All posts by John Hughes

WONS

Blind Fools

Someone may wonder: “Among the sūtras transmitted to China and Japan, not one may be superior to the Lotus Sūtra. But there are numerous sūtras in India, in the Dragon Palace, in the heavens of the Four Heavenly Kings, in the sun and moon and in Trāyastriṃsá Heaven (abode of Indra at the top of Mt. Sumeru) and Tuṣita Heaven (abode of Bodhisattva Maitreya). It may be possible to find a sūtra among them which is superior to the Lotus Sūtra.”

In response, I would say that we can judge in general by observing one instance. We can see what is going on in the world without going out of the door. Ignorant people who look at the sky only in the south without looking at the sky in other directions may think that there is a sun in each direction. Seeing smoke hanging over a mountain, they may say that it is not a fire, because they do not see any flames. Those who think in such a way, you should know, are icchantika. They are nothing but blind fools!

Hōon-jō, Essay on Gratitude, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Pages 5.

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Dec. 31, 2020

When the Buddha expounded this Chapter of Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva, the eighty-four thousand people, who had come accompanying Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva, obtained the ability to practice the samādhi by which they could transform themselves into other living beings. Innumerable Bodhisattvas of this Sahā-World also obtained the ability to practice this samādhi.

This description comes at the end of Chapter Twenty-Four of the Lotus Sūtra. In the story, Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva had come to our world of conflict and delusion from his perfect world to hear the Buddha teach the Wonderful Dharma. The Bodhisattvas in this world asked the Buddha about the transformations Wonderful-Voice made to benefit others. This chapter shows how those beings who have vowed to benefit us appear in ways we may not recognize right away. It also shows us the capability we have as Bodhisattvas to transform ourselves for the benefit of others.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

LS32

Day 15

Day 15 concludes Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma, and opens Chapter 11, Beholding the Stūpa of Treasures.

Day 15 Text with annotationsPlay MP3
Having last month considered the merits of the Lotus Sutra at the start of today’s portion of Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma, we consider the thirsty man on a plateau.

“Medicine-King! Erect a stupa of the seven treasures in any place where this sūtra is expounded, read, recited or copied, or in any place where a copy of this sūtra exists! The stupa should be tall, spacious and adorned. You need not enshrine my śarīras in the stupa. Why not? It is because it will contain my perfect body. Offer flowers, incense, necklaces, canopies, banners, streamers, music and songs of praise to the stupa! Respect the stupa, honor it, and praise it! Anyone who, after seeing the stupa, bows to it, and makes offerings to it, know this, will approach Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.

“Medicine-King! Although many laymen or monks will practice the Way of Bodhisattvas, they will not be able to practice it satisfactorily, know this, unless they see, hear, read, recite, copy or keep this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma or make offerings to it. If they hear this sūtra, they will. Anyone who, while seeking the enlightenment of the Buddha, sees or hears this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, and after hearing it, understands it by faith and keeps it, know this, will approach Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.

“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].

See Even A Single Verse Can Plant a Seed

LS32, d14b, stories

Even A Single Verse Can Plant a Seed

[I]t is sometimes said that the Lotus Sutra offers an easy way to awakening, and that this is why it has been so popular throughout the history of East Asia, and, judging by the large number of fragments that continue to be found, probably it was once popular in India and Central Asia as well. But is the way of the Dharma Flower Sutra so easy?

This matter is a little complicated, because, as is so often the case with this text, two things are asserted that seem incompatible on the surface. On the one hand, it teaches that anyone and everyone can be, and to some degree, no doubt, has already been, a Dharma teacher and bodhisattva for someone else. We can say that all have planted seeds of becoming a buddha, or that they have entered the Way of becoming a buddha. In Chapter 10 we are told that if anyone rejoices even for a single moment from hearing even a single verse of the Sutra, he or she will attain supreme awakening. Please notice, however, that it does not say “has” attained supreme awakening, but “will.” What is between the hearing of a single verse and the attainment of awakening is, at least normally, a great deal of effort and work. As we have seen, the treasure we seek is at once both near and very distant – and what the Sutra teaches here is that even a single verse can plant a seed, a starting point for entering the Way. Like any seed, the seed and the bud that springs from it have to be watered and nourished in order to grow, flower, and bear fruit.

The Stories of the Lotus Sutra, p128
Peaceful Action

The Action of Non-Action

Quote

The Sutra in Forty-Two Chapters, the earliest sutra to be translated into Chinese, in the second century C.E., has the line, “The Dharma I offer is the practice of non-practice, the action of non-action.” We think of action and non-action as two different things. When we say, “Don’t just sit there, do something!” we are urging people to act. But if someone is in a poor state of being, if they don’t have enough peace, enough understanding, enough inclusiveness, if they still have a lot of anger and fear, then not only will their action have no value, it may even be harmful. The quality of our action depends on the quality of our being: skillful action arises from the foundation of being, and being is non-action. So the calm, mindful, fully present quality of our being, the quality of our non-action, is already a kind of “action” in this sense.

Peaceful Action, Open Heart, p154-155
WONS

The Dharma Jewel of Ichinen Sanzen

The concepts of attaining enlightenment by the Two Vehicles and the Eternal Buddha are vital to the Lotus Sūtra. Although these concepts can scarcely be found in other sūtras, it is not at all uncommon in the Lotus Sūtra. The doctrine of Ichinen Sanzen, or the “Three Thousand Existences in One Thought,” is the rarest and the most miraculous. This theory is revealed neither in the Flower Garland nor Great Sun Buddha Sūtras. Moreover, the founders of the eight Buddhist sects, except for Grand Master T’ien-t’ai, did not know even its name. The great philosophers Nāgārjuna and Vasubandhu of India knew it, but locked this important dharma jewel of Ichinen Sanzen deep within their hearts instead of writing it down for others to see.

Shōjō Daijō Fumbetsu-shō, The Differences between Hinayāna and Mahāyāna Teachings, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 193

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Dec. 30, 2020

T’ien’tai, therefore, makes clear that all things and phenomena in the ten realms are manifestations of the ultimate reality. Since ultimate reality is another name of the Lotus Sutra, what he states is that all things and phenomena are equal to the Lotus Sutra.

Nichiren wrote this as part of his letter to monk Sairen-bō in his Treatise on All Phenomena as Ultimate Reality (Shohō-Jissō Shō). This was another way of Nichiren expressing his understanding that the Buddha’s highest wisdom is not something that takes us out of this world, but is found within the everyday experiences of our lives. Even the realms of anger, greed, fear, hostility, calm and pleasure are part of the Buddha’s pure land. The practice of the Wonderful Dharma is not to escape from these difficult places, but to use them to benefit all beings. To be caught up in them is to be deluded about their evanescent nature. To see them for what they are is to know the joy of enlightenment.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

LS32

Day 14

Day 14 covers all of Chapter 9, The Assurance of Future Buddhahood of the Śrāvakas Who Have Something More to Learn and the Śrāvakas Who Have Nothing More to Learn, and opens Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma.

Day 14 Text with annotationsPlay MP3
Having last month concluded Chapter 9, we hear the World-Honored One address Medicine-King Bodhisattva in the presence of the eighty thousand great men as we open today’s portion of Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma.

Thereupon the World-Honored One said to Medicine-King Bodhisattva in the presence of the eighty thousand great men:

“Medicine-King! Do you see the innumerable gods, dragon­kings, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, men, and nonhuman beings, and [the four kinds of devotees:] bhikṣus, bhikṣunīs, upāsakās, and upāsikās, and those who are seeking Śrāvakahood or Pratyekabuddhahood or the enlightenment of the Buddha in this great multitude? If in my presence any of them rejoices, even on a moment’s thought, at hearing even a gāthā or a phrase of the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, I will assure him of his future Buddhahood, saying to him, ‘You will be able to attain Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.’ ”

The Buddha said to Medicine-King:

“If after my extinction anyone rejoices, even on a moment’s thought, at hearing even a gāthā or a phrase of the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, I also will assure him of his future attainment of Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. If anyone keeps, reads, recites, expounds and copies even a gāthā of the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, and respects a copy of this sūtra just as he respects me, and offers flowers, incense, necklaces, incense powder, incense applicable to the skin, incense to burn, canopies, banners, streamers, garments and music to it, or just joins his hands together respectfully towards it, Medicine-King, know this, he should be considered to have appeared in the world of men out of his compassion towards all living beings, although he already made offerings to ten billion Buddhas and fulfilled his great vow under those Buddhas in a previous existence.

See An Emissary of the Buddha

LS32, d14b, stories

An Emissary of the Buddha

[W]ith “bodhisattva” being associated in our minds with such great ones as Maitreya and Manjushri, it may be very difficult for us to believe that we are capable of being bodhisattvas. We are too young, we may think, or too old or too stupid or too tired or too lazy or too selfish or too something else to be a bodhisattva! It’s impossible, we may feel. This is where Chapter 10, and the idea of the teacher of the Dharma, comes in. It may be hard for me to believe that I can be a bodhisattva, but not as difficult to believe that I might be a good man or good woman who is able “even in secret, to teach to one person even one phrase of the Dharma Flower Sutra” and, therefore, be an emissary of the Buddha, one who does the Buddha’s work. In other words, Chapter 10 gives us what may be perceived to be a more attainable goal.

What’s more, the gender gap so often prevalent in Buddhist texts is broken through here. Not only buddhas, but all of the famous, great mythical bodhisattvas are male, almost always dressed as Indian princes. But “any good son or good daughter,” the text says, who privately explains even a phrase of the Sutra to a single person is a messenger of the Buddha, one who does the Buddha’s work.

The Stories of the Lotus Sutra, p126-127
d26b, d27b, Peaceful Action

The Sphere of Devotion, Faith, and Gratitude

Chapter 23 of the Lotus Sutra, “The Former Affairs of the Bodhisattva Medicine King,” introduces us to another great bodhisattva, Bhaisajyaraja, Medicine King. Bhaisaiya means medicine, raja means king. Just like Sadaparibhuta, this bodhisattva is also a model of enlightened action. Medicine King realizes the teachings of the Lotus Sutra in another sphere of action, the sphere of devotion, faith, and gratitude. Without faith it is not possible for human beings to live. Without love we cannot truly realize our full humanity. We practice the Dharma not only to gain knowledge but to transform ourselves into someone who is capable of love, affection, and gratitude. Medicine King represents this aspect. The bodhisattvas in the Lotus Sutra are the arms and hands of the Buddha, carrying out the various actions of the Buddha. Just as Bodhisattva Sadaparibhuta has a specific role to play, Medicine King Bodhisattva has another role to play.

Peaceful Action, Open Heart, p154