Below are several items from Nikkyō Niwano’s discussion of Chapter 16 of the Lotus Sutra that I wanted to set aside as foundational Buddhist knowledge. I had skipped this material my first time gathering quotes from the book for use in my 32 Days of the Lotus Sutra posts.
THREE IMPORTANT TEACHINGS
Buddhism for Today, p186-187From ancient times, the chapter “Revelation of the [Eternal] Life of the Tathāgata” has been held to include three important teachings: ‘opening up the short and revealing the long” (kaigon kennon), “accepting the historical Buddha as a temporary manifestation of the eternal Śākyamuni Buddha and revealing the eternity of Śākyamuni Buddha” (kaishaku kempon), and “opening up the expedient teaching and revealing the true teaching” (kaigon kenjitsu).
The first teaching, “opening up the short and revealing the long,” means that we start from an easily discerned fact, gradually tracing its origin, and discover its ultimate implications. “An easily discerned fact” is that Śākyamuni Buddha appeared in this world, attained enlightenment, and preached to many people to cause them to realize enlightenment. Where did this fact originate? Was Śākyamuni Buddha suddenly awakened to a holy Law having no relationship to past human history? This cannot be. The Law must have existed before the birth of the Buddha and since the origin of human beings—indeed since the creation of this universe. Because the Law existed, the Buddha perceived it. … The teaching of “opening up the short and revealing the long” has a very important meaning because through the easily grasped fact of the appearance of the Buddha in this world and his attainment of buddhahood, we can understand the Law that has existed since the eternal past.
The second teaching is “accepting the historical Buddha as a temporary manifestation of the eternal Śākyamuni Buddha and revealing the eternity of Śākyamuni Buddha.” In a broad sense, the term “appearing buddha” (shakubutsu) refers to such buddhas as Abundant Treasures and Amitābha, not to mention Śākyamuni Buddha, who appeared as a man in this world. When tracing the principle behind the manifestation of such appearing buddhas, we realize that obviously there must be a buddha as their foundation. Because the truth is only one, it must have a single foundation even if it appears in various different forms. When we thus consider the principle of Śākyamuni Buddha, who was the appearing Buddha in this world, we realize that behind this manifestation is the one Eternal Original Buddha. This is the teaching of “accepting the historical Buddha as a temporary manifestation of the eternal Śākyamuni Buddha and revealing the eternity of Śākyamuni Buddha,” which is made clear in [Chapter 16].
The third teaching is “opening up the expedient teaching and revealing the true teaching.” The word gon, “expedient,” means “provisional” or “temporary,” as in the term “provisional appearance” (gongen), which indicates a buddha’s appearing provisionally in the form of a god. This word also means “vice” or “assistant” as opposed to “principal” or “original,” as in the term “vice-high priest” (gon-no-sōjō), a Buddhist high priest of the second highest rank. The expedient teaching here means the temporary or provisional teaching as the means or way of leading all living beings to the truth. The provisional teaching is very sacred, but it is still a “temporary” teaching as a means of preaching the truth and is also a “secondary” teaching.
The faith of all living beings has been raised to a very high level by means of such a temporary teaching, but they have not yet attained the highest state of mind. The chapter “Revelation of the [Eternal] Life of the Tathāgata” reveals the true and supreme teaching, thus opening up the expedient teaching and revealing the true teaching.
CAUSES AND CONDITIONS
Buddhism for Today, p188The Sanskrit word buddha is derived from the word bodhi, indicating the idea of “exercise of reason.” The mental state of enlightenment that the Buddha preached can be understood by anyone who has a high enough degree of reason. This enlightenment is not something visionary that only an inspired person can perceive, nor is it something bestowed by an absolute being in whom one simply has faith.
Śākyamuni Buddha did not regard this universe as God’s creation or his conquest, but as resulting from the relation of cause and effect by which all phenomena are produced. Causation means a primary cause (in) and a secondary cause (en) combining to produce an effect (ka) and a recompense (hō). In this world, there is nothing unchangeable or fixed in form. All things have a direct cause (primary cause, in). When this comes into contact with an opportunity or condition (secondary cause, en), the result of this conjunction appears as a phenomenon (effect, ka). This effect leaves behind traces (recompense, hō): thus Śākyamuni Buddha interpreted all things in the world.
SEAL OF THE THREE TRUTHS
Buddhism for Today, p190These three laws – “All things are impermanent,” “Nothing has an ego,” and “Nirvana is quiescence” — are the fundamental principles of Buddhism and as such are called the Seal of the Three Laws (sambō-in). It is no exaggeration to say that all the teachings of Buddhism are derived from these three laws.
How should we practice the Seal of the Three Laws in our daily lives? The answer to this question is found in the doctrines of the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, the Law of the Twelve Causes, and the Six Perfections.