Monthly Archives: April 2019

LS32 Text

Day 13

Day 13 covers all of Chapter 8, The Assurance of Future Buddhahood of the Five Hundred Disciples.

Day 13 Text with annotationsPlay MP3

Having last month witnessed Pūrṇa’s reaction to Śākyamuni’s Great Vehicle teachings, we consider the Buddha’s explanation that Pūrṇa only appears to be a Śrāvaka.

Thereupon the Buddha said to the bhikṣus:

“Do you see this Pūrṇa, the son of Maitrāyanī? I always praise him, saying that he is the most excellent expounder of the Dharma. I also praise him for his various merits. He strenuously protects my teachings, and helps me propagate them. He shows the Way to the four kinds of devotees, teaches them, benefits them and causes them to rejoice. He explains my right teachings perfectly, and gives great benefits to those who are performing brahma practices’ with him. No one except the Tathāgata excels him in eloquence. Do not say that he protects only my teachings and helps me propagate them! In his previous existence he also protected the right teachings of nine thousand million Buddhas and helped them propagate their teachings. Under those Buddhas also he was the most excellent expounder of the Dharma. He clearly understood the truth of the Void expounded by those Buddhas, and obtained the four kinds of unhindered eloquence. He always expounded the Dharma clearly and purely, with no doubtfulness. Although he had the supernatural powers of Bodhisattvas, he performed brahma practices throughout his previous existence. Therefore, the people of the world of the Buddha [under whom he performed brahma practices] thought that he was a Śrāvaka. He benefited many hundreds of thousands of living beings with this expedient, and also caused innumerable, asaṃkhya people to aspire for Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. He did the work of the Buddha, that is, taught all living beings so that the world of the Buddha might be purified.

Continuing with the content from Miraculous Tales of the Lotus Sutra from Ancient Japan, we learn of Yoshikado Mibu of Ōshū

Miracles

Yoshikado Mibu of Ōshū

Yoshikado Mibu was born in the eastern region and was brought up in the uncivilized territory. He enjoyed archery and rode various horses. He enjoyed fishing in the water to keep cool in the summer and hunted across the fields in the autumn wind. He engaged in these activities according to the local customs and habits.

A holy man, Kūshō, who excelled others in his knowledge and piety, developed a close friendship with Yoshikado. Kūshō advised Yoshikado, “Existence as a human being is difficult to attain and easy to lose while the Three Evil Worlds are easy to enter and hard to leave. You should abandon random killing, cultivate a merciful mind, give up secular profits and look forward to achieving Buddhahood.”

Following Kūshō’s suggestions, Yoshikado ended his evil deeds, stopped taking lives, corrected his wrong views, and practised the Buddhist way. He copied the Hokekyō with gold dust and offered dedicatory services for it; he made golden-hued statutes of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, and paid homage to them. His very deep faith permeated him and his many good friends.

Yoshikado offered a great vow, “In my lifetime, I will make one thousand copies of the Hokekyō with gold dust and offer dedicatory services for them.”

Since making his vow, he had abstained from eating fish and meat, and was devoted to the Way. He took all that he had saved, bought gold dust, and engaged himself in copying the sūtra, spending scores of years.

At the time of his dedicatory services, various unusual signs were revealed. Some beautiful white lotus blossoms were scattered of their own accord in the garden where the Buddhist services took place.

Delicate music was heard in the worship hall. Various Heavenly Boys appeared holding flowers. Unusual birds flew and whistled overhead. Guardian deities gathered and paid their respects by clasping their hands. Marvelous revelations sometimes were given in Yoshikado’s dreams and at other times were presented as realities.

Finally, Yoshikado realized his wish by completing one thousand copies of the sūtra as he had vowed. In his last moments, Yoshikado washed his hands and mouth, and said to the people around him, “Several thousands of Heavenly Ladies are descending from the sky with harmonious music. Following them, I am going to ascend to Tosotsu Heaven.” As he finished speaking, Yoshikado took his last breath while clasping his hands. (Page 130-131)

Miraculous Tales of the Lotus Sutra from Ancient Japan


WONS

Qualification to be a Sage

[W]e know that being aware of the past and future precisely is the qualification to be a sage. Without doubt, Śākyamuni Buddha knew that he would pass away in three months in the near future, and he also foretold that the Lotus Sūtra would spread widely in the Latter Age of Degeneration in the far future. Therefore, He could predict things in the far future with His ability of predicting things in the near future or foretell the future state with the knowledge of the present state. This is what the “Expedients” chapter of the Lotus Sūtra expounds, “The truth of all things consists of their appearances, natures … and their consistency from beginning to end.” Who then should be considered as a practicer of the Lotus Sūtra in the last 500-year period? I do not consider myself to be a man of wisdom. However, I can trust my wisdom concerning my predictions of domestic disturbance and foreign invasion. This is not to be bragged about to others. I hope that my disciples understand this. I, Nichiren, am the practicer of the Lotus Sūtra in the Latter Age of Degeneration. Since I follow the footsteps of Bodhisattva Never-Despising, anyone who despises or slanders me, will have his head broken into seven pieces. Whoever believes me, however, will accumulate merit as high as Mount Sumeru.

Shōnin Chi-sanze-ji, The Sage Knows the Three Periods, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Biography and Disciples, Volume 5, Pages 20

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – April 30 2019

The rich man thought:
“He is ignorant, narrow-minded, and mean.
If I tell him that I am his father,
He will not believe me.”

These verses are part of the story of the Wayward Son told by Subhūti, Mahā-Kātyāyana, Mahā-Kāśyapa, and Mahā-Maudgalyāyana in Chapter Four of the Lotus Sūtra. The son in the story has forgotten who his father is. The father cannot just bring him into his inheritance while the son is still attached to his lowly life. The story explains the disciples’ understanding of why the Buddha cannot give his highest teaching without expedients.

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

LS32

Day 12

Day 12 concludes Chapter 7, The Parable of the Magic City, and completes the Third Volume of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.

Day 12 Text with annotationsPlay MP3

Having last month witnessed the turning of the Wheel of the Dharma, we consider the fruits of the teaching.

“When the Buddha expounded these teachings to the great multitude of gods and men, six hundred billion nayuta men emancipated themselves from āsravas, and obtained profound and wonderful dhyāna-concentrations, the six supernatural powers including the three major supernatural powers, and the eight emancipations because they gave up wrong views. At his second, third and fourth expoundings of these teachings also, thousands of billions of nayutas of living beings, that is, as many living beings as there are sands in the River Ganges, emancipated themselves from āsravas because they gave up wrong views. [They became Śrāvakas.] Those who became Śrāvakas thereafter were also innumerable, uncountable.

“The sixteen princes were young boys at that time. They renounced the world and became śramaṇeras. Their sense organs were keen; and their wisdom, bright. They had already made offerings to hundreds of thousands of billions of Buddhas, performed brahma practices, and sought Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi in their previous existence. They said to the Buddha simultaneously, ‘World-Honored One! All these Śrāvakas of great virtue, many thousands of billions in number, have already done [what they should do]. World-Honored One! Expound to us the teaching of Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi! If we hear that teaching, we will study and practice it. World-Honored One! We wish to have the insight of the Tathāgata. You know what we have deep in our minds.’

Continuing with the content from Miraculous Tales of the Lotus Sutra from Ancient Japan, we learn of A Woman of Nara, the Capital.

Miracles

A Woman of Nara, the Capital

A woman whose name and surname are unknown lived in Nara, the capital. She was gentle by nature and beautiful in appearance. As is customary with married couples, she gave birth to several children with her husband.

As she aged, she became pious, made a copy of the Hokekyō, and decided to keep it as her principal sūtra. Since she had memorized the entire copy, she constantly recited it all the time, not sparing any moments for her daily activities. She completely ignored secular activities such as raising silkworms for silk threads, cutting, dyeing, and sewing cloth and materials. She paid utterly no attention to food, clothes and other household chores, nor to cultivation of the fields. But she fervently recited the sūtra with her palms pressed.

Her husband used to say to her, “People in general are busy making their living in this world. Why is it that you spend days idly, only reciting the sūtra, without caring for yourself, your husband, and your children? You should first engage in daily affairs, and then you may serve Buddha or recite the sūtra in your spare time.” The husband always tried to explain to her the customary mode of life, but the woman would never listen to him. She hired someone else to take care of the daily household chores.

The woman ignored everything secular and devoted herself solely to the sūtra recitation for more than twenty years.

Towards the end of her life, the woman became ill and recovered several days later. She bathed, put on clean clothes, held a copy of the sūtra and said to her husband, “We have spent the past several decades together as a man and wife. But today, I am leaving for another life. Why won’t you accompany me?” The woman turned to her children and said to them, “I delivered you into this world, and raised you while committing many sins. Dividing my body into small portions, I have created many persons. Now at the time when I leave for the other world, why is it that none of you accompany me? The sixty-thousand and three-hundred-some graphs of the Hokekyō which I have recited until today, the various Buddhas who radiate light, and the countless bodhisattvas who hold torches, will surround and accompany me to paradise.”

As the woman finished, she recited the sūtra, paid homage to Buddha, and passed away. For several days, her deceased body released a pleasant fragrance like that of jindan. Finally, her husband, relatives, and other associates in near and distant places all became pious and recited the Hokekyō. (Page 137-138)

Miraculous Tales of the Lotus Sutra from Ancient Japan


Basics

Wisdom and Compassion

Quote

The two pillars of Mahayana practice are wisdom and skillful means (upaya). The five perfections excluding wisdom are all types of skillful means. Giving, the central and all-inclusive practice, is a skillful means, and giving is based on compassion. Thus we can identify skillful means as a form of compassionate activity. Wisdom is enlightenment to the true nature of the world and humankind, the principle of causation. In Buddhism, of course, this enlightenment is not merely an intellectual understanding but an actual physical and mental experience. Giving and compassionate action are the inevitable and necessary social expressions of this enlightened view of the world. Thus wisdom and compassion, that is, both the proper understanding of dependent origination and the practice of shunyata that springs from that understanding, have been the guiding spirit of Buddhism from its earliest beginnings to its most recent developments.
Basic Buddhist Concepts

WONS

Just as Drops of Water Fall to Become Rivers Flowing into an Ocean

Just as drops of water fall to become rivers flowing into an ocean and dust particles accumulating to form Mt. Sumeru, the contention of the one person attached to a provisional sūtra will gradually increase, the number of people who do not believe in the true teaching will increase, and even the believers of the true teaching will fall back to believing in the provisional teaching. When believers of the provisional sūtras thus fill the country, the heart of rejoicing at hearing the Lotus Sūtra will be lost and it will be like a country without a king or a human being without spirit. The Lotus-Shingon temples will all fall into disrepair, divine protection by heavenly kings, virtuous gods, dragon god and others will disappear, and sages will all abandon the country. Taking advantage of the situation, devils and demons will take hold of the country, where evil winds will stop staple grains from ripening, and epidemics will spread to lead the people to ruin.

Shō Hokke Daimoku-shō, Treastise on Chanting the Daimoku of the Lotus Sūtra, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 16-17

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – April 29, 2019

I remember the extinction of that Buddha
As vividly as if he had passed away just now,
By my unhindered wisdom; I also remember
The Śrāvakas and Bodhisattvas who lived [with him].

The Buddha sings these verses in Chapter Seven of the Lotus Sūtra. Because the Buddha sees this world for what it is, his conception of time is much different from ours. We believe that our existence is tied up with the existence of our bodies. Here he reminds us that while our lives are certainly precious, this is not the whole story. Our existence is linked with that of countless beings, and there is no good reason to fear our extinction. There is no shortage of time, and no shortage of lives. Our opportunities to benefit others are truly boundless. The only things that restrict us are our own delusion and attachment.

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

LS32

Day 11

Day 11 continues Chapter 7, The Parable of the Magic City

Day 11 Text with annotationsPlay MP3

Having last month considered the reaction of the great Brahman-heavenly-kings of the five hundred billion worlds in the southeast, consider the reaction of the great Brahman-heavenly-kings of the five hundred billion worlds in the south.

“Bhikṣus! The great Brahman-[heavenly-]kings of the five hundred billion worlds in the south, who saw their palaces illumined more brightly than ever, also danced with joy. They wondered why [their palaces were so illumined]. They visited each other and discussed the reason, saying, ‘Why are our palaces illumined so brightly?’ There was a great Brahman-heavenly­king called Wonderful-Dharma among them. He said to the other Brahmans in gāthās:

Our palaces are illumined so brightly.
There must be some reason.
Let us find [the place]
[From where the light has come].

We have never seen this [light]
For the past one hundred thousand kalpas.
Did a god of great virtue or a Buddha appear
Somewhere in the universe?

“Thereupon the Brahman-heavenly-kings of the five hundred billion [worlds] went to the north, carrying flower-plates filled with heavenly flowers, in order to find [the place from where the light had come]. Their palaces also moved as they went. They [reached the Well-Composed World and] saw that Great­Universal-Wisdom-Excellence Tathāgata was sitting on the lion­like seat under the Bodhi-tree of the place of enlightenment, surrounded respectfully by gods, dragon-kings, gandharvas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, men and nonhuman beings. They also saw that the sixteen princes were begging the Buddha to turn the wheel of the Dharma. They worshipped the Buddha with their heads, walked around him a hundred thousand times, and strewed heavenly flowers to him. The strewn flowers were heaped up to the height of Mt. Sumeru. The Brahman-heavenly-king offered flowers also to the Bodhi-tree of the Buddha. Having offered flowers, they offered their palaces to the Buddha, saying, ‘We offer these palaces to you. Receive them and benefit us out of your compassion towards us!’ In the presence of the Buddha, they simultaneously praised him in gāthās with all their hearts:

It is difficult to see a World-Honored One.
You, the World-Honored One, eliminated all illusions.
We have not seen a World-Honored One
For the past one hundred and thirty kalpas.

Send the rain of the Dharma
On the hungry and thirsty beings!
Possessor of immeasurable wisdom,
We have never seen anyone wiser than you.
You are as rare as an udumbara-flower.
Now we have met you today.

Our palaces are beautifully adorned
With your light.
World-Honored One, receive them
Out of your great compassion towards us!

“Thereupon the Brahman-heavenly-kings, having praised the Buddha with these gāthās, said, ‘World-Honored One! Turn the wheel of the Dharma so that Mara, Brahman, the other gods, śramaṇas, and brahmanas of the world may be peaceful, and that they may be saved!’ They simultaneously praised the Buddha in gāthās with all their hearts:

Most Honorable of Gods and Men!
Turn the wheel of the unsurpassed Dharma,
Beat the drum of the Great Dharma,
Blow the conch-shell horn of the Great Dharma,
Send the rain of the Great Dharma,
And save innumerable living beings!
Devoting ourselves to you, we beg you.
Resound your profound teaching!

“Thereupon Great-Universal-Wisdom-Excellence Tathāgata gave his tacit consent to their appeal.

Continuing with the content from Miraculous Tales of the Lotus Sutra from Ancient Japan, we learn of An Evil Woman of the Muro District of Kii Province.