Category Archives: LS32

LS32

Day 3

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

Having last month considered the inexplicable nature of the Dharma, we consider the inability to measure the wisdom of the Buddha.

As many people as can fill the world,
Who are as wise as you, Śāriputra, will not be able
To measure the wisdom of the Buddhas,
Even though they try to do so with their combined efforts.

As many people as can fill the worlds of the ten quarters,
Who are as wise as you, Śāriputra,
Or as many other disciples of mine
As can fill the ksetras of the ten quarters,
Will not be able to know [the wisdom of the Buddhas]
Even though they try to do so with their combined efforts.

As many Pratyekabuddhas as can fill
The worlds of the ten quarters, or as many as bamboo groves,
Who are wise enough to reach
The final stage of their physical existence without āsravas,
Will not be able to know
Even a bit of the true wisdom of the Buddhas
Even though they continue trying to do so with all their hearts
For many hundreds of millions of kalpas.

As many Bodhisattvas as rice-plants, hemps, bamboos or reeds,
Or as can fill the ksetras of the ten quarters,
Who have just begun to aspire for enlightenment,
Who made offerings to innumerable Buddhas in their previous existence,
Who understand the meanings of the Dharma [in their own ways],
And who are expounding the Dharma [as they understand it],
Will not be able to know the wisdom of the Buddhas
Even though they continue trying to do so with all their hearts
And with all their wonderful wisdom
For as many kalpas as there are sands in the River Ganges.

As many never-faltering Bodhisattvas
As there are sands in the River Ganges
Will not be able to know the wisdom of the Buddhas
Even though they try to do so with all their hearts.

See Dividing One Buddha Vehicle Into Three

LS Introduction, LS32, d6b

Dividing One Buddha Vehicle Into Three

The Sanskrit word upaya (“expedient”) conveys the meaning of leading to or approaching the goal. The Three Vehicles are such expedients leading to the goal, the true teaching of the One Buddha Vehicle. Expedients are not just means to an end; they have significance in and of themselves. They are valid steps in the process leading to the truth, the insight of the Buddha. Conversely speaking, the One Buddha Vehicle (the final single truth) is revealed in the form of expedient teachings, valid according to the complexity of our world view. So the sutra says, “The Buddhas divide the One Buddha Vehicle into three as an expedient” (p. 33).

Thus expedients equal the truth in essence. It is not true that “a white lie can be an expedient.” A lie, white or black, is not an expedient in the Buddhist sense. An expedient is true within its own context.

Introduction to the Lotus Sutra

LS32

Day 2

Day 2 completes Chapter 1, Introductory.

Having last month witnessed what happens when Sun-Moon-Light Buddha emerged from his samādhi, we learn about a Bodhisattva called Fame Seeker.

“At that time there was a Bodhisattva called Virtue-Store. Sun­Moon-Light Buddha assured him of his future Buddhahood. The Buddha said to the bhikṣus, ‘This Virtue-Store Bodhisattva will become a Buddha immediately after me. He will be called Pure-Body, the Tathagata, the Arhat, the Samyak-sambuddha.’

“Having assured him of his future Buddhahood, the Buddha then entered into the Nirvāṇa-without-remainder at midnight. After his extinction, Wonderful-Light Bodhisattva kept the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, and expounded it to men for eighty small kalpas. The eight sons of Sun-Moon-Light Buddha became his disciples. He taught them and caused them to resolve to attain Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. They made offerings to many hundreds of thousands of billions of Buddhas, and then attained the enlightenment of the Buddha [one after another]. The son who became a Buddha last was called Burning-Light. One of the eight hundred disciples [of Wonderful-Light] was called Fame­Seeking. He was attached to gain. He read and recited many sūtras, but did not understand them. He forgot many parts of those sūtras. Therefore, he was called Fame-Seeking. But he [later] planted the roots of good, and became able to see many hundreds of thousands of billions of Buddhas. He made offerings to them, respected them, honored them, and praised them.

“Maitreya, know this! Wonderful-Light Bodhisattva at that time was no one but myself; and Fame-Seeking Bodhisattva, no one but you. This good omen we see now is not different from what I saw at that time. Therefore, l think that the Tathagata of today also will expound the sūtra of the Great Vehicle called the ‘Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, the Dharma for Bodhisattvas, the Dharma Upheld by the Buddhas.’

See Feeling the Buddha’s Existence

LS Introduction, LS32, d3b

Feeling the Buddha’s Existence

Buddhism is a philosophical religion, and its core is the concept of the Buddha. Profound studies and observations of the Buddha have been conducted from many different perspectives. For instance, the teaching of Mahayana (the Great Vehicle) unfolds its dominant idea that the Buddha is the eternal, infinite truth itself, because he attained that truth, participates in it, and totally identifies himself with it. The Buddha, when regarded this way, is called the Dharma-body, Law-body, or Truth-body. Although the Buddha as Truth gives us some idea of the profundity of his existence (all existence, for that matter), this particular concept of the Buddha may seem somewhat distant from the world of our experience. Such a truth can be understood (as Chapter Two states) only by another Buddha. It is not easy for us ordinary people to awaken to transcendent reality. The Buddha as Truth is too abstract for ordinary people to grasp. We need a more concrete identity of the Buddha in order to feel his existence.

Introduction to the Lotus Sutra

LS32

Day 1

Day 1 covers the first half of Chapter 1, Introductory

Having last month completed the introduction of the crowd, the World-Honored One expounds a sūtra of the Great Vehicle called the “innumerable Teachings, the Dharma for Bodhisattvas, the Dharma Upheld by the Buddhas.”

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.

See Three Locations of the Teaching

LS Introduction, LS32, d16b, d26b

Three Locations of the Teaching

The Lotus Sutra consists of twenty-eight chapters. At the beginning, the Buddha taught from Mount Sacred Eagle (Grdhrakuta, “Vulture Peak,” in Sanskrit) near the city of Rajagriha, India, which today is called Rajgir. In Chapter Eleven, “Beholding the Stupa of Treasures,” he ascended to the sky and remained there until returning to Mt. Sacred Eagle in Chapter Twenty-three, “The Previous Life of Medicine-King Bodhisattva.” Thus he held three assemblies, which are called the First Assembly on Mt. Sacred Eagle; the Assembly in the Sky; and the Second Assembly on Mt. Sacred Eagle. We can divide the chapters of the sutra into three parts according to these three locations.

Introduction to the Lotus Sutra

LS32

Day 32

Day 32 covers Chapter 28, The Encouragement of Universal-Sage Bodhisattva, closing the Eighth Volume of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.

Having last month learned how the good men or women who live after Śākyamuni’s extinction will be able to obtain this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, we hear Universal-Sage’s vow to protect anyone keeps this sūtra.

Thereupon Universal-Sage Bodhisattva said to the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! If anyone keeps this sūtra in the defiled world in the later five hundred years after [your extinction], I will protect him so that he may be free from any trouble, that he may be peaceful, and that no one may take advantage [of his weak points]. Mara, his sons, his daughters, his subjects, his attendants, yakṣas, rākṣasas, kumbhāṇḍas, piśācakas, kṛtyas, pūtanas, vetādas or other living beings who trouble men shall not take advantage [of his weak points]. If anyone keeps, reads and recites this sūtra while he walks or stands, I will mount a kingly white elephant with six tusks, go to him together with great Bodhisattvas, show myself to rum, make offerings to him, protect him, and comfort him, because I wish to make offerings to the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma. If he sits and thinks over this sūtra, I also -will mount a kingly white elephant and appear before him. If he forgets a phrase or a gāthā of the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, I will remind him of it, and read and recite it with him so that he may be able to understand it. Anyone who keeps, reads and recites the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma [after your extinction], will be able to see me with such joy that he will make more efforts. Because he sees me, he will be able to obtain samadhis and a set of dhārāṇis. The set of dhārāṇis will be the dhārāṇis by which he can memorize repetitions of teachings, the dhārāṇis by which he can memorize hundreds of thousands of billions of repetitions of teachings, and the dhārāṇis by which he can understand the expediency of the voice of the Dharma.

See Striving to Live a Better Life

LS Introduction, LS32

Striving to Live a Better Life

We have desires as long as we live. Even if we satisfy one desire, another immediately arises to succeed it. As a result, we are always unsatisfied and even frustrated. Besides, to satisfy any desire we must make an effort; we cannot get anything by remaining idle. Thus, whether we act or just sit and dream, we are always unsatisfied. Although there are physical sufferings, such as illness or poverty, suffering in essence may be psychological. (What matters is not the problems of life but how we react to them.) We suffer dissatisfaction as long as we are seeking fulfillment in life. Even striving in the pursuit of happiness means we have not yet achieved the happiness we desire. For this reason, “All existence is suffering” is not a pessimistic view of life. Rather, it can be the reverse image of a positive view—striving to live a better life.

Introduction to the Lotus Sutra

LS32

Day 31

Day 31 covers Chapter 27, King Wonderful-Adornment as the Previous Life of a Bodhisattva.

Having last month learned the value of teachers, we hear King Wonderful-Adornment praise Cloud-Thunderpeal-Star-King-Flower-Wisdom Buddha.

“King Wonderful-Adornment came down from the sky and said to that Buddha [staying in the sky], ‘World-Honored One! You are exceedingly exceptional. You have merits and wisdom. Therefore, the fleshy tuft on your head shines bright. Your eyes are long, wide, and deep blue in color. The curls between your eyebrows are as white as a bright moon. Your teeth are white, regular and bright. Your lips are as red and as beautiful as the fruits of a bimba-tree.’

“Thereupon King Wonderful-Adornment, having praised the Buddha for his many hundreds of thousands of billions of merits including those previously stated, joined his hands together towards the Tathāgata, and with all his heart, said to that Buddha again, ‘World-Honored One! I have never seen anyone like you before. Your teachings have the e inconceivable, wonderful merits. The practices performed according to your teachings and precepts are peaceful and pleasant. From today on, I will not act according to my own mind. I will not have wrong views, arrogance, anger or any other evil thought.’ Having aid this, he bowed to that Buddha and retired.”

See The Only Path for Overcoming Sufferings

LS Introduction, LS32, d21b

The Only Path for Overcoming Sufferings

[W]hy do we end up suffering while pursuing happiness? That is a fundamental question. The answer is that ordinary people think of happiness as the satisfaction of worldly desires, seeing their lives only from a biological viewpoint. If perfection of our biological lives is our only desire and goal, this world quickly becomes a battlefield of clashing egos, all struggling for survival. Each person pursues his own interests at the expense of the others. In order to achieve true happiness, we must break out of our selfish limitations somehow and find a path which transcends biological existence.

We must first realize that true happiness cannot be the satisfaction of our desires by winning the battle for survival (which is impossible), but rather the establishment of a world without conflicts, where each individual considers the happiness and interests of others to be the same as his own. This is the Buddha’s “Pure World.” (In it, the Buddha is at the center, not I or anyone else.) Its realization is the only path for overcoming sufferings.

Introduction to the Lotus Sutra