Category Archives: WONS

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Followers of the Character ‘Kyō’ of the Lotus Sūtra

Speaking of all the phenomena embraced in the five Chinese characters of Myō, Hō, Ren, Ge, and Kyō, the character Kyō is the king of all sūtras because it contains all the Buddhist sūtras in this single character. During 50 years or so after the Buddha appeared in this world, He preached the 80,000 Holy Teachings. In the period when the human life span was 100 years, He passed away at midnight on February 15 at the age of 80. During the summer season of 90 days, from April 8 to July 15, 1,000 arhats assembled in a place to write down what the Buddha had expounded during His lifetime and to compile the scriptures. Afterwards, during the Age of the True Dharma, the first 1,000 years after the extinction of the Buddha, the Buddhist scriptures spread throughout India, but they were not yet introduced to China. Then in the 15th year of the Age of the Semblance Dharma, during the reign of Emperor Hsiao-ming of Later Han China (67 A.D.), the Buddhist scriptures were brought to China for the first time. By the time of Emperor Hsüan-tsung of the T’ang dynasty (730), the number of translators who came from India amounted to 176 and the total of sūtras, precepts, and discourses they brought numbered as many as 1,076 in 5,048 fascicles and 480 satchels. These scriptures are all followers of the character “kyō” of the Lotus Sūtra.

Hokke Daimoku Shō, Treatise on the Daimoku of the Lotus Sūtra, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 39-40

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The All-Encompassing Lotus Sutra

Nichiren grounded his reasoning in his understanding that the Lotus Sūtra, and specifically its title, is all-encompassing. In a famous passage, he explained that simply by upholding the daimoku, one can gain the merit of the entire bodhisattva path: “The Sūtra of Immeasurable Meanings states: ‘Even if one is not able to practice the six perfections, they will spontaneously be fulfilled.’ The Lotus Sūtra states, ‘They wish to hear the all-encompassing way. …’ The heart of these passages is that Śākyamuni’s causal practices and their resulting merits are inherent in the five characters myō-hō-ren-ge-kyō. When we embrace these five characters, he will spontaneously transfer to us the merits of his causes and effects.”

Two Buddhas, p196-197
WONS

Eliminate These Five Kinds of Mistakes

The Collection Concerning the Immediate Attainment of Buddhahood [by Grand Master Jikaku] further states:

“First, speaking of the gist of the Lotus Sūtra, it is preached that various Buddhas have appeared in this world for the one important purpose and that all the people have the Buddha-nature. People will be able to attain Buddhahood if they hear and practice the teaching of the Lotus Sūtra. For what reason has the Buddha expounded the Three Inherent Potentials of the Buddha-nature (innate Buddha-nature, ‘wisdom’ to develop the innate Buddha-nature, and virtuous deeds which enable one to develop ‘wisdom’)? It is said in the first fascicle of the Dependent-Origination section of the Treatise on the Buddha-nature by Bodhisattva Vasubandhu that the Buddha insisted on the existence of the Buddha-nature in all the people for the purpose of helping them eliminate five kinds of mistakes and obtain five kinds of merit. The five kinds of mistakes are despicable mind, conceit, attachment to delusion, slandering the True Dharma and attachment to self-interest. On the other hand, the five kinds of merit are diligence, respect, wisdom, intelligence, and great compassion. It is ‘despicable’ to harbor doubts about the Buddha-nature in oneself and fail to aspire to Buddhahood; it is called ‘conceit’ to think that one has the Buddha-nature and can aspire to Buddhahood by oneself; it is the ‘attachment to delusion’ to believe that all things have substance though they actually exist only through conditions; it is ‘slandering the True Dharma’ to speak ill of the pure wisdom and virtue of all things; and it is called ‘attachment to self -interest’ to think only about oneself without compassion for all the people. We should eliminate these five kinds of mistakes, know the existence of the Buddha-nature in ourselves, and aspire to Buddhahood.”

Nizen Nijō Bosatsu Fu-sabutsu Ji, Never-Attaining Buddhahood by the Two Vehicles and Bodhisattvas in the Pre-Lotus Sūtras, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Page 223

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Manifesting the Buddha Land

A marginal, often persecuted figure with only a small following, Nichiren himself had to abandon expectations that this goal would be achieved soon. Nonetheless, he introduced into the tradition of Lotus Sūtra interpretation what might be called a millennial element, a prophecy or vision of an ideal world based on the spread of exclusive faith in the Lotus Sūtra. Especially since the modern period, that vision has undergone multiple reinterpretations from a range of social and political perspectives. Nichiren’s ideal of manifesting the buddha land in the present world gives his doctrine an explicitly social dimension that sets it apart from other Buddhist teachings of his day. It is also the aspect of his teaching that speaks most powerfully to the “this-worldly” orientation of today’s Buddhist modernism.

Two Buddhas, p190-191
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The Rare Number of Believers in the Lotus Sūtra

The Nirvana Sūtra also states:

“Śākyamuni Buddha then took a bit of soil, put it on a fingernail, and asked Bodhisattva Kāśyapa which had more soil: the fingernail or the entire worlds throughout the universe? Bodhisattva Kāśyapa answered that it was clear that the soil on a fingernail could not compare in amount with that in all the worlds all over the universe. The Buddha then preached: “People who commit the four major sins or the five rebellious sins, and those who cut off the root of merit to become an icchantika, and who do not believe in this sūtra are as vast in amount as the soil in the entire worlds in the whole universe. On the contrary, those who do not commit the five rebellious sins, do not become an icchantika, do not cut off the root of merit, and uphold this Nirvana Sūtra are as scarce as the amount of soil on a fingernail.”

According to this passage in the Nirvana Sūtra, which is supplementary to the Lotus Sūtra, those who do not believe in the Lotus Sūtra are as numerous as the amount of soil in all the worlds throughout the universe while those who believe in it, like Nichiren, are as rare as the amount of soil on a fingernail in Japan today.

Shingon Shoshū Imoku, Differences between the Lotus Sect and Other Sects Such as the True Word Sect, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 122-123

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Transforming This World into an Ideal Buddha Realm

[F]or Nichiren, the immanence of the buddha land was not merely a truth to be realized subjectively, in the practice of individuals; it would actually become manifest in the outer world as faith in the Lotus Sūtra spread. We have already seen how he saw the disasters of his age as stemming fundamentally from rejection of the Lotus Sūtra in favor of inferior, provisional teachings no longer suited to the age. Conversely, he taught that — because people and their environments are inseparable — spreading faith in the Lotus Sūtra would transform this world into an ideal buddha realm. He famously argued this claim in his treatise Risshō anokoku ron, written early in his career, and maintained it throughout life. This was the conviction that underlay his aggressive proselytizing and that prompted him to risk his life in repeated confrontations with the authorities.

Two Buddhas, p190
WONS

32 Marks of Physical Excellence

[A] Buddha … has 32 marks of physical excellence such as a “Brahma’s voice,” the top of His head which no one can see, a bump on top of His head, a curl of white hair that is always shining in the middle of His forehead, and dharma-cakra on the soles of His feet. It is said that in order to gain one of these 32 marks, one has to accumulate the merit of 100 “meritorious acts.” Suppose there is a great physician who can simultaneously open the eyes of all the blind in Japan, China, and the 16 great countries, 500 middle-sized countries, and 10,000 small countries that make up India, as well as the continent of Jambudvīpa, the four continents surrounding Mt. Sumeru, the six heavens in the realm of desire, and all the worlds in the universe. His work certainly falls in the category of “meritorious acts,” but only when he repeats the “meritorious acts” such as this 100 times can [he] receive one of the 32 marks of physical excellence. Accordingly, the merits of having one of these 32 marks is more numerous than the vegetation in the triple-thousand worlds or the number of raindrops in the entire world. It is said that during the kalpa of destruction a terrible wind known as sogyada would blow Mt. Sumeru up to the top of the realm of form smashing it to small pieces. Even such a fierce wind as this cannot move a single hair of a Buddha. It is also said that the Buddha has a great fire stored in His chest. It is called “Great Wisdom of Equality, Light of Great Knowledge, Fire Pit Meditation,” and He sometimes cremates Himself upon entering Nirvana in this fire. If heavenly beings and dragon gods in the six heavens of the realm of desire and oceans in the four directions gather together, and out of sorrow for the passing of the Buddha, they try to extinguish this great fire by causing such a great rain that all the lands in the whole universe are flooded and Mt. Sumeru begins to flow, it is said, they cannot extinguish this great fire of the Buddha.

Hōren-shō, Letter to Hōren, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 6, Followers I, Page 47

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‘He Will Be Covered by My Robe’

[I]t is stated in the Concise Chronicle of Japan:

“When Grand Master Dengyō lectured on the Lotus Sūtra for Great Bodhisattva Hachiman in the Jingūji Temple of Usa, the Great Bodhisattva Hachiman declared in a divine message when he had finished listening to the Grand Master: ‘I have been unable to hear the voices of Buddhist sūtras. Fortunately, today I was able to see the venerable Buddhist priest and listen to him speak about the true teaching of the Buddha. Moreover, he has accumulated much merit for me, for which I am deeply grateful. How can I express my gratitude to him? I will donate my treasured robe to him.’ Thereupon, the Shinto priest who received the divine message opened the door of Hachiman’s palace, respectfully held up a purple robe and a purple sash, and made a request of the Grand Master saying, ‘With your great compassion, please accept these donations.’ Surprised at the miraculous event, subordinate Shinto priests all uttered that they had never seen or heard anything as wonderful as this. This robe donated by the Great Bodhisattva Hachiman exists today in the Sannōin Temple on Mt. Hiei.”

… During the second 10-day period of the 11th month in the 20th year of Enryaku (801), Grand Master Dengyō invited more than ten high priests of the seven great temples in Nara representing the six schools of Buddhism to his lecture on the Lotus Sūtra held on Mt. Hiei. Wake no Hiroyo and his brother Matsuna lamented after listening to him speak: “It is regrettable that this wonderful teaching of the One Vehicle doctrine has not spread widely; it is sad that the perfect harmony of the triple truth has not been revealed.” They also sighed: “Both young and old cannot do away with the roundabout way of the provisional teaching to free themselves from the chain of delusion.”

Thereafter, on the 19th day of the first month in the 21st year of Enryaku (802), Emperor Kammu visited the Takaodera Temple, where he ordered the high priests of the six Buddhist schools in Nara and Grand Master Dengyō to meet in debate on their respective theologies. None of the 14 scholar-priests of Nara were able to answer questions, and they later submitted a letter of submission: “Many sūtras and commentaries have been expounded in more than 200 years since the rise of Buddhism through the efforts of Prince Shōitoku. They have been fighting one another for theoretical supremacy without definitely answering which is the supreme teaching. Besides, the teaching of this most wonderful Tendai Lotus School has not been spread.”

Reflecting on this, I believe that the true teaching of the Lotus Sūtra had not been revealed before Grand Master Dengyō. What was meant by the Great Bodhisattva Hachiman must have been this when he said in his divine message that “he had never seen or heard of it.” There is no question about this.

The Lotus Sūtra, fascicle 4 (chapter 10) preaches: “You should know that anyone who expounds even a phrase of the Lotus Sūtra even to one person even in secret after My extinction is My messenger (…) He will be covered by My robe. ” Contemplating this, I believe that as Maitreya Buddha in the future will inevitably expound the Lotus Sūtra, Śākyamuni Buddha sent him a robe through Venerable Kāśyapa. Likewise, the Buddha sent one through the Great Bodhisattva Hachiman to Grand Master Dengyō for expounding the truth of the Lotus Sūtra.

Kangyō Hachiman-shō, Remonstration with Bodhisattva Hachiman, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 1, Page 262-264

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The Originally Enlightened Buddha of the Perfect Teaching Abides in This World

“The originally enlightened buddha of the perfect teaching abides in this world,” Nichiren wrote. “If one abandons this land, to what other land should one aspire? Wherever the practitioner of the Lotus Sūtra dwells should be considered the pure land.” Based on such thinking, Nichiren opposed the idea, extremely common in his time, of shunning this world as wicked and impure and aspiring to birth in the pure land of a buddha or bodhisattva after death. Because the various sūtras preached before the Lotus do not teach the perfect interpenetration of the buddha realm and the nine deluded realms, Nichiren asserted, the superior realms of buddhas and bodhisattvas that they mention, such as Amitābha’s Sukhāvati realm or Maitreya’s Tusita heaven, are merely provisional names; the “Lifespan” chapter of the Lotus reveals that the true pure land is to be realized here in the present, Sahā world.

Two Buddhas, p189
WONS

Planting the Seed of Buddhahood with the Daimoku

Scholars today … are confused with the time and capacity of people to understand and believe the teaching. As a result, some scholars spread the Hinayāna teaching, others preach the provisional Mahāyāna doctrines, while still others expound the One Vehicle doctrine of the Lotus Sūtra. They do not seem to understand the reason why the seed of Buddhahood should be planted with the five characters of the daimoku.

Soya Nyūdō-dono-gari Gosho, A Letter to Lay Priest Lord Soya, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Pages 151.