Having last month considered how reflection on the true principle of the Great Vehicle has allowed all Buddhas to become rid of impurities, we consider the Buddha’s advice to Ānanda.

The Buddha spoke thus to Ānanda:

“When living beings wish to contemplate the bodhisattva Universal Sage, they should do this contemplation. Contemplating in this manner is known as correct contemplation; contemplation done in any other manner is called errant contemplation.

“When followers of Buddha practice self-amendment according to the Buddha’s instructions after the Buddha has passed away, it should be known that they are doing the practice of Universal Sage. Those who follow the practice of Universal Sage will not experience negative situations or detrimental karmic consequences. Those living beings who pay homage to the buddhas of the ten directions at the six specified times of day and night, internalize the Great Vehicle sutras, and reflect on the ultimate principle – the most profound truth of emptiness – will, in an instant, become rid of the impurities from innumerable hundreds of millions of myriads of kalpas of the cycle of births and deaths. Those who follow this practice are truly buddha successors, born of all of the buddhas. The buddhas of the ten directions, and the bodhisattvas as well, will be their mentors. They will be recognized as those who fully conform to the behavioral principles of bodhisattvas: without the need of a ceremony, they will fulfill them on their own. They will become worthy of being honored and rendered service by all human and heavenly beings.”

See Repentance: An Indispensable Requisite of Religious Life

Having last month considered the value of keeping faith with the comprehensive sutras and reflecting on the Great Vehicle’s principle, we consider how reflection on the true principle of the Great Vehicle has allowed all Buddhas to become rid of impurities.

The Buddha addressed Ānanda:

“By means and because of reflection on the true principle of the Great Vehicle, I have become rid of impurities from a cycle of countless numbers of births and deaths spanning hundreds of millions of myriads of kalpas, as have the bodhisattvas of the current era and the buddhas of the ten directions. And each of those now in the ten directions has been able to become an Awakened One by means and because of this wonderful and surpassing method of self-amendment. Anyone who aspires to quickly achieve the full dynamic of ultimate enlightenment and aspires to perceive, in present time, the buddhas of the ten directions and Universal Sage Bodhisattva as well, must purify him- or herself with a bath, don pure clean clothing, burn fine incense, and seek out a quiet secluded location; there, he or she must internalize and recite the Great Vehicle sutras and reflect on the Great Vehicle’s principle.”

See Washing Away Muddy Illusions Covering Our Invaluable Gem

Having last month completed the review of the senses and their karmic consequences, we consider the value of keeping faith with the comprehensive sutras and reflecting on the Great Vehicle’s principle.

Having expounded these verses, the Buddha said to Ānanda:

“You should now embrace this method of doing self-amendment for the six sense faculties through contemplation of the bodhisattva Universal Sage! Expound it widely and skillfully to human and heavenly beings everywhere in the ten directions!

“When followers of Buddha accept, keep faith with, recite, internalize, and give voice to the comprehensive sutras after the Buddha’s passing, they must recite and internalize the comprehensive sutras and reflect on the Great Vehicle’s principle in some tranquil place – whether in a cemetery, or at a hermitage, or under a tree in the woods. Because the power of their concentration will become strong, they will gain perception of my being and likewise perceive the stupa of Many-Treasures Buddha, innumerable emanated buddhas in the ten directions, Universal Sage Bodhisattva, Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, Medicine King Bodhisattva, and Incomparable Medicine Bodhisattva. Because they so venerate the Dharma, we – bearing wondrous flowers – will permeate the skies to praise those who revere, follow, and keep faith with the Way. And because those who keep faith with this method are resolutely internalizing the comprehensive Great Vehicle sutras, they will be honored and sustained, day and night, by buddhas and bodhisattvas.”

See Points at Issue in the Composition of the Lotus Sutra

Having reviewed each of the senses and their karmic consequences – the sense faculty of sight, the sense faculty of hearing, the sense faculty of smell, the sense faculty of speech and the sense faculty of the body and mind – we repeat in verse:

Then, expounding further, the World-honored One spoke in verse:

“When the sense faculty of sight is corrupted
By karmic encumbrances that make it impure,
You must resolutely internalize the Great Vehicle
And ponder its ultimate principle!
This is called doing self-amendment for the eye
To bring unwholesome karmic influences to an end.
The sense faculty of hearing gives ear to disruptive sounds
And spoils your sense of accord.
Because such confusion occurs,
You become just like a foolish monkey.
You must resolutely internalize the Great Vehicle
And contemplate the emptiness and formlessness of all things!
You will lastingly bring an end to unwholesomeness
And hear in all ten directions with a celestial ear!
The sense faculty of smell has attachments to scents
And, so affected, drives you to make contacts.
The nose is thus crazed and seduced,
And, so affected, begets impure perceptions.
When you internalize the Great Vehicle sutras
And contemplate the true reality of all things,
You will lastingly part from harmful karmic actions
And, in lives to come, not produce them again!
The sense faculty of speech promotes the five wrong views29–
An unwholesome karmic cause resulting from the wanton use of words.
When you aspire to effect self-control,
Diligently foster a heart of compassion!
Reflect on how the tranquil true reality of all phenomena
Has no aspects for you to discern!
The sense faculty of the mind, just as a monkey,
Takes not even one moment of rest.
When you aspire to govern it,
You must diligently internalize the Great Vehicle!
Focus on the buddhas – on their fully awakened embodiments,
With the capabilities and dauntlessness they have achieved!
The material body, the agency of actions,
Behaves like dust blown about by the wind:
Six thieves have their way within it–
Without limit and free from control.
When you aspire to end this inferior condition,
To lastingly part from overwhelming desires,
To abide always in the city of nirvana,
And to be serene and have a calm mind,
You must internalize the Great Vehicle sutras
And turn your mind to the mother of bodhisattvas!
Countless surpassing skillful means are gained
By reflecting on the true reality of all things.
These six ways
Are thus named the governing of the six sense faculties.
The ocean of all karmic encumbrances
Is produced by deluded perceptions.
When you aspire to amend yourself of them,
Focus on the true reality of all phenomena while sitting upright and properly!
All impurities, like frost and dew,
Can be dispelled by wisdom’s sun;
Accordingly, with utmost dedication,
Do self-amendment for the six sense faculties!”

See Repentance: An Indispensable Requisite of Religious Life

Going through each of the senses and their karmic consequences – the sense faculty of sight, the sense faculty of hearing, the sense faculty of smell, the sense faculty of speech and the sense faculty of the body and mind – we conclude with sense faculty of the body and mind.

An ethereal voice will again fill the air, intoning thus:

“You must now amend both body and mind! The body, by killing, stealing, and behaving licentiously, and the mind, by conceiving various unwholesome things, produce the ten harmful karmic actions as well as the five grievous acts. Moreover, their monkey-like and glue-like attachments to things everywhere thoroughly permeate all of the six sense faculties. All of the karmic actions of these six faculties – their branches, twigs, flowers, and leaves – extend fully throughout the three realms, the twenty-five states of existence, and all places where beings take birth, and they function to facilitate ignorance, aging, death, and others of the twelve factors that cause suffering. You cannot but be immersed in the eight improper practices and the eight conditions in which it is difficult to see a buddha. You must now amend yourself of unwholesome and harmful karmic acts such as these!”

After hearing these words, the practitioner should then inquire of the voice in the air:

“At what place may I now practice the way of self-amendment?”

The ethereal voice will then immediately reply, saying:

“Śākyamuni Buddha is Vairocana27 – the One Who Is Present in All Places. Where this buddha abides is called Perpetual Tranquil Light, where perpetuity is perfectly achieved, where the perfect truth of self is constituted, where perfect purity casts off the aspects of existence, where perfect happiness is no longer a characteristic that occupies body and mind, where phenomena are no longer perceived as having or not having aspects, where likewise there is serene liberation as well as perfect wisdom. As these are features of the ever-abiding Dharma, you must accordingly contemplate the buddhas of the ten directions!”

Thereupon the buddhas of the ten directions will each extend their right hand, gently stroke the practitioner’s head, and speak these words:

“Well done, you of good intent! Well done! Because you internalize and recite the Great Vehicle sutras, the buddhas of the ten directions will expound the method of self-amendment practiced by bodhisattvas: Neither cut off all ties to the impulses of desire, nor live fully in the ocean of such impulses! Contemplate the nonexistence of what is grasped as mind!

“Conceptualizations arise based on error that is mistaken for truth; in this way delusion gives rise to the concept of mind. In the same manner that wind has no foundation in the air, aspects of phenomena are without origination or cessation. What is guilt? What is bliss? As one’s mind – by nature – is emptiness, guilt and bliss have no owner. All phenomena are the same as this – they neither abide nor decay.

“Amend yourself in this way: Contemplate the nonexistence of what is grasped as mind! A phenomenon does not stay fixed in itself. All phenomena conform to liberation, to the truth of the extinguishment of suffering, and to complete tranquility. Grasping things in this way is described as ultimate self-amendment; it is described as fully composing self-amendment; it is described as self-amendment free from aspects of guilt; it is described as destroying the distinction of mind. Those who practice this self-amendment will be as flowing water: pure and clean in body and mind, not staying fixed in themselves. They will be able to discern Universal Sage Bodhisattva, and the buddhas of the ten directions as well, in any moment of concentration.”

With their bright light of great compassion, the World-honored Ones will then expound the truth of formlessness to the practitioner. He or she will hear the explanation of the ultimate principle of emptiness (śūnyatā). There will be neither fear nor alarm in the practitioner’s mind after hearing the explanation and, when the time comes, he or she will be prepared to take up the true status of bodhisattvahood.

The Buddha addressed Ānanda:

“Practicing in this way is called doing self-amendment. This self-amendment is the method of self-amendment of the buddhas and great bodhisattvas in the ten directions.”

The Buddha said to Ānanda:

“When followers of Buddha undertake to amend themselves of unwholesome and harmful karmic acts after the Buddha has passed away, they must resolutely internalize and recite the Great Vehicle sutras. This comprehensive teaching is the buddha eye of the buddhas, it is the means by which buddhas perfect the five kinds of vision, and, from it, the Buddha’s three manifestations arise. This is great evidence of the Dharma, and it attests to the realm of nirvana.28 It is within such a realm that the Buddha’s pure threefold manifestation is able to come forth. This threefold manifestation is a source of benefit for human and heavenly beings, and it is supremely worthy of reverence. It should be known that those who internalize and recite the comprehensive Great Vehicle sutras will be endowed with the Buddha’s merit, and that they will lastingly eliminate unwholesomeness and live in keeping with the Buddha’s wisdom.”

See Teaching How To Apply the Lotus Sutra in Our Daily Lives

Going through each of the senses and their karmic consequences – the sense faculty of sight, the sense faculty of hearing, the sense faculty of smell, the sense faculty of speech and the sense faculty of the body and mind – we continue with sense faculty of speech.

When the self-amendment process is completed, the practitioner must again internalize and recite the Great Vehicle sutras without laziness of body or mind. Through the power of the Great Vehicle, an ethereal voice will declare to the Dharma successor:

“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. You must yourself declare the unwholesome and harmful karmic acts produced by your sense faculty of speech: ‘This sense faculty of speech musters characteristics of undesirable karma: lies, flattery, deprecating words, duplicity, defamation and slander, praise of wrong views, and use of useless words. In the manner of such many and multiple varieties and kinds of harmful karmic acts, it instigates conflicts and confusion and asserts that Dharma is not Dharma. I now amend myself of all impurities such as these!’ ”

After saying these words before the Heroes of the World, the practitioner must cast him- or herself upon the ground and universally pay homage to the buddhas of the ten directions. The practitioner must then kneel erectly on both knees, place palms together, and say:

“The troubles and faults of this tongue are innumerable and limitless! The thorns of harmful karmic causes grow from the sense faculty of speech. Estrangement from correct discourse on the Dharma begins with this tongue, and thus does this unwholesome tongue destroy seeds of beneficial effects. It forcefully discourses on many matters that have no meaning. Its praise of wrong views is like stoking their fires, thereby intensifying the flames that harm living beings. It is like something that poisons and brings death with no outward signs. The detrimental, adverse, dire consequence of all of this is to fall into bitter conditions for a hundred or a thousand kalpas. I sink into a great hell because of deceitful speech. I now take refuge in the buddhas of the southern direction and avow my very grave faults!”

When the practitioner effects this mindfulness, a voice will fill the air:

“There is a buddha in the southern direction whose name is Sandalwood Virtue. This buddha also has innumerable buddhas emanated from him, all of whom expound the Great Vehicle that destroys and eliminates impurities and faults. As for your impurities: you should now face the innumerable buddhas of the ten directions, the greatly compassionate World-honored Ones! Avow your very grave faults and sincerely amend yourself!”

After these words have been spoken, the practitioner must cast him- or herself onto the ground and pay homage to the buddhas again. 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.

The Daily Dharma from Oct. 29, 2020, offers this reminder of the power of speech promised in Chapter 19 of the Lotus Sutra:

When they expound the Dharma to the great multitude with their tongues, they will be able to raise deep and wonderful voices, to cause their voices to reach the hearts of the great multitude so that the great multitude may be joyful and cheerful. Hearing their speeches given in good order by their deep and wonderful voices, Śakra, Brahman, and the other gods and goddesses will come and listen to them.

The Buddha declares these lines to Constant-Endeavor Bodhisattva in Chapter Nineteen of the Lotus Sūtra, describing those who keep the Lotus Sūtra. When we share the Buddha Dharma with others, it is as if the Buddha’s mind is finding voice in our words. It should then come as no surprise to us that beings of all dispositions will want to hear more of what the Buddha has taught us. When we “practice the sūtra with our bodies,” as Nichiren described, when we make this teaching a part of our lives, then we find the words we need to reach all beings and lead them to the Buddha’s enlightenment.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

Going through each of the senses and their karmic consequences – the sense faculty of sight, the sense faculty of hearing, the sense faculty of smell, the sense faculty of speech and the sense faculty of the body and mind – we continue with sense faculty of speech.

When the self-amendment process is completed, the practitioner must again internalize and recite the Great Vehicle sutras without laziness of body or mind. Through the power of the Great Vehicle, an ethereal voice will declare to the Dharma successor:

“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. You must yourself declare the unwholesome and harmful karmic acts produced by your sense faculty of speech: ‘This sense faculty of speech musters characteristics of undesirable karma: lies, flattery, deprecating words, duplicity, defamation and slander, praise of wrong views, and use of useless words. In the manner of such many and multiple varieties and kinds of harmful karmic acts, it instigates conflicts and confusion and asserts that Dharma is not Dharma. I now amend myself of all impurities such as these!’ ”

After saying these words before the Heroes of the World, the practitioner must cast him- or herself upon the ground and universally pay homage to the buddhas of the ten directions. The practitioner must then kneel erectly on both knees, place palms together, and say:

“The troubles and faults of this tongue are innumerable and limitless! The thorns of harmful karmic causes grow from the sense faculty of speech. Estrangement from correct discourse on the Dharma begins with this tongue, and thus does this unwholesome tongue destroy seeds of beneficial effects. It forcefully discourses on many matters that have no meaning. Its praise of wrong views is like stoking their fires, thereby intensifying the flames that harm living beings. It is like something that poisons and brings death with no outward signs. The detrimental, adverse, dire consequence of all of this is to fall into bitter conditions for a hundred or a thousand kalpas. I sink into a great hell because of deceitful speech. I now take refuge in the buddhas of the southern direction and avow my very grave faults!”

When the practitioner effects this mindfulness, a voice will fill the air:

“There is a buddha in the southern direction whose name is Sandalwood Virtue. This buddha also has innumerable buddhas emanated from him, all of whom expound the Great Vehicle that destroys and eliminates impurities and faults. As for your impurities: you should now face the innumerable buddhas of the ten directions, the greatly compassionate World-honored Ones! Avow your very grave faults and sincerely amend yourself!”

In considering our speech, it is helpful to consider the promise of the Lotus Sutra as explained in the Oct. 29, 2020, Daily Dharma:

When they expound the Dharma to the great multitude with their tongues, they will be able to raise deep and wonderful voices, to cause their voices to reach the hearts of the great multitude so that the great multitude may be joyful and cheerful. Hearing their speeches given in good order by their deep and wonderful voices, Śakra, Brahman, and the other gods and goddesses will come and listen to them.

The Buddha declares these lines to Constant-Endeavor Bodhisattva in Chapter Nineteen of the Lotus Sūtra, describing those who keep the Lotus Sūtra. When we share the Buddha Dharma with others, it is as if the Buddha’s mind is finding voice in our words. It should then come as no surprise to us that beings of all dispositions will want to hear more of what the Buddha has taught us. When we “practice the sūtra with our bodies,” as Nichiren described, when we make this teaching a part of our lives, then we find the words we need to reach all beings and lead them to the Buddha’s enlightenment.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

Going through each of the senses and their karmic consequences – the sense faculty of sight, the sense faculty of hearing, the sense faculty of smell, the sense faculty of speech and the sense faculty of the body and mind – we continue with sense faculty of smell.

After these words are spoken, Universal Sage Bodhisattva will once again expound a method of self-amendment for the practitioner’s sake:

“In your previous existences – throughout innumerable kalpas – because you so yearned for sweet scents, in every situation your evaluations of what you discerned were based upon attachment and you fell into the cycle of births and deaths (samsara). Accordingly, you must now contemplate the foundation of the Great Vehicle! The foundation of the Great Vehicle is the true reality of all things!”

After hearing these words, the practitioner must cast his or her body to the ground and undertake further self-amendment. Having done so, the practitioner must then speak thus:

“Namaḥ Śākyamuni Buddha! Namaḥ stupa of Many-Treasures Buddha! Namaḥ all buddhas emanated from Śākyamuni Buddha in all of the ten directions!”

Having said this, he or she must universally pay homage thusly to the buddhas in the ten directions:

“Namaḥ Splendid Virtue Buddha of the East and all buddhas emanated from him!”

As if seeing each one of them with his or her own eyes, the practitioner should, with reverent thoughts, make offerings of incense and flowers. When finished paying homage, the practitioner must then formally kneel, place his or her palms together, and give praise to the buddhas with a variety of verses. After praising them, the practitioner must speak to matters of the ten harmful karmic actions and do self-amendment for his or her impurities. Having completed self-amendment, the practitioner should speak these words:

“In previous existences, throughout innumerable kalpas, I longed for scents, flavors, and contacts, and I produced many impurities. Throughout uncountable existences ever since, having such causes has resulted in my taking on various unsavory forms, being in hells and among hungry spirits and beasts, and being in faraway realms where there are wrong views. Today I avow harmful karmic acts like these! Taking refuge in the buddhas, masters of the correct Dharma, I acknowledge my impurities and I amend myself of them!”

As a sort of follow-on for this peril of infatuation with scents, consider the Daily Dharma from Jan. 20, 2021, and its discussion of the Lotus Sutra’s attitude toward the sense of smell:

They also will be able to locate the Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas by smelling their bodies from afar. Even when they recognize all this by smell, their organ of smell will not be destroyed or put out of order. If they wish, they will be able to tell others of the differences [of those scents] because they remember them without fallacy.

The Buddha gives this explanation to Constant-Endeavor Bodhisattva in Chapter Nineteen of the Lotus Sūtra, describing those who keep the Lotus Sūtra. Our sense of smell is often unconscious. We associate smells with places, experiences or even people that we like or dislike. These smells can even cause an emotional reaction by causing us to relive a situation associated with that smell. In the Lotus Sūtra, the Buddha teaches that our everyday experiences are no different from enlightenment, that his great wisdom is not about how to escape from this world. It is about how to use the senses and abilities with which we are blessed in ways we cannot imagine.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com