Perfect Enlightenment Sutra

(Jpn.: Engaku-kyo; Chin.: Yüan-chyeh-ching)

An abbreviation of the Complete and Final Teaching on Perfect Enlightenment Sutra. A sutra translated into Chinese in 693 by Buddhatara who had gone to China from Kashmir. In this sutra, Shakyamuni explains the mystic principle of perfect enlightenment and the practice for its attainment to an audience of twelve bodhisattvas including Manjushri, Universal Worthy, and Maitreya. Contemporary scholars view this sutra as a work produced in China, where this sutra was widely read and a number of commentaries written on it. It had considerable influence on the Flower Garland (Hua-yen) and Zen (Ch'an) schools, and was regarded highly by the Zen school in particular.

(See also: Perfect Enlightenment Sutra, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Awakening vs. Enlightenment

A clear distinction should be made between awakening to the Way (Great Awakening) and attaining the Way (attaining Enlightenment). (Note: There are many degrees of Awakening and Enlightenment. Attaining the Enlightenment of the Arhats, Pratyeka Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, etc. is different from attaining Supreme Enlightenment, i.e., Buddhahood.)

To experience a Great Awakening is to achieve (through Zen meditation, Buddha Recitation, etc.) a complete and deep realization of what it means to be a Buddha and how to reach Buddhahood.

It is to see one's Nature, comprehend the True Nature of things, the Truth. However, only after becoming a Buddha can one be said to have truly attained Supreme Enlightenment (attained the Way).

A metaphor appearing in the sutras is that of a glass of water containing sediments. As long as the glass is undisturbed, the sediments remain at the bottom and the water is clear. However, as soon as the glass is shaken, the water becomes turbid. Likewise, when a practitioner experiences a Great Awakening (awakens to the Way), his afflictions (greed, anger and delusion) are temporarily suppressed but not yet eliminated.

To achieve Supreme Enlightenment (i.e., to be rid of all afflictions, to discard all sediments) is the ultimate goal. Only then can he completely trust his mind and actions. Before then, he should adhere to the precepts, keep a close watch on his mind and thoughts, like a cat stalking a mouse, ready to pounce on evil thoughts as soon as they arise.

To do otherwise is to court certain failure, as stories upon stories of errant monks, roshis and gurus demonstrate.

 (See also: Awakening vs. Enlightenment, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Enlightenment: A state in which one is aware of one's true nature. This is not necessarily a state of complete awareness, which would be nirvana.

 (See also: Enlightenment, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

Prophecy of future enlightenment

(Skt.: vyakarana; Pali.: veyüakarana; Jpn.: juki or kibetsu or wagarana)

A Buddha's prediction that a disciple (or disciples) will attain enlightenment in the future. One of the twelve divisions of the teachings, vyakarana is rendered as the prophecy of future enlightenment and indicates the part of a sutra in which Shakyamuni Buddha pronounces that a practitioner will attain Buddhahood in a future existence. Such prophecies are common in Mahayana sutras.

The Lotus Sutra contains a number of passages in which the Buddha predicts enlightenment for his disciples and foretells what their titles as future Buddhas will be as well as the names of their respective kalpas (eras) and Buddha lands.

In the "Simile and Parable" (third) chapter of the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha predicts the enlightenment of Shariputra, and in the "Bestowal of Prophecy" (sixth) chapter, Shakyamuni predicts enlightenment for the four great voice-hearers, Mahakashyapa, Subhuti, Katyayana, and Maudgalyayana. In the "Five Hundred Disciples" (eighth) and the "Prophecies" (ninth) chapters, Shakyamuni predicts enlightenment for other individual disciples as well as for groups of disciples, thousands in all. According to the Jataka, stories of the Buddha's previous lives, in a past existence Shakyamuni himself received a prophecy of enlightenment from the Buddha Burning Torch (Skt Dipamkara).

(See also: Prophecy of future enlightenment, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Land of Enlightened and Unenlightened Beings

(Jpn.: bonsho-dogo-do)

Also, Land of Sages and Common Mortals. Here ordinary people of the six paths live together with the sages of the four noble worlds.

See: Land of Sages and Common Mortals

(See also: Land of Enlightened and Unenlightened Beings, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

World-Honored One of Great Enlightenment

(Jpn.: Daikaku-seson)

Also, Greatly Enlightened World-Honored One. An honorific title of a Buddha, usually applied to Shakyamuni Buddha. "Great Enlightenment" indicates the Buddha's enlightenment. "World-Honored One" is one of the Buddha's ten honorific titles, meaning one who is revered by the people of the world.

(See also: World-Honored One of Great Enlightenment, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Awakening of Faith

(Jpn.: Kishin-ron)

See: Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana, The

(See also: Awakening of Faith, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Treatise on the Discipline for Attaining Enlightenment, The

(Chin.: P'u-t'i-tzu-liang-lun; Jpn.: Bodai-shiryo-ron)

A Chinese translation by Dharmagupta (d. 619), a monk from southern India, of a treatise consisting of original verses attributed to Nagarjuna (c. 150-250) and a prose commentary added later. It sets forth the six paramitas and other practices for bodhisattvas that are conducive to enlightenment.

(See also: Treatise on the Discipline for Attaining Enlightenment, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Precepts of perfect and immediate enlightenment

(Jpn.: endon-kai)

Also, perfect precepts. One of the three types of learning based on the teaching for perfect and immediate enlightenment, or the Lotus Sutra. The other two are perfect meditation and perfect wisdom.

Dengyo (767-822), the founder of the Japanese Tendai school, adopted the Mahayana precepts, specifically the ten major precepts and forty-eight minor precepts set forth in the Brahma Net Sutra, and interpreted them based on the Lotus Sutra, known in the T'ien-t'ai or Tendai doctrine as the teaching for perfect and immediate enlightenment, or perfect teaching. He thus laid the foundation for the establishment of an ordination platform for administering the precepts of perfect and immediate enlightenment.

(See also: Precepts of perfect and immediate enlightenment, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Treatise on the Mind Aspiring for Enlightenment, The

(Jpn.: Bodai-shin-ron; Chin.: P'u-t'i-hsin-lun)

A work attributed to Nagarjuna (c. 150-250) and translated into Chinese in the eighth century by Pu-k'ung (Skt Amoghavajra). Another account attributes the work itself to Pu-k'ung. No Sanskrit version is extant. The Treatise on the Mind Aspiring for Enlightenment teaches the important Buddhist concept of aspiration for enlightenment and encourages the development of a mind that seeks Buddhahood. It defines three aspects of a mind that aspires for enlightenment, from the standpoint of Esoteric Buddhism: (1) great compassion to save all living beings, (2) great wisdom to know what sutra is supreme, and (3) meditation. The work also explains various kinds of contemplation put forth in Esoteric Buddhism. Kobo, the founder of the Japanese True Word (Shingon) school, valued this work, and it was widely studied in his school.

(See also: Treatise on the Mind Aspiring for Enlightenment, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Buddhahood

(Jpn.: bukkai)

The state of awakening that a Buddha has attained. The ultimate goal of Buddhist practice and the highest of the Ten Worlds. The word enlightenment is often used synonymously with Buddhahood. Buddhahood is regarded as a state of perfect freedom, in which one is awakened to the eternal and ultimate truth that is the reality of all things. This supreme state of life is characterized by boundless wisdom and infinite compassion. The Lotus Sutra reveals that Buddhahood is a potential in the lives of all beings.

See: attainment of Buddhahood

(See also: Buddhahood, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Four stages of Hinayana enlightenment

(Jpn.: shi-ka)

Also, four stages of enlightenment or four fruits. Four levels of enlightenment that voice-hearers aim to attain, according to the Hinayana teachings.

In ascending order, they are

• the stage of the stream-winner (Skt srotaapanna ),
• the stage of the once-returner (sakridagamin),
• the stage of the non-returner (anagamin), and
• the stage of arhat.

The stage of the stream-winner indicates one who has entered the stream of the sages, in other words, the river leading to nirvana. At this stage, one has eradicated the illusions of thought in the threefold world.

At the stage of the once-returner, one has eradicated six of the nine illusions of desire in the world of desire. Due to the remaining illusions, one will be born next in the realm of heavenly beings and then once again in the human world before entering nirvana; hence the name once-returner.

Someone at the stage of the non-returner has eliminated the other three illusions of desire and will not be reborn in the world of desire.

At the stage of arhat, one has eliminated all the illusions of thought and desire in the threefold world and has freed oneself from transmigration in the threefold world or the six paths.

(See also: Four stages of Hinayana enlightenment, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime

(Jpn.: issho-jobutsu)

See: attainment of Buddhahood

(See also: Attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Self-awakened one

(Jpn.: dokkaku)

See: cause-awakened one

(See also: Self-awakened one, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Stage of progressive awakening

(Jpn.: bunshin-soku)

The fifth of the six stages of practice.

(See also: Stage of progressive awakening, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Attainment of Buddhahood by women

(Jpn.: nyonin jobutsu)

See: attainment of Buddhahood

(See also: Attainment of Buddhahood by women, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Seed of Buddhahood

(Jpn.: busshu)

The cause for attaining Buddhahood. The Buddha nature inherent in ordinary people, or the innate potential to become a Buddha; also the Buddha's teaching, which clarifies and enables people to realize their Buddha nature.

Bodhisattva practice, the practice required of a bodhisattva, is also regarded as the seed of Buddhahood. One ensures the cause for realizing enlightenment by receiving the Buddha's teaching, the seed of Buddhahood. Based on the Lotus Sutra, T'ien-t'ai (538-597) interpreted the seed of Buddhahood as the doctrine of three thousand realms in a single moment of life, and Nichiren (1222-1282) defined it as the Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

See: Sowing maturing and harvesting

(See also: Seed of Buddhahood, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Prophecy of Enlightenment for Five Hundred Disciples chapter

(Jpn.: Gohyaku-deshi-juki-hon)

Abbreviated as the "Five Hundred Disciples" chapter. The eighth chapter of the Lotus Sutra. At the beginning of the chapter, Purna rejoices at having understood the teaching of the one vehicle by hearing Shakyamuni tell, in the "Parable of the Phantom City" (seventh) chapter, of their relationship in the remote past when Shakyamuni was the sixteenth son of the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence. In this (eighth) chapter, Shakyamuni predicts that Purna will attain enlightenment in a future existence as a Buddha named Law Bright. Subsequently he prophesies that the twelve hundred arhat disciples in the assembly, including Kaundinya, will also attain Buddhahood. He first bestows this prophecy on five hundred arhats, and then on the remaining seven hundred. All twelve hundred, he says, will become Buddhas with the name Universal Brightness. To show their understanding of the one vehicle teaching, these five hundred arhats then relate the parable of the jewel in the robe.

(See also: Prophecy of Enlightenment for Five Hundred Disciples chapter, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Fundamental darkness

(Jpn.: gampon-no-mumyo)

Also, fundamental ignorance or primal ignorance. The most deeply rooted illusion inherent in life, said to give rise to all other illusions. Darkness in this sense means inability to see or recognize the truth, particularly, the true nature of one's life.

The term fundamental darkness is contrasted with the fundamental nature of enlightenment, which is the Buddha nature inherent in life.

According to the Shrimala Sutra, fundamental darkness is the most difficult illusion to surmount and can be eradicated only by the wisdom of the Buddha. T'ien-t'ai (538-597) interprets darkness as illusion that prevents one from realizing the truth of the Middle Way, and divides such illusion into forty-two types, the last of which is fundamental darkness. This illusion is only extirpated when one attains the stage of perfect enlightenment, the last of the fifty-two stages of bodhisattva practice.

Nichiren (1222-1282) interprets fundamental darkness as ignorance of the ultimate Law, or ignorance of the fact that one's life is essentially a manifestation of that Law, which he identifies as Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. In The Treatment of Illness, Nichiren states: "The heart of the Lotus school is the doctrine of three thousand realms in a single moment of life, which reveals that both good and evil are inherent even in those at the highest stage of perfect enlightenment.

The fundamental nature of enlightenment manifests itself as Brahma and Shakra, whereas the fundamental darkness manifests itself as the devil king of the sixth heaven". Nichiren thus regards fundamental darkness as latent even in the enlightened life of the Buddha, and the devil king of the sixth heaven as a manifestation or personification of life's fundamental darkness. The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings reads, "Belief is a sharp sword that cuts off fundamental darkness or ignorance."

(See also: Fundamental darkness, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Thirty-seven Limbs of Enlightenment

These are:

1. the four mindfulnesses;
2. the four right efforts;
3. the four bases of miraculous powers;
4. the five roots; e. the five powers;
5. the seven factors of enlightenment; and
6. the eightfold noble path

 (G.C.C. Chang).

 (See also: Thirty-seven Limbs of Enlightenment, Buddhism, Body Mind and Soul)

World of Buddhahood

(Jpn.: bukkai)

Also, realm of Buddhas. The highest of the Ten Worlds. When viewed as a state of life, the world of Buddhahood is a condition of absolute happiness, attained upon gaining the wisdom to realize the ultimate reality of one's own life and the compassion to direct one's activities constantly toward benevolent goals. A person in this state has access to boundless wisdom and compassion, as well as the courage and power to overcome any obstacle.

In Mahayana Buddhism, acquiring this state of life is the goal of Buddhist practice. In teachings based on the Lotus Sutra, in particular, the realm of Buddha-hood is not viewed as a realm apart from the nine worlds, or from the desires and sufferings of life in the real world. In this sense, it is different from the Hinayana view of nirvana, which is a complete annihilation of desire and suffering that can only be achieved fully upon annihilation of the physical body. Rather, in the world of Buddhahood, one is able to keep constantly in check life's innate "fundamental darkness," the source of destructive impulses and delusion, and function based on an inexhaustible supply of supreme wisdom.

In The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind, Nichiren states: "That ordinary people born in the latter age can believe in the Lotus Sutra is due to the fact that the world of Buddhahood is present in the human world".

(See also: World of Buddhahood, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Attainment of Buddhahood

(Jpn.: jobutsu)

To become a Buddha. Several principles concerning the attainment of Buddhahood or enlightenment have been expounded on the basis of the sutras:

(1) Attaining Buddhahood in one's present form.

This means to attain Buddha-hood just as one is, without discarding the body of a common mortal. Also referred to as attaining Buddhahood as a common mortal, this principle was formulated by the T'ien-t'ai school on the basis of the Lotus Sutra. According to many of the teachings other than the Lotus Sutra, one can attain Buddhahood only after having discarded the body of a common mortal that gives rise to earthly desires and illusions.

In contrast, the Lotus Sutra teaches that one can attain Buddhahood in one's present form, or as an ordinary person. This principle is often illustrated by the example of the dragon king's daughter who, according to the "Devadatta" (twelfth) chapter, attained Buddhahood in a single moment without changing her dragon form. The concept of attaining Buddhahood in one's present form contrasts with that of attaining Buddhahood through transformation of sex and character. The latter means, for example, that a woman must be reborn as a man in order to attain enlightenment.

(2) Attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime or in a single lifetime.

This concept contradicts the idea that one must practice over a period of many kalpas in order to attain Buddhahood. This concept is essentially the same as attaining Buddhahood in one's present form.

Other principles concern the attainment of Buddhahood by certain categories of people and derive from the Lotus Sutra per se:

(1) Attainment of Buddhahood by persons of the two vehicles.

In the first half of the Lotus Sutra, persons of the two vehicles-voice-hearers and cause-awakened ones-receive a prophecy from Shakyamuni Buddha that they will attain Buddhahood in future ages. This prophecy refutes the view of the provisional Mahayana teachings, which deny persons of the two vehicles the attainment of Buddhahood, for they seek only personal salvation and do not strive to save others. The Lotus Sutra says that they will practice the bodhisattva way and attain Buddhahood.

(2) Attainment of Buddhahood by women.

In the first half of the sutra, the dragon king's daughter attains Buddhahood, and Yashodhara, Mahaprajapati, and other women receive Shakyamuni's prophecy of their future enlightenment. Almost all sutras deny women the capacity for attaining Buddhahood and insist that they must be reborn as men in order to attain enlightenment. The Lotus Sutra, however, teaches that both women and men are equally endowed with the potential for Buddhahood, based on the teaching of the true aspect of all phenomena.

(3) Attainment of Buddhahood by evil persons.

Even those who oppose and slander the correct teaching of Buddhism, such as icchantikas, or persons of incorrigible disbelief, can attain Buddhahood through a reverse relationship. That is, because they establish a connection with the correct teaching by opposing it, though they receive the negative effect, eventually they profess faith in it and attain Buddhahood. In the Lotus Sutra, this idea is illustrated by the examples of Devadatta and those who ridiculed and attacked Bodhisattva Never Disparaging.

See also: enlightenment)