The Lotus Sutra

Chapter 1, Introduction, Page 13

D. 2. Maitreya's Question - The Verse Portion

In the question, Maitreya first reiterates the six spiritual signs in the Saha World, which are seen directly by the audience. Maitreya then then reiterates the six signs in the other worlds, which are seen through the ray of light emanating from the Buddha’s brow.

First Maitreya asks about the six signs in this Saha World. Again, these signs were:

1. The teaching of the Dharma - this is the teaching of The Sutra of Limitless Meanings - the wisdom
2. Entering into samadhi, with the Buddha’s body and mind not stirring - the practice of meditation
3. The raining down of 4 kinds of flowers from heaven onto the Buddha - the causes of enlightenment, the 40 stages of the Bodhisattva practice
4. The shaking of the earth six ways - the spiritual penetration of ignorance, the shaking up & purifying of the six senses, and the 42 ranks of enlightenment
5. The rejoicing of the audience - the spiritual capacity of those with faith
6. The Buddha issues forth a ray of light that illuminates 18,000 worlds - the response of the Buddha revealing the Dharma, the spiritual realm

The first two signs are not mentioned explicitly in this verse but they are implied. Manjusri’s answer will address them as if they were asked:

Wanting to expand on this, Maitreya spoke in verse, asking:

"Manjusri,
Why does a great ray of light shine everywhere
From the white whorl of hair
Between the brows of our guide and teacher?
Why does it rain mandarava
And manjushaka blossoms
With the fragrant breeze of sandal
Pleasing the hearts of the assembly?
Because of these things
The ground is everywhere adorned and purified.
This world stirs and trembles six different ways
The four groups of the assembly all rejoice
Elated in both body and mind
Experiencing that never before known."

Next Maitreya asks about the six signs in the realm beyond, seen in the light issuing forth from between the brows of the Buddha, which are:

1. The living beings of the six spiritual realms that are the mortal world of Life & Death (Samsara), which is also known as the threefold realm. This is the spiritual realm that extends from the depths of the Avici (Unending) Hell up to the Akanistha (Ultimate Peak) Heaven.
2. Seeing the Buddhas
3. Hearing the Dharma
4. Seeing the Sangha (the fourfold host of monks, nuns, laymen & laywomen)
5. Seeing the cultivation of the Bodhisattva practice (the ultimate cause)
6. Seeing the Buddhas enter into Pari-Nirvana (the ultimate effect)

1. The verse will now cover these six signs. First there are the living beings of the six spiritual realms:

"With a bright ray of light from between His brows
He illuminates eighteen thousand lands in the east.
Everywhere they are like the color of gold
From the Avici Hell up to the Peak of Existence.
In all these worlds there are living beings of the six paths
All destined to face Life & Death.
I see all their karmas and conditions of life,
Both the good & the evil
And I see their rewards,
Both pleasant and unpleasant."

2. & 3. Next he asks about the seeing the Buddhas and the teaching of the Dharma

"And I see the Buddhas,
The Noble Masters and Lions,
Teaching the most subtle and wonderful Sutra.
Their voices are pure,
Raising a sound that is soft and gentle,
Teaching Bodhisattvas by the millions.
The noble sound is deep and wondrous,
Making people wish to listen.
The Buddhas teach of the True Dharma
Each of them in their own special world.
With various kinds of reasoning
With limitless kinds of illustrations,
They clarify the reality of enlightenment.
Opening it up, they awaken living beings."

4. Next he asks about seeing the fourfold assembly of believers; the monks, nuns, laymen & laywomen; the Sangha.

• The first four lines are about the vehicle of spiritual disciples (Sravakas) and the Four Truths - each of the lines in this stanza is on one of the truths.
• The next four lines are about the vehicle of the the spiritually self-awakened (Pratyekabuddhas) and the Twelvefold Wheel of causality and conditions (dependence on origination)
• The last four lines are about the vehicle of the Bodhisattvas and the Six Perfections.

"When people face suffering,
Tired, old, sick and dying,
There is the teaching of Nirvana
The way to extinguish suffering."

"When people who are blessed,
Having already served the Buddhas,
Determine to seek higher truth,
They are taught of spiritual awakening to causality & conditions."

"When the children of the Buddha
Cultivate different kinds of practices
Seeking the supreme spiritual insight,
They are taught of the path of purity."

"When people face suffering" - The Truth of Suffering
"Tired, old, sick and dying" - The Truth of Origination
"There is the teaching of Nirvana" - The Truth of Extinction
"The way to extinguish suffering" - The Truth of the Path

The Bodhisattvas are often called "the children of the Buddha" because they are the ones said to be on the path to enlightenment, doing the work of the Buddha.

The Bodhisattva path is called"the path of purity" because it tempers one's spiritual capacity:
1. Stinginess & greed are purified into generosity
2. Corruption & wrongdoing is purified into morality
3. Impatience and anger are purified into endurance
4. Laziness and negligence are purified into diligence
5. Mental distraction & confusion are purified into mental concentration, and
6. Delusion and the partiality of one's views are purified into spiritual insight.

Next he sums up the previous signs and introducing the section of the signs of the last two (Bodhisattva practices and the Pari-Nirvana):

"Manjusri
I have been in this world
I have seen and heard things such as these
And a myriad others as well.
There are so many of them
I must briefly speak of them."

Next - the verses on the Bodhisattva practices...

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