Category Archives: WONS

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Each Character of the Lotus Sūtra

A plant can increase in number when its seed is planted. A dragon can transform a small body of water into a lot of rain, and humans can turn a small flame into a fiery blaze. Likewise, although the piece of cloth for a clerical robe and an unlined kimono is limited to one each, their number will be 69,384 each when they are donated to the Lotus Sūtra consisting of 69,384 Chinese characters. As each Chinese character of the Lotus Sūtra represents a living Buddha, the offering to the sūtra is equivalent to the offerings to 69,384 Buddhas. These Buddhas of the Lotus Sūtra are equipped with the hearts of regeneration that enable the Two Vehicles to attain Buddhahood as if a rotten seed has been revitalized; their life spans are as eternal as that of the Original True Buddha revealed in the sūtra; their throats are made of the ever-lasting Buddha-nature; and their primary object is the practice of the One Vehicle teaching. The figures of Buddhas appearing in this world to save living beings are not that of the true Buddha. Rather than Buddhas of corresponding manifestation with 32 marks or 80 minor marks of physical excellence, those Buddhas represented by each character of the Lotus Sūtra are the true Buddhas. Of those who encountered the Buddha and became His followers during His lifetime, some were unable to become Buddhas. Nevertheless, according to the golden words of the Buddha, those who embrace the teaching of the Lotus Sūtra after the passing of the Buddha “will never fail to attain Buddhahood” (the “Expedients” chapter).

When I have this clerical robe tailored, put on upon the unlined kimono and recite the Lotus Sūtra, though Nichiren is a priest without observing a Buddhist precept, as the Lotus Sūtra is the golden words of the Buddha, the merit of your donation will reach you just as a poisonous snake spits out a gem or sandalwood trees grow among eraṇḍa.

Onkoromo narabini Hitoe Gosho, Thank-you Note for a Clerical Robe and an Unlined Kimono, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 6, Followers I, Page 9

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Universal Sage Bodhisattva’s Obligation To Spread the Lotus Sūtra

The chapter “Encouragement of Universal Sage Bodhisattva” says that among many disciples of Śākyamuni Buddha, Kāśyapa and Ānanda waited on Him. They were like ministers attending both sides of a king. But this was the Buddha preaching sūtras of the Lesser Vehicle. Among many bodhisattvas, the Bodhisattva Universal Sage and the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī attended Śākyamuni Buddha, the Lord Teacher, like two ministers attending both sides of a king. During the last eight years of the life of Śākyamuni Buddha, in which He expounded the Lotus Sūtra, so many Buddhas and bodhisattvas, more than dust particles on the earth, gathered from ten quarters in the universe. But strangely, Bodhisattva Universal Sage, one of the attendants of Śākyamuni Buddha, was not found there.

However, when Śākyamuni Buddha was about to finish His preaching by expounding the chapter “Wonderful Adornment King,” Bodhisattva Universal Sage came late from the land of the Jeweled Dignity and Virtue Purity King Buddha, performing hundreds of thousands of pieces of music and accompanied by a countless number of eight kinds of gods and demi-gods. Concerned about the reaction of the Buddha toward his late arrival, the bodhisattva turned pale and obligingly vowed to protect the practicer of the Lotus Sūtra in the Latter Age of Degeneration. Śākyamuni Buddha was pleased and told that it was his obligation to spread the Lotus Sūtra in the whole world. Śākyamuni Buddha thus praised Bodhisattva Universal Sage more cordially than his superiors.

Nichinyo Gozen Gohenji, Response to My Lady Nichinyo, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 137-138

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Laying Down the Banner of Arrogance, Casting Away the Club of Prejudice

Caged_Bird_in_TreeWhy do you suppose it is that suddenly something you thought was familiar becomes remarkable?

Take this snippet from a letter written by Nichiren in 1277 at  Minobu:

A singing bird in a cage attracts uncaged birds, and the sight of these uncaged birds will make the caged bird want to be free. Likewise, the chanting of Odaimoku will bring out the Buddha-nature within ourselves. The Buddha-nature of Bonten and Taishaku will be summoned by the chanting and will protect the chanter. The Buddha-nature of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will be pleased to be summoned. For attaining Buddhahood quickly, one must lay down the banner of arrogance, cast away the club of prejudice, and chant Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō.

Awakening of the Buddha Nature,
Hokke Shoshin Jobutsu Sho


This is one of only two quotes from Nichiren that I remember from my years with Soka Gakkai. (The other is Itai Doshin Ji, One Spirit in Different Bodies.) And over the years I’ve never before been able to get past the cage that confines the bird and the bird wanting to be free. My thoughts instantly go to Maya Angelou’s 1969 autobiography “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings.”

Then earlier this week I read this quote as part of my daily morning routine and suddenly realized I have never in all of these years read past the first sentence.

[T]he chanting of Odaimoku will bring out the Buddha-nature within ourselves. The Buddha-nature of Bonten and Taishaku will be summoned by the chanting and will protect the chanter. The Buddha-nature of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will be pleased to be summoned.

By chanting Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō I inspire Bonten, the God Brahman, and Taishaku, the God Sakra Devanam Indra, to offer their protection. (Bonten and Taishaku are in the Nichiren Shu Mandala Gohonzon, Numbers 16 and 18 on the Lotus World map.)

Laying down the banner of arrogance, casting away the club of prejudice, I focus on inspiring Bonten and Taishaku and the Bodhisattvas and Buddhas, searching for just the right sound when I chant Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō.

WONS

Learning the Lotus Sūtra Is Supreme Among All Sūtras

It is a great pleasure to be able to be born a human being, though difficult as it is, and moreover to encounter the teaching of the Buddha, which is difficult to come across. My body is five feet tall and my face is one foot in length. Two eyes measuring 3.5 inches (sic) wide each sit in the face. I’ve seen many things during the 60 years since I was born. Among all of them, the most delightful was when I came across the scriptural statement that the Lotus Sūtra was supreme among all the sūtras (in “The Previous Life of Medicine King Bodhisattva” chapter, et al. of the Lotus Sūtra).

Jikaku Daishi no Koto, Concerning Grand Master Jikaku, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Pages 215-216.

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‘How Lucky I Am To Have Encountered the Lotus Sūtra!’

The Lotus Sūtra, fascicle 7 (chapter 23, “Previous Life of the Medicine King Bodhisattva”), reads: “Propagate this sūtra throughout this world (Jambudvīpa) in the last 500-year period, namely at the beginning of the Latter Age of Degeneration, lest it should become extinct.”

Coming across this passage, I once lamented saying: “It has already been more than 2,220 years since Śākyamuni Buddha passed away. For what sin of mine was I neither born during the Buddha’s lifetime, nor fortunate enough to see the Four Reliances, four ranks of bodhisattva teachers whom people relied on after the death of the Buddha, in the Age of the True Dharma, or such great masters as T’ien-t’ai and Dengyō in the Age of the Semblance Dharma?”

Thinking it over, however, I was elated and said to myself, “How lucky I am to have been born in the last 500-year period and encounter the true teaching of the Lotus Sūtra!”

Kembutsu Mirai-ki, Testimony to the Prediction of the Buddha, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 169

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Buddhas in Manifestation Are One with Śākyamuni

The true teaching is what Śākyamuni Buddha has now preached in the Lotus Sūtra. In order to help all the people in the world believe in the daimoku (Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō) consisting of seven (Chinese) characters, the essence of the “Life Span of the Buddha” chapter in the Lotus Sūtra, the Buddha of Many Treasures and the Buddhas in manifestation from all over the universe verified this.

These Buddhas in manifestation from all over the universe wanted to clarify that they are one with Śākyamuni Buddha. Śākyamuni Buddha is like the moon up in the sky; those Buddhas in manifestation are like moons reflected on the water. The land of Śākyamuni Buddha is this Sahā World. If the Buddha, the moon in the sky, does not move, the Buddhas in manifestation do not move either. They live in this Sahā World to protect the practicers of the Lotus Sūtra just as the retainers living in the Sahā World pay respect to their lord, and parents love an only child.

Shimoyama Goshōsoku, The Shimoyama Letter, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 5, Page 89

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The Gratitude of Four Great Śrāvaka Disciples

[I]t is stated in the “Understanding by Faith” chapter of the Lotus Sūtra:

“We are greatly indebted to the World Honored One. Making use of various inexplicable powers, out of compassion He enlightened us, bringing benefit to us. In countless millions of kalpa (aeons) who can ever repay His great favors? Even if we offer Him our hands and feet, bow our heads respectfully and present all manner of offerings, none of us can repay His great favors. Or even if we carry Him on our heads, bear Him on both our shoulders, for kalpa as numerous as the sands in the Ganges River respect Him from bottom of our hearts; even if we offer Him delicious food, innumerable jeweled garments, together with articles of bedding, various kinds of medicines, or even if we build with ox-head sandalwood and all kinds of rare gems a stupa mausoleum and cover the ground with jeweled robes. Even if we were to do all this as the offering to the Buddha for as many kalpa as the sands of the Ganges River, still we will be unable to repay His great favor.”

This scriptural passage is the expression of gratitude of four great śrāvaka disciples to the Buddha and the Lotus Sūtra for preaching the “Parable” chapter telling them that they, too, will become Buddhas. Therefore, these śrāvaka disciples must have understood that those who practice the Lotus Sūtra are more precious than one’s own parents, loving children, two eyes, and even their own lives. It is inconceivable that such great śrāvaka disciples as Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana would abandon those who praise any of the holy teachings preached during His lifetime. However, it is possible that they bear some resentment against the pre-Lotus sūtras. The reason being in those pre-Lotus sūtras the Two Vehicles, śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha, are strongly denied the status of Buddhahood in such phrases as, “In Buddhism, the Two Vehicles are like the rotten seeds of Buddhahood.”

Kitō Shō, Treatise on Prayers, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 58

WONS

The Sūtra of Infinite Meaning

The Sūtra of Infinite Meaning states: “The Buddha has been preaching various teachings through expedient means in order to lead all the people to the True Dharma. For forty years or so till today – (three weeks for preaching the Flower Garland Sūtra, 12 years for the Āgama sūtras, 30 years for the Hōdō sūtras and the Wisdom Sūtra, totaling 42 years; the Treatise on the Dharma World, too, states 42 years) – the truth has not been revealed” (in chapter 2, “Preaching”). The sūtra also preaches: “By means of the pre-Lotus sūtras, one will never attain supreme Buddhahood no matter how long one practices his training. Why? Because the great direct way to enlightenment is not preached in those sūtras, hence one encounters many difficulties in walking in steep and dangerous ways” (chapter 3, “Ten Merits”). It further preaches, “There is no suffering in practicing the great direct way” (chapter 3, “Ten Merits”).

Ichidai Goji Keizu, Genealogical Chart of the Buddha’s Lifetime Teachings in Five Periods, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Page 242

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Never-Despising Bodhisattva and Nichiren

Although the twenty-four characters of Never-Despising Bodhisattva differ in wording from the five characters that I, Nichiren, spread, they are the same in meaning. We both appeared in the world under the same conditions: he toward the end of the Age of the Semblance Dharma after the death of Powerful Voice King Buddha, and I at the beginning of the Latter Age after the death of Śākyamuni Buddha. Also, Never-Despising Bodhisattva and I, Nichiren, are at the same stage of progress in the practice of the Lotus Sūtra: he is in the initial “rejoicing upon hearing the Lotus Sūtra (sho-zuiki-hon)” rank in the five-stage practice (gohon), while I am an ordinary man in the second stage of the “notional understanding (myōji-soku)” in the six-stage practice (roku-soku).

Kembutsu Mirai-ki, Testimony to the Prediction of the Buddha, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 174-175

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The Good Luck of Encountering the Lotus Sūtra

[A]lthough fishermen and hunters today kill fish and deer daily and the warriors of the Minamoto and Taira clans kill each other annually, they probably will not fall into the Hell of Incessant Suffering so long as they don’t kill their own parents. In fact, with good luck some might encounter the Lotus Sūtra, put faith in it, and manage to become Buddhas.

Suzumono Goshōsoku, A Letter of Gratitude for Various Donations, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 7, Followers II, Page 90