Generally it is said that the nature of the Buddha’s enlightenment is too noble for us to express with words, because words are limited in their ability to describe the spiritual world. There is an expression in the Lotus Sutra: “Only Buddhas who attained the highest truth realize the world”. However, although we have not yet attained the highest enlightenment, we can perceive other levels of enlightenment. Thus, there are many expressions, descriptions, epithets, and parables in the Lotus Sutra to help us to perceive, sense, and feel the Buddha’s enlightenment and finally, to attain the highest enlightenment ourselves.
Spring WritingsQuotes
Bodhisattva Motivation
When the Bodhisattvas emerge from beneath the ground and make their appearance in Chapter XV I find it interesting that unlike the contemporaries of the Buddha, who have all asked the Buddha for something, these new Bodhisattvas enquire of the Buddha how he is doing, what his condition is, and if he is tired from teaching the Dharma. These new Bodhisattvas are firstly motivated not for their own needs but the needs of others. This I believe further signifies how the Bodhisattva practice is a practice for all, including those of learning as well as the solitary self-enlightened practitioners.
Lecture on the Lotus SutraCraving
The second noble truth of the cause of suffering is that suffering arises when we refuse to recognize the reality of life and instead attempt to make reality conform to our desires. This truth is often expressed as “the cause of suffering is craving.” This craving is the result of the unrealistic expectation that life should be a source of unchangeable happiness.
Lotus SeedsThe Five Periods and Eight Teachings
The Lotus Sutra is the completion of over 50 years of Shakyamuni Buddha’s teaching the Dharma which extended over five periods. The Lotus Sutra was preceded by many varied and important propaedeutic sutras which were taught to the monks and laity in order to create and foster a Buddhist culture and practice, nurture and facilitate growth while finally leading them and all humankind towards enlightenment. These five important periods, also called The Five Periods and Eight Teachings, are as follows:
- Kegon Period: (21 days), resulting in the Kegon Sutra
- Agon or Deer Park Period: (12 years), resulting in the Agama Sutra or also known as the Pali canon.
- Hoto Period: (8 years), resulting in the Shrimala, Gejimatsu, Vimalakirti, Muryoju, Amitayus, Amida, Oainichi, Kongocho and Soshitsuji Sutras
- Hannya Period: (21 years), resulting in the Hannya, Makahannya Haramitsu and Hannya Shin-Kyo (Heart Sutra) Sutras.
- Hokke-Nehan: (8 years), resulting in the Threefold Lotus (Muryogi Sutra, the Lotus Sutra and the Bodhisattva Fugen Sutra) and Nirvana Sutras.
The Burning Quest for Material Gain
The quest for material gain, fueled by craving leads to suffering, or as the Buddha says: “You will be burned by them.” In the case of the Parable of the Burning house the children inside were so busy engrossed in their games, in their play, in their pursuit of happiness that they failed to notice the house was on fire and they were in great danger. If we approach our Buddhist practice as a way to gain benefit and not as a way to become enlightened then we will continue the cycles of suffering, of getting burned. Instead we should approach Buddhism as a way to become enlightened.
Lotus Path: Practicing the Lotus Sutra Volume 1The Buddha’s Medicine Is Always Available
It may be that some will refuse the medicine, or that others will stop taking the medicine before being fully cured. It happens in life that way. There is no expiration date on the medicine the Buddha leaves for us. The medicine the Buddha leaves us in the Lotus Sutra is always good and is always available, even if it appears the physician has died and left us. The medicine, and through the medicine the Buddha, is always available for us to take and benefit from.
Physician's Good MedicineLiving the Life of the Universal Self
[A]ny individual is a Tathagata who realizes the universal Dhammata of the universe, not only in his ideas, but in his life, and lives the life of the universal self. So long as, and so far as, he regards himself as separate from others, every individual is only a partial, and therefore imperfect, manifestation of his own real nature (dhammata), while every one is destined to attain the height, or depth, of his own true self in communion with all others, by virtue of the basic unity of the fundamental Dhammata.
Nichiren, The Buddhist ProphetThe Value of Enlightenment
Buddhism teaches us about suffering and troubles. Our ignorance and delusion causes both of these. In order to overcome these there are many teachings, such as the Eightfold Path: to understand rightly, to consider rightly, to observe rightly, and so on. This is a practice for approaching enlightenment. The teachings of enlightenment can change your ideas or point of view, and as a result can change your values. Changing your values means that as you mature, you grow to value spirituality over materialism. It is just like growing children who eventually become adults – when they are young they derive their joy from toys, but as they get older their joy starts to come from invisible things, such as art, music, or spiritual pleasure. I would like to invite you to consider the value of enlightenment.
Spring WritingsThe Lotus of the Buddha’s Lifetime Teachings
The Lotus Sutra could in some ways be said to be the lotus of the Buddha’s lifetime teachings. All of his life, his awakening, and his teaching lead up to the time when he could finally reveal the foundational truth that all Buddhas are awakened to. The lotus of the Lotus Sutra required all of the previous teachings of the Buddha so he could finally share this teaching.
Lecture on the Lotus SutraThe First Noble Truth
The first noble truth of suffering is that we are bound to meet with trouble, pain, and disappointment in Life. This suffering includes all minor and major forms of discomfort and pain, whether physical, mental, or emotional. The Buddha specifically spoke of the suffering resulting from major changes such as birth, old age, sickness, and death, as well as the suffering that comes from loss, frustrated desires, unwanted situations, and the basic, changing nature of life. The truth of suffering teaches us to recognize these facts courageously.
Lotus Seeds