Monthly Archives: April 2018

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – April 14, 2018

Having made these offerings [to the Buddha], he emerged from the samādhi, and thought, ‘I have now made offerings to the Buddha by my supernatural powers. But these offerings are less valuable than the offering of my own body.’

In Chapter Twenty-Three of the Lotus Sūtra, the Buddha tells the story of Gladly-Seen-By-All-Beings Bodhisattva, the previous life of Medicine-King Bodhisattva. This Bodhisattva practiced under an ancient Buddha, and made exorbitant offerings to that Buddha through his supernatural powers. He then realized that all the riches of the universe that he could conjure up paled in comparison to the treasure of his own body and his own life. He then made an offering of his body to the Buddha, which illuminated innumerable worlds. Nichiren wrote often of the hardships he faced in his life and those of his followers. He wrote of “reading the Lotus Sūtra with our bodies,” meaning bringing the Buddha’s wisdom to life in our lives. When we act according to the Wonderful Dharma, no matter what hardships we face, then we too are living the Lotus Sūtra, and making a perfect offering from our gratitude to the Buddha.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

LS32

Day 15

Day 15 concludes Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma, and opens Chapter 11, Beholding the Stūpa of Treasures.

Having last month heard Śākyamuni tell the merits of those who copy, keep, read and recite this sūtra, we hear Śākyamuni explain that this sūtra is the only gateway to Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.

“Medicine-King! Erect a stupa of the seven treasures in any place where this sūtra is expounded, read, recited or copied, or in any place where a copy of this sūtra exists! The stupa should be tall, spacious and adorned. You need not enshrine my śarīras in the stupa. Why not? It is because it will contain my perfect body. Offer flowers, incense, necklaces, canopies, banners, streamers, music and songs of praise to the stupa! Respect the stupa, honor it, and praise it! Anyone who, after seeing the stupa, bows to it, and makes offerings to it, know this, will approach Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.

“Medicine-King! Although many laymen or monks will practice the Way of Bodhisattvas, they will not be able to practice it satisfactorily, know this, unless they see, hear, read, recite, copy or keep this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma or make offerings to it. If they hear this sūtra, they will. Anyone who, while seeking the enlightenment of the Buddha, sees or hears this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, and after hearing it, understands it by faith and keeps it, know this, will approach Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.

“Medicine-King! Suppose a man on a plateau felt thirsty and sought water. He dug a hole in order to get water. As long as he saw the dug-out lumps of earth were dry, he knew that water was still far off. He went on digging, and then found the dug-out lumps of earth wet. When he finally found mud, he was convinced that water was near. In the same manner, know this, the Bodhisattvas who have not yet heard, understood or practised this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, are still far from Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. [The Bodhisattvas] who hear, understand, think over and practice this sūtra, will approach Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. Why is that? It is because Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi which all the Bodhisattvas [should attain] is expounded only in this sūtra. This sūtra opens the gate of expedients and reveals the seal of the truth. The store of this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma is sound and deep. No one can reach its core. Now I show it to the Bodhisattvas in order to teach them and cause them to attain [Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi].

See Greatest Doctrine of the Buddha

LS32, d15b, LS Introduction

Greatest Doctrine of the Buddha

[We learn in Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma, that] the teacher should expound the Dharma in accordance with the three guidelines: (1) the room of the Buddha (which is having great compassion), (2) the robe of the Buddha (which is being gentle and patient), and (3) the seat of the Buddha (which is the voidness of all things). The void in the third rule refers to a mind free from all attachments. This set of three principles, with its clear-cut presentation of the Great Vehicle, is said to be the greatest doctrine of the Buddha.

Introduction to the Lotus Sutra

buddhaseed

Experiencing 10 Realms

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Human beings can experience the heart of compassion like a Buddha or a Bodhisattva. We also experience anger (asura), greed (hungry spirit), or mercilessness (animal), or sink into the bottom of sufferings (hell).

“Anger represents hells; greed—hungry spirits; ignorance—beasts; flattery—asura demons; delight—gods; and calm—men.” (Kanjin Honzon- Shö, WNS2, p. 134)

“The ‘mutual possession of ten realms’ doctrine is as difficult to maintain as it is to see fire in a rock and flowers in wood. However, it is not totally impossible because rocks spark when struck together and a tree blooms in spring.” (Kanjin Honzon-Shö, WNS2, p. 136)

Buddha Seed: Understanding the Odaimoku

WONS, 100 Days of Study

Day 44 of 100

As you know, I, Nichiren, have been eagerly studying since childhood and began praying when I was twelve years old to Bodhisattva Space Repository to help me to become the wisest in Japan. The reason for my prayers was complicated, too complicated to explain here in detail. Later I first began to study the doctrines of the Pure Land and Zen Sects. Then I studied the doctrines of the Tendai and Shingon Sects on Mt. Hiei, at the Onjōji Temple, and on Mt. Kōya. I further studied the doctrines of the various sects at temples in Kyoto and the provinces, but these studies did not serve to clear up the doubts I had in mind about Buddhism.

In my initial prayer I made a vow that: I would not favor any particular sect; I would adopt whichever sect that provided the evidence of being the teaching of the Buddha and was reasonable; I would be guided solely by the sūtras, not by the commentators in India, translators and minister-masters in China; I would not be afraid, regarding the doctrines of Buddhism, of even being punished by a king, not to mention persecutions by the people below him; I would not follow instructions against the Buddha’s teachings even if they were given by my parents, teacher and elder brother; and that I would speak up honestly as expounded in the sūtras regardless of whether or not people believed in me.

Ga Ryōkan-tō Gosho, A Letter Refuting Ryōkan-bō and Others, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Biography and Disciples, Volume 5, Page 60

It is important to remember that Nichiren was not an ordinary priest. He made a great vow and even his detractors have to agree that he kept that vow.

100 Days of Study

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – April 13, 2018

Of the people who put their faith in the Lotus Sutra today, some have faith like fire while others have it like water. Those who have faith like fire refer to those who become enthusiastic upon listening to the preaching, but their passion cools down as time goes by, and eventually forget the teaching. On the other hand, those whose faith is like water mean those whose faith is like a ceaselessly flowing water, namely those who retain their faith without retreating. You have constantly sent me donations and asked me questions about the way of faith. Your faith is like water, is it not? How precious you are!

Nichiren wrote this passage in his Reply to Lord Ueno (Ueno-dono Gohenji). To those who stayed with Nichiren and this teaching, despite all difficulties, his gratitude was boundless. We too are capable of this gratitude, not just towards the Buddha and Nichiren, but towards all those who practice the Buddha Dharma with us, and, most importantly, towards those still caught up in the mesh of suffering.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

LS32

Day 14

Day 14 covers all of Chapter 9, The Assurance of Future Buddhahood of the Śrāvakas Who Have Something More to Learn and the Śrāvakas Who Have Nothing More to Learn, and opens Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma.

Having last month heard Śākyamuni’s prediction for Ānanda, we repeat in gāthās.

Thereupon the World-Honored One, wishing to repeat what he had said, sang in Gathas:

Now I announce to the Saṃgha:
Ānanda, the keeper of the Dharma,
Will make offerings to Buddhas,
And then attain perfect enlightenment.

He will be called
Mountain-Sea-Wisdom-Supernatural-Power-King.
His world will be pure, and called
Always-Raising-Banner-Of-Victory.

He will teach as many Bodhisattvas
As there are sands in the River Ganges.
He will be exceedingly powerful and virtuous.
His fame will extend over the worlds of the ten quarters.

The duration of his life will be immeasurable
Because he has compassion towards all living beings.
His right teachings will be preserved for twice as long as his life;
The counterfeit of them, for twice as long as his right teachings.

Under him, as many living beings
As there are sands in the River Ganges
Will obtain the seeds
Of the enlightenment of the Buddha.

See The Teacher of the Dharma

LS32, d15b, LS Introduction

The Teacher of the Dharma

[We learn in Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma, that] if a teacher of the Dharma expounds the Sutra here in this evil world, where the Dharma will be little appreciated after the Buddha’s extinction, he might well be persecuted with swords, sticks, tile-pieces, or stones. However, Sakyamuni will create laymen and monks by his supernatural powers, and send them to protect him, although the Buddha himself will not appear.

The teacher of the Dharma will be protected because he is inspired by the power of the Buddha, and his renewed strength can be seen as a manifestation of the Buddha himself. In this respect, the Sutra says, “He (the teacher of the Dharma) will be covered by my robe;” he will be “borne on the Buddha’s shoulders,” or “reside with the Buddha, who will pat him on his head.”

Introduction to the Lotus Sutra

Doctrines of Nichiren

Come One and All, and Let Us Believe in the Good Law!

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The inhabitants of the world are destined eventually to receive this blessing, in accordance with the Buddha’s words. But meanwhile they have contracted the fatal habits of illusion and confusion, which pursue them until they find themselves enmeshed in the inextricable tangles of absurd imaginations and false ideas. And they groan in the nets from which, alas, they cannot easily escape. If, on the other hand, a man unfolds his Buddha-intellect, the world displays itself before him in its true aspect; those, therefore, who wish to follow this wise course and experience true spiritual joy, should at once believe in the Good Law, discard the false and temporary theories taught by other sects, and embrace the true and eternal doctrines contained in the [Lotus Sutra]. Then both heaven and earth will be peaceful and prosperous forever; the order of things will be preserved in harmony; climate and temperature will accommodate themselves to the health of man and the fertility of the soil; the world will appear as the Paradise of Buddhas and of Glorious Light; nation will be at peace with nation as though they were brethren; and there will not be a single unhappy or dissatisfied person in the universe. Such is the result believing in the Good Law. Don’t doubt its merits; experience them to begin with, and inquire about them afterwards if you wish. Come one and all, and let us believe in the Good Law!

Doctrines of Nichiren (1893)

Lotus Path

The Changes We Make in Ourselves

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Our goal is to become enlightened as we are in this life. What is necessary is to find out what within our own life needs to fundamentally change in order to manifest enlightenment. The answer to that search is found only within us and not in the life of another. It is the changes we make in ourselves that will bring forth enlightenment.

Lotus Path: Practicing the Lotus Sutra Volume 1