Category Archives: d1b

2buddhas, LS32, d1b

Extraordinary Events

The size of the Lotus Sūtra’s audience is the first sign of something extraordinary. A second sign is a second constituency within the audience: eighty thousand bodhisattvas.

In the early Buddhist tradition, and in what scholars have come to call “mainstream Buddhism” (that is, non-Mahāyāna), there are three paths to enlightenment. The first is the path of the śrāvaka or disciple (literally, “listener”), one who listens to the teachings of the Buddha, puts them into practice, and eventually achieves the state of the arhat, entering final nirvāṇa at death. The second is the path of the pratyekabuddha, or “solitary enlightened one.” Pratyekkabuddhas are rather enigmatic figures in Buddhist literature, said to prefer a solitary existence, achieving their liberation at a time when there is no buddha in the world. Having achieved their enlightenment, they do not teach others. The third path is that of the bodhisattva, a person capable of achieving the state of an arhat but who instead seeks the far more difficult and distant goal of buddhahood, perfecting himself over many billions of lifetimes so that he may teach the path to liberation to others at a time when it has been forgotten. Thus, a bodhisattva only achieves buddhahood at a time when the teachings of the previous buddha have faded entirely into oblivion, a process that takes many millions of millennia. Different versions of the tradition say that Śākyamuni Buddha, the buddha who appeared in India some two thousand five hundred years ago, was the fourth, the seventh, or the twenty-fifth buddha to appear in our world during the present cosmic age. There is a bodhisattva, Maitreya, said to be waiting in the Tuṣita (“Satisfaction”) heaven to be the next buddha, who will appear in our world when the teachings of our buddha have been completely forgotten, something that will not occur for millions of years. Śākyamuni and other, prior buddhas were bodhisattvas before their enlightenment. In the present age, mainstream Buddhism essentially recognizes only a single bodhisattva: Maitreya. The audience of the Lotus Sūtra, however, has eighty thousand bodhisattvas. The sūtra tells us that these eighty thousand bodhisattvas have “paid homage to countless hundreds of thousands of buddhas” (3), far more than four, seven, or twenty-five. The text lists eighteen of these bodhisattvas by name. They include two who would become the most famous in the Mahāyāna pantheon: Avalokiteśvara and Mañjuśrī. And they include the only bodhisattva whose name would have been recognized and whose existence would have been accepted by all: again, Maitreya. Thus, on the first page of the sūtra, a reader familiar with the canon would have been comforted by the familiar opening phrase and the familiar setting, only to be dumbfounded, and perhaps confounded, by the size and composition of the audience, an audience that grows even further as one reads on, with all manner of gods and demi gods arriving from their various heavens, each with hundreds of thousands of attendants. Also present is one human king, Ajātaśatru, apparently after he had repented the murder of his father, the Buddha’s patron and friend, Bimbisāra, king of Magadha.

Two Buddhas, p37-39

Another nugget. While an academic exercise, I see this information as helpful for appreciating the intent of the authors of the sūtra. And, no, I do not have any problem with Mahāyāna sūtras being composed centuries after the historical Buddha’s death. Since nothing was written down during the Buddha’s lifetime, all sūtras reflect the efforts of later authors. The role of a sūtra is to be a guide, and I believe the Lotus Sūtra is the best guide.

As Two Buddhas authors explain in their Authors Introduction:

In the vast literature of Buddhism, the Lotus Sūtra stands as one of the most inspiring, and the most controversial, of Buddhist texts. As a Mahāyāna sūtra, a sūtra of the “Great Vehicle” tradition, the Lotus Sūtra was not accepted by the Buddhist mainstream of its own time as “the word of the Buddha” (buddha-vacana). It is not accepted as the word of the Buddha by the Theravāda traditions of Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia today. But in East Asia, especially in China and Japan, perhaps more than any other text, the Lotus Sūtra has come to define what distinguishes the Mahāyāna from the teachings that preceded it. Indeed, one might say that the Lotus Sūtra both explains that difference and then seeks to explain it away, asserting that the Mahāyāna and the earlier tradition both sprang from the Buddha’s single intent.

Two Buddhas, p1

Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō

This should be Day 1 material, rather than today, and yesterday should have been Day 2. I’ve added tags to reflect that organization.

Lecture on Lotus Sutra, d1b

The Manifold Lotus Sutra

In understanding that “thus have I heard” is referring to Myoho Renge Kyo we realize that Myoho Renge Kyo pre-exists the text of the sutra. In this understanding, Myoho Renge Kyo has always existed before the text explaining it. So, in this way Myoho Renge Kyo is the fundamental truth that exists outside of or independent of the actual text, which follows. The other way around views the text as being the fundamental truth, which is then summarized by the title.

In the text of the Lotus Sutra we are told of several versions of the Lotus Sutra practiced by others in other worlds. One example of this is the Lotus Sutra practiced by Never-Despise Bodhisattva, which was the phrase “I respect you deeply, I do not despise you. Why is that? It is because you will be able to practice the Way of Bodhisattvas and become Buddhas” or simply “I do not despise you because you can become Buddhas.” In the world and the time in which Never-Despise Bodhisattva lived this was the Lotus Sutra that was most appropriate. So the text of the Lotus Sutra may be different depending upon the people, the place, and the time. But regardless of the text of the Lotus Sutra, the Myoho Renge Kyo, or Wonderful Dharma of the Lotus Flower Sutra, never changes. This is the manifold Lotus Sutra.

Lecture on the Lotus Sutra

Lecture on Lotus Sutra, d1b

Thus Have I Heard

There are actually two ways of looking at the phrase “thus have I heard.” The difference is which way or which direction “thus have I heard” points. In one understanding, “thus have I heard” points to the text that follows. So in this interpretation Ananda is saying what he heard from the Buddha and it is titled Myoho Renge Kyo. The other interpretation is “thus have I heard” is pointing to Myoho Renge Kyo, and what follows is an explanation, or interpretation of Myoho Renge Kyo. In the first understanding the text of the sutra is primary, in the second the text is secondary to the title. As different sentence constructions it might look like this. ‘Myoho Renge Kyo is what I heard’ versus ‘This is what I heard. The Buddha one …’ The difference is slight but important. In the first Myoho Renge Kyo is the most important thing and all that follows is a way to understand Myoho Renge Kyo. The second understanding places the text of the sutra as key and the title is a summary of the contents.

Nichiren argues that “thus have I heard” is referring to Myoho Renge Kyo and this supports the conclusion that chanting the title as a single practice is very much appropriate and correct. Everything then recounted in the text of the sutra is similar to an exegesis of the most important thing, which is Myoho Renge Kyo.

Lecture on the Lotus Sutra

LS Introduction, LS32, d1b

Six Omens Shown in This World

In Chapter 1, Introduction, the congregation waited anxiously for this definitive sermon, the way to which had already been prepared by the Sutra of Innumerable Teachings. But Sakyamuni did not begin immediately. First, he preached the opening sutra … . Then he entered into its deep meditation. His body and mind became motionless. The assembled gods rained mandarava flowers upon him. The world quaked in six ways. The assembled beings looked on in astonishment and joined their hands together in supplication. Finally the Buddha emitted a ray of light from the white curl between his eyebrows (the so-called “third eye”) and illuminated all the eighteen thousand worlds to the east, from their lowest hells up to their highest heavens.

These are called the “Six Omens Shown in This World.” In order, they are “Preaching,” “Entering into Samadhi,” “Raining Flowers,” “Quaking,” “Delighting,” and “Emitting a Ray of Light.”

Introduction to the Lotus Sutra

LS Introduction, LS32, d1b

The Name of the Sutra

[T]he Lotus Sutra was originally called Saddharma-pundarika-sutra in Sanskrit. Saddharma means the “wonderful Dharma,” and pundarika is rendered “lotus flower” by Kumarajiva. Sad means “righteousness” or “truth.” Dharma, the essential idea of Buddhism in various contexts, means in this case, “the law,” “the truth,” or “the teaching of the truth.” Therefore, literally Saddharma means “righteous teaching” or “righteous truth.”

You may wonder why we dare call this particular teaching “righteous” or “true” when we know that every single teaching of the Buddha is true. What does “righteous truth” imply? Because the Lotus Sutra reveals to us the principal and deepest teachings of the Buddha, people have tried to name it by expressing its special importance. Instead of saying, “the true truth,” Kumarajiva used the word myo, a word with an esoteric quality in Chinese meaning “noble richness” or “marvelous.” Therefore, he translated Saddharma as the “wonderful” or “marvelous” Dharma. Pundarika means “the lotus flower,” particularly the white lotus flower. We compare something wonderful and excellent with the lotus flower. So Saddharmapundarika represents “the righteous (wonderful) Dharma as marvelous as lotus flowers.” At the same time, the lotus flower symbolizes the most important Bodhisattva practices in Mahayana Buddhism. In Chapter Fifteen, “Bodhisattvas from Underground,” it says:

The Buddha’s children have studied the way of Bodhisattvas well. They are no more defiled by worldliness just as a lotus flower is not defiled by water.

The lovely lotus flower grows out of muddy water and is not defiled by it. In the same way, Bodhisattvas, persons who put the Buddha’s teachings into practice, can live in the midst of a world defiled by vice and corruption, and yet not be contaminated by it. They can teach and awaken other people while keeping their own minds pure. They can save others, however, only when they live with them here in this evil world.

Introduction to the Lotus Sutra

LS Introduction, LS32, d1b

A Teaching That Unifies All Beings

Besides the mythological creatures, all kinds of human and nonhuman beings assembled around the Buddha to hear his sermon. Although many of them were natural enemies, their harmonious gathering together indicates that the teaching of the Lotus Sutra applies to and unifies all beings.

Introduction to the Lotus Sutra

LS Introduction, LS32, d10b, d11b, d12b, d13b, d14b, d15b, d16b, d17b, d18b, d19b, d1b, d20b, d21b, d22b, d23b, d24b, d25b, d26b, d27b, d28b, d29b, d2b, d30b, d31b, d32b, d3b, d4b, d5b, d6b, d7b, d8b, d9b

Kamon

The studies conducted over so many centuries made possible a deeper understanding of the Lotus Sutra, and methodological standards for its interpretation were established. One example is called Kamon. It is a classification of the twenty-eight chapters into several sets for a systematic explanation of their meaning.

The major Kamon is the “Three Parts of Each of the Two Divisions of the Lotus Sutra” which was established by Great Master Chih-i. Most commentators since his time have accepted his guidelines. …

[T]he “Three Parts of Each of the Two Divisions of the Lotus Sutra” refers to the division of the Sutra into two main sections: the first half, consisting of Chapters One through Fourteen, and the second half, consisting of Chapters Fifteen through Twenty-eight. Kamon gives a detailed explanation of the reason for this division. The first half is named Shakumon, literally “imprinted gate.” Its main purpose is to teach how “hearers” and Pratyekabuddhas can attain Buddhahood in the One Vehicle. The second half is called Hommon, which means “Primal Gate” or “Primal Mystery.” This part reveals Sakyamuni to be the infinite, absolute Buddha, the Buddha who attained enlightenment in the remotest past but still leads living beings in the present. These two points are considered the fundamental ideas of the Lotus Sutra.

Introduction to the Lotus Sutra

LS Introduction, LS32, d1b

Unique Qualities of the Lotus Sutra

[I]n most sutras, the Introductory and Propagation parts are short and sweet, serving merely structural functions to complete the whole. In contrast, the Lotus Sutra contains a detailed introduction in addition to a general preface. This detailed introduction, unique to the Lotus Sutra, presents teachings that foreshadow what will be expounded in the following chapters. Secondly, the Lotus Sutra is structured as if the conclusion incorporates the main part. For example, after Chapter Ten, “The Teacher of the Dharma,” most chapters in the second division deal with the matter of keeping and propagating the Sutra in future worlds, which is, in fact, the major characteristic of a conclusion.

Introduction to the Lotus Sutra

LS Introduction, LS32, d1b

Thus Have I Heard

“Thus have I heard,” literally means, “I have heard the Buddha’s teachings in this way.” But it also implies that others might have interpreted them in some other way. Sakyamuni employed an expedient method of preaching so that he could be understood by the individual listener in his or her particular situation. For this reason, the interpretations of his teachings varied among the believers. Thus a large number of sutras were created over the years, and they did not always agree in their details. The meaning of the Lotus Sutra, however, cannot be interpreted differently, because, unlike the others, it is not a mere expedient for some listeners only, but the final teaching for everyone. Therefore, this sutra expects us to read the opening words as, “I have heard THIS,” emphasizing that everyone surely hears and understands it the same way.

Introduction to the Lotus Sutra

LS Introduction, LS32, d1b

Universal Meaning

Most modern Buddhist scholars believe that the Lotus Sutra was compiled about 500 years after Sakyamuni’s death – that is, during the first century of our era. (It was not composed all at once. Some parts are considered older than others.) In the light of this historical assessment, we can deduce that the Lotus Sutra constituted an effort to unify the diverse Buddhist schools of thought and practice which had already developed. No matter when the sutra was actually written, however, its doctrine should be understood as conveying universal meaning – the truth which transcends any limits of time or place. The Lotus Sutra embodies thought meant to unify all the Buddhist sects, old and new, regardless of their origin.

Introduction to the Lotus Sutra