Monthly Archives: July 2019

21days

Day 1 of 21

2019-day1of21
Day 1 morning walking meditation: 6391 steps, more than 1,000 daimoku. The silhouette of my samue uniform and juzu beads in my left hand.

Today I got out of bed and 5:30am, dressed in my samue, did my morning service and then struck out for my one-hour walking meditation. The video of the start was captured by my Skybell doorbell.

Wearing the samue, which I purchased for a July 2017 Seattle Choeizan Enkyoji retreat, is one way in which I am trying to make this stay-cation retreat feel a little more real.

I developed the route I am taking this winter. The goal of all that twisting and turning is to avoid crossing busy streets while consuming one hour.

IntroductionDay 2 of 21

d19b, Lecture on Lotus Sutra

Practicing With a Spirit of True Generosity

The fourth of the peaceful practices is our vow, which we should always remember is to ultimately teach others and guide others to the Lotus Sutra. The Buddha instructs us to have great loving-kindness towards practitioners and non-practitioners alike and constantly be thinking of the most skillful way, the most appropriate way to lead them to seek out the Lotus Sutra. When we can practice with a spirit of true generosity to share the teachings of the Lotus Sutra then our lives will be full of great benefit, great friends, and the protection of the entire universe.

Lecture on the Lotus Sutra

d26b, d27b, WONS

The Main Meaning of ‘Medicine King Bodhisattva’ Chapter

As for the main meaning of the “Medicine King Bodhisattva” chapter, it is in the seventh fascicle of the sūtra and is the 23rd of the 28 chapters. The first fascicle of the Lotus Sūtra includes the “Introductory” and “Expedients” chapters, the former being the introduction to the 28 chapters. The eight chapters from the “Expedients” to the “Assurance of Future Buddhahood of Learners and Adepts” chapters chiefly clarifies the attainment of Buddhahood by the Two Vehicles of śrāvaka and Pratyekabuddha and secondly explains the attainment of Buddhahood by bodhisattvas and ordinary people.

The five chapters, “The Teacher of the Dharma,” “The Appearance of the Stupa of Treasures,” “Devadatta,” “Encouragement for Upholding This Sūtra,” and “Peaceful Practices” chapters, expound the way ordinary people in the Latter Age of Degeneration should practice the eight chapters following the second “Expedients” chapter. Also, the 15th “Appearance of Bodhisattvas from Underground” chapter is the introductory to the 16th “Life Span of the Buddha” chapter. The 12 chapters beginning with the 17th chapter, “Variety of Merits,” explain mainly how ordinary people in the Latter Age of Degeneration should practice the “Life Span of the Buddha” chapter, while in the second place they also preach how to practice the eight chapters beginning with the “Expedients” chapter. Accordingly, this “Medicine King Bodhisattva” chapter explains the way to practice the eight chapters following the “Expedients” chapter as well as the “Life Span of the Buddha” chapter.

Yakuō-bon Tokui-shō, The Essence of the “Medicine King Bodhisattva” Chapter, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 27-28

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – July 1, 2019

Anyone who not only understands
This sūtra by faith
But also keeps, reads and recites it,
And copies it, or causes others to copy it,
And strews flowers, incense,
And incense powder to a copy of it,
And lights lamps of the perfumed oil
Of sumanas, campaka, and atimuktaka
Around the copy of this sūtra
And offers the light thus produced to it,
Will be able to obtain innumerable merits.
His merits will be as limitless as the sky.

The Buddha sings these verses in Chapter Seventeen of the Lotus Sūtra. This teaching contains the Buddha’s highest wisdom, leads all beings to enlightenment, and calls us to transform our personal suffering into an aspiration to benefit all beings. The joy and clarity we gain by practicing and respecting this sūtra is beyond what we can imagine in our state of attachment and delusion.

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