All posts by John Hughes

Profound

Five Sections Arising

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[In Chih-i’s elaboration of the Five Sections,] each section is related to the next section – the preceding one is a necessary step for the following one to arise. Chih-i explains:

“Name is to name dharma. Dharma is identical to the Substance. When the Substance is recognized through the name, the Substance would not be perceived without the Gist. When the Substance is perceived, it at once becomes perfect. From the Substance, the Function arises. The Function generates benefits and embraces knowledge. Since there are multiple benefits, it is necessary to distinguish the Characteristics of the Teaching.”

This passage means that the necessity to have name is to name the dharma (truth in Buddhism), because in order to express dharma, language is an indispensable instrument. When dharma bears name, it is legible and can guide one to recognize the substance, because dharma as truth is taken as the substance of the Lotus Sūtra. However, this substance–substance of the Ultimate Truth (Shih-hsiang Chih-t’i) relies on the insight of the Buddha to be perceived. The insight of the Buddha is the outcome of the gist (the practice of the Buddha and his attainment of Buddhahood as the cause and effect). Only when the gist is taken into account, could the substance as the Ultimate Truth be understood and realized (Hui-t’i). Since this substance embraces all entities, it is perfect. The perfect substance results in powerful function. This is to say that the powerful function is derived from one’s knowledge that concerns the Ultimate Truth. This is because when the Buddha realizes the Ultimate Truth, the Buddha’s knowledge that concerns this Ultimate Truth exerts the power to function in fulfilling his soteriological goal of liberating all living beings. (Vol. 2, Page 26)

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


beginning

Last Supper

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Even in his last hours of pain and old age, Shakyamuni was concerned about the feelings of the faithful. He said to Ananda, ”It is possible that someone will cause Chunda the smith to feel remorse by telling him he has incurred evil and loss by giving me the meal that has caused my death. But you must relieve Chunda of remorse by telling him that you have heard it from the very mouth of the Tathagata that, through this meal, he has incurred great good and gain. There are two meals of equal merit and fruit and of greater merit and fruit than any other: the meal offered to a Tathagata at the time of his perfect enlightenment and the meal offered a Tathagata at the time of his passing into nirvana. By giving me this meal, Chunda the smith has laid up great good karma leading to long life, fame, heavenly fortune, and sovereign power.” This incident is concluded with the following stanza:

“Good fortune increases for him who gives.
Malice does not accumulate for the person who controls
his mind.
The good person abandons all evil
And, by destroying lust, wrath, and ignorance, becomes
completely tranquil.” (Page 185)

The Beginnings of Buddhism

LS32

Day 31

Day 31 covers Chapter 27, King Wonderful-Adornment as the Previous Life of a Bodhisattva.

Having last month witnessed the preparations for going to see the Buddha, we hear the Buddha expound the Dharma to the king and predict the king’s future.

“Thereupon the Buddha expounded the Dharma to the king, showed him the Way, taught him, benefited him, and caused him to rejoice. The king had great joy. The king and queen took off their necklaces of pearls worth hundreds of thousands, and strewed the necklaces to the Buddha. The necklaces flew up to the sky [seven times as high as the tala-tree], and changed into a jeweled platform equipped with four pillars. On the platform was a couch of great treasures, and thousands of millions of heavenly garment were spread [on the couch]. The Buddha [went up,] sat cross-legged [on the couch], and emitted great rays of light. King Wonderful-Adornment thought, ‘The Buddha is exceptional. He is exceedingly handsome. He has the most wonderful form.’

“Thereupon Cloud-Thunderpeal-Star-King-Flower-Wisdom Buddha said to the four kinds of devotees, ‘Do you see this King Wonderful-Adornment standing before me with his hands joined together, or not? This king will become a bhikṣu under me, strenuously study and practice the various ways to the enlightenment of the Buddha, and then become a Buddha called Sala-Tree-King in a world called Great-Light in a kalpa called Great-Height-King. Sala-Tree-King Buddha will be accompanied by innumerable Bodhisattvas and Śrāvakas. The ground of his world will be even. [King Wonderful-Adornment) will have these merits.’

The Daily Dharma from Sept. 6, 2017, offers this:

The king and queen took off their necklaces of pearls worth hundreds of thousands, and strewed the necklaces to the Buddha. The necklaces flew up to the sky [seven times as high as the tāla-tree], and changed into a jeweled platform equipped with four pillars. On the platform was a couch of great treasures, and thousands of millions of heavenly garments were spread [on the couch]. The Buddha [went up,] sat cross-legged [on the couch], and emitted great rays of light. King Wonderful-Adornment thought, ‘The Buddha is exceptional. He is exceedingly handsome. He has the most wonderful form.’

The Buddha uses this description as part of the story of King Wonderful-Adornment in Chapter Twenty-Seven of the Lotus Sūtra. This King was led by the supernatural powers of his children to meet Cloud-Thunderpeal-Star-King Flower-Wisdom Buddha who was teaching the Wonderful Dharma in that world. The King and his wife the Queen were both so inspired by that Buddha that they allowed the symbols of their wealth and power to be transformed into a sacred platform from which the Buddha could lead all beings to enlightenment. When they found that Buddha, the beauty of his wisdom far outshone the beauty of their jewels.

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

Lotus World

The Essential Teaching

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The provisional bodhisattvas are not granted the most difficult and crucial mission of spreading the Lotus Sutra in the Latter Age of the Dharma because they represent the theoretical teaching of the Lotus Sutra. … The Bodhisattvas of the Earth, however, represent the essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra. The essential teaching shows that buddhahood is immediate, without beginning or end, and ever-present in the lives of those who have faith in the Eternal Shakyamuni Buddha.

Lotus World: An Illustrated Guide to the Gohonzon

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Oct. 6, 2018

Those who have much lust will be saved from lust if they constantly think of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva and respect him. Those who have much anger will be saved from anger if they constantly think of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva and respect him. Those who have much stupidity will be saved from stupidity if they constantly think of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva and respect him.

The Buddha gives this description of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva (Kannon, Kanzeon, Avalokitesvara) to Endless-Intent Bodhisattva in Chapter Twenty-Five of the Lotus Sūtra. World-Voice-Perceiver is the embodiment of compassion for all beings, the wish that all beings be freed from suffering and realize the enlightenment of the Buddha. This compassion is the antidote to the three poisons of lust, anger and stupidity. By aspiring to the example of World-Voice-Perceiver and awakening our own compassion, we can overcome these poisons and bring benefits to all beings.

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

Profound

Three Differences of Relative Truth and the Ultimate Truth

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By comparing the Lotus Sūtra with other sūtras, three kinds of differences are made by Chih-i in terms of the knowledge that concerns the Relative Truth and the Ultimate Truth as follows:

  1. From other sūtras, it is known that the Buddha obtained the knowledge that concerns the Ultimate Truth (Shih-chih) upon his enlightenment under the bodhi tree in his present lifetime. From then on, he started applying expedient means, i.e., the knowledge that concerns the Relative Truth (Ch’üan-chih), to teach and transform living beings. However, the Lotus Sūtra reveals the fact that the Buddha had already perfected his knowledge a long time ago, i.e., his original attainment of Buddhahood can be traced back to the incalculable past, and all his later activities are the manifestations derived from this original Buddhahood.
  2. In other sūtras, disciples of the Two Vehicles (śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha) are excluded from entering the knowledge concerning the Ultimate Truth and from being able to implement the knowledge concerning the Relative Truth. In the Lotus Sūtra, however, it is made clear that in the past, the Lotus Sūtra was repeatedly expounded by the Buddhas, and that innumerable disciples of the Two Vehicles have already been benefited by the Lotus Sūtra. This is to say that they have long ago obtained the knowledge concerning the Ultimate Truth and have also understood the practice of applying the knowledge concerning the Relative Truth.
  3. There is no single hint in other sūtras about the Buddha’s accomplishment of teaching and transforming living beings before his enlightenment under the bodhi tree, except in the Lotus Sūtra. The Lotus Sūtra reveals the fact that the Twofold Knowledge in terms of the Relative Truth and the Ultimate Truth (Ch’üan-shih Erh-chih) existed ever since the Buddha’s original attainment of Buddhahood long ago, with which the Buddha had already transformed countless bodhisattvas before his enlightenment in this lifetime. (Vol. 2, Page 23-24)
beginning

Four Great References

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After a stay in Vesali, Shakyamuni and Ananda went northward to the village of Bhanda, then to Hatthi, Amba, Jambu, and then out of the kingdom of the Vajjis to Bhoga, in the land of the Mallas, where, at the Ananda shrine, Shakyamuni preached on the topic of the Four Great References. According to this sermon, the members of the Order are instructed to be critical of all reported teachings; to examine them diligently; to compare them with the scriptures and the genuine teachings; and, on the basis of such comparison, to decide whether they are true. Four kinds of reports to be subjected to such inquiry are cited: words reported as having been heard directly from Shakyamuni himself, words reported as having been heard from a group of elders, words reported as having been heard from several elders, and words reported as having been heard from a single elder. Monks must not accept blindly what has been said but must examine it on the basis outlined above. Today, too, it is important to investigate what is offered as truth in the light of the counsel of trustworthy leaders and authoritative scriptures before accepting it as true. Buddhists are taught to compare an opinion with teachings, reason, and actuality to determine whether it is true. (Page 183)

The Beginnings of Buddhism

LS32

Day 30

Day 30 covers all of Chapter 26, Dhāraṇīs

Having last month considered Medicine-King Bodhisattva’s question, we receive Medicine-King Bodhisattva’s dhārāni spells and Śākyamuni Buddha’s response.

Thereupon Medicine-King Bodhisattva said to the Buddha,

“World-Honored One! Now I will give dhārāni spells to the expounder of the Dharma’ in order to protect him.”

Then he uttered spells:

“Ani (1), mani (2), manei (3), mamanei (4), shirei (5), sharitei (6), shamya (7), shabi-tai (8), sentei (9), mokutei (10), mokutabi (11), shabi (12), aishabi (13), sōbi (14), shabi (15), shaei (16), ashaei (17), agini (18), sentei (19), shabi (20), darani (21 ), arokya-basai-ha habi-shani (22), neibitei (23), abentarancibitei (24), atantahareishudai(25), ukurei (26), mukurei (27), ararei (28), hararei (29), shukyashi (30), asammasambi (31), botsudabikirijittei (32), darumaharishitei (33), sōgyanekkushanei (34), bashabashashudai(35), mantara (36), manta ashayata (37), urntaurota (38), kyōsharya(39), ashara (40), ashay taya (41), abaro (42), amanyanataya (43).”

[He said to the Buddha:]

“World-Honored One! These dhārānis, these divine spells, have already been uttered by six thousand and two hundred million Buddhas, that is, as many Buddhas as there are sands in the River Ganges. Those who attack and abuse this teacher of the Dharma should be considered to have attacked and abused those Buddhas.”

Thereupon Śākyamuni Buddha praised Medicine-King Bodhisattva, saying:

“Excellent, excellent, Medicine-King! You uttered these dhārānis in order to protect this teacher of the Dharma out of your compassion towards him. You will be able to give many benefits to all living beings.”

The Daily Dharma from Sept. 15, 2018, offers this:

Thereupon Medicine-King Bodhisattva said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One! Now I will give dhāraṇī-spells to the expounder of the Dharma in order to protect him.”

This promise to the Buddha from Medicine-King Bodhisattva comes in Chapter Twenty-Six of the Lotus Sutra. The dhāraṇīs are given in a language that nobody understands any more. But this does not reduce their effectiveness. In the second chapter of the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha declared that his wisdom cannot be reached by understanding alone. There is another, nonverbal aspect of his teaching that we must comprehend. The dhāraṇīs not only give us reassurance that beings we cannot comprehend are helping us to become enlightened, they also remind us to look for the unspoken teachings that are part of the Buddha Dharma.

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

Summer Writings

After Death

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After death, there are six worlds which we can be reborn in: Hell, Gaki, Chikusho (Animal), Ashura, Human and Heaven, and there is one world in which you can no longer reincarnate – that is, the Buddha World. There are seven worlds to go to after death. Which you choose depends on your life and the level of enlightenment you attained when you were alive. We may advance to the Buddha World, which is the true peaceful place, through our repeated reincarnations. The last teaching to advance to the Buddha World is the Lotus Sutra, which we now believe in. From olden times, the Lotus Sutra has been described as the most difficult teaching to meet and understand, because even to see the Lotus Sutra requires immeasurable years of accumulating merits across many lifetimes.

Summer Writings

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Oct. 5, 2018

Ajita, know this, these great Bodhisattvas
Have studied and practiced
The wisdom of the Buddha
For the past innumerable kalpas.

They are my sons because I taught them
And caused them to aspire for great enlightenment.

The Buddha sings these verses to his disciple Maitreya, also known as Invincible (Ajita) in Chapter Fifteen of the Lotus Sutra. In the story, great Bodhisattvas have just appeared from under the ground of this world of conflict after the Buddha asks who will continue to teach and practice this Lotus Sūtra after the extinction of the Buddha. None of those gathered to hear the Buddha teach, including other great Bodhisattvas such as Maitreya, had ever seen them before. Late in his life Nichiren realized that he was a reincarnation of Superior-Practice, the leader of the Bodhisattvas from underground, and that we who practice the Lotus Sūtra are his followers. Our lives are much greater than we realize, as are our capacities, our patience, our wisdom and our merit. It is through the Wonderful Dharma that we awaken to all these and clarify the Buddha Land we live in now.

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