Source elements of the Lotus Sutra, p 283-284The central concern of the first half of the Lotus Sutra is the uniting of the three vehicles into the One. Early proponents of Mahayana, whose thought is expressed in the Wisdom sutras, denigrated the existing Buddhism as Hinayana, contending, in their efforts to give precedence to the practice of the bodhisattva as a candidate for buddhahood, that neither śrāvakas nor pratyekabuddhas were capable of attaining the buddha degree. As the compassion of the Buddha came to be emphasized more and more, though, it became necessary to resolve the question of the buddhahood of the other two vehicles. The “Tactfulness” chapter of the Lotus Sutra specifically addresses the issue, and following chapters repeat its ideas one by one, using a number of parables and allegories. The Buddha’s disciples, the śrāvakas, previously described as having as their ultimate goal the attainment of arhatship, receive in the Lotus Sutra, together with the pratyekabuddhas, predictions of their ultimate buddhahood. Therefore the sutra can truly be called adbhuta-dharma (“the unprecedented law and teaching”).
Buddhism employs a special word, vyākaraṇa, to express a prediction about someone’s future attainment of buddhahood. It had been used in sutras preceding the Lotus, and can be traced right back to the Jātakas (stories of the Buddha’s former lives) and other early scriptures. It has various forms of expression and, appearing in a broad spectrum of sutras, is a major contributor to the development of the idea of prediction in Buddhism. With the growth of the concepts of buddha-nature and tathāgata-garbha in middle-period Mahayana works, such as the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra and Śrimālādevi-sūtra, the idea of prediction gave way to those new ways of thinking.
Category: d13b
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Vyākaraṇa
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Seven Parables in Vasubandhu’s Commentary on the Lotus Sutra
Source elements of the Lotus Sutra, p 327-328The Commentary on the Lotus Sutra, Fa-hua lun (Saddharmapuṇḍarīkopadeśa, T. 1519, variant T. 1520), by Vasubandhu and translated into Chinese twice early in the sixth century, states:
The chapters following teach seven parables for the sake of living beings and the seven kinds of defilements they possess, in order to overcome the seven kinds of overweening pride.
It summarizes the seven parables as follows:
- The parable of the burning house has been narrated for those who, seeking after power, perversely vaunt their assertion that they possess the Truth and seek after merits. In this world they burn the greatest from the fire of the various defilements and seek after reward in terms of the state of a heavenly being, which remains defiled with the outflows that obstruct enlightenment. These people are enabled to accumulate roots of goodness and the merits of samādhi in this world, and to be gladdened by expedients, so that later they will be able to enter true nirvana.
- The parable of the poor son has been narrated for those who, seeking the liberation of a śrāvaka, possess a singly directed pride in superior knowledge. They reason perversely that their own vehicle is no different from that of the Tathāgata. Through this parable, such people will be enabled to board the Great Vehicle, the one revealed through the three.
- The parable of the rain has been narrated for those who, seeking the Great Vehicle, have the arrogance of a singly directed resolve, reasoning perversely that there is no such thing as a śrāvaka or a pratyekabuddha vehicle. The parable allows them to know that there are other vehicles. Though the buddhas and tathāgatas preach the Dharma equally without discrimination, the seeds that sprout within living beings depend on the various roots of goodness.
- The parable of the magic city has been narrated for those who arrogantly believe that what is not real has being. They perform the samādhis (concentrations) and samāpattis (final, unperturbed samādhis) that are still defiled by the outflows, and though they know that nirvana is not real, they still pursue it. They are enabled through skillful expedients to enter the magic city, the city of nirvana, which is the city of the dhyānas and the samādhis. They pass through this city and enter the city of true nirvana.
- The parable of the priceless jewel has been narrated for those who, though not having false illusions, still do not realize that they have long possessed the roots of goodness of the Great Vehicle. They do not seek the Great Vehicle, but their narrow and inferior minds give rise to deluded understanding so that they think theirs is the first vehicle. Through the parable they are able to recall their past roots of goodness and learn to enter samādhi.
- The parable of the king’s jewel has been narrated for those who are arrogant in the accumulation of merits. Though they hear the teaching of the Great Vehicle, they attach themselves to teachings that are not of the Great Vehicle. The parable enables them to hear the teachings of the Great Vehicle, and through them receive the secret predictions of the buddhas-tathāgatas, the same as if they had completed the ten stages.
- The parable of the physician has been narrated for those who have pride in not accumulating merits. Remaining in the first vehicle, they have not in the past practiced and accumulated roots of goodness, so that even though they hear of the first vehicle, they cannot in their hearts believe in it. The parable shows them “the proper quantity of nirvana” … by enabling them to bring to fruition those roots that have not yet borne fruit.
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Daily Dharma – April 28, 2021
Knowing that people wish to hear
The teachings of the Lesser Vehicle,
And that they are afraid of having the great wisdom,
[My sons, that is,] the Bodhisattvas transform themselves
Into Śrāvakas or cause-knowers,
And teach the people with innumerable expedients.The Buddha sings these verses in Chapter Eight of the Lotus S̄ūtra. Our fear of the Buddha’s wisdom comes from the attachment we have to our delusions. At some level we know that we are suffering, but we believe that anything different from how we live now will be worse. There are times when someone who seems to share our delusions can help us move away from them. But then as an actor becomes so absorbed in a role that he forgets his real life, those who choose a life in this world of conflict can forget their existence as Bodhisattvas who have vowed to benefit all beings. This Wonderful Dharma reminds us of this vow and helps us appreciate those who are still bound by delusion and what we can learn from them.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
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Daily Dharma – Mar. 14, 2021
My disciples are performing
The Bodhisattva practices secretly
Though they show themselves in the form of Śrāvakas.
They are purifying my world.The Buddha sings these verses in Chapter Eight of the Lotus Sūtra. The Śrāvakas are those who hear the teachings of the Buddha and put it into practice only for themselves. They are concerned with ending their own suffering and do not believe they have the capacity to reach the Buddha’s enlightenment. But because they can serve as an example to those who are also unsure about receiving this great wisdom, they can be an inspiration to make progress on the path. With the Lotus Sūtra, the Buddha declares that all beings have the capacity for enlightenment, and reveals that all of our pursuits are for the sake of benefiting others. It is when we realize this directly and openly that we perform the Bodhisattva practice, the selfless effort of awakening the world.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
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Universal Light Tathāgata
Buddhism for Today, p128-129We must not feel that this is merely a story set in the remote past. The great compassion of the Buddha suggests that, although the other band of śrāvakas left the assembly, they would also become buddhas named Universal Light Tathāgata, like those who heard the Buddha’s proclamation through Kāśyapa and further endeavored to practice the way to buddhahood. This is the Buddha’s assurance that if we enter the path of his teachings through the Lotus Sutra and accumulate the practices of the bodhisattva-way, we too will surely become Universal Light Tathāgata. This is the meaning of so many people being predicted to become buddhas with the same title, Universal Light Tathāgata. The designation “Universal Light Tathāgata” means a person who emits light from his body and by it brightens all of society. We often see people around us like Universal Light Tathāgata or his followers. Somehow just seeing or talking with them makes us feel more cheerful. Such tathāgatas are necessary in our lives in the sahā-world. We ought at least become the followers of Universal Light Tathāgata, who can brighten our surroundings.
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Daily Dharma – Jan. 25, 2021
The Nirvāṇa we attained was
Only part of the immeasurable treasures of yours.
We were like a foolish man with no wisdom.
We satisfied ourselves with what little we had attained.Five hundred of the Buddha’s monks give this explanation in Chapter Eight of the Lotus Sūtra. They had spent all of their time with the Buddha working to rid themselves of suffering. While this is a remarkable achievement, it does not compare to the true purpose of the Buddha’s teaching. When these monks heard the Buddha teach the Lotus Sutra, and understood that their true purpose was to benefit others, they realized that their earlier practice was preparation. By remaining preoccupied with suffering, they had lost sight of the treasure of enlightenment.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
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The Teaching Given to Maitrayaniputra
Peaceful Action, Open Heart, p149-150Sadaparibhuta [Never-Despising Bodhisattva]represents the action of inclusiveness, kshanti. Kshanti, one of the six paramitas… . Kshanti is also translated as “patience,” and we can see this great quality in Sadaparibhuta and in one of the Shakyamuni’s disciples, Purna, who is praised by the Buddha in the eighth chapter of the Lotus Sutra. While the Lotus Sutra only mentions Purna in passing, he is the subject of another sutra, the Teaching Given to Maitrayaniputra. In this sutra, after the Buddha had instructed Purna in the practice, he asked him, “Where will you go to share the Dharma and form a Sangha?” The monk said that he wanted to return to his native region, to the island of Sunaparanta in the Eastern Sea.
The Buddha said, “Bhikshu, that is a very difficult place. People there are very rough and violent. Do you think you have the capacity to go there to teach and help?”
“Yes, I think so, my Lord,” replied Purna.
“What if they shout at you and insult you?”
Purna said, “If they only shout at me and insult me I think they are kind enough, because at least they aren’t throwing rocks or rotten vegetables at me. But even if they did, my Lord, I would still think that they are kind enough, because at least they are not using sticks to hit me.”
The Buddha continued, “And if they beat you with sticks?”
“I think they are still kind enough, since they are not using knives and swords to kill me.”
“And if they want to take your life? It’s possible that they would want to destroy you because you will be bringing a new kind of teaching, and they won’t understand at first and may be very suspicious and hostile,” the Buddha warned.
Purna replied, “Well, in that case I am ready to die. Because my dying will also be a kind of teaching and because I know that this body is not the only manifestation I have. I can manifest myself in many kinds of bodies. I don’t mind if they kill me, I don’t mind becoming the victim of their violence, because I believe that I can help them.”
The Buddha said, “Very good, my friend. I think that you are ready to go and help there.”
So Purna went to that land and he was able to gather a lay Sangha of 500 people practicing the mindfulness trainings and to establish a monastic community of around 500 practitioners. He was successful in his attempt to teach and transform the violent ways of the people in that country. Purna exemplifies the practice of kshanti, inclusiveness.