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SPRING 2019, VOL. 46

FEATURES: Is the Goal?

2 Is Emptiness the Ultimate Goal of Buddhists? World presents by Koichi Kawamoto as a practical living religion and 3 Beyond Emptiness promotes interreligious dialogue by Brook Ziporyn for world peace. It espouses views 6 Emptiness in Th ree Dimensions that emphasize the dignity of life, for the Fourth Time seeks to rediscover our inner nature and bring our lives more in accord by Douglas Duckworth with it, and investigates causes of 11 Th e Other Side of Emptiness human suff ering. It tries to show by Ruben L. F. Habito how religious principles help solve 14 Emptiness, Buddhist and problems in daily life and how the Christian least application of such principles has wholesome eff ects on the world by Leo D. Lefebure around us. It seeks to demonstrate truths that are fundamental to all 17 “Found in Translation”: religions, truths on which all people Transpositions of the Lotus can act. A Report on the International Seminar by Yue Eric Publisher: Koichi Saito Tojimbara Director: Naoki Taketani Senior Editor: Kazumasa Osaka 24 Business and Religion: A Historical Look at John Wanamaker Editor: Katsuyuki Kikuchi and the American Department Store Editorial Advisors: by Nicole C. Kirk Miriam Levering, Gene Reeves, 27 Diversity Is Always Part of Reality Dominick Scarangello, An Interview with Rev. Fadi Daou and Dr. Nayla Tabbara Michio T. Shinozaki of the Adyan Foundation Copy Editors: 31 From Scripture to Social Action: Translating the Lotus Sutra DeAnna Satre, Stephen Comee, by Bee Scherer Catherine Szolga 35 Buddha-Nature (2): We Are Children of the Buddha Editorial Staff : by Dominick Scarangello Eriko Kanao, Kensuke Suzuki Th e Inheritance of the Lamp of the Dharma Subscription Staff : Kazuyo Okazaki 42 by Nikkyo Niwano Layout and Design: Abinitio Design 45 People Who Are Like a Fragrant Breeze by Nichiko Niwano Cover: Photos: Shutterstock.com THE : A MODERN COMMENTARY Photoshop work by Abinitio Design 46 Th e Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Law Chapter 26: (3)

Dharma World is published semiannually by Rissho Kosei-kai International, Fumon Media Center 3F, 2-7-1 Wada, Suginami-ku, Tokyo 166-8537. E-mail: [email protected]. Copyright © 2019 by Rissho Kosei-kai International. All rights reserved. Printed in by Komiyama Printing Company. Change of Address: Please provide both old and new addresses. Six weeks’ advance notice is requested. Requests for permission to reprint all or part of any article in this issue must be made in writing to the editor of Dharma World. FEATURES

Is Emptiness the Ultimate Goal of Buddhists? by Koichi Kawamoto

Koichi Kawamoto is the director of This phenomenal world emerges out of a deluded mind. . . . Rissho Kosei-kai’s Chuo Academic When [it] is returned to emptiness, then a new world Research Institute in Tokyo. will be opened up. purpose a passive withdrawal from the For Buddhists, emptiness (śūnyatā) has origination while reverse order focuses world, and we are strictly warned not to become an easy-to-understand catchword on cessation. If, by meditating upon the let a mistaken of emptiness allow that denotes the teachings of Buddhism. twelve links in both directions, we are us to fall into nihilism. Th e emptiness To the question the editors of Dharma enabled to realize that this phenomenal of is founded on the stance that World have posed, “Is emptiness the goal?” world has come about through depen- when the phenomenal world is returned my answer would be that emptiness is dent origination (, paṭicca-samup- to emptiness, then a new world will be the turning point for lay Buddhists as panna-dhamma), it is not diffi cult to rid opened up, free and liberated, not bound followers of the teachings of . ourselves of the notion of substantiality by selfi sh interests or desires, mystic and Th e Wisdom are the most and arrive at the realization that “all is wonderful in its activity, opening up the fundamental of the Mahayana scrip- empty.” All Buddhist sects and schools true value. tures and have existed from their earli- were one in recognizing that meditat- Th e principle that secular ethics in est period. At the core of their teachings ing upon emptiness was an eff ective way society at large and religious practice are is prajñā, or “perfect wisdom.” If we can to attain the ideal of liberation and nir- one and the same develops as a result of look at the phenomenal world through vana. Th us the Suttanipāta says: “View this logic of emptiness, and this allows the eyes of a wisdom that discerns Truth, the world as empty, Mogharāja, always for the fi rst time the possibility of liv- we will be able to reach an understand- (being) mindful. Destroying the views ing the way. Th is means to ing of emptiness—that nothing in this of one’s self, one may thus cross over be able to live within the world with- world has any kind of ultimate substance death” (1119).* out being lost in it, compassionately since all exists simply through the com- Why I said above that that empti- taking on the burden of the suff ering ing together of causes and conditions. ness is the turning point for Mahayana of all beings at the same time as work- Th is is known as dependent origination. Buddhists is because as lay practition- ing for their liberation, and living in a Th e idea of emptiness is not confi ned ers we walk the way of the bodhisattva. way that constantly seeks their benefi t. to Mahayana Buddhism but is also the Th e Mahayana Wisdom sutras emphasize Th is is called the of no abode. fi nal point of the doctrine of dependent the perfection of wisdom in particular Here a person has no attachment either origination in . among the six perfections to be culti- to birth-death () or nirvana (lib- Th e Mahāvagga of the -piṭaka vated by the bodhisattva, based on the eration) and neither rejects the one nor relates that, in the fi rst watch of the night idea of emptiness. It was Nāgārjuna (ca. seeks the other, but acts out of com- seven days aft er his enlightenment, the 150–250 CE) who is considered to have passion for the liberation of all living Buddha brought to mind the twelve links established Mahayana thought, who gave beings. Our goal as Mahayana Buddhists in the chain of causation (ignorance, this idea a philosophical and logical basis. should therefore be to dedicate our- actions, consciousness, name and form, From the standpoint of the emptiness of selves to bodhisattva practice. ≥ the six sense organs, contact, sensation, prajñā, this phenomenal world emerges * K. R. Norman, trans., Th e Group of Discourses craving, grasping, becoming, birth, and out of a deluded mind that mistakenly (Suttanipāta) II. Revised translation with introduc- old age and death) in both direct and discriminates one thing from another. tion and notes, Translation Series, reverse order. Direct order focuses on Emptiness does not however have as its 45 (Oxford: Th e Pali Text Society, 1992), p. 126.

2 Dharma World Spring 2019 FEATURES

Beyond Emptiness by Brook Ziporyn

Brook Ziporyn, PhD, is a professor One Buddhist school, the . . . , actually sees [the] of Chinese Religion, Philosophy, Emptiness teaching as a mere preparation for a further and Comparative Thought in the teaching, which it considers the ultimate teaching of Divinity School at the University of Buddhism. It calls this next step the idea of the , Chicago. His published books include or the Center. Emptiness and Omnipresence: The Lotus Sutra and Tiantai Buddhism (Indiana University Press, 2016). He A very important teaching of Mahāyāna Th ere is certainly inspiring beauty is currently working on a cross-cultural Buddhism is the idea of Emptiness, and austere majesty in this vision of inquiry into the themes of death, which asserts that all the things of the universal , universal time, and perception, as well as an world are devoid of “self-nature,” that fragility, and universal participation. exposition of atheism as a form of they have no intrinsic essence of their But one Buddhist school, the Tiantai religious and mystical experience. own in isolation from other things. (Jpn., ) school, actually sees this Th is is sometimes interpreted as Emptiness teaching as a mere preparation determinate forms but is also a nega- meaning that all things are interdepen- for a further teaching, which it consid- tion of this negation, a transcendence of dent and are thus part of a web of the ers the ultimate teaching of Buddhism. this transcendence. Th e fi rst negation is oneness of all life and being that encour- It calls this next step the idea of the itself something determinate (namely, ages and care for all things. Middle Way, or the Center, which it the defi nite exclusion of all defi nite con- Sometimes, on the contrary, it is considers to be not really a completely tent, of all birth and death, of all arising construed as a nihilistic denial of the new idea but a deeper thinking through and perishing), so it too must be tran- reality or the importance of all things of the implications of Emptiness itself, scended. Th e negation of all content is in the observable world, even of all def- with surprising consequences. itself a content, and thus it too must be inite beings that might be beyond the Th is idea of the Center is fi rst intro- negated. Th us is the Center just a fur- observable world. duced in the context of a special teach- ther thinking through of Emptiness. Even as the relatively positive teach- ing for . Th ese are beings Practically speaking, the bodhisattvas’ ing of interdependence, however, many who have made a compassionate vow to detailed work of liberation shows them people feel there is something uncom- liberate all beings by remaining in the that each specifi c attachment to some fortably severe about this idea. Aft er all, world for immeasurably vast eons, to specifi c content is transcended only via it still sees each individual thing as ulti- be born again and again, in body aft er the creation of a counterbalancing or mately fi nite and impermanent, even if the body, so as to interact with innumera- neutralizing content: 2 is neutralized whole web of existence is eternal: all are ble sentient beings, producing innumer- by -2, not by 0. parts of the total net of existence, com- able precisely tailored and maximally Th is means that the liberation from ing and going while the web itself, the eff ective teachings and physical forms all determinate forms, the negation of fi eld of relations, is alone what endures as liberative responses to the individual all determinate forms, is accomplished eternally. All are interdependent, and in vicissitudes of each of those encounters. by the bodhisattvas not through applica- that sense each is real and important, but Th ese bodhisattvas have understood tion of universal blankness or universal each occupies only its own position in that all things are empty, but they see destruction, nor merely by embracing a time and space. No individual entity as that this is not merely the negation of, vision of the entire universal web of being, such can really be eternal. and therefore the transcendence of, all but by limitless creativity of forms, by the

Dharma World Spring 2019 3 production in each case of the precisely side. The figure represents the deter- of delusion, now see the nonproduced countervailing form. Liberative nega- minate forms of the world as conven- Emptiness of all things as infinitely pro- tion of all things thus requires infinite tionally understood. The blank side is a ductive. Because there are infinite forms creativity and produces infinite forms. further alternate revelation of what all of suffering, bodhisattvas create infinite Transcending the transcendence of that determinate reality is: the metal solutions to suffering, enabled by their (the emptiness of Emptiness) does not of the coin, here understood not to be apprehension of Emptiness as irreduc- lead the bodhisattvas into some even any specific substance or characteristic ible to any one form. Since the ultimate more unthinkable hypertranscendence but literally the lack of all determinate reality of this compassionate creative but into a new mode of involvement in characteristics. In some understandings activity is thus neither emptiness nor non- the world. “Nonarising and nonperish- of the Emptiness teaching, the unen- emptiness in the narrower noncreative ing” does not mean the exclusion of graved side thus reveals the “reality,” the sense, it is called the Center. Since it can all arising and perishing, of all deter- “Ultimate Truth,” which is also what the appear in an infinity of different forms, minate existence. Rather, Emptiness whole coin itself is made of and even in any form at all, without ceasing to be means infinite ambiguity, that is, the what the determinate form of the other itself, since its all-pervasive Emptiness lack of determinate identity and the side, the engraved figure, is made of. But is expressed as all-pervasive forms, it is presence of provisionally posited iden- now, with the teaching of the Center, eternal and omnipresent: anything that tity at once. This emptiness is also a the unengraved side is also seen as a appears anywhere is its expression, so it matrix of infinite productivity of provi- side, merely one of two sides, with the can never be replaced by anything other sionally posited redescriptions and rep- same status as the engraved side. Both than itself; it can never die. This Center, resentations. What Emptiness amounts are merely ways of appearing. Even the this Middle Way, is what the Nirvana to is the nonfinality of any characteri- unengraved side is something seen and Sutra also calls “the buddha-nature.” zation, including “Emptiness”—which cognized and is in its own way deter- But for Tiantai there is still some- means Emptiness amounts to the posit- minate, for it is precisely the definite thing even more wondrous than this, ing always of alternate determinations negation of all the determinations of the even further beyond mere abstract and descriptions for any entity, the valid- figure. That is what makes it a kind of Emptiness. It is not just that Emptiness ity of more descriptions beyond any figure itself. What is concealed by and is creative, that Emptiness and creativ- finite set that might already have been also appearing in these two opposite ity are actually one and the same. To applied. This means that Conventional forms is what lies between them, the take this further step, we first note the Truth is not a single set of appearances unseen metal of the remainder of the Lotus Sutra teaching that all sentient but is constantly available for reshap- coin, which is itself neither the figure beings are witting or unwitting bodhisatt­ ing to meet new conventions and new appearing on the engraved side (conven- vas, and the creative work of Emptiness needs, and that all of these are simply tional truths) nor the blankness appear- therefore does not require the special further manifestations of Emptiness, ing on the unengraved side (Emptiness) intervention of certain agents at cer- further rereadings of Emptiness itself. but is in another way immanent to both tain times but is happening always and This deepened sense of Emptiness of them as what appears in either of everywhere, is itself constitutive of all as identical with the production of the two opposed appearances and is being. Emptiness per se is creative, with infinite provisional posits is called the also what both holds them together and or without deliberate intervention. But Center. It is neither definite Emptiness holds them apart. The affirmation and the further implication is that whatever nor any definite set of determinations: the negation can be said to be two alter- Emptiness creates is not a mere pass- it is the nonultimacy of both of these nate presentations of the same content, ing chimera, a temporary work that extremes and is thus something beyond identical in substance but opposed in arises and perishes, constrained to a both extremes that at the same time form, just as the two sides of the coin— single time and place. Rather, precisely posits both extremes. Both negation which is both blank and engraved—are because Emptiness is always identical of definite characteristics (Emptiness) opposite and mutually exclusive pre- to whatever it creates, and whatever and affirmation of them (conventional sentations of the substance of the coin. it creates is always empty, what it cre- reality) are alternate and opposite ways But we must now break away from ates is always eternal and omnipresent. in which the same thing is presented. our static coin metaphor, for we no lon- This may seem preposterous—after To understand the meaning of ger have only one fixed engraving on the all, a definite thing is always trapped in “Center” here, we might picture this engraved side. The bodhisattvas, moti- its own specific moment of time, has a as a coin that is engraved with a figure vated by their infinitely compassion- beginning and an end, has boundaries, on one side and left blank on the other ate vow to engage every specific form has an inside and an outside, arises and

4 Dharma World Spring 2019 then also perishes. How can it never- a cup being a cup plain and simple is theless, and without denying its imper- also the possibility of being a cup at all. manence, also be eternal? The cup is not definitely there, but it is The philosophical arguments in favor not definitely absent either. To see a cup of this astonishing claim are subtle and is a revelation of the availability of the exciting, but too intricate to elaborate experience of cupness, not a require- here. Instead, we can get some intuitive ment to identify precisely this thing as understanding of what is meant by this a cup. So every new experience is not a Tiantai teaching through a consider- can also see my table and chair in this revelation of what is actually true but, ation of the idea of style. What is a style? new way. Van Gogh’s style, once I have rather, simply a new knowledge about Consider Vincent van Gogh’s famous experienced it truly in a single time and something to look for, something to painting Starry Night. This is something place, even though it is completely an produce, something to express: a cre- that was created by smearing some col- illusion no different from the empty ative opportunity. Once I know that it ored paints on a canvas with a brush ambiguity of the colors that create it, can be looked for, I find that there are at a certain time and place by a certain is now eternally available as a manner ways to find it in every place and time, person. As such, it is a very temporary in which each and every object in the albeit in each case a different way, just and conditional thing, something both world, in all times and places, can be as Van Gogh’s style can be present in very fragile, very impermanent, and seen. Style is at an omnipresent avail- any content but differently in each spe- very fake. After all, it is an illusion, a ability, a revelation of an eternal mode cific one. There are infinite new ways fiction: it is not really a night sky one of being that can take literally any con- that cupness expresses itself; cupness sees when one looks at this canvas, it is tent at all. Nothing can limit it. Garbage per se is the source of infinite creativ- only an illusion created by the coming can be seen Van Goghishly just as well as ity. “Cup” is a style of being. It can be together of these paints in this particu- emeralds and diamonds, evil as much as expressed everywhere. Thus it is not lar way at this particular time and place. good, ugliness as much as beauty—and merely the abstract “Emptiness/cre- In the same way, we can say that all in this way all of them, while remaining ativity” per se but specifically “cupness the fictions created by bodhisattvas in ugly, are also beautiful. Once I see this per se” that is the Center, which is dis- their creative and compassionate use of style, all things can express this style. coverable everywhere and which pro- the ambiguity of Emptiness, just like all Similarly, when we see the empti- duces and includes all things. our own one-sided attachments to these ness of a thing but also realize that this But in Buddhism, we are not just ambiguities, which try to force them to emptiness is not the definite negation of the observers of someone else’s paint- really be one thing or another that we the contents of that thing—that is, when ing style. We are ourselves the painter. want, are illusions. All our experiences we see the Center, the buddha-nature— To see any ordinary object is to be like are a mere one-sided way of seeing a set what do we actually see? The answer Van Gogh painting Starry Night: con- of conditions and relations and “read- is that we see the thing as something structing from Emptiness some definite ing into” them a certain figure, coher- that can be seen here, as an available thing, which turns out not to be one defi- ence, idea, being. figure for experiencing, but that does nite thing but an eternally and omni- But Van Gogh’s painting, once it not compel us to see it here, since it is presently available style for all things. exists, has a certain style. It conveys a ambiguous. It is to discover a creative Whatever thing we are experiencing, it certain way of seeing. To see it once is opportunity to see that content but not is not a simple content constrained to to learn this new way of seeing. And a requirement to see that content. I see a single object at a single point in time the most amazing thing about a style a cup. Emptiness tells me it is not really and space but a new style available for is that once one has experienced it, it a cup that I see, that seeing a cup is all things, a new form of beauty that can is not limited to the initial content in merely a certain biased way of seeing be expressed both as every ugly thing which it was experienced. Once I have the totality of conditions that are pres- and as every beautiful thing. We are cre- seen Van Gogh’s Starry Night, I can go ent here; it can also be seen otherwise, ators of new styles of being with each outside and look at the night sky and as not-a-cup. The idea of the Center moment of experience, each of which suddenly see it through the lens Van tells me that these two ways of seeing without exception is eternal and omni- Gogh has given me, I can see it “in the are one and the same, that seeing that present, expressible through all things, style of” Van Gogh. In fact, I can now the cup is not necessarily a cup is also containing all things. As Tiantai says, see everything in Van Gogh’s style, “Van seeing that this is what enables me to every scent, every form is the Middle Goghishly”: after seeing Starry Night I see it as a cup, that the impossibility of Way. ≥

Dharma World Spring 2019 5 FEATURES Emptiness in Three Dimensions for the Fourth Time by Douglas Duckworth

sense) or a substance (in the second), the While realizing emptiness is necessary, it is not necessarily inconceivable dimension of emptiness suffi cient for actualizing the complete Buddhist path, so is its aspect of being beyond descrip- understanding emptiness alone is by no means the fi nal tion. Th is dimension thus represents realization of Buddhism. the collapse of any and all dichotomies, highlighting the way that the nature of emptiness eludes all strictures of thought Emptiness designates the ultimate truth I refer to as the qualitative dimension and language. in Mahāyāna Buddhism and is an exten- of emptiness, is a quality that all things All three of these dimensions of emp- sion of the Buddhist doctrine of no-self. have (including emptiness itself). tiness can play a role in the process of Yet there are several meanings that the A second way to think about the its realization, yet one or another tends term emptiness can be understood to meaning of emptiness is as the funda- to get emphasized in diff erent texts by convey. I will describe a few of them mental nature of all things. It is in this diff erent traditions in diff erent contexts. before considering whether realizing dimension of emptiness’s meaning that Indeed, there is oft en polemical rheto- emptiness is the fi nal goal of Mahāyāna we fi nd representations of emptiness in ric between competing traditions sup- Buddhism. I fi rst discuss three dimen- a more positive light. Th at is, we can see porting their favored interpretations sions of the meaning of emptiness and in this dimension the way that emp- of emptiness. Yet these three dimen- then consider the process of its reali- tiness is not just a quality that things sions of emptiness need not always be zation. Lastly, I address the question of have, like the fi rst (qualitative) empti- viewed as incompatible or in compe- whether realizing emptiness is enough. ness dimension, but also the ground or tition; they can be seen to be comple- I conclude that while realizing empti- foundation of all things—the “place” mentary when one or another of these ness is necessary, it is not necessarily upon or within which all things “take dimensions is understood to play a role suffi cient for actualizing the complete place.” Th is way of representing emp- at diff erent stages of a genuine realiza- Buddhist path, so understanding emp- tiness underscores the way that empti- tion. For this reason, emptiness need tiness alone is by no means the fi nal ness need not be solely delimited as an not be bound to any single dimension realization of Buddhism. absence or lack of intrinsic nature but exclusively and can be interpreted to can also be understood as what remains include (and transcend) them all. Three Dimensions aft er any and all false notions of intrin- One way that emptiness has been of Emptiness sic nature have been swept away. Th is described in is in the language kind of pure ground is what I will call of “self-emptiness” (rang stong) and Emptiness has several meanings, so it the substantive dimension of emptiness. “other-emptiness” (gzhan stong). Self- can be helpful to carefully delineate its We can see a third dimension of emp- emptiness can be understood as the diff erent aspects. I will begin by drawing tiness in its nature that is inconceivable. qualitative dimension of emptiness, the out three dimensions of its meaning. For Th is dimension contrasts with both the quality that all things have in lacking the fi rst, as proclaimed by the second- qualitative (emptiness = interdepen- intrinsic nature. Th at is, “self-empty” century Indian Buddhist Nāgārjuna, dence) and substantive (emptiness = refers to a thing’s lack of its own iden- emptiness refers to the lack of intrinsic pure ground) dimensions by a direct tity or intrinsic nature. Other-emptiness, nature (svabhāva) in things. All things appeal to the ineff ability of emptiness. in contrast, can be understood as the lack a stable essence or core. Th is absence Rather than delimiting emptiness in substantive dimension, the pure ground of intrinsic nature in everything, which terms of its being a quality (in the fi rst that is empty of all that is false or unreal

6 Dharma World Spring 2019 Douglas Duckworth is associate professor at Temple University in the Department of Religion. He is the author of Mipam on Buddha-Nature: The Ground of the Tradition (SUNY, 2008), and Jamgön Mipam: His Life and Teachings (, 2011). His latest works include Tibetan of Mind and Nature (Oxford, 2019) and a translation of an overview of the Wisdom Chapter of the Way of the Bodhisattva by Künzang Sönam, entitled The Profound Reality of Interdependence (Oxford, 2019).

and is replete with all the pure qualities that holds that a view of emptiness itself language and thought to clearly con- of true reality. For instance, other-emp- can never be claimed. This kind of posi- vey the meaning of emptiness rather tiness conveys nirvana’s emptiness of tion can lead to the view of emptiness than simply interpret emptiness and samsara. The third dimension of empti- becoming simply another token of a other ideas as solely part of conceptual ness, its inconceivability, contrasts with cheap relativism that lacks any viable systems that are always and necessarily these other dimensions but can also be resources to discriminate between what only to be deconstructed. understood in a way that is compatible is true and false (concerning the ultimate Along with the enframed ultimate with them. When this third dimension truth) and lacks any ability to discern truth, the unenframed interpretation is lacking, the first two alone tend to between right and wrong, virtue and of emptiness also plays an important become static, metaphysical truths that vice (in terms of conventional truth). role in the Buddhist tradition, partic- are antithetical to the genuine meaning That is, without the enframed inter- ularly because without it, emptiness of emptiness. pretation, reason and language can- can become simply another metaphysi- The presence or absence of the third not serve as tools to construct a system. cal system or dogmatic claim, precisely among these three dimensions of emp- A system that includes this enframed the kinds of ideas targeted by Buddhist tiness marks a distinction between a truth, however, empowers the use of critiques of intrinsic nature. That is, bounded, delimited meaning of recalling the unenframed emp- emptiness (the fact of the mat- tiness undermines any notion of ter about how things are) and its emptiness (or anything else) that unbounded, indefinable mean- is circumscribed by language and ing (the nature of things that can- thought. The unenframed inter- not once and for all be defined or pretation thus makes room for delimited). We can think of the dif- emptiness to be open-ended, ference between these two interpre- beyond the limits of thought, tations as the difference between and acts (indirectly) to convey a the enframed or unenframed ulti- nature of reality that exceeds our mate, respectively, which are also grasp and extends beyond our known as the conceptual (paryāya- current conceptions (like a finger paramārtha) and nonconceptual pointing to the moon). Thus, the (aparyāya-paramārtha) meanings unenframed interpretation always of ultimate truth. remains open to the unfathom- The enframed interpretation able mystery of emptiness. plays an important role in enabling one to make an unapologetic the- Timeless sis of emptiness and empowers us Emptiness to clearly and unequivocally delin- eate between a view that maintains Tibetan Buddhist traditions there are intrinsic natures and one describe the process of realizing that denies them. Without being emptiness in terms of first under- able to make this kind of distinc- standing (go) it, then experiencing tion, there is danger in a position (myong) it, and finally, realizing

Dharma World Spring 2019 7 (rtogs) it. These levels of understand- The goal of Mahāyāna Buddhist is because nothing is found when sought ing can be clearly seen in the case of practice is the completion of the bodhi- after in terms of an intrinsic nature, not coming to understand something more sattva path, to become a buddha. Yet is even emptiness. That is to say, nothing mundane, such as the nature of mor- becoming a buddha necessarily reach- is found that is truly singular, indepen- tality or impermanence. For example, ing the final stage of realization, or is it dent, or permanent, and nothing that when we first hear about impermanence an ongoing process of responding to the appears with intrinsic nature has any and death, we gain some basic level of world? That is, does a buddha’s realiza- intrinsic nature. understanding. Then we get a deeper tion end in a climactic vision in which In other words, upon searching for appreciation by gaining further under- everything disappears into a nirvana the true essence of things, nothing is standing of these facts of life through without remainder, or is it an ongo- found (this unfindability of anything is sustained reflection and contemplation. ing enlightened engagement with the emptiness). Emptiness is only “found” to Finally, we can gain a full realization world? It seems that the answer to this the extent that no thing at all is found. when we have integrated this knowl- question is something only a buddha This is because once something called edge into our being through sustained can know, yet given that in Buddhist emptiness is found, this, too, becomes cultivation (also known as meditation). doctrine samsara is generally held to the target of analysis and becomes what The realization of emptiness can be seen be beginningless, there is a case to be is to be undermined by a further analy- to work in a similar way through these made for nirvana’s being beginning- sis. Thus, emptiness, too, must be real- stages of knowledge, as a progression less as well. After all, all things are said ized as empty. This cascading emptiness of knowledge gained through studying, to be unborn in Mahāyāna Buddhism, is groundless; there is no final realiza- contemplation, and meditation. and without a beginning there is no tion “this is really it” once and for all, Yet the question remains: is it enough end. Does this go for the realization of because any real thing that is empti- to realize emptiness through knowledge emptiness too? ness would become something else to gained in meditation? Realizing emptiness Leaving speculations about nirvana be realized, once again, to be empty. conceptually (as in the enframed interpre- and a buddha’s realization of empti- tation) is, of course, incomplete. Realizing ness aside, I want simply to pose the the nonconceptual (unenframed) emp- question of whether realizing empti- tiness in meditative equipoise might be ness is enough, or whether it is just a thought to be the complete and final real- preparation for the “subsequent attain- ization, but this, too, can be understood ment” or aftermath of its realization in as a beginning, not necessarily an end. a postmeditation (pṛṣṭhalabdha) that For one reason, nonconceptual realiza- expresses the meditative realization of tion of emptiness marks the beginning emptiness in enlightened engagement of the bodhisattva path on the first of ten in the world. We find different answers bodhisattva grounds (bhūmi). Of course, to this question in and this realization in meditative equipoise in different portrayals of nirvana, but on the first bodhisattva ground is the I want to argue here that the realiza- end of a conceptual understanding of tion of emptiness is not the final goal, emptiness, when one has moved from and I will return to the three dimen- the path of joining (prayoga-mārga) to sions of emptiness to make a case for the path of seeing (darśana-mārga), but this interpretation. this nonconceptual realization, too, has In the first sense of emptiness as to be cultivated, on the path of medi- discussed above, the qualitative dimen- tation (bhāvanā-mārga) on the bodhi- sion of emptiness that is a lack of intrin- sattva grounds (for two incalculable eons) sic nature, emptiness is not necessarily before achieving complete . something that is realized once and for Furthermore, the bodhisattva path is all. This is because whatever appears characterized not only by wisdom (that with an intrinsic nature is always the site realizes emptiness) but also by methods of deconstructive analysis. Thus, when (like compassion), so emptiness without emptiness is found and held in mind, this compassion is not sufficient for actual- emptiness is again subjected to critique izing buddhahood. (hence, the emptiness of emptiness). This

8 Dharma World Spring 2019 This process of realizing emptiness (in to it in the future. Thus, the interpre- is not sufficient for a genuine realiza- its qualitative dimension) can thus be tation of other-emptiness can be seen tion of emptiness. likened to free-falling through space to represent emptiness in a way that Moreover, when we consider that without any danger of hitting the ground allows distinctions to be made between what is “inconceivable” includes all of because there is no ground. samsara and nirvana in postmeditation our conceptions (including those related The second dimension of emptiness, after a meditative realization of emp- to time), the idea of a “final” incon- the substantive dimension, is also not tiness, when all such distinctions have ceivable realization is an incoherent necessarily a final realization. This can dissolved, or it can be understood to notion; it implies a concept of linear be understood with reference to the dis- evoke an experience of emptiness before time. Once we take inconceivability tinction between self-emptiness (qualita- it happens. In either case, other-empti- seriously, we cannot enframe its reali- tive) and other-emptiness (substantive). ness is not something final. zation within our conceived notions of When emptiness is interpreted in its Moreover, some Buddhist texts time, particularly since our common- substantive dimension, a realization of also argue that what I have called the sense notions of things like time tend self-emptiness is not final because it is substantive emptiness, in which emp- to embed intrinsic natures that are sup- an inferior type of emptiness that is real- tiness is a pure ground (i.e., buddha- posed to be undermined by a complete ized simply as a temporary corrective to nature), is in fact an expedient for those realization of emptiness. The realiza- misconceptions. That is, while self-emp- who are not yet ready to hear about the tion of emptiness thus is not final in tiness, the lack of true nature in things, true meaning of emptiness, which is a the sense of the culmination of linear is a corrective to the mistaken notion mere absence of intrinsic nature. Some progression of time but might be said that things have their own identities or texts even say that certain people are to happen in a fourth time, the time- intrinsic natures, this notion of emptiness not capable of appreciating the ground- less time beyond the times of past, pres- is simply another concept that under- less and liberating emptiness and need ent, and future. mines false conceptions. Even while it something to hold on to until they are is a concept that removes misconcep- ready. Other texts claim just the oppo- A Three-Dimensional tions, in light of other-emptiness (the site: that it is emptiness that is a stepping Object in substantive dimension), self-emptiness stone for understanding the deeper real- alone does not account for the uncon- ity that is buddha-nature. In any case, Subjective Time ditioned nature that is the pure ground other-emptiness, as the pure ground The three dimensions of emptiness can of this reality. Thus, realizing this kind or buddha-nature (tathāgatagarbha), be represented as a complex, three-di- of self-emptiness is not final for a pro- might be considered to be a climac- mensional “object” where each of the ponent of other-emptiness. tic or final realization, but it need not three dimensions plays an integral part We might then think that the realiza- necessarily be the case, as when inter- in its meaning. As is the case with a tion of other-emptiness, the pure ground preted in light of its descriptive, evoc- three-dimensional object, it is impos- of reality, is the final realization. While ative, or pedagogical functions. sible to capture emptiness fully from this might be the case, this interpreta- Lastly, I will consider whether real- any single dimension or perspective. tion of emptiness can also be understood izing an inconceivable emptiness is a For instance, when you look at a cube, as simply a way of describing the world final realization. Realizing an incon- you don’t see it fully. You can only see in postmeditation—providing a way to ceivable emptiness can, like the real- one side of it at a time, not the back of distinguish between the real that is sep- ization of other-emptiness, be seen to it when you look at it from the front. arate from the unreal—after emptiness be a final realization, but this need not Even with a lot of mirrors you cannot has been realized. Alternatively, such necessarily be the case. Further, what capture the cube in its entirety, inside a positive description of other-empti- is simply “inconceivable” is not neces- and out. Likewise, emptiness cannot ness might be seen as pedagogical in sarily even a realization of emptiness, be fully captured in any of its dimen- the sense that it serves the purpose of for otherwise we could all just hit each sions in isolation. helping someone to enter into a direct other on the head with a sledgehammer Furthermore, each dimension of encounter with emptiness in meditative and become liberated by realizing this emptiness can be seen to function to equipoise, in which case its meaning is kind of inconceivable experience. In counteract misconceptions that occur only instrumental (skillful means), and other words, realizing the dimension when emptiness is understood par- therefore not final. That is, the discourse of inconceivability on its own is not tially or only in one of its dimensions. of other-emptiness can be evocative of enough. While necessary, understand- For instance, the qualitative dimen- an experience of emptiness; it can lead ing the dimension of inconceivability sion (emptiness as the lack of intrinsic

Dharma World Spring 2019 9 nature) can serve as a correc- dimension, emptiness is like a tive to the notion of empti- line. Emptiness is the nature of ness as a “thing” or substance, phenomena, and there are no which is a danger that lurks in straight lines in nature; likewise, the substantive dimension of one-dimensional emptiness is other-emptiness in particular. not the nature of things. Two- Emptiness is supposed to under- dimensional emptiness is a richer mine substantial existence, but representation of emptiness, like when emptiness is understood a square. But a square is none- as only a substance, there is a theless flat and lifeless, like a dry problem that can be remedied intellectual; as the saying goes: by understanding emptiness as “Don’t be a square!” And sim- the empty quality of all things. ilarly, emptiness is not under- The qualitative dimension of stood fully as just a dead idea, emptiness also serves as a cor- like a square. rective to the dimension of inconceiv- Lastly, the inconceivable dimen- A cube represents three-dimen- ability, particularly when emptiness is sion can overcome the problems with sional emptiness, and a cube, like emp- only understood as a vague notion of understanding emptiness solely in its tiness, has depth as well as surface. Yet an inconceivable reality that transcends dimension as a substance or as a qual- a cube is an object, and emptiness also the mind. The qualitative dimension of ity. Since emptiness is beyond substance includes subjectivity (and transcends emptiness, as the emptiness of intrinsic and quality, good and bad, and even the subjects and objects). In contrast to nature, directly counteracts all kinds of empty and the nonempty, the dimen- objects, emptiness includes living sub- misconception. sion of inconceivability serves as a clear jects. Furthermore, the metaphor of Emptiness understood in its sub- reminder of the limits of any concep- three dimensions is a notion about stantive dimension can also counter- tions about it. When a notion of empti- space, and emptiness includes space act problems with each of the other ness stops in any one dimension at the and time (and transcends them). As two dimensions held in isolation. For expense of the others, it tends to stagnate space and time are related—time being instance, emptiness understood only and become a dogmatic notion. When all intimately related with matter shaping as a quality that things have, as a mere three dimensions work together, empti- space, as revealed by twentieth-cen- absence of intrinsic nature, can also ness can be understood in a fuller way. tury physics—time can also be said to become a mistaken notion of some kind In this light, the realization of empti- be integrally related with emptiness. of thing that is an “absence” held to be ness can be seen as a dynamic process Like space-time, emptiness is not just ultimately real. That is, to the extent that of negotiating the fullness of empti- an object in space. Rather, emptiness can anything held to be intrinsically real is ness through these dimensions—and be seen as that which allows space-time supposed to be undermined by a genuine there can be more than three dimen- to “take shape” (after all, “form is empty; understanding of emptiness, a notion of sions as well: a fourth (time), mind, . . . emptiness is form”). Thus, emptiness an intrinsically existent absence is just infinite dimensions? In any case, real- not only includes spatial dimensions as bad as holding on to a substance that izing emptiness need not be held as a and the dimension of subjective time is held to be intrinsically real (in fact it once-and-for-all, final realization that but also transcends them in a timeless may be worse). The substantive dimen- stops in any single dimension. dimension—the fourth time—of mind- sion can also correct the idea that emp- nature or buddha-nature. In any case, tiness is simply inconceivable because Conclusion emptiness, understood solely in any of once emptiness is spoken of and con- its spatial or temporal dimensions, is not ceived, emptiness is just that, conceived. To conclude, we get a fuller sense of its final realization. Emptiness realized Rather than getting caught in the par- the meaning of emptiness when we do in its fullness—which is mind-nature, adox of conceiving the inconceivable, not think of it in only one dimension buddha-nature, the spirit of awakening substantive emptiness takes up a posi- but in three, like a cube. As discussed () that includes the heart of tive claim about an emptiness beyond above, we never see a whole cube at compassion—can be said to be a final words, the “other emptiness,” and thus one time, only one side of it. Likewise, realization in the sense that there is need not succumb to an irresolvable when we see only one side of empti- no-thing more to realize than this, ever paradox. ness, we get only one dimension. In one and always again. ≥

10 Dharma World Spring 2019 FEATURES

The Other Side of Emptiness by Ruben L. F. Habito

Ruben L. F. Habito teaches world Realizing emptiness, one’s life is no longer lived as centered religions and spirituality at Perkins on the egoic self that perceives everything else as “objects” School of Theology, Southern before it. . . . In this liberated and decentered state of mind, Methodist University, and serves as one is able to freely behold the world as Avalokiteśvara Guiding Teacher of the Maria Kannon Bodhisattva, seeing and hearing the cries of sentient beings Center, both in Dallas, Texas. caught in the web of dissatisfaction and suffering.

Seeing Emptiness, feminine fi gure whose name (Guanshiyin Being Liberated or in Chinese; Kanzeon or from Suffering Kannon in Japanese) translates as “One who beholds the sounds of the world,” Th e Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom that is, who hears the cries of sentient Sutra (or , as it is popularly beings in their plight of suff ering and known) is a short scriptural text that who reaches out with a thousand arms is said to convey the “content” of the and hands to assist in alleviating that Buddha’s enlightenment. Its message suff ering. As we will see later, this will is summed up in the formula “Form is be a vital clue in appreciating the sig- no other than emptiness, emptiness no nifi cance of this highly regarded scrip- other than form.” Here “form” (rūpa) tural text as well as in elucidating the refers to “that which leaves an imprint “transparency,” “boundlessness” (refer- import of “the other side of emptiness.” on the senses as their object, all visi- ring to the dissolution of boundaries of A key point to note here is that see- ble and tangible things, all that exists.” time and space), and so on, with each ing that all the things that make up the What then is “emptiness”? translated term bearing its own nuance world are empty is what leads to libera- Th e word for this is śūnyatā, and bringing in its particular philosoph- tion from all suff ering. In other words, an abstract noun that derives from śūnya, ical and religious undertones. awakening consists in seeing all things used in Indian mathematics to denote Th e opening line of the Heart Sutra that make up the world as we know it as zero, or the neutral point that stands proclaims: “When Avalokiteśvara empty, and thereby being freed from suf- between negative and positive numbers. Bodhisattva practiced the depths of fering. Th is might seem like belaboring “Emptiness” has come to be the most wisdom, he saw that all the things that the point, but there is a direct connec- widely used translation in English for this make up the world are empty, and was tion here between seeing all things as enigmatic term, but śūnyatā can also be thus liberated from all suff ering.” empty and being liberated from suff ering. rendered as “zero ness” or “zero point,” or The main actor of this sutra is This resonates with the famous “void” or “voidness,” that is, devoid of sub- the male fi gure of Avalokiteśvara dictum of the Buddha as found in Pāli stantial being. It has also been translated Bodhisattva, the Sovereign Master who scriptures: “In the past, O monks, and as “openness,” “spaciousness,” “relativity” beholds the world with the clear eyes of so even now, indeed, I teach suff ering, (referring to the interdependent origi- wisdom and a heart of compassion. In and the end of suff ering” (MN I, 140, nation of all things), “thusness” (refer- , this bodhisattva Alagaddupama Sutta). Th e hallmark ring to “the way things are”), “goneness,” is now transgendered, appearing as a Buddhist teaching of the Four Ennobling

Dharma World Spring 2019 11 Truths begins with the fact of suffering sustained meditative practice, which are thereby able to let go of this desire for (dukkha) and its dissolution () leads to the formation of a habitual state something lasting or permanent that we through the eradication of its root causes. of mind marked by that inner stillness, think would give us a sense of security In elucidating the Mahāyāna opening out to an awareness of a bound- and stability, we arrive at true freedom. Buddhist term emptiness as conveying less horizon that encompasses all exist- Further, in letting go of our clinging to the “content” of the Buddha’s awaken- ing things in themselves just as they are. this deluded egoic self that is the sub- ing, it will be helpful to refer also to ject of those desires and allowing our- discourses of the historical Śākyamuni Three Marks selves to simply go with the flow of things Buddha as handed down in Pāli sources. of Dhamma and take things as they come moment to moment, we are thus enabled to “see Invitation to Awaken: Entry into this path of awakening is also things just as they are,” with inner peace Come and See! described as realizing the “three marks and equanimity. It is in coming to this of Dhamma”—namely, seeing the dissat- turning point that we find true libera- When the Awakened One was asked by isfactory state of living in a self-centered tion. Coming to what we can also call his followers how they themselves might way (dukkha), seeing the impermanence zero point, liberated from our clinging to arrive at awakening and be liberated (aniccā) of all things in this life, and see- things in realizing their impermanence, from suffering, the Buddha’s response ing through the selflessness (nonselfness) liberated from our deluded egoic self and was by way of an invitation: “Come and () that characterizes the nature of realizing the truth of selflessness (non- see for yourself (ehi passiko)!” things ( 277, 278, 279). In self), we are able to overturn that dis- From this response we can draw an short, once one has realized these latter satisfactory and dysfunctional state of important point of emphasis, namely, two marks, one is able to overcome the suffering (dukkha) and arrive at a state that at its core, Buddhism is neither dissatisfactory condition of a self-preoc- of well-being (). about believing in a set of doctrines nor cupied life, having dissolved the causes faithfully assenting to a set of truths but, of dukkha, and is thus able to experi- Cultivating a rather, is about accepting this invitation ence liberation and concomitantly attain Boundless Heart to take on a spiritual practice and way of well-being (sukha). (This last move is life whose hallmark is “being awakened.” sometimes referred to as the “fourth mark To arrive at this state of well-being is to From the example of the very life of the of Dhamma” in some textual sources.) find one’s foothold in the “place, or path, Buddha himself, we can glean how this We find ourselves enmeshed in a state of peace” (santam padam in Pāli.) There is a life marked by deep inner peace— of dislocation and suffering as long as is a well-known passage in the Metta the kind of peace that surpasses all fear our lives are caught up in self-centered Sutta (Treatise on Loving-Kindness) and anxiety, coming out of a genuine pursuits—pining after pleasure, pos- that describes the state of mind of one wisdom that sees things truly as they are sessions, power, and the like. In such who has reached this place of peace. It and generating boundless compassion a state of mind preoccupied with pur- describes one “who is skilled in good- that encompasses all beings in its reach. suits of the egoic self, either we fail to ness, and knows the path of peace” as The spiritual practice prescribed for get what we want and thus experience declaring this aspiration: earnest followers who wish to “come frustration and anger and harbor ill- and see,” aspiring to take on this path of will against others, and ourselves as In gladness and in safety, awakening, consists of a twofold move- well, or we may get what we think we May all beings be at ease. ment: first, stop the analytic and discur- want for a time and then realize that Whatever living beings there may be sive mind from its usual activities and we are no longer content with just that Whether they are weak or strong, simply allow it to be still, thus cultivat- and want even more. We find ourselves omitting none . . . ing a state of single-minded awareness caught up in a vicious cycle of deluded May all beings be at ease! (shamatha); and second, open one’s inner and frenetic activity, where we never ...... eye to see through things just as they arrive at true satisfaction and content- Even as a mother protects with her are (vipassanā), without obstructions ment but are ever grasping for some- life, her child, her only child, placed by a deluded egoic self. Taking on thing beyond our reach. So with a boundless heart, one should this practice of stopping the discursive Once we see through the futility of cherish all beings. . . . mind, bringing it to a point of stillness, this kind of self-centered life that is always Radiating kindness over the entire and seeing things as they are without hankering for something or other that world obstruction means an engagement in keeps on eluding our grasp anyway, and Spreading upward to the skies, and

12 Dharma World Spring 2019 downward to the depths, understandings of liberation from suf- as Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, seeing Outward and unbounded . . .” fering through letting go of clinging to and hearing the cries of sentient beings objects of desire (in realizing their imper- caught in the web of dissatisfaction and The underlying theme of this trea- manence) and clinging to the egoic sub- suffering. Avalokiteśvara is no longer tise is in its title, Metta, a Pāli word that ject that desires (in realizing selflessness). some mythical figure in ethereal space derives from the Sanskrit maitrī, trans- In other words, this term is understood and time who “symbolizes” compassion lated as “friendship” or “friendliness” but and appreciated as we abandon the quest but is precisely the one who has arrived is more properly translated as “kinship,” for an objective concept or idea that cor- at inner peace and freely beholds the “a sense of affinity” that begets and sus- responds to this term śūnyatā, which can world as such: the practitioner on this tains an attitude of benevolence and lov- then be grasped and understood by the path of awakening. ing-kindness. To arrive at the place of subjective mind. “Emptiness” is not a con- Such a state of inner peace and peace is to arrive at a state of mind that cept or idea for our mind to grasp and freedom is what generates the heart of would regard all beings in the universe understand but, rather, a pivotal event boundless compassion toward all beings, with this gaze of loving-kindness out of of transformation of our way of being. seen no longer as “other” to one’s (egoic) intimate kinship, as a mother regards This transformative moment, a turn- “self” but precisely from a standpoint of her own only child. ing point in life, can occur in one who, selflessness, a standpoint of emptiness, Loving-kindness, the heart that seeks “practicing the depths of wisdom”— seen just as they are, in intimate inter- the well-being of all, is one of the four that is, brings one’s mind to a point of connectedness with oneself, in fact, as inner states called the four immeasur- stillness—sees through things as they are one’s very own self. ables—qualities of a boundless heart without desire or clinging and with- The termself as used here has now and mind of one who walks the path out the obstruction of the egoic self. In shifted radically in meaning, from the of awakening. The other three are com- so doing (that is, in letting go of both egoic self that one has already let go of passion (solidarity with all beings in object and subject), the root cause of in the moment of realizing emptiness suffering and the concomitant aspi- delusion and suffering is dissolved and to a true self for whom there is no lon- ration toward its alleviation), sympa- one is freed from fear and anxiety, arriv- ger an other, as it now encompasses all thetic joy (solidarity in joy, celebration, ing at deep inner peace, the true peace things within itself. “All things in the and gratitude with all), and equanimity of awakening. This is what “the reali- universe” are now seen from this stand- (the ability to see things clearly without zation of emptiness” entails. point of selflessness and freedom, as not fear, anxiety, or undue expectation but Yet the realization that “form is no separate from oneself but within a cir- with deep inner peace). other than emptiness” is only the first cle of intimate kinship. Seeing all sen- To summarize, early Buddhist sources part of the Heart Sutra’s message of what tient beings, all things in the universe, handed down in Pāli describe how awak- awakening entails. The second part, in intimate kinship is to naturally gen- ening, spelled out as the realization of the other side of emptiness, is crucial erate a heart of loving-kindness and the three marks of Dhamma brought to full understanding and realization: compassion toward all, being deeply about by the practice of stillness (sha- “Emptiness is no other than form.” What bonded together as kin. matha) and clear-eyed seeing (vipassanā), does this mean? This is what the second part pro- leads to liberation from dissatisfaction, claims. Emptiness is no other than form. suffering, and delusion. This liberation The Other Side of It is to freely behold the world, with its brings forth the deep inner peace that Emptiness: Plunging struggles and pains, with its travails and is grounded upon the wisdom that sees woes, but also with its joys and aspirations things as they are, which in turn generates into the Heart of the and, with inner peace and full freedom, a heart of loving-kindness and compas- Wounded World to take part in all this with commitment sion toward all beings, along with sym- Realizing emptiness, one’s life is no lon- and engagement. It is to plunge oneself pathetic joy and equanimity in all things. ger lived as centered on the egoic self right into the heart of this world, seek- that perceives everything else as “objects” ing in some way to be of help in alleviat- Emptiness as before it. It has now been decentered, ing the suffering of all, in whatever mode Liberation from as it were, and thus is no longer preoc- or form this is found. It is to cultivate a cupied with the egoic self and its delu- heart of loving-kindness and compas- Clinging sive desires for passing objects. In this sion in the midst of this wounded world The Mahāyāna termśūnyatā can be seen liberated and decentered state of mind, and to blossom like a lotus flower in the against the background of early Buddhist one is able to freely behold the world midst of murky waters. ≥

Dharma World Spring 2019 13 FEATURES

Emptiness, Buddhist and Christian by Leo D. Lefebure

convergence because the English word Teachings on emptiness call attention to the transitory nature emptiness frequently serves to trans- of all experiences in this world and challenge grasping late both sunyata in Sanskrit and keno- and greed as ultimately futile. Buddhist perspectives on sis in Greek. Th e Sanskrit word sunya means “empty,” referring to an object emptiness invite practitioners to wisdom and compassion, that is puff ed up but hollow inside. It while Christian viewpoints call practitioners to follow the can also mean “zero” (and it played an path of Jesus Christ in lives of service to others. important role in the development of mathematics). In Buddhist life, empti- ness means the realization that things Sunyata and Kenosis by the absence of money, a rela- are impermanent and insubstantial; this tionship or success. Emptiness is realization leads to liberation. In ordinary English usage, the image of connected to your internal state. Th e English phrase “emptied him- emptiness frequently connotes a negative Emptiness is not easy to get rid of. self” is oft en used to translate the Apostle condition lacking meaning and purpose, It takes eff ort and working through Paul’s use of the Greek verb ekenosen even leading to despair. Confessing “I feel your problems to get to the source to describe the action of Christ, who empty” suggests that life has lost mean- of why you feel this way (“I Feel “emptied [ekenosen] himself, taking the ing and interest; when we feel empty, Empty: When a Lack of Meaning Is form of a slave, being born in human we are oft en tempted to fi ll up the void, Something More Serious,” Betterhelp, likeness” (Phil. 2:7). Th e abstract noun oft en with activities that are harmful. https://www.betterhelp.com/advice kenosis (emptiness) does not appear in Th e website Betterhelp off ers guidance: /general/i-feel-empty-when-a-lack the New Testament. Th e Hebrew word -of-meaning-is-something-more hebel has some overtones that are sim- Feeling empty is scary. Why do you -serious/). ilar to sunya. Th e book of Ecclesiastes feel this way? Feeling empty inside describes all things as “hebel hebelim can make you feel helpless, like noth- Paradoxically, both the Buddhist haqol hebel” (1:2). Th is is usually trans- ing you do can get rid of this uncom- and the Christian traditions fi nd pos- lated as “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity!” fortable feeling. It might be hard for itive value in emptiness, reversing the (Michael D. Coogan, ed., Th e New Oxford you to determine why you feel this usual meaning of the word and invit- Annotated Bible: New Revised Standard way and that’s okay. You’re entitled ing practitioners to realize emptiness Version with the Apocrypha. [Oxford to your feelings including not feel- through a conversion of awareness and University Press, 2007], 945). Th e word ing anything at all. You may try to lifestyle. In each tradition this involves hebel means “breath” or “vapor” or “air,” blame external factors for your emp- a fundamental revaluation of perspec- and the assertion suggests the futility tiness. Th is makes sense because you tive and values, leading to a new way of grasping at air that fl ows through want relief from this uncomfortable of being in the world. one’s fi ngers. Th e editors of the New state of being. One of the most important ques- Oxford Annotated Bible comment that tions in Buddhist-Christian dialogue in Ecclesiastes hebel “is used repeatedly Th e emptiness you feel makes you concerns the degree to which the con- as a metaphor for things that cannot be uneasy and not like yourself. External versions of Buddhists and Christians grasped either physically or intellectu- factors aren’t the cause of your empti- converge and how to understand the ally, things that are ephemeral, insub- ness. Feeling empty isn’t determined areas of divergence. Th ere is a linguistic stantial, enigmatic, or absurd. Elsewhere

14 Dharma World Spring 2019 Leo D. Lefebure is the Matteo Ricci, SJ, Professor of Theology at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. He is the author of numerous works, including True and Holy: Christian Scripture and Other Religions. He is also the coauthor with Peter Feldmeier of The Path of Wisdom: A Christian Commentary on the Dhammapada. He is vice president of the Society for Buddhist-Christian Studies, an honorary research fellow of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and a Trustee Emeritus of the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions.

in the Bible, the human life-span and impermanent, without ‘own-being,’ making self and other manifest their human beings themselves are said to be empty. The doctrine of dependent suchness” (ibid., 61). ‘hebel’” (ibid., n. 1.2). Youth and plea- co-origination, one of the most basic If we ask what it means to live a life surable experiences are said to be hebel teachings of Buddhism, clearly empha- realizing emptiness, Abe cites the virtues in the sense that they do not last. It is sizes that everything without exception is of wisdom and compassion as exem- not surprising that Masao Abe trans- interdependent with every other thing” plified in the to save lates hebel hebelim as “emptiness of emp- (“Kenotic God and Dynamic Sunyata,” all beings: “This is because in Sunyata tiness, all is emptiness” (Masao Abe, in The Emptying God: A Buddhist-Jewish- the wisdom aspect and the compas- Zen and Western Thought, ed. William Christian Conversation, edited by John sion aspect are always working together R. LaFleur [University of Hawaii Press, B. Cobb Jr. and Christopher Ives [Orbis through Sunyata’s self-emptying” (ibid., 1986], 283, n. 10). Books, 1990], 48–49). Acknowledging 58). If we are empty of pride and self-cen- the impermanence of all realities leads teredness, we can care for those around Buddhist Perspectives not to despair but to a new way of being us, rejoice in their well-being, and per- in the world. Abe insisted on the exis- severe in the path of wisdom. The Heart Sutra tells us that all things tential meaning of emptiness: “True are empty but also asserts that form is Sunyata is neither outside nor inside, Christian Perspectives emptiness and emptiness is form, prod- neither external nor internal, neither ding the hearer to think beyond accus- transcendent nor immanent. Sunyata In writing to the followers of Jesus in tomed patterns (Thich Nhat Hanh, The completely empties everything, includ- Philippi, the Apostle Paul cited what Heart of Understanding: Commentaries ing itself. That is to say, the pure activity was probably a very early hymn that on the Heart Sutra, ed. of absolute emptying is true Sunyata” presented Christ Jesus as a model of Peter Levitt [Parallax Press, 1988], 1; (ibid., 27). Abe asserted that emptiness self-emptying for all to follow: “Let the Edward Conze, Buddhist Wisdom Books, is not an abstract theory to be debated same mind be in you that was in Christ Containing the and the but a realization to be lived: “We are Jesus, who, though he was in the form of Heart Sutra [Unwin Paperbacks, 1988], Sunyata at every moment of our lives. God, did not regard equality with God as 101–3). Thich Nhat Hanh explains that For true Sunyata “form is the wave and emptiness is the is not Sunyata water. . . . Because one exists, every- thought by us, but thing exists” (Heart of Understanding, Sunyata lived by 15). Nhat Hanh interprets emptiness as us” (ibid., 28). Abe interdependence, as “interbeing.” We can- preferred to trans- not be; we can only inter-be (Interbeing: late sunyata not as Commentaries on the Tiep Hien Precepts, a noun, “emptiness,” ed. Fred Eppsteiner [Parallax Press, 1987]). but as a verb, “emp- Buddhists have interpreted empti- tying,” because “true ness from many different angles. Masao Sunyata is not static Abe explains: “In Buddhism, there is but dynamic—it is nothing permanent, self-existing and a pure and unceas- absolutely good, for everything without ing function of exception is co-arising and co-ceasing, self-emptying,

Dharma World Spring 2019 15 and became a servant; . . . intellect, hope begets an emptiness of - possessions in the memory, and char- threw the orders: ity produces the nakedness and emp-

One; not God” ( , He emerged poor. He entered her bk. 2, ch. 6, in Saint John of the Cross, translated by He emerged humble. He entered her Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriquez, a Radiant One, rev. ed. [Institute of Carmelite Studies and He put on a despised hue and Publications, 1991], 166). John urges emerged. Christians “to remain in emptiness and He entered, a mighty warrior, and put on fear should base their love and joy on what inside her womb. He entered, they neither see nor feel (nor are capa- Nourisher of all, ble of seeing or feeling), that is, upon and He acquired hunger. He entered, God who is incomprehensible and tran- the One who gives drink to all, something to be exploited, but emptied and He acquired thirst. Stripped go to God through the negation of all” himself, taking the form of a slave, being and laid bare, (ibid., 2:24, 244). Psychologist Gerald born in human likeness” (Phil. 2:5–7). He emerged from [her womb], the May explains, “With Christ as the model, One who clothes all. (Ibid., 132) John emphasizes that liberation comes humans grasped at equality with God, neither through understanding, nor transgressed boundaries, and fell, leading through any perception or image of God, order to give hope and life to humans, but only through the total emptying of Instead of following their example, Jesus and so Ephrem joyfully exclaims: “Glory all these things. Only then can the ‘per- to Him Who became earthly although fect purity’ of love shine through the emptying and humbling himself. Jesus heavenly by His nature!” (ibid., 188). human soul” ( Christ did not view his status in the form Guided by the model of Christ Jesus, A Psychiatrist Explores the Connection of God as something to be exploited or Christian spiritual writers have explored between Darkness and Spiritual Growth taken advantage of but emptied him- the dynamic process of self-emptying [HarperSanFrancisco, 2005], 83). that disciples must traverse to become - Continued on page 41 Judith M. Ryan, Philippians and Philemon tury Carmelite mystic John of the Cross [Liturgical Press, 2009], 83). Christians described the painful process of emp- - tying as a dark night of the senses, fol- tying a call to reject worldly ambitions lowed by a dark night of the soul, during and live a life of humble service. which the practitioner has to let go of all Ephrem the Syrian (ca. 306–73) and even of all images and concepts of the incarnation: “By the mercy of His God. John urged Christians to empty the Father, He [Christ] lowered Himself to contents of their memory, intellect, and us” (Hymns, trans. Kathleen E. McVey [Paulist Press, 1989], 119). In powerful - poetic hymns Ephrem playfully ponders ity but only substitutes. John describes the many paradoxes of divine empty- the experience of God as nada (noth- ing; the all-powerful Son of God enters ing, in Spanish), for God is no thing. the womb of Mary of Nazareth only to According to John of the Cross, the emerge humble and in need of care. theological virtues of faith, hope, and love produce emptiness in the intellect, memory, and will: “Faith causes dark- entered her ness and a void of understanding in the

16 D Spring 2019 SEMINAR REPORT

“Found in Translation”: Transpositions of the Lotus Sutra by Yue Eric Tojimbara

Yue Eric Tojimbara is a PhD candidate in at the University This is a report on the International Lotus Sutra Seminar held of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He June 13–16, 2018, at Rissho Kosei-kai’s headquarters received his BA (English, Philosophy, in Tokyo. and Religious Studies) and MA (Asian Studies) from the University of Oregon. His research currently focuses on the impact of print culture Introduction resulting discussions raised import- on the intellectual activities of early The 2018 International Lotus Sutra ant questions about not only trans- modern Buddhist monks in Japan, Seminar (ILSS) was held June 13 to June lation proper but also the diffi culties with a special interest in how print 16 at the Rissho Kosei-kai headquar- and problems presented in transpos- became a medium of public debate ters in Suginami-ku, Tokyo. Th e theme, ing the teachings of the Lotus Sutra between non-Buddhist and Buddhist “‘Found in Translation’: Transpositions across contexts that sometimes dif- intellectuals. of the Lotus Sutra,” invited an esteemed fered greatly from the original histor- international group of scholars to dis- ical context of the text’s compilation. cuss the various ways in which the Lotus At the same time, papers also consid- Summary of Papers (in Sutra is “translated,” not only in terms ered the positive and productive poten- order of presentation) of a linguistic transfer between two tial of translation, which continues to unlike languages but also as transpo- allow the Lotus Sutra to act on and in “On Teaching the Lotus Sutra: sition between sociocultural contexts the contemporary world. Translating the Lotus Sutra and across temporal and spatial bound- During the latter half of the sec- in the Classroom” aries. In this way participants also had ond day of proceedings, this year’s ILSS Aaron P. Proffi tt, University at Albany– occasion to discuss the Lotus Sutra’s last- also included a visit to the Shibamata State University of New York (SUNY), ing impact as it took and continues to Taishakuten, which houses a honzon pur- New York, New York, USA take shape in various, sometimes sur- portedly craft ed by the hand of prising new confi gurations. himself, as well as stunning reliefs of Dr. Proffi tt’s paper kicked off this year’s As in previous years, presenters and scenes from the Lotus Sutra carved into ILSS by asking an essential question for interlocutors were encouraged not to the walls of the main hall. As in previ- scholars and educators of Buddhism: simply read and respond to the papers ous years, participants were also invited how do we responsibly address the chal- as one might be expected to do at a to take part in both a Dharma assembly lenges of teaching the Lotus Sutra in the standard academic conference but to and a subsequent hōza held at Rissho modern university classroom? For many take the opportunity to add extra depth Kosei-kai’s Suginami Dharma Center of us at this year’s seminar, Dr. Proffi tt’s in an open-discussion format. As lead during the third day of proceedings. paper also posed an even more urgent organizer Dr. Dominick Scarangello Th rough these excursions, participants question about pedagogy in the human- emphasized, the goal of the paper ses- were able to interact with living Lotus ities more broadly speaking: how do we sions was to pursue the plus alpha: the traditions in their everyday manifesta- negotiate the demands of students who additional complexities, layers, and tions, which in many ways exemplifi ed encounter historical texts already fi l- possibilities suggested by all of this and encapsulated the thematic focus of tered through processes of transposition year’s uniformly intriguing papers. The this year’s event. that do not always produce “accurate”

Dharma World Spring 2019 17 treatment of Buddhist textual sources dedication as one not of individual salva- but also the pedagogical imperative of tion but of the salvation of the many—a educators in Buddhist studies (and for scale that, thanks to its use of impartial- that matter, in the whole of humanities). ity, not only included the individual but was also infinitely extendable to collec- “Thought of Impartiality in the tive units, from the family to the nation Lotus Sutra: Translation of to the cosmos comprising all sentient Kumarajiva and Influence on beings. Finally, Dr. Niwano shared with Practitioners” us a model example of a Rissho Kosei-kai Hiroshi Munehiro Niwano, Rissho Kosei- sōkaimyō (the posthumous name for all kai Gakurin Seminary, Suginami, Tokyo, the spirits of ancestors in the family) and Japan its unique inclusion of families from both the paternal and maternal sides in one understandings of such works, includ- Where Dr. Proffitt’s paper left us with comprehensive schematic. Dr. Niwano ing processes of modernization (e.g., the quintessentially Mahayana posi- used the sōkaimyō to highlight the res- ), commodification (e.g., tion of taking a middle way between onances of Nishida’s practice with that the ever-growing market for “Barnes and the false binary of theology and his- of Rissho Kosei-kai’s founder, Nikkyō Noble Buddhists”), and Westernization torical-critical studies, Dr. Niwano’s Niwano, as well with the wider rubric (among other issues, the colonial origins paper seamlessly picked up by present- of contemporary Nichiren traditions. of the discipline of Buddhist studies). ing a careful analysis of the role of the Drawing from his experiences teach- concept of impartiality in Kumarajiva’s “Translating the Lotus ing an undergraduate course on the Lotus translation of the Lotus Sutra, especially Sutra into Social Action: Sutra, Dr. Proffitt introduced his vari- as it was adopted and deployed in the Hermeneutics and Public ous approaches to these questions from life and work of the modern Buddhist Dharmology” the perspective of in-class pedagogy as thinker and founder of Bussho Gonen- Bee Scherer, INCISE research center, well as to larger problems bearing upon kai, Mugaku Nishida. Canterbury Christ Church University, methodological and disciplinary divides Dr. Niwano’s paper proceeded by giv- Canterbury, Kent, England in the field, particularly between “the- ing an overview of impartiality through ology,” on the one hand, and histori- a reading of the phrase “great impartial Continuing the thread of discussion cal-critical approaches on the other. In wisdom” and a discussion of the related regarding the translation of the Lotus Dr. Proffitt’s final analysis, scholars and concept of equality as they appear in Sutra into differing sociohistorical and educators should view such divides as Kumarajiva’s translation of the Lotus cultural contexts launched by Dr. Proffitt false binaries, leaving room for charitable Sutra. Dr. Niwano further argued that and Dr. Niwano’s papers, Dr. Scherer’s readings that simultaneously take seri- the importance of equality can be found paper investigated the possibility of a ously the work of traditional Buddhist in its embodiment and realization of the dharmic foundation for social action studies methodologies, while also con- most basic of Mahayana virtues: com- or, in Dr. Scherer’s words, a “Public textualizing and historicizing the disci- passion for all sentient beings. Mugaku Dharmology.” Beginning from a dis- pline itself in a way that acknowledges Nishida’s own practice, especially his cussion of the importance of hermeneu- its colonial legacy. At the same time, Dr. practice of memorial services for the tics in the study of religious traditions, Proffitt took the convincing and impor­ members of Bussho Gonen-kai, there- Dr. Scherer’s paper sought to provide a tant position that situating our readings fore takes this notion of “great impartial provisional prolegomenon to a method- of Buddhist texts within the context wisdom” from Kumarajiva’s translation as ology of public dharmic action, which of the lived experiences of Buddhist the axis of great compassion and demon- negotiates not only public but also schol- practitioners, both past and present, strates not only the complex shifts from arly considerations. To this degree, the did not fundamentally preclude histor- interlingual translation to intersemiotic paper dovetailed with the issue of the ical-critical work, and that the fullest translation (or more concretely in this disciplinary division of labor addressed treatment of Buddhist texts comes when case, from text to ritual and social prac- in Dr. Proffitt’s paper, particularly in we take care to address both. Finally, tice) but also what can be gained in such its reflection on the fraught category Dr. Proffitt made the timely argument shifts from the perspective of Buddhist of “theology” in the field of Buddhist that such a comportment was not only practice. Dr. Niwano argued that Nishida studies, and in religious studies more the most suited for the fullest academic could envision his practice of memorial broadly speaking.

18 Dharma World Spring 2019 Dr. Scherer’s treatment of herme- the Lotus Sutra, seem to suggest a kar- the demands of localized cults of wor- neutics emphasized that a given text mic determinism that implies that dif- ship as a Pan-Asian deity emblematic encounters a reader or translator with ferently-abled bodies are the result of of a specific kind of (Mahayana) cul- various layers of negotiation, ranging karmic punishment. However, by read- tural order, this very same nexus of from the text in itself (as an always his- ing from the vantage point of a “dhar- significations also provided opportu- torically contingent object of inquiry) mology of crip liberation,” while also nities for the generation of new and to the linguistic dimensions of a text comparing various recensions of such constantly transforming meaning in to the wide and ever-expanding hori- textual moments, Dr. Scherer found ever-shifting cultural and religious zons of understanding that ground the instead that such bodily afflictions were landscapes. Dr. Kim’s contention that reading of a text. Such an understand- simply poetically overextended meta- iconography reflected this pro- ing of the hermeneutic enterprise there- phors of spiritual affliction that passed ductive tension between the universal fore lends itself to the necessary critical no judgment about actual bodies, at least and the particular also played well with position that reading and translation in the language they used. To this end, the broader discussion as a whole. Dr. constitute contingent interpretive exer- the onus for inclusion lies not with the Kim’s emphasis on the constantly shift- cises that demand that all layers of a text text but with its interpreters. ing and constantly negotiated stakes be treated seriously in our attempts to of this productive tension was par- decode and make sense of them. Dr. “Translating the Iconography ticularly resonant with the previous Scherer argued, however, that rather of Skanda in East Asian three papers, especially in their atten- than placing restrictions on readings, Buddhism” tion to the shifts and turns that cul- this process of hermeneutic negotia- Sujung Kim, DePauw University, tural transposition demands of us, as tion creates openings wherein texts can Greencastle, Indiana, USA well as to the need to be constantly be treated in the very moment of their attentive to the processes of negotia- transposition. For the context of this Dr. Kim’s paper shifted the focus of dis- tion that inform them. paper, Dr. Scherer argued that in the cussions from modes of intersemiotic case of Buddhist texts, where translation translation to intermedial translation “The Lotus Sūtra in also requires that we be attentive to the through her case study of Skanda ico- Inner Asia” transference of ideal modes of practice nography across traditions of East Asian Kaie Mochizuki, Minobusan University, between differing contexts, there also . Examining the shifting Minobu, Yamanashi, Japan arises a need to continually recontex- modes of Skanda’s iconographic and tex- tualize these ideal configurations. It is tual representation in Indic, Japanese, The final paper session for the first to this degree then that “theology,” so Chinese, and Korean Buddhist art and day of proceedings featured that of Dr. often dismissed as a space for articu- literature, Dr. Kim not only provided a Mochizuki, whose presentation focused lating the vicissitudes of the “religious riveting historical account of how one on a persistent blind spot in the contem- experience” of practitioners, actually Buddhist deity came to occupy a range porary study of the Lotus Sutra, namely, its helps to open up a space for putting of significations through various mean- textual legacy in Inner Asia. When imag- Buddhism to work in the contempo- ing-making practices but also took the ining the translation of the Lotus Sutra rary social world. opportunity to reconsider the enterprise (or any canonical scripture for that mat- As Dr. Scherer showed, this type of of translation in Buddhist studies, par- ter) into Chinese, it is very easy to imag- theological or dharmological hermeneu- ticularly its fundamentally textual biases. ine a clean transference of meaning from tics can provide a space for inclusivity In contrast to a commonsense view an original Sanskrit manuscript, but as in contemporary Buddhist communi- of translation, Dr. Kim argued that the Dr. Mochizuki stressed, this vastly over- ties that still follow the teachings of texts translational enterprise, especially of simplifies the process by which Buddhist that sometimes appear to exclude a vari- iconographic translation, not only pro- texts and tradition were actually transmit- ety of groups. This can take the form of vided a means by which universalized ted. Stressing the need to move beyond a using methodologies from queer stud- traditions became localized but also presumption of the supremacy of Indo- ies, critical race theory, gender studies, served as a vector through which mul- Iranian languages, Dr. Mochizuki directed liberation theology, disability studies, tiple negotiations (indigenous and “for- our attention toward a rich sampling and so on, in conjunction with tradi- eign,” Buddha/bodhisattva and , of textual examples produced in Ural- tional philological analysis. For exam- tradition and innovation) took place. Altaic and other languages that repre- ple, as Dr. Scherer noted, many Buddhist To these ends, while Skanda iconog- sent the transmission of the Lotus Sutra scriptures, including the third chapter of raphy played a critical role in fulfilling through Inner Asia, including various

Dharma World Spring 2019 19 implementation, as well as what exactly and protocol it describes. Similarly, it that meant for cultures in which the vast clearly takes the Lotus Sutra, rather than majority of people were only semiliter- the Brahma’s Net Sutra, as the primary ate, if not completely incapable of read- source of the Perfect-Sudden precepts. ing, became a point of consideration. Dr. Coupled with its lack of reference to Mochizuki’s observations about the gap the three mysteries or any Esoteric dei- between systems of writing and prac- ties, these observations indicate that for tices of reading in many ways set the the Kurodani , the Consecrated tone for these later disucssions. Ordination was neither primarily nor exclusively an Esoteric initiation. On “Ritually Embodying the other hand, the manual’s descrip- the Lotus Sutra: An tion of a gasshō in which student and Interpretation of the teacher intertwine their hands, as well Tibetan sources, Mongolian and Tangut Japanese Kurodani Lineage as the standard call for keeping the pro- translations, fragments in Uyghur, and Consecrated Ordination (kai tocols a secret, certainly reflects a dis- a Khotanese commentary. tinctly Esoteric flavor. Nevertheless, Dr. kanjō, 戒潅頂)” Dr. Mochizuki’s paper also pro- Groner cautioned that the same stan- Paul Groner, Professor Emeritus, vided inroads into an issue of critical dards appear not just in manuals for University of Virginia, Charlottesville, importance, not only for specialists of Esoteric practice but also in hongaku Virginia, USA East Asian Buddhism but for special- (original enlightenment) thought, point- ists in East Asian literature and history The second day of proceedings began ing toward the vague lines separating as well. That is, he stressed that the use with Dr. Groner’s paper. In his presenta- the two traditions. With these obser- of Chinese characters and Sinitic script tion, Dr. Groner walked us through his vations in mind, Dr. Groner resituated does not always represent writing in thick description of a ritual manual of his discussion within the positionality the and that we must the Kurodani lineage, the Kaikan denju of the Kurodani lineage’s own conten- therefore understand the ways in which shidai, 戒潅伝授次第, which leaves us with tions and suggested that this manual Chinese characters function as a kind one of the clearest and most systematic perhaps constituted a part of the ref- of interlinguistic system of signs that outlines to the Consecrated Ordination, utation that the Kurodani lineage had frequently represent languages other or kai kanjō, in the Tendai tradition. As stolen or, more generously, repurposed than Chinese on the written page. As in much of his scholarship, Dr. Groner’s the Consecrated Ordination. Dr. Mochizuki mentioned, for example, focus was on letting the text speak for Dr. Groner’s paper also set the tone the script of the Tangut translation is itself, thus giving as much credence as for later discussions by introducing a Chinese, but the language represented is possible to the intentions of those who series of issues that were revisited again that of Tangut, and therefore of a non- compiled it and shedding light on the in later paper sessions. First, his paper Sinitic Tibeto-Burman language. While religious and historical contexts that instructively pointed toward a perennial this is, of course, familiar territory for animated them. question in Buddhist studies, namely, premodernists focusing on Japan, Dr. One of Dr. Groner’s main contentions how and in what ways did Buddhist Mochizuki’s insights in the case of Lotus was that the almost automatic presuppo- practitioners conceive of their own sectar- Sutra translation were highly illumi- sition that anything in any way related ian practices and affiliations, and in what nating. Additionally, through closely to the abhiṣeka (consecration) necessar- ways do modern scholars of Buddhism reading citations and other intertex- ily equates to Esotericism overextends overextend their own understandings tual hints, Dr. Mochizuki showed that the scope of Esoteric Buddhism and of such practices and affiliations? This Chinese recensions and commentaries therefore carries the risk of veiling the question would be an important issue were read in Inner Asia and therefore significance, meaning, and possibilities in Dr. Dominick Scarangello’s and Dr. represented a situation of mutual illu- of texts and the language they actually Takahiko Kameyama’s papers as well. mination rather than a simple Eastward deploy. In this case, Dr. Groner showed Second, his paper paved the way for dis- transmission. that when one proceeds from the text’s cussions regarding the embodiment of In later disucssions on ritual, own descriptions of the ritual, the Kaikan the Lotus Sutra (ritual and otherwise) such as those instigated by Dr. Paul denju shidai was almost certainly based that would be key points of analysis in Groner’s paper, the question of the gap on the Lotus Sutra, citing and referencing both Dr. Kameyama’s and Dr. Pamela between reading texts and their actual it in order to structure the ritual space Winfield’s papers.

20 Dharma World Spring 2019 “Memes, Foreign maxims: “memes” intended to serve the way for further discussion by reit- Dissemination, and as focal points on which practition- erating the importance of being atten- Retroactivity: Translation in ers could center their actualization of tive to the ways—whether for better or Rissho Kosei-kai” Lotus Sutra teachings in daily life. As worse—that translation shifts rather Dominick Scarangello, International Dr. Scarangello also noted, the exegetical than fixes the position of the original. Advisor, Rissho Kosei-kai, Tokyo, Japan work involved in formulating these max- ims was informed not only by Niwano’s “ and Buddhas: Dr. Scarangello’s presentation closed own brand of autodidactic interpreta- ’s Rhetorical and the second day of paper sessions and tions of Nichiren thought, as is often Material Translations of the focused on the critical role that trans- explained, but also by the work of Lotus Sūtra” lation played in the formation of Rissho and Tiantai thought. To this degree, Pamela Winfield, Elon University, Elon, Kosei-kai doctrine and in the thought the paper dovetailed nicely with Dr. North Carolina, USA of its founder Nikkyō Niwano, as well Groner’s observations concerning the as the methodological and hermeneutic fluidity of so-called sectarian practice. The third and final day of paper ses- considerations required of translators Finally, Dr. Scarangello described sions began with Dr. Winfield’s pre- of Niwano’s works and those working how these considerations of Niwano’s sentation, which focused on the many on the currently ongoing update of the translational and exegetical work ways that the Lotus Sutra is embod- Rissho Kosei-kai (RK) translation of the could, with a healthy dose of caution, ied and materialized in Dōgen’s writ- Lotus Sutra. The key contention of Dr. be factored into the translation of RK’s ings in the Shōbōgenzō that coincide Scarangello’s paper and presentation was Lotus-centered teachings. Specifically, with the building and construction of that translation frequently neccesitates Dr. Scarangello suggested that in the Eiheiji in 1244. By paying close atten- that the translator act on and change the context of “foreign dissemination,” the tion to moments of citation and inter- “original” text. In the case of RK trans- translator encounters the problem of textual reference to the Lotus Sutra in lation projects, especially those of the “good” and “bad,” or perhaps “faith- such writings, Dr. Winfield provided Lotus Sutra and Niwano’s commentaries ful,” translation, insofar as form and a vivid picture of the ways in which on it, the process of translation cannot content need to be recontextualized Dōgen’s deployment of the text in both simply entail a transference of mean- in order to become fully intelligble in his rhetorical repertoire and his concrete ing between a static “original” and the the target language. This is doubly the activities as the founder of Eiheiji dis- target language (in this case English) case in the context of maxims, which play his use of the Lotus Sutra in both but must also contend with the ways in deliver highly contextual meanings that of his roles as a celebrated exegete as which the “original” has already been do not always translate. Dr. Scarangello well as a savvy builder of institutions. In filtered through the intercessions of argued that in such cases, translation this way, Dr. Winfield showed how the Niwano’s own exegetical and transla- involves an aspect of “retroactivity,” or Lotus Sutra itself becomes materialized tional aspirations. in other words, the need to account for in Dōgen’s work and, at the same time, The Lotus Sutra that the team of and reflect how the “original” text has how the Lotus Sutra provided a basis RK translators encounters is therefore changed. In the case of RK translation, for Dōgen’s own rhetoric of material- already a “different” Lotus Sutra, one this process of retroactivity presents the ity, especially in the context of build- that comes prenegotiated by way of dual demand to be faithful not only to ing up the at Eiheiji. Niwano’s readings. Dr. Scarangello’s the original text but to Niwano’s max- Dr. Winfield’s analysis proceeded paper therefore showed how these fac- ims, which have already acted on and by focusing on three fascicles of the tors could be actively engaged in the changed it. If Niwano’s own work was Shōbōgenzō that were composed and work of translation and proceeded by based on circumventing the arduous tex- delivered to audiences across a two- first giving a close reading and histori- tual and doctrinal exegesis of Buddhist day span from the fourteenth to the cal treatment of Niwano’s exegesis of the scripture so as to be rendered intelligi- fifteenth days of the second month in Lotus Sutra. Dr. Scarangello’s observa- ble to practitioners, the work of trans- 1244, just before the building campaign tions focused on how Niwano’s interpre- lating such teachings into English today to construct Eiheiji that spring began tations, which would become key aspects should reflect the same aspirations. Dr. in earnest. In the first of the three fas- of RK doctrine, centered on the trans- Scarangello ended his presentation by cicles, Dōgen uses the Lotus Sutra as lation of Buddhist doctrine into intel- leaving open the question of whether a basis for his discussion of “building ligible Japanese, which over time took such translational considerations were stupas and making Buddhas” and also the form of idiomatic expressions and ultimately faithful, and instead paved integrates Sinitic theories of the “five

Dharma World Spring 2019 21 Annen provided one of the crucial pil- lars for enmitsu icchi thought, itself a key to understanding the complex Tendai system of the Heian era wherein Tendai Esotericism (taimitsu) and the Perfect teachings were dynamically imbricated. On a more concrete level, Dr. Kameyama argued that the ideological connection between Shingon Esoteric thought and Tendai teachings in Annen’s work lies in his deployment of ’s interpre- tation of Esoteric yoga (literally, “inter- penetration”) as a means of clarifying the Tendai notion of the “six levels of identity,” which Annen recasts as the “six levels of interpenetration.” phases” as a means of describing the of embodiment continued the ongoing As with Dr. Groner and Dr. integrity of the natural resources needed conversation about the various mate- Scarangello’s papers, Dr. Kameyama’s to build his temple to an audience of lay rial manifestations of the Lotus Sutra. paper also raised the important question patrons. In the next fascicle, the Lotus Her talk was also quite nicely foreshad- of how the hard boundaries of sectarian Sutra is deployed as a means of call- owed by the previous day’s visit to the division that modern-day scholars often ing the audience of monks to “attain a Shibamata Taishakuten, which literally assume were much more fluid than they Buddha’s body.” Dr. Winfield showed materializes the Lotus Sutra in its tem- might appear. As Dr. Kameyama took how Dōgen also gestures toward the ple architecture. great care in clarifying, while enmitsu five aggregates and four elements in icchi is often understood as a key fac- order to describe the human resources “Shingon Esotericism in the tor that set Tendai Esotericism apart required to constitute a sangha at Eiheiji ‘Identity of the Purport of from that of Shingon in the religious that embodies the Buddha Dharma. the Perfect and Esoteric landscape of Heian Japan, Annen, one Finally, in the last of the three fascicles Teachings’ (enmitsu of the great exegetes and systematizers discussed, Dr. Winfield showed how the icchi): Annen’s Exegesis of enmitsu icchi, drew liberally from types of somatic metaphors for the Three Kūkai throughout his treatise and espe- of ‘Attaining Buddhahood Jewels that appear in the first two fasci- cially in the formulation of his “six lev- within This Very Body’ cles (the bones of buddhas, the sutras as els of interpenetration.” Perhaps, by embodiments of the Dharma, and the (sokushin jōbutsu)” extension, it might be possible to say physical localities and activities of the Takahiko Kameyama, Ryukoku University, that such fluidity also marks one of the sangha) are revisited in a comprehen- Kyoto, Japan critical aspects of the Lotus Sutra’s per- sive and summative manner, providing Dr. Kameyama’s paper focused on the sistent and enduring appeal, that is, the the rhetorical foundation for Dōgen’s “identity of the purport of the Perfect Lotus Sutra’s wide-ranging and multi- building campaign. In these ways, Dr. and Esoteric teachings,” or enmitsu icchi, valent formulations of Mahayana doc- Winfield also showed how Dōgen’s use as it was reflected in Annen’s exegetical trine, and at the same time, the ways in of the Lotus Sutra and its material meta- treatise on sokushin jōbutsu (enlight- which the authority that such formula- phors reflects a quintessentially Zen con- enment in this very body), with spe- tions have bestowed upon the Lotus can viction, recast in the context of temple cial attention toward the ways in which be deployed to legitimate new and bur- construction (or of “building stupas and Kūkai’s Shingon-based Esoteric teach- geoning models of Buddhist thought. making Buddhas”) in medieval Japan, ings (tōmitsu) are mixed with the Perfect Dr. Kameyama’s paper showed how this namely, that the whole of the monas- teachings, or engyō (namely, the teachings fluidity was a key aspect in the forma- tic structure, including—or perhaps of the Lotus Sutra and the Tiantai/Tendai tion of a comprehensive Tendai system especially—the embodied practices of teachings based primarily upon it). Dr. that would in time come to dominate monks, could relay the message of the Kameyama showed that in presenting a the ideological and religious landscape Dharma just as effectively as the sutras. set of doctrines in which Esoteric and of Japan. In many ways, then, Annen Dr. Winfield’s analysis of such modes Perfect teachings were interpenetrated, stood at the precipice of a coming sea

22 Dharma World Spring 2019 change that would leave the unmistak- Confucian, Daoist, and Intellectual sociocultural difference and spatio- able mark of Tendai’s influence on the Historical Terms (CJKV-E), as well as temporal distance in the act of trans- face of Medieval Japanese Buddhism. the recently developed DDB Access tool, lation; (3) the material and embodied emphasizing their efficiency and acces- aspects of translation (including the rit- “Translating the Buddhist sibility while cautioning nevertheless ual, visual, and architectural registers, Canon in the 21st Century: that these very same boons could also the latter of which was also reflected in Experiences from the lead to uncritical application of such our viewing of the Lotus Sutra reliefs Perspective of Editing and resources. One key aspect in his discus- at the Shibamata Taishakuten); (4) the Managing Large Translation sion of these resources was their ongo- role of translation in negotiating the ing expansion, in which scholars can place of the Lotus Sutra in everyday life Projects” submit alternative meanings to terms (something participants were able to A. Charles Muller, Center for Evolving or even suggest improvements. As more experience firsthand during the visit Humanities, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, scholars contribute, the available pool to the Suginami Dharma Center and Japan of resources increases in quality, a fact the tour of Rissho Kosai-kai headquar- The final paper of the last day of pro- that Dr. Muller noted mirrors the very ters); (5) the distance between ideal- ceedings was that of Dr. Muller, who act of producing translations: as more ized textual configurations (including discussed his involvement as an editor translations appear, new possibilities the issue of linguistic determinism) and in large-scale translation projects, such for rendering difficult passages into historical and lived experience; (6) the as those of the Bukkyō Dendō Kyōkai readable and accurate English emerge, fluidity of Lotus-centered teachings (BDK). Dr. Muller’s discussion touched giving hints to new translators to draw and their sectarian affiliations; and on important issues in the profession from as they proceed in their work. In (7) the capacity of translation to both of Buddhist studies scholarship; the this sense, the BDK and other projects obscure and open up the possibilities work of translation; and at the level like it provide “first drafts” for schol- that inhere in Buddhist texts. of graduate training, shedding light ars undertaking the difficult work of Beyond this list of shared concerns, on persistent problems that remain in translating canonical Buddhist texts. this year’s ILSS reflected an even more the translation of Buddhist canonical Dr. Muller’s paper drew the proceed- fundamental concern, namely, that the texts. These included graduate train- ings to a close by asking participants translation of the Lotus Sutra is emblem- ing geared more toward producing to critically evaluate their own respon- atic of the variety of challenges as well quality peer-reviewed articles than sibilities when faced with the arduous as possibilities that fall to the respon- mastering translation; the difficulty of task of reading, interpreting, and mak- sibility of academics and practitioners finding appropriate translators among ing accessible texts like the Lotus Sutra, alike in their work of studying, teach- the pool of available scholars, who are and provided a perfect means of cap- ing, and in some cases, living the Lotus either senior academics unable to fully ping the four days of rich, dynamic, Sutra. The many rich discussions that commit to translation owing to their and productive discussion. this year’s theme gave occasion for won- many responsibilities or junior schol- derfully encapsulated the mission of the ars for whom translations do not count Concluding Remarks ILSS as it was imagined by its founder, toward tenure; the reliance on modern Dr. Gene Reeves, which is continued meanings of Chinese words and char- As highlighted throughout this report, today by Dr. Dominick Scarangello: acters; the breaking up of compound while this year’s papers approached the the conviction that a productive space words into two; and so on. question of the Lotus Sutra’s transla- of engagment can exist for scholars Dr. Muller not only highlighted tion from a variety of methodologies and practitioners to come together these problems through examples from and thematic concerns, paper sessions in their mutual appreciation of the his own service as an editor and man- included animated and involved con- Lotus Sutra. If the reader would per- ager of large-scale translation projects versation about issues that bridged mit of the author a moment of lofti- but also provided critical suggestions across all of the paper sessions. Broadly ness here, it is perhaps possible to say for improving the overall quality of categorized and resummarized, these that in bringing together such groups, translations. For example, Dr. Muller included (1) the division of labor so often regarded as clashing funda- highlighted the use of digital resources between theological and critical his- mentally in their concerns, this year’s as a potential corrective, including his torical approaches to Buddhist scrip- ILSS was in itself another moment in Digital Dictionary of Buddhism (DDB) ture (and by extension, between theory the long history of the Lotus Sutra’s and the CJKV-English Dictionary of and practice); (2) the negotiation of translation. ≥

Dharma World Spring 2019 23 ESSAY

Business and Religion: A Historical Look at John Wanamaker and the American Department Store by Nicole C. Kirk

for six months, and drawing millions Business owners are . . . using their companies to express of visitors. In addition to its economic their values. In recent years, new corporations have emerged purpose, the exhibition made an ideo- that seek to balance profi t and purpose. These businesses logical claim about the cultural supe- claim to reduce the price of common goods and to provide riority of the host country over other a positive benefi t to society, the environment, and their cultures. However, the displays also employees. introduced visitors to new cultures, art forms, and technology sent by partici- pating countries. In 1877 John Wanamaker, a successful The Birth of London’s exhibition, which covered merchant of clothing for men and boys, Department Stores twenty-three acres of Hyde Park, fea- opened a department store in an old tured an architecturally magnifi cent iron freight-train terminal on the edge of the Th e forerunner of American depart- structure covered in glass that was tall American city of Philadelphia. The new ment stores emerged in Paris at the enough to encase several large elm trees: store was an experiment. Wanamaker beginning of the nineteenth century the Crystal Palace. It brought together wanted to expand his merchandise when entrepreneurs covered side streets the emerging architecture technology offerings to include ladies’ wear, girls’ and shop-lined alleys with glass roofs— with new techniques for organizing and clothing, and small household goods. called passages in French or arcades in displaying goods. Other major cities To fi ll the immense floor space of the English. Shoppers could view a variety sought to replicate London’s success. glass-roofed train shed, Wanamaker’s of goods in a well-lit environment while Great exhibitions followed in major cit- staff installed 129 display counters in sheltered from the weather and carriage ies worldwide, with four held in Paris a large radiating circle, crisscrossed by traffi c. By the 1830s and 1840s, French alone. Th e exhibitions encouraged win- four long aisles. More counters stood shops, which had been specialty stores, dow shopping—that is, looking at mer- in neat rows outside the circle. Each began to expand the types of merchan- chandise without intending to purchase counter was meticulously organized dise they off ered. As they shift ed toward anything—a practice generally discour- and displayed the goods attractively. As customer-friendly practices, some shops aged in retail businesses at the time. one of the fi rst department stores in the allowed merchandise to be returned for Embracing these breakthroughs in United States, Wanamaker’s changed a cash refund, and many moved away the way people shopped and spent from haggling over the price of goods to their free time. However, Wanamaker’s a uniform pricing system. World exhi- store was more than a business enter- bitions, which introduced new archi- prise. An active Protestant Christian, tecture, technology, and methods of Wanamaker looked for ways that the display and organization, also infl u- store could support his religious com- enced the birth of the department store. mitments, and he brought those com- Although there had been indus- mitments into the life of his store. By trial fairs and expositions prior to 1851, examining his efforts, we can see both London’s Great Exhibition introduced a the possibilities and the potential pit- new framework for such events by con- falls of expressing religious commit- structing a building designed specifi - ment through business. cally for the fair, keeping its doors open

24 Dharma World Spring 2019 Nicole C. Kirk is an Associate Professor of Religious History and the Frank and Alice Schulman Chair of Unitarian Universalist History at Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Kirk visited Rissho Kosei-kai headquarters and its seminary in the summer of 2018. Her book Wanamaker’s Temple: The Business of Religion in an Iconic Department Store was published in October 2018 by New York University Press.

display, retail practices, and architec- These criticisms had : many retailers music programs, history displays, and art ture, Parisians Aristide and Marguerite showed higher-quality samples to cus- galleries. Wanamaker believed beautiful Boucicaut laid the cornerstone for a new tomers but then, in a bait-and-switch art and music had the power to influence building in 1869 to house their store, Le move, delivered subpar goods, and mer- people to live moral lives and to raise Bon Marché (meaning both “the good chandise came without a money-back religious emotions. His store advertise- deal” and “the fair market”). By 1873 guarantee. The price customers paid ments offered shopping advice, home- they hired engineer Gustave Eiffel, long depended on their ability to haggle and spun wisdom, in addition to marketing before he designed the famous Eiffel their relationship with the store clerk. goods and educating consumers. This Tower for the 1889 Paris Exposition, Browsing was discouraged—shoppers expansive understanding of the role of to create an iron-and-glass dome and were expected to make a purchase if retail extended beyond consumers to the to install another new technology, plate they entered a store. Retail employees employees who worked at Wanamaker’s glass windows, in their store. Other suffered from poor working conditions, department store. Parisian department stores followed including bad ventilation, dim light- As his business grew, Wanamaker Le Bon Marché and constructed archi- ing, and long hours. Stores frequently hired tens of thousands of employees. As tecturally interesting stores to house employed children as young as twelve he enlarged his stores and constructed spectacular displays of goods. By the years old to carry money to a central new buildings, he paid attention to air beginning of the twentieth century, the cashier desk for customers, to dust dis- quality and other environmental fac- department store had spread to urban plays, and to restock shelves. tors to improve the store atmosphere centers throughout Europe and the Wanamaker began his efforts to for employees and customers alike. He United States, and by the mid-twenti- transform retailing with his men’s and started a store school to educate his eth century it reached Japan with the boys’ store as early as 1861. He launched youngest employees, and soon expanded opening of Mitsukoshi, Takashimaya, a one-price system, eliminating the need the program. Wanamaker brought the and Daimaru. for customers to haggle with sales clerks. principles of nineteenth-century moral All customers paid the same price for the reform movements to his employees Reforming Society same item. Later, Wanamaker’s labeled through programs emphasizing physi- through Capitalism goods with price tags and began cal fitness, hygiene, and education. He a limited money-back guarantee for a full also provided health care, advanced When John Wanamaker launched his cash refund. Advertisements explained, training in business, music programs, department store in 1877, he wanted to “One Price and Return of Goods!” Soon and even a summer camp on the New change the way Americans shopped and the store’s guarantee expanded to four Jersey shore. The benefit was twofold. retailers sold goods. Wanamaker was a points—one price, cash payment, full Employees learned valuable skills, and part of a new wave of business leaders guarantee, money refunded—thereby Wanamaker ensured an ongoing supply of who hoped to transform the poor repu- promoting a dedication to service, good loyal and well-trained employees. While tation of American merchants. He also value, and quality merchandise. his employee programs were popular, worked to change the way American Wanamaker fashioned his stores as some criticized them for being paternal- retail functioned. regional enterprises and special desti- istic and self-serving. Wanamaker also Throughout the nineteenth century, nations, drawing customers from across held different standards of education for the popular press frequently depicted the eastern United States with promises his African American employees—all shopkeepers as greedy tricksters who of more than shopping. He wanted to employees did not have the same access made their money by cheating customers. educate the public through his curated to resources, benefits, and promotions.

Dharma World Spring 2019 25 Were Wanamaker’s religious activi- more recently, Microsoft founder Bill ties and his store’s holiday promotions Gates and his spouse, Melinda, who have merely a ploy to increase sales? Was his funded global health initiatives to van- incorporation of Christian themes into quish malaria, prevent disease, educate the material world of his store self-serv- the poor, and provide emergency relief. ing and a corruption of his spiritual Business owners are, like John message? Certainly, some historians Wanamaker, using their companies to have made these accusations. Or were express their values. In recent years, new his efforts part of a larger endeavor to corporations have emerged that seek breathe new life into an evangelical to balance profit and purpose. These Protestant message to meet the chal- businesses claim to reduce the price of lenges of the time? common goods and to provide a posi- tive benefit to society, the environment, Wanamaker’s Legacy and their employees. For instance, when All of these efforts were tied to the I purchase a pair of affordable prescrip- values that emerged from Wanamaker’s In December 1911 John Wanamaker tion eyeglasses from the company Warby commitment to Protestant Christianity. dedicated a new store building in Parker, they donate another pair of glasses Wanamaker desired to make his busi- Philadelphia. It covered an entire city to someone who does not otherwise have ness reflect his religious devotion. He block and boasted its own subway-sta- access to vision correction. Other busi- did this by applying the Golden Rule of tion entrance. Wanamaker’s store became nesses focus on the environment. For the New Testament—the idea that you one of the largest department stores in example, the shoe company Rothy’s sells treat others as you want to be treated— the country, employing thousands of comfortable women’s and children’s shoes to his business. He called it the “busi- workers in Philadelphia and New York made of recycled plastic. These compa- nessman’s gospel” and also described City, where Wanamaker had purchased nies are becoming more popular as they it as “scientific business practices with another department store. Wanamaker’s try to remain profitable while promot- ethics.” As a dedicated Christian and massive stores, his active mail-order busi- ing moral and religious values, and pos- founder of a Presbyterian Sunday school ness, and his enormous buying and pro- itively impact the world. and church, Wanamaker sought to use duction power put him in the same league But blending religious or moral his business to improve the lives of his as the other American merchant princes: values and business can be paternalis- shoppers and workers, as well as the A. T. Stewart, Marshall Field, Edward tic, overly self-interested, and too con- conditions of Philadelphia. Like many Filene, Aaron Montgomery Ward, and trolling, as in the case of the American business leaders in the nineteenth cen- Julius Rosenwald. Wanamaker helped to chain Hobby Lobby, whose owner’s reli- tury, Wanamaker worried about the create modern American retail and the gious beliefs have restricted employees’ negative impact that migration, immi- conventions of global retail. His example access to birth control through the com- gration, poverty, crime, and industri- helps us understand the complex rela- pany’s health insurance plan, resulting in alization was having on people who tionship between religious values, busi- a legal battle. While many tout the ben- lived in cities. From his earliest years, ness, and efforts for social improvement. efits of corporate philanthropy, there are Wanamaker had joined movements that John Wanamaker and his contempo- risks when leaders with extraordinary worked to reform society, including raries were not the last business leaders economic power impose their vision of the Young Men’s Christian Association who wanted to make an impact on their “the good” on the world. To whom are (YMCA), the Sunday School move- employees and the world. For exam- these businesses accountable? Good ment, the Temperance movement, ple, the founder of the airline JetBlue intentions do not guarantee good out- and the City Beautiful movement. As Airways, David Neeleman, based his comes. And philanthropic efforts can Wanamaker’s wealth grew, he acquired customer service philosophy in lessons distract attention from damaging busi- luxurious homes and collected art from he learned as a Mormon missionary. ness practices that hurt the environment around the world, but he also used his Some business leaders expressed their or treat employees unfairly. What are riches to develop employee education values through philanthropy, as in the the best practices? What kind of pro- and recreation programs and to sup- case of Andrew Carnegie, who built pub- tections are needed to limit corporate port his church and dozens of other lic libraries across the United States; John power while allowing business own- American philanthropic and moral D. Rockefeller, who expressed a com- ers to express their values and work to reform programs. mitment to education and health; and make a better world? ≥

26 Dharma World Spring 2019 INTERVIEW

Diversity Is Always Part of Reality An Interview with Rev. Fadi Daou and Dr. Nayla Tabbara of the Adyan Foundation

The Niwano Peace Foundation awarded the thirty-fi fth within it education on citizenship and Niwano Peace Prize on May 9, 2018, to the Adyan Foundation diversity. We focus mainly on “civic edu- of Lebanon in recognition of its continued service to global cation,” and “philosophy and civiliza- peace building, especially its programs for children and tions.” Now we are working on history educators offering guidance for peace and reconciliation. lessons to propose later to the minis- Dr. Hiroshi M. Niwano, chair of the Niwano Peace Foundation, try a new methodology for teaching interviewed Rev. Fadi Daou, the chair and CEO of the history. We activated community serv- Adyan Foundation, and Dr. Nayla Tabbara, vice-chair of the ice by encouraging schools from diff er- foundation, after the award ceremony at the International ent religions to do community service together. House of Japan in Tokyo.

Niwano: Th ere are various kinds of edu- Niwano: I would like to express my sin- people from other religions. Th en they cation, and some foster intolerance and cere gratitude for the fact that although go to work or to university afraid of oth- even hatred against other people, nations, you started with only fi ve core mem- ers. We decided from the beginning that or religions. Considering the plasticity bers just over a decade ago, you have we wanted to work in schools so that of youth, their ability to change accord- accomplished much. However, when students could meet students of diff er- ing to educators’ intentions, education you began your project in 2006, wasn’t ent religions from diff erent schools and plays a key role. Lebanon caught up in a confl ict? diff erent regions and discover the her- itage of Lebanon together. Tabbara: When we started the proj- Daou: Yes, it was during the time that We started by training volunteers ect with the Ministry of Education and Israel was bombing Lebanon. Lebanon’s who went to schools and helped us Higher Education, we fi rst checked all civil war had ended in 1990, but there start pilot projects. Th e second year, our materials to see what is in them con- was still tension. For example, in 2008 the Lebanese National Commission cerning accepting others. Based on the too, we had new tensions between for UNESCO partnered with us for one results, we started our program. Hezbollah and other communities. We year. Th en we received funding, which Simultaneously, we thought that we can’t say we are in a confl ict, but it is a we still receive now. also had to work on religious education— very fragile situation. Now we have forty schools, and not with the Ministry of Education and about a thousand students per year go Higher Education, but with religious Niwano: Believing that education is most through our program for active citizen- authorities who are in charge of reli- important for confl ict resolution and ship and coexistence. Many students gious education in public schools in peace building, Adyan implements pro- from this project go on to become part Lebanon. We created a network of reli- grams for youth, educators, and believ- of the Adyan youth network and con- gious leaders and experts responsible ers. We are interested in your emphasis tinue to spread this message in their for religious education, and we tried to on education. universities. see how we could integrate the values of In parallel, we started a long-term accepting diversity and reconciliation Tabbara: When we started Adyan, we project with the Ministry of Education within religious education. We created wanted to work in schools. In Lebanon, and Higher Education to reform the sample classes for youth from ages seven most young people in school don’t meet educational curriculum and to include to eighteen about these values, one for

Dharma World Spring 2019 27 National Strategy for Citizenship and good is related to the good of others. Coexistence Education (NSCCE) proj- For example, they do social work proj- ect? Additionally, could you give an ects by helping with social and ecolog- example of your engagement to show ical initiatives. what kind of education is given from And third, we want to help teach- the field? ers meet other teachers from different regions because, unfortunately, some- Daou: The project called NSCCE is what times we live in segregated and closed Nayla discussed; it is in partnership with communities. Therefore, they become the Ministry of Education. As she shared, able to collaborate together and to learn we developed two curricula: civic edu- from one another. cation, and philosophy and civilization. I will give an example of one exercise We are now in negotiations with politi- we do with teachers. We put calendars cians to have them approved. of the twelve months of the year on a Another achievement that was wall. We ask every teacher to write on officially endorsed is a community an adhesive note a date that he or she service program. The Minister of remembers as a painful one, and then Christian religious education and one Education signed a decree that asks to stick that note on the calendar. They for Muslim religious education, to help every student at high school to do sixty discovered that they have painful mem- the religious discourse and also to help hours of community service in society. ories that are not shared among one religious leaders and educators who We helped the Ministry of Education to another. For example, a teacher from want to include these values in their implement this program. We trained nine southern Lebanon will remember the discourse and teaching. hundred teachers all over the country to war with Israel. Somebody from the help them to facilitate the community north of Lebanon will remember the Daou: I would like to add that edu- service work of the students. Last year, war with Syria. The idea is to help them cation is power. Education is used by we had 1,108 community-service projects to be compassionate, to understand the powerful people to shape youth and to done by students. Around twenty-five suffering and the pain of others. When uphold them. So we don’t always suc- thousand students were performing they listen to one another, they become ceed in achieving what we want. For community service. able to work and collaborate together. example, Nayla spoke about two curric- It was a beautiful project, so we gath- ula on which we are working with the ered the students and gave them awards Niwano: I think that the results of train- Ministry of Education as being under in a national festival to encourage stu- ing teachers will bear fruit among chil- reform. We have also developed other dents from different backgrounds to dren and students. What kind of fruit new curricula for civic education and work together. do you expect? philosophy. To become official, they need to be endorsed by the council of min- Niwano: Could you elaborate on the Tabbara: Sometimes if we are buying isters, but not all the ministers approve objective of teacher training? something from a shop, the young per- the curricula. That’s why it’s very diffi- son working in the shop looks at us and cult, because we always need to nego- Daou: The objectives were mainly three. says, “You are from Adyan? I was an tiate with both political and religious First, to transform education from mem- Adyan student.” authorities, and we don’t always succeed. orizing to active learning, especially I think what happens with this pro- So we sometimes think it would be about citizenship. Instead of us put- gram is that it gives students a practi- easier if we opened our own school, ting the students in the classroom and cal way of working and living together. where we could teach the programs we teaching them how they can be citizens, An example from community service is want. But even though it’s more diffi- they come out onto the street to experi- that those students learn that they can cult, we feel that it’s better to work with ence by themselves the challenges and change something. Some students saw other schools within the national pro- responsibility of being citizens. that Syrian refugees in their village were gram rather than work on our own. The second objective is to foster waiting in the rain for the bus to go to the idea of the public interest and the work—because some jobs are allowed to Niwano: Would you please tell us common good. The teachers get the Syrians in Lebanon. And because there about the textbooks created in your students to understand that their own was no bus station, the students made

28 Dharma World Spring 2019 Daou: There are both intellectual and practical reasons. The intellectual rea- son is that we cannot abolish diversity. Diversity is always part of reality. Starting from the smallest circle in a family, for example, if parents don’t recognize that all children have their distinct personal- ities, they’ll have a problem. If we don’t see that the beauty of nature is because of the diversity that it offers—and between human beings, if we think that all people have to think the same way or have to believe the same way—it is impossible. That leads to conflict and war. Some ide- ologists try to do it—Nazis, Communists, Extremists. The history of human beings a station for them. It’s solidarity with has proved that we cannot abolish diver- able to live in peace. I think it is import- foreigners; based on what they learned, sity. Diversity is a fact. Trying to deny ant to believe that we share a common they can be better citizens. or abolish diversity is counterproduc- good. I think it is even more import- Another example is that children tive and leads to conflict. ant to be self-confident and not to har- with disabilities are not only receiv- I will give an example. In Iraq under bor fear or any negative feelings. In the ers; they can also be givers. There’s a Saddam Hussein before 2003, they had end, the goal is for us all to understand group of students with disabilities that a totalitarian dictatorship saying that that we have a shared responsibility to make sandwiches and cakes and then all Iraqis are the same. It was imposed make life better. Maybe another factor give them to families of patients in hos- by force. In reality, the Iraqi society is is not to think that we are better than pitals. It shows the students that even quite diverse in religions, in cultures, in others but to believe that there is good if we feel we are very limited or if we language. Once the totalitarian regime in others too. have a lot of problems in the country, was toppled, diversity emerged. Because There are two categories of people we can still do something. Each one people hadn’t learned to live with diver- in the world—those who live for them- can do something. sity, it led to conflict between groups. selves and those who live for the good For us, it’s the two main things, Again, we consider that diversity can- of others; they can be from any religion because one of the major problems in not be denied. So we need to develop the or culture. Of course, it’s easier to work Lebanon for youth is that they feel there capacity to deal with diversity, because with diversity with the people who live are too many problems and they cannot if we don’t have that capacity, it leads for the good of others. It’s harder to do anything, so they leave Lebanon. It’s to conflict and war. If we can manage work with people who have their own also giving them a place where they can diversity, it leads to creative develop- egoistic way of thinking. be and they can act. Instead of saying ment and to better societies. That’s the that we don’t want them to be extrem- key: the most important point is the Tabbara: Another aim of education on ists, we encourage them to be active capacity to manage diversity. diversity is to teach students the wis- members of society. dom taught by the different religions Niwano: Of course, it is true that every- of the world as part of the common Niwano: About the richness of diversity, one is different. When you say that diver- heritage of humanity. For instance, we Adyan’s home page says: “Adyan envi- sity is richness, however, surely you also give them quotes from different reli- sions a world where diversity between mean that there has to be a change, I gions without telling them where they individuals and communities is lived feel, toward accepting the totality of come from. We tell them, “Choose the as an enrichment, generating mutual others. So how can you nurture such a one that you like the most.” When they understanding, inclusive citizenship, capacity? There must be a secret. choose, they explain why they chose it, creative development, sustainable peace, and then we tell them which religion and spiritual solidarity.” Please tell us Daou: Yes, maybe the secret is to believe it came from. We ask them if they feel why you believe that diversity is an asset in goodness. If I am egoistic and I want strange when they like something from and strength. only what is for my own good, I won’t be a different religion.

Dharma World Spring 2019 29 I always give this example: I used This is what we call spiritual soli- humanity, not just their own group, to teach religion to children, and one darity. For example, in our board meet- and if they are in a country, to work little girl asked me, “Can I like some- ings, we always start the meeting with a for all society, not just their own com- thing in another religion without feeling reading from spiritual texts, sometimes munity, and to work for human rights that I am betraying my own religion?” from Christianity, from Islam, from and human dignity, reminding society I think it’s a question even grownups Buddhism, or from other religions. The of the most important values—compas- ask. We try to let children know that board members who are from different sion, mercy, and solidarity. you can fully be a believer in your reli- religions share their understanding of gion and still appreciate the wisdom of the texts. Always, it is a very beautiful Niwano: Under such a multireligious other religions. moment because, for example, even environment as that of the Adyan Our aim is to be able to work with though I’m a Christian, if the text was Foundation, what do you find as shared one another for the common good and from the New Testament, I still discover or common? totally accept others of different reli- new things through the non-Christian gious and cultural backgrounds. We aim members. Daou: We always say at Adyan that also to let youth see that each of us is But I know that it’s not easy for every- a religion is like a flowing river. We the product of our culture which affects body to accept this. As believers, we tend don’t want to make a single river from the way we see the world. We come to to think that we have the best faith and different religions. We all have our understand that we don’t have an objec- the ultimate truth. Indirectly or uncon- own rivers, but by working together tive view of everything, that our view sciously, sometimes this makes us spiri- we discover two things. The first is is linked to our context, so we under- tually arrogant, and we can’t really listen that all these rivers share the same stand that others are also linked to their to the experience of others. It’s a chal- source. The second is that every river context. This opens the way for people lenge. We learn at Adyan that listening gives its water to anyone who wants it. to hear each other and be less extrem- comes by experience. At the same time, we have, for exam- ist in their positions. We try to include ple, Christian and Muslim members, this in all our programs. Niwano: Being a Buddhist and hav- and we hope that one day we’ll have ing my own experience of learning Buddhists or members from other reli- Niwano: You’ve used the term good or something about Christianity, I have gions in Adyan. We don’t want to mix common good. So, do you use terms felt that the more I learn, the more religions, but we want to live the con- like common good when you develop my faith as a Buddhist has deepened. viction that despite our differences, we and carry out the education program This doesn’t mean that as I learn more all have a common source and a com- in Lebanon? about Christianity, I want to become a mon mission. That is why we believe Christian. I feel I have established my that we don’t need to have a board Daou: Yes, we use the term common identity as a Buddhist. Perhaps my study made up of 50 percent Christians good very much. abroad in Italy has helped to establish and 50 percent Muslims, because we my identity as a Buddhist. believe that each member can repre- Niwano: How about God’s love? I try to imagine that people of differ- sent everybody. For example, today it ent religions have something in the depth was nice that we had the honor of the Daou: Yes: if the program is about cit- of their hearts that is sacred. Rather than attendance of the representative of the izenship education, we use “common just saying that I try to understand the Lebanese ambassador to Japan during good”; when it is about religious edu- others and then accept them on that the award presentation ceremony. I cation, we use “God’s love.” basis, I understand that the others also was greeting her, and she asked me, In Adyan we have the idea that “the have a similar process of developing “Are you Muslim?” and I said, “No, other who is simply different” is the chan- themselves, which I sincerely respect I’m Christian.” She said, “But you were nel of God’s love for us. We don’t think and honor. quoting the Prophet Mohammed, and that we first have to work on ourselves I would also like to ask what, in your I thought that your speech sounded personally to live in God’s love and then view, is the role of people of religions? Muslim.” This is Adyan. Every one of go to meet the other. The difference here us represents everybody. We speak is that we go to the other, and with the Tabbara: Father Daou spoke this morn- on behalf of our common source and other, we try to share, to understand ing of our concept of religious social common mission. God’s love, as if the meeting with the responsibility. We believe that the role other were where God reveals his love. of people of religion is to work for all Niwano: Thank you both very much.≥

30 Dharma World Spring 2019 ESSAY

From Scripture to Social Action: Translating the Lotus Sutra by Bee Scherer

Professor Bee Scherer, PhD, is the As one of the most infl uential Mahāyāna Buddhist scriptures, director of the Intersectional Centre it is reasonable to expect that the Lotus Sutra has spawned for Inclusion and Social Justice a wealth of applications to social action. However, any such (INCISE, http://incise.center) at application is far from straightforward. Canterbury Christ Church University, UK. A longtime practitioner of and a Full Professor The Buddhist traditions of the One Kōsei-kai (立正佼成会), and Nipponzan of Religious Studies and Gender Vehicle (ekayāna) invite us to refl ect Myōhōji Daisanga (日本山妙法寺大僧伽)— Studies, Bee has authored more than and lean on the (Th reefold) Lotus Sutra we note that they are all anchored in the a dozen monographs and edited as our guide for navigating the trials and Lotus Sutra and Nichiren’s thought, both volumes on critical theory, mythology, tribulations of saṃsāra. In the Japanese of which they interpret and translate in and Buddhism. Bee’s current research traditions we fi nd that the transforma- complex, distinct, and divergent ways focuses on Buddhism, identity, and tive power of even the smallest portion suited to their social welfare activities. social justice (dis/ability, mental of the scripture is regarded as libera- Th ese action-translations of scripture health, gender, and sexualities) in tory. Hence meditative use of the sutra’s build on the realization that sacred texts transnational Buddhist and Asian title in the o-daimoku (お題目)—Namu need to be transferred from their own contexts. Bee’s latest book, Essentials Myōhō Renge Kyō (南無妙法蓮華經)—has context into new environs. Transferre of Buddhist Philosophy (2018), is been propagated by great masters such (past participle: translatum) in Latin available as an audiobook download as Saichō (最澄, 767–822) and Nichiren means to “bring across”; translatio is from Wise Studies (http://wisestudies (日蓮, 1222–1282). Th e latter centered the “process of bringing across”: a scrip- .com/product/essentials-of-buddhist his dharmology (i.e., Buddhist theol- ture’s specifi c position in space and time -philosophy-with-bee-scherer/). ogy) around his fi rm conviction that at the moment of its creation, revela- the one true Buddhist teaching for his tion, or emergence must be translated justice, and change, such interpretation lifetime was the Lotus Sutra. Nichiren for any new cultural (geographical and can become explicative: social-action interpreted his own age as mappō (末 temporal) context. Adding to the cul- translation brings scripture into new 法), the period of decline, and saw the tural environs is what we may want and unusual contexts and applies scrip- scripture as a template for his own strug- to call the context of mode, motiva- tural wisdom according to contempo- gles: he pronounced himself an incar- tion, or function. Meditative liberating rary evidence and understanding of the nation of the bodhisattva Viśiṣṭacāritra, modes of translation can diff er from the relevant social issues in today’s world. defender and preacher of truth (chap- social transformative modes. We need In the modern age, translating ter 22). For Nichiren, the minimalist to acknowledge that scripture, reading, Buddhism into charitable work, advo- o-daimoku practice was already aimed and reader form a dynamic triangle of cacy, and social activism has been at wider social impact and concerned understanding and that any translation described with terms such as socially with transforming society. is defi ned by the triangle’s triple limit, or humanistic When we look at the three most or horizon, of experience, understand- Buddhism (人生佛教). Christian theo- prominent new Buddhist charitable ing, and interdependence. Th is means logians call this mode of translation organizations in Japanese Buddhism that any transferral is a limited (contin- “practical” or “public” theology. Buddhist in the twentieth and twenty-fi rst cen- gent) interpretation (exegesis). Making thinkers expound (解說) (Lotus Sutra, turies— Sōka Gakkai (創価学会), Risshō scripture fruitful for social advocacy, chap. 10, T. 262 30c18) scripture in the

Dharma World Spring 2019 31 same mode: they apply critical think- from Nepal and Gilgit and the Tibetan of social injustice such as sexism and ing and analysis to their own tradition; translations retain the explicit emphasis oppressive views on sexuality and gender this mode of application can be appro- on altruism found in the quote, and so that reduce humans to male and female priate means (Skt., upāya-kauśalya; 方 does Kumārajīva’s Chinese version, in stereotypes. It’s worth citing one of the 便) in itself for propagating Buddhism. contrast to ’s earlier trans- most prolific contemporary Lotus Sutra As one of the most influential lation. This understanding of “for the “theologians,” Gene Reeves. He reminds Mahāyāna Buddhist scriptures, it is rea- benefit of the world,” or as Kumārajīva us in The Stories of the Lotus Sutra that sonable to expect that the Lotus Sutra puts it, “for great benefit” 大利( ), sheds the scripture “arose in a particular histor- has spawned a wealth of applications to light on Nichiren’s notion of shakubuku ical context and was composed and trans- social action. However, any such appli- (折伏), the uncompromising propaga- lated within particular social settings,” cation is far from straightforward. The tion of the Lotus Sutra as an unsurpass- making it “not free from perspectives Lotus Sutra appears to be primarily con- able act of compassion. that we now regard as deficient or even cerned with its own propagation; this A key element of the Lotus Sutra’s morally wrong” (Wisdom, 2010, p. 308). is the scripture’s primary impulse for teaching for the benefit of the world is that In public dharmology or liberation action: promulgating the Lotus Sutra the bodhisattva’s altruism and aspiration dharmology (in analogy to the Christian means to translate the text into action is connected to appropriate, or skillful, theology that focuses on eliminating in the world of suffering, samsara; in means; this combination of compassion the conditions for poverty and oppres- the Lotus Sutra, ultimate altruism is to and wisdom can be regarded as the basis sion), when translating the Lotus Sutra spread the ultimate truth. for social action and social-justice advo- into social action, we need to start by Early on, the subsequent Mahāyāna cacy. It is no coincidence that Stephanie acknowledging those cultural settings traditions linked the social-action per- Kaza and Kenneth Kraft’s influential col- of time and place in which the scrip- spective on Buddhist practice to the lection of Buddhist reflections on ecol- ture operates. We can recontextualize— Lotus Sutra. The eighth-century philos- ogy, Dharma Rain (Shambhala, 2000), translate into new contexts—the Lotus opher Śāntideva quotes pertinent verses references the Lotus Sutra’s fifth chapter Sutra when we read carefully from the of the Lotus Sutra in his compilation of and the famous simile of the herbs. In inside out, from closer to wider, and Mahāyāna scriptures (Śīkṣāsamuccaya, the Lotus Sutra the simile points to the retranslate narrow and contingent ele- chap. 19). The quotation stems from the Dharma as one vehicle, as the one rain ments within the wider frame of new fourteenth chapter (the thirteenth in the that nourishes all the different plants. social-action impulses. Sanskrit transmission) of the Lotus Sutra, Kaza and Kraft transfer the simile into the Let us take the example of the scrip- which deals with safe and easy Buddhist new context of eco-Buddhism and make ture’s treatment of dis/abilities. (I use conduct. In this passage, the last Lotus it productive for that field of contempo- “dis/ability,” etc. in the tradition of criti- Sutra verse quoted by Śāntideva reads: rary engaged-Buddhist reflection which cal disabilities studies; the slash indicates advocates ecological responsibility and that individual impairments become dis- In another manner the wise shall the preservation of the earth’s resources. abilities by lack of social accommoda- always think: “May I become a Another form of action-Dharma trans- tion; the separation of “dis” and “abilities” Buddha, and so may these beings. lation of the Lotus Sutra occurs in con- further stresses the wealth of abilities all I will preach the very Dharma that temporary feminist Buddhist thought, people embody—regardless of impair- is the foundation of my happi- which advocates gender equality and chal- ments). The Lotus Sutra contains con- ness for the benefit of the world.” lenges the structures of patriarchy that tent and language that is derogatory (Lotus Sutra, chap. 14 [chap. 13 in create oppression and suffering on a sys- and oppressive to people with impair- Sanskrit], v. 35; my translation from temic scale. For example, critical Buddhist ments—people living with disabilities. the Sanskrit) thinkers have transferred insights drawn In that sense the scripture is enmeshed from the narrative of the eight-year-old in “ableism”: discriminatory discourse Interestingly, the emphasis on ben- dragon (nāga) princess in chapter 12 and and practices around physical and men- efiting the world (Skt.,hitāya loke; Tib., from the prediction narrative in chap- tal impairments. If we get stuck on such phan phyir ’jig rten) cited by Śāntideva ter 13. It is, however, worth noting that elements and take them overly literally, is not transmitted in all Lotus Sutra the Lotus Sutra operates within a sexist we miss the wider picture and the oppor- recensions. Central Asian Sanskrit man- patriarchal context and that the oppor- tunity to translate the scripture’s core uscripts read simply “among sentient tunities for Lotus Sutra–based Buddhist message of skillful compassion into the beings” instead of “for the benefit of the feminism are limited. The sutra’s radical contemporary perspective of dis/abil- world.” But the Lotus Sutra recensions focus on ultimate truth exposes environs ity suffering as a social-justice issue.

32 Dharma World Spring 2019 We might make the mistake of reading reads closely at least for 132a–b: 聾盲瘖 a Buddhist body is depicted as a place of a certain scriptural element as philoso- 瘂, 貧窮諸衰). virtue or demerit. Nikkyo Niwano (庭野 phy when such an element is a narrative Here we find a whole poetic list of 日敬) reminds us that the Buddha, “that or literary device. When we scrutinize karmic retributions—extended (v. 122) which enlivens all beings at all times,” the different layers of text and context, and condensed (v. 132). Similar lists are is not a punishing or rewarding god: we might detect that certain elements dotted throughout the extended corpus indicate specific literary or even poetic of Buddhist sutras. Looking at such lists [M]an brings it upon himself. His techniques, are expressing and creating from the angle of dis/ability and social own illusion brings it upon him. specific modes and moods in the nar- justice, the first thing we need to rec- Illusion is like a dark cloud that cov- rative, and have multiple functions and ognize is the literary and poetic form ers our intrinsic buddha-nature. reference frames; therefore, we might and function of these enumerations When the light of our buddha- ignore any potentially underlying philo- as elements of stylistic polarization: nature is covered with illusions, sophical reductionism and syllogism. The the message is to warn the disbeliever darkness arises in our minds and latter is particularly important when we and blasphemer, and the threat behind various unpleasant things happen to are dealing with narrative and poetical the warning is an unfavourable rebirth us. (Buddhism for Today [Weatherhill, references to karma (cause and effect): (durgati). The enumerated elements 1976], p. 62) popular preaching and literary dynam- are illustrations of durgati that reflect ics reduce the rather complex Buddhist the prejudice and social abjection of If we take literary elements too liter- theories of causality to simplistic one- the specific time and place of the sutra. ally (nītārtha), we are in danger of miss- to-ones of one specific action bringing The scripture using such lists and liter- ing the most important or true level of one specific result (monocausality). For ary devices does not project a sophis- meaning (neyartha). For example, in dramatic reasons or exaggeration, such ticated philosophy of dis/ability, nor our text passage from chapter 3 of the passages might imply a simple moral does it focus on Lotus Sutra quoted earlier an impair- determinism (a bad or good result must within this specific context. The passage’s ment such as blindness (andhatva) points follow), ignoring the highly intricate, direct audience is those who, because to something far more important than multilevel process of karmic ripening of their faith in the Lotus Sutra, experi- the physical inability to see. “Blindness” in Buddhist philosophy. ence rejection and abjection themselves functions as a physical symbol for delu- Let’s take an example from chapter from those who deny that the scripture sion and ignorance (, ajñāna). 3, the very chapter that contains the contains the ultimate truth. By dint of We realize this clearly when we look at famous parable of the burning house. such a stark warning, the faithful lis- the Lotus Sutra’s twenty-eighth chap- Here we find stark warnings against dis- tener can feel consoled and reassured. ter (“’s Invigoration”), trusting the sutra, among which are the The apologetic strategy of defending a where we read the following: following verses: newly emerged Mahāyāna scripture by means of stark warnings has become Whoever leads into delusion [moha] When born human again, those who vitally productive in the history of recep- any of those Dharma-preaching do not have faith in this sutra will tion of Mahāyāna sutras; in the case of monks who are keeping the scrip- be idiots, lame, crooked, blind, and the Lotus Sutra, we need only point to ture will be born blind [andha]. (My dull. . . . Foolish and deaf, the blas- the example of Nichiren’s “bodily read- translation from the Sanskrit) phemer does not hear the Dharma. ing” (色読; shikidoku) of the Lotus Sutra: . . . And when the blasphemer regains the sincere embodiment and applica- This important point on the poetic/ human birth, (she or) he becomes tion through words and actions of the literary relationship between mental blind, deaf, and idiotic, becomes a sutra in one’s life in the here and now. delusion and blindness can get lost in slave, always remains poor. (Lotus The list of both physical and social translation. The Tibetan version and Sutra, chap. 3, vv. 122, 129ab, 132a– impairments and disadvantages fits into Kumārajīva’s Chinese translation of the c; my translation from the Sanskrit) a wider framework of approaches to the passage read and/or interpret “slander,” body and suffering, where morality is instead of “delusion,” as the cause for The extant Sanskrit versions from inscribed in physical appearance and sta- blindness. Gilgit do not include these verses; the tus. As such, embodiment in Buddhist The Lotus Sutra offers us a key for Chinese versions of the text are rather poetry and narratives becomes a canvas unlocking the neyartha meaning of loose in their renderings and omit con- for moral philosophy, in particular in blindness in the fifth chapter. By accident siderable portions (however, Kumārajīva popular, folk, and devotional literature: of textual transmission, this important

Dharma World Spring 2019 33 passage is missing in the Chinese trans- clearer: defaming the scripture—which Thus, Śārisuta, I am the Great Sage, lations: the parable of the healed blind means making it ugly—engenders vis- Salvation [trāṇa], and Father of [all] person. The text clarifies that the phys- ible ugliness: the demeritorious action Beings. And all beings, fools who ical is a metaphor for the spiritual: (Skt., pāpakaṃ karma; Tib., sdig pa’i are bound by desires in the triple las) becomes poetically inscribed on world, are my children. (Lotus Sutra, In this way, all beings cycle around the human body. chap. 3, v. 85; my translation from blind because of their great igno- If we regard the wider framework of the Sanskrit) rance; because of their ignorance the Lotus Sutra, we clearly realize the of the wheel of conditionality, they scripture’s propagation of unwavering Of course, some modern interpret- revolve in suffering. In this way, into altruism and care. We can point to the ers, such as Alan Cole (Text as Father the world dulled by ignorance, the pivotal chapter 25, “Universal Gate of [University of California Press, 2005]) all-knowing highest tathāgata has Avalokiteśvara,” where Avalokiteśvara have been critical of the father imagery come, the great physician, who is (Guānyīn, 觀音) is the embodiment of in Buddhist scriptures and problematize compassionate to the core. (My trans- enlightened compassion who “looks such literary “paternalism” and paren- lation from the Sanskrit) down” (from the Sanskrit root ava-√lok) tal authority as “bad faith” functions with loving eyes upon the world of suf- of institutionalized control and power. This passage makes it very clear that fering and provides a model for uncon- These “suspicious” readings ignore that “blindness” is not a bodily impairment ditional, universal Buddhist love and father is a core extended metaphor in the but a metaphor for the experience of compassion . . . Lotus Sutra that can provide a powerful spiritual deficit: spiritual blindness is the basis for a public dharmology of social focus, spiritual impairment becomes an that will encourage us to be rooted justice. The core element of the meta- extended metaphor. The passage stresses in the suffering and misery of this phor is all-inclusive love; male paren- ignorance (Skt., ajñāna) thrice and uses world, shunning no one. . . . [T]his tal authority is only the expression of the Sanskrit ablative case twice to indi- might mean, not only not avoiding this core within a contingent of social cate causality—or alternatively, as the those who are despised by the soci- convention and script. Tibetan version reads, first to give a ety in which we live . . . , but actively The system of literary symbols and temporal sense (mi shes tshe): “while being with and supporting such peo- signs (semiotics) in the Lotus Sutra is (they are) in (the state of) ignorance” or ple. (Reeves, Stories, p. 309) complex and open to both contempla- “since (the time they find themselves) tive and activist modes of reading. The in (the state of) ignorance,” and then a In the Lotus Sutra, universal com- Lotus Sutra’s lasting influence on con- causal sense (mi shes pas). The emphasis passion and love characterize the temporary Chinese and Japanese socially on spiritual impairment (blindness) as Buddha himself: he is the skillful phy- engaged and humanistic Buddhist tra- human condition cautions against read- sician (Skt., cikitsaka; Tib., gso byed) ditions exemplifies how the scripture’s ings that would derive a moral judgment in chapter 16, looking after the world core messages can be successfully applied about an actual impaired person; in as a father (chap. 3 and 4). The eter- to Buddhist welfare thought and prac- Buddhist philosophy the diverse sophis- nal Buddha proclaims: tices. At the same time, the sutra is con- ticated karma theories and the notion fined in its conditioned expressions, its of no-self do not allow such reduction- Thus, I am the father of the world, time and place. Reading the Lotus Sutra ist judgment. The warnings found in the self-arisen physician, the pro- into a specific time (and place) (eise- scriptures such as the Lotus Sutra are tector of all beings. (Lotus Sutra, gesis) features as one key element of poetic, contemplative, and/or literary chap. 16 [chap. 15 in Sanskrit], v. Nichiren’s thought. But such translating in genre and mode, but for the most 21a; my translation from the Sanskrit; into must be accompanied by translat- part, they do not belong to philosoph- Kumārajīva’s Chinese version omits ing out of the scripture’s specific con- ical domains of writing. As such, the the reference to the physician in this text. Lotus Sutra public dharmology scriptures use popular exemplifications verse) can acknowledge specific conditioned and, arguably, ableist language. elements in need of critique, with full If we return to our passage in chap- In terms of poetic technique and respect for and without changing what ter 28 of the Lotus Sutra, we see that the genre, this passage is a revelation speech is, in its self-representation, the eternal literary-poetical function of bodily and (“I am . . .”) and echoes the revelation Lotus Sutra: the ultimate Dharma, an social impairment in connection with in the earliest layer of the scripture, in appropriate-means revelation of trans- spiritual deficit continues to become chapter 3: formative meaning beyond language. ≥

34 Dharma World Spring 2019 RISSHO KOSEI-KAI BUDDHISM

Buddha-Nature (2): We Are Children of the Buddha by Dominick Scarangello

Dominick Scarangello, PhD, Today some people may not be entirely comfortable with the specializes in early-modern and gendered language of the Lotus Sutra’s allegory, but a close modern Japanese religions. He has reading of the text can open pathways to an understanding taught at the University of Virginia appropriate to contemporary society and twenty-fi rst century and was the Postdoctoral Scholar in social norms. Japanese Buddhism at the Center for Japanese Studies, University of California, Berkeley (2013–14). In the last installment of this column as the Buddha. Today some people may Currently he is an international advisor we explored the concept of buddha-na- not be entirely comfortable with the to Rissho Kosei-kai. ture—its meaning, the Lotus Sutra’s gendered language of the Lotus Sutra’s teaching of revering buddha-nature, allegory, but a close reading of the text tiny buddha statue within people, was and how Buddhists can reveal the bud- can open pathways to an understand- to “increase respect and appreciation dha-nature of themselves and others by ing appropriate to contemporary society towards others and towards oneself” demonstrating respect for people and and twenty-fi rst century social norms. (Zimmerman 2002, 52). Th e Lotus Sutra discovering their goodness. Th is time does something similar when it speaks we will consider another way of realiz- Buddha-Nature of the Buddha as the father of all sentient ing buddha-nature that is inspired by in the Lotus Sutra: beings, providing a way of envisioning the stories of the Lotus Sutra. Rissho the relationship between the Buddha and Kosei-kai members speak of awaken- The Metaphor of ordinary people that helps them real- ing to buddha-nature as attaining the the Parent-Child ize the inherent dignity of themselves conviction that both oneself and others Relationship as well as others, and encourages them are, in the allegorical language of the to have faith in their potential. Lotus Sutra, “children of the Buddha.” Children of the Buddha Th e appellation “child of the Buddha” Rev. Nikkyo Niwano, the founder of is one of the Lotus Sutra’s most prom- Rissho Kosei-kai, held that feelings of Last time we took a brief look at the inent literary devices, appearing no worthlessness thwarted people’s ability history of the concept of buddha-na- less than thirty-four times in the text. to improve their own lives and brought ture and found that the tangible and Th e metaphor of the parent-child rela- them much suff ering, and for this rea- highly positive depiction of living beings’ tionship is central to the narratives of son he employed the sutra’s allegory of potential for buddhahood initially posed the parable of the burning house and the parent-child relationship to help some problems for Buddhist philoso- three carts (chap. 3), the parable of the people see themselves as future bud- phy. Th e teaching of buddha-nature was rich man and poor son (chap. 4), and dhas and heirs to all the qualities that probably not off ered for exegetes, how- the parable of the good doctor (chap. the Buddha Shakyamuni possessed. Th e ever, as Michael Zimmerman writes. 16). Narrowly speaking, “children of belief that living beings are children of Zimmerman concludes that the concret- the Buddha” may refer to those who the Buddha also encourages the appre- ization of buddha-nature in the earliest uphold the sutra and practice its teach- ciation of all human life. As members buddha-nature text, the Tathāgatagarbha ings. In a wider sense, however, all liv- of the human family, all people are our Sūtra, was a teaching aimed at nonspe- ing beings are the Buddha’s children, brothers and sisters, possessing the same cialists. Th e purpose of the sutra’s graphic as Shakyamuni Buddha says in chap- inherent dignity and human potential depictions of buddha-nature, such as a ter 3: “Now this threefold world [the

Dharma World Spring 2019 35 entire universe] / Is all my domain, / the point of his sermon and awakened prestigious man, that he is the scion of And the living beings in it / Are all my to a new understanding of themselves, a noble lineage. In fact, the wealth and children” (Rissho Kosei-kai 2019, 120). the four tell the Lotus Sutra’s parable of pomp of the old man actually intimidate - - him, and he begins to second-guess his onates with familial and kinship termi- ble goes something like this: decision to stop at that house in search nology associated with buddha-nature In a certain town lives a broken- of work. But the father, having recog- that we discussed last time, such as gotra hearted rich man who is coming to the nized the man as his son, sends two of and kula end of his life. With death approaching, his workers to bring the young man conveys an image of buddha-nature as back. However, when the workers catch a shared characteristic or pedigree that long-lost runaway son and give him his up to him, it only increases his paranoia. is an inherited birthright possessed by rightful inheritance. Unbeknownst to He tries to escape, and when the two all members of the human family. the old man, in the years since running workers capture him, he passes out in away, his son has fallen into poverty and homelessness and has passed his time the rich man could have no need for an pursuit of meager day-labor wages to undesirable lowlife such as himself, and opens with four of Shakyamuni feed himself. One day the son unknow- he fears that the rich man only wants Buddha’s disciples, Subhūti, Mahā- ingly walks up to the gate of his father’s to punish or kill him. Kātyāyana, Mahā-Kāshyapa, and Mahā- grand estate, hoping to obtain some Maudgalyāyana, awakening to their work so that he can buy something to is completely down on himself, para- own ability to obtain Supreme Perfect Enlightenment and become buddhas. when he sees the rich man, he fails to would not even be able to believe it if Having heard Shakyamuni’s initial expo- he were told of his identity and would sition of the teaching of the One Vehicle; surely shrink from the grandeur of his then listening to the parable of the burn- soon surmises that the destitute man - ing house and the three carts; and next has completely forgotten the face of his witnessing Shariputra, the wisest of all father and therefore has no inkling of only a pittance, and selling himself short, the disciples, obtain a prophecy of his his own true identity. meager wagers are indeed all he seeks. own buddhahood from Shakyamuni, Years of poverty and homelessness these four are struck with wonder and he is looking for—day labor—using it leap up from their seats with joy. Eager - as a device to bring the son into his to show the Buddha they have grasped ine that he could be the child of such a household and keep him close. But this - ally raise the young man’s self-esteem by progressively expanding his duties, increasing his responsibilities and com- pensation to eventually bring the poor man to the point at which he can believe in himself enough to embrace his name and heritage. So the rich man hires his son to shovel manure, keeping him employed on the estate as a means of ensuring he

- man’s clothes just so he can approach his son without alarming the young man. Over time the rich man slowly promotes his son in the household organization commensurate with his improving con-

36 D Spring 2019 long time, when he sees that the son employs. The inheritance of the family The father trope, which runs through has attained enough confidence in him- name and the old man’s riches are the the entire Lotus Sutra, stands in oppo- self to believe in his own identity and disciples’ realization that they, and by sition to the hero archetype that the accept his inheritance, the elderly rich extension all other living beings, possess story of Shakyamuni’s birth, renunci- man, nearing death, calls together his the very same capacity for buddhahood ation, ascetic practice, and enlighten- extended family and members of local as Shakyamuni Buddha. Despite their ment roughly follows. In the Lotus Sutra society to declare in front of everyone having had this capacity all along, this and several other early Mahāyāna texts, that he has found his son, and that he was something that took years of prac- the portrayal of Shakyamuni takes a will now pass everything he owns onto tice in order to realize with conviction. turn—he becomes a patriarchal father this, his rightful heir. The grateful son Today in the twenty-first century, figure, and as Alan Cole has written, responds: “Without any intention or some readers may see in the Lotus Sutra’s this works as a device to legitimize these effort on my part these treasures have parable a paternalism that infantilizes texts (Cole 2005, 5). The father arche- now come to me by themselves” (Reeves religious believers. Moreover, in light type is a conservative symbol, signifying 2008, 145). of the sutra’s doctrine of skillful means, the male collective and the established the Lotus Sutra may read as a Buddhist order. The mythical father hands down Patriarchy and version of “father knows best,” as the society’s values to the son, instilling Gendered Language Buddha acts for others on the paternal- them, and certifies his coming of age istic basis that he knows what is best for (Neuman 1993, 172–3). In a patriarchy in the Parable them (Keown 2002, 369). The gendered this becomes the binding force of con- The parable of the rich man and poor language of the parable, and its patriar- vention and tradition, and dependency son may feel surprisingly familiar to chal trope, may also present a problem on the father represents the dominance many readers, as it resembles the New for some. In Judeo-Christian traditions, of collective norms (Neuman 1993, 187). Testament’s parable of the prodigal son. theologians have problematized gen- What is patriarchy? Theologian Both parables deal with the themes of dered language in their sacred texts and Adrian Thatcher defines patriarchy in parental love and a son’s journey of liturgies, especially the notion of God easily understandable terms as “rule [Gr., self-discovery, which leads to the trans- as male epitomized by the epithet “God archḗ] of the fathers [Gr., pateres],” a type formation of his sense of identity. In the father,” and it should come as no of “power over” that refers to social struc- the Lotus Sutra’s parable, the younger surprise that Buddhism has also failed tures, beliefs, and practices that ensure man awakens to what had actually been to avoid androcentrism. Buddhism is that men exercise power over women there all along but to which he had pre- widely viewed as an egalitarian teaching, (Thatcher 2011, 26). In patriarchal social viously been blind. The rich man of the and Buddhist concepts such as empti- structures the female sex is disempow- parable is the Buddha, and the poor son ness and buddha-nature would seem to ered to various degrees, and authority, represents the Buddha’s four disciples undercut distinctions and discrimina- symbolized by the power of bestow- who, at first satisfied with just attain- tion. However, misogynist statements ing one’s name, flows between males— ing their own liberation from suffer- are found in Buddhist texts, and there from the male head of a household to ing—day wages—did not realize that was a belief that living beings could his legitimate male heir. This power to they had the same capacity to become not directly attain buddhahood with a grant one’s name to someone is a form buddhas as Shakyamuni, nor could they female body. Buddhism deserves no spe- of power over that person (Thatcher believe themselves capable of it. The son cial pass with regard to issues of gender 2011, 24). In the beginning of the para- also stands for living beings who have inequality. As Rita Gross’s work teaches ble, the portrayal of the poor son evokes not yet awakened to their full poten- us, it is important for Buddhism that the archetype of the “eternal son,” who tial. Nevertheless, as children of the Buddhists are honest about what is patri- cannot inherit the kingdom because of Buddha, the disciples are heirs to his archal when the label fits (Gross 1993, his refusal to identify with the patriar- wealth, his enlightenment, and thus his 21). At the same time, we need to dis- chal father, but his return and reception name, just like the poor son of the par- tinguish religions’ “essential insights of the name suggests an acceptance of able. The rich man’s desire to elevate his from non-essential cultural trappings,” conservative collective norms. son to the point where he can embrace or else we are forced to “completely dis- The analogy of the Buddha to a father his true identity is parental love, that is card the religions” (Gross 1993, 39). At is not a creation of the Mahāyāna, how- to say, the boundless compassion of a this juncture, it behooves us to take a ever; it appears in the earliest layers of buddha, and provides the impetus for closer look at patriarchal language and the Buddhist textual tradition. Learning the pedagogy of skillful means that he metaphor in the Lotus Sutra. in ancient Indian culture was “learning

Dharma World Spring 2019 37 from the mouth,” by hearing the words statement above, he is born from the desire, or use the more neutral term “par- of a teacher, repeating them, and con- Buddha’s mouth but, through the ent” when describing the relationship signing them to memory. Beginning in Dharma, also “comes to life” (Skt., nir- between the Buddha and living beings. the oldest sutras, the Buddha is a father mita), which can mean magical trans- Ultimately, buddha is truth itself—the who gives birth “from his mouth,” bear- formation but also the act of forming or Buddha’s “truth body,” which, as a uni- ing enlightened beings by transforming fashioning. Additionally, Sanskrit recen- versal principle, is without fixed form people through his words—the orally sions have a phrase that Kumārajīva, the and thus can be thought of as either transmitted Dharma. We could read translator of the most popular version of male or female. As is widely known, this metaphor in two ways: a patriar- the text, chose not to render in Chinese: the famous Bodhisattva Regarder of chal removal of the mother from lineage “brought to completion by the [Buddha’s] the Cries of the World (Chn., Guanyin; and a symbolic theft of her procreative Dharma” (Skt., dharma-nirvṛttaḥ). Jpn., Kannon; Skt., Avalokiteśvara), who powers or, alternatively, an androgeni- Metaphorically speaking, the Buddha appears in chapter 25 of the Lotus Sutra, zation of the father figure by assigning gives birth to and fashions people, but is widely depicted as female in East Asian him female procreative power, in effect also possesses an incubatory capacity to Buddhism, and within the sutra itself making the Buddha a “father-mother.” nurture living beings to spiritual perfec- the bodhisattva is said to manifest in Metaphorical birth from the mouth— tion. Later in the Buddhist tradition, in whichever way people require in order assigning creative powers to the word— texts such as the Mahāvairocana-sūtra, to achieve liberation, including male resonates with notions of the divine this is made explicit with the depiction and female forms. logos. In the ancient Western philo- of the Buddha’s compassionate skill- With regard to those whom the sophical tradition, logos was sometimes ful means as a womb. Many Buddhist Buddha nurtures, Chinese translations treated as a higher male generative prin- texts also characterize the compassion of buddha-putra, literally “son of the ciple, associated with ideas and rea- of the Buddha for living beings and Buddha,” utilize the word zi (子), which son and, transcending the feminine their yearning for the Buddha’s com- can be read neutrally as “child,” particu- material (mater), dispensed with the passion as like the oneness of mother larly in Japanese Buddhism. Some may female (Soskice 2007, chap. 6). Giving and child. When a mother embraces her feel this is still an infantilization of the birth from the mouth in Buddhism may child, they become as one body, with followers of the Buddha’s teachings, have taken its cue from the legend that the subject-object distinction overcome but all of us are offspring of someone, Brahmans, the priestly caste group, were by mutual love. and as our parents are wont to remind born from the mouth of Brahma, a male Some feminist Christian theologians us, we “remain their children” no mat- creator deity. “Birth from the Buddha’s have called for the replacement of and- ter how much we mature. Child in this mouth” appears twice in the Lotus Sutra. rocentric language with abstract ungen- case does not have to be understood The instance pertinent to our discus- dered terms, gender-neutral symbols as a state of development but, rather, sion comes at the beginning of chap- drawn from nature, or female charac- a condition of relations between two ter 3, in which the Buddha’s disciple terizations of God, such as speaking of people. In the case of Christian tra- Shariputra, having realized that he too the Trinity as “Mother-Daughter-Spirit.” ditions, some theologians have con- has the ability to attain buddhahood and However, other theologians fear a loss of cluded that God the Father is “father” thus become equal to Shakyamuni, joy- intimacy with the use of abstract terms, because of the existence of the son, Jesus fully exclaims: “For today I know that and others point out the absence of tex- Christ. The appellation “father” empha- I am truly a child of the Buddha, born tual bases in scripture (Soskice 2007, sizes the parental relationship, in which from the words [literally, mouth] of the chap. 4). In the case of Buddhism, there both parties are interdependent, cocre- Buddha and come to life through his is a tradition that a buddha’s body has ating one another (Soskice 2007, chap. Dharma. Indeed, I have attained my thirty-two distinctive features, one of 4). In Buddhism as well, buddhas and share of the Buddha Dharma” (Rissho which—a hidden male organ—undoubt- bodhisattvas appear in the world pre- Kosei-kai 2019, 93–94). Shariputra is edly marks him as biologically male. Yet cisely because there are living beings that a son of the Buddha, and just like the Gross observes that what this depicts is have not been liberated from suffering. poor son in the parable of chapter 4, he actually his asexuality (Gross 1993, 62). A buddha vows to help all living beings is due his birthright. And given that the Buddha’s spiritual become buddhas, with no distinction. However, this metaphor also assigns nurturing of living beings is also lik- The existence of unenlightened beings the Buddha female procreative power, in ened to female procreative faculties, I gives birth to the buddhas, so from the effect showing the Buddha as an androg- think that Buddhists today can envi- perspective of dependent origination, ynous “father-mother.” In Shariputra’s sion the Buddha as female if they so both the buddhas and living beings are

38 Dharma World Spring 2019 simultaneously parents and children. itself that defines them. In an age of human beings as our brothers and sisters. It is certainly true that the civiliza- rapid transformation, the problem of tion from which the Lotus Sutra emerged identity takes on renewed importance. The Antidote for Feelings of Inferiority: had a radically different understanding We answer the question “Who am I?” Recognizing Yourself as a Child of the of the individual as well as the family by weaving our own narratives of fam- Buddha from many contemporary societies, and ily history, as demonstrated by the pop- its parables reflect that. Since the end ularity of ancestral research. In this era In the parable of the rich man and of the nineteenth century, industrializa- of the “absence of fathers,” the discov- poor son, it takes the son twenty tion has transformed the extended fam- ery of our fathers and its impact on the years to attain ultimate liberation ily in developed societies into nuclear question of our identity remains for because he did not have the reali- families, and recent decades have also many people, and it may be even more zation [of his connection with the seen the social acceptance of hereto- pressing than ever before. The Lotus Buddha] nor confidence in himself. fore alternative arrangements such as Sutra’s allegory communicates living The rich man, i.e., the Buddha, pur- same-sex marriages. Economic dispar- beings’ capacity for buddhahood in a way posely took on a grungy appearance ities between men and women remain, that people can palpably feel, and thus to get closer to his son, even telling but more and more women are attain- believe, and this gives the Lotus Sutra’s the poor man, “From now on, we’ll ing financial independence and also literary devices soteriological power. be like father and son.” Despite this, surpassing the education levels of men. For this reason, to those who find the as you know, the poor son had got- Furthermore, what constitutes a family in language of the sutra too paternalistic, ten the idea into his head that he developed societies today is increasingly I would caution that we may not want himself was just an imbecile. a woman and her dependent children. to throw the baby out with the bath- With regard to the overall narrative water, and that by engaging in a close All of you may have also assumed of the parable of the rich man and poor examination of these passages we can yourselves to be “poor sons,” but son, it is indeed a variation on patriar- arrive at readings that are appropriate because you have discovered the chal myth—the wayward, “eternal son” for the contemporary world. Lotus Sutra, you are not “poor sons” returns home, giving up his rebellious anymore. You are the true children ways, is then socialized to the norms Seeing Buddha- of the Buddha, his heirs. I want you of the household, and accepts the rich Nature: Transformation to go back and reflect on this truth man’s name, taking the older man’s place again. Truly, there is no other knowl- in society. But there are important dif- of Values edge that can benefit you above and ferences that should not be overlooked. Seeing buddha-nature is a critical junc- beyond this realization. (Niwano Instead of emphasizing the authority or ture at which people catch a glimpse of 2018, 68) power of the father, the parable’s cen- the beauty of the world and the precious- tral themes are parental love, identity, ness of both their own and others’ lives, Rev. Niwano believed that like the and potentiality. The rich man’s failure and this propels them onto the bodhi- young man in the Lotus Sutra’s parable to forcibly bring his son home shows sattva path in earnest. In Rissho Kosei- of the rich man and poor son, one of the impotence of raw power, and the kai, becoming aware of buddha-nature is the biggest problems that people face in necessity of shedding his fine clothing often framed as attaining the conviction their lives is their inability to appreciate and donning the filthy attire of a hired that one is indeed a child of the Buddha. their own self-worth, a debilitating lack hand in order to approach his son implies Rev. Niwano spoke of this as a life-trans- of self-confidence that prevents them that symbolic expressions of authority forming realization that is experienced from achieving their full potential. In cannot be relied upon to transform the as joy for having been given life, not this age of hyperindividualism, in which human heart for the better. just as an individual, but as a member our personal lives, media, and politics Despite the differences between con- of the human race. He describes this joy seem overly populated with characters temporary family structures and those as so profound that we “cannot stop it wholly in love with themselves, full of assumed by the compilers of the sutra, from running through our entire bod- bluster and overconfidence, the idea that the parable of the rich man and poor ies” (Niwano 1989, 14). For practition- people today struggle with feelings of son speaks to the fundamental question ers of Rissho Kosei-kai Buddhism, this worthlessness might strike us as ludi- “Who am I?,” which transcends time awakening provides a reserve of confi- crous. Yet many experts tell us there is and applies to all partners in the rela- dence and courage to draw upon in their a worldwide epidemic of depression tionship, because it is the relationship daily lives and is the basis for seeing all today. According to the World Health

Dharma World Spring 2019 39 Organization, some three hundred our parents, is part of us, and we can- consider him our father or mother, or million people worldwide suffer from not run away from ourselves. Just like even an ancestor. And the truths that he depression, and close to eight hundred the poor son in this parable, as many of awakened constitute the very nature of thousand people commit suicide each us get older, we draw closer to our par- reality and thus run through every fiber year. In the face of these sobering facts, ents, deepening our knowledge of who of our being. They are our DNA, our a teaching that tells us we are children we are, which includes our family’s her- buddha-nature. Thus we can undertake of the Buddha—an exemplar of human itage. It had really been there all along, the practice of Buddha mindfulness by perfection and unlimited promise— but for some of us, it may take half a life- envisioning him as our father or mother, is truly a gospel of “good news.” Rev. time to rediscover. Growing closer to our we ourselves secure in the embrace of Niwano taught that when people are parents can give us a sense of pride in the Buddha’s arms of boundless com- aware of their own buddha-nature, it where we come from, making us more passion. The Buddha is part of us, and naturally prevents them from degrading secure and engendering self-confidence. so what the Buddha accomplished, we themselves, and even the impact of any Self-discovery does not have to be can also accomplish. This is not a con- delusions they may have will not manip- restricted to the connection with only viction that is easily attained, of course. ulate them, cause them to fail, or ago- one parent. In recent years I learned that But by always remaining mindful of the nize them, and they will instead become on my mother’s side there was a tradi- Buddha by envisioning Shakyamuni as able to turn their human desires toward tion of joining the Jesuit order going back our parent, be it mother or father, or productive ends (Niwano 1991, 65). hundreds of years, and many of those even progenitor, we can develop faith Our inheritance is the capacity for monks became theologians and teach- in our own potential. buddhahood, which, like the poor son ers. This knowledge gives me a whole in the story, many of us today cannot new perspective on the choices I have Buddha-Nature even imagine because of our lack of made in my own life and provides me and Faith self-worth. The son’s exclamation that with a sense of confidence that I am, in he has received the inheritance “with- my own way, walking in my ancestors’ Faith is indeed the key. Faith is the out any intention or effort on [his] part” footsteps, developing my own natural essential ingredient to unlock the indicates that the innate capacity for capacity. By integrating this into my iden- transformational power of buddha- buddhahood is not something created tity, I am “returning” to the house of my nature. The Buddha-Nature Treatise, one through the individual’s effort but is mother’s ancestors, in effect taking their of the most important buddha-nature woven into the fabric of life itself, and is names. Now, some might say that my texts, teaches that faith is the conviction in this way uncontrived and uncreated. conviction is ad hoc and the identity I of the reality of one’s buddha-nature, Buddha-nature is at the same time our create for myself randomly emphasizes the belief that it can be developed, and birthright as precious human beings and some ancestors at the expense of others. that developing it will lead to infinite a gift, like the gift of life itself (Reeves I respond that while facts are facts, the benefits—the attainment of buddhahood 2010, 104). stories we tell with them are our own, (Takasaki 2010, 342). Inspired by the This parable truly resonates with me. and there is no story without a particular parable of the rich man and the poor I can personally identify with the fraught perspective. When it comes to self-un- son, in Rissho Kosei-kai Buddhism this relationship of the father and his son, derstanding, the nature of identity is that faith is “faith and understanding,” the and I strongly suspect that I share with contingency becomes necessity. When we knowledge that “oneself and others are many other people the experience of construct our own identity out of narra- all children of the Buddha.” Even the having distanced oneself from one or tives in this fashion, we are empowered; vaguest sense that there is some truth both parents in adolescence. For me, we exercise our own agency. in this teaching, perhaps only for a doing so was critical for establishing my What the sutra is telling us is that moment, is said to result in innumerable own independent identity, but overcom- we need to believe in the capacity of merits. This is because without faith, one pensating left me in a state of poverty, a our buddhahood in a similar fashion. lacks the self-confidence to pursue one’s self-alienation caused by trying to run Shakyamuni Buddha was a human being birthright. If buddha-nature is, as Sallie away from something that was part and like us, not a god. He was no different King explains, “a promise,” then it only parcel of me. This brings to mind what from us. But by attaining enlighten- becomes a reality when it is believed Rev. Niwano wrote about the Buddha: ment—becoming a buddha and sharing (King 1991, 150). One can be heir to “The Buddha is inseparable from us, even his teachings with the world—he cleared the greatest inheritance in the world, if we try to distance ourselves from him” a path to human perfection for all of us. but if one remains unaware of it, it is (Niwano 2012, 370). The Buddha, like In these senses he is our parent. We can the same as if it had never existed at all.

40 Dharma World Spring 2019 Thus, from the subjective point of view Continued from page 16 told me that he found these Vatican theo- of ordinary living beings, it is the very Emptiness, Buddhist and Christian logians to be much more ‘liberal’ than belief in buddha-nature that makes it most of the theologians he had encoun- a reality. The Lotus Sutra imparts this Buddhist-Christian tered in the United States” (“Dialogue wisdom to us when it tells us that we Encounters and Unity,” in Masao Abe: A Zen Life of can only obtain the truth of the sutra Dialogue, edited by Donald W. Mitchell through faith. ≥ The underlying assumptions of the under- [Charles E. Tuttle, 1998], 138–9). standings of emptiness in Buddhism William Johnston, SJ, was born in References and Christianity differ considerably. In Belfast in Northern Ireland and grew Christian faith the kenosis of God involves up in an atmosphere of intense conflict Cole, Alan. 2005. Text as Father: Paternal Seductions in Early Mahāyāna the coming of the Creator of the uni- between Protestants and Catholics. After Buddhist Literature. University of verse to dwell in this world in the person moving to Japan in 1951, he studied California Press. of Jesus Christ. Sunyata in Buddhism is Japanese Buddhism and practiced Zen Gross, Rita. 1993. Buddhism after not the creator of the universe and does meditation for a time. In his encoun- Patriarchy. Sri Satguru Publications. not become incarnate in one particular ter with , Johnston Keown, Damien. 2002. “Paternalism in the Lotus Sutra.” In A Buddhist human life. Nonetheless, the transforma- found that the differing perspectives on Kaleidoscope: Essays on the Lotus tions to which kenosis and sunyata call emptiness offered an opening to dia- Sutra, 367–78. Kosei Publishing. practitioners bear impor­tant similarities. logue and to reconciliation: “To describe King, Sallie B. 1991. Buddha Nature. State In each tradition, teachings on emptiness this night, St. John of the Cross speaks University of New York Press. call attention to the transitory nature of of ‘nothing’—nada, nada, nada—and Neuman, Erich. 1993. The Origins and all experiences in this world and chal- of emptiness. His todo y nada (all and History of Consciousness. Princeton University Press. lenge grasping and greed as ultimately nothing) is so similar to the mu (noth- Niwano, Nikkyō. 1989. Shinshaku hokke futile. Buddhist perspectives on empti- ing) and ku (emptiness) of Asia that he sanbukyō. Vol. 1. Kosei Publishing. ness invite practitioners to wisdom and has been called a Buddhist in Christian ______. 1991. Hokke sanbukyō: Kakuhon compassion, while Christian viewpoints disguise. To this I would say, however, no aramashi to yōten. Kosei call practitioners to follow the path of that the Buddhist mu and ku may well Publishing. ______. 2012. Hokekyō no atarashii kai- Jesus Christ in lives of service to others. be an experience of the same unknow- shaku. Vol. 1. Kosei Publishing. The outcome of Buddhist realization of ability of God. Perhaps mystics of all ______. 2018. Bodai no me wo emptiness is compassion; for Christians religions are called to unite in atoning okosashimu. Kosei Publishing. emptying leads to charity. It is not sur- for the ugliness of the world and facing Reeves, Gene. 2008. The Lotus Sutra: prising that many have found points of the unknowable mystery that cannot be A Contemporary Translation of a contact between the two traditions. put into words” (Mystical Journey: An Buddhist Classic. Wisdom. ______. 2010. Stories of the Lotus Sutra. Masao Abe offered a distinctively Autobiography [Orbis Books, 2006], 88). Wisdom. Mahayana Buddhist interpretation of Acknowledging the difference between Rissho Kosei-kai, ed. In press, 2019. The kenosis in Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, Christian faith in a transcendent God and Threefold Lotus Sutra: A New English and he daringly proposed to see the God Buddhist nonduality, William Johnston Translation for Today’s Readers. of Jesus Christ as emptiness or, better reflected: “And in fact I now see that this Rissho Kosei-kai International. Soskice, Janet Martin. 2007. The Kindness expressed, emptying. Abe repeatedly asked problem can be solved only by the coin- of God: Metaphor, Gender, and Christians if they could say that God is cidence of opposites whereby we see that Religious Language. New York: Oxford emptiness. After many frustrating encoun- God and the universe are one and not one, University Press. Kindle edition. ters, Abe went to the Vatican in March just as man and woman are one and not Takasaki, Jikidō. 2010. Nyoraizō shisō/ 1993, where he met with Jacques Servais, one, life and death are one and not one, all busshōron I. Takasaki Jikidō cho- SJ, and Piero Coda in the Congregation religions are one and not one” (ibid., 219). sakushū 6. Shunjūsha. Thatcher, Adrian. 2011. God, Sex, for the Doctrine of the Faith, then led Thich Nhat Hanh’s interpretation and Gender: An Introduction. by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. Donald of emptiness as interconnected inter- Wiley-Blackwell. Mitchell recounts that “both Servais and being suggests a way to view the multiple Zimmerman, Michael. 2002. A Buddha Coda affirmed Abe’s view that because Buddhist and Christian perspectives as Within: The Tathāgatagarbhasūtra; Christ is the self-utterance of God, his continually intersecting, challenging each The Earliest Exposition of the Buddha- Nature Teaching in India. International kenosis reveals a fundamental kenosis, other but also enriching each other, inviting Research Institute for Advanced an ur-kenosis, that is of the essence of us toward a mutual respect and harmony Buddhology, Soka University. Godself. For this and other reasons, Abe beyond any present realization. ≥

Dharma World Spring 2019 41 FOUNDER’S MEMOIRS

The Inheritance of the Lamp of the Dharma by Nikkyo Niwano

In March 1999 an autobiography by Rev. Nikkyo Niwano (1906–99), the founder of Rissho Kosei- kai, was published in Japanese under the title Kono michi: Ichibutsujo no sekai o mezashite (The path that we have walked: Aspiring to the world of the One Buddha Vehicle). The book is a lively account of the life of Founder Niwano as a leader of a global Buddhist movement and a pioneer of interreligious cooperation who dedicated himself to liberating all people from suffering with fi rm faith in the Lotus Sutra. Dharma World will continue to publish excerpts from the book in installments.

Walking the Great Way Flower of the Wonderful Dharma) on all living beings the Buddha’s wisdom, Hand in Hand the sash I gave Nichiko that day. I had they appear in the world; because they prepared the second new sash to go desire to cause all living beings to appre- with it for that day’s ceremony. hend the Buddha’s wisdom, they appear November 15, 1991. e morning in the world; because they desire to cause Dharma ceremony was held in the Great all living beings to enter the way of the o’clock. As I was drinking my tea, Nichiko Sacred Hall at Rissho Kosei-kai’s head- Buddha’s wisdom, they appear in the came to greet me. “Today I’m a little more quarters complex. Some forty-eight thou- world.’ nervous than usual,” he told me. It was sand representatives from the Dharma “I was awakened through ‘opening, today that Nichiko was to succeed me as centers all over Japan gathered in the demonstrating, realizing, and entering’ the second president of Rissho Kosei- Great Sacred Hall and other headquarters the Buddha’s wisdom as taught in the kai in a ceremony called the Inheritance buildings in Tokyo. From the hall’s plat- Lotus Sutra. As I, Nikkyo, look back over of the Lamp of the Dharma. I led the form, watched in hushed silence by the the years, the great vow of the buddhas daily home sutra recitation at six a.m. members, I read an invocation of divine became my own aspiration as I followed as usual, and Nichiko assisted me with protection for Rissho Kosei-kai under the gong as the rest of the family recited the leadership of the new president: the sutra together. On the altar were two “Today, on this auspicious occasion, one to Nichiko. In Rissho Kosei-kai, the we perform the great ceremony of the white sash inscribed in black ink with Inheritance of the Lamp of the Dharma the o-daimoku is equivalent to the robes before the Eternal Original Buddha. worn by Buddhist priests. It is worn opportunity to come into contact with to purify both mind and body. It also the wonderful scripture, the cherished represents devotion to the Lotus Sutra Lotus Sutra. ‘Because the buddhas, the and the pledge to follow its teachings. world-honored ones, desire to cause all living beings to open their eyes to the to one’s belief. I had myself inscribed Buddha’s wisdom so that they may gain the words “Namu Myoho Renge-kyo” the pure mind, therefore they appear in (I take in the Sutra of the Lotus the world; because they desire to show

42 Spring 2019 Nikkyo Niwano, the founder of Rissho Kosei-kai, was an honorary president of Religions for Peace and honorary chairman of Shinshuren (Federation of New Religious Organizations of Japan) at the time of his death in October 1999. He was awarded the 1979 Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion.

the great Way that is beyond both joy and pain, and together with Cofounder Myoko, I laid the foundations of Rissho Kosei-kai, at the same time undertaking unremitting religious practice. “Amid many hardships, I contin- ued to believe that ‘of those who hear the Dharma, not one fails to become a buddha.’ Together with all the mem- bers, I weathered the storms, practiced single-mindedly to benefit others, and undertook the sacred task of building the Land of Eternal Tranquil Light in this world. “How grateful I am that with the protection of the gods and the bud- dhas, Rissho Kosei-kai has now extended abroad, in testimony of the divine guid- ance that the spirit of the Lotus Sutra will spread far and wide through all the countries of the world. “I, Nikkyo, after careful consider- ation, deem that now is the correct time “We humbly pray that all the bud- “My father and teacher, the Founder, to have my successor, Nichiko, take up dhas, bodhisattvas, and good deities Nikkyo Niwano, through weighty causes his position as the second president of will watch over us and extend us their and conditions, practiced to benefit oth- Rissho Kosei-kai. Thus today we hold profound protection. ers as a lay Buddhist from an early age. the ceremony of the Inheritance of the “Nikkyo Niwano, Founder, Rissho He received birth in this age of the final Lamp of the Dharma. Kosei-kai.” Dharma and, awakening to the one great “I ask all members to renew their purpose, and being supported by a pro- great vow as lay Buddhists according Nichiko read his formal reply. It found arrangement of the times, estab- to the true meaning of the Inheritance might seem too easy just to copy it here, lished Rissho Kosei-kai in 1938. of the Lamp of the Dharma. just as it is. However, these are the words “With Cofounder Myoko as his com- “With the second president, Nichiko, written by Nichiko after deep thought panion, he practiced the Lotus Sutra, acting as leader, let us together con- and contemplation and so express his sparing himself nothing. He and Myoko firm our profound mission as bodhi- true mind. Thus I would like to quote the together gave all their efforts to sattvas who have sprung from the earth whole text without deleting anything. I bring members the benefits of Lotus in this age of the final Dharma, mind- think that it could prove very useful as Sutra practice. They strove to purify ful to continue our assiduous practice a signpost to look back upon the way local society, first through individu- within an unbroken lineage. I make he has come, should in the future he als undertaking this practice, and then this announcement with deep emotion. find himself standing at the crossroads. extending it to rectify their own families.

Dharma World Spring 2019 43 - buddhas and bodhisattvas that I do not the life they gave me and for my inheri- fall into even the smallest error. tance of their bloodline. Further, it was Shakyamuni as the focus “Nichiko Niwano, Second President, through my father and teacher that I Rissho Kosei-kai” received ‘the unsurpassed, profound, according to his great purpose as founder wonderful Dharma that is rarely met in of Rissho Kosei-kai. When I handed Nichiko the cer- myriads of kalpas.’ I give great thanks “ is was a time when religious for both these things. cooperation and dialogue were gain- of the Dharma, warm clapping broke - ing momentum among religious peo- out from among the members, envel- ened us to the fact that we are all related, ple around the world, based on the idea oping us both. I was grateful and also you and I. very happy. “Accepting the great mission of the great Way was gradually opening to Archbishop William Aquin Carew, second president of Rissho Kosei-kai and bring liberation and peace to all parts of papal nuncio to Japan, read a message your guidance, though I am imperfect, I the world. Truly it was a matter of ‘One from Francis Cardinal Arinze, pres- am resolved to devote myself, with you Heaven and the Four Seas, all things in the universe originate in and return to Interreligious Dialogue, on behalf of in the Lotus Sutra called ‘Springing Up the Wonderful Dharma.’ Pope John Paul II; and Mr. Yasushi out of the Earth’ relates how the Buddha “Today I, Nichiko, unworthy as I am, Akashi, the UN under-secretary-gen- entrusted the bodhisattvas who sprang accept the role of second president of - up from beneath the earth to teach and Rissho Kosei-kai according to the great sage from Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar, - purpose of my father and teacher, the the UN secretary-general. ance of these bodhisattvas, guided by the Founder, Nikkyo Niwano, the envoy - Original Buddha of the eternal past, tells of the Buddha. I take on the great task ellite transmission to the organization’s us that the teachings of Shakyamuni are of the Inheritance of the Lamp of the Dharma centers around the country not to be taken theoretically but are to Dharma by reason of lineage succession. and was seen by around seven hundred be put into practice. thousand members. wishing to see the Buddha / Not caring the earth are the nameless people who for their own lives.’ Believing this with to members as president. walk the world with sentient beings, all my heart, I vow to follow the single path to the ultimate realm. May I with “In March 1938, the Founder estab- today I will devote myself to the Way all members of the Sangha be aware of lished Rissho Kosei-kai. It seems almost as such a bodhisattva. I pledge, on this our mission in this world, and may we impossible to express in words the hard- occasion of the Inheritance of the Lamp walk the great Way hand in hand. - of the Dharma, that I will do so, with you “ e sutra says: ‘[ ey] are as ty-three years in guiding us along the all, in the light of the o-daimoku—‘I take untainted with worldly things / As the Way of the true Dharma. refuge in the Sutra of the Lotus Flower “People cannot choose their par- of the Wonderful Dharma’.” lives, as Buddhist practitioners, always but I have come to be truly grateful for To be continued our inner feelings so we can live our days without shame. “May we all experience the spirit of ourselves to purify society at large and the hearts of all people. May we practice diligently to improve ourselves for the - plish the Buddha Way. “I express my gratitude before the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni, Great Benevolent Teacher, World-honored One. I ask the protection of all the

44 D Spring 2019 REFLECTIONS People Who Are Like a Fragrant Breeze by Nichiko Niwano

“Hana,” by the composer Rentaro Taki joy (etsu) means removing ill feelings Nichiko Niwano is president of (1879–1903), is a song describing the from the mind. Rissho Kosei-kai and an honorary beautiful spring scenery in Japan. The We cannot see the Buddha with our president of Religions for Peace. song begins with the words “a beauti- eyes. But, in the Great Sacred Hall, for He also serves as an advisor to ful day in spring,” a lyric that many of instance, when we hear the Dharma Shinshuren (Federation of New you know very well. The cherry blos- Journey talk of someone who felt the Religious Organizations of Japan). soms featured in the song are a flower Buddha’s compassion and became aware representative of spring, but before the of the joy of living through the prac- is necessarily so. Right now, we are liv- cherry blossoms appear, the sweet scents tice of the teaching, we too experience ing the one life we have in this world, of plum flowers, daphne bushes, and the joy of encountering the Buddha which we receive through the blessings magnolias fill the air and many people Dharma. The grandeur of the teach- of nature and the virtues of our parents feel the joy of spring’s arrival. ing blows through our minds like “the and ancestors. Every one of us already Words expressing such joy are also fragrant breezes of sandalwood.” From possesses abundant virtues. Therefore, we found in the introductory chapter of the the time of Shakyamuni to the present, only need to realize our own virtuous- Lotus Sutra: “the fragrant breezes of san- this has not changed. ness. Anyone who realizes his or her own dalwood delight the minds of the assem- virtues and cultivates them can give off a bled.” Founder Niwano explained this We Are All fragrant breeze and be a virtuous person. in simple language as meaning “when Virtuous People In order to do so, it is important the fragrant breeze of the Buddha enters to feel gratitude. People are naturally the minds of living beings, it produces The Zen monk Ryokan (1758–1831) of drawn to those who are humble and great rejoicing.” Echigo (present-day Niigata Prefecture) sincere in remembering to be grateful As we who have encountered the must have known this verse about the for whatever happens. Using cheerful, Buddha’s teaching continue to hear, breezes, since he made the phrase “all kind, and warmhearted actions and study, and practice it, we gain many real- my life, be fragrant” his personal motto. words makes one’s virtuousness all the izations. We become able to feel grati- He was determined to—and, indeed, he more fragrant. Interacting with con- tude for people and things we disliked, did—live his life as a person who could sideration and in harmony with oth- and we become aware that the things be like a fragrant breeze that surrounds ers releases the fragrant breeze of the that had made us feel happy up to that people’s hearts with warmth, makes them teaching that lets people breathe easy. time were really nothing more than self- peaceful, and brings them joy. This year, April marks both the anni- ish thinking. At this point, our way of However, the Dhammapada tells us versary of Shakyamuni’s birth and the life undergoes a change. that “the fragrance of virtuous people end of the Heisei era in Japan. The new Once we come to realize what is truly advances, even against the wind” and era will begin on May 1. I take this to important, we spontaneously give voice “virtuous people fill every quarter with be an opportunity to refresh our minds to the joy of being emancipated from fragrance.” Therefore, we could take the and prevent our bodhisattva practice— worrying and suffering—we have been position that bringing joy to people’s the practice of promoting peace among liberated through the teaching. This is hearts requires being virtuous. all people—from falling into a routine, what Founder Niwano calls “producing It might seem as though a well-culti- a force of habit. To make this happen, great rejoicing,” and at this time the per- vated mind or the accumulation of good living in a way that sends forth the fra- son “brings joy to the minds of others.” deeds is the determining factor of being grant breeze of the Buddha’s teaching Incidentally, the Chinese character for virtuous. However, I do not think this will be all the more important. ≥

Dharma World Spring 2019 45 THE THREEFOLD LOTUS SUTRA: A MODERN COMMENTARY

The Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Law

Chapter 26

Dharanis (3) This is the 131st installment of a detailed commentary on the Threefold Lotus Sutra by the founder of Rissho Kosei-kai, Rev. Nikkyo Niwano.

TEXT These ten female , together with the five hundred children, yet you are very sad. Try to imagine Mother of Demon Sons and her children and followers, all what it is like for the parents of the children whom you have went to the Buddha and with one voice said to the Buddha: abducted and devoured.” She for the first time realized the “World-honored One! We, too, would protect those who wickedness of her acts, submitted herself completely to the read and recite, receive and keep the Dharma Flower Sutra, teachings of the Buddha, and took an oath to be forever the and rid them of corroding care. If any spy for the short- guardian deity of safe childbirth and babies. The Mother of comings of these teachers of the Dharma, we will prevent Demon Sons remains today in folk beliefs. their obtaining any chance.” That is why the Mother of Demon Sons and the other female rakshasas were at the assembly to hear Shakyamuni’s COMMENTARY The Mother of Demon Sons is a demo- discourse, since they had already taken refuge in the ness called , a daughter of a . There is a tradi- Buddha. tion that she possessed and doted on five hundred of her own children, but she was extremely cruel and malicious, TEXT Whereupon in the presence of the Buddha they and whenever she came to the City of Royal Palaces, she delivered the following spell*: would abduct some children and devour them. As an appropriate means of enlightening her, Shakyamuni “[1] Idebi [2] idebin [3] idebi [4] adebi [5] idebi hid the youngest of her offspring. Out of anguish over the [6] debi [7] debi [8] debi [9] debi [10] debi child’s disappearance, she searched around frantically. Then [11] roke [12] roke [13] roke [14] roke Shakyamuni remonstrated against her, saying, “You have [15] take [16] take [17] take [18] toke [19] toke.”

46 Dharma World Spring 2019 COMMENTARY [1] Idebi. “In this” is meant by this term. Dr. Tsukamoto identifies it as “Oh, what misfortune! Oh, what pestilence!” [itime] • [2] Idebin. In this place; here. [itime] • [3] Idebi. (Repeat of no. 1.) [itime] • [4] Adebi. Among the people. Dr. Tsukamoto identifies it as “Oh, she who is great!” [itime] • [5] Idebi. (Repeat of no. 1.) [itime] • [6] Debi. Selflessness; nonself. Dr. Tsukamoto identifies it as “Oh, she who is beyond the ego-mind! Oh, she who has transcended worldly matters!” (nime) • [7] Debi [8] Debi [9] Debi [10] Debi. (Repeat of no. 6 for emphasis.) (nime, nime, nime, nime) • [11] Roke. Having already occurred. Dr. Tsukmoto iden- tifies this with “Oh, she who grows!” (ruhe) • [12] Roke [13] Roke [14] Roke. (Repeat of no. 11.) (ruhe, ruhe, ruhe) • [15] Take. Moreover standing. [stahe] • [16] Take [17] Take. (Repeat of no. 15.) [stahe, stahe] • [18] Toke. Nothing can bring harm; the teaching is well protected. [stahe] • [19] Toke. The different Chinese word for to is employed here, but it has approximately the same meaning as no. 18. According to Dr. Tsukamoto, the phrases 15 through 19 have the same meaning: “Oh, she who offers eulogies! Oh, she who praises! [stahe]

TEXT “Let troubles come on our heads, rather than on the teachers of the Dharma; neither , nor raksha- sas, nor hungry ghosts, nor putanas, nor krityas, nor veta- and weights, / Or of who brought schism into das, nor kashayas, nor umarakas, nor apasmarakas, nor the Sangha; / He who offends these teachers of the Dharma, yaksha-krityas, nor man-krityas; nor fevers, whether for a / Such shall be his retribution.” single day, or quotidian, or tertian, or quartan, or weekly, or unremitting fevers; whether in male form, or female form, COMMENTARY Arjaka. It is said that when a branch or form of a youth, or form of a maiden, even in dreams of this tree breaks off in the wind and falls to the ground, shall ever cause distress.” it scatters into seven pieces. • Oil-expresser. This is rather difficult for people of COMMENTARY Vetada. A red demon. today to comprehend. When one presses out oil, if the • Kashaya. A yellow demon. nuts or seeds that are the raw materials decompose, the • Umaraka. A black demon. worms and insects inside will come out. If one presses • Apasmaraka. A blue demon. the materials just as they are, the fluid of the worms • Yaksha-kritya. A demon in the form of a yaksha that will increase the volume that is pressed out, yielding a devours cadavers. greater amount. At the same time, if all of the insects and • Man-kritya. (Skt., manushya-kritya). A demon in the worms are killed in the process, the taste and flavor of form of a human being that devours cadavers. the oil will degenerate. In ancient India this was appar- ently considered a very bad thing to do. In other words, TEXT Whereupon before the Buddha they spoke thus in not respecting the life of another and selling something verse: “Whoever resists our spell / And troubles a preacher, impure—the acts of taking life and greed—were thought / May his head be split in seven / Like an arjaka sprout; / to be greatly despised. May his doom be that of a parricide, / His retribution that • A deceiver with [false] measures and weights. The same of an oil-expresser / Or a deceiver with [false] measures can be said of the crime of one who deceives with false

Dharma World Spring 2019 47 measures and weights. Although such a crime cannot be TEXT The Buddha addressed the women: “Good, compared with that of killing one’s parent in today’s legal good! Even if you are only able to protect those who receive system, it is a heinous criminal act from a spiritual point and keep the name of the Dharma Flower, your happiness of view. Therefore, one can see how such an act was con- will be beyond calculation; how much more if you protect sidered a great crime in ancient India. those who perfectly receive, keep, and pay homage to the • Devadatta who brought schism into the Sangha. Devadatta, sutra with flowers, necklaces, sandalwood powder, per- a cousin of the Buddha, attempted to break the close and fumes, incense, flags, canopies, and music, burning var- loyal concord in Shakyamuni’s community of believers (the ious kinds of lamps—ghee lamps, oil lamps, oil lamps of Sangha). The sin of thwarting the teachers of the Dharma scented oil, lamps of oil of sumana flowers, lamps of oil and bringing schism into the Sangha is remonstrated against of campaka flowers, lamps of oil of varshika flowers, and as being the worst of all the other sins, because it affects lamps of oil of utpala flowers, such hundreds of thousands all living beings. of kinds of offerings as these. Kunti! You and your follow- Now, a person who disturbs the preachers of the Lotus ers should protect such teachers of the Dharma as these.” Sutra is no better than a criminal who commits a serious While this chapter on the dharanis was preached, six- crime, and his retribution will be such that his head will ty-eight thousand people attained the assurance of no [re] be split in seven parts like an arjaka sprout. birth. Reading this passage superficially, the female raksha- sas appear to be vowing vengeance on the enemies of the COMMENTARY Those who receive and keep the name of Lotus Sutra. This is a mistaken interpretation, however. the Dharma Flower. As noted before, names manifest the We might be able to consider that their vigor and zeal entity itself, so receiving and keeping the name is receiv- caused them to utter passionate words because they had ing and keeping what it refers to. not accumulated such great virtues as the disciples of the • Ghee lamps. In India, a butter called ghee, which is made Buddha and because of their demonic nature. But if that from the milk of sheep and goats, is put into dishes and is so, Shakyamuni Buddha, who preached thorough tol- used for votive lights of this type. erance for all living beings, could not have uncondition- • Lamps of oil of sumana flowers . . . oil of utpala flowers. ally extolled the female rakshasas, saying, “Good, good!” These are votive lights, which burn the scented oil of all the The fundamental principles of punishment are as we pleasantly fragrant flowers. have discussed earlier, in chapter 3 (see the July/Aug. 2001 • The assurance of no [re]birth. “No [re]birth” means the issue of Dharma World) and in chapter 10 (see the July/Aug. realization that all things in this world are of emptiness 2005 issue of Dharma World), and those principles defi- (shunyata), neither arising nor perishing. The state of “assur- nitely do not waver. When we carefully consider the verse, ance of no [re]birth” (anutpattika-dharma-) means we notice that it reads “May his head be split in seven,” not experiencing that awareness and not being swayed by the “The rakshasa women will split his head in seven.” Similarly, changes of phenomena. “Assurance” means having fully as to the punishment for the parricidal crime, these rak- acquired that state, so that one does not regress any more shasas do not say that they “will punish him,” but rather from that state. “he shall be punished.” Such expressions accord with the karmic principle of * These dharanis have been given in Japanese reading and have been the Buddhist concept of punishment, which teaches that numbered to facilitate a smoother reading. The original Sanskrit words for the following spells cannot be specified because there is everyone will be punished by one’s own crimes. It is import- no extant version of the Sanskrit text that the translator Kumarajiva ant to take heed of this principle, because if one does not used as a basis for translation, which also makes it difficult to clarify understand it thoroughly, one may easily fall into a vulgar the original meanings of these words. In his book Source Elements view of punishment. of the Lotus Sutra: Buddhist Integration of Religion, Thought, and Culture (Tokyo: Kosei Publishing, 2007, pp. 394–403), Dr. Keisho Tsukamoto gives the equivalent Indic readings closest in pronuncia- TEXT After these female rakshasas had uttered this stanza, tion to Kumarajiva’s found in Sanskrit manuscripts, and when there they addressed the Buddha, saying: “World-honored One! are discrepancies in the pronunciation of equivalent Indic forms, the We ourselves will also protect those who receive and keep, presumed Prakrit form has been appropriated. The Sanskrit words are read and recite, and practice this sutra, and give them ease put in parentheses, and those presumed to be Prakrit are in brackets. of mind, freedom from corroding care and from all poisons.” He also gives meanings conjectured from the originals. The mean- ings are inserted when necessary. COMMENTARY Poisons. This, of course, should be inter- preted as various spiritual poisons. To be continued

48 Dharma World Spring 2019 Rissho Kosei-kai A Global Buddhist Movement

Participants in the fourth World Sangha Assembly held at Rissho Kosei-kai’s headquarters in Tokyo in May 2016.

Rissho Kosei-kai is a global Buddhist movement of people who strive to apply the teachings of the Threefold Lotus Sutra, one of the foremost Mahayana Buddhist scriptures, in their daily lives and contribute to world peace. It was founded in Tokyo in 1938 by Nikkyo Niwano (1906–1999) and Myoko Naganuma (1889–1957). It now has some 1.15 million member households worldwide. Members actively share the Dharma widely and engage in peace activities both locally and internationally in cooperation with people from many walks of life, both religious and non-religious. Hoza (Dharma circle) during a training seminar for US leaders at the Rissho Kosei-kai has 238 Dharma centers in Japan and Oklahoma Dharma Center. 65 branches in 20 counties and regions overseas. For fur- ther information, please visit our website.

Leaders from Dharma centers across Japan participate in hoza at the headquarters.

Rissho Kosei-kai 2-11-1 Wada, Suginami-ku, Tokyo 166-8537, Japan Sutra recitation during a training seminar for Mongolian associate Tel: +81-3-5341-1124 Fax: +81-3-5341-1224 Dharma teachers. Website: www.rk-world.org/ E-mail: [email protected]