Category Archives: WONS

d12b, WONS

The Eternal Buddha Śākyamuni’s Three Benefits and Three Virtues

The seventh chapter on “The Parable of a Magic City” of the Lotus Sūtra states that the Great Universal Wisdom Buddha had been the king of a country with 16 princes before entering the priesthood; when the king became a Buddha, his 16 princes awakened aspiration for Buddhahood and became novices. Meanwhile the 16 novices grew to be 16 bodhisattvas, preaching the Lotus Sūtra as their father Buddha had taught them and planting the seed of Buddhahood in all the people in the Sahā World. These 16 bodhisattvas all attained Buddhahood, the seventh chapter continues, and they became 16 Buddhas, the first of whom was Akṣobha Buddha, the ninth was Amitābha Buddha, and the sixteenth was Śākyamuni Buddha. Akṣobha Buddha has connection with the world to the east, Amitābha (Buddha of Infinite Life) is connected to the world of the west, and only Śākyamuni Buddha has a karmic relationship with this Sahā World. Each of these Buddhas is equipped with the three benefits of guidance (sowing, maturing, and harvesting) and the three virtues (of lord, master and parents), but both Akṣobha and Amitābha Buddhas are provisional Buddhas who appeared in the world to preach expedient teachings. Therefore, they have neither the three benefits nor the three virtues in the true sense of the word. In other words, their benefits and virtues are recognized only in term of their guidance of the people in their respective worlds, whereas the Eternal Buddha Śākyamuni is perfectly equipped with the three benefits and three virtues.

Ichidai Goji Keizu, Genealogical Chart of the Buddha’s Lifetime Teachings in Five Periods, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Page 248

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The Seeds of the Lotus Sūtra

Suppose there is a common or a noble woman who conceived a child by the king, people who do not know who is the real father of the child may consider the child to be a son of a commoner or a nobleman. They will all realize, however, that the baby is a child of the king when the king himself declares the truth. By the same token, when the Lotus Sūtra informs you of those who are able to leave the triple world of birth and death or escape the cycle of the six realms and ascend the four realms through the pre-Lotus sūtras, it is all because the seeds of the Lotus Sūtra have been implanted within their lives throughout previous existences. Of the people who had planted the seed during their previous lives, those who are unresponsive and not able to attain nirvana through the pre-Lotus sūtras are able to attain enlightenment through the Lotus Sūtra during this lifetime. It is like a crown prince who was given birth by the queen but was raised by a wet nurse. The nurse is equivalent to the sūtras prior to the Lotus Sūtra.

Shōjō Daijō Fumbetsu-shō, The Differences between Hinayāna and Mahāyāna Teachings, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 197

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Thoughtfulness in Sending Gifts

I am an ordinary man. If I do not wear clothing, I will feel the cold. If I do not eat anything, I will not be able to sustain my life. Just as a lamp that is not refilled with oil or a fire that receives no fuel, how can the flame of life stay alive without refueling? If the power from life should die out, my voice reciting the Lotus Sūtra will stop, and the grass in front of the window where I expound the Great Concentration and Insight will grow thick.

I cannot express how much I appreciated your thoughtfulness in sending gifts to me under these harsh conditions. It is said that a rabbit offered himself to a practicer of Buddhism, which moved Indra to put the rabbit on the moon. This is why we see a rabbit on the moon now. Likewise, as you, a woman, make an offering for the sake of the Lotus Sūtra in this Latter Age of Degeneration, the King of the Brahma Heaven will see your meritorious conduct in his heavenly eyes, Indra will press his hands together in homage to you, the terrestrial gods will be happy to support your legs and Śākyamuni Buddha will pat your head by stretching His hand from Mt. Sacred Eagle. Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō, Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō!

Matsuno-dono Nyōbō Gohenji, Reply to the Wife of Lord Matsuno, the Nun of Kubo, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 7, Followers II, Page 72-73

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A Statue of the Living Buddha

The statue of the Buddha you have erected this time is the living Buddha. Yours is exactly the same as the wooden statue made by Great King Udayana and another one erected by King Bimbisāra. I am sure that such heavenly beings as the King of the Brahma Heaven, Indra, Sun Deity, Moon Deity, and the Four Heavenly Kings will not fail to protect you and watch over you just as the shadow follows the body.

Shijō Kingo Shakabutsu Kuyō-ji, Opening the Eyes Service of Shijō Kingo’s Statue of Śākyamuni, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 6, Followers I, Page 133

d17b, WONS

What Kinds of Doctrines Are Expounded in the Lotus Sūtra?

What kinds of doctrines are expounded in such a precious sūtra entitled the Lotus Sūtra? Beginning with the “Expedients” chapter in the first fascicle, the sūtra expounds that bodhisattvas, Two Vehicles (Śrāvaka and Pratyekabuddha) and ordinary people are all able to attain Buddhahood, though there is no actual proof yet. Suppose a guest visits you for the first time. He looks fine, speaks politely, and there is nothing dubious about his words, but until you confirm the truth about him, it would be difficult to believe him from merely his words. In such a case, if something important happens one after another to confirm his words, you can trust him thereafter without hesitation.

Although we believed the doctrine of attainment of Buddhahood by all living beings because it was preached by the Buddha, it was difficult for some to fully accept it because of the lack of actual proof. However, it all became clear when the most important doctrine of becoming a Buddha with one’s present body was expounded in the “Devadatta” chapter in the fifth fascicle of the Lotus Sūtra. It is like turning black lacquer into white or purifying dirty water by putting a wish-fulfilling gem in it. The Buddha helped a small snake, who was actually a daughter of the dragon king, attain Buddhahood with her present body. From that moment, no one could have the slightest doubt about all men attaining Buddhahood. Therefore, the Lotus Sūtra expounds attainment of Buddhahood by all people after the model of enlightenment of women. Grand Master Dengyō of Mt. Hiei, who first spread the true meaning of the Lotus Sūtra in Japan, annotated in his Outstanding Principles of the Lotus Sūtra, “Neither the dragon girl, who became a Buddha to preach the dharma, nor the people who heard her preach the dharma needed a roundabout way to Buddhahood. They immediately attained Buddhahood with their present bodies by the power of the Wonderful Dharma.”

Sennichi-ama Gozen Gohenji, A Reply to My Lady Nun Sennichi, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 146-147

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The Fifth 500-Year Period

The fifth 500-year period, the period of destruction of the pure dharma referred to in the Sūtra of the Great Assembly, is without doubt today. After the destruction of the pure dharma, however, the great pure dharma of “Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō,” the gist of the Lotus Sūtra, should spread widely among all the people and subjects of 80,000 kings of 80,000 lands in the world, just as today in Japan people all recite the name of the Buddha of Infinite Life. This has been decided by the Buddha, so we must make it a reality.

Senji-shō, Selecting the Right time: A Tract by Nichiren, the Buddha’s Disciple, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 1, Page 193

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The Importance of the First Bodhisattva Vow

To say the truth, if attaining enlightenment by the people of Two Vehicles had not been revealed, then all beings in the nine realms would never be able to become Buddhas. The essence of the Lotus Sūtra, as a reasonable dharma, is that each sentient being in the ten realms contains the ten realms within itself. For example, each person is composed of the four elements of earth, water, heat and air. If one of these elements is missing, there will be no human being. It is true that not only human beings but also all other beings and non-beings such as grasses, plants and dust particles throughout the ten realms each possesses the ten realms. If the beings in the realms of Two Vehicles are not able to become Buddhas, then none of the eight realms can become Buddhas either. This is like nine siblings whose parents are still alive. If two of the nine are determined to be inferior, the other seven will also be considered inferior. The Buddha and the Lotus Sūtra are like parents and the people in the nine realms are like their real children. Therefore, if the people of the Two Vehicles of śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha will never be able to attain Buddhahood, how then could the bodhisattvas and six other ordinary children become Buddhas? There is no doubt about this because Śākyamuni Buddha preaches in the Lotus Sūtra, “This triple world is My domain, in which all living beings are My children. There are many sufferings in this world…, and only I can save all beings.”

All bodhisattvas make the Four Great Vows. If a bodhisattva does not accomplish the first vow, how can he attain the fourth?

Shōjō Daijō Fumbetsu-shō, The Differences between Hinayāna and Mahāyāna Teachings, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 194

d17b, WONS

Devadatta

Devadatta was a grandson of King Siṃhahanu, a son of King Dropodana who was an uncle of Śākyamuni Buddha, and an elder brother of Venerable Ānanda. His mother was a daughter of Suprabuddha. As a member of the Wheel-turning Noble King’s clan, Devadatta was a man of distinguished background in the continent of Jambudvīpa. Prior to entering the Buddhist Order, he lost to Prince Siddhārtha for the hand of Princess Yaśodharā and was possessed with the idea that Siddhārtha was his sworn enemy. After entering the priesthood, moreover, he was rebuked by the Buddha before a crowd of human and heavenly beings, “You are a fool who eats the saliva of other people.” Moreover, he greatly valued fame and satisfying desires and felt envious of the Buddha being regarded with such respect by people. Thus Devadatta practiced the five ways, pretending to be more venerable than the Buddha; branded the wheel of 1,000 spokes (one of the Buddha’s 32 physical characteristics) on the sole of his foot; collected fireflies to pretend that he, like the Buddha, had a white curl between the eyebrows; preached all the Buddhist teachings, said to be 60,000 or 80,000 in number, as if they all are his own; established a precept dais on Mt. Gayāśīrṣa to induce many disciples of the Buddha; and attempted to inject poison into the Buddha’s foot through his own toenail. Moreover, he beat Nun Utpalavarṇā to death, and threw a large stone causing the Buddha’s foot to bleed.

Thus, he committed the three rebellious sins (causing the Buddha’s body to bleed, causing disunity in the Buddhist order, and killing an arhat), and in the end gathered all the evils in all of India and caused harm to the Buddha and His disciples and donors. King Bimbisāra, the primary supporter of the Buddha, sent 500 vehicles filled with donations daily to the Buddha. Envious of this, Devadatta seduced Crown Prince Ajātaśatru to imprison the father king and finally crucified him with seven-foot-long nails. Because of such grave sins as these, Devadatta finally fell into the Hell of Incessant Suffering through the hole in the ground of the northern gate of the town of Rājagṛha. All the people in the whole world without exception witnessed this event, believing that Devadatta would never be able to come out of this hell even after having spent incalculable number of aeons (kalpa as many as the number of dust-particles of the great earth) there. Nevertheless, he was made to become the Heavenly King Buddha in the Lotus Sūtra. This is indeed inexplicable yet precious. If Devadatta does not become a Buddha, the numerous evil people who were induced by him to enter into the evil comradeship would never be able to escape the torment of the Hell of Incessant Suffering. It is solely due to the great favor of the Lotus Sūtra that all of Devadatta’s evil comrades too, are allowed to be Buddhas. Devadatta and his numerous followers, accordingly, will stay in the residences of those who practice the Lotus Sūtra. Thus, I feel we can count on them.

Kitō Shō, Treatise on Prayers, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 64-65

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Those Who Believe in the Lotus Sūtra

QUESTION: If anyone associates with a false teacher, despite his faith in the Lotus Sūtra, he will fall into the three evil realms, won’t he?

ANSWER: If anyone without comprehension of the Lotus Sūtra, meets with “evil friends” of expedient teachings and retreats from the true teaching, he will without fail fall into the three evil realms because of his sin of putting faith in the wicked teacher. Those who despised and persecuted Bodhisattva Never-Despising, for instance, fell into the Hell of Incessant Suffering, though faithful to expedient teachings. Those who had associated with the Lotus Sūtra at the time of the Great Universal Wisdom Buddha have been unenlightened for as long as 3,000 dust-particle kalpa because they had retreated from the Lotus Sūtra, believing in expedient teachings.

Those who believe in the Lotus Sūtra, however, except for abandoning their faith in the Lotus Sūtra and following the teacher of expedient teachings, will never fall into the three evil realms for committing sins in worldly matters. It is because such sins are not grave enough to upset the merits of the Lotus Sūtra.

Shugo Kokka-ron, Treatise on Protecting the Nation, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 1, Page 66

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Pre-Lotus Misunderstanding by Bodhisattvas

All sūtras preached prior to the Lotus Sūtra state that bodhisattvas and ordinary people are able to attain Buddhahood, but never the people of the Two Vehicles. Thinking that they can become Buddhas while the people of the Two Vehicles cannot, wise bodhisattvas and ignorant people throughout the six realms felt happy. The people of the Two Vehicles plunged into grief and thought, “we should not have entered the Buddhist way.” Now in the Lotus Sūtra, they are guaranteed of attaining Buddhahood, so not only the people of the Two Vehicles, but also the people of the nine realms will all become Buddhas. Upon hearing this dharma, bodhisattvas realized their misunderstanding. As stated in the pre-Lotus sūtras, if the people of the Two Vehicles cannot attain Buddhahood, then the Four Great Vows cannot be accomplished. Consequently, bodhisattvas would also be unable to become Buddhas. When it was preached that people of the Two Vehicles were unable to attain Buddhahood, they should not have been left alone in sadness; bodhisattvas should have joined them in grief.

Shōjō Daijō Fumbetsu-shō, The Differences between Hinayāna and Mahāyāna Teachings, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 194-195