SUMMARY

Sakyamuni Buddha emerged from his deep meditation and began expounding the profound and immeasurable wisdom of the Buddhas. The teachings in this chapter can be summarized into four points:

1. All things we perceive within our five senses exist only temporarily. They are manifested in a thousand different ways. They are all equally important in mutual existence. However, they constantly change while existing harmoniously with each other throughout this universe. All is contained within the law of the Truth.

2. Therefore, all beings are manifestations of the Truth (the Buddha's Wisdom) and possess Buddha nature.

3. The Buddha appeared in the world to expound the Truth. The Buddhas have appeared in order for all beings to realize their Buddha nature, to practice the Bodhisattva's way and to eventually attain enlightenment.

4. Since people were not at first able to understand the Truth because of their closed mindedness due to their material life styles, the Buddha taught many different teachings according to their capacity, such as the doctrines for the people of Sravakahood (Shomon), Pratyekabuddhahood (Engaku) and Bodhisattvas (Bosatsu). However, these are all expedient teachings which lead all beings to the Truth of the One Vehicle, the teaching of the Lotus Sutra. Thus expedients and the true teaching cannot be separated from each other.

Explanations

samadhi (P.23, L.2):

Concentration of the mind on a single subject. In this chapter, samadhi signifies deep meditation. Sakyamuni Buddha arose from his deep meditation and is going to reveal the long-awaited most important Dharma.

The wisdom of the Buddhas (P.23, L.3):

The wisdom to realize the three truths of all phenomena; equality, difference, and totality. For example: 1. All living beings are equal because they have Buddha nature and are able to become Buddhas, 2. All people are different in race, sex, education, background, age, etc.; 3. Therefore, we must see all phenomena in their totality.

Dharma according to the capacities of all living beings (P.23, L.12):

The Buddha always expounds teachings according to the capacity of understanding of the listeners.

innumerable expedients (P.23, L.18):

Expedient means to tell untruths in order to lead others to the truth. Furthermore, a lie can therefore signify telling untruths for the teller's sake or benefit.

paramita (P.23, L.20):

Refers to crossing this shore of birth and death to the other shore of Nirvana.

the paramita of insight (P.23, L.20):

It is one of the paramitas and means to completely realize the three different ways of seeing: ku, ke and chu.

the reality of all things (P.24, L.7):

It is to completely realize the views of ku, ke and chu, and also to realize the process of how it was consisted in the past, is progressing in the present, and will manifest itself in the future. For instance, it was a tree, then it is a table now, and later it will be fire wood.

The Ten Suchnesses (P.24, LL.8-12):

The Buddha Sakyamuni liked to analyze the universal truth in many different ways. One of these ways is the Ten Suchnesses in Chapter 2, "Expedient" of the Lotus Sutra. He separated the reality of all things into ten parts in order to examine their appearances, nature, bodies, powers, activities, primary and environmental causes, effect, rewards, and the aforementioned nine factors within every entity. Every person has a face. The facial expression of a person changes to reflect how he or she feels at any given moment. For instance, a gentle face appears to show his serenity. An angry face often reflect feelings of anger. The nature of gentleness and anger dwell in one's mind and body. All physical bodies possess appearances and minds. "Nyoze-so" means "such an appearance," "Nyoze-Sho" means "such a nature," and "Nyoze-tai" means "such a physical manifestation of a thing;" therefore, all things have various appearances, characters, and bodies. You may think an object like a desk or a chair does not possess inherent nature because they don't have minds. But they do depending on the material that has been used in the construction. A wooden desk can have a warm "feeling" or nature, while a steel chair can have a cold nature. Ice is cold, fire is hot, so as are all other things.

All things also have their own individual powers and activities. The floor has the power to support our bodies and furnishings. Pillars have the power to support the ceiling and the roof. Power, therefore, dwells within these objects. When this power appears outwardly, it becomes an activity. "Nyoze-riki" means "such a potential power," while Nyoze-sa means such a interaction. A man is said to have stronger power than a woman, so he can carry a hundred-pound sack of rice by himself. A woman is said to have tender power, so she can take care of a patient better than a man.

When something happens, there are always primary causes or "Nyoze-in" and environmental causes or "Nyoze-en." To strike a match is a primary cause, but whether you strike it in the air or in water, the result and reward will naturally differ. When you strike a match in air, it produces fire to burn a thing or things, "Nyoze-ka" and food will be cooked, that is "Nyoze-ho." If a match is struck in water, it will never ignite because the environmental cause is wrong. The law of cause and effect does not always bring the same reward. For example, even though seeds are planted in soil at the same time, some seeds will grow while others won't-depending upon their surrounding environmental factors. Therefore, we must consider our environmental impacts very carefully.

The above mention factors are equally endowed within all things. That is "Nyoze Hon Matsu Ku Kyo To." If all of these factors harmonize with each other, there is happiness and peace. In reality it is not always so; however, since even if a direct cause is good, the result may be bad. Even if a person has a good character, if he does not show it or act, people will not accept him as a gentleman. This is an example of disharmony.

Thus, the Ten Suchnesses show the reality of all things. Please try to apply the teaching of these suchnesses in your daily life.

THREE WAYS TO LOOK AT A THING

Why do we repeat to chant the

Nyoze-so, Nyoze-tai, ...Nyoze-honmatsu-kukyoto?

It is because there are three different ways to look at a thing. They are equality (ku), difference (ke), and totality (chu). It is based on T'ien-tai's "Three Kinds of Truth; ku, ke and chu." According to this doctrine, nothing exists (ku) by itself because things exist temporally (ke) only depending on other existence; therefore, we must look at all things in their totality (chu).

For instance, let's take an example of a table. A table must have a flat top supported by four legs. If I pull each of these legs off., it is no longer a table; just simple pieces of woods. Therefore, the table as such, existed only temporally.

Another example: I exist today because my parents existed. I also exist because of air, water, heat, food, and other people. If there is no air, water, food or others; I can not exist. I exist temporally because there are air, water, food and others.

Another way to look at all thing in three different ways, according to the Buddha's teaching, everyone is equal (ku) because everyone poses a Buddha nature in which he or she is able to someday become a Buddha. Everyone is equal, but everyone is different (ke) because there are the wise and the foolish, rich and poor, males and females. Women have the privilege of bearing children while men can't. We are equal but different (chu).

Although everyone has a nose, a mouth, and eyes (ku), the shapes of them vary as do fingerprints (ke). Therefore we are equal but different (chu).

Parents love their children equally (ku), but the ways they treat an eighteen year old boy from the two year old girl will naturally differ (ke). If the parents give them the same food in the same quantities, the parents are not being realistic. The parents love their children equally, but they treat each child differently respecting the child's age, sex, and interest. Wise parents treat their children with totality of each individual (chu).

Therefore, peace and happiness never come from insisting on equality only nor on differences only. We have to realize these equality within the differences and the differences within equality. Knowing individual differences, but respecting his or her interests, talents, education, and physical condition is the way forwards peace and harmony. Everyone is equal under the U.S. Constitution, however, we must respect other people's different cultures, backgrounds, and languages. It is the way to bring peace to America.

To remind ourselves of these teachings, we repeat the last phrases of the Hoben-pon chapter three times.

The Ceremony of the "Three Denials and Three Requests":

At the beginning of Chapter two, Sakyamuni Buddha said that He would not talk any more about the highest truth attained by the Buddhas because it is too hard for non-Buddhas to understand. However, Sâriputra, the wisest amongst Sakyamuni Buddha's disciples, insisted upon hearing the Dharma and three times requested the Buddha to reveal the Lotus Sutra.

Sakyamuni's First Denial: "No more, Sâriputra, will I say because the Dharma attained by the Buddha is the highest Truth, rare to hear and difficult to understand." (P.24, L.4)

Sâriputras First Request: "Explain all this! Why do you extol so enthusiastically the Dharma?" (P.28, L.4)

The Second Denial: "No, no, I will not. If I do, all the gods and men in the world will be frightened and perplexed." (P.29, L. 17) The Second Request: "Explain it, explain it!" (P.29, L.25) The Third Denial: "No. If I do, all the gods, men and asuras in the world will be frightened and perplexed and arrogant bhiksus will fall into a great pit." (P.30, L.4)

The Third Request: "World-Honored One! Expound the Dharma, expound the Dharma!" (P.30, L.18)

Thus, Sâriputra convinced the Buddha to expound the highest Truth:

"You asked me three times with enthusiasm. How can I leave the Dharma not expounded?" (P.31, L. 8)

5,000 Arrogant People Retire

At that moment, 5,000 arrogant people who thought that they had already understood the highest Truth left the site:

"Five thousand people among the bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas, and upasikas of this congregation rose from their seats, bowed to the Buddha, and retired because they were so sinful and arrogant that they thought they had already obtained what they had not yet, and that they had already understood what they had not yet." (P.31, L.11) 
Sakyamuni Buddha shows his infinite patience and compassion toward these arrogant people. We should always remain humble when encountering the Buddha's teachings and we should always seek the higher teachings of the Buddha.

The Coming of the Buddha (P.32, L. - 11):

After the ceremony of "The Three Denials and the Three Requests, the Buddha expounded the doctrine of the One Great Purpose of the Buddhas' Appearance in this World. It is our task to open the gate of the insight of the Buddha, to purify ourselves, to obtain the insight of the Buddha and to enter the way into the insight of the Buddha. There is a unique reason why each and every one of us was born and live today. Consequently, we all have different roles in this world with special tasks to accomplish. If we realize our own unique purpose in life, every day will become very meaningful.

The Insight of the Buddha (P.32, L.4):

It is to realize the Buddha's wisdom or the reality of all things. Everything is constantly changing. For instance, we exist within the continual process of change from the birth to death. Birth, old age, disease and death are all integral parts of our lives. Therefore, neither unhappiness nor happiness can last for ever. We must prepare for what may happen in the future.

All things exist because of relationship to others; thus they themselves have no substance. For example, we can not exist without food, water, air. We cannot be born without parents. You can not produce what you are wearing now by yourself. Every being and every thing relies on others. Therefore, we have an obligation to appreciate others. We put our hands together in respect to others and as a sign of that appreciation we say, "Because of you, I am able to exist today!"

One Vehicle, Two or Three?

Three vehicles are as follows:

1. Sravaka or hearers (Shomon): in which one understands Buddhism by listening to others' talking.

2. Pratyekabuddha or private Buddhas (Engaku): in which one understands Buddhism by oneself in daily life.

3. Bodhisattva (Bosatsu): in which one seeks Enlightenment and also tries to lead others attain Buddhahood.

All living beings have various desires and attachments deep in their minds. Therefore, Buddhas expound various teachings to them with stories of previous lives, parables, similes and discourses. That is to say, they explain Buddhism with various expedients according to their natures. Buddhism may appear to have many different vehicles, but the Buddha explains that in reality there is only One Vehicle:

"I expound various teachings to all living beings only for the purpose of revealing the One Buddha-Vehicle. There is no other vehicle, not a second or a third." (P.32, LL. 16-18)

He continues, "I do all this for the purpose of causing them to realize the teaching of the One Buddha-Vehicle, that is, to obtain the knowledge of the equality and differences of all things, Sâriputra! There is not a second vehicle in the worlds of the ten quarters. How can there be a third?" (P.33, LL. 14-18)

He further explains, "Living beings are so full of illusions, so greedy, and so jealous that they implant many roots of evil. Therefore, the Buddhas divide the One Buddha-Vehicle into three as an expedient." (P.33, LL. 23-26)

"I expounded the teaching of the Three Vehicles only as an expedient." (P.39, LL.5-6)

Shingyo Suguro explains the Three Vehicles in his book, Introduction to the Lotus Sutra, "Since the Three Vehicles symbolize all the sects of Buddhism united through this principle, the One Vehicle could also mean the unity of all the religions of the world, non-Buddhist as well as Buddhist. In reality, however, we all live in a world of relativity. We cannot ignore the fact that different opinions and different understandings of the world have always existed. According to the Lotus Sutra, this diversity of opinions should be appreciated and understood as valid steps we are taking on the road to the human ideal of the ultimate truth and ultimate value."

EXPLANATIONS:

The sutras of Theravada Buddhism discuss in detail about how one should behave prudently. Therefore, people in later ages referred to the sutras as the Lesser Vehicle. The sutras of Mahayana Buddhism produced a great degree of philosophical speculation and salvation for all living beings; therefore, people called the sutras the Great Vehicle. Although Sakyamuni Buddha revealed various teachings according to the level of understanding of his audience, the main purpose was for all living beings to become the same as the Buddha. The Lotus Sutra reveals that there are no differences in purpose within the three vehicles (Shomon, Engaku and Bosatsu), or within the Lesser or Great Vehicles. In other words, there are many different methods to teach, but there is only one purpose, that is, to attain Buddhahood. But it does not mean that any method is fine. Lesser methods should be brought up to a higher level. To keep morality is fine, but to keep it by oneself is not enough. One must realize that there is higher individuality than in just preserving morality.

How can one lead others to the One Vehicle?: Shaku-buku or Sho-ju? Shaku-buku means to conquer evil aggressively. "What you are doing is bad. So do my way which is always right!"

Sho-ju means to receive or to embrace others warmly. "You are all right, but there is a better way."

For example: There are ten floors which go up to the top. One person is on the top floor and wishes others come up to the top floor. A person of shaku-buku will say, "You are foolish to stay on the fifth floor. Hurry come up here to the top just like I have." A person of Sho-ju will say, "It is O.K. to stay at the fifth floor, but the top is even better, so hurry and come up."

The sutras before the Lotus Sutra revealed that they separated the three vehicles into hearers, private Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The Buddha stated in these sutras that people who belong to the vehicles of hearers and private Buddhas are not able to become Buddhas. He did not mean; however, that he gave up on the people of the two vehicles. He instead mean that one should not satisfied with these stages, but there is the highest level to achieve of Buddha just as I have ."

Thus, the Buddha says in the Lotus Sutra: "Know this, Sâriputra! I once vowed that I would cause all living beings to become exactly as I am." (P.37, LL.24-27)

What are the practices to attain Buddhahood?

Erect stupas. Make the stupa of the Buddha with heaps of sand. Carve an image of the Buddha. Make an image of the Buddha. Draw or cause others to draw in color a picture of the Buddha. Offer flowers, incense, streamers, and canopies to the image or picture of the Buddha. Bow to the image of the Buddha or just join your hands together towards it. Or cause others to do the same. (See more detail on PP. 40-42 of The Lotus Sutra translated by Senchu Murano.)

Shingyo Suguro says in the book, "This teaching states that whenever someone shows sincere faith in the Buddha by performing a good deed, no matter how tiny it may be, this act sets him on the path to Buddhahood, and he or she is sure to become a Buddha eventually. Even though such a person is not yet a Buddha, he or she is on the way, and deserves respect as a future Buddha."

~ Namu Myohorengekyo ~