Sailing across the great ocean of life and death

 

"A person who hears even a solitary utterance or a single verse of this sutra and digests it into their life will become a ship which sails across the great ocean of life and death. The Great Master Miao-lo stated, 'If people absorb even a single phrase into their lives, they will all grasp the shore of Nirvana. To meditate and practice it is to eternally utilize it in the voyage.' Navigating across the great ocean of life and death would be arduous without being in the container of Myoho-renge-kyo.

"....This Hokekyô becomes a ship on the rivers of the Three Paths, the Great White Ox Cart on the Mountain of Going Forth in Death, it becomes a lamp on the paths of the underworld and is a bridge whereby we may go to the Spiritual Mountain....." (Nichiren Daishonin, Letter to Lord Hakii). 

"Good sons! Thirdly, the inconceivable merit-power of this sutra is as follows: if a living being can hear this sutra but once, or only one verse and phrase, he will penetrate into a hundred thousand myriad kotis of meanings. After that, his delusions, even though existent, will become as if nonexistent; he will not be seized with fear, though he moves between birth and death; and he will raise the mind of compassion for all the living, and obtain the spirit of bravery to obey all the laws. A powerful wrestler can shoulder and hold any heavy thing. The keeper of this sutra is also like this. He can shoulder the heavy treasure of supreme buddhahood, and carry living beings on his back out of the way of birth and death. He will be able to relieve others, even though he cannot yet relieve himself. Just as a ferry master, though he stays on this shore owing to his serious illness and unsettled body, can be made to cross over by means of a good and solid ship that has the quality of carrying anyone without fail, so also is with the keeper of this sutra. Though he stays on this shore of ignorance, old age, and death owing to the hundred and eight kinds of serious illness, (1) with which his body under the existence of all the five states is seized and ever afflicted, he can be delivered from birth and death through practicing this strong Mahayana Sutra of Innumerable Meanings as it is preached, which realizes the deliverance of living beings. Good sons! 

This is called the third inconceivable merit-power of this sutra."(Sutra of Infinite Meanings, the prologue to the Lotus Sutra). 

Juryo-hon:

"Could one, reflecting on and calculating these worlds, know their number or not?" The Bodhisattvas Maitreya and the others together addressed the Buddha, "World Honored One. These various worlds are immeasurable and limitless; they are not something which numerical reckoning understands; likewise they are not something which the power of the mind can reach. All Shravakas and Pratyekabuddhas reflecting with their Wisdom-Without-Outflow cannot know their numerical limit. Though we abide in the stage of Avivartika (Non--backsliding), in this matter it is something we cannot attain to. World Honored One. Worlds such as these are immeasurable and limitless." 

At that time the Buddha announced to the assembly of great bodhisattvas, You good sons. Now I am going to proclaim to you with clarity: Of these various worlds, if one took the ones to which atoms adhered as well as those to which they did not adhere and completely made atoms of them with one atom as one kalpa, the time since I attained Buddhahood surpasses these by hundreds of thousands of myriads of tens of millions of nayutas of asamkheyas of kalpas. Since then I have been ever in this Saha World preaching the Dharma and converting. Likewise elsewhere in hundreds of thousands of myriads of tens of millions of nayutas of asamkheyas of countries I have guided and benefitted the mass of beings. 

You good sons. During this intermediate time I have preached as the Buddha Nento (Dipamkara) and others. And, furthermore, I have also said they have entered Nirvana. All such as these I have distributed by expedients. 

You good sons. If there are beings who come to where I am, I contemplate by means of the Buddha Eye the sharpness or dullness of their various faculties of faith and so on and, in accordance with how they should be saved, everywhere I preach my name to be different and my age to be great or little, and , furthermore, I also manifest myself and say ' I am going to enter Nirvana', and , furthermore, by various types of expedients preaching the Subtle Dharma I have been able to cause the mass of beings to give rise to joyful minds. 

You good sons. When the Tathagata sees that the mass of beings are those who rejoice in the Lesser Dharma, poor in virtues, heavy with defilement, for these people I preach that when I was young I went forth from the household life and obtained Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. But the time since I really attained Buddhahood is as long ago and distant as that. It is just in converting the mass of beings by expedients and causing them to the enter the Buddha Way that I create such a preaching as this. 

You good sons. The Sutra Canons which the Tathagata expounds are all for saving and liberating the mass of beings. I either preach my own body or preach the body of another or show my own body or show the body of another or show my own matter or show the matter of another. The various words I preach are all true and not empty. What is the reason? The Tathagata knows and sees the appearance of the Three Worlds in accordance with reality: there is no Birth and Death, whether backsliding or emerging; likewise there is neither existence in the world nor non-extinction; they are not real; they are not void. they are not thus; they are not different. It is not as the Three Worlds see the Three Worlds. In such a matter as this the Tathagata sees clearly and is without error. Because the various beings have distinctions of various types of natures, various types of desires, various types action, and various types of recollections, I, desiring to cause various good karmic roots to be produced, by means of considerable causalities, parables, and words, preach various kinds of dharmas: The work of the Buddha which I perform i have never once abandoned even for a brief time. Thus the time since i attained Buddhahood is very great, long, and distant. My life is immeasureable asamkheyas of kalpas and I abide forever and am not extinguished. (Lotus Sutra Chapter 16) 

The Four Solaces of a true disciple of the Buddha from the Kalama Sutra: 

"'Suppose there is a hereafter and there is a fruit, result, of deeds done well or ill. Then it is possible that at the dissolution of the body after death, I shall arise in the heavenly world, which is possessed of the state of bliss.' This is the first solace found by him. 

"'Suppose there is no hereafter and there is no fruit, no result, of deeds done well or ill. Yet in this world, here and now, free from hatred, free from malice, safe and sound, and happy, I keep myself.' This is the second solace found by him. 

"'Suppose evil (results) befall an evil-doer. I, however, think of doing evil to no one. Then, how can ill (results) affect me who do no evil deed?' This is the third solace found by him. 

"'Suppose evil (results) do not befall an evil-doer. Then I see myself purified in any case.' This is the fourth solace found by him. 

"Mounting this jeweled vehicle, they directly arrive at the place of enlightenment.

The jewels of this jeweled vehicle are the seven precious substances which adorn the great cart. The seven jewels are precisely the seven orifices in one's head, and these seven orifices are precisely the [seven characters] na-mu-myo-ho-ren-ge-kyo, the essential Dharma for the Final Dharma Age. For us, living beings, the five characters of the daimoku will become a boat at the river of the three crossings; they will remove the cold in the crimson-lotus hell. In the hell of burning heat, they will become a cool breeze, and on the mountains of death, they will become lotus blossoms. When we are thirsty, they will become water, and when we are hungry, they will become food. When we are naked, they will become a robe. They will become a wife, a child, retainers, a clan--benefiting all living beings by conferring their inexhaustible responsive workings. This is the meaning of "directly arriving at the place of enlightenment." Accordingly, the fact that one dwells nowhere else but in the Land of Tranquil Light is called "directly arriving at the place of enlightenment." You should fix your mind on the word "directly" and ponder it. [STN3:2563-64] 

Shakyamuni who attained enlightenment countless aeons ago, the Lotus Sutra which leads all people to Buddhahood, and we ordinary human beings are in no way different or separate from each other. Therefore, to chant Myoho-renge-kyo with this realization is to inherit the ultimate law of life and death. ("Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life," MW-1) 

"[The Buddhas appear in this world] to open the door of Buddha-wisdom to all beings." The Nirvana Sutra states: "Those who study the Mahayana teachings, though they have the eyes of ordinary mortals, are said to have 'the eyes of a Buddha'." That common mortals born in the Latter Day of the Law can believe in the Lotus Sutra is due to the fact that the world of Buddhahood is present in the world of Humanity." -- Nichiren 

"They also form this thought: `I should accept all sufferings for the sake of all sentient beings, and enable them to escape from the abyss of immeasurable woes of birth and death. I should accept all suffering for the sake of all sentient beings in all worlds, in all states of misery, forever and ever, and still always cultivate the foundations of goodness for the sake of all beings. Why? I would rather take all this suffering on myself than to allow sentient beings to fall into hell. I should be a hostage in those perilous places - hells, animal realms, the nether world, etc. - as a ransom to rescue all sentient beings in states of woe and enable them to gain liberation. (Flower Ornament Scripture pp. 534-535) 

"Yet, even such Bodhisattva deeds as practiced by Bodhisattva Universally Good can not compare to that of a common mortal who embraces and teaches the Lotus Sutra. The Buddha exhorts this Bodhisattva as follows: 

"Therefore Universally Good! When you see the keeper of this sutra in the distance, you should rise from your seat, go to him, receive him, and respect him just as you respect me." (Lotus Sutra p. 341) 

From Chapter 23 of the Lotus Sutra: "Medicine-King Bodhisattva" 

"Star-King-Flower! This sutra saves all living beings. This sutra saves them from all sufferings, and gives them great benefits. All living beings will be able to fulfill their wishes by this sutra just as a man who gets fire when he suffers from cold, just as a man who is given a garment when he is naked, just as a party of merchants who find a leader, just as a child who meets its mother, just as a man who gets a ship when he wants to cross a river, just as a patient who finds a physician, just as a man who is given light in the darkness, just as a poor man who gets a treasure, just as the people of a nation who see a new king enthroned, just as a trader who reaches the seacoast. Just as a torch dispels darkness, this Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma saves all living beings from all sufferings, from all diseases, and from all the bonds of birth and death." 

"It is better to live one day with honor than to live to a hundred and die in disgrace."(Nichiren Daishonin). 

"As for the sound of our chanting the daimoku, there is no place in the worlds of the ten directions where it fails to penetrate. Though our own voice represents only a small sound, when we put it into the great sound of the daimoku and chant it, there is no place in the trichiliocosm where it cannot reach. To illustrate, though [one' s own breath produces only] a small sound, when one blows into a conch shell, it resounds at a distance, and though the sound produced by one's hand is slight, when one strikes a drum, it echoes far. This represents the vital doctrine of the single thought-moment that is three thousand realms..." (Oral Lectures of Nichiren Daishonin Recorded by Niko) 

"Our teacher said: "Differing thoughts" indicates disbelief. When thoughts of disbelief arise in our mind, we should at once dwell in the mind of faith. The point is that one should not make the mind of disbelief one's teacher, but rather, take the mind of faith as one' s teacher. With a pure mind and believing reverence, one should cultivate the practice of the Lotus Satra. Thus in the phrase " is able to uphold this sutra" or "is able to preach this sutra," the Buddha stressed the words: "is able to." Herein lies Vulture Peak. That is the meaning of the passage, "The four kinds of lands (66) exist in the single thought-moment; all are [the Land of] Eternally Tranquil Light."(ibid). 

"[They will be] secure and peaceful in their present life and will later be born in a good place." (33) [STN 3:2566-67] 

"Our teacher said: Hearing the Sutra of the Lotus Blossom of the Wonderful Dharma is called "security and peace in the present life" and also "later birth in a good place." [This passage] is immediately preceded by the words, "Having heard this Dharma." "Heard" indicates the ordinary worldling at the stage of verbal identity. In hearing the Wonderful Dharma, one hears that one attains Buddhahood in this very body. This is the meaning of the passage, "One who can hold [this sutra] thereby holds the Buddha's body." 'Because one hears, one holds, and therefore the three kinds of powerful enemies arise; their coming fulfills this passage's prediction of "security and peace in this life." There can then be no doubt that one is a practitioner of the Lotus Sutra, 

The Nirvana Sutra warns of evil priests: "Bodhisattvas, you should not be afraid of wild elephants, but you should of evil priests. Even if you are killed by wild elephants, you will not be reborn in the three evil realms (hells, realm of hungry spirits, and realm of beasts and birds), but if your heart is lost to the evil priests, you will be reborn there without fail." 

Next, the Lotus Sutra discusses in detail the behavior of the evil priests in the Latter Age of the Decadent Dharma: Monks in the evil world: 

"Cunning, crooked, flattering, and arrogant, 

Boast themselves as enlightened, 

While they are not. 

Some monks will stay in a monastery, 

Wearing robes, sitting quietly, 

Claiming to be preaching the true way. 

Despising the people, 

Attached to profit-making, 

They will preach the dharma for the lay people 

And they will be revered by the people 

As though they were arhats with Six Superhuman Powers..... 

In order to slander us 

Among the large crowd 

They will speak ill of us 

To the king, ministers, Brahmans, 

Lay believers, and other monks 

Saying that we are crooked in opinion 

And preach Brahman teachings..... 

In the evil world during the age of defilement 

Many dreadful things 

Such as demons entering their bodies 

Caused them to abuse and shame us..... 

Evil monks of the defiled world, 

Without Knowledge of the Buddha 

Using the expedient and provisional teachings, 

Will slander us and frown at us; 

Often we will be chased out of monasteries." 

The Nirvana Sutra also defines the behavior of the evil priests in the Latter Age of the Decadent Dharma: In numerous centuries after My (Buddha's) death, sages with four stages of Hinayana enlightenment will all have died, too. After the Age of the True Dharma is over, those, who claim to be monks in the Age of the Imitative Dharma, when the teaching of the Buddha remains only in form, will appear. Pretending to be observing Buddhist precepts, they will read and recite few sutras, while indulging in drinking and eating to nourish their bodies. Although they wear priestly robes, they will seek worldly gain just as a hunter stalks game with his eyes half-closed or a cat preys on a rat. They will always claim to have attained arhatship, pretending to be sages, but in their inner hearts they will be full of greed and jealousy. Just like a Brahman practicing a vow of silence, they will appear to be monks without being ones in reality. Their false views will spread far and wide and they will slander the True Dharma. 

Observing the world today through these scriptural passages, the state of the Buddhist world is exactly as they point out. How can we accomplish anything worthwhile without admonishing the evil monks who slander the True Dharma? (Nichiren Daishonin, On Securing the peace of the Land Through the Establishment of the Right Law). 

The traveler then asked the master: 

In order to eliminate the slanderers of the True Dharma in compliance with commandments of the Buddha, is it necessary to put them to death as preached in the Nirvana Sutra? If so, killing will beget killing. What should we do about sinful karma then? 

The Buddha declares in the Sutra of the Great Assembly. "Gods and men should give offerings to those with shaven heads wearing monks' robes, regardless of whether or not they keep the precepts. Giving offerings to them means giving offerings to Me because they are My sons. If someone strikes them, it is my sons whom he strikes. If someone insults them, it is Me who he insults." According to this scriptural statement we have to give offerings to monks regardless of whether or not they are good ones or whether or not they keep the precepts. How dare you beat and insult the children of the Buddha to make their Father sad! 

Those Brahmans with bamboo sticks who killed Venerable Maudgalyayana, one of the ten great disciples of the Buddha noted for his divine power, sank to the bottom of the Hell of Incessant Suffering for endless time. Devadatta, who murdered a nun named Utpalavarna, also suffered for ages in the choking flames of the Hell of Incessant Suffering. These are clear testimony to retribution for killing monks and nuns, which we in the later generation should take most seriously. Killing slanderers of the True Dharma, as is preached in the Nirvana sutra, seems to be a warning against slandering the True Dharma. Nevertheless, does it not violate the commandment preached in the Sutra of the Great Assembly? I can hardly believe that such is the proper course to take. How can I justify it? 

The master stated in response: 

You, my guest, have seen clear statements in the Nirvana Sutra outlawing slanderers of the True Dharma. Yet you ask me such a question. Is it because you don't understand them, or is it because you don't know the reason? What the Nirvana Sutra means is not that we should outlaw disciples of the Buddha at all, but that we should solely chastise slanderers of the True Dharma. 

Speaking of the previous lives of Sakyamuni Buddha, the sutra states that the Buddha, appearing as King Sen'yo or King Utoku, killed slanderers of the True Dharma. However, the present Sakyamuni Buddha preaches not to give offerings to such slanderers. Therefore, if all the countries in the world and the four kinds of Buddhists (monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen) all stop giving offerings to the evil priests, who slander the True Dharma, putting all their faith in the defenders of the True Dharma, how can anyone calamities arise or disasters confront us?(ibid.) 

Dialogue between a Sage and a Fool (Nichiren Daishonin): 

Now from above the clouds of [the Heaven] of Non-Thought to the bottom of Naraka (the shrieking place: hell) are there those who, having received birth, avoid death? And so even in the lowly teaching of the Outer [Secular] Canon it is said, 'Though in the morning one has a ruddy face and exults upon the world's roads, in the evening one turns to white bones, drying up in town or plain. Though one mixes with clouds, with cloud[-like] round sidelocked face so fresh turning over one's cloudy sleeves, when one thinks of that bliss, it is a dream within a dream. At mountain's foot underneath the mugwort is one's last abode. What use the jade terrace, the curtains of brocade, upon the road of the afterlife? Ono no Komachi's and Lady Sotôri's flowery [beautiful] figures were scattered upon the wind of impermanence and though Fan K'uai and Chang Liang mastered the arts of war, they suffered on jailers' staffs. 

Therefore an ancient one who had understanding said, 'Alas it is: shall even the ones who send off the evening smoke [from the funeral pyres] of Mount Toribe remain?' and 'The dewdrop on the branch, the droplet at the root: will they become examples of going later or of predeceasing?" The principle of dying before or being extinguished afterwards is never something that should surprise us. In desiring one must desire the Buddha Way; in seeking one must seek the teachings of the sutras. (KHS, p. 562) 

If we but chant 'Namu Myôhô renge kyô', is there is a sin that is not extinguished? Is there a good fortune that does not come? It is true; it is most profound: this one should believe. (KHS, p. 568) 

In the Reply to Lady Nichinyo by Nichiren Daishonin we read: 

"The woman who makes offering to such an Object of Worship summons good fortune (saiwai) in the present, and this Object of Worship in the afterlife will stand close to her on the left and right, before and behind, and, like a lamp in the darkness, or having strength in peril, surrounding and coming to her, it will stand guard around the Lady Nichinyo. (Kempon Hokke Seiten) 

In the Kaimoku Sho ("Opening of the Eyes"), also by Nichiren Daishonin we read: 

"... Sakyamuni Buddha is the supreme leader and excellent eyes for all the people. He is the bridge that enables them to cross the river of evil passions; he is the skipper who guides them over the sea of life and death; and he is the fertile field in which they plant the seed of merits. ...' The meaning of these words in the Lotus Sutra is shiningly clear -- brighter than the sun in the blue sky and the full moon at midnight. Look up and put your faith in it. Prostrate yourself before it and think hard about it." 

"I have made a vow. Even if someone says that he would make the ruler of Japan on the condition that I give up the Lotus Sutra and rely upon the Amida Sutra for my salvation in the next life, or even if someone threatens me saying that he will execute my parents if I do not say 'Namu Amida-butsu,' and no matter how many great difficulties fall upon me, I will not submit to them until a man of wisdom defeats me by reason. Other difficulties are like dust in the wind. I will never break my vow that I will become the pillar of Japan, I will become the eyes of Japan, and I will become the great vessel of Japan." -- Kaimoku Sho (Opening the Eyes) 

"When all the people under the heaven and various schools of Buddhism are all converted to the one and real vehicle, and when only the Lotus Sutra flourishes and all the people recite 'Namu Myoho Renge-kyo' in unison, the howling wind will not blow on the branches, falling rain will not erode the soil, and the world will become as good as during the reigns of the Chinese Emperors Fu-hsi and Shan-neng. You will see that such times will come when he calamities cease to exist, people live long, and men and their faith become eternal. There should be no doubt about the proof of tranquility in life." -- Nyosetsu Shugyo-sho (On practicing According to the Preaching) 

"Be it for good or for evil, abandoning the Lotus Sutra must be the karma of hell." -- Kaimoku Sho (Opening the Eyes) 

"I, Nichiren, too, by reciting these compilations of texts and making prayers and vows to the Buddha and the devas (gods) every day since the day I began to believe, thought I have encountered all sorts of great hardships, yet because the meritorious power of the Lotus Sutra and the Golden Words of Lord Shakya are profound and serious, up to now I have been saved. With regard to that, if the Practicers of the Lotus Sutra have no backsliding in the mind of faith or false affection in their person, but leave themselves to the Lotus Sutra in all things and practice in accordance with the Golden Words, they will for certain even in this life, not to speak of the afterlife, end disasters and extend the lifespan, obtain the reward of the Superior, Sublime Great Effect and accomplish the Great Vow of "widely proclaiming and diffusing." [kosen rufu] -- Kitokyo sojo (Cover Letter to the Sutra for Prayers) 

"By the Great Good of the Venerable Maudgalyayana's believing in the Lotus Sutra, not only did his own person become a Buddha but his father and mother became Buddhas. His father and mother and so on for seven generations up and seven generations down and for immeasurable lives up and immeasurable lives down, beyond any expectation, became Buddhas. And even children, husbands and wives, subordinates, lay donors and immeasurable beings not only left the Three Evil Ways of Rebirth ut all became Buddhas from the First Abode to Sublime Enlightenment. What he worships is the Buddha Shakya; the Dharma he believes is the Lotus Sutra." -- Urabon Gosho (Letter on the Urabon) 

"The Bodisattva Fukyo in the past, saying that all beings have the Buddha Nature and that, if they keep the Lotus Sutra, they will certainly attain Buddhahood and to slight them would turn out to be slighting Buddhas, established the Practice of Bowing in Reverence; saying that even those who do not keep the Lotus Sutra, if they were to keep it, have the Buddha Nature, and would become Buddhas, he performed Bowing in Reverence in this way to those who did not keep it. How much more to the householders and those who have left the household life who keep it! In the fourth fascicle of this Sutra it appears that if there is demeaning with even one evil word of one who keeps and preaches the Lotus Sutra, be it a householder or one who has left the household life, the magnitude of the sin is beyond the sin of directly disparagine the Buddha Shakya. It is also preached, 'Whether real or not real.' When one thinks of it in these terms, those who keep the Lotus Sutra should not, even forgetfully, disparage each other, should they? The reason is that all those who keep the Lotus Sutra are necessarily Buddhas and to disparage a Buddha is to earn oneself a sin. When one understands it in this way, the merit of the Title (Daimoku) which one chants must be equal to the merit of Lord Shakya." -- Matsuno dono gohenji (Reply to Lord Matsuno) 

"Although Nichiren is not a sage, he is equal to one, for he embraces the Lotus Sutra exactly as the Buddha taught. Furthermore, since he has long understood the ways of the world, all the prophecies he wrote have come true without exception. Therefore you should not doubt what he has told you concerning your future existence. ... 

"Since my heart believes in the Lotus Sutra, I do not fear even Bonten or Taishaku, but my body is still that of an animal. With such disparity between my body and my mind, no wonder the foolish despise me. Without doubt, when compared to my body, my mind shines like the moon or gold.(Letter from Sado). 

"His body(Mind) is 

neither existing nor nonexisting; 

Without cause or condition, 

Without self or others; 

Neither square nor round, 

Neither short nor long; 

Without appearance or disappearance, 

Without birth or death; 

Neither created nor emanating, 

Neither made nor produced; 

Neither sitting nor lying, 

Neither walking nor stopping; 

Neither moving nor rolling, 

Neither calm nor quiet; 

Neither calm nor quiet; 

Without advance or retreat, 

Without safety or danger; 

Without right or wrong, 

Without merit or demerit; 

Neither that nor this, 

Neither going nor coming; 

Neither blue nor yellow, 

Neither red nor white; 

Neither crimson nor purple, 

Without a variety of color."(Sutra of Infinite Meanings) 

"Namu-myoho-renge-kyo will be your unbreakable staff to take you safely over the mountains of death. Shakyamuni and Taho Buddhas as well as the Four Bodhisattvas headed by Jogyo will lead you by the hand on your journey."(Nichiren Daishonin, the Swords of Good and Evil). 

"The idea that life and death are two is the reasoning of dreams, deluded and inverted. If when wide awake we examine our true nature, we will find no beginning that requires our being born and no end that requires our dying. What we will find is the essence of life, which can neither be burned by apocalyptic flames, nor worn away by flood, nor cut down by sword, nor pierced by arrow. It is not too large to enter the seed of a flower without the seed's expanding. It is not too small to fill the universe without the universe's contracting." (Nichiren Daishonin, On the Ultimate Teaching Confirmed by All Buddhas).