Two Buddhas, p 144Throughout East Asia, the imagery of [The Appearance of the Jeweled Stupa] chapter has inspired painting, sculpture, and exegesis. In Tiantai Buddhism, that imagery became part of a narrative of mythic origins: Zhiyi and his teacher Huisi, it was said, had together heard Śākyamuni Buddha’s original preaching of the Lotus Sūtra in the Vulture Peak assembly and were later born together in China, where they became master and disciple. The Japanese Tendai founder Saichō incorporated this tradition into his account of his Tendai dharma lineage. Shortly after Saichō’s death, when a new state-sponsored ordination platform was erected at the monastery that he had established on Mount Hiei, a representation of the jeweled stūpa of Prabhūtaratna, together with an image of Śākyamuni, was enshrined there. In medieval Japan, the Tendai esoteric “Lotus rite” or Hokke hō, conducted to realize buddhahood, eradicate sin, prolong life, quell disasters, and achieve other aims, employed a mandala depicting the two buddhas Śākyamuni and Prabhūtaratna, seated side by side on a lotus, in its central court.
Tag Archives: LS15
Day 15
Day 15 concludes Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma, and opens Chapter 11, Beholding the Stūpa of Treasures.
Having last month learned in gāthās how good men or women who live after the Buddha’s extinction should expound this sūtra, we conclude Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma.
If anyone speaks ill of you, or threatens you
With swords, sticks, tile-pieces or stones
While you are expounding this sūtra,
Think of me, and be patient!My body is pure and indestructible.
I will appear in any of many thousands of billions of worlds
During many hundreds of millions of kalpas,
And expound the Dharma to the living beings.If a teacher of the Dharma expounds this sūtra
After my extinction,
I will manifest the four kinds of devotees:
Bhikṣus, bhikṣunīs, and men and women of pure faith,
And dispatch them to him
So that they may make offerings to him,
And that they may lead many living beings,
Collecting them to hear the Dharma [from him].If he is hated and threatened
With swords, sticks, tile-pieces or stones,
I will manifest men and dispatch them to him
In order to protect him.If an expounder of the Dharma
Reads and recites this sūtra
In a retired and quiet place,
Where no human voice is heard,
I will show my pure and radiant body to him.
If he forgets a sentence or a phrase of this sūtra,
I will tell it to him
For his complete understanding.Anyone who expounds this sūtra to the four kinds of devotees,
Or reads or recites this sūtra in a retired place,
After doing these [three] virtuous things,
Will be able to see me.If he lives in a retired place,
I will dispatch gods, dragon-kings, yakṣas,
Demigods, and others to him,
And have them hear the Dharma [from him].He will expound the Dharma with joy.
He will expound it without hindrance.
He will cause a great multitude to rejoice
Because he is protected by all the Buddhas.Those who come to this teacher of the Dharma
Will be able to complete the Way of Bodhisattvas quickly.
Those who follow him and study will be able to see
As many Buddhas as there are sands in the River Ganges.
The Daily Dharma from July 28, 2018, offers this:
If anyone speaks ill of you, or threatens you
With swords, sticks, tile-pieces or stones
While you are expounding this sūtra,
Think of me, and be patient!
The Buddha sings these verses to Medicine-King Bodhisattva in Chapter Ten of the Lotus Sūtra. By patience, the Buddha does not mean to toughen ourselves and allow others to harm us. The patience he speaks of allows to increase our capacity to handle the mental suffering that comes when others abuse us. If we keep in mind that nothing anyone does can remove the seed of Buddha nature that is within them, and remember that this seed is within all beings, we can treat even those who mean us harm with respect and compassion, rather than contempt and derision.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 15
Day 15 concludes Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma, and opens Chapter 11, Beholding the Stūpa of Treasures.
Having last month learned how good men or women who live after the Buddha’s extinction should expound this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, we repeat in gāthās how good men or women who live after the Buddha’s extinction should expound this sūtra.
Thereupon the World-Honored One, wishing to repeat what he had said, sang in gāthās:
If you wish to give up all indolence,
Hear this sūtra!
It is difficult to hear this sūtra.
Few receive it by faith.A man on a plateau, feeling thirsty,
Dug a hole in order to get water.
As long as he saw the dug-out lumps of earth were dry,
He knew that water was still far off.
When he found the earth wet and muddy,
He was convinced that water was near.In the same manner, Medicine-King, know this!
Those who do not hear
The Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma
Are far from the wisdom of the Buddha.In this profound sūtra
The teachings for the Śrāvakas are criticized.
Those who hear
That this sūtra is the king of all the sūtras,
And think over this sūtra clearly after hearing it,
Know this, will approach the wisdom of the Buddha.
If you wish to expound this sūtra,
Enter the room of the Tathāgata,
Wear the robe of the Tathāgata,
Sit on the seat of the Tathāgata,
[And after doing these three things,]
Expound it to people without fear!To enter the room of the Tathāgata means to have great compassion.
To wear his robe means to be gentle and patient.
To sit on his seat means to see the voidness of all things.
Expound the Dharma only after you do these [three] things!
The Daily Dharma from Dec. 1, 2018, offers this:
In this profound sūtra
The teachings for the Śrāvakas are criticized.
Those who hear
That this sūtra is the king of all the sūtras,
And think over this sūtra clearly after hearing it,
Know this, will approach the wisdom of the Buddha.
The Buddha sings these verses to Medicine-King Bodhisattva in Chapter Ten of the Lotus Sūtra. He has already declared that the sūtra he is teaching is the closest to his own wisdom, that it is different from anything he has taught before, and that it is the teaching for Bodhisattvas. The expedient teachings he gave to Śrāvakas before this sūtra were limited because they did not show the way to enlightenment for all beings. As we keep this sūtra in our minds, and learn to recognize it in our daily lives, we not only approach our own enlightenment, we lead all beings to enjoy the Buddha’s wisdom.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
Day 15
Day 15 concludes Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma, and opens Chapter 11, Beholding the Stūpa of Treasures.
Having last month considered the Lotus Sūtra and practicing the Way of Bodhisattvas, we learn how good men or women who live after the Buddha’s extinction should expound this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.
“Medicine-King! The Bodhisattvas who, having been surprised at hearing this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, doubt and fear it, know this, are beginners in Bodhisattvahood. The Śrāvakas who, having been surprised at hearing this sūtra, doubt and fear it, know this, are men of arrogance.
“Medicine-King! How should the good men or women who live after my extinction expound this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma to the four kinds of devotees when they wish to? They should enter the room of the Tathāgata, wear the robe of the Tathāgata, sit on the seat of the Tathāgata, and then expound this sūtra to the four kinds of devotees. To enter the room of the Tathāgata means to have great compassion towards all living beings. To wear the robe of the Tathāgata means to be gentle and patient. To sit on the seat of the Tathāgata means to see the voidness of all things. They should do these [three] things and then without indolence expound this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma to Bodhisattvas and the four kinds of devotees.
“Medicine-King! Although I shall be in another world [after my extinction], I will manifest men and women [by my supernatural powers], dispatch them [to the expounder of the Dharma], and have them collect people to hear the Dharma from him. I also will manifest monks, nuns and men or women of faith [by my supernatural powers], dispatch them, and have them hear the Dharma from them. These people manifested [by my supernatural powers] will hear the Dharma [from him], receive it by faith, follow it, and not oppose it. If he lives in a retired place, I will dispatch gods, dragons, demigods, gandharvas, asuras, and others to him, and have them hear the Dharma from him. Although I shall be in another world, l will cause him to see me from time to time. If he forgets a phrase of this sūtra, I will tell it to him for his complete [understanding].”
On my 21-day retreat encouraged by Universal-Sage Bodhisattva, we consider Day 5 of 21.
Day 15
Day 15 concludes Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma, and opens Chapter 11, Beholding the Stūpa of Treasures.
Having last month considered the prediction for anyone who copies, keeps, reads and recites this sūtra, we consider the Lotus Sūtra and practicing the Way of Bodhisattvas.
“Medicine-King! Although many laymen or monks will practice the Way of Bodhisattvas, they will not be able to practice it satisfactorily, know this, unless they see, hear, read, recite, copy or keep this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma or make offerings to it. If they hear this sūtra, they will. Anyone who, while seeking the enlightenment of the Buddha, sees or hears this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, and after hearing it, understands it by faith and keeps it, know this, will approach Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.
“Medicine-King! Suppose a man on a plateau felt thirsty and sought water. He dug a hole in order to get water. As long as he saw the dug-out lumps of earth were dry, he knew that water was still far off. He went on digging, and then found the dug-out lumps of earth wet. When he finally found mud, he was convinced that water was near. In the same manner, know this, the Bodhisattvas who have not yet heard, understood or practised this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, are still far from Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. [The Bodhisattvas] who hear, understand, think over and practice this sūtra, will approach Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. Why is that? It is because Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi which all the Bodhisattvas [should attain] is expounded only in this sūtra. This sūtra opens the gate of expedients and reveals the seal of the truth. The store of this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma is sound and deep. No one can reach its core. Now I show it to the Bodhisattvas in order to teach them and cause them to attain [Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi].
Continuing with the content from Miraculous Tales of the Lotus Sutra from Ancient Japan, we learn of Priest Chōzen of Mount Hiei.
Day 15
Day 15 concludes Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma, and opens Chapter 11, Beholding the Stūpa of Treasures.
Having last month considered the prediction that people will oppose the Lotus Sūtra, we consider the prediction for anyone who copies, keeps, reads and recites this sūtra.
“Medicine-King, know this! Anyone who copies, keeps, reads and recites this sūtra, makes offerings to it, and expounds it to others after my extinction, will be covered by my robe. He also will be protected by the present Buddhas of the other worlds. He will have the great power of truth, the power of vows, and the power of roots of good. Know this! He will live with me. I will pat him on the head.
“Medicine-King! Erect a stupa of the seven treasures in any place where this sūtra is expounded, read, recited or copied, or in any place where a copy of this sūtra exists! The stupa should be tall, spacious and adorned. You need not enshrine my śarīras in the stupa. Why not? It is because it will contain my perfect body. Offer flowers, incense, necklaces, canopies, banners, streamers, music and songs of praise to the stupa! Respect the stupa, honor it, and praise it! Anyone who, after seeing the stupa, bows to it, and makes offerings to it, know this, will approach Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.
Continuing with the content from Miraculous Tales of the Lotus Sutra from Ancient Japan, we learn of A Hokekyō Reciter of Mount Yoshino.
A Hokekyō Reciter of Mount Yoshino
Priest Giei practised the Way as he travelled through the mountains. When he was once travelling from Kumano to Ōmine heading towards Mount Mitake, he lost his directions. He vainly tried to find the right way to the summit by blowing his conch shell.
Surrounded by the mountains, he found himself in a deep valley. For days, Giei struggled to find his route. He prayed to his Buddha and the Three Treasures to help him reach an inhabited place.
Finally, Giei arrived at a flat forested area. There he saw a new and clean Buddhist house with ornate gables, well-designed lattices, wooden sliding and hanging doors, ceilings, and mats of bamboo. The front yard of white sand presented a most tasteful view with various flowers and fruits in a profusion of green foliage.
Seeing this, Giei rejoiced and slowed his pace. As he approached, he saw a priest about twenty years old sitting correctly in the house and reciting the Hokekyō in a very deep and noble voice which resembled the sounds of a lute.
As Giei watched, a strange thing happened. As soon as the priest finished reciting a copy of a chapter of the sūtra and put it down on his desk, the roll of the copy jumped into the air, rolled back to its front cover, bound itself with a cord and landed on the desk as if had been originally placed. Every copy rolled back thus as soon as the young priest finished until the entire sūtra was recited. The priest prayed for the benefit of others, stood up, and came out of his house.
Seeing Giei, the surprised priest spoke, “No one has ever come here since ancient times. Even the birds of the valleys are rarely heard in this deep mountain. How could I expect anyone to come here? Tell me what happened?”
“While passing through the mountains during my ascetic practices, I lost my way and arrived here,” replied Giei.
After he heard Giei’s explanation, the young priest invited Giei inside the house, had him take a seat, and asked someone in the house if the food had been prepared. Soon a few good-looking boys brought beautifully arranged food trays. Giei saw various extraordinary things there. Finally, Giei asked the priest, “How long have you lived here and how can you manage everything here so easily?”
The priest replied, “I have been living here more than eighty years. Originally, I was a disciple of Priest Kikei of Tōto of Mount Hiei. On account of a small dispute, I was cut off from my master. I foolishly left my temple and wandered about as I liked. When young, I travelled about during my ascetic practices without any place to settle. But, becoming old, I have remained in this mountain and have been waiting here for my last moments.”
Giei felt more puzzled and continued questioning. “You say nobody has come here. But I just saw a few handsome young boys here. Are you telling me a lie?”
“A passage of the sūtra says, ‘Various Heavenly Boys will come and serve.’ Why should there be anything strange about these boys?”
Giei asked further, “Although you say that you are old, you look very young. Is this also a lie?”
“That is not false either. As another passage of the sūtra says, ‘The one who listens to the recitation of the sūtra will be free from illness, aging, and death,’ ” answered the priest.
After a while, the priest urged Giei to leave the house sooner. Giei lamented saying, “For days and nights, I was wandering in the mountain without knowing my directions. I am mentally and physically exhausted and cannot walk a step further. Besides, the sun is setting, and the dark night is approaching. Why are you urging me to leave here?”
The priest explained, “It is not that I dislike you. But this place has not had a human atmosphere for a long time. If you wish to stay for the night, remain silent.”
When it became late at night, a sudden breeze rose, and the atmosphere changed. Many demon deities in various shapes and forms, including those of deer, and those with the heads of cows, horses, and birds, gathered in the front yard. They all brought incense, flowers, fruit, and other foods on trays as their offerings, and stood in line in front of the yard. After they placed their offerings on the high shelf constructed in the yard, they bowed respectfully with their palms together in prayer and retired to their proper positions.
One of them said, “Something is unusual tonight. There is a human atmosphere hereabouts.” Another said, “Who has come here?”
The priest made a vow and recited the Hokekyō continuously through the night. As the dawn was about to break, the priest prayed for the benefit of others. The members of the crowd which had gathered also prayed for each other and dispersed.
The wondering Giei asked the priest, “Where did those strange creatures come from?” The priest replied, “They came here just as a passage of the sūtra says, ‘If one preaches the Law in a quiet place with no human souls, Deva Kings, Dragon Kings, Yaksa, and demon deities will be sent to listen.’ ”
Finally, Giei wished to leave but did not know his directions.
“I will send you to a human habitation with a guide,” said the priest as he took a water jar and placed it on the straw mat. The jar jumped up and slowly advanced in a certain direction. Giei followed the jar and reached the summit in about two hours. As he looked down from the summit, he saw a village at the foot of the mountain. Suddenly, the water jar ascended into the air and flew back to its place.
After reaching the village, Giei tearfully told the villagers about the Hokekyō reciter in the deep mountain. Those who heard his story all rejoiced with tears, and many made vows with firm faith. (Page 40-42)
Miraculous Tales of the Lotus Sutra from Ancient JapanDay 15
Day 15 concludes Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma, and opens Chapter 11, Beholding the Stūpa of Treasures.
Having last month heard Śākyamuni’s explanation that the Wonderful Dharma is the most difficult to believe and the most difficult to understand, we consider the prediction that people will oppose the Lotus Sūtra.
“Medicine-King! This sūtra is the store of the hidden core of all the Buddhas. Do not give it to others carelessly! It is protected by the Buddhas, by the World-Honored Ones. It has not been expounded explicitly. Many people hate it with jealousy even in my lifetime. Needless to say, more people will do so after my extinction.
Nichiren focuses on this paragraph in Essay on Gratitude letter:
When Queen Māyā became pregnant with her child, the future Śākyamuni Buddha, the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven saw through her womb and said: “The queen is pregnant with a sharp sword called the Lotus Sūtra, which is our sworn enemy. How can we eliminate it before it is born?” Pretending to be a great doctor, the Demon entered the palace of King Śuddhodana and talked the queen into drinking poison, saying it was medicine effective for easy childbirth. At the very moment when the Buddha was born, the Demon King caused a rain of stones to fall and mixed the baby’s milk with poison. When Prince Siddhārtha left the palace to become a monk, the Demon King, this time, pretended to be a black poisonous snake blocking the prince’s way. Furthermore, the Demon King entered the bodies of Devadatta, Kokālika, King Virūḍhaka, and King Ajātaśatru, making them throw huge rocks at the Buddha to draw blood or to kill members of the Śākya people and Buddha’s disciples. These almost fatal obstacles to the Buddha were the work of the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven to stop the Buddha from preaching the Lotus Sūtra. They are what is referred to when the Lotus Sūtra, chapter 10 on “The Teacher of the Dharma,” mentions, “Many people hate it with jealousy even in My lifetime.” These were the difficulties the Buddha experienced quite early in His lifetime, and many terrible difficulties awaited Him later. Since Śāriputra, Maudgalyāyana, and the other great bodhisattvas could not believe in the Lotus Sūtra, they, in spite of living close to the Buddha, were the worst enemies in the forty or so years before the Lotus Sūtra was preached.
These things happened in the Buddha’s lifetime, and in the future, more horrible difficulties will probably occur as predicted in the chapter which says: “It will be worse after I die.” How can ordinary people bear those difficulties while even the Buddha could hardly bear them? How much more so, as the difficulties we are to face are said to be more tremendous than those that the Buddha had encountered! No difficulties seem more horrible than Devadatta’s attempted murder of the Buddha with a huge rock thirty feet long and sixteen feet wide or King Ajatasatru’s attempt to hurt the Buddha by releasing a drunken elephant. Nevertheless, according to the sūtra, we shall encounter difficulties greater than those. One who often encounters such difficulties, through no fault of his own, must be a practicer of the Lotus Sūtra after the Buddha’s death.
Hōon-jō, Essay on Gratitude, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Pages 8.
Day 15
Day 15 concludes Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma, and opens Chapter 11, Beholding the Stūpa of Treasures.
Having last month concluded today’s portion of Chapter 11 with Śākyamuni emitting a ray of light, we return to Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma, and Śākyamuni explanation that the Wonderful Dharma is the most difficult to believe and the most difficult to understand.
Thereupon the Buddha said again to Medicine-King Bodhisattva mahāsattvas:
“I have expounded many sūtras. I am now expounding this sūtra. I also will expound many sūtras in the future. The total number of the sūtras will amount to many thousands of billions. This Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma is the most difficult to believe and the most difficult to understand.
Nichiren explains the importance of this statement by the Buddha in his Essay on Gratitude:
The comparative superiority of all the sūtras preached during fifty years or so by Śākyamuni Buddha is declared in chapter 10 of the Lotus Sūtra, “The Teacher of the Dharma”: “I have expounded numerous sūtras. I am now expounding this sūtra. I also will expound many sūtras in the future. The total number of the sūtras will amount to many thousands, ten thousands and millions of them. This Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma is the most difficult to believe and the most difficult to understand.”
Even if this statement of the Lotus Sūtra were uttered by Śākyamuni Buddha alone, anybody from the highest ranking bodhisattvas down should respect and believe in it. The Buddha of Many Treasures, coming from the Eastern Hōjō World, attested to its truth. Besides, various Buddhas in manifestation from all the worlds in the universe gathered to verify its truth “with their long and wide tongues extended to the Brahma Heaven” just as Śākyamuni Buddha did, and returned to their respective lands.
The three phrases of “already preached, being now preached, and going to be preached” (i, kon, tō) include all the sūtras preached not only by Śākyamuni Buddha during fifty years or so of His preaching but also by all the Buddhas from all the worlds in the universe through the past, present, and future. These numerous sūtras are all compared with the Lotus Sūtra. Suppose that these Buddhas, from all the worlds in the universe, who presented themselves at the assembly of the Lotus Sūtra and added their seals of approval, should return to their respective homelands and say to their disciples that there is a sūtra superior to the Lotus Sūtra, would their disciples trust them at all?
Source
Day 15
Day 15 concludes Chapter 10, The Teacher of the Dharma, and opens Chapter 11, Beholding the Stūpa of Treasures.
Having last month learned of Śākyamuni’s replicas, we conclude today’s portion of Chapter 11 with Śākyamuni emitting a ray of light.
Thereupon the Buddha emitted a ray of light from the white curls [between his eyebrows, and faced the east]. The congregation saw the Buddhas of five hundred billion nayuta worlds, that is, as many worlds as there are sands in the River Ganges, in the east. The ground of those worlds was made of crystal. Those worlds were adorned with jeweled trees and garments, and filled with many thousands of billions of Bodhisattvas. Jeweled curtains were stretched and jeweled nets were hung over those worlds, where the Buddhas were expounding the Dharma with loud and wonderful voices. The congregation also saw that many thousands of billions of Bodhisattvas, with whom those worlds were filled, were expounding the Dharma to the living beings of those worlds.
The Buddha also illumined the worlds of the south, west, north, the four intermediate quarters, zenith, and nadir, with rays of light emitted from the white curls [between his eyebrows]. The worlds of those quarters looked like those of the east.
The Introduction to the Lotus Sūtra offers this on the temporary manifestations of the Eternal Buddha:
In Buddhism, people worship not only Sakyamuni Buddha but also other Buddhas, such as Amitayus (in the west) and Aksobhya (in the east). Such Buddhas have different names and attributes, and different life spans, long or short. The longest existing one is thought to have lived for several tens of kalpas. At any rate, they are all limited entities, because all of them eventually entered into Nirvana. The main point of the Lotus Sutra is that all Buddhas, by whatever names they may use, are temporary manifestations of the eternal, infinite, and immortal Sakyamuni Buddha. He transforms himself into other Buddhas when necessary to redeem and guide people, who understand him in various ways according to their particular times, places, and levels of culture.
Introduction to the Lotus Sutra