Day 6 continues Chapter 3, A Parable

Last month, I discussed the people, especially the young, “playing joyfully” unaware of the burning house.

The Parable of the Burning House

The dilemma:

[I thought, ‘] I am the father of the world. I eliminated fear, despondency, grief, ignorance and darkness. I obtained immeasurable insight, powers and fearlessness. I have great supernatural powers, the power of wisdom, the paramita of expedients, the paramita of wisdom, great compassion, and great loving-kindness. I am not tired of seeking good things or of benefiting all living beings. I have appeared in the triple world, which can be likened to the rotten and burning house, in order to save all living beings from the fires of birth, old age, disease, death, grief, sorrow, suffering, lamentation, stupidity, darkness, and the three poisons, to teach all living beings, and to cause them to attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. I see that all living beings are burned by the fires of birth, old age, disease, death, grief, sorrow, suffering and lamentation. They undergo various sufferings because they have the five desires and the desire for gain. Because they have attachments and pursuits, they have many sufferings in their present existence, and will suffer in hell or in the world of animals or in the world of hungry spirits in their future lives. Even when they are reborn in heaven or in the world of humans, they will still have many sufferings such as poverty or parting from their beloved ones or meeting with those whom they hate. Notwithstanding all this, however, they are playing joyfully. They are not conscious of the sufferings. They are not frightened at the sufferings or afraid of them. They do not dislike them or try to get rid of them. They are running about this burning house of the triple world, and do not mind even when they undergo great sufferings.[‘]

Sariputra! Seeing all this, I [also] thought, ‘I am the father of all living beings. I will eliminate their sufferings, give them the pleasure of the immeasurable wisdom of the Buddha, and cause them to enjoy it.’

Sariputra! I also thought, ‘If I extol my insight, powers, and fearlessness in the presence of those living beings only by my supernatural powers and by the power of my wisdom, that is to say, without any expedient, they will not be saved because they have not yet been saved from birth, old age, disease, death, grief, sorrow, suffering and lamentation, but are burning up in the burning house of the triple world. How can they understand the wisdom of the Buddha?’

Day 5 begins Chapter 3, A Parable

Last month I discussed Sariputra’s feeling of betrayal and the Buddha’s explanation that Sariputra forgot his original vow and the many, many lifetimes of teachings that passed before.

This has puzzled me for some time. The Buddha tells Sariputra:

In order to cause you to remember the Way you practiced under your original vow, I now expound to the Sravakas this sutra of the Great Vehicle called the ‘Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, the Dharma for Bodhisattvas, the Dharma Upheld by the Buddhas.’

Underscore remember the Way you practiced under your original vow.

Then, in explaining the world where Sariputra will be a Buddha called Flower-Light, the Buddha says:

“Sariputra! Although the world in which he appears will not be an evil one, that Buddha will expound the teaching of the Three Vehicles according to his original vow.

Again according to his original vlow. Why the “Three Vehicles” when his world is not only free of evil but filled with Bodhisattvas:

The kalpa in which he appears will be called Great-Treasure-Adornment. Why will it be called Great-Treasure-Adornment? It is because in that world Bodhisattvas will be regarded as great treasures. The number of the Bodhisattvas [in that world] will be countless, inconceivable, beyond any mathematical calculation, beyond inference by any parable or simile. No one will know the number except the Buddha who has the power of wisdom. When those Bodhisattvas wish to go somewhere, jeweled flowers will receive their feet and carry them. Those Bodhisattvas will not have just begun to aspire for enlightenment. A long time before that they will have already planted the roots of virtue, performed the brahma practices under many hundreds of thousands of billions of Buddhas, received the praises of the Buddhas, studied the wisdom of the Buddhas, obtained great supernatural powers, and understood all the teachings of the Buddhas. They will be upright, honest, and resolute in mind. The world of that Buddha will be filled with such Bodhisattvas.

Something to consider.

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

Yesterday, I bemoaned my inability to recall the content of a chapter even after reading it more than 12 times. And today I’m reminded that my willingness to admit my shortcomings and my efforts to improve set me apart from the arrogant bhiksus and bhiksunis who walked out on the Buddha’s explanation of why he uses expedients.

Some bhiksus and bhiksunis
Were arrogant.
Some upasakas were self-conceited.
Some upasikas were unfaithful.
Those four kinds of devotees
Were five thousand in number.

They could not see their own faults.
They could not observe all the precepts.
They were reluctant to heal their own wounds.
Those people of little wisdom are gone.
They were the dregs of this congregation.
They were driven away by my powers and virtues.

They had too few merits and virtues
To receive the Dharma.
Now there are only sincere people here.
All twigs and leaves are gone.

And later…

Sariputra, know this!
Men of dull capacity and of little wisdom cannot believe the Dharma.
Those who are attached to the appearances of things are arrogant.
They cannot believe it, either.

I am now joyful and fearless.
I have laid aside all expedient teachings.
I will expound only unsurpassed enlightenment
To Bodhisattvas.
The Bodhisattvas who hear the Dharma
Will be able to remove the mesh of doubts.
The twelve hundred Arhats also
Will become Buddhas

No doubts here.

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

Each morning I read the corresponding section of the Lotus Sutra in Shindoku using the Nichiren Buddhist Sangha of Greater New England’s Myoho Renge Kyo Romanized. Ryuoh Faulconer explains, “Shindoku reading is sometimes referred to as a faith reading. The practice of reading in Shindoku allows the reader to touch their innate Buddha Nature that we each posses.”

While “faith reading” this morning, I was taken aback by my inability to recall more than the first part of this day’s reading, the portion used in the daily practice that includes the 10 suchnesses.

So this afternoon I remind myself of the need for faith, Śāriputra and the others’ confusion upon hearing this and the One Great Purpose of the Buddhas:

“Śāriputra! What is the one great purpose for which the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, appear in the worlds? The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, appear in the worlds in order to cause all living beings to open [the gate to] the insight of the Buddha, and to cause them to purify themselves. They appear in the worlds in order to show the insight of the Buddha to all living beings. They appear in the worlds in order to cause all living beings to obtain the insight of the Buddha. They appear in the worlds in order to cause all living beings to enter the Way to the insight of the Buddha. Śāriputra! This is the one great purpose for which the Buddhas appear in the worlds.”

Day 2 completes Chapter 1, Introductory.

Last month, I focused on the rarity of seeing this light – 20,000 Buddhas all preached the dharma, but only the last offered the light of his own wisdom. Today, I want to dwell on what Manjushri recalls having seen in the worlds illumined by the light of that long-ago Buddha.

This ray of light illumined
Eighteen thousand Buddha-worlds in the east.
It showed the region
To which each living being was to go by his karmas.

The worlds of the Buddha were
Adorned with many treasures,
And given the colors of lapis lazuli and crystal.
I saw all this by the light of the Buddha.

I also saw the gods, men, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas, and kimnaras of those worlds.
Each of them made offerings
To the Buddha by whom he was taught.

I also saw the Tathagatas of those worlds
Who had attained enlightenment by themselves.
The color of their bodies was as beautiful
And as wonderful as that of the golden mountains,
Or as that of a golden image
Put in a shrine of pure lapis lazuli.

Those World-Honored Ones explained to the great multitudes
The meaning of the profound teaching.
There were innumerable Sravakas
In the worlds of those Buddhas.
All those great multitudes were seen
By the light of the Buddha.

The bhiksus were living in mountains and forests.
They made endeavors,
And observed the pure precepts
As carefully as one keeps brilliant gems.

As many Bodhisattvas
As there are sands in the River Ganges
Performed almsgiving, patience, and other practices.
I saw all this by the light of the Buddha.

I also saw some Bodhisattvas
Who entered deep into dhyana-concentrations,
And became tranquil and motionless in body and mind,
In order to attain unsurpassed enlightenment.

I also saw some Bodhisattvas,
Who realized the tranquil extinction of all things,
And expounded the Dharma to [the people of] their worlds in order to attain the enlightenment of the Buddha.

The light illumines the present and past and foretells the future. A great teaching is coming this way.

Day 1 covers the first half of Chapter 1, Introductory

This is the 12th time through this exercise. It feels like a December. Someday I want to go through Maitreya’s description of what he sees the Bodhisattvas doing and match those activities with the events described later in the Lotus Sutra. For now, I invite tomorrow’s confirmation with Maitrey’s plea:

Manjusri, Son of the Buddha!
Remove our doubts!
The four kinds of devotees
A.re looking up with joy at you and me,
Wishing to know why this ray of light is emitted
By the World-Honored One.

Son of the Buddha, answer me!
Remove our doubts and cause us to rejoice!
For what purpose is the Buddha
Emitting this ray of light?

Does he wish to expound the Wonderful Dharma
Which he attained when he was sitting
At the place of enlightenment?
Does he wish to assure us of our future Buddhahood?

He shows us the worlds of the Buddhas
Adorned with many treasures.
We can see the Buddhas of those worlds.
This cannot be for some insignificant reason.

Manjusri, know this!
The four kinds of devotees and the dragons
Are looking at you, thinking:
“What is he going to say?”

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.

Last month, I discussed this chapter’s rather unique use of women – either to be avoided (captivating) or as a reward (attended on by hundreds of thousands of billions of goddesses). This month I return to what I see as the principal point of Universal-Sage Bodhisattva’s visit: The answer to his question of “how the good men or women who live after your extinction will be able to obtain this Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma!”

The Buddha said to Universal-Sage Bodhisattva:

The good men or women will be able to obtain this Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma after my extinction if they do the following four things: 1. secure the protection of the Buddhas, 2. plant the roots of virtue, 3. reach the stage of steadiness [in proceeding to enlightenment], and 4. resolve to save all living beings. The good men or women will be able to obtain this sotra after my extinction if they do these four things.

The Daily Dharma from Jan. 29, 2016, comments on this:

For us who aspire to this difficult practice of the Wonderful Dharma, the Buddha gives this guide in Chapter Twenty-Eight of the Lotus Sūtra. For us to have even heard of this sūtra in this life we must have already done these four things. In order to maintain this practice, we need to use the Buddha’s protection for the benefit of all beings, not just for our benefit alone. We need to nourish the virtuous seeds we have already planted, remain steady and confident on the path to enlightenment, and sustain our determination to maintain our respect for everyone.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

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

Last month, I discussed by longing to see young people who could emulate the sons of King Wonderful Adornment and inspire others to “to understand the Dharma by faith.” And yet I understand that it is not one’s age but one’s faith that matters.

I considered myself a Buddhist for more than a quarter century before I became a follower of Nichiren Shu and joined the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church. In that time I seldom talked about my faith outside my immediate family. Today, that has changed. I’m not sure I can explain how. It is just one of the things that I can see is different now. And apparently others can see this too. I am much more likely to discuss my practice and Buddhism with strangers today than I ever was before.

Rev. Ryusho Jeffus in his Lecture on the Lotus Sutra, writes:

I like this story of the two boys, Pure-Store and Pure-Eyes, who end up converting their parents to the Lotus Sutra not so much because of the phenomena the two sons performed but for the example that our actions speak more powerfully than our words. We can convince more people of the truth of the Lotus Sutra through the way we act in society than by merely talking theoretically about Buddhism. Getting through life and the day-to-day concerns we all face may seem ordinary, even hum-drum. However, the manner in which we face and ultimately overcome our problems can look supernatural to others around us who struggle and suffer so much. We don’t need to spout water or fire from our bodies; we merely need to show the joy of our practice in the face of life as human.
Lecture on the Lotus Sutra

Day 30 covers all of Chapter 26, Dhāraṇīs

When the Buddha is asked by Medicine-King Bodhisattva how many merits will be given to the “good men or women who keep, read, recite, understand or copy the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma,” the Buddha replies:

“Suppose some good men or women make offerings to eight hundred billion nayuta Buddhas, that is, as many Buddhas as there are sands in the River Ganges. What do you think of this? Are the merits given to them many or not?”

“Very many, World-Honored One!” The Buddha said: “More merits will be given to the good men or women who keep, read or recite even a single gatha of four lines of this sutra, understand the meanings of it or act according to it.”

And following this Medicine-King Bodhisattva, Brave-In-Giving Bodhisattva, Vaisravana Heavenly-King, World-Holding Heavenly-King and the 10 raksasis daughters, their mother and attendants offer dharanis to protect the teacher of the Dharma.

Back in May I wrote: “Only two of these – Medicine-King Bodhisattva and the 10 raksasis daughters and their mother – are singled out to receive merit for their efforts by the Buddha.”

In re-reading the chapter today I realized I was mistaken. Unlike the raksasis daughters and their mother, whose “merits will be immeasurable” in exchange for their protection, Medicine-King Bodhisattva will not receive, but he “will be able to give many benefits to all living beings.”

Yes, being able to give merits to others is a merit for oneself, but that doesn’t make my earlier post any less mistaken. The whole point of reading and then re-reading and then re-reading is to understand.

Day 29 covers all of Chapter 25, The Universal Gate of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva.

While much of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva’s helpful offerings seem a tad over the top, such as his willingness to free “anyone, guilty or not” bound up in manacles, this is one promise I’d like to believe:

Those who have much lust will be saved from lust if they constantly think of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva and respect him. Those who have much anger will be saved from anger if they constantly think of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva and respect him. Those who have much stupidity will be saved from stupidity if they constantly think of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva and respect him. Endless-Intent! World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva has these great supernatural powers. He gives many benefits to all living beings. Therefore, they should constantly think of him.

Ryusho Jeffus Shonin has a different take on this chapter in his Lecture on the Lotus Sutra

The real value I think we as modern practitioners can find in Chapter 25, the Universal Gate of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva, is as a model for our own behavior. Through our practice we naturally develop empathy and an ability to listen to and respond to the suffering of others. We each have our unique talents to lend to others but through our practice we can develop greater skill in using those talents in the most effective way to benefit and bring joy to those around us who are suffering.
Lecture on the Lotus Sutra