Having finally understood that Rissho Kosei-kai maintains a different view of the Lotus Sutra that I do, I’ve decided to underline those areas where I believe the Lotus Sutra says what it means and means is what it says.
In discussing the lessons from Chapter 12, “Devadatta”, Nikkyō Niwano writes:
Buddhism for Today, p156In this section of the Buddha’s preaching, besides his teaching that even evil men can become buddhas, two more teachings are included. One is that if a man endures all persecution and adversity and continues to practice religious disciplines, his hardships will become an indirect cause of his becoming a buddha. The Buddha said, “My attainment of Perfect Enlightenment, and my widespread saving of the living—all this is due to the good friendship of Devadatta.”
This is a most important declaration. When we receive scorn, abuse, and obstruction from others, we are apt to become angry with them, feel sad, and begin to doubt the Law. We must instead endure such hardships and divert them to a positive force because the teaching of the Lotus Sutra is the supreme Law in this world. Many ancient teachers and leaders, including both Śākyamuni Buddha and Nichiren, have proved by their example that man can thus transform drawbacks into advantages.
And then, under the subhead “Do Not Return Hatred for Hatred,” he writes:
Buddhism for Today, p157Indeed, if we return our opponents hatred for hatred, they will also feel more bitter toward us. Thus hatred will beget more hatred and will continue forever in a vicious circle. In the Dhammapada, the Buddha teaches that man’s hatred will cease forever when it is abandoned by him, and in the Lotus Sutra he teaches man’s positive attitude, in which he takes a further step forward to transform hatred into gratitude.
Some may think that it is very difficult for an ordinary person to do this. Therefore Śākyamuni Buddha spoke as follows: “If there be in a future world any good son or good daughter to hear this Devadatta chapter of the Wonderful Law-Flower Sutra with pure heart and believing reverence, and is free from doubt, such a one shall not fall into the hells or become a hungry spirit or animal, but shall be born into the presence of the buddhas of the universe. Wherever he be born he will always hear this sutra; and if he be born amongst men or gods, he will enjoy marvelous delight. As to the buddha into whose presence he is born, his birth shall be by emanation from a lotus flower.”
I don’t disagree with any of these lessons. They are, indeed, lessons from the Lotus Sutra. They are just not lessons from Chapter 12, Devadatta.
For example, “If a man endures all persecution and adversity and continues to practice religious disciplines, his hardships will become an indirect cause of his becoming a buddha.” That’s a great summary of the lesson from Chapter 20, Never-Despising Bodhisattva. People would strike him with a stick, a piece of wood, a piece of tile or a stone but he persisted in reminding them that they had the Buddha nature, that they would become Buddhas. At the very least, this is a lesson from the next chapter, Chapter 13, Encouragement for Keeping this Sutra. The verses from Chapter 13 were a source of strength for Nichiren during his lifetime of persecution.
The story of Śākyamuni’s previous life as a king who sought the dharma and met a seer called Asita, is not about the “evil” Devadatta who spilt the saṃgha and attempted to kill Śākyamuni. This is the story of Śākyamuni’s teacher.
Devadatta was my teacher. He caused me to complete the six pāramitās. He caused me to have loving-kindness, compassion, joy and impartiality. He caused me to have the thirty-two major marks and the eighty minor marks [of the Buddha]. He caused me to have my body purely gilt. He caused me to have the ten powers and the four kinds of fearlessness. He caused me to know the four ways to attract others. He caused me to have the eighteen properties and supernatural powers [of the Buddha]. He caused me to have the power of giving discourses. I attained perfect enlightenment and now save all living beings because Devadatta was my teacher.”
Yes, Devadatta was evil during the life of his cousin, Śākyamuni, but his attempt to kill Śākyamuni and split the saṃgha all happened after Śākyamuni attained Buddhahood. In no way was Devadatta’s attempt to usurp his cousin a cause of Śākyamuni’s enlightenment.
The message here is that we do not know the causes made by men in their past that planted seeds of Buddhahood, and that even evil men will make causes in the future that prompt those seeds to sprout, bloom and bear the fruit of Enlightenment. These are the lessons to take from the first half of Chapter 12, “Devadatta.”