History and Teachings of Nichiren Buddhism, p 74In the Lotus Sūtra, the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas are taught that they should walk the path of the bodhisattva, by continuing the practices of bodhisattvas. If they continued to do so into the far distant future, in some future world they could realize their dreams to become a buddha.
What are the bodhisattvas’ practices? Their foundation demands a firm faith in the Lotus Sūtra. This means that bodhisattvas must trust what the Lotus Sūtra asserts most strongly. They must believe that every person possesses the innate possibility to achieve buddhahood.
This concept is difficult to believe and difficult to understand. Śākyamuni Buddha says this to Śāriputra, the wisest of his disciples.
“Even you, Śāriputra,
Have understood this sūtra
Only by faith.
Needless to say,
The other Śrāvakas cannot do otherwise.
They will be able to follow this sūtra
Only because they believe my words,
Not because they have wisdom.”Even Śāriputra cannot understand this concept, that all people can achieve buddhahood, only by thinking. It therefore must be much more difficult for anyone else. This fact that there is not one person who cannot become a buddha is an unmistakable truth that Śākyamuni has understood through the wisdom of the buddhas. Therefore, the message is that you can fully receive this truth only by faith.
Monthly Archives: November 2021
Two Meanings of the Character Myō
The character myō of the Myōhō Renge Kyō (Lotus Sūtra), contains two meanings. First it is called the relative subtlety (sōdai-myō), which means that compared to all other sūtras the Lotus Sūtra is superior. In the second place, it is called the absolute subtlety (zettai-myō). It means that it opens all other sūtras and merges them into the Lotus Sūtra. Sūtras preached before and after the Lotus Sūtra preach in part to explain the relative subtlety but not at all the absolute subtlety. Nevertheless, Buddhist masters based on various sūtras other than the Lotus Sūtra insist that both the relative and absolute subtleties are preached in their sūtras by “stealing” the wisdom of T’ien-t’ai. This is like governing the country while staying in a private house. Even if they insist on the existence of the absolute subtlety, they have only the relative subtlety. Let alone with those who attach themselves solely to either the provisional or true teachings without understanding the doctrine of provisional teachings are in themselves the true teaching!
Jissōji Gosho, A Letter to Buzen-kō, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 5, Page 187
Daily Dharma – Nov. 18, 2021
Faith is nothing special. A wife loves her husband, the husband devotes his life to her, parents do not give away their children, and children do not desert their mother. Likewise, believe in the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha Śākyamuni, the Buddha Tahō, all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and deities. Then chant “Namu Myoho Renge Kyo.” This is faith.
Nichiren wrote this in his Letter to the Nun Myoichi (Myoichi Ama Gozen Gohenji). For many people, Buddhism can be a complicated practice requiring years of study, mastering difficult concepts, even learning new languages. In this letter, Nichiren emphasizes the simple, everyday aspects of our faith and practice. He describes how we can start from the simple love and concern we have for each other, chant “Namu Myoho Renge Kyo” to grow the seeds of faith in our Buddha nature and awaken compassion and wisdom in all beings, and find the joy of the Buddha Dharma in our everyday experience.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 31
Day 31 covers Chapter 27, King Wonderful-Adornment as the Previous Life of a Bodhisattva.
“Seeing [these wonders displayed by] the supernatural powers of his sons, the father had the greatest joy that he had ever had. He joined his hands together towards his sons [staying in the sky], and said, ‘Who is your teacher? Whose disciples are you?’
“The two sons said, ‘Great King! Cloud-Thunderpeal-Star-King-Flower-Wisdom Buddha, who is now sitting on the seat of the Dharma under the Bodhi-tree of the seven treasures, is expounding the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma to all the gods and men of the world. He is our teacher. We are his disciples.
“The father said to them, ‘I also wish to see your teacher. I will go with you.’
“Thereupon the two sons descended from the sky, came to their mother, joined their hands together, and said to her, ‘Our father, the king, has now understood the Dharma by faith. He is now able to aspire for Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. We did the work of the Buddha for the sake of our father. Mother! Allow us to renounce the world and practice the Way under that Buddha!’
“Thereupon the two sons, wishing to repeat what they had said, said to their mother in gāthās:
Mother! Allow us to renounce the world
And become śramaṇas!
It is difficult to see a Buddha.
We will follow that Buddha and study.
To see a Buddha is as difficult
As to see an udumbara[-flower ]
To avert a misfortune is also difficult.
Allow us to renounce the world!“The mother said, ‘I allow you to renounce the world because it is difficult to see a Buddha.’
Realizing the Buddha in Others
When the dragon king’s daughter appeared, she went to the Buddha, worshiped at his feet, and praised him. I think we should ponder this praise she offers the Buddha because it reveals an important message about not judging people based upon outward appearances. She says to the Buddha that only the Buddha recognizes that she is qualified to become a Buddha. When the Buddha in us awakens it is capable of realizing the Buddha in others. We cannot say we recognize the Buddha in others only with our intellect or with offering lip service. The recognition has to come from deep within our lives at the very core of our enlightened self.
Lecture on the Lotus SutraRevealing the One Vehicle
History and Teachings of Nichiren Buddhism, p 69-70In Chapter 2, “Expedients,” Śākyamuni Buddha finally begins to clarify the true purpose he had been concealing all this time. This is “Opening the three vehicles to reveal the One Vehicle.” Before this he had taught that there was an absolute dividing line between bodhisattvas and the other two groups. However, this was an expedient to lead the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas in the right direction. For the Buddha’s purpose, all the various teachings up to that point had been part of his plan to lead all people to become buddhas, that is, the teaching of the “One Buddha Vehicle.” No matter how they appeared superficially, no matter how they were received by the listener, from the point of view of the teacher Śākyamuni Buddha, all the teachings up to that point had been in reality none other than the teachings of the One Vehicle. Following his own vow, Śākyamuni Buddha himself had worked consistently to help all people achieve buddhahood.
Śāriputra! There is not a second vehicle in the worlds of the ten quarters. How can there be a third? … Therefore, the Buddhas divide the One Buddha-Vehicle into three as an expedient.
“Know this Śāriputra!
I once vowed that I would cause
All living beings to become
Exactly as I am.”Now that this point had become clear, the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas had to abandon the misunderstanding that they were following lesser vehicles. That is because Śākyamuni Buddha had been continuing to lead the two groups as bodhisattvas so that they could become buddhas.
“I say to you:
‘I will expound the teaching of the One Vehicle Only to Bodhisattvas.
There is no Śrāvaka among my disciples.’ “Therefore, the two groups now came to realize that with the teaching of the One Vehicle as their guide, they could become bodhisattvas with the possibility of becoming buddhas.
Having thus described the distinction between the three groups as an expedient, Śākyamuni Buddha revealed the true one meaning of all his teachings. We call such unifying the separate meanings of all teachings “opening the three vehicles to reveal the One Vehicle.”
All the teachings after the “Expedients” chapter are called the “true Mahāyāna teachings.” This is because they clarify the true purpose of the Buddha by showing that anyone can become a buddha, and by showing the method for becoming a buddha.
The Lotus Sūtra Aggressively Denounces the Evil of Provisional Teachings
It is said in the Nirvana Sūtra: “Arm yourself with swords, sticks, and bow and arrow when there are enemies of the True Dharma; it is no use having them when there are no enemies.” Provisional teachings today are enemies of the True Dharma. If provisional teachings stand in your way as you try to spread the One Vehicle teaching of the Lotus Sūtra, you should thoroughly refute them. Of the two ways of propagation, this is the aggressive way of the Lotus Sūtra. Grand Master T’ien-t’ai declares in his Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sūtra, fascicle 9: “The Lotus Sūtra is the teaching that aggressively denounces the evil of provisional teachings.” How true this is!
In spite of this, suppose we perform the four peaceful practices today with the body, mouth, mind, and vows as preached in the “Peaceful Practices” chapter of the Lotus Sūtra. Is it not like trying to harvest crops in spring by planting seeds in winter? Roosters crow at dawn; if they crow in the evening, they are ghosts. At the time when true and provisional teachings are confused, are not those who seclude themselves in mountain forests and practice the persuasive way, without attacking the enemies of the Lotus Sūtra, ghosts who have missed the time for practicing the Lotus Sūtra? Then is there anyone today, in the Latter Age of Degeneration, who is practicing the aggressive way as it is preached in the Lotus Sūtra? Suppose someone cried out loudly without regard to his voice: “No sūtras except the Lotus is the way leading to Buddhahood; others are the way to hell; the Lotus Sūtra alone is the way leading to Buddhahood.” Anyone who proclaims these words and challenges the schools of Buddhism, both their teachings and people, will without fail encounter the three kinds of powerful enemies.
Nyosetsu Shugyō-shō, True Way of Practicing the Teaching of the Buddha, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 86
Daily Dharma – Nov. 17, 2021
Anyone who respects the stūpa-mausoleum,
Who is modest before bhikṣus,
Who gives up self-conceit,
Who always thinks of wisdom,
Who does not get angry when asked questions,
And who expounds the Dharma
According to the capacities of the questioners,
Will be able to obtain innumerable merits.
The Buddha sings these verses to Maitreya Bodhisattva in Chapter Seventeen of the Lotus Sūtra. The merits of which he speaks are not an indication that we are better than other beings, that we deserve more respect than others, or that we are closer to enlightenment. Merits are a measure of clarity. When we lose attachment and delusion, we gain merit. When we see things for what they are, we gain the wisdom to truly benefit others.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 30
Day 30 covers all of Chapter 26, Dhāraṇīs
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).”
The Daily Dharma from June 13, 2020, offers this:
These ten rākṣasīs [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.”
These fierce demons make this promise to the Buddha in Chapter Twenty-Six of the Lotus Sūtra. Mother-of-Devils, also known as Kishimojin, was once a demon who stole and ate human children, until the Buddha reminded her that humans loved their children in the same way she loved her own. The Buddha does not judge or condemn any being. Instead he uses his insight to transform our understanding to see the harm we create in the world through satisfying our selfish desires. When we work for the benefit of all beings, we find all beings working for our benefit also.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
The Difficult Gate
History and Teachings of Nichiren Buddhism, p 67Of the many śrāvakas, Śāriputra is said to be the wisest. The Buddha tells Śāriputra that the wisdom of the Buddhas is something beyond his understanding. That means that for all the śrāvakas and the pratyekabuddhas, the wisdom of the Buddhas is also beyond their understanding. The wisdom of the Buddhas attains the reality of all things, which cannot be put into words. This is because at the beginning of Chapter Two the Buddha says of all things, their appearances as such, their natures as such, their entities as such, etc. He only says, “as such,” because the reality of all things can be attained only by the buddhas.
Although the Buddha says this, buddhas do not monopolize the wisdom of the Buddhas. As Śākyamuni Buddha says at the beginning of Chapter Two, to convey to others the wisdom of the buddhas, which cannot be expressed in words, he has taught many things by mixing words, metaphors, similes, and tales of origin and fate. On the other hand, he emphasizes strongly that the various teachings which comprise the so-called “gate” to the wisdom of the buddhas are extremely difficult to understand, and therefore, the gate is difficult to enter.