At this early stage, Nichiren’s claims for the daimoku were still rather modest. He presents it as an alternative for “ignorant persons” unable to perform the introspective contemplation on the “three thousand realms in a single thought-moment,” which those “who have the resolve” are encouraged to pursue. As for the merits resulting from this practice, Nichiren says only that those who chant it, even without understanding its meaning, will not be pulled down by worldly evils into the lower realms of transmigration but will eventually reach the stage of nonretrogression. Not until much later in life would he declare that “all persons, whether they have wisdom or not, should alike abandon other practices and chant Namu-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō” and advocate the daimoku as the sole practice for the direct realization of Buddhahood in this very body. (Page 248)
Original Enlightenment and the Transformation of Medieval Japanese BuddhismAll posts by John Hughes
Retinues Formed By Karmic Connection
In terms of “explaining retinues that are formed by karmic connection” (Ming Yeh-sheng Chüan-shu), what Chih-i assert is that, although all living beings are the children of the Buddha, some, after taking poison, have lost their minds, and some have not. The ones, who did not lose their mind, seek for help and take the given medicine. Chih-i argues that the Lotus Sūtra is analogous with medicine, through which the family-tie between the Buddha and living beings, as a father and son relationship is formed. For the ones who have lost their mind, the Buddha applies expedient means to form a karmic connection with them by expounding different doctrines of the Fourfold Teaching. When a karmic connection is formed, with the twenty-five kinds of samādhi, the Buddha expounds the Threefold Truth to sentient beings in the twenty-five kinds of existence, so that they can be matured. Chih-i emphasizes that, regardless of whether some of them may have been liberated and may not have yet, they are all retinues of the Buddha. (Vol. 2, Page 291)
The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra: Tien-tai Philosophy of BuddhismDay 13
Day 13 covers all of Chapter 8, The Assurance of Future Buddhahood of the Five Hundred Disciples.
Having last month heard Śākyamuni’s prediction the Buddha’s prediction for the twelve hundred Arhats, we consider the reaction of the five hundred Arhats.
Thereupon the five hundred Arhats, having been assured by the Buddha of their future Buddhahood, felt like dancing with joy, stood up from their seats, came to the Buddha, worshipped him at his feet with their heads, and reproached themselves for their faults, saying:
“World-Honored One! We thought that we had already attained perfect extinction. Now we know that we were like men of no wisdom because we were satisfied with the wisdom of the Lesser Vehicle although we had already been qualified to obtain the wisdom of the Tathāgata.
“World-Honored One! Suppose a man visited his good friend. He was treated to drink, and fell asleep drunk. His friend had to go out on official business. He fastened a priceless gem inside the garment of the man as a gift to him, and went out. The drunken man did not notice what his friend had given him. After a while he got up, and went to another country. He had great difficulty in getting food and clothing. He satisfied himself with what little he had earned. Some time later the good friend happened to see him. He said, ‘Alas, man! Why have you had such difficulty in getting food and clothing? T fastened a priceless gem inside your garment on a certain day of a certain month of a certain year so that you might live peacefully and satisfy your five desires. The gem is still there, and you do not notice it. You are working hard, and worrying about your livelihood. What a fool you are! Trade that gem for what you want! You will not be short of anything you want.’
“You, the Buddha, are like his friend. We thought that we had attained extinction when we attained Arhatship because we forgot that we had been taught to aspire for the knowledge of all things by you when you were a Bodhisattva just as the man who had difficulty in earning his livelihood satisfied himself with what little he had earned. You, the World-Honored One, saw that the aspiration for the knowledge of all things was still latent in our minds; therefore, you awakened us, saying, ‘Bhikṣus! What you had attained was not perfect extinction. I caused you to plant the good root of Buddhahood a long time ago. [You have forgotten this; therefore,] I expounded the teaching of Nirvāṇa as an expedient. You thought that you had attained true extinction when you attained the Nirvāṇa [ which I taught you as an expedient].’
“World-Honored One! Now we see that we are Bodhisattvas in reality, and that we are assured of our future attainment of Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. Therefore, we have the greatest joy that we have ever had.”
The Introduction to the Lotus Sūtra offers this on the concept of living our lives in a drunken fog:
[In Chapter 8, The Assurance of Future Buddhahood of the Five Hundred Disciples,] the poor man was bewildered. “Gem?” he asked. “What gem?” He felt along the lining of his garment, and was astonished to find a precious stone attached to it. He had been a wealthy man all this time without realizing it.
The real meaning of this story is spiritual, not financial. By nature, each one of us possesses a gem of priceless value. By simply being alive, we have the same heart and wisdom as the Buddha, but we are not aware of it. (To be enlightened means to wake up and realize who and what we really are.) This gem in everyone’s heart is nothing less than the Buddha nature, the potential to become a Buddha. Because of our ignorance, we are unaware of our Buddha-nature, and fail to make any effort or undertake any practice to develop it. The man in this story who loves to drink signifies ordinary people like us, wasting our lives as if in a drunken fog.
Introduction to the Lotus SutraDaily Dharma – Jan. 24, 2019
As the destroyer of the bonds of existence,
I, the King of the Dharma, have appeared in this world.
Since then I have expounded the Dharma variously
According to the desires of all living beings.
The Buddha proclaims these verses in Chapter Five of the Lotus Sūtra. This is another explanation for why he uses expedients to teach those who are not ready for his highest teaching. When we set aside the cravings that lead to suffering, and cultivate our desire for enlightenment, both for ourselves and all beings, then we are ready to receive the Buddha’s highest teaching.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Self Power and Other Power and Pure Lands
Nichiren’s writings of this period also employ Tendai ideas of nonduality and original enlightenment to undermine the categories of Honen’s thought, such as the distinction between “self-power” (jiriki) and “Other-power” (tariki), or between this impure world (edo) and the pure land. For example:
The Lotus Sūtra establishes self-power but is not self-power. Since the “self” encompasses all beings of the ten realms, one’s own person from the outset contains the Buddha realm of both oneself and of all beings. Thus, one does not now become a Buddha for the first time. [The sūtra] also establishes Other-power but is not Other-power. Since the Buddha who is “other” is contained within us ordinary worldlings, this Buddha naturally manifests himself as identical to ourselves.
The originally enlightened Buddha of the perfect teaching abides in this world. If one abandons this land, toward what other land should one aspire? … The practitioner who believes in the Lotus and Nirvāṇa sūtras should not seek another place, for wherever one has faith in this sūtra is precisely the pure land. … For people of our day, who have not yet formed a bond with the Lotus Sūtra, to aspire to the Western Pure Land is to aspire to a land of rubble. (Page 247)
Original Enlightenment and the Transformation of Medieval Japanese BuddhismInternal and External Retinues
In terms of “explaining retinues that are formed by individual vows” (Ming Yüan-sheng Chüan-shu), this category of retinues is referred by Chih-i to the beings that had affinity with the Buddha in their previous lives, and because of their vows, they are reborn in this lifetime to attend the Buddha. If they attained the Path in this lifetime, they are referred by Chih-i as internal retinues (Nei Chüan-shu), and if they have not attained the Path, they are referred by Chih-i as external retinues (Wai Chüan-shu). These external retinues have to wait for the future Buddha to come in order to attain enlightenment. (Vol. 2, Page 291)
The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra: Tien-tai Philosophy of BuddhismDay 12
Day 12 concludes Chapter 7, The Parable of the Magic City, and completes the Third Volume of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
Having last month considered the reaction of the 16 princes when the Buddha retired to quiet contemplation for eighty-four thousand kalpas, we consider the Parable of the Magic City in gāthās.
Suppose there was a bad and dangerous road.
Many wild animals lived in the neighborhood.
No man was there; no water nor grass there.
The road was so fearful.Many tens of millions of people
Wished to pass through this dangerous road.
The road was very long.
It was five hundred yojanas long.The people had a leader.
He had a good memory.
He was wise and resolute in mind.
He could save people from dangers.Getting tired,
The people said to him:
“We are tired.
We wish to go back.”He thought:
‘How pitiful they are!
Why do they wish to return
Without getting great treasures?’Thinking of an expedient, he said to himself:
‘I will use my supernatural powers.’
He made a great city by magic,
And adorned it with houses.The city was surrounded by gardens, forests,
And by ponds and pools for bathing.
Many-storied gates and tall buildings [in that city]
Were filled with men and women.Having made all this by magic,
He consoled the people, saying:
“Do not be afraid! Enter that city!
And do anything you like!”They entered that city,
And had great joy.
They felt peaceful,
And thought that they had already passed [ through the road].Seeing that they had already had a rest,
The leader collected them, and said:
“Go on ahead now! This is a magic city.
You were tired out halfway.
You wished to go back.
Therefore, I made this city by magic As an expedient.
Make efforts!
Let us go to the place of treasures!”
From The Magic City: Studying the Lotus Sutra:
I wonder what you could accomplish in your life if you made a commitment from today for 500 days to practice on a regular consistent basis towards the achievement of some change in your life? Would you be able to travel the entire 500 days without giving up or abandoning or forgetting your goal and effort?
The Magic City: Studying the Lotus SutraSutra Strength
A person who believes in the Lotus Sutra and who chants the Odaimoku does not have to be excessively scared of bad karma, because the Lotus Sutra has “Sutra Strength” to directly extinguish bad karma. Its power is executed through penitence with chanting Odaimoku.
Summer WritingsDaily Dharma – Jan. 23, 2019
Seeing [these wonders displayed by] the supernatural powers of his sons, the father had the greatest joy that he had ever had. He joined his hands together towards his sons [staying in the sky], and said, ‘Who is your teacher? Whose disciples are you?’
King Wonderful-Adornment makes this declaration to his sons in Chapter Twenty-Seven of the Lotus Sūtra. His sons had been asked by their mother to display their supernatural powers to their father and awaken the desire in him to hear the Buddha Dharma. We all have abilities of which we are not aware, and can cultivate those abilities so that they may seem miraculous to those who do not understand them. But it is important for us not to fall in the trap of using these abilities to strengthen our ego delusion. Instead we should dedicate our talents towards awakening the joy of the Wonderful Dharma in all beings.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Nichiren’s Studies on Mt. Hiei
After returning to the Kiyosumidera, Nichiren set out again for the vicinity of the capital, where he studied on Mt. Hiei and at other locations. Virtually nothing is known of his studies on Mt. Hiei. During his stay there, the master of instruction (sōgakutō) was Shunpan, a leading Tendai scholar and the current patriarch of the Sugiu line of the Eshin school. Traditional accounts maintain that Nichiren received from Shunpan the transmission of the Eshin lineage, which some modern scholars have upheld. However, the few brief references to Shunpan in Nichiren’s writings convey no sense of a personal relationship. Takagi Yutaka argues that while Nichiren may have audited Shunpan’s public lectures, his common birth would have precluded his entry into a master-disciple relationship with so eminent a prelate. Moreover, his Kantō accent would have instantly marked him as native of the eastern provinces, despised as culturally backward by people of the Kyoto region. Takagi further suggests that Nichiren’s exclusion from the circles of initiates that formed around the leading masters on Mt. Hiei may have led to his habit of turning to written documents, rather than living teachers, for instruction and verification. The first of the four reliances, “Rely on the Dharma and not upon persons” (ehō fuenin), would be his lifelong motto. Nonetheless, it is noteworthy that Shunpan was among those ranking Tendai prelates who vigorously opposed Hōnen’s teaching. Even if Nichiren’s only exposure to Shunpan were through public lectures, what he heard may have confirmed him in his objections to the exclusive nenbutsu. (Page 244-245)
The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra: Tien-tai Philosophy of Buddhism