SGI-USA Study Curriculum

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

The Buddha's Struggle Never Ceases For an Instant

I sho shujo. U shuju sho. Shuju yoku. Shuju gyo. Shuju oku-so. Fun-bek^ko. Yoku ryo sho sho zengon. I nyakkan innen. Hiyu gonji. Shuju seppo. Shosa butsu-ji. Mi zo zan pai.

"Because living beings have different natures, different desires, different actions, and different ways of thinking and making distinctions, and because I want to enable them to put down good roots, I employ a variety of causes and conditions, similes, parables, and phrases and preach different doctrines. This, the Buddha's work, I have never for a moment neglected." (LS-16, 226)

The Buddha Vows To Lead All People to Enlightenment

This passage explains the Buddha's wisdom to benefit others. This is the Buddha's compassionate vow not to allow even a single person to fall behind or slip by the wayside.

The wisdom of the Buddha who perfectly perceives the true aspect of the threefold world is the "eye of mercy" to warmly watch over all people without discrimination. It is also the "eye of democracy" to respect the individuality of each person.

The Buddha who attained enlightenment in the remote past conducts heart-to-heart dialogue with individuals. Because his life is eternal, the Buddha may appear in any time or place.

Therefore, the Buddha never desists in struggling sincerely to lead all people to happiness. Without resting, the Buddha continuously racks his mind and takes action to relieve people of their sufferings. This passage clarifies that the Buddha has ceaselessly continued taking compassionate action, from the remote past to the present.

Those needing to be saved are innumerable, and they are highly individual and unique. Therefore, the Buddha dedicated to their salvation possesses a long life span, deep wisdom and immeasurable benefit.

Because the Buddha's struggles for others are boundless, the Buddha's benefit is immeasurable. Tremendous life force --- of a kind that those who take action only for themselves definitely cannot understand-wells forth in the Buddha's being.

"Living beings," Shakyamuni notes, "have different natures, different desires, different actions, and different ways of thinking and making distinctions." In one scripture, Shakyamuni employs a beautiful metaphor to describe people's widely varying capacities: "Some lotus flowers are blue, some are red and some are white. Some blossom under water, some reach the water's surface, and some stand up out of the water."

People vary in capacity and temperament. This is natural; it is reality. Such variety is proof of life. If people were all the same, they would be robots.

The Buddha highly respects these differences, this variety. A hundred people will have a hundred different joys. A thousand people will have a thousand unique sufferings. The Buddha regards the various sufferings of all people as his own. Therefore, the Buddha, possessing an accurate grasp of each person's unique disposition and desires, employs a variety of metaphors and words in expounding his teaching. And he raises people so that, ultimately, they can all attain the capacity to hear the teaching of the one Buddha vehicle.

In Shakyamuni's day, for example, there was a follower named Shuddhipanthaka. Shuddhipanthaka had a poor memory and, as a consequence, was unable to satisfactorily carry out the Buddhist practice of his peers. The time came when even his elder brother told him: "No matter how much you practice, it's no good. Go on home!"

Having been thus rebuked, Shuddhipanthaka, feeling very dejected, took his leave. Someone then approached him. It was Shakyamuni. The Buddha gently took Shuddhipanthaka by the hand and led him back. Shakyamuni then handed him a cloth used as a doormat. Shuddhipanthaka, too, was covered with dust. Shakyamuni told him, "Try to imagine this dusty rag as something clean."

There is in Buddhism a teaching that one should not be caught up with such external distinctions as "clean" or "unclean." True cleanliness, it teaches, exists only in the heart. Shuddhipanthaka could not understand Buddhism on a theoretical level; however, he had been so touched by Shakyamuni's compassion that by merely looking upon the mat that he associated with his mentor's kindness, he could maintain in his mind the thought "the doormat is pure." As a result, his practice became joyful, and he eventually became a leading disciple possessing the pure divine eye.

The Buddha definitely will not abandon anyone. Though everyone else might abandon others, the Buddha freely manifests his wisdom and saves each person.

"I employ a variety of causes and conditions, similes, parables, and phrases and preach different doctrines" means that the Buddha is a master at dialogue and an expert at discussion. The German philosopher Karl Jaspers (1883-1969) characterized Shakyamuni as one who freely employed verbal communication. Indeed, the Buddha expounds teachings with seamless freedom and saves all people with the resonance of his conviction.

The objective of the Buddha's dialogue is to enable people to "put down good roots" in their lives. The ultimate cause that can enable all people equally to attain happiness, therefore, is none other than Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

Faith in the Mystic Law is the greatest good cause. Teaching people about the Mystic Law constitutes the Buddha's supreme conduct. Accordingly, to teach friends about the Mystic Law is truly to carry out the Buddha's work.

A Person of Dynamic Action

In this sutra passage, Shakyamuni says, "I have never for a moment neglected," to describe the Buddha's actions. In other words, he has continued carrying out the Buddha's work without ceasing for even an instant. The Buddha is a stranger to rest. He will not desist until he has eradicated misery from the face of the earth.

Shakyamuni says: "Day and night, I have not a moment of regret. Even while sleeping, my heart is filled with the desire to save all people."

Therefore, so long as one individual needs to be liberated from suffering-even if that person is at the furthest end of the earth-the Buddha will continue advancing. Shakyamuni visited countless towns and villages to spread his teaching. According to research, he visited the kingdom of Shravasti more than 900 times. Also, records of his travels indicate that he visited Rajagriha in the capital of the kingdom of Magadha more than 120 times; that he visited Vaishali, the capital of the kingdom of Vriji, 49 times; that he visited Kapilavastu, where he grew up, 31 times; and that he visited the kingdom of Kaushambi 19 times.

Each of these sites was separated by hundreds of miles. And, of course, walking was the only mode of transportation available. In his final propagation tour immediately before his death, he covered as much as 400 miles. It seems to me likely that the Buddha's example, as this record of his travels well illustrates, in "never for a moment neglecting the Buddha's work" enabled his disciples to sense just how tremendous it is to be alive.

In general, Buddhism is viewed as a static religion, epitomized by the image of a meditating or a sitting Buddha. But the actual Shakyamuni was quite different. The true image of Shakyamuni is that of a dynamic walking Buddha, an active Buddha.

The Buddha is another name for a person of unceasing struggle. The Buddha continuously takes action to construct happiness for people, and to liberate people from all kinds of authority. "I have never for a moment neglected" describes this aspect of dynamic action and struggle.

Nichiren Daishonin, too, led a life of "never for a moment neglecting the Buddha's work." He surpassed even Shakyamuni in his capacity to propagate the teaching while enduring difficulties.

From the time he majestically proclaimed Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to the entire world in 1253, the Daishonin continued to struggle without rest for the happiness and peace of all people. His persecution at the hands of the authorities grew particularly severe after he produced his letter of remonstration, the "Rissho Ankoku Ron" (On Securing the Peace of the Land Through the Propagation of True Buddhism) in 1260.

The Daishonin was assailed by repeated storms of persecution. These included the Matsubagayatsu Persecution (1260), the Izu Exile (1261-63), the Komatsubara Persecution (1264), the Tatsunokuchi Persecution (1271) and the Sado Exile (1271-74). Yet, no matter how great the difficulties he encountered, the Daishonin says that he "never once felt inclined to retreat" (Gosho Zenshu, p. 1224). "The battle goes on even today" (MW-1, 101), he calmly states.

Even in his latter years at Mount Minobu, his life was anything but suggestive of retirement. While dwelling in a crude hut, he continued to energetically lecture his disciples on the Lotus Sutra and other teachings.

With fiery words, he took on the arrogant authorities and religious figures who were leading the people astray. At the same time, he continued to send a stream of warm encouragement to those plunged in suffering. One scholar goes so far as to characterize these letters, in view of their sheer volume, as a "global record."

Certainly, the Daishonin carried out the Buddha's work unceasingly; he never for a moment neglected the Buddha's work. "From the time that I was born until today," he says, "I, Nichiren, have never known a moment's ease" (MW-2, 257 [2nd ed., 305]).

And that is not all. The Daishonin inscribed the Gohonzon and eternalized the practice of immense compassion. He opened the path for the salvation of all people of the 10,000 years of the Latter Day of the Law. The Daishonin says, "If Nichiren's compassion is truly great and encompassing, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo will spread for ten thousand years and more, for all eternity" (MW-4, 272). There is no greater example of someone never for a moment neglecting the Buddha's work. How fortunate we are, indeed!

Regarding the passage "I have never for a moment neglected," Josei Toda, the second Soka Gakkai president, once said in a humorous vein, "While we have our Sundays, there is no such thing as a Sunday for the Gohonzon. It would be really inconvenient if the Gohonzon were to say to us, 'I'm taking today off.' Or if we were to develop a stomachache at night and go to chant to the Gohonzon, but found that the Gohonzon was sleeping and would not wake up."

He also remarked, "It is only natural that people such as ourselves should spend an hour or two a day working for others. Even so. our efforts amount to no more than a hundred-millionth or a quadrillionth of the work of the Buddha. Looking at things in this light we cannot help but try harder."

When setting off to attend a meeting or give guidance, 'President Toda often repeated to himself the phrase, "I have never for a moment neglected." Even if he was fatigued or physically weak, he would go out all the same, saying, "Since the Buddha never for a moment neglected his work, I, having dedicated my life to this mission, must also do my best." I can still hear his words ringing out.

My attitude is the same. As a follower of Nichiren Daishonin and as a disciple of Josei Toda, I have prayed and taken action for kosen-rufu without rest.

Buddhism is a practice of assiduity. It is because this spirit of "never for a moment neglecting the Buddha's work" exists in the Soka Gakkai that we have realized our present great development. There is no standing still for leaders of kosen-rufu.

That said, leaders should not unreasonably push members when they are fatigued or in need of rest. The secret of "never for a moment neglecting the Buddha's work" is to help people conduct themselves in a value-creating, rhythmical and joyful manner. Again, leaders should always think about and earnestly consider what they can do to make it possible for everyone to advance with burning hope. This single-minded determination is comparable to the Buddha's attitude in "never for a moment neglecting the Buddha's work."

Let us struggle forward not anxiously, but with composure. What does "I have never for a moment neglected" mean for us? It is to always struggle courageously and in high spirits. No matter what waves or adverse winds we encounter, we should stand up to face them with a fighting spirit. Doing so accords with this passage.

Having such a spirit directs our lives toward health and longevity. "I will fulfill my mission for the sake of others and for society." When we so determine, we are living the eternal way of the Buddha as characterized by the words "I have never for a moment neglected" in the "Life Span" chapter.

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