The Lotus Sutra

The Lotus Sutra

Chapter 1, Introduction, Page 19

The prose response of Manjusri to Maitreya’s question, conclusion:

After the extinction of the Buddha, the Bodhisattva Wonderful Light embraced The Sutra on the Lotus Blossom of the Wonderful Dharma, teaching it to people for a full eighty kalpas. The eight children of the Buddha Bright Lamp of the Sun and Moon all took the Bodhisattva Wonderful Light as their teacher, who instructed and influenced them, making them firm and strong in the supreme universal enlightenment. Having offered service to hundreds, thousands and millions of Buddhas, these royal children all attained the path of enlightenment. The very last of these children to attain enlightenment was named Steady Burning Lamp.

The last of the twenty thousand Buddhas named Bright Lamp of the Sun & Moon had eight sons, personifying the noble eightfold path. The Bodhisattva Wonderful Light, who personifies the teaching of spiritual knowledge, was the teacher of these eight sons. Similarly, Sariputra (personifying spiritual knowledge) was the teacher of Rahula, the son of Sakyamuni. Although the numbers are different, the principle is the same. Rahula here represents those stuck in the Saha World, the six realms of Life & Death (karma & retribution) but who faithfully seek knowledge of the path of enlightenment. They are the true children of the Buddha.

Wonderful Light is a Bodhisattva whereas Sariputra is a Sravaka. Actually, although it is not yet revealed, Sariputra is in fact a Bodhisattva that has manifested himself as a Sravaka as a means of enlightening others. This will be revealed in the third chapter of the Sutra. The Buddha Bright Lamp of the Sun & Moon predicts that the Bodhisattva Treasury of Virtue will attain enlightenment as the Buddha Pure Life - similarly, although it is not mentioned yet, Sakyamuni’s Sravaka disciples, who represent the various virtues of practicing the path, will receive their own prophecies of enlightenment in chapters 3,6, 8, 9 12 and 13 of the Sutra. This will reveal that Sakyamuni's own disciples in this world were in fact Bodhisattvas only appearing to be Sravakas.

The Bodhisattva Wonderful Light and the disciple Sariputra are the teachers of the Buddha’s children and, as such, they will be the ones who will be first taught The Lotus Sutra.

The Bodhisattva Wonderful Light is said to have taught the eight sons of the Buddha Bright Lamp of the Sun & Moon. The last of this Buddha's children is said to have become the Buddha Steady Burning Lamp (S. Dipankara), the one who gave the Buddha Sakyamuni his prophecy of enlightenment.

Manjusri's answer explains that history is repeating itself, and the teaching of The Lotus Sutra by the Buddha Bright Lamp of Sun & Moon is will recur now in the life of Sakyamuni.

Of the eight hundred disciples of the Bodhisattva Wonderful Light, there was one person named Seeker of Fame who was greedily attached to benefits and comforts. Although he read and recited the Sutras over and over, he did not keenly penetrate their meaning, forgetting much of what he read. For this reason he was called Seeker of Fame. However, because this person also planted the seeds for many good spiritual roots, he got to meet countless Buddhas and offer service to them, revere them and honor them with praise

Maitreya you must know now that the Bodhisattva Wonderful Light was none other than me and the Bodhisattva Seeker of Fame was you.

One of these eight hundred disciples (again the multiples of eight refer to the disciples of the eightfold path) is said to be Seeker of Fame (Yasaskama), who had boundless ambition for wealth and fame. Seeker of Fame is the one in us that wants it all now, the one who seeks to have it all and know it all with the least amount of effort. This disciple becomes a Bodhisattva through the practice of Buddhism, spiritually transforming his selfish need for recognition from others into kindness and consideration for others (and becoming the Bodhisattva Maitreya in the future, who will attain enlightenment as the next Buddha).

The aspirant is Fame Seeker (lazy but ambitious and concerned with what others think) who turns into Maitreya (diligent but patient and with kindness and consideration for others)
The teacher is Wonderful Light (spiritual knowedge) who turns into Manjusri (spiritual wisdom)

These are allegories about the human condition.

Question:
It seems that the Bodhisattva Manjusri - as the Bodhisattva Wonderful Light - is the teacher of Maitreya - as Fame Seeker - but somehow Maitreya becomes the next Buddha and Manjusri doesn't. Why is this? Also, Manjusri, again as the Bodhisattva Wonderful Light, is also the teacher of the sons of the Buddha Bright Lamp of the Sun & Moon and others who become Buddhas, including the Buddha Steady Burning Lamp - who in turn prophecizes that Sakyamuni will become the Buddha. How do all these people get ahead of Manjusri?

Answer:
Yes, the Bodhisattva Manjusri, personifying spiritual wisdom, is revealed to be the teacher of Sakyamuni’s ancestors from ancient times. In the timeless spiritual realm of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, there is no fixed order of teachers and disciples. This spiritual realm found in the Sutra is a stage where they all play for the benefit of living beings to reveal the reality of enlightenment - when they are finished they return to their original places. For the sake of living beings they manifest birth and extinction, but in reality there is no birth or extinction in the spiritual realm, the timeless Realm of the Dharma (Dharmadhatu).

Now, in seeing these signs, it is no different than before. Therefore, in my considered opinion, The One That Has Come today will teach the Great Vehicle Sutra called The Lotus Blossom of the Wonderful Dharma, teaching of the spirituality of the Bodhisattvas which the Buddhas protect and in keep in mind.

Next, the verse response of Manjusri...

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