The radical Mahayana principle that “the sufferings of birth and death are themselves Nirvana” is another application of the Buddhist teaching of non-duality. This principle indicates that the ultimate goal is not outside of the world but is instead the real aspect of the world’s kaleidoscopic array of ever-changing aspects.
Specifically, “the sufferings of birth and death” refers to this world, wherein we must endure the constant cycle of birth and death. It is the world of temporary heavens, fighting demons, hungry ghosts, unthinking animals, numerous hells, and also the daily challenges of ordinary life. It is the world of karmic rewards and punishments. It is the world dominated and kept in perpetual motion through the energy of greed, hatred, and delusion. It is the world where all that is born to life must also die, with all of the suffering and loss this entails.
This is the last classification of the Five Sections in interpreting the Lotus Sūtra. Chih-i’s whole interpretation of the Lotus Sūtra concerns nothing else but the Ultimate Truth (or True Reality) that is addressed in the teaching of the Buddha. This indicates that the Five Sections Chih-i sets up to interpret the Lotus Sūtra reveal the teaching of the Buddha from five perspectives in terms of the name of the teaching, substance of the teaching, gist of the teaching, function of the teaching, and the characteristics of the teaching. The last section “classifying the characteristics of the teaching” serves to conclude Chih-i’s elaboration of the teaching of the Buddha and his interpretation of the Lotus Sūtra by providing an overview of the teaching. The Buddha’s teaching is classified by Chih-i into three kinds: sudden, gradual, and indeterminate. Chih-i stresses the significance of illustrating the teaching of the Buddha by stating that if one propagates the Lotus Sūtra without exposing the teaching, the meaning of the text would not be complete. (Page 453)
The Four Siddhāntas employed in the door of the Origin are regarded by Chih-i as the unique feature of the Lotus Sūtra. By opening the Traces and revealing the Origin, the Four Siddhāntas in the Lotus Sūtra are forever different from that in other sūtras. Therefore, the ten functions in the Origin, along with the Four Siddhāntas that are contained in each of the ten functions in the Origin, are only possessed by the Lotus Sūtra. Chih-i confirms that the functions in the Traces of the Lotus Sūtra already surpass the functions of other sūtras, let alone the Four Siddhāntas that are contained in these functions. Why? Other sūtras do not even have any of the ten functions in the Origin, not to mention all the ten functions in the Origin. The Four Siddhāntas in the Traces already surpass those in other sūtras, for other sūtras do not even have one of the Four Siddhāntas in the Origin, not to mention all the Four Siddhāntas in the Origin. Thus, Chih-i concludes that the function of the Lotus Sūtra is supreme. (Vol. 2, Page 451)
The first step on the Eightfold Path is right views, or the correct Buddhist interpretation of the world and humankind. People of learning and wisdom in the ways of Buddhism who apply the Eightfold Path as a system of self-improvement may safely be assumed to have already a correct Buddhist view of humankind and the world. People who come to Buddhism through faith instead of learning can be expected to have entrusted themselves to the Buddha, the Law, and the Order and to have faith in the precepts. In other words, they too already view the world and humankind in the Buddhist way. Basic Buddhist Concepts
Siddhartha realized that he was the Buddha, Awakened One, and that his life embraced the whole of the Universe. Out of this realization came the understanding of his life and its purpose. He understood the concept of oneness—that the life of the Buddha is one with all other lives to the extent that there is nothing to separate or to distinguish them. He came to embrace all lives with compassion, experiencing all joys and all sadness as if they were his own.
That the Buddha’s enlightenment allowed him to see the death and rebirth of all living beings according to their karma was further indication of the oneness of his life with that of others. The Buddha embraced all lives with his compassion and became one with them. He was able to recognize others’ joy as his joy and others’ sadness as his own sadness. In the Nirvana Sutra, the Buddha said that all living beings received different sufferings and that those sufferings were actually his own sufferings.
Summarizing generally the ten functions with the Four Siddhāntas displays that each of the ten functions in the Traces contains the Four Siddhāntas. The case is scrutinized by Chih-i with an example of the function, “destroying the three and revealing the one.” Chih-i explains in what sense this function contains the meaning of the Four Siddhāntas.
The Worldly Siddhānta is indicated by destroying attachment to the Three Vehicles and eradicating sickness, whereby one joyfully upholds the teaching of the Buddha concerning the One Buddha-vehicle.
The Siddhānta for Each Person is indicated by destroying the Three Vehicles and following the One Buddha-vehicle, whereby one’s mind for enlightenment arises, and one’s understanding of truth as the wholesome dharma enhances.
The Siddhānta of Counteraction is indicated by the Buddha’s teaching stating that being attached to the Three Vehicles is sickness, and by the Buddha’s explanation that striving for the One Buddha-vehicle is joy.
The Siddhānta of the Supreme Truth is indicated by one’s gaining insight into the principle as the One Buddha-vehicle upon hearing the teaching in terms of destroying the Three Vehicles.
When it comes to your personal inner radio station, I wonder what you tune in to. Do you tune in to messages of failure, or tapes playing inside your head saying you can’t do something, or you’re not worthy? Do you have a station preset to uncertainty or doubt?
How easy it it for you to find the Buddha’s station? Let’s all sing songs of great praise and joy as we calmly overcome our troubles.
I. The ten functions in the Traces are summarized by Chih-i specifically and generally. Summarizing specifically the ten functions with the Four Siddhāntas shows that the ten functions can be divided into four groups and each of these four groups of function corresponds to each of the Four Siddhāntas. …
In terms of the functions that can be summarized by the Worldly Siddhānta, “abiding in the three and revealing the one,” and “abiding in the one and employing the three” are said by Chih-i to correspond with the Worldly Siddhānta. This is because by abiding at the Three Vehicles and by employing the Three Vehicles, the Buddha caters to the intellectual capabilities of living beings. Complying with the needs of beings in teaching various vehicles belongs the Worldly Siddhānta. (Vol. 2, Page 449)
The ten functions in the Traces are summarized by Chih-i specifically and generally. Summarizing specifically the ten functions with the Four Siddhāntas shows that the ten functions can be divided into four groups and each of these four groups of function corresponds to each of the Four Siddhāntas.
In terms of the functions that can be summarized by the Siddhānta for Each Person, “opening the three and revealing the one”, “abiding in the three and employing the one”, and “converging the three and revealing the one” are said by Chih-i to correspond with the Siddhānta for Each Person. This is because these three functions reveal that the One Buddha-vehicle is contained within the Three Vehicles, and one does not need to abandon the Three Vehicles in order to reach the One Vehicle. Since the Siddhānta for Each Person is to arouse the wholesomeness that is inherently possessed by all beings, and these three functions are also to reveal the One Vehicle that is contained within the Three Vehicles, they correspond with each other. (Vol. 2, Page 449)
The ten functions in the Traces are summarized by Chih-i specifically and generally. (l) Summarizing specifically the ten functions with the Four Siddhāntas shows that the ten functions can be divided into four groups and each of these four groups of function corresponds to each of the Four Siddhāntas. …
In terms of the functions that can be summarized by the Siddhānta of Counteraction, “destroying the three and revealing the one,” “abandoning the three and revealing the one,” and “covering the three and revealing the one” are said by Chih-i to correspond with the Siddhānta of Counteraction. This is because these three functions destroy illness of people and cause them to get rid of their attachment to the Three Vehicles. Since the Siddhānta of Counteraction is to counteract particular vices of people, it can correspond to these three functions. (Vol. 2, Page 449)
