I’ve been waiting since Jan. 17 to get to this point in my monthly review of the Sutra of Innumerable Meanings so that I can discuss something I discovered in my reading for an online class I’m taking on the Lotus Sutra offered by Rissho Kōsei-kai in North America (RKINA).
As preparation for the class discussion on the first chapter of the sutra, I discovered a very significant difference in Rissho Kōsei-kai’s “modern” translation published in 2019 and the BDK English Tripiṭaka translation that I use in my monthly practice.
Here’s the Rissho Kōsei-kai translation of the gāthās describing the attributes of the Buddha and his manifestation:
“He has forever put an end to fantasies and delusional thoughts,
Having transcended all elements of experience,
His physical existence is neither being nor nothingness.
It has neither causes nor conditions and is neither itself nor something else.
It is neither square nor round, not short or long;
Neither appearing nor disappearing, not arising or perishing;
Neither created nor arisen, not made or produced;
Neither sitting nor lying, not walking or stopping;
Neither moving nor turning, not calm or quiet;
Neither advancing nor retreating, not in safety or danger;
Neither right nor wrong, having no gain or loss;
Neither this nor that, not coming or going;
Neither blue nor yellow, not red or white;
Neither crimson nor purple, and not any other color.
He is born of precepts, meditation, wisdom, emancipation, and perception.
He springs forth from the merits of samadhi, the six transcendent powers, and the practices that assist the Way.
He arises from compassion, the ten powers, and fearlessness.
And he comes forth as a result of his good karma as a living being.”
Note in that last line: “He comes forth as a result of his good karma as a living being.”
The BDK English Tripiṭaka translation renders that last line:
“And emerges according to the good karmic actions of living beings.”
In reading these verses I’ve always enjoyed this revelation that the Buddha, having removed himself from provisional existence, shows himself and makes himself available to us through his merits and powers because of “the good karmic actions of living beings.”
My good causes make it possible to see the Buddha in my life.
I have three additional translations of this sutra.
Gene Reeves says, “He emerges from / The good actions of living beings”
Burton Watson says, “emerging because of the good actions of living beings.”
And Rissho Kosei-Kai’s 1975 translation says, “He has come in response / To good karmas of living beings.”
This is not an insignificant difference. The Buddha’s reliance on the “good karmas of living beings” is an important lesson we should take to heart.
