If anything can be said to be a practice of those who take faith in the Lotus Sutra, it is the Bodhisattva practice of helping others. In Chapter 23, we learned that Gladly-Seen-By-All-Beings Bodhisattva obtained a samādhi by which he could transform himself into any other living being. He even caused others to obtain this samādhi. But he himself did not demonstrate this samādhi. It is in Chapter 24 that we see this samādhi put to practice by Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva:
“This Wonderful-Voice Bodhisattva protects all living beings in this Sahā-World. He transforms himself into one or another of these various living beings in this Sahā World and expounds this sūtra to all living beings without reducing his supernatural powers, [his power of] transformation, and his wisdom. He illumines this Sahā World with the many rays of light of his wisdom, and causes all living beings to know what they should know.”
The Introduction to the Lotus Sutra explains that while such transformations may seem miraculous, they can be a product of our daily practice:
Introduction to the Lotus Sutra“[W]hen we sincerely devote ourselves to the service and welfare of others, we can reach a stage of nonself – real selflessness – and become one with them. In appearance, we may even look like one of them. An adult playing happily with children may look like a child himself. He may feel like a child, too. The children may even consider him to be one of them. Such ‘transformations’ are far from impossible, but they do require a special state of mind. The samādhi by which one can transform himself into other living things is an expression of the Bodhisattva-spirit of devoting one’s self to others.”
By far the more famous Bodhisattva who performs this samādhi in the Lotus Sutra is World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva, whom we meet in Chapter 25. As Gene Reeves points out in The Stories of the Lotus Sutra, the fact that multiple bodhisattvas posses this power underscores that every bodhisattva can have it:
The Stories of the Lotus Sutra, p265-266“We are not talking about magical tricks here. The ability to take on different forms according to what is needed means just that, an ability to adapt to different situations, particularly to the different needs of people. Taking on different forms is no more and no less than the ability to serve others usefully, practically, and effectively. This is a power given not only to the bodhisattvas Kwan-yin and Wonderful Voice, but to each and every one of us.
“Thus, one obvious meaning of this story for us is that we too can become bodhisattvas who take on different forms and roles in order to help others. And there is another side to this, even its opposite – anyone can be a bodhisattva for us. If Wonderful Voice Bodhisattva can take on any form, anyone we meet might be Wonderful Voice Bodhisattva in a form designed to help us!”
The task for the faithful is to see how we can help others and allow others to help us.
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