On the “Parable of the Three Carts and the Burning House”
Oko Sermon for March 2005
Reverend Shogu Kimura
Today I will discuss the “Parable of the Three Carts and the Burning House,” which is expounded in the Parable (Hiyu; third) chapter of the Lotus Sutra. This story is the first of the seven parables in the Lotus Sutra. It functions to reveal that the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings for those in the life conditions of Learning, Realization, and Bodhisattva are expedient doctrines, while the Lotus Sutra is the True Teaching that enables people to attain Buddhahood.
In the beginning of the Parable (Hiyu; third) chapter of the Lotus Sutra, Shariputra was inwardly dancing for joy, because he understood Shakyamuni’s teaching in the previous Hoben (Expedient Means; second) chapter. Shakyamuni then reveals that Shariputra will become a Buddha called Flower Light (Keko) in the future, and this revelation causes all the people in attendance to rejoice. However, Shariputra had been the only one who had understood the teachings in the previous Hoben (Expedient Means; second) chapter. So he asked Shakyamuni to further simplify the doctrine so that people could understand it. In response, Shakyamuni taught the parable of the three carts and the burning house.
Let me briefly relay the story:
There lived in a province an extremely wealthy man. He possessed many storehouses full of treasure, and he owned numerous houses. He employed many, many servants. While his mansion was huge, it was old and decaying, and there was only one small and narrow entrance. A fire suddenly broke out while his children were playing in the mansion. The children were absorbed in play and were not alarmed by the fire. They did not attempt to escape.
The wealthy man first thought about transporting the children out by using various devices, but he realized that there was a danger that such devices would cause the children to fall into the fire during transport. Next, he attempted to force them to escape the fire by shouting, “You must immediately run outside. Otherwise you will be burned to death.” However, the children were completely engrossed in play and did not pay attention to their father’s instructions.
Then, the wealthy man decided to resort to an expedient means to save his children. He knew that they loved unusual toys, so he shouted to them saying, “Outside the entrance you will find something that you will like: a cart pulled by a sheep, one pulled by a deer, and another one pulled by an ox. I will give you whichever one you like, so you must hurry outside.” The children heard these words and immediately raced out of the burning house to safety.
To the wealthy man’s relief and joy, the children exited safely from the burning building. They immediately asked him for the promised carts drawn by a sheep, a deer, and an ox. However, rather than giving his children what he had promised, the wealthy man presented them with a much finer and larger cart, embellished with jewels and drawn by a great white ox. The children were delighted to find this splendid cart. They played in the cart and experienced unprecedented joy. (Kaiketsu, p. 143)
Needless to say, the wealthy man in the story represents the Buddha. Here, he denotes Shakyamuni. The children playing in the burning house signify the people of the Latter Day of the Law, who are deeply tainted by the three poisons of greed, anger, and stupidity. The fire represents our earthly desires. The decaying old mansion is our current human society. The three carts pulled by the sheep, deer, and the ox denote the teachings that the Buddha expounded to those in the life conditions of Learning, Realization, and Bodhisattva respectively. The bejeweled cart drawn by the great white ox is none other than the Lotus Sutra.
The important point of the story is that only the supreme cart drawn by the great white ox actually existed, even though the wealthy man promised to provide the children with carts pulled by a sheep, a deer, and an ox. The other three types of carts did not actually exist. This signifies that the Buddha taught the people the doctrine of the Three Vehicles as an expedient means, since they were unable to make salient judgments in the fiery realm of their earthly desires. This story further shows how the Buddha ultimately led the people to the true enlightenment of the One Great Vehicle.
In the provisional, pre-Lotus Sutra teachings of the Flower Garland (Kegon), Agama (Agon), Expansion (Hodo), and Wisdom (Hannya) sutras, Shakyamuni expounded the Four Noble Truths to the people in the life condition of Learning. He then taught those in the life condition of Realization the doctrine of the Twelve-linked Chain of Causation. Furthermore, he explained the teaching of the Six Paramitas to those in the life condition of Bodhisattva. This is the way he led people onto the path of Buddhist practice. He chose to proceed in this way because the people possessed varying capacities of understanding. Many would have been unable to correctly understand the teachings of Buddhism, if he had directly taught them about the enlightenment of the Buddha. He found it necessary to tailor his teachings according to the capacity of the people.
However, in the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni directly expounded the True Law to which he was enlightened, based on his perspective as the Buddha. The following passage is from the “Expedient Means” (Hoben; second) chapter:
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. Shariputra, this is the one great reason for which the Buddhas appear in the world. (Kaiketsu, p. 102)
He revealed that the true reason for the Buddha’s advent into this world was not to separately teach the doctrine of the Three Vehicles, but rather to expound the Lotus Sutra of the One Great Vehicle and to lead all humankind to enlightenment. The significance of upholding the One Great Vehicle, expounded in the Expedient Means chapter, is clearly revealed and simplified in the Parable chapter through the “Parable of the Three Carts and the Burning House.”
In Nichiren Daishonin’s “Letter Concerning the Cart Drawn by the Great White Ox” (Daibyaku gosha go-shosoku), he wrote:
The cart drawn by the great white ox of the Lotus Sutra is a vehicle upon which you and I as votaries of the Lotus Sutra should ride. (Gosho, p. 1582)
For all humanity in the Latter Day of the Law, the doctrine of the One Great Vehicle, represented by the cart drawn by the great white ox, is none other than the True Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin, the True Buddha of the Buddhism of the Sowing, hidden in the depths of the sutra. In other words, it signifies the Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of the Essential Teaching (Honmon) of True Buddhism.
In the “Orally Transmitted Teachings” (Ongi kuden), the Daishonin stated:
Now, when Nichiren and his followers chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, they will ride upon the cart drawn by the great white ox and directly attain enlightenment. (Gosho, p. 1733)
Thus, we must base our faith on the Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of the Essential Teaching, represented by the cart drawn by the great white ox. This includes performing Gongyo and chanting Daimoku; sincerely embracing the directions set forth by our High Priest, who has received the transmission of the Lifeblood Heritage of the Law from Nichiren Daishonin; and steadily advancing by upholding the practice for ourselves and for others. Through this, we will achieve great success, prosperity, and enlightenment. Furthermore, we will be able to gradually resolve problems in our lives caused by financial difficulties, illness, and family disharmony.
It is often said that Nichiren Daishonin’s teachings begin and end with the Rissho ankoku-ron. The Daishonin emphasizes in the Rissho ankoku-ron that a truly peaceful society can only be constructed through the ultimate propagation of True Buddhism, kosen-rufu.
True Buddhism is none other than the correct doctrines expounded by Nichiren Daishonin, the True Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law. The entirety of this Buddhism is contained in the Dai-Gohonzon of the Three Great Secret Laws, and it is correctly transmitted only within Nichiren Shoshu, which possesses the transmission of the true Lifeblood of the Law to a single person.
This year has been designated the “Year of Advancement with Unity between Priesthood and Laity.” We must be convinced that each one of us, priests and lay believers of Nichiren Shoshu, has a mission to correctly propagate the True Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin, promote kosen-rufu, and establish true world peace. We must steadfastly recite Gongyo, chant Daimoku, and perform tremendous shakubuku.
Today, as priests and lay believers of Nichiren Shoshu, we are proceeding forth towards our next objective in 2009, the “750th Anniversary of the Revelation of the Truth through the Writing of the Rissho ankoku-ron.”
Let us all embark upon the supreme vehicle that is the Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of the Essential Teaching of True Buddhism. Let’s live each day to the fullest, vigorously, and with great composure and meaning. I sincerely pray for your continued good health, increasing happiness, and tremendous success.