SUMMARIES

At the end of chapter 13 the 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." In chapter 14, there were eighty billion nayuta of bodhisattvas who made up their minds to expound the sutra and vowed to endure any hardship or persecutions on the earth. However the Buddha has not responded to them.

As chapter 15 begins, countless numbers of bodhisattvas from the other worlds said that they would expound the sutra in this Saha-world. But Sakyamuni Buddha surprised them by saying; "No. You don't need to do so, because there are already countless bodhisattvas in this world. They are the ones who will expound this sutra in this Saha-world." When he said it, the ground quaked and cracked, and countless bodhisattvas appeared from underground. Among them, there were four leaders: Superior-Practice, Limitless-Practice, Pure-Practice and Steadily-Established-Practice Bodhisattvas.

EXPLANATIONS

"Thereupon the Bodhisattva-mahasattvas ... who had come from the other worlds, .. said: "If you permit us to protect, keep, read, recite and copy this sutra, and make offerings to it strenuously in this Saha-World after your extinction, we will do so, and expound it in this world.'" (P.228, L.4.):

Sakyamuni Buddha did not respond to the proposals from Bodhisattvas from other worlds in the previous chapters, but this time he refused their proposal saying as follows:

"No, good men! I do not want you to protect or keep this sutra because there are Bodhisattvas-mahasattvas sixty thousand times as many as the sands of the River Ganges in this word." (P.228, L.13.):

He refused helpers from other worlds. It means that the problems in this world must be solved among the people on this earth. "Do not rely on others." "Do not run away from suffering on this earth. We must solve our problems by ourselves." The Lotus Sutra teaches self-esteem and self-support. The Buddha always encourages us to do things by ourselves. He trusts us.

We do not know how many sand-particles there are at the River Ganges, they must be countless. The countless Buddhists existed in the past and will exist in the future. The number may go up to much higher than the sixty thousand times as many as the sands of the River Ganges because the sutra talks about countless years in the past and countless years in the future. Therefore it is not surprising to hear that "There are Bodhisattvas-mahasattvas sixty thousand times as many as the sands of the River Ganges in this world."

"The ground of the Saha-world, ... quaked and cracked, and many thousands of billions of Bodhisattva-mahasattvas sprang up from underground simultaneously.' (P.228, L.19.):

It is important to say that they spring up from underground. For instance, the seeds of grass and plants are kept underground during winter. When spring has come they spring up from underground almost simultaneously. The buds are very soft and easily broken, but even still, the buds are strong enough to break and crack the hard ground. Some buds are strong enough to crack asphalt or concrete. It is wonderful and mystic. It is "MYO-HO." We must strive hard just like the buds. We must have strong determination and inner power to live strong lives.

The Bodhisattvas from underground are the practitioners of the Lotus Sutra today. Nichiren Daishonin says: "If you are not a Bodhisattva from underground, you cannot chant the Odaimoku." So you and I are the Bodhisattvas from underground.

"They had lived in the sky below this Saha-World." (P. 228, L.24.):

Is it wonderful that there is sky not only above us but also underground? But you should not take the word literally. The sky is "ku" in Japanese and Chinese. It means void, nothingness, no-attachment, equality, etc. The Bodhisattvas from underground have lived in the stage of no-attachment. They were educated under the guidance of the Eternal Buddha in the remote past. Although they had reached to no-attachment, hearing the voice of Buddha's request to expound the Lotus Sutra on this earth, they returned to live with us on this earth full of sufferings. Again, we are the Bodhisattvas from underground.

"Those Bodhisattvas had four leaders: Superior-Practice, Limitless-Practice, Pure-Practice and Steadily-Established-Practice." (P.230, L.3):

It is said that these four great Bodhisattvas are the leaders in the Degeneration Era of the Dharma. The names of the four Bodhisattvas appear next to Sakyamuni Buddha and Taho Buddha on Nichiren Shonin's Mandala Gohonzon. It is also said that Nichiren is the rebirth of Superior-Practice Bodhisattva.

"World-Honored One! Are you in good health? Are you peaceful or not? ... Do they not fatigue you?" (P.230, L.9.):

Thus, the four Bodhisattvas from underground asked how the Buddha is doing. Responding to their questions, he replied as follows:

"I am peaceful. I am in good health. The living beings are ready to be saved. They do not fatigue me because I already taught them in their consecutive previous existence, and also because they have already honored the past Buddhas respectfully and planted the roots of good." (P.230, L.23.):

When we do unwanted or disliked works, we get tired easily. When we enjoy work on something, we will not get tired easily and will not feel stress. Buddha Sakyamuni really enjoyed expounding his teachings because he knows our past, present and future. He knows that we will become Buddhas. So when we have a dream for the future and work hard on an aim, we are able to enjoy what we are doing.

Those who practice the teachings of the Lotus Sutra had some relation with its teachings in the past. They must have accepted the teachings and practiced them before. With these relationships of cause and effect, we are practicing the teachings and will attain Buddhahood in the future because we are the Buddha's beloved children.

"We have never seen these many thousands of billions of Bodhisattvas. Tell me, Most Honorable Biped! Where did they come from? Why did they come?." (P.231, L.24.):

Maitreya Bodhisattvas asked the above questions representing all congregations who have gathered at Mt. Sacred Eagle. They are Buddha's disciples, relatives, Bodhisattvas from other worlds, gods, spiritual beings and others. They have never seen these bodhisattvas from underground before. They wondered where they came from and why they were there.

"Wait for a while!" "Sakyamuni Buddha assured Maitreya Bodhisattva of his future attainment of Buddhahood." (P.234, L.22.):

Before answering Maitreya's questions, the Buddha wanted to give him assurance of his Attaining Buddhahood. It is Maitreya Bodhisattva who will be a Buddha immediately after Sakyamuni Buddha. He is believed to be living in the Tusita Heaven, waiting for the time when he will come down to this world and succeed Sakyamuni Buddha. It is said that he will appear in this world five billion six hundred and seventy million years after the pari-nirvana of Sakyamuni. Maitreya Buddha could be you!

"My words are true. Believe me with all your hearts! I have been teaching them since the remotest past." (P.237, L.7):

The Buddha finally answered Maitreya's questions. He says: "It is true that you have never seen any of these countless Bodhisattvas who have sprung up from beneath the earth. But I, Sakyamuni, have been teaching them in the World of Endurance ever since I attained Buddhahood. ... It may appear to you as if, after I attained Buddhahood under the Bodhi tree near the city of Gaya some 40 and odd years ago, I then taught them for the first time, and let them enter the way to Buddhahood. But TO TELL THE TRUTH, I HAVE BEEN EXPOUNDING THE LAW TO THEM SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL." This phrase is the introduction to the next chapter, "Duration of the Life of the Tathagata (Buddha)."

The concept of the Eternal Buddha has never been revealed before. Therefore the people do not understand what the Buddha said and elicited a new question as follows:

"It is difficult for anyone in the world to believe this. It is as difficult to believe a handsome, black-haired man twenty-five years old who points to men a hundred years old and says, 'They are my sons,' or to believe men a hundred years old who point to a young man and say, 'This is our father. He brought us up.' You (Sakyamuni Buddha) are like the young man. It is not long since you attained enlightenment." (P.237, L.30.):

Ascetics of Theravada Buddhism aim to escape from our world of sorrows, stand aloof from its problems, and attain a pure state of consciousness. This can make them indifferent to the world. They easily forget to fulfill the most important task in religion to save ordinary people.

On the other hand, Mahayana Buddhism, beginning from the point of view of ordinary people, asserts that the state of enlightenment can be realized only in the midst of this world, because Bodhisattvas cannot save people without living and working here sharing in the evil and misery that exist. Bodhisattvas, of course, are themselves pure, and they are never contaminated by the vice and evil of their environments. They are like lovely lotus flowers, which rise from out of the mud at the bottom of the water.

"They are not defiled by worldliness just as the lotus-flower is not defiled by water." (P.239, L.2.):

This phrase is one of the most important words in the sutra. Nichiren Shonin took a part of his name, "Ren," from this phrase. Lotus is "ren" or "hasu" in Japanese. Nichiren's follower should at least try to imitate him and not be defiled by worldliness just as the lotus-flower is not defiled by water. The lotus grows from dirty soil under water. The stems, leaves, flowers come out of the dirty water. Even if you pour the dirty water on top of them, the water is pushed away and they are not soiled, because the plant is just like wax. Wax and water do not mix.

"How did you teach these innumerable Bodhisattvas in such a short time, and cause them to aspire for enlightenment and not falter in seeking enlightenment?." (P.240, Last Paragraph.):

This phrase is the end of this chapter. The historical Buddha Sakyamuni had his body and limitations just as all the congregation gathered at Mt. Sacred Eagle. Without the concept of the Original Eternal Buddha, Buddha's compassion is also limited.

We are just about ready to understand the concept of the Eternal Buddha in the next chapter.

~ Namu Myohorengekyo ~