Great Master Chih-i extolled the teaching of the One Vehicle as the unifying principle of Buddhism, presenting it as the doctrine which “opens the Three to reveal the One (Vehicle)” or “encompasses the three with the One.” Since the Three Vehicles symbolize all the sects of Buddhism united through this principle, the One Vehicle could also mean the unity of all the religions of the world, non-Buddhist as well as Buddhist.
Introduction to the Lotus SutraCategory Archives: LS32
Day 23
Day 23 covers all of Chapter 18, The Merits of a Person Who Rejoices at Hearing This Sutra, and opens Chapter 19, The Merits of the Teacher of the Dharma.
Having last month considered the eight hundred merits of the eye, we consider the twelve hundred merits of the ear.
“Furthermore, Constant-Endeavor! The good men or women who keep, read, recite, expound or copy this sūtra, will be able to obtain twelve hundred merits of the ear. With their pure ears, they will be able to recognize all the various sounds and voices inside and outside the one thousand million Sumeru-worlds, [each of which is composed of the six regions] down to the Avici Hell and up to the Highest Heaven. They will be able to recognize the voices of elephants, horses and cows; the sounds of carts; cryings and sighings; the sounds of conch-shell horns, drums, gongs and bells; laughter and speech; the voices of men, women, boy and girls; meaningful voices, meaningless voices; painful voices, delightful voices; the voices of the unenlightened ones, the voices of the enlightened ones; joyful voices, joyless voices; the voices of gods, dragons, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras and mahoragas; the sounds of fire, water and wind; the voices of hellish denizens, animals and hungry spirits; and the voices of bhikṣus, bhikṣunīs, Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas and Buddhas. In a word, with their pure and natural ears given by their parents, they will be able to recognize all the sounds and voices inside and outside the one thousand million Sumeru-worlds, although they have not yet obtained heavenly ears. Even when they recognize all these various sounds and voices, their organ of hearing will not be destroyed.”
The Six Perfections
The Six Perfections … are considered to be the fundamental practices of Mahayana Buddhism, the Great Vehicle, and are the Way of Bodhisattva Practice. Their Sanskrit name, Paramita, really means, “reaching the other shore.” In other words, these are six methods for attaining the goal of Buddhahood.
- The Perfection of Generosity (dana-paramita, “giving”). It has two meanings: giving material goods and giving spiritual teachings. The Perfection of Generosity is the purest manifestation of devoted service for others. This Perfection is placed at the head of all others for it summarizes the whole spirit of the Great Vehicle.
- The Perfection of Morality (sila-paramita, following the ethical precepts). There are five moral precepts in Buddhism, which are considered to be aspirations, not commandments: (1) not to take life, (2) not to steal, (3) not to indulge in unlawful sexuality, (4) not to lie, and (5) not to become intoxicated by drink or drugs.
- The Perfection of Patience (ksanti-paramita). When a Bodhisattva practices the Six Perfections, he is sure to encounter obstacles and opposition from other people. The Bodhisattva must remain patient in adversity. It takes courage sometimes to exercise self-control, not become angry, and not strike back with a blow for a blow.
- The Perfection of Vigor (virya-paramita, “endeavor”). Putting forth one’s best effort. The final aim of the Perfection of Endeavor is to attain Buddhahood. We must approach every task with vigor and enthusiasm, and so improve our lives and the lives of those around us. No detail is too small not to require our best effort. The one great task of achieving Buddhahood requires the fulfilling of a thousand small tasks every day.
- The Perfection of Concentration (dhyana-paramita, meditation). Dhyana is called Zen in Japanese. It is sometimes translated as “Meditation,” but in Buddhism there are various types of meditation, depending on what the one who meditates hopes to achieve. Here it means one-pointed concentration, not only of the mind but also of the heart. Any practice which helps us gain unity of mind and heart is dhyana.
- The Perfection of Wisdom (prajna-paramita). The last of the Six Perfections is Prajna. It is the cornerstone of all the Perfections, for without Wisdom none of the others fit together. Without wisdom, none would be “perfections.” Wisdom is not the same as simple knowledge or understanding. When the Buddha recognizes the truth (the Dharma), that is wisdom. In wisdom, the Buddha’s person and the universal law (Dharma) are one. The state in which subjective character and objective truth merge into one is true wisdom.
Day 22
Day 22 covers all of Chapter 17, The Variety of Merits.
Having last month learned of the great benefits received by Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, we witness the reaction of the gods in heaven.
When the Buddha said that these Bodhisattva-mahāsattva had obtained the great benefits of the Dharma, [the gods) in heaven rained mandārava-flowers and mahā-mandārava-flowers on the many hundreds of thousands of billions of Buddhas sitting on the lion-like seats under the jeweled trees. They also rained those flowers on [the two Buddhas:] Many-Treasures Tathāgata, who had passed away a long time ago, and Śākyamuni Buddha, both of whom were sitting on the lion-like seat in the stupa of the seven treasures. They also rained those flowers on the great Bodhisattvas’ and the four kinds of devotees. They also rained the fine powder of the incense of candana and aloes [on them). Heavenly drums automatically sounded wonderful and deep in the sky. [The gods] also rained thousands of heavenly garments and hung many necklaces made of pearls, mani gems or free-at-will gems over the nine quarters. They also burned priceless incense which was put in incense-burners of many treasures. The incense-burners automatically went around the great congregation, and the odor of the incense was offered to all the members of the congregation. Above each of the Buddhas [sitting under the trees), Bodhisattvas lined up vertically one upon another to the Heaven of Brahman, holding canopies and streamers. They praised the Buddhas, singing innumerable verses with their wonderful voices.
Five Stages in the Future
[In Chapter 17, The Variety of Merits,] the five stages in the future consist of rejoicing on hearing the Sutra, reading and reciting the Sutra, expounding it to others, practicing the Six Perfections, and mastering the Six Perfections.
- The Stage of Rejoicing.
At the first stage, one listens to the Lotus Sutra, receives it joyfully, and desires to follow its teachings (p. 258). - The Stage of Reading and Reciting.
At this stage, one who has already experienced the joy makes further progress. He or she keeps the Lotus Sutra; reads and recites it aloud, plumbs its meaning, and studies it more deeply. - The Stage of Expounding It to Others.
At this stage, one makes further progress yet, and is able to explain the Sutra to others. - The Stage of Practicing the Six Perfections (Paramitas). At this stage, one is so immersed in the Sutra that he or she begins to practice the Six Perfections of a Bodhisattva.
- The Stage of Mastering the Six Perfections.
At this final stage, one upholds the Lotus Sutra, plumbs its deep meaning, explains it to others, practices the Six Perfections, and begins to realize them naturally in daily life.
Day 21
Day 21 covers all of Chapter 16, The Duration of the Life of the Tathāgata.
Having last month learned why the Buddha says he will pass away, we consider the Parable of the Skillful Physician and His Sick Children.
“I will tell you a parable. There was once an excellent and wise physician. He was good at dispensing medicines and curing diseases. He had many sons, numbering ten, twenty, or a hundred. [One day] he went to a remote country on business. After he left home, the sons took poison. The poison passed into their bodies, and the sons writhed in agony, rolling on the ground. At that time the father returned home. Some sons had already lost their right minds while the others still had not. All the sons saw their father in the distance and had great joy. They begged him on their knees, saying, ‘You came back safely. We were ignorant. We took poison by mistake. Cure us, and give us back our lives!’
“Seeing his sons suffering so much, the father consulted books of prescriptions, and collected good herbs. having a good color, smell and taste. He compounded a medicine by pounding and sieving the herbs, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is a very good medicine. It has good color, smell and taste. Take it! It will remove the pain at once and you will not suffer any more.’
“The sons who had not lost their right minds saw that this good medicine had a good color and smell, took it at once, and were cured completely. But the sons who had already lost their right minds did not consent to take the medicine given to them, although they rejoiced at seeing their father come home and asked him to cure them, because they were so perverted that they did not believe that this medicine having a good color and smell had a good taste.
“The father thought, ‘These sons are pitiful. They are so poisoned that they are perverted. Although they rejoice at seeing me and ask me to cure them, they do not consent to take this good medicine. Now I will have them take it with an expedient.’
“He said to them, ‘Know this! Now I am old and decrepit. I shall die soon. lam leaving this good medicine here. Take it! Do not be afraid that you will not be cured!’ Having thus advised them, he went to a [remote] country again. Then he sent home a messenger to tell them, ‘Your father has just died.’
“Having heard that their father had passed away from this world, leaving them behind, they felt extremely sorry. They thought, ‘If our father were alive, he would love and protect us. Now he has
deserted us and died in a remote country.’“They felt lonely and helpless because they thought that they were parentless and shelterless. Their constant sadness finally caused them to recover their right minds. They realized that the medicine had a good color, smell and taste. They took it and were completely cured of the poison. On hearing that they had recovered their health, the father returned home, and showed himself to them.
The Reality of This World
[In Chapter 16, The Duration of the Life of the Tathāgata, Sakyamuni says:]
In reality this world of mine is peaceful.
It is filled with gods and men.
Its gardens, forests, and palaces
Are adorned with all kinds of treasures.
Jewel trees blossom with flowers and fruit;
Sentient beings are joyful here; Deities beat heavenly drums,
Make various kinds of music,
And rain mandarava-flowers on me
And all my assembly (p. 247-248).
This part implies that this very World of Endurance in which we now live transforms into the Buddha’s Pure Land, where there is neither fear nor impurity. The words about heavenly beings, gardens, forests, palaces, treasures, treasure trees, and so forth, express the beauty and wonders of the Pure Land.
Introduction to the Lotus SutraDay 20
Day 20 completes Chapter 15, The Appearance of Bodhisattvas from Underground, and concludes the Fifth Volume of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
Having last month heard questions raised by Bodhisattvas accompanying the replicas of Śākyamuni Buddha, we hear Śākyamuni’s response.
Thereupon Śākyamuni Buddha said to Maitreya Bodhisattva:
“Excellent, excellent, Ajita! You asked me a very important question. All of you should concentrate your minds, wear the armor of endeavors, and be resolute. Now I will reveal, I will show, the wisdom of the Buddhas, their supernatural power without hindrance, their dauntless powers like a lion’s, and their great power of bravery.”
Thereupon the World-Honored One, wishing to repeat what he said, sang in gāthās:Exert yourselves and concentrate your minds!
Now I will tell you about this matter.
Do not doubt me!
My wisdom is difficult to understand.Arouse your power of faith,
And do good patiently!
You will be able to hear the Dharma
That you have never heard before.Now [will relieve you.
Do not doubt me! Do not be afraid!
I do not tell a lie.
My wisdom is immeasurable.
The highest Dharma that I attained
Is profound and difficult to understand.
Now I will expound it.
Listen to me with all your hearts!
Land of Endurance
Saha-world can be translated as “World of Endurance” or “Perseverance.” It is also called “the defiled land.” Land of Endurance means the place where we must bear up under many pains, and “defiled land” means a place that is corrupted. When we humbly examine our conscience, we realize how many worldly desires we have, and how deeply we have been contaminated by them. This is the normal human condition, so the real world, where such contaminated humans congregate, is filled with vice and impurity. Therefore, it is called the defiled land. On the other hand, we can imagine a Pure Land, created and inhabited by ideal beings. Such an ideal world, however, is generally thought to exist somewhere far away, infinitely distant from the real world. For example, the Western Pure Land of Amitayus Buddha, said to exist ten thousand billion countries to the west, is a typical expression of this human longing for a pure place somewhere where everyone will be happy.
Introduction to the Lotus SutraDay 19
Day 19 concludes Chapter 14, Peaceful Practices, and begins Chapter 15, The Appearance of Bodhisattvas from Underground.
Having last month witnessed the arrival of the Bodhisattvas from underground, we conclude today’s portion of Chapter 15, The Appearance of Bodhisattvas from Underground.
Those Bodhisattvas who appeared from underground, came to Many-Treasures Tathāgata and Śākyamuni Buddha both of whom were in the wonderful stūpa of the seven treasures hanging in the sky. They [joined their hands together] towards the two World-Honored Ones, and worshipped their feet with their heads. Then they [descended onto the ground and] came to the Buddhas sitting on the lion-like seats under the jeweled trees, bowed to them, walked around them from left to right three times, joined their hands together respectfully, and praised them by the various ways by which Bodhisattvas should praise Buddhas. Then they [returned to the sky,] stood to one side, and looked up at the two World-Honored ones with joy. A period of fifty small kalpas elapsed from the Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas’ springing up from underground till the finishing of the praising of the Buddhas by the various ways by which Bodhisattvas should praise Buddhas. All this while Śākyamuni Buddha sat in silence. The four kinds of devotees also kept silence for the fifty small kalpas. By his supernatural powers, however, the Buddha caused the great multitude to think that they kept silence for only half a day. Also by the supernatural powers of the Buddha, the four kinds of devotees were able to see that the skies of many hundreds of thousands of billions of worlds were filled with those Bodhisattvas.
Those Bodhisattvas had four leaders: 1. Superior-Practice, 2. Limitless-Practice, 3. Pure-Practice, and 4. Steadily-Established-Practice. These four [great] Bodhisattvas were the highest leaders [of those Bodhisattvas]. In the presence of the great multitude, they joined their hands together towards Śākyamuni Buddha, looked up at him, and inquired after him saying:
“World-Honored One! Are you in good health? Are you peaceful or not? Are the living beings, whom you are to save, ready to receive your teachings or not? Do they not fatigue you?’
Thereupon the four great Bodhisattvas sang in gāthās:
World-Honored One, are you peaceful?
Are you in good health?
Are you not tired
With teaching the living beings?
Are they ready
To receive your teaching,
Or are they not?
Do they not fatigue you?