SGI-USA Study Curriculum

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

We Can Dwell in the Eternal Moment

Issai seken. Tennin gyu. Ashura. Kai i kon shaka-muni-butsu. Shu^shaku-shi gu. Ko gayajo fu on. Za o dojo. Toku a-noku-ta-ra san-myaku sanbodai. Nen zen-nanshi. Ga jitsu jo-butsu irai. Muryo muhen. Hyaku sen man noku. Nayuta ko.

"In all the worlds the heavenly and human beings and ashuras all believe that the present Shakyamuni Buddha, after leaving the palace of the Shakyas, seated himself in the place of practice not far from the city of Gaya and there attained "anuttara-samyak-sambodhi [the supreme perfect enlightenment]. But good men, it has been immeasurable, boundless, hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of nayutas of kalpas since I in fact attained Buddhahood." (Lotus Sutra, 225).¹

In this passage, Shakyamuni proclaims that he in fact attained enlightenment in the remote past, [as he will presently explain] in the time of gohyaku jintengo. This constitutes the core revelation of the "Life Span of the Thus Come One" chapter.

Shakyamuni calls out to the countless multitude of beings gathered at the Ceremony in the Air: Everyone supposes that, after abandoning my life at the palace and renouncing the world at the age of 19, I attained the supreme enlightenment for the first time at 30 near the city of Gaya beneath the Bodhi tree.

People thought that Shakyamuni had initially attained Buddhahood in his present existence. This view of his enlightenment is termed "initial attainment of enlightenment." They believed this because, throughout the earlier sutras and in the theoretical teaching (first half) of the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni consistently explained that he had attained Buddhahood for the first time in his present existence.

Here, in the "Life Span" chapter, however, he refutes this view --- which he himself had propounded --- and proclaims, "It has been immeasurable, boundless hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of nayutas of kalpas since I in fact attained Buddhahood" (LS, 225).

In other words, he reveals that he became a Buddha long ago in the inconceivably distant past. This is termed his "actual attainment [of enlightenment] in the remote past." Shakyamuni thus discards his provisional status as the Buddha who only attained the Way in his present lifetime and reveals his true identity as the Buddha who attained enlightenment in the remote past. This is termed "casting off the transient and revealing the true."

To those disciples listening to him expound the "Life Span" chapter, it must have seemed as though heaven and earth had been reversed. For the view he now expounded of his enlightenment in the remote past was as different from the view of his initial attainment in this lifetime as water is from fire.

Nichiren Daishonin says regarding this revelation, "But now all these passages [in other sutras and teachings supporting the view of Shakyamuni's initial attainment] have been exposed as gross falsehoods by this single pronouncement in the 'Juryo' chapter" (MW-2 [2nd ed.], 127)²

"Falsehoods" means lies. If the view, which Shakyamuni himself had propounded, that he only attained enlightenment for the first time in this lifetime is untrue, then the causes for attaining Buddhahood he had expounded during that time were also false. This came as a great shock because it meant the causes and effects of attaining Buddhahood that Shakyamuni had been preaching up to that time were false.

In "The Opening of the Eyes," the Daishonin says:

When we come to the essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra, then the belief that Shakyamuni first obtained Buddhahood during his present lifetime is demolished, and the effects of the four teachings are likewise demolished. When the effects of the four teachings are demolished, the causes of the four teachings are likewise demolished. Thus the cause and effect of the Ten Worlds as expounded in the earlier sutras and the theoretical teaching of the Lotus Sutra are wiped out, and the cause and effect of the Ten Worlds in the essential teaching are revealed. (MW-2 [2nd ed.], 88)

The "four teachings"³, simply put, indicates the earlier sutras and the theoretical teaching of the Lotus Sutra. In the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings, Shakyamuni explained that to "become a Buddha," it was necessary to terminate the life of the nine worlds, and that this served as the cause for attaining enlightenment.

And even in the theoretical teachings of the Lotus Sutra, although it is revealed that the world of Buddhahood exists within the lives of the beings of the nine worlds, the view of attaining Buddhahood of the earlier sutras still had not substantially been shaken off. This is because Shakyamuni himself was still preaching from the standpoint of the Buddha who had first attained enlightenment in his present existence; that is, from the point of view that to become a Buddha, one first had to eradicate the nine worlds.

However, in the "Life Span" chapter of the essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra, he explains that he actually attained enlightenment in the remote past and so refutes the causes and effects of attaining Buddhahood as expounded in the earlier sutras and the theoretical teaching of the Lotus Sutra.

Buddhist scriptures explain that in previous existences, Shakyamuni had practiced as Sessen Doji, as King Shibi or as a deer king. Needless to say, each of these incarnations took place long after the time in the remote past when he first attained Buddhahood. In other words, the revelation that Shakyamuni attained enlightenment in the remote past means that thereafter, when he practiced as a human, an animal or as a being of any of the nine worlds, he was taking on the appearance of a being of the nine worlds while in fact already possessing Buddhahood as his true identity.

This means that the life of the Buddha of actual attainment in the remote past is definitely endowed with, and can freely move through and employ, the nine worlds.

The world of Buddhahood eternally exists in life manifesting in the nine worlds, and the nine worlds eternally exist in the life of the Buddha. "Actual attainment in the remote past" indicates the view of life expressed by the principle of the mutual possession of the ten worlds. This is what "the cause and effect of the Ten Worlds in the essential teaching" in the above passage indicates.

This cause and effect, which is the true cause and effect of attaining Buddhahood, can only be clarified through the refutation of the view that Shakyamuni first attained enlightenment during his present lifetime and the revelation of his actual enlightenment in the remote past.

Even though Shakyamuni talks about attaining Buddhahood in the earlier sutras and in the theoretical teaching of the Lotus Sutra, since this discussion is based on the view that Shakyamuni first attained enlightenment during his present lifetime, it is as insubstantial as rootless grass.

In short, the Buddha of actual attainment in the remote past signifies life endowed with the ten worlds and existing eternally. In spatial terms, this is the cosmic life force; in temporal terms, it is eternal life. This is, in fact the ultimate nature of our own lives. "Actual attainment in the remote past" indicates opening or gaining access to the boundless and immeasurable life, the cosmic and eternal life.

'Kuon Ganjo' Is the Original Moment of Life

In the context of the sutra, "I" in the phrase "since I in fact attained Buddhahood" refers literally to Shakyamuni alone. It is his life that is said to be endowed with the ten worlds and to exist eternally.

However, from the standpoint of the implicit meaning of the passage, Nichiren Daishonin says: "'I' represents the living beings of the Dharma-realm. [It refers to] each and every one in the Ten Worlds" (Gosho Zenshu, p. 753).

In other words, he clarifies that not only Shakyamuni, but all people in the ten worlds are entities of the Buddha who attained enlightenment in the remote past. In essence, our own lives are endowed with the eternal life of the Buddha.

Only when this passage is read from the standpoint of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism is there explicit assurance that all people can attain Buddhahood. The Daishonin' s Buddhism, through what might be termed a --- "popular" or "humanist " --- interpretation. opens the words of the "Life Span" chapter to all people.

Our lives are eternal entities endowed with the ten worlds. Because Buddhahood exists in our lives from the beginningless past through the infinite future, so long as we can encounter the right external factors, then in any time and place we can open up and manifest the world of Buddhahood.

Therefore, it is unnecessary for us to practice for countless eons to attain Buddhahood, we can become Buddhas in the duration of this existence --- without having to practice in lifetime after lifetime without reaching our goal. Again, no matter how heavy our burden of karma, through tapping our inner life force we can revolutionize our existence.

This represents a fundamental transformation in the view of attaining enlightenment; a great shift in perspective on the cause and effect of becoming a Buddha.

Nichiren Daishonin clearly explained that this fundamental Law for attaining Buddhahood is the Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo embodied in his life and indicated himself to be the Nam-myoho-renge-kyo Thus Come One. And he manifested his own great life in the form of the Gohonzon, which he bestowed upon all people of the Latter Day of the Law.

In the "Ongi Kuden" (Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings), the Daishonin says, "'Remote past' means Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, and 'actual enlightenment' means awakening to the fact that one is eternally endowed with the three bodies" (Gosho Zenshu, p. 753). He also says: "'Attainment' means to open up or to gain access to. The beings of the Dharma-realm gain access to the life of the Buddha eternally endowed with the three bodies" (Gosho Zenshu, p. 753).

"Remote past" refers to the life existing eternally and endowed with the ten worlds; in other words, it indicates the Gohonzon, which is eternal and which embodies the ten worlds. "Actual attainment" refers to the manifestation of the Gohonzon existing within each of our lives and to gaining access to its benefit.

This is the meaning of "actual attainment in the remote past" from the standpoint of Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism. To distinguish this meaning from the literal meaning of the phrase in the context of Shakyamuni's teaching, it is also termed "time without beginning" or kuon ganjo.

Kuon ganjo does not simply indicate a point in time even more distant than the remote past of gohyaku jintengo; it means time without beginning or end. In light of its essential meaning, kuon ganjo could be said to represent the "original moment" of life. Once we awaken to the fundamental, primal origin of life, every moment throughout the three existences of primary existences of past, present and future becomes for us the moment of kuon ganjo. In essence, the Daishonin's Buddhism teaches a way of life based on kuon ganjo. It enables us to address the reality of our situations with a fresh, forward-looking spirit, always basing ourselves on life's "original moment."

For us who accept and believe in the Gohonzon and who carry out the practice of doing gongyo and chanting daimoku, each day is kuon ganjo. We can experience every moment as kuon ganjo.

The great author Romain Rolland wrote: "Live in today. Be reverent towards each day. Love it, respect it."⁴ Nichiren Daishonin taught the great joy of living in the "now" --- in the present moment, which contains both the eternal past and the infinite future.

Josei Toda, the second Soka Gakkai president, said regarding kuon ganjo:

"When we observe our existence, we find that in the time before gohyaku jintengo (i.e. in kuon ganjo) we lived with total freedom in a brilliant world of purity and joy. We were all beautiful in spirit and of life mind. We who once dwelled in such a sparkling world have now all emerged together in this saha world.

Looking back I feel as though it was only yesterday that we lived in that pure, pleasant world. How could we possible forget the brilliant world where we then dwelled? How could we forget the friends with whom we then joyously passed our lives in absolute freedom? And how could we forget the vows we made together at the assembly where the Lotus Sutra was expounded?

Since this saha world is a world inhabited originally by friends who are all joyful and pure and bright and on good terms with one another, is it not most pitiful and sad that, having been forced to drink the poisons of greed, anger and jealousy by proponents of the provisional Mahayana, Hinayana and non-Buddhist teachings, we have become like crazed children and have all forgotten the remote past?"⁵

Mr. Toda says that he recalls kuon ganjo as though it were only yesterday. Such was President Toda's immense state of life.

When we awaken to kuon ganjo, this saha world becomes a world that is fundamentally joyful, pure and bright. It becomes a world inhabited entirely by friends who are in harmony.

However, the reality is that this is a world of ceaseless misery and strife. For precisely this reason, we who dwell in the moment of kuon ganjo are exerting ourselves to carry out the widespread propagation of the Mystic Law for the sake of people's happiness and world peace.

Our daily activities, based on the prayer for the fundamental happiness of all people and realization of true world peace, represent a great movement to open up a new frontier of life.

Notes:

1. All quotations from the Lotus Sutra are from: The Lotus Sutra, trans. Burton Watson (New York: Columbia University Press, 1993). For purposes of convenience, all citations from this work will be given in the text and abbreviated as follows: Lotus Sutra followed by the page number.
2. Quotes from volume 2 of the Major Writings are from the second edition; the page number for the first edition is given in brackets.
3. The four teachings of doctrine are: 1) the Tripitaka teachings; 2) the connective teaching; 3) the specific teaching; and 4) the perfect teaching.
4. Romain Rolland, Jean-Christophe, trans. Gilbert Cannan (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1910), p. 352.
5. Toda Josei Zenshu (The Collected Works of Josei Toda) (Tokyo : Seikyo Shimbunsha, 1985), vol. 1, p. 342.

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