574-622), commenting on the phrase “always preferring meditation (zazen) in a quiet place, he should improve and quiet his mind,” the author questions how bodhisattvas can find the time to spread the sutra in the world if they always like to meditate in secluded mountains. So he read the passage in a different way, such that it meant that one should not get close to or be friendly with Small Vehicle Buddhists who like meditation. In other words, he interpreted it as saying “Do not get close or friendly with Small Vehicle zen masters who always like to be doing meditation.” When the author of that commentary read this text in this way or simply ignored it, he would mention it, saying such things as “I interpret it a little differently” or “I don’t need this now.” Strangely enough, this was an impetus for the advent of practical-minded Japanese thought. At least it provides good material for understanding the Japanese adoption of Buddhism.
Rahula and Yaśodharā and Cause and Effect
Following yesterday’s Using Śāriputra’s Failure to Explain the Meaning of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva, I offer another example of how Master Hsuan Hua’s retelling of stories in his commentary on the Lotus Sutra produces new information.
Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v8, p258-259Rahula was the Buddha’s son. In Sanskrit, his name means “to cover” or “to obstruct.” Why was he given this name? He was given this name because of his karmic obstacles. In the past, he’d been a cultivator. One time, while he was meditating, he was disturbed by the noise of a mouse gnawing at some wood. Cultivators like quiet. He thought, “You’re making too much noise!” So he plugged up the mouse hole. He left it that way for six days.
During those six days, each time he meditated, he thought about the mouse inside the hole and wondered whether or not it had died. On the sixth day, he started to feel uneasy. Why did he feel uneasy? Driven by his conscience, he thought, “If the mouse were to die inside the hole that I blocked, wouldn’t I have violated the precept against killing?” He felt compassion for the mouse and uncovered the hole. As retribution for those six days, in his present life, he had to stay in his mother’s womb for six years.
How did Rahula come into this world? Yaśodharā didn’t conceive her child in the normal way. When Prince Siddhartha decided to leave the household life, she said to him, “You may leave the household life, but first you must give me a son.” The prince pointed at her belly and said, “You shall have a baby.” That was how she became pregnant. It was very unusual! After being conceived, this child had to wait six years before coming into the world. For the six years that Yasodhara carried the baby in her womb, Śākyamuni Buddha meditated in the snowy mountains.
Rahula brought about many troubles after his birth. What kind of troubles? During this time, the culture in India was very conservative. Śākyamuni Buddha had renounced his household life and was away meditating in the snowy mountains for six years before his son was born. People from the Śākya clan said, “Humph! She’s a bad woman! Her husband hasn’t been around, so how could she have a child? She must’ve had an affair.” The people wanted to burn Yaśodharā and Rahula to death. Yaśodharā challenged them, saying, “If this child is really Prince Siddhartha’s, then the fire won’t burn us. If he isn’t, we’ll both die.” When they entered the fire, it turned into a lotus that held mother and son aloft, so they were spared. Seeing this, the people realized that they’d misjudged her.
In Buddhism, all phenomena are subject to cause and effect. Even the Buddha’s son, the Venerable Rahula, couldn’t escape the laws of cause and effect. Because in a past life he plugged up a mouse hole for six days, he had to stay in his mother’s womb for six years. For this reason, he was named Cover and Obstruct. Because of the circumstances of his birth, he almost caused his mother to be burned to death. Fortunately, the Bodhisattvas intervened and protected her, so she was spared.
Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Aug. 21, 2025
The teacher of Myōhō Renge Kyō
Will be able to recognize,
Without moving about,
The voices of the bhikṣus and bhikṣunīs
Who read or recite sūtras
Or expound them to others.He will be able to recognize
The voices of the Bodhisattvas
Who read or recite sūtras
Or expound the meanings
Of quotations from them
To others.
Yoshiro Tamura: The Jewel in the Topknot
Yoshiro Tamura, "Introduction to the Lotus Sutra", p79Chapter 14 contains the parable of the jewel in the topknot. A powerful king rewards his soldiers for their achievements. The precious jewel in the topknot of his hair is the only thing he does not give to anyone, reserving it for a soldier of especially great merit. Just as the Buddha, who is king of the truth, has preached the Dharma in various ways, the Lotus Sutra is reserved for those who will practice the bodhisattva way in the future.
Using Śāriputra’s Failure to Explain the Meaning of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva
Back on June 18 I published Master Hsuan Hua’s explanation of why Śāriputra failed to become a bodhisattva. This came from volume 4 of Master Hsuan Hua’s 14-volume commentary on the Lotus Sutra. In volume 8, while discussing the appearance of the jeweled stupa, Master Hsuan Hua retells Śāriputra story and adds details not included in the earlier telling.
Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v8, p29-31I have explained Bodhisattva Mahāsattva many times. People who’ve come often to listen to the sūtra lectures all know what it means. I believe those who’ve never listened to the sūtra lectures won’t understand it if I don’t explain it in detail. So I’ll explain it again.
What is a Bodhisattva? Bodhi means “enlightenment.” Sattva means “sentient being.” A Bodhisattva enlightens all sentient beings; he is also an enlightened being among sentient beings. Mahāsattva means “great sentient being,” referring to a great Bodhisattva who is not only an enlightened one among living beings but also benefits himself and others while practicing the Bodhisattva Path.
Practicing the Bodhisattva Path is to benefit others and pay no attention to oneself. Bodhisattvas teach, transform, and rescue all living beings, enabling them to leave suffering and attain bliss. So they are called great Bodhisattvas. They’d be willing to give up their very lives for the sake of living beings. When practicing the Bodhisattva Path in past lives, Śākyamuni Buddha gave up his life over one thousand times. Even if living beings failed to respond to his teaching, he’d still give up his life to save them if necessary. This is practicing the Bodhisattva Path.
The Bodhisattva Path isn’t easy to practice. Do you all remember the story about Šariputra? Śāriputra resolved to practice the Bodhisattva Path because he heard the Buddha praising the Bodhisattva Path as the highest and most wonderful Path leading to Buddhahood. Because he wanted to realize Buddhahood quickly, Śāriputra made the resolve and practiced the Bodhisattva Path. He was the most intelligent of all the Buddha’s Śrāvaka disciples and had a very good memory. Having heard just how fine it is to practice the Bodhisattva Path, Śāriputra vowed to practice it.
Having vowed to practice the Bodhisattva Path, Śāriputra was walking down the road when he thought, “I’ll do what I need to do, no matter how difficult it is. I’ll definitely practice the Bodhisattva Path. Just as Śākyamuni Buddha gave his life, I’ll give whatever it is that someone asks of me, even my life.” Just then, while Śāriputra was walking down the road, he saw someone walking along and crying.
“Why is this man sobbing while he’s walking? How strange! This man must be experiencing some difficulty. I’ll ask him how I can help him resolve his problem, since I’m practicing the Bodhisattva Path.”
So Śāriputra asked him, “Why are you crying, sir?”
“Oh, I have a problem so difficult that no one can help me.”
“Don’t be so sure! I can help you! Tell me what’s wrong.”
“Can you really help me? I believe you’ll refuse to help me. It would be useless to tell you about it.”
“I’m willing to help you regardless of how difficult the situation may be.”
So the man told Śāriputra, “My mother has an incurable disease. The physician said that my mother needs a human eye to treat her illness. I went to the herbal medicine shop for a human eye, but they didn’t have any. Since I couldn’t purchase an eye, my mother’s condition won’t improve.”
Śāriputra said, “Don’t worry! You just need one eye? I’ll give you my eye!” He took a knife and gouged out one of his eyes for the man. Then he handed the man his right eye and said, “Now take it back for your mother to eat.”
The man picked it up and looked at it, saying, “Ugh! I don’t want the right eye but the left. This eye is useless. It stinks!” He threw it on the ground and squashed it with his foot.
Śāriputra said, “Gosh, it sure is difficult to practice the Bodhisattva Path! Okay, I’m not going to practice the Bodhisattva Path anymore.” And he went to cultivate the Lesser Vehicle Dharma.
Look! Even a person as intelligent as Śāriputra couldn’t cultivate the Bodhisattva Path. When Śāriputra said that he couldn’t practice the Bodhisattva Path anymore, the man soared into the air immediately. He was actually a god who had come to test Śāriputra. The eye that he’d just gouged out was back in his head as if nothing had happened. He felt as if he’d been dreaming. “How is my eye back? Didn’t I gouge it out?” This was actually a state that Śāriputra had not recognized; therefore, he couldn’t practice the Bodhisattva Path. It proved to be too much for him. When you practice the Bodhisattva Path, take care not to be like Śāriputra.
Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Aug. 20, 2025
Anyone who keeps, reads or recites Myōhō Renge Kyō, expounds Myōhō Renge Kyō to others, copies Myōhō Renge Kyō, causes others to copy Myōhō Renge Kyō, or makes offerings to a copy of Myōhō Renge Kyō after my extinction, need not build a stupa or a monastery, or make offering to the Saṃgha.’ Needless to say, anyone who not only keeps Myōhō Renge Kyō but also gives alms, observe the precepts, practices patience, makes endeavors, concentrates his mind, and seeks wisdom, will be able to obtain the most excellent and innumerable merits. His merits will be as limitless as the sky is in the east, west, south, north, the four intermediate quarters, the zenith, and the nadir. These innumerable merits of his will help him obtain the knowledge of the equality and differences of all things.
Yoshiro Tamura: ‘Embrace and Accept’
Yoshiro Tamura, "Introduction to the Lotus Sutra", p78-79Chapter 14 teaches that bodhisattvas who devote themselves to the social application of the truth should develop the habit of self-reflection. Whereas the previous chapter has the so-called stern, “break and subdue” method of conversion, this chapter has the mild, “embrace and accept” method of leading others. It discusses ways of admonishing oneself and controlling one’s behavior, speech, attitudes, and will. These are called the four kinds of trouble-free or “safe and easy” practice.
The chapter also advises against such things as getting too close to kings, ministers, other high officials, and the like, smiling or laughing or having a covetous attitude while preaching to women, and putting others down or abusing them with talk about their likes and dislikes or good and bad points. It gives detailed instructions on such things as not forgetting to be compassionate and respectful to others, or praying that all will be saved. Even though we are in this world, the emptiness of all things should not be forgotten. And bodhisattvas should dwell “as peacefully and unmoved as Mount Sumeru.