Nichiren Shonin attained enlightenment with the teaching of the Lotus Sutra, and controlled his mind with Odaimoku. Odaimoku has the power to lead us safely through life. Nichiren Shonin’s whole life shows us this. As you know, although Nichiren Shonin faced many persecutions and terrorism, he was able to survive and live through his 60 years of life because of his faith in the Lotus Sutra. We are always protected by Odaimoku. We should always keep a sincere mind for enlightenment, and chant Odaimoku.
Spring WritingsAll posts by John Hughes
Daily Dharma – July 2, 2017
Sometimes he chided him, saying:
“Work hard!”
At other times he coaxed him, saying:
“I will treat you as my son.”
These verses are part of the story of the Wayward Son told by Subhūti, Mahā-Kātyāyana, Mahā-Kāśyapa, and Mahā-Maudgalyāyana in Chapter Four of the Lotus Sūtra. The son in the story has become attached to his lowly existence. The father must teach him slowly with expedients to prepare him to come into his inheritance. The story explains the disciples’ understanding of how the Buddha uses expedients to prepare us to aspire for enlightenment. The Buddha leads each of us differently, and as we progress in our wisdom, he changes how he teaches us. All this is preparation for us to come into the Buddha’s own mind and enjoy his wisdom.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 17
Day 17 covers all of Chapter 12, Devadatta, and opens Chapter 13, Encouragement for Keeping this Sutra.
Having last month begun the story of the 8-year-old daughter of the dragon king, we hear the doubts of Accumulated-Wisdom Bodhisattva.
Accumulated-Wisdom Bodhisattva said:
“As far as I know, [when he was a Bodhisattva,] Śākyamuni Buddha sought Bodhi, that is, enlightenment incessantly for innumerable kalpas. He accumulated merits by practicing austerities. Even the smallest part, even the part as large as a poppy-seed of this world-this world being composed of one thousand million Sumeru-worlds-is not outside the places where the Bodhisattva made efforts to save all living beings at the cost of his life. It was after doing all this that he attained Bodhi, that is, enlightenment. I do not believe that this girl will be able to attain perfect enlightenment[, that is, to become a Buddha] in a moment.”
No sooner had he said this than the daughter of the dragon king came to [Śākyamuni] Buddha. She worshipped [his feet] with her head, retired, stood to one side, and praised him with gāthās:
You know the sins and merits
Of all living beings.
You illumine the worlds of the ten quarters.
Your wonderful, pure and sacred body
Is adorned with the thirty-two major marks
And with the eighty minor marks.Gods and men are looking up at you.
Dragons also respect you.
None of the living beings
Sees you without adoration.Only you know that I [am qualified to] attain Bodhi
Because I heard [the Dharma].
I will expound the teachings of the Great Vehicle
And save all living beings from suffering.
In the face of overwhelming doubts, the 8-year-old girl’s faith is resolute: “Only you know that I [am qualified to] attain Bodhi Because I heard [the Dharma].”
The Importance of Connection, Elevation and Transfer
The wealth of the man in the Parable of the Rich Man and His Poor Son may be presented in terms of money, gems, and land – in other words material possessions – but remember the wealthy man was not happy until he was able to reconnect with his son, was able to raise his son’s life condition, and finally was able to pass on his fortune. The idea of connection, elevation, and transfer are important concepts for us to keep in mind more so than focusing on the accumulation of material possessions.
If what we do in life does not encourage or enhance connections then it is doubtful we could effectively carry out the mission of being a Bodhisattva. Without connections with others we will not be able to cause them to elevate their life conditions nor will we really be able to teach them Buddhism. The treasure that we really gain from practicing Buddhism is the indestructible joy that arises from the depth of our life and is not dependent upon outside circumstances. Our greatest joy though I believe ultimately comes from “sharing that wealth” with others through establishing a bond with them and then showing through the example of our own life how to practice Buddhism and make the necessary changes.
Lecture on the Lotus SutraDaily Dharma – July 1, 2017
The Lotus Sutra is called “Zui-jii,” namely it expounds the true mind of the Buddha. Since the Buddha’s mind is so great, even if one does not understand the profound meaning of the sutra, one can gain innumerable merits by just reading it. Just as mugwort among hemp plants grows straight and a snake in a tube straightens itself, if one becomes friendly with good people, one’s mind, behavior and words become naturally gentle. Likewise, the Buddha thinks that those who believe in the Lotus Sutra become naturally virtuous.
Nichiren wrote this passage in his treatise The Sutra Preached in Accordance to [the Buddha’s] Own Mind (Zui-jii Gosho). In this passage, he makes clear what the Buddha meant by abandoning expedient teachings, and that the Lotus Sutra contains the Buddha’s highest teaching.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 16
Day 16 concludes Chapter 11, Beholding the Stūpa of Treasures, and completes the Fourth Volume of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
Having last month heard the difficult and easy tasks, we conclude Chapter 11.
Since I attained
The enlightenment of the Buddha,
I have expounded many sūtras
In innumerable worlds.This sūtra is
The most excellent.
To keep this sūtra
Is to keep me.Good men!
Who will receive and keep this sūtra,
And read and recite it
After my extinction?
Make a vow before me
[To do all this]!It is difficult to keep this sūtra.
I shall be glad to see
Anyone keeping it even for a moment.
So will all the other Buddhas.
He will be praised by all the Buddhas.
He will be a man of valor,
A man of endeavor.
He should be considered
To have already observed the precepts,
And practised the dhuta.
He will quickly attain
The unsurpassed enlightenment of the Buddha.Anyone who reads and recites this sūtra in the future
Is a true son of mine.
He shall be considered to live
On the stage of purity and good.Anyone, after my extinction,
Who understands the meaning of this sūtra,
Will be the eye of the worlds
Of gods and men.Anyone who expounds this sūtra
Even for a moment in this dreadful world,
Should be honored with offerings
By all gods and men.[Here ends] the Fourth Volume of the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
The Daily Dharma from March 20, 2017, offers this:
It is difficult to keep this sūtra.
I shall be glad to see
Anyone keeping it even for a moment.
So will all the other Buddhas.
The Buddha sings these verses in Chapter Eleven of the Lotus Sūtra. He is well aware of how hard it is to move from expedient teachings to the Wonderful Dharma. We have habits and attachments built up over many lifetimes, and live in a world that does not always support our practice. Still, one cannot underestimate the importance of trying, even for the briefest amount of time, to hold on to this teaching and bring it to life in this world.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Three Seals of the Dharma
It is important to understand that the Mahayana sutras are not meant to be literal records of actual sermons by the historical Shakyamuni Buddha. Nevertheless, they are recognized by Mahayana Buddhists as the “word” of the Buddha. This is because they conform to the “Three Seals or the Dharma.” The Three Seals of the Dharma refer to impermanence, selflessness, and the perfect peace of Nirvana. Traditionally, these three seals summarize the core insight of Shakyamuni Buddha. Any teaching that is consistent with them can be considered an authentic teaching of the Buddha.
Lotus SeedsDaily Dharma – June 30, 2017
Only you know that I [am qualified to] attain Bodhi
Because I heard [the Dharma].
I will expound the teachings of the Great Vehicle
And save all living beings from suffering.
These verses are sung to the Buddha by the eight-year-old daughter of the dragon-king Sāgara in Chapter Twelve of the Lotus Sūtra. She appeared before the congregation when called by the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī from whom she had been taught the Wonderful Dharma of the Lotus Sūtra. Most of those gathered did not believe that such a young creature, much less a female, could reach the same enlightenment as the Buddha. But then before their eyes, she made all the transformations necessary and began to teach the Wonderful Dharma herself.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 15
Day 15 concludes Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma, and opens Chapter 11, Beholding the Stūpa of Treasures.
Having last month learned of the benefits of expounding the sūtra, I want to pause before continuing wit the gāthās and return this:
“Medicine-King! Suppose a man on a plateau felt thirsty and sought water. He dug a hole in order to get water. As long as he saw the dug-out lumps of earth were dry, he knew that water was still far off. He went on digging, and then found the dug-out lumps of earth wet. When he finally found mud, he was convinced that water was near. In the same manner, know this, the Bodhisattvas who have not yet heard, understood or practised this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, are still far from Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. [The Bodhisattvas] who hear, understand, think over and practice this sūtra, will approach Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. Why is that? It is because Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi which all the Bodhisattvas [should attain] is expounded only in this sūtra. This sūtra opens the gate of expedients and reveals the seal of the truth. The store of this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma is sound and deep. No one can reach its core. Now I show it to the Bodhisattvas in order to teach them and cause them to attain [Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi].
This simile of the thirsty man on a plateau has always puzzled me. I couldn’t see a way to apply this to my life. That is until today when it occurred to me that I was like the thirsty man on a plateau more than 28 years ago when, recently divorced, I felt a thirst for something spiritual that had been missing in my life. I dug in search of something to quench this thirst and eventually was introduced to Soka Gakkai. The ground was wet and for two decades I made do, extracting what water I could from the mud. Eventually I grew tired of the mud and decided to dig further, to explore more, to practice and study more. The effort led me to a clear spring of water within Nichiren Shu and the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma. Today I drink to my heart’s content.
Daily Dharma – June 29, 2017
They will see the reality of all things.
Knowing the position [of this sūtra in the series of sūtras],
And the names and words [of this sūtra], according to the meanings of it,
They will expound [this sūtra] as they understand it.
The Buddha sings these verses to Constant-Endeavor Bodhisattva in Chapter Nineteen of the Lotus Sūtra, describing those who keep the Lotus Sūtra. In our practice of the Wonderful Dharma, we may be able to enjoy the circumstances of being able to spend lots of time studying the Lotus Sūtra and the guidance given by our leader in this age of degeneration, Nichiren Shonin. But even if we do not have that luxury of time, as long as we remember how the Lotus Sūtra uses expedients to lead all beings to enlightenment, that the goal of this sūtra is not just to end suffering, we can teach it using our own capacities, however limited those may be. Each word of the sūtra is an embodiment of the Buddha. When we share these words with others, we share the Buddha.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com