Blog, Hsuan Hua, Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary

Identifying the Bodhisattvas of the Peaceful Practices Chapter

Chinese Master Hsuan Hua’s commentary on the Lotus Sutra includes an outline of the Lotus Sutra created by Ouyi Zhixu (1599-1655 CE). As I make my way through the 14 volumes I’ve been copying each chapter’s outline.

The outline has some interesting details that I had not noticed in my 100-plus readings of the Lotus Sutra. For example, back in March I pointed out that in Chapter 1 the outline explains that Maitreya is describing Bodhisattvas practicing the six pāramitās in sequence and then out of sequence as he tells Mañjuśrī  what he sees in the eighteen thousand worlds in the east illuminated by the light of the Buddha.

In Ouyi Zhixu’s outline for Chapter 14 he makes a very important distinction that I’ve only found in one other English translation of Kumārajīva’s Chinese translation of the Lotus Sutra – Senchu Murano’s translation.

Back in February 2023, when I was Comparing H. Kern’s translation of the Lotus Sutra to Senchu Murano’s, I discovered that Murano’s translation stood alone on a key point at the opening of Chapter 14, Peaceful Practices. (See this post.)

Murano begins the chapter:

Thereupon Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva-mahāsattva, the Son of the King of the Dharma, said to the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! These Bodhisattvas are extraordinarily rare. They made a great vow to protect, keep, read, recite and expound this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma in the evil world after your extinction because they are following you respectfully. World-Honored One! How should an [ordinary] Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas expound this sūtra in the evil world after [your extinction]?”

In comparing Murano to Kern, I found Kern said Mañjuśrī was not asking about “ordinary” bodhisattvas, but asking specifically how  the extraordinarily bodhisattvas of the previous chapter should propagate the sutra in the evil age after the Buddha’s extinction. In fact, every one of the English translations I had of the Lotus Sutra agreed with Kern. The closest anyone got to Murano was Leon Hurvitz’s translation, which incorporates both Kumārajīva’s Chinese and a 19th century compilation Sanskrit document. He offered:

At that time, Mañjuśrī the dharma prince, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, addressed the Buddha, saying, “O World-Honored One! Very rarely do there exist such bodhisattvas as these, who out of respectful obedience to the Buddha utter a great vow to keep and hold, to read and recite this Scripture of the Dharma Blossom in the latter evil age! O World-Honored One! How can a bodhisattva-mahāsattva preach this scripture in the latter evil age?”

Hurvitz is the only translator other than Murano who doesn’t specify that Mañjuśrī  is referring to the Bodhisattvas of the previous chapter.

Learning this was very discouraging to me. I have always enjoyed the chapter as a teaching for “ordinary” Bodhisattvas in this evil world.

But then I read Ouyi Zhixu’s outline for Chapter 14:

  • D5. “Practices of Peace and Joy” Chapter
    • El. Question
      • F1. Praising the Bodhisattvas of profound practice, discussed in the previous chapter, who are able to propagate the sūtra in accord with the Dharma
      • F2. Asking how Bodhisattvas who are starting to practice can propagate the sūtra in the troubled age

Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v15, p245

Interestingly, the Lotus Sutra translation that accompanies Chinese Master Hsuan Hua’s commentary on the Lotus Sutra doesn’t make this distinction and instead follows the other English translations.

At that time the Dharma Prince Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Mañjuśrī said to the Buddha, “World Honored One, all these Bodhisattvas are extremely rare. Reverently complying with the instructions of the Buddha, they have made great vows to protect, uphold, read, and teach this Dharma Flower Sutra in the future troubled age. World Honored One, how should these Bodhisattvas Mahāsattvas teach this sūtra in the future troubled age?”

I’m enjoying Ouyi Zhixu agreement with Murano, but I’m wondering why Ouyi Zhixu stands apart from the other translators.

Promises

Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Aug. 25, 2025

Anyone, after my extinction,
Who understands the meaning of Myōhō Renge Kyō,
Will be the eye of the worlds
Of gods and men.

Lotus Sutra, Chapter 11

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Purification for Maura Michiko

Maura Michiko receives her first kaji kito purification blessing from Rev. Kenjo Igarashi
My 1-month-old granddaughter Maura Michiko receives her first kaji kito purification blessing from Rev. Kenjo Igarashi. Three generations attended the service at the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church.
LS32, LS45, Tamura-Intro

Yoshiro Tamura: Untainted by the Mud of the World

Concerning this way of being a bodhisattva, the last verse section of chapter 15 includes the phrase, “. . . and [they] are untainted by worldly things, just as the lotus flower in the water emerges from the earth.” The lotus grows only in muddy water, yet its beautiful flowers bloom without being tainted by the muddy water. Thus, a bodhisattva should live in this actual world without being tainted by the mud of the world, like beautiful flowers blooming with truth.

Yoshiro Tamura, "Introduction to the Lotus Sutra", p80-81
Promises

Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Aug. 24, 2025

The Saintly Master, the World-Honored One,
Who had passed away a long time ago,
Came riding in the stūpa of treasures
To hear the Myōhō Renge Kyō [directly from me].
Could anyone who sees him
Not make efforts to hear the Dharma?

Lotus Sutra, Chapter 11

About this project

LS32, LS45, Tamura-Intro

Yoshiro Tamura: Living in the Emptiness in the Sahā World

This is the gist of chapter 15: The most important thing in it is that the chapter praises this Sahā world—that is, it praises those who make great efforts while enduring suffering in this actual human world. They are the true disciples of the Buddha. The chapter is critical of those immediate disciples of the Buddha who preach the bodhisattva practice of enduring suffering in this world while separating themselves completely from the actual world.

Also, we should not neglect the idea that these bodhisattvas live in the empty sky under the Sahā world. I have already pointed out that the term “empty sky” also means “unlimited,” and is used in a way parallel to “emptiness.” That is to say, living in the emptiness in the Sahā world means 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.

Yoshiro Tamura, "Introduction to the Lotus Sutra", p80
Promises

Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Aug. 23, 2025

“World-Honored One! I heard Myōhō Renge Kyō, which you expounded in this Sahā World, from a remote world in which lives Treasure-Power-Virtue-Superior-King Buddha. I came here with many hundreds of thousands of billions of Bodhisattvas in order to hear and receive Myōhō Renge Kyō. World-Honored One! Tell me how the good men or women who live after your extinction will be able to obtain Myōhō Renge Kyō”

The Buddha said to Universal-Sage Bodhisattva:

“The good men or women will be able to obtain Myōhō Renge Kyō 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 Myōhō Renge Kyō after my extinction if they do these four things.”

Lotus Sutra, Chapter 28

About this project

LS32, LS45, Tamura-Intro

Yoshiro Tamura: Empty Space and Actual Reality

In chapter 15, “Springing Up from the Earth,” a group of bodhisattvas led by four, such as Bodhisattva Superior Practice, emerge from this Sahā world and reveal themselves to be direct disciples of the Buddha. They are described as ones who, having been entrusted by him to do so, will disseminate the Dharma after the Buddha is gone. This may be an indication that those who struggle within actual society are especially authentic Buddhists.

It is explained that these bodhisattvas dwell below, in an empty space under this Sahā world. As we have seen earlier, this “empty space” is another name for emptiness, and the two terms are often used interchangeably. Thus, we can interpret “living in an empty space below this Sahā world” to mean that being grounded in an experience of emptiness, they remain in this Sahā world without clinging to it. In other words, chapter 15 criticizes the way of the holy ones, the shravakas, for transcending actual reality in order to stagnate in emptiness, thereby falling into nihilism. Instead, it highly values the figure of the ordinary person, the bodhisattva, who lives in the actual world, the temporal world, without getting bogged down in it, and works diligently, with emptiness in the background behind the scenes, to bring about the realization of truth and the reformation of the world. Such empty space (emptiness) and actual reality (the temporal) express the true Buddha way—that is, the dialectical dynamic of the bodhisattva way of duality in nonduality, and nonduality in duality. A verse in chapter 15 says:

They have learned the bodhisattva way well,
And are untainted by worldly things,
Just as the lotus flower in the water
Emerges from the earth.

In other words, they emerged from the earth like a lotus flower untainted by water, coming together in the here and now, untainted by worldly things. Here the bodhisattva way is explained through the symbolism of the lotus. That is, the idea that the lotus flower can only grow in muddy water, but also blossom there into a beautiful flower, is applied to the image of the bodhisattva. Moreover, it is taken from the title of the Lotus Sutra.

Yoshiro Tamura, "Introduction to the Lotus Sutra", p50-51
Hsuan Hua, Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary

The Joy of Śākyamuni and Devadatta’s Relationship

Following yesterday’s Rahula and Yaśodharā and Cause and Effect from volume 8 of Master Hsuan Hua’s commentary on the Lotus Sutra, I offer Master Hsuan Hua’s explanation of why Śākyamuni and Devadatta were linked together in lifetime after lifetime.

What’s the meaning of the name Devadatta? It means “heat of the heavens.” During his lifetime, Devadatta specialized in helping people by opposing them; his generosity would incite heated emotions in its recipients. That, in turn, would cause the “heat of the heavens.” This is an example of naming someone according to causes and conditions. With this cause and condition, his name was Heat of the Heavens. Why did Devadatta, in a backhanded way, come to aid Śākyamuni Buddha to accomplish Buddhahood? Another factor was also at play. I’ll talk about that first.

Long ago there was a wealthy elder named Sudatta who had an immense fortune, including specimens of the rare and precious seven treasures. His eldest son was called Sumati. When his wife died, Sudatta, though advanced in years, remarried and had another son named Suvyā. The elder became older and older, and he passed away when his younger son was only about eighteen or twenty. The two sons proceeded to divide their father’s riches. But Sumati, the elder brother, decided he didn’t want to give half the riches to his younger brother. So he came up with a scheme. What kind of scheme?

Sumati said to Suvyā, “Vulture Peak has many sources of entertainment. Let’s plan to go there someday.” Suvyā replied, “Yes, I’ve long been hoping to have a trip there. Let’s go there for a vacation, do some outdoor activities, or have a barbecue!” So the two brothers decided to go there together. When they got near the top of the mountain, Sumati pushed his younger brother off a cliff, so his younger brother fell into the creek at the base of the mountain, breaking his skull and other bones. Then Sumati smashed Suvyā body into pieces with rocks, murdering him. Sumati then returned home and took possession of all his father’s wealth.

Who was Sumati? Don’t think that Śākyamuni Buddha never did anything wrong. He, too, took someone’s life. Sumati was Śākyamuni Buddha in a former life. Who was Suvyā? He was Devadatta in a former life. Who was the father, Sudatta? He was King Ajātaśatru, son of Vaidehi. Ajātaśatru locked his father up in jail with seven sets of gates. In life after life, Śākyamuni Buddha was involved with these people in different relationships, so even after he became a Buddha, they continued to give him trouble.

[Chapter 12] doesn’t discuss these events, but does tell how Devadatta helped the Buddha attain Buddhahood. You could see this as a case of the suffering of being around those whom one hates. However, it would be more correct to call it the joy of being around those whom one hates. Why so? The more Devadatta opposed the Buddha, the more the Buddha liked it. So it’s not really a case of hatred. If they had truly hated one another, then they wouldn’t have been together life after life. Since there was no hatred between them, they met and helped each other life after life. Two people who hate one another would draw further and further apart; they wouldn’t be together. This indicates that the relationship between Devadatta and the Buddha was not a case of dislike.

Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v8, p127-129
Promises

Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Aug. 22, 2025

In my lifetime or after my extinction
Some will slander Myōhō Renge Kyō,
And despise the person
Who reads or recites
Or copies or keeps Myōhō Renge Kyō.
They will hate him,
Look at him with jealousy,
And harbor enmity against him.
Listen! I will tell you
How they will be punished.

When their present lives end,
They will fall into the Avici Hell.
They will live there for a kalpa,
And have their rebirth in the same hell.
This rebirth of theirs will be repeated
For innumerable kalpas.

Lotus Sutra, Chapter 3

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On the Journey to a Place of Treasures