The Stories of the Lotus Sutra, p206Various reasons are given in the Sutra as to why the Buddha has announced his entry into final nirvana when actually he is still alive in this world. For example: “If the Buddha lives for a long time in this world, people of little virtue will not plant roots of goodness, and those who are poor and of humble origins will become attached to the five desires and be caught in a net of assumptions and false views. If they see that the Tathagata is always alive and never extinct, they will become arrogant and selfish or discouraged and neglectful. Unable to realize how difficult it is to meet him, they will not have a respectful attitude toward him.” (LS 293)
It is useful to understand these terms through the vehicle of the parables. The children in the parable of the burning house are too absorbed in their play to notice what is going on around them, including their father’s attempts to warn them of the dangers. The son in the parable of the rich father and poor son is simply lacking in self-confidence and self-respect. The children in this parable are stricken by poison. All are in need of help and guidance, but what they need guidance for is to accept greater responsibility for the direction and quality of their own lives. In this way, they can, perhaps only very gradually, become bodhisattvas, and take responsibility for doing the Buddha’s work in this world.
And yet, even though stories have been told about the death of the Buddha, even now the Buddha is not really dead. He is still with us, alive in this world, living the bodhisattva way, doing the bodhisattva work of transforming people into bodhisattvas and purifying buddha lands. “From the beginning,” he says, “I have practiced the bodhisattva way, and that life is not yet finished. . . .” (LS 293)
Tag Archives: LS21
Day 21
Day 21 covers all of Chapter 16, The Duration of the Life of the Tathāgata.
Having last month heard the Buddha’s call for everyone to “understand my sincere and infallible words by faith,” we learn about the Buddha’s hidden core and supernatural powers.
Thereupon the World-Honored One, seeing that they repeated their appeal even after they repeated it three times, said to them:
“Listen to me attentively! I will tell you about my hidden core and supernatural powers. The gods, men and asuras in the world think that I, Śākyamuni Buddha, left the palace of the Śākyas, sat at the place of enlightenment not far from the City of Gayā, and attained Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi [forty and odd years ago]. To tell the truth, good men, it is many hundreds of thousands of billions of nayutas of kalpas since I became the Buddha. Suppose someone smashed into dust five hundred thousand billion nayuta asaṃkhya worlds, which were each composed of one thousand million Sumeru-worlds, and went to the east [carrying the dust with him). When he reached a world at a distance of five hundred thousand billion nayuta asaṃkhya worlds [from this world], he put a particle of dust on that world. Then he went on again to the east, and repeated the putting of a particle of the dust [on the world at every distance of five hundred thousand billion nayuta asaṃkhya worlds] until the particles of the dust were exhausted. Good men! What do you think of this? Do you think that the number of the world he went through is conceivable, countable, or not?”
Maitreya Bodhisattva and others said to the Buddha:
“World-Honored One! Those worlds are innumerable, uncountable, inconceivable. No Śrāvaka or Pratyekabuddha could count them even by his wisdom-without-āsravas. We are now in the state of avaivartika, but cannot, either. World-Honored One! Those worlds are innumerable.”
Thereupon the Buddha said to the great multitude of Bodhisattvas:
“Good Men! Now I will tell you clearly. Suppose those worlds, whether they were marked with the particles of the dust or not, were smashed into dust. The number of the kalpas which have elapsed since I became the Buddha is on hundred thousand billion nayuta asaṃkhyas larger than the number of the particles of the dust thus produced. All this time I have been living in this Sahā-World, and teaching [the living beings of this world] by expounding the Dharma to them. I also have been leading and benefiting the living beings of one hundred thousand billion nayuta asaṃkhya worlds outside this world.
Mañjuśrī and Maitreya; Wisdom and Compassion
Buddhism for Today, p212-213Another thing that we must not forget is that, on behalf of the great host of bodhisattvas, the Bodhisattva Maitreya asked the Buddha to expound the teaching. In chapter 1 of the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha sent forth from the circle of white hair between his eyebrows a ray of light that illuminated all the lands in the universe. At that time the Bodhisattva Maitreya wondered at this marvel and asked the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī to explain it. Then, on the basis of his past experience, the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī predicted, “The World-honored One now intends to preach a very important law, the truth in the utmost depth of his mind.” From this episode we can judge that Mañjuśrī was the most senior bodhisattva. In chapters 12 and 14 the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī again requested the Buddha to instruct the host of bodhisattvas. However, from the latter half of chapter 15 onward, the Bodhisattva Maitreya represents the host of bodhisattvas, and the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī does not appear in the later chapters of the Lotus Sutra. This change is not incidental but has deep significance.
As indicated by the saying “the wisdom of Mañjuśrī,” the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī is regarded as the idealization or personification of the wisdom of the Buddha. Therefore, in the Law of Appearance as the teaching of wisdom, this bodhisattva usually represents the host of bodhisattvas. The Bodhisattva Maitreya, on the other hand, is believed to represent the Buddha’s compassion. Therefore, in the Law of Origin as the teaching of compassion, which begins with the latter half of chapter 15, the Bodhisattva Maitreya is the representative of all the bodhisattvas. However, in chapter 28, “Encouragement of the Bodhisattva Universal Virtue,” the last chapter of the Lotus Sutra, the Bodhisattva Universal Virtue acts as the representative of the bodhisattvas. This is because Universal Virtue typifies the practice of the Buddha. This bodhisattva is actually regarded as representing the teaching, practice, and attainment of the Buddha, but in the Lotus Sutra he most strongly represents the practice of the Buddha.
The appearance of these three bodhisattvas— Mañjuśrī, who represents the wisdom of the Buddha; Maitreya, who typifies the compassion of the Buddha; and Universal Virtue, who personifies the practice of the Buddha—reflects the organization of the Lotus Sutra itself.
Day 21
Day 21 covers all of Chapter 16, The Duration of the Life of the Tathāgata.
Having last month concluded Chapter 16, The Duration of the Life of the Tathāgata, we begin again with the Buddha’s call for everyone to “understand my sincere and infallible words by faith.”Thereupon the Buddha aid to the great multitude including Bodhisattvas and others, “Good men! Understand my sincere and infallible words by faith!”
He said to the great multitude again, “Understand my sincere and infallible words by faith!”He said to them once again, “Understand my sincere and infallible words by faith!”
Thereupon the great multitude of Bodhisattvas, headed by Maitreya, joined their hands together and said to the Buddha, “World-Honor done, tell us! We will receive your words by faith.”
They said this three times. Then they said once again, “Tell us! We will receive your words by faith.”
Believe and Discern
Buddhism for Today, p211-212Chapter 16 of the Lotus Sutra begins at this point.
At that time the Buddha said to the bodhisattvas and all the great assembly, “Believe and discern, all you good sons, the veracious word of the Tathāgata.” Again he said to the great assembly, “Believe and discern the veracious word of the Tathāgata.” And a third time he said to all the great assembly, “Believe and discern the veracious word of the Tathāgata.”
The Buddha’s saying “Believe and discern it” instead of commanding “Believe it” has an important meaning. Sakyamuni Buddha never forced his ideas upon his disciples or other people. He preached the truth as it was and exhorted his listeners, saying, “You, too, behold it.” He led them on the way of the truth and coaxed them, saying, “You, too, come to me.” His exhortation to “behold the truth” instead of saying only “Believe it” is a very important point. This short phrase of the Buddha speaks for the character of his teachings. His words “Behold it” are equivalent to the “scientific spirit” in today’s parlance. The Buddha shows in these few words that if anyone thoroughly views the truth, studies it, and discerns it, he will surely be able to accept it to his satisfaction.
His words “You, too, come to me” include the same important idea. They mean: “Come to me and practice the Law as much as I do. Then you are sure to understand the value of the Law.” The Buddha could never have uttered these words unless he had absolute confidence in the Law and the Way.
Because Sakyamuni Buddha was a reasonable person, he did not say even to his leading disciples, “Believe the truth,” but said, “Believe and discern it,” that is, “Believe it after understanding it.” In this emphasis on belief based on understanding, Buddhism differs fundamentally from many other religions.
Day 21
Day 21 covers all of Chapter 16, The Duration of the Life of the Tathāgata.
Having last month considered the perverted people’s view in gāthās, we conclude Chapter 16, The Duration of the Life of the Tathāgata.To those who have accumulated merits,
And who are gentle and upright,
And who see me living here,
Expounding the Dharma,
I say:
“The duration of my life is immeasurable.”
To those who see me after a long time,
I say, “It is difficult to see a Buddha.”I can do all this by the power of my wisdom.
The light of my wisdom knows no bound.
The duration of my life is innumerable kalpas.
I obtained this longevity by ages of practices.All of you, wise men!
Have no doubts about this!
Remove your doubts, have no more!
My words are true, not false.The physician, who sent a man expediently
To tell his perverted sons
Of the death of their father in order to cure them,
Was not accused of falsehood although he was still alive.In the same manner, I am the father of the world.
I am saving all living beings from suffering.
Because they are perverted,
I say that I pass away even though I shall not.
If they always see me,
They will become arrogant and licentious,
And cling to the five desires
So much that they will fall into the evil regions.I know who is practicing the Way and who is not.
Therefore I expound various teachings
To all living beings
According to their capacities.I am always thinking:
“How shall I cause all living beings
To enter into the unsurpassed Way
And quickly become Buddhas?”
How Chapter 16 Relates to Chapters 11 and 15
The Stories of the Lotus Sutra, p199-200In an important respect, [Chapter 16] of the Sutra is a continuation and culmination of a story found in Chapters 11 and 15, and it needs to be understood in relation to them. In Chapter 11 Shakyamuni is portrayed as the Buddha of all worlds. In order that the whole body of Abundant Treasures Buddha may be seen, Shakyamunl assembles buddhas from all over the universe. As we have seen, these other buddhas are in some sense representatives of Shakyamuni Buddha. They can be called embodiments of Shakyamuni Buddha. Thus it is clear that Shakyamuni Buddha is represented or present in the vast expanse of space.
In Chapter 15 Shakyamuni is portrayed as having been a buddha for countless eons: Shakyamuni says that the many, many bodhisattvas who emerge from below the earth have been taught by him over countless eons. Here the Buddha is present in a vast expanse of time. “Thus, since I became Buddha a very long time has passed, a lifetime of innumerable countless eons of constantly living here and never entering extinction.” (LS 293)
That chapter ends with Maitreya Bodhisattva and others wondering how someone who has been living and teaching for only a few decades can be the teacher of countless bodhisattvas who lived ages and ages ago.
In Chapter 16, all of this is brought together in the teaching that Shakyamuni Buddha is the one Universal Buddha, the Buddha of all times and places, one whose life is extended indefinitely both spatially and temporally, from the extremely distant past into the distant future and in all the directions of the vast universe.
Day 21
Day 21 covers all of Chapter 16, The Duration of the Life of the Tathāgata.
Having last month considered the length of time since Śākyamuni became a buddha in gāthās, we consider the perverted people’s view in gāthās:I see the [perverted] people sinking
In an ocean of suffering.
Therefore, I disappear from their eyes
And cause them to admire me.
When they adore me,
I appear and expound the Dharma to them.I can do all this by my supernatural powers.
I live on Mt. Sacred Eagle
And also in the other abodes
For asaṃkhya kalpas.The [perverted] people think:
“This world is in a great fire.
The end of the kalpa [of destruction] is coming.”
In reality this world of mine is peaceful.
It is filled with gods and men.
The gardens, forests and stately buildings
Are adorned with various treasures;
The jeweled trees have many flowers and fruits;
The living beings are enjoying themselves;
And the gods are beating heavenly drums,
Making various kinds of music,
And raining mandārava-flowers on the great multitude and me.[This] pure world of mine is indestructible.
But the [perverted] people think:
“It is full of sorrow, fear, and other sufferings.
It will soon burn away.”Because of their evil karmas,
These sinful people will not be able
To hear even the names of the Three Treasures
During asaṃkhya kalpas.
Living in Accordance with the Law
Buddhism for Today, p253-254“My Pure Land will never be destroyed,
Yet all view it as being burned up, And grief and horror and distress Fill them all like this.
All those sinful creatures,
By reason of their evil karma,
Throughout asaṃkhyeya kalpas
Hear not the name of the Precious Three.”… As long as we accumulate either negative or positive sins, that is, evil karma, we cannot obtain good results because we do not produce good causes. However much time may pass, we cannot meet the Buddha, nor hear his teachings, nor join the ranks of his disciples. This situation is expressed in the words “hear not the name of the Precious Three.”
The Precious Three are the three basic elements that Sakyamuni Buddha taught his disciples as the spiritual foundation of Buddhism soon after he began his missionary work: the Buddha, the Law, and the Saṃgha. Because of their supreme value, they are also called the Three Treasures.
Mention of this spiritual foundation immediately reminds us of the teaching “Make the self your light, make the Law your light.” These are most reassuring words and a great encouragement to us. But here the Buddha does not refer to the self that is filled with illusions but the self that lives in the Law. We must burn with the fire of the Law and cast its light over society. Though we must live through our own efforts, our way of life should always be in accordance with the Law.
Day 21
Day 21 covers all of Chapter 16, The Duration of the Life of the Tathāgata.
Having last month considered the medicine and the unwillingness of some sons to take the medicine, we repeat the length of time since Śākyamuni became a buddha in gāthās:Thereupon the World-Honored One, wishing to repeat what he had said, sang in gāthās:
It is many hundreds of thousands
Of billions of trillions
Of asaṃkhyas of kalpas
Since I became the Buddha.For the past innumerable kalpas
I have always been expounding the Dharma
To many hundreds of millions of living beings
In order to lead them into the Way to Buddhahood.In order to save the [perverted] people,
I expediently show my Nirvāṇa to them.
In reality I shall never pass away.
I always live here and expound the Dharma.Although I always live here
With the perverted people
I disappear from their eyes
By my supernatural powers.When they see me seemingly pass away,
And make offerings to my śarīras,
And adore me, admire me,
And become devout, upright and gentle,
And wish to see me
With all their hearts
At the cost of their lives,
I reappear on Mt. Sacred Eagle
With my Saṃgha,
And say to them:
“I always live here.
I shall never be extinct.
I show my extinction to you expediently
Although I never pass away.
I also expound the unsurpassed Dharma
To the living beings of the other worlds
If they respect me, believe me,
And wish to see me.
You have never heard this
Therefore, you thought that I pass away.”