Day 29 covers all of Chapter 25, The Universal Gate of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva.
Having last month considered how World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva goes about this Sahā-World, we witness Endless-Intent Bodhisattva’s attempt to offer a gift to World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva.
The Endless-Intent Bodhisattva said to the Buddha, “World-Honored One! Now I will make an offering to World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva.” From around his neck, he took a necklace of many gems worth hundreds of thousands of ryo of gold, and offered it [to the Bodhisattva], saying, “Man of Virtue! Receive this necklace of wonderful treasures! I offer this to you according to the Dharma!”
World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva did not consent to receive it. Endless-Intent said to World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva again, “Man of Virtue! Receive this necklace out of your compassion towards us!”
Thereupon the Buddha said to World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva:
“Receive it out of your compassion towards this Endless-Intent Bodhisattva, towards the four kinds of devotees, and towards the other living beings including gods, dragons, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, men and nonhuman beings!”
Thereupon World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva received the necklace out of his compassion towards the four kinds of devotees, and towards the other living beings including gods, dragons, men and nonhuman beings. He divided [the necklace] into two parts, and offered one part of it to Śākyamuni Buddha and the other to the stupa of Many-Treasures Buddha.
Whenever I reach this point in the Lotus Sūtra I puzzle over why World-Voice-Perceiver initially rejects this offering. At the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church, the members are attempting to plan a dinner honoring Ven. Kenjo Igarashi‘s 30 years of service to the church. The anniversary is this August. We have to keep it a secret from Rev. Igarashi for as long as possible in order to prevent him from sabotaging our efforts to honor him. If we can reserve a restaurant and get to the point of sending out invitations, then it will be a fait accompli. Google Translate suggest that’s “Nashitoge rareta jijitsu” in Japanese. Of course, I’m assuming no one reads this blog post and tips off Rev. Igarashi.