Day 1 covers the first half of Chapter 1, Introductory
And around and around we go. If only past lives could as easily be remembered.
As the Lotus Sutra opens we are presented with a list of attendees that includes Arhats, Śrāvakas, Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, gods and heavenly kings, dragon kings, kimnara kings, gandharva kings, asura kings, garuda kings, King Ajātaśatru, and countless others.
Recently I listened to a Dharma talk given by Myokei Caine Barrett following a Jodo-E service marking the Buddha’s enlightenment. Part of the service involved reciting the start of Introductory Chapter and its list of attendees. The point of this list, Rev. Myokei said, was to show that this sutra is applicable to all sentient beings.
During this portion of the Introductory Chapter, Śākyamuni entered into the samādhi during which he emitted a ray of light that illumined “all the corners of eighteen thousand worlds in the east, down to the Avīci Hell of each world, and up to the Akaniṣṭha Heaven of each world.”
Maitreya describes what he sees:
I see from this world
The living beings of the six regions
Extending down to the Avīci Hell,
And up to the Highest Heaven
Of each of those worlds.
I see the region to which each living being is to go,
The good or evil karmas he is doing,
And the rewards or retributions he is going to have.I also see the Buddhas,
The Saintly Masters, the Lion-like Ones,
Who are expounding
The most wonderful sūtra
With their pure and gentle voices,
And teaching
Many billions of Bodhisattvas.
The brahma voices of the Buddhas
Are deep and wonderful,
Causing people to wish to hear them.I also see the Buddha of each of those worlds
Expounding his right teachings to all living beings
In order to cause them to attain enlightenment.
He explains his teachings
With stories of previous lives,
And with innumerable parables and similes.To those who are confronted with sufferings,
And tired of old age, disease, and death,
The Buddha expounds the teaching of Nirvāṇa,
And causes them to eliminate these sufferings.To those who have merits,
Who have already made offerings to the past Buddhas,
And who are now seeking a more excellent teaching,
The Buddha expounds [the Way of] cause-knowers.To the Buddha’s sons
Who are performing various practices,
And who are seeking unsurpassed wisdom,
The Buddha expounds the Pure Way.
He goes on to say he sees “some Bodhisattvas offering their flesh or their limbs” and “kings coming to a Buddha, and asking him about unsurpassed enlightenment” and “some sons of the Buddha Enduring abuse Or blows with sticks Inflicted by arrogant people In order to attain The enlightenment of the Buddha.”
The “Introductory” view of the lands in the east presages what’s to come in the Lotus Sutra.
Son of the Buddha, answer me!
Remove our doubts and cause us to rejoice!
For what purpose is the Buddha
Emitting this ray of light?
