The narrative … told by the four sravakas is called the “Parable of the Rich Man and His Poor Son.” As we can see from what they have said, the Lesser Vehicle which they had been following stressed escape from this world of sorrows into a pure world of contemplation. Its concept of enlightenment was also passive. It concluded that “nothing is different from anything else,” and “there is nothing more to seek.” This view rejected the reality of this world and the necessity of working to change it. The Great Vehicle, on the other hand, interpreted the same doctrine [that nothing is substantial] positively as becoming a buddha in this world and transforming it into a buddha-world. Enlightenment is to be achieved within the turmoil of our daily life, not in silent seclusion. The four “hearers” now realize that they, too, have obtained the wonderful law of the Great Vehicle and have departed from the passivity of the Lesser Vehicle.
Introduction to the Lotus SutraAuthor: John Hughes
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The Law of Dependent Origination
The Buddhist law of dependent origination is the logical integration of the first two seals of the Law. In simple terms, dependent origination means that every effect has a definite cause and every cause a definite effect. Nothing comes into being by accident. Actions do not occur in a haphazard fashion. Only when certain causes and conditions are present can a particular effect or result be achieved. This is by no means to imply an all-encompassing first cause like divine will or a foreordained plan for life. Causes and conditions vary in infinite ways to generate infinite kinds of results. But for any fixed set of causes and conditions, the result, too, is fixed.
Basic Buddhist Concepts
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Day 5 of 100
Now, two ways of propagation, the persuasive and aggressive, are incompatible with each other just as water and fire are. The fire dislikes the water, and the water hates the fire. Those who prefer the persuasive tend to laugh at those who practice the aggressive and vice versa. So, when the land is full of evil and ignorant people, the persuasive means should take precedence as preached in the “Peaceful Practices” (14th) chapter of the Lotus Sutra. However, when there are many cunning slanderers of the True Dharma, the aggressive means should take precedence as preached in the “Never-Despising Bodhisattva” (20th) chapter.
It is the same as using cold water when it is hot and fire when it is cold. Plants and trees are followers of the sun, so they dislike the cold moon. Bodies of water are followers of the moon, so they lose their true nature when it is hot. As there are lands of evil men as well as those of slanderers of the True Dharma in this Latter Age of Degeneration, there should be both aggressive and persuasive means of spreading the True Dharma.
Kaimoku-shō, Open Your Eyes to the Lotus Teaching, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 111
I find it amusing that, in his next letter, Nichiren wrote Toki Jonin: “I wrote a little about the teaching of the Buddha and gave it to the messenger of Lord Shijō Kingo the other day.” I just can’t imagine anyone describing Kaimoku-shō as “a little” anything.
Having concluded Kaimoku-shō, I want to include some of the Notes that follow for future reference.
Kalpa is a Sanskrit term meaning an immeasurably long period of time, said to be the period required to erupt)’ a city full of poppy seeds by taking away one every three years, or for an angel to wear away a ten-mile-cubic stone by touching it with her robe once every three years.
It is believed that the world goes through four kalpa (periods) of construction, continuance, destruction, and emptiness, each of which consists of 20 small kalpas. The average human longevity in a small kalpa increases by a year per century from 10 years until it reaches the maximum human longevity of 84,000 years. After it reaches the maximum human longevity, the human life grows shorter by a year per century until it reaches the minimum average human longevity of 10 years. This is repeated 20 times within a kalpa.
Eight Winds refer to the eight elements which arouse one’s love and hate: profit, sorrow, slander, fame, praise, censure, pain, and pleasure.
100 Days of Study
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Daily Dharma – March 5, 2018
To see a Buddha is as difficult
As to see an udumbara[-flower].
To avert a misfortune is also difficult.These verses are sung by two sons of a king in a story told by the Buddha in Chapter Twenty-Seven of the Lotus Sūtra. In the story, the boys have heard the Dharma from a previous Buddha and are asking permission from their parents to leave home and follow that Buddha. The legend of the udumbara flower is that it only blooms every 3000 years. Meeting a Buddha is not to be taken for granted. However, it is still important to remember the ties of our families. Rather than leaving in secret from their home, the sons’ asking permission from their parents creates more benefits. The King and Queen accompany their sons and learn the Wonderful Dharma. As Bodhisattvas it is important to use our relationships wisely as we lead all beings to enlightenment.
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 7
Day 7 concludes Chapter 3, A Parable, and begins Chapter 4, Understanding by Faith.
Having last month considered the consequences for slandering the sūtra, we learn to whom to expound the Lotus Sūtra.
Therefore,
I tell you.
Do not expound this sūtra
To people of no wisdom!Expound it to clever people
Who have profound wisdom,
Who hear much,
Who remember well,
And who seek
The enlightenment of the Buddha!Expound it to those who have seen
Many thousands of myriads
Of millions of Buddhas
And planted the roots of good
In their previous existence,
And who are now resolute in mind!Expound it
To those who make efforts,
Who have compassion towards others,
And who do not spare their lives!Expound it to those
Who respect others,
Who have no perfidy in them,
Who keep away from ignorant people,
And who live alone
In mountains or valleys!Śāriputra!
Expound it to those
Who keep away
From evil friends,
And who approach
Good friends!Expound it to the Buddha’s sons
Who keep the precepts
As cleanly and as purely
As they keep gems,
And who seek
The sūtra of the Great Vehicle!Expound it to those
Who are not angry
But upright, gentle,
Compassionate
Towards all others,
And respectful to the Buddhas! -
The Ultimate Truth
The idea of the One Vehicle can be applied to the secular world as well. The diversification of world culture has created differences in ideas, or in the ways of thinking, among nations. Human culture has developed as a result of our search for the ultimate truth. In the process of cultural advancement through the pursuit of ultimate truth, conflicts often emerge due to our many theoretical differences. History tells us that these confrontations sometimes lead to bitter disputes or even war. Despite all differences in the process, however, these theories or ideas must eventually be unified, because they are all leading to the one single goal of the ultimate truth. The Lotus Sutra clarifies this concept through the teaching of the One Vehicle.
Introduction to the Lotus Sutra
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The Practice of the Seven Characters
Through the practice of the seven characters of the Odaimoku – Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo – people can unite with the Eternal Buddha as a part of his life. This is known as Sokushin Jōbutsu, attaining Buddhahood with one’s present form. This is also referred to as Juji Jōbutsu, attaining Buddhahood by upholding the Lotus Sūtra and the Odaimoku and practicing the Sūtra in one’s daily life.
Buddha Seed: Understanding the Odaimoku
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Day 4 of 100
Leaving aside this question, I will write this for my followers. Others will not believe in me and go to hell for slandering the True Dharma, which would in turn cause them to obtain Buddhahood. It is possible to know the salinity of the ocean by tasting one drop of water, and the advent of spring by seeing a flower bloom. In the same way without sailing thousands of miles over to Sung China, without spending as long as three years as Fa-hsien did to visit Mt. Sacred Eagle, without entering the Dragon Palace as Nāgārjuna did, without visiting Bodhisattva Maitreya as Asaṅga did, or without attending the “three meetings at two places for lectures on the Lotus Sutra (two on Mt. Sacred Eagle and one up in the sky) you will be able to perceive the relative merits of all the sutras preached by the Buddha during His lifetime by reading this writing of mine.
Kaimoku-shō, Open Your Eyes to the Lotus Teaching, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 89
When I read “Others will not believe in me and go to hell for slandering the True Dharma, which would in turn cause them to obtain Buddhahood,” I was reminded of Bodhisattva Never Despise.
In Chapter 20, Śākyamuni says about those who abused Bodhisattva Never Despise:
“Great-Power-Obtainer! The four kinds of devotees: the bhikṣus, bhikṣunīs, upāsakās, and upāsikās at that time failed to meet the Buddha, hear the Dharma, and see the Saṃgha for twenty thousand million kalpas because they abused me with anger. They suffered much in the Avici Hell for one thousand kalpas. Having expiated their sin in this way, they met [me, who was] Never-Despising Bodhisattva again, and were led into the Way to Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.
“Great-Power-Obtainer! What do you think of this? The four kinds of devotees who always abused [me, who was] that Bodhisattva at that time are now present here in this congregation in the persons of the five hundred Bodhisattvas including Bhadrapala, the five hundred bhikṣunīs including Lion-Moon, and the five hundred upāsakās including Thinking-Of-Buddha. Now they do not falter in seeking Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.
I ponder the idea: Could I have been a slanderer of the True Dharma in Nichiren’s day? Is that the source of my fortune to meet the True Dharma in this lifetime?
100 Days of Study
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Daily Dharma – March 4, 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
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Day 6
Day 6 continues Chapter 3, A Parable
Having last month heard in gāthās the dangerous, dreadful denizens of the burning house, we hear the house-owner warn his children.
At that time the house-owner
Was standing outside the gate.
He heard a man say to him:
“Some time ago
Your children entered this house to play.
They are young and ignorant.
They are engrossed in playing.”
Hearing this,
The rich man was frightened.
He rushed into the burning house.In order to save them
From burning to death,
He told them
Of the dangers of the house:
“There are demons and poisonous vermin here.
Flames have already spread all over.
Many sufferings are coming
One after another endlessly.
There are poisonous snakes,
Lizards, vipers,
Yakṣas, kumbhanda demons,
Small foxes, foxes, dogs,
Crested eagles, eagles,
Kites, owls and centipedes here.
They are unbearably hungry and thirsty.
They are dreadful.
These sufferings are difficult to avoid.
Worse still, there is a big fire.”Though the children heard his warning,
They were still engrossed in playing.
They did not stop playing
Because they were ignorant.