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The Lotus Sutra: Opening the Way for the Enlightenment of All People

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The Lotus Sutra: Opening the Way for the Enlightenment of All People The Lotus Sutra: Opening the Way for the Enlightenment of All People he Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai of China disciples known as voice-hearers and cause- analyzed the content and meaning of awakened ones), women and evil persons from all the Buddhist sutras, concluding the possibility of ever becoming Buddhas. And Tthat the Lotus Sutra constitutes the highest even for those considered capable of attaining essence of Buddhist teachings. Buddhahood, the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings He classified the Lotus Sutra as conveying presume that the process of doing so requires the teachings that Shakyamuni Buddha countless lifetimes of austere practice. There expounded toward the end of his life, which is no recognition that an ordinary person can the Buddha intended to be passed on to the attain Buddhahood in this single lifetime. The future for the enlightenment of all people. Lotus Sutra, on the other hand, makes clear T’ien-t’ai also pointed out that teachings the that all people without exception possess a Buddha expounded prior to the Lotus Sutra Buddha nature and indicates that they can should be regarded as “expedient means” attain enlightenment in this life, as they are, and set aside. In the Immeasurable Meanings in their present form. Sutra, considered an introduction to the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni says: “Preaching the Law in various different ways, I made use of the Outline and Structure of power of expedient means. But in these more the Lotus Sutra than forty years, I have not yet revealed the truth” (The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and n analyzing the contents of the Lotus Sutra, Closing Sutras, p. 15). T’ien-t’ai divided its twenty-eight chap- Later, in the Lotus Sutra, he indicates that Iters into two parts: he called the first fourteen he is “discarding expedient means” and “will chapters (from “Introduction” to “Peaceful preach only the unsurpassed way” (LSOC, Practices”) the “theoretical teaching” and 79). In terms of the depth of its teaching, the the last fourteen chapters (from “Emerging Lotus Sutra unequivocally recognizes the from the Earth” to “Encouragements of the possibility of all people, regardless of capacity Bodhisattva Universal Worthy”), the “essential and without distinction or exception, to teaching.” attain enlightenment. Sutras preached prior Beginning from the first chapter, “Intro- to the Lotus Sutra place limitations on who duction,” the story conveyed in the Lotus is capable of attaining enlightenment and are Sutra unfolds at Eagle Peak, where countless therefore considered only partial expressions listeners gather to hear the Buddha preach of the truth. For instance, they exclude persons important principles and teachings. The prin- of the two vehicles (classes of the Buddha’s ciple of the “true aspect of all phenomena,” THE HISTORY OF BUDDHISM 9 expounded in “Expedient Means,” the second place in “two places and three assemblies.” chapter of the sutra, is central to the theo- The two places are Eagle Peak and “in the air.” retical teaching. Another important principle, Shakyamuni begins preaching to the assembly the “attainment of Buddhahood by persons gathered on Eagle Peak (the first assembly), of the two vehicles,” is emphasized beginning raises the assembly into the air to continue his with “Simile and Parable,” the third chapter, preaching (the second assembly) and returns and continues through “Prophecies Conferred the assembly to Eagle Peak to conclude (the on Learners and Adepts,” the ninth chapter. third assembly). The “air” in this scenario Through these teachings, T’ien-t’ai derived symbolizes the pure realm of eternal truth, the principles known as “the mutual posses- and Eagle Peak symbolizes the saha world, the sion of the Ten Worlds” and “three thousand real world filled with suffering and delusion. realms in a single moment of life.” During the Ceremony in the Air, Shakya- In “Teacher of the Law,” the 10th chapter, muni urges that the Lotus Sutra’s teachings be the discussion develops around the theme of propagated in the evil age after the Buddha’s who will propagate the Lotus Sutra in the evil passing. In “The Emergence of the Treasure age after the Buddha’s passing. Tower,” he expounds the concept of the “six The 11th chapter, “The Emergence of the difficult and nine easy acts” 1 to illustrate how Treasure Tower,” describes an immense tower difficult it is to propagate the Wonderful adorned with seven kinds of treasures rising Law of the Lotus Sutra in the world after the up out of the earth and standing suspended Buddha’s passing. In “Encouraging Devo- in mid-air. Many Treasures, a Buddha of past tion,” the 13th chapter, Shakyamuni describes ages who is seated in the tower, attests that the “three powerful enemies,” 2 three types of Shakyamuni’s teachings set down in the Lotus arrogant people who will persecute those Sutra are true and correct. Following this, all who propagate the Lotus Sutra in the future Buddhas of the ten directions throughout the evil age. universe gather before the Treasure Tower. Determined to face any difficulties, many Shakyamuni then enters the Treasure bodhisattvas ask permission to propagate the Tower and takes a seat next to Many Trea- sutra after the Buddha’s passing. However, in sures. Those gathered at Eagle Peak—where “Emerging from the Earth,” the 15th chapter, Shakyamuni Buddha has been expounding Shakyamuni restrains them. Instead he the teachings of the Lotus Sutra thus far—are summons forth a multitude of bodhisattvas, lifted into the air through the Buddha’s tran- whom he identifies as his original disciples, scendental powers, and the preaching known who emerge in astounding numbers from as the “Ceremony in the Air” begins. beneath the earth. Known as the “Bodhi- From the first through tenth chapters, sattvas of the Earth,” they are true leaders Shakyamuni preaches at Eagle Peak. The who will propagate the Law after the Buddha’s following twelve chapters, from “The Emer- death. gence of the Treasure Tower” to “Entrust- These events reveal that the purpose of the ment,” describe the Buddha’s preaching and Ceremony in the Air is to entrust the task of events that take place during the Ceremony propagating the Lotus Sutra in the age after in the Air. Then, from “Former Affairs of the the Buddha’s passing to those who share an Bodhisattva Medicine King,” the 23rd chapter, eternal bond with the sutra’s teaching. The to the end of the sutra, Shakyamuni returns emergence of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth the assembly to Eagle Peak where he concludes marks the beginning of the essential teaching his preaching. Because of these changes in of the Lotus Sutra. venue, the preaching of Shakyamuni Buddha In “Life Span of the Thus Come One,” the depicted in the Lotus Sutra is said to take 16th chapter, Shakyamuni reveals that he 10 ESSENTIALS EXAM, PART 2 attained Buddhahood “in the remote past,” and the true aspect are inseparable, and all thereby making clear the true nature of his things and phenomena are expressions of the enlightenment and the ever-present potential true aspect. The “Expedient Means” chapter for Buddhahood innate in all people. Further- teaches that all phenomena take form and more, he entrusts Bodhisattva Superior Prac- function in accord with the principle of the tices and the other leaders of the Bodhisattvas “ten factors of life” (see pp. 47–48). of the Earth with the essence of the Lotus Nichiren Daishonin clarifies that all Sutra for the sake of future generations. With phenomena are, in fact, Myoho-renge-kyo— the conclusion of the Ceremony in the Air, the essential Law of the universe itself. In his Shakyamuni returns the assembly to Eagle writing “The True Aspect of All Phenomena,” Peak and preaches the means to lead all people he says that this principle “means that all from suffering to happiness through citing the beings and environments in the Ten Worlds, examples of several bodhisattvas. These are from hell, the lowest, to Buddhahood, the the bodhisattvas Medicine King, Wonderful highest, are without exception manifestations Sound, Perceiver of the World’s Sounds and of Myoho-renge-kyo” (The Writings of Nichiren Universal Worthy. Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 383). In light of the teaching In “Former Affairs of the Bodhisattva of the true aspect of all phenomena, all people Medicine King,” the 23rd chapter, Shakyamuni are equal in that they share the essential nature says, “After I have passed into extinction, in of Myoho-renge-kyo. Based on the principle the last five-hundred-year period, you must that all people can attain enlightenment, spread it abroad widely throughout Jambud- the theoretical teaching begins to emphasize vipa and never allow it to be cut off” (LSOC, the fact that Buddhist teachings expounded 330), predicting the worldwide propagation prior to the Lotus Sutra do not describe the of the Lotus Sutra beginning in the fifth “attainment of Buddhahood by persons of five-hundred-year period after his death. He the two vehicles.” The Lotus Sutra reveals also predicts that the benevolent deities will this possibility and that, based on the same protect those who propagate the Law. With principle, the attainment of Buddhahood even this, he concludes his preaching. by evil persons, as well as the attainment of Buddhahood by women, is possible. Though Buddhism in general may appear to be a fair Core Principles of the and egalitarian religion, only the Lotus Sutra clearly sets forth a teaching of fundamental Theoretical and Essential equality. Teachings The Buddhist principle central to the Lotus Sutra’s essential teaching, its latter four- he Buddhist principles central to the teen chapters, is the “attainment of Buddha- Lotus Sutra’s theoretical teaching, the hood in the remote past” described in “The Tfirst fourteen chapters, are the true aspect of all Life Span of the Thus Come One” chapter.
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