since we are publishing stories from the lotus sutra, thought it might be a good idea once more to publish Formation and propagation of the Lotus Sutra from “Promises Made in Past Lives.”

formation and propagation of the Lotus Sutra – notes from Nikkyo Niwano’s Buddhism for Today, a Modern Interpretation of The Threefold Lotus Sutra:

  “No widespread writing system in India in Shakyamuni’s time. . . sermons memorized and spread by word of mouth: people had powers of memory beyond our imagining, and people’s lives less complicated. . . it is almost certain that they [great disciples of the Buddha] did not mishear Shakyamuni’s sermons. . .

  “Frequent conferences held often after death of Buddha.” [Mahayana sutras begin often with the phrase: “Thus have I heard.”]

  In the west we have similar traditions: legends, histories, stories origi­nating from oral transmission passed down from generation to generation, most notably by the wandering blind poet Homer reciting Trojan War Epics—the Iliad and Odyssey; The Song of Roland, 11^th Century Chanson de Geste ascribed to the Norman troubadours Théroulde, or Turoldus, which tells the death of Roland and stories related to Charlemagne.

Continuing notes from nikkyo niwano’s buddhism for today: “There is no sutra that is not holy. Teachings have been recorded in Agama, Prajñaparamita, and Amitabha sutras, and many others. But only in the Lotus Sutra was the fundamental spirit of all Shakyamuni’s teachings during his active life clearly expressed for the first time . . . important spirit of all his teachings has been unified and described in easily understood terms; essentials of Buddhism’s very core of Shakyamuni’s teachings explained exhaustively in simple, yet powerful words.

  “After the Buddha’s death, a gulf opened between monks and lay devotees, before either group was aware of it . . . This continually widening gap came about because some monks attached much more importance to the formalities of keeping the precepts than to the fundamental spirit of why the precepts should be kept.
  “The Lotus Sutra appeared under circumstances of a clash between the new and old (Hinayana and Mahayana). Mahayana (great vehicle) stresses that in Buddhism there is only one vehicle to be followed equally by all people, and that the ultimate object of Shakyamuni’s teachings is to bring all people to this vehicle [ultimately to self-attained enlightenment, compassionate mindfulness, and Perfect Enlightenment as the Buddha himself attained].”

8. Five Hundred Disciples Receive the Prediction of Their Destiny

discovering the jewel in the robe, our buddha-nature. the fifth parable in the Lotus Sutra. The chapter begins as Purna, son of Maitrayani, praised for his zealous teaching of the law, goes before the Buddha; “Purna-Maitrayani,” or “Full Moon,” because Purna is said to have been born on the fifteenth day of the Moon’s monthly cycle.

AT THAT TIME Purna, son of Maitrayani, having heard the Buddha preach in such wise, tactful, and opportune fashion, and having heard the prediction of the great disciples’ Perfect Enlightenment; having, moreover, heard the stories of their former destinies, and also having heard of the sovereign, transcendent powers of the buddhas; having received such unexampled teaching, his heart was purified and in ecstasy. Immediately he rose from his seat, went before the Buddha, prostrated himself at  his feet, then withdrew to one side, gazing upon his honored countenance without for a moment turning away his eyes, and reflected thus:

  “Wonderful is the World-honored One. Rare are his doings according to the many kinds of earthly dispositions. By tactful wisdom, he preaches the Law to and lifts all beings out of every condition to let them get rid of selfish attachment. No words of ours can declare the Buddha’s merits. Only the Buddha, the World-honored One, is able to know the natural inclinations of our inmost hearts.”

Thereupon the Buddha addressed the bhikshus, saying: “Do you see this Purna, son of Maitrayani? I have always styled him the very first among all the preachers of the Law and constantly praised his varied merits. He has been zealous in guarding and helping to proclaim my Law. Among the four groups he has been able to display and teach it to them with profit and delight. Perfectly interpreting the Righteous law of the Buddha, he has greatly benefited his fellow followers of brahma-conduct. Aside from the Tathagata, no one is able to equal the lucidity of his discourse.

  “Do not think that it is only my Law which Purna is able to guard and help to proclaim. He also under ninety countless buddhas in the past guarded and helped to proclaim the Righteous Law of the buddhas. Among those preachers of the Law he also was the foremost. And in regard to the law of the Void preached by the enlightened ones, he was clear-minded and penetrating; he attained the four degrees of unhindered wisdom; he has ever been able to preach the Law with judgment and purity, without doubt and perplexity. Perfect in transcendent bodhisattva-powers, he maintained brahma-conduct to the end of his life. All the people of those buddha-periods spoke of him as ‘the true shravaka disciple.’

  “Thus Purna, by such tactfulness, has benefited innumerable hundreds of thousands of living beings and converted innumerable asankhyeyas of people to achieve Perfect Enlightenment. For the sake of purifying his buddha-land, he has constantly done a buddha’s work and instructed the living. Bhikshus! Purna also was the foremost among the preachers of the Law under the Seven Buddhas and now again is the foremost among the preachers of the Law under me.

  “Among the preachers of the Law under future buddhas in this  kalpa of the Sages, he will also be the foremost and will guard and help to proclaim the Buddha-law. Also in the future he will guard and help to proclaim the Law of incalculable, infinite buddhas, instructing and benefiting innumerable living beings to cause them to achieve Perfect Enlightenment. For the sake of purifying his buddha-land he will ever diligently and zealously instruct the living. Gradually fulfilling the bodhisattva-course, after infinite asankhyeya kalpas, in that land he will attain Perfect Enlightenment and his title will be Radiance of the Law Tathagata, Worshipful, All Wise, Perfectly Enlightened in Conduct, Well Departed, Understander of the World, Peerless Leader, Controller, Teacher of Gods and Living Beings, Buddha, World-honored One. . .”

  The Buddha continues his lavish praise of Purna, describing the beautiful land Purna will create as “Excellent Purity” composed of the precious seven jewels, and his kalpa will be named “Jewel Radiance.” The Buddha continues:

“Thus do my disciples
tactfully save all beings.
If I fully explained
the varied future transformations,
beings who heard of them
would be perplexed and puzzled.”

  Hearing such praise, twelve hundred arhats of self-reliant mind reflect their delight that they gain “unprecedented experience,” but wish the World-honored One to predict their future destiny as he has for the other disciples. “How glad we should be!”

  Knowing their thoughts, the Buddha addresses Maha-Kashyapa: “These twelve hundred arhats: let me now in their presence and in order predict for them Perfect Enlightenment. Amongst this assembly, my great disciple Ajñata Kaundinya bhikshu, after paying homage to sixty-two thousand countless buddhas, will become a buddha whose title will be Universal Light Tathagata, Worshipful, All Wise, Perfectly Enlightened in Conduct, Well Departed, Understander of the World, Peerless Leader, Controller, Teacher of Gods and Living Beings, Buddha, World-honored One. Of the rest of those arhats, five hundred self-reliant ones, Divine Eye Aniruddha, Uruvilva-Kashyapa, Gaya-Kashyapa, Nadi-Kashyapa, Kalodayin, Udayin, Revata, Kapphinya, Vakkula, Cunda, Svagata, Precept keeping Upali, and others—all will attain to Perfect Enlightenment, all with the same title, Universal Light.

  Predictions are given for all, praised in extensive verse, the Buddha concluding:

“The splendid purity of their domain
and its transcendent powers,
in bodhisattvas and shravakas,
in Righteous Law and its Counterfeit,
the length of its kalpa period,
all will be as above stated.
Kashyapa! You now know
of these five hundred self-reliant ones.

“The other band of shravakas
will also be like them.
To these, who are not in this assembly,
do you proclaim my words.”

  Noting here that even those who chose not to hear the Buddha’s preaching of the Great Law, as told in Chapter 2, all will attain enlightenment in future worlds—an expression of the Buddha’s universal benevolence.

  The five hundred arhats present before the Buddha, receiving their prediction, are ecstatic with joy, but repent their errors, rebuking themselves: “World-honored One, we have constantly been thinking that we had attained final nirvana. Now we know that we were just like the foolish ones. Wherefore? Because we ought to have obtained the Tathagata-wisdom, and yet were content with inferior knowledge.”

  To further explain their regret, Ajñata and others tell the story of the poor man and the jewel in the robe, concluding the parable in verse:

“We, hearing his voice
predicting for us unsurpassed comfort
rejoice in our unexpected lot
and salute the all-wise Buddha.
Now before the World-honored One
we repent our errors;
though countless Buddha-treasures awaited,
with but a trifle of nirvana
we, like ignorant and foolish people,
were ready to be content.

“It is like a poor man
who goes to the house of a friend.
That friend, being very rich,
sets much fine food before him.
A priceless precious pearl
he ties in his inner garment,
secretly giving it and departing
while he sleeps on unaware.

“The man when he arises
travels on to another country
in search of food and clothes to keep alive,
suffering great hardships for his living,
contented with ever so little,
wishing for nothing better,
never perceiving that in his inner garment
there is a priceless jewel.

“The friend who gave him the jewel
afterward sees this poor man
and, bitterly rebuking him,
shows where the jewel is bound.
The poor man, seeing this jewel,
is filled with a great joy;
rich in possession of wealth,
he can satisfy his five senses.

“Such were also we.
For long has the World-honored One
always pitied and taught us
to cultivate the highest aspiration;
but because of our ignorance,
we neither perceived nor knew it;
gaining but a little of nirvana,
contented we sought no more.
Now the Buddha has awakened us,
saying this is not real nirvana;
only on attaining the highest Buddha-wisdom
is there real nirvana.

“Now, having heard from the Buddha
the prediction and its glory,
and the command we receive in turn,
body and soul are full of joy.”

  In The Guide to The Threefold Lotus Sutra, Nikkyo Niwano observes: “the Buddha who appeared in the world as Shakyamuni taught that all humankind alike have the buddha-nature—the precious jewel in the lining of the poor man’s clothes in the parable—and this teaching stirs our awareness of our ultimate substance—free life which is one with the great life-force of the universe. Because we don’t know this, we get caught up in the toils of life. . . We need only to make the discovery, to awaken to the fact that our ultimate substance is the buddha-nature, to see that beginning in this way, we are delivered.”

  This, only a first step, until ultimately we reach a state of mind in which we recognize existence of “the jewel in the robe,” in ourselves and all living beings. This realization can have a profound effect on our relations with others.

Ansel Adams

Aspiration and Discipline

  Bhutatathata has a twofold influence – one derived from its essential nature, the other from its energy. In its essential nature, bhutatathata enshrines eternal purity, supremely stainless and without any limit. As an inexhaustible reservoir of benefits, it is the basis of all manifestation. Under its irresistible influence, men and women turn away from oppressive samsara and seek the life-giving bliss of nirvana. They share the faith that the energy of bhutatathata resides within themselves, but they must release it through their aspiration and discipline.

  If it is true that all beings without exception share the energy of bhutatathata among themselves, why are some conscious of this indwelling energy while others are oblivious to it, and why are there glaring inequalities amongst beings in their pilgrimage from aspiration to nirvana? Should not everyone attain enlightenment simultaneously? This diversity is due to the fact that though bhutatathata is com­mon to all beings, their degrees of ignorance are as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, and human beings entangled in ignorance markedly differ in their imprison­ment. Ignorant notions and desires are numberless. Their range and reach are known only to the Tathagata.

  The sacred teachings have always distinguished between energy and its use, and there must be a fusion of the two for true attainment. Though wood contains within itself the latent force of fire, it will not burn unless ignited. So, too, with the divine fire of bhutatathata. Although human beings share it among themselves, they might never release it if the means to do so were not disclosed by the enlightened ones. And if they learn it but do not practice, it is of little avail. Yet even the exemplification of the enlightened could not arouse the sacred flame within human beings were it not for the latent resolve within them to nurture it with devotion. Only when the energy is used is true attainment possible.

  There is within the inner recesses of each human soul a divine flame – nurtured and protected by the compassionate ideation of the blessed ones – which in its own radiance has no connection with samsara, but which continually turns toward nir­vana. This inner radiance sustains the practice of virtue together with the earnest endeavor to achieve it. Thus the aspiring soul enters into the companionship of the blessed ones, receives their instruction, is benefited and beatified, and eventually attains to the blissful realm of nirvana.

  Bhutatathata in its energetic flow exerts externally incalculable force, radiating its influence over all that exists. Its mode of activity is twofold, the specific and the universal. The specific influence suffuses every stage of a person’s unfoldment, and to this end the buddhas manifest themselves as parents, family, relations, servants, friends and even as seeming enemies to those whom they choose to instruct. The buddhas may endear themselves to humanity in every conceivable way to persuade it to perfect itself in wisdom and goodness. The blessed ones through tenderness inspire them to increase their store of merit. Their specific influence is also twofold, direct and indirect.  Through direct influence, attainment is very rapid, and through indirect influence, it is gradual in respect to time. Each mode is divisible into phases of practice and attainment.

  The universal influence is active through the determination of the mighty ones to deliver all beings from bondage. It is like a great benediction eternally uttered, encouraging all beings to think on them and thus grow in merit. When human beings at last enter into a state of purity, they behold the hidden buddhas that are germs in the souls of all humanity.

Mahayana Shraddotpada III, 1                                                                Asvaghosha

Treatise on the Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana

Notes:

Bhuta-tathata is the energy of buddha-nature, or enlightened nature, which dwells in all beings.

The “great benediction” is—we all are one substance with the Buddha, the great life-force of the universe, and caused to live by it.

Stories from the Lotus Sutra

7 - Parable of the Magic City

“advancing together to the place of jewels” – the natural course of human endeavor . . . The Buddha teaches us the apparent forms before our eyes are just appearances that pass. Do not be deceived, and you may always be at peace. We are told to go beyond appearances if we would escape human suffering and reach a state of peacefulness of mind. . .

. . . though as practioners of the Buddha-way we may deliver ourselves from suffering, great numbers of people in the world remain trapped in suffering. To pass these people by and reach a realm of ease for ourselves alone is again a kind of escape, an arrogant selfishness. This is, in no sense, enlightenment. To strive in the midst of suffering humanity—to continue the journey toward enlightenment—is to live a truly human life. . . it is the bodhisattva’s toil for the happiness and well-being of people.

7 – Parable of the Magic City

“advancing together to the place of jewels” – In the eye of Buddha-wisdom, the ultimate journey for all living beings is to follow the Buddha-way, up-reaching mindfulness, complete awareness—celebrating the sanctity of life, inspiring compassion. This chapter, telling the story of the past life of Universal Surpassing Wisdom Tathagata who “sat for a long time waiting to hear the Buddha-laws” leaving home with his sixteen royal sons, women and grandfather, relates not only the epic journey of Universal Surpassing Wisdom, but the natural course of human endeavor in following the path, “advancing together to the place of jewels.”

THE BUDDHA addressed the bhikshus, “Of yore in the past, infinite, boundless, and inconceivable asankhyeya kalpas ago, there was then a buddha named Universal Surpassing Wisdom Tathagata, Worshipful, All Wise, Perfectly Enlightened in Conduct, Well Departed, Understander of the World, Peerless Leader, Controller, Teacher of Gods and Living Beings, Buddha, World-honored One, whose domain was named Well Completed, and whose kalpa was named Great Form. . .”

  Universal Surpassing Wisdom became extinct a very long time ago, exceeding numbers innumerable, “but by the power of his Tathagata wisdom, I observe that length of time as if it were only today.” The Buddha relates how this Buddha Universal Surpassing Wisdom whose life is five hundred and forty myriad countless nayutas of kalpas, sat for ten minor kalpas waiting to hear the Buddha-laws. The gods of the thirty-three heavens pay honor to Universal Surpassing Wisdom who finally attains the Buddha-laws.

 “Know bhikshus!
The Buddha-wisdom is pure and minúte,
faultless and unhindered,
penetrating through infinite kalpas.”

  Buddha Universal Surpassing Wisdom leaves home followed by the sixteen sons, women and grandfather. People praise the buddha, and the sixteen sons entreat him to roll the law wheel for all the world. “When the Buddha Universal Surpassing Wisdom attained Perfect Enlightenment, the five hundred myriad countless buddha-worlds in all directions were each shaken in different ways; even the dark places between those realms where the august light of the sun and moon could not shine, all became brilliant. All the living beings in their midst could see each other and unitedly exclaimed: ‘From where have all these living beings suddenly come?’ Moreover, the palaces of the gods in all those regions, even Brahma palaces, shook in six different ways and a great light universally shone, filling all the worlds, surpassing the light of heaven.”

  The great Brahma kings in the southeastern quarter of five hundred myriad countless domains, each seeing his own palace radiant with light as never before, were ecstatic with joy and amazed. “Then eastward, all the palaces of the Brahma heavens in the five hundred myriad countless domains were brilliantly illuminated with double their moral brightness. And each of those Brahma heavenly kings reflected thus: ‘For what reason does this sign appear, that our palaces are now illuminated as never before?’ Then those brahma heavenly kings all visited each other to discuss this affair. Meanwhile, amongst those assembled there was a great Brahma heavenly king named Savior of All who addressed the host of Brahmas in verse:

‘In all our palaces
never has there been such shining;
what can be its cause?
Let us together investigate it.
Is it that a great virtuous god is born,
is it that a buddha appears in the world,
that this great shining
everywhere illuminates the universe?’

  Thereupon the Brahma heavenly kings in five hundred myriad countless domains, with all their palace train, each taking a sack filled with celestial flowers, go together to visit the western quarter to investigate this sign.

  There they saw the Tathagata Universal Surpassing Wisdom on the wisdom terrace under the Bodhi tree, seated on the lion throne, surrounded and revered by gods, dragons, worthy spirits who fight evil—yakshas (followers of Vaishravana). Musicians of Indra (gandharvas), fabulous birds with golden wings (garudas), fabulous beings (kimnaras); titans (asuras), boa spirits (mahoragas), human and nonhuman beings, and others. And they saw his sixteen royal sons entreating the buddha to roll along the Law-wheel. Then all the Brahma heavenly kings bowed to the ground before the buddha, made procession around him hundreds and thousands of times, and then strewed the celestial flowers upon him. The flowers they strewed rose like Mount Sumer and were offered also to the buddha’s Bodhi tree. That Bodhi tree was ten yojanas in height. When they had offered the flowers, each of them presented his palace to the buddha and spoke thus: ‘Out of compassion for us and for our good, condescend to accept the palaces we offer!’

  The story continues as the great Brahma kings in the southeastern quarter of five hundred myriad countless domains, each seeing his own palace radiant with light as never before, ecstatic with joy and amazed. Brahma heavenly kings in all directions seek out Universal Surpassing Wisdom, offer their palaces, and entreat him to roll the Law-wheel. Finally, all the Brahma heavenly kings, giving the Buddha Universal Surpassing Wisdom their palaces and treasures, hearing him roll the Law-wheel to the sixteen royal sons, and realizing the merit they have received, before the buddha, declare:

“May this deed of merit
extend to all creatures
that we with all the living
may together accomplish the Buddha-way.”

  After the entreaty of the Brahma heavenly kings in the ten regions, the Tathagata Universal Surpassing Wisdom three times rolls the Law-wheel showing the meaning of the Four Noble Truths, the Law of the Twelve Causes, exhorting all to practice them, and proving that the Buddha Universal Surpassing Wisdom has accomplished them. The great host have their minds freed from faults, no longer subject to temporary laws.

  The sixteen royal sons leave home and entreat Surpassing Wisdom to preach the Law. Others follow their example.

At last Surpassing Wisdom preaches “the Great-vehicle Sutra named the Lotus Flower of the   Wonderful Law.” All present receive it in faith.

  The sixteen sons preach the Great-vehicle Sutra as Universal Surpassing Wisdom enters meditation for a long period of time. Then he rises from his meditation entreating all to worship the sixteen bodhisattvas so that they may attain the Tathagata-wisdom of Perfect Enlightenment through the teaching of these bodhisattvas.

    The Buddha explains how these sixteen bodhisattvas ever take delight in preaching this Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Law, how they have all attained Perfect Enlightenment and are preaching the Law in all countries in every direction, naming the sixteen bodhisattvas and the regions in which they became enlightened ones:

  Two in the eastern quarter, Akshobhya in the Kingdom of Joy and Sumeru Peak, in the southeastern quarter, Lion Voice, and Lion Ensign, in the southern quarter, Space Dweller, and Eternal Extinction, in the southwestern quarter, Imperial Ensign, and Brahma Ensign, in the western quarter, Amita, and He Who Has Passed Through All the Sufferings of the World, in the northwestern quarter, Tamalapattra Spiritually Pervading Sandalwood Odor, and Sumeru sign, in the northern quarter, Sovereign Cloud, and Sovereign Cloud King, the buddha in the northeastern quarter named Destroyer of All the World’s Fear, 

and the sixteenth is I myself, Shakyamuni Buddha, who has accomplished Perfect Enlightenment in the saha-domain.”

  The Buddha says that all the bhikshus now present are the same living beings previously converted, as he constantly instructs them in Perfect Enlightenment, that he will in the future “still be Buddha though under different names,” and that only by the Buddha-vehicle will his disciples attain real nirvana, or Perfect Enlightenment.

  All bhikshus now present, the Buddha says, are the same living beings previously converted, as he constantly instructs them in Perfect Enlightenment, and then tells of future disciples:

  “After my extinction there will also be disciples of mine who, not hearing this sutra, nor knowing nor apprehending the course which bodhisattvas pursue, will by their own merits conceive the idea of extinction and enter what they think is nirvana. In other domains wherever they may go I shall be Buddha though under different names. These people, though they conceive the idea of extinction and enter what they call nirvana, yet in those lands will seek after the Buddha-wisdom and succeed in hearing this sutra. Only by the Buddha-vehicle will they attain extinction. There is no other vehicle except the tactful teachings of the Tathagata. Bhikshus! If the Tathagata himself knows that the time of nirvana has arrived and the assembly is pure, firm in faith and discernment, penetrated with the Law of the Void, profound in meditation, then he will gather together all bodhisattvas and shravakas to preach this sutra to them. In the world there is no second vehicle to attain extinction; there is only the One Buddha-vehicle for attaining extinction. Know, bhikshus! The tact of the Tathagata reaches deeply into the natures of all living beings and knows that they are bent on the pleasures of trifling things, deeply attached to the five desires. For the sake of these he preaches nirvana. If they hear it, they will receive it in faith.”

and now the journey continues—told in parable, the Buddha extolling the true significance of life—constant progress as the natural course for living beings, the right and true way for humankind to live. Giving up this natural way to live, to be defeated by pains of human life, to stop midway or turn back, is to cast away the worth one has as a human being. As Niwano eloquently explains in his Guide to the Threefold Lotus Sutra (adding a few words):

  The Buddha teaches us the apparent forms before our eyes are just appearances that pass. Do not be deceived, and you may always be at peace. We are told to go beyond appearances if we would escape human suffering and reach a state of peacefulness of mind. But this is only a stage on the way to enlightenment, for though as practioners of the Buddha-way we may deliver ourselves from suffering, great numbers of people in the world remain trapped in suffering. To pass these people by and reach a realm of ease for ourselves alone is again a kind of escape, an arrogant selfishness. This is, in no sense, enlightenment. To strive in the midst of suffering humanity—to continue the journey toward enlightenment—is to live a truly human life. . . it is the bodhisattva’s toil for the happiness and well-being of people.

“Let all of you push forward!
This was only an illusory city.
Seeing you all worn out
and wanting to turn back midway,
I therefore by a device
temporarily made this city.
Do you now diligently advance
together to the Place of Jewels.”

I, too, in like manner
am the leader of all beings.
Seeing the seekers of the Way
midway becoming wearied
and unable to cross the perilous ways
of mortality and earthly cares,
so I by my tactful powers
for their relief preached nirvana, saying:

"Your sufferings are ended;
you have finished your work.

"When I knew you had reached nirvana
and all become free from illusions—arhats,
those who have achieved personal enlightenment,
then I gathered you all together
and preached to you the real law.

“Buddhas by their tactful powers
separately preach the three vehicles;
but there is only the One Buddha-vehicle;
it is for the resting-place
that two are preached.
Now I preach to you the truth;
what you have reached
is not the real extinction.
For the sake of  obtaining
the Buddha’s perfect knowledge,
exert yourselves with the utmost zeal!

“When you have proved the perfect knowledge,
the ten powers, and so on of the Buddha-laws,
and perfected the thirty-two signs,
then that is the real extinction.
The buddhas, the leaders,
for the sake of giving rest call it nirvana,
but perceiving this rest should be ended,
they lead them on into Buddha-wisdom.”

  In reciting this verse section at the close of Tuesday’s celebration, and repeating it beginning the following day, very much in mind are pictures of those of my ancestors and siblings who have “gone before” gracing the meditation center – especially in the line, “Your sufferings are ended, you have finished your work. . .” They’re not pictured trapped in some celestial realm but proceeding onward in new lives as I enfold them in consciousness, encouraging them to proceed along the path in their future live(s), “pushing forward to the Place of Jewels,” following the Buddha-way toward enlightenment.

  With this chapter, “Parable of the Magic City,” Tuesday morning’s celebration of The Threefold Lotus Sutra, concludes.

wednesday’s celebration includes the parable of the jewel in the robe   which closes Chapter 8, “The Five Hundred Disciples Receive the Prediction of Their Destiny,” followed by “Prediction of the Destiny of Arhats, Training and Trained” in  which Ananda, and the Buddha’s son, Rahula, receive their prediction to become buddhas; “A Teacher of the Law,” at the end of which, in Chapter 11, “Beholding the Precious Stupa,” a great treasure tower rises from the earth, signifying the teaching for Chapters 11 through 22 will continue in the sky; Wednesday continuing with “Devadatta,” “Exhortation to Hold Firm,” concluding with “A Happy Life,” anticipating Thursday’s celebration of the central core of the Lotus Sutra, chapters 15, 16, 17.

Easter comes and goes . . . Passover . . . Ramadan . . . Thanksgiving . . . Christmas . . . New Years . . . Celebrations . . . and each day The Threefold Lotus Sutra is here, a steady spiritual guide toward building confidence, freedom from suffering. That’s what Ancestral Well is all  about, the teachings of the Buddha and you are free to go there any time. Today’s post, Stories from the Lotus Sutra, Chapter 6, Prediction. Not the most exciting chapter in the Lotus, unless one realizes these predictions of becoming buddhas in future worlds suggest such predictions apply to all who devote themselves to attain the Buddha-way and awaken to the reality of all existence, the Buddha-wisdom.

6 – Prediction

the buddha announces the future destinies of four disciples, encouraging them, as he has Shariputra, to continue in the path to enlightenment.

  First Maha-Kashyapa who “in the world to come shall do homage to three hundred myriad, countless of world-honored buddhas, serving, revering, honoring, and extolling them and widely proclaiming the infinite great Law of the buddhas.

  “In his final bodily state he will become a buddha whose name will be called Radiance Tathagata, Worshipful, All Wise, Perfectly Enlightened in Conduct, Well Departed, Understander of the World, Peerless Leader, Controller, Teacher of Gods and Living Beings, Buddha, World-honored One, whose domain is named Radiant Virtue, and whose kalpa is named Great Magnificence. . . His domain will be beautiful . . . its land will be level and straight . . . its ground of lapis lazuli, lines of jewel trees, golden cords to bound the ways, strewn with precious flowers, and purity reigning everywhere. In that domain the bodhisattvas will be infinite and countless, with shravakas numberless. No Mara deeds will be there, and though there are Mara and Mara’s people, they all will protect the Buddha-law.”

  In verse, the Buddha expands on his prediction of enlightenment for Maha-Kashyapa “in the world to come.”

  “. . .  for the sake of the Buddha-wisdom
he will purely practice the brahma-life.
Serving the highest
and most honored of living beings,
putting into practice all
the peerless wisdom,
and in his final bodily state
become a buddha.
His land will be pure,
with lapis lazuli for ground,
abundance of jewel trees
lining the roadside,
golden cords to bound the way,
rejoicing the beholders,
ever-pervading fragrance,
rare flowers strewn everywhere,
every kind of rarity
adding to its splendor.

“. . . Many bodhisattvas of untold number
and gentle mind,
will attain great transcendent powers
and reverently keep the buddha’s
great-vehicle sutras.
His multitude of shravakas
of faultless final form,
sons and daughters of the law-king,
will be beyond count;
even the eyes of the gods
cannot know their number. . .
such will be the history of
the Radiant World-honored One.”

  Maha-Maudgalyayana, Subhuti, Maha-Katyayana, and others all trembling, fold their hands with one mind, and gazing into the World-honored One’s face, not for an instant lowering their eyes, with united voice ask that the Buddha out of compassion for them, grant them “the Buddha-announcement.” If the Buddha predicts their future destinies, “it will be like pouring sweet dew. . .”

  The Buddha then predicts the future destiny of the wisdom-destined Subhuti, who in the Diamond Sutra is called one who is “first among those who abide in peace, free from strife and passion, who does not abide anywhere, and therefore is called one who abides in peace,” In this sutra he is predicted in the world to come, a buddha whose title will be Name Form Tathagata, whose kalpa is named Possessing Jewels, and whose domain is named Jewel Producing. “That buddha will always dwell in the empyrean, preaching the law to living beings and delivering innumerable bodhisattvas and shravakas.”

  Note in all the four predictions, the ten powers of the Buddha are declared: “Tathagata, Worshipful, All Wise, Perfectly Enlightened in Conduct, Well Departed, Understander of the World, Peerless Leader, Controller, Teacher of Gods and Living Beings, Buddha, World-honored One.”

  Announcement of predictions continues with Maha-Katyayana who will become a buddha “whose title will be Jambunada Golden Light, as the Luster of the Jambu River. . . His land will be level and straight with crystal for ground, adorned with jewel trees, with golden cords to bound the way, its ground covered with wonderful flowers, and purity reigning everywhere so that the beholders rejoice.”

  Follows the prediction of Maha-Maudgalyayana “whose title will be Tamalapattra Sandalwood Fragrance. . . His kalpa will be named Joyful and his domain Glad Mind. Its land will be level and straight, with crystal for ground, adorned with jewel trees, strewn with pearly flowers, and purity reigning everywhere, so that beholders rejoice. There will be gods, living beings, bodhisattvas, and shravakas, countless in number. . .”

  Predictions for these four disciples are repeated in lengthy verses in glowing terms. 

  Anticipating the next teaching, the Buddha alerts those present:

“You my disciples of perfect powers,
five hundred in number,
all will receive their prediction
to become buddhas
in the world to come.
Of my and your
development in previous worlds
I will now make declaration.
Do you all listen well!"

Followers of the Buddha

in The Threefold Lotus Sutra

Merits, Vows and Awakenings

10 Merits – The Sutra of Innumerable Meanings:

  Tenthly . . .  They will make vast oaths and great vows of numberless, asankhyeya naturally and from the beginning in the stage of ordinary living beings, and raise a deep desire to relieve all living beings. They will realize the great compassion, thoroughly abolish all sufferings, gather many good roots, and bring benefit to all. They will explain the favor of the law, and greatly enliven the withered; give all living beings the medicine of the Law, and set all at ease; gradually elevate their view to live in the stage of the Law-cloud, the tenth highest stage of the bodhisattva way.  They will spread favor extensively, grant mercy to all suffering living beings, and lead them into the Buddha-way.  Thereupon these good sons and daughters will accomplish Perfect Enlighten­­­­­­­ment before long.

A Parable (of the burning house) – The Lotus Sutra, ch. 3

  "Know ye! All these three vehicles are praised by sages; in them you will be free and independent, without wanting to rely on anything else.  Riding in these three vehicles, by means of perfect faculties, powers, perceptions of the seven degrees of intelligence, ways, concentrations, emancipations, and contempla­tions, you will as a matter of course be happy and gain infinite peace and joy."

  The “three vehicles” are the 7^th world of those who hear the teachings and gain knowledge from them – the shravakas, persons of learning / the 8^th world of self-enlightenment for one’s self alone – the pratyekabuddhas / and the 9^th world of the compassionate ones, the bodhisattvas who set aside their own enlightenment for the enlightenment of others. These are the vehicles through which one must travel to reach Perfect Enlightenment, the 10^th world, the world of the buddhas, the enlightened ones.

In life, it is possible to exist simultaneously in all three of these “upper” worlds. One devoted to these “three vehicles” – listening/learning, self-attained enlightenment, and universal benevolence and compassion – has gone beyond the “lower worlds” of anger, covetousness, ignorance, dispute, ordinary-static states of being, temporary states of joy (only to fall back into lower states of existence in unending cycles), and is less likely to repeat this cycle  as one “breaks through to the other side” aligned with the “awakening ones.”

Parable of the Herbs – various practices: seeking with single-mindedness.

Those who seek the World-honored One,
resolving, We will become enlightened ones,
and practice zeal and meditation—

And these Buddha sons and daughters
who single-minded walk the Buddha-way,
ever practicing compassion,
assured that they will become buddhas
certainly and without doubt—

As the bodhisattvas who are firm in wisdom,
penetrate the triple world, and seek the highest vehicle,
these are named shrubs which gain increasing growth.

Again, those who practice meditation
and gain transcendent powers,
who, hearing the doctrine of the Void,
greatly rejoice in their minds
and emitting innumerable rays save all living beings,

“What I have now said to you all is the veriest truth.
All persons who hear the law, all shravakas,
come to attain nirvana.
The Way in which you walk is the bodhisattva-way;
by gradually practicing and learning,
all of you will become buddhas.”

Purña – his realizations and awakening – The Five Hundred Disciples Receive the Prediction of Their Destiny – The Lotus Sutra, ch. 8

  “Wonderful is the World-honored One. Rare are his doings according to the many kinds of earthly dispositions. By tactful wisdom, he preaches the Law to and lifts all beings out of every condition to let them get rid of selfish attachment. No words of ours can declare the Buddha’s merits. Only the Buddha, the World-honored One is able to know the natural inclinations of our inmost hearts.”

  Thereupon the Buddha addressed the bhikshus: “Do you see this Purña, son of Maitrayani? I have always styled him the very first among all the preachers of the Law and constantly praised his varied merits. . . . and in regard to the Law of the Void preached by the enlightened ones, he is clear-minded and penetrating.

Now this Purña
under thousands of countless former buddhas
has diligently maintained his course,
and proclaimed and protected the Buddha-law.
He has sought supreme wisdom and under the buddhas
has shown himself the superior disciple in learning and wisdom.
In preaching he has been fearless, able to cause all beings to rejoice;
he has ever been tireless in aiding Buddha-tasks.

Having attained the four unhindered powers of wisdom,
and known the faculties of others, keen or dull,
he has always preached the pure Law.  .  .  .
He has taught thousands of countless beings,
leading them to rest in the Great-vehicle Law,
and himself purified his buddha-land.  .  .  .
And guarding the treasury of the Law,
he shall afterward become a buddha whose title will be Law Radiance.
His domain, named Excellent Purity,
will be formed of the precious seven,
and his kalpa be called Jewel Radiance.  .  .  .

(Parable of the Jewel in the Robe in this chapter):

For long has the World-honored One
always pitied and taught us
to cultivate the highest aspiration;
but because of our ignorance,
we neither perceived nor knew it;
gaining but a little of nirvana,
contented we sought no more.

Now the Buddha has awakened us,
saying this is not real nirvana;
only on attaining the highest Buddha-wisdom
is there real nirvana.
Now, having heard from the Buddha
the prediction and its glory,
and the command we receive in turn,
body and soul are full of joy.”