Concluding Verses of Chapter 2 - Tactfulness

The Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Law

In the same fashion that the buddhas,
past, present, and future, preach the Law,
so also will I now
proclaim the undivided Law.

The appearing of buddhas in the world
is far apart and of rare occurrence,
and when they do appear in the world,
with equal rareness do they proclaim this Law.

Even in infinite countless kalpas,
rarely may this Law be heard;
and those who are able to listen to this Law,
men and women such as these are also rare.

It is like the udumbara flower,
which all love and enjoy,
seldom seen by gods and living beings,
appearing but once in long periods.
So those who, hearing the Law, extol it joyfully,
and utter but one single word of it
have already paid homage to
all the buddhas in the three worlds.

Such ones are exceedingly rare,
rarer than the udumbara flower.

Be you free from doubts;
I am king of the Law
and declare to all the assembly:
I, only by the One-vehicle Way,
teach the bodhisattvas,
and have no shravaka disciples.

Know all of you, Shariputra,
shravakas and bodhisattvas,
that this Wonderful Law
is the mystery of all the buddhas.
Because the chaotic world of the five decadences
only delights in sensual attachments,
creatures such as these
never seek the Buddha-way.

The confused in generations to come
who hear the One-vehicle preached by the Buddha,
in their delusion and unbelief
will break the Law and fall into chaotic ways.

But there are beings modest and pure,
devoted to seeking the buddha-way;
for such as these I must
widely extol the One-vehicle Way.

Know, Shariputra!
The Law of the buddhas is thus,
by myriads of countless tactful ways
they proclaim the Law as opportunity serves.
Those who will not learn
are not able to discern it.

You already know
the expedient tactful ways of the buddhas,
the leaders of the world.
Have no further doubts,
rejoice greatly in your hearts
knowing that you will become buddhas.

A Galaxy whose light

took 10 billion years to reach us

Symmetry

Returning to “The Blazing Fireplace”

Life

  The universe began, we are told by cosmologists, after the break-up of perfect symmetry, in a huge, hot cauldron of energy governed by forces we do not understand.  We do not understand these forces, but we know they caused the begin­ning of time, and exist today in our world,  Without them there would be no existence.  We know that human life came into existence as a result of a chain of causes and effects governed by these forces.  And, “Implied in new theories of physics (Timothy Ferris in “Beyond Newton and Einstein” – N.Y. Times, 9/26/82) all the known forces in nature, are manifestations of one basic interaction and that once, long ago, were part of a single, universal process.” [emphasis added]

  Perhaps, in our spiritual endeavors, we are reaching back to this perfect symmetry – to Mind that’s neither created nor annihilated, but simply is.  In the teachings of the Buddha – particularly in his “great vehicle” teachings (Mahayana) – the “Original Mind” is called tathata, or the ultimate nature without any attributes.  From the Tripitaka – Chinese Canon of Buddhist sutras - Hui-Ssu:

Tathata

  One Mind – the same as the mind of pure self, nature, true tathata without any attributes, buddha-nature, vesture of pure, unqualified reality (dharmakaya ~ the soul of nirvana), the realm of conditioned existence (dharma).  The substance of One Mind cannot be differentiated.  [Is One Mind – pure energy – perfect symmetry?]

  All dharmas, or elements of conditioned existence, depend on the Mind for their being and have Mind as their substance.  From this standpoint, all dharmas are illusory and imaginary, and their being is in reality non-being.  By contrast with these unreal dharmas, the Mind may be called true.

  Yet even though these dharmas have no being in reality, because they originate in illusion and fancy, they nevertheless appear to be created and annihilated.  But when such unreal dharmas are created, the Mind is not brought into existence, and when they are annihilated, the Mind does not perish.  Uncreated, Mind is never augmented; imperishable, it is never diminished.  And as it never increases or decreases, Mind is called tathata – ultimate nature, without attributes.

Concentration means knowing that all dharmas, having from the beginning no tathata of their own, are never created or annihilated by themselves, but arise as productions of illusion and imagination.  They have no real existence.  The existence of these created dharmas is, in truth, non-existence.  They are only the One Mind, the substance of which cannot be differentiated.  If one seizes this standpoint, then in total mental calm one can stop the flow of false ideas.  This is concentration.

Insight means knowing that dharmas are neither created nor annihilated, but that they originate in and arise out of the Mind to serve an illusory and fanciful worldly purpose.  They are like the illusions of dreams – seeming to exist when they do not.  To know this to attain insight.

  When concentration is achieved, the Pure Mind is merged through insight with non-dual Nature, and is harmoniously united with all beings as a body of one single character. . . There is calmness, tranquility and purity, depth, stability and quietude.  The inner silence is pure and pellucid.  It moves without the appearance of movement.  It acts without the appearance of action.  Thus it is, for all dharma are originally the same everywhere without differentiation and the nature of Mind is dharmas.  This is the root of the most profound dharma nature.

  When insight is attained, the root of Pure Mind and the activity of the phenomenal world are manifest without obstacle, spontaneously showing forth the capability of all things pure and impure.

  When there is concentration, one’s mind is everywhere the same . . . When there is concentration one dwells ever in nirvana . . . When there is concentration one is not polluted by the world . . . When there is concentration, one attains eternal silence in the process of acting . . .

.   .   .   .   .   .   .   .

The One Reality – the fundamental oneness of energy – non-differentiation at the heart of things – is the one law that calls all things into being and moves them.  This is called the real aspect of things.  We are all one substance with this law and caused to live by it.  One’s own mind is intrinsically one with primordial energy – the imperishable life-force of the universe.

How shall we proceed?  Releasing the personal ego, releasing ourselves might be the first and fundamental step – enabling us to find the imperishable life-force which exists in all things, in all beings.  Serving this life-force is the great true compassion – none other than buddhahood itself.

  The Buddha-wisdom is pure and minute,
  faultless and unhindered,
  penetrating through infinite kalpas.

“buddhahood in three dimensions” by thich nhat hahn – Summary (2) continues, again noting all quotations from the sutra are from daily morning meditation, many of which have been memorized over the years—a method followed by others devoted to the Lotus Sutra to relive and celebrate the life and teachings of the Buddha on a daily basis.] Also that “Buddhahood in Three Dimensions” is a copyrighted article published by Lion’s Roar Magazine / newsletter at lion's roar.  

In order to understand the great importance of this teaching, the assembly that had gathered in this historical dimension had to be introduced to the ultimate dimension. In the past, in another cosmic realm, the Buddha Sun Moon Light had also given the teaching of the Lotus Sutra. So the miraculous events that were happening that day were only a repetition of something that had already occurred in another dimension of reality—the ultimate dimension, which is unbounded by our ordinary perceptions of time and space.

  As far as the historical dimension is concerned, Shakyamuni was the buddha who was giving the dharma talk that day. From this perspective, the Buddha gave teachings for forty years, and then only at the end of his life did he give the teaching of the Lotus Sutra. But in terms of the ultimate dimension, Buddha Shakyamuni and Buddha Sun Moon Light are one and the same. In the ultimate dimension, never for a moment has the Buddha ceased to deliver the Lotus Sutra.

  Thus does Nhat Hahn greatly enhance morning meditation with the Lotus Sutra; as this morning contemplating the passages alluded to in the first entry of this summary, and here, also from Chapter 1, Introductory, we instinctively realize we are functioning in our mindfulness in more than with just the history contained in the Lotus Sutra, but dwelling in the ultimate dimension with the Buddha:

  “All ye good sons and daughters! in time of yore, infinite, boundless, inconceivable asankhyeya kalpas ago, there then was a buddha styled Sun Moon 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. He proclaimed the Right Law, which is good at its commencement, good in its middle, and good at the end; which is profound in its meaning, subtle in its terms, pure and unadul­terated, perfect, flawless, and noble in practice. For those who sought to be shravakas he preached response to the Law of the Four Noble Truths for the overcoming of birth, old age, disease and death, and finally leading to nirvana; for those who sought pratyekabuddhahood he preached response to the Law of the Twelve Causes; for the bodhisattvas he preached response to the Six Paramitas to cause them to attain Perfect Enlightenment and to accomplish perfect knowledge . . .”

Further I see tathagatas who of themselves
have accomplished the Buddha-way,
their appearance like mountains of gold,
very wonderful in their majesty
As within pure lapis lazuli a real golden image is made apparent,
so the world-honored one in the great assembly
expounds the meaning of the profound Law.
In each of the buddha-lands are shravakas innumerable;
by the shining of the Buddha's ray
their great host is completely visible.
Besides there are the bhikshus who, dwelling in the mountain forests,
zealously advance and keep the pure commandments
as if they are protecting bright jewels.
And I also see bodhisattvas who practice donations and perseverance,
as the sands of the Ganges in number
by the radiance of the Buddha's ray.

Now the Buddha sends forth a ray
to help reveal the Truth of Reality.
Be aware, all of you!
Fold your hands and with all your mind await!
The Buddha will pour the rain of the law
to satisfy those who seek the Way.
If those who seek after the three vehicles
have any doubts or regrets,
the Buddha will rid them of them
so that none whatever shall remain.

  Continuing with our meditation / contemplation, we embark upon a great adventure with the Buddha in Chapter 2, “Tactfulness” or “Expedient Means,” as he delineates for his followers the difference between the “tactful method” of preaching the Lotus Sutra only for those who in dwell in worlds of “learning” and “self-attained enlightenment,” although he is really preaching only for bodhisattvas, and that all enlightened ones who preceded him and “presently in the world in all directions” teach only the One Buddha vehicle, as Nhat Hahn has explained: In the ultimate dimension, never for a moment has the Buddha ceased to deliver the Lotus Sutra. In words of the sutra:

All existences from the beginning are ever of the nirvana-nature. When sons or daughters of the Buddha have fulfilled their course, in the world  to come they become buddhas. . . Only by my powers of tactfulness do I manifest the three-vehicle Law. All the world-honored ones expound the One-vehicle Way.