The Parable of the Skilled Physician and his Sick Children
(Ryoi Byoshi No Tatoe)
Okyobi Sermon
January, 2006
Chief Priest Rev. Kimura
1. Introduction
When we discuss a subject that is difficult to understand, we can sometimes tell an imaginary story in order to explain the meaning. This is called a parable. In Buddhism, a profound doctrine can be explained through a simple parable. The essence and the significance of the teachings are taught using examples of daily life affairs.
The Expedient Means (Hoben; second) chapter of the Lotus Sutra states:
Ever since I attained Buddhahood, I have through various causes and various similes widely expounded my teachings and have used countless expedient means to guide living beings and cause them to renounce their attachments. (Hokekyo, p. 89; The Lotus Sutra by Burton Watson, p. 24)
When Shakyamuni Buddha taught the profound Law to which he was enlightened, he preached various kinds of karmic bonds, parables, and other means in order to lead the people to enlightenment.
The Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai describes how the Buddha uses a parable:
He sways a tree to teach people about the wind, and he holds up a fan to show the moon. (Gosho, p. 1733)
We cannot see the wind itself, but we know it exists when we see the trees sway. We can show the moon to those who do not know where it is in the sky if we point to it with a fan. In a like manner, the Buddha taught people the correct Law using secular language, teaching the principle of karmic bonds, and relating the parables.
2. The Seven Parables in the Lotus Sutra.
The Buddha used seven parables to explain the profound teachings in the Lotus Sutra in order to help the people easily understand. These are called the “Seven Parables” or Seven Similes.” They are: (1) the Parable of the Three Carts and the Burning House, in the Parable (Hiyu; third) chapter; (2) the Parable of the Wealthy Man and his Poor Son, in the Belief and Understanding (Shinge; fourth) chapter; (3) the Parable of the Three Kinds of Medicinal Herbs and Two Kinds of Trees, in the Medicinal Herbs (Yakusoyu; fifth) chapter; (4) the Parable of the Phantom City and the Treasure Land, in the Phantom City (Kejoyu; seventh) chapter; (5) the Parable of the Gem in the Robe, in the Prophecy for Five Hundred Disciples (Gohyaku deshi juki; eighth) chapter; (6) the Parable of the Bright Jewel in the Topknot, in the Peaceful Practices (Anrakugyo; fourteenth) chapter; and (7) the Parable of the Skilled Physician and his Sick Children, in the Life Span (Juryo; sixteenth) chapter.
3. The People in the Latter Day of the Law have a serious illness.
Nichiren Daishonin stated in the “Reply to Takahashi Nyudo”:
With regard to these Hinayana sutras, Mahayana sutras, and the Lotus Sutra, though the words of these sutras still remain, they will no longer serve as medicine for the illnesses of living beings. The illnesses will be too grave, and these medicines too ineffectual. At that time, Bodhisattva Jogyo will make his appearance in the world and bestow upon all living beings of Jambudvipa the five characters of Myoho-Renge-Kyo. (Gosho, p. 887; MW-6, p. 125)
The people in the Latter Day of the Law are deeply tainted by the Three Poisons of greed, anger, and stupidity. In order for them to attain enlightenment, they should not rely on the provisional teachings or the surface teaching of the Lotus Sutra. Rather, they must believe in the teaching of Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, which is the greatest medicine in all the sutras.
We, the people in the Latter Day of the Law, are infected by the serious disease of earthly desires, such as greed, anger, and stupidity. This overwhelms our minds and spirits.
In Buddhism, there is a doctrine called shiki shin-funi, the oneness of the body and mind. This means if our spirits are tainted by poison, as a matter of course, our bodies will be affected as well. If people’s bodies and minds are tainted by poison, their words and deeds will worsen. This will affect the entire society, and the nation will be led to ruin.
The power that can change earthy desires, which are the fundamental causes of serious illness, into enlightenment is Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo.
4. The Parable of the Skilled Physician and his Sick Children
In the Life Span (Juryo; sixteenth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra, the parable is preached about the skilled physician, who cures the serious illness of his sons with the excellent medicine. The parable goes as follows:
Once upon a time, there was a skilled physician who was wise and understanding and knew how to compound medicines to effectively cure all kinds of diseases. He had many sons, perhaps ten, twenty, or even a hundred. He went off to a far away land to take care of a certain affair. After he left, the children drank some poison that left them distraught with pain, and they fell writhing to the ground. At that time, the father returned to his home and found that his children had drunk poison. They were gasping for breath and writhing in agony. The father, seeing his children suffering like this, followed various prescriptions. Gathering fine medicinal herbs that met all the requirements of color, fragrance, and flavor, he ground, sifted and mixed them together. Then, he gave it to his children. Those children who had not lost their senses took the good medicine immediately and were completely cured of their illness. Those who had lost their minds, because the poison had penetrated deep into their bodies, refused to take the good medicine.
The father knew that because of the poison, their minds were completely befuddled. He decided to resort to an expedient means to induce them to take the medicine. He made plans to go off to another land. He then sent a messenger home to announce, “Your father is dead.” The children, hearing that their father died, were filled with great grief and consternation. They at last came to their senses and were able to take the excellent medicine that their father had left behind. Then, they were healed of all the effects of the poison. (Hokekyo, pp. 435-438; c.f. The Lotus Sutra by Burton Watson, pp. 227-229)
This is the “Parable of the Skilled Physician and his Sick Children.” From the viewpoint of a surface interpretation of the Lotus Sutra, the skilled physician signifies Shakyamuni and the excellent medicine refers to the teachings taught by Shakyamuni. However, based on the meaning hidden in the depths of the Lotus Sutra, the skilled physician is the Buddha of Absolute Freedom and Intrinsically Perfect Wisdom of the Reward Body from the Infinite Past of kuon-ganjo. He is the True Buddha, Nichiren Daishonin, and the excellent medicine is the Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of the Essential Teaching (Honmon) of the Three Great Secret Laws. The sick children are the people in the Latter Day of the Law.
5. Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo cures the serious illness of the people.
In the Latter Day of the Law, the only teaching that can cure the people, who are suffering from the serious illness caused by the Three Poisons, is the True Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin.
The Life Span (Juryo; sixteenth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra states:
The children drank some kind of poison that made them distraught with pain, and they fell writhing to the ground. (Hokekyo, p. 435; The Lotus Sutra by Barton Watson, p. 228)
Nichiren Daishonin states in the “Orally Transmitted Teachings” (Ongi kuden):
“Some kind” refers to [the kind administered by] the priests of the Nembutsu, Zen, and True Word teachings, who slander the Law. “Poison” refers to the expedient means of the provisional teachings, that is, something other than the good medicine of the Lotus Sutra. Therefore “the children” become confused and distraught. “Distraught” means to be deprived of breath. They have become distraught because they lack the life force of the Life Span chapter. “They fall writhing to the ground” indicates that they fall into the Avichi hell. (Gosho, p. 1768; Orally Transmitted Teachings by Barton Watson, p. 130)
The sons who lost their minds and could not take the good medicine were those who had forgotten the Buddha’s seed that had been sown into their lives in the infinite past of kuon-ganjo. This refers to those who were against the true Law even though they had been shakubukued. The sons who could take the good medicine without losing their true minds were cured of their illness. This refers to those who had accepted the true Law.
The Life Span (Juryo; sixteenth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra states:
I will leave this good medicine here. You should take it and not worry that it will not cure you. (Hokekyo, 437; The Lotus Sutra by Barton Watson, p. 228)
Nichiren Daishonin states in the “Orally Transmitted Teachings” (Ongi kuden):
“This good medicine” refers to the sutra teachings or to the relics of the Buddha. But in the Latter Day of the Law it refers to Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. “Good” indicates something that is favored by all the Buddhas of the Three Existences, namely, the five characters of the Daimoku. “I will leave this” indicates that it is for the Latter Day of the Law. “Here” means the country of Japan in the continent of Jambudvipa. “You” means all the living beings in the Latter Day of the Law. “Take it.” Or more literally, “take and swallow it,” refers to the ceremony we perform when we accept and uphold the Lotus Sutra. “Swallow” refers to the chanting of the Daimoku. From the time we swallow it, we become eternally endowed with the Three Bodies. Thus we are cured of the sickness of attachment of the Buddha who first attained enlightenment under the bodhi tree. (Gosho, p. 1769; Orally Transmitted Teachings by Barton Watson, pp. 132-133)
“This good medicine” signifies the Three Great Secret Laws. “I will leave this here” indicates the Head Temple Taisekiji in Japan in the Latter day of the Law. “You should take it” means that all living beings should uphold Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo and chant the Daimoku to the Gohonzon of the Essential Teaching (Honmon). The serious illness of the body and mind, tainted from the infinite past by negative karma and the Three Poisons, will only be cured by faith in and practice of True Buddhism. We should thoroughly understand that the heretical and inferior teachings that have spread all over the world do not have any merit. Rather, they produce tremendous demerit.
6. Conclusion: Let us resolutely strengthen our faith as we strive toward achieving our goal in 2009.
Nichiren Daishonin wrote the “Rissho ankoku-ron” (“Treatise on Securing the Peace of the Land through the Propagation of True Buddhism”) in 1260. In it, he refuted all the heretical teachings. At the same time, he pointed out the causes of chaos in the world and the desolation of the spiritual condition of the people.
The Daishonin states in the “Rissho ankoku-ron”:
All people have gone against the correct Law and become wholly devoted to evil doctrines. This is why all the guardian deities abandon this country and sages have left this land, not to return. Seizing this opportunity, devils and demons rush in, bringing disasters and calamities. (Gosho, p. 234; MW-2 p. 5)
He then instructs his followers to put the following guidance into practice:
Rather than offering up ten thousand prayers for remedy, it would be better simply to outlaw this one evil doctrine that is the source of all the trouble! (Gosho, p. 241; MW-2 p. 24)
The Daishonin refuted the various heretical teachings in the “Rissho ankoku-ron.” Furthermore, he severely condemned Honen’s Nembutsu teachings as “the one evil doctrine that is the source of all the trouble.”
In view of the current situation, High Priest Nikken Shonin gave the guidance that “the one evil doctrine in the present day is the Soka Gakkai. This is the source of all the trouble.”
We should resolutely propagate True Buddhism under the guidance of the High Priest. Especially now, our main goal is to double the membership for the “750th Anniversary of Revealing the Truth and Upholding Justice through the Submission of the “‘Rissho ankoku-ron’” in 2009.
The “Rissho ankoku-ron” states:
It is not enough that I alone should accept and have faith in your words—we must see to it that others as well are warned of their errors! (Gosho, p. 250; MW-2 p. 46)
Based on the Daishonin’s guidance, let’s advance forth in our faith and practice with the firm conviction that practice for oneself and teaching others (jigyo-keta) is the foundation for peace in the world.