In Mādhyamika philosophy, all things are viewed as empty (Ch., K’ung; Skt., śūnya), since they are produced by causes and conditions, and cannot exist independently. Prajn͂ā (Perfect wisdom) can be attained through realization of śūnyatā. Endowed with prajn͂ā, one is able to reach the state of Absolute Truth, the truth to which no thoughts and words are applicable but is comprehended through intuition. In Nāgārjuna’s system, although there are two levels of truth, the only reality is the world of the Absolute. This is the never changing world, always remaining what it has ever been, in which there is no distinction between birth and death, or nirvāṇa and saṃsāra. The truth of śūnyatā is conveyed by Nāgārjuna through his dialectic of eight negations stated in the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā (T.30, I c). These eight negations are: “Nothing originates (Pu-sheng), nor does anything annihilate (Pu-mieh). Nothing is permanent (Pu-ch ‘ang), nor has anything an end (Pu-tuan). Nothing is identical (Pu-i), nor is anything different (Pu-i). Nothing comes (Pu-lai), nor does anything go (Pu-ch’ü).” The phenomenal world is conceived through analysis of words and conceptions. The very same world, if perceived free from conceptualization, is nothing but the absolute reality. From this point of view, there could exist multiple worldly truths, such as the Śrāvakayāna doctrines, which, according to Mahāyānists, were taught by the Buddha for the beings who were not ready for the Supreme Truth.
The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra: Tien-tai Philosophy of BuddhismMonthly Archives: August 2018
The Meaning of Growth in Religious Faith
In summary, then, as long as human beings are relatively content with their way of life, they feel no need for religious faith. They turn to deities and Buddhas for aid in time of illness, poverty, trouble, or other suffering. Faith of this kind is egoistic in that it is directed toward the elimination of the actual suffering of the involved individual. But as the person advances in faith and has the opportunity to observe coolly his own fate and the nature of the society around him, he grows from an understanding of the law of cause and effect alone to an understanding of the wider Law of Causation. This, in turn, gradually brings about alterations in his ideals and values. A true comprehension of basic Buddhist doctrines—the Law of Causation and the Seal of the Three Laws: that all things are impermanent, that nothing has an ego, and that nirvana is quiescence – changes a self-oriented faith into a faith taking into consideration other people and all sentient beings. Faith then leads from solving issues of common, ordinary suffering to a higher faith. This is the meaning of growth in religious faith. (Page 98)
The Beginnings of BuddhismDay 21
Day 21 covers all of Chapter 16, The Duration of the Life of the Tathāgata.
Having last month considered the reality of the power of the Buddha’s wisdom, we conclude Chapter 16, The Duration of the Life of the Tathāgata.
All of you, wise men!
Have no doubts about this!
Remove your doubts, have no more!
My words are true, not false.The physician, who sent a man expediently
To tell his perverted sons
Of the death of their father in order to cure them,
Was not accused of falsehood although he was still alive.In the same manner, I am the father of the world.
I am saving all living beings from suffering.
Because they are perverted,
I say that I pass away even though I shall not.
If they always see me,
They will become arrogant and licentious,
And cling to the five desires
So much that they will fall into the evil regions.I know who is practicing the Way and who is not.
Therefore I expound various teachings
To all living beings
According to their capacities.I am always thinking:
“How shall I cause all living beings
To enter into the unsurpassed Way
And quickly become Buddhas?”
Hidden Core and Supernatural Powers
Sakyamuni begins [Chapter 16, The Duration of the Life of the Tathāgata,] by appealing three times for his listeners to “understand my sincere and infallible words by faith.” To this appeal, all the Bodhisattvas headed by Maitreya responded each time, “World-Honored One, tell us! We will receive your words by faith.” Then Sakyamuni replied, “Listen to me attentively! I will reveal to you my hidden core and supernatural powers” (p. 241).
Here “hidden core” means his deepest innermost self, and “supernatural powers” are actions outflowing from that hidden core.
Introduction to the Lotus SutraWith Joy
Our Buddhist practice always should be about joy. When we approach it as if it is a burden that must be accomplished then I believe we have missed the message of the Buddha. Yes, there are times when it will be difficult to accomplish the changes in life you wish to accomplish, and sometimes these changes will take a long time. Yet, what we learn in Buddhism is there is no one more qualified to make those changes than the individual, you.
Lecture on the Lotus SutraDaily Dharma – Aug. 25, 2018
Although he was abused like this for many years, he did not get angry, He always said to them, ‘You will become Buddhas.’
The Buddha tells this story of Never-Despising Bodhisattva in Chapter Twenty of the Lotus Sūtra. This Bodhisattva did not read or recite sutras. His practice was simply to tell all those whom he encountered, “I respect you deeply. I do not despise you.” Despite his pure intentions, the deluded minds of those who heard him caused them to be angry with him, beat him, and chase him away. While he did not stand fast and endure their abuse, he did not lose his respect for them. This is an example for us who aspire to practice the Wonderful Dharma to show us how we can learn to treat all beings.
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A Stroke of Black Ink
To portray [the] interconnectivity relationship between one entity and all entities, Chih-i gives an example revealing the structures that constitute Chinese characters. In association with traditional writing, black ink is the basic element to enable written character to be formed. Thus, black ink is treated by Chih-i as the fundamental form to be used to depict the formulation of characters.
“Form can interpret all dharmas. It is like the black ink as form. With one stroke [i.e., horizontal stroke], it means ‘one’. With two strokes, it means ‘two’. With three strokes, it means ‘three’. Adding the vertical stroke (on the three horizontal lines), it means ‘king’ (Wang). Adding one stroke on the right, it means ‘the period from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m.’ (Ch’ou). Adding one stroke on the left, it means ‘field’, (T’ien). If the middle vertical line goes over the top, it means ‘due to’ (Yu). When this line goes over the bottom, it means ‘to explain’ (Shen). With such a bending and turning, the meanings that are signified are endless. It could be that one word interprets immeasurable dharmas, or immeasurable words commonly interpret one dharma; either immeasurable words interpret immeasurable dharmas, or one word interprets one dharma. With one dot of black ink slightly bending and turning, its interpretation differs greatly. Bending to the left, it is interpreted as ‘evil’ (E); bending to the right, it means ‘good’ (Shan). Writing the dot on top means “no outflow” (Wu-lou) [of defilement]; writing the dot on bottom means outflow (Yu-lou) [of defilement]. Being killed or alive, being prosperous or robbed, being ruined or honored, being in suffering or in joy, they are all in the form of ink. There is no dharma that is beyond ink. In short, black ink interprets immeasurable Teachings, Practices, and Principles. Black ink is also the foundation for Teaching, Practice, and Principle.”
By pointing out how the “black ink as form” (Hei-mo-se) can possibly work out in the development of writing various strokes in formulating various characters (with their different meanings), Chih-i presents an ontological concept about one dharma containing all dharmas, and all dharmas being identical to one dharma. “One dharma contains all dharmas” is demonstrated by Chih-i from the black ink (as the fundamental source) that functions to draw multitude strokes, from which various characters are formed. Since all characters are derived from strokes and all strokes are derived from the black ink (as form), this demonstrates that all dharmas are identical to one dharma. Therefore, this second type of sign interpretation vividly depicts the dynamic nature of Chih-i ‘s perfect harmonization philosophy. (Page 95-96)
The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra: Tien-tai Philosophy of BuddhismThe Ideal Buddhist Realm
Nanda undertook religious training for the sake of being born in heaven, where he would possess the beautiful women, because, relying on the law of cause and effect, he did not understand the wider Law of Causation. The people around him despised him because he sought only his own egoistic ends and ignored concord and the total development and perfection of others. After serious reflection, however, Nanda came to understand the Law of Causation.
Such understanding prompts awareness of the need to strive for the perfection of one’s own personality and of all society. If society as a whole improves and develops, the happiness of the individual will be guaranteed. If society is happy, the individual and all of his fellows will be happy. This is the meaning of true happiness and of the realization of the ideal Buddhist realm. Buddhist training is for the sake of realizing such a realm. When Nanda came to see this, he began training on the basis of the Law of Causation. This enabled him to attain the enlightenment of an arhat. (Page 96)
(See also How Nanda, Shakyamuni’s Half-Brother, Came To Be A Disciple)
The Beginnings of BuddhismDay 20
Day 20 completes Chapter 15, The Appearance of Bodhisattvas from Underground, and concludes the Fifth Volume of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
Having last month heard Maitreya’s doubts, we consider a handsome, black-haired man twenty-five years old who points to men a hundred years old and says, ‘They are my sons.’ we conclude the chapter in gāthās.
Thereupon Maitreya Bodhisattva, wishing to repeat what he had said, sang in gāthās:
It is not long
Since you renounced the family of the Śākyas
And sat under the Bodhi-tree
Near Gaya.These sons of yours are innumerable.
They have practiced
The way to Buddhahood for a long time.
They have supernatural powers and the power of wisdom.They have studied the Way of Bodhisattvas well.
They are not defiled by worldliness
Just as the lotus-flower
Is not defiled by water.They sprang up from underground,
And are now standing before you respectfully.
This is difficult to understand.
How can we believe this?You attained enlightenment quite recently.
But you have done so many things.
Remove our doubts!
Explain all this as it is!Suppose a man twenty-five years old
Points to grey-haired and wrinkle-faced men
A hundred years old,
And says, “They are my sons.”
Suppose old men point to a young man
And say, “He is our father.”
No one in the world will believe
That a father is younger than his sons.You are like the father.
You attained enlightenment quite recently.
These Bodhisattvas are resolute in mind.
They are not timid.
They have practiced the Way of Bodhisattva
For the past innumerable kalpas.They are good at answering difficult questions.
They are fearless and patient.
They are handsome, powerful and virtuous.
They are praised by the Buddhas
Of the worlds of the ten quarter .
They expound [the Dharma] clearly.They did not wish to live among men.
They preferred dwelling in dhyana-concentration.
They lived in the sky below
In order to attain the enlightenment of the Buddha.We do not doubt your words
Because we heard them direct from you.
Explain all this so that the living beings in the future
May be able to understand your words, Buddha!Those who doubt this sūtra
And do not believe it
Will fall into the evil regions.
Explain all this to us now!How did you teach these innumerable Bodhisattvas
In such a short time,
And cause them to aspire for enlightenment
And not falter in seeking enlightenment?[Here ends] the Fifth Volume of the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
Dissemination in the Age of Degeneration
Judging from the Sutra as a whole, we can see that the Bodhisattvas taught by the Original Buddha assume the duty to disseminate the Lotus Sutra in the future, especially in the Age of Degeneration. The Age of Degeneration in this defiled World of Endurance will be filled with hazards and many people will reject the Lotus Sutra and oppose its teachers. Such a time and place will require Bodhisattvas of outstanding ability, ones who can overcome attitudes of apathy or resentment. The Bodhisattvas taught by the Provisional Buddha, on the other hand, are assigned a much easier task. They will work in this world during the Ages of Right Teaching and Counterfeit Teaching, or else in other worlds.
Introduction to the Lotus Sutra