SUMMARY

The previous chapter ends with the words, "Study and practice it continuously, and you will become Buddhas." In this chapter, Sâkyamuni Buddha gives assurance of future Buddhahood to four of his ten great disciples. The assurance is more like a provisional charter. The real certificate of Buddhahood will be given when they finish many courses of studies and practices. Although it is a temporary certificate, it is a great encouragement for the four disciples and for us.

Explanations

The Four Assurances:

1. "Maha-Kasyapa will become a Buddha called Light Tathagata." (P.115, LL.5-10)

2. "Subhuti will become a Buddha called Beautiful-Form Tathagata." (P.118, LL.25-29)

3. "Great Katyayana will become a Buddha called Jamabunada Gold Light Tathagata." (P.121, LL.2-13)

4. "Great Maudgalyayana will become a Buddha called Tamalapattracandama Fragrance Tathagata." (P.122, L.26 - P.123, L.4)

What are the conditions to attain Buddhahood?

"They will see thousands and billions of Buddhas, make offerings to them, respect them, honor them, praise them and expound an innumerable number of Buddha's great teachings in their future lives. (P.115, P.118, P.121, P.122)

Regarding the offerings to thousand and billions of Buddhas, in the later chapters of the Lotus Sutra, practices that are more realistic are revealed.

"Although Mara and his followers also will live there, they will not do any evil but protect the teachings of the Buddha." (P.115, LL.26-28):

These phrases are always quoted when Nichiren-Shu priests do kito blessing. For the practitioners of the Lotus Sutra, all devils and demons become protectors for them. A good example is Kishimo-jin or Hariti. She had many children and fed them on the babies of others. When she heard the Buddha's teachings, she repented her sins and vowed to protect Buddhism and its practitioners. This is revealed in Chapter 26 of the Lotus Sutra.

"Suppose a man came from a country suffering from famine. Now he saw the meal of a great king. He did not partake of it in doubts and fears. After he was told to take it by the king, he took it at once." (P.118, LL.3-8)

These phrases are always quoted when Nichiren-Shu priests hold the Segaki memorial services. Segaki is a ceremony of making offerings to the hungry spirits. It is held for the repose of the souls of the dead. Segaki flags made of five different colors are also hung during the ceremony with the above phrases written on the flags.

The phrases are used for the repose of the souls of the dead, but they also assure us of our future Buddhahood. We shall feel as cool and as refreshed as if we were sprinkled with nectar.

Although the Buddha assures of Buddhahood, we still wish him to call our names individually and to give us the names of the Buddhas. We are quite spoiled children, aren't we?