At the end of Chapter 11, Sakyamuni Buddha says:

"I shall soon enter into Nirvana. Is there anyone who is willing to expound the Lotus Sutra in this world after my extinction? I wish to hand it on to someone, so that it can be perpetuated."

Chapter 13 is the response from Medicine-King Bodhisattva (Yaku-0 Bosatsu) and twenty thousand other Bodhisattvas who vowed to the Buddha that they would keep, read, recite and expound the sutra. But they said they will do so in some other worlds rather than on this earth because the people of this world have many evils.

Meantime, the Buddha gave assurance of attaining Buddhahood to his step-mother and his wife.

At this time, there were eighty billion nayuta of bodhisattvas who made up their minds to expound the sutra and vowed to endure any hardship and persecutions on the earth.

EXPLANATIONS

"Gautami! I have already assured all the Sravakas of their future attainment of Buddhahood." (P.204, L.13.):

Gautami (Kyodonmi) is Sakyamuni Buddha's step-mother. His paternal mother, Queen Maya, passed away seven days after his birth. Gautami is Queen Maya's younger sister who raised Gautma Shidhartha just like his real mother. Her Buddhist name is Maha-Prajapati Bhiksuni (sanskrit) which means the Way of Great Love.

"The Buddha said to Yasodhara: you will become a Buddha in a good world. The name of that Buddha will be Emitting-Ten-Million-Rays-Of-Light." (P.205, L.6):

Yasodhara was Sakyamuni Buddha's wife before his renunciation. She is Rahula's mother.

Yasodhara and Gautami took ordination within the Order of Nuns after Buddha's father passed away in his advanced age.

They were the last persons whom the Buddha gave future assurance of attainment of Annuttara-samyak-sambodhi.

"You will walk the Way to Buddhahood step by step, and finally become a Buddha" (P.205, L.5.):

The Buddha says Yasodhara will walk the Way of Buddhahood and that Gautami will complete the Way of Bodhisattva in due time. The Way of Bodhisattva means to act for others, for the people and for society.

It is necessary for us to behave in a manner that benefits others and society.

"World-Honored One! After your extinction, we will go to any place and cause all living beings to copy, keep, read and recite this sutra, to expound the meanings of it, to act according to the Dharma.' (P.206, L.6.):

Responding to the Buddha's request to expound the Lotus Sutra after his Nirvana, the eighty billion nayuta Bodhisattvas spoke up to expound the sutra. They reached a high level of accomplishment, the stage of irrevocability. They are ready to endure any difficulties and persecutions called the Three Groups of Strong Enemies.

 

The Three Groups of Strong Enemies.

1 - All kinds of ignorant people will speak ill of the expounders of the sutra. They may even attack the expounders with swords and clubs.

2 - There will be cunning monks who think that they have obtained what they have not. Their minds will be filled with arrogance. They will speak ill of the expounders of the sutra.

3 - Some monks will live in remote, quiet places pretending to practice the Way, but really despising ordinary people. They will be greedy for money, and expound the Dharma for pay. People will respect them like Arahats who have attained supernatural powers. These leaders will encourage powerful people like kings, ministers, and the Nobles to persecute the expounders of the Lotus Sutra.'

~ Namu Myohorengekyo ~