Difference between revisions of "Essential teaching"
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| − | essential teaching | + | [[essential]] [[teaching]] |
[本門] ( Jpn hommon ) | [本門] ( Jpn hommon ) | ||
| − | Also, original teaching. | + | Also, original [[teaching]]. |
| − | (1) The teaching expounded by Shakyamuni from the perspective of his true identity as the Buddha who attained enlightenment countless kalpas ago. It consists of the latter fourteen chapters of the Lotus Sutra, from the "Emerging from the Earth" (fifteenth) through the "Universal Worthy" (twenty-eighth) chapters. In The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra, T'ient'ai (538-597) classifies the content of the sutra into two parts—the first fourteen chapters, or theoretical teaching (also known as trace teaching), and the latter fourteen chapters, or essential teaching (original teaching). He further explains that Shakyamuni expounded these two teachings from two respectively different identities: The Shakyamuni Buddha who attained enlightenment in India expounded the theoretical teaching, while the Shakyamuni who cast off his transient identity as the Buddha enlightened in that lifetime in India and revealed his true identity as the Buddha who attained enlightenment in the remote past expounded the essential teaching. T'ient'ai identified the Buddha of the essential teaching as the true Buddha, and the Buddha of the theoretical teaching as the true Buddha's provisional manifestation, or a provisional Buddha. He respectively compared the relationship between them and between their teachings to that of the moon in the sky and its reflection on the surface of a pond. In contrast with the theoretical teaching, which presents Buddhahood as a potential in the lives of all people, the essential teaching describes it as a reality manifest in the eternal life of the true Buddha. The core of the essential teaching is the "Life Span" (sixteenth) chapter, which reveals Shakyamuni's enlightenment in the distant past. Moreover, it reveals the three mystic principles: the true effect (the original enlightenment that Shakyamuni Buddha attained in the remote past), the true cause (the practice he carried out to attain that enlightenment), and the true land (where the Buddha lives and teaches); together they clarify the reality of the Buddha's enlightenment. | + | ([[1]]) The [[teaching]] expounded by [[Shakyamuni]] from the perspective of his true identity as the [[Buddha]] who attained [[enlightenment]] countless [[kalpas]] ago. It consists of the latter fourteen chapters of the [[Lotus Sutra]], from the "[[Emerging]] from the [[Earth]]" (fifteenth) through the "[[Universal]] [[Worthy]]" (twenty-eighth) chapters. In The Words and Phrases of the [[Lotus Sutra]], [[T'ient'ai]] (538-597) classifies the content of the [[sutra]] into two parts—the first fourteen chapters, or {{Wiki|theoretical}} [[teaching]] (also known as trace [[teaching]]), and the latter fourteen chapters, or [[essential]] [[teaching]] (original [[teaching]]). He further explains that [[Shakyamuni]] expounded these two teachings from two respectively different identities: The [[Shakyamuni Buddha]] who attained [[enlightenment]] in [[India]] expounded the {{Wiki|theoretical}} [[teaching]], while the [[Shakyamuni]] who cast off his transient identity as the [[Buddha]] [[enlightened]] in that [[lifetime]] in [[India]] and revealed his true identity as the [[Buddha]] who attained [[enlightenment]] in the remote past expounded the [[essential]] [[teaching]]. [[T'ient'ai]] identified the [[Buddha]] of the [[essential]] [[teaching]] as the true [[Buddha]], and the [[Buddha]] of the {{Wiki|theoretical}} [[teaching]] as the true [[Buddha's]] provisional [[manifestation]], or a provisional [[Buddha]]. He respectively compared the relationship between them and between their teachings to that of the [[moon]] in the [[sky]] and its reflection on the surface of a pond. In contrast with the {{Wiki|theoretical}} [[teaching]], which presents [[Buddhahood]] as a potential in the [[lives]] of all [[people]], the [[essential]] [[teaching]] describes it as a [[reality]] [[manifest]] in the [[eternal life]] of the true [[Buddha]]. The core of the [[essential]] [[teaching]] is the "[[Life]] Span" (sixteenth) chapter, which reveals [[Shakyamuni's]] [[enlightenment]] in the distant past. Moreover, it reveals the [[three mystic principles]]: the true effect (the original [[enlightenment]] that [[Shakyamuni Buddha]] attained in the remote past), the true [[cause]] (the practice he carried out to attain that [[enlightenment]]), and the true land (where the [[Buddha]] [[lives]] and teaches); together they clarify the [[reality]] of the [[Buddha's]] [[enlightenment]]. |
| − | (2) In his writings, Nichiren (1222-1282) sometimes uses the term essential teaching to indicate the essential teaching of the Latter Day of the Law; that is, the teaching of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind reads: "The essential teaching of Shakyamuni's lifetime and that revealed [by Nichiren] at the beginning of the Latter Day are both pure and perfect [in that both lead directly to Buddhahood]. Shakyamuni's, however, is the Buddhism of the harvest, and this is the Buddhism of sowing. The core of his teaching is one chapter and two halves, and the core of mine is the five characters of the daimoku alone" (370). Nichiren thus identified Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the teaching he revealed at the "beginning of the Latter Day," as the essential teaching for that age. From this viewpoint, in the same treatise, Nichiren states: "The difference between the theoretical and the essential teachings is as great as that between heaven and earth.... Nevertheless, even the difference between the doctrine of three thousand realms in a single moment of life of the theoretical teaching and that of the essential teaching pales into insignificance" (368). That "difference... pales into insignificance" when it is compared with the difference between the essential teaching that is the latter half of the Lotus Sutra, and the essential teaching revealed by Nichiren at the beginning of the Latter Day of the Law, or Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Hence he termed his essential teaching "the unique essential teaching" ( Jpn dokuichi-hommon ) in On the Mystic Principle of the True Cause, a writing he gave his immediate successor, Nikko. | + | (2) In his writings, [[Nichiren]] (1222-1282) sometimes uses the term [[essential]] [[teaching]] to indicate the [[essential]] [[teaching]] of the Latter Day of the Law; that is, the [[teaching]] of [[Nam-myoho-renge-kyo]]. [[The Object]] of Devotion for Observing the [[Mind]] reads: "The [[essential]] [[teaching]] of [[Shakyamuni's]] [[lifetime]] and that revealed [by [[Nichiren]]] at the beginning of the Latter Day are both [[pure]] and perfect [in that both lead directly to [[Buddhahood]]]. [[Shakyamuni's]], however, is the [[Buddhism]] of the harvest, and this is the [[Buddhism]] of sowing. The core of his [[teaching]] is one chapter and two halves, and the core of mine is the five characters of the [[daimoku]] alone" (370). [[Nichiren]] thus identified [[Nam-myoho-renge-kyo]], the [[teaching]] he revealed at the "beginning of the Latter Day," as the [[essential]] [[teaching]] for that age. From this viewpoint, in the same treatise, [[Nichiren]] states: "The [[difference]] between the {{Wiki|theoretical}} and the [[essential]] teachings is as great as that between [[heaven]] and [[earth]].... Nevertheless, even the [[difference]] between the [[doctrine]] of three thousand [[realms]] in a single moment of [[life]] of the {{Wiki|theoretical}} [[teaching]] and that of the [[essential]] [[teaching]] pales into insignificance" (368). That "[[difference]]... pales into insignificance" when it is compared with the [[difference]] between the [[essential]] [[teaching]] that is the latter half of the [[Lotus Sutra]], and the [[essential]] [[teaching]] revealed by [[Nichiren]] at the beginning of the Latter Day of the Law, or [[Nam-myoho-renge-kyo]]. Hence he termed his [[essential]] [[teaching]] "the unique [[essential]] [[teaching]]" ( Jpn dokuichi-hommon ) in On the {{Wiki|Mystic}} Principle of the True [[Cause]], a [[writing]] he gave his immediate successor, Nikko. |
| − | See also fivefold view of revelation. | + | See also fivefold [[view]] of [[revelation]]. |
</poem> | </poem> | ||
{{R}} | {{R}} | ||
Revision as of 00:51, 4 September 2013
essential teaching
[本門] ( Jpn hommon )
Also, original teaching.
(1) The teaching expounded by Shakyamuni from the perspective of his true identity as the Buddha who attained enlightenment countless kalpas ago. It consists of the latter fourteen chapters of the Lotus Sutra, from the "Emerging from the Earth" (fifteenth) through the "Universal Worthy" (twenty-eighth) chapters. In The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra, T'ient'ai (538-597) classifies the content of the sutra into two parts—the first fourteen chapters, or theoretical teaching (also known as trace teaching), and the latter fourteen chapters, or essential teaching (original teaching). He further explains that Shakyamuni expounded these two teachings from two respectively different identities: The Shakyamuni Buddha who attained enlightenment in India expounded the theoretical teaching, while the Shakyamuni who cast off his transient identity as the Buddha enlightened in that lifetime in India and revealed his true identity as the Buddha who attained enlightenment in the remote past expounded the essential teaching. T'ient'ai identified the Buddha of the essential teaching as the true Buddha, and the Buddha of the theoretical teaching as the true Buddha's provisional manifestation, or a provisional Buddha. He respectively compared the relationship between them and between their teachings to that of the moon in the sky and its reflection on the surface of a pond. In contrast with the theoretical teaching, which presents Buddhahood as a potential in the lives of all people, the essential teaching describes it as a reality manifest in the eternal life of the true Buddha. The core of the essential teaching is the "Life Span" (sixteenth) chapter, which reveals Shakyamuni's enlightenment in the distant past. Moreover, it reveals the three mystic principles: the true effect (the original enlightenment that Shakyamuni Buddha attained in the remote past), the true cause (the practice he carried out to attain that enlightenment), and the true land (where the Buddha lives and teaches); together they clarify the reality of the Buddha's enlightenment.
(2) In his writings, Nichiren (1222-1282) sometimes uses the term essential teaching to indicate the essential teaching of the Latter Day of the Law; that is, the teaching of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind reads: "The essential teaching of Shakyamuni's lifetime and that revealed [by Nichiren] at the beginning of the Latter Day are both pure and perfect [in that both lead directly to Buddhahood]. Shakyamuni's, however, is the Buddhism of the harvest, and this is the Buddhism of sowing. The core of his teaching is one chapter and two halves, and the core of mine is the five characters of the daimoku alone" (370). Nichiren thus identified Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the teaching he revealed at the "beginning of the Latter Day," as the essential teaching for that age. From this viewpoint, in the same treatise, Nichiren states: "The difference between the theoretical and the essential teachings is as great as that between heaven and earth.... Nevertheless, even the difference between the doctrine of three thousand realms in a single moment of life of the theoretical teaching and that of the essential teaching pales into insignificance" (368). That "difference... pales into insignificance" when it is compared with the difference between the essential teaching that is the latter half of the Lotus Sutra, and the essential teaching revealed by Nichiren at the beginning of the Latter Day of the Law, or Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Hence he termed his essential teaching "the unique essential teaching" ( Jpn dokuichi-hommon ) in On the Mystic Principle of the True Cause, a writing he gave his immediate successor, Nikko.
See also fivefold view of revelation.
