Two Buddhas, p210During the hardships of his exile to Sado Island, Nichiren became convinced that his own trials were not retributions for ordinary misdeeds. Rather, in previous lives, he himself must have slandered the dharma, the offense that he now so implacably opposed. He reflected: “From time without beginning I must have been born countless times as an evil ruler who robbed practitioners of the Lotus Sūtra of their clothing and food, paddies and fields … countless times I must have beheaded Lotus Sūtra practitioners.” Ordinarily, he explained, the karmic retribution for such horrific offenses would torment a person over the course of innumerable lifetimes. But by asserting the unique truth of the Lotus Sūtra and meeting persecution as a result, he had in effect summoned the consequences of those misdeeds into the present lifetime to be eradicated once and for all. “By being pounded in the fire, iron is forged into swords,” he said. “Worthies and sages are tested by abuse. My present sentence of exile is not because of even the slightest worldly wrongdoing. It has come about solely that I may expiate my past grave offenses in this lifetime and escape [rebirth in] the three evils paths in the next.”
Category Archives: d25b
Expiating His Past Errors
Two Buddhas, p209-210Nichiren … read the story of Sadāparibhūta [Never-Despising Bodhisattva] in a way that reflected — and perhaps inspired — his understanding of his own ordeals as a form of redemptive suffering. The prose portion of the “Sadāparibhūta” chapter says that those who mocked the bodhisattva suffered for a thousand eons in the Avici hell, but after expiating this offense, they were again able to meet him and were led by him to attain “the highest, complete enlightenment.” The verse section, however, suggests that the bodhisattva himself had “expiated his past errors” by patiently bearing the insults and mistreatment he received in the course of his practice. Nichiren focused on this second reading, encouraging his followers, and himself as well, by explaining that hardship encountered for the Lotus Sūtra’s sake would eradicate one’s past slanders against the dharma. “The bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta was not reviled and disparaged, and assailed with sticks and stones, for no reason,” Nichiren suggested. “It would appear that he had probably slandered the true dharma in the past. The phrase ‘having expiated his past errors’ seems to mean that because he met persecution, he was able to eradicate his sins from prior lifetimes.”
An Exemplar of Practice for the Latter Age
Two Buddhas, p208-209Nichiren took Sadāparibhūta [Never-Despising Bodhisattva] as a personal model and strongly identified with him. First, there were obvious parallels in their practice. “Sadāparibhūta was a practitioner at the initial stage of rejoicing,” Nichiren wrote, “while I am an ordinary person at the level of verbal identity. He sowed the seeds of buddhahood with twenty-four characters, while I do so with just five characters [Myō-hō-ren-ge-kyō]. The age differs, but the buddhahood realized is exactly the same.” This passage suggests that Nichiren saw Sadāparibhūta, like himself, as someone at the initial stages of practice who was carrying out shakubuku, planting the seeds of buddhahood in the minds of people who had never before received them. He saw other similarities as well. Both Nichiren and Sadāparibhūta lived long after the passing of the respective buddhas of their age, in an era of decline when there was much hostility. And both persevered in the face of emnity, enabling their persecutors to form a “reverse connection” (J. gyakuen) with the Lotus Sūtra. In short, Sadāparibhūta was for Nichiren an exemplar of practice for the latter age, and in this sense, he wrote, “The heart of the practice of the Lotus Sūtra is found in the ‘Sadāparibhūta’ chapter.”
A True and Peerless Teaching
Buddhism for Today, p333-334There are indeed many different speeds in the process of the attainment of enlightenment. The difference in people’s capacity to understand the Buddha’s teachings exists only in the area encompassed by “this shore” (shigan), the world of birth and death. But people become buddhas equally when they reach “that shore” (higan), the realm of nirvana. Therefore, there is no essential difference in their capacity to understand the Buddha’s teachings. This is the teaching of mirai-ki’itsu, “man’s capacity to understand the Buddha’s teachings is one in the future.” The Buddhist term fugen-daie, “all creatures universally see the great assembly of the Buddha surrounded by many other buddhas,” indicates the idea that the Buddha has the divine power to lead all living beings equally to the realm of nirvana in the future.
The expression “all the gods in the sky sang with exalted voices” means that all living beings in the sahā-world received inspiration from all the gods. Such an expression is not limited to Buddhism. The phrase “a voice was heard from heaven” appears in Christian writings, and the words “I hear heaven’s voice” are often used in the teachings of Confucius and Mencius. These words imply that people receive revelations from heaven, that is, that they perceive the truth of faith as if an inspiration had flashed across their minds.
What did all the living beings in the sahā-world receive by inspiration from the exalted voices of all the gods in the sky? They realized that in the sahā-world, Sakyamuni Buddha preached the teaching called the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Law, the Law by which bodhisattvas are instructed and which the buddhas watch over and keep in mind. This is a true and peerless teaching, which causes all beings in the universe to live, bestows harmony on them, and brings about their peace of mind. This realization means that although the sahā-world is now a realm of suffering, it will surely become the most sacred land of the universe in the future, when all teaching and learning will be united into one in the Buddha’s teachings.
Never-Despising Bodhisattva’s Hurry to Preach the Lotus Sūtra
The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sūtra, fascicle 10, says, “A question was asked why Never-Despising Bodhisattva was in such a hurry in preaching the Lotus Sūtra while the Buddha had not expounded it for 42 years after appearing in the world. It was answered that the Buddha preached the Hinayāna teaching first for the people who had possessed the seed of Buddhahood by listening to the Lotus Sūtra in the past life, whereas Never-Despising Bodhisattva sowed the seed of Buddhahood by preaching the true Mahāyanā teaching of the Lotus Sūtra for the people who had never heard of the sūtra in the past life.”
This interpretation by Grand Master T’ien-t’ai means that as we look at the past of those who listened to the pre-Lotus sūtras such as the Flower Garland Sūtra preached at the place of Enlightenment, the Āgama sūtras preached in the Deer Park, the Sūtra of the Great Assembly preached at the Daihōbō, and the Wisdom Sūtra preached by the White Heron Pond, including both the Hinayāna and Mahāyanā and provisional and true teachings as well as the four doctrinal teachings and the eight teachings (the four doctrinal teachings plus the four methods of teaching), they had received the pure and perfect seed of Buddhahood in the eternal past at the time of the Eternal Buddha and the Great Universal Wisdom Buddha. Nevertheless, because of their sin of slandering the One Vehicle teaching of the Lotus Sūtra, they have been unable to attain Enlightenment wandering instead around in the world of darkness for as long as “500 (million) dust-particle kalpa” and “3,000 dust-particle kalpa.” However, the seed they had received grew gradually until finally the time had come for them to hear the Lotus Sūtra on Mt. Sacred Eagle and to become aware of the gem (Buddhahood) given by the Buddha in the past. For 40 years or so till the Lotus Sūtra was preached, the Buddha preached the Hinayāna and provisional sūtras to them in order to prepare their capacity to understand as the Buddha thought that even those who had established a relationship with the Lotus Sūtra in a past life might speak ill of it for a variety of reasons.
Soya Nyūdō-dono-gari Gosho, A Letter to Lay Priest Lord Soya, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Pages 149-150.
The Teaching of Wisdom and the Teaching of Compassion
Buddhism for Today, p323-324This chapter is very important because two teachings, the Law of Appearance and the Law of Origin, are brought to their culmination herein. It also teaches us that these two teachings are not separate but, even though they seem different, are one in essence.
In the Law of Appearance, Sakyamuni Buddha revealed the aim and the content of the teachings that he had preached since his attainment of buddhahood. This is a philosophical and ethical teaching emphasizing the formation of this world, human beings as they ought to be, the right way to live, and ideal human relationships.
In the Law of Origin, Sakyamuni revealed that the Buddha is not limited to Sakyamuni himself, who appeared in this world and lived a mortal life, but is the Original Being with the great life of non-beginning and non-end. In this Law, the Buddha teaches us that in order to be finally saved and to establish true peace in our world, we must be united with the Original Buddha, that is, must take refuge in him wholeheartedly.
We can distinguish between the Law of Appearance and the Law of Origin in the following way: the former is the teaching preached by Sakyamuni, who appeared as a man in this world, while the latter is the teaching declared by the Original Buddha, who exists from the infinite past to the eternal future. Because wisdom is more necessary than anything else in order to live correctly, the former is the teaching of wisdom, while the latter is the teaching of compassion, which preaches absolute salvation. It is indeed necessary for us to distinguish these two Laws when we go deeply into the study of the teaching of the Lotus Sutra.
Persuasive and Aggressive Propagation
Now, two ways of propagation, the persuasive and aggressive, are incompatible with each other just as water and fire are. The fire dislikes the water, and the water hates the fire. Those who prefer the persuasive tend to laugh at those who practice the aggressive and vice versa. So, when the land is full of evil and ignorant people, the persuasive means should take precedence as preached in the “Peaceful Practices” (14th) chapter of the Lotus Sūtra. However, when there are many cunning slanderers of the True Dharma, the aggressive means should take precedence as preached in the “Never-Despising Bodhisattva” (20th) chapter.
It is the same as using cold water when it is hot and fire when it is cold. Plants and trees are followers of the sun, so they dislike the cold moon. Bodies of water are followers of the moon, so they lose their true nature when it is hot. As there are lands of evil men as well as those of slanderers of the True Dharma in this Latter Age of Degeneration, there should be both aggressive and persuasive means of spreading the True Dharma. Therefore, we have to know whether Japan today is a land of evil men or that of slanderers in order to decide which of the two ways we should use.
Kaimoku-shō, Open Your Eyes to the Lotus Teaching, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 111
The Practice of Bowing to Others
Two Buddhas, p208Chinese commentators … stressed the bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta’s attitude as a model for practice. Huisi, Zhiyi’s teacher, commented on this sūtra chapter as follows: “Looking upon each and every being as though it were a buddha, you should join your palms and venerate it as though paying reverence to the Lord [Buddha himself]. You should also regard each and every being as a great bodhisattva and good spiritual friend.” Fragmentary evidence suggests that East Asian Buddhists sometimes literally attempted to imitate the bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta’s practice of bowing to all. One example can be found in the “Three Stages” movement, founded by the Chinese master Xinxing (540-594) as a form of Buddhism suited to the degenerate Final Dharma age. Xinxing incorporated Sadāparibhūta’s practice of bowing into a set of interrelated practices combining the attitudes of universally venerating others and recognizing one’s own shortcomings. The practice of bowing to others was also sometimes conducted in Japan. The monk Shōnyo (781-867), to repay his debt to his parents, is said to have carried out Sadāparibhūta’s practice by bowing at the homes of more than 167,600 people. In aristocratic circles, this practice was carried out on the fourteenth day of the seventh month. Entries for that date in the diary of the poet and courtier Fujiwara no Teika (1162-1241) record that he himself performed this practice in the streets or had others do it on his behalf.
Practicers of the Lotus Sūtra Are Not Found Anywhere
Some raise the question:
Although there seem to be the three kinds of enemies of the Lotus in this world today, practicers of the Lotus Sūtra are not found anywhere. It is difficult for us to call you a practicer of the Lotus because there is a great deal of discrepancy. Affirming divine intervention in favor of a practicer, the Lotus Sūtra in the chapter on the “Peaceful Practices” says: “Heavenly servants will come to serve the man who upholds the Lotus Sūtra so that swords and sticks will not injure him, and poisons will not harm him;” in the fifth chapter on “The Simile of Herbs,” “His life in this world will be peaceful and he will be reborn in a better place in the future;” in the 26th chapter on “Mystic Phrases,” “Should anyone hate and speak ill of the man who upholds the Lotus Sūtra, his mouth will be sealed—anyone who does harm to him will have his head split into seven pieces like a twig of an arjaka tree;” and in the 28th chapter on the “Encouragement of the Universal Sage Bodhisattva,” “He will be rewarded with happiness in this present life;” and “If anyone, upon seeing a man upholding this sūtra, exposes his faults, justifiably or not, such a man will be afflicted with white leprosy.”
They have a good reason to doubt me. So I will answer their question to dispel their doubt. It is said in the “Never-Despising Bodhisattva” (20th) chapter of the Lotus Sūtra that the practicer of the Lotus will be spoken ill of, despised, or struck with sticks, tiles, and stones; while it is said in the Nirvana Sūtra that such a man will be killed or hurt. The Lotus Sūtra also states in the “Teacher of the Dharma” (10th) chapter that those who spread it will be the target of much hatred and jealousy even during the lifetime of the Buddha.
Kaimoku-shō, Open Your Eyes to the Lotus Teaching, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 103
The Great Omens of the ‘Transcendent Powers’ Chapter
Two Buddhas, p215In [Chapters 21 and 22], Śākyamuni Buddha entrusts the teachings of the Lotus Sūtra for propagation in the future. To make clear the momentousness of the occasion, he first displays his awe-inspiring transcendent powers. According to Zhanran, of the ten powers described, the first five — from Śākyamuni and all other buddhas extending their tongues to the heavens of Brahmā to the buddha worlds of the ten directions quaking in six ways — were intended for beings in his lifetime. The remaining supernatural events — from all beings in those worlds beholding the buddhas present on their lion thrones at the Lotus assembly to the worlds of the ten directions becoming pellucid, as though they were one buddha land (284) — were intended for beings of the future.
Though he acknowledged this reading, Nichiren concluded that ultimately the entire display was directed to the future, when the four leaders of the bodhisattvas of the earth would appear in order to spread the five characters Myōhō-renge-kyō. He also assimilated these extraordinary happenings to contemporary portents: “The quaking of the earth in the ‘Introduction’ chapter was limited to a single world system, but in the ‘Transcendent Powers’ chapter the lands of the various buddhas all shook violently, quaking in six different ways. The [earthquakes and other] omens of our own time are just like this. The great omens of the ‘Transcendent Powers’ chapter portend that the essence of the Lotus Sūtra will spread widely after the Buddha’s nirvāṇa, when the two thousand years of the True Dharma and Semblance Dharma ages have passed and the Final Dharma age has begun.”