Two Buddhas, p175-176Nichiren observed that these four bodhisattvas [who are leaders of the Bodhisattvas from beneath the earth] were not present at the Buddha’s first sermon nor at the last. They appear in no sūtra other than the Lotus, and even there, they are present only to receive the Buddha’s transmission of the sūtra and his charge to propagate it after his parinirvāṇa. Based on his understanding of the Buddha’s teaching process, Nichiren argued that these bodhisattvas could only appear in the Final Dharma age. During the two thousand years following the Buddha’s passing, that is, the True Dharma and Semblance Dharma ages, persons who had received the seed of buddhahood from Sakyamuni Buddha were led to the stages of maturation and harvesting through provisional teachings. Had the bodhisattvas from beneath the earth appeared and spread the daimoku during that time, many of those people would have reviled it, thereby destroying the merit gained through the maturing of the seeds that they had already received. During those two thousand years, Nichiren said, some of the bodhisattvas from other worlds remained to teach the Lotus Sūtra in this world. Specifically, Zhiyi and his teacher Huisi, long revered as manifestations of the bodhisattvas Bhaiṣajyarāja (J. Yakuō; Medicine King) and Avalokiteśvara (Kannon), respectively, had taught the three thousand realms in a single thought-moment from the abstract perspective of the trace teaching. But by the beginning of the Final Dharma age, those able to achieve liberation through the provisional teachings had vanished, and the bodhisattvas from other worlds had all returned to their original lands. Now, in the present, mappō era, “Hinayāna is employed to attack Mahāyāna, and the provisional used to destroy the true. East and west are confused, and heaven and earth turned upside down. … At this time, the bodhisattvas who emerged from the earth will make their first appearance in the world, solely to have the children drink the medicine of the five characters Myōhō-renge-kyō.”
Category Archives: LS32
Day 16
Day 16 concludes Chapter 11, Beholding the Stūpa of Treasures, and completes the Fourth Volume of the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
Having last month concluded the comparison of easy and difficult tasks, we conclude today’s portion of Chapter 11, Beholding the Stūpa of Treasures with the Hōtōge verses.
Since I attained
The enlightenment of the Buddha,
I have expounded many sūtras
In innumerable worlds.This sūtra is
The most excellent.
To keep this sūtra
Is to keep me.Good men!
Who will receive and keep this sūtra,
And read and recite it
After my extinction?
Make a vow before me
[To do all this]!It is difficult to keep this sūtra.
I shall be glad to see
Anyone keeping it even for a moment.
So will all the other Buddhas.
He will be praised by all the Buddhas.
He will be a man of valor,
A man of endeavor.
He should be considered
To have already observed the precepts,
And practiced the dhuta.
He will quickly attain
The unsurpassed enlightenment of the Buddha.Anyone who reads and recites this sūtra in the future
Is a true son of mine.
He shall be considered to live
On the stage of purity and good.Anyone, after my extinction,
Who understands the meaning of this sūtra,
Will be the eye of the worlds
Of gods and men.Anyone who expounds this sūtra
Even for a moment in this dreadful world,
Should be honored with offerings
By all gods and men.[Here ends] the Fourth Volume of the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
See The Spiritual Significance of the Two Places and Three Assemblies
The Spiritual Significance of the Two Places and Three Assemblies
Buddhism for Today, p151Sakyamuni Buddha is said to have expounded this sutra at two places and three assemblies. First it was preached at the assembly on Vulture Peak, next at the assembly held in the sky, and last again at the assembly on Vulture Peak. The spiritual significance of the two places and the three assemblies is as follows.
On receiving the teachings of the Buddha, at first we cannot understand them unless they are closely linked with our present actuality. The first preaching of the Lotus Sutra on the earth means that the Buddha first revealed his teachings based on actuality. This is the teaching of wisdom. Next, the preaching of the sutra in the sky, away from the earth, indicates the Buddha as the ideal that takes a step beyond actuality. This is possible through the absolute compassion shown by the Buddha. But his compassionate teaching is meaningless unless we demonstrate it in our actual lives. Therefore, the final preaching of the Lotus Sutra returns to actuality (the earth). As often mentioned in this book, the strange stories in the Lotus Sutra are not descriptions of some dreamlike world but contain well-reasoned spiritual significance.
The Space Under the Earth of the Sahā World
Two Buddhas, p173-174According to the sūtra text, the vast throng of bodhisattvas who appear suddenly in Chapter Fifteen “had all previously been living in the space under the earth of the Sahā world.” Zhiyi identified this “space” as the mysterious depth that is the dharma nature and as the middle way; he also equated it with the “land of ever-tranquil light,” a metaphor for the Buddha’s enlightened realm. One modern Lotus commentator interpreted “living in the space under the earth of the Sahā world” to mean having insight into the empty and constructed nature of all things, which permits one “to be in the midst of the swirl of the world of desire, without being dragged down by it, constantly maintaining a stance of unattached freedom.” This interpretation echoes the description of these bodhisattvas later in the chapter as being “as undefiled by worldly affairs as the lotus blossom in the [muddy] water.”
Day 15
Day 15 concludes Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma, and opens Chapter 11, Beholding the Stūpa of Treasures.
Having last month considered how the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma is the most difficult to believe and understand, we consider the tale of the thirsty man.
“Medicine-King! Erect a stupa of the seven treasures in any place where this sūtra is expounded, read, recited or copied, or in any place where a copy of this sūtra exists! The stupa should be tall, spacious and adorned. You need not enshrine my śarīras in the stupa. Why not? It is because it will contain my perfect body. Offer flowers, incense, necklaces, canopies, banners, streamers, music and songs of praise to the stupa! Respect the stupa, honor it, and praise it! Anyone who, after seeing the stupa, bows to it, and makes offerings to it, know this, will approach Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.
“Medicine-King! Although many laymen or monks will practice the Way of Bodhisattvas, they will not be able to practice it satisfactorily, know this, unless they see, hear, read, recite, copy or keep this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma or make offerings to it. If they hear this sūtra, they will. Anyone who, while seeking the enlightenment of the Buddha, sees or hears this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, and after hearing it, understands it by faith and keeps it, know this, will approach Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.
“Medicine-King! Suppose a man on a plateau felt thirsty and sought water. He dug a hole in order to get water. As long as he saw the dug-out lumps of earth were dry, he knew that water was still far off. He went on digging, and then found the dug-out lumps of earth wet. When he finally found mud, he was convinced that water was near. In the same manner, know this, the Bodhisattvas who have not yet heard, understood or practised this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, are still far from Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. [The Bodhisattvas] who hear, understand, think over and practice this sūtra, will approach Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. Why is that? It is because Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi which all the Bodhisattvas [should attain] is expounded only in this sūtra. This sūtra opens the gate of expedients and reveals the seal of the truth. The store of this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma is sound and deep. No one can reach its core. Now I show it to the Bodhisattvas in order to teach them and cause them to attain [Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi].
The Five Practices of Teachers of The Law
Buddhism for Today, p140Receiving and keeping the sutra (juji), reading and reciting it (doku-ju), expounding it (gesetsu), and copying it (shosha) are called the five practices of teachers of the Law (goshu hosshi). These are most important practices for those who spread the Lotus Sutra. The description of these five practices of the teacher of the Law is the first of the seven essentials mentioned in the chapter “A Teacher of the Law.”
Of these five practices of the teacher, “receiving and keeping” (juji) is called “the intensive practice” (shōgyō), while the other four practices are called “the assisting practic.es” (jogyō). The reason we must set apart “receiving and keeping” as the intensive practice is that this is the most important and fundamental practice of the five; without it, the other four practices mean little. “Receiving” (ju) indicates believing deeply in the teachings of the Buddha, and “keeping” (ji) means to adhere firmly to that belief.
Willingness to Give Even One’s Life
Two Buddhas, p165Willingness to give even one’s life if need be took on deep soteriological meaning for Nichiren over the course of his career. By persevering for the Lotus Sūtra’s sake, he taught, one could expiate in a single lifetime one’s evil karma from countless past lifetimes; repay one’s obligations to the Buddha and to all living beings; fulfill the bodhisattva path; and be assured of fully realizing buddhahood in this lifetime. On this theme, he wrote to his followers: “Life flashes by in but a moment. No matter how many powerful enemies may oppose us, never think of retreating or give way to fear. Even if they should cut off our heads with a saw, impale our bodies with lances, or bind our feet and bore them through with a gimlet, so long as we have life, we must chant Namu Myōhō-renge-kyō, Namu Myōhō-renge-kyō. And if we chant up until the very moment of death, Śākyamuni, Prabhūtaratna, and the buddhas of the ten directions will come to us instantly … and surely escort us to the jeweled land of Tranquil Light.”
The Great Merit for Those Who Chant the Daimoku
QUESTION: Is there any scriptural proof that we gain merits through the exclusive chanting of the daimoku?
ANSWER: The Lotus Sūtra says in chapter 26, “Dhārāṇi,” of the 8th fascicle that the merits obtained will be immeasurable when one keeps only the name of the Lotus Sūtra. The Lotus Sūtra of the True Dharma says in the chapter of “Total Upholding” that the merits of a person who hears this sūtra and keeps its name will be innumerable. The Lotus Sūtra with Additions says in the chapter of “Dhārāṇi” that the merits will be innumerably great when one keeps the name of the Lotus Sūtra. These clearly show how great the merits are for those who chant the daimoku.
Hokke Daimoku Shō, Treatise on the Daimoku of the Lotus Sūtra, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 39
Day 14
Day 14 covers all of Chapter 9, The Assurance of Future Buddhahood of the Śrāvakas Who Have Something More to Learn and the Śrāvakas Who Have Nothing More to Learn, and opens Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma.
Having last month concluded Chapter 9, The Assurance of Future Buddhahood of the Śrāvakas Who Have Something More to Learn and the Śrāvakas Who Have Nothing More to Learn, we begin Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma and the Buddha’s prediction for those who rejoice, even on a moment’s thought, at hearing even a gāthā or a phrase of the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
Thereupon the World-Honored One said to Medicine-King Bodhisattva in the presence of the eighty thousand great men:
“Medicine-King! Do you see the innumerable gods, dragonkings, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, men, and nonhuman beings, and [the four kinds of devotees:] bhikṣus, bhikṣunīs, upāsakās, and upāsikās, and those who are seeking Śrāvakahood or Pratyekabuddhahood or the enlightenment of the Buddha in this great multitude? If in my presence any of them rejoices, even on a moment’s thought, at hearing even a gāthā or a phrase of the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, I will assure him of his future Buddhahood, saying to him, ‘You will be able to attain Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.’ ”
The Buddha said to Medicine-King:
“If after my extinction anyone rejoices, even on a moment’s thought, at hearing even a gāthā or a phrase of the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, I also will assure him of his future attainment of Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. If anyone keeps, reads, recites, expounds and copies even a gāthā of the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, and respects a copy of this sūtra just as he respects me, and offers flowers, incense, necklaces, incense powder, incense applicable to the skin, incense to burn, canopies, banners, streamers, garments and music to it, or just joins his hands together respectfully towards it, Medicine-King, know this, he should be considered to have appeared in the world of men out of his compassion towards all living beings, although he already made offerings to ten billion Buddhas and fulfilled his great vow under those Buddhas in a previous existence.
A Single Thought Becomes the Seed
Buddhism for Today, p139-140If we delight in a single verse or a single word of the Lotus Sutra by a single thought but become no better than we were before, it is of no use. The assurance of our becoming buddhas is conditional on the result of practice over a long period of time. Why then did the Buddha say that he would predict Perfect Enlightenment for anyone who by a single thought delights in a single verse or a single word of the Lotus Sutra? This is because the mind that one raises through delighting in the Lotus Sutra by a single thought will become the seed of his attaining buddhahood. One must incessantly nurture this seed, making it bud by watering it diligently, making it grow, flower, and bear fruit. However, when we understand that we are assured of becoming buddhas if we hear a single verse or a single word of the Lotus Sutra and by a single thought delight in it, we should be inspired with redoubled courage. Such an understanding is a great encouragement to us in this corrupt age. The Buddha referred to this as follows: “Moreover, after the extinction of the Tathāgata, if there be any people who hear even a single verse or a single word of the Wonderful Law-Flower Sutra, and by a single thought delight in it, I also predict them to Perfect Enlightenment.”