SGI-USA Study Curriculum

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

Our Concern for Kosen-rufu Enables Us To Become Buddhas

Shari-hotsu. Nyorai chiken. Kodai jinnon. Muryo muge. Riki. Mu-sho-i. Zenjo. Gedas. Sanmai. Jin nyu musai. Joju issai. Mi-zo-u ho.

"Shariputra, the wisdom of the Thus Come One is expansive and profound. He has immeasurable [mercy], unlimited [eloquence], power, fearlessness, concentration, emancipation and samadhis, and has deeply entered the boundless and awakened to the Law never before attained." (LS-2, 24)

In my last lecture, I discussed how "immeasurable mercy,' "unlimited eloquence,' "power' and fearlessness" are attributes of the Buddha's life that enable him to freely expound the Law.

Of these four powers, "fearlessness" means to expound the Law bravely and without fear. It indicates the Buddha's unshakable self confidence in expounding the Law.

The Buddha is fearless in his preaching in four ways. The first is in declaring that he is enlightened to the supreme truth; that is, he has great confidence in the Mystic Law. The second is in proclaiming that he has permanently extinguished all illusion; that is, he definitely will not be defeated by worries or sufferings. The third is in teaching people about delusions and hindrances that can obstruct the way to enlightenment; in other words, he encourages others to defeat the three obstacles and four devils. The fourth is in teaching people the definite path to attaining Buddhahood; that is, he vociferously proclaims that he has found the path to happiness.

Fearlessness means that when talking about these things, he does not have any fear. In short, fearlessness means courage arising from great confidence.

If you propagate Buddhism, then you are certain to meet with difficulties. Shakyamuni and Nichiren Daishonin, while fully aware of this, launched a campaign of words-their voices like the dignified roar of a lion-against the authorities of the religious world and the political rulers of their times. This is the epitome of fearlessness.

Nichiren Daishonin also urged his disciples to have no fear. And he said, "If Nichiren's disciples are cowardly, their prayers cannot be answered" (Gosho Zenshu, p. 840). He teaches that, while vigorously chanting the daimoku of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we should speak out for justice.

The Daishonin indicates that such actions exemplify the spirit indicated in this passage from "Emerging from the Earth" chapter of the Lotus Sutra: "'They [the Bodhisattvas of the Earth] are clever at difficult questions and answers,/ their minds know no fear"' (LS-15, 223).

This passage explains that the Bodhisattvas of the Earth are skilled at discussing difficult doctrine, and that they have not the slightest fear of their opponents in debate. The Bodhisattvas of the Earth are clever at questions and answers, and they bravely stand up to even the most powerful of enemies.

If you have fear, then you cannot say anything that will strike a chord in another person's heart. Nor will any wisdom well forth in your life.

Nikko Shonin says, "You should treasure those practitioners who are skilled in difficult debate, just as the late master [Nichiren Daishonin] did" (Gosho Zenshu, p. 1619).

We should treasure boundlessly those who spread the teaching. This is Nichiren Daishonin's spirit and Nikko Shonin's decree. The priesthood today has kicked over and trampled upon this teaching, and it has persecuted the SGI-a gathering without peer or precedent of people who spread the teaching.

Highly articulate and eloquent people are treasures of kosen-rufu. Eloquence does not mean verbosity; it is the power to win others' wholehearted understanding. Sometimes even a single word from a person of strong faith is enough to win the wholehearted understanding of someone whom not even a great scholar could reach. This is the power of wisdom, the power of character, the power of faith.

Amid a storm of calumny, all of you have been persistently carrying out dialogue of justice, unafraid of the winds of arrogant criticism. Without doubt you qualify as people of fearlessness, as people who "are clever in difficult questions and answers."

The Buddha Freely Spreads the Law Among the People

This passage further explains that the Buddha possesses "concentration," "emancipation" and "samadhis" and that he has deeply entered a boundless state of life and become enlightened to a great Law never before attained. Because he possessed such a firm and unshakable state of life, Shakyamuni could continuously expound the Law among the people with boundless freedom.

There simply are no Buddhas who spend all their time sitting in meditation. A Buddha is a Buddha precisely because he continually ponders and takes action to help others resolve their worries.

In that sense, all of you who concern yourselves over, and pray to resolve, the various problems encountered in the course of advancing kosen-rufu are most laudable. Each day, you grapple earnestly with issues relating to the happiness of friends, the advance of kosen-rufu, and the raising of capable people. Having these concerns makes you bodhisattvas; and for the same reason, you can develop the Buddha's state of life.

Your actions to challenge the great undertaking of kosen-rufu are comparable to those of the Buddha.

As I said in my last lecture, the wisdom and powers of the Buddha indicated by this passage are attributes of the state of life embodied in the Gohonzon; and we who embrace the Gohonzon can develop this same state of life. Also, as I have already noted, "concentration," "emancipation" and "samadhis" are included in our practice of gongyo and chanting daimoku.

In other words, to the extent that we earnestly rack our brains for kosen-rufu, to the extent that we take our problems to the Gohonzon, these attributes of the wisdom and power of the Buddha well forth in the depths of our being. This is what it means to read this passage with one's life.

In concrete terms, the Buddha's enlightened state of life and wisdom "never before attained" indicate none other than great confidence in the Gohonzon.

In this passage, Shakyamuni continues to praise the vast wisdom of the Buddha.

Shari-hotsu. Nyorai no. Shuju fun-betsu. Gyo ses sho ho. Gon-ji nyunan. Ekka shushin. Shari-hotsu. Shu yo gon shi. Muryo muhen. Mi-zo-u ho. Bus shitsu joju.

"Shariputra, the Thus Come One knows how to make various kinds of distinctions and to expound the teachings skillfully. His words are soft and gentle and can delight the hearts of the assembly."

"Shariputra, to sum it up: the Buddha has fully realized the Law that is limitless, boundless, never attained before." (LS-2,

Here, he says that, in the final analysis, it is because he, the Thus Come One, possesses "the Law that is limitless, boundless, never attained before," that he could skillfully expound his teachings in accordance with the people's understanding and circumstances and delight them with "soft and gentle" words.

Shakyamuni also says he could expound the Law in accordance with the worries and concerns of all people because of the abundant and profound "wisdom of the Buddhas" infusing his life. In this way, he indicates the vastness of the unparalleled Law he has attained.

This is the third time in the "Expedient Means" chapter that Shakyamuni has referred to a Law never before known or attained. Why has Shakyamuni said essentially the same thing to Shariputra three times since the start of the chapter?

For the voice-hearers and pratyekabuddhas, the "wisdom of the Buddhas" is an "infinitely profound and immeasurable" teaching that they cannot comprehend. Shakyamuni desperately wants to communicate to Shariputra and the others that there exists a realm of wisdom so vast as to be beyond even their imagination.

That is why he repeatedly alludes to the existence of a great Law never before known or attained. Shariputra and the others cannot comprehend the vast wisdom of the Buddha as long as they remain satisfied with their own shallow wisdom. For that reason, Shakyamuni courteously and repeatedly explains just how wondrous the wisdom of the Buddhas is.

Someone who says, "Since I explained it once, that's sufficient," lacks compassion. We should continue to conduct dialogue until the other person's life changes. Attaining the objective is what counts; to speak solely for purposes of self satisfaction is pointless.

As he spoke each word Shakyamuni must have been observing the changes in Shariputra's expression. While repeatedly praising the wisdom of the Buddhas, he was doubtless waiting for a great seeking spirit to arise in Shariputra's heart.

Shariputra certainly knew of Shakyamuni's greatness before this juncture. Still, his sense of respect for the grand scale of the Buddha's wisdom and his seeking spirit must have grown as he listened to Shakyamuni expound the "Expedient Means" chapter. "I wish I could hear this 'Law never before known," Shariputra probably thought as he aroused in himself a "seeking mind never before attained."

Praying for the Happiness of Others

"His words are soft and gentle" means that to his listeners the Buddha's words are soft and gentle. These are words that, while tender, reverberate with piercing conviction.

With such words, the Buddha caused people to feel joy, and so led them along to this point. Even though he is saying this with regard to the [pre-Lotus Sutra] teachings that he expounded "according to others' minds," it offers us an important guideline.

"Soft and gentle," here, does not simply mean kind. Such words are completely different from obsequious words whose intention is merely to be agreeable. They are words that touch a chord in others' lives, words that move people. That is, they express an understanding of others' feelings.

Moreover, since deep down everyone desires true happiness, words uttered with ardent prayer for someone's happiness, even if they are strong, are "soft and gentle"

The Daishonin says:

Even though one may resort to harsh words, if such words help the person to whom they are addressed, then they are worthy to be regarded as truthful words and gentle words. Similarly, though one may use gentle words, if they harm the person to whom they are addressed, they are in fact deceptive words, harsh words.

The Buddhist doctrines preached by scholars these days are regarded by most people as gentle words, truthful words, but in fact they are all harsh words and deceptive words. I say this because they are at variance with the Lotus Sutra, which embodies the Buddha's true intention. (The Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 4, p. 82)

Even words that on the surface seem polite may be vicious and destroy a person's heart. By contrast, strongly spoken words can warm the heart.

There is a saying: good advice jars the ear, good medicine tastes bitter. Obsequious words are dangerous.

Conducting Hope filled Dialogue in a Society Lacking 'Truthful Words'

What are genuine soft and gentle words? This is not determined by how harsh or kind the words sound. Rather, it depends on whether they are laden with value, and whether there is compassion in the heart of their speaker.

In society today, "truthful words" are few. We are deluged by words of self-interest and calculation, words intended to cause injury, and words of playful caprice. These days we simply don't hear words of truth that issue from the depths of one person's heart and penetrate the heart of another.

True words perfectly coincide with the actions of the speaker. Words spoken out of personal conviction, words on the basis of which we have lived our lives are certainly true words. True words are living words that issue from a lively and exuberant heart.

Nikko Shonin admonished against indulging in "idleness and chatter" (Gosho Zenshu, p. 1617). Similarly, President Toda likened words not based on faith to smoke.

In conclusion, "soft and gentle words" means words spoken in good faith. Such words are sincere; they are earnest; and they have propriety. Moreover, words that clearly convey what you want to say are "soft and gentle."

A poet writes, "Abrasive words point to their weak foundation." Courteous words are a sign of self-confidence.

With abundant self-confidence, let us conduct dignified dialogue, never losing our inner latitude, poise and humor. Such dialogue is the true "weapon" of a Buddhist.

Confusion of language portends confusion in society. In an age lacking "truthful words," our movement, which is based on dialogue, is becoming a great light of hope for the world.

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