Day 11 continues Chapter 7, The Parable of a Magic City
The Buddha continues the story of the long-long-ago Great-Universal-Wisdom-Excellence Buddha and his 16 sons. These 16 princes are begging the Buddha to turn the wheel of the Dharma.
When Great-Universal-Wisdom-Excellence Buddha attained Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi, five hundred billion Buddha-worlds in each of the ten quarters quaked in the six ways, and all those worlds, including those intercepted from the brilliant rays of light of the sun and the moon by the neighboring worlds, were illumined [by great rays of light], and the living beings of those worlds were able to see each other for the first time. They said to each other, ‘How did you appear so suddenly?’ The palaces of the gods of those worlds, including the palace of Brahmans, also quaked in the six ways. The great rays of light which illumined all those worlds were brighter than the rays of light emitted by those gods.
Brahman-heavenly-kings from each direction seek out the source of this illumination of their worlds. The last to arrive were the Brahman-heavenly-kings from the 500 billion worlds in the zenith. It has been a long time since a Buddha appeared. Things are deteriorating:
How good it is to see a Buddha,
To see the Honorable Saint who saves the world!
He saves all living beings
From the prison of the triple world.
The All-Knower, the Most Honorable One of Gods and Men,
Opens the gate of the teachings as sweet as nectar,
And saves all living beings
Out of his compassion towards them.
There has been no Buddha
For the past innumerable kalpas.
Before you appeared,
The worlds of the ten quarters were dark.
The living beings in the three evil regions
And asuras are increasing.
The living beings in heaven are decreasing.
Many fall into the evil regions after their death.
They do not hear the Dharma from a Buddha.
Because they did evils,
Their appearances are getting worse;
And their power and wisdom, decreasing.
Because they did sinful karmas,
They lose pleasures and the memory of pleasures.
They are attached to wrong views.
They do not know how to do good.
They are not taught by a Buddha;
Therefore, they fall into the evil regions.
Now you have appeared for the first time after a long time,
And become the eyes of the world.
You have appeared in this world
Out of your compassion towards all living beings,
And finally attained perfect enlightenment.
We are very glad.
All the others also rejoice at seeing you,
Whom they have never seen before.
Our palaces are beautifully adorned
With your light.
We offer them to you.
Receive them out of your compassion towards us!
May the merits we have accumulated by this offering
Be distributed among all living beings,
And may we and all other living beings
Attain the enlightenment of the Buddha!
Our palaces are beautifully adorned
Because we accumulated merits in our previous existence.
We offer [these palaces] to you.
Receive them out of your compassion towards us!
The Brahma-Heavenly-Kings of the East sing these verses in Chapter Seven of the Lotus Sutra. In the story, they came to the world of Great-Universal-Wisdom-Excellence-Buddha from their worlds of beauty and pleasure when that Buddha became enlightened. Their offering shows their understanding that while they can enjoy the results of the merits they have created, these results are meant to be shared with all beings. No matter how much or how little we have, being grateful for what we have, rather than being resentful for what we lack, is an expression of the Buddha’s wisdom.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 10 concludes Chapter 6, Assurance of Future Buddhahood, and opens Chapter 7, The Parable of a Magic City.
Following the Buddha’s senior disciples’ “meal,” the World-Honored One, “having understood the wishes of the great disciples,” went on to assure Subhūti, Kātyāyana, Maudgalyāyana and “the five hundred disciples of mine” are all assured of their future Buddhahood. None of this will happen soon; none of these disciples will become Buddhas in this saha world.
Using Maudgalyāyana’s example:
This Great Maudgalyāyana will make various offerings to eight thousand Buddhas, respect them, and honor them. After the extinction of each of those Buddhas, he will erect a stūpa-mausoleum a thousand yojanas high, and five hundred yojanas wide and deep. He will make it of the seven treasures: gold, silver, lapis lazuli, shell, agate, pearl and ruby. He will offer flowers, necklaces, incense applicable to the skin, incense powder, incense to burn, canopies, banners and streamers to the stūpa-mausoleum. After that he will make the same offerings to two hundred billions of Buddhas. Then he will become a Buddha called Tamālapattracandana-Fragrance, the Tathāgata, the Deserver of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One, the Man of Wisdom and Practice, the Well-Gone, the Knower of the World, the Unsurpassed Man, the Controller of Men, the Teacher of Gods and Men, the Buddha, the World-Honored One. The kalpa in which he will become that Buddha will be called Joyfulness; and his world, Mind-Happiness. The ground [of his world] will be even, made of crystal, adorned with jeweled trees, and purified with strewn flowers of pearls. Anyone will rejoice at seeing it.
The chapter concludes with this bit of tease from the Buddha:
Now I will tell you
About my previous existence
And also about yours.
All of you, listen attentively!
Chapter 7, The Parable of a Magic City, opens with a discussion of Great-Universal-Wisdom-Excellence Buddha who lived so long ago that it stretches the definition of finite to some place very close to infinite.
Of particular interest to me today was the role played by the gods in helping Great-Universal-Wisdom-Excellence gain enlightenment:
[Before he sat at the place of enlightenment,] the Trāyastriṃśa Gods prepared him a lion-like seat a yojana high under the Bodhi-tree so that he might be able to attain Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi on that seat. When he sat on that seat, the Brahman-heavenly-kings rained heavenly flowers on the area extending a hundred yojanas in all directions from that seat. From time to time withered flowers were blown away by fragrant winds and new flowers were rained down. [The Brahman-heavenly-kings] continued this offering to him for fully ten small kalpas. [After he attained Buddhahood also,] they continued raining flowers until he passed away.
[When he sat on that seat,] the four heavenly-kings beat heavenly drums, and the other gods made heavenly music and offered it to him. They continued these offerings also for fully ten small kalpas. [After he attained Buddhahood also,] they continued these offerings until he passed away.
For the Oeshiki service marking the death of Nichiren the altar is decorated with paper cherry blossoms signifying the cherry blossoms that bloomed out of season on his death on Oct. 13, 1282.Banner outside Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church says Namu Nichiren Bosatsu — Devotion to Bodhisattva Nichiren
Attended the Oeshiki Service – the Memorial Service for Nichiren Shonin – held at the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church.
The entire altar was decorated with pink paper flowers to commemorate that when Nichiren died on October 13, 1282, at the Ikegami Munenaka residence in Ikegami (present-day Tokyo) there was an earthquake and the cherry trees in the garden bloomed out of season.
Ven. Kenjo Igarashi was attired in formal gray robes, including peaked headgear. (Need to learn the name of these.) This is the first service in the 10 months I’ve attended in which he has worn this garment. Another unusual aspect of the service was Ven. Igarashi’s use of English translations for several standard prayers and the Bodhisattva Vows. His Dharma talk focused on the light of the Lotus Sutra that illuminates the darkness. One point he stressed was that this light is not a sharp flash but a soft, soothing light.
Honestly enjoyed this ceremony.
The October issue of Nichiren Shu News, which is published by the Head Office of Nichiren Shu Buddhism and NOPPA, contains a small article by Rev. Ryei McCormick, the assistant priest at the San Jose Nichiren Temple, about his work helping to translate the “Standard Nichiren Shu Ceremonies and Protocols” into English.
He does a wonderful job describing the priest’s role:
The idea is to master the techniques and perform them calmly. This is how we can delight the Buddha and enable those attending the service to joyfully experience the exaltation and intensifiication of their faith. By performing ceremonies with dignity, we can contemplate deeply the principles of Buddhism through performing these practices, by the forms, actions, and utterances of the ceremonies themselves. Ceremonies should never be mere formalities. They are a practice to calm the mind, contemplate the Wonderful Dharma, and lead all beings to Enlightenment.
Formal ceremonies in temples are a major part of the attraction for me to the Nichiren Shu practice.
I am always thinking:
“How shall I cause all living beings
To enter into the unsurpassed Way
And quickly become Buddhas?”
The Buddha sings these verses at the end of Chapter Sixteen of the Lotus Sūtra. In this chapter he revealed his existence as the Buddha who lives throughout time and space rather than in the limited human body in which we recognize him. When we realize that all the moments of our lives, all the joys and grief we face, all the people and other beings we encounter are in truth the Buddha leading us towards his own enlightenment, we see the Buddha in his true form, and we see the world for what it is.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 9 covers Chapter 5, The Simile of Herbs, and introduces Chapter 6, Assurance of Future Buddhahood.
After the Burning House – we don’t know we’re in danger – and the Rich Man and his Son – we think we don’t deserve the riches of our father – the Simile of Herbs helps explain why the same dharma …
Kāśyapa, know this! I, the Tathāgata, am the King of the Dharma. Nothing I say is false. I expound all teachings with expedients by my wisdom in order to lead all living beings to the stage of knowing all things. I know what region a living being will be taken to by what teaching, and what a living being has deep in his mind. I am not hindered by anything in knowing all this. I know all things clearly, and show my knowledge of all things to all living beings.
… produces different fruit in each person:
Kāśyapa! Suppose the various trees and grasses of the one thousand million Sumeru-worlds including herbs growing in the thickets, forests, mountains, ravines and valleys, on the ground, and by the rivers, all these plants being different in names and forms, were covered with a dark cloud, and then watered by a rainfall at the same time. The small, middle and large roots, stems, branches and leaves of the trees and grasses including herbs growing in the thickets and forests were watered. So were the tall and short trees, whether they were superior or middle or inferior. Those plants were given more or less water by the same rain from the same cloud, and grew differently according to their species. They obtained different flowers and fruits although they grew on the same ground and received water from the same rain.
And again:
The various teachings I expound are of the same content, of the same taste. Those who emancipate themselves [from the bonds of existence,] from illusions, and from birth and death, will finally obtain the knowledge of the equality and differences of all things. But those who hear or keep my teachings or read or recite the sūtras in which my teachings are expounded, or act according to my teachings, do not know the merits that they will be able to obtain by these practices. Why is that? It is because only I know their capacities, appearances, entities and natures. Only I know what teachings they have in memory, what teachings they have in mind, what teachings they practice, how they memorize the teachings, how they think of the teachings, how they practice the teachings, for what purpose they memorize the teachings, for what purpose they think of the teachings, for what purpose they practice the teachings, and for what purpose they keep what teachings. Only I see clearly and without hindrance that they are at various stages [of enlightenment]. I know this, but they do not know just as the trees and grasses including herbs in the thickets and forests do not know whether they are superior or middle or inferior.
And in gāthās:
I now expediently reveal the Dharma with this simile.
I expound one truth with various discourses.
This simile is only one of the expedients
Employed by my wisdom,
Just as a drop of sea water is
Part of the great ocean.
Though I water all living beings of the world
With the same rain of the Dharma,
They practice the teachings
Of the same taste differently
According to their capacities,
Just as the herbs and trees
In thickets and forests
Grew gradually according to their species.
The Buddhas always expound
The teachings of the same taste
In order to cause all living beings of the world
To understand the Dharma.
Those who practice the teachings continuously
Will obtain [various fruits of] enlightenment.
The introduction of Chapter 6, Assurance of Future Buddhahood, makes a meal of all this:
Great Hero, World-Honored One!
King of the Dharma of the Śākyas!
Give us your voice
Out of your compassion towards us!
If you see what we have deep in our minds,
And assure us of our future Buddhahood,
We shall feel as cool and as refreshed
As if we were sprinkled with nectar.
Suppose a man came
From a country suffering from famine.
Now he saw the meal of a great king.
He did not partake of it in doubts and fears.
After he was told to take it by the king,
He took it at once.
We are like that man.
We know the defects of the Lesser Vehicle.
But we do not know how to obtain
The unsurpassed wisdom of the Buddha.
Although we hear you say [to us],
“You will become Buddhas,”
We are still in doubts and fears about it,
Just as that man was about the meal.
If you assure us of our future Buddhahood,
We shall be happy and peaceful.
You, the Great Hero, the World-Honored One,
Wish to give peace to all the people of the world.
If you assure us of our future Buddhahood, we shall be
Like the man who was permitted to take the meal.
San Jose Temple festooned during 35th Anniversary celebration
Traveled to San Jose Saturday to attend the 35th Anniversary of Myokakuji Betsuin. The program for the ceremony offered this excerpt from the history of the Nichiren Buddhist Temple of San Jose:
THE ORIGIN OF MYOKAKUJI BETUIN (The following log appears on the first page of the temple history book)
In the 700 memorial of Nichiren Daishonin, I built the Betsuin (Branch) of the head temple, Myokakuji in Kyoto, Japan, on this site in order not only to respond to Nichiren Daishonin’s wish to spread the teachings of the Lotus Sutra world-wide, but to also reciprocate his kindness.
Since this great project was my wish, in 1978, the first significant step taken was the installation of Reverend Ryusho Matsuda as the 2nd resident minister of this Betsuin with the support of Myokakkuji in Kyoto, Joenji in Tokyo, Honryuji in Hachioji, and Myokoji in Okayama.
Dedication date: November 23, 1980
Honzon: One stupa with statues of Sakyarnuni Buddha and Taho Buddha
Nichiren Daishonin (transferred from Myokakuji, Kyoto)
May all of us reciprocate Nichiren Daishonin’s kindness and dedication to world
peace.
May all supporters of this project fulfill their wishes.
November 23, 1980
Shingaku Nisshu Oikawa (Signature)
Inside, the ceremony opened with a procession of priests who have been associated with the temple. The ceremony was officiated by Ven. Nisshu Oikawa, the head priest of Kyoto Honzan Myokakuji, and Tokyo Joenji, and chairman of the board of the San Jose temple.
As part of the 35th Anniversary, the temple had the stupa with statues of Sakyarnuni Buddha and Taho Buddha and the statue of Nichiren Daishonin restored. Here’s Rev. Arnold Matsuda’s explanation of the preservation project:
Stupa with Sakyarnuni Buddha and Taho Buddha behind statue of Nichiren
In preparation and observation of the temple’s 35th anniversary in Autmnn, 2015, we commenced a preservation project of the Itto Ryoson Gohonzon.
This statue was brought by Bishop Shingaku Oikawa of Kyoto Honzan Myokakuji at the establishment of Myokakuji Betsuin in 1980 along with the statue of Nichiren Shonin. The statue of Nichiren Shonin is a life-size statue which the preservation work was started first and completed five years ago. In the back of the statue of Nichiren Shonin, there is a record that this work was made in 1798. It is more than 200 years ago.
The Gohonzon also has a record that it was restored in 1831. Over the past 10 years, we had research work performed by distinguished Buddhist Professors at Rissho University including Professors Nakao, Annaka, and Terao about the Gohonzon’s history.
At the time of initial contact with the professors, we witnessed that Nichiren’s statue had several exfoliations. If we leave it as it is, the condition would worsen over time.
We asked Prof. Akita for his opinion. He sent us a report: These statues are valuable in the history of Nichiren Shu, so we should preserve its history and condition.
Also, as the object and focus of our worship, so we must avoid incongruity.
Then, after discussion with Bishop Shukai Oikawa, Chairman of Board of our temple, we decided to commence restoration and preservation work for the statue of Nichiren Shonin at the 30th anniversary and for the Gohonzon at the 35th anniversary.
The ideal condition for this project was to have the statues shipped to Japan and have the restoration and preservation work performed in a controlled environment. However, their size and weight made it prohibitive and risky. Additionally, due to the age of the statues, we must be careful to avoid additional damages by air pressure or jolts.
We inquired with a moving company on whether shipping the statues would be feasible, but they said that these are cultural relics and properties. Therefore, they would have to send a professional from Japan to prepare and pack the statues. There would also be additional cost for shipping, taxes/duties, insurance, etc. The estimate that was returned was more than we had expected.
We are so lucky Prof. Akita and his staff – Naomi Sasaoka and Tomoyo Nosaka – shared their busy time, and came to San Jose in 2014.
1st work from June 4· 9
2nd work from Aug. 26 to Sept. 3
3rd work from Nov. 6 to 12
On June 7 and August 31, more than 100 persons of our temple had a rare opportunity to see the restoration and preservation work. They normally see the statues in the depth of the altar, but this time they were so happy to see them closely, and they listened attentively to the lecture given by Prof. Akita. Among many questions, all of them were surprised when they heard these statues were created about 400 years ago. “It is around the time the Mayflower came to America!”
Both statues have records written in the back. In the center, a Mandala is written. Downward, Name Signature and Kao signature: Nichiryo. In the right side, these statues had been enshrined at Great Guest House (Daikyakuden), but had a bad damage at the fire in Tenmei. Observing 550th memorial year of Nichiren Shonin, a good man and woman named Yamamoto restored these statues with a prayer that the Dharma would be succeeded and propagated forever. On the left side, “2nd year of Tenpou” written downward, Yamamoto Tobei, Fuki and their Buddhist names are written.
However, there was a question. Nichiryo was not the abbot but Niccho was the abbot in the era of Tenpou. However, this question was solved by Motoichi Tsumori Sensei of Joeriji Nichiren Kenkyusho (Research Laboratory). According to his idea, this statue was created at the time of Nichiryo in Kan’ei Era and at the time of the restoration work in Tenpo 2nd year, additional records were written in both sides.
As a matter of fact, while performing the work, Akita Sensei found a board under a statue to protect the strength. In the board, it is written, 11th month of Tenpou 2nd year, Senmyoin Niccho.
Prof. Akita said: “I do not know if this board can be removed. If so, we may find some new data.” But the board had been attached firmly, and could not be removed. However, through a tiny hole, research was done by using a small camera. Though there was no writing inside, Prof. Akita found the method of how the statue was created.
I cannot explain precisely how the work has been performed, because I am not an expert. However, looking back at close to 10 years, Professor Akita and his team followed this process and protocol. In October, 2015, we are so pleased to observe the 35th anniversary of our temple in front of newly restored Gohonzon.
At this time I would like to express my appreciation for your good supports and understanding. I had a help from Ven. Ryusho Matsuda to get the source and for the translation into Japanese.
When you see anyone who does not receive [this sūtra] by faith, you should show him some other profound teachings of mine, teach him, benefit him, and cause him to rejoice. When you do all this, you will be able to repay the favors given to you by the Buddhas.
The Buddha gives these instructions in Chapter Twenty-Two of the Lotus Sūtra. They remind us to be patient with those whom we work to benefit. Even though they may not be ready to hear the Wonderful Dharma, we can use the Expedient Teachings to prepare them for the Buddha’s highest teaching. When we are assured that countless beings are helping us all to become enlightened, we are less likely to be disappointed in the progress that we see.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 8 concludes Chapter 8, Understanding by Faith, and finishes the Second Volume of the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
Day 8 covers the parable of the lost son and his rich father, a parable told by the elder Śrāvakas. I relate personally to the son’s feeling that he was unworthy.
The father said this because he had realized that his son was too base and mean to meet a noble man [like his father].
Even when treated like a son, he felt unworthy:
‘From now on I will treat you as my son.’ The rich man gave him a name and called him son. The poor son was glad to be treated kindly, but still thought that he was a humble employee.
For years and years:
He took custody of the storehouses of gold, silver, and other treasures, but did not wish to take anything worth even a meal from them. He still stayed in his old lodging. He could not yet give up the thought that he was base and mean.
Even when he is finally given his inheritance:
At that time the poor son was very glad to hear these words of his father. He had the greatest joy that he had ever had. He thought, ‘I never dreamed of having this store of treasures myself. It has come to me unexpectedly.’
Settling for a day’s pay:
We [Śrāvakas] made strenuous efforts according to the teachings [of the Lesser Vehicle] and attained Nirvāṇa as a day’s pay. Having attained it, we had great joy, and felt satisfied [with the attainment of it]. We said, ‘We have obtained much because we made efforts according to the teachings of the Buddha.’ But when you saw that we clung to mean desires and wished to hear only the teachings of the Lesser Vehicle, you left us alone.
We all are sons of the Buddha:
Now we know that you do not grudge your wisdom to anyone. Although we were your sons then as we are now, we wished to hear only the teachings of the Lesser Vehicle. If we had aspired for the teaching of the Great Vehicle, you would have already expounded it to us. Now you expound only the One Vehicle in this sūtra.
Suppose you are sentenced to death,
And the sword is drawn to behead you.
If you think of the power of World-Voice-Perceiver,
The sword will suddenly break asunder.
The Buddha gives this description of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva (Kannon, Kanzeon, Kuan Yin, Avalokitesvara) to Endless-Intent Bodhisattva in Chapter Twenty-Five of the Lotus Sūtra. World-Voice-Perceiver is the embodiment of compassion. When we think of this Bodhisattva, and the power that she holds in this world, we realize what we can accomplish through compassion. When we can be present for the suffering that exists in other beings, and see them without judgement for the flawed creatures that they are, then we allow them to make that same connection with us. The power of compassion is that it inspires others to face what lies at the core of their being: the wish that all beings be peaceful and free from suffering. To break the sword of violence in this world, we must first break it within ourselves.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
