The Prose & Verse of The Lotus Sutra

Chapter 1
The Introduction

Page 4

 

Now we comment on the text of the Sutra in four parts

  1. First we list the four parts
  2. The reason for them
  3. Quoting literal proof of them
  4. Revealing their aspects

A. Listing the four parts1:

  1. Causality & Conditions
  2. In Terms of the Doctrines
  3. Source & Manifestation
  4. Observing the Mind

Beginning with ‘Like this I have heard’ and ending with ‘then they departed’2, all the words of the text are explained by means of these four ideas, and will be now outlined in writing. For some text we have used all four, some three, two or one, as in some places it is not worth the pen and ink to explain the obvious.

B. The Reason For Them

Question:
If the outline is based on one aspect, why would the elaboration only have four aspects3?
Answer:
With too much elaboration one may actually make the wisdom get more elusive. With the outline the basic idea may not be satisfactorily covered. I now teach here to make the meaning easier to understand clearly.

  1. Causality and conditions are also called ‘sympathy and response’. Although living beings are close to the Buddha, without spiritual capacity they will not see the wisdom. However, even if they are far away from the Buddha, with the power of mercy and with good spiritual roots4, they will penetrate it for themselves. Because of the comings and goings of sympathy and response, we use the explanation of causality and conditions. There are living beings that seek liberation. When those in the audience have this capacity, the nobles ones will rise up and respond to them, and the audience will also respond. This will be further elaborated here. Therefore The Great Nirvana Sutra says:
         “With the power of mercy and good spiritual roots, there are limitless doors.”
    To summarize spiritual penetration, when the spiritual capacity is in all of the ten directions, the sympathy will be as vast as empty space.
  2. Now we discourse on the Saha World and the sound of the voice that is the Buddha’s work. Because of it, the doors of ambrosia are opened up. In depending upon the explanation of the doctrines, the mean is taught and clarified. When responding to the capacity and establishing the doctrines, the doctrines are not the same. They are provisional or real, shallow or deep.
  3. It is necessary to point one’s finger to make one aware of the moon. One discards the manifestation in seeking the source. Therefore Master Seng Chao said:
         “Without a source, there is no taking on of a manifestation.
           Without a manifestation, there is no revealing of a source.”
    Therefore we use the explanation of     the source and manifestation.
    * When seeking the manifestations, the manifestations may be elaborated to the point of fatigue.
    * When seeking the source, the source may be deep to the point of being ultimately unattainable.
    If day and night one counts another’s treasure, one will be without a half a penny for oneself.
  4. However, in observing the breadth and depth of one’s own mind, one’s spiritual capacity will create the sympathy to seek and attain the benefit for itself, and one will connect with the noble response that is inexhaustible. Therefore there is the explanation of observing the mind.

C. Quoting Literal Proof

1. On the Causes and Conditions:

The Chapter on Ways & Means says:
“The Cause and the Conditions for the Appearance and the One Great Work of the Buddhas of the Ten Directions5.”

Whether it is on the level of personality, heaven or the small vehicle, it is not one, it is not great, and it is not the Buddha’s work, and the capacity to come into sympathy with it will not be attained.

2. In Terms of the Doctrine

The Chapter on Ways & Means says:
“With the various different doors to the Dharma, the Buddha reveals the path of enlightenment.”

One must know that the various different voiced doctrines, whether refined or crude, whether provisional or real, are all part of the path of enlightenment, and so one makes different kinds of traps for fish and for rabbits.

The Great Nirvana Sutra says:
“Crude words and subtle words all ultimately revert to that which is of the highest significance.”
This is the idea here.

3. Source and Manifestation

The Chapter on Measuring the Life says:
“Now the gods, the people and the asuras all reason that I first left the home of the Sakya clan and, not far from Gaya, attained the supreme universal enlightenment. In fact I have already attained enlightenment and come here for limitless, boundless, countless lifetimes. With these ways and means I have guided and benefited living beings.”

The Chapter on Ways & Means says:
“I originally established a vow to everywhere make all living beings also attain this enlightenment, so they would be no different from me.”

And The Chapter on Bestowing the Prophecy for the Five Hundred Disciples says:
“On the outside they present themselves as sravakas (Spiritual disciples), but on the inside they are secretly practicing Bodhisattvas. They are truly from the Pure Land of the Buddhas but they reveal all of the characteristics of false views and the three poisons. My disciples are like this, delivering living beings with ways and means.

These quotes about master and disciple all clarify source and manifestation.

4. Observing the Mind

The Chapter on the Parable says:
“If people believe in your teaching, they will see you. They will also see me as well as the Sangha of all the Bhiksus and Bodhisattvas.”

One should understand and accept that which one has heard. Upon investigating the mind and observing it with a mind of faith, one will get to see the Three Treasures.

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 Footnotes:

1. The text of the Sutra is analyzed in terms of these four criteria in The Prose & Verse of The Lotus Sutra (C. Fa-Hua Wen-Chuu, Hokke Mongu)
A. Causality & Conditions: The spiritual capacity of the audience and the spiritual response of the teacher.
B. The Doctrines: The different levels of teachings which can be used for those of different spiritual capacities
C. Source & Manifestation: The transmission of enlightenment between teacher and disciple
D. Observing the Mind: Applying the teaching to one's own life and to one's own practice.

2. Beginning with ‘Like this I have heard’ and ending with ‘then they departed’: The first phrase and the last phrase of the Sutra

3. In some places Chih-I only used one of these four criteria to explain a passage, and in other he used all four. However Chih-I did not deem it necessary to have too many criteria, as these four were succinct and too many criteria would over-analyze the passages and detract from the objective of understanding the true meaning.

4. Mercy: The response of the Buddha to living beings Good spiritual roots: Faith, diligence, presence of mind, mental concentration and spiritual insight - those qualities that enhance the spiritual capacity of living beings

5. “The Cause and the Conditions for the Appearance and the One Great Work of the Buddhas of the Ten Directions.”: Phrase from Chapter Two of The Lotus Sutra ('Ways & Means') alluding to the true intent or purpose of enlightenment.

 

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