All posts by John Hughes

beginning

Mental Motivation

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Shakyamuni said he was willing to engage in debate if Upali was truly serious. Upali said that he was. Shakyamuni then proceeded to prove by means of many actual examples that good or bad mental motivation is more important than actual actions and words. Moreover, he proved this from the Jainist standpoint, calling upon examples taken from Jainist teachings.

In one instance, Shakyamuni countered Upali’s insistence that the physical act takes precedence in importance over the mental motivation in the following way. He asked what would happen to a Jainist who, out of respect for the minute living creatures in cool water, refused to drink it, even when suffering from a high fever, and consequently died. Upali said that attachment to the mind at the time of death would result in the man’s being born again in a heaven for those who remain attached to mind. In other words, mental attachment and not the actual act of drinking or not drinking cool water produced the effect.

Jainism strictly forbids the taking of life, even that of the small creatures living in water. But, should a person unwittingly step in a puddle of water on the road and kill some of these creatures, according to Jainism his sin is not grave, since he was unaware of what he was doing. In adopting this standpoint, Jainism tacitly puts greater emphasis on mental motivation than on physical result and thus contradicts itself.

Upali found it impossible to reply to these demonstrations of Jainist inconsistencies and at once became a believer in Buddhism. (Page 125-126)

The Beginnings of Buddhism

LS32

Day 30

Day 30 covers all of Chapter 26, Dhāraṇīs

Having last month concluded Chapter 26, Dhāraṇīs, we begin again with Medicine-King Bodhisattva’s question.

Thereupon Medicine-King Bodhisattva rose front his seat, bared his right shoulder, joined his hands together towards the Buddha, and said to him:

“World-Honored One! How many merits will be given to the good men or women who keep, read, recite, understand or copy the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma?”

The Buddha said to him:

“Suppose some good men or women make offerings to eight hundred billion nayuta Buddhas, that is, as many Buddhas as there are sands in the River Ganges. What do you think of this? Are the merits given to them many or not?”

“Very many, World-Honored One!”

The Buddha said: “More merits will be given to the good men or women who keep, read or recite· even a single gāthā of four lines of this sūtra, understand the meanings of it or act according to it.”

Rev. Ryusho Jeffus’ Lecture on the Lotus Sutra offers this observation:

We learn of the many protections that come to us naturally by merely upholding this sutra in the Dharanis Chapter. Dharanis are special incantations that were given by various beings solely for the protection of those who practice the Dharma. These protections and merits do not come to us merely because we read of them but are in a sense activated because our practice calls forth the changes in our lives that otherwise would remain dormant.

Lecture on the Lotus Sutra

Lotus Seeds

The Essential and the Theoretical

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Though the Essential Section of the Lotus Sutra is of primary importance for determining the faith and practice of Nichiren Buddhism, this does not imply that the Theoretical Section should be discarded. The Theoretical Section derives its own meaning from the Essential Section, but it can also be used to help us better understand the Essential Section. The point of this is that though the theory of the One Vehicle depends upon the essential reality of the Eternal Buddha, the theory and the reality are consistent with one another. If we have faith in the Eternal Buddha we will understand the meaning of the One Vehicle, and if we truly understand the meaning of the One Vehicle, we will be in accord with the true intention of the Eternal Buddha. For this reason, Nichiren Shonin taught that the whole sutra was worthy of respect, both the theoretical and essential sections.

Lotus Seeds

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Sept. 3, 2018

Accordingly, the prayer said by the practicer of the Lotus Sutra will inevitably be fulfilled just as a sound is echoed, just as a shadow follows the body, the moon reflects upon the clear water, a water nymph invites the water, a magnet attracts iron, amber eliminates dust, and a clear mirror reflects the color of everything.

Nichiren wrote this passage in his Treatise on Prayers (Kitō-shō). When we are truly practicing this Wonderful Dharma, our desires and prayers are for the benefit of all beings, rather than expressions of our self-absorbed attachment and delusion. When we see things for what they are, then we are in harmony with all beings, and will find them helping us and themselves to reach what we all truly desire.

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

Profound

The Yellow Rock Analogy

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The third analogy is concerned with gold that is contained in a yellow rock. The gold symbolizes the Ultimate Truth possessed by all living beings. Chih-i describes:

“It is like the gold that is contained inside the yellow rock. The foolish man does not know and thinks that it is only a piece of rock. He throws it in the manure pit and does not even take care of it. When the appraiser gets it, he melts the rock and gets the gold out, but only keeps its value. When the goldsmith gets it, he makes various kinds of ornaments. When the immortal gets it, he makes a golden elixir, with which he can fly to the sky and enter the ground, reach the moon and the sun, and assume whatever shapes as he wants. The foolish man analogizes all common men: though embracing the Ultimate Truth, they do not know how to practice. The appraiser analogizes the Two Vehicles, who only sever the affliction, and keep the value of emptiness, but do not do anything with it. The goldsmith analogizes the bodhisattva of the Separate, who is skillful in using expedient means. Knowing that emptiness is not empty, he enters the Provisional, adorns the Buddha land, and accomplishes living beings. The immortal analogizes the bodhisattva of the Perfect. By perceiving the Absolute that is contained in the Facts, he immediately attains the proper enlightenment as soon as he brings forth the Bodhi mind. With one body, he gains immeasurable bodies, and universally responds to all. The present [Lotus] Sütra only takes the Ultimate Truth that is the golden elixir as the substance of the Sūtra.”

This analogy indicates that, in respect to commonality, the Ultimate Truth is possessed by all beings, from the common men to the disciples of the Perfect Teaching. However, in respect to difference, the rock differs from the gold; the gold differs from the jewelry; and the jewelry differs from the elixir. This symbolizes differences among disciples of the Four Teachings in terms of their capacities and dispositions of realizing truth.

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


beginning

A Sermon for Pukkusati’s Sake

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Then for Pukkusati’s sake Shakyamuni preached a sophisticated sermon, probably because he perceived that this man was of intellectual capacity sufficient for him to understand difficult Buddhist theories. The sermon was a detailed, logical presentation showing that human beings have six senses–sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and thought–for perceiving six objects: earth, water, fire, wind, air, and knowledge. From this operation of perception are born the sixteen kinds of emotions and sensations, including pain and pleasure and joy and sorrow. Knowledge of the nature and sources of these emotions lead to understanding of the truth that there is no permanent self and that there should be no attachments to conditioned phenomena. This in turn leads to paramount wisdom and the realization that nirvana is the ultimate Noble Truth. The person realizing this can attain the highest realm of tranquility by abandoning all things that cause delusions and by breaking with the three poisons of covetousness, anger, and delusion.

The Beginnings of Buddhism

LS32, WONS

Day 29

Day 29 covers all of Chapter 25, The Universal Gate of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva.

Having last month concluded Chapter 25, we begin again at the top.

Thereupon Endless-Intent Bodhisattva rose from his seat, bare j his right shoulder, joined rus hands together towards the Buddha, and said, “World-Honored One! Why is World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva called World-Voice-Perceiver?”

The Buddha said to Endless-Intent Bodhisattva:

“Good man! If many hundreds of thousands of billions of living beings hear [the name of] World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva and call his name with all their hearts when they are under various sufferings, World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva will immediately perceive their voices, and cause them to emancipate themselves [from the sufferings]. Those who keep the name of this World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva will not be burned when they are put into a conflagration [because they are protected] by, the supernatural powers of this Bodhisattva. Those who call his name will be able to take ground when they are washed by an inundation. Suppose hundreds of thousands of billions of living beings are crossing an ocean in order to obtain gold, silver, lapis lazuli, shell, agate, coral, amber pearl, and other treasures, and suppose the ship carrying them is blown to the country of rākṣasa-devils by a storm. If one of the crew calls the name of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva, all the crew will be saved from the attacks of the rākṣasas. Because of this, [this Bodhisattva] is called World-Voice-Perceiver.

Nichiren writes in his “A Response to My Lady Nichinyo”:

The chapter “Bodhisattva Voice Perceiver” is also known as the chapter “Universal Gate.” Since the first half of this chapter tells of the merits of a person who pays homage to the Bodhisattva World Voice Perceiver (Avalokiteśvara), this chapter is named “Voice Perceiver.” It is also named “Universal Gate” since the latter half tells of the merits of a person who takes refuge with the Lotus Sutra which the Bodhisattva Voice Perceiver maintains.

Nichinyo Gozen Gohenji, A Response to My Lady Nichinyo, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 4, Faith and Practice, Pages 133-134

Awakening to the Lotus

The Three Aspects of the Buddha

The Lotus Sutra’s teaching of the Eternal Buddha brings together all of the aspects of the Buddha: the Truth, the person, and enlightened action.

We can see this complete figure of the Buddha when we faithfully devote ourselves to him. Faith in this case means devoting our actions and our thoughts to the Buddha’s way as expressed in his teaching in the Lotus Sutra. The physical body of the Buddha no longer exists since his body passed away, so the direct object of our devotion should be his teachings in the form of the Lotus Sutra. This sutra is the spirit of the Buddha and, since the Buddha’s death, his physical manifestation. Respecting and making offerings to the sutra is exactly the same as respecting and making offerings to the Buddha himself.

Awakening to the Lotus

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Sept. 2, 2018

Faith is nothing special. A wife loves her husband, the husband devotes his life to her, parents do not give away their children, and children do not desert their mother. Likewise, believe in the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha Śākyamuni, the Buddha Tahō, all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and deities. Then chant “Namu Myoho Renge Kyo.” This is faith.

Nichiren wrote this in his Letter to the Nun Myoichi (Myoichi Ama Gozen Gohenji). For many people, Buddhism can be a complicated practice requiring years of study, mastering difficult concepts, even learning new languages. In this letter, Nichiren emphasizes the simple, everyday aspects of our faith and practice. He describes how we can start from the simple love and concern we have for each other, chant “Namu Myoho Renge Kyo” to grow the seeds of faith in our Buddha nature and awaken compassion and wisdom in all beings, and find the joy of the Buddha Dharma in our everyday experience.

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

Profound

The Lotus Sūtra Wish-Granting Gem

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[This] analogy is concerned with two kinds of gems P’o-1i (a crystal) and Ju-i (wish-granting gem). Although both are called gem, the former as a crystal cannot rain down treasures, which analogizes emptiness (that is one-sided view). For Chih-i, one-sided emptiness refers to the attainment of the śrāvaka who is only concerned about the salvation of himself, but not of others; and the treasure refers to the bodhisattva practice of helping others. Since emptiness does not involve the functional aspect of saving living beings, the gem P’o-1i that cannot rain down treasures is taken to analogize emptiness. The wish-granting gem, on the other hand, analogizes the Middle Way. Since the Middle Way signifies the comprehensive view of affirming both emptiness and the provisional existence, it involves the bodhisattva’s actions of saving living beings in the phenomenal world. Therefore, the gem Ju-i that can rain down treasures is taken to analogize the functional nature of the Middle Way. From the practical dimension, this analogy is meant to say that the substance of the Lotus Sūtra is synonymous to the wish-granting gem Ju-i, which is dynamic, functional, and impartial.

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