The Prose & Verse of The Lotus Sutra

Chapter 2 - Ways & Means

 Text - Page 2

Concerning praise of the two kinds of wisdom:
     A. First there is praise of the real wisdom
     B. Next there is praise for the provisional wisdom
 

‘The wisdom of the Buddhas is very deep and without measure.”

First there is Praise of the Real Wisdom:

Reality is The wisdom of the Buddhas (Sho Buts- Chi-E).
• It is not the three kinds of provisional wisdom¹ that are applied in the influence of others
  Therefore it is called of the Buddhas (Sho Butsu).
• In revealing the reality of one’s own practice, it is called the wisdom (Chi-E).
The embodiment of wisdom is called ‘the threefold wisdom of the single mind’².

• Very deep and without measure (Jinjin Muryo). This is a term of praise.
• It clarifies that the wisdom of the Buddhas is ultimately deep like the principle of absolute reality as-it-is. Therefore it is called very deep (Jinjin).
• It is as ultimately broad as the whole of the spiritual realm³, and so it is said to be without measure (Muryo).
• In being very deep and without measure, the vertical depth and horizontal breadth are like the depth of a tree’s roots and the breadth of its spreading branches. The size of a stream is based on the distance from its source. With the real wisdom being praised like this, the provisional wisdom is as well.
   

“The door to this wisdom is hard to understand and hard to enter. All of the disciples and the spiritually self-awakened are unable to comprehend it.”

The door to this wisdom (Go Chi-E Mon) - This is praise of the provisional wisdom.
Because the preliminary ways & means have the power to move one forward in one’s own practice of the spiritual path, they are called 'doors'. From these doors one enters into and reaches the path of the middle way that is called 'the real wisdom'. The preliminary path is that which is called ‘the provisional wisdom’.

• Hard to understand and hard to enter (Nange Nannyu) - This is a term of praise. Without a plan one will not end up with anything of great use.
• With the seven kinds of ways and means⁴ one is unable to get the measure of it.
• With the ten abodes of inspiration⁵ one begins to understand it.
• With the ten groundings⁶ one enters into it.
• In indicating it from beginning to end, it is possible to comprehend that which in the meantime that is hard to reveal in oneself and hard to awaken in others⁷.

• Therefore it is specifically indicated that All of the disciples (sravakas) and the spiritually self-awakened (pratyekabuddhas) are unable to comprehend it (Issai Shomon Hyakushibutsu Sho Fu No Chi). Because their attachments are particularly strong they are specifically refuted here.⁸

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Ongi Kuden on This Passage

 Footnotes:

1. The three kinds of provisional wisdom: The Three Doctrines (see The Four Doctrines) Three is a metaphor for that which is provisional whereas one is a metaphor for that which is real. Hence there are the three provisional doctrines, the three truths, etc. are the provisional expressions which used to explain that which is real

2. The threefold wisdom of the single mind: Also called the total blending of the Three Truths, this is full and seamless comprehension of the three as one and the one as three

3. The whole of the spiritual realm: (S. Dharma-Dhatu) The breadth of the entire spiritual realm, including all ten spiritual realms from the depths of hell to the highest spiritual enlightenment

4. The seven ways & means: There are various groupings that referred to the sevn ways & means of the small vehicle practice. Here Chih-I uses the seven ways & means to refer to the seven lesser vehicles of spiritual awakening:
a. The Vehicle of Personality (Humanity, Manusyas) - mastering the basic precepts of morality; character development
b. The Vehicle of Heaven (The Gods, Devas); mastery of desire, worship and meditation
c. The Vehicle of the Spiritual Disciple (Sravaka); understanding of the four truths
d. The Vehicle of the Spiritually Self-Awakened (Pratyekabuddha); freedom from causality & conditions
e. The Vehicle of the Bodhisattva of the Three Baskets Doctrine; mastery of karma & retribution
f. The Vehicle of the Bodhisattva of the General Doctrine; mastery of emptiness
g. The Vehicle of the Bodhisattva of the Specific Doctrine; mastery of the limitless Bodhisattva practices

5. The ten abodes of inspiration: The first ten of the 40 stages of the Bodhisattva path, in which one opens up inspiration of the Bodhi mind and spiritual understanding. See the forty stages of the Bodhisattva Path

6. The ten groundings: (S. Bhumis) The final ten of the forty stages of the Bodhisattva Path, in which one enters into the ground of the spiritual realm of enlightenment that is beyond one's own practice or the influence of others.

7. Reveal in oneself: A reference to the Ten Paramitas, the second set of ten stages in the forty stages of the Bodhisattva Path, in which one reveals spiritual awakening in one's own practice Awaken in others: A reference to the Ten Parinamanas, the third set of ten stages in the forty stages of the Bodhisatva Path, in which one awakens spiritual enlightenment in others. Therefore the phrase Hard to understand and hard to enter (Nange Nannyu) is a reference to the difficulty of the forty stages of the Bodhisattva Path.

8. The Two Vehicles are specifically refuted here because of their vulnerability to spiritual selfishness, that is, seeking only self-emancipation or self-enlightenment. True enlightenment is impossible without getting past this error.

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