Yeah, welcome back. Tonight I'm going to briefly recap a couple of the points from last week about the role of the Lotus Sutra and the whole context of the Buddha's teachings, and I also want to say a few words about the structure of the Lotus Sutra before I go into the discussion about bodhicitta or the aspiration to attain enlightenment, which will be tonight's theme. After I talk about that, I will also say a few words about the role of chanting in Buddhist practice, which I had meant to share last week, but it was getting kind of late, so I clipped it off. So hopefully I can make up for that this week. Last week I told the story of the parable of the Prodigal Son which is in the fourth chapter of the Lotus Sutra.

[01:03]

And in that parable a young boy runs away from home, takes his inheritance and leaves and basically ends up in poverty and working odd jobs while his father in the meantime becomes a very wealthy man. who nevertheless misses his son. And eventually, the son passes by the estate of the father, and the father recognizes the son and sends a servant out to bring him back home. But the boy does not recognize his father, and being a very poor, presumably homeless person, is very frightened that this wealthy man is sending his, perhaps, security guards out to drag him back into the estate. And he is so afraid, and the father sees this, that the father says, no, let him go. Let him go on his way. And the father tries another tactic of sending out a more humble-appearing servant to hire the boy to work on the estate clearing out manure and doing other menial jobs, which the boy agrees to.

[02:12]

And eventually the boy is given more and more responsibility on the estate until he is finally managing the wealth and the assets of the father. And in the end of the parable, the father is on his deathbed and decides that the time has come to reveal to family and friends and everybody in the state that the boy, the manager, is actually his son and that he will inherit the father's wealth. Now, this parable is showing how the Buddha, at first, under the Bodhi tree, revealed the Flower Garland Sutra. although actually he did not speak a word in that sutra. The various bodhisattvas who appeared before him taught about the bodhisattva way in that sutra. But the Mahayana tradition teaches that this was such an exalted teaching that it was very intimidating to the average person, just as the son was at first too intimidated, too scared when he was brought back to the father's estate the first time.

[03:25]

When the Buddha got up from the Bodhi tree and ended the flower garland period, he began to teach the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path so that people could purify their minds. And this is equivalent to the time when the boy was clearing out the manure, symbolic of clearing his own mind, purifying his own mind. And eventually, just as the boy matured and gained more responsibility, the Mahayana teaches that the disciples of the Buddha matured in their understanding, and more and more were able to take on the six perfections of the Bodhisattva, generosity, virtue, patience, effort, meditation, and wisdom, and more and more were able to understand the teaching of emptiness and to understand that compassion is the other side of wisdom. And the Lotus Sutra corresponds to the part of the parable where the father finally reveals that the boy is his son all along and will inherit the father's wealth.

[04:32]

Because in the Lotus Sutra, this is when the Buddha states that all of the disciples, even those who only thought of themselves as Sravakas or Prachakabadas, in other words, as those who aspired only to the state of nirvana, that they too would become Buddhas, not merely attaining nirvana but attaining Buddhahood itself, that they too would be able to help all sentient beings and not merely themselves. So that is where the Lotus Sutra fits in in the whole context of the Buddha's teaching. It is the final maturation of the teaching. Now the Lotus Sutra itself can be divided up in a lot of different ways. One can look at it, one can divide it in half. For instance, take the first 14 chapters where the Buddha is still the Shakyamuni Buddha, the historical Buddha, who was a prince in India 2,500 years ago and attained enlightenment.

[05:36]

And then the last half of the sutra is often taken to be the original gate. In other words, in this part, the Buddha reveals that his enlightenment is actually endless. It has no beginning, no end. That Buddhahood does not appear or disappear. That these categories do not apply to enlightenment. So that's one way of looking at it. Another way of looking at it is from the perspective of the three assemblies in two places. This means that in the first ten chapters of the Lotus Sutra, the assembly takes place on the ground, on this earth, on a place called Vulture Peak. 2,500 years ago. And then, in the central part of the Lotus Sutra, chapters 11 through 22, the action shifts to what is called the ceremony in the air, which I'll be talking about next week. And this is the more transcendent part of the Lotus Sutra. And then finally, in the last six chapters, where the Bodhisattva practices are related, the assembly returns to the ground.

[06:43]

In other words, returns to the practical realities of this world, but now infused with an understanding of the transcendent aspect of enlightenment. And I mentioned last week that this parallels the Zen story of before Zen, mountains are mountains, rivers are rivers. During Zen practice, mountains and rivers are no longer mountains and rivers. And after practice, mountains and rivers are again mountains and rivers. So the sutra itself as a whole is following this pattern. The sutra actually was, my sensei pointed out to me, the venerable Yusho Matsuda, my teacher, that the sutra was actually written or composed in this way. First the verses were written down, I should say, coming from an oral tradition. And then the prose sections were added as elaborations to the verse parts. And chapters one through ten were probably written first as a sutra just by itself.

[07:44]

And then later on, the chapters 11 through 22 were added. And then finally, somebody tacked on the last six chapters to show the various aspects of Bodhisattva practice. But if you did not know that, you would read the sutra and it works. It flows, it's an organic whole. So you don't need to concern yourself with that so much. However, the reason I bring all this up is because these divisions have different emphases. And these different sides or emphases show the different aspects of our practice, the unfolding of our practice. And the first ten chapters, which I will talk about tonight, are about that aspect of our practice which could be called bodhicitta, the aspiration to attain enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. The middle chapters are about Ashraya Parivrti, which is a technical consciousness-only school term that means the turnabout at the basis of consciousness.

[08:45]

This is where delusion overturns and becomes enlightenment. And then finally, the last six chapters are about Parinamana, which is another technical term that means the dedication of merit to all beings. And I will cover that the week after next week. So now let's turn to Bodhicitta. The first thing that needs to be understood is that to outsiders, Buddhism often seems very sterile, very almost cold and aloof, but it's not. And the Lotus Sutra really shows the more emotional side, the warmth of enlightenment, of awakening. I'm sorry, but this isn't in the handout. In the handout you'll find the different parables that I'll be talking about tonight. But let me share with you one of the parts of the Lotus Sutra where Shariputra is responding to the Buddha's teaching that all people can attain enlightenment.

[10:00]

He says, This is from chapter 3. At that time, Shariputra, ecstatic with joy, instantly rose up, folded his hands, and looking up at the honorable face, spoke to the Buddha, saying, Now, hearing the sound of the Dharma from the world-honored one, I am filled with ecstasy, obtaining that which I have never experienced before. Wherefore, because of yore, when I heard of such a Dharma as this in the Buddha, and saw Bodhisattvas who were predicted to become Buddhas, we were never prepared for these things, and greatly distressed ourselves at having lost the Tathagata's infinite knowledge. Ever since then, I have passed whole days and nights in self-reproach. But now, on hearing from the Buddha the unprecedented Dharma, which I have never heard before, I have ended all doubts and regrets, am at ease in body and mind, and am happily at rest. Today, I indeed know that I am really a son of the Buddha, born from the mouth of the Buddha, evolved from the Dharma, and have obtained a place in the Buddha Dharma.

[11:04]

So there's an ecstatic joy that's involved here. There's a real celebration. And this happens again and again throughout the Lotus Sutra, not just with Sariputra, but with the other major disciples of the Buddha. And what was it that, again, what was it that the Buddha taught? It was the one vehicle, the fact that no one was being left out from Buddhahood. As Sariputra mentions in that passage, He and some of the other monastic disciples thought that the Mahayana teachings were being directed at someone else. They were being directed at people who were a little more capable, a little more energetic, whose aspirations were much higher. They didn't realize that they were being included also until the teaching of the Lotus Sutra. At this time, I think, yes, there is a passage in the handout. If you turn to Let's see where we are here. It's the part that we'll be reading tonight, or chanting tonight at the end.

[12:07]

Page 18, it's the second paragraph. This is the teaching that Shariputra was responding to. The Buddha addressed Shariputra, such a wonderful law as this, is only preached by the Buddha Tathagatas on rare occasions, just as the Udambara flower is seen but once in long periods. Sariputra, believe me, all of you, in the Buddha's teaching no word is false. Sariputra, the meaning of the laws which the Buddha expound as opportunity serves, is difficult to understand. Wherefore, because I expound the laws by numberless tactful ways, and with various reasonings and parabolic expressions, these laws cannot be understood by powers of thought or discrimination. Only the Buddhas can discern them. Wherefore, because the Buddhas, the world-honored ones, on account of the one very great cause, appear in the world. Shariputra, why do I say that the Buddhas, the world-honored ones, only on account of the one very great cause appear in the world?

[13:14]

Because the Buddhas, the world-honored ones, desire to cause all living beings to open their eyes to the Buddha knowledge so that they may gain the pure mind. Therefore, they appear in the world. Because they desire to show all living beings the Buddha knowledge, they appear in the world. Because they desire to cause all living beings to apprehend the Buddha knowledge, they appear in the world. Because they desire to cause all living beings to enter the way of the Buddha knowledge, they appear in the world. Shariputra, this is why it is only on account of the one very great cause that Buddhas appear in the world. This great cause of opening, showing, apprehending, and entering in the Buddha knowledge is the theme of the Hokey Tenhoke, the essay by Dogen. And he goes back to this again and again. This is why the Buddhas appear in the world. This is why throughout the first 10 chapters of the Lotus Sutra, the disciples are so ecstatic with joy. Some translations even say that their minds dance with joy.

[14:16]

The Watson translation says that. The passage goes on to say, the Buddha addressed Sariputra, the Buddha Tathagatas teach only Bodhisattvas. Whatever they do is always for one purpose. That is to take the Buddha knowledge and reveal it to all living beings. Sariputra, the Tathagata, by means of the one Buddha vehicle, preaches to all living beings the law. There is no other vehicle, neither a second nor a third. Sariputra, the laws of all the Buddhas in the universe also were like this. Sariputra, the Buddhas in times past, by infinite, numberless, tactful ways, and with various reasonings and parabolic expressions, expound the laws for the sake of all living beings. All these laws are for the one Buddha vehicle, so that all those living beings who have heard the law from the Buddhas might all finally obtain perfect knowledge." So what he's saying is the Buddha had previously taught The Sravaka vehicle, the disciple vehicle, for those who are ready for the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, those who needed to work on themselves, you might say.

[15:19]

He taught the Pratyekabuddha, or the private Buddha vehicle, for those who wish to contemplate the causes and conditions, which is the true nature of this world. But those vehicles were all included within this one Buddha vehicle, that if one is truly following the Four Noble Truths, if one is truly realizing dependent origination, the causal and conditional nature of things, one will arrive at compassion and not merely insight or aloofness, that compassion is integral to real insight. This is what the Buddha is saying. And this is what bodhicitta is all about, the aspiration to attain enlightenment, to realize what it really means to follow the Four Noble Truths. Now, bodhicitta is also about confidence and trust in the Buddha. One can, of course, aspire to enlightenment on one's own, but to have the teacher, the Buddha,

[16:20]

say to you directly to predict your enlightenment to put the stamp of approval as it were on your aspirations and say you're going to make it kid you know that's really what's going on in these first 10 chapters because in that second chapter the one on tactfulness the Buddha lays out this one Buddha vehicle the Buddha explains that it's possible for all beings to attain enlightenment but the disciples can't quite get themselves to believe it. So that is why after the second chapter, the Buddha tells various parables and gives predictions by name of those who will become Buddhas in the future. And it is this face-to-face sharing, this face-to-face bestowal of confidence that is what really brings about that opening of the heart and the mind. And this happens through different means.

[17:26]

Some of the disciples are able to get it conceptually. Sariputra gets it after the second chapter when he hears this teaching of the one vehicle that I just read. Some of the other disciples are able to pick up on this artistically through the various parables, which I will be moving on to in just a moment. Some of the disciples are able to get it directly through actual causes and conditions. And in the latter part of these first 10 chapters, the Buddha actually talks about past life connections with the disciples. So it's more than just hearing a song or a parable or studying a teaching. It's a relationship, a relationship with the Buddha, a relationship with others that opens the disciples up to this possibility of attaining enlightenment for themselves. With that, let me move on to the Parable of the Herbs. In the Parable of the Herbs, which I believe is in the fifth chapter, let me check that here. It's in the fifth chapter, right.

[18:33]

In the Parable of the Herbs, the Buddha compares the Dharma to a cloud. that, much like today, is sprinkling a cloud that covers the whole world and rains down upon all the grass and all the herbs and all the trees. And we should keep in mind that the Buddha was talking to an Indian audience who were thinking of this in terms of the dry season and the rainy season in India. So before the rains came, before the monsoon season started, that region of India would become desperately dry and hot, where the ground is baked and cracking. So for them, there's no question of rain, rain, go away, come again another day. These clouds are a great relief, a great blessing. So this is what the Buddha is comparing his dharma to. And he points out in the parable that

[19:36]

It is the same rain that falls upon the ground, but each herb, each grass, each tree, each shrub is able to use that rain in a different way to bring life to the various properties which they may have. The flowers with their wonderful scents, different herbs with their medicinal properties, the trees bearing fruit. Each of them has a different way of appropriating that rain, that dharma. And in the same way, each of the disciples, each of us who studies these teachings, is going to be affected in a different way, in a way that is appropriate to us and to our situation. So the lesson of the Parable of the Herbs is that Not only will each of us benefit in a different way, but we should not be discouraged by any of our shortcomings. We should not be discouraged that somebody is becoming a great teacher or speaker, or somebody else is becoming a great artist and making wonderful thangkas and scrolls like the one over there, Bodhidharma.

[20:44]

Each of us have different talents, so there's no need to get discouraged, no need to push ourselves too much. And we should just do what we can with what we have, and that is enough, and to keep moving. So this is really trying to encourage us to practice right where we are, as we are. And now we move on to the parable of the Magic City, which appears, I believe, in Chapter 7. And before I go into this parable, let me point out something. The Lotus Sutra is constantly showing two sides to everything. It's constantly sort of giving on the one hand and taking away on the other, trying to pull the rug out from under you so you don't get too comfortable. overriding pattern in the Lotus Sutra is that on the one hand, it's trying to make the teachings very accessible, and on the other hand, it tries to make the Dharma so exalted that you wonder if you can ever get it at all. So for instance, towards the end of the second chapter, it says that if you even scribble a picture of the Buddha, or if you even half-heartedly kind of nod to the Buddha's image, you will become a Buddha in the future.

[21:57]

Well, that's really easy. I just did that right now. But then on the other hand, you get to some sections further on which say that this sutra is difficult to understand and difficult to believe. And in the 11th chapter it says that it's easier to put the world on your toenail and kick it off into space than it is to understand these teachings. So which is it? Is it impossible to get or is it as easy as falling off a log? Well, it's both and neither. But that's not the only dichotomy that the Lotus Sutra is setting up. And the parables play off of each other in the same way. So where the Parable of the Herbs is saying, you know, try to understand the Dharma in whatever way you can and just work with that. The Parable of the Magic City is saying, don't get too complacent. Don't get too comfortable with the understanding. Keep moving, keep going. So in the Parable of the Magic City, So what we have is a story of a great treasure that exists on the other side of a desert, of a wild region, inhabited by bandits and various other creatures.

[23:06]

It almost sounds to me like a Dungeons and Dragons adventure, if you're familiar with that, when I read this story. I see a party of treasure hunters, you know, off to find this great mound of gold and defeat whatever dragon is there. But in this case, of course, the treasure at the other side is not gold, but Buddhahood itself. And the dragon is not some kind of monster on the outside, but the fear, the discouragement, the frustrations of the travelers themselves. And the story relates that the guide who carries them through the desert realizes that they're at the point where they're just ready to give up and turn back. We've had enough of this. How much longer am I going to have to sit here staring at a blank wall with my knees screaming in pain? Or in my tradition, how much longer am I going to sit here chanting with my vocal cords burning out? How much longer am I going to have to try to be such a nice person to everybody so I can be a good Buddhist? All of these discouragements, all these frustrations.

[24:09]

So what the guide does is he says, well look, right over there on the other side of that dune is a city. And we can go there and we can rest. And now I get a picture of the Emerald City and the Wizard of Oz. I kind of imagine them topping the crest, and there it is. And they go inside, and they receive manicures and nice new clothes and all kinds of refreshments. You know, very much like the treatment Dorothy and company received in the Wizard of Oz. But after they're all rested and on their second wind, the guide tells them, well, guess what? We're not done yet. This is a great place. But I created it through my magical power as a way of giving you a place to rest. And now we need to keep moving. Now, the treasure is just a little further off. We're almost there. We're 75% of the way there. Now that you have your energy back, we can get there. What this parable is trying to relate is the difference between two different kinds of nirvana.

[25:15]

that crop up in the Mahayana tradition. And it's important to keep this in mind. There is what's called pratistha nirvana and apratistha nirvana. Now forget the Sanskrit. I'll just tell you what that means straight out. Pratistha means abiding and apratistha is non-abiding. So there's abiding nirvana and non-abiding nirvana. Now, abiding nirvana, sometimes called static nirvana, is the goal of the Sravakas, the Pratyekabuddhas, the disciples and the private Buddhas who just wanted peace of mind. They just wanted to, I think there was a play several years ago called Stop the World, I Want to Get Off. Well, that's what they want to do. They want to stop the world and get off. They've had enough of this wild ride. And that's abiding nirvana. They get to the other shore, that's it. They've arrived, they're there. No need to move anymore. The goal of the Bodhisattva, and judging from the Lotus Sutra, the goal of the Buddha, is a non-abiding nirvana.

[26:21]

A nirvana which is a peace that, while it transcends this world, is not fixed. to any other world either. It is somehow a peace that is in the midst of the various fluctuations and problems and issues of this world. It does not abide anywhere. It doesn't even abide in peace necessarily, but also it does not abide the way most of us usually do in the kind of greed and anger and frustration and disappointment that most of us are used to. It moves, it flows, it's flexible, it's dynamic. It is a sharing as opposed to a removal. And the magic city is the abiding nirvana. And the non-abiding nirvana, of course, is the actual treasure itself, the real nirvana. The Buddha says later on in the 10th chapter, actually I believe he says in the 7th chapter as well, that this is the only real nirvana, this non-abiding nirvana.

[27:23]

that cannot be classified either as of this world or of another world. That any other kind of nirvana you can talk about is just a way of helping people find a resting point. And perhaps I should point out, too, that it isn't just that, well, that's not real. I mean, we all do need time out on occasion, but it can't end there. We need to go and move on beyond that. Next, is the Parable of the Hidden Gem. And following that, the Parable of the Gem in the Topknot. So here we have another dichotomy being set up. On the one hand, in the Parable of the Hidden Gem, there is a discussion of the inherent Buddha nature within us. But in the Parable of the Gem in the Topknot, there is the idea that enlightenment is a gift that is bestowed upon us. And both of these are true, and neither of these are true. Let me tell you about the parables.

[28:26]

In the parable of the hidden gem, there is a story, this is in chapter eight, I believe, of two friends who are out drinking. And one of them is very poor, and the other one is very wealthy. And the wealthy man has to go on a business trip. So he wants to make sure that his friend is able to take care of himself when he's gone, so he takes this very precious gem and ties it, or somehow folds it into the robe of his poor friend. The next day, he gets up and reminds his friend, you know, that Jim is there. You can cash that in and take care of yourself until we see each other again. And then he goes off on his trip. Unfortunately, the poor friend is so hungover that he forgets completely about this hidden Jim. And spends the next few years begging on the streets and trying to scrabble up some menial jobs and find a place to stay and scraps to eat.

[29:27]

Until eventually he runs into his wealthy friend again. And the friend looks at him and says, why are you living like this? I gave you this gem. You should have been able to, you should be living very comfortably right now. You should be living in a nice penthouse because of the value of that jewel, not a cardboard box on the corner. And the poor man says, well, I didn't even realize I had this, and finds that all along, the wealth was already there. And the idea is, this is the way most of us are with our Buddha nature. We have this wealth, it's there. The possibility of awakening is there, each and every moment. But we are so wrapped up in our issues and our problems, our usual confusion, that we don't see it. We don't take the time to look or to remember that it's there. And really, that's what our practice is about. Every time we practice, every time we sit down, or in my tradition, whenever we chant, recite the title of the Lotus Sutra, whenever we come before the Buddha, that is the meeting between the wealthy man and the poor man, where the wealthy man says, look, that gem, it's right there.

[30:36]

Now the next parable, the parable of the gem in the topknot, takes a different perspective on this. In this story, the Buddha is compared to a great sovereign, a great emperor, who sends his armies out to conquer the enemies of the Dharma. And of course the enemies are actually greed, anger, ignorance, the armies of Mara. And the Bodhisattvas are the great heroes of this army, the great generals. commanders. And in the old days, one wouldn't just merely receive medals or commendations. One would actually receive some of the spoils from the battle, maybe even some of the personal treasures of the ruler that one was serving, that one was fighting for. And in this case, the sovereign gives various treasures from his treasuries to the different commanders and generals, all these bodhisattvas and great beings. But there's one gem, the gem in the topknot that is the crown jewel.

[31:40]

the sign of his kingship, and that's the one thing that he cannot give. But in the parable, there is a victory that is so great that the sovereign decides, now is the time when I can give even this, even my own jewel to these people, to these heroes. And in the same way, in our practice, we're not just practicing by ourselves. We're practicing with all sentient beings, and we are practicing with the Buddha, in the presence of the Buddha. And our practice is not so much... It is also pulling something out from within ourselves. That's one way of talking about it. But another way of looking at it, of talking about it, is our practice is opening us up, allowing us to receive what is there, what is right in front of us. And that is the gem in the top knot, the Buddha Dharma itself, Buddhahood itself. Now, having looked at those two parables, I do want to point out that this is all rhetoric.

[32:47]

The Buddha nature is not something that can be owned or given, received, lost, found. It is not some little thing or photon that exists in the pineal gland or anywhere else. The Buddha nature is the dynamic process of life itself. It is the process of our practice of opening up to life, opening up to ourselves, opening up to others, opening up to the Buddha and others. This is what it is. It's not a thing. And in fact, in the second chapter of the Lotus Sutra, there's a couple passages that I find in the verse section that I find particularly noteworthy. The one says, all things are devoid of substantiality. The seed of Buddhahood comes from dependent origination. The seed of Buddhahood comes from dependent origination. Our Buddha nature is the dynamic relationality of life itself.

[33:51]

And the other phrase states, all things are from the outset in the state of tranquil extinction. Wow. That's difficult, especially when you watch the evening news or you get in a fight with your wife or a friend or something like that. Where's the tranquil extinction in that situation? But it's there. It's there. As soon as you drop all of these burdens, these unnecessary burdens of greed, anger, and ignorance that you picked up, as soon as you drop that, there it is. It's very difficult, though. And that's why the Lotus Sutra says, on the one hand, it's so easy, because it is right there. All you have to do is drop this. But on the other hand, it's so difficult, like kicking this world off to the other end of the universe. We don't want to drop this stuff. We're so comfortable with our confusion. that God forbid we get rid of it because well then what would we do? But that's in a sense what practice is all about, helping us loosen up, helping us to learn that we can drop it all and it'll be okay.

[34:58]

Now let me wrap up tonight's discussion with the talk about ultimate and relative bodhicitta. This is another dichotomy that appears in the Lotus Sutra. And in the East Asian tradition, this idea of ultimate and relative bodhicitta hasn't received much comment. I'm not even sure if it's been explicitly noticed. The Tibetans talk about it a lot, but I found it very useful. So I'd like to share it with you. Ultimate, and these are just two aspects of the same thing. These are also different aspects of our practice. Ultimate bodhicitta is the aspiration to attain enlightenment, to attain an insight into emptiness, into that dependent origination aspect. Relative bodhicitta is the aspiration to liberate all beings. And they're really two sides of the same coin. Because once you aspire to the enlightenment that perceives the emptiness of all things,

[36:09]

Once you go through with that aspiration, once you actually begin to get a little bit of an understanding of this, get your feet wet on the edge of the pool of sunyata or emptiness, that at the same time shows that your life is inextricably bound with all others. that this emptiness means there is no barrier between yourself and others. And that's where the compassion comes from. So you cannot separate this relative and this ultimate bodhicitta, the understanding of emptiness and the actual living out of that emptiness in one's relation to others, in the spirit of generosity, in the spirit of caring and patience. In chapter In chapter 14, the peaceful practices chapter, they talk about the four peaceful practices of the Bodhisattvas. The ministry of the body, ministry of speech, ministry of thought, and ministry of the vow. And I would invite you to, if you have a copy of the Lotus Sutra, to examine that on your own.

[37:18]

It's a little bit too involved to go into tonight, but if you are able to read chapter 14, I really encourage you to do so and to look at how the ultimate and relative aspects are constantly interplaying, or what's the word I want here? Constantly moving back and forth, constantly interrelated. Maybe I will close this discussion actually with part of a couple more passages from chapter 10. One we're going to recite tonight, and actually that also shows this relative and ultimate emptiness and compassion aspects of bodhicitta. On page 19 in the handout, I guess the middle of the page, right where it says chapter 10, it says, Medicine King, If there be any good son or good daughter who, after the extinction of the Tathagata, desires to preach the Law Flower Sutra to the four groups, how should we preach it?

[38:26]

That good son or good daughter, entering into the abode of the Tathagata, wearing the robe of the Tathagata, and sitting on the throne of the Tathagata, should then widely proclaim this sutra to the four groups of hearers. The abode of the Tathagata is the great compassionate heart within all living beings. The robe of the Tathagata is a gentle and forbearing heart. The throne of the Tathagata is the voidness of all law. Established in these then, with unflagging mind, to Bodhisattvas and the four groups of hearers, he will preach this Law Flower Sutra." So we're being invited here to put ourselves in the place of the Buddha. And by doing that, to have the same compassion the same insight into emptiness, into relatedness as the Buddha himself. And another passage that I would like to share, which is not unfortunately in the handout. It's also from chapter 10. And this one, actually this one is a good way also to introduce the chanting that we'll be doing tonight.

[39:38]

It says, Buddha, or the Buddha says, Medicine King, do you see in this assembly innumerable gods, dragon kings, human and non-human beings? All such beings as these in the presence of the Buddha, if they hear a single verse or a single word of the wonderful Law Flower Sutra, and even by a single thought delight in it, I predict that they will attain perfect enlightenment. Moreover, even after the extinction of the Tathagata, if there be any people who hear even a single verse or a single word of the wonderful Law Flower Sutra, and by a single thought delight in it, I also predict for them perfect enlightenment. These people have already paid homage to ten myriad kotis of Buddhas, and under the Buddhas perform their great vows. Therefore, out of compassion for all living beings, they are born among men. No medicine king. These people will have themselves abandoned the recompense of their purified karma. And after my extinction, out of pity for all living beings, will be born in the evil world and widely proclaim this sutra.

[40:45]

If these good sons and good daughters, after my extinction, should be able, even by stealth, to preach to one person even one word of the Lawflower Sutra, know these people are Tathagata apostles, sent by the Tathagata to perform Tathagata deeds. how much more so those who in great assemblies widely preach to others. So on the one hand, this bodhicitta, this raising the aspiration to attain enlightenment seems very difficult, very heroic. It is an effort that could span many, many ages and eons. And in fact, when you understand the implications of non-abiding nirvana, it's actually supposed to be endless. But on the other hand, it also comes down to the moment, a single moment of rejoicing, a single moment of taking faith in even one word of the sutra and being able to share even one word, one verse, one phrase. It really comes down to the moment that you're living in. And with that, I think I will close the discussion of the first 10 chapters.

[41:55]

and see what time we have now. How about we take questions and answers, and then after the questions and answers, I will talk about the meaning and value of chanting practice, and then we will recite certain sections from the first 10 chapters, and also the Odaimoku, the great title of the Lotus Sutra. So, are there any questions or comments? Yes? Michael, could you say something about the title, Tathagata? How it comes up and begins, its origin. Let me see if I can find a section here. Parable, here we go. When the Buddha, predicts the enlightenment of Sariputra. Let's see.

[42:58]

This is what he says. Here we go. If you have this three-fold Lotus Sutra, it's on page 81. He says, Shariputra, in a world to come, after endless, boundless, and inconceivable kalpas, when you shall have served some thousand myriad kodis of Buddhas, maintained the right law, and completed the way which Bodhisattvas walk, you shall become a Buddha whose title will be Flower Light Tathagata. And then he goes into a list of names, epithets, that always follow. the prediction of the Buddha. And in fact, this comes from the Pali Canon and earlier sources where it composed the good reputation the Buddha had among all the people of India at that time. It says, worshipful, all-wise, perfectly enlightened in conduct, well departed, understander of the world, peerless leader, controller, teacher of gods and men, Buddha, world-honored one, And, of course, to Tathagata, Flowerlight Tathagata was the first title.

[44:03]

So these are all the different ways you can appreciate the Buddha. And Tathagata is an especially suggestive term because it could be interpreted in one of two ways. Tathagata could mean the one who comes from the realm of truth or the one who goes to the realm of truth. Strangely enough, this idea pops up in the Gospels, too, where they talk about the son of man who can be seen coming and going from heaven. So there was this idea that the Buddha somehow inhabited both worlds. And at the same time that the Buddha was pulling us into a different way of seeing things, the Buddha was returning to us from his perspective and rejoining us in our way of seeing things. So there could be relationship, communication, coming and going from the realm of truth, the Dharmadhatu. And that's the position that we're also being asked to join him in, in that position of going and coming, coming and going, where there is no coming or going, actually. Is that, does that answer?

[45:08]

Yes? I want to see if I'm maybe reading more into this than you said. I know that in some Herula Buddhism, not like Herula Canon Buddhism, and so then there's a lot of attention to merit-making activity in order to be born in the time of a Buddha, in order to get a prediction, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. So are you saying that in the Lotus Sutra, basically, everyone is getting a prediction of Buddhahood? Everyone, everyone. And in fact, in the, let me see where this is. And let me explain, I'll explain the logic of this too. Because the Lotus Sutra is doing something interesting. It's taking the logic of those earlier forms of Buddhism at their word, but playing with them, working with them, showing implications to them that really opens it all up. Because they are very narrow when you first hear about them. In the, where is it?

[46:12]

Ah, here we go. In chapter eight, the 500 disciples receive the prediction of their destiny. Well, that's where the Buddha moves from just predicting certain disciples will attain enlightenment. In theory, he's already said that in the second chapter. They'll all become Buddhists, but actually naming people. But in chapter eight, he opens it up to a whole bunch of people. And he follows this up in chapter nine with a prediction of the destiny of Arhat's training and trained. And this is everybody, even those 5,000 people who left in a huff in the second chapter because they didn't want to hear all this Buddhahood nonsense. They're all going to receive enlightenment, too. Now, that number 500, does anybody here... Okay. After the Buddha died, the first assembly was called so that the original disciples, historical disciples of the Buddha, could get together and agree upon what his teachings were and what the discipline was that he had laid down.

[47:12]

And this first assembly was composed of 500 arhats. And Ananda, the one who opens all the sutras saying, thus I heard, he was also included, although he kind of squeaked in at the last minute, attaining enlightenment in a all-night meditation bench. In fact, it wasn't his desperation that allowed him to attain enlightenment. It was the fact that early in the morning of the council, he realized, I'm just not going to get it after all. I give up. Bang, that was it. He was letting go. of his need to attain enlightenment that allowed him to attain it. Strangely enough, another one of those dichotomies. Nevertheless, the 500 arhats, when the Buddha is predicting enlightenment, Buddhahood for those 500 arhats, that is the same as saying that even that first assembly, even the very source of the Buddhist tradition itself, of the so-called Hinayana teachings, has been endowed with Buddhahood, so to speak, through this sutra.

[48:17]

So really nobody's left out. And the idea is, and he elaborates on this in the seventh chapter where he talks about his past life relationships with all of the disciples, he says that in that past you all, all of you disciples had made the aspiration to attain enlightenment. In the past, you were taught by all these various Buddhas, but you have forgotten about it. So what the Lotus Sutra is saying is that maybe in this lifetime you haven't met a Buddha and haven't received any kind of prediction, but your life is more than just what you think it is. It is more than just this body, this mind, these particular circumstances. It reaches out to all time and space, and within that, it is almost certain that you have been able to meet not just one Buddha, but countless Buddhas, and have most likely already had your enlightenment predicted. This is going to get even more radical next week when we talk about the middle chapters, where there's the implication that we have not only had our prediction in the past, even though we may not remember it, but we have actually had our awakening in the distant past.

[49:29]

But I will save that for next week. So it's really opening up. And since you have mentioned that, Chapter 12 is also worth looking at where Devadatta, the so-called Buddhist Judas, the one who is constantly trying to roll boulders on the Buddha and stampede elephants and send assassins after him, the Dr. No Buddhism, even he has his enlightenment predicted. And then the Dragon King's daughter, an eight-year-old dragon girl, kind of like a mermaid, comes up from the sea and she becomes a Buddha in an instant. And Nietzsche then, the founder of the tradition I belong to, said, well, this proves that if even someone as evil as Devadatta could become a Buddha, then all of our fathers can become Buddhas too. And if even an eight-year-old dragon girl can become a Buddha in an instant, then even our mothers can become Buddhas as well. So the Chapter 12 is a chapter of filial piety for Nichiren, because that's the chapter that you can use to encourage your parents to become Buddhas.

[50:32]

So, okay. Any other questions? Yes? More than that, actually. In fact, this might be a good time to plug my books. There's of course the Threefold Lotus Sutra, which is available in most of the bookstores around here that have good selections on Buddhism. I personally like this one a lot, even though its language is occasionally awkward. Because it is the only translation that includes the Sutra of Innumerable Meanings and the Sutra of Meditation on Bodhisattva Universal Virtue. And I personally find those very important. So that's why it's called the Threefold of the Sutra, because of its prologue and epilogue sutras. So this is a good translation. Shambhala has it in stock. Oh, right. That's right. The other, let's see, now this would be available if you wanted to get it through me because we stock it at our temple in San Jose.

[51:43]

There's the Senshu Murano's translation of the Lotus Sutra. Senshu Murano is a bishop and one of the most revered scholars in the Nichiren school back in Japan. And his translation is very readable. And Murano is a very careful scholar. So this is a good one to get. There is also the Numata Center, the Bukyo Dendai, I guess is their other name. Well, anyway, the Numata Translation Society has been trying to translate the whole Thai show. which is the Japanese collection of all the sutras and commentaries and writings in East Asia. It's a monumental task that they're taking on and they've already translated maybe a dozen texts so far and one of those is the Lotus Sutra. That one I haven't heard such great recommendations about though. Then there is the Hurwitz translation, which I don't have with me. That is one of the best scholarly translations, especially since it has appendix with the Sanskrit sections in the back, which differ a little from the Chinese.

[52:52]

Kumar Jeeva, for whatever reasons, decided to leave whole sections out and switch around a few things. And then there is the Burton Watson translation with the, was it Monet? I guess the Monet lotus flowers on the front. And that's also very readable. translation. I especially like Watson's prose. So that's a very good one. And so those are the ones that are available. The ones you'll probably have the most ease finding is this threefold in the Watson translation. So for myself, I think it comes down to whether you want the epilogue and prologue or not. So anyway, that's my long answer to a short question. Also, if anybody's interested, I brought a couple books that are available from the San Jose Temple. If anybody would like to buy some, I have extra copies in the back. There is the Introduction to the Lotus Sutra, which is a translation of a book by a Japanese priest, the Nichiren Shu. It's $13.50 if you buy it through me. about $17 otherwise, and it's a chapter-by-chapter summary and explanation of the Lotus Sutra.

[53:59]

Very accessible, very helpful, especially since even the Zen masters like Hakuin had trouble reading the Lotus Sutra without a guidebook. And then there is Lotus Petals, which my sensei put together, and it has little excerpts and passages in the Lotus Sutra arranged under different themes. And this is only $5, and very handy. You can kind of read the different passages and use them as reflections for the day or things like that. So that's what I have available if anyone's interested after this is over. Okay. I think it was Buddha Mind. Buddha Nature? Yes, and they turned my mind inside out. I can't remember what they were. Are they written down somewhere? Oh, yes, yes. They're from the second chapter of the Lotus Sutra in the prose section. In fact, I think one or both of them appears in the Lotus Petals book.

[55:04]

They're not in the handout. I could read them again if you would like. Why don't I do that? Let's see. Oh, it's over here. No, it's in the outline. There we go. Is this why there's a transmission outside the written word? Because people are tired of shuffling papers. The passages read, all things are devoid of substantiality. The seed of Buddhahood comes from dependent origination. And then, all things are from the outset in the state of tranquil extinction. In chapter, from the verse section in chapter two. Dogen of course wrote about Buddha nature being impermanence and also wrote that in his essay Buddha nature that we don't have Buddha nature we are Buddha nature and I find that those tie in very well to those passages in the second chapter of Lotus Sutra.

[56:19]

And I would have to reread his essays again, but he might have even referred directly to those passages. I'm not sure, but most likely he had them in mind when he was writing them. Okay. Anybody else? Questions, comments, answers? I have a lot of questions, too. Okay. My question is to find out what Namu Myoho Renge Kyo really means. That's my question. That's what's been pulling me along all these years. Namu Myoho Renge Kyo. Thank you for reminding me of my question. I'm sure it was traveling along the Silk Route back and forth.

[57:30]

Yeah. Or it's part of human nature. Very interesting. But the reading of it is quite different. Do you have any suggestions about looking at the two of them? Would you look at them side by side? Well, I would. I wouldn't equate them, necessarily. I wouldn't say they're the same parable. And the parable of the herbs, as well, is one that Jesus also used. And, in fact, there is a great parallel many parallels I should say between the Buddha's teaching in the 16th chapter in the Last Supper speech in the Gospel of John and also later earlier on in John Jesus refers to himself as a shepherd with other flocks that these disciples don't know about which is what the Buddha also says in the 16th chapter. So there's a lot of strange parallels and similarities between the Lotus Sutra and some of the Gospels.

[58:32]

I suspect some of this might be, as you said, universal human nature. Some of it might be certain Gospel writers in Alexandria maybe hearing Buddha stories from the merchants or even monks who might have passed through, who knows. But briefly, the parable of the Prodigal Son and the Bible is really about, on the one hand, on the most superficial level, about the forgiveness of the father, the father taking the son back. But it's also, and really this may be the actual point, it's about the son who stayed at home. who feels kind of like, well, I've been here all along. How come you're not having a welcome home feast for me? So that adds a whole other dimension to that parable that has nothing to do with the parable in the Lotus Sutra. The parable of the prodigal son in the Lotus Sutra is not an instant welcome back. It's not the sudden enlightenment of the parable of Jesus, but more a gradual awakening, a gradual maturation, and a gradual change in teaching tactics of the Father or the Buddha with us.

[59:39]

So kind of the same story, but they go in very different directions. Anything else? Yes. For those of you who might not have been here, might not remember, last week we were talking about the meeting between the six patriarch and a monk named Fa Zhang, I think. No, not Fa Zhang. Fa Ta, that's right. Fa Zhang is a flower garland guy. in which the monk Fatah had been reciting the sutra like 3,000 times and had still been unable to get the point.

[60:42]

And the six patriarchs' teaching was that if he were enlightened, he would be able to turn the Lotus Sutra. But if he were not enlightened, his practice was just the Lotus Sutra turning him. And Dogen then took this as the theme for Hokkei Tenhokkei and broadened it, expanded it. In the original story of the Sixth Patriarch, the idea is that if we turn the Lotus Sutra into a fetish, into an idol, bibliolatry as it were, well then we're being turned by the Sutra. It's using us. we're living for the sake of the sutra. That's silly. This is a book. And more than that, of course, Myoho Rengekyo, the wonderful Dharma lotus flower teaching, is not just a book but the teaching, and not just the teaching but the enlightenment of the Buddha itself. But even as the enlightenment of the Buddha itself, if we don't get it, if we are being if we are trying to grasp at it and cling to it and use it as a way of feeling superior to others or feeling like we're in on the big secret and nobody else is getting it, well then it's turning us, it's making our mind confused and moving around.

[61:57]

But once we understand the true value of the sutra, the true value of the teaching which the sutra embodies, the true value of enlightenment itself and are living it from the depth of our life, then we turn the sutra, we turn it. share it with others. Now the Sutra is serving us. Now the Sutra is helping us. Now the Sutra is being turned in the sense of bringing harmony and relationship into a situation where before there might have been indifference, coldness, confusion. Now Dogen took this and just took it to a whole new level when he said the flower of the Dharma is In one sense, it's not that there's me and then there's this teaching, the Lotus Sutra, or there's me and the enlightenment of the Buddha. I am also the teaching. I am the enlightenment of the Buddha. There is no dichotomy here. But until I realize that, I'm still confused. But even in my confusion, this world is still what it is.

[63:01]

This world is still the Buddha's world. But then when I awaken to it, then I am at home, I am at ease. So in the one case, I am still the flower of Dharma, but I'm the confused flower of Dharma. I'm being turned by it. In the other case, I'm the flower of Dharma in harmony with the flower of Dharma, bringing consciousness and compassion into the flower of Dharma for my own part. And it's still the flower of Dharma turning the flower of Dharma. But of course, it's much better to have it that way than the other way. where we're the flower of Dharma, turning the flower of the Dharma, but we don't know it. We're kind of missing out on the big picture, missing out on what's right there in front of us. Does that clear it up at all? If it didn't, I'm sure it's because of my babbling. Oh, I would think that there are different ways of expressing the same thing.

[64:28]

Maybe Meili could say something about that. I would say that completely, that if I am putting myself forth and seeing things from my grasping point of view, that's all I get. But if I can get out of the way and receive, be what is coming to me, then I am confirmed by all being. I think it's really wonderful. You know, this is a very difficult teaching. And what is Buddha nature? And what is this things are in a state of tranquil extinction? You hear that and you think, what? But after you've heard it maybe ten times, you begin to have some relationship with it.

[65:33]

You've heard it before. It's entered. And a wonderful way of integrating this is, one thing, And David Chadwick is sitting in the back seat of a car driving Suzuki Roshi someplace or other, and he decides he's just going to ask a really bad question. And he asks Suzuki Roshi, well, what's the teaching? I mean, what is all this business about? Tell me the secret. It's just like the Lotus Sutra, really. Tell me! And Suzuki Roshi usually doesn't respond to such bad questions, but he turns around and says, everything's changing. You know, and if you think, if you just read The Crooked Cucumber or go back and read again Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind, always a good thing to do. You just hear the love of Sutra.

[66:36]

I do. I think perhaps this is the last, how much more time do we have? Maybe one more question and I'll go into the chanting and talk about what that's all about. Oh, that's interesting. I didn't know that. Well, it's really kind of strange because, excuse me for a second, I'm sitting in Sesa for more than an hour. It's very difficult. One of those difficult practices, like kicking the world on your toe.

[67:37]

It's very strange because the first two, well there's three vehicles according to the first part of the Lotus Sutra. The vehicle for the Sravakas. Sravaka means a hearer, one who hears the Dharma. who sits at the Buddha's feet, as it were. Then there's the Pratyekabuddha vehicle, which is the private Buddha, the ones who realize enlightenment for themselves without the help of a teacher. And then there's a Bodhisattva vehicle. Well, this is very strange because the second vehicle is for people who don't even come into contact with the Buddha. So how can you be teaching them a vehicle? How can it be a vehicle for people who don't want a vehicle. They just want to go off on their own, or they are born in a time when there is no Buddha. So really, the vehicle of the Prachakabuddhas can't fit in chronologically anywhere in the Buddha's teachings, whether Hinayana or Mahayana. The Sravaka vehicle is taught primarily in the first few years of the Buddha's life, according to the Mahayana tradition.

[68:41]

After he gets up from the Bodhi tree, when he's sitting in the Bodhi tree, that's the flower garland period and that's a full-blown Mahayana with no concessions to anybody's understanding at all. It's just, here it is, get it or not, there you go. And then, starting with the deer park sermon, then going on up to when he first starts to teach maybe the things like the Vimalakirti Sutra or some of the other Pure Land Sutras. Up to that point he teaches just Four Noble Truths, Eightfold Path, the precepts for the Hinayana monks and nuns, you know, that's that Shravaka vehicle. And then after that What he does is he starts to tell people, well, now I'm going to tell you about these Pure Lands. Now I'm going to tell you about these great Bodhisattvas who made these vows to save all beings. Now I'm going to tell you about all these Buddhas in the other regions of the universe who are helping us. Now I'm going to tell you about the six perfections and how you too can become a Buddha.

[69:47]

And now I'm going to criticize these people who think that nirvana is the end all and be all of Buddhism, meaning the static nirvana. So the Vimalakirti Sutra is a real good example of this, if you ever read it. And again, I recommend it. It's short, sweet, and hilarious. But the idea is that he shifts from teaching Four Noble Truths to then criticizing the people who followed it for not aspiring high enough and setting up a new aspiration, a Buddhahood, and to entering into the pure lands so that one can then become a Buddha. And then after that he teaches the Prajnaparamita or emptiness teachings to kind of clear away all these dichotomies between nirvana and this world and the other world and bodhisattvas and not bodhisattvas. And you see this in the Heart Sutra where he says that he negates the Four Noble Truths, he negates the 12-fold chain of dependent origination. He says there is no birth and death, there is no ignorance, there is no know all of this stuff just sweeps away.

[70:48]

So in the Lotus Sutra he finally brings it all together and he says, well look I know I was criticizing you guys before, you disciples, but really all along I was just trying to get you to move into the Bodhisattva vehicle and all along the Four Noble Truths was just the first step into the one vehicle, the Bodhisattva. So you know that last period of his life was kind of a period of integration and The Prachekabuddha vehicle, the private Buddha vehicle, it's equated in the Lotus Sutra with the teaching of dependent origination. And as I mentioned before, well, he couldn't have taught the private Buddhas dependent origination because they weren't there. If they were there, they wouldn't be private Buddhas anymore. But I believe it's equated with dependent origination because the idea is that Even if you are born in a country where there is no Buddha Dharma, even if you never hear the words Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, even if you are a member of another religion, if you can realize dependent origination, you will be able to wake up, at least for yourself.

[71:56]

You may not have the ability to teach it. You may be unable to articulate it. you may have to articulate it in terms of whatever religion you were born into and that might distort it. But the idea is anyone can realize that for themselves even without contact with the Buddha Dharma, without explicit contact. So you could read Vrumi for instance and you see that he's saying the same things, talking about emptiness. Rumi, of course, though, had a lot of compassion and warmth as well. But you might read Meister Eckhart, another example, and there's someone else who seems to realize these things. So the private Buddha vehicle really stands outside the Buddha's teachings and is available to everybody in whatever tradition they belong to, or even if they don't belong to any tradition. Does that help? I hope that was the final teaching. Right, right. I'll point out that the place of the Lotus Sutra as the pinnacle of the Buddha's teachings is the mainstay of the Tiantai tradition, the Chinese scholastic school, and in Japanese Zen, Tendai Buddhism, the Japanese form of it is sort of the underlying ideology or scholastic sort of background of Dogen and Hakuin and others.

[73:29]

and all the Buddhist Mahayana schools recognize that the Lotus Sutra was taught towards the end of the Buddha's life and was a way of integrating everything. The Huayen tradition, the flower garland tradition, that was the rival of Tiantai in China and has since become the underlying source for the Chinese schools and is extremely influential in Korean Zen, teaches that the flower garland sutra is where it's at. because there was no concessions made, no attempt made to sort of bring the Dharma down to anyone's level, it was just direct. The Tiantai tradition though and the Nichiren tradition which I follow argue that well that shows that the flower garland really had another step it needed to take to include the others. It wasn't good enough to just give the Buddha mind as to be the Buddha mind in relation to others. So that's kind of what's going on there. Okay, well thank you, thank you for all your questions and now we'll come to the more devotional aspect.

[74:42]

Let me tell you a little bit about chanting practice in Buddhism. Chanting, of course, is the mainstay of the Nichiren tradition that I belong to, especially chanting the title of the Lotus Sutra, Namu Myoho Renge Kyo, which means, Namu is, I devote myself to. Myoho is wonderful dharma. Renge is lotus flower, and Kyo is teaching. So that is our practice, and other forms of Buddhism have different things which they chant, different mantras. and other forms of Buddhism, and as well as the Soto Shu, especially in Japan, will also recite passages from the sutras. And in fact, the Soto Shu in Japan recites the 16th chapter of the Lotus Sutra and the 25th chapter of the Lotus Sutra, which are also popular in Tendai as well. Now this is not something that Mahayana Buddhists made up. It goes back even to the Pali Canon tradition where there are several short suttas

[75:47]

like the Metta Sutta, which is the Sutra on Friendliness, Love and Kindness, which is recited especially by lay people in that tradition. And I believe the monks and nuns also recite it. There are different protective spells that you might find in the Pali Canon which are recited calling upon different spirits to rather protect the practitioner of the Dharma. So this idea of reciting passages is something that has a very long history and goes back to the very beginnings of Buddhism. And of course, in an oral tradition, in a society where there was an oral tradition, the Buddha's teachings had to be recited, had to be memorized and repeated so that it would not be lost. And it was only about 500 years later that they were finally written down. So all along there's this idea that one interacts with the Dharma through reciting it, through repetition, bringing it into one's heart and mind.

[76:51]

And in fact one of the practices in the early Buddhism are the six recollections where one meditates upon the qualities of the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha, generosity, virtue, and the heavenly realms. And there are different little formulas for each one of those topics that one memorizes and then repeats over and over again, whether out loud or silently in meditation, so that one can identify with those qualities in oneself. And the practice that is most relevant here is the practice of Dharmanu Smriti, which is the mindfulness or recollection of the Dharma. And in this case, it is the Dharma of a lotus flower teaching. But, as always, this has to go beyond mere verbal repetition. It cannot be just flapping our gums, as it were.

[77:54]

And Ditran also recognized this. And here is a passage from one of his writings where he says, Others read the Lotus Sutra with their mouths alone, reading only the words, but do not read it with their hearts. And even if they read it with their hearts, they do not read it with their actions. Praiseworthy indeed are those like you who read the Sutra with both body and mind." So, even in those traditions where the Dharma is engaged through voice, as well as posture, as well as heart and mind, the voice in a sense carries one's dedication to the Dharma. and energizes it, one has to go beyond that. It has to be a full realization in the moment of what you are reciting means. Also, Nichiren said this, moreover, as life does not go beyond the moment, the Buddha expounded the blessings that come from a single moment of rejoicing on hearing the Lotus Sutra.

[79:02]

If two or three moments were required, this could no longer be called the original vow of the Buddha of great undifferentiating wisdom, the single vehicle of the teaching of immediate enlightenment that enables all beings to attain Buddhahood. And of course, that goes back to the passage in the 10th chapter we read. I read earlier this evening the merit of even a single moment of rejoicing. And in this case, Nichiren taught that simply reciting the title of the Lotus Sutra, Namu Myoho Renge Kyo, just takes a moment, Namu Myoho Renge Kyo, that is an expression of the single moment of rejoicing. And then by doing that, we can open ourselves up to that rejoicing, to that faith, to that full realization in the moment of what the Dharma is as our own life. So, with that, let's do some recitation on our own. I mentioned, here, I'll take that off.

[80:05]

Thank you. Oh, you know what? Actually, we'll do the passages first then. Let me say a word about the drum here. if there's any new people tonight. In our temple in San Jose we would use a taiko to sound the rhythm for chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, but of course I can't carry a taiko around on my shoulder, especially on bards, so I'm going to use this Indian drum as a kind of stand-in, especially since it has a nice resonant sound. So this isn't New Age shamanic practice, this is American ingenuity. So let's turn to the Handel. to page 17, second selection. This first part I didn't talk about tonight, but it's the part that inspired Dogen's essay, Yui Butsu Yo Butsu, Only Buddha Together with the Buddha Can Fathom the True Meaning of Enlightenment.

[81:22]

There's a lot of real suggestive stuff in here, but fortunately we don't have time to discuss it tonight. So, let us begin. the wonderful Dharma, the lotus flower teaching chapter two tactfulness. At that time, the world honored one rising quietly and clearly from contemplation, address Shariputra. The wisdom of Buddhas is very profound and infinite. Their wisdom school is difficult to understand and difficult to enter, so that the Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas cannot apprehend it. Wherefore, because the Buddhas have been in fellowship with countless hundred thousand myriad kodis of Buddhas, perfectly practicing the infinite law of all Buddhas, boldly and zealously advancing and making their fame universally known, perfecting the very profound

[82:23]

Unprecedented law and preaching as opportunity served its meaning so difficult to understand. Sariputra, ever since I became Buddha with various reasonings and various parables, I have widely discoursed and taught, and by countless tactful methods have led living beings, causing them to leave all attachments, Wherefore, because the Tathagata is altogether perfect in his tactfulness and paramita of wisdom, Sariputra, the wisdom of the Tathagata is broad and great, profound and far-reaching. His mind is infinite. His expositions are unimpeded. His powers, his fearlessness, his meditations, his emancipations, His contemplations have enabled him to enter into the boundless realms and to accomplish the unprecedented law, Shariputra. The Tathagata is able to discriminate everything, preach the law skillfully, use gentle words, and cheer the hearts of all.

[83:27]

Shariputra, essentially speaking, the Buddha has altogether fulfilled the infinite, boundless, unprecedented law. Anavsari Putra, there is no need to say more. Wherefore, the law which the Buddha has perfected is the chief unprecedented law and difficult to understand. Only a Buddha together with a Buddha can fathom the reality of all existence. That is to say, all existence has such a form, such a nature, such an embodiment. Such a potency, such a function, such a primary cause, such a secondary cause, such an effect, such a recompense, and such a complete fundamental whole. The Buddha addressed Sariputra, such a wonderful law as this is only preached by the Buddha Tathagatas on rare occasions, just as the Uttambara flower is seen but once in long periods. Shariputra, believe me, all of you, in the Buddha's teaching, no word is false.

[84:30]

Shariputra, the meaning of the laws which the Buddhas expound as opportunity serves is difficult to understand. Wherefore, because I expound the laws by numberless tactful ways into the various reasonings and parabolic expressions, these laws cannot be understood by powers of thought or discrimination. Only the Buddhas can discern them. Wherefore, because the Buddhas, the world-honored ones, only on account of the one very great cause appear in the world. Sariputra, why do I say that the Buddhas, the world-honored ones, only on account of the one very great cause appear in the world? Because the Buddhas, the world-honored ones, desire to cause all living beings to open their eyes to the Buddha knowledge so that they may gain the pure mind. Therefore, they appear in the world because they desire to show all living beings the Buddha-knowledge. They appear in the world because they desire to cause all living beings to apprehend the Buddha-knowledge.

[85:35]

They appear in the world because they desire to cause all living beings to enter the way of the Buddha-knowledge. They appear in the world. Sariputra, this is why it is only on account of the one very great cause that Buddhas appear in the world. The Buddha, Drasariputra, the Buddha, Tathagatas teach only Bodhisattvas. Whatever they do is always for one purpose, that is to take the Buddha knowledge and reveal it to all living beings. Shariputra, the Tathagata, by means of the one Buddha vehicle, preaches to all living beings the law. There is no other vehicle, neither a second nor a third. Shariputra, the laws of all the Buddhas in the universe also are like this. Sariputra, Buddhas in times present by infinite, numberless, tactful ways and with various reasonings and parabolic expressions expound the laws for the sake of all living beings. All these laws are for the one Buddha vehicle so that all those living beings who have heard the law from the Buddhas might all finally obtain perfect knowledge.

[86:45]

Chapter 10, A Teacher of the Law. Medicine King, if there be any good son or good daughter who, after the extinction of the Tathagata, desires to preach the Law Flower Sutra to the four groups, how should he preach it? The good son or good daughter entering into the abode of the Tathagata Wearing the robe of the Tathagata and sitting on the throne of the Tathagata should then widely proclaim this sutra to the four groups of hearers. The abode of the Tathagata is a great compassionate heart within all living beings. The robe of the Tathagata is the gentle and forbearing heart. The throne of the Tathagata is the voidness of all law. Established in these then with unflagging mind, to Bodhisattvas and the four groups of hearers, he will preach this law, Flower Sutra." Now, please join me in chanting devotion to the wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower teaching.

[87:47]

Again, it is Namu Myoho Renge Kyo. Namo Gyo Rinpoche [...] nam-myoho-linge-kyo nam-myoho-linge-kyo

[89:02]

NAMU MYOHO RENGE SHOK NAMU MYOHO RENGE SHOK NAMU MYOHO RENGE SHOK Thank you all very much. Very nice.

[89:51]

@Text_v004
@Score_JJ