Monthly Archives: May 2019

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – May 19, 2019

The mother said to them, ‘Show some wonders to your father out of your compassion towards him! If he sees [the wonders], he will have his mind purified and allow us to go to that Buddha.’

These lines are from a story told by the Buddha in Chapter Twenty-Seven of the Lotus Sūtra. The two sons of King Wonderful-Adornment have asked their mother for permission to leave home and follow the Buddha Cloud-Thunderpeal-Star-King-Flower-Wisdom. The wonders in the story are beyond the capacity of human beings, but they show the King that another way of living is possible, and induce him to seek the teaching of that Buddha. Even if we cannot develop supernatural powers, there are wonders we can develop in our practice. We can learn the value of respecting all beings. We can control our desires and not be devastated by life’s tragedies. We can share “even a word or phrase,” as Nichiren put it, of the teaching and bring great benefit to others. In our normal lives, changed by our practice, we too can purify the minds of others.

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

Nihon

Tales of World Voice Perceiver

This is a continuation of the introduction to Miraculous Stories from the Japanese Buddhist Tradition.

In the Lotus Sūtra, World Voice Perceiver, Kannon, is the subject of Chapter 25, The Universal Gate of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva. But he is not a central figure in Nichiren Buddhism. Nor is he included among the Lotus Sūtra bodhisattvas who appear on Nichiren’s Mandala Gohonzon. However, Kannon does feature prominently in the Nihon ryōiki. Here are two examples.

The first is a straightforward illustration of the power of faith in Kannon:

On Suffering War Damage and Gaining an Immediate Reward for Faith in an Image of Bodhisattva Kannon

Ochi no atae, ancestor of the governor of Ochi district in Iyo province was sent to Paekche in the Japanese expeditionary force and taken prisoner by Chinese soldiers and brought to T’ang China.

In China, he and some other Japanese, eight in all, came to live on an island. They acquired an image of Bodhisattva Kannon, worshiping it together with great devotion. They worked together cutting down a pine tree to make a boat, enshrined the Kannon image in the boat, and, meditating on the image, made their individual vows. Fortunately, the boat drifted straight to Tsukushi with the help of the west wind.

At this news the court summoned them for an investigation. When the emperor heard them, he was so moved that he granted them a wish. Ochi no atae said, “I would like to serve you by establishing an estate, and it was granted. Thereupon he established the estate and built a temple in which to consecrate the Kannon image. After that, his descendants followed his example in worshiping the Kannon.

This is nothing but the work of Kannon, and the total maturation of faith. It is said that even a wooden image of Ting-Ian’s mother appeared to be alive, and the woman in a picture loved by a monk responded with sympathy. How, then, can it be possible for the Bodhisattva not to respond? (Page 128)

How such a tale might be applied to personal practice is illustrated in this Daily Dharma from March 26, 2019:

If anyone, guilty or not, calls the name of World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva when he is bound up in manacles, fetters, pillories or chains, those things [in which he is bound up] will break asunder, and he will be saved.

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. The bonds of ignorance and delusion in which we find ourselves are not the result of our personal inadequacy, and neither do they come entirely from the circumstances of the world around us. But these bonds are real, and in our struggles to escape we often just make them worse. When we remember World-Voice Perceiver, the embodiment of compassion, and call on her for help, then we awaken compassion within ourselves and others in the world, and break the bonds of delusion for everyone.

But I don’t know what to make of this next story of personal gratification gained by calling the name of Kannon. If it were published separately I’d speculate that it was meant as an ironic tale of greed.

On Attaining a Great Fortune Immediately Owing to Devotion to Kannon and Praying for a Share of Benefits

In the reign of ex-Emperor Shōhō-ōjin-shōmu residing at Nara Palace Miteshiro no Azumabito went to Mt. Yoshino to practice Buddhist teachings and seek his fortune. Three years passed during which he worshiped Kannon, reciting the name, and saying, “Homage to Kannon. Please give me ten thousand kan of copper coins, ten thousand koku of white rice and many beautiful girls.”

At that time, Awata no asomi of the Junior Third Rank had a daughter who was both unmarried and a virgin. She suddenly fell ill in her home in Hirose. Her suffering was so great that there seemed no prospect of a cure. Her father sent messengers in all directions to call Buddhist monks and lay brothers. Azumabito was called and begged to save her by chanting formulas. The power of the formulas cured the illness, and she fell in love with him, eventually giving herself to him. Her family seized him and kept him confined in a room. Out of her affection, she cried and would not leave the place of his confinement. After a conference, her family decided to free Azumabito and let him marry her and inherit the fortune. He was given the Fifth Rank owing to the report to the Throne.

After several years, when she was dying, she called her sister, and said, “I am dying now. I have but one wish; will you listen?” Her sister said, “I will do as you like.” Whereupon Azumabito’s wife said, “I can never forget my gratitude to Azumabito. I would like to make your daughter his wife and let her be in charge of the household.” Faithful to her wish, the sister gave her daughter to Azumabito and put her in charge of the fortune.

Azumabito was richly blessed in this life because of the mysterious power he gained from his devotional practices and the great virtue of Kannon. How can anyone not believe that? (Page 146-147)

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LS32

Day 31

Day 31 covers Chapter 27, King Wonderful-Adornment as the Previous Life of a Bodhisattva.

Day 31 Text with annotationsPlay MP3

Having last month considered the reaction of Pure Eyes and Pure Store to hearing the Lotus Sūtra and their mother’s instruction, we witness the various wonders displayed by the two sons.

“Thereupon the two sons went up to the sky seven times as high as the tala-tree, and displayed various wonders because they were thinking of their father. They walked, stood, sat, and reclined in the sky. Then they issued water from the upper parts of their bodies, and fire from the lower parts. Then they issued water from the lower parts of their bodies, and fire from the upper parts. Then they became giants large enough to fill the sky, became dwarfs, and became giant again. Then they disappeared from the sky and suddenly appeared on the earth. Then they dived into the earth just as into water, and stepped on the surface of water just as on the earth. [Then they went up to the sky and stayed there.] By displaying these various wonders, they purified the mind of their father, that is, of the king, and caused him to understand the Dharma by faith.

Continuing with the content from Miraculous Tales of the Lotus Sutra from Ancient Japan, we learn of The Hokekyō Reciter Who Escaped From a Demon.

Miracles

The Hokekyō Reciter Who Escaped From a Demon

A mountain temple in Tsushima Province was more than a hundred years old. It was inhabited only by a demon for a long time.

Two travelling priests did not know this and took shelter at the temple for a night. One of them was a young Hokekyō reciter and the other was an old ascetic. Each slept in his own long bedroll, one on the east and the other on the west side.

Toward midnight, a demon broke through the wall and came into the temple releasing a bad odor like a cow’s breath. Frightened by the odor, the reciter repeated the Hokekyō single-mindedly in his heart.

The demon ignored the reciter. He went to the old priest, seized him, tore him, and began to eat him. The old priest vainly cried for help without knowing that the terrified young priest had fled from the spot.

Now the young reciter in grief and agony climbed to the altar, hid himself among the Buddhist images, gripped the side of one of the statues, and hoped for his safety as he recited the sūtra.

After having devoured the old priest, the demon looked for the young priest. As the young priest concentrated on his recitation, the demon approached the altar. The young priest continued his recitation, firmly gripping the statue until daybreak.

In the morning, the reciter found that he was gripping the statue of Bishamon and that the demon with a cow’s head was cut into three parts lying in front of the altar. The young priest also saw that the blade of the spear held by Bishamon was stained with blood. Now the young priest clearly knew that Bishamon had subjugated the demon to save the Hokekyō reciter.

When the young Hokekyō reciter came to a neighboring village and told his story, many neighbors gathered at the temple, and saw what had happened. All said to each other that it was most extraordinary.

So the Hokekyō reciter escaped danger with the help of the sūtra. He further devoted himself to the recitation of the sūtra and vowed to know and learn the Law for generation after generation. (Page 82-83)

Miraculous Tales of the Lotus Sutra from Ancient Japan


buddhaseed

Our Own Vows

Quote

We should regard the vows of the Buddha and Nichiren Shōnin as our own vows. We should participate in compassionate activities of the Buddha to make everyone happy and create an ideal world in which everyone can appreciate, respect and cherish each other.

Buddha Seed: Understanding the Odaimoku

WONS

Attainment of Buddhahood Immediately with the Present Body

Thank you very much for the offerings in memory of your late husband.

Have you had any contact with your husband, the late Lord Ueno since he passed away? I know you have not heard from him in Hades, and you cannot see him unless you have a dream or an illusion. Your late husband in the Pure Land of Mt. Sacred Eagle must be looking at you day and night, but you and your children, who have only human eyes, cannot see him. Nevertheless, you must believe that you will meet him someday in the Pure Land of Mt. Sacred Eagle. During your numerous lives in the past, you have married so many times. However, your latest marriage is the most valuable because due to the advice of your late husband, you became a practicer of the Lotus Sūtra. You must worship him as a Buddha. When your husband was alive, he was in a state of Buddhahood. Now he is dead, and he is still in a state of Buddhahood. A person able to uphold the Lotus Sūtra is a Buddha, whether he is dead or alive. This is the “attainment of Buddhahood immediately with the present body,” which is one of the most important teachings of the Buddha. The Buddha says in the Lotus Sūtra, chapter 11: “If anyone can uphold this teaching, then he upholds the Buddha’s body.”

Ueno-dono Goke-ama Go-henji, A Response to the Nun, Widow of Lord Ueno, Nyonin Gosho, Letters Addressed to Female Followers, Page 44-46

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – May 18, 2019

What do you think of this? Gladly-Seen-By-All-Beings Bodhisattva was no one but Medicine-King Bodhisattva of today. He gave up his body in this way, offered it [to the Buddha], and repeated this offering many hundreds of thousands of billions of nayutas of times [in his previous existence]. [He knows that he can practice any austerity in this Sahā-World. Therefore, he does not mind walking about this world.]

The Buddha gives this explanation to Star-King-Flower Bodhisattva in Chapter Twenty-Three of the Lotus Sūtra. The story of the previous life of Medicine-King Bodhisattva shows us the capacities we have already developed and are not aware of. When we see ourselves as choosing to come into this world of conflict to benefit all beings, rather than stuck where we do not want to be and just making the best of it, then it is much easier to let go of our delusions.

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

Nihon

Killing Slanderers

This is a continuation of the introduction to Miraculous Stories from the Japanese Buddhist Tradition.

The moral from Kyōkai’s tale “On the Stolen Bronze Buddha Which Gave an Extraordinary Sign and Identified a Thief” states in full:

We learn indeed that the Buddha performed a miracle in order to stop evil and that the Buddha’s spirit responds to utmost devotion! In the twelfth volume of the Nehan-gyō [Nirvāṇa Sūtra] there is a passage which runs like this: “I have a high regard for the Mahayana teachings. I killed a Brahman who spoke ill of a Mahayana scripture. Consequently I will not fall into hell hereafter.” Another passage in the thirty-third volume of the same scripture speaks to the same effect: “Those of the ichisendai shall perish forever. If you kill even an ant, you will be accused of the sin of killing; you will not, however, be accused of the sin of killing if you kill the ichisendai.” (Because the ichisendai slanders the Three Treasures, fails to preach for all beings, and lacks a sense of gratitude, killing him is not a sin.) (Page 191)

Nichiren appears sympathetic to Kyōkai’s view that some people are simply beyond salvation. Nichiren used this same quote from the Nirvāṇa Sūtra in explaining why killing slanderers of the Lotus Sūtra was no great sin. See this discussion from my 100 Days of Study.

On the other hand, Kyōkai’s tale “On the Mutual Revenge for Killing by Being Reborn as a Fox and a Dog” offers this moral:

Virūḍhaka killed ninety-nine million and nine hundred thousand men of the Śākyas to revenge the past. If vengeance is used to requite vengeance, then vengeance will never end, but will go on rolling like the wheel of a cart. Forbearance is the virtue of the man who restrains himself by taking his enemy as a teacher and not seeking revenge. Accordingly, enmity is nothing but the teacher of forbearance. This is what the scripture means when it says: “Without respect for the virtue of forbearance one would kill even one’s own mother. ” (Page 226)

Putting this idea to work we read “On a Monk Who Was Saved fom Drowning in the Sea by Reciting a Mahayana Scripture”

In the capital of Nara there was a fully qualified monk whose name is unknown. He used to recite a Mahayana scripture and lived as a layman, supporting his family by lending money. His only daughter married and lived separately with her husband. In the reign of Empress Abe, her husband was appointed an official in Mutsu province. Therefore, he borrowed twenty kan of money from his father-in-law to outfit himself and went off to his new post. After many years, he repaid only the principal but not the interest, which had become as much as the principal in the course of time. Meanwhile the father-in-law asked for repayment. The son developed a secret hatred of him and looked for a chance to kill him. The father-in-law, however, did not know this and urged him, as usual, to repay the debt.

One day the son said to his father-in-law, “I would like to take you to Mutsu province.” The latter agreed and got on board a ship for Mutsu. Plotting with the sailors, the son tied his father-in-law up and threw him into the sea. When he went home, he said to his wife, “As your father wanted to see you, I took him on the ship for the voyage. Before long we ran into a storm at sea, and the ships sank. Your father, being beyond any means of rescue, was drowned. He drifted on the sea before he sank under the water, while I barely saved myself.” The wife, greatly dejected by this news, wailed and said, “How unhappy I am to lose my father! Did my idea of inviting him cause me to lose my treasure? It would be easier to find a jewel on the bottom of the sea than to see him and collect his bones. What a pity.”

Meanwhile, the monk sank into the water, reciting a Mahayana scripture with utmost devotion, and found that the water left a hollow space allowing him to crouch safely on the bottom. After two days and nights another ship bound for Mutsu province sailed by. The sailors noticed the tip of a rope drifting on the sea, and, seizing it, pulled up the monk on the other end. He looked as well as ever. The sailors, therefore, wondered greatly and asked him, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am so and so. I met robbers and was thrown into the sea with my limbs bound with a rope.” Then they asked him again, “Venerable Master, by what magic could you survive without being drowned in the water?” He said, “I am always reciting a Mahayana scripture. No doubt its mysterious power has saved me.” Thus he never revealed his son-in-law’s name. He asked then, “Will you take me to a port in Mutsu?” Accordingly, they took him there.

As for the son-in-law in Mutsu province, he held a service for the drowned father, making an offering to the Three Treasures. The father, who had been wandering and begging there, happened to attend the service with a group of self-ordained monks and received an offering of food while his face was covered. When the son-in-law held out offerings for the monks, the drowned father put his hands out to receive them. The startled son-in-law shrank back in horror, his eyes shifting restlessly and his face flushing. He hid himself, stricken with terror. The smiling father-in-law showed no anger but only forbearance, never revealing the evil deed. Owing to the hollow space in the water, he did not drown; nor was he eaten by a poisonous fish but remained safe in the sea. Indeed we know that this was caused by the miraculous power of a Mahayana scripture and the protection of various Buddhas.

The note says: How good he was to be tolerant and not to accuse his son-in-law of his evil deed! Indeed he was the very model of fortitude. This is what the Jōagon-gyō [The Collection of Long Scriptures] means when it says: “To requite vengeance with vengeance is like trying to put out a fire with hay, but to requite vengeance with mercy is like putting out a fire with water.” (Page 225-226)

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LS32

Day 30

Day 30 covers all of Chapter 26, Dhāraṇīs

Day 30 Text with annotationsPlay MP3

Having last month concluded Chapter 26, Dhāraṇīs, we begin again with Medicine-King Bodhisattva’s question.

Thereupon Medicine-King Bodhisattva rose front his seat, bared his right shoulder, joined his hands together towards the Buddha, and said to him:
“World-Honored One! How many merits will be given to the good men or women who keep, read, recite, understand or copy the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma?”

The Buddha said to him:

“Suppose some good men or women make offerings to eight hundred billion nayuta Buddhas, that is, as many Buddhas as there are sands in the River Ganges. What do you think of this? Are the merits given to them many or not?”

“Very many, World-Honored One!”

The Buddha said: “More merits will be given to the good men or women who keep, read or recite· even a single gāthā of four lines of this sūtra, understand the meanings of it or act according to it.”

Continuing with the content from Miraculous Tales of the Lotus Sutra from Ancient Japan, we learn of Priest Butsuren.

Miracles

Priest Butsuren

Butsuren was a priest of Anshōji Temple. He devoted himself to the Buddhist practices and recited the Hokekyō well. When middle-aged, Butsuren moved to Mt. Kukami of the Koshi District of Echigo Province. There he observed the precepts and never failed to maintain his manners and prestige.

Avoiding defilement, and desiring purity and cleanliness in mind and appearance, Butsuren bathed three times a day, wore clean clothes, recited the Hokekyō, and sought enlightenment. The person who served him became tired of preparing his baths three times a day and left him.

Then two boys appeared from nowhere and told Butsuren that they had come to help him. One was called Black Tooth, and the other was called Flower Tooth. Both were incarnations of Jūrasetsunyo.

These two boys were healthy and strong. They carried firewood on their backs, brought water to prepare the baths, picked berries and nuts for food, and carried supplies and ran errands between the mountain and the villages.

Thanks to these boys, the priest was entirely free from the annoyance of secular affairs and solely concentrated on his Hokekyō recitation. They remained with the priest to the end and served him most wholeheartedly. After the priest had passed away, the lamenting boys buried him, observed the mourning period of forty-nine days, and then left the mountain.

Miraculous Tales of the Lotus Sutra from Ancient Japan