The arrival of Many Treasures Buddha in his Stupa and the image of him and Śākyamuni Buddha sitting side by side are very significant… . The sutra emphasizes the fact that the whole body of Many Treasures Buddha, not just his remains, is present in the Stupa and that his voice emerges from it. But Many Treasures Buddha, we are told, had long ago passed into final nirvana. In this way the whole meaning of nirvana is called into question. And the sitting of the two buddhas side by side violates the assumption that there can only be one buddha in this world at a time. This is one of the ways in which the Lotus Sutra teaches that stories of entering nirvana are teaching devices to get people to be more responsible for their own lives, a theme which is developed most explicitly in the story in chapter 7 of the guide who conjures up a city as a temporary resting place for some travelers who want to quit the journey.
A Buddhist Kaleidoscope; Gene Reeves, The Lotus Sutra as Radically World-affirming, Page 181
Monthly Archives: November 2019
Devadatta and Ajātaśatru
Bimbisāra was a wise king and the greatest follower of the Buddha in the world (Jambudvīpa). Moreover, he ruled the kingdom of Magadha, where the Buddha was planning to preach the Lotus Sūtra. As the king and the Buddha were in one mind, it was expected that the Buddha would expound the Lotus Sūtra. However, Devadatta wanted to stop this plan by any means. As he could not think of any effective means to prevent this, Devadatta approached Prince Ajātaśatru, Crown Prince of King Bimbisāra. After befriending the prince for several years, Devadatta finally caused discord between the royal father and son and incited Ajātaśatru to kill his own father. As Devadatta and Ajātaśatru were united in one mind, non-Buddhists and evil men gathered from all over India to side with them like swarms of clouds and mist. Ajātaśatru gave them territories and treasures and flattered them. The king of Magadha thus became an archenemy of the Buddha. Catching sight of this, the King of Devils in the Sixth Heaven of the realm of desire, accompanied by his numerous followers, descended from the heavens into Magadha Kingdom and entered the bodies of Devadatta, Ajātaśatru, and his six ministers. They appeared to be humans but they had powers of the devils in the Sixth Heaven. They were more turbulent and horrible than a storm swaying trees and grasses, a typhoon raising big waves in the ocean, a severe earthquake shaking the great earth, or a conflagration consuming many houses. …
Thus, the Buddha endured all kinds of persecution, but He was somehow able to stay alive to preach the Lotus Sūtra. This Lotus Sūtra says: “Many people hate this sūtra with jealousy even in My lifetime. Needless to say, more people will do so after My extinction.” The meaning of this passage is that even in the Buddha’s lifetime, the enemies of the Lotus Sūtra arose like this, not to speak of those who will preach or believe in even a letter or a single stroke of the Lotus Sūtra in the Latter Age of Degeneration.
Reflecting on this passage, although it has been more than 2,200 years since the Buddha preached the Lotus Sūtra, no one has ever read and practiced it as the Buddha preached. Only he who has encountered great persecution can be said to have truly practiced the Lotus Sūtra. Even T’ien-t’ai and Dengyō, who have been considered to be practicers of the Lotus Sūtra, never encountered the kind of hardship which the Buddha did.
Ueno-dono Gohenji, A Reply to Lord Ueno, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 111-112
Daily Dharma – Nov. 16, 2019
He satisfied himself with what little he earned.
He did not wish to get anything more.
He did not notice the priceless gem
Fastened inside his garment.
These verses are part of a story told by Ājñāta-Kauṇḍinya and other disciples in Chapter Eight of the Lotus Sūtra. It is about a man whose friend gives him a jewel while he is asleep. Not realizing he has this treasure, the man returns to his ordinary life, desperate to make a living and satisfy his ordinary desires. The story shows how we live when we forget about the jewel of Buddha nature we carry with us.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 12
Day 12 concludes Chapter 7, The Parable of the Magic City, and completes the Third Volume of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
Having last month heard the Parable of the Magic City, we consider Śākyamuni’s explanation of the parable.
“Bhikṣus! I, the Tathāgata, am like the leader. I am your great leader. I know that the bad road, which is made of birth-and-death and illusions, is dangerous and long, and that we should pass through it and get off it. If you had heard only of the One Vehicle of the Buddha, you would not have wished to see or approach the Buddha, but would have thought, ‘The Way to Buddhahood is too long for us to pass through unless we make painstaking efforts for a long time.’
“I knew that you were mean and timid. In order to give you a rest halfway, I expounded expediently to you the teaching of Nirvāṇa by the two vehicles. To those who attained the two [ vehicles], I say, ‘You have not yet done all that you should do. You are near the wisdom of the Buddha. Think it over and consider it! The Nirvāṇa you attained is not true. I divided the One Vehicle of the Buddha into three only expediently.’
“I say this just as the leader, who saw that his party had had a rest in the great city which he had made by magic in order to give them a rest, said to them, ‘The place of treasures is near. This city was not true. I made it by magic.’ ”
The Greatest of the Lotus Sūtra Interpreters
Two Buddhas, p8Chinese commentaries on the Lotus and other sūtras were produced in great numbers, especially during the fifth through tenth centuries. Through commentary, and other forms of interpretation as well, the sūtras were given innovative readings and made to speak to issues specific to the interpreter’s own time and place. Thus, a third aim of the current volume is to explore this living interface between text and commentary in Buddhism, using the Lotus as an exemplar.
Rather than taking on the impossible task of cataloging the long tradition of commentary on the Lotus Sūtra across Asia, we focus on the Japanese figure Nichiren (1222-1282), who stands among the greatest of the Lotus Sūtra interpreters.
The Cosmic Significance and Superiority of Śākyamuni Buddha
Śākyamuni Buddha is praised for preaching the Lotus Sutra. Not only all of the creatures of this world and the gods in the heavens of this world, but even all of the buddhas of all of the countless other worlds in every direction also praise and subordinate themselves to Śākyamuni Buddha. Especially by designating the buddhas of the ten directions as his representatives, he is given central importance in the entire cosmos.
The Chinese term here rendered as “representatives,” but which might literally be rendered as “body parts,” has been interpreted and translated in various ways. It may be a reflection of the belief that one of a buddha’s supernatural powers is the ability to replicate himself. Exactly what is meant in the Lotus Sutra by the term is not clear. But one thing is very clear — all of these various buddhas, throughout the many, many worlds, are subordinate to Śākyamuni Buddha. Just how they are subordinate is not explained, no doubt because it is not important. What is important, given the priorities of the sutra, is the cosmic significance and superiority of Śākyamuni Buddha. Yet, at the same time, the reality or importance of those other buddhas is in no way denied.
A Buddhist Kaleidoscope; Gene Reeves, The Lotus Sutra as Radically World-affirming, Page 181
Transferring Merits
Without removing the karmic effects of past actions, a malefactor can find whole or partial salvation through repentance, for the merits that one person acquires through good deeds can be transferred (as in the case of the merits a Bodhisattva transfers to others) and used to atone for others’ transgressions.
Basic Buddhist Concepts
Giving Medicine to Sick Person
In order to spread Buddhism in a country, an understanding of the conditions of the teaching that had been spread there previously is important.
It is the same as giving medicine to a sick person. It is necessary to know the type of medicine a person has already taken otherwise mixing the medicines may have ill effects or even kill the patient. The same is true with Buddhism. Teachings of the Buddha may also conflict with one another, leaving the people at a loss.
Nanjō Hyōe Shichirō-dono Gosho, A Letter to Lord Nanjō Hyōe Shichirō, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Pages 143.
Daily Dharma – Nov. 15, 2019
He should respect the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones,
As his unsurpassed fathers.
He should give up arrogance
So that he may expound the Dharma without hindrance.
The Buddha sings these verses in Chapter Fourteen of the Lotus Sūtra in which he describes the peaceful practices of a Bodhisattva. By arrogance, the Buddha means not only acting as if we know what we do not, but any fixed understanding of the world and the beings in it. This opening of our minds allows us to be receptive to the innumerable ways the Buddhas are teaching us, and to learn to see the world for what it is. This receptivity also allows us to see the Buddha nature in all beings, no matter how deluded they are and how much harm they create. Respect is what allows us to fully hear and be present for what the world has to offer us.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 11
Day 11 continues Chapter 7, The Parable of the Magic City
Having last month considered the reaction of the Brahman-heavenly-kings of the five hundred billion worlds in the south, we consider the reaction of the Brahman-heavenly-kings of the five hundred billion worlds of the zenith and conclude today’s portion of Chapter 7, The Parable of the Magic City.
“The great Brahman-[heavenly-]kings of the five hundred billion worlds in the southwest, west, northwest, north, northeast, and nadir also did the same. The great Brahman-heavenly-kings of the five hundred billion worlds in the zenith, who saw their palaces illumined more brightly than ever, also danced with joy. They wondered why [their palaces were so illumined]. They visited each other and discussed the reason, saying, ‘Why are our palaces illumined so brightly?’ There was a great Brahmanheavenly-king called Sikhin among them. He said to the other Brahmans in gāthās:
Our palaces are adorned
More brightly than ever.
Why are they illumined
By this powerful light?We have never seen nor heard
Of such a wonderful thing as this before.
Did a god of great virtue or a Buddha appear
Somewhere in the universe?“Thereupon the Brahman-heavenly-kings of the five hundred billion [worlds] went down, carrying flower-plates filled with heavenly flowers, in order to find [the place from where the light had come]. Their palaces also moved as they went. They [reached the Well-Composed World and] saw that Great-UniversalWisdom-Excellence Tathāgata was sitting on the lion-like seat under the Bodhi-tree of the place of enlightenment, surrounded respectfully by gods, dragon-kings, gandharvas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, men and non-human beings. They also saw that the sixteen princes were begging the Buddha to turn the wheel of the Dharma. They worshipped the Buddha with their heads, walked around him a hundred thousand times, and strewed heavenly flowers to him. The strewn flowers were heaped up to the height of Mt. Sumeru. The Brahman-heavenly-kings offered flowers also to the Bodhi-tree of the Buddha. Having offered flowers, they offered their palaces to the Buddha, saying, ‘We offer these palaces to you. Receive them and benefit us out of your compassion towards us!’ In the presence of the Buddha, they simultaneously praised him in gāthās with all their hearts:
How good it is to see a Buddha,
To see the Honorable Saint who saves the world!
He saves all living beings
From the prison of the triple world.The All-Knower, the Most Honorable One of Gods and Men,
Opens the gate of the teachings as sweet as nectar,
And saves all living beings
Out of his compassion towards them.There has been no Buddha
For the past innumerable kalpas.
Before you appeared,
The worlds of the ten quarters were dark.The living beings in the three evil regions
And asuras are increasing.
The living beings in heaven are decreasing.
Many fall into the evil regions after their death.They do not hear the Dharma from a Buddha
Because they did evils,
Their appearances are getting worse;
And their power and wisdom, decreasing.
Because they did sinful karmas,
They lose pleasures and the memory of pleasures.
They are attached to wrong views.
They do not know how to do good.
They are not taught by a Buddha;
Therefore, they fall into the evil regions.Now you have appeared for the first time after a long time,
And become the eyes of the world.
You have appeared in this world
Out of your compassion towards all living beings,
And finally attained perfect enlightenment.
We are very glad.
All the others also rejoice at seeing you,
Whom they have never seen before.Our palaces are beautifully adorned
With your light.
We offer them to you.
Receive them out of your compassion towards us!May the merits we have accumulated by this offering
Be distributed among all living beings,
And may we and all other living beings
Attain the enlightenment of the Buddha!