Monthly Archives: October 2019

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 witnessed King Wonderful-Adornment, Queen Pure-Virtue, and their two sons travel to the Buddha and hear Cloud-Thunderpeal-Star-King-Flower-Wisdom Buddha, we hear Cloud-Thunderpeal-Star-King-Flower-Wisdom Buddha’s prediction for King Wonderful-Adornment.

“Thereupon Cloud-Thunderpeal-Star-King-Flower-Wisdom Buddha said to the four kinds of devotees, ‘Do you see this King Wonderful-Adornment standing before me with his hands joined together, or not? This king will become a bhikṣu under me, strenuously study and practice the various ways to the enlightenment of the Buddha, and then become a Buddha called Sala-Tree-King in a world called Great-Light in a kalpa called Great-Height-King. Sala-Tree-King Buddha will be accompanied by innumerable Bodhisattvas and Śrāvakas. The ground of his world will be even. [King Wonderful-Adornment) will have these merits.’

See A Backstory for the King, Queen and Their Two Sons

LS32, d31b, 2buddhas

A Backstory for the King, Queen and Their Two Sons

In his Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sūtra (Fahua wenju), Zhiyi provided a backstory about the past-life relationship of these four persons: the king, the queen, and their two sons. In the remote past, four monks were practicing austerities in pursuit of enlightenment. However, the struggle to obtain sufficient food and other necessities seriously hindered their practice. At length, one of them abandoned his efforts in order to support the other three. With his aid, they attained the way, while he, thanks to the merit gained by assisting them, was born repeatedly as a king in the human or heavenly realms. Eventually he became King Subhavyūha. By that point, however, he was exhausting his merit. Perceiving that his downward trajectory would soon lead him to rebirth in the hells, the other three whom he had once assisted resolved to repay their debt to him, choosing to be reborn as his consort and sons in order to lead him to the dharma.

Two Buddhas, p250
Saicho

The Writings of Chan-Jan’s Disciple Ming-Kuang

Quote

A position similar to that of Saichō finally emerged in the writings of Chan-jan’s disciple Ming-kuang. …

While earlier T’ien-t’ai masters had formulated a single interpretation to explain the observance of the Fan wang precepts for those who followed the Unique and Perfect teachings, Ming-kuang advanced separate interpretations of the Fan wang precepts, distinguishing between the precepts practiced by followers of the Unique teaching and those practiced by followers of the Perfect teaching. Ming-kuang based his new interpretations of the Fan wang precepts on Chih-i’s distinction between bodhisattvas who followed gradual practices and bodhisattvas who followed Sudden practices. The follower of the Unique teaching gradually practiced and mastered the various sets of precepts, including the Hinayāna precepts. In contrast, the follower of the Perfect teaching mastered all the precepts in an instant. Thus he did not necessarily have to master the Hinayāna precepts before progressing to the Fan wang precepts. Ming-kuang’s analysis effectively purged the Fan wang precepts of any onus resulting from the association of the Fan wang Ching with the Hua yen Ching. The idea of a Sudden realization of the precepts was fundamental to Saichō’s identification of the Perfect precepts with the direct path to enlightenment. …

Ming-kuang provided Saichō with much of the doctrinal justification for his proposals. In the process of remedying inadequacies which he perceived in the commentary on the Fan wang Ching attributed to Chih-i, Ming-kuang freed the Fan wang Ching from the onus of being closely associated with the Hua yen Ching. He insisted that the Fan wang precepts could be considered as solely Perfect (jun’en) precepts, not merely as precepts reflecting a mixture of Unique and Perfect teachings. At the same time, he also argued that the Perfect precepts were separate and distinct from the Hinayāna precepts, a position which Saichō later adopted in the Shijōshiki. Ming-kuang was probably the first Chinese monk to formulate a position on the precepts which developed the full implications of the Ying lo ching’s exclusion of the Hinayāna precepts from the sanjujōkai formula. In addition, Mingkuang’s discussions of the ‘Sudden’ acquisition of the Perfect precepts and his development of the doctrines concerning the (sanju jōkai) provided a rationale for elevating the precepts from being used as a stepping stone to the more advanced practices of meditation or wisdom, to a practice equal to, and essentially identical with, meditation and wisdom.

Saichō: The Establishment of the Japanese Tendai School, p230-235
WONS

The Clear Mirror

Now when I, Nichiren, born in Japan, hold up the clear mirror that is all the scriptures of Buddhism and the Lotus Sūtra to all those in Japan and see its reflection, my predictions are proving to be accurate. Besides, we have experienced the strange phenomena in the sky and natural calamities on earth exactly as predicted by the Buddha.

Takahashi Nyūdō-dono Gohenji, A Response to Lay Priest Lord Takahashi, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 7, Followers II, Pages 77

Daily Dharma, d13b

Daily Dharma – Oct. 31, 2019

The Nirvāṇa we attained was
Only part of the immeasurable treasures of yours.
We were like a foolish man with no wisdom.
We satisfied ourselves with what little we had attained.

Five hundred of the Buddha’s monks give this explanation in Chapter Eight of the Lotus Sūtra. They had spent all of their time with the Buddha working to rid themselves of suffering. While this is a remarkable achievement, it does not compare to the true purpose of the Buddha’s teaching. When these monks heard the Buddha teach the Lotus Sutra, and understood that their true purpose was to benefit others, they realized that their earlier practice was preparation. By remaining preoccupied with suffering, they had lost sight of the treasure of enlightenment.

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

LS32

Day 30

Day 30 covers all of Chapter 26, Dhāraṇīs

Day 30 Text with annotationsPlay MP3

Having last month considered World-Holding Heavenly-King’s offering, we meet the ten rākṣasas and the Mother-Of-Devils and her children and attendants.

There are rākṣasas called 1. Lambā, 2. Vilambā, 3. Crooked-Teeth, 4. Flower-Teeth, 5. Black-Teeth, 6. Many-Hairs, 7. Insatiable, 8. Necklace-Holding, 9. Kuntī, and 10. Plunderer-Of-Energy-Of-All-Beings. These ten rākṣasas [and their attendants] came to the Buddha, together with Mother-Of-Devils and her children and attendants. They said to the Buddha simultaneously:

“World-Honored One! We also will protect the person who reads, recites and keeps the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma so that he may have no trouble. No one shall take advantage of the weak points of this teacher of the Dharma.”

Then they uttered spells before the Buddha:

“Ideibi (1), ideibin (2), ideibi (3), adeibi ( 4), ideibi (5), deibi (6), deibi (7), deibi (8), deibi (9), deibi (10), rokei (11), rokei (12), rokei (13), rokei (14), takei (15), takei (16), takei (17), tokei (18), tokei (19).”

[They said to the Buddha:]

“Anyone may step on our heads, but shall not trouble this teacher of the Dharma. Neither shall any yakṣa, rākṣasa, hungry spirit, pūtana, kṛtya, vetāda, kumbhāṇḍa, umāraka, apasmāraka, yakṣa-kṛtya or human kṛtya. Neither shall anyone who causes others to suffer from a fever for a day, two days, three days, four days, seven days or forever. Neither shall anyone who takes the shape of a man, a woman, a boy or a girl and appears in his dream.”

Then they sang in gāthās before the Buddha:

Anyone who does not keep our spells
But troubles the expounder of the Dharma
Shall have his head split into seven pieces
Just as the branches of the arjaka-tree [ are split].

Anyone who attacks this teacher of the Dharma
Will receive the same retribution
As to be received by the person who kills his parents,
Or who makes [sesame] oil without taking out worms [from the sesame],
Or who deceives others by using wrong measures and scales,
Or by Devadatta who split the Saṃgha.

Having sung these gāthās, the rākṣasas said to the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! We also will protect the person who keeps, reads and recites this sūtra, and acts according to it so that he may be peaceful, that he may have no trouble, and that poison taken by him may be neutralized.”

See Kishimojin and the Ten Rāksasis

LS32, d30b, 2buddhas

Kishimojin and the Ten Rāksasis

In Japan, Hāriti is known as Kishimojin. Nichiren clearly regarded her as a protector of the Lotus Sūtra. She appears on most of the mandalas that he inscribed, as do the ten rāksasis. The half-dozen references to Kishimojin in his writings all mention her together with these ten demon women, an association drawn from the “Dhārāṇi” chapter. In one instance, he refers to the ten rāksasis as “the mothers of all demons in the four continents,” and Kishimojin as “the mother of the ten rāksasis,” thus suggesting her power. In the larger religious culture, Kishimojin was often worshipped independently of the Lotus Sūtra, for example, in esoteric prayer rites to quell disasters and increase good fortune. After Nichiren’s time, as his tradition spread during Japan’s later medieval period and drew followers from a range of social groups, its protector deities diversified, and statues and paintings of Kishimojin began to be enshrined as independent images at some Nichiren temples. Represented in both fierce and gentle forms, Kishimojin was revered as a guardian of Lotus devotees, a destroyer of false views, and a grantor of prayers for this-worldly benefits, such as healing, safe childbirth, and the protection of children. Devotion to Kishimojin within the Nichiren tradition reached its height in Japan’s early modern period (roughly, seventeenth through nineteenth centuries) and drew both on her specific associations with the Lotus Sūtra as well as broader traditions of Kishimojin worship.
Two Buddhas, p244-245

Saicho

After Chih-i’s Death

Quote

After Chih-i’s death, the T’ien-t’ai School went through a period during which it was eclipsed by such new schools as the Hua-yen and Fa-hsiang. Chan-jan (711—782) revived the T’ien-t’ai School during the eighth century. Traditional biographies state that Chan-jan had thoroughly studied the Ssufen lü and was ordained by the Ssufen lü master T’an-i (692—771).

Among Chan-jan’s numerous works are commentaries on Chih-i’s three major works. His treatment of the Perfect precepts in these commentaries is much like that of Chih-i with one important change in emphasis. While Chih-i stressed the abstract, formless qualities of the absolute precepts (rikai), Chan-jan argued that the rikai were only complete when they had actual rules (jikai) as their contents. Moreover, Chan-jan maintained that if the absolute, formless quality of the rikai were overemphasized, monks would be more apt to violate the precepts. Chan-jan argued that the Fan wang precepts could be considered the contents of the Perfect precepts. In doing so, he gave the Fan wang precepts a greater practical role than Chih-i had given them in his three major works.

Saichō: The Establishment of the Japanese Tendai School, p228
WONS

Even a Sage Might Destroy Himself with One Word

Because I am deeply concerned about you I would like to tell you another important story. During the time of Yin in ancient China, the King of Ku-chu State had two princes named Pê-i and Shu-ch’i. The King chose the younger brother Shuch’i as his successor, but Shu-ch’i refused to ascend the throne upon the death of the King. Pê-i advised the younger brother to accede to the throne, but Shu-ch’i insisted that the elder brother should succeed the father. Pê-i protested saying, “How can we go against the will of our father?” Shu-ch’i retorted, “I understand the will of our father; however, how can I ascend the throne, disregarding my elder brother?” In the end, respecting the views of the other, both Pê-i and Shu-ch’i left the state of their parents and went to a foreign land.

While both brothers were serving King Wen of Chou, King Wen was murdered by King Chou Hsin of Yin, and King Wu of Chou, son of King Wen, started a war against King Chou Hsin of Yin within 100 days after the death of his father. Pê-i and Shu-ch’i held fast to King Wu’s horse, remonstrating the King saying, “Isn’t it unfilial to begin a war within three years after the passing of parents?” King Wu became furious and tried to kill Pê-i and Shu-ch’i, but they were spared when T’ai-kung Wang interceded.

The two brothers left the service of King Wu, and hid themselves in Mt. Shou-yang, staying alive by eating bracken. One day they came across a person called Wang Ma-tzŭ and told him the reason why they were hiding in the mountain. Wang Ma-tzŭ then reproached them saying, “Isn’t the bracken owned by King Wu of Chou?” Accused by Wang Ma-tzŭ, the two brothers stopped eating bracken. As it is the custom in heaven not to abandon a sage, heaven appeared as a white deer and fed the two brothers with its milk. One day Shu-ch’i casually remarked, “The milk of this white deer is very tasty, let alone its meat.” Although Pê-i stopped him from saying anything more, heaven heard it. As a result the white deer never appeared again and the two brothers died of hunger. In this way, even a person who lived as a sage throughout his life might destroy himself with one word. As I do not know what is in your hearts, I am deeply concerned.

Kyōdai-shō, A Letter to the Ikegami Brothers, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 6, Followers I, Page 79

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Oct. 30, 2019

He endured all insults and disturbances
Inflicted upon him by arrogant people who thought
That they had already obtained the Dharma.

The Buddha sings these verses to Maitreya Bodhisattva in Chapter Seventeen of the Lotus Sūtra. In Chapter Two of the sūtra, five thousand people left the assembly after the Buddha declared that everything he had taught until then had been an expedient. The Buddha did not stop these people. He said they were arrogant, meaning they believed they already had reached enlightenment and could learn nothing from the Buddha. In this description of the Bodhisattva perfection of Endurance, the Buddha prepares us for the reactions of those who are too attached to their misery to hear the Buddha’s teaching. When we can anticipate this kind of reaction, rather than being shocked by it, we can more easily stay determined to benefit even these abusive beings.

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