Two Buddhas, p199-200[I]n another extravagant illustration of the Lotus Sūtra’s inconceivable liberative powers, the Buddha asks his hearers to imagine that one person, hearing the Lotus Sūtra, rejoices and teaches it to another, who similarly rejoices and teaches it to another, and so on. The merit gained by the fiftieth person in succession on merely hearing the sūtra and rejoicing in its message, Śākyamuni says, is incalculably, inconceivably greater than that of someone who over an eighty-year period first gives immeasurable gifts to beings in billions of worlds and then leads them to the liberation of an arhat.
Today we are inclined to read these statements with attention to their rhetorical function in “constructing” the Lotus Sūtra as inconceivably wonderful. Nichiren and his contemporaries, however, would not have seen this as a rhetorical device. For them, the sūtras faithfully recorded the words of the Buddha, who is by definition both omniscient and free from falsehood. In short, they were statements of literal truth. “What other sūtra,” Nichiren asks, “teaches that incalculable merit accrues to one who arouses even a single thought of willing acceptance, or to the fiftieth person who rejoices upon hearing it? Other sūtras do not claim such merit for even the first, second, third, or tenth hearer, let alone the fiftieth!”
As he had with the notions of the first stage of faith and the first stage of practice that are based on the “Description of Merits” chapter, Nichiren employed the analogy of “transmission to the fiftieth person” from the “Merits of Joyful Acceptance” chapter to counter claims from Pure Land devotees that the Lotus Sūtra, being extremely profound, was too difficult to practice for deluded persons of the Final Dharma age. If ease of practice were to be a criterion, he said, no practice could be easier than spontaneously rejoicing on hearing the Lotus Sūtra. Nichiren argued that, far from excluding the ignorant, it is precisely because the Lotus Sūtra is so profound that it can save beings of any capacity whatsoever. In this connection, he often cited Zhanran’s remark: “The more true the teaching, the lower the capacity [of the persons it can bring to liberation.]” However limited one’s capacity might be, that person is ennobled by their Lotus Sūtra practice. Therefore, Nichiren wrote, his followers were not to be despised: “If one looks into their past, they are great bodhisattvas who have made offerings for eight billion eons to buddhas numerous as the sands of the Hiraṇyavatī and Ganges rivers. And in terms of the future, they will be endowed with the merit of the fiftieth person [to hear the sūtra], which surpasses that of one who gives gifts to incalculable sentient beings for a period of eighty years. They are like a crown prince wrapped in swaddling clothes or a newborn dragon. Do not look down on them. Do not hold them in contempt!”
Category Archives: d22b
The Practice Appropriate to the Final Dharma Age
Two Buddhas, p194The first part of Chapter Seventeen is counted as part of the “one chapter and two halves” that constitute the “main exposition” section of the origin teaching. The remainder of the chapter (from “At that time the Buddha addressed bodhisattva mahāsattva Maitreya … ,” (245) speaks of the merits to be gained after the Buddha’s parinirvāṇa and thus begins the “dissemination” section of the origin teaching. Nichiren drew on this chapter and the next to support his fundamental assertion that chanting Namu Myōhō-renge-kyō is the practice appropriate to the Final Dharma age and contains all possible merit — indeed, the whole of the Buddhist path — within itself.
The Blessings of Faith in the Lotus Sūtra
Two Buddhas, p100-101The promise in this chapter that those who embrace the one vehicle will be “at peace in this world” and in the next, will be “born into a good existence” articulates what most people sought from religion in Nichiren’s day: good fortune and protection in their present existence and some sort of assurance of a happy afterlife. Traditionally, as with other religions, people expected from Buddhism not only wisdom and insight, but also practical benefits: healing, protection, and worldly success. Nichiren often cited this passage to assure followers that faith in the Lotus Sūtra does indeed offer such blessings. “Money changes form according to its use,” he wrote. “The Lotus Sūtra is also like this. It will become a lamp in the darkness or a boat at a crossing. It can become water; it can also become fire. This being so, the Lotus Sūtra guarantees that we will be ‘at peace in this world’ and be ‘born into a good existence in the future.’ “
Stages of Practice
Because in a later section, when speaking of the fourth stage of practice the sūtra says, “Needless to say, anyone who not only keeps this sūtra but also gives alms, observes the precepts, practices patience, makes endeavors, concentrates his mind, and seeks wisdom, will be able to obtain the most excellent and innumerable merits.” This passage from the sūtra makes it clear that people in the first, second, and third stages of practice should refrain giving alms, observing the precepts, and the rest of the first five bodhisattva practices until they arrive at the fourth stage of practice and then they are allowed to begin practicing them. Therefore, if they are only allowed to practice them at this stage, we know that they should refrain from practicing them in the first stage.
Shishin Gohon-shō, The Four Depths of Faith and Five Stages of Practice, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 104
Great Omens of the “Divine Powers of the Buddha” Chapter
Now, the great omens of the “Divine Powers of the Buddha” chapter are excellent signs for the essence of the Lotus Sutra, the five Chinese characters of myō, hō, ren, ge, and kyō, to be spread in the Latter Age of Degeneration after 2,000 years of the Ages of the True and Semblance Dharmas following the passing of the Buddha. Therefore, it is preached in the Lotus Sūtra, “Rejoicing at the good news of this Lotus Sūtra to be upheld after the passing of the Buddha, various Buddhas all demonstrated numerous supernatural powers (in the ‘Divine Powers of the Buddha’ chapter),” and “Those who uphold this sūtra in the evil world during the Latter Age of Degeneration earn the same merits gained by donating various offerings to the Buddha (in the ‘Variety of Merits’ chapter).”
Zuisō Gosho, Writing on Omens, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 6, Followers I, Page 123
Five Categories for Practice in the Future
[In Chapter 17, The Variety of Merits,] the Five Stages or Categories for the future … show us what practitioners of the Lotus Sutra should do once Sakyamuni has entered into Nirvana and is no longer physically present among us. These five categories for practice in the future are quite similar to the four faiths in the present… . Both imply a lifetime of effort and hard work on the long road to perfection. (We might even find them discouraging; “nobody is perfect.”) But before dismissing them as impossible to fulfill, we should note again that both begin with the same first step, that of joyfully accepting the message of eternal life in Chapter 16. Then gradually the practitioner begins to read and discern the deeper meaning of the Sutra, finally becoming a teacher of it.
Introduction to the Lotus SutraFive Stages in the Future
[In Chapter 17, The Variety of Merits,] the five stages in the future consist of rejoicing on hearing the Sutra, reading and reciting the Sutra, expounding it to others, practicing the Six Perfections, and mastering the Six Perfections.
- The Stage of Rejoicing.
At the first stage, one listens to the Lotus Sutra, receives it joyfully, and desires to follow its teachings (p. 258). - The Stage of Reading and Reciting.
At this stage, one who has already experienced the joy makes further progress. He or she keeps the Lotus Sutra; reads and recites it aloud, plumbs its meaning, and studies it more deeply. - The Stage of Expounding It to Others.
At this stage, one makes further progress yet, and is able to explain the Sutra to others. - The Stage of Practicing the Six Perfections (Paramitas). At this stage, one is so immersed in the Sutra that he or she begins to practice the Six Perfections of a Bodhisattva.
- The Stage of Mastering the Six Perfections.
At this final stage, one upholds the Lotus Sutra, plumbs its deep meaning, explains it to others, practices the Six Perfections, and begins to realize them naturally in daily life.
Understanding by Faith in a Single Moment’s Thought
Sakyamuni describes the great merit to be gained from taking the first step, “Understanding by Faith in a Single Moment’s Thought.” He says that the merits which Bodhisattvas gain by practicing the five perfections (Paramitas), which consist of generosity, morality, patience, effort, and meditation, are indeed great. However, when compared to the benefits of Understanding by Faith in a Single Moment’s Thought, all those merits are not equal to a hundredth, a thousandth, a hundred thousand myriadth of a koti of the merits for Understanding by Faith in a Single Moment’s Thought. These five perfections are the same as the well-known “Six Perfections,” minus the sixth and culminating one, the Perfection of Wisdom. To have faith in a single moment’s thought when hearing the Buddha’s deepest teaching, even if it is just a tiny bit, is an incomparably precious venture of the heart. Its merit is equal to that of the Perfection Of Wisdom (which it achieves at one stroke). It is equal to the wisdom of the Buddha.
Introduction to the Lotus SutraKeeping and Practicing the Lotus Sutra
The Sutra says that, of course, building splendid stupas and temples, or contributing monetary donations and treasures to the Sangha produce many merits, because such deeds are evidence of a faithful heart. But compared to them, the merit which one obtains by keeping and practicing the Lotus Sutra is much more. It is true that there are stages in the practice of keeping the Sutra, as we have seen. But among those stages, the first one—having a joyful heart when one hears the Sutra—has the most significant meaning. Likewise, in the “Four Faiths in the Present,” which we discussed first, “Understanding by Faith in a Single Moment’s Thought” is mentioned first. It is only thanks to the faith and joy occurring within us the first time we grasp the meaning of the Lotus Sutra that we decide to practice it, act according to it, and finally attain enlightenment.
Introduction to the Lotus SutraKamon
The studies conducted over so many centuries made possible a deeper understanding of the Lotus Sutra, and methodological standards for its interpretation were established. One example is called Kamon. It is a classification of the twenty-eight chapters into several sets for a systematic explanation of their meaning.
The major Kamon is the “Three Parts of Each of the Two Divisions of the Lotus Sutra” which was established by Great Master Chih-i. Most commentators since his time have accepted his guidelines. …
[T]he “Three Parts of Each of the Two Divisions of the Lotus Sutra” refers to the division of the Sutra into two main sections: the first half, consisting of Chapters One through Fourteen, and the second half, consisting of Chapters Fifteen through Twenty-eight. Kamon gives a detailed explanation of the reason for this division. The first half is named Shakumon, literally “imprinted gate.” Its main purpose is to teach how “hearers” and Pratyekabuddhas can attain Buddhahood in the One Vehicle. The second half is called Hommon, which means “Primal Gate” or “Primal Mystery.” This part reveals Sakyamuni to be the infinite, absolute Buddha, the Buddha who attained enlightenment in the remotest past but still leads living beings in the present. These two points are considered the fundamental ideas of the Lotus Sutra.
Introduction to the Lotus Sutra