Is anything harder to believe than the idea that bad fortune is a good thing? It certainly plays havoc with one’s faith, especially when the Lotus Sutra promises divine protection. The story of Never-Despising Bodhisattva in Chapter 20 is a case in point.
According to Nichiren, Never-Despising Bodhisattva’s suffering at the hands of those angered by his constant promises of future Buddhahood lessened the weight of past bad actions in his previous lives and made possible his eventual enlightenment. As Nichiren explains in “Tenjū Kyōju Hōmon, Lightening the Karmic Retribution”:
“The Nirvana Sūtra preaches a doctrine called ‘lightening the karmic retribution.’ It proclaims that when a retribution accumulated from the evil karma in one’s previous lives is too heavy to be atoned for in this life, one will have to endure the suffering in hell in the future. One may, however, bear hell’s suffering in the present life instead so that one’s suffering in hell in a future life disappears instantly and one will instead be able to receive the blessings of the realm of humanity and that of heavenly beings, as well as the blessings of the Three Vehicles and attain Buddhahood after death. 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.”
Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Followers I, Volume 6, Page 29
It can also be said that the evil done by those who abused Never-Despising Bodhisattva not only benefitted him but also benefited his abusers. According to Haiyan Shen’s interpretation of T’ien-t’ai Chih-i’s The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra, Chih-I saw such evil as the source of good.
The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra: Tien-tai Philosophy of Buddhism“Evil assists sentient beings in pursuing good deeds and in accumulating merits. This is exemplified through evidence from the Lotus Sūtra. One example is drawn from one of the previous lives of the Buddha, when he was known as Sadāparibhūta-bodhisattva [Never-Despising]. This bodhisattva bowed humbly to everyone, claiming that someday they would all become Buddhas. His actions infuriated many people, and they scolded and beat him. As a result, those beings had to suffer from their karman in hell. However, as soon as they paid their dues, the cause and condition of their previous meeting with the bodhisattva matured, and they were able to meet the Buddha in their present lifetime. Upon receiving the Buddha’s teaching in the Lotus Sūtra, they entered the stage of non-retrogression. This case shows that the evil karman of beings in the past gives rise to the opportunity for beings to be taught by the Buddha in the present. This benefit is produced by the evil karman from one’s former action.”[Vol. 2, Page 259-260]
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