This is another in a series of weekly blog posts comparing and contrasting the Sanskrit and Chinese Lotus Sutra translations.
While the differences between Kumārajīva’s 5th century Chinese translation of the Lotus Sutra from Sanskrit and H. Kern’s translation of an 11th century Nepalese Sanskrit document are relatively minor in the first chapter, the difference in Chapter 2 is striking.
Here’s Senchu Murano’s translation of the final portion of Hoben Pon, the section of Chapter 2, Expedients, which lays out the ten suchlike characteristics of reality:
No more, Śāriputra, will I say because the Dharma attained by the Buddhas is the highest Truth, rare [to hear] and difficult to understand. Only the Buddhas attained [the highest Truth, that is,] the reality of all things’ in regard to their appearances as such, their natures as such, their entities as such, their powers as such, their activities as such, their primary causes as such, their environmental causes as such, their effects as such, their rewards and retributions as such, and their equality as such [despite these differences].
Now consider Kern’s translation of the same section:
Enough, Śāriputra, let it suffice to say, that the Tathāgatas, &c., have something extremely wonderful, Śāriputra. None but a Tathāgata, Śāriputra, can impart to a Tathāgata those laws which the Tathāgata knows. And all laws, Śāriputra, are taught by the Tathāgata, and by him alone; no one but he knows all laws, what they are, how they are, like what they are, of what characteristics and of what nature they are.
For Nichiren, and before him T’ien T’ai and Saicho, the Ten Suchnesses are a fundamental component of the teaching of Ichinen Sanzen, the theoretical expression of the interdependent nature of all reality. What becomes of the Lotus Sutra without this teaching?
In 2018, Ryusho Jeffus Shonin published a 70-page book on the Ten Suchnesses. The full title was “Ten Suchnesses: Equality Despite Their Differences. Volume II Ichinen Sanzen.”
The planned three volume discussion of Ichinen Sanzen was never published. Only this volume exists. Ryusho Jeffus died in August 2020.
As with all of Ryusho’s books, he is more interested in how a teaching can be applied to daily life than in the academic details.
Ten Suchnesses, p8As you read this book you will see that it is less a direct exposition on the meaning of each of the Ten Factors and more of a journey through their interconnectedness and interdependence. Unlike the Ten Worlds, which can easily be described independently, the Ten Factors are deeply connected and intertwined in such a way that extracting them out from the group deprives them of the mutual effect they have on each other. In fact one of the Factors is the mutuality of all ten, the equality of each despite their differences.
This is clearly reflected in Ryusho’s summary of the Ten Suchnesses:
Ten Suchnesses, p9-11Appearance – Briefly, this is the way you look. This is not fixed as you can smile and appear one way or scowl and appear another. You can wear certain clothes and look different from when you wear other types of clothing. There are some aspects of appearance which are not changeable such as eye color, or skin color (well not so much generally), height once fully grown, hair color (well not permanently for the most part), hair or no hair. I would add gender except in certain circumstances.
Nature – This is how you are, not who you are. This includes such things as pessimistic, optimistic, daring, bold, shy, extrovert, introvert, gregarious, quick learner, visual learner, literal learner, learner by doing rather than instruction, adventurous, laid back, easy going, excitable. These are not always fixed, though for some people they may seem to be such. And further they are not always the same in any of us, we can be one way at one time and another in other instances. We can be both shy and gregarious, introverted and extroverted.
Entity – This is our total complete self, it can include genetics, disposition to certain diseases, blood type, physical strength, emotional strength, internal organs, demeanor as a total picture.
Power – Is not always only about physical or mental strength. It includes our ability to persevere, to challenge ourselves, to introspect, to reflect, (our nature may affect our willingness or tendency to do so even if we may have great power as an ability). Our ability to lead others, for good or ill, our skill with other people can be a power again for good or ill. Our ability to see our strengths and use them skillfully or not is a power even when the actual power may be limited. A person may not have the power to do something yet may be able to accomplish the goal through the power of working with others again for good or for ill.
Activity – What are we doing, what are we accomplishing or trying to accomplish, is the activity physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, is the activity for self or for others are some ways to consider activity.
Primary Cause – There is a cause which precedes every cause to some extent. There is a primary cause in all things, what is that in each of the situations we engage in and how does that impact all the other Ten Aspects. One primary cause is the difference between self and others, between self and environment, between self as a physical entity and self as a spiritual entity and self as a complete undifferentiated complete entity. Where is the primary cause directed inward versus outward, towards oneself or towards others, includes or excludes others, benefits others or only self all are primary causes beneath initial traditional activities. Also a primary cause is human, non-human animal, plant, or even alien.
Environmental Cause – There are factors which take place outside ourselves and often outside our control. Is it raining, if so did you think to bring an umbrella? Failing to consider environmental causes can lead to death such as by heat exhaustion and stroke, or freezing to death, starvation, disease and illness. Sometimes the environment is beyond our control but what is within our control may be able to mitigate the effects of the environment. Sometimes it can not, such as an earthquake, typhoon, airplane crash, fire, terrorist attack. In all cases we don’t ever act independent of our environment even if we may fail to consider it.
Effect – It’s what happens, seen, unseen, known, unknown, immediately observable or seemingly manifest later (all effects manifest instantly only some may not be observed instantly).
Reward or Negative reward (retribution) – Sometimes what seems to be boon may be an albatross. What is negative now may end up being reward to our future growth and development. These are not absolutes except in how we treat them. Could motivate us into changing poison into medicine.
Equality – there is complete equality and connectedness throughout these aspects which is one of the aspects. A subtle change in one causes a ripple throughout all. This is why it is important to not try to completely separate these as we try to understand them in our lives. No one aspect can be truly removed or analyzed independent of the others. This is their equality despite their differences.
For a more traditional review of the Ten Suchnesses, consider Ryuei McCormick’s Open Your Eyes or the Foundations of T’ien T’ai Philosophy discussion of Three Ways of Reading 10 Suchness.
But such academic abstractions were not Ryusho’s thing.
Ten Suchnesses, p52At the end of this process I personally have to wonder what have we accomplished … that will enable us to end our suffering and enable us to attain enlightenment? Not everyone is like me so there may indeed be some who find this sort of abstraction beneficial. I find it more of a distraction and since I’m writing the book and I really can only from my point of view that’s what I’m going to do.
Ryusho had a simple goal:
Ten Suchnesses, p55Understanding the map of the Ten Worlds and realizing that the Ten Aspects are how we live or manifest the Ten Worlds gives us the tools or key to ending our suffering.
This all fits into his overarching view of Buddhism:
Ten Suchnesses, p59Buddhism is about examining our experiences and seeking to understand why they are that way, what can be done to either mitigate or change or eliminate the effects by making new causes. There isn’t some magic that takes place which replaces the necessity of making new causes. Buddhism is not a shortcut to wealth, fame, ease, and luxury. Buddhism is a religion of hard work, honest evaluation of one’s life, sincere effort to make necessary changes, and the dedication to carry out these for the duration of one’s life continually.
I have a copy of the artwork from the book cover among the decorations next to my altar.
Were I to caption this artwork I would use this quote from the book:
Ten Suchnesses, p65This I believe is one of the great advantages of Buddhism. Through the study and practice of our faith we can delve into our self deeply and see the root of our suffering and with the tools provided to us from our faith we can then begin to work on solving the problems of our lives in constructive and beneficial ways.