The Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Law Chapter 24
The Bodhisattva Wonder Sound (2)
This is the 121st installment of a detailed commentary on the Threefold Lotus Sutra
by the founder of Rissho Kosei-kai, Rev. Nikkyo Niwano.
TEXT He is able to rescue whatever beings are in the hells, or hungry spirits, or animals, and all in distress.
COMMENTARY Hells, or hungry spirits, or animals. These are generally the places or forms into which ordinary people are born, depending on the accumulation of their past deeds (karma). They also refer to the spiritual, or mental, states. (See the January/February 1993 issue of Dharma World.) Human beings who are in the hells or in the realms of hungry spirits and animals are the lowest of depraved human beings. However, the Bodhisattva Wonder Sound does not despise or detest them, but liberates all of them. This is an extremely important admonition for us who live in this world.
TEXT Even in the inner courts of a king, transforming himself into a woman he preaches this sutra.
COMMENTARY These are recesses of the palace for women only, where men are banned. They are where the wife of the nobleman, ladies in waiting, and concubines reside. If it is necessary to preach the Dharma there, the Bodhisattva Wonder Sound will transform himself into a woman and go there. This of course means that he will preach the Dharma everywhere.
TEXT Flower Virtue! This Bodhisattva Wonder Sound is one who is able to save and protect all the living in the saha world. This Bodhisattva Wonder Sound, thus transforming himself and appearing in these various ways, in this saha land preaches this sutra to all the living. In his [[[powers]] of] supernatural transformation and wisdom there is never any diminution.
COMMENTARY In his [[[powers]] of] supernatural transformation and wisdom there is never any diminution. When an ideal is given form, the resulting form is virtually always inferior to the ideal. This is because reality is not ideal. Nonetheless, the ideal's value is undiminished. Nor is the strength of the wisdom to seek the ideal in any way lost or impaired.
Therefore, it is meaningless to overprotect the ideal in order not to compromise it, by depicting it as a dream, making no effort to realize it. This is shown by the fact that although the Bodhisattva Wonder Sound preaches the ideal in the saha world, a whirlpool of delusions, his powers of supernatural transformation and wisdom are never impaired.
TEXT This bodhisattva in so many [ways of] wisdom has enlightened the saha world, so that every one of the living has obtained knowledge [of him]. In [other] worlds in every direction, [numerous] as the sands of the Ganges, he also does the same.
COMMENTARY Every one of the living has obtained knowledge [of him]. The Sanskrit text says simply that he was known in this saha world, but in this translation by Kumarajiva the meaning is deeper. In other words, the bodhisattva led all living beings to learn on their own how to live by themselves.
TEXT To those whom he must save in the form of shravaka, he appears in the form of a shravaka and preaches the Dharma. To those whom he must save in the form of a pratyekabuddha, he appears in the form of a pratyekabuddha and preaches the Dharma. To those whom he must save in the form of a bodhisattva, he appears in the form of a bodhisattva and preaches the Dharma. To those whom he must save in the form of a buddha, he then appears in the form of a buddha and preaches the Dharma.
COMMENTARY Here the original Chinese text uses the term tei-tu, translated above as "save," but tei-tu also has the various meanings of "guide," "instruct," or "enter the Buddhist priesthood."
TEXT In such various ways as these, according to the way in which he should save [men] he appears to them. Even to those whom he must save by extinction, he reveals himself as extinct. Flower Virtue! Such is the great supernatural power and wisdom attained by the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Wonder Sound."
COMMENTARY Even to those whom he must save by extinction, he reveals himself as extinct. There are many situations, including his death, to awaken them to the teaching of impermanence, or hiding himself from this world to make them long for him.
TEXT Thereupon the Bodhisattva Flower Virtue said to the Buddha: "World-honored One! This Bodhisattva Wonder Sound has [indeed] deeply planted [his] roots of goodness. World-honored One! In what contemplation does this bodhisattva abide, that he is able thus to transform and manifest himself according to circumstances, to save the living?" The Buddha answered Flower Virtue Bodhisattva: "Good son! That contemplation is named revelation of all forms. The Bodhisattva Wonder Sound, abiding in this contemplation, is able thus to benefit countless beings."
COMMENTARY Contemplation of the revelation of all forms. (See the July-September 2014 issue of Dharma World)
TEXT While this chapter of the Bodhisattva Wonder Sound was preached, the eighty-four thousand who had come with him all attained the contemplation of the revelation of all forms, and countless bodhisattvas in this saha world also attained this contemplation and dharani.
Then the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Wonder Sound, having paid homage to Shakyamuni Buddha and to the stupa of the Buddha Abundant Treasures, returned to his own land. The countries through which he passed were agitated in the six [different] ways, with the raining of precious lotus flowers and the performing of hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of music. Having arrived in his own domain, he, with the eighty-four thousand bodhisattvas around him, went to the Buddha King Wisdom of the Pure Flower Constellation and said to him: "World-honored One! I have been to the saha world, done good to its living beings, seen Shakyamuni Buddha, also seen the stupa of the Buddha Abundant Treasures, and worshipped and paid homage to them. I have also seen the Bodhisattva Manjushri, son of the Dharma king, as well as the Bodhisattva Medicine King, the Bodhisattva Attainer of Earnestness and Zeal, the Bodhisattva Courageous Giver, and others, and caused those eighty-four thousand bodhisattvas to attain the contemplation of the revelation of all forms."
COMMENTARY In chapter 21, "The Divine Power of the Tathagata," we read that all worlds in the universe are united without barrier as one buddha land. In this chapter, the Bodhisattva Wonder Sound comes to this saha world from the domain Adorned with Pure Radiance, instructs and leads many people, returns to the land of his origin, and there reports to the Buddha. This narrative gives realistic expression to the ideal that "all worlds in the universe are united without barrier as one buddha land."
There is one truth, and the Original Buddha is eternal and omnipresent. If everyone awakens to this truth, practices it, and strongly believes that we are all one with the Eternal Original Buddha, then the whole universe will become one buddha land. It is toward this ideal state that we want to steadily progress one step at a time.
TEXT While this chapter on the going and coming of the Bodhisattva Wonder Sound was preached, the forty-two thousand heavenly sons attained the assurance of no [re]birth, and the Bodhisattva Flower Virtue attained the contemplation termed Dharma Flower.
COMMENTARY Here ends chapter 24, "The Bodhisattva Wonder Sound." When we read the closing portion of this chapter, we may wonder if the Bodhisattva Wonder Sound is identical with the Eternal Original Buddha. It is mentioned that the Bodhisattva Wonder Sound can transform himself and appear in various forms anywhere. It is even written, "To those whom he must save in the form of a buddha, he then appears in the form of a buddha and preaches the Dharma." We can trace our origin to oneness with the Eternal Original Buddha. In this sense, of course, the Bodhisattva Wonder Sound is identical with the Eternal Original Buddha, but he can manifest himself as a messenger of the Original Buddha. Furthermore, it is clear that this bodhisattva is inferior to the Tathagata Shakyamuni as the trace Buddha in his power of enlightening.
That is because, as mentioned earlier, the Bodhisattva Wonder Sound is the symbol of an ideal.
The teaching of the ideal state of mind is precious indeed, but it does not show its true worth since it exists only in the mind. The true worth of the ideal teaching is appreciated only when and where people realize it little by little in their daily lives.
Consequently it becomes essential that there be a practical teaching so that the ideal may be realized in life on earth. It is Shakyamuni Buddha who imparted the practical teaching. With profound wisdom in penetrating this real aspect of all things, he showed the ideal human form, which is that of a buddha, and taught the concrete path to buddhahood through the so-called eighty-four thousand doctrines. Through his own being, he set an example of realizing the ideal. The holiness of the trace Buddha, Shakyamuni the World-honored One, is beyond estimate.
This is clearly displayed through the actions of the Bodhisattva Wonder Sound. This bodhisattva (himself an ideal), with a bright golden body of infinite size, went to Shakyamuni Buddha (a realizer of the ideal), who had perfected the thirty-two primary marks and the eighty kinds of excellence of the Buddha but had assumed the form of an ordinary man. The bodhisattva made obeisance at the Buddha's feet and presented a priceless necklace to him. When the Bodhisattva Wonder Sound says to the Buddha, "You are the one indeed who has realized our ideal," he is lauding that ideal.
The Bodhisattva Wonder Sound came to this world from an ideal realm for the purpose of praising and proving how great and holy a thing it is for people to endeavor to establish the Righteous Dharma and to build an ideal society in this saha world, filled as it is with defilements and evils.
The true spirit of this chapter is that an ideal is only truly holy when it is actually realized one step at a time. Although the buddhas dwelling in ideal worlds, such as the Tathagata Mahavairocana and the Tathagata Amita, are surely very holy, it is confirmed here again that the Eternal Original Buddha, whom we can revere through the Tathagata Shakyamuni as the personified ideal thereof, should be the focus of devotion for those living in this world.
In this series, passages in the TEXT sections are quoted from The Threefold Lotus Sutra, Tokyo: Kosei Publishing Company, 1975, with slight revisions. The diacritical marks originally used for several Sanskrit terms in the TEXT sections are omitted here for easier reading.
