We can compare the Buddha’s method with that of parents who raise their children with tender loving care. Most of the time, the children are not aware of how much is being done for them. They take their parents’ love for granted. Often they fully appreciate all that their parents have done for them only after the parents have died. Then they wish they had displayed more gratitude when they had the chance. The parents, on the other hand, must be careful, and not give their children everything they ask for. Pampered children can quickly become spoiled and helpless. Their parents will not be able to care for them forever.
Introduction to the Lotus SutraAll posts by John Hughes
The Essence of T’ien-t’ai Buddhism
At the time of Chih-i, facing voluminous Buddhist scriptures and commentaries and diverse discourses, there was obviously an urgent need for a comprehensive guideline to swim through controversies in order to get a clear picture of what the real theme of the teaching of the Buddha is. Only when the real intention of the Buddha was grasped, the disputes over various Buddhist principles could be resolved. It was Chih-i who has come to the scene to fulfill this huge task. He has appropriately chosen the Lotus Sūtra to be the supreme doctrine, because of its reconcilable nature in incorporating all divisions of Buddhism, and because it equally addresses all sentient beings. The essence of T’ien-t’ai Buddhism is revealed through this text with Chih-i’s unique interpretations. When the concepts and principles in Indian Buddhism are reshaped, remolded, redefined, and re-categorized with Chinese epistemology in Chih-i’s system, they become distinctively Chinese, forming the main characteristics of Chinese Buddhism. Therefore, Chih-i is worthy to be called one of the greatest Buddhist masters in China, who contributed greatly to Chinese Buddhism which developed to full bloom in the T’ang Dynasty. (Preface xix-xxx)
The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra: Tien-tai Philosophy of BuddhismThe Law of Causation
The Law of Causation, which is perfectly sound from the rational, ethical, and religious viewpoints and which has a universal validity enabling it to withstand any criticism, was formulated as a result of examination and criticism of all the other imperfect and irrational systems in India in Shakyamuni’s time. The Law of Causation teaches both the theoretical and practical application of the idea that there is no immortal, immutable self or soul.
The Law had never been taught in India before. It is the characteristic that sets Buddhism apart from other philosophies and religions. But though he discovered it, Shakyamuni did not create it.
This Law is an absolute truth—recognizable as true by all peoples, in all places, and at all times—existing eternally independent of the appearance in the world of a Tathagata (a term for a Buddha, Tathagata means one who has come the full Way, who has reached the truth and come to declare it). Shakyamuni merely discovered and taught the Law. (Page 29-30)
The Beginnings of BuddhismThe Middle Way
Thus the philosophy of Tendai establishes a synthesis, called the Middle Way, between the two extremes of common-sense realism and transcendental idealism, in repudiating either the former position that a particular being is a reality in itself and by itself, and the latter conception of reality amounting to the denial of anything but the absolute and transcendental. The Middle Way is at the same time the all-embracing One Road (Eka-yāna), because it presupposes the basic unity of Buddha and all other beings, and emphasizes the possibility, nay necessity, of raising all beings to the dignity of Buddha himself. The historical Buddha was, according to this conception, a manifestation of the universal and primordial Buddha-nature for the sake of inducing all beings to the full realization of their own real nature or metaphysical entity identical with that of Buddha himself.
History of Japanese ReligionDaily Dharma – Aug. 9, 2018
Anyone who understands why the Buddhas expound [many] sūtras,
Who knows the position [of this sūtra in the series of sūtras],
And who expounds it after my extinction
According to its true meaning,
Will be able to eliminate the darkness
Of the living beings of the world where he walks about,
Just as the light of the sun and the moon
Eliminates all darkness.
The Buddha sings these verses to Superior-Practice Bodhisattva (Jōgyo, Viśiṣṭacārītra) in Chapter Twenty-One of the Lotus Sūtra. The superiority of the Lotus Sūtra does not disparage the Buddha’s expedient teachings. The Lotus Sūtra leads all beings to enlightenment. Other teachings could only reach a limited audience. When we as Bodhisattvas who are determined to benefit all beings expound this highest expression of the Buddha’s wisdom, and do not limit ourselves to saving only a few, then we become the light that limits the darkness of ignorance, fear and violence in this world of conflict.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 4
Day 4 finishes Chapter 2, Expedients, and completes the first volume of the Sūtra of the Lotus flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
Having last month considered the use of expedients by past, present and future Buddhas, we consider those who have already attained the enlightenment of the Buddha.
Those who met a past Buddha,
Who heard the Dharma from him,
And who obtained various merits and virtues
By almsgiving or by observing the precepts
Or by patience or by making endeavors
Or by dhyāna or by wisdom,
Have already attained
The enlightenment of the Buddha.Those who, after the extinction of a Buddha,
Were good and gentle,
Have already attained
The enlightenment of the Buddha.Those who, after the extinction of a Buddha,
Erected billions of stupas,
And who purely and extensively adorned [those stupas]
With treasures
Such as gold, silver, crystal,
Shell, agate, ruby, and lapis lazuli,
And who offered those adornments to his śarīras;
Or those who made the mausoleum [of the Buddha]
With stone, bricks, or clay,
Or with many kinds of wood,
Such as candana, aloes, or agalloch;
Or those who made the mausoleum of the Buddha
With heaps of earth
In the wilderness;
Or the boys who made the stupa of the Buddha
With heaps of sand by playing,
Have already attained
The enlightenment of the Buddha.Those who carved an image of the Buddha
With the [proper] physical marks in his honor
Have already attained
The enlightenment of the Buddha.Those who made an image of the Buddha
With the seven treasures;
Or those who made it
Of copper, copper-gold alloy, nickel,
Pewter lead, tin, iron, wood, or clay;
Or those who made it in plaster work,
Have already attained
The enlightenment of the Buddha.Those who drew or caused others to draw in color
A picture of the Buddha adorned with his physical marks,
Each mark representing one hundred merits,
Have already attained the enlightenment of the Buddha.The boys who by playing drew
A picture of the Buddha
With a piece of grass or wood,
Or with a brush,
Or with the back of their fingernails,
Became able to accumulate merits one by one.
Having great compassion towards others,
They attained the enlightenment of the Buddha,
Taught only Bodhisattvas,
And saved many living beings.Those who respectfully offered
Flowers, incense, streamers, and canopies
Enshrined in a stupa-mausoleum;
Or those who caused men to make music
By beating drums, by blowing horns and conches,
And by playing reed-pipes, flutes, lyres, harps,
Lutes, gongs, and copper cymbals,
And offered the wonderful sounds produced thereby
To the image or picture of the Buddha;
Or those who sang joyfully in praise of him for his virtues;
Or those who just murmured [in praise of him],
Have already attained
The enlightenment of the Buddha.Those who, without concentrating their minds,
Offered nothing but a flower to the picture of the Buddha,
Became able to see
Innumerable Buddhas one after another.Those who bowed to the image of the Buddha,
Or just joined their hands together towards it,
Or raised only one hand towards it,
Or bent their head a little towards it
And offered the bending to it,
Became able to see innumerable Buddhas one after another.
They attained unsurpassed enlightenment,
Saved countless living beings,
And entered into the Nirvana-without-remainder
Just as fire dies out when wood is gone.Those who entered a stupa-mausoleum
And said only once “Namo Buddhaya,”
Without even concentrating their minds,
Have already attained the enlightenment of the Buddha.Those who heard the Dharma
In the lifetime of a past Buddha
Or after his extinction
Have already attained the enlightenment of the Buddha.
Nichiren’s teaching on “intention” fits well here:
Nevertheless, ordinary people can become Buddhas by fully understanding the meaning of the word of “kokorozashi (intention)” and practicing it. What is the intention? When we consider this in detail, it refers to the doctrine of spiritual contemplation. What does the doctrine of spiritual contemplation mean? It means the way of practicing the teaching of the Buddha according to the intent of the Buddha, not necessarily according to what is literally said in the sutra. For example, if a man donates his only set of clothes, which he wears for the cause of the Lotus Sūtra, this is the same as peeling his own skin for the sake of the Dharma. Suppose there is a man during the time of a famine who offers to the Buddha the only food he has to stay alive for a day. This is the same as offering his life to the Buddha.
These offerings are as meritorious as the offering of an elbow by Medicine King Bodhisattva or the offering by Young Ascetic in the Snow Mountains of his own body to a demon. Therefore, we can say that the self-sacrificial offerings of sages are phenomenal whereas the offerings of ordinary people according to the intent of the Buddha are noumenal. The doctrine of offering, one of the six practices for bodhisattvas to attain enlightenment, preached in the Great Concentration and Insight, part seven, refers to this noumenal offering, i.e. the practice of offering according to the intent of the Buddha.
Jiri Kyuō Gosho, Phenomenal Offering and Noumenal Offering, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 98
The Annotation for Chih-i ‘s Original Thought
A tradition of expressing one’s thought by commenting on the Confucian or Taoist classics was prominent especially throughout this period. A whole different outlook was presented through various kinds of interpretations of Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu which was a typical form of the Hsüan-hsüeh [Neo-Taoism] discourse during the Wei and Chin as well as during the Southern and Northern Dynasties. Apparently, Chih-i has followed this tradition as well, such as in the case of his two commentaries on the Lotus Sūtra. However, his work Hsüan-i (Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sūtra) is more than just a commentary, rather, it is the expression of his own system of thought. Andō Toshio highly values Chih-i’s approach. He goes so far as to say:
“If the three great works of T’ien-t’ai are supposed to be the commentaries on the Lotus Sūtra, one may well consider the Lotus Sūtra as the annotation for Chih-i ‘s original thought.”
The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra: Tien-tai Philosophy of BuddhismThe Trips Through the Four Gates
The trips through the four gates symbolize the state of mind about which Shakyamuni later spoke in the following way:
“Though I was young and was living a life of luxury, I was often obsessed with the thought that many people pay no heed to the aging, illness, and death of others. They consider the affairs of outsiders none of their business and, failing to apply the experiences of others to themselves, refuse to realize that they too must grow old, fall ill, and die. But I did relate the aging, illness, and death of others to myself, and this caused me to suffer and be ashamed and to abandon pride in vigorous youth, health, and life.”
Daily Dharma – Aug. 8, 2018
How did you teach these innumerable Bodhisattvas
In such a short time,
And cause them to aspire for enlightenment
And not falter in seeking enlightenment?
Maitreya Bodhisattva sings these verses to the Buddha in Chapter Fifteen of the Lotus Sūtra. Despite the Buddha’s explanation that he personally taught all of the Bodhisattvas who appear in Chapter Fifteen, Maitreya and others are still confused by what the Buddha has told them. Since they have faith that whatever the Buddha teaches is for their benefit, they persist with their sincere questioning, assured that the Buddha is leading them to enlightenment. While faith is an important part of our practice, recognizing our own confusion, and using questions to resolve that confusion are equally important. The Buddha does not ask for blind obedience. He knows we cannot find peace until we bring our whole being to his practice.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 3
Day 3 covers the first half of Chapter 2, Expedients.
Having last month heard Śāriputra’s repeated pleas, we hear Śākyamuni expound the Dharma.
Thereupon the World-Honored One said to him:
“You asked me f. How can I leave the Dharma unexpounded? Listen to me attentively, and think over my words! Now I will expound [the Dharma] to you.”
When he had said this, five thousand people among the bhikṣus, bhikṣunīs, upāsakās, and upāsikās of this congregation rose from their seats, bowed to the Buddha, and retired because they were so sinful and arrogant that they thought that they had already obtained what they had not yet, and that they had already understood what they had not yet. Because of these faults, they did not stay. The World-Honored One kept silence and did not check them.
Thereupon the World-Honored One said to Śāriputra:
“Now this congregation has been cleared of twigs and leaves, only sincere people being left. Śāriputra! Those arrogant people may go. Now listen to me attentively! I will expound [the Dharma] to you.”
Śāriputra said, “Certainly, World-Honored One! I wish to hear you.”
Each time I cycle through the Lotus Sūtra I am struck by this demonstration of arrogance. Imagine having the opportunity to hear the Dharma from the Buddha and deciding, nope, I know the truth; no need to stick around for this.