Lotus Sutra Chapter discussion

bohiruci SG

Suppose i think it is boring to start a new forum with only one thread Smile

right Smile

Maybe i start the ball rolling of Lotus Sutra Chapter Discussion bah Smile

supa_naga SG

Introduction to the LOTUS SUTRA
by Rev. Shokai Kanai

For almost 50 years, Sakyamuni Buddha gave different messages depending on the level of each individual's understanding. That is why there are so many sutras in Buddhism. The founders of Buddhist sects chose different sutras for their salvation depending on what they emphasized. St. Nichiren in the13th century in Japan chose the Lotus Sutra as the salvation of people who live in the Latter Age of Declining Law or the Mappo Era. According to him, it is the Lotus Sutra that reveals the most essential teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha. Before I talk on the Lotus Sutra, I would like to talk briefly on the history of Buddhism, and how the idea of the Lotus Sutra began.

EARLY SUTRAS

When the Sakyamuni Buddha was alive, none of his teachings were recorded by means of a written language. I am not sure that there was writing methods at the time, but it could be that it was impolite to write the words of the Most Honored One. Even today in Japan, some masters of martial arts or Japanese culture such as flower arrangement or tea ceremony do not allow their students to take notes on paper. The students must learn to memorize the teachings. Sometimes this is called oral instruction.

Soon after the Buddha's death, 500 disciples gathered at Rajagrha to refresh their memory about the Buddha's teachings. They chanted gathas or Buddhist hymns. This kind of conference was held three times all together. The messages of the Buddha were kept in disciples' memory and transferred in the form of spoken words.

A few centuries later, the spoken words were written down in order to avoid forgetting important teachings. Therefore, all sutras start with the phrase, "Thus Have I Heard" in the first Chapter. The sutras compiled at that time were called the early sutras such as Agon Sutra, the Dharma Parda and the Sutta Niparta.

THERAVADA & MAHAYANA BUDDHISM

After Sakyamuni Buddha's death, his teachings were well kept and practiced and also propagated by the ordained priests, priestesses, lay men and women for about a century. However, the ways of understanding and practicing of the Buddha's teachings begun to split into two different traditions because of different interpretation of the Buddha's teachings. One of the groups was called Theravada Buddhists who tried to keep up the traditional practices and rules. The other was called Mahayana Buddhists who emphasized the essential ideas but changed their ways of practice depending on their living places and time. Theravada Buddhists maintained their strict precepts which differed between the ordained priests and lay people. On the other hand, Mahayana Buddhism arose among the lay people who could not keep up the strict precepts but kept the essential ideas of the Buddha.

For instance, ten people can have ten different ideas on what is important. Some people may emphasize the traditional, liberal, emotional, theoretical or practical attitude. It is unavoidable that interpretations of the Buddha's teachings differ depending on each individual's level of education, cultural back ground, era, and country.

Comparing the two main traditions, we see that Theravada Buddhism is mostly practiced in southern Asia like Thailand and Srilanka and that Mahayana Buddhism is practiced in Tibet, China, Korea, and Japan. It is said that Theravada priests stay in monasteries and practice for their own salvation. They go out begging food in front of their devotee's houses every morning, because the priests are not allowed to produce or to own anything, including food. Here in southern California, there is a group of Thai Buddhists in Hollywood. I once read an article in the L.A. Times regarding these priests begging food from house to house every morning. In Theravada Buddhism, lay people cannot attain Buddhahood, but wish to be reborn in better places by serving priests.

In contrast, Mahayana Buddhism arose among the lay people who insisted that attaining Enlightenment is possible even for lay men and women. It was probably founded after the Christian era, and its attitude was very liberal in contrast to the Theravada Buddhists. I believe that the Mahayana Buddhists have been greatly influenced by trading merchants on the Silk Road in the first and second century A.D.; therefore, there are many stories regarding merchants, traders, treasure hunts, physicians, kings, millionaires and also the homeless in the Lotus Sutra which I will discuss later.

Theravada priests keep strict precepts, but Mahayana priests especially some Japanese priests eat meat, drink sake, are married, own personal property, and so on just like lay people. Although Japanese priests are ordained, they keep lay people's life styles. All Mahayana sutras emphasize the practice of BODHISATTVA who are seeking Enlightenment not only for himself but for others.

MAHAYANA SUTRAS

There are many Mahayana Sutras, for example, Heart Sutra, Amida Sutra, Maha Virocana Sutra, Infinite Light Sutra, Lotus Sutra, and Nirvana Sutra. Ordinary people may wonder which sutra is good and which is the most excellent.

The Great Master T'ien T'ai (538-597) of China revealed the Five Periods of the Buddha's Teachings. According to him, all sutras can be divided in the five categories depending on their contents. At first, the Buddha preached the Kegon Teachings for 21 days after his Enlightenment, but these teachings were too difficult for the average person to understand. Then the Buddha taught the Agon Teachings during the next 12 years (from age 30 until 42) in which anyone could easily understand. Seeing that people understood the first stages of his teachings, the Buddha taught a little higher level of teachings called the Hoto Teachings. The subsequent 22 years (from age 50 until 72), the Buddha introduced the concept of "Ku" or "Emptiness" in the Heart Sutra. In the final stage, during the last eight years before his death, the Buddha revealed the Lotus Sutra.

St. Nichiren (1212-1282) read all Theravada and Mahayana sutras before his proclamation of the Odaimoku, "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo." He accepted T'ien T'ai's concept of the Five Periods of the Buddha's Teachings. Therefore, the Lotus Sutra contained the most essential teachings of the Buddha which was reveled whether people could understand them or not.

Another reason why Nichiren took the Lotus Sutra as the most essential teaching among other sutras was the phrase in Innumerable Meaning Sutra, the preceding sutra before the Lotus Sutra, says, "In the past forty odd years, I (Sakyamuni Buddha) had not yet expounded the truth." Then, the Lotus Sutra was preached. Thus Nichiren chose the Lotus Sutra as the most true teaching of the Buddha.

The Five Periods of the Buddha's Teachings

The sequence of the Lotus Sutra in relation to the other sutras according to the Great Teacher T'ien T'ai(538-597). The time classified into five periods of the teachings preached by the Sakyamuni Buddha, since he first attained enlightenment until he entered into Nirvana at the age of 80 together with the revelation of the inferior and superior sutras.

1. The Kegon Period: After attaining enlightenment, the Buddha preached the Kegon teachings for 21 days. However, these teachings were too difficult for the average people to understand.

Example: The Kegon Sutra

2. The Agon Period: The Buddha taught the Agon teachings during the next twelve years (from age 30 until 42) in a manner in which anyone could easily understand. (the Theravada teachings).

Example: The Agon Sutra, the Hokku Sutra (the Dharma Pada) and the Sutta Niparta amongst others.

3. The Hoto Period: The eight years following the Agon Period (from age 42 until 50) when the Buddha taught that Theravada teachings are inferior to the Mahayana teachings.

Example: The Yuima Sutra (The Vimalakirti Sutra), The Jodo Sutra (The Pure Land Sutra), Konkomyo Sutra (the Suvarnaprabhasottama-raja Sutra), Shiyaku Sutra etc.

4. The Hannya Period: The subsequent 22 years (from age 50 until 72) when the Buddha instructed the people to discard the one-sided teachings of Theravada and Mahayana as he introduced the teaching of Ku (voids).

Example: The Dai Hannya Sutra (The Great Heart Sutra)

5. The Hokke-Nehan Period: The final eight years (from age 72 until 80) preceding the Buddha's passing. Since the understanding of the disciples and followers had deepened, Sakyamuni Buddha taught the truth of his enlightenment.

Example: The Lotus Sutra and the Nirvana Sutra.

The Threefold Lotus Sutra

A set of the three sutras is as follows:

1. The Sutra of Infinite Meaning:

"In the past forty some odd years, I had not yet expounded the truth"

2. The Lotus Sutra:

"People of the two vehicles of Sravakahood or Sho-mon and Pratyekabuddhahood or En-gaku can attain enlightenment and the concept of the Eternal Buddha."

3. The Fugen Bodhisattva Sutra:

"The importance of Repentance."

Meanings of Lotus Flowers

The name of the Lotus Sutra in Sanskrit is The Saddharma Pundarika Sutra In English it is called the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma. Chapter 15 reveals about the lotus flowers as follows: "They are not defiled by worldiness, Just as the lotus-flower Is not defiled by water." Lotus flowers symbolize purity because the beautiful lotus flowers are never soiled by muddy water, so we should not be influenced by our bad environment. One should not blame others for what he or she did wrong. Lotus flowers also symbolize the law of cause, causation and effect because when a flower blooms, it already has the seeds within it. A flower is the cause while the seeds are effects; and water, soil, temperature are causation.

Shaku-mon and Hon-mon

The Lotus Sutra contains 28 chapters. According to the Great Master T'ien T'ai (538-597) of China, the first 14 chapters of the sutra is called Shaku-mon in which the Sakyamuni Buddha does not yet reveal his eternal nature, but appears as a historical person bound by limitations of time and space. On the other hand, in the last 14 chapters of the sutra, the Buddha reveal the eternal nature of the Buddha, his existence in the remote past, present, and eternal future. The Hon-mon chapters especially emphasize salvation of all mankind after the Sakyamuni Buddha's death.

In Chapter 16, The Duration of the Life of the Tathagata, the Sakyamuni Buddha says, "The gods, men and asuras in the world think I, Sakyamuni Buddha, left the palace of the Sakyas, sat at the place of enlightenment not far from the city of Gaya, and attained Enlightenment. To tell the truth, it is many hundreds of thousands of billions of nayutas of kalpas since I became the Buddha." He reveal the existence of the eternal Buddha in Chapter 16.

Shaku-mon is the teachings of the historical Buddha while Hon-mon is the teachings of the eternal Buddha. When we see the Buddha as a physical being who was born in India and lived for 80 years, he is a historical Buddha. But when we see the Buddha as a spiritual being, he is the eternal Buddha because his teachings will remain for ever. The more detail will be discussed on Chapter 16.

SHAKU-BUTSU and HON-BUTSU

SHAKU-BUTSU is Sakyamuni Buddha as a historical human being. See Chapter 16:

"The gods, men and asuras in the world think that I, Sakyamuni Buddha, left the palace of the Sakyas, sat at the place of enlightenment not far from the City of Gaya. and attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi [forty and odd years ago]. P.241 of The Lotus Sutra.

HON-BUTSU is the Sakyamuni Buddha as the Eternal & Original Buddha. See Chapter 16:

"To tell the truth it is many hundreds of thousands of billions of nayutas of kalpas since I became the Buddha." P.241 of The Lotus Sutra.

CONTENTS OF THE LOTUS SUTRA

Shaku-mon:

Chap. 1 ..... Introductory
Chap. 2 ..... Expedients
Chap. 3 ..... A Parable
Chap. 4 ..... Understanding by Faith
Chap. 5 ..... The Simile of Herbs
Chap. 6 ..... Assurance of Future Buddhahood
Chap. 7 ..... The Parable of a Magic City
Chap. 8 ..... Future Buddhahood of 500 Disciples
Chap. 9 ..... Future Buddhahood of the Sravakas
Chap. 10 ... The Teacher of the Dharma
Chap. 11 ... Beholding the Stupa of Treasures
Chap. 12 ... Devadatta
Chap. 13 ... Encouragement for Keeping This Sutra
Chap. 14 ... Peaceful Practices

Hon-mon:

Chap. 15 ... The Appearance of Bodhisattvas from Underground
Chap. 16 ... The Duration of the Life of the Buddha
Chap. 17 ... The Variety of Merits
Chap. 18 ... The Merits of Rejoices at Hearing This Sutra
Chap. 19 ... The Merits of the Teacher of the Dharma
Chap. 20 ... Never-Despising Bodhisattva
Chap. 21 ... The Supernatural Powers of the Buddha
Chap. 22 ... Transmission
Chap. 23 ... The Previous Life of Medicine-King Bodhisattva
Chap. 24 ... Wonderful Voice Bodhisattva
Chap. 25 ... Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva
Chap. 26 ... Dharanis
Chap. 27 ... Previous Life of King Wonderful-Adornment
Chap. 28 ... The Encouragement of Universal-Sage Bodhisattva

[Source : Introduction to the LOTUS SUTRA , http://lotus.nichirenshu.org/lotus/lectures/lotus_intro.htm]

supa_naga SG

Introduction to the LOTUS SUTRA
by Rev. Shokai Kanai (Part 1)

For almost 50 years, Sakyamuni Buddha gave different messages depending on the level of each individual's understanding. That is why there are so many sutras in Buddhism. The founders of Buddhist sects chose different sutras for their salvation depending on what they emphasized. St. Nichiren in the13th century in Japan chose the Lotus Sutra as the salvation of people who live in the Latter Age of Declining Law or the Mappo Era. According to him, it is the Lotus Sutra that reveals the most essential teachings of Sakyamuni Buddha. Before I talk on the Lotus Sutra, I would like to talk briefly on the history of Buddhism, and how the idea of the Lotus Sutra began.

EARLY SUTRAS

When the Sakyamuni Buddha was alive, none of his teachings were recorded by means of a written language. I am not sure that there was writing methods at the time, but it could be that it was impolite to write the words of the Most Honored One. Even today in Japan, some masters of martial arts or Japanese culture such as flower arrangement or tea ceremony do not allow their students to take notes on paper. The students must learn to memorize the teachings. Sometimes this is called oral instruction.

Soon after the Buddha's death, 500 disciples gathered at Rajagrha to refresh their memory about the Buddha's teachings. They chanted gathas or Buddhist hymns. This kind of conference was held three times all together. The messages of the Buddha were kept in disciples' memory and transferred in the form of spoken words.

A few centuries later, the spoken words were written down in order to avoid forgetting important teachings. Therefore, all sutras start with the phrase, "Thus Have I Heard" in the first Chapter. The sutras compiled at that time were called the early sutras such as Agon Sutra, the Dharma Parda and the Sutta Niparta.

THERAVADA & MAHAYANA BUDDHISM

After Sakyamuni Buddha's death, his teachings were well kept and practiced and also propagated by the ordained priests, priestesses, lay men and women for about a century. However, the ways of understanding and practicing of the Buddha's teachings begun to split into two different traditions because of different interpretation of the Buddha's teachings. One of the groups was called Theravada Buddhists who tried to keep up the traditional practices and rules. The other was called Mahayana Buddhists who emphasized the essential ideas but changed their ways of practice depending on their living places and time. Theravada Buddhists maintained their strict precepts which differed between the ordained priests and lay people. On the other hand, Mahayana Buddhism arose among the lay people who could not keep up the strict precepts but kept the essential ideas of the Buddha.

For instance, ten people can have ten different ideas on what is important. Some people may emphasize the traditional, liberal, emotional, theoretical or practical attitude. It is unavoidable that interpretations of the Buddha's teachings differ depending on each individual's level of education, cultural back ground, era, and country.

Comparing the two main traditions, we see that Theravada Buddhism is mostly practiced in southern Asia like Thailand and Srilanka and that Mahayana Buddhism is practiced in Tibet, China, Korea, and Japan. It is said that Theravada priests stay in monasteries and practice for their own salvation. They go out begging food in front of their devotee's houses every morning, because the priests are not allowed to produce or to own anything, including food. Here in southern California, there is a group of Thai Buddhists in Hollywood. I once read an article in the L.A. Times regarding these priests begging food from house to house every morning. In Theravada Buddhism, lay people cannot attain Buddhahood, but wish to be reborn in better places by serving priests.

In contrast, Mahayana Buddhism arose among the lay people who insisted that attaining Enlightenment is possible even for lay men and women. It was probably founded after the Christian era, and its attitude was very liberal in contrast to the Theravada Buddhists. I believe that the Mahayana Buddhists have been greatly influenced by trading merchants on the Silk Road in the first and second century A.D.; therefore, there are many stories regarding merchants, traders, treasure hunts, physicians, kings, millionaires and also the homeless in the Lotus Sutra which I will discuss later.

Theravada priests keep strict precepts, but Mahayana priests especially some Japanese priests eat meat, drink sake, are married, own personal property, and so on just like lay people. Although Japanese priests are ordained, they keep lay people's life styles. All Mahayana sutras emphasize the practice of BODHISATTVA who are seeking Enlightenment not only for himself but for others.

(Source : http://lotus.nichirenshu.org/lotus/lectures/lotus_intro.htm)

supa_naga SG

Introduction to the LOTUS SUTRA
by Rev. Shokai Kanai (Part 2)

MAHAYANA SUTRAS

There are many Mahayana Sutras, for example, Heart Sutra, Amida Sutra, Maha Virocana Sutra, Infinite Light Sutra, Lotus Sutra, and Nirvana Sutra. Ordinary people may wonder which sutra is good and which is the most excellent.

The Great Master T'ien T'ai (538-597) of China revealed the Five Periods of the Buddha's Teachings. According to him, all sutras can be divided in the five categories depending on their contents. At first, the Buddha preached the Kegon Teachings for 21 days after his Enlightenment, but these teachings were too difficult for the average person to understand. Then the Buddha taught the Agon Teachings during the next 12 years (from age 30 until 42) in which anyone could easily understand. Seeing that people understood the first stages of his teachings, the Buddha taught a little higher level of teachings called the Hoto Teachings. The subsequent 22 years (from age 50 until 72), the Buddha introduced the concept of "Ku" or "Emptiness" in the Heart Sutra. In the final stage, during the last eight years before his death, the Buddha revealed the Lotus Sutra.

St. Nichiren (1212-1282) read all Theravada and Mahayana sutras before his proclamation of the Odaimoku, "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo." He accepted T'ien T'ai's concept of the Five Periods of the Buddha's Teachings. Therefore, the Lotus Sutra contained the most essential teachings of the Buddha which was reveled whether people could understand them or not.

Another reason why Nichiren took the Lotus Sutra as the most essential teaching among other sutras was the phrase in Innumerable Meaning Sutra, the preceding sutra before the Lotus Sutra, says, "In the past forty odd years, I (Sakyamuni Buddha) had not yet expounded the truth." Then, the Lotus Sutra was preached. Thus Nichiren chose the Lotus Sutra as the most true teaching of the Buddha.

The Five Periods of the Buddha's Teachings

The sequence of the Lotus Sutra in relation to the other sutras according to the Great Teacher T'ien T'ai(538-597). The time classified into five periods of the teachings preached by the Sakyamuni Buddha, since he first attained enlightenment until he entered into Nirvana at the age of 80 together with the revelation of the inferior and superior sutras.

1. The Kegon Period: After attaining enlightenment, the Buddha preached the Kegon teachings for 21 days. However, these teachings were too difficult for the average people to understand.

Example: The Kegon Sutra

2. The Agon Period: The Buddha taught the Agon teachings during the next twelve years (from age 30 until 42) in a manner in which anyone could easily understand. (the Theravada teachings).

Example: The Agon Sutra, the Hokku Sutra (the Dharma Pada) and the Sutta Niparta amongst others.

3. The Hoto Period: The eight years following the Agon Period (from age 42 until 50) when the Buddha taught that Theravada teachings are inferior to the Mahayana teachings.

Example: The Yuima Sutra (The Vimalakirti Sutra), The Jodo Sutra (The Pure Land Sutra), Konkomyo Sutra (the Suvarnaprabhasottama-raja Sutra), Shiyaku Sutra etc.

4. The Hannya Period: The subsequent 22 years (from age 50 until 72) when the Buddha instructed the people to discard the one-sided teachings of Theravada and Mahayana as he introduced the teaching of Ku (voids).

Example: The Dai Hannya Sutra (The Great Heart Sutra)

5. The Hokke-Nehan Period: The final eight years (from age 72 until 80) preceding the Buddha's passing. Since the understanding of the disciples and followers had deepened, Sakyamuni Buddha taught the truth of his enlightenment.

Example: The Lotus Sutra and the Nirvana Sutra.

(Source : http://lotus.nichirenshu.org/lotus/lectures/lotus_intro.htm)

supa_naga SG

Introduction to the LOTUS SUTRA
by Rev. Shokai Kanai (Part 3)

Meanings of Lotus Flowers

The name of the Lotus Sutra in Sanskrit is The Saddharma Pundarika Sutra In English it is called the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma. Chapter 15 reveals about the lotus flowers as follows: "They are not defiled by worldiness, Just as the lotus-flower Is not defiled by water." Lotus flowers symbolize purity because the beautiful lotus flowers are never soiled by muddy water, so we should not be influenced by our bad environment. One should not blame others for what he or she did wrong. Lotus flowers also symbolize the law of cause, causation and effect because when a flower blooms, it already has the seeds within it. A flower is the cause while the seeds are effects; and water, soil, temperature are causation.

Shaku-mon and Hon-mon

The Lotus Sutra contains 28 chapters. According to the Great Master T'ien T'ai (538-597) of China, the first 14 chapters of the sutra is called Shaku-mon in which the Sakyamuni Buddha does not yet reveal his eternal nature, but appears as a historical person bound by limitations of time and space. On the other hand, in the last 14 chapters of the sutra, the Buddha reveal the eternal nature of the Buddha, his existence in the remote past, present, and eternal future. The Hon-mon chapters especially emphasize salvation of all mankind after the Sakyamuni Buddha's death.

In Chapter 16, The Duration of the Life of the Tathagata, the Sakyamuni Buddha says, "The gods, men and asuras in the world think I, Sakyamuni Buddha, left the palace of the Sakyas, sat at the place of enlightenment not far from the city of Gaya, and attained Enlightenment. To tell the truth, it is many hundreds of thousands of billions of nayutas of kalpas since I became the Buddha." He reveal the existence of the eternal Buddha in Chapter 16.

Shaku-mon is the teachings of the historical Buddha while Hon-mon is the teachings of the eternal Buddha. When we see the Buddha as a physical being who was born in India and lived for 80 years, he is a historical Buddha. But when we see the Buddha as a spiritual being, he is the eternal Buddha because his teachings will remain for ever. The more detail will be discussed on Chapter 16.

SHAKU-BUTSU and HON-BUTSU

SHAKU-BUTSU is Sakyamuni Buddha as a historical human being. See Chapter 16:

"The gods, men and asuras in the world think that I, Sakyamuni Buddha, left the palace of the Sakyas, sat at the place of enlightenment not far from the City of Gaya. and attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi [forty and odd years ago]. P.241 of The Lotus Sutra.

HON-BUTSU is the Sakyamuni Buddha as the Eternal & Original Buddha. See Chapter 16:

"To tell the truth it is many hundreds of thousands of billions of nayutas of kalpas since I became the Buddha." P.241 of The Lotus Sutra.

CONTENTS OF THE LOTUS SUTRA

Shaku-mon:

Chap. 1 ..... Introductory
Chap. 2 ..... Expedients
Chap. 3 ..... A Parable
Chap. 4 ..... Understanding by Faith
Chap. 5 ..... The Simile of Herbs
Chap. 6 ..... Assurance of Future Buddhahood
Chap. 7 ..... The Parable of a Magic City
Chap. 8 ..... Future Buddhahood of 500 Disciples
Chap. 9 ..... Future Buddhahood of the Sravakas
Chap. 10 ... The Teacher of the Dharma
Chap. 11 ... Beholding the Stupa of Treasures
Chap. 12 ... Devadatta
Chap. 13 ... Encouragement for Keeping This Sutra
Chap. 14 ... Peaceful Practices

Hon-mon:

Chap. 15 ... The Appearance of Bodhisattvas from Underground
Chap. 16 ... The Duration of the Life of the Buddha
Chap. 17 ... The Variety of Merits
Chap. 18 ... The Merits of Rejoices at Hearing This Sutra
Chap. 19 ... The Merits of the Teacher of the Dharma
Chap. 20 ... Never-Despising Bodhisattva
Chap. 21 ... The Supernatural Powers of the Buddha
Chap. 22 ... Transmission
Chap. 23 ... The Previous Life of Medicine-King Bodhisattva
Chap. 24 ... Wonderful Voice Bodhisattva
Chap. 25 ... Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva
Chap. 26 ... Dharanis
Chap. 27 ... Previous Life of King Wonderful-Adornment
Chap. 28 ... The Encouragement of Universal-Sage Bodhisattva

(Source : http://lotus.nichirenshu.org/lotus/lectures/lotus_intro.htm)

supa_naga SG

The Seven Parables in the Lotus Sutra

By Rev. Shokai Kanai (Part 1)

1. THE PARABLE OF THE THREE CARTS AND THE BURNING HOUSE

The following parable is revealed in Chapter 3 of the Lotus Sutra:

A long time ago, a rich man lived in a village. His wealth was immeasurable. He had many paddy fields, houses, and servants. His manor house was large, but it had only one gate. In that house lived several hundred people. The buildings were in decay, the fences and walls were corrupted, the bases of the pillars were rotten, and the beams and ridge poles were tilted and slanted.

All of a sudden, fires broke out and spread all over. In this house lived many children of the rich man. He was very frightened at the great fires and thought, "I am able to get out of the burning house safely, but my children are still inside. They are engrossed in playing. They do not know that the fires are coming toward them. They are not frightened or afraid. They do not know what fire is."

"This house has only one gate. Worse still, the gate is narrow and small. My children are too young to know this. They are attached to the place where they are playing. They may get burned. I had better tell them of the danger. They must come out quickly so as not to be burned to death."

"Come out quickly!" He warned them with these good words out of his compassion towards them, but they were too engrossed in playing to hear the words of their father. They did not wish to come out. They ran about happily. They only glanced at their father occasionally. If they and I do not get out at once, we shall be burned. I must save them from this danger with an expedient.

He said to them, "The toys you wish to have are outside the gate. There are sheep-carts, deer-carts and bullock-carts. You can play with them. Come out of this burning house quickly!"

The children rushed quickly out of the burning house, pushing one another, and striving to be first. The rich man, who saw them having come out safely, was relieved and danced with joy. They said to their father, "Father! Give us the toys! Give us the sheep-carts, deer-carts, and bullock-carts you promised us!"

Then the rich man gave each of them a WHITE LARGE OX-CART of the same size. The cart was tall, wide and deep, adorned with many treasures, and had bells hanging on the four sides. This great man gave one of these carts to each of his children because his wealth was so immeasurable that his various store houses were full of treasures.

The children rode in the large carts, and had the greatest joy that they had ever had because they had never expected to get them.

(EXPLANATIONS):

The rich man is the Buddha. The burning house is the world where we live. The fire is our sufferings. The children playing with the toys without realizing the danger of the fire symbolizes the attitude of those who seek momentary pleasures in their daily lives. The sheep cart represents the realm of shomon or listeners in Buddha's teachings, the deer-cart indicates the realm of engaku or self-realization, the bullock-cart portrays the realm of Bodhisattva, and finally the white large ox-cart characterizes the single vehicle of Buddhahood. The Lotus Sutra is the single vehicle of Buddhahood that leads all living beings to enlightenment. It does not discriminate between shomon, engaku, and Bodhisattva.

It is Buddha's compassion and wisdom that shows shomon, engaku, and Bodhisattva as expedients, but he is the one who leads them to the One Vehicle, Buddhahood. Only the Lotus Sutra and the Nirvana Sutra teach the Enlightenment of the shomon and the engaku. Other sutras teach that shomon and the engaku cannot attain enlightenment The Buddha says in this chapter, "All living beings are Buddha's children."

(Source : http://lotus.nichirenshu.org/lotus/lectures/7parable.htm)

supa_naga SG

The Seven Parables in the Lotus Sutra

By Rev. Shokai Kanai (Part 2)

2. THE PARABLE OF THE WEALTHY MAN AND THE POOR SON

This parable is revealed in Chapter 4 of the Lotus Sutra. The story goes as follows:

A poor little boy ran away from his father when he was very young. He lived in another country for many years. He wandered about in all directions, seeking food and clothing. While wandering here and there, he happened to walk towards his home country.

At that time his father stayed in a city of the country. He had been vainly looking for his son ever since. He was now very rich. He had innumerable treasures. His storehouses were filled with gold, silver, coral, and crystal. He had many servants, carts, cows, and sheep. He dealt with many merchants and customers.

The poor son came to the city where his father was living. The father had been thinking of his son ever since he had lost him. He thought, "I am old and decrepit. I have many treasures. But I have no son other than the missing one. When I die, my treasures will be scattered and lost. Therefore, I am always yearning for my son."

At that time the poor son happened to stand by the gate of the wealthy man's house. Seeing the rich man, the poor son was frightened and thought, "Is he a king or someone like a king? This is not the place where I can get some work to get food and clothing easily. If I stay here any longer, I shall be forced to work." He tried to run away.

The rich man recognized him at first sight as his son. He was delighted. He immediately dispatched a man standing beside him to quickly bring back the poor son. The messenger ran up to the poor son and caught him. The poor son was frightened and cried, "I have done nothing wrong. Why do you catch me?" The messenger pulled him by force. The poor son thought, "I am caught though I am not guilty. I shall be killed." More and more frightened, the poor son fainted and fell to the ground.

Seeing all this in the distance, the father said to the messenger, "I do not want him any more. Do not bring him forcibly! Pour cold water on his face to awaken him!" The father said this because he had realized that his son was too base and mean to meet a noble man. He knew that the man was his son, but expediently refrained from telling others that this was his son.

Waking up, the poor son stood up and went to a village of the poor to get food and clothing. The wealthy man dispatched messengers in secret. He said to two men looking worn-out, powerless and virtueless, "Go and gently tell the poor man that he will be employed here for a double day's pay. If he agrees with you, bring him here and have him work to clear dirt and that you two also will work with him."

The poor son drew his pay in advance, and cleared dirt. Seeing him, the father had compassion towards him and took off his necklace, his garment and other ornaments. He put on tattered and dirty clothing. He came to the workers and said, "Work hard! Do not be lazy!"

Seeing this poor man working hard, the father told him, "Do not hesitate to take trays, rice, flour, salt and vinegar, as much as you need! Make yourself comfortable."

Years later, the rich man gave him a name and called him son. The son was glad to be treated kindly, but still thought that he was an humble employee.

Still more years passed. After that the father and the son trusted each other. Now the son felt no hesitation in entering the house of his father, but still lodged in his old place.

Now the rich man became ill. After a while the father noticed that his son had become more at ease and peaceful, that he wanted to improve himself, and that he felt ashamed of the thought that he was base and mean. The moment of death for the father drew near. The father told his son to call in his relatives, the king, ministers, and members of his household. When they were all assembled, he said to them, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is my son, my real son. I am his real father. He ran away from me when I lived in a certain city, and wandered with hardships for more than fifty years. His name is so-and-so. All my treasures are his now."

At that time the poor son was very glad to hear these words of his father. He had the greatest joy that he had ever had. He thought, "I never dreamed of having this store of treasures myself. It has come to me unexpectedly.

The wealthy man is the Eternal Buddha while the poor son is ourselves who do not realize that we are Buddha's children. We often ask Buddha, "Give me this! Give me that!" It is still a stage of shomon who is base and mean. Through the advice of the Buddha, if we put forth effort without giving up, we will be given precious treasures of Buddhahood.

(Source : http://lotus.nichirenshu.org/lotus/lectures/7parable.htm)

supa_naga SG

The Seven Parables in the Lotus Sutra

By Rev. Shokai Kanai (Part 3)

3. THE PARABLE OF MEDICINAL HERBS

This parable is revealed in Chapter 5 of the Lotus Sutra:

There are various trees and grasses including herbs growing in the thickets, forests, mountains, ravines and valleys. All these plants are different in size, name and form. They are covered with a dark cloud. Rain starts to fall. The small, middle and large roots, stems, branches and leaves of the trees and grasses are watered. So were tall and short trees, whether they are big, medium, or small. Those plants were given more or less water by the same rain from the same cloud, and grow differently according to their species. They produce different flowers and fruits although they grow on the same ground and receive water from the same rain.

(EXPLANATION):

The Buddha is like the cloud. The Buddha appeared in this world just as the large cloud rose. Although he equally expounded the Dharma to gods, people and all living beings, they understood his teachings differently, but they are still able to vitalize the teachings depending on their abilities, characters and specialties.

In this world, there are many different races, culture, customs, and education. The Eternal Buddha accepts the differences and applies different teachings to each individual in order to maximize their understanding. It sounds like discrimination, but it is real equality and compassion.

4. THE PARABLE OF THE GEM AND THE MAGIC CITY:

This parable is revealed in Chapter 7 of the Lotus Sutra.

Once upon a time there was a dangerous, long and bad road. It was so fearful that only one man lived in the neighborhood. Now many people wished to pass through this road in order to reach a place of treasures. They were led by a man who was clever, wise, and well-informed of the conditions of the dangerous road.

Halfway through their journey, the people got tired of walking and said to the leader, "We are tired out. We are also afraid of the danger of this road. We cannot go a step father. Our destination is still far off. We wish to go back."

The leader, who knew many expedients, thought, "What a pity! They wish to go back without getting great treasures," Having thought this, he expediently made a city by magic at a distance. He said to them, "Do not go back! You can stay in that great city, and do anything you like. If you enter that city, you will be peaceful. If you go on afterwards and reach the place of treasures, then you can go home."

Thereupon the worn-out people had great joy. They said, "We have never had such joy as this before. Now we shall be able to get off this bad road and become peaceful." They entered the magic city and felt peaceful.

Seeing that they had already had rested and relieved their fatigue, the leader caused the city to disappear, and said to them, "Now the place of treasures is near. I made this city by magic in order to enable you to rest."

(EXPLANATION):

The Buddha is like the leader of the treasure hunt. He knows the bad road which is made of birth and death and illusion. Those who are satisfied with the magic city are the people of the shomon and engaku. Although they may think that they have reached Enlightenment, they have not reached it yet. It is similar to their satisfaction with the magic city. Real Enlightenment is farther away and obtained by practicing the way of Bodhisattva. The parable also teaches that we sometime need expedients. Kito or special blessing or prayers in Nichiren Sect is one expedient. Prayers for material satisfaction is necessary for some people, but the final the goal is to reach the treasure land which is to attain Buddhahood.

(Source : http://lotus.nichirenshu.org/lotus/lectures/7parable.htm)

supa_naga SG

The Seven Parables in the Lotus Sutra

By Rev. Shokai Kanai (Part 4)

5. THE PARABLE OF THE GEM IN THE JACKET

This parable is revealed in Chapter 8 of the Lotus Sutra as follows:

Suppose a poor man visited his old friend. He was treated well with food and drink, and fell asleep.

His friend had to go out on official business, so he fastened a priceless gem inside the garment of the poor friend as a gift to him, and went out. The drunken man did not notice what his friend had given him. After a while he got up and went to another country. He had great difficulty in getting food and clothing. He was satisfied as a homeless man.

Some time later the good friend happened to see him. He said, "Alas, man! Why have you had such difficulty in getting food and clothing? I fastened a priceless gem inside your garment the last time you came to my house. The gem is still there. You did not notice it! What a fool you are! Trade that gem for what you want! You will not be short of anything you want."

(EXPLANATION):

This parable was told by Arahats of Buddha's disciple who had been assured by the Buddha of their future Buddhahood. Arahats thought that they had attained Nirvana when they attained Arahatship.

All of us have Buddha nature or Buddha seed, but we do not realize it. After the Buddha has revealed the Lotus Sutra, we must realize everyone's Buddha nature and have self-consciousness as Bodhisattvas. In the Lotus Sutra, we have been granted proof that we can attain Buddhahood through our realization and striving our best in the Odaimoku, the teaching of equality and harmony.

6. THE PARABLE OF A BRILLIANT GEM IN A KING'S TOP-KNOT

This parable is revealed in Chapter 14 of the Lotus Sutra.

Suppose a powerful king demanded surrender of the kings of smaller countries. They did not obey his demand. He led soldiers, and suppressed them. He was very glad to see that their soldiers distinguished themselves in war. According to their merits, the king gave them paddyfields, houses, villages, cities, ornaments, gold, or silver.

But he did not give a brilliant gem which he was keeping in his top-knot to anyone because the gem on the head of the king was the only one. If he had given it to anyone, the followers of the king would have been much surprised.

The Buddha is like the king. He attained Enlightenment by his powers of concentration and of wisdom. But the kings of the Maras or demons did not assent to Buddha's demand to surrender to him. Therefore, his army fought with them. He was glad to see that some distinguished themselves in war. In order to cause them to rejoice, he expounded many sutras to them; however, he did not expound to them the Lotus Sutra. When the Buddha saw extraordinary merits in their fight with the Maras and destroyed the nets of the Mara, the Buddha revealed the Lotus Sutra with great joy.

(EXPLANATION):

The Lotus Sutra is the treasury of the hidden core of all Buddhas. It is superior to all the other sutras. The historical Buddha in India refrained from expounding it for many years. Now it is the time to reveal the real character of the Buddha.

(Source : http://lotus.nichirenshu.org/lotus/lectures/7parable.htm)

supa_naga SG

The Seven Parables in the Lotus Sutra

By Rev. Shokai Kanai (Part 5)

7. THE PARABLE OF THE EXCELLENT PHYSICIAN

There was once an excellent and wise physician. He was good at dispensing medicines and curing diseases. He had many children. One day he went to a remote country on business.

After he left home, the children accidentally took some poison. The poison passed in to their bodies, and the sons writhed in agony, rolling on the ground. At that time the father returned home. Some of his children had already lost their senses while others still had not. All of them begged him to cure the poison sickness and said, "We were ignorant. We took poison by mistake. Cure us and give us back our lives!"

Seeing his children suffering so much, he compounded a medicine by pounding and sieving the herbs, and gave it to them, saying, "It has good color, smell and taste. Take it! It will remove the pain at once. You will not suffer any more."

Those who had not lost their right minds took it at once, and were cured completely. But the rest of them, who had already lost their right minds, did not consent to take the remedy given to them, because they were so perverted that they did not believe that this medicine having a good color and smell had a good taste.

The father thought, "These children are pitiful. They are so poisoned that they are perverted. Although they rejoice at seeing me and asked me to cure them, they do not consent to take this good medicine. Now I will have them take it with an expedient."

Then he said the them, "Now I am old and decrepit. I shall die soon. I am leaving this medicine here. Take it. Do not be afraid, you will be cured!" Having advised them, he went to a remote country again. Then he sent home a messenger to tell them, "Your father has just died."

Having heard that their father had passed away leaving them behind, they felt extremely sorry. They thought, "If our father were alive, he would love and protect us. Now he has deserted us and died in a remote country."

They felt lonely and helpless because they thought that they were parentless and shelterless. Their constant sadness finally caused them to remember what the father had said in his last words, "Take this remedy!" Then they took it and were completely recovered from the poison.

On hearing that they had recovered their health, the father returned home, and showed himself to them.

"What do you think of this? Do you think that anyone can accuse this excellent physician of falsehood?" The answer is "No!"

(EXPLANATIONS)

The Buddha is like the father. It is many hundreds of thousands of billions of kalpas since he became the Buddha. In order to save the perverted people in the world after the Buddha's death, he says expediently, "I shall pass away."

Although the Sakyamuni Buddha has been gone for almost 2500 years, his teachings exist even today and will exist forever. Just as the physical body of the doctor could not cure the sickness but rather it was the remedy that cured the poor children, the Buddha's teachings, the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, is continuing to cure the people in the latter age of the degeneration.

O'DAIMOKU AS THE GOOD REMEDY

St. Nichiren, the founder of the Nichiren Sect, said the title of the Lotus Sutra, which is the Odaimoku, "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo," is just like the remedy of good color, taste, and fragrance. Nichiren Shonin also said, "Chant the Odaimoku. It is the only way to attain Buddhahood in the Era of the Latter Law."

By chanting "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo," you will have the four powers of the Odaimoku. They are to cure some physical and spiritual illness, to protect practicers of the Lotus Sutra, to erase one's bad karmas, and to attain the truth or Enlightenment.

The Lotus Sutra is the most excellent teaching compared to the other Buddhist scriptures because the Buddha gave certification to attain Buddhahood toward shomon and engaku, who had not been allowed to do so in other sutras. Another reason of its excellencies is that it also reveals the existence of the Eternal Buddha Sakyamuni in the past, present and future.

The teachings of the Lotus Sutra can be applied in our daily life, because it has been recognized among lay people as practical Buddhism.

To make it easier to practice, Nichiren Shonin revealed the concentrated form of the sutra, the Odaimoku. Chant Namu Myoho Renge Kyo. It is the shortest way to attain Buddhahood. Very Happy

(Source : http://lotus.nichirenshu.org/lotus/lectures/7parable.htm)