Day 2 completes Chapter 1, Introductory.

In anticipation of tomorrow’s introduction to the concept of expedient teachings, I want to use Manjusri’s recollection of a time “innumerable, inconceivable, asamkya kalpas ago” during the reign of a Buddha called Sun-Moon-Light to illustrate how rare it is to hear the Lotus Sutra.

[Sun-Moon-Light] expounded the right teachings. His expounding of the right teachings was good at the beginning, good in the middle, and good at the end. The meanings of those teachings were profound. The words were skillful, pure, unpolluted, perfect, clean, and suitable for the explanation of brahma practices. To those who were seeking Sravakahood, he expounded the teaching of the four truths, a teaching suitable for them, saved them from birth, old age, disease, and death, and caused them to attain Nirvana. To those who were seeking Pratyekabuddhahood, he expounded the teaching of the twelve causes, a teaching suitable for them. To Bodhisattvas, he expounded the teaching of the six paramitas, a teaching suitable for them, and caused them to attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, that is, to obtain the knowledge of the equality and differences of all things.

After his extinction there appeared a Buddha also called Sun-­Moon-Light. After his extinction there appeared another Buddha also called Sun-Moon-Light. In the same manner, twenty thousand Buddhas appeared in succession, all of them being called Sun­-Moon-Light with the surname Bharadvaja.

Maitreya, know this! All those Buddhas were called Sun-Moon­-Light with the ten epithets. Their expounding of the Dharma was good at the beginning, good in the middle, and good at the end.

It was only the last Sun-Moon­-Light Buddha who exhibited the good omen illumining the worlds to the east.

Sun-Moon-Light Buddha emerged from his samadhi, and expounded the sutra of the Great Vehicle to Wonderful-Light Bodhisattva and others without rising from his seat for sixty small kalpas. It was called the ‘Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, the Dharma for Bodhisattvas, the Dharma Upheld by the Buddhas.’ The hearers in the congregation also sat in the same place for sixty small kalpas, and their bodies and minds were motionless. They thought that they had heard the Buddha expounding the Dharma for only a mealtime. None of them felt tired in body or mind.

Day 1 covers the first half of Chapter 1, Introductory

When I was in high school I joined the cross country running team. (It was the only team you didn’t have to tryout for; anyone who could finish the 2.1 mile race was on the team.) I was middling in my ability, not quite good enough for the varsity squad, but I thrived at the challenge of racing over hills and through valleys. I just couldn’t translate that enjoyment into distance running on a quarter-mile track. Eight times around the track to complete a 2-mile race seemed insufferable. I quit track and, as a result, got kicked off the cross country squad.

Which is why I find my enjoyment of this 32-day cycle through the Lotus Sutra so surprising. Around and around I go, lap after lap, with never a thought about quitting.

And so I start again. This will be the 9th cycle of posts and the third where I limit my focus to a single topic.

Last month, I began at the beginning with “Thus have I heard” and Ryusho Jeffus Shonin’s explanation of the alternate readings of those famous words.

This month I want to detail who is in the crowd for this sermon. It is meant to be such an impressive crowd.

The Buddha once lived on Mt. Grdhrakota in the City of King-House. He was accompanied by twelve thousand great bhiksus. They were Arhats. They had already eliminated asravas, and had no illusions. They had already benefited themselves, broken off the bonds of existence [in the world of birth and death], and obtained liberty in their minds. They included Ajnata-Kaundinya, Maha-Kasyapa, Uruvilva-Kasyapa, Gaya-Kasyapa, Nadi-Kasyapa, Sariputra, Great Maudgalyayana, Maha-Katyayana, Aniruddha, Kapphina, Gavarppati, Revata, Pilindavatsa, Bakkula, Maha-Kausthila, Nanda, Sundarananda, Purna who was the son of Maitrayani, Subhuti, Ananda, and Rahula. They were great Arhats well known to the multitude.

There were also two thousand [Sravakas], some of whom had something more to learn while others had nothing more to learn. Maha-Prajapati Bhiksuni was present with her six thousand attendants. Yasodhara Bhiksuni, the mother of Rahula, was also present with her attendants.

There were also eighty thousand Bodhisattva-mahasattvas. They never faltered in [seeking] Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. They had already obtained dharanis, turned the irrevocable wheel of the Dharma with eloquence according to the wishes [of all living beings], made offerings to many hundreds of thousands of Buddhas, and planted the roots of virtue under those Buddhas, by whom they had always been praised. They had already trained themselves out of their compassion towards others, entered the Way to the wisdom of the Buddha, obtained great wisdom, and reached the Other Shore so that their fame had already extended over innumerable worlds. They had already saved many hundreds of thousands of living beings. They included Manjusri Bodhisattva, World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva, Great-Power-Obtainer Bodhisattva, Constant­Endeavor Bodhisattva, Never-Resting Bodhisattva, Treasure­Palm Bodhisattva, Medicine-King Bodhisattva, Brave-In-Giving Bodhisattva, Treasure-Moon Bodhisattva, Moon-Light Bodhisattva, Full-Moon Bodhisattva, Great-Power Bodhisattva, Immeasurable­Power Bodhisattva, Transcending-Triple-World Bodhisattva, Bhadrapala Bodhisattva, Maitreya Bodhisattva, Accumulated­Treasure Bodhisattva, and Leading-Teacher Bodhisattva. Eighty thousand Bodhisattva-mahasattvas such as these were present.

Sakra-Devanam-Indra was also present. Twenty thousand gods were attending on him. There were also Beautiful-Moon God, Universal-Fragrance God, Treasure-Light God, and the four great heavenly-kings. Ten thousand gods were attending on them. Freedom God and Great-Freedom God were also present. Thirty thousand gods were attending on them. Brahman Heavenly-King who was the lord of the Saha-World, Great Brahman Sikhin, and Great Brahman Light were also present. Twelve thousand gods were attending on them.

There were also the eight dragon-kings: Nanda Dragon-King, Upananda Dragon-King, Sagara Dragon-King, Vasuki Dragon­King, Taksaka Dragon-King, Anavatapta Dragon-King, Manasvin Dragon-King, and Utpalaka Dragon-King, each accompanied by hundreds of thousands of attendants. There were also the four kimnara-kings: Dharma Kimnara-King, Wonderful-Dharma Kimnara-King, Great-Dharma Kimnara-King, and Dharma­Keeping Kimnara-King, each accompanied by hundreds of thousands of attendants.

There were also the four gandharva-kings: Musical Gandharva­King, Musical-Voice Gandharva-King, Beautiful Gandharva-King, and Beautiful-Voice Gandharva-King, each accompanied by hundreds of thousands of attendants.

There were also the four asura-kings: Balin Asura-King, Kharaskandha Asura-King, Vemacitrin Asura-King, and Rahu Asura-King, each accompanied by hundreds of thousands of attendants.

There were also the four garuda-kings: Great-Power-Virtue Garuda-King, Great-Body Garuda-King, Great-Fulfillment Garuda­King, and Free-At-Will Garuda-King, each accompanied by hundreds of thousands of attendants.

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.

The impressiveness of the crowd quickly fades, though, as we advance through the sutra and the impressiveness of these “bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas, upasikas, gods, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, mahoragas, men, nonhuman beings, the kings of small countries, and the wheel-turning-holy-kings” are completely eclipsed by the arrival of the Bodhisattvas from Underground who will arrive in Chapter 15.

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 covered Sakyamuni’s promise to “anyone who keeps, reads and recites this Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, memorizes it correctly, studies it, practices it, and copies it.”

This month I start at the beginning with the arrival of Universal-Sage Bodhisattva:

World-Honored One! I heard the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, which you expounded in this Saha World, from a remote world in which lives Treasure-Power­Virtue-Superior-King Buddha. I came here with many hundreds of thousands of billions of Bodhisattvas in order to hear and receive [this Sutra. World-Honored One! Tell me 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 sutra after my extinction if they do these four things.

Underscore 4. resolve to save all living beings. This is a bodhisattva practice, not a lesser vehicle for Sravakas or Pratyekabuddhas.

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

Last month, I focused on the outcome of the effort of two sons who, at the invitation of their mother, convinced their father, a king, to hear the Buddha.

This month I’d like to focus on the role of the children. I find it interesting that this is not the first place in the Lotus Sutra where children are called on to demonstrate their “merits, virtues and wisdom” for the benefit of their elders. The 8-year-old dragon girl is the other example.

Having been inspired by his children to take faith, abdicating his throne, and “acting according to the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma constantly and strenuously for eighty-four thousand years,” the king:

practiced the samadhi for the adornment of all pure merits. Then he went up to the sky seven times as high as the tala-tree, and said to that Buddha, ‘World-­Honored One! These two sons of mine did the work of the Buddha. They converted me from wrong views by displaying wonders. They caused me to dwell peacefully in your teachings. They caused me to see you. These two sons of mine are my teachers. They appeared in my family in order to benefit me. They inspired the roots of good which I had planted in my previous existence.’

Thereupon Cloud-Thunderpeal-Star-King-Flower-Wisdom Buddha said to King Wonderful-Adornment, ‘So it is, so it is. It is just as you say. The good men or women who plant the roots of good will obtain teachers in their successive lives. The teachers will do the work of the Buddha, show the Way [to them], teach them, benefit them, cause them to rejoice, and cause them to enter into the Way to Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Great King, know this! A teacher is a great cause [of your enlightenment] because he leads you, and causes you to see a Buddha and aspire for Anuttara-­samyak-sambodhi. Great King! Do you see these two sons of yours, or not? They made offerings to six trillion and five hundred thousand billion Buddhas, that is, as many Buddhas as there are sands in the River Ganges, in their previous existence. They attended on those Buddhas respectfully. They kept the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma under those Buddhas, and caused the people of wrong views to have right views out of their compassion towards them.’

Day 30 covers all of Chapter 26, Dhāraṇīs.

Last month, I covered the merits to 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 dharani spells are offered by Medicine-King Bodhisattva to “the expounder of the Dharma’ in order to protect him”; by Brave-In-Giving Bodhisattva “to protect the person who reads, recites and keeps the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma; by Vaisravana Heavenly-King, the Protector of the World, to “protect this teacher of the Dharma out of my compassion towards all living beings”; by World-Holding Heavenly-King to “protect the keeper of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma”; and by the 10 raksasis daughters and their mother to protect “the person who reads, recites and keeps the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma so that he may have no trouble.”

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.

Thereupon Sakyamuni Buddha praised Medicine-King Bodhisattva, saying:

Excellent, excellent, Medicine-King! You uttered these dharanis in order to protect this teacher of the Dharma out of your compassion towards him. You will be able to give many benefits to all living beings.

And in the case of the raksasis daughters and their mother:

The Buddha said to the raksasis:

Excellent, excellent! Your merits will be immeasurable even when you protect the person who keeps only the name of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma. Needless to say, so will be your merits when you protect the person who keeps the sutra itself, and makes to a copy of this sutra hundreds of thousands of offerings such as flowers, incense, necklaces, powdered incense, incense applicable to the skin, incense to burn, streamers, canopies, music, and various lamps like lamps of butter oil, oil lamps, lamps of perfumed oil, lamps of sumanas-flower oil, lamps of campaka flower oil, lamps of varsika-flower oil, and lamps of utpala-flower oil. Kunti! You [raksasis] and your attendants should protect this teacher of the Dharma.

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

Last month, I touched on the “empowering aspect of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva.” This month, I want to discuss an aspect of this chapter that has always puzzled me.

The Endless-Intent Bodhisattva said to the Buddha, “World­Honored One! Now I will make an offering to World-Voice­Perceiver Bodhisattva.” From around his neck, he took a necklace of many gems worth hundreds of thousands of ryo of gold, and offered it [to the Bodhisattva], saying, “Man of Virtue! Receive this necklace of wonderful treasures! I offer this to you according to the Dharma!”

World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva did not consent to receive it. Endless-Intent said to World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva again, “Man of Virtue! Receive this necklace out of your compassion towards us!”

Thereupon the Buddha said to World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva:

“Receive it out of your compassion towards this Endless­-Intent Bodhisattva, towards the four kinds of devotees, and towards the other living beings including gods, dragons, yaksas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, mahoragas, men and nonhuman beings!”

Thereupon World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva received the necklace out of his compassion towards the four kinds of devotees, and towards the other living beings including gods, dragons, men and nonhuman beings. He divided [the necklace] into two parts, and offered one part of it to Sakyamuni Buddha and the other to the stupa of Many-Treasures Buddha.

Why? Why did World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva refuse to accept Endless-Intent’s offering?

The May 11, 2016, Daily Dharma offers this explanation:

In Chapter Twenty-Five of the Lotus Sūtra, Endless-Intent Bodhisattva offers a necklace of gems with inestimable value to World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva. At first World-Voice-Perceiver refuses to take it, and only accepts it when the Buddha asks him to receive it for the benefit of all beings. This reminds us that when we cultivate a mind of compassion, anything we receive is not meant to be held for our personal benefit. It is meant to be transformed into something beneficial for all beings.

Day 28 covers all of Chapter 24, Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva, and concludes the Seventh Volume of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.

Last month, I focused on “the great supernatural powers and the power of wisdom obtained by Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva-mahasattva.”

This month I want to underline the lessons in civility offered in this chapter. Note a smile and perhaps a tongue-in-cheek.

The first lesson comes following the sudden illumination of a world more than 108 billion nayuta Buddha worlds to east of the Saha world after a ray of light is emitted “from the white curls [between the eyebrows] of Sakyamuni Buddha.”

When [Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva] was illumined by the light of Sakyamuni Buddha, he said to the Pure-Flower-Star-King-Wisdom Buddha:

World-Honored One! I wish to visit the Saha-World, bow to Sakyamuni Buddha, attend on him, and make offerings to him. I also wish to see Manjusri Bodhisattva, who is the Son of the King of the Dharma. [I also wish to see] Medicine-King Bodhisattva, Brave­In-Giving Bodhisattva, Star-King-Flower Bodhisattva, Superior­Practice-Intent Bodhisattva, Adornment-King Bodhisattva, and Medicine-Superior Bodhisattva.

Thereupon Pure-Flower-Star-King-Wisdom Buddha said to Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva:

Do not despise that world! Do not consider it to be inferior [to our world]! Good Man! The Saha-World is not even. It is full of mud, stones, mountains’ and impurities. The Buddha [of that world] is short in stature! So are the Bodhisattvas [of that world]. You are forty-two thousand yojanas tall. I am six million an eight hundred thousand yojanas tall. You are the most handsome. You have thousands of millions of marks of merits, and your light is wonderful. Do not despise that world when you go there! Do not consider that the Buddha and Bodhisattvas of that world are inferior [to us]! Do not consider that that world is inferior [to ours]!

And then there is Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva’s greeting after he worshiped the feet of the Buddha with his head and offered the necklace to the Buddha upon his arrival in the Saha World.

World-Honored One! I bring you a message from Pure­Flower-Star-King-Wisdom Buddha. [He wishes to say this.] Are you in good health? Are you happy and peaceful or not? Are the four elements of your body working in harmony or not? Are the worldly affairs bearable or not? Are the living beings easy to save or not? Do they not have much greed, anger, ignorance, jealousy, stinginess and arrogance, or do they? Are they not undutiful to their parents, or are they? Are they not disrespectful to sramainas, or are they? Do they not have wrong views, or do they? Are they not evil, or are they? Do they not fail to control their five desires, or do they? World-Honored One! Did they defeat the Maras, who are their enemies, or not: Is Many-Treasures Tathagata, who passed away a long time ago and has now come here riding in the stupa of the sever treasures, hearing the Dharma or not? [Pure-Flower-Star-King Wisdom Buddha] also wishes to know whether Many-Treasure Tathagata is peaceful and healthy, and able to stay long or not. World-Honored One! Now I wish to see Many-Treasures Buddha World-Honored One! Show him to me!

Day 27 concludes Chapter 23, The Previous Life of Medicine-King Bodhisattva.

Last month, I focused on the position of the Lotus Sutra in comparison with all of the other sutras. “Just as the Buddha is the king of the Dharma, this sutra is the king of all the sutras.”

This month, I’ll continue with the saving power of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.

Star-King-Flower! This sutra saves all living beings. This sutra saves them from all sufferings, and gives them great benefits. All living beings will be able to fulfill their wishes by this sutra just as a man who reaches a pond of fresh water when he is thirsty, just as a man who gets fire when he suffers from cold, just as a man who is given a garment when he is naked, just as a party of merchants who find a leader just as a child who meets its mother, just as a man who gets a ship when he wants to cross [a river], just as a patient who finds a physician, just as a man who is given a light in the darkness, just as a poor man who gets a treasure, just as the people of a nation who see a new king enthroned, just as a trader who reaches the seacoast. Just as a torch dispels darkness, this Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma saves all living beings from all sufferings, from all diseases, and from all the bonds of birth and death. The merits to be given to the person who, after hearing this Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, copies it, or causes others to copy it, cannot be measured even by the wisdom of the Buddha. Neither can the merits to be given to the person who copies this sutra and offers flowers, incense, necklaces, incense to burn, powdered incense, incense applicable to the skin, streamers, canopies, garments, and various kinds of lamps such as Lamps of butter oil, oil lamps, lamps of perfumed oil, lamps of campaka oil, lamps of sumanas oil, lamps of patala oil, lamps of varisika oil, and lamps of navamalika oil [to the copy of this sutra].

Day 26 concludes Chapter 21, The Supernatural Powers of the Tathāgatas, includes Chapter 22, Transmission, and introduces Chapter 23, The Previous Life of Medicine-King Bodhisattva.

Last month, I began with the Buddha’s explanation to the Bodhisattvas who had sprung up from underground, that the “merits of this sutra to those to whom this sutra is to be transmitted” are limitless.

In the gathas section of Chapter 21, The Supernatural Powers of the Tathagathas, the Buddha explains the benefits of keeping this sutra:

Anyone who keeps this sutra
Will be able to see me.
He also will be able to see Many-Treasures Buddha,
[The Buddhas of] my replicas,
And the Bodhisattvas whom I have taught today.

Anyone who keeps this sutra will be able
to cause me to rejoice.
He also will be able to bring joy
To [the Buddhas of] my replicas
And also to Many-Treasures Buddha who once passed away.

He also will be able to see
The present, past and future Buddhas
Of the worlds of the ten quarters,
Make offerings to them, and cause them to rejoice.

The Buddhas sat at the place of enlightenment,
And obtained the hidden core.
Anyone who keeps this sutra will be able
To obtain the same before long.

Anyone who keeps this sutra
Will be able to expound
The meanings of the teachings,
And the names and words [of this sutra].
Their eloquence will be as boundless
And as unhindered as the wind in the sky.

Anyone who understands why the Buddhas expound [many] sutras,
Who knows the position [of this sutra in the series of sutras],
And who expounds it after my extinction
According to its true meaning,
Will be able to eliminate the darkness
Of the living beings of the world where he walks about,
Just as the light of the sun and the moon
Eliminates all darkness.
He will be able to cause innumerable Bodhisattvas
To dwell finally in the One Vehicle.

Therefore, the man of wisdom
Who hears the benefits of these merits
And who keeps this sutra after my extinction,
Will be able to attain
The enlightenment of the Buddha
Definitely and doubtlessly.

Definitely. Doubtlessly

Day 25 covers all of Chapter 20, Never-Despising Bodhisattva, and opens Chapter 21, The Supernatural Powers of the Tathāgatas.

Last month I focused the idea that the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma can be heard only once in a very long time because the Buddhas expound this sutra only once. Having heard it, we should have no doubts.

Before I get into the story of Never Despising Bodhisattva as a previous life of Sakyamuni and eventually discuss the start of Chapter 21, The Supernatural Powers of the Tahagatas, I want to reiterate what is taught before the rare teaching of the Lotus Sutra.

Great-Power-Obtainer! Innumerable, limitless, inconceivable, asamkhya kalpas ago, there lived a Buddha called Powerful­Voice-King, the Tathagata, the Deserver of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One, the Man of Wisdom and Practice, the Well-Gone, the Knower of the World, the Unsurpassed Man, the Controller of Men, the Teacher of Gods and Men, the Buddha, the World­Honored One. The kalpa in which he lived was called Free-From­Decay; and his world, Great-Achievement. Powerful-Voice-King Buddha expounded the Dharma to the gods, men and asuras of his world. To those who were seeking Sravakahood, he expounded the teaching suitable for them, that is, the teaching of the four truths, saved them from birth, old age, disease and death, and caused them to attain Nirvana. To those who were seeking Pratyekabuddhahood, he expounded the teaching suitable for them, that is, the teaching of the twelve causes. To the Bodhisattvas who were seeking Anuttara­samyak-sambodhi, he expounded the teaching suitable for them, that is, the teaching of the six paramitas, and caused them to obtain the wisdom of the Buddha.

Rare it is to have the opportunity to keep, read, recite, expound or copy the Lotus Sutra.