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THE DHARMA FLOWER SUTRA SEEN THROUGH The Sutra on the White Lotus Flower-Like Mechanism
The first important point with regard to the imaginary city. The Oral Transmission on the Meaning of the Dharma Flower Sutra says that here the word “imaginary” is a dharma that affects our physical perceptions whereas in this case the word “city” is a dharma that we can sense in our minds. These two dharmas that refer to both our physical and psychological experiences were seen as something impermanent, which was the intention of the Buddha doctrines that were expounded in accordance with the capacity of the hearers, but which does not represent the ultimate teaching of the Dharma Flower Sutra (gonkyô). The intended meaning of the Dharma Flower Sutra is that this particular impermanency is expounded as something that endures forever. In this instance the imaginary city is equated with the place where the treasure is. Coming to the point, Nichiren and those that follow him are those people who reverently recite Nam Myôhô Renge Kyô and become aware of the fact that both our physicality and our minds are the Utterness of the Dharma (Myôhô) and that the imaginary city is not something separate (soku) from the place where the treasure is. The imaginary city refers to the nine realms of dharmas of ordinary people and the place where the treasure is implies the Dharma realm of the Buddha. It is a journey of five hundred yojanas from the imaginary city to the place where the treasure is. These five hundred yojanas represent our unenlightenment and the delusion of our misleading views, doubts and fears that hold us all back in mystifications and unclearness. When we appreciate and understand that these five hundred yojanas that are the makeup of the different kinds of troublesome worries (bonnô) that plague us are none other than the five ideograms for Myôhô Renge Kyô which is the Utterness of the Dharma [entirety of existence] (Myôhô) permeated by the underlying white lotus flower-like mechanism of the interdependence of cause, concomitancy and effect (Renge) in its whereabouts of the ten realms of dharmas (Kyô), the imaginary city becomes the place where the treasure is. The verb “to become” in the expression of “the imaginary city becomes the place where the treasure is” is the Buddha wisdom of Nam Myôhô Renge Kyô. Therefore every instant of mind in the imaginary city is the ultimate truth (soku) of being in the place where the treasure is. The two dharmas of physicality and also what goes on in our heads are said to be impermanent according to the teachings of Shākyamuni that were an expedient means but not necessarily the ultimate teaching of the Buddha (gonkyô). However the exposition of infinite perpetuity is the essential doctrine of the Dharma Flower Sutra. To obliterate our feelings for our attachment to impermanency [such as being worried about living or dying] means that we cancel all our notions that we attach to the imaginary city [which is our troublesome worries (bonnô) of various kinds and the cycles of living and dying, since the Utterness of the Dharma (Myôhô) is the here and now of each instant we live]. The imaginary city could be likened to our skin and flesh and our skeletal framework that alludes to the place where the treasure is [just as the quintessence of life underlies the whole of existence]. When we come to inwardly feel and realize that both these two dharmas and also what goes on in our heads are the Utterness of the Dharma (Myôhô), these are the extremities of our lives, so that the imaginary city being inseparable from the place where the treasure is becomes the individuating substantiation of who we really are. This individuating substantiation involves both impermanency and eternity in which the interdependence of cause, concomitancy and effect becomes the all-inclusive, unobstructed accommodation of phenomena or physicality (ke) and the latencies of noumena or the emptiness of the space between one atomic particle and another (kû, shûnyatâ) along with these two elements, combined together, form the middle way of reality (chûdô jissô). This of course is not something apart from the two ingredients of all existence which are 1) life continually changes according to karmic circumstances and 2) the fundamental principle of existence as it is expounded in the Buddha Writing on the Real Aspect of All Dharmas. Each instant of mental activity and perception is the silent brilliance [that is the enlightenment which is sometimes seen in near-death states] and the reality of the Dharma that underlies our daily lives. Each instant of mental activity is Nam Myôhô Renge Kyô which means to devote our lives to and found them on (Nam) the Utterness of the Dharma [entirety of existence] (Myôhô) permeated by the underlying white lotus flower-like mechanism of the interdependence of cause, concomitancy and effect (Renge) in its whereabouts of the ten realms of dharmas (Kyô). This has to be an instant of life in which one shows a faith without doubt, so that one should deeply ponder over the concept of “not being separate from (soku)” or the single word “instant” which in itself is all-embracing.
The Buddha said to the monks: In the distant past of an uncountable and boundlessly inexpressible, imponderable number of kalpas ago there was a Buddha called Tathâgata Daitsû Chrishô (the Buddha of Universally Pervading Superlative Wisdom).
The Oral Transmission on the Meaning of the Dharma Flower Sutra states that Universally Pervading refers to the sovereign of the mind which is the fundamental enlightenment at the very foundation of our existences and when represented visually is of exactly the same makeup as the Fundamental Object of Veneration (gohonzon). [This sovereign of the mind is the same as the ninth cognition that renders the fact of our being aware as to whether we are consciously awake, dreaming or in the dimension of the dead. This ninth cognition is also referred to as the amarashiki (amala vijñâna). Our eighth cognition is held to be a producer of dharmas that are impermanent while amarashiki is designated as being undefiled, the immanence of all existence, and is independent of all action.] The “superlative wisdom” refers to the multiplicity of fantasies, thoughts, ideas and troublesome worries (bonnô) that disquiet our minds. The “Universally Pervading” part of this Buddha’s name is stated to be the sovereign of our minds which is the foundation of our psyches. This is the principle of the eternal and unchanging basis of our respective realities (fuhen shinnyo no ri) that was expounded as the real aspect of all dharmas in the part of the Dharma Flower Sutra in which the teachings are derived from the external events of Shākyamuni’s life and work (shakumon), whereas the “Superlative Wisdom” part of this Buddha’s name refers to the reality of our lives which is the wisdom to perceive that they are continually changing according to karmic circumstances (zuien shinnyo no chi). This is a concept that belongs to the teachings that refer to the original archetypal state (honmon). The full name of this Buddha entails the whole of our bodies and persons. Now Nichiren and his followers reverently recite Nam Myôhô Renge Kyô which means to devote our lives to and found them on (Nam) the Utterness of the Dharma [entirety of existence] (Myôhô) permeated by the underlying white lotus flower-like mechanism of the interdependence of cause, concomitancy and effect (Renge) in its whereabouts of the ten realms of dharmas (Kyô). Such a behaviour is universally pervading. Reciting this title and theme (daimoku) encompasses all the possibilities of existence and is therefore the superlative wisdom. The wisdom of the persons who devote themselves to and hold faith in the Dharma Flower Sutra and in particular the person of Nichiren, is a hundred thousand myriads of times superior to the huge understanding of the schools of the provisional teachings. [i.e., the teachings of Shākyamuni] You should know that this is the superlative wisdom. The concept of the adverb “universally” represents all the dharmas of materiality and the word “pervading” designates all the imaginable dimensions that exist in our minds. As a result “universally pervading” is said to include our cycles of living and dying that are the normal activity of our minds, bodies and persons. All this can be referred to as the superlative wisdom. When we really think about it, then those whose practice is to recite Nam Myôhô Renge Kyô are the Buddha Daitsû Chishô and the embodiment of his universally pervading superlative wisdom, while at the same time the sixteen sons of this Buddha are all that goes on in our minds.
Worthy of offerings and is correctly and universally enlightened, whose knowledge and conduct was perfect, completely free from the cycles of living and dying, yet with a full understanding of the realms of existence, lord supreme, the master who brings the passions and delusions of sentient beings into harmonious control, the teacher of humankind and the devas, the Buddha who is the World Honoured One, the realm whereupon he depended for an existence was called Well Attained and the kalpa in which he was active was called Universal Token. Venerable monks, can you imagine the number of grains of earth in all the three thousand, great thousands of finite worlds in existence and that someone wanted to grind them down into a fine powder in order to make ink? Then this person goes in an easterly direction covering a thousand terrains which are the abodes of sentient beings and writes down a tiny point as small as a speck of dust. Then he crosses over another thousand terrains and makes another tiny point. This person continues in this fashion until all the ink pigments made out of soil are exhausted. Thereupon the World Honoured One wishing to reiterate the significance of what he had said expressed it in the form of a metric hymn. I remember After this metric hymn, the Buddha said to the monks: The lifespan of the Buddha Daitsû Chrishô (Universally Pervading Superlative Wisdom) was five hundred and forty myriads of myriads of kalpas long. In the beginning this Buddha sat at the site of enlightenment under the bodhi tree. After having defeated the armies of the demon-like deva that dwells in the highest of the six heavens of desire above Mount Sumeru, who is the powerful influence that can preclude the realization of our inherent enlightenment [the Demon of the sixth heaven, dairokuten no maô], this Buddha attained the unexcelled correct and all-embracing enlightenment. However the thirty-two special attributes of all the Buddhas did not appear on his person. Instead he remained seated in a cross-legged position without moving his body for as long as ten minor kalpas. But even then these special attributes did not become apparent. Then at that time all the deities of the heaven of the thirty-three devas (tôriten trâyastrimsha) which is on the platform on top of Mount Sumeru [in the centre there is the palace of Taishaku, (Indra) on each of the four corners of this platform there are the palaces of eight other devas making this mountaintop the abode of thirty-three devas], all these devas decided to establish under the bodhi tree a lion throne that was as high as a yojana. It was to be on this throne that this Buddha should fully attain all the special attributes of having substantiated the unexcelled correct and all-embracing enlightenment. As soon as he sat on the throne all the brahmanic devas (bonten) caused it to rain heavenly flowers over an area of a hundred square yojanas. A perfumed wind breezed in from time to time in order to blow away the faded blossoms while more fresh flowers floated down. It kept on raining flowers without interruption for a full ten minor kalpas as an offering to the Buddha until his extinction into nirvana. Those four deva sovereigns [They are guardians of the world who are Taishaku’s (Indra) generals who dwell on each side of Mount Sumeru in order to ward off malicious demons and spirits from the dimension of existence. These four sovereigns are inscribed on the four corners of the Fundamental Object of Veneration (gohonzon) of various Nichiren schools.] continued to beat on their heavenly drums while all the other devas played holy music for a full period of ten minor kalpas. All the special attributes of the Buddhas appeared on the Tathâgata Daitsû Chishô (the Tathâgata Universally Pervading Superlative Wisdom) showing that he had attained the unexcelled, correct and all-embracing enlightenment. Before the Buddha had left home in order to enter the path of religious austerities, he had sixteen sons. The name of the first-born was Chishaku which when translated means Accumulated Wisdom. Each one of the Buddha’s children possesssed all sorts of diverse and rare toys. When these children got to hear about their father’s attainment to the unexcelled, correct and all-embracing enlightenment they all threw aside their rare and precious toys and made their way to the place where this Buddha was. Also all their mothers weeping and crying followed them along the road.
The Oral Transmission on the Meaning of the Dharma Flower Sutra states that the words “all their mothers” refer to the mothers of the sixteen sons of the Buddha Daitsû Chishô (the Tathâgata Universally Pervading Superlative Wisdom). The real implication of the words “mother” presupposes our inborn intrinsic uncertainty and difficulty of understanding what life is all about. The word “mother” can in this sense be conceived of as that element which maternally engenders what we mistakenly perceive life to be. As we transmigrate from one life to one death and then more lives and deaths we are continually accompanied by this mother-like begetter of our inherent unaccountability of what life really is. But when we return to the extinction of nirvana, which is the quintessence of existence and our exit from the delusive cycles of living and dying, we get rid of this mother-like begetter of our inherent bewilderment. This mother-like begetter of our inborn bewilderment is embodied in persons who take refuge in and recite the name of Amida (amitabha) Buddha which is a partial teaching for the afterlife that is very close to the concept of “pie in the sky”. The inborn bewilderment is also included among the adherents of the Zen School which is another provisional and only partial teaching that would stipulate that existence only consists of illusionary noumena and the empty space between one atomic particle and another (tankû) without taking into account the apparent fact of materiality (ke) and the middle way of reality (chûdô jissô), both of which according to the Dharma Flower Sutra “are neither a reality nor a nothingness” (hijitsu hiko). Then there are those followed by this inborn bewilderment who are followers of the Tantric and Mantra Schools (Shingon) which are similar to the practices of the Tibetan Schools that may or may not be a literal interpretation of the Indian variant of the provisional teachings that are riddled with superstition and esoteric otherworldliness. All the followers of these partial teachings are “followed by their mothers along the road” and are people who distort the teaching of enlightenment. Nevertheless, in the end after the Dharma Flower Sutra has been widely propagated, then all the adherents to these other incomplete doctrines will become votaries of this teaching. Instead they will all wish to come face to face with the Fundamental Object of Veneration. Here in this sutric text this is implied in the name of the Tathâgata Daitsû Chishô (the Tathâgata Universally Pervading Superlative Wisdom).
The grandfather of the sixteen children was a holy sovereign whose chariot wheels rolled everywhere without hindrance. Accompanied by a hundred of his great ministers along with more than a hundred thousand myriads of myriads of ordinary people who were crowding around these royal and noble personages, they made their way to the site of enlightenment. All of these persons wished to approach the Tathâgata Daitsû Chishô (the Tathâgata Universally Pervading Superlative Wisdom).
The fourth important point with regard to the sutric passage: “The grandfather of the sixteen children was a holy sovereign whose chariot wheels rolled everywhere without hindrance. Accompanied by a hundred of his great ministers along with more than a hundred thousand myriads of myriads of ordinary people who were crowding around these royal and noble personages, they made their way to the site of enlightenment. All of these persons wished to approach the Tathâgata Daitsû Chishô (the Tathâgata Universally Superlative Wisdom).” The Oral Transmission on the Meaning of the Dharma Flower Sutra says that we can learn from this passage and can come to know what the original terrain of the embodiment of enlightenment of the Buddha consists of. The term “grandfather” is an alternative word for the realms of dharmas which in the Sutra on the White Lotus Flower-like Mechanism of the Utterness of the Dharma (Myôhô Renge Kyô) in the Second Chapter on Expedient Means [refers to the first three of the ten qualities of suchness which are 1) in any way they make themselves present to any of our six sense organs, i. eyes, ii. ears, iii. nose iv. tongue, v. body and vi. mind (Nyoze sô), 2) their inner qualities (Nyôze shô) and 3) their substance or reality or what they actually really are (Nyoze tai).] Apart from these first three qualities of suchness there is no such thing as a holy sovereign whose chariot wheels roll everywhere without hindrance. “Rolling everywhere without hindrance” implies things or beings coming into existence (shô) that live or last as long as they are supposed to (jû); then they degenerate and break up (i) and cease to exist altogether (metsu). The “holy sovereign” refers to the dharmas of the mind. These first three qualities of suchness are the fathers and mothers as the progenitors of all Buddhas of the past, present and future. Now, when Nichiren and those that follow him reverently recite Nam Myôhô Renge Kyô which means to devote our lives to and found them on the Utterness of the Dharma [entirety of existence] permeated by the underlying white lotus flower-like mechanism of the interdependence of cause, concomitancy and effect in its whereabouts of the ten realms of dharmas, they are acting out the role of both the mother and father of all the Buddhas along with the function of their grandfather who as representative of the realms of dharmas is the holy sovereign whose chariot wheels roll everywhere without hindrance. [With regard to the holy sovereign whose chariot wheels roll everywhere without hindrance (Tenrinnô, Chakravartin), there are four kinds indicating their rank. 1) The holy sovereign whose chariot wheels are made of gold rules the four continents of Mount Sumeru; 2) the sovereign whose chariot wheels are silver rules over the eastern, western and southern continents; 3) the sovereign whose chariot wheels are made of copper rules the eastern and southern continents and 4) the sovereign whose chariot wheels are made of iron rules the southern continent.] The golden wheels represent life and the radiance of coming into being and the silver wheels are akin to the colour of the whiteness of the bones of the dead and represent death. The copper wheels stand for the rosiness of maturity which leads into old age and the iron wheels represent the coldness of infirmity and sickness. These four kinds of wheels have a correlation with the four kinds of perception and wisdom of the Buddha that are also the reason for his appearance in the dimensions where existence takes place. These are 1) to open up this store of perception and wisdom, 2) to show what it means to sentient beings, 3) to cause humankind to apprehend and be aware of it, 4) to lead humankind onto the path of the perception and wisdom of the Buddha. To eternally go round and round in the cycles of living and dying, throughout all the past, present and futures to come, is to be a holy sovereign whose chariot wheels roll everywhere without hindrance. When we as holy sovereigns appear in the dimensions of existence, the treasure-like benefits of the rotation of the wheels of our chariots are the speech, words, their sounds and our voices out of which the highest rotating wheel-like treasure is Nam Myôhô Renge Kyô. This is said to be the universal wisdom of enlightenment that runs through the entirety of existence.
The fifth important point with regard to the sixteen sons of the sovereign. The Oral Transmission on the Meaning of the Dharma Flower Sutra says that the ten in this number refers to the ten [psychological] realms of dharmas which consist of 1) all the different kinds of suffering that exist, 2) craving, wanting and needing, 3) instinctive animal behaviour, 4) the overbearing qualities and the anger of persons who coerce or pressure others, 5) ordinary human equanimity, 6) the impermanence of all delight and rapture, 7) intellectual seekers, 8) partial enlightenment as to what life is all about, 9) altruists who strive for the happiness of others, 10) the enlightenment of the Buddha. [The six in this number of sixteen points to the six sense organs: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind that can grasp six corresponding faculties which are seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, feeling and being aware of what is going on.] Here the word “sovereign” designates the ninth and completely undefiled cognition (amarashiki, amala vijñâna) which is the awareness of being that follows us through all our living, lucid dreaming and even in the dimension of death. Here the word “son” denotes all the multifarious and complex things that occur in our minds. All this is the single principle of the real aspect of all dharmas as it is implied in the number of sons of the Buddha Daitsû Chishô who in the sutra is the Buddha Universally Pervading Superlative Wisdom. Now Nichiren and those that follow him reverently recite Nam Myôhô Renge Kyô which means to devote our lives to and found them on the Utterness of the Dharma [entirety of existence] permeated by the underlying white lotus flower-like mechanism of the interdependence of cause, concomitancy and effect in its whereabouts of the ten realms of dharmas. So, like the sixteen sons of the Buddha Daitsû Chishô who all attained the state of enlightenment in one or another of the various lands of the eight directions of [east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest, north and northeast], we too will come to realize that all the eight kinds of suffering we undergo – 1) the suffering of being born and being alive, 2) the suffering of growing up and reaching old age, 3) the suffering of sickness and decline, 4) the suffering due to our uncertainties about what will happen to us when we die, 5) the suffering that comes about when we are separated from those we love, 6) the suffering that comes from being together with those whom we dislike or hate, 7) the suffering that comes from the fact that we cannot always have what we want and 8) the suffering that derives from our attachment to the five aggregates that overshadow our original enlightenment [i. our bodily form, ii. reception, sensation, feeling and the functioning of the mind in connection with affairs and things, iii. conception, thought or discerning, the functioning of the mind in distinguishing, iv. the functioning of the mind in its processes with regard to likes, dislikes, good and bad, etc., v. the mental faculty that makes us think we are who we are on account of what we know] which are the apparent constituents of our bodies, minds and the concepts of our environment – all these eight kinds of suffering are not separate from our inherent enlightenment (bonnô soku bodai).
All of them wished to approach the Tathâgata Daitsû Chishô (the Tathâgata Universally Pervading Superlative Wisdom) so as to make offerings to him, render homage to him, to honour him and praise him. When all these people had finally arrived, they bowed their heads to his feet with the palms of their hands pressed together. They unanimously looked up to this World Honoured One and extolled him enthusiastically in the form of a metric hymn. World Honoured One When the sixteen princes finished praising the Buddha in terms of this metric hymn, they then urged him to set in motion the Wheel of the Dharma. This they all expressed in the following manner: World Honoured One, would you please expound the Dharma, in order that the numerous devas and humankind can be consoled with your abundant kindness? Again they expressed the same idea in the form of a metric hymn. Hero of the realms of existence The Buddha told the monks that when this Buddha Daitsû Chishô (the Buddha Universal Pervading Superlative Wisdom) arrived at the unexcelled, correct and all-embracing enlightenment, each one of the five hundred of myriads of myriads of myriads of dimensions of existence of all the Buddhas shook in the six different ways. [They are 1) the east rose and the west sank; 2) the west rose and the east sank; 3) the north rose and the south sank; 4) the south rose and the north sank; 5) the middle rose and the borders sank; 6) the borders rose and the middle sank.] Also the darker and gloomier places in these dimensions of existence whereupon the sun and moon could barely shine were all of a sudden brightly illuminated, so that the forms of the sentient beings who lived in those places became visible to each other. All of them exclaimed, “How is it that sentient beings come into existence in a place such as this?” Furthermore in all these dimensions of existence which were all the same as Mount Sumeru, the palaces of all the devas right up to the palaces of Bonten (brahma devas) shook in the six different ways. A great light shone everywhere onto all these existential dimensions which eclipsed the radiance of all the devas. Then in the palaces of the five hundred myriads of myriads of myriads of the bonten (brahma devas) of all the existential spaces that lie in the easterly direction, there was a clear light that shone so brightly that it was more resplendent than the normal luminosity of those regions. The same train of thought ran through the heads of each of the bonten sovereigns (brahma deva râja), how the light in all our palaces is brighter than it always used to be. What is the reason for the appearance of such a portent? Then all the bonten sovereigns visited each other so as to discuss the meaning of such an event. Among all the bonten sovereigns there was one who was called Ku-issai which means “save all beings” who addressed the multitude of bonten sovereigns in the form of a metric hymn. The brightness of the light in our palaces Then all the bonten (brahma deva) sovereigns of the five hundred myriads of myriads of realms of existence, each one with his palace, heavenly fabrics and flowers went into the direction of the west in search of the reason for this omen. There they saw him in the place of his enlightenment seated on the lion throne with all the devas, dragon kings, kendabba (gandharva) who are celestial musicians, kinnara (kimnara) who are also celestial musicians that are half human and half bird along with magoraga (mahoraga) who are serpent-like beings that move along on their chests as well as other humanlike yet not humankind, all surrounding the World Honoured One in obeisance and veneration. Also they saw the sixteen princes imploring their father to set in motion the Wheel of the Dharma. There and then all the bonten sovereigns bowed their heads toward the feet of the Buddha. Afterwards they walked around him a hundred thousand times in reverence. Then they scattered heavenly flowers in the vicinity of this World Honoured One. There were so many heavenly flowers that had been scattered that they amounted to a height like Mount Sumeru. At the same time the bonten sovereigns made offering to the bodhi tree which was as tall as ten yojanas. After having made offerings of the heavenly flowers, each bonten sovereign made a present of his palace to the Buddha Daitsû Chishô to whom they said the following words: We beg you to have pity on us Then all the bonten sovereigns in the presence of the Buddha Daitsû Chishô (the Buddha Universally Pervading Superlative Wisdom) sang in unison the following metric hymn: The appearance of the Buddha The bonten sovereigns, after having praised the Buddha in the form of a metric hymn, all said to each other, “Our only wish is that the World Honoured One would set in motion the wheel of the Dharma so that sentient beings can be given release from the cycles of living and dying and that the path to the extinction in nirvana can be opened up.” Then all the bonten sovereigns recited together in unison the following metric hymn: Hero of the world Thereupon the Tathâgata Daitsû Chishô (the Tathâgata Universally Penetrating Superlative Wisdom) made a sign of agreement without saying anything. Then Shākyamuni went on to say: What is more, Venerable monks, when all the great bonten sovereigns who came from five hundred myriads of myriads of myriads of existential spaces from the southeasterly direction saw their palaces shine with a bright resplendent light that no one had ever seen before, each one of these sovereigns was filled with a joy which they never had previously experienced. As a result they all visited each other to discuss the meaning of this event. Now among their number there was a great bonten sovereign who was called “all-embracing Pity”. He immediately addressed the assembled sovereigns in the form of a metric hymn. What is the reason for such an event After that all the five hundred myriads of myriads of myriads of bonten sovereigns along with their palaces, bundles of heavenly tissues and fabrics and bunches of celestial flowers all went into the northwesterly direction in the quest for what was the cause of this sign. There they saw the Buddha Daitsû Chishô (the Buddha Universally Penetrating Superlative Wisdom) at the site of his enlightenment under the bodhi tree, seated on his lion throne. All sorts of devas, dragon kings, kendabbas (gandharva) who are the celestial musicians, kinnaras (kimnara) who are also heavenly musicians and are traditionally represented as being half bird and half human in shape, magoraga (mahorâga) who are serpents that crawl on their chests and also other non-human yet human-like beings were all surrounding this Buddha and making offerings to him. There were also the sixteen princes imploring the Buddha Daitsû Chishô to set the wheel of the Dharma in motion. There and then all the bonten sovereigns showed their respect by bowing their heads towards the Buddha and walked around him in reverence a hundred thousand times. After that the bonten sovereigns scattered so many heavenly flowers that they amounted to a height comparable to that of Mount Sumeru. At the same time these deva sovereigns made offerings of heavenly flowers to the bodhi tree. When they finished making these offerings of heavenly flowers, each bonten sovereign offered his palace to this Buddha saying the following words: “All that we desire is that you show your compassion by giving us the merit of accepting the palaces that we are donating to you. We ask you to condescend to accept them.” Thereupon the bonten sovereigns in the presence of this Buddha all together with one mind and in unison praised him in terms of a metric hymn. Wise and upright lord Then when all the bonten sovereigns had finished reciting this metric hymn in praise of the Buddha Daitsû Chishô, they all said the following words: “Our only desire is that the World Honoured One takes pity on sentient beings by turning the wheel of the Dharma and that afterwards they will have the possibility of being released from the cycles of living and dying.” Whereupon all the bonten sovereigns unanimously and in unison declaimed the following metric hymn: By turning the Dharma wheel The Buddha Daitsû Chishô (the Buddha Universally Penetrating Superlative Wisdom) acquiesced to the metric hymn of the bonten sovereigns in silence. Shākyamuni then told the monks in the southerly direction that is beyond five hundred myriads of myriads of terrains whereupon beings depend for an existence, all the palaces of the great bonten (brahmanic) sovereigns shone with a brilliancy that made the hearts of all these deva sovereigns throb with a joy that they had seldom felt. Thereupon they all visited one another in order to get to the bottom of this strange event. What is it that makes our palaces shine with such a splendor? Now among all these bonten (brahmanic) sovereigns there was one who was called Myôhô which means the Utterness of the Dharma. He then recited the following metric hymn for all the bonten (brahmanic) sovereigns present: There cannot be a reason Then all the five hundreds of myriads of myriads of bonten (brahmanic) sovereigns with their palaces, heavenly fabrics and flowers went into the northeasterly direction in order to inquire into and find out what was the cause of this augury. When they arrived they saw the Buddha Daitsû Chishô (the Buddha Universally Penetrating Superlative Wisdom) seated on his lion throne under the bodhi tree at the place of his enlightenment surrounded by devas, dragon kings, kendabba (gandharva) who are celestial musicians, kinnara [kimnara, who are also heavenly musicians that are represented as half human and half bird in works of art] magoraga (mahoraga) who are serpent-like beings who crawl on their chests all making offerings to this Tathâgata. There were also the sixteen princes who were imploring their father to set in motion the wheel of the Dharma. As soon as the bonten (brahmanic) sovereigns arrived, they showed their reverence by bowing their heads towards the Buddha and walked around him a hundred thousand times in faith. After that the bonten (brahmanic) sovereigns scattered so many heavenly flowers that they amounted to a height comparable to Mount Sumeru. At the same time the bonten (brahmanic) sovereigns made offerings to the bodhi tree of the Buddha Daitsû Chishô (the Buddha Universally Penetrating Superlative Wisdom). Having made their offerings of heavenly flowers, each one of the bonten (brahmanic) sovereigns offered his palace to the World Honoured One saying the following words: We only beg you There and then all the bonten (brahmanic) sovereigns in the presence of this Buddha unanimously and in unison extolled the Buddha Daitsû Chishô (the Buddha Universally Penetrating Superlative Wisdom) in the form of a metric hymn. It is extremely rare Then when all the bonten (brahmanic) sovereigns had finished praising this Buddha with this metric hymn each one of them said the following words: All we ask of you is that you set in motion the wheel of the Dharma, so that all the devas in the realms where existence occurs, the demonic deva at the summit of the sixth heaven of desire (Dai rokuten no maô), Bonten (Brahma), monks and brahmins all can find peace and tranquility and obtain their release from the cycles of living and dying. Having said this, all the bonten (brahmanic) sovereigns recited unanimously and in unison the following metric hymn in praise of the Buddha Daitsû Chishô (the Buddha Universally Penetrating Superlative Wisdom): All we ask is that the World Honoured One The Buddha Daitsû Chishô (the Buddha Universally Penetrating Superlative Wisdom) having heard the appeal of the bonten (brahmanic) sovereigns made a sign of assent without saying anything. Then in exactly the same way as all the bonten (brahmanic) sovereigns of the southeast and lower regions, all the bonten (brahmanic) sovereigns from five hundred myriads of myriads of terrains whereupon beings depend for an existence in the upper regions all saw in the palaces that they inhabited a resplendent dignified brilliancy which they had never seen before. This brightness made them joyfully excited in a way that they had rarely experienced. As a result they all visited one another to discuss the implications of this omen. Each one said to the others: What is the reason for this bright light that makes our palaces shine in this way? Now among their number there was an eminent bonten (brahmanic) sovereign whose name was Shiki (Shikkin) [which is defined as having a flaming tuft on his head], who addressed all the assembled bonten (brahmanic) sovereigns with the following metric hymn: What is the reason for all our palaces At that time the five hundred myriads of myriads of bonten (brahmanic) sovereigns along with their palaces and each one having heaped up bales of heavenly fabrics and huge bunches of flowers from the heavens, all went down to the lower regions in order to enquire into and find out the cause of this omen. When they arrived they saw the Tathâgata Daitsû Chishô (the Tathâgata Universally Penetrating Superlative Wisdom) seated on his lion throne under the bodhi tree at the site of his enlightenment. There were devas, dragon kings, kendabba (gandharva), who are heavenly musicians, kinnara (kimnara) [who are also heavenly musicians that are represented as half human and half bird in works of art], magoraga (mahoraga) [who are serpent-like beings who crawl on their chests], and other human yet non-human beings all together surrounding the Buddha and making offerings to him. Also there were the sixteen princes appealing to their father to turn the wheel of the Dharma. All the bonten (brahmanic) sovereigns on their arrival bowed their heads in reverence towards the Buddha Daitsû Chishô (the Buddha Universally Penetrating Superlative Wisdom) and walked around him in devotion a hundred thousand times. Afterwards the bonten (brahmanic) sovereigns scattered so many of their celestial flowers that they amounted to a height as tall as Mount Sumeru. When they had finished making their offerings of flowers from the heavens each one then presented his palace to this Buddha, addressing him with the following words: “In making a donation of our palaces, we beg you to take pity on us by giving us the merit of your accepting them.” There and then all the bonten (brahmanic) sovereigns recited in unison and unanimously the following metric hymn in praise of this Buddha: How good it is to see the Buddhas Then after all the five hundred myriads of myriads of bonten (brahmanic) sovereigns had finished reciting this metric hymn in praise of the Buddha Daitsû Chishô (the Buddha Universally Penetrating Superlative Wisdom) they all said to the Buddha: Our real desire is that the World Honoured One will set in motion the wheel of the Dharma, so that many beings will find tranquility and many others will find release from the cycles of living and dying and reach nirvana. Immediately all the bonten (brahmanic) sovereigns declaimed the following metric hymn: If the World Honoured One Thereupon the Tathâgata Daitsû Chishô (the Tathâgata Universally Penetrating Superlative Wisdom) accepted the request of all the bonten (brahmanic) sovereigns of the ten directions of the universe along with the petition of the sixteen princes. Immediately this Buddha set the Dharma wheel in motion by expounding the four noble truths which assert that 1) misery and different kinds of suffering are inescapable ingredients of all sentient existence; 2) the accumulation of miseries and other kinds of sufferings are brought about by various wills, pleasures and passions; 3) nevertheless the elimination of all these different kinds of suffering and miseries becomes possible by 4) following the path of the Buddha teaching. Each of these four noble truths was expounded three times over in order to emphasize the mutuality and reciprocality of such courses of action, so that these four phases of the noble truths multiplied three times over come to a total of twelve sentences. This is a Dharma that could never have been taught by ascetics or Brahmins or devas or even the demon-like devas who live in the sixth heaven of desire above Mount Sumeru (dai rokuten no maô) or even Bonten (Brahma) himself, let alone other beings of the realms of existence. The Buddha Daitsû Chishô (the Buddha Universally Penetrating Superlative Wisdom) then said:. This is misery and suffering, the accumulation of which is derived from our various passions. Such miseries and suffering can be brought to an end through following the path of enlightenment. After this he then explained in fairly broad terms the twelvefold chain of the causes and karmic circumstances that are the makeup of our lives. [These are 1) a fundamental unenlightenment and bewilderment that are the inheritance of 2) the natural tendencies and inclinations which are our karma from former lives. 3) Then we have the first manifestation of consciousness that takes place in the womb, 4) along with the development of the five organs of sense and the functioning of the mind. 6) On being born we have contact with the outside world. 7) This implies further receptivity and further intelligence and discernment from six to seven years onwards. 8) At the age of puberty there is the appearance of desire for amorous love. 9) This leads to the urge of a sensuous existence. 10) This becomes the substance of future karma. 11) At some point in our lifetimes this becomes a completed karma ready to be born again. 12) Already this karma is facing in the direction of old age and death which leads to a karmic relation to the miseries and sufferings of living a life again.] If our fundamental unenlightenment and bewilderment could be extinguished then behaviour patterns inherited from former lives would be extinguished. If these behaviour patterns inherited from former lives were to be extinguished then there could be no first inkling of consciousness arising in the womb. If the first inklings of consciousness that arise in the womb were to be extinguished, then there could be no evolution of the body and mind in the womb. If there were no evolution of the body and mind in the womb, then the five organs of sense would not develop nor would the functioning of the mind increase. So if there were no contact with the outside world by being born into it, then there would be no receptivity or budding intelligence from six to seven years onwards. With all receptivity and budding intelligence being extinguished there will be no desire for amorous love at the age of puberty. Again with the extinction of desire for amorous love at the age of puberty, there can be no further urge for a sensuous existence. If there is no urge for a sensuous existence, then there is no substance for karma in the future. If there is no substance for karma in the future, then there can be no completed karma in the future. Then there can be no completed karma ready to be born again. If there is no completed karma ready to be born again, then there cannot be a completed karma to be born again, so that there cannot be any old age or dying. In this way all grief, sadness and bitter worries cannot exist. When this Buddha expounded the Dharma in the midst of the assembly of devas and humankind there was an enormous astronomical number of people, who because of their refusal to accept all the dharmas that made up their respective lives as such, were also able to find a deliverance and emancipation from their delusive troublesome worries. They became capable of a perfect absorption into the depths and Utterness of each object of their meditation. Also these people acquired the three insights of those who had attained the supreme reward of the individual vehicle (arakan, arhat). [1) The insight into the mortal conditions of oneself and other in former lives. 2) The possibility of being able to see into the future mortal conditions of oneself and others. 3) An insight into all present mortal sufferings so as to be able to overcome all delusions, passions and temptations.] Furthermore all these people became capable of the six reaches of the mind of those who had attained the supreme reward of the individual vehicle (arakan, arhat). [These are 1) the sight of the devas, 2) the hearing of the devas, 3) the ability to penetrate the minds of other people, 4) the ability to understand the ingrained karma of other people, 5) the ability to manifest oneself according to the propensities of other people and to be able to travel mentally elsewhere, 6) the ability to cut off all troublesome worries. At the same time all these people became competent in the eight kinds of meditation to free them from all attachments: i. to see all things as defiled so as to reduce the feelings of desire within oneself, ii. to reduce all attachment to external dharmas, iii. not to react to illusions even though external dharmas may be defiled, iv. to be able to contemplate a void that transcends all materiality, v. the capacity to contemplate a consciousness that knows no boundaries, vi. the ability to contemplate a total elimination of all materiality, vii. to be able to contemplate a state that is beyond thought, viii. the ability to reach the psychological dimension in which there is no mental activity at all.] When this Buddha had expounded the Dharma for the second, third and fourth time there were sentient beings as many as a thousand myriads of times the amount of grains of sand in the Ganges, who on account of their total refusal of any knowledge obtained through the senses or any feeling or sensation with regard to any dharma whatsoever were able to free themselves of all their troublesome worries (bonnô). Furthermore there was an enormous multitude of intellectual seekers (shômon, shrâvaka) who were able to reach an inner liberation of the same kind. At that time the sixteen princes who were still children decided to leave their families by taking up the ascetic way of life and become novice monks. Their abilities were penetratingly sharp and their wisdom and discernment was lucidly clear. Already they had made offerings to hundreds of thousands of myriads of myriads of Buddhas in their past lives and had always held to the brahmanic conduct of purity, exercising self-restraint sexually, among other practices, in order to attain the unexcelled, correct and all-embracing enlightenment. Together they all addressed the Buddha Daitsû Chishô (the Buddha Universally Penetrating Superlative Wisdom): World Honoured One, these boundless thousands of myriads of myriads of people who exerted themselves to reach the highest stage of the teachings of the individual vehicle through listening to the Buddha and other intellectual seekers have already accomplished all there is to accomplish. World Honoured One, would you please for our future benefit expound again the Dharma of the unexcelled, correct and all-embracing enlightenment, so that when we have heard it we will all be able to study and practice it? World Honoured One, it is our intention and wish to be able to have the wisdom and perception of the Tathâgata. What lies deepest in our minds is to be able to know what the Buddha himself knows from his own experience. Then at that time the grandfather of the sixteen children who was a holy sovereign whose chariot wheels rolled everywhere without hindrance and who was at the head of a multitude of eighty thousand myriads of people saw his sixteen grandchildren leave home for the ascetic way of life, as well as seeing them ask their father the king for permission to become novice monks, to which the king immediately had given consent. After this Buddha had accepted the request of the novices and after twenty myriads of kalpas had already elapsed, in the midst of an assembly of monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen this Buddha expounded the Sutra of the universal vehicle (daijô, mahâyâna) entitled the White Lotus Flower-like Mechanism of the Utterness of the Dharma (Myôhô Renge Kyô) [i.e. the interdependence of cause, concomitancy and effect that pervades the entirety of existence] which is a teaching for the instruction of bodhisattvas as well as being what the Buddha always bears in mind. After the Buddha Daitsû Chishô (the Buddha Universally Penetrating Superlative Wisdom) had finished his exposition and explanation of the sutra, all the sixteen bodhisattva novice monks received and held to this sutra, as well, reciting it with both a penetrating mind and intelligence for the sake of accomplishing the unexcelled, correct and all-embracing enlightenment. While this sutra was being expounded, the sixteen bodhisattva novice monks accepted every single passage of it with faith. As for the people who were either intellectual seekers or those who exerted themselves to realize the highest stage of the individual vehicle through listening to the Buddha, there were among them some individuals whose faith led them to understanding of the meaning of this doctrine. The other thousands of myriads of myriads of different kinds of sentient beings were all seized with doubts and perplexities. This Buddha expounded this sutra over a period of eight thousand kalpas without taking any pauses for rest. After having expounded this sutra he then went into a quiet chamber where he remained in total absorption into [the significance of the theme and title] of this sutra for a period of eighty thousand kalpas. At that time the sixteen bodhisattva novice monks knew that the Buddha Daitsû Chishô (the Buddha Universally Penetrating Superlative Wisdom) was in silent absorption into the object of his meditation in his chamber. Each of these bodhisattva novice monks climbed up onto the throne of the Dharma. Also for a period of eighty-four thousand [There are said to be at the time of Shākyamuni eighty-four thousand atoms in the human body and the same number of troublesome worries (bonnô).] kalpas in the midst of the assembly of monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen, they expounded extensively the Sutra on the White Lotus Flower-like Mechanism of the Utterness of the Dharma (Myôhô Renge Kyô) and clarified various points with discernment. Each of these novice monks ferried from the realms of mortality to the shore of nirvana six hundred myriads of myriads of myriads of times the number of the grains of sand in the Ganges of sentient beings, in their beneficial joy in their exposition of the Buddha teaching that brought about in the minds of their listeners the concept of the unexcelled, correct and all-embracing enlightenment. After eighty-four thousand kalpas had elapsed the Buddha Daitsû Chishô (the Buddha Universally Penetrating Superlative Wisdom) came out of his meditative state and went over to the throne of the Dharma, sat upon it in a completely happy and serene frame of mind, whereupon he proclaimed to all the people in the great assembly saying: These sixteen bodhisattva novice monks are exceptionally remarkable, their faculties are penetratingly sharp and their wisdom and discernment is lucid and coherent. In the past they have made offerings to boundless hundreds of thousands of myriads of Buddhas. Furthermore they have always conducted themselves with brahmanical purity (bongyô) in the presence of all these Buddhas. They have always held to the Buddha wisdom along with opening this store of wisdom as well as demonstrating it and pointing out its meaning so as to lead humankind into its midst. You should approach them as often as possible and make offerings to them. What is the reason for this? If intellectual seekers or people who exert themselves to realize the highest stage of the teachings of the individual vehicle through listening to the Buddha or people who are partially enlightened through affinities with the arts or sciences or even bodhisattvas should be capable of believing and retaining the explanations of the Dharma of these sixteen bodhisattva novice monks without underestimating then, then such people will indeed realize the unexcelled, correct and all-embracing wisdom of the enlightenment of the Tathâgata. The Buddha then said to all the monks: These sixteen bodhisattva novice monks always have had the joy of expounding this Sutra on the White Lotus Flower-like Mechanism of the Utterness of the Dharma (Myôhô Renge Kyô). Each individual of the six hundred myriads of myriads of myriads of times the number of grains of sand in the Ganges of sentient beings who had been converted by any one of these bodhisattva novice monks were continually born from one lifetime to the next as a contemporary of that particular novice monk and were able to hear the Dharma. All these disciples were also capable of reaching an understanding of the Buddha teaching through faith. Due to these karmic circumstances these sentient beings have been able to encounter forty myriads of myriads of Buddhas as part of a process which even now has not come to an end. Venerable monks, I am now telling you that these sixteen novice monks who were also disciples of the Buddha Daitsû Chishô (the Buddha Universally Penetrating Superlative Wisdom) have all attained the unexcelled, correct and all-embracing enlightenment. In all the dimensions in which sentient beings depend for an existence in each of the ten directions, they are now expounding the Dharma. Also they have hundreds of thousands of myriads of myriads of bodhisattvas and people who seek the highest reward of the teachings of the individual vehicle through listening to the Buddhas in their retinue. Two of these novice monks have accomplished the fruition of Buddhahood in the eastern direction. One is called the Buddha Ashuku who is the Immovable Gladness (Akshobhya) that dwells in the Terrains of Gladness (Kangikoku). The other is called The Apex of Sumeru (Shumichô). As for the two Buddhas in the southeast, one is called Lion’s Roar (Shishi’on) and the other is called Leonine Aspect (Shishiyô). As for the two Buddhas in the southern direction, one is called Dweller in Empty Space (Kokujû) and the other is called Eternal Extinction (Jômetsu). As for the two Buddhas in the southwest, one is called Imperial Aspect (Taisô) and the other is called Brahmanical Aspect (Bonsô). As for the two Buddhas in the west, one is called Amitabha (Amida) which means immeasurable light and the other Buddha is called Deliverer from All the Painful Affliction throughout All the existential spaces (do issai seken kunô). As for the two Buddhas in the northwest, one is called The Reaches of the Mind of the Sandalwood Perfume of Tamalapatra (Tamarabatsu Sendankô Shinzû) and the other is called Aspect of Sumeru (Shumisô). As for the two Buddhas in the north, one is called Sovereign of the Clouds (Unjizai) and the other is called Royal Sovereign of the Clouds (Unjizaiô). As for the Buddha in the northeast, he has the name Destroyer of All the Fears in the Dimensions where existence occurs (e issai seken fu’i). The sixteenth Buddha is I myself, Shākyamuni Buddha, who realized the unexcelled and all-embracing enlightenment in the dimension in which we live and which has to be endured. Now listen all you monks, when we were only novices each one of us explained and converted over to the Dharma of the Buddha as many people as the boundless hundreds of thousands of myriads of myriads of myriads of times the amount of grains of sand in the Ganges. Most of these persons after they had listened to the Dharma as we explained it to them attained the unexcelled, correct all-embracing enlightenment. Nevertheless among all these people there are still some who are at the stage of those who exert themselves to accomplish the highest level of the teachings of the individual vehicle through listening to the Buddhas (shômon, shrâvaka). However since we insist on the teaching of the unexcelled, correct and all-embracing enlightenment, they will step by step enter onto the path of Buddhahood. Why is this so? It is because the wisdom and discernment of the Tathâgata is difficult to believe and difficult to understand. All these people who had the Dharma explained to them and were converted to it are all you monks as well as the people who strive to attain the highest level of the individual vehicle or the intellectual seekers (shômon, shrâvaka) and disciples of the Buddha of the ages to come after my demise into the extinction of nirvana. After my extinction in nirvana there will be other disciples who have not heard of this sutra nor do they do practices of the bodhisattvas nor are they even aware of them. But on account of the merits and virtues they have acquired they will have thoughts about transmigrating from shores of continual mortalities and seeking release from them. Such disciples as these will certainly enter nirvana. I attained the fruition of Buddhahood (sabutsu) in a dimension different from the present and at that time I had another name. The people who have the concept of crossing over the seas of living and dying in order to reach nirvana are now in this other dimension in pursuit of the wisdom and discernment of the Buddhas and will have the opportunity to hear this sutra, because it is only through the vehicle of Buddhahood that makes it possible to cross over the seas of living and dying in order to enter into nirvana. There are in fact no other vehicles apart from the teachings that were expounded as an expedient means by all the Tathâgatas. Now monks, you must listen to this. When the Tathâgatas become aware that it is time for them to re-enter nirvana and that the minds of the people in the assembly are immaculately pure, as well as having a firm faith that leads to their understanding, who also have a perfect insight into the concept that dharmas are only the immateriality of experiences and other noumena whose consistency is nothing more than the empty space that exists between one atomic particle and another (kûhô) - furthermore the people in the assembly have to be capable of a perfect absorption into the objects of their meditation (zenjô) - the Tathâgatas then bring together all the bodhisattvas and all those who strive for the highest fruition of the individual vehicle through listening to the Buddhas along with all the other intellectual seekers in order to explain this sutra. In the dimension of existence there are no two vehicles for crossing over the seas of mortal existences in order to reach nirvana. It is only the single vehicle of the Buddha that gives the possibility of crossing over the seas of mortal existences in order to reach the shore of nirvana. Listen, monks. This is something you have to understand. Those teachings of the Tathâgatas that are used as an expedient means are those that penetrate deepest into the temperament of ordinary people, even if they are only inclined towards their little pleasures in trivial dharmas or they are firmly attached to the five desires: wealth, sex, eating and drinking, fame and sleep. It is for this reason that one should explain to them the concept of nirvana; the people who listen to this will accept it with faith. [As the opposite of mortal existences which was originally the evidence for the total enlightenment of Shākyamuni, as a result it means a state that can be reached by the annihilation of all karma which is the cause for the continuity of lives and deaths. It is also said that nirvana is an extinction of all volition that is obtained through the cultivation of our inherent Buddha wisdom and discernment. nirvana is also said to be good in nature and eternal. It also has the essential quality of not coming into being (fushô) and not ceasing to exist (fumetsu). Existence is always there. It is often equated with existence as the singularity of the Dharma realm as opposed to the realms of dharmas which is the multiplicity of existence as ordinary people experience it.] Imagine that there was a barely accessible and dangerously bad road that stretched out over five hundred yojanas where there were no people and indeed was a very frightening route to take. Now there were a number of people who wished to travel along this road because they wanted to reach a place where there was a priceless treasure. They hired a guide who was clever, wise and clear in his judgment who was also aware of all the parts that one could travel through with ease and where all the various obstacles lay. Therefore this guide was to lead all these people who wished to take this difficult route. Halfway along the road this company became worn out and discouraged. They said to their guide, “We are overwhelmed with fatigue and also we are all afraid. We cannot go any further. Also the road before us goes on for a very long way. We would all like to turn back.” Then the thought came to the guide who was versatile and capable of inventing all sorts of expedient means: “Poor things! How could they abandon this priceless treasure by wanting to turn back?” As soon as this thought came into his mind he decided to invent a scheme by fabricating an imaginary city so as to get this company of travelers to continue for the remaining three hundred yojanas of inaccessible and dangerous road. “Now you must not be afraid and there is no need to turn back. We will soon come to a big city where you can come to a halt and do as you please. When you have entered this town you will be able to rest. Then if you really want to go on to where the treasure is you can set off again.” There and then this band of travelers who were extremely exhausted became resilient and as cheerful as they had not been before. “Now you can get off this bad road and soon we will get some rest.” Thereupon this group of travelers went on ahead and entered the imaginary city with a feeling of relief at having crossed over the worst part of the journey. After that the guide knew that this group of travelers had already taken a break and were no longer weary or fatigued. He then made the imaginary city cease to exist. He said to the travelers, “Well now, you must go on ahead. It is only a short way to the place where the treasure is (to be found).”
The Oral Transmission on the Meaning of the Dharma Flower Sutra says that the concept of nirvana or ceasing to exist, which also includes the annihilation of being born again and the inherited passions which are the cause of our sufferings, is the expiry or death of our embodiments and what we imagine ourselves to be, that is to die in the same way as the imaginary city that ceased to exist in the end of the parable. If we look upon this notion of death as the expiry of our existences, then this is exactly like the imaginary city in the parable that also ceased to exist. But if we have the wisdom and insight that such death is the indestructible, invariable quality of what existence really is then such a sensibility becomes the place where the treasure lies. This is what is intended by the phrase in the Sixteenth Chapter on the Lifespan of the Tathâgata, “But in fact I do not cross over from the dimensions of living and dying to the total extinction in nirvana” (ni jitsu fu metsudo). If we can overcome the doctrine of an extinction in nirvana or that we only live one life, then this becomes the discontinuance of our present lives and identities [so as to revitalize and renovate ourselves through our experiences in the dimension that lies between our deaths and rebirth (chu’on, antarabhava, bardo) and is the real meaning of passing over to extinction (metsu), in the sense of not being around anymore]. This is the gateway to the Dharma that points out that the people of the three vehicles of 1) those persons who exerted themselves to attain the highest level of the teachings of the individual vehicle through listening to the Buddha of the intellectual seekers of today (shômon, shrâvaka), 2) the people who on account of their affinities with the arts, music, literature and all the branches of the sciences are partially enlightened (engaku, pratyekabuddha) and 3) the bodhisattvas who are altruistic conscious beings who seek enlightenment not only for themselves but also for others (bosatsu) are in fact according to this teaching within the one vehicle of Buddha enlightenment. At the same time to make the imaginary city cease to exist points to the standstill of all the institutions [i.e. temples and stupas] whose teachings are only partial or distortions of the Buddha wisdom. Now, Nichiren and those that follow him reverently recite Nam Myôhô Renge Kyô which means to devote our lives to and found them on the Utterness of the Dharma [entirety of existence] permeated by the underlying white lotus flower-like mechanism of the interdependence of cause, concomitancy and effect in its whereabouts of the ten realms of dharmas. This means that the imaginary city is the place where the treasure lies. Hence all the mountains, valleys or wide plains that we live on are the places where the treasure of the eternal silence and the brilliance that is enlightenment abide.
The big city back there was something I made up for you. It was simply something in your imaginations so that you could stop and have a rest. Now listen, monks. It is the same way with the Tathâgata who is now your all-embracing guide and teacher who is fully aware of the long and dangerous road of consecutive lives, deaths and troublesome worries (bonnô) that you must travel along and he will also show you the way through it. If sentient beings hear the single vehicle of the Buddha, they will have no desire to see the Buddha, nor will they have any wish to approach him. These sorts of people will think about enlightenment in this manner: The path to reach Buddhahood is long and faraway. It is only by going through hardship and suffering for a very long time that one can reach the state of Buddha enlightenment. According to the Buddha, he knows that such thoughts are cowardly, weak, low-level and paltry. However, through the use of teachings that are expedient means the Tathâgata expounds the two kinds of extinction into nirvana. [1) The first is an extinction in which the causes for existing have been eliminated through arduous practice but there is a remainder of karmic effect, so that the person who does those practices may ultimately enter into this kind of psychological extinction during his lifetime but will have to live in the dimensions of existence until the death of his body. 2) This second kind of extinction into nirvana is a cessation of existence with no remaining karma whatsoever. All the causes, karmic circumstances and effects in connection with mortal existence are completely extinguished. In this way the person in question can enter into total nirvana on the expiry of his mortal frame and afterwards, due to the absence of karma, completely cease to exist.] Both of these two concepts of nirvana are used as strategies to allow for a resting place along this road of consecutive lives, deaths and troublesome worries (bonnô). When people stop in either of those two resting places, then the Tathâgata explains for their benefit that what they are striving for is not yet accomplished. The stage to where these people have arrived is nearly the same as the wisdom of the Buddha, but it is not total enlightenment. It is better that you ponder over your speculations and thoughts. The nirvana that you have realized is not the real thing. It is only the outcome of the Tathâgata’s teachings that are an expedient means. When we look into the single vehicle to enlightenment of the Buddha, there are three distinct vehicles within it. [Theyu are 1) the people who seek the highest level of realization of the individual vehicle through listening to the Buddha (shômon, shrâvaka); 2) those who are partially enlightened due to affinities with the arts, literature, music or all the various branches of the sciences (engaku, pratyekabuddha); 3) those people who strive not only for their personal enlightenment but inner realization of others as well (bosatsu).] In the same way, the guide in the parable knew that by creating the imaginary city, he would be able to give the travelers a rest. After their respite the guide said to them that the place where the treasure lay was nearby. “The city that you visited was not real. It was only something that I implanted in your imaginations.” Then the World Honoured One, wishing to reiterate the meaning of what he had said, expressed it in the form of a metric hymn. The Buddha Daitsû Chishô (the Buddha Universally Penetrating Superlative Wisdom)
The Oral Transmission on the Meaning of the Dharma Flower Sutra states that the word “all” in this passage indicated the ten [psychological] realms of dharmas [They are 1) hell or suffering (jigokukai), 2) the craving wants of hungry ghosts (gakikai), 3) the dharma realms of animality (chikushôkai), 4) the titanic anger and the showy behaviour of the Ashuras (shûrakai), 5) the dimension of human equanimity (jinkai), 6) ecstatic joys and delights that only last for a limited time (tenkai), 7) the realms of intellectual inquiry and learning (shômon, shrâvakakai), 8) the various dimensions of partial enlightenment due to affinities of scientific or philosophical study (engakukai), 9) the dimension of the search for enlightenment not only for oneself, but for others as well (bosatsukai), 10) the enlightenment of the Buddha who is also the “Enlightener” (bukkai).] The word “together” in this passage refers to the Buddha Shākyamuni’s wish to make all people equal to the Buddha himself without any distinction whatsoever. The verb “reach” in this sentence has the implication of living in the dimension (jusho) of the superlative fulfillment of Buddhahood. “The place where the treasure is” stands for Spirit Vulture Peak. Nichiren and those that reverently recite Nam Myôhô Renge Kyô, which is to devote our lives to and establish them on the interdependence of cause, concomitancy and effect that pervades all the realms of dharmas throughout the whole of existence, all together each one of us will reach the place where the treasure is. This single word “together” means that while people are together with Nichiren they will definitely reach the place where the treasure lies. But if they are not together with him they will ultimately find themselves falling into the enormous fortified metropolis of the Avîchî hell (abi daijô) which is the last of the hot hells in the world concept of Mount Sumeru in which punishment, pain, are endowed with some kind of materiality so that birth and death continue without intermission of respite.
It is exactly the same with myself.
End of the third fascicle [scroll].
 THE DHARMA FLOWER SUTRA SEEN THROUGH THE ORAL TRANSMISSION OF NICHIREN DAISHÔNIN by Martin Bradley is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 Canada License. |