Buddhism for Today, p448-449“At this time the buddhas will send forth rays of bright light that illuminate the practitioner’s body, causing the practitioner to become spontaneously joyful in body and mind and to bring forth great mercy and compassion pervasively in thoughts of all things. The buddhas will then extensively expound ways of great compassion and benevolence for the practitioner’s benefit. Furthermore, they will teach the practitioner to use kind words and to follow the six ways of harmony and respect. Hearing these teachings and commands, the practitioner’s heart will overflow with joy, and he or she will then fully internalize and master them without laziness or pause.”
Joy and indifference are two of the four infinite virtues. The infinite virtue of joy means enjoying the sight of those who have obtained happiness. That of indifference signifies abandoning attachment to the benefits one gives to others and even to the harm he receives from his enemies. Taken together, the words “joy and indifference” indicate a mental attitude in which one abandons attachment to himself and thinks only of the benefit of others.
The expression “kind words” means affectionate words, one of the four virtues of the bodhisattva. The six ways of harmony and reverence are the six kinds of practices through which believers harmonize with and respect each other in the course of seeking enlightenment.
Category Archives: Universal Sage
Our Merciful Fathers
Buddhism for Today, p447“You must now face the buddhas of the ten directions and praise and give voice to the Great Vehicle! Before the buddhas, relate your faults yourself! The buddha tathāgatas are your compassionate fathers.
The words “the buddhas, the tathāgatas, are your merciful fathers” are very important. Because the follower has repeatedly practiced repentance to the point of being extremely severe with himself, some people, taking a superficial view of such repentance, may feel oppressed. Other people may regard the repenting follower as a pitiable person who trembles with fear and prostrates himself before a ruler sternly scrutinizing his sins, confesses them, and begs the ruler’s pardon. However, such an idea is greatly mistaken. The buddhas are our merciful fathers, who think only of the salvation of all living beings. Therefore the buddhas praise us because through our repentance we remove defilements from our mind little by little. We do not practice repentance because we fear the buddhas but rather with the hope of being extolled by the buddhas, for whom we cherish a longing desire and a thirsting heart. The expression “the buddhas, the tathāgatas, are your merciful fathers” has this profound significance.
Seeing the Buddhas Emanated from Śākyamuni
Buddhism for Today, p440“After saying these words, the practitioner will perceive Mount Vulture Peak composed of the seven precious metals and gems, monks and śrāvakas with countless others together in a great assembly, rows of jewel trees lining level jewel ground on which a magnificent jeweled lion seat has been arranged, and Śākyamuni Buddha, who emits from between his eyebrows a beam of light that passes through the innumerable worlds of the ten directions and illuminates worlds everywhere in the universe. From everywhere this light reaches in the ten directions, the buddhas that emanated from Śākyamuni gather together at one time into a great assembly, as is extensively expounded in the Dharma Flower Sutra. Each emanated buddha has a body that is purple-gold in color and boundless in size, each sits on a lion seat, and each has a retinue of countless thousands of millions of great bodhisattvas. Each bodhisattva follows the same practice as Universal Sage; it is like this as well in the bodhisattva retinues of all of the innumerable buddhas in the ten directions.”
The above paragraph contains four important descriptions. The first is that the buddhas emanated from Śākyamuni Buddha are seen through a ray of light emitted from his eyebrows. This means that if a person takes refuge in the Buddha’s teachings, his mind will communicate with the minds of all the buddhas; in other words, if he realizes the truth taught by Śākyamuni Buddha, he will come to understand the true meaning of all the teachings. The second is that the buddhas emanated from Śākyamuni Buddha preach the same Law as preached in the Lotus Sutra. This proves that all the teachings are unified in the Lotus Sutra. The third is that the practice of each one of the countless hundreds of koṭis of great bodhisattvas is equal to the practice of the Bodhisattva Universal Virtue. This means that the holiness of a bodhisattva consists before all else in his practice. The fourth is that when rays of light emitted from the eyebrows of the emanated buddhas stream onto the head of Śākyamuni Buddha, the emanated buddhas emit from all the pores of their bodies rays of light in each of which innumerable transformed buddhas abide. This signifies that the Buddha’s teachings spread limitlessly. The light of the truth reaches everywhere, and everything consonant with the truth shines by its reflected light. But anything that covers the truth with illusions and sins does not shine even if it receives the reflected light of the truth. Therefore, so long as a person does not remove illusions and sins from his mind by the practice of repentance, he remains spiritually base.
The Diamond Pounder
Buddhism for Today, p438The diamond-pounder was originally a kind of weapon used in ancient India. In Buddhism it is regarded as a symbol of the bodhi-mind because it can destroy all defilement and false views. Therefore the phrase “pointing his diamond-pounder at the six organs” indicates the believer’s power to destroy the defilement of his six organs. It bears witness to the fact that his mind is moving toward repentance. The expression “the Bodhisattva Universal Virtue will preach to the follower the law of repentance to obtain the purity of the six organs” means that through his practice of repentance the believer can gain the awareness of being purified in body and mind.
Another noteworthy expression is: “When these words are spoken, the follower sees all the innumerable worlds in the eastern quarter. …”
This indicates that if everyone deeply understands the holiness of the Buddha’s teachings and the preaching of them (jewel trees and jewel thrones), and if the Buddha’s teachings spread universally, all people, society, and the whole world will become beautiful.
Only Sakyamuni Buddha Preaches the Law
Buddhism for Today, p436A very important expression occurs in the above paragraph: “In his dreams, he will also see constantly the Seven Buddhas of the past, among whom only Śākyamuni Buddha will preach the Law to him.” It is true that all the buddhas of the past are sacred, but among them only Śākyamuni Buddha preaches his teachings to us in the sahā-world. Through these teachings we can know the truth that has existed unchanged since the infinite past. Therefore, we have only to take refuge in Śākyamuni Buddha; through doing so we also take refuge in the other buddhas (the various manifestations of the truth).
To see the buddhas in one’s dreams means that one gains a vague awareness of existing together with the buddhas. Gaining such an indistinct awareness, one feels still more spiritual joy and universally salutes the buddhas in all directions. Then the Bodhisattva Universal Virtue will appear before the believer and will teach him that he has been unable to see the buddhas because of all the karmas and environments of his former lives and will cause him to confess his sins. This means that the believer awakens to his own sins through the Bodhisattva Universal Virtue. This is the repentance that one practices before the buddhas. The expression “he should confess his sins with his own mouth” implies the repentance that he performs mentally.
Stability in Contemplation
Buddhism for Today, p435The three kinds of stability in contemplation mean the attitudes that the Buddha assumes toward all living beings by dividing them into three types: the first stability in contemplation (sho-nenjo), the second stability in contemplation (ni-nenjo), and the third stability in contemplation (san-nenjo).
When living beings praise the virtue of the Buddha, he applauds their praising him rather than the fact that he is being praised. This attitude is the first stability in contemplation. When anyone blasphemes or curses the Buddha, the Buddha never feels sorrowful toward such a person or becomes angry with him because he is being reviled. With his deep compassion, he instead feels pity for such a person. This attitude is the second stability in contemplation. Among the many living beings, some take refuge in the Buddha’s teachings, but others do not. The Buddha never discriminates between these two kinds of living beings but has compassion equally for all of them because they all possess the buddha-nature. This attitude, with which the Buddha treats all living beings without discrimination, is the third stability in contemplation. These three attitudes are attributed only to the Buddha, but we must follow the Buddha’s example when we spread his teachings.
The Ten Powers and 18 Characteristics
Buddhism for Today, p434-435After paying homage to the buddhas, the practitioner must kneel formally on one knee, place palms together, and say:
“The buddhas, the World-honored Ones, possess the ten capabilities, dauntlessness, the eighteen unique merits, great mercy, great compassion, and three kinds of constancy of mind. They are always present in the world, and among forms and embodiments theirs is supreme. What impurities do I have that prevent me from seeing them?”
The ten powers mean perfect comprehension in the ten fields of knowledge that belong only to the Buddha. A brief explanation of these powers will be given here because it is very important for believers in the Lotus Sutra to understand them. The ten powers attributed to the Buddha are: (1) the power to know right and wrong states, (2) the power to know the consequences of karma, (3) the power to know all meditations and contemplations, (4) the power to know the various higher and lower capabilities of living beings, (5) the power to know what living beings understand, (6) the power to know the basic nature and actions of living beings, (7) the power to know the causes and effects of living beings in all worlds, (8) the power to know the results of karmas in past lives, (9) the power to know by supernatural insight, and (10) the power of being free from all error, or infallibility in knowledge.
The eighteen unique characteristics are the eighteen merits that belong only to the Buddha. These special characteristics are: (1) faultlessness in body, (2) faultlessness in speech, (3) faultlessness in mind and thought, (4) no unsteadiness of mind, (5) impartiality, (6) perfect resignation, (7) imperishable aspiration to save all living beings, (8) unfailing zeal, (9) unfailing memory of all teachings of all buddhas past, present, and future, (10) unfailing contemplation, (11) unfailing wisdom, (12) unfailing freedom from all hindrances, (13) all bodily deeds being in accord with wisdom, (14) all deeds of speech being in accord with wisdom, (15) all deeds of thought being in accord with wisdom, (16) unhindered knowledge of the past, (17) unhindered knowledge of the future, and (18) unhindered knowledge of the present.
Between Day 32 and Day 1: Keeping the Buddhas in Mind
Having last month considered the first stage of contemplating the bodhisattva Universal Sage, we consider keeping the buddhas of the ten directions in mind.
Universal Sage Bodhisattva will teach the practitioner to keep the buddhas of the ten directions in mind. Having proper disposition in mind and heart following Universal Sage Bodhisattva’s instruction, with his or her mind’s eye the practitioner will gradually perceive in the eastern direction a buddha whose body is golden-colored and majestic beyond expression. After discerning one buddha, the practitioner will then discern another. In this manner he or she will gradually perceive all of the buddhas everywhere in the eastern direction; and because of the clarity of this state of mind, he or she will perceive all of the buddhas everywhere in all of the ten directions. After perceiving the buddhas, joy will arise in the practitioner’s heart and mind, and he or she should say:
“By means of the Great Vehicle, I have been able to see a great being; and through that great being’s power, I have been able to perceive buddhas. Although I have perceived the buddhas, my perception of them is still incomplete – I discern them when my eyes are closed, but when I open my eyes I lose sight of them.”
Having said this, the practitioner should cast his or her whole body upon the ground and universally pay homage to the buddhas everywhere. After paying homage to the buddhas, the practitioner must kneel formally on one knee, place palms together, and say:
“The buddhas, the World-honored Ones, possess the ten capabilities, dauntlessness, the eighteen unique merits, great mercy, great compassion, and three kinds of constancy of mind. They are always present in the world, and among forms and embodiments theirs is supreme. What impurities do I have that prevent me from seeing them?”
After saying these words, the practitioner should undertake further self-amendment.
Polishing Our Buddha Nature
Buddhism for Today, p433The words “east” and “eastward” have often appeared in preceding chapters of this book. East is the direction where the sun rises, thus implies the beginning of everything. On the other hand, west is the direction where the sun sets, and so implies the end of everything. The latter idea is associated with the belief within Buddhism that anyone who invokes the name of Amita Buddha with a sincere heart can achieve rebirth in the Pure Land in the west. In this chapter, the phrase “see the eastward buddhas” suggests the time when a person has just begun to practice a true faith.
The expression, “Having seen one buddha, he will again see another buddha,” means that though the truth is one, the believer will be able to see many manifestations of the truth in succession if he realizes one truth. If a person can see all the buddhas everywhere in the eastern quarter, he will become able to reflect on himself much more profitably and will thus become able to see all the buddhas in all directions. Attaining this state of mind, his spiritual joy will deepen. The Buddha teaches us in the next sentence, however, that even though the believer can reach such a mental stage, he should not be satisfied with it but should further repent his sins. Through this we understand that the practice of true repentance must not be limited only to the confession of our sins. Repentance is not limited to washing our buddha-nature but includes polishing it.
Between Day 32 and Day 1: The First Stage of Contemplating Universal Sage
Having last month considered the six-tusked white elephant, we consider the first stage of contemplating the bodhisattva Universal Sage.
Walking slowly and with quiet purpose, raining numerous jewel-like flowers, the procession will pass before the practitioner. The elephant will open its mouth, and the exquisite maidens in the pools at the tips of its tusks will sing and strum pleasant music, their sublime voices lauding the one genuine path of the Great Vehicle. Feeling both joy and reverence after perceiving this, the practitioner should further internalize and recite the extremely profound sutras, pay homage to all of the innumerable buddhas respectively in the ten directions, pay homage to the stupa of Many-Treasures Buddha and to Śākyamuni, likewise pay homage to Universal Sage and the various eminent bodhisattvas, and speak aloud this declaration:
“If I am worthy of seeing Universal Sage as a happy result of past actions, I petition you, O Universally Virtuous One, to show me your body and form!”
Having made this appeal, the practitioner must pay homage to the buddhas of the ten directions at the six specified times of day and night, and must practice ways of self-amendment: internalize the Great Vehicle sutras, recite the Great Vehicle sutras, reflect on the Great Vehicle’s principle, be mindful of the Great Vehicle’s application, revere and render service to those who keep faith with the Great Vehicle, regard all people in the same manner as buddhas would regard them, and regard each living thing in the same manner as would a mother or father.
After the practitioner has effected such mindfulness, Universal Sage Bodhisattva will immediately emit a bright light from the white curl between his eyebrows – the sign of a great person. When made visible by this light, Universal Sage Bodhisattva’s body is as majestic as purple-gold mountains; it possesses all of the thirty-two characteristics, and it is dignified beyond description. Numerous rays of brilliant light will come forth from the pores of his body and illuminate the great elephant, making it a golden color. All of the manifested forms of elephants and bodhisattvas will likewise be made a golden color. These golden rays illuminate the innumerable worlds in the eastern direction with the same golden color; and the southern, western, and northern directions, the four intermediate directions, and the upper and lower regions will likewise be illuminated in turn.
At that moment there will be a bodhisattva mounted on a white, six-tusked king of elephants facing each of the ten directions, each bodhisattva equal to and no different than Universal Sage, and the ten directions will correspondingly be filled with innumerable and limitless manifested elephant forms. Through his wondrous capabilities, Universal Sage Bodhisattva enables a practitioner who has kept faith with the sutras to perceive all of this. Seeing the bodhisattvas at that moment, the practitioner’s body and mind will fill with joy, and he or she should then pay homage to them and address them, saying:
“Most merciful and compassionate ones: Out of sympathetic concern for me, expound the teachings for my benefit!”
When the practitioner says these words, the bodhisattvas will then speak in unison – each expounding the pure teachings found in the Great Vehicle sutras and reciting verses in praise of the practitioner. This is said as beginning the first stage of contemplating the bodhisattva Universal Sage.
Having perceived these things, the practitioner should then concentrate on the Great Vehicle unceasingly day and night. In dreams while sleeping, the practitioner will see Universal Sage expounding the teachings for his or her benefit, which will ease and comfort the practitioner’s mind exactly as though he or she were awake. Even so, the bodhisattva will say these words as well:
“In the parts you have taken to heart and kept, you have forgotten this phrase; you have made a mistake in this verse.”
Hearing Universal Sage Bodhisattva’s comments at such times, the practitioner will deeply grasp their meaning and objective and, without forgetting, will always keep them in memory. His or her mind will gradually increase in clarity as day after day passes in this way.