Chapter 13, Exhortation to Hold the Third. There are two Bodhisattvas, in this case Medicine King Bodhisattva and also Great Eloquence Bodhisattva With the retinue of 20,000 Bodhisattvas present in front of the Buddha

[01:07]

and take vows to receive, lead and learn the Lotus Sutra and teach the Lotus Sutra to all sentient beings saying, be pleased to be without anxiety. After the extinction of the Buddha, we will keep, read, recite and preach this sutra. In the evil age to come living beings will decrease in good qualities while they will increase in utter arrogance and in viciousness of gain and honors

[02:11]

and will develop their evil qualities and be far removed from emancipation. Though it may be difficult to teach and convert them, we arousing our utmost patience will read and recite this sutra, keep, preach and copy it, pay every kind of homage to it and spear not our body and life. Thus they will take a vow to study and learn and teach and copy the Lotus Sutra. Even after the Buddha Shakyamuni's extinction, so don't worry about this sutra after his death.

[03:23]

And then at that time, there are a few Bhikshunis, Buddhist mothers, a sister of the Buddhist mothers, Bhikshuni Mahaprajapati Mahaprajapati, Mahaprajapati and also the mother of Rafa, Bhikshuni Yashodara. So Yashodara, the Rafa's mother and also the sister of the Buddha's mother, became a Buddhist nun under the guidance of Buddha Shakyamuni. So in the presence of Buddha, there are many Bodhisattvas and with their retinues.

[04:36]

And also there is another 500 Arhats in the assembly. And also the sister of the Buddha's mother, Bhikshuni Mahaprajapati with 6600 Bhikshuni training and trained. You know that training and trained. Training means monks who need training more. Trained Bhikshuni means Bhikshuni or Bhikkhus who have been trained already. No need to train anymore.

[05:40]

That is training and trained. So with 6000 Bhikshuni rose up from their seats with one mind folded their hands, gazed up to the honored face without removing their eyes for a moment. Then Buddha said the Gotami. Gotami, look at the note. Gotami is a general term for women of the Shakyamuni clan. While Gotama is that for men. Here she is styled Gotami in the sense of lady. So address the Gotami.

[06:46]

Why with sad countenance do you gaze at the Tathagata? Are you not thinking to say that I haven't mentioned your name and predicted for you perfect enlightenment? Gotami, I have already inclusively announced that the future of all Shuravakas is predicted. Now you who desire to know your future destiny shall in the world to come become a great teacher of the law. All in the laws of the 680,000 coaches of Buddhas and these 6000 Bhikshunis trained, trained and trained will all become teachers of the law. Then he gave a prediction to her that you will gradually become perfect in the Bodhisattva way and will become a Buddha entitled Loveliness Tathagata.

[08:07]

Worshipful, full, always perfecting, perfectly enlightening conduct, well departed, understander of the world, fearless leader, controller, teacher of gods and men, Buddha, Vajrayana one, Gotami. This Buddha, Loveliness and the 6000 Bodhisattvas will in turn be predicted to attain perfect enlightenment. Then next the Yasodhara, Yasodhara also was given the prediction by the Buddha Shakyamuni here. Thereupon the mother of Lafra, the Bhikshuni Yasodhara reflected thus. The world I know one in this prediction has that my name alone I'm mentioned.

[09:12]

Then the Buddha said to Yasodhara you in the laws of the hundred thousand myriad of coaches of Buddhas in the world to come by your doing of Bodhisattva deeds shall become a great teacher of the law, gradually become perfect in the Buddha way. And in the domain could become a Buddha entitled the Perfect Media Great Tathagata. Worshipful, full, always perfectly enlightening conduct, well departed, understander of the world, fearless leader, controller, teacher of gods and men, Buddha, Vajrayana one. The lifetime of the Buddha will be innumerable Sankhya Karpas. Then Mahaprajapati and Yasodhara together with all their retinue all rejoiced greatly having obtained such unprecedented felicity.

[10:29]

And immediately before the Buddha spoke that same verse. A world unknown leader, comforter of gods and men, we here in thy prediction have perfect peace in our hearts. After uttering this verse Bhikshuni spoke to the Buddha saying World Honored One we all are able to publish abroad this sutra in other regions. Thereupon the World Honored One looked upon the eighty myriads and myriads of courtesans of Nainitas, of Bodhisattvas, Mahasattvas. All these Buddhas, Bodhisattvas were of the stage of arrival, no, the arrival tika.

[11:37]

That means the stage of non-retrogression from the degree of perfection already attained. So that means simply speaking the stage of non-backsliding from highest stage of spiritual life. That is called arrival tika. Who rolled the never-retreating low wheel and had attained to the Dharani, immediately they rose from their seats, went before the Buddha.

[12:40]

With one mind folded their hands and reflected thus. If the World Honored One commands us to keep and propound this sutra, we will proclaim abroad this law as the Buddha has taught it. Again they reflected thus. The Buddha now is silent. We are not commanded. What shall we do? Then these Bodhisattvas reflected freely, obeying the Buddha's will and themselves desiring to fulfill their original vow. Before the Buddha raised a lion's roar and uttered a vow saying, World Honored One, after the extinction of the Tathagata, we will compass and travel through the worlds in all directions

[13:45]

in order to read all the living, to copy this sutra, receive and keep, read and recite it, expand its meaning, practice it as their law and rightly keep it in mind, all by the Buddha's might. Be pleased, World Honored One, in another quarter to behold and guard us from afar. Then the Bodhisattvas all together unanimously raised their voices, speaking thus in verse. Then all Bodhisattvas and with all retinues, their retinues, really interested in teaching Lord's Sutra even after Buddha's extinction with great vow.

[14:56]

So, next verse, this is very beautiful, their vows. So, it's very interesting things here. So, be pleased to be without anxiety after the Buddha's extinction. In the last deathful evil age, we will proclaim abroad this sutra. Thou, in their ignorance, many will curse and abuse us and beat us with swords, staves. Those stuffs going on here, we will endure it all. Because soon is in the evil age, will be heretical suspicions world claiming to have attained when they have not.

[16:12]

And with minds full of arrogance, others in the aranya, that means forest, will wear patched garments in seclusion, pretending that they walk the true path and scolding, scolding the other people, greeting touch to gay, they will preach the law to laymen and be revered by the world as arhat of the six transcendent powers. These men cherishing evil minds, ever thinking of earthly things, assuming the name of aranyas, will love to caluminate us,

[17:18]

saying such things of us as all these bhikshus from love of gain preach heretical doctrines. They have themselves composed their sutra to derude the people of the world for the sake of acquiring fame. They make speciality of these sutra always in assembles in order to ruin us. That is, you should know a little bit about the circumstances, the atmosphere of those days. Behind the establishment, behind the formation, formation of this world sutra.

[18:24]

As you know, something happened in the previous chapter. The respecting people of those days really respected stupas. They asked the buddhas, respecting, paying homage to the buddhas. So all they had to do was to just respect stupas of those days. That is their faith. But gradually, but stupas, their buddhist faith, they didn't satisfy the buddhist faith

[19:29]

as just paying homage to buddhist relics in the stupas. Gradually, stupa is not something which buddhist relics was enshrined. So gradually the people believed that stupa which is exactly Buddha himself. But still, with the development of buddhism, there were some individuals who absolutely didn't satisfy this kind of buddhist faith. Just believing and respecting the stupas as Buddha himself. So very naturally another group, growing another group, bodhisattva group,

[20:36]

who were interested in something more than the existing buddhist faith. So that is sort of a new group trying to establish another type of buddhist faith. So, but traditionally, in those days, all bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, believed in sutras, which were accomplished by several conferences, collecting buddhist messages, you know, from all the monks.

[21:40]

Because monks, anyway, they tried to transmit the buddhist teachings in oral way. But in this case, in this chapter, probably there are lots of the bodhisattva groups who tried to teach a new aspect of buddhist teaching completely beyond traditional way. So maybe new groups of bodhisattva were trying to create the scriptures, buddhist scriptures. So that's why traditional bhikkhus, monks, were really mad at those new types of bodhisattvas.

[22:42]

That's why here is scorn, scourge, and abuse, and sometimes with canes, swords, and staves, and well, lots of stuff come up. Then here says, saying such things of us, excuse me, they have, look at the last verse, the last five lines from the bottom, they have themselves composed this sutra. And then they composed, probably they composed this sutra, saying, have I heard, in the beginning, in the whole buddhist sutra says, have I heard this? Well, that is the beginning of the sutra,

[23:45]

this is very traditional way. So that's why he says, they have themselves composed this sutra to delude the people of the world. That is wrong. So traditional monks were really against to new style of bodhisattvas. So, the abusing like this, saying they are a little above the verse, you know, look at another verse above this. Saying such things of us, as all these because from love of gain, preach heretical doctrine. So, next page, 219,

[24:49]

to kings and ministers, to brahmins and citizens, and to the other groups of bhikshus, they will slanderously speak evil of us. New group bodhisattvas, bodhisattvas really were patient under those circumstances. Next, saying, these are men of false views who proclaim heretical doctrines, but we, from reverence for the Buddha, will endure all these evils. By this contemptuously addressed as all you Buddhas, even such scorn and arrogance, will all patiently endure. This part is very strong verse, message,

[25:53]

but in another translation from Sanskrit, is completely different nuance. I will read, if you don't have. That is 12th standard, the verse, 12th verse, page 260 of Dharmasundarika Sutra, translated from Sanskrit, the text. It says, and those fools who will not listen to us shall sooner or later become enlightened, and therefore will we forbear, forbear to the light. And those fools who will not listen to us

[26:59]

shall sooner or later become enlightened, and therefore will we forbear to the last. But this translation from Chinese, says, by this contemptuously addressed as all you Buddhas, even such scorn and arrogance, will all patiently endure. So, very different nuance. Don't you think so? Very soft in original text. Now, particularly Nichiren, founder of the Nichiren school in Japan, was very impressed with this. This passage, when this happens, particularly this part, he was very impressed. So, he was exiled

[28:02]

several times in his life. Nevertheless, he really believed himself as, what to say, exacting Buddhist messengers. Just like a Christian missionary spirit. So, even though he was several times exiled, isolated, removed, remoulded in the islands for many, many years. And then, nevertheless, he didn't stop preaching this verse. Because he really believed this Sutra. Particularly, this chapter. Exhaustion, the exhortation for whole farm.

[29:06]

Particularly, this verse, by this contemptuously addressed as all you Buddhas, even such scorn and arrogance, will work patiently in Judaism. So, one time, he was almost killed by the government people. But, instead of being killed by government people, he was exiled to the remote islands. Particularly in Nichiren, Nichiren, Nichiren always used a very strong, aggressive way to teach the Buddhism, this Lotus Sutra. For instance, teaching this, if he saw

[30:08]

people who were against you know, the teaching of the Lotus Sutra, or his teaching, immediately he said, you are wrong. So, he tried to strongly convert them very aggressively. That's why, very naturally, people were, people responded to his ways very strongly. That's why violence came up. Even Soka Gakkai, in a new school, in the backyard, the school of Soka Gakkai, in Japan, newly religion, well, in the United States, particularly Los Angeles, even here, I think, I heard Soka Gakkai.

[31:08]

Usually, they used to be very violent, just like Nichiren ways, very violent. But according to this Sanskrit text, I think, very soft, even though very soft way to teach is Lotus Sutra. For instance, instead of criticizing others, you are wrong, and try to convert, trying to convert somebody to well, Nichiren's way. So, why don't you? They are fools who don't believe Lotus Sutras and also Nichiren way, but sooner or later, they will be somebody who believes in the Buddha's teachings and Lotus Sutras. So, why don't you be

[32:11]

patient and deal with them more gently, compassionately. If so, I don't think you should create violence. That is, I feel kindness and compassion from a textbook, Chinese text, translated like this, very strongly like this. Other things, verses are almost the same as Sanskrit, but particularly this verse was completely different. And next, in the evil age of corrupt, corrupt, living in fear and dread, devils will take possessions of them to curse,

[33:12]

abuse, and insult us. But, we, revealing and believing in the Buddha, will wear the armor of perseverance for the sake of preaching this sutra. We will endure We will not love body and life but only care for the supreme way. We will throughout all ages to guard what the Buddha bequeaths. That is one for the determination, spiritual determination coming from the Deva. We will not love body and life. Also, Dogen Zenji always

[34:14]

emphasizes, throw away your body and mind. That is spiritual determination completely on common sense, human speculation. And next, world honored one, thou knowest that in the corrupt age are vicious vicious shoes knowing that laws so tactfully preached as opportunity served by the Buddha. So, next is also interesting, will abuse and frown upon us and repeatedly shall we be driven out and exiled afar from the monasteries. Such evils will be our ills.

[35:15]

For remembering the Buddha's command but we will endure all these things. So, new style of bodhisattvas probably may, might be exiled from the monasteries because they don't, they didn't follow the traditional way. They created new Buddhist scriptures saying, have I heard but actually they created. So, it's really new thing. So, they were exiled from now almost exactly some of them were exiled from monasteries, kicked them out. But, still they are very patient and try to teach these laws. So, from that

[36:20]

you can see the situation of those days. Wherever in villages and cities there be those who seek after the law we will all go there and preach the law bequeathed by the Buddha. And next, we are the world under one's apostles and ministers a multitude having nothing to fear will rightly preach the law bequeathed all Buddha to abide in peace. This is really a motto of the Nichiren well, Nichiren he really believed this. He really

[37:20]

believed himself as the Buddha's Buddha's apostles. And then whatever circumstances whatever happens in his life whatever dangerous situation happens around in his life anyway he believes himself I am Buddha's apostles and continually saying to himself bequeathed all Buddha to abide in peace. Continually he teaches. In the presence of each pretty wonderful spiritual determination but on the other hand if you use it if you misuse this spiritual determination in your life you can

[38:20]

create cause of violence because you don't deal with people who don't believe Buddha's teaching in proper way as a Buddha proper way means as a Buddha Temporarily they were ignorant but in the future anyway they are basically they were they were Buddha anyway so that's by talking they always emphasizing all sentient beings are Buddha inviting all sentient beings into vastness of ocean so called Buddha's world and then deal with them but if you don't do this you can create violence According to this spiritual determination that is really peace peaceful way

[39:21]

to live but if you deal with the people who don't believe Buddhist in mistaken mistaken way you will create violence so this is very beautiful the spiritual determination you can cure but be careful to use this actually Last one In the presence of the world I am not one and the Buddhas are came are come from all directions we thus make our vow and the Buddha knows our hearts Whatever whatever kind of religious activity or

[40:23]

if you really want to live your life religiously helping all sentient beings we need anyway this kind of spiritual determination very strong because Buddha's teaching even though Buddha's teaching is right or beautiful and also you believe and also you want to help people from this Buddha's teaching but they all are not always accepting right teaching so well there might be or there could be lots of dangerous situation happens but basically

[41:25]

we must be peace anyway just like disarmament movement you know nuclear freeze or if you misuse this one you create a bird another situation of nuclear freeze a nuclear freeze a motto of nuclear freeze in movement is anyway peace from the beginning to end so under this we don't we don't know what kind of what kind of things happens not always peaceful circumstance maybe people are very violent toward you who are anyway emphasizing a peaceful world but under that situation what do you do maybe people

[42:28]

hit you with a cane and a sword rock maybe so just sitting on the outside demonstrating peace nuclear freeze but maybe somebody hits you and beat you we are prepared for what we have for this dangerous situation but remember buddhists as a buddhist just like a niche man anyway from the beginning to end anyway we should be peace just peace it's hard it's hard but we should remember this just peace so that is so we should remember this last two verses we are the world and once apostles and minister

[43:28]

multitude having nothing to fear will rightly preach the law be preached of buddha to abide in peace just like Gandhi Gandhi Gandhi from the beginning to end he was anyway obeying the peace and finally he died okay yeah question how long after this sutra was written did Nichiren come along how long after this sutra was written did Nichiren come along Nichiren was he he was born at some point after this was written right oh of course Nichiren was

[44:30]

hundreds of years right sure Nichiren was a little older than Dogen Zenji so 13th century anyway so what happened this was just basically part of one of the many buddha sutras that were accepted and then he came along and that's when the divisions first started yeah before the almost the hundred years after Buddha's death well already there are twenty different Buddhist schools were there and gradually new Buddhist schools Mahasanghikas etc and then right the beginning right beginning

[45:30]

of the first century anyway then the Buddhist Mahayana Buddhist cultures were established gradually one by one that is the Prajnaparamita the Vimalakirti and all the sutras so in those days the beginning of the first century lots of things come up new things come up so lots of you know conflictions there but all the Mahayana groups pretty much accepted Lotus Sutra until Nichiren came along that's when another school Nichiren is completely independent Nichiren found Nichiren school it's all Japanese yeah and the stuff that's in the sutra about the monks being kicked out of the monasteries and so on did that turn out to happen? yeah that's actually what happened and he's

[46:31]

in Japan Nichiren's disciples were several several Nichiren disciples were killed by government you know soldiers samurais you know because they believe very strongly in Lotus Sutra predicting the future the Japan and future Japan so they were very scared scared so they believed anyway Nichiren and his disciples and the people around them really believed devils that's for several times they exiled yeah when were the when were the sutras written? up until what time? there's thousands of Buddhist sutras right? they were written from

[47:31]

about 100 years after Buddha's death so when? when did they stop being written? in other words were they they're still not being written there's still not somebody writing a sutra so basically when is the how old is the newest sutra that we know about? newest sutra I don't know I don't know exactly but is it hundreds of years or more than more than 100 years oh ok so even the very latest sutra is very old but in Japan doge wrote the Shobo Genzo at that time but it it's not sutra lots of stuff come up but I don't know I don't know newest sutra can I ask one more question? ok in here talk about monasteries did Buddha escape talk about

[48:31]

monasteries did Buddha establish monasteries? yeah Buddha established monasteries you know they forgot in Sanskrit their names in Japanese chikurin shouja in my hand that the terrible property and also the monastery building of the monastery facility were contributed by well a rich person and then he stayed there for rainy season and trained practiced with his monks so what they used to do is wander during dry season and during the rainy season they go into the monastery true ok I see in Buddhism

[49:34]

for world peace it starts each chapter with a certain verse but I haven't been able to find any find any place where they translate that first verse you know the verse I'm talking about I can't remember right now it starts with a new movement the monks are responding by translating it once start the next one you translate it now They are hitting the drum and walking on the street, chanting that type of ritual in Japanese. Myo means sorrow, myoho means dharma, kyo means flower, so myoho means, in Japanese,

[50:59]

no, in Japanese, no, in Chinese we translate sad as subtlety, instead of right. Sad means right, but in Chinese we say subtlety because rightness, righteousness, that means right opposed to wrong, so supreme right, beyond right or wrong, good or bad. That's why the right really works in the human world beyond right or wrong, good or bad. So that's why it works very subtly in the human world.

[51:59]

That's why they translate sorrow, dharma. Dharma works just like this. The word arahama, did you say that it means forest? Forest, yeah, no. Well, in the back of the book it says that it means a Buddhist monastery. A Buddhist monastery. Maybe so. No, maybe so, maybe so, I don't know. Maybe I made a mistake. So I would care much more. Forest dwelling, something called monastery.

[53:10]

Did you find it in the Glossary? Glossary. 371. 371. 371. Oh, right. I gave it a term for Buddhist monastery. I see, Buddhist monastery, yeah. Question?

[54:24]

What version of that book you read out of the other translations? The other translation in Sanskrit? Yeah, some other version of that. What was that version? You mean this one? Right. This is translated by H. Carr. It's translated from Sanskrit original text. How is that compared to this one? This one? This is Chinese, from Chinese. Right, right. How is that translated? Well, sometimes this one, this Chinese version is very clear, but sometimes this is clear. And in the Sanskrit textbook, we don't have a Devadatta, section Devadatta. And different feelings.

[55:26]

You can, sometimes you can see the clear situation through the Sanskrit textbook. More clear, more in detail. So very interesting. So sometimes you should read the book, you know. So very different feelings. Particularly, you don't have this textbook. Very different translation between Sanskrit and Chinese. Chapter 2, Tucked Furnace.

[56:32]

But in Sanskrit, another translation says Skewed Furnace. There is, in Chinese, look at the page 52. And, look at the fifth line from the bottom. Only a Buddha together with a Buddha can fathom the reality of all existence. That is to say, all existence has such a form, such a nature, such an embodiment, such a potency, such a function, such a primary cause, such a secondary cause,

[57:40]

such an effect, such a recompense, and such a complete fundamental whole. But in Sanskrit, it doesn't say that. Let me read this part. None but the Tathagata, Shaliputra, can impart to Tathagata those laws which the Tathagata knows. And all laws, Shaliputra, are taught by the Tathagata and by him alone. No one but he knows all laws. What they are, how they are, like what they are, of what characteristics, and of what nature they are. Completely different. So, I don't know why Kumara-ji would translate this into Chinese like this.

[58:46]

So, in Buddhist, independent Buddhism, naturally we believe this is ten, or we say ten suchnesses. Ten kinds of suchness. In order to explain how existence, situation of existence, is structured. So, existence is always produced by, anyway, form, nature, environment, potency, function, primary cause, secondary cause, effect, recompense, and complete fundamental whole. Like this. So, all existence is created by, just like this. We say ten kinds of suchness.

[59:50]

But in Sanskrit, it doesn't say such. Just how they are, what they are, anyway, like that, what they are, of what characteristics, and of what nature they are. That's all. So, very interesting. That's why scholars always compare, Buddhist scholars always compare Chinese and Sanskrit and apply, you know, reading those things. Because Kumara-ji's translator was very smart and sharp to translate. So, in Chinese, much more simpler, very simple. So, that's why sometimes there is something missing, you know.

[60:53]

But in Sanskrit, a little bit sometimes, you can see more clearly about the Chinese translation. Last Monday, you said that only Buddha can handle Devadatta's karmic life. Our karmic life is beyond our conscious control of knowledge. Only Buddha knows. Can you say some more about that? That is... That means... Buddha's acceptance means... Say, you perfectly complete offering yourself to the Buddha.

[62:07]

That is, I told you, that is practically you have to offer through yourself, your body and mind, just like this sutra, you know. And to the Buddha, to how? To the repentance. So, that's why I told you, through the repentance, two kinds of repentance, formless repentance, that is just through yourself, your body and mind to the Buddha. The second, that is ritual, sort of ritual repentance. In the presence of Buddha, you do it. Now, at that time, it seems to be a dualistic way of repentance, you know. But anyway, so, through this ritual, you have to offer yourself to Buddha, that is formless repentance.

[63:18]

Beyond whether you are accepted by Buddha or not. At that time, it is called acceptance. Buddha's acceptance. So you just offer. That is spiritual determination, you have to do it. But if you discuss about this situation, whether Buddha accepts or not, you know, you have never find when Buddha accepts. So, completely beyond, we don't know. So, you have to, anyway, Buddha always accepts you in the realm of emptiness. So, for this, you can't say whether Buddha accepts you or not. So, it really depends on you, your attitude. So, with great spiritual determination, beyond discussing whether you are accepted or not, you may just offer.

[64:21]

At that time, it is called Buddha's acceptance. The formless repentance is exactly the same as our practice. Hmm? Sure. Yeah. So, when you say only Buddha knows... You don't know. Yeah. We just have to throw ourselves into this. You can do it, but you cannot know. You can do, but you cannot know. Just you can't. I have a question. Hmm? When you were talking to Scott before, I don't remember, I don't know if I understood this or not, but did you say that the teaching of the Lotus Sutra was practiced until the time of Nyingchen,

[65:28]

Nyingchen? Did it have a new practice? Did it have a new practice? No, it's not new. It's not a new teaching. So, what does this say? Already, the Lotus Sutra was accepted by all Buddhists in Japan anyway. That's why even Dogen Zenji really respected the Lotus Sutra. But the point and differences between Dogen, Nichiren, Shindan Shonin, and the other priests and the big Buddhists, you know, was that, how you use this sutra. So, Nichiren uses this sutra, believing this sutra is only one.

[66:31]

He can depend. The other sutra is extra. So, that's why there is really strong power coming from the Lotus Sutra. That is Nichiren's way. Thank you. But Dogen Zenji always uses the Lotus Sutra as well as other sutras, the Marachuri Sutra, the Avatamsaka Sutra, etc., in a more broad universal perspective.

[67:15]

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