In reviewing Chapter 23, The Previous Life of Medicine-King Bodhisattva, for the RKINA 201 class, I want to focus on “practice.” After devoting a year to the discussion of “faith,” I could easily devote just as much time to “practice.” Just as the reality of all things and our provisional existence are not two, our “faith” and “practice” are inseparable – the two sides to a single coin.

Why then is the Bodhisattva Loveliness extolled for such a practice in chapter 23? It is because we today must follow the model of his spirit of zeal as shown in his practice. To burn one’s arms symbolizes one’s indomitable spirit in practicing the teaching. More accurately, it is the manifestation of one’s spirit in practicing the Law at the risk of one’s life. We should assimilate the deep meaning of such expressions as burning one’s arms and not be misled by

the

surface meanings of the words.

Buddhism for Today, p350-351

The models for our practice

The first part of this chapter has commented on the Lotus Sutra as a whole; following this it refers to the merits specifically discussed in this chapter—that is, the merits of the deed of the Medicine King Bodhisattva. The reason that this chapter first emphasizes the merits of receiving and keeping the Lotus Sutra is that the Law cannot be brought to life until it is practiced, and this chapter extols primarily the holiness that one displays in one’s personal practice of the Lotus Sutra. Therefore, we should on no account interpret the chapter as urging us to receive and keep this chapter alone. Such a shallow interpretation produces a religion of a low standard. We cannot make such a mistake if we read the sutra carefully and deeply.

Buddhism for Today, p361

As shown in this chapter, faith and practice are good medicine.

As shown by his name, the Bodhisattva Medicine King gives good medicine to all living beings to make them recover from their mental disorders. When their mental diseases are entirely cured by this bodhisattva, then their physical ones will be ameliorated. This bodhisattva obtained his transcendent power to heal through his having made the offering of burning his arms when he was the Bodhisattva Loveliness in a former life. In other words, it was due to his personal practice of the Lotus Sutra. Because the Bodhisattva Loveliness practiced the Lotus Sutra himself, he was reborn as the Bodhisattva Medicine King, who had the transcendent power to cure the mental diseases of all living beings. His healing of mental diseases greatly ameliorates physical ones. Therefore, we come to this conclusion: our wholeheartedly receiving, keeping, and practicing the Lotus Sutra becomes a driving force in our healing the various kinds of mental distortions of others. Chapter 23 teaches us this principle and encourages us to spread it abroad.

Buddhism for Today, p365