Monthly Archives: October 2020

d31b, WONS

The Merits Will Bear Blossoms and Fruit.

The chapter “Wonderful Adornment King” is expounded for women. It tells of a wife recommending Buddhism to her husband. If a wife recommends the Lotus Sūtra to her husband in the Latter Age of Degeneration, her merit will be the same as that of Lady Jōtoku, or Pure Virtue. The merits would be much more upon you both, a husband and wife, who believe together in the Lotus Sūtra. You are like a bird that has two wings or a vehicle with two wheels. Everything will surely be achieved by you. With heaven and earth, sun and moon, sunshine and rain, plants and trees of the merits will bear blossoms and fruit.

Nichinyo Gozen Gohenji, Response to My Lady Nichinyo, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 137

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Oct. 6, 2020

If a person born a commoner states that he is equal to a samurai, he is bound to be punished. If he states that he is equal to or superior to the king, it is not only he himself but also his parents, wife, and children who are bound to be punished. If those who believe that some other sutra is the same as or superior to the Lotus Sutra according to what they believe without knowing the comparative superiority of the sutras, they are happy because their sutras are being praised. However, it will be a crime of slandering the True Dharma, for which priests and their disciples, as well as their lay followers, will all go to hell as speedily as a flying arrow. On the contrary, to say that the Lotus Sutra is superior to all other sutras is no crime at all. Instead it will be an act of great merit because it is so stated in the sutras.

Nichiren wrote this passage in his Response to My Lady the Nun, Mother of Lord Ueno (Ueno-dono Haha-ama Gozen Gohenji). In other writings, Nichiren explains that the superiority of the Lotus Sutra is not due to some inherent magical power it has to get us what we want. The superiority of the Lotus Sutra comes from its embodiment of the Buddha’s highest teaching, the revelation of his Ever-Present existence, and the ability of the Lotus Sūtra to lead all beings to enlightenment.

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

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 considered the reaction of King Wonderful-Adornment, we conclude Chapter 27, King Wonderful-Adornment as the Previous Life of a Bodhisattva.

The Buddha said to the great multitude:

“What do you think of this? King Wonderful-Adornment was no one but Flower-Virtue Bodhisattva of today. Queen Pure-Virtue was no one but the Light-Adornment-Appearance Bodhisattva who is now before me. She appeared in that world out of her compassion towards King Wonderful-Adornment and his attendants. The two sons were Medicine-King Bodhisattva and Medicine-Superior Bodhisattva of today. Medicine-King Bodhisattva and Medicine-Superior Bodhisattva have already obtained those great merits. Because they planted the roots of virtue under many hundreds of thousands of billions of Buddhas [in their previous existence], they obtained those inconceivable merits. All gods and men in the world should bow to those who know the names of these two Bodhisattvas.”

When the Buddha expounded this chapter of King Wonderful-Adornment as the Previous Life of a Bodhisattva, eighty-four thousand people released themselves from the dust and dirt of illusions, and had their eyes purified enough to see all teachings.

See The Role of Pratyekabuddhas

stories, LS32, d31b

The Role of Pratyekabuddhas

In the Lotus Sutra, the term pratyekabuddha is used to refer to monks who go off into forests by themselves to pursue their own awakening in solitude. But while the term is used frequently in the early chapters and pratyekabuddhas are made prominent by being named as one of the four holy states of buddhas, bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, and shravakas, we never learn anything at all about any particular pratyekabuddha. While we hear the names of a great many buddhas, bodhisattvas, and shravakas in the Lotus Sutra, we never encounter the name of even a single pratyekabuddha. This leads me to think that, at least for the Lotus Sutra, pratyekabuddhas are not very important.

Though there probably was a historic forest-monk tradition in India, in the Lotus Sutra the pratyekabuddha seems to fill a kind of logical role. That is, there are those who strive for awakening primarily in monastic communities, the shravakas, and there are those who strive for awakening in ordinary communities, the bodhisattvas. There needs to be room for those who strive for awakening apart from all communities – the pratyekabuddhas. But from the bodhisattva perspective of the Dharma Flower Sutra, pratyekabuddhas are in a sense irrelevant. Since they do not even teach others, they indeed do no harm, but neither do they contribute to the Buddha’s work of transforming the world into a buddha land.

The Stories of the Lotus Sutra, p289-290
Shodaigyo

Dojoge

Quote

Dojoge is a phrase referencing “this place is the place of enlightenment” from Chapter 21 of the Lotus Sutra. This reference is the following: “Know this: This place, where the Stupa is erected, is the place of enlightenment. Here the Buddhas attained Anuttara-Samyak-Sambodhi. Here the Buddhas turned the wheel of the Dharma. Here the Buddhas entered into Parinirvana.” Anuttara-Samyaku-Sambodhi, however, is lengthy and difficult to pronounce, hence, it is reduced to “Sambodhi”. Its meaning still remains the same even after the reduction.

Please be fully cognizant of these words:

“Know this: This place, where the Stupa is erected, is the place of enlightenment.” When we sit down, in the Dojo where we are allowed to practice, it is a noble place where we study the Buddha’s teachings and practice the means for an ordinary person to become a Buddha.

“Here the (various) Buddhas (Shobutsu) attained Sambodhi.” This means that the place where we are practicing is the same honorable place where the Buddha is spiritually awakened. “Sambodhi” means correct enlightenment and is a Sanskrit transliteration of “Sad” (sahd) “Bodhi” (bo-dee). In interpreting “(various) Buddhas”, we should regard this to mean specifically “The Eternal Buddha Sakyamuni.”

“Here the Buddhas turned the wheel of the Dharma.” This means that to “Turn the Wheel” is for the Buddha to preach. Thus, in this place, the Buddha is preaching to us, sentient beings, just as we are.

“Here the Buddhas entered into Parinirvana” means a sacred place where the Buddha entered into Nirvana. What this means is that the place where we sit reciting Dojoge and practicing Shodaigyo is not the same kind of place as a regular Buddhist temple hall (Hondo) or family Buddhist alter room (Butsuma) in a house. It is a noble, sacred place; it is the location where the Buddha was enlightened, preached and entered into nirvana. Thus, our recitations become conditional to these truths.

Journey of the Path to Righteousness, p 19-21
WONS

Distinguishing the King from His Retainer

Only the Lotus Sūtra is the unsurpassed one that subordinates all the sūtras which had been preached, are being preached, and be preached.” However, Buddhist masters before the time of Grand Master T’ien-t’ai interpreted that all Mahāyāna sūtras, including the Lotus Sūtra, confront Hinayāna sūtras. This is as if they did not know how to distinguish the king from his retainer, mixing up the superior with the inferior. These masters did not reveal the True Dharma, but rather committed an evil deed of foolishness.

Daigaku Saburō-dono, A Letter to Lord Daigaku Saburō, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Pages 211.

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Oct. 5, 2020

Mañjuśrī! What are the proper practices the Bodhisattva-mahāsattva should perform? He should be patient, mild and meek. He should not be rash, timorous, or attached to anything. He should see things as they are. He should not be attached to his non-attachment to anything. Nor should he be attached to his seeing things as they are. These are the proper practices the Bodhisattva-mahāsattva should perform.

The Buddha makes this explanation to Mañjuśrī in Chapter Fourteen of the Lotus Sūtra in which he describes the peaceful practices of a Bodhisattva. When we learn to see things differently, we act differently. Conversely, when we act in ways that are not beneficial, either to ourselves or to others, it is an indication that we are not seeing things as they are. At the same time, not being attached to non-attachment helps us realize that becoming enlightened is a process, and that becoming proud of our achievements is another indication of being stuck and not seeing things as they are.

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 heard Medicine-King Bodhisattva’s question about the merits to be given to the good men or women who practice the Lotus Sūtra, we consider the dhārāni spells offered by Medicine-King Bodhisattva and the Buddha’s response.

Thereupon Medicine-King Bodhisattva said to the Buddha,

“World-Honored One! Now I will give dhārāni spells to the expounder of the Dharma’ in order to protect him.”

Then he uttered spells:

“Ani (1), mani (2), manei (3), mamanei (4), shirei (5), sharitei (6), shamya (7), shabi-tai (8), sentei (9), mokutei (10), mokutabi (11), shabi (12), aishabi (13), sōbi (14), shabi (15), shaei (16), ashaei (17), agini (18), sentei (19), shabi (20), darani (21 ), arokya-basai-ha habi-shani (22), neibitei (23), abentarancibitei (24), atantahareishudai(25), ukurei (26), mukurei (27), ararei (28), hararei (29), shukyashi (30), asammasambi (31), botsudabikirijittei (32), darumaharishitei (33), sōgyanekkushanei (34), bashabashashudai(35), mantara (36), manta ashayata (37), urntaurota (38), kyōsharya(39), ashara (40), ashay taya (41), abaro (42), amanyanataya (43).”

[He said to the Buddha:]

“World-Honored One! These dhārānis, these divine spells, have already been uttered by six thousand and two hundred million Buddhas, that is, as many Buddhas as there are sands in the River Ganges. Those who attack and abuse this teacher of the Dharma should be considered to have attacked and abused those Buddhas.”

Thereupon Śākyamuni Buddha praised Medicine-King Bodhisattva, saying:

“Excellent, excellent, Medicine-King! You uttered these dhārānis in order to protect this teacher of the Dharma out of your compassion towards him. You will be able to give many benefits to all living beings.”

The Daily Dharma from May 25, 2020, offers this:

Thereupon Śākyamuni Buddha praised Medicine-King Bodhisattva, saying: “Excellent, excellent, Medicine-King! You uttered these dhāraṇīs in order to protect this teacher of the Dharma out of your compassion towards him. You will be able to give many benefits to all living beings.”

The Buddha makes this declaration to Medicine-King Bodhisattva in Chapter Twenty-Six of the Lotus Sūtra. The dhāraṇīs are promises made in a language that only Medicine-King and other protective beings understand. When we recite these promises from the Lotus Sūtra, we remind those beings of their vows. We also awaken our natures to protect all beings, and create benefits both for those beings and ourselves.

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

Shodaigyo

The Meaning of the Three Treasures

Quote

Sanbo is the Three Treasures which are

  1. (Butsuho): The Treasure of the Buddha,
  2. (Hoho): The Treasure of the Dharma, and
  3. (Soho): The Treasure of the Sangha.

So why do we call the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha treasures? Normally, we would consider treasures to be of gold, silver, or other precious material. We consider our heart, however, to be far more precious above all else. So, rather than gaining treasure such as gold or silver, we instead become truly wealthy by having the jewel in our very hearts and polishing that treasure there.

The Buddha, the one who supremely polished this jewel, declared to all, “Look at me, this is Buddhahood.” Mercifully, he showed us all this truth, personally, through being Sakyamuni Buddha. The teaching which showed us how to polish our hearts is Myō Hō Ren Ge Kyō, that which is known as the Dharma Treasure. In regard to the last of the Three Treasures, there are the monks (Hosshi) and the ministers (Soryo) who instruct, and Nichiren Daishonin who is their leader. The Sangha Treasure is a religious society where people assemble and practice with the same faith.

For us, the treasure of the heart is our most important treasure; polishing this treasure is our most important task. As well, the Three Treasures are our most appreciated of all treasures, because they both guide us and demonstrate that which we should do.

Journey of the Path to Righteousness, p 22-23
WONS

Jewel with Five Characters of Myō, Hō, Ren, Ge, and Kyō

For those who are incapable of understanding the truth of the “3,000 existences contained in one thought,” Lord Śākyamuni Buddha, with His great compassion, wraps this jewel with the five characters of myō, hō, ren, ge, and kyō and hangs it around the neck of the ignorant in the Latter Age of Degeneration. The four great bodhisattvas will protect such people, just as T’ai-kung-wang and the Duke of Chou assisted the young ruler, King Chen, of the Chou dynasty, or the Four Elders of the Shang-shan attended child Emperor Hui of the Han dynasty in ancient China.

Kanjin Honzon-shō, A Treatise Revealing the Spiritual Contemplation and the Most Verable One, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 164