3 – A Parable

tuesday morning, beginning with chapter 3 of the lotus sutra – “A Parable,” the first of seven parables found in the Lotus Sutra, continuing with Chapter 4, “Faith Discernment,” Chapter 5, “Parable of the Herbs,” Chapter 6, “Prediction,” and concluding with Chapter 7, “The Parable of the Magic City,” the second of the seven parables in the Lotus Sutra.

the parable of the burning house, first of seven parables in the Lotus Sutra, begins with a dialogue between Shariputra and Shakyamuni, Shariputra “filled with ecstasy” on “obtaining that which he’s never heard before.”

AT THAT TIME Shariputra, ecstatic with joy, instantly rose up, folded his hands and looking up at the honorable face, spoke to the Buddha, saying: “Now, hearing the sound of the Law from the World-honored One, I am filled with ecstasy, obtaining that which I have never experienced before. Wherefore? Because of yore when I heard of such a Law as this from the Buddha and saw bodhisattvas who were predicted to become buddhas, we were never prepared for these things and greatly distressed ourselves at having lost the Tathagata’s infinite knowledge. . . Constantly when dwelling alone in mountain forests or under trees, whether sitting or walking, I was occupied with this thought: ‘We equally have entered the Law-nature, mind-emptiness!

  “But why does the Tathagata save us by the small-vehicle law? This is our own fault, not the World-honored One’s. Wherefore? Because had we attended to his preaching in regard to the accomplishment of Perfect Enlightenment, we should certainly have been delivered by the Great-vehicle. . . We, not understanding his tactful method of opportune preaching, on first hearing the Buddha-law only casually believed, pondered, and bore witness to it.

  “World-honored One! ever since then I have passed whole days and nights in self-reproach. But now, on hearing from the Buddha the unprecedented law which I have never before heard, I have ended all my doubts and regrets, am at ease in body and mind and am happily at rest. Today I indeed know that I am really a son of the Buddha, born from the mouth of the Buddha, evolved from the Law, and have obtained a place in the Buddha-law.”

  Shariputra announces his meaning over again in verse, telling how self-deluded he and others have been, wondering why as Buddha-sons and daughters they cannot proclaim the supreme-way, recalling the merits of an enlightened one which they have missed entirely:

“The golden thirty-two signs,
the ten powers and eight emancipations
are all included in the one Law . . .

“On first hearing the Buddha’s preaching,
in my mind there was fear and doubt
lest it might be Mara, the evil one, acting as Buddha,
distressing and confusing my mind.
But when the Buddha with various reasonings
and parables, speaks so skillfully,
one’s hearing is peaceful as the sea . . .”

  Shariputra has removed all doubts and regrets, hearing that he will become an enlightened one. “The evil one has no such truths as these.” He proclaims that he is forever at rest in real wisdom hearing the gentle voice of the Buddha expounding the pure Law, certain that he will become a buddha teaching many bodhisattvas.

  The Buddha declares to Shariputra how he continuously taught him and how, “By reason of my tactful guidance, you have been born into my Law. . . Now again desiring to cause you to recollect the Way which you originally resolved to follow, I preach for all the shravakas this Great-vehicle sutra called the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Law. . .”

  “Shariputra! in a world to come, after infinite, boundless and inconceivable kalpas when you have served some thousand myriads of countless of enlightened ones, maintained the Right Law, and completed the way which bodhisattvas walk, you shall become a buddha whose title will be Flower 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, and whose domain shall be named Undefiled, whose land will be level and straight, pure and ornate, peaceful and prosperous, replete with celestial people; with lapis lazuli for earth, having eight intersecting roads with golden cords to bound their cities, and by each road a line of precious-seven trees always filled with flowers and fruits. The Tathagata Flower Light also will teach and convert all living creatures by the three vehicles.

  “Shariputra! when that buddha appears, though it is not in an evil age, he will preach the three-vehicle Law because of his original vow. Its kalpa will be named Ornate with Great Jewels. . . [it is so named] because in that domain the bodhisattvas are considered great jewels. These bodhisattvas will be infinite, boundless, inconceivable, beyond computation or compare, such as none can apprehend who has not a buddha’s wisdom. Wherever they walk, jewel flowers will receive their feet. These bodhisattvas will not have started in this conception for the first time, for all of them will have cultivated the roots of virtue for a long time, purely performing noble deeds under infinite hundred thousand myriads of countless buddhas, being always praised by buddhas, constantly practicing the Buddha-wisdom, perfecting the great spiritually pervading power, knowing well the way of all the laws, and being upright and genuine in character, firm in will and thought. Such bodhisattvas as these will fill that domain.”

  Again the Buddha speaks of the grand scheme of things in this world—that we exist within inconceivable periods of time—“kalpas,” during which universes are born and destroyed; the “periods of the Law” thus passing through periods which in relative terms, are “short” indeed! After the extinction of this Flower Light Buddha, two of three “buddha-periods” will abide in the world: for thirty-two minor kalpas, the Righteous Law when the Law is practiced in its pure form;  the during the same kalpas, the Counterfeit law, a time during which the Law is a mere copy without power, remaining in form only.

  In prose and verse all in the great assembly rejoice greatly at Shariputra’s prediction, recalling the teachings they have heard from the Buddha. Shariputra, although he himself has no doubts and regrets, asks the Buddha to further explain for the others so they may be free from doubts and regrets.

  Then the buddha spoke to Shariputra: “Have I not before said that the buddhas, the world-honored ones, by various reasonings, parables, and terms preach the law tactfully, all for the purpose of Perfect Enlightenment? All these teachings are for the purpose of transforming bodhisattvas. But Shariputra! let me now again in a parable make this meaning still more clear, for intelligent people through a parable reach understanding.

Parable of the Burning House

  “Shariputra! suppose in a certain kingdom, city, or town there is a great elder, old and worn, of boundless wealth, and possessing many fields, houses, slaves, and servants. His house is spacious and large, having only one door, and with many people dwelling in it, one hundred, two hundred, or even five hundred in number. Its halls and chambers are decayed and old, its walls crumbling, the bases of its pillars rotten, the beams and rooftree toppling and dangerous. On every side at the same moment fire suddenly starts and the house is in flames.

  The children of the elder, say ten, twenty, or even thirty, are in this dwelling. The elder on seeing this conflagration spring up on every side, is greatly startled and reflects: Though I am able to get safely out of this burning house, yet my children in the burning house are pleasurably absorbed in amusements, without apprehension, knowledge, surprise, or fear. Though the fire is pressing upon them and pain and suffering are imminent, they do not mind or fear and have no impulse to escape.

  “Shariputra! this elder ponders thus: I am strong in my body and arms. Shall I get them out of the house by means of a flower vessel (the wisdom of the Buddha), or a bench (the four fearlessnesses of the Buddha), or a table (the powers of the Buddha)? Again he ponders: This house has only one gate; moreover, it is narrow and small; my children are young, knowing nothing as yet and attached to their place of play; perchance they will fall into and be burned in the fire. I must speak to them on this dreadful matter, warning them that the house is burning and that they must come out instantly lest they are burned and injured by the fire.’ Having reflected thus, according to his thoughts, he notifies his children: ‘Come out quickly, all of you!’

  “Though the father, in his pity, lures and admonishes with kind words, yet the children, joyfully attached to their play, are unwilling to believe him and have neither surprise nor fear, nor any mind to escape; moreover, they do not know what is the fire he’s told them about, or what the house, and what he means by being lost, but only run hither and thither in play, glancing at their father.

  “Then the elder reflects thus: This house is burning in a great conflagration. If I and my children do not get out at once, we shall certainly be burned up by it. Let me now by some tactful means cause my children to escape this disaster. Knowing that to which each of his children is predisposed and all the various attractive playthings and curiosities to which their natures will joyfully respond, the father informs them, ‘The things with which you are fond of playing, so rare and precious—if you do not come and get them, you will be sorry for it afterward. Such a variety of goat carts, deer carts, and bullock carts are now outside the gate to play with. All of you must come quickly out of this burning house, and I will give you whatever you want.’

  “Thereupon the children, hearing of the attractive playthings mentioned by their father, and because they suit their wishes, every one eagerly, each pushing the other and racing against each other, comes scrambling out of the burning house. Then the elder, seeing his children have safely escaped and are all in the square, sits down in the open, no longer troubled but with a mind at ease and ecstatic with joy. Then each of the children says to their father: ‘Father! please now give us those lovely things you promised us to play with, goat carts, deer carts, and bullock carts.’

  “Shariputra! then the elder gives to each of his children equally a great cart, lofty and spacious, adorned with all the precious things, surrounded with railed seats, hung with bells on its four sides, and covered with curtains, splendidly decorated also with various rare and precious things, linked with strings of precious stones, hung with garlands of flowers, thickly spread with beautiful mats, supplied with rosy pillows, yoked with white bullocks of pure white skin of handsome appearance and of great muscular power which walk with even steps and with the speed of the wind, having also many servants and followers to guard them.

  “Wherefore? Because this great elder is of boundless wealth and all his various treasures and granaries are full to overflowing. So he reflects, My possessions being boundless, I must not give my children inferior small carts. All these children are my sons and daughters whom I love without partiality. Having such great carts made of the precious seven, infinite in number, I should with equal mind bestow them on each one without discrimination. Wherefore? Because if I gave them to the whole nation, these things of mine would not run short—how much less to my children!

The Buddha’s “Salvation”

  What a difference here from religious teachings in today’s world. The Buddha does not offer sack cloth and ashes, nor great sacrifices; he offers a distinctly different kind of salvation—finding “heaven” in this life—even reaching beyond “heaven” (temporary enlightenment) to the world of learning, escaping from suffering caused by the desire to live forever in “the burning house,” not aware of our “greed for gain, endurance of much suffering, poverty, distress, separation from loved ones, union with hateful beings,” neither apprehending nor perceiving, neither alarmed nor afraid, “without satiety, never seeking to escape but in the burning house of the triple world running about thither and thither, and although they will meet with great suffering, count it not a cause for anxiety.”

  And how shall  the children be saved by the Buddha’s teaching—how does the Buddha motivate them (and us) to escape? By offering “great carts” which promise far greater rewards than are ever to be found in the burning house.

  In the parable, the father easily could round all his children up in a cage and drag them unwilling out of the burning house. He could insist they blindly follow his precepts if they wish to be saved. But he does not insist on rigid obedience. He uses the tactful method of promising pleasures far exceeding what’s to be found in the burning house.

  The Buddha asks Shariputra if this method is deceitful, if the elder in giving great carts of precious substances to his children equally, he has been somewhat guilty of falsehood? Shariputra answers, recalling here the impact his answer had when I first read it—a resounding:

  “No, World-honored One! that elder only caused his children to escape the disaster of fire and preserved their bodies alive—he committed no falsity. Why? He has in such a manner preserved their bodies and also they have obtained those playthings; how much more by tactful means has he saved them from that burning house! World-honored One! even if that elder did not give them one of the smallest carts, still he is not false. . . That elder from the first formed this intention: I will by tactful means cause my children to escape.’ For this reason he is not false. How much less seeing that this elder, knowing his own boundless wealth and desiring to benefit his children, gives them great carts equally!”

  The Buddha replies, "Good! Good! it is even as you say. Shariputra! the Tathagata is also like this, for he is the father of all worlds, who has forever entirely ended all fear, despondency, distress, ignorance, and umbrageous darkness and has perfected boundless knowledge, powers, and fearlessness; is possessed of great spiritual power and wisdom; has completely attained the paramitas of tactfulness and wisdom; who is the greatly merciful and greatly compassionate, ever tireless, ever seeking the good, and benefiting all beings. And he is born in this triple world, the old decayed burning house, to save all living creatures from the fires of birth, old age, disease, death, grief, suffering, foolishness, darkness, and the three poisons, and teaches them to obtain Perfect Enlightenment.

  The Buddha doesn’t force the children to come out of the burning house, he motivates them to come out of their own free will—not to depend upon gods or enlightened ones to deliver them. Salvation is achieved through self-motivation and personal practice, and the ultimate goal of such practice is to go beyond the little self—the ego, and become obedient only to the universal truth, one with the great life-force of the universe. Faith comes from the power within—our own will and effort taking refuge in that absolute power that causes us to live.

  His house is spacious and large, having only one door – later described as only one narrow, small gate, symbolizing how difficult it is to escape a dominating egoistic self. Discarding the ego, releasing it, is the great revolution of mind and heart. Paraphrasing Nikkyo Niwano: The first stage of releasing the illusory power of the ego is awakening to the simple truth that human suffering is brought about by collection of greeds and wants—desires, all graphically described in the parable. But this is not enough.

  At the second stage, we realize that in accordance with the Law of Causation, all that we so urgently desire and are attached to is a temporary appearance brought about by coming together of primary and secondary causes. The origin of these desires is ignorance, a basic misapprehension that the flesh is oneself. What we cling to has no real substance. Realizing this, automatically removes us from self-centered thinking and suffering.

  The Buddha describes the treasures received by the children for coming out of the house for the sake of the goat and deer carts—although he has surprised them by giving all of them the bullock cart:

  “If there are living beings who, following the Buddha, the World-honored One, hear the Law, receive it in faith, diligently practice, and zealously advance, seeking the complete wisdom, the wisdom of the Buddha, the natural wisdom, the wisdom without a teacher, and the knowledge, powers, and fearlessness of the Tathagata, who take pity on and comfort innumerable creatures, benefit gods and living beings, and save all beings, these will have the vehicle named the Great-vehicle. Because the bodhisattvas seek this vehicle, they are named mahasattvas. They are like those children who come out of the burning house for the sake of a bullock cart.”

  “Shariputra! Just as that elder, seeing his children get out of the burning house safely to a place free from fear, and pondering on his immeasurable wealth, gives each of his children a great cart, so also is it with the Tathagata. Being the father of all living creatures, if he sees infinite thousands of countless creatures by the teaching of the Buddha escape from the suffering of the triple world, from fearful and perilous paths, and gain the joys of nirvana, the Tathagata then reflects thus: ‘I possess infinite, boundless wisdom, power, fearlessness, and other law-treasuries of buddhas. All these living creatures are my sons and daughters to whom I will equally give the Great-vehicle, so that there will be no one who will gain nirvana alone but all gain nirvana by the same nirvana as the Tathagata. All these living creatures who escape the triple world are given the playthings of buddhas, concentrations, emancipations, and other playthings, all of one form and one kind, praised by sages and able to produce pure, supreme pleasure.’

  “Shariputra! even as that elder at first attracted his children by the three carts and afterward gave them only a great cart magnificently adorned with precious things and supremely restful, yet that elder is not guilty of falsehood, so also is it with the Tathagata; there is no falsehood in first preaching three vehicles to attract all living creatures and afterward saving by the Great-vehicle only. Wherefore? Because the Tathagata possesses infinite wisdom, power, fearlessness, and the treasury of the laws and is able to give all living creatures the Great-Buddha-vehicle, but not all are able to receive it. Shariputra! for this reason know that the enlightened ones, by their tactful powers, in the One Buddha-vehicle discriminate and expound the three.”

“Now this triple world
all is my domain;
the living beings in it
all are my sons and daughters,
but now this place abounds with distresses;
and I alone
am able to save and protect them.”

  This, the first of seven parables of the Lotus Sutra, is a significant one, for it explains the value of practicing in the realms of the three vehicles—learning, becoming self-enlightened, reaching toward the world of the universally compassionate ones. However, the ultimate reward for escaping from distresses of the burning house is the attainment of absolute awareness—at peace even in the midst of illusion and suffering—Perfect Enlightenment; the realization that since all living beings, including human beings, are manifestations of the great life force of the universe, the great perfection, all are equal in terms of the fundamental value of their existence. Thus a sense of unity arises—all are our brothers and sisters—all equally partake of the great life-force of the universe and are caused to live by it. When one has come this far, the self vanishes.

  The Buddha desires that all equally shall attain that which he possesses—infinite wisdom, power, fearlessness, and the treasury of the law. These, he proclaims are accessible to everyone.