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The Prose & Verse of The Lotus Sutra
Chapter
25
The Universal Door of the Bodhisattva
Observing the Sounds of the World
Page 4
At this time the Bodhisattva Inexhaustible Will arose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, pressed his palms together, faced the Buddha and made these words1:
The time:
*
Having taught of the Bodhisattva of the east, next the
Sutra teaches of the Bodhisattva of the west.2
* Having taught of creating good in the east, next
the Sutra teaches of creating good in the west.
* Having taught of the resolving of doubt in the east, next
the Sutra teaches of the resolving of doubt in the west.
* Having taught of attaining the path of
enlightenment in the east, next the Sutra teaches of attaining the path
of enlightenment in the west.
Inexhaustible Will:
*
The Long Chapter
clarifies that emptiness is inexhaustible.
* The Sutra on the Great Gathering
clarifies eighty doors that provide entry into that which is inexhaustible.
*
The Vimalakirti Sutra says: “That which is
inexhaustible is neither extinguished nor without extinction”.3
Therefore it is called ‘Inexhaustible’. Generally these three Sutras use the three observations and the three wisdoms to explain that which is inexhaustible.
*
Will
refers to wisdom.
*
That which is Inexhaustible refers
to the object.4
The wisdom is wedded to the object.
*
From the object alone
we speak of that which is inexhaustible.
* From the wisdom alone we speak of the
will.
With the object and wisdom being united together, it is called the
inexhaustible will.
* And the will is the source of this world as well as that
which is beyond this world.
* And the will is the middle way of the spiritual realm.
Therefore we speak of the ability to observe the nature of the mind being the
highest form of mental concentration (Samadhi).
This explains the name ‘Inexhaustible Will’5 in terms of the three wisdoms and the three observations.
“World Honored One. Why is the Bodhisattva Observing the Sounds of the World said to be ‘Observing the Sounds of the World’6?”
1. This is the raising of the first question.
The Great Nirvana Sutra
says:
“With both being adorned with wisdom, the Bodhisattvas are able
to ask the questions and the Buddha is able to answer them.”
The Buddha’s answer is in three parts:
a.
The general answer
b. The specific answer
c.
Encouragement to embrace the name
a.
The General Answer is in four parts:
1. The numbers of people
2.
The experience of suffering
3. Hearing the name invoked
4.
Attaining liberated understanding
The Buddha addressed the Bodhisattva Inexhaustible
Will:
"Good son; when any of the limitless hundreds, thousands
and millions of living beings that feel suffering and distress…”
Since there are many kinds of suffering in each person and there are many people that have each kind of suffering, each person receives either much or little of each kind of suffering.
The words of the Sutra now say:
“When
any of the limitless hundreds, thousands and millions
of living beings…”
These are the many people.
“Feel suffering and distress”
These are the
many
sufferings.
In demonstrating that there are many we reveal there being few. Even those with much suffering can be saved, much less those with only a little.
“…hear of the Bodhisattva Observing the Sounds of the World and call on his name with a single mind,…”
*
Experiencing suffering is evil.
* Invoking the name is good.
*
Good and evil together constitute the meaning of
spiritual capacity.7
“…the Bodhisattva Observing the Sounds of the World will observe the sounds of their voices and set them free.”
“Set them free” - This is the response.
This is the causality of matching sympathetic response with spiritual capacity that is called ‘Observing the Sound of the World’.
It is also the causality of the ten pairs used previously to describe the name ‘Observing the Sounds of the World’, from the Person & the Dharma up to Wisdom & Detachment. With this most recent example (sympathetic response and spiritual capacity) being explained like this we conclude the part on the name and do not trouble further with it in words.
Outline of Title Outline of Prose Outline of Verse & Coda
Footnotes:
1. Arose from his seat: Showed leadership bared his right shoulder: Showed humility pressed his palms together: Showed reverence faced the Buddha: Showed honesty and made these words: Sought truth
2.
East & West: The
previous chapter (the 24th) is on the Bodhisattva Wonderful Sound from the east. The Bodhisattva
Observing the Sounds of the World is from the west. These four points about
the time describe the Four
Siddhanta, the methods of teaching the Dharma to living beings, as follows:
a.
The Worldly Method: Teaching of the different Bodhisattvas (here, east
vs. west)
b. The Personal or Individual Method: Creating good
c.
The Therapeutic Method: Resolving doubts
d. The Method of the Highest
Significance: Attaining the Path of Enlightenment
3.
These
three Sutras explain the term 'Inexhaustible' in terms of
TheThree Truths
a.
The Long Chapter (Pancavimsati)
clarifies it in terms of emptiness.
b. The Sutra on the Great Gathering
clarifies it in terms of that which is temporary ('the eighty doors')
c.
The Vimalakirti Sutra clarifies
it in terms of the mean ('neither extinguished nor without extinction')
4.
Wisdom & Object: Some
analogies
|
Inexhaustible |
Object |
Dharma |
Truth |
View |
|
Will |
Wisdom |
Buddha |
Resolve |
Intent |
5. 'Inexhaustible Will': (S. Aksayamati, Wu-Chin-I, J. Mujin I) See Nichiren's interpretation of Inexhaustible Will in the Oral Transmission of the Hidden Meaning (J. Ongi Kuden)
6. ‘Observing the Sounds of the World’: (S. Avalokitesvara, C. Kuan-Shi-Yin, J. Kanzeon) See Nichiren's interpretation of Observing the Sounds of the World in the Oral Transmission of the Hidden Meaning (J. Ongi Kuden)
7. Spiritual Capacity: The meditation, prayer and worship rising and overcoming ignorance, suffering and evil. Also called good spiritual roots, and often summarized as faith, diligence, mindfulness, mental concentration and spiritual insight.
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Since July 9, 2001