For many years, Nichiren Shonin traveled all over Japan, visiting all the great temples and monasterie of his day in order to further his training. In these places, Nichiren Shonin acquired firsthand experience of all the forms of Buddhism practiced in Japan, including esoteric ceremonies, sitting meditation, chanting the name of the Buddha of Infinite Light, and the strict discipline of the monastic precepts. More importantly, he studied the sutras in order to see for himself what Shakyamuni Buddha actually taught. After many years of study, Nichiren Shonin concluded tham the Lotus Sutra was the culmination of Shakyamuni Buddha’s teachings, wherein the ultimate truth of Buddhism is clearly expounded.
Lotus SeedsMonthly Archives: September 2018
Daily Dharma – Sept. 23, 2018
World-Honored One! The bhikṣus, bhikṣunīs, upāsakās or upāsikās who seek, keep, read, recite and copy this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma in the defiled world in the later five hundred years after [your extinction], if they wish to study and practice this sūtra, should concentrate their minds [on study and practice] strenuously for three weeks. When they complete [the study and practice of] three weeks, I will mount a white elephant with six tusks, and appear before them with my body which all living beings wish to see, together with innumerable Bodhisattvas surrounding me.
Universal-Sage Bodhisattva (Fugen, Samantabhadra) makes this declaration to the Buddha in Chapter Twenty-Eight of the Lotus Sūtra. Nichiren interprets “the later five hundred years” as the time in which we live today. Universal sage describes the ways in which we can practice this Sūtra. To seek it is to find it in all aspects of our lives. To keep it is to rely on its teachings and have confidence in its ability to lead us to the Buddha’s wisdom. To read and recite it is to continue to remind ourselves and others of the details of the teachings. To copy it is to make it available to others. The merits we gain through these practices allow us to see the world for what it is and be part of making it better for everyone.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
The Threefold Track
Setting up the Threefold Track is a matter of first identifying with the three Subtleties (Objects, Knowledge, and Practice) in the same order, for the latter three Subtleties possess the characteristics of the former Threefold Track. Objects possess the characteristic of the Track of the Real Nature, for the latter is the Buddha-nature that embodies the principle of truth. Knowledge possesses the characteristic of the Track of the Illumination of Wisdom, for the latter is about the perception of truth, which is related to knowledge. Practice possesses the characteristic of the Track of the Accomplishment, for the latter is about practice that aids in the accomplishment of one’s perception.
Second, the identification is made between the Three Tracks and the Three Virtuous Qualities of Buddhahood under the condition that the former is accomplished. This is to say that, both are just different states of the same thing. Chih-i explains:
“If the Track of the Real Nature could be made manifest, it would be named the Dharmakāya. If the [Track of the] Illumination of Wisdom could be made manifest, it would be named the Prajn͂ā. If the [Track of the] Accomplishment could be made manifest, it would be named Liberation.”
Third, the Threefold Track is identified with the Ten Suchnesses (suchness of appearance, nature, substance, power, function, causes, conditions, effects, retributions, and beginning-and-end-ultimately-alike) in the Buddha-realm, and the Threefold Truth (Emptiness, the Provisional, and the Middle Way).
The Law of the Universe
The people of the past often said that the law of the world is not the Law of the Universe (Buddhist truth), though the Law of the Universe is the law of the world. This means that, though the Law of the Universe is much more than the law of the world, it cannot exist apart from it. The Law of the Universe guides the law of the world in the way that it should follow, and only under such conditions does the law of the world have value and significance. In this sense, the Law of the Universe is not limited to Buddhism or any single religion. (Page 156)
The Beginnings of BuddhismDay 17
Day 17 covers all of Chapter 12, Devadatta, and opens Chapter 13, Encouragement for Keeping this Sutra.
Having last month considered Accumulated-Wisdom Bodhisattva’s question of whether anyone taught by Mañjuśrī is qualified to become a Buddha quickly, we hear Mañjuśrī’s answer and Accumulated-Wisdom’s response.
Mañjuśrī answered:
“Yes. There is a daughter of Dragon-King Sagara [among those whom I taught]. She is eight years old. She is clever. She knows the karmas of all living beings. She obtained dhārāṇis. She keeps all the treasury of the profound and hidden core expounded by the Buddhas. She entered deep into dhyāna-concentration, and understood all teachings. She aspired for Bodhi in a ksana, and reached the stage of irrevocability. She is eloquent without hindrance. She is compassionate towards all living beings just as a mother is towards her babe. She obtained all merits. Her thoughts and words are wonderful and great. She is compassionate, humble, gentle and graceful. She [has already been qualified to] attain Bodhi[, and to become a Buddha quickly].”
Accumulated-Wisdom Bodhisattva said:
“As far as I know, [when he was a Bodhisattva,] Śākyamuni Buddha sought Bodhi, that is, enlightenment incessantly for innumerable kalpas. He accumulated merits by practicing austerities. Even the smallest part, even the part as large as a poppy-seed of this world-this world being composed of one thousand million Sumeru-worlds-is not outside the places where the Bodhisattva made efforts to save all living beings at the cost of his life. It was after doing all this that he attained Bodhi, that is, enlightenment. I do not believe that this girl will be able to attain perfect enlightenment[, that is, to become a Buddha] in a moment.”
The Lesson of the Dragon King’s Daughter
The story of how the Dragon-King’s daughter attained enlightenment [in Chapter 12, Devadatta,] has long been taken as an example of women attaining enlightenment by instantly understanding the Dharma. In India, it was thought that women were spiritually inferior to men, and could not enter any of the five superior existences–Buddhahood being one of them. However, Sakyamuni taught that all living beings–male or female, young or old, human or nonhuman–are potential Buddhas. This story graphically illustrates his point, and it helped future generations overcome their prejudice against women.
Introduction to the Lotus SutraA Gem of Priceless Value
Each of us possesses a gem of priceless value. We have the wisdom of the Buddha within our hearts, but we are not aware of it. This wisdom is the Buddha-nature, the potential to become a Buddha. Because of our deluded state we are unaware of our Buddha-nature and fail to make any effort to develop it.
Awakening to the LotusDaily Dharma – Sept. 22, 2018
My words are true.
Believe me with all your hearts!
I have been teaching them
Since the remotest past.
The Buddha sings these verses to Maitreya Bodhisattva and others gathered to hear him teach in Chapter Fifteen of the Lotus Sūtra. Maitreya had never seen any of the other Bodhisattvas who sprang up from underground in this chapter, despite his memory of previous lives and other worlds. The Buddha explains that the beings who had just appeared are also his disciples and have come to spread this Wonderful Dharma in our world. Nichiren teaches that when he realized that he was an incarnation of Superior-Practice, the leader of the Bodhisattvas from underground, then all of us who follow Nichiren and continue to keep the Lotus Sūtra are the followers of Superior-Practice. We do not need to wait for someone to come to our world and lead us. The world does not need anyone other than those already here to teach the Dharma. We are the Bodhisattvas from underground.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Teaching, Practice, and Principle
The foremost important principles in Buddhism are Teaching, Practice, and Principle. Coincidentally, they are identical with the first three categories of the Subtlety in the Traces respectively, i.e., Objects, Knowledge, and Practice. The three categories of the principle in Buddhism indicate a gradual progression in religious practice. One must first acquire the teaching of the Buddha. With the teaching, one practices accordingly. With the practice, one finally realizes the Principle (i.e., attains the Path). In this gradual order, the three perspectives are three separate entities, and they do not interact with each other. In Chih-i’s system, however, the order is from the top down, that is, Objects as truth or Principle stand high on the list, because Objects as truth is the cause for knowledge to become perfect. Knowledge concerns Objects, and therefore, one must acquire Knowledge to penetrate Objects. How can one attain knowledge? Practice is the tool that allows one to reach the goal. In this order, the three perspectives penetrate each other and become one merged entity.
The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra: Tien-tai Philosophy of BuddhismThe Highest Blessings
Some of Shakyamuni’s sermons emphasize secular morality and everyday life. Others seem to reject the law of the world with special vigor. An example of the former is the Sutra of Good Fortune, which is especially popular in Burma, Thailand, and Sri Lanka, countries where Southern Buddhism is prevalent. This sutra offers the following definitions of the highest blessings:
“Not to associate with fools but to associate with wise men and to revere people who are worthy of reverence. This is the highest blessing.
“To live in a suitable place, to have accumulated merits and virtues in previous lives, and to have correct wishes. This is the highest blessing.
“To be learned and skillful, to be trained and to have studied much, and to speak words of good teachings. This is the highest blessing.
“To care for parents, to provide well for wife and children, and to have a way of making a living that is pure and correct. This is the highest blessing.
“To give alms, to perform correct actions, to care lovingly for and to protect relatives, and to do nothing that is blameworthy. This is the highest blessing.
“To take no pleasure in wickedness and to refrain from evil acts, to control one’s own consumption of intoxicants, and to be selfless in all things. This is the highest blessing.
“To respect others, to be humble, to know what is sufficient, to be grateful for what others do, and from time to time to hear the Law taught. This is the highest blessing.
“To be forbearing, to speak gently, to meet with people of religion and occasionally to discuss the Law and teachings. This is the highest blessing.
“To make efforts, to be trained in the Buddha’s way, to comprehend the Noble Truths, and to find enlightenment in nirvana. This is the highest blessing.
“To remain unshaken by contact with the things of the secular world, to be free of anxiety, to be undefiled, and to be tranquil. This is the highest blessing.
“Those who do these things are undefeated in all things, prosperous in all things, and theirs is the highest blessing.”
This series of definitions represents Buddhist morality on the plane of everyday life. A person living according to these principles is not upset by contact with the law of the world.
The Beginnings of Buddhism