Category Archives: d26b

LS32, d16b, d17b, d26b, LS Introduction

The Practice of a Bodhisattva

The main practice of Mahayana Buddhism, the Great Vehicle, is the Practice of a Bodhisattva: practice for helping others. The sutras in general give us many types of Bodhisattva-practices. In the Lotus Sutra, however, the principal Bodhisattva-practice is dissemination of the Sutra itself.

In Chapter Eleven, “Beholding the Stupa of Treasures,” and Chapter Eighteen, “Encouragement for Keeping the Sutra,” Sakyamuni asks Bodhisattvas to volunteer to disseminate the Sutra in the future. Answering his call, in Chapter Fifteen, “The Appearance of Bodhisattvas from Underground,” Bodhisattvas well up from beneath the earth, and in Chapter Twenty-one, “Supernatural Powers of the Tathagatas,” Sakyamuni transmits the Sutra to them. Then in Chapter Twenty-two, “Transmission,” he transmits it to all the Bodhisattvas. The mission of all of them, both the Original Bodhisattvas and the Temporal Bodhisattvas, is to disseminate the Lotus Sutra after the Buddha’s extinction.

A principal feature of the Lotus Sutra lies in showing us spiritual and practical ways by which Bodhisattvas disseminate it, overcoming all hardships in this evil world.

Introduction to the Lotus Sutra

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

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

LS32, d26b, d27b, d28b, d29b, d31b, d32b, LS Introduction

Realizing Buddhahood in One’s Heart

Who are the Bodhisattvas and what is meant by the hearts of Bodhisattvas? Bodhisattvas seek to save other people besides themselves, just as the Buddha did. The Bodhisattva heart is the same as the Buddha heart. It does not take much study or diligent practice to know the heart of the Buddha and make it one’s own. The Buddha is a symbol of the human ideal. Even an ignorant person can experience the Buddha’s heart by dedicating his or her own heart to Him, exalting Him as the ideal, wishing to follow His teachings, believing in and praying to Him, and putting such thoughts into practice to the best of one’s ability. It is possible for anyone to experience the heart of the Buddha; that is a way of Practice which is open to anyone. For example, someone who is trying to help another person or persons (the Bodhisattva Practice) is already experiencing the Buddha in his heart. Such a potential for realizing Buddhahood in one’s heart is something every one of us already possesses by nature. (The Buddha was a human being, and so are we; he achieved Buddhahood, and so can we.) This potential is called the “Buddha-nature.”

Introduction to the Lotus Sutra

LS32, d26b, LS Introduction

Medicine-King’s samadhi

The story of Medicine-King Bodhisattva begins with an explanation of his accomplishments in a previous life. In Chapter Ten, the “Teacher of the Law,” Medicine-King represented eighty thousand Bodhisattvas who heard Sakyamuni teach. In this chapter, Sakyamuni tells a Bodhisattva by the name of Star-King-Flower about the Medicine-King.

A long time ago, there was a Buddha called Sun-Moon-Pure-Bright-Virtue Tathagata. Among his many disciples, there was one named Gladly-Seen-By-All-Beings Bodhisattva. He studied the Lotus Sutra under this Buddha, and underwent difficult practices for many years until he attained the samadhi by which he could transform himself into any other living being (p. 299-300).

The samadhi by which he could transform himself into any other living being is the samadhi (the power of concentration) that is the ability to show an appropriate physical form according to the person’s capacity to whom he preaches the dharma.

Introduction to the Lotus Sutra

LS32, d5b, d13b, d14b, d26b, d28b, d29b, d31b, d32b, LS Introduction

The Bodhisattva Vehicle

The Bodhisattva Vehicle includes those who seek or already possess the enlightenment of the Buddha. Although they neither enter into nirvana nor attain the ultimate enlightenment of Sakyamuni, Bodhisattvas share his ideal of working in this world for the salvation of others. In contrast to the Lesser Vehicle, the teaching for Bodhisattvas is called the Great Vehicle, for it seeks to guide all living things to enlightenment, just as a large vehicle can carry many passengers besides the driver.

Introduction to the Lotus Sutra

LS32, d26b, d27b, LS Introduction

The Spirit of Giving One’s Whole Self

The offering of burning the body, which plays such a prominent part of this chapter, should not be taken literally. It symbolizes the spirit of giving one’s whole self, believing wholeheartedly, embracing the Most-Venerable-One, and offering to serve the truth with all one’s body and soul.

Introduction to the Lotus Sutra

d26b

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