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The True Purpose of the
Buddha’s Introduction This year, I have focused my Oko Lectures on the principles of faith and practice, as manifested in the life of Nichiren Daishonin. This month, I would like to talk about the true purpose of the Buddha’s advent. October 12th marks a profoundly significant occasion. It represents the establishment of the Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of True Buddhism, the essential basis of Nichiren Shoshu and the true purpose of the Daishonin’s advent into this world. We were not born into this world by chance. Our existence in this world is the effect of a profound cause that we made in a past lifetime. Indeed, it is extremely significant that we have come into this world as humans. Our presence here is not coincidental. We were born as humans for a purpose. Through our faith and practice in Nichiren Shoshu, we must understand the karmic bonds and actions that caused us to be born into this world. This will enable us to withstand difficulties and cultivate an appreciation for the various aspects of our lives. Since even we, as common mortals, were born for a definitive reason, it is all the more true that the Buddha made his advent into this world for a supremely profound purpose. This is characterized as the true purpose of the Buddha’s advent into this world. The phrase “advent into this world” means the emergence of the Buddha and bodhisattvas. “True purpose” signifies the essential reason and the fundamental aspiration. Therefore, the true purpose of the Buddha’s advent into this world denotes the essential intention and the true reason for his appearance in this world. The following passage is from the Expedient Means (Hoben; second) chapter of the Lotus Sutra: The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, appear in the world for one great reason alone. … The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, wish to open the door of Buddha wisdom to all living beings, to allow them to attain purity. That is why they appear in the world. They wish to show the Buddha wisdom to living beings, and therefore, they appear in the world. They wish to cause living beings to awaken to the Buddha wisdom, and therefore, they appear in the world. They wish to induce living beings to enter the path of Buddha wisdom, and therefore, they appear in the world. (Hokekyo, p. 101) This passage explains that the Buddha appears in this world to awaken the Buddha wisdom in all beings, to reveal it, to let all beings know it and enter into it. In other words, the Buddha made his advent into this world to enable all mankind, filled with tremendous earthly desires, to achieve an understanding and to lead the people to the Buddha’s way, based on his infinitely vast wisdom, compassion, and power. The True Purpose of Shakyamuni’s Advent into this World What were the concrete actions taken by Shakyamuni to lead the people to attain enlightenment? Shakyamuni preached for fifty years, and during that time, he expounded numerous doctrines known as the eighty thousand teachings (hachiman hozo). The teachings prior to the Lotus Sutra were all expedient and provisional doctrines that corresponded to the capacity of the people. Shakyamuni stated the following in the Sutra of Infinite Meaning (Muryogi kyo), which he taught immediately prior to the Lotus Sutra: Since the capacities and desires of the people were varied, I expounded the Law in different ways. I used expedients to teach the Law in these various ways. After more than forty years, I have not yet revealed the truth. (Hokekyo, p. 23) Thus, Shakyamuni clearly indicated that all his doctrines prior to the Lotus Sutra did not represent the true teachings. Then, in the Expedient Means (Hoben; second) chapter of the Lotus Sutra, he stated: The World-Honored One has long expounded his doctrines and now must reveal the truth. (Hokekyo, p. 93) Indeed, Shakyamuni revealed that he was about to expound the truth and accomplish the true purpose of his advent. In the Theoretical Teaching (shakumon) of the Lotus Sutra, he expounded the principle of enabling those of the two vehicles of Learning and Realization to attain Buddhahood. Therefore, he revealed the doctrine enabling all mankind to attain enlightenment. In the Essential Teaching (honmon) of the Lotus Sutra, he expounded the enlightenment of the Buddha in the inconceivably remote past (kuon jitsujo) and, thus, he revealed the constant and infinite life of the Buddha. The revelation of the Lotus Sutra, in itself, marked the true purpose of Shakyamuni’s advent into this world. Those who possessed past karmic bonds and those who were present during his lifetime were led to enlightenment. Furthermore, the revelation served the significant function of entrusting the propagation of True Buddhism in the Latter Day of the Law to Bodhisattva Jogyo. The True Purpose of Nichiren Daishonin’s Advent into this World All of Nichiren Daishonin’s actions during his lifetime were based on his devotion to the Lotus Sutra. He encountered four major persecutions and countless minor ones. As he underwent these hardships, he embraced the Lotus Sutra and proved its validity with his very life. He manifested his life condition as the True Buddha throughout his life. The fundamental significance of his life is characterized by the Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of True Buddhism, which he revealed in order to lead all mankind to enlightenment, into the distant future, for ten thousand years and throughout eternity in the Latter Day of the Law. This, indeed, represents the true purpose of Nichiren Daishonin’s advent into this world. This is concisely revealed in the following passage from the Gosho, “On Persecutions Befalling the Buddha” (Shonin go-nanji):
The
Buddha fulfilled the purpose of his
advent in a little over forty years; T’ien-t’ai took about thirty years,
and Dengyo, some twenty years. I have repeatedly spoken of the
indescribable persecutions they suffered during those years. For me, it
took twenty-seven years. This is the sole Gosho passage that concretely describes the true purpose of Nichiren Daishonin’s advent into this world. As such, this Gosho, among his writings, is particularly significant and profound. “On Persecutions Befalling the Buddha” was written by the Daishonin on the 1st day of the 10th month of the 2nd year of Koan (1279), when he was 58 years old. He wrote it in the midst of the Atsuhara persecution. The Daishonin’s disciples and believers in Atsuhara had already encountered numerous forms of oppression and persecution. In the 4th month of the same year, a believer named Shiro was attacked with a sword and suffered grave injuries. Then, in the 8th month, another believer named Yashiro was murdered. Thereafter, in the 9th month, numerous believers – twenty men, including Jinshiro – were arrested. The major persecutions that had heretofore occurred in the last twenty-seven years were a result of the Daishonin’s own shakubuku efforts to propagate True Buddhism, and these great persecutions were experienced by the Daishonin himself. However, the Atsuhara persecution was an assault brought forth as a result of the absolute faith in the Lotus Sutra upheld by disciples centered around Nikko Shonin and by the lowly, uneducated peasant population of the time, who were willing to die for the sake of upholding faith. Buddhism teaches that the establishment of consistent faith, without ever slackening, is the definitive way to achieve Buddhahood. The Daishonin profoundly realized that the peasants, who possessed no power or social stature, were striving to achieve faith and practice with total devotion, in which they did not begrudge their lives for the sake of the Law. He recognized the great causal karmic bond characterizing the essence of the Buddhism of the Sowing. Thus, on the 12th day of the 10th month, the Daishonin inscribed the Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of True Buddhism, the true purpose of his advent into this world. In the previously referenced passage from “On Persecutions Befalling the Buddha,” the phrase, “the Buddha fulfilled the purpose of his advent in a little over forty years,” naturally represents the period between the time Shakyamuni first achieved enlightenment and when he expounded the Lotus Sutra. In other words, Shakyamuni took forty years to fulfill the true purpose of his advent into this world – that is, to reveal the Lotus Sutra. Next, the passage notes that “T’ien-t’ai took about thirty years.” T’ien-t’ai, who emerged in China, mastered the Lotus Sutra at the age of 23. Then, when he was 57 years old, he revealed the principle of ichinen-sanzen (three thousand realms contained in a single life-moment), when he expounded on the Lotus Sutra through his writing, the Great Concentration and Insight (Maka shikan). Then, the Daishonin wrote, “Dengyo [took] some twenty years.” Dengyo was an essential figure who promoted the Lotus Sutra in Japan. He traveled to China in 804 and received the transmission of T’ien-t’ai’s Buddhism. Thereafter, in Japan, he put forth a great deal of effort in the construction of an ordination center for T’ien-t’ai’s Buddhism based on the Lotus Sutra. The ordination center was finally completed in 829, seven years after his death. The Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of True Buddhism Nichiren Daishonin then wrote about himself: “For me it took twenty-seven years.” Without a doubt, he revealed that he fulfilled the true purpose of his advent into this world, by inscribing the Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of True Buddhism. Following his establishment of True Buddhism on the 28th day of the 4th month of the 5th year of Kencho (1253), twenty-seven years had passed until the 10th month of the 2nd year of Koan (1279). (Note: The 5th year of Kencho [1253] is counted as the first year, and the 6th year of Kencho [1254] is considered the second year. Therefore, the 2nd year of Koan [1279] becomes the twenty-seventh year.) Through the inscription of the Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of True Buddhism, the Three Great Secret Laws possessed by the Daishonin were firmly set forth to establish the entity of the Law that would enable all mankind to attain enlightenment throughout the ten-thousand years and eternity thereafter in the Latter Day of the Law. Heretical sects, such as the various factions of the Nichiren-shu sect, which refuse to acknowledge the Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of True Buddhism, have attributed a strange interpretation to this passage written by the Daishonin. They insist that the phrase means, “I have received persecutions for twenty-seven years.” However, such an interpretation represents a strange distortion of the actual meaning. There is no way to interpret the words other than to say, “For me, it took twenty-seven years (to fulfill the true purpose of my advent into this world).” There is absolutely no doubt that the Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of True Buddhism, which the Daishonin established in the twenty-seventh year, represents the true purpose of his advent into this world. The Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of True Buddhism was directly inscribed onto a block of camphor wood. This method of inscription and the fact that the requestor is set forth as Yashiro Kunishige – an individual who profoundly touched the heart of the Daishonin – suggest that this is a special Gohonzon like no other. The Twenty-sixth High Priest Nichikan Shonin stated the following in his Exegesis on the “True Object of Worship” (Kanjin no honzon sho mondan): The Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of True Buddhism, inscribed in the 2nd year of Koan (1279) represents the supreme essence and the most significant of all true purposes (of the Buddha’s advent into this world). It is none other than the essence of the Three Great Secret Laws, since it is the object of worship encompassing the entire world. (Mondan, p. 197) This passage indicates that the essential source of all things is none other than the Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of True Buddhism. Today, when we face the Dai-Gohonzon and chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo with absolute faith and devotion, we are able to expiate all of our negative karma from the past and manifest in our hearts all the benefits of the wisdom and compassion of the True Buddha; furthermore, we are able to attain the life condition of Buddhahood. Conclusion At the present time, individuals in the Soka Gakkai have gone as far as to voice remarks rejecting the Dai-Gohonzon. This makes it impossible for them to understand the true purpose of the Buddha’s advent. Moreover, the persons in the Shoshin-kai, which was excommunicated from Nichiren Shoshu, are beginning to say that the Atsuhara persecution represents the true purpose of the Buddha’s advent into this world. These instances are evidence that faith and practice that is not based on the true Lifeblood Transmission will definitely lead to distortion, no matter how much Daimoku the believers may chant and no matter how much they may read the Gosho. Fortunately, we are able to embrace the Dai-Gohonzon, True Buddhism, and justice set forth by our true master. Let us exert ever more courage and conviction and advance enthusiastically in our performance of shakubuku. |