If anyone speaks ill of you, or threatens you
With swords, sticks, tile-pieces or stones
While you are expounding Myōhō Renge Kyō,
Think of me, and be patient!
Tao-sheng: The Buddha’s Supernatural Powers
Tao-sheng Commentary on the Lotus Sutra, p317-318It is described here that [both] cause and effect have come to an end, which means that li is perfected, and the related worldly facts (shih) [used as explanatory tools, analogies, and parables] have fulfilled [their assigned roles]. The words of the Tao and virtuous acts are completely propagated all over under (the heaven?). However, lights illuminating the dark world [encounter] many opposing elements whereas profound voices [meet] adversities. [Likewise], when it comes to inspiring faith in the corrupt and final [age], [the Buddha] finds it hard to temporarily entrust them from then on with the Dharma Blossom. Thus he displays first supernatural powers that surpass any others of the kind, making the multitude overjoyed and awed. Envoys from afar in the ten quarters, saying namah, vow to devote their lives to the Buddha. Thereupon [beings] become intensely faithful.
He stretched out his broad and long tongue upwards until the tip of it reached the World of Brahman.
This implies that [the Buddha’s] speeches are not empty.
Then he emitted rays of light with an immeasurable variety of colors from his pores.
This indicates that the (light?) of the One ultimate leaves nothing not illuminated by it.
Master Hsuan Hua’s Buddhist Lecture Hall
I’m going to be taking some time off from posting about Chinese Master Hsuan Hua’s commentary on the Lotus Sutra. (I’ll be using his commentary for Higan week in September.) For now, here’s some historical perspective on Hsuan Hua’s effort to propagate Buddhism in America. The discussion of the Lecture Hall comes from the glossary in the commentary volumes. The discussion of Madalena Tam comes from a story, Receiving Buddha Shakyamuni’s and Master Xuyun’s Sharira
Buddhist Lecture Hall, Ch. 佛教講堂 fojiaojiangtang.
Established in San Francisco in 1958 by the Venerable Master Hua’s disciples, the Buddhist Lecture Hall served as the hub of various Buddhist activities and as a Buddhist monastery until the founding of Gold Mountain Dhyana Monastery in 1970. As instructed by the Venerable Master, the Buddhist Lecture Hall was established by his Hong Kong disciples Madalena and Stella Tam, who were then studying in the United States. Founded originally as a branch of the Buddhist Lecture Hall in Hong Kong, it was to become the starting point for the proclamation of the Proper Dharma in America. Though it began in a couple of basement locations on Pacific Street and Clay Street, it was moved to the upper floor of the Kaiping Villagers Association in Chinatown not long after the Master’s arrival, as the basements were too damp for residence. In 1963, the Venerable Master moved the Buddhist Lecture Hall to Sutter Street. When conditions ripened in 1967, the Master moved it back to Chinatown, locating it on the upper floor of Tianhou Temple on Waverly Street.
Madalena Tam
Madalena’s journey in the Dharma began in Hong Kong when she was very young. At age eleven, she took refuge and made a vow to dedicate her life to supporting Master Hua’s teachings. Years later, after coming to the United States for college, she and her sister established the Buddhist Lecture Hall in San Francisco. It was through their efforts that Master Hua was invited to America in 1962, planting the seeds for the flourishing of Buddhism in the West.
Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for July 8, 2025
“Ajita, look! The merits of the person who causes even a single man to go and hear the Myōhō Renge Kyō are so many. It is needless to speak of the merits of the person who hears Myōhō Renge Kyō with all his heart, reads Myōhō Renge Kyō, recites Myōhō Renge Kyō, expounds Myōhō Renge Kyō to the great multitude, and acts according to Myōhō Renge Kyō‘s teachings.
Tao-sheng: The Fruit of the Bodhisattva’s Attainment
Tao-sheng Commentary on the Lotus Sutra, p315-316As regards the respectful scripture of the Dharma Blossom, it is the source of many goodnesses and the luminous part of the ultimate wisdom. By going against it, one will see one’s sins piled up like a mountain; by following it, one will reach the state of happiness [as great] as the ocean. Although he has talked about it, [the Buddha] has not yet illustrated with concrete examples of men. Thus he draws from the past and proves the present, so that [the number of] believers may increase. If one slanders and goes against it, the guilt will be like that of Bhadrapāla and the others. If one complies with it, one’s fortune will be like that of the bodhisattva Never Disparaging (Sadāparibhūta). Having wanted to give testimonial to the sūtra, he thus set up this part, pointing out those who committed guilt and those who received happiness, in order to help dispose of their doubts and slanders about it. [The Buddha] demonstrates that the fruit of the bodhisattva’s attainment was the purification of his six faculties with a view to explaining that he had pure faith. Also expressed is the idea that guilt and fortune [entail each other like] shadow and echo; there cannot be any discrepancy as far as the underlying li is concerned. This is what a disciple [of the antinomian school, which] adheres [just] to the learning of how to cleanse [oneself], should be careful about. The retributions for their guilt are like those mentioned in [the parable of] the burning house (Chapter 3).
A Single Stalk of Lotus Flower
Note: This is another in the monthly excerpts from “Tales of the Lotus Sutra.”
Buddhism in Practice, p442-443The Buddhist monk Zhiye had the secular surname of Yang. He left home as a small boy and took up residence at Changle Monastery in Yangzhou. He kept the monastic precepts assiduously and learned to recite the Lotus Sūtra with such fluency that the lines flowed from his mouth like a stream of water from a vase. At the end of the Daye era of the Sui [617], Yuwen Huaji committed the heinous act of murdering Emperor Yang in the palace bathhouse. Thereupon the world fell apart and the populace was thrown into famine. Residents scattered and [the region] became a maelstrom [of chaos], with the price of rice soaring to ten thousand cash amidst the tumult. Zhiye at the time was living in a small room of a detached cloister, where he was engaged in uninterrupted recitation of the Lotus Sūtra. Consequently, he died of starvation in his chamber. There was no one to bury him, and the room itself collapsed around him, trapping his remains beneath it.
When peace was finally restored during the Yining era [617-618], a single stalk of lotus flower suddenly appeared on the spot. Its radiantly colored petals opened forth to display the most extraordinary freshness and beauty. Monks and laity alike were struck with awe, and no one could think of an explanation for it. At that time, an old monk who was a former resident of the monastery realized what was going on and said, “There was once a monk who devoted himself exclusively to recitation of the Lotus Sūtra on this site. He must have perished here as a result of the turmoil of the times. Since there would have been no one to bury him, his bones are probably still here, and [this lotus has appeared] as a result of the monk’s spiritual potency.”
They cleared away the debris around the stalk of the flower until they un covered his skeleton. It turned out that the blue lotus flower had grown up through the skull and was rooted beneath the tongue. The tongue itself was as though still alive, showing no sign of decomposition whatsoever. The monastic assembly took the tongue and blossom to the head of the hall. They rang the bell, gathered the monks, and performed cyclic recitation of the Lotus. When the tongue heard the scripture it appeared to be able to move about. Once local monks and laymen heard of it, sightseers gathered around forming a solid human wall. There wasn’t one who didn’t sigh in admiration. All made the supreme resolution [to seek buddhahood].
Help Others Instead of Yourself
In Nichiren Buddhism, we are told that practice and learning are required to keep Buddhism alive. (See this post.) But Chinese Master Hsuan Hua offers a different perspective: Help others instead of yourself.
Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v6, p189-190We are all gathered here to investigate the Buddhadharma, and we should put into practice all that we know, no matter how little it may be. If you fail to apply what you know, then it would be better if you didn’t know it at all. Before learning any Buddhadharma, you cannot put it into practice, as you are unaware of it. However, once you have learned the Buddhadharma, you should cultivate the teachings in a serious, down-to-earth manner. You should walk solidly on the ground, leaving a footprint with every step you take. This is how pragmatic you should be as you advance in your cultivation.
Benefiting others is of utmost importance in cultivation. Help others instead of yourself. Forget about yourself. Cultivation is about helping others selflessly in all that you do. What are the most crucial aspects of cultivation? Do not be jealous, obstructive, or afflicted. You must end afflictions. If you do not end afflictions, you will not be able to end birth and death. You can end afflictions by transforming them into bodhi. Having transformed them into bodhi, you will always be wise, leaving ignorance behind. If you are afflicted, you will always be ignorant, never gaining wisdom. Do not get afflicted over trivial matters. Do not be jealous or obstructive. This is very important. So, just as we study the Buddhadharma every day, we must put it into practice every day. As the saying goes,
Words spoken wonderfully, words spoken well,
If not put into practice, are not the Path.No matter how eloquent and wonderful your words are, if you do not cultivate honestly and diligently, you will never attain the Path. There are a few people here who are about to become awakened. All they have to do is to cultivate their resolve to benefit others and forget about themselves.
Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for July 7, 2025
The great multitude present here
Shall remove their doubts.
The Buddhas do not speak differently.
There is only one vehicle, Myōhō Renge Kyō.
Unwanted Fireworks
On July 1 500yojanas.org had 40 unique visitors. On July 2, it had 55 unique visitors. On July 3, it had another 55 unique visitors. On Friday, July 4, 3,310 unique visitors tried to hack 500yojanas.org. They looked for a page called signup 614 times. They looked for a login page 597 times. They tried to find a password reset page 536 times. And, best of call, tried to load a page named “forgot” 524 times. These are the “Page not found” efforts. My retelling of The Spider’s Thread had 647 impressions and a biography of Kumarajiva had 658 impressions.
Since nothing seems to have been damaged, I assume – make an ass of u and me – the hackers were unable to gain access to the administration functions of my content management software. If you start seeing ads for Cialis, then I wasn’t so lucky.
Tao-sheng: The Taste of Sweet Dew
Tao-sheng Commentary on the Lotus Sutra, p312-313Anything which tastes good, bad, delicious, distasteful, bitter or astringent, will become as delicious as the nectar of heaven and not distasteful when it is put on their tongues
Innate endowment benefits and enriches us, enabling us to obtain the taste of the “sweet dew” present in us. Yet the rewards we receive are originally not “bitter and astringent.” How then can there be changes? But [the Buddha] says that there are, in order to draw them into a feeling of intimacy. The same is true when it comes to the rewards in connection with “sounds” and “scents.” How can they be spoken of as “ugly”? Yet, worldly sounds and scents [can be distinguished as] good or bad. When the bodhisattvas hear it, what harm is there then?