Day 4 finishes Chapter 2, Expedients, and completes the first volume of the Sūtra of the Lotus flower of the Wonderful Dharma.

Having last month covered every Buddha’s vows to ” cause all living beings To attain the same enlightenment That I attained,” we continue the review of what all Buddhas teach.

They know the Highest Truth of Tranquil Extinction.
They have the power to employ expedients.
Although they expound various teachings,
Their purpose is to reveal the Buddha-Vehicle.

Knowing the deeds of all living beings,
And their thoughts deep in their minds,
And the karmas they have done in their previous existence,
And their desires, natures, and powers to make efforts,
And also knowing whether each of them is keen or dull,
The Buddhas expound the Dharma according to their capacities,
With various stories of previous lives, parables, similes and discourses,
That is to say, with various expedients.

I also do the same.
I show the enlightenment of the Buddha
With various teachings
In order to give peace to all living beings.

I know the natures and desires of all living beings
By the power of my wisdom.
Therefore, I expound various teachings expediently,
And cause all living beings to rejoice.

Before I became a Buddhist I first had to leave behind the family teachings about a supreme being who not only saw everything but had a plan for everything and fixed everything within that plan. Śākyamuni Buddha is no less omnipotent. Make no mistake. But Śākyamuni perceives my “natures and desires.” He knows my karmas, whether I am keen or dull. And with his teachings, causes me to rejoice.