Tag Archives: 6paramitas

Higan, Hsuan Hua, Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, perfections

The Bodhisattva Practice for Others

As a final follow up to Higan Week, I offer Chinese Master Hsuan Hua’s discussion of Bodhisattva practice from his commentary on the Lotus Sutra.

Śākyamuni Buddha continued, “Medicine King, there are many people who, whether at home – upāsakās and upāsikās – or having renounced the home life – bhikṣus and bhikṣunīs – practice the Bodhisattva Path.” Both laypeople and monastics can practice the Bodhisattva Path.

What is the Bodhisattva Path? Benefiting others is practicing the Bodhisattva Path. What is the Bodhisattva Path? Benefiting not only oneself but also others is practicing the Bodhisattva Path. What is the Bodhisattva Path? Putting yourself aside to help others is practicing the Bodhisattva Path. It’s also giving advantage to others and taking disadvantage upon yourself. A person who practices the Bodhisattva Path is like water, which benefits all but never brags about its merit. All living creatures, whether they are born from wombs, eggs, moisture, or via metamorphosis, depend upon water for the sustenance of their lives. Without water, they can’t survive. But water itself doesn’t brag about its merit, saying, “I’ve helped you all so much. My merit is great indeed.” It doesn’t harbor this kind of thought. Those who practice the Bodhisattva Path should be the same way. Don’t think, “I’ve benefited living beings, so I have merit.” Lao Zi said,

The highest goodness is like water. Water benefits all yet does not contend. It goes to places people despise, and so it is close to the Path.

Water flows right into lowly places, places where nobody wants to live. To be like that is to practice the Bodhisattva Path.

When you practice the Bodhisattva Path, you must give credit to others and take the blame upon yourself. “But then I won’t get any credit,” you object. The more you give credit to others, the greater your merit becomes. On the surface you’re giving the credit away, but underneath, in the essence of things as they really are, the credit remains yours. People who don’t understand how to cultivate are always struggling to grab the spotlight, to be number one, and to make sure everyone knows who they are. People who have true understanding don’t seek recognition. It’s said that:

The deeds that are done for others to see are not truly good.
The deeds that are done fearing others will know are truly evil.

Bodhisattvas don’t want people to know about their good deeds. Conversely, if they make mistakes, they don’t care if people find out. Practicing the Bodhisattva Path is benefiting oneself and others. As you benefit yourself, you should benefit others more, even when it’s at your own expense.

Practicing the Bodhisattva Path is practicing the six pāramitās and the myriad practices. The six pāramitās are giving, upholding precepts, patience, vigor, dhyāna, and wisdom (prajña). To practice giving is to give to others without asking them to give to you. You shouldn’t complain, “I’m one of the Three Jewels. Why doesn’t anybody make offerings to me?” Being a member of the Three Jewels, you’re supposed to give. Upholding precepts means that you hold them yourself; it doesn’t mean that you go around telling other people to hold them. Patience means that you are patient, not that you tell others to be patient. Vigor means the same: that you’re the one who is vigorous, not that you tell others to be vigorous while remaining lazy yourself. You shouldn’t think, “I’ve already become a Bodhisattva, so I don’t need to be vigorous. I’m a senior Bodhisattva and don’t need to be vigorous; I’ll just tell the junior Bodhisattvas to be vigorous.”

As for dhyāna, you must cultivate it yourself. You can’t pester people by saying, “Hey! Why can’t you achieve dhyāna?” Finally, you yourself must have prajña. You can’t tell others to cultivate it while failing to do so yourself.

The six pāramitās are not to be practiced for just one day. You must practice them every single day and never take a breather for even a second. Practicing the Bodhisattva Path means that you’re busy working all the time. Busy doing what? Teaching and transforming living beings. Living beings are drowning in the sea of suffering. Unless you push yourself a little, how are you ever going to be able to save them all? There’s no time for naps; there’s no time for false thinking. Both monastics and laypeople should practice the Bodhisattva Path.

Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v7, 220-223
Hsuan Hua, Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, perfections

The 10 Pāramitās of the Great Vehicle Bodhisattvas

As another follow up to Higan Week, I offer Chinese Master Hsuan Hua’s explanation of the  ten pāramitās of the Great Vehicle Bodhisattvas from his commentary on the Lotus Sutra.

I’ve explained the six perfections or six pāramitās practiced by the Bodhisattvas. What do Great Vehicle Bodhisattvas practice? They practice the ten perfections or the ten pāramitās.

7. The pāramitā of skillful means. Applying skillful means, you can turn the dust of the world into the Buddha’s work. Whatever a Buddha does is skillful means; what-ever Dharma he teaches is also skillful means. What are skillful means? Skillful means aren’t something that can be used forever. They’re provisional and temporary in nature. The Dharma-door of skillful means suits a par-ticular living being’s potential only at a given time.

8. The pāramitā of vows. You make vows to teach and rescue all living beings.

9. The pāramitā of powers. You need strength to realize this pāramitā.

10. The pāramitā of wisdom. This refers to provisional wisdom, the expedient wisdom used to teach and transform living beings.

Great Vehicle Bodhisattvas cultivate these ten pāramitās. Speaking of the six pāramitās and four infinite states of the mind, these ten pāramitās are already encompassed by the four infinite states of the mind. If I were to elaborate in detail, the endless elaborations could go on and on. Such explanations could go into infinite detail. For now, I can only give a general explanation.

Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v8, p190-191
Hsuan Hua, Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, perfections

Six Pāramitās and 10 Good Deeds

As another follow up to Higan Week, I offer Chinese Master Hsuan Hua’s explanation of the  the six pāramitās from the perspective of the ten good deeds from his commentary on the Lotus Sutra.

Let’s explain the six pāramitās from the perspective of the ten good deeds. No killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, and no false speech correspond to the pāramitā of giving. No divisive speech corresponds to the pāramitā of upholding precepts. No harsh speech corresponds to the pāramitā of patience. No frivolous speech corresponds to the paramita of vigor. No greed and no hatred correspond to the pāramitā of dhyāna. No wrong views corresponds to the paramita of prajña. The ten good deeds correspond to the six pāramitās in this way.

Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v8, p135
Higan, Hsuan Hua, perfections, Vajra Sutra

Vajra Sutra: Giving Six Paramitas

As a bonus following the conclusion of Higan, Paramita Week, I offer Chinese Master Hsuan Hua’s discussion of how giving can encompasses all six pāramitās from his commentary on The Vajra Prajna Paramita Sutra

Giving is the first of the six pāramitās. There are three kinds of giving: giving wealth, giving dharma, and giving fearlessness.

The gift of wealth is a gift to the living which does not transcend the present life.

The gift of dharma may take place when you meet a living being who is free of animosity and has no desire to harm you. Then you may speak dharma and cause him to awaken to the unconditioned. If you can also cause such a living being to leave behind all fear and trembling, you are practicing the pāramitā of holding precepts within the pāramitā of giving. Or you may encounter a living being who wants to harm you, and by speaking dharma you enable him to conquer his anger and hatred. If you can enable someone who displays enmity or resentment towards you or who wishes you harm to abandon aggression, you have used the pāramitā of patience to perfect your giving.

Perhaps you tirelessly benefit people and are not the least bit lazy in teaching and transforming living beings, and enjoy speaking dharma for whomever you see. To resolve that “Whatever Buddhadharma I know I will speak for others without regard for the acceptance or rejection of my teaching” is not to fear fatigue and suffering. That is to employ the pāramitā of vigor in practicing giving.

Perhaps your speaking of dharma is extremely well-organized. You never confuse summations, scramble lists, or muddle principles. In listing the pāramitās you are able to speak them in their proper sequence: giving, holding precepts, patience, vigor, dhyāna samadhi, and prajña. If in lecturing you encounter a reference to the Five Roots and Five Powers, as for example when they appear in the Amitabha Sutra, you are able to explain them correctly as:

Faith,
Vigor,
Mindfulness,
Samadhi,
Wisdom.

Rather than confusing them and explaining them as the six dusts, such orderly correct speaking of dharma is an example of the use of the pāramitā of dhyāna samadhi in giving. If someone asks you a question and you become flustered and say, “Uhhh, I don’t know…” then your skill in dhyāna samadhi is wanting.

However, even those with samadhi need wisdom. Wisdom enhances the development of eloquence so that “left and right the source is revealed, the Way is clear and straightforward.” No matter how you speak, you reveal the essence of the principle, because your wisdom is unobstructed. That is, you use the paramita of prajña wisdom in your giving.

Thus the three aspects of giving, the giving of wealth, the giving of dharma, and the giving of fearlessness encompass the six pāramitās.

The Vajra Prajna Paramita Sutra, p120-121
Higan, Hsuan Hua, Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary

Higan: 10 Advantages of Prajña

Today is the final day of Higan week, the three days before the equinox and the three days after. As explained in a Nichiren Shu brochure:

For Buddhists, this period is not just one characterized by days with almost equal portions of light and dark. Rather, it is a period in which we strive to consciously reflect upon ourselves and our deeds.

The today we consider the Perfection of Prajña. For this Fall Higan week I’m using Hsuan Hua‘s commentary on the Lotus Sutra in which he discusses the 10 advantages of each pāramitā.

There are ten advantages of practicing prajña. If you practice prajña, you’ll attain these ten advantages; otherwise, you won’t attain a single one.

Wisdom is basically not being attached. Not being attached is just wisdom. If you have attachment, you won’t have wisdom. The saying “Prajña-light constantly shines” means that the light of wisdom always shines.

  1. One will not grasp at the notion of giving. In the twelve links of dependent arising, one link is “grasping, which is the condition for becoming.” If you have wisdom, you won’t grasp at the notion of giving. Grasping is being at-tached; not grasping is not being attached. One should give in such a manner that the nonsubstantiality of the three aspects of giving is empty. The three aspects are the giver, the receiver, and the gift. If you are caught up in your ability to give or in the person you are giving to, then you’re attached. Without the notions of there being one who gives, one to whom the gift is given, and the gift itself, there aren’t any attachments. It’s not that the notions don’t exist but that you’re not attached to them. This is what is meant by “one will not grasp at the notion of giving.”Why should you consider the nonsubstantiality of the three aspects of giving when you give? Because then you’ll be free of attachments. If you give thinking, “I’ve given several million dollars. How much merit do you think I have?” then you’re just like the Emperor Wu of Liang, who said to the Patriarch Bodhidharma, “I’ve built so many temples, renovated so many bridges, and influenced so many people to enter the monastic life. Would you say I have merit or not?”

    If the Patriarch Bodhidharma had said, “Yes, you do have merit,” he would’ve been following worldly thinking. Instead, the Patriarch taught the genuine Buddhadharma, which doesn’t accord with worldly sentiments. He said, “You have no merit!” He was trying to tell the emperor not to grasp at the notion of giving. With the notion of giving, you have attachments. Without it, there are no attachments. Without attachments, one’s merit is like empty space. Your merit fills empty space, but you mustn’t be attached.

  2. One will not become bound up by the precepts. Someone may say, “Then let’s not take precepts. Let’s not cultivate according to the precepts.” Not being bound up is the same idea as not grasping, which is not to become attached to the precepts. Don’t think, “I uphold the precepts, so I have cultivation and understand the Buddhadharma.” You should refrain from having that kind of attachment. You should abide by the precepts without consciously upholding them. While upholding the precepts, you have no attachment to upholding them. This is what is meant by not being bound up by the precepts. Even if you uphold the precepts, you shouldn’t think, “I’m genuinely upholding precepts. I’m a Vinaya Master!” That’s just one more attachment; the notion of self has come into being. The purpose of the precepts is to transcend the conception of self. With a notion of self, you think, “I cultivate according to the precepts.” When the notion of self is absent, why would there be precepts? …
  3. One will not become attached to the power of patience. This advantage also refers to being unattached. One is not attached to the notion of being patient. If one is attached to being patient, then one isn’t truly patient. True patience goes even beyond the concept of being patient. … Why do you have to think of it in terms of a self – “I” am patient? True cultivators of the Path must understand that all phenomena are empty of characteristics. If you can’t understand this concept, then you won’t be able to walk the Path.
  4. One will be vigorous in body and mind. One will be vigorous not only in body but also in mind. One won’t be more vigorous in body than in mind or vice versa. One will be equally vigorous in both, but won’t be attached to the notion of vigor. One shouldn’t think, “I really work hard! I’m really vigorous!” If one who cultivates holds the idea of vigor, that’s not prajña vigor. With prajña vigor, one must be vigorous yet not consciously vigorous; not vigorous yet vigorous. That’s emptying all phenomena, detaching from all characteristics. Although you apply effort in cultivation, you need to transcend the notion of cultivation. You must subdue your mind yet remain separate from the notion of having subdued your mind. You must regulate your mind until it’s at peace and free of false thinking.
  5. In dhyāna, one will abide nowhere. You probably expected the advantage of dhyāna, since the first is giving, the second upholding precepts, the third patience, and the fourth vigor; so certainly the fifth is dhyāna. So you don’t need the knowledge of others’ thoughts to know what I’m going to say; you just don’t know how I’m going to say it. When you investigate dhyāna, you should arrive at the state of abiding nowhere, which means you’ve broken all attachments. You don’t have any attachment to phenomena or to self; self and phenomena have both been emptied. Then you attain liberation. If you haven’t attained liberation, it’s because you still have attachments. Not abiding anywhere is prajña dhyāna.
  6. Demons will not disturb one. If you have prajña, demons can’t get to you; if not, everything will fall apart when demons come. It’s analogous to the formation of an army. While you’re lining up your soldiers in formation, the enemy suddenly attacks. Since your army isn’t ready for battle, you don’t know what to do – whether to fight or retreat, whether to pull the trigger on the gun or hold your fire – and your army quickly falls into disarray and chaos. Likewise, if you become afraid and frantic when demons come, that’s a sign of lacking wisdom. If you have wisdom, no matter how great their spiritual powers are, demons won’t be able to disturb you.
  7. Others’ opinions will not move one. If you don’t have genuine wisdom, then if someone says “east,” you’ll go east. If someone says “west,” you’ll go west. Someone may say, “Cultivating the Esoteric School is the best form of cultivation. Recite the name of Akṣobhya Buddha.” So you think, “It is, is it? Okay, I’ll do that. I’ll recite the name of Akṣobhya Buddha and subdue the demons.” Then someone else comes along and says, “The Pure Land School is the best. Reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha is the best form of cultivation in the Dharma-Ending Age.” So you think, “Really? Okay, I’ll do it.” And you’re swayed. Someone else may say, “Don’t bother learning how to lecture on the sūtras or teach the Dharma. Go off and live in a cave in the mountains. That’s real cultivation.” After you’ve spent two and a half days in the mountains, someone comes by and says, “Hey, the Vinaya School is the best,” and off you go to the Vinaya School. In general, you can’t focus on one school. You adopt others’ opinions of what’s good. You have no samādhi power. If the opinions of others cannot move you, that means you have samadhi power. …
  8. One will reach the end of birth and death. The end is the termination of something, just like the bottom of the sea and the base of every container. What’s the end of birth and death? Nirvāṇ If you have wisdom, you can end the cycle of birth and death and arrive at the other shore – nirvāṇa. Arriving at the other shore is reaching the end of birth and death.
  9. One will practice ever-increasing compassion. Previously, we talked about the five thousand people who left the Dharma Flower assembly because of their overbearing pride. Overbearing pride is quite the opposite of ever-increasing compassion. Ever-increasing compassion means that, although you may not have been very compassionate before, little by little, you gradually develop more and more compassion.
  10. One will take no delight in the stage of the Two Vehicles. Instead, one will choose to firmly walk on the Great Vehicle Path. Why so? Because one has wisdom. Therefore, one turns from the Lesser to the Great, giving up the Lesser Vehicle and cultivating the Great Vehicle Dharma.
Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v8, p162-172
Higan, Hsuan Hua, Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, LS32, LS45

Higan: 10 Advantages of Dhyāna

Today is the sixth day of Higan week, the three days before the equinox and the three days after. As explained in a Nichiren Shu brochure:

For Buddhists, this period is not just one characterized by days with almost equal portions of light and dark. Rather, it is a period in which we strive to consciously reflect upon ourselves and our deeds.

The today we consider the Perfection of Dhyāna. For this Fall Higan week I’m using Hsuan Hua‘s commentary on the Lotus Sutra in which he discusses the 10 advantages of each pāramitā.

There are also ten advantages of investigating dhyāna.

  1. One will settle oneself in the ritual. You investigate dhyāna through meditation moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day, month by month, and year by year. In the Chan hall, the meditation periods are regulated. This common practice becomes a routine. In the Chan hall, you sit for a while, then you walk, then you run. When it’s time to run, someone calls out, “Run!” Then you run until you’re sweating and so engrossed in the moment that you can’t even see the sky above, the earth below, or the people in between. Everyone seems to have disappeared. Where did they go? They’re gone – but they’re not lost! Why does this happen? You’ve lost track of your self. There’s no more “me.” You’ve run to the point that you’ve lost the notion of self and others. At this point you can contemplate with ease. Since there isn’t any self, you don’t have any false thinking about self; since there aren’t any people, you don’t have any false thinking about them. This state, called contemplating at ease, is described in the following line of verse:
     
    When neither emptiness nor form exists,
    One sees the Tathagata.
     
    The Buddha dwells neither in emptiness nor in existence. If you can perceive the Buddha’s Dharma body as being neither nonexistent nor existent, you’ll see the Tathagata’s Dharma body.
  2. One will practice the attitude of compassion. Being compassionate doesn’t mean being nice to people. It means that you gather people in and transform them with compassion. But if you encounter stubborn people, you may use your compassion to scold or beat them to get them to become awakened. People may be hit in the Chan hall, but it’s not what you usually think of as getting hit. People are hit so that they’ll quit false thinking and become awakened. This isn’t unusual; it’s done so that people will be good and follow the rules. This is practicing the attitude of compassion.
  3. One will have no regrets or afflictions. Afflictions arise when there’s regret.
  4. One will guard the six sense faculties. Why do you guard your six sense faculties? If you don’t guard them, they’ll run off. Where to? The eyes will run after forms, the ears after sounds, the nose after scents, the tongue after flavors, the body after tangible objects, and the mind after mental objects. When the six sense faculties are well guarded, a light will emanate from the gates of these faculties, causing the earth to quake. Why do you emit light? Because you stop having false thoughts; therefore, your wisdom light comes forth and shines upon everything in the trichiliocosm.
  5. One will attain bliss even in the absence of food. People who investigate dhyāna take dhyāna bliss as nourishment and are filled with Dharma joy. They can go without food and still be full of joy. When one’s meditation progresses to the point where one doesn’t need to eat and doesn’t feel hungry at all, one has attained this advantage. Such a person can go without food and still be happy; he’s nourished by investigating dhyāna.
  6. One will leave love and desire behind. When the mind is apart from desire and love, it’s pure. Love and desire are defilement; defilement leads to birth and death. Why do we human beings undergo birth and death? Because we haven’t cut off love and desire. Why do most people keep revolving in the six paths of rebirth and fail to end birth and death? Again, because they haven’t managed to cut off their love and desire. Until you cut off love and desire, you won’t be able to end birth and death and will continue to revolve in the six paths of rebirth. If you can free yourself from love and desire, you’ll close the gates to the hells.
  7. One’s cultivation of dhyāna will not be in vain. If your cultivation of dhyāna will not be in vain, does it mean something will come into being? The only fear is that you won’t cultivate dhyāna. If you cultivate dhyāna, your effort will not be in vain. If one sits in meditation for one hour, one’s wisdom life will increase by one hour. If one sits in meditation for two hours, one’s wisdom life will increase by two hours. If one continues to investigate dhyāna at every moment, day by day, month by month, year by year, one will certainly develop great wisdom.
  8. One will be released from demonic influences. One can be liberated from demonic obstruction. Demons will have no way to obstruct you.
  9. One will peacefully abide in the states of a Buddha. One can attain this advantage by constantly investigating dhyāna.
  10. One will attain perfect liberation. Everyone wishes for this advantage. When you reach this maturation of liberation,
Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v8, p158-160
Higan, Hsuan Hua, Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary

Higan: 10 Advantages of Vigor

Today is the fifth day of Higan week, the three days before the equinox and the three days after. As explained in a Nichiren Shu brochure:

For Buddhists, this period is not just one characterized by days with almost equal portions of light and dark. Rather, it is a period in which we strive to consciously reflect upon ourselves and our deeds.

The today we consider the Perfection of Vigor. For this Fall Higan week I’m using Hsuan Hua‘s commentary on the Lotus Sutra in which he discusses the 10 advantages of each pāramitā.

There are ten advantages of practicing vigor.

  1. One will not be defeated by others. You’ll be able to defeat others, but others won’t be able to defeat you. If you have the true skill of vigor, you’ll win every debate. No one will be able to defeat you in debate. You’ll never lose; you’re sure to win. Why is that? Because you have vigor. Just like two troops in a battle: if one is very high-spirited and energetic while the other is low-spirited and lazy, the former, the vigorous troop, will prevail.
  2. One will be gathered in and protected by the Buddhas. This is even more inconceivable. The Buddhas will look upon you and think, “This living being is pretty good. He cultivates seriously and doesn’t get lazy. What a good disciple!” The Buddhas will protect you and gather you in because you’re a good disciple. Would you not call that an advantage?
  3. One will be protected by nonhumans. Not only will the Buddhas protect you, but gods, dragons, other spiritual beings of the eightfold division, humans, and nonhumans will all protect you as well.
  4. One will not forget the Dharma one hears. This advantage is most beneficial. Why? Only if you haven’t heard the Dharma will this advantage not apply. Once you hear it, you’ll never forget it. As the saying goes,
     
    When the Dharma enters one’s ears,
    It plants the seed of the Path.
     
    Wouldn’t you like to receive this benefit? I believe everyone in the audience would like to have this benefit. If so, you must be vigorous. If you’re not vigorous, you won’t get this benefit. The benefit you receive will be proportional to the effort you apply: one part vigor produces one part benefit, and ten parts vigor produce ten parts benefit.
  5. One will hear what one has not heard before. This benefit is even more difficult to conceive. It’s wonderful! You’ll hear Dharma that you’ve never heard before. Isn’t that wonderful? Isn’t this a great advantage to you? Consider the three laypeople here today, a mother and her two sons. Previously, they didn’t have the opportunity to visit San Francisco and hear the Buddhadharma, but here they are today. The mother hadn’t intended to listen to the sūtra lecture either. However, after she heard my talk, she changed her mind. Then she asked her sons, “How about we stay and listen to the sūtra lecture?” Her sons agreed: “All right!” So they now have the opportunity to hear what they’ve never heard before. This mother hadn’t previously had the opportunity to hear the Buddhadharma, as she lives very far away, but because of her vigor in the distant past, now she has this chance. If she hadn’t cultivated vigorously before, how could she have become a vegetarian? Becoming a vegetarian, reciting the Buddha’s name, and having faith in the Buddha aren’t easy things to do. She couldn’t have made this resolve without causes and conditions from previous lives.
  6. One’s eloquence will increase. You may have found it difficult to explain the Buddhadharma before, but suddenly you obtain unobstructed eloquence. This sudden eloquence is a result of your vigor. What’s eloquence? Let me tell you. It’s the ability to speak well. What does that mean? Those with eloquence can persuade people who want to cry to laugh instead, those who are angry to feel compassionate, and those who want to run away from the hardships of this summer session to stay. Eloquent people know how to talk and make others feel good. Even if they scold others, their scolding sounds sweet and pleasant to the ears of those being scolded, who don’t find it at all hard to take.
  7. One will attain the essence of samadhi. You’ll attain the essence of concentration.
  8. One will have little trouble or sickness. All your illnesses and afflictions will vanish. You’ll be free from illness and affliction. These things will disappear without a trace.
  9. One will be able to digest whatever one eats. If you cultivate with vigor, you’ll be able to digest whatever you eat. No matter how full you are, you’ll feel hungry again shortly afterward. Why? Because you’re vigorous! You work very hard; you work energetically. You don’t slack off or take it easy. You don’t sit around thinking, “The teacher isn’t here, so I think I’ll take a break. Let’s close our eyes and take a nap!” Vigor means not slacking off or taking it easy. That’s the reason you’re able to digest all the food you eat. You also have a strong digestive system and a good appetite. Being vigorous gives you this benefit.
  10. One will grow like the udumbara flower. You’ll grow day by day, just like the udumbara flower.

Very well! Whether the lecture was good or bad, we have to call it a day. There are still fifteen minutes left for me to take a rest. It’s fine for the teacher to be lazy, but it’s absolutely not okay for the students to be lazy. Why? “Only the student can become a valedictorian, not the teacher!” So you mustn’t be lazy. While I urge you not to be lazy, I don’t care whether I’m lazy or not. Don’t be lazy. Just now, I told you to slay your “lazy bugs” and become vigorous tigers. But upon reflection, I think tigers are too fierce. Turn your “lazy bugs” into vigorous dragons instead that would be better. You can transform bugs into dragons. I hope your “lazy bugs” will all become vigorous dragons.

Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v8, p151-154
Higan

The Significance of Prayer During Higan

Today is the Fall Equinox, the middle of Higan week, the three days before the equinox and the three days after. As explained in a Nichiren Shu brochure:

For Buddhists, this period is not just one characterized by days with almost equal portions of light and dark. Rather, it is a period in which we strive to consciously reflect upon ourselves and our deeds.

Here is Ven. Kenjo Igarashi’s lecture on Higan from the September-October 2025 Sacramento Nichiren News.

As summer ends, we start the official transition into the fall season with Higan. It is a time to primarily self-reflect and focus on your Buddhist studies. However, as I have mentioned before, throughout our practice, we also find ways to help others in all realms of existence, especially our ancestors. I realize that the multiple underlying purposes behind Higan can remain very confusing for many, especially because many seen to overlap with those of other Buddhist observances. I was recently reminded of a conversation I had several years ago with a member. They said, “There are many special Buddhist services and traditions that happen throughout the year. Higan, Obon, memorial services for the deceased, etc. But many of them seem very similar – they all emphasize the importance of praying for your ancestors. I have a hard time understanding the differences between them.” The concept of ancestor veneration is prevalent in Asian cultures. For example, in Japan it is common for people to spend time with their families, as well as visit and clean their ancestors’ graves during these important Buddhist observances. However, this concept is not as common in Western cultures. For that reason, I would like to take this time to further explain why we honor our ancestors during Higan.

We observe Higan twice a year for approximately a week around the time of the spring and fall equinox. The reason for this timing stems from the agricultural history of Japan. Rice farmers would be busy from March when they would sow the seeds until September when they would harvest their crop. Higan is observed before and right after the end of this rice cultivation season, outside of which they were expected to have more time away from the field to focus on their Buddhist studies.

Aside from this timing, one of the major differences between Higan and other Buddhist observances is the emphasis on studying the Six Paramitas, which I’ve explained previously. Briefly, they include the following: (1) generosity, (2) observance of Buddhist precepts, (3) patience, (4) energy and diligence, (5) meditation, and (6) wisdom cultivated by studying Buddhism.

As I mentioned earlier, I have previously spoken about how we strive to help others during this time of Higan. One of the ways we do this is by practicing these Six Paramitas with our ancestors. What differentiates us from the deceased is our physical body and the five senses we use in our practice. Through these senses, we can garner good karma and virtues, but also unknowingly accumulate bad karma through actions we partake in or even witness. Without these senses, our ancestors cannot accumulate virtues in the same way that we do in this human realm. Any deceased, especially in the suffering world, therefore have a difficult time moving to a higher realm. Higan is a time when our ancestors can practice “with us,” meaning at the same time. This is different from Obon when the deceased are allowed to visit the living and practice with us at the same time and in the same location. In a way, during Higan, our ancestors are not only practicing themselves, but also through us. The good karma we accumulate during Higan benefits not only ourselves but can also be shared with our ancestors. Using the virtues we accumulate during Higan, the deceased can gradually try to progress to a higher realm. This is also a reminder that as humans, we ourselves still have work to do in order to move to a higher realm. Our senses make us unique and provide an advantage for us to accumulate virtues in this current realm that we live in. Therefore, our practice and prayer during Higan holds a special meaning. I hope that many of you will use Higan as an opportunity to focus on your Buddhist studies, keeping in mind that our ancestors are practicing with us during this time.

Ven. Kenjo Igarashi
September / October 2025

Higan, Hsuan Hua, Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary

Higan: 10 Advantages of Patience

Today is the third day of Higan week, the three days before the equinox and the three days after. As explained in a Nichiren Shu brochure:

For Buddhists, this period is not just one characterized by days with almost equal portions of light and dark. Rather, it is a period in which we strive to consciously reflect upon ourselves and our deeds.

The today we consider the Perfection of Patience. For this Fall Higan week I’m using Hsuan Hua‘s commentary on the Lotus Sutra in which he discusses the 10 advantages of each pāramitā.

Today let’s discuss the ten advantages of practicing the paramita of patience. In this world, the harder something is to do, the more it’s worth doing. If the task isn’t difficult, it doesn’t have too much value. Therefore, even though it’s hard to practice patience, it brings great benefit and is of tremendous value. What are the ten advantages?

If, in the formative stage of practice, one cultivates patience, in the future one will receive in general the following ten benefits:

    1. Fire will not burn one. Why? Those who practice patience have no internal fire. If there’s no fire within, then fire from the outside has no way to harm one. If one has fire inside, one will get burned. It’s also said:With no deficiency internally,
      One does not attract trouble from outside.If you have problems inside, you’ll attract sickness from the outside. For example, if you catch a cold, it’s often because you’ve been doing a lot of false thinking internally, which leads to “inner” weakness. You then catch an “external” cold as a result. If you cultivate patience and internally extinguish your fiery temper, so that your nature is like dead ashes, then no external fire will be able to burn you.
    2. Knives will not hurt one. If one cultivates patience, one will not be injured by knives because there are no “knives or guns” within. Without “knives or guns” inside – that is, having no thoughts of harming others – external knives and guns can’t harm one. It’s said:If inside the house there is a superior person,
      Superior people will come to visit.
      If inside the house there are petty people,
      Petty people will stop by.If there are no knives or guns in your inherent nature, you won’t be hurt by knives or guns from the outside. This is genuine philosophy!
    3. Poison will not harm one. Not only can knives not harm one, neither can poison. If one has practiced patience to perfection, then,At knife point, I remain completely calm;
      Even poisoned, I am totally at ease.One will remain unscathed when encountering the danger of knives and poison. Patriarch Bodhidharma was poisoned six times by jealous rivals but didn’t die. Why? He’d practiced patience for countless eons and with its perfection had attained this pāramitā. Which pāramitā? The antidote to poison.
    4. Water will not drown one. One who cultivates patience to perfection won’t drown in water.
    5. Nonhumans will protect one. Nonhumans refers to gods, dragons, and other spiritual beings of the eightfold division. They will all look out for you and watch over your bodhimaṇḍ
    6. One will obtain a splendid and majestic appearance. Didn’t I tell you that if you cultivate patience, you’ll have a sublime appearance? You’ll delight all who see you and will make no one afraid. People will respect and cherish you and won’t be able to leave you even if they want to. They’ll always want to be around you. A splendid and majestic appearance is the physical manifestation of the purity of one’s thoughts when they’re free of defilement. It’s not the kind of beauty associated with glamour and sex appeal. The splendor and majesty of one’s appearance will inspire reverence. It won’t cause people to become emotionally infatuated or have impure thoughts.
    7. The lower destinies will be closed to one. What are the lower destinies? They refer to the three lower realms: the hells, the realm of animals, and the realm of hungry ghosts. The doors to these destinies will be closed to you. You won’t fall into the destinies of hungry ghosts and hell beings or be reborn as an animal.
    8. One will be born in the Brahma heavens. If you practice patience, in the future you can be born in the great Brahma heavens.
    9. One will be peaceful and joyful day and night. Throughout the three periods of the day and the three periods of the night, you’ll be peaceful and joyful. You won’t be worried about your business during the day and then in the evening wonder whether or not you’re going to lose your job the next day or if you’ll have anything to eat. Most people have a lot of worries and afflictions. If you practice patience, you won’t have these kinds of afflictions. Throughout the day and night, you’ll always be very peaceful and joyful, worry-free.
    10. One will never be separated from joy and happiness. You’ll always be in good spirits and will always be very happy. This kind of happiness isn’t based on external events and stimuli. Rather, it comes from within your inherent nature and is not a contrived display of happiness.

    These are the ten advantages of practicing patience.

Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v8, p147-149
Higan, Hsuan Hua, Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary

Higan: 10 Advantages of Precepts

Today is the second day of Higan week, the three days before the equinox and the three days after. As explained in a Nichiren Shu brochure:

For Buddhists, this period is not just one characterized by days with almost equal portions of light and dark. Rather, it is a period in which we strive to consciously reflect upon ourselves and our deeds.

The today we consider the Perfection of Precepts. For this Fall Higan week I’m using Hsuan Hua‘s commentary on the Lotus Sutra in which he discusses the 10 advantages of each pāramitā.

The ten advantages of practicing the pāramitā of upholding precepts are:

  1. One will perfect omniscient wisdom. If one upholds the precepts well, one can attain omniscient wisdom.
  2. One will study what the Buddhas study. One will learn from the same source as the Buddhas do. The Buddha took the precepts as his teacher. So it’s said that the vajra-bright jeweled precepts are the source of all Buddhas. All Buddhas come forth from precepts.
  3. One will not be despised by the wise. If you uphold the precepts, only ignorant people will speak ill of you. Wise people won’t criticize you. Ignorant people will naturally criticize you, because they’re confused about right and wrong. Why? They have no wisdom. They mistake right for wrong, black for white. These are the acts of ignorant people. If you uphold precepts, wise people won’t speak ill of you; they’ll praise you instead. …
  4. One will not retreat from one’s resolve. This is the most important advantage. One vows, “I will seek the Buddha-dharma no matter how hard it is. I don’t care if I starve to death or freeze to death. I’m not going to retreat. If no one makes offerings to me, that’s the very best thing.” You shouldn’t be greedy for offerings. You shouldn’t drop hints to people in the hope that they’ll buy you things and then think, “I must have virtue and be quite the cultiva-tor. People are making offerings to me!” That would be wrong! You should vow, “I will seek Buddhahood even if it means giving up my head, eyes, brains, marrow, flesh, hands, and feet-even my very life!” …
  5. One will dwell peacefully in proper conduct. Peacefully dwelling in proper conduct means performing proper, not improper, conduct. Proper conduct benefits others rather than yourself. If you’re scheming, your conduct is improper; if you aren’t scheming, your conduct is proper.
  6. One will cast aside birth and death. One shouldn’t cling to birth and death, thinking, “My life is most precious. I have to make nice offerings to my body-give it good and nutritious food as well as vitamins to make it strong.” It may get stronger, but the stronger your body becomes, the weaker your wisdom gets. When your wisdom becomes weak, even if your body is strong, it isn’t genu-inely strong. Because your wisdom life can’t grow, you must cast aside birth and death altogether. You shouldn’t hold on to your physical life at the expense of the life of your wisdom. Look upon birth and death as unimport-ant, thinking, “If I live, I live; if I die, I die,” while at the same time making sure to cultivate. If you fail to cultivate, thinking that birth and death are no problem, then you’ll never be able to break away from the cycle of birth and death. You must see birth and death as unimportant yet still cultivate to end birth and death.
  7. One will long for and delight in nirvāṇa. One thinks, “What I delight in most is nirvana-the Dharma of transcending birth and death.” Nir means “not coming into being”; vāṇa means “not ceasing to be.” The goal of upholding the precepts is to attain nirvāṇ
  8. One will attain an unfettered mind. What’s meant by an unfettered mind? One may have much wisdom and make a great resolve for bodhi, but then one becomes tied up by the ten fetters of greed, hatred, delusion, arrogance, doubt, the view of self, extreme views, the view of clinging to precepts and austerities, the view of attachment to views, and wrong views. These ten fetters bind up your mind so that wisdom cannot come forth. To attain an unfettered mind is to become liberated.
  9. One will attain supreme samādhi. This is no ordinary samādhi. This samādhi power is formidable! Nothing can disturb it – nothing! It’s an inconceivable level of supreme concentration.
  10. One will not lack the wealth of faith. To have faith is to have wealth. People without faith are poor. If you don’t believe the Dharma Master when he lectures on the Dharma, then you won’t be able to make a resolve for bodhi. If you can’t make a resolve for bodhi, you’re poor. Not lacking the wealth of faith means you have great faith. When you’re full of faith, you’re wealthy.

This is a brief explanation of the ten advantages of upholding the precepts. If one were to go into detail, a great deal more could be said.

Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v8, p139-142