All posts by John Hughes

WONS

32 Marks of Physical Excellence

[A] Buddha … has 32 marks of physical excellence such as a “Brahma’s voice,” the top of His head which no one can see, a bump on top of His head, a curl of white hair that is always shining in the middle of His forehead, and dharma-cakra on the soles of His feet. It is said that in order to gain one of these 32 marks, one has to accumulate the merit of 100 “meritorious acts.” Suppose there is a great physician who can simultaneously open the eyes of all the blind in Japan, China, and the 16 great countries, 500 middle-sized countries, and 10,000 small countries that make up India, as well as the continent of Jambudvīpa, the four continents surrounding Mt. Sumeru, the six heavens in the realm of desire, and all the worlds in the universe. His work certainly falls in the category of “meritorious acts,” but only when he repeats the “meritorious acts” such as this 100 times can [he] receive one of the 32 marks of physical excellence. Accordingly, the merits of having one of these 32 marks is more numerous than the vegetation in the triple-thousand worlds or the number of raindrops in the entire world. It is said that during the kalpa of destruction a terrible wind known as sogyada would blow Mt. Sumeru up to the top of the realm of form smashing it to small pieces. Even such a fierce wind as this cannot move a single hair of a Buddha. It is also said that the Buddha has a great fire stored in His chest. It is called “Great Wisdom of Equality, Light of Great Knowledge, Fire Pit Meditation,” and He sometimes cremates Himself upon entering Nirvana in this fire. If heavenly beings and dragon gods in the six heavens of the realm of desire and oceans in the four directions gather together, and out of sorrow for the passing of the Buddha, they try to extinguish this great fire by causing such a great rain that all the lands in the whole universe are flooded and Mt. Sumeru begins to flow, it is said, they cannot extinguish this great fire of the Buddha.

Hōren-shō, Letter to Hōren, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 6, Followers I, Page 47

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – March 12, 2020

Mañjuśrī! A Bodhisattva-mahāsattva who performs this fourth set of [peaceful] practices after my extinction, will be able to expound the Dharma flawlessly. Bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, upāsikās, kings, princes, ministers, common people, brāhmaṇas and householders will make offerings to him, honor him, respect him, and praise him. The gods in the sky will always serve him in order to hear the Dharma from him. When someone comes to his abode located in a village, in a city, in a retired place or in a forest, and wishes to ask him a question, the gods will protect him day and night for the sake of the Dharma so that the hearer may rejoice because this sūtra was, is, and will be protected by the supernatural powers of the past, present and future Buddhas.

The Buddha gives this explanation to Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva in Chapter Fourteen of the Lotus Sūtra. The fourth set of peaceful practices is not blaming those who do not hear the Lotus Sūtra and resolving to save them when one becomes perfectly enlightened. Rather than becoming upset with those who do not accept this teaching, it is useful to know that we are not alone in wanting to save them, and that by reducing our own delusions we increase our capacity to benefit others.

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

LS32

Day 27

Day 27 concludes Chapter 23, The Previous Life of Medicine-King Bodhisattva.

Day 27 Text with annotationsPlay MP3

Having last month heard the Buddha reveal to Star-King-Flower Bodhisattva who Gladly-Seen-By-All-Beings Bodhisattva is today, we compare the Lotus Sūtra to all of the other sūtras.

“Star-King-Flower! Just as the sea is larger than the rivers, this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma is more profound than any of the other sūtras expounded by the Tathāgatas. Just as Mt. Sumeru is the largest of all the mountains including earth mountains, black mountains, the Small Surrounding Iron Mountains, the Great Surrounding Iron Mountains, and the Ten Treasure Mountains, this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma is above all the other sūtras. Just as the Moon God is brighter than the stars, this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma gives us more light than any of the other sūtras numbering thousands of billions. Just as the Sun God dispels all darkness, this sūtra drives away all the darkness of evils. Just as the wheel-turning-holy-king is superior to the kings of small countries, this sūtra is more honorable than the other sūtras. Just as King Sakra is the king of the thirty-three gods, this sūtra is the king of all the sūtras. Just as the Great Brahman Heavenly-King is the father of all living beings, this sūtra is the father of all the sages and saints, of the Śrāvakas who have something more to learn, of the Śrāvakas who have nothing more to learn, and of those who aspire for Bodhisattvahood. Just as Srota-āpannas, Sakrdāgāmins, Anāgāmins, Arhats, and Pratyekabuddhas are superior to ordinary men, this sūtra is superior to any of the other sūtras expounded either by Tathāgatas or by Bodhisattvas or by Śrāvakas. The person who keeps this sūtra is superior to any other living being. Just as Bodhisattvas are superior to Śrāvakas or to Pratyekabuddhas, this sūtra is superior to any other sūtra. Just as the Buddha is the king of the Dharma, this sūtra is the king of all the sūtras.

See The Gentle Path to the Truth

b4today, LS32, d27b

The Gentle Path to the Truth

In the ten similes praising the Lotus Sutra, this sutra is repeatedly stated to be the supreme and the most sublime of all sutras. This illustrates the Buddha’s intention to cause us to write indelibly on our hearts that our practice of the Law is the first essential for the accomplishment of the way to buddhahood.

Noteworthy among these similes is the following: “Just as the Great Brahma Heavenly King is the father of all living beings, so is it also with this sutra; it is the father of all the wise and holy men, of those training and the trained, and of the bodhisattva-minded.” In India, for a long time before Sakyamuni Buddha appeared in this world, people believed that the Great Brahma Heavenly King is the father of all living beings and that this heavenly king governs all creatures. In the simile mentioned above the Buddha does not say specifically that this is a mistaken idea, but preaches: “Just as all living beings regard the Great Brahma Heavenly King as their father, so this sutra is the father of them all.” It is a characteristic of Buddhism to lead ordinary people to the path of the truth in the gentle way shown here by the Buddha. He preaches, gently but firmly, “The truth is the father of all living beings.”

Buddhism for Today, p359
2buddhas, d21b

The Nonduality of Person and Land

The idea that the Buddha’s pure land is immanent in our deluded world by no means originated with Nichiren. The concept of the nonduality or inseparability of person and land, or of the living subject and their objective world (J. eshō funi), is integral to Zhiyi’s concept of three thousand realms in a single thought-moment. Because the environment mirrors the life condition of the persons inhabiting it, the world of hell dwellers would be hellish, while the world of a fully awakened person would be a buddha land. In light of the ichinen sanzen principle, to break through the narrow confines of the small self and to “see” or access the realm in which oneself (person) and everything else (environment) are mutually inclusive and inseparable is to realize enlightenment. As Zhanran expressed it, “You should know that one’s person and land are [both] the single thought-moment comprising three thousand realms. Therefore, when one attains the way, in accordance with this principle, one’s body and one’s mind in that moment pervade the dharma realm.” To manifest buddhahood is thus to experience this present world as the buddha land.

Two Buddhas, p189-190
d14b, WONS

‘He Will Be Covered by My Robe’

[I]t is stated in the Concise Chronicle of Japan:

“When Grand Master Dengyō lectured on the Lotus Sūtra for Great Bodhisattva Hachiman in the Jingūji Temple of Usa, the Great Bodhisattva Hachiman declared in a divine message when he had finished listening to the Grand Master: ‘I have been unable to hear the voices of Buddhist sūtras. Fortunately, today I was able to see the venerable Buddhist priest and listen to him speak about the true teaching of the Buddha. Moreover, he has accumulated much merit for me, for which I am deeply grateful. How can I express my gratitude to him? I will donate my treasured robe to him.’ Thereupon, the Shinto priest who received the divine message opened the door of Hachiman’s palace, respectfully held up a purple robe and a purple sash, and made a request of the Grand Master saying, ‘With your great compassion, please accept these donations.’ Surprised at the miraculous event, subordinate Shinto priests all uttered that they had never seen or heard anything as wonderful as this. This robe donated by the Great Bodhisattva Hachiman exists today in the Sannōin Temple on Mt. Hiei.”

… During the second 10-day period of the 11th month in the 20th year of Enryaku (801), Grand Master Dengyō invited more than ten high priests of the seven great temples in Nara representing the six schools of Buddhism to his lecture on the Lotus Sūtra held on Mt. Hiei. Wake no Hiroyo and his brother Matsuna lamented after listening to him speak: “It is regrettable that this wonderful teaching of the One Vehicle doctrine has not spread widely; it is sad that the perfect harmony of the triple truth has not been revealed.” They also sighed: “Both young and old cannot do away with the roundabout way of the provisional teaching to free themselves from the chain of delusion.”

Thereafter, on the 19th day of the first month in the 21st year of Enryaku (802), Emperor Kammu visited the Takaodera Temple, where he ordered the high priests of the six Buddhist schools in Nara and Grand Master Dengyō to meet in debate on their respective theologies. None of the 14 scholar-priests of Nara were able to answer questions, and they later submitted a letter of submission: “Many sūtras and commentaries have been expounded in more than 200 years since the rise of Buddhism through the efforts of Prince Shōitoku. They have been fighting one another for theoretical supremacy without definitely answering which is the supreme teaching. Besides, the teaching of this most wonderful Tendai Lotus School has not been spread.”

Reflecting on this, I believe that the true teaching of the Lotus Sūtra had not been revealed before Grand Master Dengyō. What was meant by the Great Bodhisattva Hachiman must have been this when he said in his divine message that “he had never seen or heard of it.” There is no question about this.

The Lotus Sūtra, fascicle 4 (chapter 10) preaches: “You should know that anyone who expounds even a phrase of the Lotus Sūtra even to one person even in secret after My extinction is My messenger (…) He will be covered by My robe. ” Contemplating this, I believe that as Maitreya Buddha in the future will inevitably expound the Lotus Sūtra, Śākyamuni Buddha sent him a robe through Venerable Kāśyapa. Likewise, the Buddha sent one through the Great Bodhisattva Hachiman to Grand Master Dengyō for expounding the truth of the Lotus Sūtra.

Kangyō Hachiman-shō, Remonstration with Bodhisattva Hachiman, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 1, Page 262-264

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – March 11, 2020

Having heard from you
Of the duration of your life,
Living beings as many as the particles of earth
Of eight Sumeru-worlds
Aspired for unsurpassed [enlightenment].

The Bodhisattva Maitreya sings these verses in Chapter Seventeen of the Lotus Sutra. He describes the effect on all beings of the Buddha’s revealing his existence as the Ever-Present Śākyamuni. If we believed that the Buddha was just a man who lived 2500 years ago, we might think that we had to wait until another being became enlightened before we could follow them on the path to our own awakening. But with this understanding that the Buddha is always helping us, here and now, then we awaken our capacity to see things as they are and work confidently for the benefit of all beings.

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

LS32

Day 26

Day 26 concludes Chapter 21, The Supernatural Powers of the Tathāgatas, includes Chapter 22, Transmission, and introduces Chapter 23, The Previous Life of Medicine-King Bodhisattva.

Day 26 Text with annotationsPlay MP3

Having last month begun Chapter 22, Transmission, with Śākyamuni Buddha places his right hand on the heads of all the Bodhisattvas, we conclude Chapter 22.

Having heard these words of the Buddha, the Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas were filled with great joy. With more respect than ever, they bent forward, bowed, joined their hands together towards him, and said simultaneously. “We will do as you command. Certainly, World-Honored One! Do not worry!”

The Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas said simultaneously twice more, “We will do as you command. Certainly, World-Honored One! Do not worry!”

Thereupon Śākyamuni Buddha, wishing to send back to their home worlds [Many-Treasures Buddha and] the Buddhas of his replicas, who had come from the worlds of the ten quarters, said, “May the Buddhas be where they wish to be! May the stupa of Many-Treasures Buddha be where it was!”

Having heard these words of the Buddha, not only the innumerable Buddhas of his replicas, who had come from the worlds of the ten quarters and were sitting on the lion-like seats under the jeweled trees, Many-Treasures Buddha, and the great multitude of the innumerable, asaṃkhya Bodhisattvas, including Superior-Practice, but also the four kinds of devotees including Śāriputra and other Śrāvakas, and the gods, men and asuras of the world, had great joy.

See Reverently Propagate This Sutra

b4today, LS32, d26b

Reverently Propagate This Sutra

Having finished preaching chapter 21, Sakyamuni Buddha rose from his Law seat and, through his supernatural power, laid his right hand on the heads of the innumerable bodhisattva-mahasattvas and spoke thus: “I, for incalculable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of asaṃkhyeyas of kalpas, have practiced this rare Law of Perfect Enlightenment. Now I entrust it to you. Do you wholeheartedly promulgate this Law and make it increase and prosper far and wide.”

To lay one’s hand on another’s head or to pat someone on the head is to praise him, according to Japanese custom. In the West it is usually a gesture of affection. In India, however, such an action means to put one’s trust in another, as if to say, “I leave it to you. Do your best.” It is said that Sūryasoma, who taught the Lotus Sutra to his favorite disciple, Kumārajīva, laid his hand on Kumārajīva’s head and said to him, “Reverently propagate this sutra.”

The Buddha’s action of laying his right hand on the heads of the innumerable bodhisattvas through his supernatural power represents his placing deep trust in them. They must have been deeply moved by the Buddha’s action.

Buddhism for Today, p343
2buddhas, d21b, WONS

The Originally Enlightened Buddha of the Perfect Teaching Abides in This World

“The originally enlightened buddha of the perfect teaching abides in this world,” Nichiren wrote. “If one abandons this land, to what other land should one aspire? Wherever the practitioner of the Lotus Sūtra dwells should be considered the pure land.” Based on such thinking, Nichiren opposed the idea, extremely common in his time, of shunning this world as wicked and impure and aspiring to birth in the pure land of a buddha or bodhisattva after death. Because the various sūtras preached before the Lotus do not teach the perfect interpenetration of the buddha realm and the nine deluded realms, Nichiren asserted, the superior realms of buddhas and bodhisattvas that they mention, such as Amitābha’s Sukhāvati realm or Maitreya’s Tusita heaven, are merely provisional names; the “Lifespan” chapter of the Lotus reveals that the true pure land is to be realized here in the present, Sahā world.

Two Buddhas, p189