Stories from The Threefold Lotus Sutra

4 – Faith Discernment

awakening to the reality of our true nature and that the Buddha, the great life-force of the universe, dwells within all living beings, is affirmed in the parable which tells the story of the wandering son returning home to his father, not realizing he has indeed returned to the warmth of a “blazing fireplace,” deserted long ago. This chapter resonates personally, as the son in the story is fifty years old—my age at the time of connecting with the teachings found in The Threefold Lotus Sutra.

AT THAT TIME the wisdom-destined Subhuti, Maha-Katyayana, Maha-Kashyapa, and Maha-Maudgalyayana, hearing from the Buddha the unprecedented Law and the prediction by the World-honored One of Shariputra’s Perfect Enlightenment, were struck with wonder and ecstatic with joy. Thereupon they rose from their seats and arranging their garments, humbly baring their right shoulders, placing their right knees on the ground, with one mind folding their hands, bending their bodies in reverence, and gazing upon his honored face, addressed the Buddha . . .

  “Now we, in the presence of the Buddha, hearing that shravakas are predicted to attain Perfect Enlightenment, are extremely glad in our minds and have obtained that which we have never experienced before. Unexpectedly we now of a sudden hear this rare Law. Profoundly do we congratulate ourselves on having acquired so great and good a gain, an inestimable jewel without the seeking. World-honored One! Now let us have the pleasure of speaking in a parable to make plain this meaning. . .”

  A son leaves home at an early age and wanders in the world many years doing menial tasks, never believing that he is capable of doing anything better. The father grieves the loss of his son and hopes some day he will see him again. The father is wealthy, having many possessions and riches. One day, the son wanders into the city of his father and the father recognizes him as the son he has lost, but doesn’t reveal himself to him. Instead he gets him to work at menial tasks.

  Gradually the father improves the circumstances of his son’s life, “knowing that the son’s ideas have gradually been enlarged and his will well developed, and that he despises his previous state of mind.” Finally, as the father approaches his death, he reveals himself and leaves the son all his wealth. The son, upon hearing this, is joyous over such unexpected news, realizing, “Without any mind for or effort on my part these treasures now come of themselves to me.”

  The significance of this parable is clear. As expressed by the four disciples:

  “From of old we are really sons and daughters of the Buddha, but only have taken pleasure in minor matters; if we had had a mind to take pleasure in the great, the Buddha would have preached the Great-vehicle Law to us. Now in this sutra he preaches only the One-vehicle; and though formerly in the presence of bodhisattvas he spoke disparagingly of shravakas who were pleased with minor matters, yet the Buddha has in reality been instructing them in the Great-vehicle. Therefore we say that though we had no mind to hope or expect it, yet now the great treasure of the King of the Law has of itself come to us, and such things that Buddha-sons should obtain we have all obtained.”

  The parable is repeated in verse, its lesson made clear. Subhuti, Maha-Katyayana, Maha-Kashyapa, and Maha-Maudgalyayana express their joy in hearing the law and pay homage to the Buddha for awakening them to happiness gained through hearing “the most high Way.”

“. . . Though we for the sake
of all Buddha-sons and daughters,
have preached the Bodhisattva-way,
yet we in regard to this Law,
had never any wish or pleasure.
Our leader saw and let us alone,
because he looked into our minds;
so at first he did not stir up our zeal
by telling of the true gain,
just as the rich elder,
knowing his son’s inferior disposition,
by his tactfulness
subdues his mind,

and afterward gives him
all his wealth.

“So is it with the Buddha
in his display of rarities,
knowing those who delight in trifles,
and by his tactfulness
subduing their minds,
he instructs them in the greater wisdom.

“Today we have obtained
that which we have never had before;
what we have not previously looked for
now we have unexpectedly obtained,
just as that poor son
obtained inestimable treasures.

“World-honored One! Now we
have got the Way and got the fruit,
and in the faultless Law
attained to clear vision, the Buddha-wisdom.
We for long
having kept the Buddha’s pure commands,
today for the first time
obtain their fruit and reward.

“In the Law of the Law-king,
having long practiced holy deeds,
now we have attained to the faultless,
peerless great fruit;
now we are
really hearers of the sound,
who cause all beings to hear
the sound of the Buddha-way.
Now we are
really arhats,
who in all the worlds
of gods, living beings, Maras and Brahmans,
universally by them
are worthy of worship.

“The World-honored One, in his great grace
by things which are rare
has compassion for and instructs
and benefits us;
through countless kalpas,
who could repay him?
Service by hands and feet,
homage with the head,
all kinds of offerings
are all unable to repay him.

“If one bore him on one’s head,
or carried him on one’s shoulders
through kalpas numerous as the sands of the Ganges,
or revered him with one’s whole mind,
or with the best of food,
or garments of countless value
and all kinds of bed things,
or every sort of medicament;
or with ox-head sandalwood
and all kinds of jewels
erected stupas and monasteries;
or carpeted the ground with precious garments;
with such things as these
to pay homage
through kalpas numerous as the sands of the Ganges,
yet one would be unable to repay.

“Buddhas rarely appear with their
infinite and boundless,
inconceivably
great transcendent powers;
they are faultless and effortless,
the kings of the Law,
who are able, for interior minds,
patiently to bide their time in this matter,
and for common folk attached to externals
to preach as is befitting.
Buddhas in the Law
attain to supreme power.
Knowing all living beings,
with their various desires and pleasures,
and their powers,
according to their capacities,
by innumerable parables,
they preach the Law to them.

According as all living beings
in past lives have planted good roots,
the buddhas, knowing the mature
and the immature,
and taking account of each,
discriminating and understanding,
in the One-vehicle, as may be befitting,
they preach the three.”

  The great lesson offered in this parable is told in glowing and inspiring words by Nikkyo Niwano in his Guide to The Threefold Lotus Sutra – the true relationship between humanity and the Buddha’s teachings, and the importance of self-motivation. In preaching the Lotus Sutra before entering nirvana, the Buddha set forth the truth that the great life-force of the universe (“Original Buddha”) and humanity are not strangers, nor is their relation that of controller and controlled. Anyone may succeed to all riches offered by the teachings.

  All people must awaken to the worth of their true nature. . . all may of their own accord dispel illusions and realize the great salvation.