The Lotus Sutra
Chapter 10: Dharma Teachers
Overview Summary
| Section 1:
Paragraphs 1─20 |
Shakyamuni Buddha predicts that anyone who experiences a momentary joy upon hearing one stanza or one phrase of the Lotus Sutra will attain Supreme Perfect Enlightenment.
Those who spread the Lotus Sutra are the emissaries of the Buddha. Out of compassion for living beings, these great bodhisattvas choose to forgo their rewards to be reborn during the age of evil so as to expound the Lotus Sutra for living beings. Hence, people who embrace the Lotus Sutra deserve to be accorded the same reverence as that of a Buddha.
The Buddha reveals for the first time that the Lotus Sutra is the foremost teaching among all the sutras he has expounded.
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| Section 2:
Paragraphs 1─28 |
Shakyamuni Buddha reveals that the Lotus Sutra is the most difficult to believe and the most difficult to understand because it contains the Secret Treasuries of all Buddhas. Anyone who embraces the teaching by reading, copying, or expounding for others will be protected by all Buddhas. With regard to the location in which the Lotus Sutra is read, copied, or kept, a pagoda should be constructed in that place because the entire body of the Buddha is present there. Hence, there is no need to enshrine the Buddha’s relics in a pagoda.
Those who have not encountered the Lotus Sutra are not practicing the bodhisattva way in a correct and proper manner. If any living beings accept and practice the Lotus Sutra, they are already very near to attaining Buddhahood. If there are people who are fearful or doubtful of the Lotus Sutra, they are either novice bodhisattvas or people of overbearing arrogance.
To spread the Lotus Sutra successfully, one ought to practice 1) great compassion, 2) gentleness and patience, and the 3) Dharma of Emptiness.
Key Messages The proper and correct manner of practicing the bodhisattva way is via the Lotus Sutra. A person who is practicing the Lotus Sutra is very near to attaining Buddhahood.
There are two types of Dharma Teachers: 1. Those who preach in the midst of an assembly. 2. Those who share even one phrase of the Lotus Sutra to their families and friends. |
Section 1: Paragraphs 1─20
1.1 At that time, the Lord of the World addressed eighty thousand great leaders through Bodhisattva Medicine King: “O Medicine King! As you can see in this great assembly of immeasurable living beings–—heavenly gods, dragons kings, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, mahoragas, humans, non-human beings, monks, nuns, lay male disciples, and lay female disciples–—there are those who seek to become shravakas, those who seek to become pratyekabuddhas, and those who seek the Buddha-Way. Those who experience a momentary joy upon hearing one stanza or even one phrase of the Lotus Sutra in the presence of the Buddha, I shall bestow a prophecy that all of them will surely attain Supreme Perfect Enlightenment.”
1.2 The Buddha said to Medicine King: “Furthermore, after Tathagata has entered parinirvana, if there is one person who hears even one stanza or one phrase of the Lotus Sutra and experiences a momentary joy, I shall also bestow on this person the prophecy of attaining Supreme Perfect Enlightenment.
1.3 “In addition, if there are people who embrace, read, recite, expound, and copy only one stanza of the Lotus Sutra, regard this sutra with the same reverence as they would to a Buddha, or make various offerings such as flowers, incense, necklaces, powdered incense, paste incense, burning incense, silk canopies, streamers, banners, garments, music, or an expression of reverence through pressed palms, O Medicine King! You should then understand that these people have given offerings to worship millions of billions of Buddhas. In order to fulfill their great vows taken at the abode of the Buddha, they have been born in this human world out of their compassion for living beings.
1.4 “O Medicine King! If someone were to ask you which type of living beings will be able to attain Buddhahood in their future lifetimes, then you should tell them the following people in the future will attain Buddhahood. Why will these people attain Buddhahood? Because if virtuous men and women who embrace, read, recite, expound, and copy even one phrase of the Lotus Sutra give an assortment of offerings to the sutra, such as flowers, incense, necklaces, powdered incense, paste incense, burning incense, silk canopies, streamers, banners, garments, music, or an expression of reverence through pressed palms, then these people should be respected by all the worlds. These people should be given the same offerings as that of Tathagata’s.
1.5 “You should understand that these people are great bodhisattvas who will attain Supreme Perfect Enlightenment. Out of their compassion for living beings, they vow to be born among them so that they may widely expound the Lotus Sutra in many different ways. How much more so for those who embrace the entire sutra and give a myriad of offerings to worship it!
1.6 “O Medicine King! You should understand that these people, out of their compassion, have chosen to forgo the rewards of their virtuous deeds to be born in this evil world to widely expound this sutra during the time after I have entered parinirvana. If one of these virtuous men or women, after I have entered parinirvana, were to secretly share even one phrase of the Lotus Sutra to one person, then you should know that he or she is the emissary of Tathagata who performs the work of Tathagata. How much more so for those who widely expound the sutra for others in the midst of an assembly!
1.7 “O Medicine King! Should there be a wicked person with a malicious heart who constantly reviles and slanders the Buddha for a space of one kalpa in the presence of the Buddha, the offense of that person will still rather be light. However, should there be a person who maligns and defames lay disciples or monks and nuns who read and recite the Lotus Sutra, then his or her sins will be immensely severe.
1.8 “O Medicine King! You should understand that these people who read and recite the Lotus Sutra are adorned with the dignity of Buddhas because they are carried on the shoulders of Tathagatas. Wherever they go, they should be given reverence and respect through obeisance, palms pressed with a focused mind, and offerings such as flowers, incense, necklaces, powdered incense, paste incense, burning incense, silk canopies, streamers, banners, garments, food, and music. They should be given the finest gifts among humans and showered with heavenly treasures and clusters of heavenly treasures. Why is this so? Because these people take delight in expounding the Dharma. If one were to listen to them for even a moment, one would immediately attain Supreme Perfect Enlightenment.”
Thereupon, the Lord of the World, wishing to reiterate his meaning, proclaimed in stanzas:
1.9 “If you wish to pursue the Buddha-Way
and to accomplish the intuitive wisdom,
you should always diligently give offerings
to those who embrace the Lotus Sutra.
1.10 “If you wish to quickly attain
the perfect wisdom,
you should embrace the Lotus Sutra
and give offerings to those who do so as well.
1.11 “If there are people
who are able to embrace the Lotus Sutra,
you should know they are the Buddha’s emissaries
who compassionately save all living beings.
1.12 “If there are people
who are able to embrace the Lotus Sutra,
willing to forgo the rewards of a pure land
out of their compassion for living beings,
then you should know that
they have chosen to be born
in the land and age of evil
so as to expound widely the unsurpassed Way.
1.13 “Offerings such as fragrant heavenly flowers,
heavenly jeweled garments,
and the marvelous heavenly treasure troves
should be given to those who expound the Dharma.
1.14 “In the evil age after my parinirvana,
if there are people who embrace the Lotus Sutra,
then you should press your palms with reverence
as you would to a Lord of the World.
You should present them
the finest and most sumptuous cuisine,
a selection of wonderful clothing,
as offerings to children of the Buddha
in the hope of hearing the teaching even for a moment.
1.15 “If there are people in future ages
who could embrace the Lotus Sutra,
I will send them to be among the people
to perform the work of Tathagata.
1.16 “If there are people in the span of a kalpa,
who always harbor malicious thoughts
to upbraid the Buddha in a resentful manner,
these people have committed severe sins.
1.17 “However, if they were to disparage
those who read and recite the Lotus Sutra,
the sins committed
would be even greater.
1.18 “If there are people who seek the Buddha-Way,
who press their palms in my presence
and recite stanzas of praise to extol me
for a span of one kalpa,
they will receive immeasurable blessings
as a result of praising the Buddha.
However, if they were to praise
those who embrace the Lotus Sutra,
their blessings and good fortune would be even greater.
1.19 “For a span of eight billion kalpas,
if you could give offerings such as the most exquisite gifts—
in terms of form, sound, scents, taste, and touch,
to those who embrace the Lotus Sutra,
if you have the chance to hear their teachings
even for one moment,
then you should celebrate with elation, saying:
‘I have received great benefits!’
1.20 “O Medicine King! Now I shall declare this to you:
‘Among the various sutras
that I have expounded,
the Lotus Sutra is the first and foremost!’”
Section 2: Paragraphs 1─28
2.1 At that moment, the Buddha reiterated his declaration to Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Medicine King: “The sutras I have expounded are immeasurable thousands of millions of billions. Among the sutras I have expounded, now expound, and will expound, the Lotus Sutra is the most difficult to believe and the most difficult to understand.
2.2 “O Medicine King! This sutra is the essence of the Secret Treasury of all Buddhas. Hence, it must not be recklessly distributed to others. Protected by Buddhas-Lord of the Worlds, the Lotus Sutra has not been openly expounded since the past until now. Since hostility and jealousy toward this sutra abound even when Tathagata is present in the world, how much more so after his parinirvana?
2.3 “O Medicine King! You should know that after Tathagata has entered parinirvana, if there are those who copy, embrace, read, or recite this sutra, give offerings, and expound it for others, Tathagata will shield them with his robe and Buddhas living in other regions will protect and keep them in mind. Such people possess the power of great faith, the power of aspiration, and the power of virtuous roots. You should know that such people dwell together with Tathagata and Tathagata will pat them on their head with his hand.
2.4 “O Medicine King! Wherever the Lotus Sutra is expounded, read, recited, copied, or the location in which the sutra is kept, a pagoda made of seven precious jewels should be constructed. The pagoda will be lofty, spacious, and majestically ornamented. There is no need to enshrine the relics of the Buddha. Why is this so? Because the entire body of Tathagata is already present there. Offerings such as an assortment of flowers, incense, necklaces, silk canopies, streamers, banners, music, chants, reverence, and praises should be given to these pagodas. If there are people who have seen such towers and they bow, worship, and give offerings, then you should know that these people are near Supreme Perfect Enlightenment.
2.5 “O Medicine King! There are many people—lay disciples, monks, or nuns—who practice the bodhisattva way, but they have not been able to encounter, hear, read, recite, copy, practice, or give offerings to the practitioners of the Lotus Sutra. In this case, you should know that these people are not practicing the bodhisattva way in a correct and proper manner. Only when they have heard the Lotus Sutra can they practice the bodhisattva way in a correct and proper manner. If any living beings who are seeking the Buddha-Way are able to believe, understand, embrace, and practice the Lotus Sutra upon seeing or hearing it, then you should know that they are already very near to attaining Supreme Perfect Enlightenment.
2.6 “O Medicine King! Suppose there was a man who was extremely thirsty and in need of water. So he began digging a hole on a high plateau in search of water. When he saw that the soil was arid and dry, he knew that the water was still a long distance away. Yet, not being disheartened, he continued his efforts ceaselessly. Gradually, he saw the soil becoming damper and damper. At long last, he reached the mud. Therefore, his determination became stronger, knowing that he was near the source of water.
2.7 “The bodhisattva is exactly like this. So long as the person has not yet heard, understood, or practiced the Lotus Sutra, then you should know that this person is still a long distance away from Supreme Perfect Enlightenment.
2.8 “However, if the person hears about the Lotus Sutra, ponders and practices it, then you should know that this person is very near Supreme Perfect Enlightenment. Why? Because all bodhisattvas attain Supreme Perfect Enlightenment through the Lotus Sutra. This sutra opens the gateway of expedient methods and reveals the true nature of phenomena. The treasury of the Lotus Sutra is deeply hidden so that it is not within easy reach. Yet now, the Buddha teaches, transforms, and leads the bodhisattvas to attaining enlightenment by opening and revealing the truth for them.
2.9 “O Medicine King! If there are any bodhisattvas who respond with doubts, suspicions, or fear upon hearing the Lotus Sutra, then you should know that they are novice bodhisattvas. If there are any shravakas who respond with doubts, suspicions, or fear upon hearing the Lotus Sutra, then you should know that they are people of excessive arrogance.
2.10 “O Medicine King! If there are virtuous men and women who wish to expound the Lotus Sutra for the four groups after the parinirvana of Tathagata, how should they go about doing so?
2.11 “To expound the Lotus Sutra widely for the four groups, these virtuous men and women should enter the sanctuary of Tathagata, put on the robe of Tathagata, and sit on the throne of Tathagata. The ‘sanctuary of Tathagata’ is a mind of great mercy and compassion toward all living beings, the ‘robe of Tathagata’ is a heart of gentleness and patience, and the ‘throne of Tathagata’ is the awareness of the emptiness of all phe-nomena. By anchoring upon these principles, they are empowered to extensively expound the Lotus Sutra for bodhisattvas and the four groups of people with an unflagging mind.
2.12 “O Medicine King! I will use my divine powers to send people to listen to the Dharma in the assembly. I will also send monks, nuns, lay male disciples, and lay female disciples to listen to the Dharma. Upon hearing the Dharma, these transformed people will believe and accept the Dharma without resistance.
2.13 “If Dharma Teachers live in a remote and secluded place, I will send a host of heavenly gods, dragons, spirits, gandharvas, asuras, and others to listen to the Dharma. Despite living in another land, I will, from time to time, make it possible for Dharma Teachers to view my body. If they forget any phrases of the Lotus Sutra, I will appear and explain to them so that they can fully master the Lotus Sutra completely and correctly.”
Thereupon, the Lord of the World, wishing to reiterate his meaning, proclaimed in stanzas:
2.14 “If you wish to rid yourself of slothfulness,
you should listen to the Lotus Sutra.
It is rare for one to hear the Lotus Sutra;
it is also rare for one to believe and accept it.
2.15 “Suppose there was a person
who was thirsty and in need of water.
He dug a hole on a high plateau
but the soil was dry and arid.
Then he knew the source of water remained far.
But when he gradually saw the muddy soil,
he was confident that the source of water was near.
2.16 “O Medicine King! You should understand
that people are similar to this man.
If they have not heard the Lotus Sutra,
then they are still a long distance away
from the Buddha-wisdom.
2.17 “However, if they hear the profound sutra,
the King of all Sutras,
which determines the foundational teaching of shravakas,
if they ponder upon hearing the sutra,
then you should know that these people
are already near the Buddha-wisdom.
2.18 “If there are people who wish to expound the Lotus Sutra,
they should enter the sanctuary of Tathagata,
wear the robe of Tathagata,
sit on the throne of Tathagata,
to widely expound the Lotus Sutra
courageously and fearlessly
in the midst of the assembly.
2.19 “The sanctuary represents
a mind of great mercy and compassion;
the robe represents
a heart of gentleness and patience;
the throne represents
the awareness of emptiness in all phenomena.
These are the principles to apply
when the Lotus Sutra is expounded.
2.20 “If there are people who are being rebuked
or attacked with swords, sticks, shards, or stones,
while preaching the sutra,
they should keep in mindfulness of the Buddha
and practice patience and forbearance.
2.21 “I will manifest my pure and solid body
in thousands of millions of billions of lands
for immeasurable billions of kalpas
so as to expound the Dharma for all living beings.
2.22 “After I have entered parinirvana,
I will send the four groups
such as monks and nuns,
men and women of pure faith,
to those who expound the Lotus Sutra.
These people will give offerings to Dharma Teachers.
I will guide and assemble living beings
to listen to the preaching of the Dharma.
2.23 “If there are people who wish to harm Dharma Teachers
with swords, sticks, shards, or stones,
I will divinely send people
to guard and protect them.
2.24 “If there are Dharma Teachers
who live alone in remote places,
silent with no human voice,
who read and recite the Lotus Sutra,
I will manifest
my pure and resplendent body for them.
2.25 “If they forget any phrases,
I will prompt them to help them master the learning.
If there are virtuous people
who teach the four groups of people,
who read or recite the sutra in solitude,
all of them will be able to see my body.
2.26 “If Dharma Teachers are in secluded places,
I will send heavenly gods, dragon kings
yaksas, spirits, and others
to assemble and listen to the Dharma.
2.27 “Because these teachers are delighted in expounding the Dharma
in many different ways without hindrance,
they are able to bring great joy to the congregation.
All these are due to the protection of the Buddhas.
2.28 “If there are disciples
who stay close to Dharma Teachers,
who follow and learn from their teachers,
they will meet Buddhas as numerous as the Ganges’s sands.
to quickly attain the bodhisattva way.”
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