Category Archives: d1b

d1b, WONS

The Daigo Taste of the Lotus Sūtra

As I contemplate the Buddhist scriptures, it is stated in the Sūtra of the Golden Splendor (translated by Dharma-Kema), “The Sun Deity and Moon Deity regain their vigor upon hearing this sūtra.” The Sūtra of the Golden Splendor (translated by I-ching) states, “It is due to the power of this sūtra that the sun and moon revolve around the four continents.” That is to say, it is the power of the Buddhist Dharma that causes the sun and moon to circle the four continents. Those two versions of the Sūtra of the Golden Splendor are expedients to the Lotus Sūtra. Compared to the Lotus Sūtra they are like milk against “clarified butter” or gold against a “treasure-gem.” If even the taste of such inferior sūtras can make the sun and moon revolve around the four continents, how much more so can the daigo taste of the Lotus Sūtra accomplish? Therefore, the Sun Deity attended the preaching of the “Introduction” chapter of the Lotus Sūtra as Fukō Tenji (Universal Fragrance), and was granted future Buddhahood as the Kaji Nyorai in the “Teacher of the Dharma” chapter.

Shijō Kingo Shakabutsu Kuyō, Opening the Eyes Service of Shijō Kingo’s Statue of Śākyamuni Buddha, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 6, Followers I, Pages 133-134

stories, LS32, d1b

What It Means To Be A Reader of the Dharma Flower Sutra

When contemplating any of the stories of the Dharma Flower Sutra, we would do well to ask oneself where we ourselves fit into the story – to remember in this case that I myself am a member of the great assembly gathered before the Buddha. That is what it means to be a hearer or reader of the Dharma Flower Sutra.

The Stories of the Lotus Sutra, p36
stories, LS32, d1b

The Worlds of the Dharma

In the Lotus Sutra there are worlds, heavens, purgatories, and so on, making up a very rich imaginary cosmos. Much has been written about Indian and Buddhist cosmology, but none of it is very helpful in facilitating better understanding of the Dharma Flower Sutra. In this Sutra, cosmology is used, not as quasi-scientific description of the universe, but to enhance the place and importance of Shakyamuni Buddha, the Dharma Flower Sutra preached by him, and the world of Shakyamuni Buddha, this “saha world.” It is important to realize from the outset that the cosmological episodes – the mysterious and even magical events that occur in the Dharma Flower Sutra – are imaginative stories, used for the practical purpose of transforming the minds and hearts and lives of the readers or hearers of the Sutra. They are used for the purpose of having us understand – not only in our heads, but also spiritually, in the depths of our beings – that how we live our lives is important, not only for ourselves and those close to us, but for the whole cosmos as well.

The Stories of the Lotus Sutra, p35
d1b, d2b, Blog

Three Truths About 10 Worlds

This was written in advance of Sunday’s meeting of the Nichiren Buddhist Sangha of the San Francisco Bay Area. Having whined at an earlier meeting that discussion of the Lotus Sutra didn’t include enough actual discussion of the Lotus Sutra, it was decided to allow attendees more opportunity to contribute. In the future, Mark Herrick will provide his overview of that month’s chapter on the first Sunday and the third Sunday will be given over to the “favorite” verses of attendees. Today’s service, an unusual fifth Sunday service was a dry run. Here’s a video of today’s discussion.

In Chapter 1, Introductory, the stage is set for the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma. While I normally focus on the this stage as a whole, elements of this staging invite closer inspection. Consider the ray of light emitted by Śākyamuni from the white curls between his eyebrows, illuminating all the corners of eighteen thousand worlds in the east. That light reaches down to the Avchi Hell of each world, and up to the Akanistha Heaven of each world.

The congregation can see from this world the living beings of the six regions of those worlds.

Mañjuśrī recalls seeing the same good omen from a Buddha called Sun-Moon-Light. That Tathagata emitted a ray of light from the white curls between his eyebrows, and illumined all the corners of eighteen thousand Buddha-worlds in the east just as Śākyamuni did.

Consider for a moment that we don’t normally see this simultaneous nature of the 10 worlds. We see our provisional existence but not how each world interpenetrates the other. In our provisional existence we imagine nine realms separate from us, nine doors leading to a different place and within each of those nine doors. Interconnected, but not interpenetrating.

With the light of the Buddha’s wisdom, the simultaneous existence of the 10 worlds is revealed in the same way that the light of our Sun passing through a prism reveals the rainbow of colors inside.

These are not two truths — a separate 10 worlds or an interpenetrating existence; a provisional reality or emptiness — but one truth, the Middle Way.

As explained in Lotus Seeds:

The Truth of the Middle Way is the teaching that Emptiness and Provisionality are different ways of pointing out that the reality of anything, including our own lives, transcends the categories of existence and non-existence.
Lotus Seeds

Peaceful Action, d1b, d17b

The Story of Devadatta and Ajātaśatru

The story of Devadatta is well-known. He was a very bright and highly charismatic monk who, because of his ambition, brought about a schism in the Sangha. Devadatta first tried to get the Buddha to appoint him leader of the Sangha. The Buddha was then over seventy years old, near the end of his life and ministry. But while he considered himself to be a teacher and an inspiration, the Buddha didn’t think of himself as the leader of the Sangha, and he didn’t want to appoint someone as a leader, either. So he refused Devadatta’s request.

Devadatta then allied himself with Prince Ajātaśatru, King Bimbisara’s son, and the two schemed to usurp the kingdom so that Ajātaśatru could ascend the throne and Devadatta could gain control of the Sangha. Devadatta went before an assembly of the Buddha’s Sangha and proposed a set of ascetic guidelines for the monks, trying to show that his way of practice was more serious and austere. The Buddha did not accept these new guidelines for the Sangha but said that any monk who wished to practice them was free to do so. Devadatta was highly charismatic, and he was able to persuade nearly 500 monks to join his new Sangha. Many of these monks were young and had not yet had much opportunity to learn from the Buddha.

In this way, Devadatta brought about the first schism of the Buddhist Sangha. He and his group went to live on Mount Gayashisa, and Ajātaśatru supported them with donations of food and medicine. Then Ajātaśatru initiated his plan to take over the kingdom. After an attempt on his father’s life was unsuccessful, he had his father put under house arrest and deprived him of food so that he would starve to death. Queen Vaidehi, wife of Bimbisara and Ajātaśatru’s mother, visited her husband every day, hiding food on her person, and for a while she was able to keep the king nourished. But her subterfuge was discovered, and Ajātaśatru barred her from seeing the king. The king eventually died in confinement. The Buddha’s personal physician, Jīvaka, also served Queen Vaidehi. Through Jīvaka, the Buddha learned of Ajātaśatru’s schemes and that Devadatta was behind them.

Devadatta was also behind three attempts on the Buddha’s life. The first time a swordsman was sent to assassinate him. But when he saw the Buddha sitting in meditation in the moonlight, he was not able to carry out the murder. Instead he knelt before the Buddha and confessed. According to the plan, once he had killed the Buddha, the assassin was to leave the mountain by a certain path, unaware that he himself would be killed in order to cover up the murder. So the Buddha advised him to go down a different path and then, with his mother, flee to the neighboring kingdom of Kosala for refuge.

In the second attempt, the would-be murderers rolled a big boulder down from the mountaintop. The stone struck the Buddha, and though it did not kill him, his left foot was badly wounded and he lost a lot of blood. In the third attempt, Devadatta’s men released a wild elephant to attack the Buddha, but the Buddha was able to calm the animal and was not harmed. The Buddha survived all three attempts on his life and he did not leave the kingdom, even though it was a very difficult time for him. He continued to stay and practice there, and through the practice, he exemplified nonviolent resistance.

Eventually, with the help of the bhikshus Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana, who visited Devadatta’s Sangha to teach and help the young monks, nearly everyone returned to the Buddha and the schism in the Sangha was healed. Later on Devadatta became very sick and was near death. He was so weak and ill that he could not stand or walk on his own anymore, so he asked two monks to carry him to The Gṛdhrakūṭa Mountain Peak. There, before the Buddha, Devadatta said, “1 take refuge in the Buddha, I go back to the Buddha and take refuge in him,” and the Buddha accepted him back into the Sangha.

Sometime later, Ajātaśatru was also struck down, by a mental illness. He was filled with remorse and afflicted in body and mind because he had killed his own father and had done many bad things in order to gain power. He consulted various teachers and healers, but no one could cure him. Finally, he consulted with Jīvaka, who advised him to go directly to the Buddha. Ajātaśatru was ashamed. He said, “I cannot go to the Buddha. He must be very angry with me!” But Jīvaka assured him, “No, the Buddha has a lot of compassion, he is not angry with you. If you go to him and ask him with all your heart, he will help you overcome this illness.”

Jīvaka arranged for Ajātaśatru to attend a Dharma talk by the Buddha in the Mango Grove at the foot of The Gṛdhrakūṭa Mountain Peak. The Buddha spoke on the fruits of the practice, and after the talk the king was invited to ask a few questions. The Buddha took this opportunity to undo the knots within Ajātaśatru and help him recover his health. That day the Buddha served as a skillful physician, a wise and patient psychotherapist to the king, and a good relationship between them was restored. In fact, in the opening scene of the Lotus Sutra we learn that Ajātaśatru is also in the audience, a detail that tells us the Sutra was delivered toward the end of the Buddha’s life, and which shows that Ajātaśatru had returned to the family of the Buddha. From the stories of Devadatta and Ajātaśatru we can see how great is the Buddha’s power of inclusiveness, tolerance, and patience. Even though these two men had committed the worst possible offenses, through his love and compassion the Buddha was able to help them transform and rejoin the family of humanity.

Peaceful Action, Open Heart, p81-84
stories, LS32, d1b

Heavenly Flowers

That heavenly flowers rain both on the Buddha and on the whole assembly is very important. It means that it is not only beautiful and rewarding to preach the Dharma; it is also beautiful and rewarding to hear it. It is, in other words, one of the ways in which there is equality among all of those in the congregation, including the Buddha. This shows that there should be no sharp distinction between teachers and learners. While many forms of Buddhism have adopted a kind of system in which some are authorized to be permanent teachers and others to be students, the Dharma Flower Sutra teaches that we should all be both teachers and learners. Nonetheless there will be times when some are in special positions as teachers or as learners – but this should always be understood as temporary and relative. All can and need to be teachers, and all can and need to be learners.

The Stories of the Lotus Sutra, p33-34
Peaceful Action, d1b, d2b

The Wave and the Water

The intention of [the Lotus Sutra’s] introductory chapter is to prepare the audience psychologically and spiritually to receive a very important teaching, the Scripture of the Lotus Blossom of the Wonderful Dharma. In order to understand the great import of this teaching, the assembly that has gathered in this historical dimension must be introduced to the ultimate dimension. In the past, in another cosmic realm, Buddha Sun and Moon Glow had also given the teaching of the Lotus Sutra. So the miraculous events that are happening today are only a repetition of something that has already occurred in another dimension of reality, the ultimate dimension that is unbounded by our ordinary perceptions of time and space.

As far as the historical dimension is concerned, Shakyamuni is the Buddha who is giving the Dharma talk today in this saha world. From this perspective, the historical Buddha gave teachings for forty years, and then only at the end of his life did he give the teaching of the Lotus Sutra. But in terms of the ultimate dimension, Buddha Shakyamuni and Buddha Sun and Moon Glow are one and the same. In the ultimate dimension, never for a moment has the Buddha ceased to deliver the Lotus Sutra.

So this introductory chapter opens two doors. The first door is that of history, the events we experience and what we can see and know in our own lifetimes. The second door is that of ultimate reality, which goes beyond time and space. Everything, all phenomena, participate in these two dimensions. When we look at a wave on the surface of the ocean, we can see the form of the wave and we locate the wave in space and time. Space and time are not two separate entities; space is made of time and time is made of space. Looking at a wave from the perspective of the historical dimension, it seems to have a beginning and an end, a birth and a death. A wave can be high or low, a wave can be long or short – many qualities can be ascribed to the wave. The notions of “birth” and “death,” “high” or “low,” “beginning” and “ending,” “coming” and “going,” “being” or “nonbeing” – all of these can be applied to a wave in the historical dimension.

We, too, are subject to these notions. When we look in terms of the historical dimension we see that we are subject to being and nonbeing. We are born, but later on we will die. We have a beginning and an end. We have come from somewhere, and we will go somewhere. That is the historical dimension. All of us belong to this dimension. Shakyamuni Buddha also has a historical dimension – he was a human being who was born in Kapilavastu and died in Kushinagara, and during his lifetime of eighty years he taught the Dharma.

At the same time, all beings and things also belong to the ultimate dimension, the dimension of reality that is not subject to notions of space and time, birth and death, coming and going. A wave is a wave, but at the same time it is water. The wave does not have to die in order to become water; it is already water right in the present moment. We don’t speak of water in terms of being or nonbeing, coming and going – water is always water. To talk about a wave, we need these notions: the wave arises and passes away; it comes from somewhere or has gone somewhere; the wave has a beginning and an end; it is high or low, more or less beautiful than other waves; the wave is subject to birth and death. None of these distinctions can be applied to the wave in its ultimate dimension as water. In fact, you cannot separate the wave from its ultimate dimension.

Even though we are used to seeing everything in terms of the historical dimension, we can touch the ultimate dimension. So our practice is to become like a wave – while living the life of a wave in the historical dimension, we realize that we are also water and live the life of water. That is the essence of the practice. Because if you know your true nature of no coming, no going; no being, no nonbeing; no birth, no death, then you will have no fear and can dwell in the ultimate dimension, nirvana, right here and now. You don’t have to die in order to reach nirvana. When you dwell in your true nature, you are already dwelling in nirvana. We have our historical dimension, but we also have our ultimate dimension, just as the Buddha does.

In this introductory chapter, the Lotus Sutra reveals to us these two dimensions. The Buddha Shakyamuni is none other than the Buddha Sun and Moon Glow – and all the other cosmic Buddhas that have appeared in various forms to teach the Dharma from beginningless time.

Peaceful Action, Open Heart, p31-33
stories, LS32, d1b, d2b

Episodes in a Great Story

As we have it now, the first twenty-two chapters of the Sutra, except for Chapter 12, constitute a single story, a story about a time when the Buddha was at the place called Holy Eagle Peak and preached the Dharma Flower Sutra. In other words, about 85 percent of the Sutra falls within a single story.

Thus while there are many stories in the Lotus Sutra, many of them are actually episodes within a larger story that begins with Chapter 1 as a kind of introduction and continues through Chapter 22, which provides a natural end for the Sutra, as well as to the story that begins in the first chapter. Chapter 12 is inserted in order to emphasize the universality of the buddha-nature, and Chapters 23 through 28 are added, for the most part, as illustrations of bodhisattva practice.

20

stories, LS32, d1b

An Invitation and a Warning

Creativity is a path to liberation, and imagination is a path to liberation. That is why the Dharma Flower Sutra invites us into a world of enchantment – to enable us to enter the path of liberation, a liberation that is always both for ourselves and for others. Notice, please, that this first chapter of the Lotus Sutra does not come to us as an order; it is an invitation to enter a new world and thereby take up a new life, but it is only an invitation.

But this invitation also carries a warning – enter this world and your life may be changed. It may be changed in ways you never expected. The Dharma Flower Sutra comes with a warning label. Instead of saying “Dangerous to your health,” it says, “Dangerous to your comfort.” The worst sin in the Lotus Sutra is complacency and the arrogance of thinking one has arrived and has no more to do. The Sutra challenges such comfort and comfortable ideas. Danger can be exciting. It can also be frightening. We do not know if we can make it. We do not know whether we even have the power to enter the path, the Buddha Way.

This is why, while the Dharma Flower Sutra begins with enchantment, it does not end there. It goes further to announce that each and every one of us has within us a great and marvelous power, later called “buddha-nature.” The term “buddha-nature” does not appear in the Lotus Sutra, probably because it had not yet been invented, but the idea that would later be called “buddha-nature” runs through these stories not as a mere thread, but as a central pillar – albeit a very flexible one.

The Stories of the Lotus Sutra, p25-26
d1b, WONS

The Vow of the Gods To Protect the Lotus Sūtra

Thereupon I, Nichiren, loudly declare facing heaven:

As we look at the first chapter on the “Introductory” of the Lotus Sūtra, we see that the King of the Brahma Heaven, Indra, the sun and moon, the Four Heavenly Kings, the Dragon King, asura, various gods of the realms of desire and of form (nikai hachiban) and heavenly beings from numerous worlds gathered in the assembly. When they heard that the Lotus Sūtra was supreme of all the sūtras preached in the past, being preached at present and will be preached in the future, they felt enthusiastic about protecting this sūtra just as Young Ascetic in the Snow Mountains sacrificed his own body for the dharma and Medicine King Bodhisattva burnt his elbow to offer light to the Buddha. Then Lord Śākyamuni Buddha remonstrated them in front of the Buddha of Many Treasures and various Buddhas from the worlds throughout the universe: “You should now swear to protect the Lotus Sūtra.” Encouraged by the Buddha’s advice like sailing in the wind, listeners in the three meetings at two places all swore in unison: “We will protect the practicers of the Lotus Sūtra according to the words of the Buddha,” did they not? What happened to this vow?

Having heard of this oath at their presence, the Buddha of Many Treasures and numerous Buddhas from the worlds throughout the universe felt assured and returned to their respective worlds. It has been many years since Śākyamuni Buddha passed away. Therefore, it could be that although a practicer of the Lotus Sūtra exists today in the Latter Age of Degeneration in a remote land of Japan, such gods as the King of the Brahma Heaven, Indra, the sun and moon have forgotten their oath before the Buddha and do not protect him. To me, a practicer of the Lotus Sūtra in the Latter Age of Degeneration, it is merely a temporary grief. In my numerous lives since the remote past, I have often been a pheasant in front of a hawk, a frog before a snake, a rat before a cat, a monkey before a dog. As this world is as transient as a dream, I can reconcile myself to have been fooled by Buddhas, bodhisattvas and gods.

The saddest thing to me, however, is for such heavenly beings as the King of the Brahma Heaven, Indra, the sun and moon and the Four Heavenly Kings to use up the good fortune of heaven and fall into the Hell of Incessant Suffering for their sin of not having protected a practicer of the Lotus Sūtra who chants “Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō” and encounters persecution. As flowers are blown away by a storm, as it rains from the sky to the ground, and as it is stated in the sutra: “He will go to the Hell of Incessant Suffering upon death,” they will all go to hell. It is indeed a pity.

Even if they, supported by numerous Buddhas in all the worlds throughout the universe in the past, present and future, insist that they have no knowledge of such an oath made before the Buddha, I, Nichiren, will be a strong enemy of them. Unless the Buddha is impartial, I am sure that I will send the King of the Brahma Heaven, Indra, the sun and moon and the Four Heavenly Kings to the Hell of Incessant Suffering. If they are afraid of my eye and mouth, they had better carry out the oath before the Buddha immediately.

Shinkoku-ō Gosho, Sovereigns of Our Divine Land, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 1, Page 184-185