Chapter 1: The Lotus Sutra and the Practice of Nichiren Buddhism
Thereupon the Buddha said to the great Bodhisattvas headed by Superior-Practice:
“The supernatural powers of the Buddha are as immeasurable, limitless, and inconceivable as previously stated. But I shall not be able to tell all the merits of this sūtra to those to whom this sūtra is to be transmitted even if I continue telling them by my supernatural powers for many hundreds of thousands of billions of asamkhyas of kalpas. To sum up, all the teachings of the Tathāgata, all the treasury of the hidden core of the Tathāgata, and all the profound achievements of the Tathāgata are revealed and expounded explicitly in this sūtra. Therefore, keep, read, recite, expound and copy this sūtra, and act according to the teachings of it with all your hearts after my extinction! In any world where anyone keeps, reads, recites, expounds or copies this sūtra, or acts according to its teachings, or in any place where a copy of this sūtra is put, be it in a garden, in a forest, under a tree, in a monastery, in the house of a person in white robes, in a hall, in a mountain, in a valley, or in the wilderness, there should a stūpa be erected and offerings be made to it because, know this, the place [where the stūpa is erected] is the place of enlightenment. Here the Buddhas attained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Here the Buddhas turned the wheel of the Dharma. Here the Buddhas entered into Parinirvāna.” (The Lotus Sūtra p. 294)
Our lives seem to be a constant process of moving from joy to anguish, from pleasure to suffering. Our earliest ancestors undoubtedly asked themselves “Why?” Why does pain follow pleasure, and pleasure follow pain in a seemingly endless cycle? Why do good people suffer and bad people prosper? What causes us to be born into this life that seems so random and unfair? In an attempt to answer these questions and bring solace to their lives early society created religion and then philosophy.
Sometime in the middle of the first millennia before the common era (abbreviated BCE through the rest of this book), a man was born in the Indian subcontinent as the prince of a small tribal kingdom. This man, whose life and teachings we will be exploring in this book, directly perceived or was awakened to the causes and nature of all aspects of human life, including suffering. Because of this realization, he was given the title “Buddha,” or “Awakened One.” In his compassion, he made it his goal to share his awakening with all of humanity so that we can all attain his awakening and end the effects of suffering. In this way, Buddhism is like other religions and philosophies, but there are very important differences. Instead of seeking the cause for suffering in the inscrutable workings of some higher power, Buddhism finds its cause in a rational and immanent principle, the law of cause and effect. As opposed to the promises of some religions that suffering will end in a mythic paradise after death, Buddhism teaches a way to end suffering in this world. Finally, rather than calling on a postulated Supreme Being to seek an end to suffering, the Buddha taught that all people have the potential to attain this path themselves and a responsibility to actualize that potential for the sake of all beings.
This teaching of the Buddha attracted many followers during his lifetime. The promise of eradicating the suffering without necessarily relying on mythical (and sometimes temperamental) beings is a powerful idea. The Buddha, in his wisdom, realized that one simple teaching was unlikely to be effective for such a large group of disparate individuals. To assist each in attaining the Buddhist ideal, he therefore taught each group according to its needs and understanding. Because of this, at times the Buddha taught lessons that seem to be somewhat contradictory. Looking at his statements as a whole at the distance of 2500 years, one might forget that the Buddha was helping different groups of people with different needs and different levels of understanding come to the same realization.
Another factor that plays into this impression is that the Buddha’s teachings were not written down until 300 or more years after his death. In the intervening time, the keepers of each discourse of the Buddha, or sutra, tended to elaborate upon their themes.
These two facts inevitably resulted in doctrinal differences between the followers of different sūtras. Though the Buddha had brought different people to a similar understanding through different teachings, each lineage propagated its own teaching without consideration of the fact that its recipients may have come to an entirely different understanding of its import than was originally intended. In this way, these various lineages began to diverge. They eventually developed into seperate schools of Buddhism.
The Wonderful Dharma (Truth) of the Lotus Sūtra was revealed as these differences in teaching started to appear. The sūtra that introduces the Lotus Sūtra, the Sūtra of Innumerable Meanings, directly states that the Buddha taught different things to different people with the intention of leading them to the same realization. The Lotus Sūtra goes on to explain this in detail and reveals the reasons for this diversity.
The Lotus Sūtra goes further than simply stating the reasons, however. Because of the divergence in the lineages of Buddhism, many of the schools had begun to claim that different people had different spiritual capacites. They taught that only certain people could attain awakening, while others would have to settle for lesser goals. This contradicts the intention of the Buddha to awaken all living beings. This intention of the Buddha is strongly reaffirmed in the Lotus Sūtra. The Lotus Sūtra teaches that all living beings have the capacity or nature to awaken. This “buddha-nature” is our ability to become fully aware of the true nature of our lives and to see things as they truly are. When we have achieved such awareness, we can act with the wisdom to relieve both ourselves and others of suffering. This is what awakens us to the law of cause and effect (discussed later in this chapter) that governs all things. We can then take control of our lives by reclaiming responsibility for our actions. Instead of just reacting to circumstances that seem beyond our control, we creatively respond to any challenge by making the best possible action in every situation. Later in this chapter I will explain the law of cause and effect in more detail.
Śākyamuni Buddha
The Lotus Sūtra teaches that the life of a buddha transcends our ordinary way of thinking and is beyond birth and death. Śākyamuni Buddha himself is in actuality the Eternal Buddha who is always present in our lives leading us to the realization of our own buddhahood. What this means is that Śākyamuni Buddha fully realized for himself the causal nature of his own life, and thereby he ceased to identify his life with any of the passing phenomena with which we usually measure our lives. He was no longer limited by the condition of his body or by his passing states of mind because he knew that every life, including his own, is the expression of all that has ever been and all that ever will be. Though he was a human being just like ourselves, he achieved a total awareness of the dynamic process of causality that unites all things as the universal truth that transcends all passing phenomena. Based upon the teaching of the Lotus Sūtra, we can say that the true and eternal nature of the life of Śākyamuni Buddha is the active mode of our own true and eternal nature. As an actual person in history, Śākyamuni Buddha showed through his own life, how to apply the wisdom and compassion springing from the buddha-nature. Even now, the Buddha’s spiritual presence embodied in the Lotus Sūtra continues to guide us to a realization of our own potential.
The Buddha was born 2,500 years ago as the prince of a small tribal kingdom ruled by the Śākya clan located in what is now southern Nepal. His family name was Gautama, which means “Superior Cow” and refers to his family’s noble status. His given name was Siddhārtha, which means “Goal Attained.” Young Prince Siddhārtha grew up in luxury. However, in spite of King Śuddhodana’s efforts to shield his son Siddhārtha from the harsh realities of life, the prince was painfully aware of the limits of life’s pleasures and rewards.
His realization of the inevitable fate of all mankind is related in the story of the four sightings. It is said that Siddhārtha wished to leave the confines of the palace and tour his kingdom by chariot. The first incident involved a senile old man, bent and wrinkled by the ravages of time, the sight of which deeply disturbed Siddhārtha. The prince asked his charioteer if this man was unique or if all people were destined to become old. The charioteer explained old age to the prince and said, “This comes to us all.” Prince Siddhārtha made other excursions from the palace grounds, and each time he was exposed to different aspects of suffering. The next sight was of a man laid waste by sickness. After that, it was a corpse surrounded by grieving friends and family. Each time, his charioteer explained that “This comes to us all.” The last sight was of a wandering mendicant. The charioteer told Siddhārtha that this was a man who had renounced the life of a householder in order to find peace and transcend life’s suffering. Siddhārtha knew then, that this was the path that he was meant to follow. What good was palace life if it offered no security from old age, sickness, and death? Siddhārtha decided that rather than become a mere conqueror of kingdoms; he would vanquish suffering itself. It would be a victory for all people. That night he decided to leave the palace and become a monk. He would not return until he had conquered old age, sickness and death.
Siddhārtha lived a very austere and reclusive life for six years. He hoped that a life of self-denial and severe discipline would give him the clarity he needed to find an answer. After six years, however, his body was so weakened that he was close to death but still no closer to his goal. Siddhārtha realized that self-denial can be as much of a hindrance to achieving enlightenment as self-indulgence. Fortunately, a village girl named Sujātā saved his life with a timely offering of boiled rice. At this point he discovered the value of the Middle Way. Just as a guitar must not be strung too tightly or too loosely if it is to be in tune, spiritual practice must not be too lax or too severe if it is to be effective. Finally, the time had come for Siddhārtha to realize his ultimate aim. After regaining his health he went to the base of a fig tree and sat down in meditation.
Once he had cleared away all of his distractions, doubts and unconscious inhibitions, Siddhārtha began to gain greater and greater insight into the human condition beginning with his own life. He recollected all of the events in all of his previous lives and saw all of the causes and conditions that had enabled him to arrive at the Bodhi Tree, the tree beneath which he would finally attain awakening (bodhi means awakening). Next, his awareness took in all sentient beings, and he saw how their lives were also governed by the causes and conditions they themselves had set in motion. Finally, he contemplated the chain of causation itself, whereby all things come into existence and sentient beings forge their own destiny. He saw that all sentient beings suffering within the cycle of birth and death are trapped there because of the ignorant pursuit of selfish desires. Siddhārtha realized that all suffering was due to a misapprehension of the nature of reality. As the night came to an end and the morning star rose into the dawn sky, Siddhārtha awakened to the true nature of life. From that point on he was known as Śākyamuni Buddha. The name Śākyamuni means “Sage of the Śākya clan”; while the title Buddha means “Awakened One.”
The Buddha resolved to teach what he had learned for the sake of all sentient beings. For forty years the Buddha traversed India and taught people according to their ability to understand. Gradually, he was able to cultivate the wisdom and insight of his followers to the point where they were ready to receive the Buddha’s highest teaching, the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma. He passed away at the age of 80 in a grove of sala trees surrounded by his many disciples.
The Law of Cause and Effect
Now let’s take a closer look at the law of cause and effect because it is central to understanding the Buddha’s insight. This law is sometimes called karma, a term that does not mean “fate” or “destiny,” though it is often misinterpreted as such. It actually means “action” or “deed.” It refers to the way in which our lives are shaped by our own actions. In general, however, the law of cause and effect explains how all phenomena appear and disappear as a result of actions and their consequences. Everything that exists, from people to planets to subatomic particles to states of mind, are the effects of previous causes and will in turn generate the causes that will bring about future effects. When we become aware of this process, we realize that nothing exists independently of its causes and conditions and that nothing possesses any kind of permanent existence. Everything that exists does so as a momentary and mutually supportive element in the dynamic process of cause and effect. This also means that when we try to grasp onto anything within this process it invariably slips away and fails to provide us with the lasting self-satisfaction that we are seeking.
Let’s take a grape as an example of this. A few years ago, while driving past some wineries, I was struck by the fact that each grape is a transformation of soil, rainwater, sunlight and the initial seed, none of which even resemble a grape. In terms of cause and effect, the seed is the cause and the grape is the effect that bears within it the seeds that are the causes for future grapes. In terms of causes and conditions, again the seed is the cause while the soil, rainwater and sunlight are the conditions or contributing causes. Furthermore, each of those grapes was destined to disappear into the wine making process, thereby becoming a cause for something which would eventually become a part of a human being. Alternatively, a grape could also rot on the vine and then contribute once more to the soil, or it could be dried into a raisin or simply eaten to become a source of nutrition. In this case, the grape is only an example; the law of cause and effect is universal and applies to all phenomena. The process of cause and effect is integral to all things, and all things are momentary events in the transformation of causes and effects.
We are not exempt from this process either and are as much a part of it as anything else. However, unlike inanimate objects and those living things that are not self-conscious, we make the causes ourselves that will determine the kinds of lives we will have to suffer or enjoy. The Buddha taught that what we are today is a result of what we have thought and done in the past, and what we shall be in the future is a result of what we think and do in the present.
Unfortunately, we trap ourselves in a vicious circle of suffering by not recognizing the impermanent causal nature of things. Neither do we realize the ways in which we are setting in motion the various causes that will eventually determine the nature of our lives. Because of this ignorance, in our attempts to get those things that we mistakenly believe will bring permanent self-fulfillment we act in ways that are far from beneficial both for ourselves and for others. Everyone is familiar with the phrase “what goes around comes around,” but how many of us actually make sure that all of our words, actions and even thoughts are the kind that we would like to see mirrored back to us by the people, places and events in our daily lives. More often, we act without really thinking about the consequences of our actions. For instance, many people are lonely and looking for companionship, but very few take the time to consider whether they cultivate qualities that are genuinely attractive to others. Instead, they might blame their loneliness on the cold heartedness of others or on the difficulty of meeting the right person in a bar. These people then get even more anxious, frustrated and depressed which makes them even less attractive to others. Even if they do succeed in finding someone, they often have such unrealistic expectations that they later break up with the person whom they had previously thought was the fulfillment of their dreams. Between our misguided efforts to get what we want and the unrealistic expectations that we have in regard to the objects of our desires, it is no wonder that we actually end up making the causes that result in further suffering.
The Lotus Sūtra and the Three Great Secret Dharmas
How can the Lotus Sūtra help us to better understand and work with the law of cause and effect? The answer to this question is actually in the title of the sūtra itself. The lotus symbolizes the oneness of cause and effect, since it blooms and seeds at the same time. Because means and ends are inseparable, the causes we set in motion through our own thoughts, words and deeds immediately determine the nature of the effects unfolding from that point on. In making the cause of upholding the Lotus Sūtra and thereby aspiring to awakening (buddhahood) we simultaneously ensure the effect of attaining it.
The lotus also symbolizes the purity of buddhahood blossoming in the midst of our ordinary lives just as the lotus blossoms in muddy water. So, let us say that you perceive yourself as an ordinary person with the usual struggles and worries; and let us say that you do not perceive yourself as having any particularly saintly qualities. Perhaps you find it difficult to believe that it is possible to develop the insight and compassion of a buddha. According to the Lotus Sūtra, however, we can manifest these very qualities through our faith in our own capacity for buddhahood and, even more importantly, in the Buddha’s active presence in our lives as the spirit of awakening itself. As our faith and confidence in the Lotus Sūtra is established, we will find that in the midst of our daily routine we will act with more understanding and compassion.
Fortunately for us, Nichiren provided all people with a way to understand and put into practice the true spirit of Śākyamuni Buddha’s teachings. He taught three basic principles based upon the essential truths hidden in the depths of the Lotus Sūtra called the “Three Great Secret Dharmas.” Based upon these principles, he developed a simple yet profound practice accessible to everyone.
The Three Great Secret Dharmas are:
1. The Essential Focus of Reverence (Gohonzon) – which is the all-encompassing life of the Eternal Buddha. The Lotus Sūtra teaches that Śākyamuni Buddha’s awakening did not just begin under the Bodhi Tree or end with his passing under the sala trees. Like the true nature of reality it is an expression of, the Buddha’s awakening has no beginning or end. It is birthless and deathless and thus “eternal.” The Buddha’s awakening is both contained within ourselves as the ever-present possibility of awakening and embraces our lives as the spiritual influence and activity of the Buddha that is constantly working to bring about our own awakening. The Eternal Buddha manifests as the historical Śākyamuni Buddha, the idealized Buddha of the Pure Land of Eagle Peak in the Lotus Sūtra, and as the universal true nature of reality. Through the Lotus Sūtra as a concrete text, a profound teaching, and an immediate practice we can clearly and directly connect with the spiritual presence and influence of the Eternal Buddha.
2. The Great Title (Odaimoku) – In Sino-Japanese, the name of the Lotus Sūtra is “Myōhō Renge Kyō”, and these five characters are themselves an expression of the essential core of the teachings of Śākyamuni Buddha taught in the Lotus Sūtra. Because the Odaimoku embodies the essence of the Lotus Sūtra, the five characters myō, hō, ren, ge, and kyō enable us to center our hearts and minds on the Buddha’s highest teaching. When the word “Namu” meaning “devotion” is added to the title it becomes “Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō” or “Devotion to the Teaching of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.” According to Nichiren, by simply chanting “Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō” we are expressing our faith in the Eternal Buddha and opening our lives to all the qualities and merits of buddhahood.
For a clearer understanding of what Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō is all about, let us take a closer look at each of the words which compose it. “Namu” comes from the Sanskrit word namas and means “I devote myself to” or “I take refuge in.” This affirms that when all other self-oriented methods of attaining happiness have failed, we come to recognize that true happiness is only found in the True Dharma. “Myōhō” means “True Dharma” or “Wonderful Dharma.” It refers to the dynamic and interdependent true nature of life, in which everything exists through mutual support and transformation. “Buddha-nature” is another name for life’s inherent potential to recognize or disclose it’s own true nature. “Renge” means “Lotus Flower.” The lotus flower illustrates the workings of the Wonderful Dharma by symbolizing the unity of cause and effect — in this case aspiration and realization. It also symbolizes the blossoming of the purity of buddhahood from out of the muddy water of ordinary life. “Kyō” means “sūtra,” which is what the Buddhist scriptures are called. “Sūtra” means a thread of discourse. In this context it refers to all the teachings of the Buddha that culminate in the Lotus Sūtra. In a larger sense, because all phenomena manifest the Buddha’s teachings, all phenomena can be considered the Buddha’s teachings and actual manifestations of the truth of the Lotus Sūtra. The recitation of “Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō,” is therefore the verbal expression of our heartfelt wish to attain buddhahood. It is also a statement of our firm faith that buddhahood is the true nature of our lives which can be realized anew in every moment. In this way we plant the seed of awakening within our lives and within the lives of others. The more we nourish this seed through our practice, the more our life will embody our ideals.
It must be made very clear that chanting “Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō” is far more than a Buddhist version of “abracadabra” or a vain repetition of Sino-Japanese syllables, although it can certainly be reduced to that. Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō may not seem like much, but even a tiny key can unlock a great treasure. Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō is like such a key. The Odaimoku is both the seed and the fruit of all the Buddha’s teachings. At first, it is the ability to let go of fear by taking refuge in the Wonderful Dharma, the source of all genuine blessings and opportunities. As our insight and compassion deepen through our practice, the Odaimoku begins to express our aspiration to attain enlightenment in order to benefit all beings. Eventually, the Odaimoku becomes the verbal expression of a deep reorientation or change of heart, wherein we turn away from our misguided self-centeredness and turn towards the True Dharma. Finally, it culminates in a shared expression of faith, gratitude, and joy in the Wonderful Dharma that leads to the ocean of perfect and universal enlightenment for all beings.
3. The Precept Platform (Kaidan) – is considered any place where one chants the Odaimoku, thereby basing one’s life upon the true spirit of Śākyamuni Buddha’s teachings. Traditionally, the kaidan was the place where one made formal vows to follow the precepts of Buddhism as a member of the clergy. Nichiren universalized the concept of the kaidan so that all people could uphold the essential teaching and practice of the Lotus Sūtra at all times through chanting Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō. In Nichiren Buddhism there is no essential difference between the clergy and the laity. All are equal in faith though there functions may differ. In addition, the practice of Nichiren Buddhism does not require one to live in a monastery or attend intensive retreats. It is a practice that can be done anytime and anywhere by those with families and those who live alone. The most important thing is simply to practice so that wherever you find yourself, that place will become your practice hall.
In order to put these three principles or Three Great Secret Dharmas into practice, Nichiren Buddhists regularly recite selections from the Lotus Sūtra and chant Odaimoku at the beginning and at the end of the day in the presence of the Gohonzon (usually depicted in the form of a calligraphic mandala). In doing this we remind ourselves that the Eternal Śākyamuni Buddha, who is spiritually present to us in the Odaimoku, is continuously transferring the Dharma to us so that we can awaken to the Truth in every moment. By faithfully following this teaching and practice, Nichiren Buddhists are able to make the cause that enables them to manifest the perfect wisdom and great compassion of the Buddha in all circumstances. This manifestation allows them to transform not only their own lives but even the lives of others, so that this world can cease to be a world of suffering and become a pure land of peace and tranquility.
The law of cause and effect is fundamental to all forms of Buddhism. Buddha-nature is basic to Mahāyāna Buddhism, which will be discussed later. All of these teachings culminate in the Three Great Secret Dharmas that are the core of Nichiren Buddhism. Throughout the rest of this book we will return to them again and again. Each time, more and more of their meaning and importance will be revealed in the light of the various teachings of Śākyamuni Buddha. In the end, we will return to the Three Great Secret Dharmas in order to explain them in far more depth.