The Lotus Sutra, Chapter 16. The Duration of the Life of the Tathagata
(Scripture 102)
(Significance-4)
"Tathagata is not a thing like the truth itself. Tathagata has a character and is always saving pitiful people actively. As say "I always expound the teachings to educate zillion people and let them enter the way to Buddhahood", Tathagata has been saving people from the remote past to the present by giving teachings mainly. It is neither a cool truth nor inanimate letter. Tathagata who has a character as a real existence philosophically is continuing activities. That is said in Kempon Hokke shu as "Manifest-body which always exists." Manifest-body which always exists does not mean that the body of Tathagata who has appeared in India always exists. About three bodies of Tathagata, Dharma-body (法身) is to indicate the truth, Reward-body (報身) is to indicate the wisdom, and Manifest-body (応身) is to indicate the compassion. Needless to say, Tathagata has the truth, the wisdom, and the compassion. However, the aspect of compassion to save people stands in the front as a character of Tathagata, not as the aspect of truth, not as the aspect of wisdom. By tabulating the compassion, wrapping the wisdom and the truth into inside, Tathagata is active. Therefore, because of showing the compassion as a correct meaning, Kempon Hokke shu says "Manifest-body always exists." It is said as the application of the truth of Manifest-body and the sentence of 'no beginning, no end' of Manifest-body, which are said in Kaimoku-sho. Tendai school makes the Reward-body central as the wisdom, and Shingon school makes the Dharma-body central as the truth. However, Nichiren shonin emphasizes that the compassion of the Buddha who has three bodies as one body is the front. The evidence is that Tathagata is always educating people and is saving people by causing compassion. Kempon Hokke shu has been saying it since old times.
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