All posts by John Hughes

Profound

Four Siddhāntas and the Lotus Sūtra

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This is the last part in elaborating the Four Siddhāntas. By stressing that the Four Siddhāntas are expressed in the Lotus Sūtra, Chih-i legitimizes his own view concerning the Lotus Sūtra as the ultimate teaching of the Buddha embracing all types of the teaching. The passage is quoted by Chih-i from the “Chapter on Expedient Means” (Fang-pien-p’in) in order to prove that the meaning of the Four Siddhāntas can be drawn from it:

“[The Buddha] understands all actions of living beings, what they think in their deep minds, their habitual tendencies [they carry] from the past, their desires, their nature, the power of their exertions, and whether their faculties are acute or dull. [The Buddha] employs various causes and conditions, similes, parables, and other words and phrases, adapting whatever means that are suitable to expound his teaching.”

This passage is interpreted by Chih-i as:

” ‘Desire’ is the [mundane] pleasure and desire, which indicates the Worldly Siddhānta. ‘Nature’ refers to the nature of knowledge and wisdom, which indicates the Siddhānta for Each Person. The ‘power of exertions’ refers to the destruction of evil, which indicates the Siddhānta of Counteraction. ‘Acute or dull faculties’ refers to different realizations attained by two people [with either acute or dull faculties], which indicates the Siddhānta of the Supreme Truth.”
Chih-i associates the phrases “their desires” with the Worldly Siddhānta (for the teaching suits the desire of living beings), “their nature” with the Siddhānta for Each Person (for nature means the nature of knowledge and wisdom which denotes the wholesomeness this teaching is intended to produce), “the power of their exertions” with the Siddhānta of Counteraction (for power is meant to destroy evil, which is the intended result of this teaching), and “whether their faculties are acute or dull” with the Siddhānta of the Supreme Truth (for the teaching aims at enlightening living beings of different capacities).

Through such an interpretation that reveals the meaning of the Four Siddhāntas implied in the Lotus Sūtra, the validity of the Lotus Teaching is confirmed.

History of Japanese Religion

Securing the Entity of Moral Life

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The specific point in Saichō’s contention was that the confessions and vows were to be made not to human masters, as in other branches of Buddhism, but to Buddha himself, which meant to one’s own innermost soul and entity. And therein lay the mystery, that by taking vows with these convictions and uttermost zeal, one could arouse the innermost good, including power and wisdom, which was inherent but otherwise dormant. Once aroused, this would ensure for us an incorruptible firmness of moral and spiritual life and could last throughout any number of lives, in spite of obstacles, temptations, nay despite even casual guilt and the commission of sin. The initiation, therefore, was taught to secure the awakening and abiding of the fundamental Buddha-nature, the mystery of “securing the entity of moral life.”

History of Japanese Religion

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Oct. 18, 2018

Medicine-King! The Bodhisattvas who, having been surprised at hearing this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, doubt and fear it, know this, are beginners in Bodhisattvahood. The Śrāvakas who, having been surprised at hearing this sūtra, doubt and fear it, know this, are men of arrogance.

The Buddha makes this declaration to Medicine-King Bodhisattva in Chapter Ten of the Lotus Sūtra. In his earlier teachings, he described the thoughts, words and deeds which would help shed our delusions and remove suffering. Many of those following him came to believe that they were superior to other beings and did not want to waste their time even associating with them much less attempting to save them from their suffering. With this Lotus Sūtra, the Buddha reveals that even the most wicked and deluded among us have the capacity for enlightenment and deserve our respect. The more we resist this teaching, in our thoughts, words and deeds, the farther we place ourselves from the Buddha’s wisdom.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

Profound

Differentiating the Teaching of the Buddha

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Chih-i’s intention of differentiating the teaching of the Buddha is for the sake of presenting it as a whole. This is to say that although there are various types of the teaching, all of them are unified under the One Buddha-vehicle that is expressed in the Lotus Sūtra. Therefore, the Lotus Sūtra functions to dissolve the relative teachings into the ultimate teaching. Chih-i affirms that all of the relative teachings of the Three Vehicles (śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, and bodhisattva) contain the real intention of the Buddha in leading sentient beings to attain Buddhahood. This intention of the Buddha is the ultimate teaching of the One Buddha-vehicle. By this definition, all types of the teaching of the Buddha are subtle. The distinction between the relative and the ultimate is only made to coincide with living beings separated from conceiving the subtlety of the Buddha’s teaching. Chih-i asserts that the only purpose for the Buddha to employ the coarse device as the relative teaching is for the ultimate teaching. In this sense, all types of the teaching of the Buddha in the five periods that are analogized with the five flavors of dairy products (milk, cream, curdled milk, butter, and ghee) contain subtlety. In terms of revealing the Ultimate Truth, the teaching of the five flavors is not dissimilar to each other. Once the ultimate teaching (i.e., Lotus Sūtra) is presented, there is no more coarseness or relativity, but subtlety. (Vol. 2, Page 44-45)

The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra: Tien-tai Philosophy of Buddhism


Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Oct. 17, 2018

We have never seen
These many thousands of billions
Of Bodhisattvas.
Tell me, Most Honorable Biped!
Where did they come from?

Maitreya Bodhisattva sings these verses to the Buddha in Chapter Fifteen of the Lotus Sūtra. In the story, the Buddha has asked who among those gathered to hear him teach will continue teaching this Wonderful Dharma in our world of suffering after the Buddha passes into his final extinction. Some Bodhisattvas say they will teach in other worlds, since the beings of this world are too defiled to hear the Buddha’s teaching. Other Bodhisattvas vow to remain in our world, but the Buddha tells them not to bother. At that moment, the ground cracks open, and innumerable Bodhisattvas spring up and vow to carry on the work of the Buddha. Maitreya and others had never seen these Bodhisattvas before. His asking the Buddha respectfully to explain what they do not understand. This example emphasizes that we must continue to question how the Buddha’s teaching applies to our lives rather than dogmatically accepting whatever happens.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

Profound

Four Siddhāntas and Four Noble Truths

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The Four Siddhāntas that are conveyed in the light of the Four Noble Truths in the Tripiṭaka, Common, and Separate Teachings, are relative teachings. The ultimate teaching of the Four Siddhāntas refers to the Perfect Teaching. Chih-i’s explanation of the Four Siddhāntas in terms of relative and ultimate that are related to each of the Four Teachings is as follows:

  1. The Buddha employs only the first three Siddhāntas (i.e., Worldly Siddhānta, Siddhānta for Each Person, and Siddhānta of
    Counteraction) to expound the Four Noble Truths that belong to the Tripiṭaka Teaching. Since this teaching concerns analysis and disintegration of dharmas (entities) in perceiving emptiness and is to prepare listeners with lower faculties to be able to eventually receive Mahāyāna Teaching, it is unskillful in terms of the way of perceiving emptiness, and is relative.
  2. The Four Siddhāntas the Buddha employs to expound the Four Noble Truths that belong to the Common Teaching are skillful, for the teaching concerns embodying dharmas in perceiving emptiness. That is, dharmas are empty therein. However, truth is dichotomized into the Absolute Truth and the Worldly Truth: the former concerns emptiness, and the latter empirical existence. This teaching of duality is relative.
  3. The Four Siddhāntas the Buddha employs to expound the Four Noble Truths that belong to the Separate Teaching are profound, for this doctrine concerns the Middle Way of transcending the truths of emptiness and existence. However, this Middle Way does not identify emptiness with existence, and is still relative.
  4. The Four Siddhāntas the Buddha employs to expound the Four Noble Truths that belong to the Perfect Teaching are ultimate and subtle. This is because this doctrine concerns the Middle Way that identifies emptiness with existence. For Chih-i, such a way of perceiving reality as an integrated unity of both emptiness and provisional existence is perfect and is the ultimate teaching of the Buddha. (Vol. 2, Page 43-44)
The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra: Tien-tai Philosophy of Buddhism


Lotus World

Teaching the Essential Teaching

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Only the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, the original disciples of the Eternal Shakyamuni Buddha, are able to teach the essential teaching [during the Latter Age of the Dharma when no other teaching is radical enough to shake beings out of their complacency, obstinacy, and spiritual blindness]. Even then, however, the provisional bodhisattvas are still present and able to protect and assist the Bodhisattvas of the Earth in accomplishing their mission.

Lotus World: An Illustrated Guide to the Gohonzon

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Oct. 16, 2018

Medicine-King! This sūtra is the store of the hidden core of all the Buddhas. Do not give it to others carelessly! It is protected by the Buddhas, by the World-Honored Ones. It has not been expounded explicitly. Many people hate it with jealousy even in my lifetime. Needless to say, more people will do so after my extinction.

The Buddha makes this declaration to Medicine-King Bodhisattva in Chapter Ten of the Lotus Sūtra. For us who recognize how the Buddha’s teaching transforms our lives and the world, it can be hard to imagine that anyone would reject it. However, there are beings who are so filled with fear and delusion that they mistake the Buddha’s good medicine for poison. While we are committed to leading all beings to enlightenment, we realize that we are not alone in our efforts. The protective deities and the Buddha himself are always working to benefit all beings. In our current capacities, we may not be able to reach everybody immediately. We should not let this discourage us. The least we can do is hope in our hearts for the happiness of all beings, even if they are not accessible to us.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

Profound

Explaining the formation of the Four Siddhāntas (Shih-ch’eng)

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This is to explain that the formation of each of the Four Siddhāntas is different. The Worldly Siddhānta is formed in order to comply with what is enjoyed and desired (Sui-lo-yü) by people. The Siddhānta for Each Person is formed in order to comply with what is suitable to individuals (Sui-p’ien-i) and arouse their virtues. The Siddhānta of Counteraction is formed in order to deal with particular cases of individual sickness. The Siddhānta of the Supreme Truth is formed in order to transmit the Supreme Truth. According to Chih-i, each Siddhānta contains the Four Siddhāntas. In addition, the first Siddhānta (i.e., Worldly Siddhānta) embodies the beginning stage for living beings to strive for Buddhahood as the cause, and the last Siddhānta (i.e., Siddhānta of the Supreme Truth) embodies the final stage of attaining Buddhahood as the effect. (Vol. 2, Page 38)

The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra: Tien-tai Philosophy of Buddhism


Summer Writings

Advancing to the Buddha World

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At last, we have been able to meet the Lotus Sutra in this world. We who believe in it no longer need to worry about the worlds after death. We will be able to advance to the Buddha World by consistently chanting the Odaimoku. We can live following the teaching of the Lotus Sutra, which is the Bodhisattva way – to live for other people, helping and supporting people who are suffering, making them feel as at ease as possible. It is not necessarily just supporting people, but spirits also. Please come to the Temple to observe the O-Bon Segaki Service, which is a traditional Buddhist ceremony to save suffering spirits. With these merits, we can give peace to our ancestors and obtain merits in our life, extinguish misfortune and curses, and extend our lives to obtain good fortune.

Summer Writings