Category Archives: LS32

LS32

Day 4

Day 4 concludes Chapter 2, Expedients, and completes the first volume of the Sūtra of the Lotus flower of the Wonderful Dharma.

Day 4 Text with annotationsPlay MP3
Having last month witnessed the departure of the 5,000 arrogant bhikṣus and bhikṣunīs, we learn of the Buddha’s immeasurable power to employ expedients.

Śāriputra, listen attentively!
The Buddhas, having attained the Dharma,
Expound it to all living beings
By their immeasurable power to employ expedients.

I caused all living beings to rejoice
By telling them stories of previous lives,
Parables, similes and discourses,
That is to say, by employing various expedients
Because I knew their thoughts,
The various teachings they were practicing,
Their desires, their natures,
And the good and evil karmas they have previously done.

The sūtras were composed of prose, gāthās, and geyas.
The contents of them were
Miracles, parables, similes, upadesas,
And stories of the previous lives
Of Buddhas and of their disciples.
The reasons why the sūtras were expounded were also given.

I expounded the teaching of Nirvana to the dull people
Who wished to hear the teachings of the Lesser Vehicle,
Who were attached to birth and death,
And who were troubled by many sufferings
Inflicted on them because they have not practiced
The profound and wonderful teachings under innumerable Buddhas.

I expounded this expedient teaching in order to cause them
To enter the Way to the wisdom of the Buddha.
I never said to them:
“You will be able to attain the enlightenment of the
Buddha.” I never said this
Because time was not yet ripe for it.
Now is the time to say it.
I will expound the Great Vehicle definitely.
I expounded various sūtras of the nine elements
According to the capacities of all living beings.
I expounded various sūtras
Because those sūtras were a basis for the Great Vehicle.

Some sons of mine are pure in heart, gentle and wise.
They have practiced the profound and wonderful teachings
Under innumerable Buddhas
[In their previous existence].
I will expound this sūtra of the Great Vehicle to them,
And assure them of their future Buddhahood, saying:
“You will attain the enlightenment of the Buddha
In your future lives.”

Deep in their minds they are thinking of me,
And observing the pure precepts.
Therefore, they will be filled with joy
When they hear they will become Buddhas.
I know their minds.
Therefore, I will expound the Great Vehicle to them.

Any Śrāvaka or Bodhisattva
Who hears even a gāthā
Of this sūtra which I am to expound
Will undoubtedly become a Buddha.

See Affirmation of The Concrete

d4b, stories

Affirmation of The Concrete

William LaFleur describes how Tendai thought, especially Chih-i’s Mo-ho-chih-kuan and the Lotus Sutra, influenced a transformation of Japanese poetry in the twelfth century. He points out that in the Lotus Sutra there is a philosophical move that is the opposite of what predominated in the West under the influence of Platonism. In the Sutra, “the illustration is in no way subordinate to what it illustrates.” Not a shadow of something else more real, “the narratives of the Lotus are not a means to an end beyond themselves. Their concrete mode of expression is not ‘chaff’ to be dispensed with in order to attain a more abstract, rational, or spiritual truth.” The Sutra itself says:

Even if you search in all directions,
You will find no other vehicles –
Except the skillful means of the Buddha.

In other words, apart from concrete events, apart from stories, teachings, actions, and so on, there is no Buddhism.

The Stories of the Lotus Sutra, p13-14
LS32

Day 3

Day 3 covers the first half of Chapter 2, Expedients.

Day 3 Text with annotationsPlay MP3
Having last month learned of the difficulty of understanding the Dharma in gāthās, we learn the expediency of the teaching of the Three Vehicles.

(He said to Śāriputra again:)
I have already attained
The profound and wonderful Dharma,
The Dharma without āsravas, the inconceivable Dharma.
It is known only to me
And to the Buddhas of the worlds of the ten quarters.

Śāriputra, know this!
The Buddhas do not speak differently.
Have great power of faith
In the Dharma expounded by the Buddhas!
As a rule, the World-Honored Ones expound the true teaching
Only after a long period [of expounding expedient teachings].

(He said to the Śrāvakas
And to those who were seeking the vehicle of cause-knowers:)
I saved all living beings
From the bonds of suffering,
And caused them to attain Nirvāṇa.
I showed to them
The teaching of the Three Vehicles as an expedient
In order to save them from various attachments.

See The Most Inclusive and Important Expression of the Teachings of the Buddha

LS32, d3b, stories

The Most Inclusive and Important Expression of the Teachings of the Buddha

While Kumarajiva’s Chinese version has been adapted into Japanese, no one imagines that this Japanese version, or the Chinese version, or any other version is by itself the Dharma Flower Sutra, the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, to use the full title. The precise meaning of the term “The Dharma Flower Sutra” and its equivalents in other languages has to remain somewhat imprecise, as there is no single text which is “The Lotus Sutra,” no one original from which others are derived. Even in the Sutra itself, there is no consistently maintained distinction between the Dharma Flower Sutra and Buddha Dharma. In a sense, we can say that the Sutra understands itself to be the most inclusive and important expression of the teachings of the Buddha.

The Stories of the Lotus Sutra, p9
d16b, WONS

‘The Eye of the World of Gods and Men’

The Lotus Sūtra, fascicle 4 (chapter 11 on the “Appearance of the Stupa of Treasures”) preaches: “Anyone who understands the meaning of this sūtra after My extinction, will be the eye of the world of gods and men.” Now am I, Nichiren, who spreads the daimoku, the essence of the Lotus Sūtra, in Japan, not “the eye of the world of gods and men”?

To begin with, there are five kinds of eyes—human eye, divine eye, wisdom eye, dharma eye and Buddha-eye. These five kinds of eyes are all born from the Lotus Sūtra, so it is preached in the Sūtra of Meditation on the Universal Sage Bodhisattva: “This Hōdō sūtra is the eyes of Buddhas; Buddhas are able to have five kinds of eyes because of this sūtra.” “This Hōdō sūtra” in this citation refers to a Mahāyāna sūtra that expounds the vast and equal truth of reality, namely the Lotus Sūtra. The Sūtra of Meditation on the Universal Sage Bodhisattva also states: “It (the Lotus Sūtra) is a fertile field where men and gods should sow the seeds of merit. Offerings to the practicer of this sūtra is most meritorious.”

According to these scriptures, the Lotus Sūtra is the eye of men and gods, the eye of the Two Vehicles (śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha) and bodhisattvas, and the eye of the Buddhas in all the worlds throughout the universe in the past, present and future lives. Therefore, those who hate a practicer of the Lotus Sūtra scoop out the eyes of men and gods, and those protective deities who do not punish such people in effect protect those who gouge out the eyes of men and gods.

Kangyō Hachiman-shō, Remonstration with Bodhisattva Hachiman, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 1, Page 267-268

LS32

Day 2

Chapter 1, Introductory (Conclusion).

Day 2 Text with annotationsPlay MP3
Having last month considered what happened when the Buddha emitted a ray of light, we consider the reaction of the four kinds of devotees of the world of Sun-Moon-Light Buddha.

The four kinds of devotees
Of the world of Sun-Moon-Light Buddha
Also saw the Buddha displaying this great wonder.
They had great joy.
They asked one another:
“Why is he doing this?”

He who was honored by gods and men
Emerged from his samādhi,
And praised Wonderful-Light Bodhisattva, saying:
“You are the eyes of the world.

You are believed and relied on
By all living beings.
You are keeping the store of the Dharma.
Only you will understand the Dharma which I shall expound.”

Having praised Wonderful-Light
And caused him to rejoice,
That World-Honored One expounded
The Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
He never rose from his seat for sixty small kalpas.
Wonderful-Light, the Teacher of the Dharma,
Kept the Wonderful Dharma
Expounded by that World-Honored One.

Having expounded the Sūtra
Of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma,
And caused the multitude to rejoice,
The Buddha told the gods and men
At that moment on that day,
“I have already expounded to you
The truth of the reality of all things.
I shall enter into Nirvāṇa at midnight tonight.
Make efforts with all your hearts!
Leave the life of license!
It is difficult to see a Buddha, who can be seen
Only once in hundreds of millions of kalpas.”

Having heard that the Buddha would enter into Nirvāṇa,
Those sons of the World-Honored One
Were filled with sorrow.
They said, “How quickly the Buddha is gone!”

The Saintly Master, the King of the Dharma,
Consoled the countless living beings, saying:
“Although I shall pass away,
You must not worry.
This Virtue-Store Bodhisattva has already understood
The truth of the reality [of all things]
[To be attained by the wisdom] without asravas.
He will become a Buddha immediately after me.
He will be called Pure-Body.
He will save innumerable living beings.”

The Buddha passed away that night
Just as fire dies out when wood is gone.
His śarīras were distributed.
Countless stupas were erected to enshrine them.

As many bhikṣus and bhikṣunīs
As there are sands in the River Ganges
Redoubled their endeavors
In order to attain unsurpassed enlightenment.

See Sharing the Dharma

LS32, d1b, d2b, stories

Sharing the Dharma

In this story, the Buddha says he intends “to teach the great Dharma, to send down the rain of the great Dharma, to blow the conch of the great Dharma, to beat the drum of the great Dharma, and to explain the meaning of the great Dharma.”

This represents an interesting mix of emotional and intellectual practices. … Dharma rain … is a symbol of equality among the living, in that all the living equally receive the Dharma without discrimination or distinction.

The meaning of the conch and the drum is not so obvious. Almost certainly they are instruments used to lead an army in battle, to inspire and motivate soldiers to move forward. Similarly, those who receive the Dharma Flower Sutra in their hearts are not merely comforted by it; they are motivated to practice it passionately and to share it with others. Buddhism is in this sense a missionary religion. Here in Chapter 1 of the Lotus Sutra we can see that the Dharma is intended for all the living and that those who share it should enthusiastically share it with others. We can also think of the sound of the conch as representing the beauty of the Dharma, while the sound of the drums represents the power of the Dharma.

It is important to notice, also, that even enthusiastic teaching is to be accompanied by explanation of the Dharma. This suggests that we should not attempt to make only emotional appeals on behalf of the Dharma or treat it only as an object of faith. It is equally important that the Dharma be understood. What is both embraced and understood will have a more lasting value than what is embraced merely on an emotional basis. This is probably truer now than it was when the Sutra was composed. Today people are trained to think scientifically, rationally, and critically. For the Dharma Flower Sutra to be accepted by modern people, it has to be carefully taught and explained, and even criticized, in terms that people can understand.

The Stories of the Lotus Sutra, p32-33
d27b, mappō, WONS

The Sūtra for the Latter Age

Śākyamuni Buddha, the World Honored One, preaches to Bodhisattva Moon Store in the Sūtra of the Great Assembly, fascicle 51: “The period of 500 years following My death is characterized by the firm attainment of emancipation (when many are able to attain Buddhahood); the following five centuries is a period of steadfast practice of meditation (when there are many practicers of the Buddhist way); the third 500-year period is of steadfast reading, recitation and hearing of the Buddhist teaching (when the reading and recitation of sūtras and the study of Buddhist teaching are prevalent); the next five centuries is the period of the steady building of many temples (when many temples and towers are built); and in the following 500 years there will be many quarrels and lawsuits within the Buddhist world and the True Dharma will disappear.” Now, it has been over 220 years since we entered the Latter Age of Degeneration, the period which is predicted in the sūtra when “There will be many quarrels and lawsuits within the Buddhist world and the True Dharma will disappear.”

In the 23rd chapter on “The Previous Life of the Medicine King Bodhisattva” of the Lotus Sūtra, fascicle 7, Lord Buddha Śākyamuni together with the Buddha of Many Treasures spoke to Star King Flower Bodhisattva, “Spread this sūtra widely in the world during the fifth 500-year period after My extinction lest it should disappear, allowing devils, devils’ people, various gods, dragons, yakṣa demons, and kumbhāṇḍa devils to take advantage of the situation.”

Considering the time and country for spreading Buddhism, according to the Sūtra of the Great Assembly, as the first four 500-year periods matched exactly as predicted by the Buddha, how would only the fifth 500-year period miss the mark? Looking at the state of affairs today in the world, great countries of Japan and Mongol are at war. Does it not tally with the conditions in the fifth 500-year period? As we reflect on the statement in the 23rd chapter of the Lotus Sūtra cited above with this prediction of the Sūtra of the Great Assembly, the Holy Proclamation, “Spread this sūtra widely in the world during the fifth 500-year period” means “Spread the Lotus Sūtra in Japan,” does it not?

Soya Nyūdō-dono-gari Gosho, A Letter to Lay Priest Lord Soya, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Pages 169-170.

LS32

Day 1

Day 1 covers the first half of Chapter 1, Introductory

Day 1 Text with annotationsPlay MP3
Having last month met the gods and other creatures in the vast congregation, we meet the remainder of the congregation and witness the heavenly flowers falling over the entire congregation.

King Ajatasatru, who was the son of Vaidehi, was also present with his hundreds of thousands of attendants. They each worshipped the feet of the Buddha, retired, and sat to one side.

Thereupon the four kinds of devotees, who were surrounding the World-Honored One, made offerings to him, respected him, honored him, and praised him. The World-Honored One expounded a sūtra of the Great Vehicle called the “Innumerable Teachings, the Dharma for Bodhisattvas, the Dharma Upheld by the Buddhas.” Having expounded this sūtra, the Buddha sat cross-legged [facing the east], and entered into the samadhi for the purport of the innumerable teachings. His body and mind became motionless.

Thereupon the gods rained mandārava-flowers, mahā-mandārava-flowers, mañjūṣaka-flowers, and mahā-mañjūṣaka-flowers upon the Buddha and the great multitude. The world of the Buddha quaked in the six ways. The great multitude of the congregation, which included bhikṣus, bhikṣunīs, upāsakās, upāsikās, gods, dragons, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, men, nonhuman beings, the kings of small countries, and the wheel-turning-holy-kings, were astonished. They rejoiced, joined their hands together [towards the Buddha], and looked up at him with one mind.

Yesterday, I discussed the crowd of people gathered to hear the Sutra of Innumerable Meanings and how it compared with the crowds in the The Sutra of Contemplation of the Dharma Practice of Universal Sage Bodhisattva and in the Lotus Sutra.

Yesterday, I said King Ajatasatru was the only non-monastic in the audience. Just as the Sutra of Innumberable Meanings gathers leaders of empires great and small, the Lotus Sutra does include  these “kings of small countries, and the wheel-turning-holy-kings.”

It is still a point of interest that the crowd doesn’t include shopkeepers or farmers or townspeople, let alone day-laborers or the poor and destitute in the audience. But the inclusion of the kings of small countries, and the wheel-turning-holy-kings in both the Sutra of Innumerable Meanings and the Lotus Sutra can be used to underscore that the Lotus Sutra begins after the completion of the Sutra of Innumerable Meanings and thus would be expected to include the same audience.

Blog, d5b, d6b

A More Generous and Inclusive Lotus Sutra

Today I continue my Office Lens housecleaning with another quote from Gene Reeves’ Translator’s Introduction to his 2008 translation of the The Lotus Sutra.

As in the case of the carriages in the parable of the burning house, the great vehicle can be understood as replacing the other vehicles, or as making skillful means unnecessary. There are passages in the sutra that suggest this interpretation. We might call this the narrow interpretation of the Lotus Sutra, a perspective taken by some followers of Nichiren. They insist that in the Lotus Sutra they have found the one truth in light of which all other claims, and all other forms of religion including all other forms of Buddhism, are to be rejected as false and misleading. Most of those who study the Lotus Sutra, however, understand the teaching of the one vehicle in a much more generous, inclusive way.

The one vehicle itself can be understood as nothing but skillful means. That is, without a great variety of skillful means there can be no one vehicle, since it is through skillful means that living beings are led toward the goal of being a buddha. Without skillful means the one vehicle would be an empty, useless vehicle. Furthermore, the one vehicle itself is a teaching device, a skillful means of teaching that the many means have a common purpose. (Reeves, p13)