In many ways, the principle of becoming a Buddha with this very body is the culmination of the Buddhist teachings of non-duality and the true goal of chanting Namu Myoho Renge Kyo. The Wonderful Dharma embraces all things often thought of as opposites: body and mind, life and environment, defilements and awakening, suffering and peace. It is all these and yet none of them. It eludes all attempts to define it or express it. In spite of this, we can become aware of it and center our lives on the Wonderful Dharma through Namu Myoho Renge Kyo.
Lotus SeedsAll posts by John Hughes
Daily Dharma – July 20, 2019
Know this, Śāriputra!
I once vowed that I would cause
All living beings to become
Exactly as I am.
That old vow of mine
Has now been fulfilled.
I lead all living beings
Into the Way to Buddhahood.
The Buddha sings these verses in Chapter Two of the Lotus Sūtra. Earlier in the chapter he explained that all the teachings he used before the Lotus Sūtra were mere expedients, intended to use our desire for happiness to bring us out of our suffering and onto the path of enlightenment. The expedient teachings were tailored to the ignorant and deluded minds of those who heard them, but had not yet revealed the true wisdom and compassion of the Buddha. Now that we have met this Wonderful Dharma, we are assured of our enlightenment and that of all beings. We learn to see innumerable Buddhas in limitless worlds through unimaginable time, and our own true selves at the heart of reality.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 29
Day 29 covers all of Chapter 25, The Universal Gate of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva.
Having last month concluded Chapter 25, The Universal Gate of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva, we begin again with the question: Who is World Voice Perceiver.
Thereupon Endless-Intent Bodhisattva rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, joined rus hands together towards the Buddha, and said, “World-Honored One! Why is World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva called World-Voice-Perceiver?”
The Buddha said to Endless-Intent Bodhisattva:
“Good man! If many hundreds of thousands of billions of living beings hear [the name of] World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva and call his name with all their hearts when they are under various sufferings, World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva will immediately perceive their voices, and cause them to emancipate themselves [from the sufferings]. Those who keep the name of this World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva will not be burned when they are put into a conflagration [because they are protected] by, the supernatural powers of this Bodhisattva. Those who call his name will be able to take ground when they are washed by an inundation. Suppose hundreds of thousands of billions of living beings are crossing an ocean in order to obtain gold, silver, lapis lazuli, shell, agate, coral, amber pearl, and other treasures, and suppose the ship carrying them is blown to the country of rākṣasa-devils by a storm. If one of the crew calls the name of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva, all the crew will be saved from the attacks of the rākṣasas. Because of this, [this Bodhisattva] is called World-Voice-Perceiver.
On my 21-day retreat encouraged by Universal-Sage Bodhisattva, we consider Day 19 of 21.
Day 19 of 21
As I have recited The Sutra of Innumerable Meanings again and again for these three weeks, this quote (Reeves, p33-34) has always stood out as something I will want to refer to in the future. So, for safe keeping, I offer this gateway:
The Buddha said to Magnificently Adorned Bodhisattva and the eighty thousand bodhisattvas: “Good sons, there is a unique gateway to the Dharma that leads bodhisattvas to attain supreme awakening quickly. If a bodhisattva learns this gateway to the Dharma, he will attain supreme awakening.”
“World-Honored One, what is this gateway to the Dharma called? What does it mean? How does a bodhisattva practice it?”
The Buddha replied: “Good sons, this unique gateway to the Dharma is called innumerable meanings. A bodhisattva who wants to practice and study the gateway to the Dharma of innumerable meanings should observe that all things were originally, will be, and are in themselves empty and tranquil in nature and character; not large or small, not subject to arising or extinction, not fixed or movable, and neither advancing nor retreating. Like empty space, they are non-dualistic.
“All living beings, however, make delusory distinctions: weighing whether something is this or that; whether it is a gain or a loss. Bad thoughts come to them, producing a variety of evil actions. They transmigrate within the six states undergoing all kinds of suffering and harm, from which they cannot escape during innumerable billions of eons. Seeing this clearly, bodhisattva great ones cultivate sympathy and show great kindness and compassion in the desire to extricate others from suffering. What’s more, they penetrate deeply into all things.
“In accord with the character of Dharma, all things emerge. In accord with the character of Dharma, all things live. In accord with the character of Dharma, all things change. In accord with the character of Dharma, all things perish. In accord with the character of Dharma, bad things emerge. In accord with the character of Dharma, good things emerge, live, change, and perish. Bodhisattvas, observing these four modes and being thoroughly familiar with them from one end to the other, should next observe clearly that none of these things continues to live even for a moment, but emerges and perishes every moment, each emerging, living, changing, and perishing in an instant.
“After seeing this, the abilities, natures, and desires of living beings can be seen. As natures and desires are innumerable, sermons are innumerable, and as sermons are innumerable, meanings are innumerable. The innumerable meanings emerge from one Dharma. This one Dharma is characterless. Accordingly, this characterlessness manifests all characters. Neither having character nor being characterless is called true character.
“The compassion that bodhisattva great ones display after dwelling at peace in this true character of reality is clear and not in vain. They are truly capable of relieving living beings from suffering. Having given them relief from suffering, they teach the Dharma again, delighting all living beings.
“Good sons, if a bodhisattva practices well the gateway to the Dharma of innumerable meanings in this way, the bodhisattva will for certain attain supreme awakening soon.”
Cultivating sympathy and showing great kindness and compassion – the gateway to the Dharma of innumerable meanings.
Daily Dharma – July 19, 2019
All this time I have been living in this Sahā-World, and teaching [the living beings of this world] by expounding the Dharma to them. I also have been leading and benefiting the living beings of one hundred thousand billion nayuta asaṃkhya worlds outside this world.
The Buddha gives this explanation to all those gathered to hear him in Chapter Sixteen of the Lotus Sūtra. In the parable of the physician and his children, the Buddha explains how if he were to reveal himself explicitly to those still focused on their own suffering, they would take him for granted and not believe the Wonderful Dharma he provides for him. It is by learning to recognize the Buddha living with us here today, who is helping us all awaken from our delusions, and taking on his work of benefiting all beings, that we lose our suffering and attachment, and realize the potential for enlightenment that is at the core of our true being.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 28
Day 28 covers all of Chapter 24, Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva, and concludes the Seventh Volume of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
Having last month witnessed the arrival of Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva, we hear his greetings for Śākyamuni.
[Before he started,] he stepped on a platform of the seven treasures. The platform went up to the sky seven times as high as the tala[-tree, and moved through the sky, carrying him]. Together with the Bodhisattvas surrounding him respectfully, he came to Mt. Gṛdhrakūṭa of this Sahā-World, and descended from the platform of the seven treasures. He came to Śākyamuni Buddha, carrying with him a necklace worth hundreds of thousands. He worshipped the feet of the Buddha with his head, offered the necklace to the Buddha, and said to him:
“World-Honored One! I bring you a message from Pure-Flower-Star-King-Wisdom Buddha. [He wishes to say this.] Are you in good health? Are you happy and peaceful or not? Are the four elements of your body working in harmony or not? Are the worldly affairs bearable or not? Are the living beings easy to save or not? Do they not have much greed, anger, ignorance, jealousy, stinginess and arrogance, or do they? Are they not undutiful to their parents, or are they? Are they not di respectful to śramaṇas, or are they? Do they not have wrong views, or do they? Are they not evil, or are they? Do they not fail to control their five desires, or do they? World-Honored One! Did they defeat the Maras, who are their enemies, or not. Is Many-Treasures Tathāgata, who passed away a long time ago and has now come here riding in the stupa of the seven treasures, hearing the Dharma or not? [Pure-Flower-Star-King-Wisdom Buddha] also wishes to know whether Many-Treasures Tathāgata is peaceful and healthy, and able to stay long or not World-Honored One! Now I wish to see Many-Treasures Buddha World-Honored One! Show him to me!”
On my 21-day retreat encouraged by Universal-Sage Bodhisattva, we consider Day 18 of 21.
Day 18 of 21
Today in my 32 Days of the Lotus Sutra practice I cover Chapter 24, Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva. That chapter opens like this:
Thereupon Śākyamuni Buddha [faced the east and] emitted rays of light from the fleshy tuft on his head, that is, from one of the marks of a great man, and also from the white curls between his eyebrows. The light illumined one hundred and eight billion nayuta Buddha-worlds, that is, as many worlds in the east as there are sands in the River Ganges. There was a world called [All-] Pure-Light-Adornment [in the east] beyond those worlds. In that world was a Buddha called Pure-Flower-Star-King-Wisdom, the Tathāgata, the Deserver of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One, the Man of Wisdom and Practice, the Well-Gone, the Knower of the World, the Unsurpassed Man, the Controller of Men, the Teacher of Gods and Men, the Buddha, the World-Honored One. He expounded the Dharma to a great multitude of innumerable Bodhisattvas who were surrounding him respectfully. The ray of light, which was emitted from the white curls [between the eyebrows] of Śākyamuni Buddha, also illumined that world.
For me, the first time I read this, it brought up a question. Back in Chapter 11, Beholding the Stūpa of Treasures, we’re told that Śākyamuni, as a requirement before opening the Stupa of Treasures, was required to “call back all the Buddhas of his replicas who will be expounding the Dharma in the worlds of the ten quarters at that time.” Or as Reeves puts it, “Let the buddhas who are embodiments of that buddha and are preaching the Dharma in the worlds of the ten directions return together and assemble in one place.”
So I wondered, whether, after all of Śākyamuni’s replicas returned, were there any Buddhas left in the universe? Or, in other words, are all Buddhas replicas of the eternal Śākyamuni?
The reference in Chapter 24 to a Buddha called Pure-Flower-Star-King-Wisdom seemed to suggest that there are other Buddhas in the universe besides Śākyamuni and his replicas.
And then upon reading The Sutra of Contemplation of the Dharma Practice of Universal Sage Bodhisattva, the question became a bit more complicated.
First we meet the Buddha Good Virtue (Reeves, p413):
From the sky of the eastern direction will come a voice saying: “Here is a buddha, a world-honored one named Good Virtue, who also is embodied in innumerable buddhas who sit crosslegged on lion seats under jewel trees. All these world-honored ones, in the concentration of universal manifestation of bodily forms, speak to a follower, praising him and saying: ‘Good, good, good son! You have now read and recited the Great Vehicle sutras. What you have recited is in the sphere of the buddhas.’ “
And then we meet the Buddha Sandalwood Virtue (Reeves, p415):
When a follower thinks in this way, a voice in the sky will say: “In the southern direction there is a buddha named Sandalwood Virtue, who also is embodied in countless other buddhas. All these buddhas teach the Great Vehicle and cut off sins and evils.
At this point it appears reasonable to conclude, at least based on this sutra, that Śākyamuni and his replicas are not the only Buddhas, and not only are there other Buddhas, but those Buddhas have replicas.
We even get Abundant Treasures Buddha in the Stupa emanating Buddhas (Reeves, p422):
Having said this, followers should continue repenting, and after seven days the Stupa of Abundant Treasures Buddha will spring out of the earth. With his right hand, Shakyamuni Buddha will open the door of the stupa, where Abundant Treasures Buddha will be seen deep in the concentration of universal manifestation of bodily forms. From all the pores of his body he will emit rays of light as numerous as the grains of sands of the Ganges. In each of the rays will be hundreds of thousands of billions of transformed buddhas.
And then there is this (Reeves, p409):
When the great assembly has gathered together like a cloud, they will see Shakyamuni Buddha emitting rays of golden light from the pores of his whole body, in each of which are hundreds of millions of transformed buddhas. From the tufts of white hair between their eyebrows, the sign of a great man, the embodiment buddhas will emit rays of light that stream into the head of Shakyamuni Buddha. Seeing this, from all the pores of their bodies the embodiment buddhas will also emit rays of golden light, in each of which are transformed buddhas, numerous as the grains of sands in the Ganges.
So here he have Śākyamuni emanating Buddhas and those Buddhas turn around and emanate more Buddhas. Turtles all the way down.
The Cumulative Effect of Experience
[A]ll actions, good and bad, are stored within human beings as latent energy influencing all subsequent conduct and attitudes. Not the slightest action is lost. Whether or not others see, whether or not the gods observe, whether or not the perpetrator is fully aware, every act remains as a phase of experience. And the accumulation of past experience shows in conduct and countenance. When continually committed, wickedness becomes a habit, evident in a gruff or insolent tone of voice, a shifty eye, a cruel look, and a scornful attitude that incurs dislike and distrust. Conversely, a person who repeatedly does and thinks good acquires a pleasant voice quality and an air of benignity that inspire admiration and affection. In other words, good or bad, ordinary habits become an unconscious part of an individual’s being, apparent to all. No more eloquent testimony for the cumulative effect of experience could be furnished.
Basic Buddhist Concepts
Daily Dharma – July 18, 2019
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 27
Day 27 concludes Chapter 23, The Previous Life of Medicine-King Bodhisattva.
Having last month compared the Lotus Sūtra to all other sūtras, we consider how this sūtra saves all living beings.
“Star-King-Flower! This sūtra saves all living beings. This sūtra saves them from all sufferings, and gives them great benefits. All living beings will be able to fulfill their wishes by this sūtra just as a man who reaches a pond of fresh water when he is thirsty, just as a man who gets fire when he suffers from cold, just as a man who is given a garment when he is naked, just as a party of merchants who find a leader just as a child who meets its mother, just as a man who gets a ship when he wants to cross [a river], just as a patient who finds a physician, just as a man who is given a light in the darkness, just as a poor man who gets a treasure, just as the people of a nation who see a new king enthroned, just as a trader who reaches the seacoast. Just as a torch dispels darkness, this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma saves all living beings from all sufferings, from all diseases, and from all the bonds of birth and death. The merits to be given to the person who, after hearing this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, copies it, or causes others to copy it, cannot be measured even by the wisdom of the Buddha. Neither can the merits to be given to the person who copies this sūtra and offers flowers, incense, necklaces, incense to burn, powdered incense, incense applicable to the skin, streamers, canopies, garments, and various kinds of lamps such as lamps of butter oil, oil lamps, lamps of perfumed oil, lamps of campaka oil, lamps of sumanas oil, lamps of pāṭala oil, lamps of vārṣika oil, and lamps of navamālikā oil [to the copy of this sūtra].
On my 21-day retreat encouraged by Universal-Sage Bodhisattva, we consider Day 17 of 21.