Gemini Thinking
The painting illustrates a sacred encounter from Chapter Twenty-Three of the Lotus Sutra between Shakyamuni Buddha and Gladly-Seen-By-All-Beings Bodhisattva. The seated Buddha represents the unchanging truth of the Dharma, while the standing figure is Gladly-Seen-By-All-Beings Bodhisattva—also identified as Medicine King Bodhisattva (Yakuō Bosatsu)—who is depicted with a fiery halo symbolizing his supreme offering of light and his own life for the sake of the teachings. This serene conceptualization, aligned with Nichiren Shu perspectives, emphasizes the recognition of the Buddha’s eternal nature despite changing appearances. The vertical Kanji text 法華経薬王菩薩 translates to "Lotus Sutra Medicine King Bodhisattva," directly labeling the bodhisattva depicted. Additionally, the artist's signature 双子座 and the red hanko seal containing the katakana ジェミニ both translate to "Gemini". Together, these elements encourage practitioners to recognize their own inherent capacity for enlightenment through the light of the Wonderful Dharma.
Having sung this gāthā, Gladly-Seen-By-All-Beings Bodhisattva said to the Buddha, ‘World-Honored One! You do not change, do you?’
This description of the life of Gladly-Seen-By-All-Beings Bodhisattva comes from Chapter Twenty-Three of the Lotus Sūtra. In a previous existence, this Bodhisattva had given up his body and his life for the sake of teaching the Wonderful Dharma. He was then reborn into a world in which the Buddha he served previously was still alive and benefitting all beings. Recognizing this unchanging aspect of the Buddha despite his changing appearances helps us see into our own capacity for enlightenment.
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