LS32

Day 26

Day 26 concludes Chapter 21, The Supernatural Powers of the Tathāgatas, includes Chapter 22, Transmission, and introduces Chapter 23, The Previous Life of Medicine-King Bodhisattva.

Day 26 Text with annotationsPlay MP3

Having last month considered Chapter 22, Transmission, we consider Star-King-Flower Bodhisattva’s question.

Thereupon Star-King-Flower Bodhisattva said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! Why does Medicine-King Bodhisattva walk about this Sahā-World? World-Honored One! This Medicine-King Bodhisattva will have to practice hundreds of thousands of billions of nayutas of austerities in this world. World-Honored One! Tell me why! Not only the gods, dragons, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, men and nonhuman beings but also the Bodhisattvas who have come from the other worlds’ and the Śrāvakas present here will be glad to hear the reason.”[1]

Thereupon the Buddha said to Star-King-Flower Bodhisattva:

“Innumerable kalpas ago, that is, as many kalpas as there are sands in the River Ganges ago, there lived a Buddha called Sun-Moon-Pure-Bright-Virtue, the Tathāgata, the Deserver of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One, the Man of Wisdom and Practice, the Well-Gone, the Knower of the World, the Unsurpassed Man, the Controller of Men, the Teacher of Gods and Men, the Buddha, the World-Honored One. He was accompanied by eight thousand million great Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas and also by great Śrāvakas numbering seventy-two times as many as there are sands in the River Ganges. The duration of his life was forty-two thousand kalpas. So were the durations of the lives of the Bodhisattvas. His world was devoid of women, hellish denizens, hungry spirits, animals and asuras. There was no calamity in his world. The ground of his world was as even as the palm of the hand. It was made of lapis lazuli, adorned with jeweled trees, and covered with a jeweled awning from which the streamers of jeweled flowers were hanging down. Jeweled vases and incense-burners were seen everywhere in that world. There was a platform of the seven treasures at the distance of a bowshot from each of the jeweled trees under which the Bodhisattvas and Śrāvakas were sitting. On each of the platforms of treasures, myriads of millions of gods were making heavenly music, singing songs of praise of the Buddha, and offering the music and songs to the Buddha.

The Daily Dharma offers this:

Thereupon Star-King-Flower Bodhisattva said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! Why does Medicine-King Bodhisattva walk about this Sahā-World? World-Honored One! This Medicine-King Bodhisattva will have to practice hundreds of thousands of billions of nayutas of austerities in this world.

This excerpt is from Chapter Twenty-Three of the Lotus Sutra. Star-King-Flower Bodhisattva is aware of the difficulties that Medicine-King or any other Bodhisattva will encounter while living in this world of conflict (Sahā) and asks the Buddha why this Bodhisattva would give up the pleasures of the higher realms to which he is entitled. The Buddha then tells the story of Medicine-King’s previous life, in which he gave up many attachments, including the attachment to his own body. These stories of Bodhisattvas are reminders of our own capacities, and that no matter what difficulties we face in our lives, our determination to benefit all beings, our certainty of enlightenment, and the help we receive from other beings will lead us to overcome any problems.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Oct. 1, 2024

Know this, Śāriputra!
I once vowed that I would cause
All living beings to become
Exactly as I am.

That old vow of mine
Has now been fulfilled.
I lead all living beings
Into the Way to Buddhahood.

The Buddha sings these verses in Chapter Two of the Lotus Sūtra. Earlier in the chapter he explained that all the teachings he used before the Lotus Sūtra were mere expedients, intended to use our desire for happiness to bring us out of our suffering and onto the path of enlightenment. The expedient teachings were tailored to the ignorant and deluded minds of those who heard them, but had not yet revealed the true wisdom and compassion of the Buddha. Now that we have met this Wonderful Dharma, we are assured of our enlightenment and that of all beings. We learn to see innumerable Buddhas in limitless worlds through unimaginable time, and our own true selves at the heart of reality.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

LS32

Day 25

Day 25 covers all of Chapter 20, Never-Despising Bodhisattva, and opens Chapter 21, The Supernatural Powers of the Tathāgatas.

Day 25 Text with annotationsPlay MP3

Having last month considered Never-Despising Bodhisattva’s relationship to Śākyamuni, we consider what became of the four kinds of devotees who always abused Never-Despising Bodhisattva.

“Great-Power-Obtainer! The four kinds of devotees: the bhikṣus, bhikṣunīs, upāsakās, and upāsikās at that time failed to meet the Buddha, hear the Dharma, and see the Saṃgha for twenty thousand million kalpas because they abused me with anger. They suffered much in the Avici Hell for one thousand kalpas. Having expiated their sin in this way, they met [me, who was] Never-Despising Bodhisattva again, and were led into the Way to Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.

“Great-Power-Obtainer! What do you think of this? The four kinds of devotees who always abused [me, who was] that Bodhisattva at that time are now present here in this congregation in the persons of the five hundred Bodhisattvas including Bhadrapala, the five hundred bhikṣunīs including Lion-Moon, and the five hundred upāsakās including Thinking-Of-Buddha. Now they do not falter in seeking Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.

“Great-Power-Obtainer, know this! This Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma benefits Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, and causes them to attain Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. Therefore, they should keep, read, recite, expound and copy this sūtra after my extinction.”

The Daily Dharma offers this:

Great-Power-Obtainer, know this! This Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma benefits Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, and causes them to attain Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. Therefore, they should keep, read, recite, expound and copy this sūtra after my extinction.

The Buddha gives this explanation to Great-Power-Obtainer Bodhisattva in Chapter Twenty of the Lotus Sūtra. In several places in the sūtra, the Buddha asked who would continue to teach this Wonderful Dharma after his extinction and lead all beings to Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi: perfect unsurpassed enlightenment. When he revealed his Ever-Present Existence in Chapter Sixteen, he assured all those receiving his words that his life is not limited to that of the physical body he inhabited. In truth he is leading all beings throughout all time and space to his wisdom, and this Lotus Sūtra he has given us is the embodiment of that wisdom.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Sept. 30, 2024

Expound it
To those who make efforts,
Who have compassion towards others,
And who do not spare their lives!

The Buddha sings these verses to all those gathered to hear him teach in Chapter Three of the Lotus Sūtra. These are instructions for us to know who will benefit from the Wonderful Dharma. It is difficult for those who are absorbed in their own suffering to realize the benefit of helping others. It is difficult for those who are distracted by their preoccupations, or who do not believe they can become enlightened, to maintain their efforts to lead all beings to enlightenment. These insights also help us keep our minds open to the Buddha’s teachings.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

LS32

Day 24

Day 24 concludes Chapter 19, The Merits of the Teacher of the Dharma, and closes the Sixth Volume of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.

Day 24 Text with annotationsPlay MP3

Having last month concluded Chapter 19, The Merits of the Teacher of the Dharma, we return to the top and consider the eight hundred merits of the nose.

Furthermore, Constant-Endeavor! The good men or women who keep, read, recite, expound or copy this sūtra, will be able to obtain eight hundred merits of the nose. With their pure noses, they will be able to recognize all the various things above, below, within and without the one thousand million Sumeru-worlds.

“Those who keep this sūtra will be able to recognize, without moving about, the scents of the sumanas-flowers, jātika-flowers, mallikā-flowers, campaka-flowers, pāṭala-flowers, red lotus flowers, blue lotus flowers, white lotus flowers, flower-trees and fruit-trees. They also will be able to recognize the scents of candana, aloes, tamālapattra and tagara, and the scents of tens of millions of kinds of mixed incense which are either powdered or made in lumps or made applicable to the skin. They also will be able to recognize the living beings including elephants, horses, cows, sheep, men, women, boys and girls by smell. They also will be able to recognize without fallacy grasses, trees, thickets and forests by smell, be the nearby or at a distance.

“Those who keep this sūtra also will be able to recognize the gods [and things] in heaven by smell while they are staying [in the world of men]. They will be able to recognize the scents of the pārijātaka-trees, kovidāra-trees, mandārava-flowers, mahā-mandārava-flowers, mañjūṣaka-flowers, mahā-mañjūṣaka-flowers [in heaven]; the powdered incense of candana and aloes, the scents of other flowers, and the mixture of these scents in heaven without fail. They will be able to recognize the gods by smell. They will be able to recognize from afar the scent that Śakra-Devānām-Indra gives forth when he satisfies his five desires and enjoys himself in his excellent palace, or when he expounds the Dharma to the Trāyastriṃs̒a Gods at the wonderful hall of the Dharma, or when he plays in the gardens. They also will be able to recognize by smell from afar the gods and goddesses of the other heavens, including the Heaven of Brahman and the Highest Heaven. They also will be able to recognize the incense burned by the gods in those heavens. They also will be able to locate the Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas by smelling their bodies from afar. Even when they recognize all this by smell, their organ of smell will not be destroyed or put out of order. If they wish, they will be able to tell others of the differences [of those scents] because they remember them without fallacy.”

The Daily Dharma offers this:

They also will be able to locate the Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas by smelling their bodies from afar. Even when they recognize all this by smell, their organ of smell will not be destroyed or put out of order. If they wish, they will be able to tell others of the differences [of those scents] because they remember them without fallacy.

The Buddha gives this explanation to Constant-Endeavor Bodhisattva in Chapter Nineteen of the Lotus Sūtra, describing those who keep the Lotus Sūtra. Our sense of smell is often unconscious. We associate smells with places, experiences or even people that we like or dislike. These smells can even cause an emotional reaction by causing us to relive a situation associated with that smell. In the Lotus Sūtra, the Buddha teaches that our everyday experiences are no different from enlightenment, that his great wisdom is not about how to escape from this world. It is about how to use the senses and abilities with which we are blessed in ways we cannot imagine.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Sept. 29, 2024

It is useless to stack up a pile of treasures in your storehouse if you are in poor health. Therefore the value of a healthy body is more important than treasures in the storehouse. At the same time, however, a healthy body means nothing if your mind is not pure. This is why we can say that our most precious treasure is our mind itself. Upon reading this letter, please try to accumulate the treasure of your mind.

Nichiren wrote this passage in his “Emperor Shushun” Letter (Sushun Tennō Gosho) addressed to his disciple Shijō Kingo. We can become so focused on acquiring material resources to meet the needs of our bodies, that we neglect to care for our health. A sick man in a mansion cannot be happy. Nichiren points out that even when we have physical health, if our minds are clouded by delusion, we cannot be happy either. The practice of the Wonderful Dharma can bring great physical and material benefits. But more importantly, this practice helps us prepare our minds to appreciate what we have and use it for the benefit of all beings.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

LS32

Day 23

Day 23 covers all of Chapter 18, The Merits of a Person Who Rejoices at Hearing This Sutra, and opens Chapter 19, The Merits of the Teacher of the Dharma.

Day 23 Text with annotationsPlay MP3

Having last month considered the twelve hundred merits of the ear, we conclude today’s portion of Chapter 19, The Merits of the Teacher of the Dharma.

Thereupon the World-Honored One, wishing to repeat what he bad said, sang in gāthās:

Their ears given by their parents will be purified, not defiled.
With their natural ears,
They will be able to recognize the sounds of voices
Of the one thousand million sumeru-worlds.

They will be able to recognize
The voices of elephants, horses and cows;
Th sounds of carts, gongs, bells, conch-shell horns,
And of drums, lyres, harps, reed-pipes and flutes.
Although they recognize pure and sweet songs,
They will not be attached to them.
They also will be able to recognize
The countless kinds of voices of men.

They will be able to recognize
The voices of gods,
The wonderful songs [of gods],
And the voices of men, women, boy and girls.

They will be able to recognize
The songs of kalavinkas, of jivakajivakas,
And of the other birds in mountains,
And on rivers and ravines.

The expounder of the Dharma
Will be able to recognize from afar,
While he is staying in the world [of men],
The cryings and shriekings
Of the denizens in hell,
The shoutings of hungry and thirsty spirits
Who are seeking food and drink,
And the voices of asuras
Bellowing to each other
[As they pound] on the seacoasts.
Even when he recognizes all this by hearing,
His organ of hearing will not be destroyed.

The expounder of the Dharma will be able to recognize,
While he is staying [in this world],
The voices of birds and animals calling each other
In the worlds of the ten quarters.

The teacher of the Dharma will be able to recognize,
While he is staying [in the world of men],
The voices of the gods of the heavens
Above the Heaven of Brahman,
[That is,] of the Light-Sound Heaven,
Of the Universal-Pure Heaven, and of the Highest Heaven.

The teacher of the Dharma
Will be able to recognize,
Without moving about,
The voices of the bhikṣus and bhikṣunīs
Who read or recite sūtras
Or expound them to others.

He will be able to recognize
The voices of the Bodhisattvas
Who read or recite sūtras
Or expound the meanings
Of quotations from them
To others.

Anyone who keeps this Sūtra
Of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma
Will be able to recognize the voices of the Buddhas,
That is, the voices of the Great Honorable Saints
Who teach all living beings,
And who expound the Wonderful Dharma in great congregations.

He will be able to recognize
All the sounds and voices
Inside and outside the one thousand million Sumeru-worlds,
[Each being composed of the six regions]
Down to the Avici Hell and up to the Highest Heaven.

And yet his organ of hearing will not be destroyed.
He will be able to recognize everything by hearing
Because his ears are sharp.

Anyone who keeps
This Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma
Will be able to obtain these merits with his natural ears
Although he has not yet obtained heavenly ears.

The Daily Dharma offers this:

He will be able to recognize
All the sounds and voices
Inside and outside the one thousand million Sumeru-worlds,
[Each being composed of the six regions]
Down to the Avīci Hell and up to the Highest Heaven.
And yet his organ of hearing will not be destroyed.
He will be able to recognize everything by hearing
Because his ears are sharp.

The Buddha sings these verses in Chapter Nineteen of the Lotus Sūtra about those who practice the Buddha Dharma. We may believe that a spiritual practice leads us to “otherworldly” experiences that allow us to escape the problems we find in the world around us. These verses remind us that the teachers of the Dharma become more engaged with the world around us rather than becoming separate from it. It is through our right practice of the Lotus Sūtra that we become aware of the world as it is, and our place in making it better.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

Blog

The Output Really Depends on the Input

The old computer proverb “Garbage In; Garbage Out” is why I worry about the output of AI research assistants. One way to get around GIGO is to limit the AI to sources you trust. This is the big selling point of Google’s NotebookLM. The other day I wrote about my early experiments with NotebookLM. (Here). Today I experienced the magic.

For a source on Nichiren and Nichiren Buddhism, I took Jacqueline Stone’s article on Nichiren written for the Oxford Research Encyclopedia, Religion. A PDF copy can be download here.

I created a “new” Notebook at NotebookLM and uploaded the article to be the source material for the AI.

Here’s some of the magic generated.

Nichiren’s Understanding of the Daimoku

For Nichiren, the Daimoku is far more than a simple title; it represents the core of his teachings and the sole path to enlightenment, especially in the Final Dharma Age (mappō).

Here’s a breakdown of Nichiren’s concept of the Daimoku:

  • “Namu Myōhō-renge-kyō,” the Daimoku: This phrase, chanted in Japanese, combines “Namu” (expressing devotion and taking refuge) with “Myōhō-renge-kyō” – the Japanese pronunciation of the title of the Lotus Sūtra, a scripture revered by Nichiren as the Buddha’s highest teaching.
  • More than a title: Nichiren viewed the Daimoku as encompassing the entire essence of the Lotus Sūtra and the Wonderful Dharma itself. He believed its five characters encapsulate the complete enlightenment of the Buddha and provide a direct link to that enlightened state. This understanding drew upon a tradition of interpreting Buddhist texts through their titles, where the title encapsulates the text’s complete meaning.
  • Embodiment of Ichinen Sanzen: Nichiren connected the Daimoku with the principle of “ichinen sanzen” or “three thousand realms in a single moment of thought”. This concept emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things, with each phenomenon containing the potential for buddhahood. By chanting the Daimoku, practitioners tap into this interconnected reality and reveal the inherent enlightenment within themselves and the world around them.
  • Accessibility of Buddhahood: Nichiren taught that chanting the Daimoku grants immediate access to the merits accumulated by the primordial Buddha over countless lifetimes. By aligning oneself with the Buddha’s enlightenment through the Daimoku, one achieves “realization of buddhahood with this very body”.
  • Benefits of Chanting: While the ultimate aim is enlightenment, Nichiren also emphasized the tangible benefits of Daimoku chanting. He taught that it brings protection, healing, and positive consequences in this life and the afterlife. More importantly, it cultivates an inner peace and stability that transcends external circumstances.

Or this…

Nichiren Buddhism: Study Guide

Short-Answer Questions

  1. Explain Nichiren’s central criticism of other Buddhist schools prevalent in Japan during his time.
  2. What are the five characters of the daimoku, and what is their significance in Nichiren Buddhism?
  3. How does Nichiren’s concept of “slander of the Dharma” differ from a simple misunderstanding or misinterpretation of Buddhist teachings?
  4. Describe the relationship between the concepts of “mutual inclusion of the ten realms” (jikkai gogu) and “three thousand realms in a single moment of thought” (ichinen sanzen).
  5. How does Nichiren Buddhism understand the concept of “buddhahood with this very body” (sokushin jōbutsu)?
  6. What role does the gohonzon, or “revered object of worship,” play in Nichiren Buddhist practice?
  7. What is the significance of Nichiren’s two exiles in the context of his understanding of the Lotus Sutra?
  8. How does Nichiren’s concept of the “pure land of Eagle Peak” (Ryōzen jōdō) differ from the Pure Land Buddhism’s
    understanding of Pure Lands?
  9. Why did Nichiren advocate for the confrontational approach of shakubuku over the more gradual approach of shōju in propagating his teachings?
  10. What does it mean to say that Nichiren saw the practice of the Lotus Sutra as a means to transform not only individual lives but also the outer world?

Short-Answer Key

  1. Nichiren believed that while other Buddhist schools and practices, like nenbutsu or Zen, held validity in previous eras, they were inadequate for achieving salvation in the degenerate age of mappō, the Final Dharma Age. Only the Lotus Sutra, in his view, held the profound power needed to liberate people during this time.
  2. The five characters of the daimoku are “Myōhō-renge-kyō,” the Japanese pronunciation of the Lotus Sutra’s title. Chanting the daimoku is central to Nichiren Buddhism, seen as encapsulating the entire truth of the Lotus Sutra and thus capable of directly transferring the Buddha’s enlightenment to the practitioner.
  3. For Nichiren, “slander of the Dharma” goes beyond intellectual disagreement. It refers to the active rejection or dismissal of the Lotus Sutra as the ultimate Buddhist teaching, particularly in favor of provisional teachings deemed insufficient for the Final Dharma Age.
  4. “Mutual inclusion of the ten realms” means that all ten realms of existence—from hell to buddhahood—coexist interdependently within each individual being. This concept expands into the principle of “three thousand realms in a single moment of thought,” suggesting the vastness and interconnectedness of all phenomena within each thought moment.
  5. “Buddhahood with this very body” is the core belief that enlightenment is not a distant goal but an inherent potential within each person, achievable in this lifetime through dedicated practice of the Lotus Sutra, primarily through chanting the daimoku.
  6. The gohonzon serves as a visual representation of the enlightened state, embodying the interconnectedness of all beings and the ultimate reality revealed in the Lotus Sutra. It acts as a focal point for chanting the daimoku and contemplating the principles of Nichiren Buddhism.
  7. Nichiren’s exiles were interpreted by him and his followers as a fulfillment of the Lotus Sutra’s prophecies, which predicted that those who propagated its teachings would face persecution. This “bodily reading” of the sutra reinforced their faith and Nichiren’s self-identification as a true votary of the Lotus Sutra.
  8. Unlike Pure Land Buddhism, which envisions a separate realm of bliss after death, Nichiren’s “pure land of Eagle Peak” is not spatially or temporally distinct. It represents the enlightened state itself, accessible in this lifetime through faith in the Lotus Sutra and manifest wherever it is practiced.
  9. Nichiren believed that the urgency of the Final Dharma Age called for a forceful approach. He saw shakubuku as a compassionate act, as it aimed to awaken people to the truth of the Lotus Sutra even if it meant challenging their existing beliefs and potentially facing resistance.
  10. Nichiren’s teaching emphasizes the non-duality of the individual and their environment. By transforming one’s own life condition through faith in the Lotus Sutra, individuals could positively influence their surroundings and contribute to the creation of a peaceful and enlightened society.

Essay Questions

  • Analyze the role of the Lotus Sutra in Nichiren’s teachings. How does his interpretation of this sutra differ from those of other Buddhist schools in Japan during his time?
  • Discuss the significance of the concept of mappō, the Final Dharma Age, in Nichiren Buddhism. How does this concept inform Nichiren’s understanding of the urgency and importance of spreading the Lotus Sutra?
  • Explore the relationship between faith, practice, and the achievement of buddhahood in Nichiren’s thought. How do the concepts of “mutual inclusion of the ten realms” and “three thousand realms in a single moment of thought” contribute to this understanding?
  • Compare and contrast the concepts of shōju (gradual propagation) and shakubuku (confrontational propagation) in the context of Nichiren Buddhism. Why did Nichiren advocate for the use of shakubuku, and what implications did this have for his interactions with other Buddhist schools and authorities?
  • Nichiren believed that the widespread practice of the Lotus Sutra could lead to the realization of an ideal society. Discuss Nichiren’s vision of this ideal society and the role of individual practice in achieving it. What implications does this have for the social and political engagement of Nichiren Buddhists?

Glossary of Key Terms

Term
Definition
Daimoku
The Japanese pronunciation of the title of the Lotus Sutra, “Myōhō-renge-kyō,” chanted as a central practice in Nichiren Buddhism. It is believed to embody the essence of the Lotus Sutra and lead to enlightenment.
Gohonzon
The revered object of worship in Nichiren Buddhism, often a calligraphic mandala inscribed by Nichiren or his successors. It represents the assembly of the Lotus Sutra and serves as a focal point for chanting the daimoku.
Honzon
A general term for an object of worship in Buddhism, including statues, paintings, mandalas, etc. In Nichiren Buddhism, the gohonzon is considered the primary honzon.
Ichinen Sanzen
“Three thousand realms in a single moment of thought,” a core Tiantai/Tendai principle adopted by Nichiren, expressing the interconnectedness and interpenetration of all phenomena within each thought moment.
Jikkai Gogu
“Mutual inclusion of the ten realms,” a Tiantai/Tendai doctrine embraced by Nichiren, explaining that all ten realms of existence—from hell to buddhahood—are interconnected and contained within each other and every being.
Kaidan
The ordination platform in Buddhism, traditionally a place for receiving precepts and becoming a monk or nun. In Nichiren Buddhism, the meaning and realization of the kaidan have been subject to debate.
Kanjin
“Mind contemplation,” a term used by Nichiren to describe the practice of chanting the daimoku as a means of aligning one’s mind with the Buddha’s enlightenment.
Lotus Sutra
A highly revered Mahayana Buddhist scripture believed by Nichiren to be the ultimate teaching of the Buddha, capable of leading all beings to enlightenment.
Mappō
The “Final Dharma Age,” a period of Buddhist decline when traditional practices are believed to be less effective. Nichiren saw the Lotus Sutra as the only true path to salvation during this time.
Namu Myōhō-renge-kyō
The full phrase chanted in Nichiren Buddhism. “Namu” signifies devotion and taking refuge, while “Myōhō-renge-kyō” is the title of the Lotus Sutra.
Shakubuku
A confrontational approach to propagating Buddhist teachings, often involving direct refutation of other views. Nichiren advocated for this approach as necessary for the Final Dharma Age.
Shōju
A more gradual and accommodating approach to Dharma teaching, emphasizing respect for diverse viewpoints.
Slander of the Dharma (Hōbō)
The act of rejecting or dismissing the Lotus Sutra, particularly in favor of teachings considered provisional by Nichiren.
Sokushin Jōbutsu
“Buddhahood with this very body,” the belief that enlightenment can be achieved in this lifetime and with this physical body through the practice of the Lotus Sutra.

The problem, of course, is that you can’t get a PDF copy of every piece of source material that might be useful. The use of URLs as source material at NotebookLM is problematic, as I explained the other day, because only the content of a single page is used – related pages, links to other material, all of that is ignored.

Still, this is really promising. Maybe I can get a PDF copy of the Writings of Nichiren as published by Nichiren Shu. That would be fun.

Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma – Sept. 28, 2024

When he sat on that seat, the Brahman-heavenly-kings rained heavenly flowers on the area extending a hundred yojanas in all directions from that seat. From time to time withered flowers were blown away by fragrant winds and new flowers were rained down. [The Brahman-heavenly-kings] continued this offering to him for fully ten small kalpas. [After he attained Buddhahood also,] they continued raining flowers until he passed away.

The Buddha describes the life of an ancient Buddha named Great-Universal-Wisdom-Excellence in Chapter Seven of the Lotus Sūtra. In the story, when that Buddha took the seat from which he would become enlightened, the gods who created his world recognized the immense benefit all beings were about to receive and showed their joy by filling the skies with these beautiful flowers. After that Buddha became enlightened, gods from innumerable other worlds came to his world to make offerings, giving up the pleasures of their own worlds. The enlightenment of any being extends beyond the personal contact we have with any that being. It changes the entire universe.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

LS32

Day 22

Day 22 covers all of Chapter 17, The Variety of Merits.

Day 22 Text with annotationsPlay MP3

Having last month considered the reaction of the gods to to the news of the Buddha’s longevity, we consider the innumerable merits gained by understanding by faith the lifespan of the Buddha.

Thereupon the Buddha said to Maitreya Bodhisattva-mahāsattva: “Ajita! Anyone who hears that my life is so long, and understands it by faith even at a moment’s thought, will be able to obtain innumerable merits. Suppose good men or women practiced [the six pāramitās] except the prajñā- pāramitā, that is, the five pāramitās: the dāna-pāramitā, the śīla-pāramitā, the kṣānti-pāramitā, the vīrya-pāramitā, and the dhyāna-pāramitā, for eighty billion nayuta kalpas in order to attain Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. These merits of the good men or women are far less than one hundredth or one thousandth of the merits of the person [who understand my longevity by faith even at a moment’s thought], or less than his merits divided by one hundred thousand billion. [The superiority of his merits to theirs] cannot be explained by any calculation or parable or simile.

It cannot be that the good man who obtained merits [by understanding my longevity by faith even at a moment’s thought] falters in walking the Way to Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.”

The Daily Dharma offers this:

Ajita! Anyone who hears that my life is so long, and understands it by faith even at a moment’s thought, will be able to obtain innumerable merits.

The Buddha makes this declaration to his disciple Maitreya, also known as Invincible (Ajita) in Chapter Seventeen of the Lotus Sutra. In the previous chapter, the Buddha revealed for the first time that his impending death was merely an expedient, intended to reach those who would take him for granted if they thought they could see him at any time. The Buddha explained that this is the teaching that is most difficult to believe and difficult to understand. Namely that he is always present, leading us and all beings to enlightenment.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

On the Journey to a Place of Treasures