In continuing my yearlong discussion of faith and the Lotus Sutra, I think it is important to look at Chapter 12 as two halves rather than as the completion of the sutra’s lesson on universal salvation, which it clearly represents. I will consider Devadatta here and follow with a look at the dragon girl’s impact on faith.

In his Stories of the Lotus Sutra, Gene Reeves says:

“Basic to the teachings of this Sutra is a kind of promise, an assurance, that each and every living being has the potential to become a buddha. This tells us something about ourselves, of course, but here the light is shining in the other direction, encouraging us to see the buddha in others—regardless of their moral or other qualities.

“In an important sense, this story [about Devadatta] is not so much about Devadatta as it is about Shakyamuni Buddha. It does not teach us that Devadatta was able to become a buddha because his inner intentions were really good, or because he changed his ways and became a good man, or because of anything else he did or did not do. What this story teaches is that the Buddha is one who can see the buddha in others. And that is what we are encouraged by this story to do – to look for and see the buddha in all those we encounter.”

Of course, we repeat in Chapter 20 and the lessons of Never-Despising Bodhisattva that our practice should see the Buddha in everyone, but here we are being asked to set aside our preconceived ideas about people.

In part this reflects a lesson in non-duality. As Introduction to the Lotus Sutra explains:

“Buddhism believes that good and evil are not two separate things; there is no absolute distinction between the two. An evil deed cannot be considered an absolute. The Devadatta Chapter is known as the teaching that explains the attainment of enlightenment by evil people, and its philosophical background comes from the ‘non-duality of good and evil,’ as understood in Buddhism.”

So, while everyone knew of Devadatta’s past wrongs, only the Buddha knew of his past good works. This is an important lesson on our faith and our practice of Lotus Sutra Buddhism. As Nikkyō Niwano explains in Buddhism for Today:

“This is a most important declaration. When we receive scorn, abuse, and obstruction from others, we are apt to become angry with them, feel sad, and begin to doubt the Law. We must instead endure such hardships and divert them to a positive force because the teaching of the Lotus Sutra is the supreme Law in this world. Many ancient teachers and leaders, including both Sakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren, have proved by their example that man can thus transform drawbacks into advantages. … Sakyamuni Buddha not only did not feel resentment toward Devadatta, who inflicted so many injuries on him, but even thanked him for his ‘good friendship.’ ”

Since this 800 Years of Faith project is dedicated to Nichiren and his work, it’s only right to emphasize how his faith encourages us so many centuries later. After all, as he says in Hyōesakan-dono Gohenji, Answer to Lord Ikegami Munenaga, we have not chosen an easy task:

“To become a Buddha is more difficult than trying to thread a needle by casting a thread from the top of one Mt. Sumeru to the needle on the top of another Mt. Sumeru. How much more difficult it will be if a strong headwind is blowing the other way!

Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 6, Followers I, Page 93

But how much easier is the task when we have a leader to follow, one who has trod the path. In Shohō Jisso-shō, Treatise on All Phenomena as Ultimate Reality, Nichiren writes:

“Born in the Latter Age of Degeneration, I, Nichiren, was the first to spread the outline of the Wonderful Dharma reserved for Bodhisattva Superior Practice. I was also the first to inscribe the Great Mandala with Śākyamuni Buddha appearing in the ‘Life Span of the Buddha’ chapter of the essential section of the Lotus Sūtra, the Buddha of Many Treasures who emerged in the ‘Stupa of Treasures’ chapter of the theoretical section, and bodhisattvas from the earth in the ‘Emerging from the Earth’ chapter. These are very meaningful to me. And those who hate me cannot affect my enlightenment no matter what power they hold.”

Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 77

Nichiren took the example of Śākyamuni Buddha and the Buddha of Many Treasures together in the Stupa of Treasures and devoted his life solely to the cause of spreading the Lotus Sūtra in the Latter Age of Degeneration. As he says in Shohō Jisso-shō:

“When Śākyamuni Buddha, the Buddha of Many Treasures, and many other Buddhas and bodhisattvas from all over the Universe gathered at the assembly up in the sky above Mt. Sacred Eagle, what Śākyamuni Buddha and the Buddha of Many Treasures agreed upon was solely for the sake of perpetually spreading the Lotus Sūtra in the Latter Age of Degeneration. When the Buddha of Many Treasures who had already been inside the Stupa shared his seat with Śākyamuni Buddha, what was decided by the two Buddhas as generals standing under the flag of Myōhō Renge Kyō was nothing but the truth. It was a meeting to help us living beings achieve Buddhahood.”

Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4,
Page 78-79

Nichiren goes on to say that he wasn’t there at the time, but speculates he might have been and just doesn’t recall since he’s an ordinary man. With this speculation he emphasizes that “past, present, and future are not separated from one another.” This is just as true today for those of us who have taken faith in the Lotus Sutra – the past on Mt. Gṛdhrakūṭa is not separate from where we practice today.