Sectarian students, confused with doctrines of their own schools or not knowing the sixteenth chapter on “The Life Span of the Buddha” of the Lotus Sūtra, mistake the moon in the water for the real one; they try to go into the water to grasp this illusion or tie it up with a rope. In T’ien-t’ai’s words “they look at only the moon in the pond, without knowing the moon in the sky.”
Kaimoku-shō, Open Your Eyes to the Lotus Teaching, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 49
Therefore, the man of wisdom
Who hears the benefits of these merits
And who keeps this sūtra after my extinction,
Will be able to attain
The enlightenment of the Buddha
Definitely and doubtlessly.
The Buddha sings these verses to Superior-Practice Bodhisattva (Jōgyo, Viśiṣṭacārītra) in Chapter Twenty-One of the Lotus Sūtra. Superior-Practice is the embodiment of the fourth vow of a Bodhisattva: The Buddha’s teachings are immeasurable; I vow to attain supreme enlightenment. It is through our determination to benefit all beings, and our confidence in the Wonderful Dharma of the Lotus Sūtra, that we maintain our lives in this world of conflict.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 17 covers all of Chapter 12, Devadatta, and opens Chapter 13, Encouragement for Keeping this Sutra.
Having last month concluded today’s portion of Chapter 13, Encouragement for Keeping this Sutra, we return to Chapter 12, Devadatta, and the Buddha’s previous life as a king seeking the Dharma.
Thereupon the Buddha said to the Bodhisattvas, gods, men and the four kinds of devotees:
“When I was a Bodhisattva] in my previous existence, I sought the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma for innumerable kalpas without indolence. I became a king [and continued to be so] for many kalpas. [Although I was a king,] r made a vow to attain unsurpassed Bodhi. I never faltered in seeking it. I practiced alms-giving in order to complete the six pāramitās. I never grudged elephants, horses, the seven treasures, countries, cities, wives, children, menservants, maidservants or attendants. I did not spare my head, eyes, marrow, brain, flesh, hands or feet. I did not spare even my life.
“In those days the lives of the people of the world were immeasurably long. [One day] I abdicated from the throne in order to seek the Dharma[, but retained the title of king]. I entrusted the crown prince with the administration of my country. l beat a drum and sought the Dharma in all directions, saying with a loud voice, ‘Who will expound the Great Vehicle to me? If there is anyone, I will make offerings to him, and run errands for him for the rest of my life.’
On my 21-day retreat encouraged by Universal-Sage Bodhisattva, we consider Day 7 of 21.
In Kangyō Hachiman-shō, Remonstration with Bodhisattva Hachiman (Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 1, Page 257-258), Nichiren writes in part:
At the beginning of the Kalpa of Construction, when the world is being created, gods were born with excellent rewards of virtuous acts in previous lives, and men were not evil. Therefore, heavenly beings were shiny in body, pure in spirit, as bright as the sun and moon, and as brave as the lion and elephant. When the Kalpa of Construction was over and the world entered the Kalpa of Continuance, heavenly beings from the previous period grew old and declined like the waning moon, newly born gods were mostly equipped with inferior rewards of actions in their previous lives. As a result, the three calamities and seven disasters occurred all over the world and people everywhere began experiencing sufferings and joys.
Then the Buddha appeared in this world and prepared the panacea of life, that is Buddhism, for the gods and people. Like oil added to a lamp or a cane supporting an elderly person, heavenly beings regained the authority and power they possessed in the Kalpa of Construction.
I bring this up to illustrate my attitude toward and interaction with divine beings and protective deities. As I see it, the more I practice, the more I recite sutras, the more daimoku I chant, the more I feed these gods and protective deities and the more their influence grows. Fat and happy gods!
This is especially true with a recent addition to my altar: Shichi Fukujin, the Seven Happy Gods.
From Japanese fuku, “happiness”; roku, “wealth”; and ju, “longevity.” Brought from China’s Taoist-Buddhist traditions, Fukurokuju is the God of Wealth, Happiness, and Longevity. He is usually represented with customary clothes of a Chinese scholar, holding a walking stick with a scroll tied to it. He is the only one from the seven who has the ability to revive the dead.
Said to be an incarnation of Miroku (Maitreya) Bodhisattva, Hotei (a.k.a Budai) is the God of Happiness and Abundance. He is supposedly based on an actual person, a Chinese hermit Budaishi (d. 917). He is represented as a Buddhist monk with a smiling face and a prominent belly, holding a sack and a wooden staff, usually seated or sleeping in his bag. Outside Japan, he is known as “Laughing Buddha.”
Originally a Hindu warrior deity named Mahākāla, once introduced in Japan he became the God of Wealth and Prosperity. Daikoku evolved from the Buddhist form of the Indian deity Shiva intertwined with the Shinto god Ōkuninushi. He is well known for his happy-looking smile and is often presented with a bag on this shoulder filled with money and a magic mallet standing on two bales of rice.
Also known as Yebisu or Kotoshiro-nushi-no-kami. The God of Fishing, Shipping and Commerce, he is the only one to have his origins in Japan. Ebisu is very popular among farmers and sailors. He is commonly presented wearing formal court clothes or hunting robes. He is often presented with a fishing rod in his right hand and a large red sea bream under his left arm.
The God of Wisdom, he originated from the Chinese Taoist god, the Old Man of the South Pole. He is commonly presented as an old man wearing a hat with a long white beard holding a knobbed walking staff with a scroll tied to it. He is often confused with Fukurokuju. A black deer always accompanies Jurōjin as a messenger and as symbol of longevity.
Benzaiten (Benten) was originally the Hindu goddess of water Sarasvati. In her Japanese representation, she is the Goddess of Arts and Knowledge. Her common form is a beautiful woman dressed in a flowing Chinese-style dress and playing the biwa. She is frequently depicted riding on, or accompanied by, a sea dragon.
The Buddhist guardian of the north (Vaiśravaṇa), Bishamon is the God of Warriors (not war). He is also a God of Defense Against Evil. Almost always dressed in armor with a fierce look and standing over one or two demons symbolizing the defeat of evil. In one hand he has a weapon to fight against evil influences and suppress the enemies. On the other hand he holds a treasure pagoda or stupa, which is his main identifying attribute.
At this point I should digress and explain the difference between statues and what I have been told are “just decoration.”
A few years ago my wife found a cute wooden Jizo Bodhisattva statue and I took it to Rev. Kenjo Igarashi at the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church and asked him whether this would be worthwhile to add to my altar.
He smiled and said, “No. This is just decoration.”
No problem. I have a side altar where I keep my “decorations,” which today in addition to Jizo Bodhisattva includes a traveling Tibetan prayer box stuffed with flags and a Buddha incense burner draped in a necklace. (These are all donations from my wife.)
Then last month, I noticed a box containing the Seven Happy Gods had been donated to the church rummage sale. The porcelain figurines were made in Japan and purchased in the 1987. Someone had labeled each of them (mislabeling Fukurokuju as Jurojin) and crafted a display stand.
The Seven Happy Gods sparked my interest because my step-mother, who lived in Japan during the Korean War (her father was an Army general), had a wooden set of these in her home in Florida. Her’s were certainly just decorations.
Could these statues be eye-opened and added to my altar? I went to Rev. Igarashi expecting to have to re-arrange my decorations. Instead I was surprised to find him receptive to the idea. He took the box and said he’d get back to me.
A day or so later he said that, Yes, he could eye-open the Seven Happy Gods. But, he cautioned, I would need to make them part of my practice. He said the figurines had been eye-opened before but the effect had withered. Basically they had starved to death.
After the next Sunday service I picked up the eye-opened Seven Happy Gods and took them home. I’ve learned their names and each day I devote a portion of my daimoku to each. I’m not expecting any “benefit” from having these gods on my altar. Instead, I’m enjoying the idea of nourishing divine spirits, helping them regain the authority and power they possessed.
The print and the amulet were purchased from Rev. Ryusho Jeffus several years ago. (The Kishimojin amulet and a amulet Gohonzon I purchased compose my traveling altar.)
To accept the theory that the realm of Buddha exists and that Śākyamuni Buddha exists in oneself are quite different in meaning. Here the world of “Ri” changes to the world of “Ji” and the theoretical and philosophical doctrine becomes the warm hearted religious doctrine. Nichiren Shōnin said,
“Śākyamuni Buddha within our minds,” (Kanjin Honan
Shō, WNS2, page 146)
and,
“the World Honored One is in my (Nichiren’s) head” (Oto Gozen Goshōsoku).
Ichinen Sanzen of Ji and the Essential Section are based on these words.
Buddha Seed: Understanding the OdaimokuIt is preached in the Lotus Sūtra, fascicle 7 (“Medicine King Bodhisattva” chapter), “This sūtra is a good medicine for the diseases of the people of the Jambudvīpa.” Bear in mind that this scriptural statement is preached in the Lotus Sūtra. Although the holy teachings of the Buddha preached during His lifetime are all the words of the Buddha, which from the eternal past have never been in error, this Lotus Sūtra especially is the most truthful of all the true teachings as Śākyamuni Buddha Himself states, “Having abandoned the expedients, I preach this sūtra honestly.” This is why the Buddha of Many Treasures bore witness to the truth of the Lotus Sūtra and various Buddhas gathered from all the worlds throughout the universe stretched their tongues ̄to touch the Brahma Heaven. How then can the Lotus Sūtra be false?
Kaen Jōgō Gosho, Writing About Lengthening the Life Span, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 7, Followers II, Pages 112-113
When they expound the scriptures of non-Buddhist schools, or give advice to the government, or teach the way to earn a livelihood, they will be able to be in accord with the right teachings of the Buddha.
The Buddha gives this explanation to Constant-Endeavor Bodhisattva in Chapter Nineteen of the Lotus Sūtra, describing those who keep the Lotus Sūtra. In this chapter, the Buddha shows that our practice of this Wonderful Dharma is not separate from our existence in this world. The purpose of the Buddha’s wisdom is not to escape to a better life, but to see our lives for what they are, and to use that clarity for the benefit of all beings.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 16 concludes Chapter 11, Beholding the Stūpa of Treasures, and completes the Fourth Volume of the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
Having last month concluded Chapter 11, Beholding the Stūpa of Treasures, we return to the top and Śākyamuni’s effort to purify the Sahā-World in order to accommodate all of his emanations from the worlds of the ten quarters.
Thereupon each of the Buddhas of the [worlds of the] ten quarters said to the Bodhisattvas under him, “Good men! Now I will go to Śākyamuni Buddha of the Sahā-World. I also will make offerings to the stūpa of treasures of Many-Treasures Tathāgata.”
At that instant the Sahā-World was purified. The ground of the world became lapis lazuli. The world was adorned with jeweled trees. The eight roads were marked off by ropes of gold. The towns, villages, cities, oceans, rivers, mountains, forests and thickets were eliminated. The incense of great treasures was burned; mandārava flowers, strewn over the ground; and jeweled nets and curtains with jeweled bells, hung over the world. The gods and men were removed to other worlds except those who were in the congregation.At that time each of the Buddhas was accompanied by an attendant who was a great Bodhisattva. Some of the Buddhas came under the jeweled trees in the Sahā-World. The jeweled trees were five hundred yojanas tall, and adorned with branches, leaves, flowers and fruits. Under the jeweled trees were lion-like seats five yojanas tall, adorned with great treasures. The Buddhas sat cross-legged on the seats [under the jeweled trees]. The seats [under the jeweled trees] in the [Sahā-World composed of] one thousand million Sumeru-worlds were, however, too few to receive all the Buddhas of Śākyamuni Buddha’s replicas who were to come from the worlds even of one of the ten quarters. [Seeing this,] Śākyamuni Buddha purified two hundred billion nayuta worlds of each of the eight quarters [neighboring the Sahā-World] to receive all the Buddhas of his replicas. The hells, the regions of hungry spirit , the regions of animals, and the regions of asuras [of those worlds] were eliminated; and the gods and men [of those worlds] were removed to other worlds. The ground of those purified world became lapis lazuli. The worlds were adorned with jeweled trees five hundred yojanas tall. The trees were adorned with branches, leaves, flowers and fruits. Under the trees were lion-like seats of treasures five yojanas tall, adorned with various treasures. The great oceans, rivers, the Mucilinda Mountains, the Maha-Mucilinda Mountains, the Surrounding Iron Mountains, the Great Surrounding Iron Mountains, the Sumeru Mountains, and all the other great mountains [of those worlds] were eliminated, and all those worlds were amalgamated into one Buddha-world [that is, into the world of Śākyamuni Buddha). The jeweled ground of this [expanded] world was even. Jeweled curtains and canopies adorned with streamers were hung over this [expanded] world; the incense of great treasures, burned; and jeweled flowers of heaven, strewn over the ground.
Śākyamuni Buddha again purified two hundred billion nayuta more worlds of each of the eight quarters [neighboring the expanded world] to seat all the Buddhas of his replicas. The hells, the regions of hungry spirits, the regions of animals, and the regions of asuras [of those worlds] were eliminated; and the gods and men [of those worlds] were removed to other worlds. The ground of those purified worlds became lapis lazuli. The worlds were adorned with jeweled trees five hundred yojanas tall. The trees were adorned with branches, leaves, flowers and fruits. Under the trees were lion-like seats of treasures five yojanas tall, adorned with great treasures. The great oceans, rivers, the Mucilinda Mountains, the Maha-Mucilinda Mountains, the Surrounding Iron Mountains, the Great Surrounding Iron Mountains, the Sumeru Mountains, and all the other great mountains [of those worlds] were eliminated, and all those worlds were amalgamated into one Buddha-world [that is, into the world of Śākyamuni Buddha]. The jeweled ground of this [expanded] world was even. Jeweled curtains and canopies adorned with streamers were hung over this [expanded] world; the incense of great treasures, burned; and jeweled flowers of heaven, strewn over the ground.
Thereupon the Buddhas of the replicas of Śākyamuni Buddha in the worlds of the east, who were expounding the Dharma in those worlds numbering hundreds of thousands of billions of nayutas, that is, as many as there are sands in the River Ganges, came [to this expanded world]. So did the Buddhas of the worlds of the nine other quarters. They sat on the seats [under the jeweled trees]. [The Sahā-World and] the four hundred billion nayuta worlds of each of the eight quarters[, which were amalgamated into one Buddha world,] were filled with those Buddhas, with those Tathāgatas.
On my 21-day retreat encouraged by Universal-Sage Bodhisattva, we consider Day 6 of 21.
The encouragement of Universal-Sage Bodhisattva, for which this stay-cation retreat is named, is opening for me some ideas on how to expand my own practice.
Today, I recited the BDK English Tripitaka version of The Sutra Expounded by The Buddha On Practice of The Way Through Contemplation of The Bodhisattva All-Embracing Goodness as translated from the Chinese of Dharmamitra.
I am really tempted to turn this portion of the sutra into a personal practice that would go like this.
Repeat three times:
The buddhas, the World-honored Ones, are always present in this world. Yet even though I believe in the comprehensive sutras, I am unable to clearly discern the buddhas because of my karmic encumbrances. I now take refuge in the Buddha! May you, Śākyamuni, Fully Enlightened World-honored One, please become my mentor! O Mañjuśrī, possessor of great wisdom, with your wisdom and understanding, please initiate me in the pure bodhisattva ways! Thereby, out of compassion for me, Maitreya Bodhisattva, the sun of surpassing mercy, will permit me to take up the bodhisattva ways; the buddhas of the ten directions will appear to bear witness for me; and the eminent bodhisattvas—those supreme great leaders who safeguard living beings, who inspire and watch over those like me—will each make themselves known by name.
On this day I accept and embrace the comprehensive sutras! Even if I should fall into hells and suffer innumerable hardships upon reaching the end of this life, through it all I will never renounce the correct Dharma of the buddhas! By means and reason of these causes and the power of their beneficial effects, Śākyamuni Buddha now becomes my mentor and Mañjuśrī becomes my steward! O Maitreya who is to come—please impart the teachings to me! O buddhas of the ten directions—please bear witness for my assurance! O great virtuous bodhisattvas—please be my companions!
Trusting now in the wonderful and most profound principle of the Great Vehicle sutras, I take refuge in Buddha, I take refuge in Dharma, and I take refuge in Sangha!
Conclude by saying:
Here, this day, I have awakened the aspiration for enlightenment! Through the beneficial effects of this, may I universally ferry all living beings!
Of special note is the conclusion’s focus on saving all living beings. This is not a solitary practice, even when on a solitary stay-cation retreat.
Looking into our lives to find those things that prevent us from accomplishing what we wish is fundamental to Buddhist practice. … One common hindrance is to worry obsessively over whether or not we are practicing correctly. By this tight clinging to a need to always get it right or to be perfect we can cause undue stress. Preventing ourselves from experiencing the pure joy of practice hinders our practice. Instead of worrying about whether you are practicing correctly learn to observe what is going on when you do practice. Be generous with yourself. Look for the mystery. Open up to wonder, as if you were a child again.
Lotus Path: Practicing the Lotus Sutra Volume 1