Hsun-Mei Chen on Donald S. Lopez Jr., Jacqueline I. Stone

Donald S. Lopez Jr., Jacqueline I. Stone. Two Buddhas Seated Side by Side: A Guide to the Lotus Sūtra. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2019. 312 pp. $29.95, cloth, ISBN 978-0-691-17420-4. Reviewed by Hsun-Mei Chen (Kyoto University; National Taiwan University) Published on H-Buddhism (April, 2021) Commissioned by Ben Van Overmeire (Duke Kunshan University) For a long time, there has been a lack of an in- circumstances surrounding the compilation of the depth, chapter-by-chapter guidebook of the Lotus Lotus Sūtra, guiding the readers to understand the Sūtra from a scholar’s perspective in English, and challenges faced by the compiler of the Lotus this book, Two Buddhas Seated Side by Side: A Sūtra and the narrative strategies used to confront Guide to the Lotus Sūtra, is precisely the road map those challenges. Finally, the authors examine needed by readers interested in the Lotus Sūtra. how past commentators, primarily the Japanese As if echoing the title of the book, also a famous religious innovator Nichiren, interpreted the Lo‐ scene that appears in chapter 11 of the Lotus tus Sūtra to meet the needs in their own time and Sūtra, this book on the Lotus Sūtra is written by space. Obviously, providing chapter-by-chapter two famous scholars in Buddhist studies: Donald discussions of this volume would make this re‐ S. Lopez Jr. and Jacqueline I. Stone. Except for the view far too long, and therefore I will instead col‐ authors’ introduction at the beginning and the lectively summarize some important ideas and conclusion at the end, the chapters are ordered ac‐ features of these three main themes and then cording to the Kumārajīva’s twenty-eight-chapter provide some comments. version of Lotus Sūtra. This volume has three At the beginning of every chapter, the authors main goals: First, the authors provide clear and first summarize the narratives and main ideas of concise chapter-by-chapter summaries with back‐ the corresponding chapter of the Lotus Sūtra. The ground explanations to help modern readers to authors regard the Lotus Sūtra as an ancient liter‐ comprehend the rich, but also abstruse, contents ary and philosophical text that can be appreciated of the Lotus Sūtra. Then, in conjunction with the more by modern readers if the historical circum‐ summaries, the authors illustrate the historical stances of its composition are provided. Therefore, H-Net Reviews in addition to the summaries, Stone and Lopez placing other teachings as skillful means that also demonstrate how the main characters in the guide the sentient beings to the Mahāyāna, the Lo‐ Lotus Sūtra and teachings of Buddha were under‐ tus Sūtra referred to itself as the last and perfect stood in mainstream Indian (that is, non- teaching by the Buddha. Moreover, the Lotus Mahāyāna) Buddhism. From the authors’ summar‐ Sūtra not only described itself as the last teaching ies, the readers can clearly grasp major messages by Śākyamuni Buddha but also referred to itself as delivered in the Lotus Sūtra, such as the teaching primordial teaching taught by all previous of the one vehicle (一乘, ekayāna), skillful means Buddhas eons ago. By employing self-referential (方便, upāyakauśalya), and Śākyamuni’s eternal narratives and expanding the time scope in the abode in the Sahā world. Then by comparing the sūtra, the Lotus Sūtra aimed to establish its cred‐ Lotus Sūtra with the background knowledge in ibility and legitimacy in the context of mainstream mainstream Buddhism, modern readers, espe‐ Buddhism, and by deploying the famous parables, cially those who do not know much about it attacked mainstream Buddhism by suggesting Buddhism, can clearly see how the Lotus Sūtra re‐ that it is the mainstream version of Śākyamuni, interpreted mainstream Indian Buddhism and re‐ who would have to respond to the charge of lying vealed a new Śākyamuni who ultimately never (instead of the cosmic, skill-in-means-using passes into parinirvāṇa. Śākyamuni in the Lotus Sūtra itself). Through the The only dissatisfaction I have about this part authors’ elegant elucidations, the readers can is how the authors present the parable of medicin‐ clearly see how the compilers/authors of the Lotus al herbs in the fifth chapter of the Lotus Sūtra. Sūtra applied those narrative devices throughout When explaining the parable, the authors obvi‐ to legitimize the Lotus Sūtra and counter the criti‐ ously reckon that the idea of single truth in this cisms from mainstream Buddhism. Readers famil‐ parable contradicts the multiplicity of skillful iar with other Mahāyāna sūtras can also appreci‐ means in previous chapters. While the authors do ate how unique and creative the Lotus Sūtra is try to resolve some apparent inconsistencies in within this genre of Buddhist scripture. Nichiren’s explanations of the Lotus Sūtra, it The authors analyze the narrative strategies seems that they have no intention to resolve this applied in the Lotus Sūtra primarily from the tension. However, there are some historical resol‐ angle of the opposition between mainstream utions to this tension that I would have liked to see Buddhism and Mahāyāna texts. Furthermore, the discussed here. For example, in his explanation of authors implicitly suggest that the Mahāyāna this parable in Miaofa Lianhua Jing Wen Ju (妙法 sūtras are in the same camp in the Mahāyāna 蓮華經文句), Zhiyi commented that while sentient movement, facing the same opponent, main‐ beings are unaware that all five vehicles (namely, stream Buddhism. This perspective may give the the vehicles of humans, gods, śrāvakas, pratyeka‐ readers the impression that the narrative buddhas, and bodhisattva) are all Mahāyāna, the strategies used in the Lotus Sūtra only aimed to Buddha does know.[1] According to Zhiyi’s com‐ rebut criticism from mainstream Buddhism. In‐ mentary, the parable of medicinal herbs actually deed, as the authors propose, the Lotus Sūtra had raises the idea of ekayāna to a more inclusive to counter strong criticisms from mainstream level: seemingly, there are different skillful means, Buddhism during its composition. However, if the but ultimately, they are all Mahāyāna. Lotus Sūtra could also be compared with other Mahāyāna sūtras, the narrative strategies of the Integrated with the summaries and back‐ Lotus Sūtra may be understood in a different way. ground knowledge is an explanation of the narrat‐ ive devices applied in the Lotus Sūtra. In brief, by 2 H-Net Reviews For example, the contemporary Japanese daimoku on the principle of Three Thousand scholar Satoshi Hiraoka has argued in his book Realms in a Single Thought Moment (一念三千) by that “the Lotus Sūtra aimed to transcend the dual‐ Zhiyi, the authors also provide lucid explanations istic discrimination between Mahāyāna and other of Zhiyi’s complicated philosophy. inferior teachings mentioned in the Vimalakīrti Besides Nichiren’s philosophy, the authors Nirdeśa Sūtra.”[2] Moreover, he suggested that clearly show how Nichiren linked his historical “the intention behind the Lotus Sūtra was to sur‐ moment with the narratives in the Lotus Sūtra. pass the Mahāyāna teaching advocated in Nichiren took the natural disasters, civil strife, Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa and Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras and Mongol invasion that affected Japan in his by proposing a new ekayāna teaching.”[3] Here I lifetime as the result of disparaging the Lotus am not proposing that Hiraoka is correct but Sūtra. He then proposed that the Bakufu, the milit‐ simply suggesting that if the relationship between ary government that ruled Japan in his time, the Lotus Sūtra and other Mahāyāna texts could should only support the Lotus Sūtra and abandon also be taken into consideration, one may find that all other Buddhist sects. Because of his vehement the criticisms the compilers of the Lotus Sūtra had way of propagating the Lotus Sūtra, Nichiren was to face were not only from mainstream Buddhism exiled, persecuted, and even physically attacked. but perhaps also from the proponents of other Nevertheless, those predicaments never shook Mahāyāna texts. Therefore, I would suggest that a Nichiren’s faith in the Lotus Sūtra but for him more complete and richer explanation of the nar‐ were proof of the statements in the Lotus Sūtra rative strategies in the Lotus Sūtra could be ob‐ that people propagating the Lotus Sūtra may en‐ tained if the Lotus Sūtra could be examined in this counter hostility. broader context. Taking Nichiren as a case study on East Asia The last theme of the book is hermeneutics. Buddhist hermeneutics, the authors present how The authors primarily focus on how Nichiren, an this Buddhist commentator engaged in “hermen‐ important advocate of the Lotus Sūtra in Japan, eutical triangulation,” that is, Nichiren’s interpret‐ interpreted the Lotus Sūtra. As the authors point ation was informed by the scripture itself, his re‐ out, both Ongi kuden and Okō kikigaki, two works ceived interpretive tradition, and also the time traditionally taken as Nichiren’s lectures on the and circumstances in which he was embedded. In Lotus Sūtra, cannot be cited as Nichiren’s own this volume, the authors do not superimpose their writings from a scholarly perspective. Therefore, personal evaluation on Nichiren’s hermeneutic sorting out how Nichiren interpreted each chapter activities. Instead, they provide a relatively object‐ of the Lotus Sūtra actually becomes a difficult ive and coherent illustration of those activities. I task. Nevertheless, through their deep under‐ think the way they present Nichiren could inspire standing of Nichiren’s works, the authors accom‐ the readers to reflect more on Nichiren’s interpret‐ plish an admirable task identifying passages per‐ ation of the Lotus Sūtra. taining to each chapter of the Lotus Sūtra from a Nevertheless, this book may lead some read‐ great number of Nichiren’s writings. They beauti‐ ers to think that the idea that the Lotus Sūtra can fully illustrate how Nichiren annotated various protect the nation originated with Nichiren.

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