Monthly Archives: November 2023

Daily Dharma, d26b

Daily Dharma – Nov. 8, 2023

To sum up, all the teachings of the Tathāgata, all the unhindered, supernatural powers of the Tathāgata, all the treasury of the hidden core of the Tathāgata, and all the profound achievements of the Tathāgata are revealed and expounded explicitly in this sūtra. Therefore, keep, read, recite, expound and copy this sūtra, and act according to the teachings of it with all your hearts after my extinction!

The Buddha makes this declaration to Superior-Practice Bodhisattva (Jōgyo, Viśiṣṭacārītra) in Chapter Twenty-One of the Lotus Sūtra. In Chapter Two, the Buddha told those gathered to hear him teach that his highest teaching could not be attained by reasoning alone. These two passages show us faith to look beyond the words in this book to find the Buddha Dharma in every aspect of our lives, and the ever-present Buddha leading us all to enlightenment.

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

LS32

Day 3

Day 3 covers the first half of Chapter 2, Expedients.

Day 3 Text with annotationsPlay MP3

Having last month considered that all Buddhas use expedients to teach the Dharma, we consider Śāriputra’s question about why the Buddha so enthusiastically extols the power of Buddhas to employ expedients.

Thereupon Śāriputra, seeing the doubts of the four kinds of devotees, and also because he, himself, did not understand [why the Buddha had said this], said to the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! Why do you extol so enthusiastically [what you call] the highest [Truth, and the power of the Buddhas to employ) expedients? [Why do you extol) the Dharma which [you say] is profound, wonderful, and difficult to understand? I have never heard you say all this before. The four kinds of devotees also have the same doubts. World-Honored One! Explain all this! Why do you extol so enthusiastically the Dharma which [you say] is profound, wonderful, and difficult to understand?”

Thereupon Śāriputra, wishing to repeat what he had said, sang in gāthās:

Sun of Wisdom, Great Honorable Saint!
You expound the Dharma for the first time after a long time.
You say that you obtained
The powers, fearlessness, samādhis,
Dhyana-concentrations, emancipations,
And other inconceivable properties [of a Buddha].

No one asks you about the Dharma you attained
At the place of enlightenment.
[The Dharma] is too difficult for me to measure.
[So it is for others; therefore,] no one asks you.

Although you are not asked, you extol the teachings
[Of the past Buddhas] which you practiced.
Your wisdom is wonderful.
It is the same wisdom that the other Buddhas obtained.

The Arhats-without-āsravas
And those who are seeking Nirvāṇa
Are now in the mesh of doubts, wondering:
“Why does the Buddha say all this?”

Those who are seeking the vehicle of cause-knowers,
And the bhikṣus, bhikṣunīs, gods, dragons,
Gandharvas, and other supernatural beings,
Are exchanging glances of perplexity.

They are looking up at you, at the Honorable Biped
Thinking:
“What is this for?
Buddha! Explain all this!”

You once said to me:
“You are the most excellent Śrāvaka.”
With all my wisdom, however, I now doubt.
I do not understand
Whether the Truth I attained is final or not,
Whether the teachings I practiced are true or not.

Your sons born from your mouth are looking up at you
With their hands joined together, entreating:
“With your wonderful voice,
Explain all this as it really is!”

As many gods and dragons
As there are sands in the River Ganges,
And the eighty thousand Bodhisattvas
Who are seeking Buddhahood,
And the wheel-turning-holy-kings
Of billions of worlds
Are joining their hands together respectfully,
Wishing to hear the Perfect Way.

See Understanding the Foundational Teaching of Skillful Means

Daily Dharma, d32b

Daily Dharma – Nov. 7, 2023

The Buddha said to Universal-Sage Bodhisattva: “The good men or women will be able to obtain this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma after my extinction if they do the following four things: (1) secure the protection of the Buddhas, (2) plant the roots of virtue, (3) reach the stage of steadiness [in proceeding to enlightenment], and (4) resolve to save all living beings. The good men or women will be able to obtain this sūtra after my extinction if they do these four things.”

For us who aspire to this difficult practice of the Wonderful Dharma, the Buddha gives this guide in Chapter Twenty-Eight of the Lotus Sūtra. For us to have even heard of this sūtra in this life we must have already done these four things. In order to maintain this practice, we need to use the Buddha’s protection for the benefit of all beings, not just for our benefit alone. We need to nourish the virtuous seeds we have already planted, remain steady and confident on the path to enlightenment, and sustain our determination to maintain our respect for everyone.

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

LS32

Day 2

Chapter 1, Introductory (Conclusion)

Day 2 Text with annotationsPlay MP3

Having last month considered what happened when Sun-Moon-Light Buddha emerged from his samādhi, we consider in gāthās Sun-Moon-Light Buddha.

Thereupon Mañjuśrī, wishing to repeat what he had said, sang in gāthās in the midst of the great multitude:

According to my memory,
innumerable, countless kalpas ago,
There lived a Buddha, a Man of the Highest Honor,
Called Sun-Moon-Light.

That World-Honored One expounded the Dharma,
And caused innumerable living beings
And many hundreds of millions of Bodhisattvas
To enter the Way to the wisdom of the Buddha.

Seeing the Great Saint
Who had renounced the world,
The eight sons born to him when he was a king
Followed him, and performed brahma practices.

The Buddha expounded
To the great multitude
A sūtra of the Great Vehicle
Called the ‘Innumerable Teachings.’

Having expounded this sūtra, the Buddha sat cross-legged
On the seat of the Dharma [facing the east],
And entered into the samādhi
For the purport of the innumerable teachings.

The gods rained mandarava-flowers.
Heavenly drums sounded by themselves.
The gods, dragons, and other supernatural beings
Made offerings to the Man of the Highest Honor.

The worlds of the Buddhas quaked much.
The Buddha emitted a ray of light
From between his eyebrows,
And showed things rarely to be seen.

See The True Nature of Things

Daily Dharma, d9b

Daily Dharma – Nov. 6, 2023

Only I see clearly and without hindrance that they are at various stages [of enlightenment]. I know this, but they do not know just as the trees and grasses including herbs in the thickets and forests do not know whether they are superior or middle or inferior.

The Buddha makes this declaration in Chapter Five of the Lotus Sūtra, as he explains the simile of herbs. This is a good reminder for us on the Bodhisattva path of how important it is to have respect for all beings. We can believe we know whether someone else is less enlightened than we are, or even more enlightened than we are. But for Bodhisattvas, this belief is irrelevant. Only the Buddha knows who is where on the path. We do not need to know. We just need to find ways to benefit others, no matter how close they may be to enlightenment.

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

LS32

Day 1

Day 1 covers the first half of Chapter 1, Introductory

Day 1 Text with annotationsPlay MP3

Having last month considered
the practices of the Bodhisattvas that Maitreya observes, we conclude today’s portion of Chapter 1, Introductory.

Mañjuśrī!
Some Bodhisattvas make offerings
To the śarīras of a Buddha
After his extinction.

I also see some sons of the Buddha
Adorning the world of the Buddha
With as many stupa-mausoleums
As there are sands in the River Ganges.

Those stupas of treasures are
Lofty and wonderful.
They are five thousand yojanas high,
And two thousand yojanas wide and deep.

Each of the stupa-mausoleums has
One thousand pairs of banners and streamers.
It also has curtains adorned with gems.
It also has jeweled bells ringing.

Gods, dragons, men, and nonhuman beings
Constantly offer incense, flowers, and music
[To the stupa-mausoleums].

Mañjuśrī!
Those sons of the Buddha
Adorn the stupa-mausoleums
And offer the adornments
To the śarīras [of the Buddha].

The worlds [of the Buddha] naturally become
As wonderful and as beautiful
As the [flowers] of the kingly tree
In full bloom on the top of Mt. Sumeru.
The multitude of this congregation and I
Can see the various wonderful things
Of those worlds
By the ray of light of the Buddha [of this world].

The supernatural powers of the Buddha
And his wisdom are rare.
He is illumining innumerable worlds
By emitting a pure ray of light.
We were astonished
At seeing [those worlds].

Mañjuśrī, Son of the Buddha!
Remove our doubts!
The four kinds of devotees
Are looking up with joy at you and me,
Wishing to know why this ray of light is emitted
By the World-Honored One.

Son of the Buddha, answer me!
Remove our doubts and cause us to rejoice!
For what purpose is the Buddha
Emitting this ray of light?

Does he wish to expound the Wonderful Dharma
Which he attained when he was sitting
At the place of enlightenment?
Does he wish to assure us of our future Buddhahood?

He shows us the worlds of the Buddhas
Adorned with many treasures.
We can see the Buddhas of those worlds.
This cannot be for some insignificant reason.

Mañjuśrī, know this!
The four kinds of devotees and the dragons
Are looking at you, thinking:
“What is he going to say?”

See Why the Great Assembly Relied on Mañjuśrī

Daily Dharma, d32b

Daily Dharma – Nov. 5, 2023

Therefore, Universal-Sage! When you see the keeper of this sūtra in the distance, you should rise from your seat, go to him, receive him, and respect him just as you respect me.

The Buddha gives this instruction to Universal-Sage Bodhisattva in Chapter Twenty-Eight of the Lotus Sūtra. When we open our eyes to the wonders of the world, and truly appreciate the innumerable beings who share it with us, we can feel alone and insignificant. The Buddha’s Wonderful Dharma shows us both the unimaginable expanse of this universe and the importance of our place in it. None of us can be replaced. Our purpose is neither the futile pursuit of pleasure, nor to make our isolated existence permanent. We are here to open the gate of the Buddha’s wisdom to all beings, to show all beings the joy of enlightenment, and to help them put themselves on the path to enlightenment. We do this by cultivating respect for all beings and, heeding the instructions in this verse, respecting all beings as much as we would the Buddha himself.

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

LS32, Innumerable

Another Innumerable Day Before Day 1

Having last month considered the fifth of the 10 beneficial effects of this sutra, we consider the sixth of the 10 beneficial effects of this sutra.

O you of good intent! “Sixth, this sutra’s unimaginable power for beneficial effect is this: Whether during or after the lifetime of a buddha, if men and women of good intent accept, keep faith with, and internalize and recite this sutra, although they themselves may have delusive worldly passions they nevertheless will expound the teachings for living beings, enabling them to overcome delusive worldly passions and the cycle of births and deaths and put an end to all suffering. Living beings that practice after hearing them will grasp the Dharma, attain its fruits, and realize the Way no differently than if they were with the buddha tathāgatas. Suppose there is a youthful and inexperienced prince. When the king, while traveling or due to ill health, entrusts this prince to manage the affairs of state, the prince, following the great king’s instructions, then leads the government officials and the various ministries, governing justly and properly according to the laws of the land. And all of the country’s citizens are at ease, following along in a manner no different than if it were the rule of the king. So it is also with the women and men of good intent who keep faith with this sutra, whether during or after the lifetime of a buddha. Even though unable to initially become steadfast in the stage of equanimity, these men and women of good intent, following the discourses given by the Buddha, expound the teachings and spread them far and wide. Living beings that practice wholeheartedly after hearing them will cast delusive worldly passions away, grasp the Dharma, attain its fruits, and realize the Way. O you of good intent! This is known as the inconceivable power of the sixth beneficial effect of this sutra.

In the past I’ve underscored the message that “although they themselves may have delusive worldly passions they nevertheless will expound the teachings for living beings.” This time around, I find more compelling the message that “Living beings that practice after hearing them will grasp the Dharma, attain its fruits, and realize the Way no differently than if they were with the buddha tathāgatas.”

LS32, d27b

Daily Dharma – Nov. 4, 2023

Just as the Moon God is brighter than the stars, this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma gives us more light than any of the other sūtras numbering thousands of billions. Just as the Sun God dispels all darkness, this sūtra drives away all the darkness of evils.

The Buddha gives this explanation to Star-King-Flower Bodhisattva in Chapter Twenty-Three of the Lotus Sūtra. The Buddha uses comparisons from our common experience of the sun, moon and stars to illustrate how this teaching of the Wonderful Dharma is superior to all other teachings. This is not just hyperbole. This teaching illuminates not only the other teachings of the Buddha, but all teachings. It lets us see them for what they are, and use them to do the Buddha’s work of leading 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, Universal Sage

Between Day 32 and Day 1: This Surpassing Method of Self-Amendment

Having last month considered in verse the purification of the six sense faculties, we consider the benefits of this wonderful and surpassing method of self-amendment

Having expounded these verses, the Buddha said to Ānanda:

“You should now embrace this method of doing self-amendment for the six sense faculties through contemplation of the bodhisattva Universal Sage! Expound it widely and skillfully to human and heavenly beings everywhere in the ten directions!

“When followers of Buddha accept, keep faith with, recite, internalize, and give voice to the comprehensive sutras after the Buddha’s passing, they must recite and internalize the comprehensive sutras and reflect on the Great Vehicle’s principle in some tranquil place – whether in a cemetery, or at a hermitage, or under a tree in the woods. Because the power of their concentration will become strong, they will gain perception of my being and likewise perceive the stupa of Many-Treasures Buddha, innumerable emanated buddhas in the ten directions, Universal Sage Bodhisattva, Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, Medicine King Bodhisattva, and Incomparable Medicine Bodhisattva. Because they so venerate the Dharma, we – bearing wondrous flowers – will permeate the skies to praise those who revere, follow, and keep faith with the Way. And because those who keep faith with this method are resolutely internalizing the comprehensive Great Vehicle sutras, they will be honored and sustained, day and night, by buddhas and bodhisattvas.”

The Buddha addressed Ānanda:

“By means and because of reflection on the true principle of the Great Vehicle, I have become rid of impurities from a cycle of countless numbers of births and deaths spanning hundreds of millions of myriads of kalpas, as have the bodhisattvas of the current era and the buddhas of the ten directions. And each of those now in the ten directions has been able to become an Awakened One by means and because of this wonderful and surpassing method of self-amendment. Anyone who aspires to quickly achieve the full dynamic of ultimate enlightenment and aspires to perceive, in present time, the buddhas of the ten directions and Universal Sage Bodhisattva as well, must purify him- or herself with a bath, don pure clean clothing, burn fine incense, and seek out a quiet secluded location; there, he or she must internalize and recite the Great Vehicle sutras and reflect on the Great Vehicle’s principle.”

The Buddha spoke thus to Ānanda:

“When living beings wish to contemplate the bodhisattva Universal Sage, they should do this contemplation. Contemplating in this manner is known as correct contemplation; contemplation done in any other manner is called errant contemplation.

“When followers of Buddha practice self-amendment according to the Buddha’s instructions after the Buddha has passed away, it should be known that they are doing the practice of Universal Sage. Those who follow the practice of Universal Sage will not experience negative situations or detrimental karmic consequences. Those living beings who pay homage to the buddhas of the ten directions at the six specified times of day and night, internalize the Great Vehicle sutras, and reflect on the ultimate principle – the most profound truth of emptiness – will, in an instant, become rid of the impurities from innumerable hundreds of millions of myriads of kalpas of the cycle of births and deaths. Those who follow this practice are truly buddha successors, born of all of the buddhas. The buddhas of the ten directions, and the bodhisattvas as well, will be their mentors. They will be recognized as those who fully conform to the behavioral principles of bodhisattvas: without the need of a ceremony, they will fulfill them on their own. They will become worthy of being honored and rendered service by all human and heavenly beings.”

See Washing Away Muddy Illusions Covering Our Invaluable Gem