[Chapter 27, King Wonderful-Adornment as the Previous Life of a Bodhisattva,] touches upon many important problems of actual life. We should take the various characters in the story as models, appreciating their attitudes according to their positions. The attitude of King Resplendent is an example of that which a person engaged in politics or national leadership should take toward the truth; the deeds of the two royal sons, Pure Treasury and Pure-Eyed, show how children may open their parents’ eyes to faith (this also applies to a wife’s opening her husband’s eyes to it); Queen Pure Virtue is a model of the attitude a mother ought to take in mediating between progressive sons and a conservative father in order to promote the truth. 403-404
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Buddhism for Today: A Modern Interpretation of the Threefold Lotus Sutra
Five Kinds of Untranslatable Words
Buddhism for Today, p390Many mystic Sanskrit words appear in this chapter. Why were these words not translated? The reason is due to the prudence of Kumārajīva, who translated the Lotus Sutra from Sanskrit into Chinese. When the Mahāyāna sutras were rendered into Chinese from Sanskrit, the translators, including Kumārajīva, left “untranslatable words” untouched. These translators defined as untranslatable the following five kinds of words:
- Words with meanings alien to Chinese, that is, the names of animals, plants, and demons peculiar to India but foreign to China. For example: the fragrance of tamālapattra and of tagara, mentioned in chapter 19, and such beings as garuḍas and kiṃnaras.
- Words with many meanings, that is, words that cannot be fully translated by a single word. For example: dhārāṇi, sometimes meaning the mystic power that enables a reciter to maintain the teaching he has heard, sometimes meaning the power of checking all evil and of encouraging all good, sometimes meaning the mystic syllables by which the reciter can escape disaster. The mystic syllables in chapter 26 belong to the last category.
- Mystic words. For example: the dhārāṇi spells appearing in chapter 26. These words were left as they were because their profound meaning would be impaired if they were translated.
- Transliterations well established by precedent. For example: Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi, which can be translated as “Perfect Enlightenment” or “the unsurpassed wisdom of the Buddha.”
- Words with profound meanings, which would lose their true meaning if translated. For example: buddha and bodhi.
These five kinds of untranslatable words (goshu-fuhon) were invariably left untouched by any translator.
The Supernatural Powers of This Bodhisattva equal the Power of the Law
Buddhism for Today, p351[W]e are very wrong in our judgment if we interpret the form of salvation superficially. For example, it is stated in chapter 25, “The All-Sidedness of the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World,” that anyone who keeps in mind the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World will be delivered from various sufferings. If we interpret this statement literally, it seems to mean that we do not have to work hard at practicing the Buddha’s teachings; but with such an attitude, none of the teachings of the Lotus Sutra will bear fruit. Anyone can easily understand that in the last six chapters the Buddha cannot have been so illogical and contradictory as to deny fundamentally all of the teachings preached up through chapter 22. It is surprising to find that for centuries many people have put a shallow interpretation on something that should be so easily understood and have turned to an easy, lazy faith that they thought would allow them to become free of suffering merely by keeping in mind the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World.
When we read chapter 25 carefully and in depth, we understand that the supernatural powers of this bodhisattva are essentially identical with the power of the Law preached by the Tathāgata Sakyamuni. We also realize that we must depend spiritually upon the Law to the last, but that in cultivating and practicing it we should take the model of the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World as our immediate goal. It is most regrettable that misunderstanding and simplistic interpretations of Buddhist sutras have sunk deeply into the minds of the general public over a period of many centuries, vitiating the true spirit of Buddhism. It is earnestly hoped that readers of this book will not make the same mistake.
Illumining the Symbol of Buddha-Wisdom
Buddhism for Today, p367-368The ray of light emitted from the white hair-circle between the eyebrows of Sakyamuni Buddha shone throughout the domain of the buddhas. This means that although the Original Buddha exists everywhere, living beings can first know of his existence only through the teachings of Sakyantuni. The ray of light from the white hair-circle of Sakyamuni Buddha is the symbol of his Buddha-wisdom, which has revealed the universal truth. This fact has been expressed continually since chapter 1 of the Lotus Sutra, but it is especially important for us to be reawakened to its significance in this chapter. That is why the story begins with the mention of the Buddha’s emitting from the white hair-circle a ray of light that shines throughout the domain of the buddhas. Unless we realize the significance of this, we are liable to have only a shallow understanding of the story or, worse, to misunderstand it altogether.
Paying Homage to The Buddha
Buddhism for Today, p357The greatest homage of the Bodhisattva Loveliness to the Buddha was to endeavor to maintain the Buddha’s teachings forever and to memorize and extol them. However, as a believer who practiced the Lotus Sutra, he was not satisfied with such practices because he realized that the greatest homage to the Buddha is to practice his teachings oneself. Therefore the Bodhisattva Loveliness burned his arms. In other words, he devoted himself to the practice of the Law with no concern for whatever trouble, pain, or difficulty it might entail. His practices themselves became a great light that led all the people to dispel the darkness in their minds, causing them to seek the Way voluntarily. From this description, we can understand what great merit our practice of the Law will bring to us.
The True benevolent and compassionate Mind
Buddhism for Today, p344Three times the Buddha laid his hand upon the heads of the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas and repeated the following words. From this repetition, we can easily judge how important was his declaration: “I, for incalculable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of asaṃkhyeyas of kalpas, have practiced this rare Law of Perfect Enlightenment. Now I entrust it to you. Do you receive and keep, read and recite, and proclaim this Law abroad that all living beings universally may hear and know it. Wherefore? The Tathāgata is most benevolent and compassionate, not mean and stingy, and is able fearlessly to give the Buddha-wisdom, the Tathāgata-wisdom, and the Self-existent wisdom to all living beings.”
This is an extremely important passage. The words “rare Law” and “not mean and stingy” call for deep consideration in order to understand their true meaning. We cannot attain the Buddha’s enlightenment without undergoing extraordinary difficulties. Leaving aside his long period of practice in former lives, the Buddha repeatedly underwent many sufferings in this world and finally attained enlightenment. He also openly taught his rare Law of Perfect Enlightenment to all living beings without the slightest trace of a mean and stingy mind. Moreover, he used various tactful means with thoughtful consideration so that all living beings might be able to attain Perfect Enlightenment as quickly as possible and without being sidetracked.
When we compare this attitude with the common way of the world, we must acknowledge how much we owe to the Buddha. When experienced people teach knowledge and techniques to their juniors, there are very few who take the trouble to lead their juniors so successfully that they can master the learning and techniques in half the time that it took the teacher to acquire them. Most seasoned veterans take the attitude that it is beneath their dignity to initiate their juniors, into the secrets of their learning and techniques, or else they force their juniors to experience as many difficulties in learning as they themselves did. Such an attitude comes from a mean and stingy mind, which is a great impediment to social progress.
The Buddha strictly admonished us against having mean and stingy minds. A person should not only generously and unstintingly teach others what he has realized but also help the learners through various methods to master it faster than he himself did. This is the true benevolent and compassionate mind. A veteran should maintain this attitude toward his juniors in teaching secular learning and techniques, to say nothing of instructing them in the Law and enlightenment. We should wholeheartedly adopt such an attitude.
The Teaching of Wisdom and the Teaching of Compassion
Buddhism for Today, p323-324This chapter is very important because two teachings, the Law of Appearance and the Law of Origin, are brought to their culmination herein. It also teaches us that these two teachings are not separate but, even though they seem different, are one in essence.
In the Law of Appearance, Sakyamuni Buddha revealed the aim and the content of the teachings that he had preached since his attainment of buddhahood. This is a philosophical and ethical teaching emphasizing the formation of this world, human beings as they ought to be, the right way to live, and ideal human relationships.
In the Law of Origin, Sakyamuni revealed that the Buddha is not limited to Sakyamuni himself, who appeared in this world and lived a mortal life, but is the Original Being with the great life of non-beginning and non-end. In this Law, the Buddha teaches us that in order to be finally saved and to establish true peace in our world, we must be united with the Original Buddha, that is, must take refuge in him wholeheartedly.
We can distinguish between the Law of Appearance and the Law of Origin in the following way: the former is the teaching preached by Sakyamuni, who appeared as a man in this world, while the latter is the teaching declared by the Original Buddha, who exists from the infinite past to the eternal future. Because wisdom is more necessary than anything else in order to live correctly, the former is the teaching of wisdom, while the latter is the teaching of compassion, which preaches absolute salvation. It is indeed necessary for us to distinguish these two Laws when we go deeply into the study of the teaching of the Lotus Sutra.
Enough Instruction To Lead To Perfect Enlightenment
Buddhism for Today, p305It is not supposed that all the disciples who listened to the Buddha’s preaching in chapter 19 completely understood the true meaning of his encouragement and the admonition included therein. Some of them may have become discouraged, thinking, “We cannot possibly practice all the teachings of the Lotus Sutra perfectly.” Others may have been complacent, thinking, “We can obtain merit somehow or other if we just do the five kinds of practices of preachers according to form.” Still others may have momentarily felt conceited, flattering themselves: “Unlike the disciples of the two vehicles, śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, we bodhisattvas are possessed of this kind of supernatural power. We are quite different from them.”
On all occasions, the Buddha’s sermons were perfect and left nothing to be desired. Whenever he perceived the slightest doubt in the minds of his disciples, he gave them enough instruction to lead them to Perfect Enlightenment. It can easily be imagined that probably he did the same in his preaching of chapter 19.
Merits of the Ear
Buddhism for Today, p300We find the following two important expressions in the verse portion in which the Buddha speaks of the merits of the ear: “He can listen without being under their control” and “He will hear without harm to his organ of hearing.” The former expression means that even if he hears the sounds of beautiful music he is not attached to them. He may be charmed by music for a short time, but he has no permanent attachment to it, nor is lulled into forgetting important matters. This is a good example for us in regard to our attachment to amusements. The latter expression means that his hearing will not be impaired even if he hears all the sounds in the three-thousand-great-thousand-fold world. This indicates that he will not become confused by hearing all the various kinds of sounds in the world. If an ordinary person hears the sounds of worry, of suffering, and of grief on one side and the sounds of disputes and quarrels on the other, he will be thrown into confusion. However, a person who has deepened his faith sufficiently will not be overwhelmed; he will dwell calmly amid the noise and will be able to hear these sounds with serenity.
Faith and Merits
Buddhism for Today, p257-258The mental happiness, hope, and self-confidence of those who have attained true faith are not frothy and superficial but deep and firm-rooted in their minds. These people have calm, steadfast minds not agitated by anything – fire, water, or sword – because they maintain a mental attitude of great assurance, realizing, “I am always protected by the Buddha as an absolute existence; I am caused to live by the Buddha.”
It is natural that life should change dramatically as soon as we attain such a mental state. It is impossible for our life not to change when our attitude changes. Our mental state changes because of faith, and through the change in our mind, our life changes at the same time. These are the merits of religious practice. Therefore faith is naturally associated with merits.
The merits of religious practice appear not only in man’s mind but also in his body and his material life. Because his mind, his body, and the material things around him are composed of the same void (energy), it stands to reason that his body should change according to changes in his mind, and at the same time that the material things around him should change. It is irrational and unscientific to admit mental merits but deny physical and material ones.