When [Never-Despising Bodhisattva] was about to pass away, he heard [from a voice] in the sky the twenty thousand billion gāthās of Myōhō Renge Kyō, which had been expounded by the Powerful-Voice-King Buddha. Having kept all these gāthās, he was able to have his eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind purified as previously stated. Having his six sense-organs purified, he was able to prolong his life for two hundred billion nayuta more years. He expounded Myōhō Renge Kyō to many people [in his prolonged life]. The arrogant bhikṣus, bhikṣunīs, upāsakās and upāsikās, that is, the four kinds of devotees who had abused him and caused him to be called Never-Despising, saw that he had obtained great supernatural powers, the power of eloquence, and the great power of good tranquility. Having seen all this, and having heard the Dharma from him, they took faith in him, and followed him.
Tao-sheng: Four Asura Kings
Tao-sheng Commentary on the Lotus Sutra, p168There were also the four asura-kings
A- means “no”, sura means “wine.” In their past [life] they belonged to a Brahman clan, and led a clean life, abstaining from drinking; hence, the name.
Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Jan. 16, 2025
Expound Myōhō Renge Kyō to the Buddha’s sons
Who keep the precepts
As cleanly and as purely
As they keep gems,
And who seek
The sūtra of the Great Vehicle!
Tao-sheng: Four Kiṃnara-Kings
Tao-sheng Commentary on the Lotus Sutra, p168There were also the four kiṃnara-kings
In Chinese [Kinnara] means “human cum inhuman”; they appear handsome, but their heads have one horn. They are the god-emperors’ spirits in charge of music.
Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Jan. 15, 2025
“Bhikṣus! I will collect Bodhisattvas and Śrāvakas and expound Myōhō Renge Kyō to them when I realize that the time of my Nirvāṇa is drawing near, that the living beings have become pure in heart, that they can understand the truth of the Void by firm faith, and that they have already entered deep into dhyāna-concentration. No one in the world can attain [true] extinction by the two vehicles. [True] extinction can be attained only by Myōhō Renge Kyō.
Tao-sheng: Eight Dragon Kings
Tao-sheng Commentary on the Lotus Sutra, p168There were also the eight dragon-kings
All these dragon kings are named Joy. They were (once) reincarnated in human form and resided in Rājagṛha. When suffering from drought, the king and ministers went to them to seek help. Immediately the sweet rain fell and the rain soaked the whole country. Seeing the rain fall, the people were very pleased; hence, the name joy.
Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Jan. 14, 2025
[Mañjuśrī said] … “How should an [ordinary] Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas expound Myōhō Renge Kyō in the evil world after [your extinction]?”
The Buddha said to him:
“A Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas who wishes to expound Myōhō Renge Kyō in the evil world after [my extinction] should practice four sets of things.
“First, he should perform proper practices, approach proper things, and then expound this sūtra to all living beings.
“Mañjuśrī! What are the proper practices the Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas should perform? He should be patient, mild and meek. He should not be rash, timorous, or attached to anything. He should see things as they are. He should not be attached to his nonattachment to anything. Nor should he be attached to his seeing thing as they are. These are the proper practices the Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas should perform.
Tao-sheng: Four Great Heavenly-Kings
Tao-sheng Commentary on the Lotus Sutra, p168[T]he four great heavenly-kings
In the east of Sumeru is [the king] called Dhṛtarāṣṭra, in the south Virūḍhaka, in the west Virūpāksha, and in the north Vaiśravaṇa. They are controlled by Śakra-Devānām-Indra.
Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Jan. 13, 2025
The Buddha said to Medicine-King:
“If after my extinction anyone rejoices, even on a moment’s thought, at hearing even a gāthā or a phrase of Myōhō Renge Kyō, I will assure him of his future attainment of Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.
Tao-sheng: Sakra-Devanam-Indra
Tao-sheng Commentary on the Lotus Sutra, p167Sakra-Devanam-Indra was also present.
He is the second god-emperor, in charge of four regional godkings. He commands the dragons (nāgas) and demons (pretas), not letting them offend beings unrestrainedly but making them (beings) always cultivate meritorious virtues. He makes the sun and the moon shine clear and bright. He often acts as a main interlocutor who draws out remarks or sermons [from the Buddha]. Hence, he is mentioned in the beginning [of the paragraph].