Shariputra chimes in with his doubts about the dragon girl, almost scoffing, saying in effect, Who do you think you are so presumptuous to come here and claim to be able to become a Buddha so rapidly? The arrogance of the intellectual can be most harmful when we let our brain control our heart. Shariputra offers up the traditionally held objections to a woman becoming a king, which also transferred to beliefs about women becoming Buddhas. Those five objections are called the five impossibilities and are: a woman cannot become a Brahman-Heavenly-King, a King Sakra, a King Mara, a wheel-turning-holy-king, or a Buddha.
Lecture on the Lotus SutraAll posts by John Hughes
The Same Lotus Sūtra Is Preached for All
Many sūtras other than the Lotus preach variously according to the caliber of listeners. For instance the “five precepts” are preached for those in the human realm, the “ten good acts” for those in the realm of heaven, compassion and charity for the King of the Brahma Heaven, equal alms-giving among priests for the king of devils, 250 precepts for monks, 500 precepts for nuns, the four noble truths for men of śrāvaka, the 12 links of cause and effect for men of pratyekabuddha, and the six pāramitā for bodhisattvas. It is like water taking its shape according to the container or an elephant exerting its strength according to the enemy.
This is not the case with the Lotus Sūtra, in which the same Lotus Sūtra is preached for all the eight kinds of protectors of the Lotus Sūtra and four kinds of devotees. It is as if a ruler straightening a curved line or a lion exerting his full power regardless of the strength of its prey.
Shokyō to Hokekyō to Nan’I no Koto, The Difficulty and Easiness in Understanding the Lotus Sūtra and Other Sūtras, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 284
Daily Dharma – Nov. 27, 2021
I attained perfect enlightenment and now save all living beings because Devadatta was my teacher.
The Buddha makes this declaration in Chapter Twelve of the Lotus Sūtra. Devadatta was a cousin of the Buddha who became jealous of the Buddha’s enlightenment. Several times he tried to kill the Buddha. He also caused a split in the Buddha’s Sangha, and convinced a young prince to kill his father and usurp the throne. Devadatta was so evil that he fell into Hell alive. Despite all this, the Buddha credits Devadatta with helping him become enlightened, and assures Devadatta personally that he will become enlightened. This shows us that even those beings who create great harm have Buddha nature. They may not deserve our admiration, but they at least deserve our respect.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 6
Day 6 continues Chapter 3, A Parable
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.The rich man
Thought:
“They are ignorant.
My anxiety deepens
There is nothing pleasant
In this house.
But they are engrossed
In playing.
They do not listen to me.
They will be burned to death.”At the time
He thought of an expedient.
He said to them:
“I have many kinds of toys.
They are beautiful carts
Made of wonderful treasures.
They are sheep-carts, deer-carts,
And large bullock-carts.
They are outside the gate.
Come out!
I made those carts
For you.
Play with them
As you like!”Hearing of the carts from him,
They ran out,
Striving to be first,
And reached an open place.
They were now free
From the sufferings.
Revealing the True Nature of This Sahā World
History and Teachings of Nichiren Buddhism, p 90-91“The Duration of the Life of the Tathāgata” reveals the true nature of this Sahā world. Śākyamuni Buddha became a buddha in our Sahā world. Since he is the Eternal Buddha, the Sahā world is the world in which he resides. This describes our world as an eternal pure land.
“In reality this world of mine is peaceful.
It is filled with gods and men.
The gardens, forests, and stately buildings
Are adorned with various treasures;
The jeweled trees have many flowers and fruits;
The living beings are enjoying themselves.”If this is the reality of the Sahā world, then we are all residents of the eternal pure land. Why don’t we experience the Sahā world as an eternal pure land? According to the text, we are perverted people. This means that we cannot see straight but look at things from the wrong side. Thus it is revealed:
“This pure world of mine is indestructible.
But the perverted people think:
‘It is full of sorrow, fear and other sufferings.
It will soon burn away.”‘Although in the eyes of the Buddha the Sahā world is unmistakably a pure land, we perverted people experience is a world filled with sorrow, fear and sadness. We “sinful people” cannot escape our “evil karmas.”
‘Today the Fate of Another, Tomorrow Mine’
How pathetic it is that all the people in Japan today are delighted to see me, Nichiren, and my disciples and lay followers confronted by three types of powerful enemies and suffering from severe persecution. However, as it is said, “Today the fate of another, tomorrow mine,” their lives are as fragile as those of Nichiren and his disciples and lay followers. It is just like frost and dew lasting only until the sun rises. When, I, Nichiren, and my disciples and lay followers attain Buddhahood enjoying supreme happiness in the Pure Land of Tranquil Light, they will suffer in the bottom of the Hell of Incessant Suffering. Then what pity we shall feel for them, and how envious they shall be of us!
Nyosetsu Shugyō-shō, True Way of Practicing the Teaching of the Buddha, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 87
Daily Dharma – Nov. 26, 2021
Why was this bhikṣu called Never-Despising? It was because, every time he saw bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇis, upāsakas or upāsikās, he bowed to them and praised them, saying, ‘I respect you deeply. I do not despise you. Why is that? It is because you will be able to practice the Way of Bodhisattvas and become Buddhas.’
The Buddha gives this description of Never-Despising Bodhisattva in Chapter Twenty of the Lotus Sūtra. The only practice of this Bodhisattva was to show his respect to all people, whether or not they respected him. This practice was so important, the Buddha used it as an example of what he practiced in a previous life to enable him to become enlightened.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 5
Day 5 begins Chapter 3, A Parable
I once was attached to wrong views,
And became a teacher of the aspirants for the teaching of Brahman.
You expounded to me the teaching of Nirvāṇa,
And removed my wrong views because you understood me.
I gave up all those wrong views,
And attained the truth that nothing is substantial.At that time I thought
That I had attained extinction.’
But now I know
That the extinction I attained is not the true one.
When I become a Buddha in the future,
I shall be adorned with the thirty-two marks,
And respected
By gods, men, yakṣas, and dragons.
Only then I shall be able to say
That I have eliminated all [illusions].In the midst of the great multitude,
You said to me, “You will become a Buddha.”
Hearing this truthful voice,
All my doubts are gone.When I had heard this from you,
I was much frightened and perplexed; I thought:
“The Buddha troubles me.
Isn’t he Mara in the form of a Buddha?”You skillfully expound the Dharma with various parables and similes,
And with various stories of previous lives.
Now my mind is as peaceful as the sea.
Hearing you, I have removed the mesh of doubts.You said:
“The innumerable Buddhas in the past
Expounded the Dharma with expedients.
The numberless Buddhas at present
Also expound the Dharma
With expedients.
So will the countless Buddhas
In the future.”You appeared in this world,
Left your home, attained enlightenment,
And now turn the wheel of the Dharma,
Also with expedients.You expound the true teaching;
Papiyas does not.
Therefore, I know
That you are not a transformation of Mara.
I thought that the Dharma was expounded by Mara
Because I was in the mesh of doubts.I hear your gentle voice.
Your voice is deep and wonderful.
You expound the Pure Dharma.
My heart is filled with great joy.
All my doubts are gone.
I have obtained true wisdom.I shall become a Buddha without fail.
I shall be respected by gods and men.
I will turn the wheel of the unsurpassed Dharma,
And teach Bodhisattvas.
The Daily Dharma from March 29, 2021, offers this:
You skillfully expound the Dharma with various parables and similes,
And with various stories of previous lives.
Now my mind is as peaceful as the sea.
Hearing you, I have removed the mesh of doubts.
Śāriputra, the wisest of the Buddha’s disciples, sings these verses in Chapter Three of the Lotus Sūtra. After the Buddha announced in Chapter Two that he had not revealed his highest wisdom, that everything he had taught before then was preparation, Śāriputra was the first to understand what the Buddha meant. The parables, similes and other parts of the Lotus Sūtra help us to understand how to read them, and how to make them real in our lives. When we find the true purpose of what the Buddha is teaching us, our mind and the world become peaceful together.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Achieving Buddhahood Without a Beginning
History and Teachings of Nichiren Buddhism, p 90At the beginning of Chapter 16, “The Duration of the Life of the Tathāgata,” Śākyamuni Buddha asks his listeners three times to pledge their faithful reliance on what he is about to teach. Maitreya and the others assembled pronounce their firm conviction in response. Having completed this cautious procedure, the Buddha tells them:
Listen to me attentively! I will tell you about my hidden core and supernatural powers. The gods, men and asuras in the world think that I, Śākyamuni Buddha, left the palace of the Śākyas, sat at the place of enlightenment not far from the City of Gayā, and attained Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi forty and odd years ago. To tell the truth, good men, it is many hundreds of thousands of billions of nayutas of kalpas since I became the Buddha.
This means: “You all think that Śākyamuni left the Śākya palace, practiced hard, and achieved buddhahood forty-odd years ago near Gayā. But you’re wrong. An infinite amount of time has passed since I became a Buddha.” Thus Śākyamuni Buddha revealed that he had not achieved buddhahood recently, but is the Eternal Buddha who achieved buddhahood in the infinite past. This is referred to as “opening the near to reveal the far,” in Japanese kaigon-kennon, or “opening the traces to reveal the origin,” in Japanese kaishaku-kenpon. This means opening a temporary figure of the Buddha achieving buddhahood recently, and manifesting a original figure of the Buddha achieving buddhahood in the infinite past. In the Japanese characters, kai, is opening, ken, is manifesting.
The Meaning of Slandering
The Lotus Sūtra in the 13th chapter on the “Encouragement for Upholding This Sūtra” states, “Evil monks of the defiled world who do not know that the Buddha used expedient and provisional teachings will slander and scowl at practicers of the Lotus Sūtra. We will often be chased out of monasteries.”
It is also preached in the Nirvana Sūtra, “After My extinction, there will be hundreds, thousands, and many more besides, who do not believe in the Great Nirvana Sūtra and slander it. (…) The three kinds of Buddhists practicing the teachings for śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, and bodhisattvas will likewise hate this supreme Great Nirvana Sūtra.”
Monk Valued Opinion fell into the three evil realms (hell, realm of hungry spirits, and that of beasts and birds) because of his sin of slandering Bodhisattva Happy Root; and Thinking-of-Buddha and others suffered in the Hell of Incessant Suffering because of their sin of beating Never-Despising Bodhisattva. They all erred from not being able to distinguish between the Mahāyāna and Hinayāna and provisional and true teachings in Buddhism. As even the ignorant know that the ten evil acts and the five rebellious sins are grave crimes, they will hardly cause national destruction or the ruin of Buddhism. Consequently, it is stated in the Sūtra of the Benevolent King, “Unable to distinguish right from wrong, the king will put his faith in their (evil priests’) teachings.” It is also stated in the Nirvana Sūtra, “Those who commit the four major sins (killing, stealing, adultery and lying) and the five rebellious sins, with full knowledge of the seriousness of the sins they commit, have no abhorrence and repentance of their sins from the beginning, and no intention of confessing them.”
These scriptural passages show that slanderers of the True Dharma, themselves as well as those who believe in them, do not know the meaning of slandering, so they commit this grave sin, destroying the country and ruining Buddhism.
Sainan Taiji-shō, Treatise on the Elimination of Calamities, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 1, Pages 94-95