THE DHARMA FLOWER SUTRA SEEN THROUGH
THE ORAL TRANSMISSION OF NICHIREN DAISHÔNIN
ω

The Sutra on the White Lotus Flower-Like Mechanism
Of the Utterness Of the Dharma (Myôhô Renge Kyô),
The Seventeenth Chapter on Discerning the Meritorious Virtues

1, 2, 3 (Important points)

Thereupon, in the great assembly, on hearing the Buddha explain that his lifespan was infinite kalpas long, there were uncountable boundless myriads of myriads of myriads of sentient beings who had been enriched by this [this discourse]. Then the World Honoured One addressed Miroku (Maitreya) who was a completely evolved bodhisattva who had refused his own extinction into nirvana for the sake of the Buddha enlightenment of all sentient beings (bosatsu makasatsu, bodhisattva mahâsattva) saying, Invincible One:

When I expounded the immeasurability of the lifespan of the Tathâgata, there were six hundred and eighty myriads of myriads of myriads of times the grains of sand in the Ganges of sentient beings who had attained the patience through the Dharma to overcome all illusion and to bear all external hardships on account of their fundamental belief in the indestructibility of the essence of life itself (mushô hônin). Again there were a thousand times more completely evolved bodhisattvas who had refused their own extinction into nirvana for the sake of the Buddha enlightenment of all sentient beings who could go through the gateway of and obtain tantric formulas that were able to lay hold of good so that it cannot be lost and likewise so that evil cannot arise (Darani, Dhâranî) [so that they are able to retain what they had heard].

There were also other completely evolved bodhisattvas who had refused their own extinction into nirvana for the sake of the Buddha enlightenment of all sentient beings (bosatsu makasatsu, bodhisattva mahâsattva), whose number amounted to the particles of dust in a dimension of existence [world], who acquired the ability to explain the Dharma joyfully and without any hindrance due to not really knowing it. Then there were an equal number of bodhisattvas who had refused their own extinction into nirvana for the sake of the Buddha enlightenment of all sentient beings who came into the possession of tantric formulas that were able to lay hold of good and that likewise so that evil cannot arise had hundreds of thousands of myriads of myriads of myriads of extensive powers of transformation (sendarani). Furthermore there were as many fully evolved bodhisattvas who had refused their extinction into nirvana for the sake of the Buddha enlightenment of all sentient beings (bosatsu makasatsu, bodhisattva mahâsattva) as the particles of dust in three thousand great thousands of dimensions of existence who became able to turn the Wheel of the Dharma without ever turning back [to whatever they were before their conversion to the Buddha teaching].

Furthermore there were fully evolved bodhisattvas who had refused their extinction into nirvana for the sake of the Buddha enlightenment of all sentient beings (bosatsu makasatsu, bodhisattva mahâsattva) whose number was equal to the particles of dust that make up two thousand times the middle kingdoms (Chû kokudo, Madhya Desha) [i.e. central northern India] who became capable of setting in motion the wheel of the perfectly immaculate Dharma. There were likewise fully evolved bodhisattvas who had refused their extinction into nirvana for the sake of the Buddha enlightenment of all sentient beings (bosatsu makasatsu, bodhisattva mahâsattva) whose number was equal to the particles of dust that would amount to a lesser thousand dimensions of existence (sekai), each with its Mount Sumeru, continents, seas and a ring of iron mountains, who were able to attain the unexcelled, correct and all-embracing enlightenment (anokutara sanmyaku sambodai, anuttara samyak sambodhi) in eight lifetimes. Again there were fully evolved bodhisattvas who had refused their extinction into nirvana for the sake of the Buddha enlightenment of sentient beings (bosatsu makasatsu, bodhisattva mahâsattva) whose number amounted to four times the quantity of particles of dust that are the composition of the four continents of Mount Sumeru, who were able to realize the unexcelled, correct and all-embracing enlightenment in four lifetimes.

Then when the Buddha had disclosed the all-embracing benefits that the fully evolved bodhisattvas who had refused their extinction into nirvana for the sake of the Buddha enlightenment of all sentient beings (bosatsu makasatsu, bodhisattva mahâsattva) had realized, it rained coral flowers and giant coral flowers from empty space which were scattered over the uncountable hundreds of thousands of myriads of myriads of myriads of trees of precious materials and onto the Buddhas who were seated on their lion thrones underneath them. At the same time these flowers wafted onto the Buddha Shākyamuni and the Tathâgata Abundant Treasures (Tahô Nyorai, Prabhutaratna) who long ago had passed over to the extinction of nirvana and were both seated on the lion thrones in the stupa made of the seven precious materials [1) gold, 2) silver, 3) lapis lazuli, 4) crystal, 5) agate, 6) ruby, 7) cornelian]. In addition these coral flowers and giant coral flowers floated down onto the fully evolved bodhisattvas who had refused their extinction into nirvana for the sake of the Buddha enlightenment of all sentient beings (bosatsu makasatsu, bodhisattva mahâsattva) and even onto the assembly of monks, nuns, lay practitioners both male and female. Also a fine powder of sandalwood sprinkled down along with a shower of deeply scented water from the open sky. The drums of the devas resounded deeply with exquisite rhythms into the distance. Also it rained into all nine directions thousands of kinds of fabrics of the devas and various kinds of neckwear, necklaces of pearls, precious stones and also wish-granting mani beads.

In all, the incense burners that were made of all sorts of precious materials there smouldered various kinds of incense that were beyond price. These incense burners spontaneously moved around the great assembly as an offering to it. All the bodhisattvas held up banners and canopies over each and every Buddha that progressively reached as far as the heavens of the Brahmanic devas (bonten). With their sublime voices all the bodhisattvas sang various anthems of exaltation in praise of all the Buddhas. Then the Bodhisattva Miroku (Maitreya) got up from his seat, uncovered his right shoulder, pressed the palms of his hands together, faced the Buddha with reverence and declaimed the following metric hymn:

The Buddha explains an exceptional Dharma
which has never been heard in the past.
The strength of the World Honoured One
is as incalculable as his lifespan.
Innumerable people who hold faith in the Buddha teaching
heard the World Honoured One expound in detail
all the benefits of the Dharma that they were to obtain
and were completely filled with joy.
Some were able to dwell on the terrain of never regressing.
Others obtained dhâranîs [which are like mantras].
Some became able to expound the Dharma
happily and without hindrance.
Others obtained dhâranîs
with myriads of myriads of myriads of possibilities.
Or there were bodhisattvas whose number amounted to
as many particles of dust that comprise
a great thousand of dimensions of existence
who were capable of setting in motion
the wheel of Dharma without ever turning back.
Again there were bodhisattvas whose number amounted to
as many particles of dust that comprise
a medium-sized thousand of dimensions of existence
who became capable of setting in motion
the wheel of the immaculately pure Dharma.
Furthermore there were bodhisattvas whose number amounted to
the particles of dust that comprise
a single small thousand of dimensions of existence
who only had eight lifetimes to go
before they were to attain enlightenment.
Or even there were bodhisattvas whose number
was to amount to as many particles that would comprise
four, three or two Mount Sumerus with their respective continents
who in a corresponding count of lifetimes
would attain the state of Buddhahood.
Then there were bodhisattvas whose number amounted to
the particles of dust that comprise a single Mount Sumeru
with its corresponding four continents
who only had one lifetime to go
before they would attain the wisdom
of the seekers who listen to the Buddha (shômon, shrâvaka).
In this way all sorts of sentient beings
on hearing the unlimited lifespan of the Buddha
realized uncountable pure, undefined
and immaculate fruitions
as well as an inner awareness.
Also there were sentient beings
whose number was as many as the particles of dust
that comprise eight realms of existence
who on hearing the Buddha expound his lifespan
set their minds on the attainment
of the unexcelled, correct and all-embracing enlightenment.
The World Honoured One explains a Dharma
that cannot be conceived or discussed
which assures particular inner realizations
as the boundlessness of empty space.
Then it rains coral tree flowers
as many as the sands of the Ganges
or the number of Taishaku (Indra) or the Bonten (Brahmanic devas).
Then countless Buddha dimensions arrive
that bring about a rain of sandalwood powder
and water steeped in scent
which all fall mixed together and in disorder
just like a flock of birds that come down from the sky
as a scattered offering to the Buddha.
In the middle of empty space the drums of the devas
spontaneously resound with exquisite rhythms.
Ten thousand kinds of celestial fabrics
come spinning round towards the ground.
All the incense burners which are made
of splendidly precious materials
burn various kinds of incense beyond price
that on their own make a complete tour of the whole assembly
as an offering to all the World Honoured Ones.
That great multitude of bodhisattvas
are holding banners and canopies
that are made of seven precious materials [1) gold, 2) silver, 3) lapis lazuli, 4) crystal, 5) agate, 6) ruby, 7) cornelian]
that are tall, marvelous
and of myriads of myriads of varieties
which progressively reach up to the heaven of the Bonten (Brahmanic devas).
In front of each one of the Buddhas
there are flagstaffs of precious materials
upon which hang superlative banners.
The bodhisattvas with thousands of myriads of metric hymns
sing their praises to all the Tathâgatas.
Such a variety of happenings
has never been seen before.
On hearing of the boundless lifespan of the Tathâgata,
everybody was filled with joy [because in spite of life’s vicissitudes, it can never be destroyed].
The renown of the Buddha has reached all ten directions
and broadly benefitted sentient beings
who all found a basis of goodness (zengon, kushala-mûla) [absence of greed, absence of hatred and an absence of stupidity]
which became the auxiliaries
of the highest aspirations of their minds.

Then the Buddha addressed the completely evolved bodhisattva who had refused his own extinction into nirvana for the sake of the Buddha enlightenment of all sentient beings, Miroku (Maitreya), saying: Invincible One, if there are sentient beings who on hearing that the lifespan of the Buddha is of such a far-reaching eternity and in an instant of faith are able to understand it, then the meritorious virtues (kûdoku, guna) are the benefits they receive which will be beyond any limit or measure.

The first important point on the sentence, “Then the Buddha addressed the completely evolved bodhisattva who had refused his own extinction into nirvana for the sake of the Buddha enlightenment of all sentient beings, Miroku (Maitreya), saying: Invincible One, if there are sentient beings who on hearing that the lifespan of the Buddha is of such a far-reaching eternity and in an instant of faith are able to understand it, then the meritorious virtues are the benefits they receive which will be beyond any limit or measure.”

The Oral Transmission on the Meaning of the Dharma Flower Sutra says that the word “faith” as in the above phrase, “in an instant of faith are able to understand it”, is the innate cause of the accession to all the wisdom and discernment of the enlightened. The single word “faith” is apprehension of the fundamental title and theme of the Buddha teaching [i.e. Nam Myoho Renge Kyo] and that those who only hear it and hold faith in it are within the Dharma of enlightenment and are potentially Buddhas. As a result this single word “faith” is the sharp sword that cuts us loose from our inherent unenlightenment [of our not wanting to know what existence is about].

The word “faith” means to hold faith in the principle that all sentient beings are able to show to themselves evidence (ken, arawasu) of their own original archetypal state as it is expounded in the Chapter on the Lifespan of the Tathâgata. “To understand” means to understand the implications of the pragmatic manifestation of the original archetypal state in terms of the Fundamental Object of Veneration. Both the pragmatic and speculative [i.e. in principle] manifestations of the original archetypal state are contained in the single instant of faith that leads to our understanding of the two. A single instant is comprised of the one timelessness that has always existed and will continue to exist into eternity. People who have such a faith and understanding have effective merits and benefits that are beyond any limit or measure. Where there is faith there is understanding and where there is understanding there is faith. However it is on account of our faith that makes it absolutely certain that we will open up our inherent Buddha nature with our persons just as they are. Now, Nichiren and those that follow him 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).

If there are believing and convinced men and women who with the intention of attaining the unexcelled, correct and all-embracing enlightenment were to practice for a period of eight myriads of myriads of myriads of kalpas and who were to carry out five of the six virtues that ferry people from the shore of births and deaths to the other shore of nirvana of perfection – dânapâramitâ  [1) charity including teaching the Buddha truth to others], shilapâramitâ [2)  keeping to the commandments of the monastic order], kshantipâramitâ [3) patience under insult and abuse], viryapâramitâ [4) diligent progress], dhyânapâramitâ [5) meditative concentration], prajñâpâramitâ [6) wisdom, the ability to discern what is reality and the truth of existence; it is this last virtue that actually carries us across the sea of living and dying to the shore of nirvana] – if one were to compare the merits to the preceding merits, then they do not come up to a hundredth, nor a thousandth nor even a myriadth of a myriadth of a myriadth, to a point that no calculation nor any comparison can ever be known. If there is such a believing and convinced person who has such merits and were to regress from trying to attain the unexcelled, correct and all-embracing enlightenment, then such a concept cannot exist. There and then the World Honoured One, wishing to reiterate the significance of what he had said, expressed it in the form of a metric hymn.

If there are persons
who would seek the Buddha wisdom
over a period
of eighty myriads of myriads of kalpas
who were to practice five of the virtues
that ferry people across the seas of living and dying
to the shore of nirvana (haramitsu, pâramitâ)
and during all these kalpas
were to make offerings to the Buddhas,
to those who due to their affinities
with the arts, music, literature
and all the branches of science and medicine (engaku, pratyekabuddha)
as well as their disciples
and to all the bodhisattvas,
of delicious and rare dishes
as well as libations that are a delight to the palate
and of the best of garments and bed clothing
and at the same time were to build them palaces
for pure or spiritual cultivation
out of sandalwood
that would be surrounded by gardens and little woods,
such offerings
all of which are sensitively marvelous in their variety,
if such people were to pass
the entirety of this number of kalpas
dedicating themselves to the path of Buddhahood
and if they were to keep the precepts
of the religious community
in all purity and never slipping up,
then with regard to their search for the unsurpassed path
which is exalted by all the Buddhas
and if such people practice patience
abiding in a dimension that is gentle and moderate,
even when perverted beings come to do harm
the minds of the practitioners never deviate nor are shaken up.
When all these people who claim to have understood the Dharma
are filled with a haughtiness beyond measure
that makes them jibe at and despise the real practitioners
who are again capable of taking such treatment with patience,
then if such practitioners are determined to make progress
and are always firmly resolved
over a period of myriads of myriads of myriads of kalpas
without neglecting their practice or getting tired
and again for countless kalpas
they dwell in deserted places
either seated or walking around
avoiding sleep and continually controlling their thoughts,
on account of such causes and concomitancies
they are able to give rise to
and concentrate on a single object of meditation
so that during eighty myriads of myriads of myriads of kalpas
they abide steadily with their thinking undisturbed.
Holding on to happiness with the whole of their minds
they aspire to seek the unsurpassed path to enlightenment.
“I will attain the highest stage of the teachings
of the individual vehicle and become an arhant (issaichi).
I will bring all the meditative concentrations
on a single point to their utmost limits (zenjô).”
Over a period of a hundred thousands of myriads
of myriads of myriads of kalpas
such people practice all these goodnesses
just as I have described.
All you believing and convinced men and women
who have heard and believed my discourse
on the infinity of my lifespan,
then all these people will be entirely without doubts or regrets
and enjoy a happiness beyond bound
in the depths of their minds
and realize a gladness as I have described it.
All these bodhisattvas
who for innumerable kalpas
here practiced on the path of enlightenment
on hearing me explain what my lifespan is
are able to accept what I say with faith.
All such people will accept this sutra with reverence.

The second important point regarding the last section of the above metric hymn: “All these bodhisattvas who for innumerable kalpas have practiced on the path of enlightenment, on hearing me explain what my lifespan is, are able to accept what I say with faith. All such people will accept this sutra with reverence.”

The Oral Transmission on the Meaning of the Dharma Flower Sutra says this is clearly the text that explains how we should accept this sutra with veneration and awe. The above words, “all such people”, in the broadest sense are extended to all sentient beings. Hence all the Buddhas of the past, present and future of all the ten directions through accepting the Dharma Flower Sutra with veneration and awe were able to attain to the state of Buddhahood. Consequently, with reference to the title of the preceding Chapter on the Lifespan of the Tathâgata, I have emphasized the title by adding Myôhô Renge Kyô headed by the honorific “Tathâgata” [see the first important point of the Oral Transmission of the sixteenth chapter]. This is an esoteric teaching and should be kept secret. Now, this is the reason why Nichiren and those that follow him reverently recite Nam Myôhô Renge Kyôwhich 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).

Could it be in future ages
that on account of our protracted lifespans
we will be able to ferry sentient beings
from the shores of living and dying
to the shore of nirvana
in the same way as the World Honoured One
who as sovereign among the Shakya clan
at the place of enlightenment [i.e. under the bodhi tree]
pronounced the lion’s roar of victory
and expounded the Dharma without hesitation?
May we in dimensions of the future
be venerated and respected by all?
When we are seated at the place of enlightenment
may we explain the infinity of our existence in the same manner?
If there are people whose thinking runs very deep
whose personalities are correct and immaculately pure
who are learned and able to remember everything
as well as understanding the terminology
of the Buddha teaching and what these terms mean,
if such people were to hear
of the infinity of the Buddha’s lifespan
they would not be held back by any doubts.

Once again Miroku (Maitreya), O Invincible One, if there is anybody who on hearing the infinity of the lifespan of the Buddha were to understand the meaning of what he was saying, the merits that such persons would obtain would be without limit or measure. They would be able to give rise to the unsurpassable wisdom of the Tathâgata. Why should this be so? Any persons who were to hear this sutra in its entirety or to get someone else to listen to it, or to hold to it for themselves or to get someone else to hold to it, or write it out for themselves or have it copied out by someone else, or even were to make offerings to its scrolls of flowers, of incense or garlands, of banners on flagpoles, of canopies of silken fabrics of scented oils or fragrant lamps, the merits of such people would be boundless beyond any limit. They would be able to attain the wisdom of the Buddhas which is capable of attaining enlightenment as to every aspect of existence (issai-shu-chi, sarvatta-jñâna).

O Invincible One, if there are convinced and believing men or women who would hear me explain the infinity of my lifespan, who were to believe and understand it in the depths of their minds, they will see the Buddha eternally on Spirit Vulture Peak (Gishakutsu-sen, Grdhrakûta), surrounded by the assembly of bodhisattvas and people who exert themselves to attain the highest stage of the teachings of the individual vehicle through listening to the Buddha (shômon, shrâvaka).

They will still see the world we have to endure (shabu sekai, sahâ-lokadhâtu), but the ground will be of lapis lazuli and unvaryingly flat. The borders of the eight roads that are spread out like the spokes of a wheel will be marked out by powdered gold from the river Jambû and flanked by trees of precious substances. Also the terraces, stately mansions and towers will be built of materials that are precious. These will be inhabited by the assembly of bodhisattvas. If there are people who can look upon and discern the world like this, then you should know it is a sign of the depth of their faith and understanding. Again after the Tathâgata’s passing over to the extinction of nirvana, if someone were to listen to this sutra without destructively making fun of it, or speaking ill of it and through hearing it be filled with joy, then this is already evidence of the profound faith and insight of that person, not to mention those people who would read and recite it and who would accept and hold to it. Such people will be particularly favoured by the Tathâgata.

O Invincible One, these convinced and believing men and women will among other things have no need to construct stupas or temples for my sake; nor will they have to build living quarters for the monastic community; nor will there be any need for them to make an offering of the four necessaries of the religious order [1) victuals, 2) clothing, 3) bedding 4) medicine]. What is the reason for this? All these believing convinced men and women on their acceptance of and holding to this sutra, their reading and recitation of it have already built a stupa and quarters for the religious community as well as making offerings to it. What those people have to do is to build a stupa for the relics of the Buddha with the seven precious materials [1) gold, 2) silver, 3) lapis lazuli, 4) crystal, 5) agate, 6) ruby, 7) cornelian] that has a broad base that will gradually get narrower and will finally reach the heavens of the Brahmanic devas on which there will be hung all sorts of banners, canopies and priceless bells. This stupa is also to be adorned with scent from flowers, garlands, fragrant unguents, powdered scents and incense that is to be burned, as well as being venerated with the sounds of drums, various kinds of musical instruments such as flutes and harps that are to be accompanied by a variety of dances, also singing with exceptional voices, hymns and songs of praise. These offerings will have to be prolonged until innumerable thousands of myriads of myriads of myriads of kalpas have passed.

O Invincible One, if after my extinction into nirvana there are people who will listen to this sutra and find that they can accept and hold to it, if they were to write it out themselves or get someone else to copy it, or they were to build living quarters for the religious community or if they were to construct out of red sandalwood thirty-two palaces as tall as eight fan palms whose bases are dignified, tall and elegant which are able to accommodate a hundred thousand monks, with gardens and woodlands, pools to bathe in and ponds, footpaths, caves for meditation where they would be furnished with clothing, food and drink, beds and bed covering, medicinal potions along with various kinds of musical instruments, such edifices that are to be inhabited by the religious community or such pavilions should be several hundreds of thousands of myriads of myriads of myriads of buildings whose actual number cannot be calculated. All these structures will be given as offerings to myself as well as the community of monks (biku, bhikshu). This is why I explain that after my extinction into nirvana if there is anybody who accepts and holds to, reads and recites this sutra as well as expounding it to other people, or even if these persons write it out themselves or get someone else to copy it, or at the same time make offerings to it, again it will not be necessary for such persons to build stupas or temples or construct living quarters for the religious community or make offering to the monastic order. By the same token, if there are persons who are really capable of holding to this sutra as well as doing the practices that ferry people over the seas of living and dying to the shore of nirvana and carry out single-mindedly the observances of charity, holding to the monastic precepts, having patience when they are under provocation, making progress diligently as well as showing wisdom and discernment, such merits are most imminent and excellent, unlimited and without bounds. For example, all the empty space from east to west, south to north also the four intervening quarter directions as well as all the empty space that exists above and below is incomparable and infinitely huge. In the same way the deserving qualities and merits of such people are identical and they will soon arrive at the wisdom of the Buddha which is capable of attaining enlightenment as to the aspects of all dharmas. If there are people who are reading and reciting this sutra as well as accepting it and holding to it and also explain it to other people, who either write it out themselves or get other people to copy it or again are able to build stupas or living quarters for the monastic community, or to make offerings as well as praising the congregation of the people who exert themselves to attain the highest stage of the teachings of the individual vehicle through listening to the Buddha – or by means of hundreds of thousands of myriads of myriads of myriads of hymns of praise, they celebrate the merits of the bodhisattvas, or again for the benefit of other people and by means of citing various causes and karmic circumstances they can explain the meaning of the Dharma Flower Sutra, or again are able to hold to the immaculately pure monastic precepts and are able to live alongside meek and gentle people, be patient and devoid of anger as well as being firm in their personal resolution to attain enlightenment, who always cherish sitting and fixing their thoughts on a single object of meditation (zazen), so as to obtain various kinds of perfect absorptions of their thoughts into particular concepts for introspection, who will make audacious and diligent progress so as to be able to take in the good Dharma with wisdom, discernment and a keen mind that is capable of understanding the subtle teachings of the Buddha (rikon, tikshnendriya), as well as being able to answer difficult questions –

O Invincible One, if after my extinction into nirvana there are convinced and believing men and women who hold to this sutra by reading and reciting it, they will in this way obtain good and meritorious virtues. You should know that these people are already facing in the direction of the place where the path of Buddhahood is realized and are close to the point of attainment of the unexcelled, correct and all-embracing enlightenment (anokutara sanmyaku sambodai, anuttara samyak sambodhi) and will soon be seated at the base of the bodhi tree.

O Invincible One, all these believing men and women, if they are sitting, standing upright or walking about, it would be better to erect a stupa at the place where they were practicing so that all the devas and humankind can make offerings to it as though it were the stupa of the Buddha. Thereupon the World Honoured One, wising to reiterate the significance of what he had expounded, expressed it in the form of a metric hymn.

For those who after my extinction into nirvana
can reverently hold to this sutra,
the happiness of these people will be boundless.
In the same way as I have explained it just now,
all these merits will amount to
the total of the offerings of erecting a stupa
for the relics of the Buddha
that is adorned with the seven precious materials [1) gold, 2) silver, 3) lapis lazuli, 4) crystal, 5) agate, 6) ruby, 7) cornelian]
that looks like a funerary spire
which is very tall and extremely broad at the base
whose extremity becomes narrower
and reaches the heaven of the Brahmanic devas,
adorned with thousands of myriads of myriads of myriads of bells
made of precious substances
which when they are resonated by the wind make sublime sounds.
For boundless kalpas people will make offerings to this stupa
of flowers, incense and varying sorts of garlands
as well as fabrics of the devas
and different kinds of music,
perfumed oils for burning and lamps of ghee
which will continuously shine all around.
But those who can hold to this sutra
during the iniquitous age at the end of the Dharma
as it already has been said previously
will be seen as those who have made all these offerings.
If there is anyone who can hold to this sutra
it will be in terms of the reality of the Buddha
the same as having built with ox-head sandalwood
living quarters for the religious community as an offering
that would amount to thirty-two palatial dwellings
as high as eight fan palms
also offerings of excellent dishes and sublime fabrics
as well as beds completely furnished with bedclothes.
The clergy will live in hundreds of thousands of communities
with woodlands, gardens, pools and ponds,
paths for taking walks and caves for meditation
all dignified and elegant in their variety.
If there is a person with a mind of faith and understanding
who accepts and holds to this sutra,
reading it and reciting it as well as writing it out
or who has it copied by somebody else
or makes offerings to its sutric scrolls
by scattering upon them flowers, incense and perfumed powders
and impregnating them with the smell of jasmine, gardenias,
mango tree flowers and hemp
by continually burning oils infused with these scents,
people who make such offerings will have boundless merits
as vast as the emptiness of space
and their happiness will be likewise.
Furthermore, for those who hold to this sutra
as well as carrying out the practice of charity
holding to the monastic precepts, forbearance under provocation
as well as having an appreciation
of meditating on a single object (zenjô)
without ever using verbal abuse or getting angry
and who show reverence to stupas and temples
as well as showing a humble attitude towards other monks
4 and are completely free from arrogant thinking
whose minds are directed towards wisdom,
never getting irritated by difficult questions
so as to answer them in an appropriate manner,
their merits will be incalculable.
If such a Master of the Dharma
has accomplished virtues such as these
then he should be showered with flowers of the devas
and clothed with the garments of the gods.
One should bow to his feet in reverence
and look upon this person as a Buddha.
Again one should bear this in mind,
that such practitioners will soon arrive
at the place of enlightenment at the base of the bodhi tree
and will reach the stage of being
without any troublesome worries (bonnô) whatsoever
so that their minds are not subject to cause, conditioning, dependence
and are free from the senses, eternal, inactive
and as pure as the nature of the Dharma [or Myôhô Renge Kyô]
that will bring about vast benefits to the devas and humankind.
Wherever these practitioners abide,
whether these people are walking around in contemplation
or whether they are lying down,
 even though they have not yet uttered a single metric hymn,
it would be better to construct a stupa at such a place
and make it superbly elegant
as well as making offerings to it,
when such places are where the faithful believers of the Buddha dwell
and their Buddhahood accepts them
so that they can function as enlightened people.

The third important point on the phrase, “when such places are where the faithful believers of the Buddhahood dwell and their Buddhahood accepts them so that they can function as enlightened people”.

The Oral Transmission on the Meaning of the Dharma Flower Sutra states that the phrase in the above metric hymn is a cross-reference that points to the entity of enlightened wisdom that is spontaneously and freely received [or accepted] as a means of salvation for all sentient beings [or as it is sometimes expressed as the Buddha who derives a limitless joy from the Utterness of the Dharma (Myôhô) or the Buddha of absolute freedom]. The words “such places” refer to the ground upon which the threefold entity of the Buddhahood depends for an existence [i.e. 1) the entity of the Dharma which is the highest aspect of the threefold identity of the Buddha and is the absolute nature of the Buddha mind, 2) the entity of the wisdom of the Dharma, 3) the manifestation of this Buddhahood as it appears for the benefit of unenlightened sentient beings such as us]. The faithful believers are the practitioners of the Dharma Flower Sutra; these practitioners are bodhisattvas and at the same time the practitioner of the Dharma Flower Sutra is one who not only is enlightened for himself but strives for the enlightenment of others (bosatsu, bodhisattva). In this sutric text the verb “to dwell” implies a faith that leads to a complete understanding. Now, Nichiren and those that follow him 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) and are people who dwell on the ground of the Utterness of the Dharma. Also, they are people who are received and used by the fundamental Buddhahood as a means of salvation for all sentient beings. You should ponder over the meaning of this very deeply.

Buddhahood is eternally in their midst
whether they are walking around in contemplation
or even sitting or lying down.