SGI-USA Study Curriculum

Lectures on the Hoben and Juryo Chapters of the Lotus Sutra
by SGI President Daisaku Ikeda

The Buddha is a Great Doctor of Life Who Guides People Toward Happiness

Sho-i sha ga. Nyorai ho-ben. Chiken hara-mitsu. Kai i gu-soku.

Why is this? Because the Thus Come One is fully possessed of both expedient means and the paramita of wisdom. (LS-2, 24)

In this section, Shakyamuni continues to praise the immense wisdom of the Buddha. Until this point, he has praised the Buddha's wisdom from the standpoint of the immeasurable practices that the Buddha carried out in the past. Here he discusses the power of wisdom to guide people and the state of life that the Buddha has attained as a result of these practices.

Knowledge and Wisdom Are Not the Same

Continuing from the preceding passage, Shakyamuni now clarifies why the Buddha has used all manner of causes and similes to guide people and have them renounce attachments. And he explains how the Buddha was able to do this.

In the phrase "expedient means and paramita of wisdom," the term "paramita of wisdom" means the perfection of wisdom. The Sanskrit word paramita means to attain or perfect. Also, the expression "fully possessed" in the above passage means "endowed with." The Buddha, having perfected various practices and attained an extremely profound state of enlightenment, possesses skillful means for guiding people and is endowed with wisdom. For this reason, he can guide people in a way that exactly matches their capacity.

In the section that follows, Shakyamuni explains specifically what he means by wisdom. There he says that the Buddha possesses the powers of wisdom of "immeasurable [mercy], unlimited [eloquence], power, [and] fearlessness" (LS-2, 24). I will discuss the contents of this passage in detail in my next lecture. But for the time being, let us suffice it to say that these powers are specific functions of wisdom that the Buddha uses to guide people to happiness.

Buddhism is a religion of wisdom. The second Soka Gakkai president, Josei Toda, would often say: "One cause of people's misfortune today is that they confuse knowledge and wisdom.... Knowledge is not wisdom. Knowledge may serve as a door that opens the way to wisdom, but knowledge itself is definitely not wisdom."

For example, taking business administration classes in college doesn't guarantee that you will prosper in the business world. In fact, many people realize commercial success without ever having gone to business school.

Reading many books on child rearing doesn't guarantee that someone will be able to parent well. The truth is that innumerable factors contribute to children's growth. There are even accounts of mothers who become neurotic because in raising their children they encounter situations that completely contradict what they have read in books.

Knowledge is of course necessary. To know something is a great strength. In modern society, in particular, it might be said that knowledge has increasingly come to be used as a weapon. At the same time, merely having some knowledge does not produce any value. Happiness cannot be created by knowledge alone. An increase in knowledge definitely does not equal an increase in happiness. The important thing is that people possess the fundamental wisdom to be able to use their knowledge most fully.

To take one example, theories on childhood education often stress the importance of talking to children at their eye-level. Someone with experience in this area comments as follows:

What should you do when a child starts pleading with you to buy him or her something at a store or somewhere, and then sits down on the floor and cries, refusing to budge until you give in? Under such circumstances, no amount of standing above the child and scolding will do any good. The best approach is to sit down right there together with the child. When you do so the child, in amazement, will stop crying. And if you then quietly admonish the child, you will find that he or she is surprisingly ready to do as you say.

This method, of course, will not necessarily work every time. Still, it doubtless represents individual wisdom arising from the person's spirit as a parent to connect on a heart-to-heart level with the child. Knowledge of the importance of talking at the child's eye-level produced this kernel of practical wisdom.

"What Purpose Does This Knowledge Serve?'

In any event, unless we continually ask ourselves "What purpose does this knowledge serve?" we are liable to fall into the trap of pursuing knowledge for its own sake.

To illustrate, the mission of a teacher is to provide instruction. The teacher's purpose is to cultivate the character and wisdom of the pupils and help them acquire skills and abilities they will need to lead happy lives.

This is the purpose of the teacher's knowledge as an educator. But unless the teacher also possesses the wisdom necessary to attain this objective, he or she is not a true educator.

Politicians, as public servants, have the duty to devote themselves selflessly to the happiness and prosperity of the people; and toward that end, they must seek the counsel of many others and work to implement their ideas. If politicians lack the wisdom and power of action to improve society, then they are not true politicians.

The purpose of scholars, likewise, is to contribute to humanity through their academic endeavors. We need to constantly ask ourselves whether we have realized our fundamental mission, our purpose. If we should forget this and instead gloat arrogantly over how much we know, over our standing or access to information, or over our "vast" knowledge, then our basic spirit will become distorted.

By rights, education, science, politics, economics and all fields of human endeavor exist to serve the happiness of all humanity.

For what purpose, then, did the Buddha appear in the world? His objective, too, was to enable people to become happy; specifically, to enable all people to realize a state of eternal happiness. Thus, there is no contradiction between Buddhism and other areas of human endeavor. Knowledge in all areas yields the greatest value when based on the wisdom of Buddhism.

In the "Expedient Means" chapter, Shakyamuni explains that the Buddha's purpose in appearing in this world is "to open the door of Buddha wisdom to all living beings," "to show the Buddha wisdom to living beings," "to cause living beings to awaken to the Buddha wisdom," and "to induce living beings to enter the path of Buddha wisdom" (LS-2, 31). These four aspects of the Buddha wisdom of "opening," "showing," "awakening" and "causing to enter" together are termed the "one great reason" (Jpn ichidaiji innen) for the Buddha's appearance in the world.

In short, Shakyamuni taught that the path to happiness lies in each person developing his or her own wisdom. The Buddha's wisdom, too, was born of his strong sense of purpose and awareness of his mission.

Tending the Ills of Humankind With the Medicine of the Law

Buddhism teaches the supreme way to live.

The question-and-answer sessions President Toda held were truly "forums of wisdom" for leading people to happiness. With great confidence of faith, he candidly gave guidance regarding people's various worries and sufferings in life --- from sickness and loss of work to debt and marital problems --- hitting the nail on the head every time. Through his encouragement, participants recovered their spirits instantly and became filled with courage and hope.

He would remark: "You know someone from how they walk, from how they perk up their shoulders, from their voice. Similarly, from the slightest gesture, from how they open a door, you can tell what their worries are."

A true leader of Buddhism can discern the state of people's lives with such deftness and profundity and can explain the Law to them in a way that is tailored to their situation.

It is difficult to explain Buddhism correctly-that is, in a manner that accords with the time and people's capacity. There is an account of how even Shariputra blundered in expounding the Law.

Shariputra was once explaining Buddhism to a blacksmith and a laundry man. However, neither was able to grasp the teaching, and they both developed disbelief.

Shariputra ought to have taught the blacksmith the practice of breath-counting meditation and the laundry man the practice of meditating on the vileness of the body.

The reason for this is as follows. A blacksmith's job entails continually striking hot iron with a hammer while fanning the fire with a bellows. A smith, therefore, constantly works to control the rhythm of his breathing. Had Shariputra explained the breath-counting meditation to the blacksmith, he could have understood it immediately and advanced in his Buddhist practice. Likewise, since the work of a laundry man involves cleaning dirty clothes, had Shariputra taught him the meditation on the vileness of the body, he without doubt could have grasped it.

However, Shariputra taught each one the teaching appropriate to the other. As a result, they failed to gain any result from their practice. For all of his efforts, Shariputra succeeded only in causing them suffering.

To expound a teaching appropriate to each person is extremely difficult. However, Nichiren Daishonin established a method of practice accessible to all people regardless of their capacity. Thus he says, "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is recommended for people of all capacities" (Gosho Zenshu, p. 875). And for precisely this reason, the benefit of telling others about the Mystic Law is immense.

A physician of rich experience can grasp a patient's malady accurately and prescribe a treatment that matches the person's constitution. Such a physician possesses not only medical knowledge but the wisdom to use that knowledge to the fullest extent. True knowledge is at one with wisdom.

There probably aren't any physicians who would simply tell a patient, "You have appendicitis," without doing anything about it. It might be said that true medical knowledge, or wisdom, lies in curing people of their conditions and returning them to a state of health.

The Buddha is a great "physician of life" who guides all to happiness. The Buddha clearly discerns the fundamental cause of people's suffering and teaches them the path to eternal happiness, how to live a boundlessly fresh and exhilarating life. This is the wisdom of the Buddha.

In this age when it has become natural for people to lack compassion, no one can match the fellow members of the SGI in bringing a fresh wind of revitalization to many others. There is no other popular organization in the world whose members are so sincere, or who pray and take action as we do for others. There are many eminent people and intellectuals in the world, but I believe that the members of the SGI are even more respectable. You are "doctors" and "nurses" of wisdom who are worthy of the greatest admiration.

Faith Contains the 'Paramita' of Wisdom

How do Shariputra and the others gathered at the assembly react when they hear Shakyamuni expound the "Expedient Means" chapter? Do they think, "I couldn't possibly have even an iota of the perfect wisdom of the Buddha in me"?

No. In fact, they say to themselves: "If this teaching represents the wonderful Buddha wisdom that can save people, then I want to learn it, too. I want to make it my own."

The "Expedient Means" chapter says that Shariputra and the others "wish to hear the teaching of perfect endowment" (LS-2, 28). In other words, they arouse a seeking mind for the path leading to the Buddha's state of life, which is "fully possessed of both expedient means and the Paramita of wisdom."

Rather than think, "I've heard all I need to hear," they become even more high spirited and encouraged.

In "The Opening of the Eyes," Nichiren Daishonin says that this "teaching of perfect endowment" is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (MW-2, 116 [137 rev.]).

In the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings, Shakyamuni expounded the six paramitas as practices for bodhisattvas to attain the state of life of the Buddha. The idea was that through carrying out the six practices of almsgiving, keeping the precepts, forbearance, assiduousness, meditation and obtaining wisdom, they could approach the state of life of the Buddha. Such a practice, carried out in lifetime after lifetime over a vast period of time, is termed "practicing toward enlightenment over a period of countless kalpas."

However, the Muryogi Sutra, which serves as an introduction to the Lotus Sutra, states [as quoted in a Gosho]: "[If you embrace this sutra,] you will naturally receive the benefits of the six paramitas without having to practice them" (MW-1, 63-64). In other words, even though we do not practice the six paramitas, by embracing the Lotus Sutra we are naturally endowed with their benefit.

Believe in the Gohonzon and Advance Together With the SGI

The "Distinctions in Benefits'' (17th) chapter of the Lotus Sutra explains that the benefit of those who understand and believe in the Lotus Sutra when they hear it expounded is great beyond measure. It says that their benefit will be a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, million times greater than the benefit of practicing the five paramitas (i.e., excluding the paramita of obtaining wisdom) for a period of "eight hundred thousand million nayutas of kalpas" (LS-17, 237).

The paramita of obtaining wisdom is excluded because this is the fundamental paramita; it is in a class by itself in terms of its importance relative to the other five paramitas. To put it another way, it might be said that the five paramitas are practiced in order to attain the paramita of wisdom. Buddhism always places the greatest importance on wisdom.

Therefore, Nichiren Daishonin says that practitioners in the Latter Day of the Law "who have just aroused aspiration for enlightenment" need not practice the five paramitas (MW-6, 218-19). This view of Buddhist practice --- expressed at a time when making offerings to priests, upholding the precepts and the other paramitas were being promulgated in earnest --- represents a great religious revolution.

Moreover, the Daishonin's Buddhism teaches the principle of "substituting faith for wisdom." Correct faith itself becomes wisdom. Through believing in the Gohonzon, we in the Latter Day of the Law can gain the same benefit as we would by carrying out all of the six paramitas, including the paramita of obtaining wisdom.

In conclusion, those who now believe in the Gohonzon and advance toward kosen-rufu together with the SGI can gain the benefit of the six paramitas. Those who persevere in carrying out activities for kosen-rufu together with others are leading lives of the highest wisdom. The examples of your many seniors in faith attest to this. When we look back on our lives later on, we can see this clearly. Because we practice faith, let us strive to live most wisely each day based on the principles of "faith manifesting itself in daily life" and "action manifesting itself in good health."

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