It is not until the beginning of Chapter II before the Buddha actually begins to speak. Here too we might miss the message not directly mentioned. … The message for the readers of the sutra is this teaching the Buddha is about to expound is a teaching of the Buddha’s mind. When the Buddha previously taught he did so in response to a question. He did not teach without being prompted by someone. In those situations the Buddha is said to have been teaching according to the mind of the listener, or according to the mind of the person asking the question.

This is very important to understand: When the Buddha responded to a question he only gave what the questioner asked for, so he was limiting his teachings based upon what he was asked. In this teaching he is going to tell the congregation what his deepest understanding is without the limitations of the listener.

There is not a separate sravaka practice, not a separate Pratyekabuddha practice, and not a separate bodhisattva practice. … [A]ll those who aspire to enlightenment equal to that of all Buddhas should embrace the Bodhisattva practice of saving all beings. What this means for those who were practicing already as bodhisattvas is they also should embrace sravaka and Pratyekabuddha practices and not view themselves as different. As we work to help others we are instructed to not neglect our own life condition and circumstances.

For me relating to the Lotus Sutra from different perspectives gives me different understandings. It is kind of like the way a prism causes a beam of bright white light to scatter into a rainbow of colors. So too, using different prisms to look at the Lotus Sutra I think you get a different perspective and a different way of understanding. At least that is what I hope I can convey to you.

In Chapter X we have a transition which shifts the importance of revering the relics of the Buddha to revering the teachings of the Buddha. In this shift we replace the body of the Buddha with the teachings of the Buddha. The Buddha makes it clear that Buddhas are not entities to be worshiped; it is their teachings that are important.

There is a lot of messy stuff in our lives for which a lot of work is required to sort out. There is no instant on button for Buddhist practice, regardless of the path chosen. Just as there is a whole
growing cycle required for the lotus blossom to manifest, so it is in our lives. Simply put there is a lot of self-work in order to manifest the lotus blossom in our lives.

The final of the four things we are required to do in order to obtain the Dharma is fulfill our vow to teach others and to share with others the truth and joy of the Lotus Sutra. Please do not confuse propagation with conversion. If we believe, as the sutra teaches us, that all beings are Buddhas, that all life already possesses Buddha potential, then conversion is not possible since there is nothing to convert. When we propagate Buddhism, we are trying to shine a light on the other person’s Buddha nature so they can awaken to what is already in them. We are planting the seeds to their great personal awakening. The awakening may not occur in this lifetime or the next, but it is inevitable to eventually manifest in their lives. We need only carry out the practice of telling others and living by example the Lotus Sutra. When we do this we will also manifest the Wonderful Dharma of the Lotus Flower Sutra we have obtained.

One of the four things required in order to obtain the Lotus Sutra is firmness of faith. Firmness of faith here is referring to the kind of faith and practice that is steady and always growing. This is a faith that is a manifestation of the confidence in the truth of the Lotus Sutra. This steadiness of faith is not stagnant but is constantly expanding. You might think of it as entering a positive feedback loop, where faith begins to actually be a motivating force in practice. Initially as we begin to practice we might not have absolute faith in the Lotus Sutra and what we are doing or even if it works. So our practice at first is about building faith based upon changing theory into actual lived experiences. The more we practice the stronger our faith becomes. As our faith grows it becomes the motivation for practice and is no longer the aim of practice.

Our practice includes the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, the Twelve-Link Chain of Causation, the Six Paramitas, and it is all contained in the Lotus Sutra and the Odaimoku of Namu Myoho Renge Kyo. When we strive to live according to the fundamental truths of Buddhism and follow the teachings in the Lotus Sutra by chanting the sutra and the Odaimoku, we create a life that manifests our inherent Buddha potential and allows us to live a life of indestructible happiness.

Of the Six Paramitas – Giving – Dana; Discipline – Five Precepts; Patience; Effort; Meditation; and Wisdom – Wisdom is the manifestation of the supreme wisdom of the Buddha that already lies deep in ourself, which through our practice we bring to the surface.

When I give basic instruction on meditation I talk about wisdom having a soft underdeveloped voice. Because we are so busy and distracted with our thoughts that voice of wisdom is hard to hear and frequently is shouted down or drowned out. Yet, deep down in the core of our being we have great potential for wisdom, our Buddha-voice.

Of the Six Paramitas – Giving – Dana; Discipline – Five Precepts; Patience; Effort; Meditation; and Wisdom – Meditation is a loose translation of Dhyana. It could also be considered single-minded concentration. Our usual state of mind is fleeting. First we have one thought and the next moment we are thinking yet something else, and all of this while supposedly we are engaged in some activity. This is perhaps one reason why people think they enjoy or function better if they are multitasking. What multitasking has done however is make it easier to live distracted lives and avoid concentration.

When we lead distracted lives we miss out on things and we tend to make more mistakes either in performance or judgment. Buddhism teaches us to push against the easy things in our lives. Focusing the mind, concentrating on a single task or thought is hard and takes practice; perhaps this is why some people prefer not doing it. The mind when it is focused and concentrated is capable of accomplishing many great things.