Peaceful Action, Open Heart, p223-225Chapter 27 of the Lotus Sutra, “The Former Affairs of the King Fine Adornment,” was one of the chapters added later to the Sutra. It tells of a king named Shubhavyuha (Fine Adornment), who was the previous life of Flower Virtue, one of the bodhisattvas in the Lotus Sutra assembly. Two other bodhisattvas in the assembly, Medicine King and Superior Medicine, were the sons of King Fine Adornment in their previous lives. Through their practice and understanding of the Lotus Sutra, which they heard taught by the Buddha of that place and time, they were able to lead their father to the path of the Buddhadharma. Also present is the bodhisattva Marks of Adornment, who in a former life was called Pure Virtue, and was the wife of King Fine Adornment and the mother of his two sons.
The Buddha introduces these bodhisattvas and speaks of their past lives to convey to the Sangha that the practice of the Lotus Sutra can lead to effects beyond compare, and this has the effect of increasing and ensuring the assembly’s confidence and faith in the practice. This chapter shows us that we have the capacity to take our practice into our families and communities in order to help them become liberated from suffering. We do not practice for ourselves alone but also in order to help others – this is the way of the bodhisattva that is extolled in the Lotus Sutra.
When we enter the bodhisattva path, it is natural that parents and immediate family members are the first objects of our practice. We can see this in the example of Shakyamuni Buddha himself, who soon after his enlightenment taught the Dharma to his aunt Mahāprajāpatī, his former wife, Yasodhara, his son, Rāhula, and his father, Śuddhodana. …
The presence of bodhisattvas like Medicine King, Superior Medicine, and Flower Virtue in the Lotus Sutra show us that the practice of the path of liberation has the capacity not only to liberate us but also to bring others out of suffering – beginning with our parents and siblings, our immediate family, and ultimately extending to all beings.
Category: d31b
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The Lesson of Chapter 27
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The Dimension of Action
Peaceful Action, Open Heart, p142-143One of the most important and influential schools of Chinese Buddhism, the Tiantai school, divides the Lotus Sutra into two parts: the first fourteen chapters representing the historical dimension and the last fourteen chapters representing the ultimate dimension. But this method has some shortcomings. There are elements of the ultimate dimension in the first fourteen chapters and elements of the historical in the second. There is also a third very important dimension, the dimension of action.
These dimensions cannot be separated; they inter-are. Here is an example. When we look at a bell we can see that it is made of metal. The manifestation of the bell carries the substance of metal within. So within the historical dimension – the form of the bell – we can see its ultimate dimension, the ground from which it manifests. When the bell is struck, it creates a pleasant sound. The pleasant sound created by the bell is its function. The purpose of a bell is to offer sound in order for us to practice. That is its action. Function is the dimension of action, the third dimension along with, and inseparable from, the historical and ultimate dimensions.
We need to establish a third dimension of the Lotus Sutra to reveal its function, its action. How can we help people of the historical dimension get in touch with their ultimate nature so that they can live joyfully in peace and freedom? How can we help those who suffer open the door of the ultimate dimension so that the suffering brought about by fear, despair, and anxiety can be alleviated? I have gathered all the chapters on the great bodhisattvas into this third action dimension, the bodhisattva’s sphere of engaged practice.
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The Power of Practice
Vasubandhu’s Commentary on the Lotus Sutra, p 148The power of practice is illustrated by five entrances: l) the power from teaching, 2) the power from the practice of undertaking hardships, 3) the power from protecting living beings from difficulties, 4) the power from the excellence of merits, and 5) the power from protecting the Dharma.
- The power from teaching has three entrances to the Dharma that are shown in the chapter “Supernatural Powers”: [the buddhas] extend their long, broad tongues in order to cause [those present] to remember; [they] coughed [before] speaking the verses in order to cause [those present to listen, and after having made them listen they caused them not to abandon the true practice; [they] snapped their fingers to enlighten living beings and to cause those who were practicing the path to attain enlightenment.
- The power from the practice of undertaking hardships is illustrated in the chapter “Bodhisattva Bhaiṣajyarāja” [Medicine King]. The chapter “Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara” [Wonderful Voice] also illustrates the power from the practice of undertaking hardships [in regard to] giving guidance to living beings.
- The power from protecting living beings from difficulties is shown in the chapter “Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara” and the chapter “Magical Spells.”
- The power from the excellence of merits is shown in the chapter “King Śubhavyūha.” The two boys have such power through the roots of good merit [they had planted] in past lives.
- The power from protecting the Dharma is shown in the chapter “Bodhisattva Samantabhadra” and in later chapters.
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The Merits Will Bear Blossoms and Fruit.
The chapter “Wonderful Adornment King” is expounded for women. It tells of a wife recommending Buddhism to her husband. If a wife recommends the Lotus Sūtra to her husband in the Latter Age of Degeneration, her merit will be the same as that of Lady Jōtoku, or Pure Virtue. The merits would be much more upon you both, a husband and wife, who believe together in the Lotus Sūtra. You are like a bird that has two wings or a vehicle with two wheels. Everything will surely be achieved by you. With heaven and earth, sun and moon, sunshine and rain, plants and trees of the merits will bear blossoms and fruit.
Nichinyo Gozen Gohenji, Response to My Lady Nichinyo, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 137
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Sons and Fathers
Download PDF copy The story of how two sons, Pure-Store and Pure-Eyes, at the behest of their mother, Pure-Virtue, brought their father, King Wonderful-Adornment, to have faith in the Lotus Sūtra has always inspired me. And that’s why I suppose I was so taken by the story of the first meeting of Śākyamuni with his father, Śuddhodana (which means Pure Rice), after Siddhartha Gautama became the Buddha. Both involve children performing miracles.
All of this comes up because I recently finished reading The Fo Sho Hing Tsan King, A Life of Buddha written by Aśvaghoṣa Bodhisattva and translated from Sanskrit into Chinese by Dharmaraksha in 420 CE. The Fo Sho Hing Tsan King was translated into English by Samuel Beal and originally published by Oxford in 1883. The book is the 19th volume of Oxford’s The Sacred Books of the East edited by F. Max Müller in 1883.
Chapter 19 of The Fo Sho Hing Tsan King details the “Interview between Father and Son.” Here’s the pertinent section that comes to mind when I read the story of Pure-Store and Pure-Eyes and their father, King Wonderful-Adornment:
Knowing that Buddha was now returning to his country [the king’s spies] hastened back and quickly announced the tidings, ‘The prince who wandered forth afar to obtain enlightenment, having fulfilled his aim, is now coming back.’
The king hearing the news was greatly rejoiced, and forthwith went out with his gaudy equipage to meet (his son) ; and the whole body of gentry (sse) belonging to the country, went forth with him in his company.
Gradually advancing he beheld Buddha from afar, his marks of beauty sparkling with splendour two-fold greater than of yore; placed in the middle of the great congregation he seemed to be even as Brahma raga.
Descending from his chariot and advancing with dignity, (the king) was anxious lest there should be any religious difficulty (in the way of instant recognition); and now beholding his beauty he inwardly rejoiced, but his mouth found no words to
utter.He reflected, too, how that he was still dwelling among the unconverted throng, whilst his son had advanced and become a saint (Rishi) ; and although he was his son, yet as he now occupied the position of a religious lord, he knew not by what name to address him.
Furthermore he thought with himself how he had long ago desired earnestly (this interview), which now had happened unawares (without arrangement). Meantime his son in silence took a seat, perfectly composed and with unchanged countenance.
Thus for some time sitting opposite each other, with no expression of feeling (the king reflected thus), ‘How desolate and sad does he now make my heart, as that of a man, who, fainting, longs for water, upon the road espies a fountain pure and cold;
‘With haste he speeds towards it and longs to drink, when suddenly the spring up and disappears. Thus, now I see my son, his well-known features as of old;
‘But how estranged his heart! and how his manner high and lifted up! There are no grateful outflowings of soul, his feelings seem unwilling to express themselves; cold and vacant (there he sits); and like a thirsty man before a dried-up fountain (so am I).’
Still distant thus (they sat), with crowding thoughts rushing through the mind, their eyes full met, but no responding joy; each looking at the other, seemed as one who thinking of a distant friend, gazes by accident upon his pictured form.
‘That you’ (the king reflected) ‘who of right might rule the world, even as that Mândhâtri râga, should now go begging here and there your food! what joy or charm has such a life as this?
‘Composed and firm as Sumeru, with marks of beauty bright as the sunlight, with dignity of step like the ox king, fearless as any lion,
‘And yet receiving not the tribute of the world, but begging food sufficient for your body’s nourishment!’
Buddha, knowing his father’s mind, still kept to his own filial purpose.
And then to open out his mind, and moved with pity for the multitude of people, by his miraculous power he rose in mid-air, and with his hands (appeared) to grasp the sun and moon.
Then he walked to and fro in space, and underwent all kinds of transformation, dividing his body into many parts, then joining all in one again.
Treading firm on water as on dry land, entering the earth as in the water, passing through walls of stone without impediment, from the right side and the left water and fire produced!
The king, his father, filled with joy, now dismissed all thought of son and father; then upon a lotus throne, seated in space, he (Buddha) for his father’s sake declared the law.
‘I know that the king’s heart (is full of) love and recollection, and that for his son’s sake he adds grief to grief; but now let the bands of love that bind him, thinking of his son, be instantly unloosed and utterly destroyed.
‘Ceasing from thoughts of love, let your calmed mind receive from me, your son, religious nourishment; such as no son has offered yet to father, such do I present to you the king, my father.
‘And what no father yet has from a son received, now from your son you may accept, a gift miraculous for any mortal king to enjoy, and seldom had by any heavenly king!’
The miracles of children, the salvation of fathers, all part of a whole: the Wonderful Dharma of the Lotus Flower Sutra, the Dharma for Bodhisattvas, the Dharma Upheld by the Buddhas.