Day 20 completes Chapter 15, The Appearance of Bodhisattvas from Underground, and concludes the Fifth Volume of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma. Having last month heard Śākyamuni explain that he is the teacher of these Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, we learn of the doubts this causes among Maitreya and the other Bodhisattvas. Thereupon … Continue reading Day 20
Day 17 covers all of Chapter 12, Devadatta, and opens Chapter 13, Encouragement for Keeping this Sutra. Having last month heard Medicine-King Bodhisattva-mahāsattva and Great-Eloquence Bodhisattva-mahāsattva’s vow to uphold the Lotus Sūtra, we hear from Arhats and Śrāvakas who vow to preach the Lotus Sūtra in some other world. At that time there were five … Continue reading Day 17
Day 14 covers all of Chapter 9, The Assurance of Future Buddhahood of the Śrāvakas Who Have Something More to Learn and the Śrāvakas Who Have Nothing More to Learn, and opens Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma. Having last month considered the consequences of speaking ill of someone who keeps the Lotus Sūtra, … Continue reading Day 14
Day 14 covers all of Chapter 9, The Assurance of Future Buddhahood of the Śrāvakas Who Have Something More to Learn and the Śrāvakas Who Have Nothing More to Learn, and opens Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma. Having last month heard Śākyamuni’s prediction of who will become a Buddha, we consider the consequences … Continue reading Day 14
This is a followup to yesterday’s post about The Lotus Sutra: A Biography with a few additional ideas I want to save for later retrieval. On the fate of the 5,000 arrogant monks who walked out in Chapter 2, Expedients, of the Lotus Sūtra: For Zhiyi, and for many readers over the centuries, the Lotus … Continue reading Odds and Ends from The Lotus Sutra: A Biography
[L]et me explain why we should discard provisional sūtras, putting faith in the true sūtras instead. QUESTION: What scriptural statements support your contention? ANSWER: Ten scriptural statements support my contention. First, it is stated in the Lotus Sūtra, chapter 3 on the “Parable,” “You should try to uphold only Mahāyāna sūtras … without putting faith … Continue reading 10 Reasons To Discard Provisional Sūtras
Medicine King Bodhisattva burnt his elbows as a light to be offered to Lotus Sūtra for 72,000 years. Whenever Never Despising Bodhisattva saw anyone, he always recited the 24-character verse: I respect you deeply. I will never despise you because you are destined to practice the way of the bodhisattva and become Buddhas.” For many … Continue reading Past Lives Of Śākyamuni Buddha
Day 21 covers all of Chapter 16, The Duration of the Life of the Tathāgata. Having last month considered Śākyamuni’s various activities during his lifetime, we consider purpose of the sūtras expounded to this point. “Good men! All the sūtras that I expounded [hitherto] were for the purpose of saving all living beings. I told … Continue reading Day 21
It is stated in the “Parable” chapter of the Lotus Sūtra, “Seeing those who read, recite, copy, and uphold this sūtra, some will despise, hate, envy, and bear grudges against them; in the “Teacher of the Dharma” chapter, “Many will feel resentment and envy even during the lifetime of the Buddha, even more so after … Continue reading Proving The Prediction Of The Buddha
Turned this year’s Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church’s Tsuito-e service and New Year Party into a family affair. The Tsuito-e service is a memorial service for deceased members marking an everlasting membership in a community of believers. This is followed with the New Year Party put on by the Fujinkai (women’s group). The luncheon acts as … Continue reading Tsuito-e and New Year Party