The lotus [flower symbolizes] that we and all beings have a Buddha-nature. Generally, most plants seed after blooming, but the lotus has already seeded when the flower has bloomed. This shows that we, human beings, were born with the seed of the Buddha-nature originally. Because of the seed we can achieve enlightenment, like the Buddha. Again, this shows a primary teaching of the Lotus Sutra: “We already have a seed of Buddha.”
Spring WritingsAuthor: John Hughes
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Day 39 of 100
What kinds of doctrines are expounded in such a precious sūtra entitled the Lotus Sūtra? Beginning with the “Expedients” chapter in the first fascicle, the sūtra expounds that bodhisattvas, Two Vehicles (Śrāvaka and Pratyekabuddha) and ordinary people are all able to attain Buddhahood, though there is no actual proof yet. Suppose a guest visits you for the first time. He looks fine, speaks politely, and there is nothing dubious about his words, but until you confirm the truth about him, it would be difficult to believe him from merely his words. In such a case, if something important happens one after another to confirm his words, you can trust him thereafter without hesitation.
Although we believed the doctrine of attainment of Buddhahood by all living bewings because it was preached by the Buddha, it was difficult for some to fully accept it because of the lack of actual proof. However, it all became clear when the most important doctrine of becoming a Buddha with one’s present body was expounded in the “Devadatta” chapter in the fifth fascicle of the Lotus Sūtra. It is like turning black lacquer into white or purifying dirty water by putting a wish-fulfilling gem in it. The Buddha helped a small snake, who was actually a daughter of the dragon king, attain Buddhahood with her present body. From that moment, no one could have the slightest doubt about all men attaining Buddhahood. Therefore, the Lotus Sūtra expounds attainment of Buddhahood by all people after the model of enlightenment of women. Grand Master Dengyō of Mt. Hiei, who first spread the true meaning of the Lotus Sūtra in Japan, annotated in his Outstanding Principles of the Lotus Sūtra, “Neither the dragon girl, who became a Buddha to preach the dharma, nor the people who heard her preach the dharma needed a roundabout way to Buddhahood. They immediately attained Buddhahood with their present bodies by the power of the Wonderful Dharma.”
Sennichi-ama Gozen Gohenji, A Reply to My Lady Nun Sennici, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Pages 146-147
The story of the attainment of enlightenment by the 8-year-old daughter of Dragon King Sagara is often held up as an example of the promise that women can become Buddhas. The fact that the Dragon King’s daughter goes through an instant metamorphosis to become an adult man before instantly becoming a Buddha disappoints those who wish to see a female human become a Buddha. The real lesson here is made manifest when she is described as “a small snake, who was actually a daughter of the dragon king.” Viewed from this perspective, the small female snake’s transformation into an adult man who becomes a Buddha is a clear message – even animals can attain Buddhahood, thus showing that all nine realms contain the door to the 10th realm, Buddhahood.
The declaration that women can become Buddhas comes in the following chapter, Encouragement for Keeping this Sūtra, when Maha-Prajapati Bhikṣunī and Yasodhara Bhikṣunī and six thousand other bhikṣunīs in the congregation are assured of their future Buddhahood.
100 Days of Study
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Daily Dharma – April 8, 2018
The Buddhas seldom appear in the worlds.
It is difficult to meet them.
Even when they do appear in the worlds,
They seldom expound the Dharma.The Buddha proclaims these verses in Chapter Two of the Lotus Sūtra. Later in the Sūtra he explains that in reality he became enlightened far in the past and will continue to lead all beings to enlightenment far into the future. The reason the Buddhas appear so rarely is not because they conceal themselves. It is because we do not recognize them for what they are. We cannot see the air we breathe, but it is crucial for our lives. Because of this we often take it for granted, unless we are so afflicted, or the air is so poisoned that we cannot breathe. Then we are aware of it. Likewise, the Buddha Dharma is available to us all the time.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
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Day 9
Day 9 covers Chapter 5, The Simile of Herbs, and introduces Chapter 6, Assurance of Future Buddhahood.
Having last month considered the variety among the plants in the Simile of the Herbs, we consider the variety in the fruits of the rainfall of the Dharma.
Although my teachings are of the same content to anyone
Just as the rain is of the same taste,
The hearers receive my teachings differently
According to their capacities
Just as the plants receive
Different amounts of the rain water.I now expediently reveal the Dharma with this simile.
I expound one truth with various discourses.
This simile is only one of the expedients
Employed by my wisdom,
Just as a drop of sea water is
Part of the great ocean.Though I water all living beings of the world
With the same rain of the Dharma,
They practice the teachings
Of the same taste differently
According to their capacities,
Just as the herbs and trees
In thickets and forests
Grew gradually according to their species.The Buddhas always expound
The teachings of the same taste
In order to cause all living beings of the world
To understand the Dharma.
Those who practice the teachings continuously
Will obtain [ various fruits of] enlightenment. -
The Departure of the 5,000
[In Chapter 2, Expedients, T]he Buddha confirmed the existence of the highest truth, which can be attained only by a Buddha. The next question is, how does Sakyamuni Buddha expound this highest truth to living beings? That is what Sariputra and the entire congregation wanted to know. Three times Sariputra asked for an explanation, but three times his request was denied. (This is called the “Three Requests and the Three Denials.”) Sakyamuni had good reason to refuse Sariputra’s requests. The audience, you may recall, was composed mostly of followers of the Lesser Vehicle. These people had spent long years of their lives in rigorous religious exercises and were convinced they had finally arrived at the truth. They were called arhats—perfect ones. Most of them would feel insulted to hear that they had been on the wrong track all this time. It is difficult to be told that one is wrong, especially after having worked so hard and accomplished so much.
Finally, however, Sakyamuni decided to accept the earnest pleas of Sariputra. Before he even began to speak, five thousand monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen from the congregation stood up and walked out. They were sure that they already knew the highest truth, and saw no need to listen any more. Like religious fanatics everywhere, they were arrogant in their assurance and unwilling to be contradicted or be littled. The Buddha remained silent and made no move to prevent them from leaving. “Let the arrogant ones go!” he told Sariputra. “Listen carefully, and I will explain it to you.”
Introduction to the Lotus Sutra
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Death as an Illusion
The fact of death is an illusion, but a necessary one along our path. Imagine if we had no death. If there were not the fact of death I am guessing people would value life even less than many appear to do so now. Yet, death is an illusion to the fact of the eternity of life and the eternity of Buddhahood. I like to say that death keeps us honest. If it weren’t for death we may not work to change our lives or at least not in any highly motivated way. Death is the constant reminder of the necessity of working toward manifesting our own enlightenment.
Lecture on the Lotus Sutra
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Day 38 of 100
Some of my disciples pretend to know the details of doctrines. They are mistaken. The odaimoku, Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō, is the essence of the Lotus Sūtra. It is like a human being’s spirit. If any other teachings were to be added to the odaimoku, it would be the cause of great trouble. It would be like the Empress marrying two Emperors, or committing adultery. The teachings of the Lotus Sūtra did not spread far enough during the Ages of the True Dharma and the Semblance Dharma. This was because these periods were intended for other sūtras.
We are presently living in the Latter Age of Degeneration. The Lotus Sūtra and other sūtras are no longer efficacious in bringing about enlightenment. Only the odaimoku can accomplish this. This is not my arbitrary opinion. It was so-arranged by the Buddha, the Buddha of Many Treasures, various Buddhas from all over the universe, and numerous great bodhisattvas from beneath the earth such as Superior Practice Bodhisattva.
It is a serious mistake to mix other teachings with the odaimoku. For example, when the sun rises, we no longer need to use lamps. When it rains, the dew is of no use. A baby does not need any nourishment except for milk. We do not need to add supplements to effective medicine.
Ueno-dono Gohenji, A Reply to Lord Ueno, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 119
In these first 38 days, I’ve have repeatedly expressed what could be construed as doubts about relying solely on the odaimoku – Day 30, Day 24 and Day 18. Clearly this letter nixes that discussion.
100 Days of Study
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Daily Dharma – April 7, 2018
World-Honored One! It is by my supernatural powers, know this, that a Bodhisattva can hear these dhāraṇīs. Anyone who keeps the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma [while it is] propagated in the Jambudvīpa, should think, ‘I can keep [this sūtra] only by the supernatural powers of Universal-Sage.’
Universal-Sage Bodhisattva (Fugen, Samantabhadra) makes this declaration to the Buddha in Chapter Twenty-Eight of the Lotus Sūtra. The supernatural powers of this Bodhisattva are beyond the perception of our human senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell and thought. When we hear thunder, we know something causes it whether or not we understand that cause. In the same way, when we are practicing this Wonderful Dharma, we know it is because of the great help we receive from innumerable beings, even if we do not understand the powers they use to reach us.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
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Day 8
Day 8 concludes Chapter 4, Understanding by Faith, and closes the second volume of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
Having last month considered how the Buddha is like the rich man in the parable, we consider how the śrāvakas are like the rich man’s son.
The poor son came to his father,
And took custody
Of the things of his father,
But wished to take none of them.The same can be said of us.
We did not wish to have the treasure-store
Of the teachings of the Buddhas
Although we expounded it [to the Bodhisattvas].We were satisfied with the elimination
Of illusions within ourselves.
What we accomplished was that elimination.
We did nothing more.You told us
To purify the world of the Buddha
And teach all living beings.
We heard this, but did not wish to do so
Because we had already attained the truth:
“All things are void and tranquil.
Nothing appears or disappears.
Nothing is larger or smaller.
Nothing has āsravas.
Nothing is subject to cause and effect.”
Having thought this, we did not wish
To do [the Bodhisattva practices].In the long night
We did not care
For the wisdom of the Buddha.
We did not wish to have it.
We thought:
“The Dharma we attained is perfect.”Having studied the truth of the Void in the long night,
We emancipated ourselves
From the sufferings of the triple world,
Attained the Nirvāṇa-with-remainder,
And reached the final stage
Of our physical existence.You said [to us]:
“When you attain enlightenment infallibly,
You will have already repaid
The favors I gave you.”Although we expounded to the sons of the Buddha
The teachings for Bodhisattvas in order to cause them
To seek the enlightenment of the Buddha,
We did not wish to attain
The same enlightenment for ourselves.
You, our Leader, left us alone because you knew this.
You did not persuade us
To seek the enlightenment of the Buddha.
You did not say
That we should be able to have real benefits.The rich man knew
That his son was base and mean.
Therefore, he made him nobler
With expedients,
And then gave him
All his treasures.In the same manner,
You knew that we wished
To hear the Lesser Vehicle.
Therefore, you did a rare thing.
You prepared us with expedients,
And then taught us the great wisdom. -
Heavenly King Brahman
What is the significance of expedients? First of all, let us think about this question from the standpoint of Buddhism in general.
There is a legend that Sakyamuni, when he attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree at Buddha Gaya, in north-eastern India, was so impressed by its profundity that he remained motionless for hours. Then the Heavenly King Brahman, the lord of our world, came to him and said, “Your state of enlightenment is, indeed, impressive. Nevertheless, no matter how wonderful it may be to you, what good is it to anyone else? How are you going to serve people if you remain silent? Now that you have attained the ultimate truth, Please expound it to the people of the world and deliver them, too, from suffering.” After considering this request, Sakyamuni nodded in agreement, rose from his seat, and set out for Sarnath, where he delivered his first sermon
This legend shows that the profound depth of the Buddha’s enlightenment is almost impossible to express in words. (Otherwise the Buddha would have taught it immediately.) Nevertheless, it must be presented in words and expressed somehow if it is to help people. Words, however, are not always the perfect means of representing facts; they can express only part of them. For instance, we often find it difficult to express our innermost thoughts or complicated physical problems in words. (Physicists generally must resort to mathematical formulae; musicians use music; artists paint, and so on.)
Introduction to the Lotus Sutra