Category Archives: Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary

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Never-Despising Bodhisattva’s Practice

Reading Chinese Master Hsuan Hua’s 14-volume commentary of the Lotus Sutra, I’ve discovered another interesting twist in the interpretation of Kumārajīva’s Chinese translation of the Lotus Sutra. This comes in Volume 11 of Hsuan Hua’s commentary during the discussion of the practice of Bodhisattva Never Slighting in Chapter 20.

This bhikșu Never Slighting not only read and recited sūtras, but he also walked the Bodhisattva Path and made obeisance, to the extent that as soon as he saw members of the fourfold assembly from afar, he would deliberately approach them, bow, and praise them, saying, “I dare not slight you, for you shall all become Buddhas.” Bodhisattva practice like this isn’t easy to do. Could any of you do it? He bowed to both monastics and laypeople. He cultivated what others couldn’t cultivate.

Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v11, ch20, p180

When I read this I immediately recognized a discrepancy with Senchu Murano’s translation, which says:

“He did not read or recite sūtras. He only bowed to the four kinds of devotees. When he saw them in the distance, he went to them on purpose, bowed to them, and praised them, saying, ‘I do not despise you because you can become Buddhas.’ “

Never-Despising Bodhisattva’s lack of sutra reading  is often  emphasized in Nichiren Buddhism when discussing this chapter.  For Hsuan Hua, however, the full Bodhisattva practice is an essential element of his Five Schools Buddhism. It is, therefore, essential that “Never Slighting not only read and recited sūtras, but he also walked the Bodhisattva Path.”
I checked the other English translations I have of Kumārajīva’s Chinese translation of the Lotus Sutra.

The BDK English Tripitaka Series offers:

“Furthermore, this monk did not concentrate himself on reciting the sutras but only paid homage such that, even when he saw the fourfold assembly from afar, he would go up to them, praise, and pay homage to them, saying:

I dare not belittle you, because you will all become buddhas.

Burton Watson’s 2009 Soka Gakkai translation offers:

“This monk did not devote his time to reading or reciting the scriptures, but simply went about bowing to people. And if he hap-pened to see any of the four kinds of believers far off in the distance, he would purposely go to where they were, bow to them and speak words of praise, saying, ‘I would never dare disparage you, because you are all certain to attain Buddhahood!’

Rissho Kosei-Kai’s The Threefold Lotus Sutra, A Modern Translation for Contemporary Readers offers:

“That monk did not apply himself to reading and reciting the sutras. Instead, he merely practiced bowing respectfully to people. Even when he saw one of the four groups in the distance, he would make a point of going up to them in order to bow respectfully and praise them, saying, ‘I could never find you unworthy of respect. All of you will become buddhas.’ “

Rissho Kosei-Kai’s 1975 edition offers:

And that bhikshu did not devote himself to reading and reciting the sutras but only to paying respect, so that when he saw afar off [a member of the] four groups, he would specially go and pay respect to them, commending them, saying: ‘I dare not slight you, because you are all to become buddhas.’

After using Hsuan Hua’s translation of the Lotus Sutra as part of my daily practice earlier this year, I wrote about discrepancies I had noticed. (See this post.) I did not notice the discrepancy in Chapter 20 at that time, but I did note a significant change in Chapter 4 when the rich man dons work clothes and visits with his poor son.  Murano and all other English translators of Kumārajīva’s Chinese translation say the rich man looked “fearful” or “frightening.” Hsuan Hua’s translation, instead, had him “frightened.”  In my post, I described this as an error in translation. It was later, when reading Hsuan Hua’s commentary, that I realized that this was not an error, per se, but a difference in interpretation. (See this post.)

In the case of Never-Despising Bodhisattva’s practice, the difference can again be seen as a difference of interpretation. But on this particular point Hsuan Hua has one supporter among the English translators.

While Leon Hurvitz’s 2009 translation had the rich man in Chapter 4 “frightful in appearance,” on the topic of Never-Despising Bodhisattva’s practice Hurvitz agrees with Hsuan Hua:

So this bhikşu did not simply read and recite the scriptural canon, but rather did obeisance, too, to the point that, when he saw the fourfold multitude from afar, he would make a special point of going to them, doing obeisance, and uttering praise, saying, ‘I dare not hold you all in contempt, since you are all to become buddhas!’

Hurvitz’s translation is unique in that he attempted to translate both Kumārajīva’s Chinese translation and the existing Sanscrit translations. Is that why he disagrees with all the other English translators? There’s no footnote at this point in his translation to explain his reasoning. In any event, the support of Hsuan Hua’s interpretation is thought provoking. This journey has been very rewarding.

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The Patient Immortal

I’ve been continuing my reading of Chinese Master Hsuan Hua’s 14-volume commentary on the Lotus Sutra. Recently I completed Volume 10, which covers Chapters 15, 16 and 17. Don’t know yet what I’m going to do with all of the quotes I’ve been gathering. Below is a lesson on the pāramitā of patience. I considered saving this for next March’s Pāramitā Week, but decided to publish now instead. This quote concerns Maitreya’s description of the countless Bodhisattvas who have emerged from underground at the beginning of Chapter 15.

They are resolute in patience. Being patient isn’t easy. For some reason, people like to be praised but dislike being scolded. So it’s very difficult to cultivate patience. You may be patient once; you may even be patient twice; but by the third time, you won’t be able to take it. All of you who listen to the Buddhadharma here every day should be able to apply the Dharma that you’ve learned. When a challenging situation arises, you should be aware of it. If you’re aware, you won’t be affected by the situation. If you’re unaware, you’ll be affected by it. Not being aware of it means not recognizing it. Being aware of it means recognizing it. That’s why I say,

Everything is a test
To see what you will do.
If you don’t recognize what’s before you,
You’ll have to start anew.

When a situation happens, whether it’s favorable or unfavorable, you should recognize it. It shouldn’t be that when you encounter a favorable situation, you feel that it’s as sweet as candy, or that when you experience an unfavorable situation, you feel that it’s as bitter as goldthread. If you feel that favorable circumstances are sweet and unfavorable ones are bitter, then you’re being affected by those states. If your mind remains unmoved in both favorable and unfavorable states, then you’ve got some skill.

What’s a favorable state? One such state would be when someone praises you. For example, suppose people praise your cultivation, saying, “He really cultivates. He works very hard. He practices vigorously day and night without rest.” When you hear them talk about how good you are, it’s as sweet as honey. Your heart rejoices; it’s a very pleasant and enjoyable sensation. Now suppose someone criticizes you: “He’s terrible! He’s lazy and doesn’t cultivate at all. He’s gluttonous and likes to sleep. He claims to be a cultivator, but he never cultivates.” You can’t bear to hear this. You may think, “How can he talk about me like that?” The feeling is as bitter as goldthread. Chinese goldthread rhizome, in case you don’t know, is the most bitter of Chinese medicinal herbs. However, as bitter as it is, it can rid your body of excessive heat. It’s an excellent medicinal herb, but it’s very bitter. However, you have to be patient and bear it.

You also have to consider where the state is coming from. For instance, when a cultivator, maybe a monastic, receives a sound scolding from his teacher, he may think, “I won’t argue, get angry, or talk back. I’ll just act as if nothing happened.” That doesn’t count as having patience. Why not? Because disciples are supposed to bear with their teacher anyway. It’s just not the same as cultivating patience. On the other hand, if as a teacher you can bear it when your disciples scold you, then you’ve really got some skill. If the more your disciples scold you, the happier you are, then you’ve got patience. If you’re scolded by a beggar and feel as though it didn’t even happen, then you’ve got some patience. But when a police officer scolds you, no matter how unreasonable he is or how unbearable it is, you still have to bear with it. For example, you’re out in the street looking around as if you want to steal something, and a policeman comes up and interrogates you: “Hey! What are you up to? Are you a thief? I’m going to search you.” You have to put up with it because the policeman has authority and you don’t. You have to do as you’re told. That doesn’t count as patience. It only counts as patience when you can gracefully endure being bullied or insulted by those with no authority over you.

At this point I’ve thought of a story that’s commonly told. Long ago, Śākyamuni Buddha and one of his disciples were walking down the road in a particularly desolate place. For several hundred miles, they hadn’t come across a single person. The disciple asked the Buddha, “Why aren’t there any people here?”

Śākyamuni Buddha sighed and said, “It’s a very painful story.”

“What happened? Please tell me,” said the disciple.

Śākyamuni Buddha then told about how, long ago, there lived an old, seasoned cultivator with tremendous virtue. This cultivator was cultivating patience and hadn’t gotten angry in over one hundred years. It just so happened that the king of the country had lost faith in his prime minister and had demoted him to commoner status even though he hadn’t done anything wrong. The prime minister, however, was attached to his former status and still desired to be a leader. So he thought, “What am I going to do? How can I get my position as prime minister back? Oh! I’ve got an old friend who practices patience. He’s an immortal who cultivates patience. He’ll know a way. I’ll go ask him.”

So he went to see his friend, the old cultivator. He told him that the king had demoted him from his position as prime minister and asked if the cultivator had any ideas as to how he could regain his position.

The patient immortal replied, “That’s very easy. You’re down on your luck right now, but you can take that inauspicious energy–the energy that’s brought about your downfall–and pass it on to me. Then you’ll be able to continue as prime minister.”

“How can I pass it on to you?” the prime minister asked.

“Take a clod of earth and throw it at my head; that’ll transfer your bad luck to me. Then you’ll be reappointed as prime minister.”

The former prime minister did as the cultivator advised. Sure enough, on the day that he returned, the king called for him and said, “Previously I removed you from your position as prime minister, but that was a mistake. Will you come  back and serve as my prime minister again?” He was invited back, so he thought, “Oh, that cultivator is really capable! He can really make things happen.” And he thereupon resumed his post as prime minister.

After a while the king estranged one of his concubines. Having fallen out of the king’s favor, she was “banished to the cold palace,” meaning she wouldn’t have the opportunity to see the king anymore. This concubine thought, “The prime minister was previously dismissed, but now he’s regained his post. I wonder how he managed that. I’ll ask his advice.” So she called for the prime minister and asked, “How did you go about getting your position back?”

“It wasn’t my own doing,” he said. “I went to an old cultivator I know, and he told me that I had bad luck. He told me to transfer that energy to him and I’d be back in office. So I did, and here I am.”

“Do you think he would help me?” she asked.

“I’ll go ask him,” said the prime minister.

He told the story to the old cultivator, who said, “Fine, tell her to pour a bowl of water over my head. That way her bad luck will be transferred to me. Then the king will want her back again.”

The concubine followed these instructions to the letter, and sure enough, the king took her out of the “cold palace” and invited her back. The patient immortal’s method really worked!

Soon the country went to war, but every time its troops engaged in battle, they lost. The king asked the prime minister and concubine, “We’re losing every battle. What are we going to do?”

The prime minister said, “I know what we’ll do. I have an old friend who’s a patient immortal. He’s got some magical powers. I’ll go discuss the matter with him.”

Upon hearing of the situation, the patient immortal said, “I live in this country, so I should help out. The country is losing its battles. Very well, I’m going to transfer the country’s unlucky energy to me.” Then he said to the king, “It’ll take a whole bucket of water to contain the problems of the entire country. You have to use dirty water, as filthy as urine, to represent the country’s bad luck. Fill the bucket with stinking, dirty water and pour it over me.”

That left the old cultivator smelling pretty bad, but nonetheless, the king began to win all his battles and eventually won the war. During the celebration of his victory, the king praised the cultivator, saying, “That old cultivator has tremendous virtue.”

Once that announcement was made in the palace, the whole country knew about it. One person with ill luck would come, grab a clod of dirt, and throw it at the old cultivator. Another guy with bad luck would come and spit a mouthful of saliva on the old cultivator’s face, thinking, “He’s supposed to be patient and bear it, isn’t he? He should just let the spit dry, shouldn’t he?” Day after day, first ten people, then hundreds, then thousands, tens of thousands, and finally the entire populace converged on the patient immortal, bringing their inauspicious energy to him. The patient immortal simply couldn’t respond to them all properly, so up popped a false thought: “I can’t stand it! Why don’t all these people drop dead?” What do you think happened? They all did!

That was how great his spiritual powers were. As soon as he wished them dead, they all dropped dead on the spot. So now, for several hundred miles around, there weren’t any people in that area.

It’s not easy to be patient. However, although it’s not easy, we’re still going to cultivate it. Instead of calling it difficult, let’s think of it as easy. But whatever you do, don’t get angry and think, “I wish all these people would drop dead!”

These Bodhisattvas are “resolute in patience.” They aren’t the least bit casual about it. They are dignified and awe-inspiring. These Bodhisattvas have fine features, and each has an imposing presence. Praised by the Buddhas of the ten directions, / They excel at explaining the teachings in detail. They’re good at delineating and explaining all Dharmas.

Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v10, ch15, p99-105
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Homosexuality and Buddhism

In Chapter 14, Peaceful Practices, Bodhisattvas seeking to expound the Lotus Sūtra in the evil world after the Buddha’s extinction are warned:

He should not approach or make friends with anyone of the five kinds of eunuchs.

At least that’s how Senchu Murano puts it.

Burton Watson’s translation for Soka Gakkai states:

Nor should he go near the five types of unmanly men or have any close dealings with them.

Watson offers a footnote for “unmanly,” saying, “Men who are impotent or suffer from other types of sexual disabilities.”

Leon Hurvitz, in his Scripture of the Lotus Blossom of the Fine Dharma, offers a lengthy footnote on this point:

The Skt. simply says paṇḍaka, “impotent” ; the Ch. specifies the number five, without identifying them. They are as follows: (a) jātipaṇḍaka, a male congenitally devoid of sexual impulses or feelings; (b) pakṣapaṇḍaka, a male potent only part of the time, lit. half of every month ; (c) āsaklaprādurbhāvī paṇḍaka, a male who becomes impotent through premature ejaculation; (d) īrṣyāpaṇḍaka, one who can become sexually aroused only by seeing others having intercourse; (e) āpatpaṇḍaka, a male who has lost his potency through illness or accident. The source for this is Mahāvyutpatti §§8769-73. The canonical source is the vinaya (monastic code). The reason for the concern is that the saṃgha did not want anyone joining the order as an escape. It barred from membership married men who did not have their wives’ permission, fathers who did not have the permission of their adult children, debtors reneging on their debts, deserters from military service, fugitives from justice, persons in arrears in taxes, novices who did not have the permission of both parents (when the parents were alive), homosexuals, hermaphrodites, and men who, for whatever reason, were sexually not quite normal.

This idea that homosexuals were excluded from joining the Buddhist order has always puzzled me. It is certainly not the case in Nichiren Shu. Ryusho Jeffus Shonin, one of the first American priests I became acquainted with after leaving Soka Gakkai in 2015, was a gay man. Several current American priests are members of the  LGBTQ community.

Nichiren Shu clearly has no problem with homosexuals. In fact, the guidelines for International Propagation Points ( i.e.  American temples) state:

The International Propagation Point must have an official Nichiren Shu enshrined Gohonzon altar and have an open propagation policy towards any person regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation or any class protected by law.

Kakusai Fukyoshi Guideline, International Section, Missionary Department, Head Office of Nichiren Shu, Revised April 1, 2023

This all comes up because of my reading of Chinese Master Hsuan Hua’s 14-volume commentary on the Lotus Sutra. In responding to “Furthermore, they should not approach the five kinds of unmanly men or become close friends with them,” Hsuan Hua comments:

There are five kinds of unmanly men. If they are unmanly, does that mean they are women? No, they aren’t women either. There are five kinds of people who are neither male nor female. You can’t call them men because they can’t conduct themselves as men do. And you can’t call them women either, because they cannot do the things that women do. These are the five kinds of unmanly men. They have never been called “unwomanly women” before, but now I’m giving them the name “five kinds of unwomanly women” as well.

What kinds of beings are neither male nor female? They are of no procreative use in the world. They cannot help women bear children, nor can they bear children themselves. In that sense, they don’t help the world much.

The five kinds of unmanly men are:

  1. Unmanly from birth. When such people are born, they have neither male nor female organs, so they are essentially neither male nor female. They can fulfill neither the man’s role of fathering children nor the woman’s role of bearing children. They are born into the world unable to fulfill these functions. You should know the cause and effect involved in becoming like that. It comes from having intimate relations with the same gender or with both genders.
  1. Unmanly through castration. In some societies, people born with male organs have been castrated. Either men or women could lose the functionality of their sexual organs through disease.
  1. Unmanly through jealousy. When these people see a man, they become jealous and “transform into” a man. The change takes place only in their minds, however, and they are incapable of functioning as a man. Or they might see a woman, become jealous of her, and “turn into” a woman. But they are incapable of functioning as a woman would. Such people assume their sexual identity mentally as a result of jealousy.
  1. Unmanly through physical transformation. Such people can make the change by themselves without having to see a male or female like the previous category. For instance, at noon the person has the functions of a man, but at one o’clock he changes into a woman. He doesn’t need to see other men and women to bring about this change. Then, at two or three or five o’clock, he regains the functions of a man. This is called “being a man but not a man” or “being a woman but not a woman.” How does this happen to people? It comes about because of the past practice of homosexuality – men with men and women with women. Or if men or women masturbate, then in the future they will have this retribution of being neither male nor female. You can’t say they are men, because they do not have functioning male organs. You can’t say they are women either, because they don’t have functioning female organs. They “change” into women or men, yet they cannot function as men or as women.
  1. Unmanly through switching back and forth. For example, for half a month they function as men, and then for the other half of the month they function as women. In the previous category, the person can function as a man for one or two days and then as a woman for one or two days. It doesn’t take half a month for the change to occur. But in this case, the person’s male organ functions for half a month and does not function for the other half. This is the retribution of being neither male nor female.

The Buddhadharma explains everything in the world. The five kinds of unmanly men are not permitted to leave home. The Buddha did not accept such people into the monastic order. Their behavior is extremely detrimental. Their minds are filled with impure thoughts and debased ideas. People who violate themselves that is, who masturbate, will become these five kinds of unmanly men or unwomanly women, who are neither male nor female. You might say the lack of properly functioning male or female organs is a case of “freedom from the conception of gender.” However, that would be a misinterpretation of the term. These individuals lack the proper male or female organs. This can be considered an unfortunate and undesirable condition. Therefore, people should behave themselves and follow the rules of proper conduct. Those who transgress the rules will undergo the future retribution of not having normal physiological functions. As the result of committing many offenses, people may be born with deficiencies in the six sense faculties.

Bodhisattvas do not become close friends with such people. Bodhisattvas practicing the Bodhisattva Path do not seek to draw near to people who are among the five kinds of unmanly men or unwomanly women. They do not become best friends with them.

Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v9 p32-36

On the concept of “freedom from the conception of gender” a footnote is offered:

The term “freedom from the conception of gender” refers to a state of nonduality attained through cultivation, in which one transcends attachment to concepts of “male” and “female.”

Chinese Master Hsuan Hua’s “five schools” Buddhism has a strong monastic element. I do not know if homosexuals are welcomed into his monastic order, but I see that as an internal matter of his school. The more important question for me is whether his school prohibits or otherwise discourages homosexuals from participating in programs for the laity.

The Buddhist Text Translation Society, which was founded by Hsuan Hua and is the publisher of his commentary on the Lotus Sutra, invites questions. So I asked:

Do the organizations founded by Venerable Master Hsuan Hua discourage homosexuals from participating in programs and activities?

I included the above quote from volume nine of the Lotus Sutra commentary. The response I received:

Hello Mr Hughes

Thank you for your question!
We welcome anyone who sincerely wishes to learn the Buddha’s teachings to participate in our Dharma activities and to visit our monasteries.
We rejoice in your study and practice of the Lotus Sutra, and wish you well in your cultivation journey too.
Sincerely
Buddhist Text Translation Society

The Buddhist Text Translation Society publishes a bilingual (Chinese-English) book entitled, “Basic Code of Conduct for the Laity,” which is based on Hsuan Hua’s instructions.

The book does not mention homosexuality or “unmanly men.” Instead, it focuses on Right Knowledge and Right View, which comes from upholding the Five Precepts.

It is fundamentally important for those who practice the Buddhadharma to have proper knowledge and proper views. What does having proper knowledge and proper views mean? Having this means you are a true Buddhist disciple. The first requirement of a Buddhist disciple is to develop a good character, and that means upholding the five precepts of not killing, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct, not lying, and not consuming intoxicants. This is the most fundamental requirement to be a Buddhist disciple. If we wish to resolutely practice the Buddhadharma, we must diligently cultivate precepts, samadhi, and wisdom and eradicate our greed, hatred, and delusion. Greed, hatred, and delusion are the three poisons! These three poisons have taken control over us from immeasurable kalpas ago, making us inverted, insatiated with greed and causing us to have a huge temper, constantly harboring hatred.

Basic Code of Conduct for the Laity, p96

Is homosexuality “sexual misconduct”? I don’t believe so and I would hope that the organizations founded by Chinese Master Hsuan Hua would agree.

In the appendix of Basic Code of Conduct for the Laity includes a description of the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association, which was founded by Hsuan Hua in the United States in 1959. That description concludes with this declaration:

All monasteries and organizations under DRBA are open to everyone; there is no discrimination between self and others, nationalities, and religions. Everyone, regardless of nationality or religious background, keen in the pursuit of humaneness, righteousness, morality, ultimate truth, understanding the mind and seeing the inherent nature, is welcome to practice and study together.

Basic Code of Conduct for the Laity, pAppendix V, p184

Tomorrow: Hsuan Hua’s Maxims for Buddhist Disciples

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The Bodhisattva Practice for Others

As a final follow up to Higan Week, I offer Chinese Master Hsuan Hua’s discussion of Bodhisattva practice from his commentary on the Lotus Sutra.

Śākyamuni Buddha continued, “Medicine King, there are many people who, whether at home – upāsakās and upāsikās – or having renounced the home life – bhikṣus and bhikṣunīs – practice the Bodhisattva Path.” Both laypeople and monastics can practice the Bodhisattva Path.

What is the Bodhisattva Path? Benefiting others is practicing the Bodhisattva Path. What is the Bodhisattva Path? Benefiting not only oneself but also others is practicing the Bodhisattva Path. What is the Bodhisattva Path? Putting yourself aside to help others is practicing the Bodhisattva Path. It’s also giving advantage to others and taking disadvantage upon yourself. A person who practices the Bodhisattva Path is like water, which benefits all but never brags about its merit. All living creatures, whether they are born from wombs, eggs, moisture, or via metamorphosis, depend upon water for the sustenance of their lives. Without water, they can’t survive. But water itself doesn’t brag about its merit, saying, “I’ve helped you all so much. My merit is great indeed.” It doesn’t harbor this kind of thought. Those who practice the Bodhisattva Path should be the same way. Don’t think, “I’ve benefited living beings, so I have merit.” Lao Zi said,

The highest goodness is like water. Water benefits all yet does not contend. It goes to places people despise, and so it is close to the Path.

Water flows right into lowly places, places where nobody wants to live. To be like that is to practice the Bodhisattva Path.

When you practice the Bodhisattva Path, you must give credit to others and take the blame upon yourself. “But then I won’t get any credit,” you object. The more you give credit to others, the greater your merit becomes. On the surface you’re giving the credit away, but underneath, in the essence of things as they really are, the credit remains yours. People who don’t understand how to cultivate are always struggling to grab the spotlight, to be number one, and to make sure everyone knows who they are. People who have true understanding don’t seek recognition. It’s said that:

The deeds that are done for others to see are not truly good.
The deeds that are done fearing others will know are truly evil.

Bodhisattvas don’t want people to know about their good deeds. Conversely, if they make mistakes, they don’t care if people find out. Practicing the Bodhisattva Path is benefiting oneself and others. As you benefit yourself, you should benefit others more, even when it’s at your own expense.

Practicing the Bodhisattva Path is practicing the six pāramitās and the myriad practices. The six pāramitās are giving, upholding precepts, patience, vigor, dhyāna, and wisdom (prajña). To practice giving is to give to others without asking them to give to you. You shouldn’t complain, “I’m one of the Three Jewels. Why doesn’t anybody make offerings to me?” Being a member of the Three Jewels, you’re supposed to give. Upholding precepts means that you hold them yourself; it doesn’t mean that you go around telling other people to hold them. Patience means that you are patient, not that you tell others to be patient. Vigor means the same: that you’re the one who is vigorous, not that you tell others to be vigorous while remaining lazy yourself. You shouldn’t think, “I’ve already become a Bodhisattva, so I don’t need to be vigorous. I’m a senior Bodhisattva and don’t need to be vigorous; I’ll just tell the junior Bodhisattvas to be vigorous.”

As for dhyāna, you must cultivate it yourself. You can’t pester people by saying, “Hey! Why can’t you achieve dhyāna?” Finally, you yourself must have prajña. You can’t tell others to cultivate it while failing to do so yourself.

The six pāramitās are not to be practiced for just one day. You must practice them every single day and never take a breather for even a second. Practicing the Bodhisattva Path means that you’re busy working all the time. Busy doing what? Teaching and transforming living beings. Living beings are drowning in the sea of suffering. Unless you push yourself a little, how are you ever going to be able to save them all? There’s no time for naps; there’s no time for false thinking. Both monastics and laypeople should practice the Bodhisattva Path.

Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v7, 220-223
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The 10 Pāramitās of the Great Vehicle Bodhisattvas

As another follow up to Higan Week, I offer Chinese Master Hsuan Hua’s explanation of the  ten pāramitās of the Great Vehicle Bodhisattvas from his commentary on the Lotus Sutra.

I’ve explained the six perfections or six pāramitās practiced by the Bodhisattvas. What do Great Vehicle Bodhisattvas practice? They practice the ten perfections or the ten pāramitās.

7. The pāramitā of skillful means. Applying skillful means, you can turn the dust of the world into the Buddha’s work. Whatever a Buddha does is skillful means; what-ever Dharma he teaches is also skillful means. What are skillful means? Skillful means aren’t something that can be used forever. They’re provisional and temporary in nature. The Dharma-door of skillful means suits a par-ticular living being’s potential only at a given time.

8. The pāramitā of vows. You make vows to teach and rescue all living beings.

9. The pāramitā of powers. You need strength to realize this pāramitā.

10. The pāramitā of wisdom. This refers to provisional wisdom, the expedient wisdom used to teach and transform living beings.

Great Vehicle Bodhisattvas cultivate these ten pāramitās. Speaking of the six pāramitās and four infinite states of the mind, these ten pāramitās are already encompassed by the four infinite states of the mind. If I were to elaborate in detail, the endless elaborations could go on and on. Such explanations could go into infinite detail. For now, I can only give a general explanation.

Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v8, p190-191
Hsuan Hua, Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, perfections

Six Pāramitās and 10 Good Deeds

As another follow up to Higan Week, I offer Chinese Master Hsuan Hua’s explanation of the  the six pāramitās from the perspective of the ten good deeds from his commentary on the Lotus Sutra.

Let’s explain the six pāramitās from the perspective of the ten good deeds. No killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, and no false speech correspond to the pāramitā of giving. No divisive speech corresponds to the pāramitā of upholding precepts. No harsh speech corresponds to the pāramitā of patience. No frivolous speech corresponds to the paramita of vigor. No greed and no hatred correspond to the pāramitā of dhyāna. No wrong views corresponds to the paramita of prajña. The ten good deeds correspond to the six pāramitās in this way.

Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v8, p135
Higan, Hsuan Hua, Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary

Higan: 10 Advantages of Prajña

Today is the final day of Higan week, the three days before the equinox and the three days after. As explained in a Nichiren Shu brochure:

For Buddhists, this period is not just one characterized by days with almost equal portions of light and dark. Rather, it is a period in which we strive to consciously reflect upon ourselves and our deeds.

The today we consider the Perfection of Prajña. For this Fall Higan week I’m using Hsuan Hua‘s commentary on the Lotus Sutra in which he discusses the 10 advantages of each pāramitā.

There are ten advantages of practicing prajña. If you practice prajña, you’ll attain these ten advantages; otherwise, you won’t attain a single one.

Wisdom is basically not being attached. Not being attached is just wisdom. If you have attachment, you won’t have wisdom. The saying “Prajña-light constantly shines” means that the light of wisdom always shines.

  1. One will not grasp at the notion of giving. In the twelve links of dependent arising, one link is “grasping, which is the condition for becoming.” If you have wisdom, you won’t grasp at the notion of giving. Grasping is being at-tached; not grasping is not being attached. One should give in such a manner that the nonsubstantiality of the three aspects of giving is empty. The three aspects are the giver, the receiver, and the gift. If you are caught up in your ability to give or in the person you are giving to, then you’re attached. Without the notions of there being one who gives, one to whom the gift is given, and the gift itself, there aren’t any attachments. It’s not that the notions don’t exist but that you’re not attached to them. This is what is meant by “one will not grasp at the notion of giving.”Why should you consider the nonsubstantiality of the three aspects of giving when you give? Because then you’ll be free of attachments. If you give thinking, “I’ve given several million dollars. How much merit do you think I have?” then you’re just like the Emperor Wu of Liang, who said to the Patriarch Bodhidharma, “I’ve built so many temples, renovated so many bridges, and influenced so many people to enter the monastic life. Would you say I have merit or not?”

    If the Patriarch Bodhidharma had said, “Yes, you do have merit,” he would’ve been following worldly thinking. Instead, the Patriarch taught the genuine Buddhadharma, which doesn’t accord with worldly sentiments. He said, “You have no merit!” He was trying to tell the emperor not to grasp at the notion of giving. With the notion of giving, you have attachments. Without it, there are no attachments. Without attachments, one’s merit is like empty space. Your merit fills empty space, but you mustn’t be attached.

  2. One will not become bound up by the precepts. Someone may say, “Then let’s not take precepts. Let’s not cultivate according to the precepts.” Not being bound up is the same idea as not grasping, which is not to become attached to the precepts. Don’t think, “I uphold the precepts, so I have cultivation and understand the Buddhadharma.” You should refrain from having that kind of attachment. You should abide by the precepts without consciously upholding them. While upholding the precepts, you have no attachment to upholding them. This is what is meant by not being bound up by the precepts. Even if you uphold the precepts, you shouldn’t think, “I’m genuinely upholding precepts. I’m a Vinaya Master!” That’s just one more attachment; the notion of self has come into being. The purpose of the precepts is to transcend the conception of self. With a notion of self, you think, “I cultivate according to the precepts.” When the notion of self is absent, why would there be precepts? …
  3. One will not become attached to the power of patience. This advantage also refers to being unattached. One is not attached to the notion of being patient. If one is attached to being patient, then one isn’t truly patient. True patience goes even beyond the concept of being patient. … Why do you have to think of it in terms of a self – “I” am patient? True cultivators of the Path must understand that all phenomena are empty of characteristics. If you can’t understand this concept, then you won’t be able to walk the Path.
  4. One will be vigorous in body and mind. One will be vigorous not only in body but also in mind. One won’t be more vigorous in body than in mind or vice versa. One will be equally vigorous in both, but won’t be attached to the notion of vigor. One shouldn’t think, “I really work hard! I’m really vigorous!” If one who cultivates holds the idea of vigor, that’s not prajña vigor. With prajña vigor, one must be vigorous yet not consciously vigorous; not vigorous yet vigorous. That’s emptying all phenomena, detaching from all characteristics. Although you apply effort in cultivation, you need to transcend the notion of cultivation. You must subdue your mind yet remain separate from the notion of having subdued your mind. You must regulate your mind until it’s at peace and free of false thinking.
  5. In dhyāna, one will abide nowhere. You probably expected the advantage of dhyāna, since the first is giving, the second upholding precepts, the third patience, and the fourth vigor; so certainly the fifth is dhyāna. So you don’t need the knowledge of others’ thoughts to know what I’m going to say; you just don’t know how I’m going to say it. When you investigate dhyāna, you should arrive at the state of abiding nowhere, which means you’ve broken all attachments. You don’t have any attachment to phenomena or to self; self and phenomena have both been emptied. Then you attain liberation. If you haven’t attained liberation, it’s because you still have attachments. Not abiding anywhere is prajña dhyāna.
  6. Demons will not disturb one. If you have prajña, demons can’t get to you; if not, everything will fall apart when demons come. It’s analogous to the formation of an army. While you’re lining up your soldiers in formation, the enemy suddenly attacks. Since your army isn’t ready for battle, you don’t know what to do – whether to fight or retreat, whether to pull the trigger on the gun or hold your fire – and your army quickly falls into disarray and chaos. Likewise, if you become afraid and frantic when demons come, that’s a sign of lacking wisdom. If you have wisdom, no matter how great their spiritual powers are, demons won’t be able to disturb you.
  7. Others’ opinions will not move one. If you don’t have genuine wisdom, then if someone says “east,” you’ll go east. If someone says “west,” you’ll go west. Someone may say, “Cultivating the Esoteric School is the best form of cultivation. Recite the name of Akṣobhya Buddha.” So you think, “It is, is it? Okay, I’ll do that. I’ll recite the name of Akṣobhya Buddha and subdue the demons.” Then someone else comes along and says, “The Pure Land School is the best. Reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha is the best form of cultivation in the Dharma-Ending Age.” So you think, “Really? Okay, I’ll do it.” And you’re swayed. Someone else may say, “Don’t bother learning how to lecture on the sūtras or teach the Dharma. Go off and live in a cave in the mountains. That’s real cultivation.” After you’ve spent two and a half days in the mountains, someone comes by and says, “Hey, the Vinaya School is the best,” and off you go to the Vinaya School. In general, you can’t focus on one school. You adopt others’ opinions of what’s good. You have no samādhi power. If the opinions of others cannot move you, that means you have samadhi power. …
  8. One will reach the end of birth and death. The end is the termination of something, just like the bottom of the sea and the base of every container. What’s the end of birth and death? Nirvāṇ If you have wisdom, you can end the cycle of birth and death and arrive at the other shore – nirvāṇa. Arriving at the other shore is reaching the end of birth and death.
  9. One will practice ever-increasing compassion. Previously, we talked about the five thousand people who left the Dharma Flower assembly because of their overbearing pride. Overbearing pride is quite the opposite of ever-increasing compassion. Ever-increasing compassion means that, although you may not have been very compassionate before, little by little, you gradually develop more and more compassion.
  10. One will take no delight in the stage of the Two Vehicles. Instead, one will choose to firmly walk on the Great Vehicle Path. Why so? Because one has wisdom. Therefore, one turns from the Lesser to the Great, giving up the Lesser Vehicle and cultivating the Great Vehicle Dharma.
Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v8, p162-172
Higan, Hsuan Hua, Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, LS32, LS45

Higan: 10 Advantages of Dhyāna

Today is the sixth day of Higan week, the three days before the equinox and the three days after. As explained in a Nichiren Shu brochure:

For Buddhists, this period is not just one characterized by days with almost equal portions of light and dark. Rather, it is a period in which we strive to consciously reflect upon ourselves and our deeds.

The today we consider the Perfection of Dhyāna. For this Fall Higan week I’m using Hsuan Hua‘s commentary on the Lotus Sutra in which he discusses the 10 advantages of each pāramitā.

There are also ten advantages of investigating dhyāna.

  1. One will settle oneself in the ritual. You investigate dhyāna through meditation moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day, month by month, and year by year. In the Chan hall, the meditation periods are regulated. This common practice becomes a routine. In the Chan hall, you sit for a while, then you walk, then you run. When it’s time to run, someone calls out, “Run!” Then you run until you’re sweating and so engrossed in the moment that you can’t even see the sky above, the earth below, or the people in between. Everyone seems to have disappeared. Where did they go? They’re gone – but they’re not lost! Why does this happen? You’ve lost track of your self. There’s no more “me.” You’ve run to the point that you’ve lost the notion of self and others. At this point you can contemplate with ease. Since there isn’t any self, you don’t have any false thinking about self; since there aren’t any people, you don’t have any false thinking about them. This state, called contemplating at ease, is described in the following line of verse:
     
    When neither emptiness nor form exists,
    One sees the Tathagata.
     
    The Buddha dwells neither in emptiness nor in existence. If you can perceive the Buddha’s Dharma body as being neither nonexistent nor existent, you’ll see the Tathagata’s Dharma body.
  2. One will practice the attitude of compassion. Being compassionate doesn’t mean being nice to people. It means that you gather people in and transform them with compassion. But if you encounter stubborn people, you may use your compassion to scold or beat them to get them to become awakened. People may be hit in the Chan hall, but it’s not what you usually think of as getting hit. People are hit so that they’ll quit false thinking and become awakened. This isn’t unusual; it’s done so that people will be good and follow the rules. This is practicing the attitude of compassion.
  3. One will have no regrets or afflictions. Afflictions arise when there’s regret.
  4. One will guard the six sense faculties. Why do you guard your six sense faculties? If you don’t guard them, they’ll run off. Where to? The eyes will run after forms, the ears after sounds, the nose after scents, the tongue after flavors, the body after tangible objects, and the mind after mental objects. When the six sense faculties are well guarded, a light will emanate from the gates of these faculties, causing the earth to quake. Why do you emit light? Because you stop having false thoughts; therefore, your wisdom light comes forth and shines upon everything in the trichiliocosm.
  5. One will attain bliss even in the absence of food. People who investigate dhyāna take dhyāna bliss as nourishment and are filled with Dharma joy. They can go without food and still be full of joy. When one’s meditation progresses to the point where one doesn’t need to eat and doesn’t feel hungry at all, one has attained this advantage. Such a person can go without food and still be happy; he’s nourished by investigating dhyāna.
  6. One will leave love and desire behind. When the mind is apart from desire and love, it’s pure. Love and desire are defilement; defilement leads to birth and death. Why do we human beings undergo birth and death? Because we haven’t cut off love and desire. Why do most people keep revolving in the six paths of rebirth and fail to end birth and death? Again, because they haven’t managed to cut off their love and desire. Until you cut off love and desire, you won’t be able to end birth and death and will continue to revolve in the six paths of rebirth. If you can free yourself from love and desire, you’ll close the gates to the hells.
  7. One’s cultivation of dhyāna will not be in vain. If your cultivation of dhyāna will not be in vain, does it mean something will come into being? The only fear is that you won’t cultivate dhyāna. If you cultivate dhyāna, your effort will not be in vain. If one sits in meditation for one hour, one’s wisdom life will increase by one hour. If one sits in meditation for two hours, one’s wisdom life will increase by two hours. If one continues to investigate dhyāna at every moment, day by day, month by month, year by year, one will certainly develop great wisdom.
  8. One will be released from demonic influences. One can be liberated from demonic obstruction. Demons will have no way to obstruct you.
  9. One will peacefully abide in the states of a Buddha. One can attain this advantage by constantly investigating dhyāna.
  10. One will attain perfect liberation. Everyone wishes for this advantage. When you reach this maturation of liberation,
Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v8, p158-160
Higan, Hsuan Hua, Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary

Higan: 10 Advantages of Vigor

Today is the fifth day of Higan week, the three days before the equinox and the three days after. As explained in a Nichiren Shu brochure:

For Buddhists, this period is not just one characterized by days with almost equal portions of light and dark. Rather, it is a period in which we strive to consciously reflect upon ourselves and our deeds.

The today we consider the Perfection of Vigor. For this Fall Higan week I’m using Hsuan Hua‘s commentary on the Lotus Sutra in which he discusses the 10 advantages of each pāramitā.

There are ten advantages of practicing vigor.

  1. One will not be defeated by others. You’ll be able to defeat others, but others won’t be able to defeat you. If you have the true skill of vigor, you’ll win every debate. No one will be able to defeat you in debate. You’ll never lose; you’re sure to win. Why is that? Because you have vigor. Just like two troops in a battle: if one is very high-spirited and energetic while the other is low-spirited and lazy, the former, the vigorous troop, will prevail.
  2. One will be gathered in and protected by the Buddhas. This is even more inconceivable. The Buddhas will look upon you and think, “This living being is pretty good. He cultivates seriously and doesn’t get lazy. What a good disciple!” The Buddhas will protect you and gather you in because you’re a good disciple. Would you not call that an advantage?
  3. One will be protected by nonhumans. Not only will the Buddhas protect you, but gods, dragons, other spiritual beings of the eightfold division, humans, and nonhumans will all protect you as well.
  4. One will not forget the Dharma one hears. This advantage is most beneficial. Why? Only if you haven’t heard the Dharma will this advantage not apply. Once you hear it, you’ll never forget it. As the saying goes,
     
    When the Dharma enters one’s ears,
    It plants the seed of the Path.
     
    Wouldn’t you like to receive this benefit? I believe everyone in the audience would like to have this benefit. If so, you must be vigorous. If you’re not vigorous, you won’t get this benefit. The benefit you receive will be proportional to the effort you apply: one part vigor produces one part benefit, and ten parts vigor produce ten parts benefit.
  5. One will hear what one has not heard before. This benefit is even more difficult to conceive. It’s wonderful! You’ll hear Dharma that you’ve never heard before. Isn’t that wonderful? Isn’t this a great advantage to you? Consider the three laypeople here today, a mother and her two sons. Previously, they didn’t have the opportunity to visit San Francisco and hear the Buddhadharma, but here they are today. The mother hadn’t intended to listen to the sūtra lecture either. However, after she heard my talk, she changed her mind. Then she asked her sons, “How about we stay and listen to the sūtra lecture?” Her sons agreed: “All right!” So they now have the opportunity to hear what they’ve never heard before. This mother hadn’t previously had the opportunity to hear the Buddhadharma, as she lives very far away, but because of her vigor in the distant past, now she has this chance. If she hadn’t cultivated vigorously before, how could she have become a vegetarian? Becoming a vegetarian, reciting the Buddha’s name, and having faith in the Buddha aren’t easy things to do. She couldn’t have made this resolve without causes and conditions from previous lives.
  6. One’s eloquence will increase. You may have found it difficult to explain the Buddhadharma before, but suddenly you obtain unobstructed eloquence. This sudden eloquence is a result of your vigor. What’s eloquence? Let me tell you. It’s the ability to speak well. What does that mean? Those with eloquence can persuade people who want to cry to laugh instead, those who are angry to feel compassionate, and those who want to run away from the hardships of this summer session to stay. Eloquent people know how to talk and make others feel good. Even if they scold others, their scolding sounds sweet and pleasant to the ears of those being scolded, who don’t find it at all hard to take.
  7. One will attain the essence of samadhi. You’ll attain the essence of concentration.
  8. One will have little trouble or sickness. All your illnesses and afflictions will vanish. You’ll be free from illness and affliction. These things will disappear without a trace.
  9. One will be able to digest whatever one eats. If you cultivate with vigor, you’ll be able to digest whatever you eat. No matter how full you are, you’ll feel hungry again shortly afterward. Why? Because you’re vigorous! You work very hard; you work energetically. You don’t slack off or take it easy. You don’t sit around thinking, “The teacher isn’t here, so I think I’ll take a break. Let’s close our eyes and take a nap!” Vigor means not slacking off or taking it easy. That’s the reason you’re able to digest all the food you eat. You also have a strong digestive system and a good appetite. Being vigorous gives you this benefit.
  10. One will grow like the udumbara flower. You’ll grow day by day, just like the udumbara flower.

Very well! Whether the lecture was good or bad, we have to call it a day. There are still fifteen minutes left for me to take a rest. It’s fine for the teacher to be lazy, but it’s absolutely not okay for the students to be lazy. Why? “Only the student can become a valedictorian, not the teacher!” So you mustn’t be lazy. While I urge you not to be lazy, I don’t care whether I’m lazy or not. Don’t be lazy. Just now, I told you to slay your “lazy bugs” and become vigorous tigers. But upon reflection, I think tigers are too fierce. Turn your “lazy bugs” into vigorous dragons instead that would be better. You can transform bugs into dragons. I hope your “lazy bugs” will all become vigorous dragons.

Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v8, p151-154
Higan, Hsuan Hua, Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary

Higan: 10 Advantages of Patience

Today is the third day of Higan week, the three days before the equinox and the three days after. As explained in a Nichiren Shu brochure:

For Buddhists, this period is not just one characterized by days with almost equal portions of light and dark. Rather, it is a period in which we strive to consciously reflect upon ourselves and our deeds.

The today we consider the Perfection of Patience. For this Fall Higan week I’m using Hsuan Hua‘s commentary on the Lotus Sutra in which he discusses the 10 advantages of each pāramitā.

Today let’s discuss the ten advantages of practicing the paramita of patience. In this world, the harder something is to do, the more it’s worth doing. If the task isn’t difficult, it doesn’t have too much value. Therefore, even though it’s hard to practice patience, it brings great benefit and is of tremendous value. What are the ten advantages?

If, in the formative stage of practice, one cultivates patience, in the future one will receive in general the following ten benefits:

    1. Fire will not burn one. Why? Those who practice patience have no internal fire. If there’s no fire within, then fire from the outside has no way to harm one. If one has fire inside, one will get burned. It’s also said:With no deficiency internally,
      One does not attract trouble from outside.If you have problems inside, you’ll attract sickness from the outside. For example, if you catch a cold, it’s often because you’ve been doing a lot of false thinking internally, which leads to “inner” weakness. You then catch an “external” cold as a result. If you cultivate patience and internally extinguish your fiery temper, so that your nature is like dead ashes, then no external fire will be able to burn you.
    2. Knives will not hurt one. If one cultivates patience, one will not be injured by knives because there are no “knives or guns” within. Without “knives or guns” inside – that is, having no thoughts of harming others – external knives and guns can’t harm one. It’s said:If inside the house there is a superior person,
      Superior people will come to visit.
      If inside the house there are petty people,
      Petty people will stop by.If there are no knives or guns in your inherent nature, you won’t be hurt by knives or guns from the outside. This is genuine philosophy!
    3. Poison will not harm one. Not only can knives not harm one, neither can poison. If one has practiced patience to perfection, then,At knife point, I remain completely calm;
      Even poisoned, I am totally at ease.One will remain unscathed when encountering the danger of knives and poison. Patriarch Bodhidharma was poisoned six times by jealous rivals but didn’t die. Why? He’d practiced patience for countless eons and with its perfection had attained this pāramitā. Which pāramitā? The antidote to poison.
    4. Water will not drown one. One who cultivates patience to perfection won’t drown in water.
    5. Nonhumans will protect one. Nonhumans refers to gods, dragons, and other spiritual beings of the eightfold division. They will all look out for you and watch over your bodhimaṇḍ
    6. One will obtain a splendid and majestic appearance. Didn’t I tell you that if you cultivate patience, you’ll have a sublime appearance? You’ll delight all who see you and will make no one afraid. People will respect and cherish you and won’t be able to leave you even if they want to. They’ll always want to be around you. A splendid and majestic appearance is the physical manifestation of the purity of one’s thoughts when they’re free of defilement. It’s not the kind of beauty associated with glamour and sex appeal. The splendor and majesty of one’s appearance will inspire reverence. It won’t cause people to become emotionally infatuated or have impure thoughts.
    7. The lower destinies will be closed to one. What are the lower destinies? They refer to the three lower realms: the hells, the realm of animals, and the realm of hungry ghosts. The doors to these destinies will be closed to you. You won’t fall into the destinies of hungry ghosts and hell beings or be reborn as an animal.
    8. One will be born in the Brahma heavens. If you practice patience, in the future you can be born in the great Brahma heavens.
    9. One will be peaceful and joyful day and night. Throughout the three periods of the day and the three periods of the night, you’ll be peaceful and joyful. You won’t be worried about your business during the day and then in the evening wonder whether or not you’re going to lose your job the next day or if you’ll have anything to eat. Most people have a lot of worries and afflictions. If you practice patience, you won’t have these kinds of afflictions. Throughout the day and night, you’ll always be very peaceful and joyful, worry-free.
    10. One will never be separated from joy and happiness. You’ll always be in good spirits and will always be very happy. This kind of happiness isn’t based on external events and stimuli. Rather, it comes from within your inherent nature and is not a contrived display of happiness.

    These are the ten advantages of practicing patience.

Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v8, p147-149