Two Buddhas, p184What is the significance of the revelation of the Buddha’s immeasurable “lifespan,” that is, the time that has elapsed since his original attainment of supreme enlightenment? English language scholarship on Lotus Sūtra often speaks of the primordial Śākyamuni of the “Lifespan” chapter as the “eternal buddha.” This term is easy to understand but carries Western philosophical overtones of abstract metaphysical truth; the sūtra’s emphasis lies rather in the Buddha’s “constant residing” here in the world. For the sūtra’s compilers, this claim refigured the Buddha in accordance with the Mahāyāna bodhisattva ideal: No longer was he a teacher of the past, forever departed into final nirvāṇa, but an awakened being perpetually active in this and other worlds for living beings’ sake.
Monthly Archives: October 2019
Saichō’s Unworkable Proposal
In the Shijōshiki Saichō proposed that Tendai monks be ordained with the Fan wang precepts at the beginning of their twelve-year training period. He also asked that they be allowed to receive Ssufen lü ordinations at Tōdaiji after they had completed their training on Mount Hiei. Thus while the Fan wang ordination qualified the candidate to be a Tendai monk, the Ssufen lü ordination was taken only as an expedient measure to benefit other sentient beings, not for any spiritual qualification it might bestow on the Tendai monk. The Ssu fen lü ordination would enable Tendai monks to live in harmony with the monks of Nara and to avoid disputes over monastic discipline, seniority, or the procedures for holding assemblies. Because the Ssufen lü ordination did not qualify a person to be a Tendai monk and was taken primarily to smooth relations with other sentient beings, Saichö called it a ‘provisional Hinayäna ordination’ (keju shōkai).
Saichō died before the court had agreed to his proposals and thus never saw them put into effect. Administering Ssufen lü ordinations to Tendai monks proved to be unworkable and was quickly abandoned by his successors. After the bitter debates which had occurred between Saichō and the Nara schools, the monks of the two sides could not forget their differences so readily. The very concept of a provisional Ssufen lü ordination provoked heated arguments between the Tendai and Nara monks. The terms ‘provisional’ and ‘Hinayāna’ implied that the Ssu fen lü ordination was inferior.
If Saichō’s proposal for provisional Hinayāna ordinations had been adopted, it would have placed Tendai monks at a disadvantage in their relations with Nara monks.
Saichō: The Establishment of the Japanese Tendai School, p195Lessening Karmic Retribution
As you have been fervent believers of the Lotus Sūtra, you now beckon the major sins committed in the past in order to lessen its karmic retribution. For instance when iron is forged well, its flaws become visible. When burned, a stone turns to ashes, but gold becomes pure gold. I am sure the merit of your true faith in the Lotus Sūtra will be evident, and the ten female rākṣasa demons, guardians of the Lotus Sūtra, will protect you now. Just as Indra appeared as a rākṣasa demon before Young Ascetic in the Snow Mountains to test his resolution and Vaiśravaṇa disguised himself as a dove to test King Sivi, the ten female rākṣasa demons may have possessed your parents in order to torture you and test your faith. You may regret if you are not steadfast in your faith. An overturned cart is a warning for the cart that follows.
Kyōdai-shō, A Letter to the Ikegami Brothers, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 6, Followers I, Page 77-78
Daily Dharma – Oct. 21, 2019
You should remember that the secret doctrine to save the evil, the stupid, women, and those without Buddha-nature is not revealed in sūtras other than the Lotus Sūtra. This is the very reason the Lotus Sūtra is superior to all other Buddhist scriptures.
Nichiren wrote this passage in his Treatise on Chanting the Great Title of the Lotus Sūtra (Shō Hokke Daimoku-shō). With so many proclaiming that their teaching is superior, it can be difficult to hear what Nichiren is telling us in this passage. Other teachings maintain that only some people can be saved. As a result, people who hear those teachings live in fear and uncertainty about their fate. The Lotus Sūtra proclaims that all who hear it will become enlightened, and that all who teach the Lotus Sūtra will create the conditions for others to be enlightened. Nichiren’s relentless determination to spread the Wonderful Dharma was not based on arrogance: merely wanting people to do as he said. It was based on compassion: the certainty that the Lotus Sūtra embodies the enlightenment of the Buddha and saves all beings.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 20
Day 20 completes Chapter 15, The Appearance of Bodhisattvas from Underground, and concludes the Fifth Volume of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
Having last month considered further Maitreya’s puzzlement about the great Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas who sprang up from underground, we hear from the attendants to the Buddhas who had come from many thousands of billions of worlds outside this world.
At that time the Buddhas, who had come from many thousands of billions of worlds outside [this world], were sitting cross-legged on the lion-like seats under the jeweled trees in [this world and] the neighboring worlds of the eight quarters. Those Buddhas were the replicas of Śākyamuni Buddha. The attendant of each of those Buddhas saw that many Bodhisattvas had sprung up from under the four quarters of the [Sahā-World which was composed of one thousand million Sumeru-worlds and stayed in the sky. He said to the Buddha whom he was accompanying, “World-Honored One! Where did these innumerable, asaṃkhya Bodhisattvas come from?”
That Buddha said to his attendant:
“Good Man! Wait for a while! There is a Bodhisattva
mahāsattva called Maitreya [in this congregation]. Śākyamuni
Buddha assured him of his future attainment of Buddhahood,
saying, ‘You will become a Buddha immediately after me.’
Maitreya has already asked [Śākyamuni Buddha] about this
matter. [Śākyamuni] Buddha will answer him. You will be able
to hear his answer.”
Rejecting the Bodhisattvas from Other Worlds
Two Buddhas, p174Zhiyi proposed several reasons why the Buddha ultimately rejected the offer of the bodhisattvas from other worlds to propagate the Lotus Sūtra in the present, Sahā world and instead summoned the bodhisattvas from beneath the earth. The bodhisattvas from other worlds, he said, had responsibilities to benefit the beings of their own lands that they could not neglect. Furthermore, their ties to this world were only superficial, and so their efforts at spreading the dharma would have been ineffective. Had the Buddha accepted their offer, he would have had no reason to summon the bodhisattvas from beneath the earth. These bodhisattvas were Śākyamuni’s original disciples, taught by him since the inconceivably distant past. Their ties to the Sahā world were profound, and they could also travel to other realms and benefit the beings there. And, without their presence, Śākyamuni could not have revealed his true identity as the Buddha awakened since the inconceivably distant past.
Pointers for Beginners
I’ve created a page with links to resources appropriate to those who are new to Nichiren Shu Buddhism. I will be adding material to this page over time. The Top Menu and Sidebar Menu both contain links to the page, WHERE TO BEGIN.
Buddha-Nature Precepts
The Ssu fen lü precepts had been formulated by the historical Buddha, Śākyamuni, in response to specific situations. The Fan wang precepts, in contrast, were said to be eternal and universal, the precepts of a thousand Buddhas. Saichō considered them to be the source from which all Buddhas and bodhisattvas proceeded. Moreover, they were based in the Buddha-nature which everyone possessed and thus were called the Busshōkai (Buddha-nature precepts). Everyone could and should follow these precepts. Holding the precepts made one a true disciple of the Buddha and allowed him to enter the ranks of the Buddhas. Thus the Fan wang precepts were considered to be the ultimate teaching, not a provisional one. The Fan wang precepts enabled the practitioner to enter the Direct Path (jikidō) to enlightenment without any danger of backsliding.
Saichō: The Establishment of the Japanese Tendai School, p194Tasting the Flavor of the True Dharma
Now, when I contemplate the state of Japan, I note that it has been a long time since her inception. Accordingly, the future of the original protective deities of Japan must have been exhausted, their life span having grown shorter, and their authority and power having declined. Their authority and power will increase only when they taste the flavor of the True Dharma. The True Dharma, however, has been lost, allowing evil dharmas to prosper and protective deities to grow old. How can they repulse national disasters and protect parishioners?
Kangyō Hachiman-shō, Remonstration with Bodhisattva Hachiman, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 1, Page 261
Daily Dharma – Oct. 20, 2019
You, the World-Honored One, are the light of wisdom.
Hearing from you
That we are assured of our future Buddhahood,
We are as joyful as if we were sprinkled with nectar.
These verses are sung by two thousand of the Buddha’s disciples in Chapter Nine of the Lotus Sūtra. When these followers of the Buddha were told that they would become as enlightened as he was, then many others like them realized that they too had this capacity. The superiority of the Lotus Sūtra lies not in having better explanations of what the Buddha taught, or in some supernatural ability it has to change the world. The superiority of the Lotus Sūtra is its completeness. It leads all beings to the joy of enlightenment.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com