Although the time is ripe for the Lotus Sutra to convert everyone, teachers who propagate it are ordinary teachers while their disciples are wicked and sickened by the three poisons of greed, anger and ignorance. They avoid teachers who preach the True Dharma, befriending teachers who preach false Dharma. Is it not natural then that he who practices the Lotus Sutra, the true teaching of the Buddha, and his disciples and followers and lay followers are persecuted more severely than the three kinds of enemies?
Nichiren wrote this passage in his Treatise on the True Way of Practicing the Teaching of the Buddha (Nyosetsu Shugyō-shō). In our efforts to uphold and practice the Wonderful Dharma of the Lotus Sūtra, we may be surprised to be the targets of anger or aggression from others, especially from others who also practice the Dharma with us. These difficulties will be opportunities for us to practice wisdom and nourish our compassion. We can learn to recognize others’ delusions within our own minds and remain focused on ridding ourselves of the three poisons, rather than attempting to change someone else’s behavior. In this way we become an example for how to live, and allow the Ever-Present Buddha Śākyamuni to work within our hearts.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 32 covers Chapter 28, The Encouragement of Universal-Sage Bodhisattva, closing the Eighth Volume of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
Having last month considered those who keep, read and recite the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma after the Buddha’s extinction, we conclude the Chapter 28 with the benefits received by those who heard The Encouragement of Universal-Sage Bodhisattva.
When the Buddha expounded this chapter of the Encouragement of Universal-Sage, as many Bodhisattvas as there are sands in the River Ganges obtained the dhārāṇis by which they could memorize hundreds of thousands of billions of repetitions of teachings, and as many Bodhisattvas as the particles of dust of one thousand million Sumeru-worlds [understood how to] practice the Way of Universal-Sage.
When the Buddha expounded this sūtra, the great congregation including the Bodhisattvas headed by Universal-Sage, the Śrāvakas headed by Śāriputra, and the other living beings such as gods, dragons, men and nonhuman beings, had great joy, kept the words of the Buddha, bowed [to him], and retired.
[Here ends] the Eighth Volume of the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
In one passage, Nichiren gives a humorous account of Samantabhadra’s [Universal-Sage Bodhisattva] late arrival at the Lotus assembly:
Among all the many bodhisattvas, Samantabhadra and Mañjuśrī were like ministers of the right and left to the Lord Śākyamuni. It was strange, therefore, that Samantabhadra, as one of those two ministers, should have failed to be in attendance during the eight or so years when the Buddha preached the Lotus Sūtra, which surpasses all the other teachings of his lifetime and which all buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions, more numerous than the dust particles of the great earth, had assembled to hear. But when the Buddha had finished expounding the “King Śubhavyūha” [King Wonderful-Adornment] chapter and was about to conclude his preaching of the Lotus Sūtra, Samantabhadra came hastily from the land of the buddha Ratnatejo’bhyudgatarāja [Treasure-PowerVirtue-Superior-King Buddha] in the eastern quarter, accompanied by the sounds of ten billion musical instruments and leading countless numbers of the eight kinds of nonhuman beings. Probably fearing the Buddha’s displeasure at his tardy arrival, he assumed a serious expression and pledged in all earnestness to protect those who practice the Lotus Sūtra in the latter age. But the Buddha, no doubt pleased with his extraordinary sincerity in vowing to spread the Lotus Sūtra throughout the continent of Jambudvipa, praised him even more highly than he had earlier praised other bodhisattvas of higher rank.
Kimura Shōshū has argued that Gyōgi provided Saichō with a model of the ideal Tendai practitioner, the bosatsusō or bodhisattva monk. Saichō planned to train Tendai monks so that they would be able to both preach to the populace and supervise construction projects which would help the common people. These were the same types of activities in which Gyōgi and his followers engaged. Gyōgi was often called a bodhisattva during his lifetime; after his death people believed he was a manifestation of Mañjuśrī. Since Saichō had proposed that Mañjuśrī be installed as elder (jōza) in the dining hall on Mount Hiei, Saichō might have regarded Gyōgi as a model of the ideal monk as manifested by Mañjuśrī. Saichō’s proposal that his monks be called ‘bodhisattva monks’ might have reflected the influence of figures such as as Gyōgi who had been called bodhisattvas by the populace. In the Nihon ryōiki, Gyōgi was described in the following way: “On the outside he had the form of a monk, but within were hidden the deeds of a bodhisattva.” This description was derived from the Lotus Sūtra. Saichō cited the same passage from the Lotus Sūtra in his last instructions to his disciples.
It is also said in the Nirvana Sūtra that we should rely only upon sūtras that completely reveal the truth, not upon sūtras that do not completely reveal the truth. This means that we must distinguish the true sūtra from provisional ones before relying upon it. In the Commentary on the Ten Stages by Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna, it is also said that we should rely upon the just commentaries on sūtras and not upon evil ones. Grand Master T’ien-t’ai says, “Adopt whatever agrees with the sūtra, and do not believe in that which is not found in the sūtra in word or in meaning;” while Grand Master Dengyō states, “Rely upon the words of the Buddha in sūtras; do not believe in what has been transmitted orally.” Enchin, the Grand Master Chishō, states that we should transmit the Buddha’s teaching only from sūtras.
Kaimoku-shō, Open Your Eyes to the Lotus Teaching, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 84-85
This sūtra opens the gate of expedients and reveals the seal of the truth. The store of this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma is sound and deep. No one can reach its core. Now I show it to the Bodhisattvas in order to teach them and cause them to attain [Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi].
The Buddha declares these lines to Medicine-King Bodhisattva in Chapter Ten of the Lotus Sūtra. At the beginning of the sūtra, the Buddha declared that he was no longer preparing those who hear him to receive his highest wisdom. The purpose of his instruction was always to lead all beings to unsurpassed enlightenment, even though it seemed that he was ending their suffering. When later the Buddha revealed his true existence as constantly present in our world, he showed that this teaching is not just something he did 2500 years ago. He is teaching this Wonderful Dharma for the benefit of all beings right now, today.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
