Shakumon

The Realm of Trace or Imprinted Gate (Chapter One, “Introductory,” to Chapter Fourteen, “Peaceful Practices.”)

1. Introduction: Chapter One.
2. The Main Part: Chapter Two, “Expedients,” to Chapter Nine, “The Assurance of Future Buddhahood of the Sravakas Who Have Something More to Learn and of the Sravakas Who Have Nothing More to Learn.”
3. Conclusion: Chapter Ten, “The Teacher of the Dharma,” to Chapter Fourteen, “Peaceful Practices.”

Hommon

The Realm of Origin or Primal Mystery.

1. Introduction: The first half of Chapter Fifteen, “The Appearance of Bodhisattvas from Underground.”
2. The Main Part: The second half of Chapter Fifteen to the first half of Chapter Seventeen, “The Variety of Merits,” with Chapter Sixteen as its core. This is called the “one chapter and two halves.”
3. Conclusion: From the second half of Chapter Seventeen to Chapter Twenty-eight, “Encouragement of Universal-Sage Bodhisattva. “

As the title indicates, the teacher of the Dharma is the theme of this chapter. A teacher of the Dharma is one who expounds or propagates the Dharma (universal law or truth). If Bodhisattvas are expected to expound the Dharma, all of them must already be teachers of the Dharma. Why, then, does the Sutra purposely use the term, “teacher of the Dharma,” instead of simply saying, “Bodhisattva?” … [I]t was not until he expounded and propagated the Dharma that Sakyamuni was able to save people. In other words, Sakyamuni the Savior is nothing less than the (perfect) teacher of the Dharma. The role of teachers of the Dharma is to expound the law after the death of Sakyamuni in order to carry on his saving mission. This and the following chapters will discuss the practices which these teachers of the Dharma must undertake.

In Chapter Nineteen, “Merits of a Teacher of the Dharma,” we read, “When they expound the scriptures of non-Buddhist schools, or give advice to the government, or teach the way to earn a livelihood, they will be able to be in accord with the right teachings of the Buddha” (p. 282). This means that any study of secular issues, such as politics and economics, must be in accord with the cosmic law, which is to say, the Truth expounded in the Sutra. Conversely, the teachings of the Lotus Sutra (The Truth) are applicable to secular studies, such as politics or economics, whose prime objectives are the betterment of everyday life.

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.

In the previous chapter, “Merits of a Person Who Rejoices at Hearing This Sutra,” the merits acquired by those who have just begun practicing the teaching are emphasized. This chapter, on the other hand, “Merits of the Teachers of the Law,” speaks about merits acquired by practitioners in general. It is assumed that a practitioner of the Sutra will also be a teacher of the Dharma.

The Lotus Sutra can be seen as a book of prophetic teachings. For this reason, Nichiren called these teachings “narratives of the Buddha in the future.” These narratives of the future, however, do not merely prophesy what will happen in coming generations. Their point is that Sakyamuni teaches living beings how to perform practices in an era when he does not physically exist. Since the words of the Buddha are true, we are expected to accept them as the Truth, and we are all required to follow the teaching

Nichiren actually put into practice what the Lotus Sutra had expounded concerning its propagation in the future. His determined efforts, however, raised opposition, which led to persecutions.

In the Lotus Sutra, we often see the sentence, “You should keep, read, recite, expound, and copy this Sutra.” These activities are called the Five Kinds of Practice for a Teacher of the Dharma. To keep the Sutra is to steadily accept and uphold the Lotus Sutra in one’s mind. To read the sutra means to peruse the Sutra and read it. To recite the Sutra means to recite it or portions of it by heart. To expound the Sutra means to interpret it and teach it to others. To copy the Sutra means to copy it by hand. Practitioners of the Lotus Sutra should undertake these five practices. They have two aspects: practice for one’s self and practice for others. [Chapter 19, The Merits of the Teacher of the Dharma] says that persons who endeavor to practice the Five Kinds of Practice will be rewarded with splendid merits of their six sense-organs of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Sakyamuni explains this to a great Bodhisattva by the name of Constant-Endeavor.

[Among] the teachings of the purification of the six sense-organs, especially important are the words in the section on purification of the mind: “When they expound the scriptures of non-Buddhists, or give advice to the government, or teach ways to earn a livelihood, they will always be in accord with the right teachings of the Buddha.” “To give advice to the government” means to enter into the realm of politics and administration. “To teach ways to earn a livelihood” refers to the realms of industry, economics, and our daily work. Theories of politics and economics belong to the ever-changing secular world. Buddhism, on the other hand, belongs to the eternal world, which lies beneath the transitory. Buddhist teachings and the common law (social rules) are distinct and should not be confused with each other. However, in the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, the Dharma cannot ignore the rules of society. On the contrary, the Dharma (truth) is the basis for social rules. Human society cannot function properly, even in politics or economics, unless it is in accord with the basic law of the universe. This law is what is meant by Dharma.