The practice of the Sutra of Contemplation of the Dharma Practice of Universal Sage Bodhisattva, unlike the Sutra Innumerable Meanings, is not limited to Great Bodhisattvas or modeled after them. This practice is for “any monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen, the eight kinds of guardians, gods, dragons and others, or any other living beings.” Underscoring this universal nature is the choice of principals in this teaching – Ananda, Maha-Kashyapa and Maitreya Bodhisattva, speaking in once voice, with Ananda as the leader.
Using the Reeves translation, we set the stage with this:
Then the three great leaders spoke to the Buddha in one voice: “World-Honored One, after the extinction of the Tathagata, how can living beings aspire to be bodhisattvas, follow the Great Vehicle sutras, the Expansive Teaching, and think about the world of one truth correctly? How can they keep from losing their aspiration for unexcelled awakening? Without cutting off their and renouncing the five desires, how can they purify their sense organs and completely rid themselves of their sins? With the natural pure eyes received at birth from their parents, and without leaving the world of the five desires, how can they see past their hindrances?”
The Buddha said to Ananda: “Listen carefully! Listen carefully! Consider what I am about to say and remember it well! Long ago, on Holy Eagle Peak and in other places, the Tathagata has already thoroughly explained the way of one truth. But now in this place, for all living beings and others in the future who want to practice the unsurpassable Dharma of the Great Vehicle, and for those who want to learn the practice of Universal Sage and to follow the practice of Universal Sage, I will now teach this method of contemplation. For all those who are able to see Universal Sage, as well as for those who do not see him, I will now explain in detail how to eliminate evils.
“Ananda, Universal Sage Bodhisattva was born in the east, in the Land of Pure Wonder. I have already described the nature of his land at length in the Flower Garland Sutra. Now I will briefly explain it again in this sutra.
“Ananda, if any monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen, the eight kinds of guardians, gods, dragons and others, or any other living beings, recite the Great Vehicle, study the Great Vehicle, aspire to the Great Vehicle, want to see the material body of Universal Sage Bodhisattva, want to see the Stupa of Abundant Treasures Buddha, want to see Shakyamuni Buddha and the buddhas who embody him, or want to gain purity of the six senses, they should learn this contemplation.
“The blessings of this contemplation will eliminate their hindrances and allow them to see the excellent and wonderful form of the Buddha. Even though they have not yet entered into concentration, just because they recite and embrace the Great Vehicle they will devote themselves to studying it and putting it into practice, and after keeping their attention continuously on the Great Vehicle for one day, or for three weeks, they will be able to see Universal Sage.
“Those who have heavy hindrances will see him after seven weeks. Those who have heavier hindrances will see him after one lifetime. Those who have still heavier hindrances will see him after two lifetimes. And those who have yet heavier hindrances will see him after three life times. Thus past actions have a variety of consequences. They are not always the same. This is why I teach in a variety of ways.”
Here’s hoping I see Universal Sage at the end of three weeks at the conclusion of this 21-day stay-cation retreat.
Trivia point: The first chapter of the Sutra of Innumerable Meanings includes a lengthy verse section detailing the merits of Śākyamuni. Among these is his height.
The Threefold Lotus Sutra by Bunno Kato, Yoshiro Tamura, and Kojiro Miyasaka with revisions by W. E. Soothill, Wilhelm Schiffer, and Pier P. Del Campana says “He reveals his body, Ten feet six inches in height…”
The BDK English Tripitaka translation by David W. Chappell, Joseph M. Longan, Terry Yamada and Tsugunari Kubo says “Your manifestation is nearly sixteen feet tall…”
The Lotus Sutra by Gene Reeves says “He shows his body: Sixteen feet tall…”
Did Threefold Lotus Sutra translators separate the ten and the six and then translate that into feet and inches or did they see something the others missed? All of these translations are working from Kumārajīva’s Chinese.
In the end, I’m not happy with the Threefold Lotus Sutra translation. It is awkward – and perhaps error prone – and just generally not pleasing to read aloud. I have been using it in my 32 day practice this cycle but I will set it aside and pick up Reeves when I start the next cycle.