Some person has said that from the very first [sermons in the] Deer Park, are all inducements to the [ultimate teaching of the] Lotus Sūtra. These words are not acceptable. There is a limited period⁵⁸⁷ of explanation because all [the sermons] since the sermon on the seat of enlightenment [the Avataṃsaka Sūtra] are inducements to [the message of] the Lotus Sūtra. Therefore as light illumines other lands, the Buddhas of the present all [preach] the sudden [teachings] and expose [its meaning] gradually.

Mañjuśrī follows previous Buddhas also by utilizing the sudden [Teaching] and exposing it gradually. Alas, this [forty-five year period of Śākyamuni’s life] is a very limited period of inducements [to the Lotus Sūtra].

[The Buddha] has performed the skillful means of the Lotus Sūtra for the sake of sentient beings since the time of Mahābhijfiājfiānābhibhu.⁵⁸⁸ It should be known that it [the inducements to the Lotus Sūtra] is not limited to [the Buddha’s] approaching and taking the seat of enlightenment [and preaching the Avataṃsaka Sūtra]. Even this is a limited period.

[The Buddha] has performed the skillful means of the Lotus Throne for the sake of sentient beings since the time of his original attainment of Buddhahood.⁵⁸⁹ Even this is a limited period. [The Buddha] has performed the skillful means of the Lotus Throne for the sake of sentient beings since the time of his original practices on the bodhisattva Path [even before attaining Buddhahood]. The text [of the Lotus Sūtra] says, “I originally made a vow that I would universally lead all sentient beings to attain this same path.”⁵⁹⁰ Thus should it be known. The inducements [to the message of the Lotus Sūtra] are certainly not limited to the present.

⁵⁸⁷Lit. “close” or “near.” In this context it refers to the forty-five years of
the historical Buddha Śākyamuni’s life as a “limited” time compared to the immeasurable eons in which the Buddha has actually been preaching the Dharma. The Buddha has been preaching and performing “inducements” to the true message, finally and fully revealed only in the Lotus Sūtra, from the incalculable past and will continue into the far distant future. return

588

The Tathāgata Supreme in Great Penetrating Wisdom. The Lotus Sūtra speaks of this Buddha of the immeasurable past as an example of one who preached the Lotus Sūtra. See the first part of the chapter “On the Magical Castle.” Hurvitz, Lotus Sūtra, 145, translates this section as follows: “At that time, that Buddha, entertaining the śramaṇeras’ entreaty, when twenty thousand kalpas had passed, in the midst of the fourfold multitude finally preached this scripture of the Great Vehicle named the Lotus Blossom of the Fine Dharma, a Dharma taught to bodhisattvas, one which Buddhas keep in mind… . That Buddha preached this scripture for eight thousand kalpas, never resting or tiring. When he had finished preaching this scripture, straightaway he entered a quiet room, where he remained in dhyāna concentration for eighty-four thousand kalpas…” return

589

Explained in the Lotus Sūtra to have occurred immeasurable eons ago. For example, in the chapter “On the Life-span of the Tathāgata” the Buddha claims that “since in fact I achieved Buddhahood it has been incalculable, limitless hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of nayutas of kalpas” (Hurvitz, Lotus Sūtra, 237). return

590

This is a paraphrase from verses in the second chapter “On Expedient Means.” Hurvitz, Lotus Sūtra, 35, translates this context as follows: “Śāriputra, be it known that formerly I a vow, wishing to cause all multitudes to be just like me, no different. In keeping with my former vow, all is now fulfilled, for I have converted all living beings, causing them to enter into the Buddha Path.” return