Category Archives: d3b

d3b, WONS

Buddhism and Actual Affairs in the World

The first fascicle of the Lotus Sūtra, “Expedients” chapter, discusses the ultimate reality of all phenomena, stating that each phenomenon is equipped with the nine factors — form, nature, substance, function, action, cause, condition, effect, and reward, all of which from the beginning (form) to the end (reward) are in perfect harmony — and that this ultimate reality of all phenomena is understood only by Buddhas. These words of the Buddha confirm the inseparability of the Buddhist teachings from the reality of the world. In this phrase “all of which from the beginning to the end are in perfect harmony,” the beginning indicates the root of evil and virtue, while the end indicates the conclusion of such evil and virtue. He who is thoroughly awakened with the principle of causality from the root of the evil and virtue to their branches and leaves is the Buddha.

Citing other documentary records on this subject, Grand Master T’ien-t’ai states, “A mind is equipped with ten dharma-realms.” Grand Master Chang-an declares, “The Buddha regarded this as the ultimate reason for appearing in this world. How can it easily be understood?” Miao-lê states, “This is the ultimate and supreme theory.” The Lotus Sūtra, in the “Merits of the Teacher of the Dharma” chapter preaches, “What is said by the Buddha does not contradict ultimate reality.” Grand Master T’ien-t’ai, interprets it in this way: “None of the family businesses and occupations in the world contradict the ultimate reality”

A sage does not practice Buddhism without regards to the actual affairs in the world, and a Buddhist who is thoroughly aware of the principle of governing the world is called a sage.

Chie Bōkoku Gosho, Evil Wisdom Destroying the Country, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 7, Followers II, Page 86

d3b, Lotus Seeds

The Ten Factors: Appearance

Quote

Of the Ten Factors, Appearance is the external or objective aspect of phenomena. That which is seen, heard, smelled, touched, or tasted is included in this factor. Appearance involves the ways things relate to each other as distinct subjects and objects.

Lotus Seeds

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Revealing the Possibility of Buddhahood for All

This second chapter of the Lotus Sūtra represents the Buddha as declaring, “I will now definitely expound the truth” and “having openly set aside skillful means, I will teach only the highest path.” These statements, together with the passage from the Lotus Sūtra’s introductory scripture, Sūtra of Immeasurable Meanings — “For more than forty years I have expounded the dharma in all manner of ways through adeptness in skillful means, but the core truth has still not been revealed” — constituted for Nichiren significant proof that the Lotus Sūtra superseded all prior, provisional teachings. They were, he said, like a great wind scattering dark clouds, the full moon appearing in the heavens, or the orb of the sun blazing in the blue sky, revealing the possibility of buddhahood for all.

Two Buddhas, p72
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Syncing the Ten Realms and Three Thousand Realms with the Buddha

The interpenetration of ten realms reveals that, in principle, there is no difference between an ordinary person and a buddha; both embody the three thousand realms in a single thought-moment. But in ordinary, deluded persons the buddha realm remains dormant and unrealized, and they are trapped by suffering. In the case of a buddha, the buddha realm is fully expressed; that is, all the other nine realms are illuminated, elevated, and redirected by it to work in an enlightened way. For Nichiren, this fully realized state was embodied in the daimoku. We could say that chanting the daimoku aligns or “syncs” the ten realms and three thousand realms of the practitioner with those of the Buddha, enabling direct realization in the very act of practice.

Two Buddhas, p71-72
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Chanting and Seeing the Buddha in One’s Mind

Like other Buddhists of his day, Nichiren understood the six paths as actual cosmological realms into which beings are born repeatedly in accordance with their deeds, and the four holy paths of śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and buddhas, as higher states achieved through cultivation. But at the same time, he understood all ten realms as lying “within ourselves.” In his major treatise “On the Contemplation of the Mind and the Object of Worship” (Kanjin honzon shō), Nichiren explains this by way of illustration. When one looks at another person’s face, they appear sometimes ecstatic, sometimes furious, and sometimes calm, or they might wear expressions of foolishness or perversity. Rage, he explains, is the hell realm; greed, the realm of hungry ghosts; foolishness, the realm of beasts; perversity, the asura realm; joy, the heavenly realm; and calm, the human realm. The four holy paths do not appear outwardly but can be known by introspection. Our understanding that all things are insubstantial and fleeting reflects the realms of the two vehicles of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas within our own mind. The affection that even a hardened criminal feels for his wife and children is an expression of the inner bodhisattva realm. Because the nine realms within one’s own mind can thus be demonstrated, Nichiren says, one should believe that the buddha realm is present as well.

In the above quotation, “seeing” the Buddha in one’s mind might suggest a specific cognition or insight, but for Nichiren, this meant chanting the daimoku, the expression of faith in the Lotus Sūtra. Though he encouraged study and intellectual understanding of the Buddhist teachings, the benefits of the daimoku, he said, are the same whether chanted by a wise person or a foolish one. He illustrated this by the analogies of fire that burns without intent to do so, or a newborn infant nourished unknowingly by its mother’s milk. At the beginning of [Chapter 2], when Śākyamuni Buddha first begins to speak, his opening words are: “Profound and immeasurable is the wisdom of the buddhas.” “What is this wisdom?” Nichiren asks. “It is the embodiment of the real aspect of all dharmas, the ten suchnesses realized by the Buddha. What is that embodiment? It is Namu Myōhō-renge-kyō.”

Two Buddhas, p70-71
d3b, 2buddhas

Even the Slightest Thought

On the basis of [ten suchnesses], Zhiyi formulated a grand, architectonic concept that came to be called the “single thought-moment entailing three thousand realms” (ichinen sanzen). In a famous passage, he writes: “Now a single thought [literally, “one mind”] comprises ten dharma-realms, and each dharma realm also comprises ten dharma-realms, giving a hundred dharma-realms. A single realm comprises thirty kinds of worlds; hence a hundred dharma-realms comprise three thousand kinds of worlds. These three thousand are contained in a single moment of thought. Where there is no thought, that is the end of the matter, but if there is even the slightest thought, it immediately contains the three thousand [realms].”

Two Buddhas, p68
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Form, Mind and Causality of Suchness

What do “character, nature, substance, potential … and essential unity” actually mean? … Zhanran, Zhiyi’s later disciple, explains that these ten can be grouped in three modalities — form, mind, and causality — that characterize all existents. “Character,” which could also be translated as “mark,” “sign, or “aspect,” is what can be seen externally; in the case of a person, it denotes one’s outer appearance. “Nature” is internal, what belongs to that person intrinsically. “Substance” denotes the union of these two as a particular individual; each existent, in Tendai thought, has both physical and mental aspects. “Potential” is the capacity for action, while “function” is the exertion or display of that potential. These two suchnesses thus pertain to space. “Cause, condition, result, [and] effect” refer to the dimension of causality, and therefore, time. “Causes” are volitional acts, or karma. “Conditions” are the circumstances that condition actions. “Result” is the potential karmic consequence inherent in a volitional act, and “effect” is its eventual manifestation. All ten are “essentially unified,” or ultimately consistent. For example, the character, nature, function, causes, and results of a denizen of hell will reflect and perpetuate misery; those of a bodhisattva will express insight and compassion.

Two Buddhas, p67-68
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Difficulty in Meeting the Lotus Sūtra

The Lotus Sūtra preaches in chapter 2, “Expedients,” of the first fascicle that to have the opportunity to hear teachers of this sūtra is rare even during innumerable kalpa (aeons) of time. The sūtra also states in chapter 14, “peaceful Practices,” of the fifth fascicle that it is difficult to hear even the title of the Lotus Sūtra in the innumerable countries. The above indicates how difficult it is for us to meet the Lotus Sūtra, and problems involved to even hear the title of the Lotus Sūtra. Therefore, the Suśānta Buddha and the Buddha of Many Treasures, who appeared in the world before the time of Śākyamuni Buddha did not even mention the title of the Lotus Sūtra. Even Śākyamuni Buddha, who appeared in this world to expound the Lotus Sūtra, did not reveal its title for 42 years, until at the age of 72 He finally chanted the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma and expounded the sūtra for the first time in India. Nothing, however, not even the name of the sūtra was heard in such large countries as China, or Japan. Nothing about this sūtra was heard of for over 1,000 years after the extinction of the Buddha. Finally, after 1,350 years or so, only the title of the Lotus Sūtra was made known.

This is why the opportunity to encounter the Lotus Sūtra is compared to uḍumbara flowers, which are said to blossom only once in 3,000 years. The difficulty is also compared to the story of a one-eyed turtle finding a floating piece of wood in the ocean in order to dry its shell once in innumerable kalpa (aeons). Suppose that one sets up a needle on the earth and throws a poppy seed down from the palace of the King of the Mahā-brahman Heaven high up in the sky in such a way as the tip of the needle pierces through the seed. This is almost impossible, yet it is even more difficult to encounter the Lotus Sūtra after the passing of the Buddha. Suppose one sets up a needle on top of Mt. Sumeru and throws a piece of string on a windy day from another Mt. Sumeru standing too far to see. It is impossible to thread the needle set up on the first Mt. Sumeru. It is, however, even more difficult to experience the daimoku of the Lotus Sūtra.

Therefore, you should realize that being able to chant the daimoku of this sūtra is an experience more wonderful than a blind person gaining his eyesight and seeing his parents for the first time and rarer than a man being captured by a mighty enemy and being released by a special pardon to be reunited with his wife and children.

Hokke Daimoku Shō, Treatise on the Daimoku of the Lotus Sūtra, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 38-39

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Ten Suchnesses Three Ways

In the opening passage of Chapter Two, Śākyamuni declares that only buddhas can “completely know the real aspects of all dharmas — that is to say, their character, nature, substance, potential, function, cause, condition, result, effect, and essential unity.”…

In the East Asian commentarial tradition, this passage is referred to as the “ten suchnesses” or “such-likes” (J. junyoze) because each of the “real aspects” is preceded in the Chinese text by the words “suchness” or more literally “like such” (nyoze). “Such” or “suchness” (tathatā in Sanskrit) is one of many terms for reality in Buddhism, denoting that a buddha perceives things just as they are, without imposing reifying concepts or descriptions. In their translation, Kubo and Yuyama call these ten the “real aspects” of the dharmas or phenomena, but one could also refer to them collectively in the singular as the “real aspect” shared by all phenomena. By punctuating this passage that enumerates the “ten suchnesses” in three different ways, Zhiyi derived the threefold truth … of emptiness, conventional existence, and the middle. To this day, the passage is often ritually recited three times, representing the threefold truth and its threefold discernment.

Two Buddhas, p66-67
d3b, Lecture on Lotus Sutra

Equality of Physical and Spiritual

When it comes to the Ten Suchnesses, which we recite daily as we conclude our recitation of Chapter II, the most important idea is that there is no disconnect from any aspect of our physical life or our spiritual life and that in all things there is equality. Buddhism and enlightenment are not something that manifests in only one aspect of our life.

Lecture on the Lotus Sutra