Tao-sheng Commentary on the Lotus Sutra, p190-191Thereupon Śāriputra, seeing the doubts of the four kinds of devotees, and also because he, himself, did not understand [why the Buddha had said this], said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! Why do you extol so enthusiastically [what you call] the highest [Truth, and the power of the Buddhas to employ) expedients?”
Sharing the [collective] sentiment [prevalent in the congregation] at the time, [Śāriputra] has availed himself of the opportunity to raise a question. As the doubts intensify in his mind, his will to resolve them also becomes very strong.
The path (tao) being lofty and li being recondite, who would dare to ask about them? If the Buddha did not preach, the traces would look like the Dharma they (the congregation) envisioned them to be. Therefore, the World-Honored One rose from samādhi and preached of his own accord, though unsolicited, praising the Buddha’s wisdom as “extremely profound” and immeasurable. The gāthās that follow are designed to praise [the Buddha’s wisdom] in a chant.
Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Feb. 22, 2025
The people were under the pressure
Of various sufferings.
They were fighting with the Maras
In order to emancipate themselves
From suffering.
Because I saw all this,
I expounded various teachings to them.
I expounded many sūtras with skillful expedients.Now I know that they can understand Myōhō Renge Kyō.
Therefore, I expound Myōhō Renge Kyō to them lastly
Just as the king took the brilliant gem
Out of his top-knot
And gave it [to the bravest man lastly].
Tao-sheng: The Abode of the Eternal Cessation of Nirvana
Tao-sheng Commentary on the Lotus Sutra, p190He expounded to us the teaching of emancipation. We obtained this teaching and reached Nirvāṇa. We do not know why he says all this. (Hurwitz translation: The Buddha has preached the doctrine of unique deliverance, which means that we, too, gaining this Dharma, shall reach nirvana. Yet now we do not know where this doctrine tends.”)
Even though there is distinction between superior and inferior in the merits and virtues of the three vehicles, there ultimately is no difference in that they all reach the abode of the eternal cessation of nirvana. Hence, it is said, “unique deliverance” (ekaiva vimuktir), “unique” (or “one”) meaning “the same.” But they do not “know where the doctrine tends’? that the Buddha praised in such utmost earnest.
Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Feb. 21, 2025
Anyone who rejoices at hearing Myōhō Renge Kyō,
And who receives Myōhō Renge Kyō respectfully,
Know this, has already reached
The stage of avaivartika.
Tao-sheng: The Doubts of Voice Hearers
Tao-sheng Commentary on the Lotus Sutra, p190The great multitude at that time included Śrāvakas. [They also included] Ājñāta-Kauṇḍinya, and other Arhats, twelve hundred altogether, who had already eliminated āsravas. [They also included] the bhikṣus, bhikṣunīs, upāsakās, and upāsikās, [that is, the four kinds of devotees] who had already aspired for Śrāvakahood or Pratyekabuddhahood. All of them thought:
“Why does the World-Honored One extol so enthusiastically the power of the Buddhas to employ expedients?”
The reason that [the Buddha] until now ceased to speak is to stop their doubts. But more doubts arose in those ignorant [of the Buddha’s true goal]. These voice hearers have heard the Buddha praising highly this path as being so profound, but they are far from realizing where his purport lies.
Do You Believe in Ghosts?
In Nichiren Buddhism, the 10 realms include:
Hell-dwellers
Hungry ghosts
Animals
Fighting demons (asuras)
Humanity
Heavenly beings
Śrāvakas
Pratyekabuddhas
Bodhisattvas
Buddhas
Master Hsuan Hua’s One Thought–Ten Dharma Realms offers a very Chinese interpretation of the realm of ghosts, hungry or not.
Almost everyone has heard of ghosts, but not everyone believes in them. Even some Buddhists do not believe that there are ghosts.
You ask:
What are ghosts?
Ghosts are masses of yin energy.
Sometimes they appear
As a shadow with no form or
As a form with no shadow.Perhaps you have seen a dark shadow, but when you looked closer it disappeared. Perhaps you have seen what looked like a person, but then that form vanished in the blink of an eye. These phenomena are not easy to understand.
Ghosts are another realm in the ten Dharma Realms. There are as many different kinds of ghosts as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River. Some ghosts are affluent and powerful and reign as kings over the ghost realms. However, some are poverty-stricken and devoid of authority–it is often the poor ghosts who bother people and go about causing trouble. If you want to know how many kinds of ghosts there are, work hard on your cultivation, open the five eyes, and develop the six spiritual powers, and then you’ll know.
As for people who say there are no ghosts, I tell them that if there are no ghosts, then there are also no Buddhas, people, or animals, because animals are transformed from ghosts, and so are people, asuras, and so forth. The same applies to devas, Arhats, Solitary Sages, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas.
Why is this?
The ten Dharma Realms are not beyond a single thought. A single thought creates the ten Dharma Realms.
One Thought–Ten Dharma Realms, p70
As a bonus, I offer a Chart of the Heavens. This chart comes from a Chart of Samsara published in Buddhism: A Brief Introduction. Appendix 1 Page 127-131
Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Feb. 20, 2025
Thereupon Universal-Sage Bodhisattva said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! If anyone keeps Myōhō Renge Kyō in the defiled world in the later five hundred years after [your extinction], I will protect him so that he may be free from any trouble, that he may be peaceful, and that no one may take advantage [of his weak points]. Mara, his sons, his daughters, his subjects, his attendants, yakṣas, rākṣasas, kumbhāṇḍas, piśācakas, kṛtyas, pūtanas, vetādas or other living beings who trouble men shall not take advantage [of his weak points].
Tao-sheng: Words Without Discrepancy
Tao-sheng Commentary on the Lotus Sutra, p190My words are not false.
li is the sole ultimate. The [Buddha’s] words tally with li. Hence, it is said, “words are without discrepancy.”
Footnotes To Understanding
Yesterday’s post about Chinese Master Hsuan Hua’s One Thought–Ten Dharma Realm concluded with a mention of the Age of the Dharma’s Ending. One of the joys of reading this book for me was the footnotes. On the bottom of page 56 we learn:
There are Three Ages of Dharma in Buddhism: Right Dharma, Semblance Dharma, and Dharma’s Ending
- The Age of the Right Dharma was the first 1,000 years after the Buddha’s passing when his disciples were diligent in their practice and awakened to the Dharma.
- The Age of the Semblance Dharma was the second period of time lasting 1,000 years. People are devoted to the external signs of the Dharma but not many have direct knowledge of the Dharma.
- The Age of the Dharma’s Ending is the third period of 10,000 years, when the Dharma is about to disappear and people like to fight and compete rather than cultivate. We are currently in this age.
Although the Three Ages are described in time periods, another way of understanding them is in the present moment. A thought of fighting is the Age of the Dharma’s Ending, a thought of true practice is the Age of the Right Dharma. Similar to the ten Dharma Realms, the Three Ages are also not beyond a single thought in the mind.
Another example is the footnotes on page 49 for the five precepts, the ten good deeds and outflows.
The five precepts consist of 1) not killing. 2) not stealing, 3) not committing sexual misconduct, 4) not lying, and 5) not taking intoxicants. Buddhist practitioners can request to receive these precepts formally as a vow that they then uphold. These precepts are the foundation for spiritual practice.
The ten good deeds are 1) no killing, 2) no stealing, 3) no sexual misconduct, 4) no lying, 5) no divisive speech, 6) no harsh speech, 7) no frivolous speech, 8) no greed, 9) no hatred, and 10) no delusion.
Outflow (Skt. asrava, Ch. you lou 有漏) literally means a “leak” or “flowing out” that an awakened being puts an end to. There are usually three outflows: 1) outflow of sensuality, 2) outflow of existence, and 3) outflow of ignorance. Doing good deeds with outflows is like trying to put water in a leaky bucket. No matter how much water we put into it, the bucket never gets full. For example, if we practice giving with an expectation to be rewarded in the future, then our practice of giving has outflows. The ideal is to give without any attachments or expectations, which ultimately allows us to become free of the conditioned realm.
The discussion of Asuras on page 57 says:
Asuras may be born in the heavens, in the human realm, or in the realms of animals and hungry ghosts.
Dragged by the force of their karma,
they become deluded and confused,
create more karma, undergo the results of their actions,
and then are born again due to the force of their karma.As cultivators, we must not be contentious, aggressive, or have a violent temper. Then we will be free of the asura realm.
In the footnote we get this explanation of Karma:
Karma is defined as intentional action of body, speech, and mind. Therefore, the force of karma is simply the habitual patterns that push us along into our next moment of existence. If the scope of time is expanded, then the power of karma is in our deep-seated habits that push us on from life to life. However, despite our conditioning, at every moment we have the opportunity to choose what karmic action to take. The Buddha’s teachings give us the tools to take that opportunity rather than just be slaves to our habits.
It is also important to note that karma is not only negative, but can be classified as good, bad, mixed, and neither good nor bad. Good karma leads to a good rebirth, while bad karma leads to a bad rebirth. Mixed karma, a combination of good and bad actions leads to good and bad results. Finally, karma that is neither good nor bad comes from cultivating precepts, meditative stillness, and wisdom. This final type of karma has no outflows and leads to awakening.
Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Feb. 19, 2025
In Myōhō Renge Kyō
The teachings for the Śrāvakas are criticized.
Those who hear
ThatMyōhō Renge Kyō is the king of all the sūtras,
And think over Myōhō Renge Kyō clearly after hearing Myōhō Renge Kyō,
Know this, will approach the wisdom of the Buddha.