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)

Teacher of the true cause

(Jpn.: honnin-myo-no-kyoshu)

In Nichiren's teachings, the Buddha who expounds the fundamental Law, or the true cause, that enables all people to attain Buddhahood.

In the "Life Span" (sixteenth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni reveals the true effect, or the Buddhahood that he attained numberless major world system dust particle kalpas ago. He does not, however, fully clarify the true cause of, i.e., the practice that led to, his enlightenment. Hence, he is called the teacher of the true effect. In contrast, Nichiren taught that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the Law implicit in the "Life Span" chapter and is the cause of enlightenment for all people. Because he clarified the true cause for attaining Buddhahood, he is called the teacher of the true cause, and his Buddhism, the Buddhism of the true cause, or the Buddhism of sowing that implants the seeds of enlightenment in the lives of those who practice it.

(See also: Teacher of the true cause, 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)

Teacher of the true effect

(Jpn.: honga-myo-no-kyoshu)

In Nichiren's teachings, Shakyamuni Buddha. In the "Life Span" (sixteenth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni reveals the true effect, the Buddhahood he attained numberless major world system dust particle kalpas ago. He alludes to the cause of that enlightenment only with the words "Originally I practiced the bodhisattva way," and does not clarify the teaching or Law that he practiced to attain Buddhahood.

Shakyamuni Buddha is called the teacher of the true effect because he revealed his original enlightenment as a result already achieved-as an effect-and did not specify its cause. Nichiren defined the true cause that enabled Shakyamuni and all other Buddhas to attain enlightenment as the Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo; he is therefore called the teacher of the true cause.

(See also: Teacher of the true effect, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi (Skt)

(Jpn.: anokutara-sammyaku-sambodai or mujo-shoto-shogaku)

Supreme perfect enlightenment, the unsurpassed enlightenment of a Buddha. Anuttara means supreme, highest, incomparable, unsurpassed, or peerless. Samyak means right, correct, true, accurate, complete, or perfect, and sambodhi means enlightenment. The expression samyak-sam-bodhi by itself is also used to mean perfect enlightenment. Bodhi and sambodhi also mean wisdom or perfect wisdom. In this sense, anuttara-samyak-sambodhi means supreme perfect wisdom.

(See also: Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Attainment of Buddhahood by persons of the two vehicles

(Jpn.: nijo-sabutsu)

See: attainment of Buddhahood

(See also: Attainment of Buddhahood by persons of the two vehicles, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Attainment of Buddhahood by evil persons

(Jpn.: akunin jobutsu)

See: attainment of Buddhahood

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

Attaining Buddhahood in one's present form

(Jpn.: soku-shin-jobutsu)

See: attainment of Buddhahood

(See also: Attaining Buddhahood in one's present form, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Four ranks of sages

(Jpn.: shie)

Buddhist teachers to be relied upon after Shakyamuni Buddha's death. They are explained in the Nirvana and other sutras, which classify them into four ranks according to their level of understanding.

The first rank refers to the voice-hearers who have yet to attain any of the four stages of Hinayana enlightenment.

The second rank refers to those who have attained the first stage, that of the stream-winner (Skt srota-apanna ), or one who has entered the metaphorical river leading to nirvana; and to those the second stage, that of the once-returner (sakridagamin), or one who must undergo only one more rebirth in the human world before entering nirvana.

The third rank refers to those who have attained the third stage, that of non-returner (anagamin), or one who will never be reborn in this world.

The fourth rank refers to those who have eliminated the illusions of thought and desire and attained the fourth and highest stage, that of arhat.

T'ien-t'ai (538-597) and Chang-an (561-632) correlated the four ranks to the fifty-two stages of bodhisattva practice in The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra and The Annotations on the Nirvana Sutra, respectively.

From this viewpoint,

• persons of the first rank correspond to those who have not yet attained the first stage of security.
• Persons of the second rank correspond to those in the ten stages of security.
• Persons of the third rank correspond to those in the ten stages of practice and the ten stages of devotion.
• Persons of the fourth rank correspond to those in the ten stages of development and the stage of near-perfect enlightenment, in which one has almost reached the enlightenment of the Buddha.

Though the four ranks represent the four levels of understanding, "the four ranks of sages" is also a general term for reliable Buddhist teachers, irrespective of how they fit into the above classification. If they are bodhisattvas, they are also referred to as the four ranks of bodhisattvas.

(See also: Four ranks of sages, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Sowing maturing and harvesting

(Jpn.: shu-juku-datsu)

The three-phase process by which a Buddha leads people to Buddha-hood. In The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra, T'ien-t'ai (538-597) set forth this concept based on the Lotus Sutra, comparing the process of people attaining Buddhahood to the growth of a plant. In the first stage, "sowing," the Buddha plants the seeds of Buddhahood in the lives of the people, just as a gardener sows seeds in the soil. Nichiren (1222- 1282) states in The Essentials for Attaining Buddhahood, "The Buddha is like the sower, and the people like the field". In the second stage, the Buddha nurtures the seeds he has planted by helping the people practice the teaching and leading them gradually to Buddhahood. This stage is compared to the gardener's care for the sprouting and growth of a plant and is called "maturing." In the third and final stage, the Buddha leads the people to reap the harvest of enlightenment, enabling them to attain Buddhahood. This is comparable to the gardener reaping the fruit of a plant and is called "harvesting."

The process of sowing, maturing, and harvesting is described as taking place over countless kalpas. From the viewpoint of the essential teaching (latter half ) of the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni first planted the seeds of enlightenment in the lives of his disciples numberless major world system dust particle kalpas in the past. He then nurtured them as the sixteenth son of the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence major world system dust particle kalpas in the past and later as the Buddha in India by preaching the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings and the theoretical teaching (first half ) of the Lotus Sutra. He finally brought them to fruition, or enlightenment, with the "Life Span" (sixteenth) chapter of the Lotus Sutra. Seen from this perspective, Shakyamuni's essential teaching was expounded for the purpose of reaping the harvest of enlightenment and accordingly is called the teaching of the harvest. The pre-Lotus Sutra teachings and the theoretical teaching, through which Shakyamuni nurtured his disciples' capacity for enlightenment, are regarded as the teaching of maturing. As a whole, Nichiren refers to Shakyamuni's teachings as the Buddhism of the harvest.

In The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind, Nichiren states: "He Shakyamuni planted the seeds of Buddhahood in their lives in the remote past numberless major world system dust particle kalpas ago and nurtured the seeds through his preaching as the sixteenth son of the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence major world system dust particle kalpas ago and through the first four flavors of teachings the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings and the theoretical teaching in this life. Then with the essential teaching he brought his followers to the stage of near-perfect enlightenment and finally to that of perfect enlightenment" (369-70). In the same work, Nichiren writes: "The essential teaching of Shakyamuni's lifetime and that revealed at the beginning of the Latter Day are both pure and perfect in that both lead directly to Buddha-hood. Shakyamuni's, however, is the Buddhism of the harvest, and this is the Buddhism of sowing. The core of his teaching is one chapter and two halves, and the core of mine is the five characters of the daimoku alone". Though "one chapter and two halves" indicates that Shakyamuni planted the seeds of Buddhahood in the lives of his followers, the teaching of sowing is "hidden in the depths of the 'Life Span' chapter" of the Lotus Sutra. More specifically, it is hidden in the sentence "Originally I practiced the bodhisattva way."

Nichiren referred to the hidden teaching as "the seed of Buddhahood, that is, the three thousand realms in a single moment of life" in The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind (365). In The Opening of the Eyes, he writes: "This is the doctrine of original cause and original effect. It reveals that the nine worlds are all present in beginningless Buddha-hood and that Buddhahood is inherent in the beginningless nine worlds. This is the true mutual possession of the Ten Worlds, the true hundred worlds and thousand factors, the true three thousand realms in a single moment of life". This indicates the eternal Mystic Law that enables people to reveal Buddhahood from their beginningless nine worlds. Originally Shakyamuni practiced the bodhisattva way as a common mortal with this Law as his teacher and thus realized and manifested his inherent Buddhahood.

In contrast with Shakyamuni's Buddhism, Nichiren identified his teaching as the Buddhism of sowing and defined the daimoku of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as the teaching for planting the seeds of enlightenment. Because Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the law of the simultaneity of cause and effect, it contains within it all three stages of sowing, maturing, and harvesting. The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra refers to two types of people: those who received the seeds of Buddhahood and have good roots and those who do not. According to Nichiren, people in the Latter Day of the Law never received the seeds of Buddhahood from the Buddha in the past and must therefore first receive the seeds of Buddhahood in their lives. Then they can complete the whole process of maturing and harvesting in this lifetime. Nichiren established the object of devotion called the Gohonzon, embodying in it the Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as a means for people to plant the seeds of Buddha-hood in their lives and reap the fruit of Buddhahood. In Nichiren's teaching, the practice for doing so involves chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with faith in the Gohonzon.

See: Teacher of the true effect, Teacher of the true cause

(See also: Sowing maturing and harvesting, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Expedient Means chapter

(Jpn.: Hoben-bon)

The second chapter of the Lotus Sutra, in which Shakyamuni Buddha reveals that the purpose of a Buddha's advent in the world is to lead all people to enlightenment. Shakyamuni shows that all people have the potential for Buddhahood, namely, that Buddhahood is not separate from ordinary people but is inherent in their lives.

This principal chapter of the theoretical teaching (first half of the Lotus Sutra), together with the "Life Span" (sixteenth) chapter of the essential teaching (latter half ), constitutes one of the two pivotal chapters of the entire sutra. At the beginning of this chapter, Shakyamuni arises from the deep meditation he had entered in the Immeasurable Meanings Sutra, the prologue to the Lotus Sutra, and addresses Shariputra, declaring that the wisdom of the Buddhas is infinitely profound and immeasurable, far beyond the comprehension of voice-hearers and cause-awakened ones. Only Buddhas, he says, can realize the true aspect of all phenomena, which consists of appearance, nature, entity, power, influence, internal cause, relation, latent effect, manifest effect, and consistency from beginning to end.

This revelation that all living beings of the Ten Worlds are innately endowed with and can manifest the true aspect identified as "the ten factors of life" establishes a theoretical basis for the subsequent assertion that all people have the potential to attain Buddhahood. Based on this passage, T'ien-t'ai (538-597) established the principle of three thousand realms in a single moment of life.

Shakyamuni then reveals that the Buddhas make their advent for "one great reason": to enable all people to attain the same enlightenment as themselves. According to the chapter, their purpose 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 induce living beings to enter the path of Buddha wisdom." Shakyamuni goes on to state that the three vehicles, or the teachings for voicehearers, cause-awakened ones, and bodhisattvas, are not ends in themselves, but are expedient means by which he leads people to the one Buddha vehicle. This concept is referred to as "the replacement of the three vehicles with the one vehicle."

(See also: Expedient Means chapter, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana, The

(Jpn.: Daijo-kishin-ron; Chin.: Ta-ch'eng-ch'i-hsin-lun)

Abbreviated as Awakening of Faith. A work traditionally attributed to Ashvaghosha, a Mahayana scholar who lived from the first through the second century, though opinions on this differ. There are two Chinese translations of this work, the first done in 550 by Paramartha, who had gone from India to China, and the second around 700 by Shikshananda, a monk from Khotan in Central Asia. Paramartha's version has been the more popular. Awakening of Faith sets forth the fundamental doctrines of Mahayana Buddhism and attempts to awaken people to faith in it. It specifically takes up the concept of tathata, literally thusness or suchness, meaning the true aspect of reality. It was widely studied in China and Japan, and in China several commentaries on it were written.

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

Six stages of practice

(Jpn.: roku-soku)

Also, six identities. Six stages in the practice of the Lotus Sutra formulated by T'ien-t'ai (538-597) in Great Concentration and Insight. They are as follows:

(1)         The stage of being a Buddha in theory. At this stage one has not yet heard the correct teaching and is ignorant of Buddhism. Nevertheless, a single moment of life is in itself identical to the truth of the matrix of the Thus Come One; in other words, one is a potential Buddha.

(2)         The stage of hearing the name and words of the truth. At this stage through the spoken or written word one comes to an intellectual understanding that one has the Buddha nature and that all phenomena are manifestations of the Buddhist Law. This may take place through reading or hearing the words of the sutras.

(3)         The stage of perception and action. Here one perceives the truth of the Buddha nature within oneself through practice, the truth and the wisdom to perceive it are in accord with each other, and one's words match one's actions.

(4)         The stage of resemblance to enlightenment. At this stage, one eliminates the first two of the three categories of illusion and attains purification of the six sense organs. Having advanced this far, one's wisdom resembles that of a Buddha. In terms of the fifty-two stages of practice, this stage corresponds to the first ten stages, the ten stages of faith.

(5)         The stage of progressive awakening. This is the stage at which one eradicates all illusions except fundamental darkness and awakens progressively to the truth of one's Buddha nature. In terms of the fifty-two stages, it corresponds to the eleventh (the first stage of security) through the fifty-first (the stage of near-perfect enlightenment).

(6)         The stage of ultimate enlightenment, or the highest stage of practice. At this stage, one finally eliminates fundamental darkness and fully manifests the Buddha nature. This corresponds to the stage of perfect enlightenment, the last of the fifty-two stages.

T'ien-t'ai taught that all people at whatever stage of practice are equally endowed with the potential for Buddhahood. In this way he prevented his disciples from falling into the error of self-deprecation or becoming discouraged. On the other hand, possessing the Buddha nature is not the same as attaining Buddhahood. T'ien-t'ai therefore divided practice into six progressive stages to prevent his disciples from falling into the error of arrogance and relaxing their efforts. In Great Concentration and Insight, he states: "If one lacks faith, one will object that it pertains to the lofty realm of the sages, something far beyond the capacity of one's own wisdom to understand. If one lacks wisdom, one will become puffed up with arrogance and will claim to be the equal of the Buddha."

The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings gives Nichiren's (1222-1282) interpretation of the six stages of practice: "Speaking in terms of the six stages of practice, the Thus Come One in this 'Life Span' chapter is an ordinary mortal who is in the first stage, that of being a Buddha in theory. When one reverently accepts Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, one is in the next stage, that of hearing the name and words of the truth. That is, one has for the first time heard the daimoku. When, having heard the daimoku, one proceeds to put it into practice, this is the third stage, that of perception and action. In this stage, one perceives the object of devotion that embodies the three thousand realms in a single moment of life. When one succeeds in overcoming various illusions and obstacles, this is the fourth stage, that of resemblance to enlightenment. When one sets out to convert others, this is the fifth stage, that of progressive awakening. And when one comes at last to the realization that one is a Buddha eternally endowed with the three bodies, then one is a Buddha of the sixth and highest stage, that of ultimate enlightenment.

"Speaking of the chapter as a whole, the idea of gradually overcoming delusions is not the ultimate meaning of the 'Life Span' chapter. You should understand that the ultimate meaning of this chapter is that ordinary mortals, just as they are in their original state of being, are Buddhas.

"And if you ask what is the action or practice carried out by the Buddha eternally endowed with the three bodies, it is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo."

(See also: Six stages of practice, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Planting the seeds of Buddhahood

(Jpn.: geshu)

Also, sowing the seeds of Buddhahood. One of the three benefits described in T'ien-t'ai's teachings: the benefits of sowing, maturing, and reaping the seeds of Buddhahood. The process of attaining Buddhahood is compared to that of cultivating plants. In this regard, Nichiren (1222-1282) states, "The Lotus Sutra is like the seed, the Buddha like the sower, and the people like the field". In teaching people, the Buddha begins by sowing the seeds of Buddhahood in their lives. The phase of sowing is divided into two stages: First, the Buddha causes the people to hear his teaching, and second, he leads them to take faith in it. These are termed respectively "sowing the seeds by letting one hear the teaching" (Jpn mompogeshu ) and "sowing the seeds by leading one to arouse faith in the teaching" (hosshin-geshu).

There are cases in which a person takes faith immediately upon hearing the teaching. There are also cases in which someone hears the teaching and later takes faith. In either case, the Buddha's teaching has the power to influence one's life, whether or not one takes faith in it immediately. In The Annotations on "The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra," Miao-lo (711-782) states: "Whether one accepts or rejects the teaching, it enters one's ears and one thus establishes a bond with it. And then, though one may comply with or go against it, in the end one will be able to achieve liberation because of this bond." "Sowing the seeds by letting one hear the teaching" in this sense means that simply by hearing the Law one forms the cause, or seed, for attaining Buddhahood eventually, even if one should reject it initially.

See: Sowing maturing and harvesting

(See also: Planting the seeds of Buddhahood, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Fifty-two stages of bodhisattva practice

(Jpn.: gojuni-i)

Also, fifty-two stages of practice. The stages through which bodhisattvas advance from the time of their initial resolve until they finally attain Buddhahood. The fifty-two stages are enumerated in the Jeweled Necklace Sutra and consist of ten stages of faith, ten stages of security, ten stages of practice, ten stages of devotion, ten stages of development, the stage of near-perfect enlightenment, and the stage of perfect enlightenment. The Brahma Net Sutra divides bodhisattva practice into forty stages. The Benevolent Kings Sutra divides it into fifty-one stages, and there is an explanation elsewhere that sets forth forty-one stages.

(See also: Fifty-two stages of bodhisattva practice, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Attainment of Buddhahood in the remote past

(Jpn.: kuon jitsujo)

Shakyamuni's original attainment of enlightenment in the inconceivably remote past as related in the "Life Span" (sixteenth) chapter of the essential teaching (latter fourteen chapters) of the Lotus Sutra. In this chapter, Shakyamuni discloses that he actually attained enlightenment in the distant past. He then illustrates in rather awe-inspiring detail the cosmic proportions of the time that has elapsed since then, the magnitude of which is abbreviated as "numberless major world system dust particle kalpas." Nothing Shakyamuni had taught until this point challenged people's basic assumption that he had attained enlightenment in his present lifetime after sitting in meditation under the bodhi tree near Gaya, India.

This is the assumption upheld in the theoretical teaching (first fourteen chapters) of the Lotus Sutra and in the other sutras. Through this revelation in the "Life Span" chapter, however, Shakyamuni demolishes the belief that he attained enlightenment for the first time in his present lifetime. The "Life Span" chapter says: "In all the worlds the heavenly and human beings and asuras all believe that the present Shakyamuni Buddha, after leaving the palace of the Shakyas, seated himself in the place of meditation not far from the city of Gaya and there attained 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."

(See also: Attainment of Buddhahood in the remote past, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Cause-awakened one

(Jpn.: engaku; Skt.: pratyekabuddha)

Also, self-awakened one. One who perceives the twelve-linked chain of causation, or the truth of causal relationship. Cause-awakened one also means those who, in an age when there is no Buddha, realize on their own the truth of impermanence by observing natural phenomena. Because their awakening is self-gained, cause-awakened ones are also called self-awakened ones. Together with voice-hearers, they constitute the persons of the two vehicles. Unlike bodhisattvas, they seek their own emancipation without thought of preaching for and instructing others.

The Sanskrit term pratyekabuddha means "independently enlightened one" or "individually enlightened one." In the early Chinese translations of Buddhist scriptures, it was rendered cause-awakened one, which implies one enlightened through perceiving causal relation ship. The Treatise on the Meaning of the Mahayana, written by Hui-yüan (523-592), describes pratyekabuddha as one who perceives the twelve-linked chain of causation or who awakens to the truth by observing natural phenomena such as the scattering of blossoms or the falling of leaves. Later the term was rendered as self-awakened one.

In The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra, T'ien-t'ai (538-597) distinguishes these two types of pratyekabud-dha-cause-awakened ones and self-awakened ones. Mahayana, which upholds practice to benefit others, referred to the vehicle of pratyekabuddha, or the teaching that leads one to the state of pratyekabuddha, as Hinayana (Lesser Vehicle), because it concerns only one's own salvation. The realm of cause-awakened ones is also viewed as a condition of life, in which one perceives the transience of life in the six paths and strives to free oneself from the six paths by seeking eternal truth through one's own effort. This realm or state constitutes the eighth of the Ten Worlds.

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

Land of Sages and Common Mortals

(Jpn.: bonsho-dogo-do)

Also, Land of Enlightened and Unenlightened Beings. Literally, "the land where common mortals and sages dwell together" and thus called "land of co-dwelling" for short. One of the four kinds of lands described in the doctrine of the T'ien-t'ai school. This is divided into two categories: impure lands of co-dwelling and pure lands of co-dwelling. The impure lands include this saha world, where common mortals of the six paths (the realms of hell, hungry spirits, animals, asuras, human beings, and heavenly beings) and sages of the four noble worlds (the realms of voice-hearers, cause-awakened ones, bodhisattvas, and Buddhas) dwell together. The pure lands include Amida Buddha's Pure Land of Perfect Bliss, where human beings and heavenly beings are said to live together with the people of the three vehicles (voice-hearers, cause-awakened ones, and bodhisattvas) and the Buddha.

(See also: Land of Sages and Common Mortals, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Treatise on the Treasure Vehicle of Buddhahood, The

(Skt.: Ratnagotravibhaga-mahayanottaratantra-shastra; Chin.: Chiu-ching-i-ch'eng-pao-hsing-lun; Jpn.: Kukyo-ichijo-hosho-ron)

A work by Saramati, a Mahayana scholar of India, translated into Chinese in the sixth century by Ratnamati. It asserts that all beings possess the "matrix of the Thus Come One" (Skt tathagata-garbha, also called the matrix of the Tathagata) or the Buddha nature, and that even icchantikas, persons of incorrigible disbelief, can attain Buddhahood eventually. This treatise is generally thought to have been written sometime around the end of the fourth or the beginning of the fifth century. Tibetan tradition attributes the verses of this work to Maitreya and commentaries on them to Asanga. Maitreya and Asanga were also Mahayana scholars.

(See also: Treatise on the Treasure Vehicle of Buddhahood, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Inclusion of Buddhahood in the nine worlds

(Jpn.: kukai-soku-bukkai or kukai-shogu-no-bukkai)

The principle that the world of Buddhahood is inherent in the nine worlds. That is, all beings of the nine worlds possess the potential for Buddhahood (i.e., the Buddha nature). The nine worlds refer to the realms of hell, hungry spirits, animals, asuras, human beings, heavenly beings, voice-hearers, cause-awakened ones, and bodhisattvas. These realms also signify inherent conditions or states of life that beings manifest at any given moment. The nine worlds are contrasted with the world of Buddhahood in that they are realms or states of illusion and suffering, while Buddha-hood is a state of enlightenment free from illusion and suffering.

The principle of Buddhahood as a potential within the nine worlds means that the beings of the nine worlds, i.e., those who are deluded, inherently possess the state of Buddhahood and can manifest Buddhahood from within their lives. This concept is derived from the Lotus Sutra, particularly the "Expedient Means" (second) chapter. Together with the inclusion of the nine worlds within Buddhahood, it explains T'ien-t'ai's concept of the mutual possession of the Ten Worlds. The chapter reads, "The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, wish to open the door of Buddha wisdom to all living beings." Nichiren says, "This refers to the world of Buddhahood inherent in the nine worlds". That is, Buddhahood is inherent in all living beings.

(See also: Inclusion of Buddhahood in the nine worlds, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

World of cause-awakened ones

(Jpn.: engaku-kai)

Also, realm of cause-awakened ones or world of realization. The eighth of the Ten Worlds and one of the four noble worlds. Cause-awakened ones (Skt pratyekabuddha ) are those who awaken to the impermanence of all phenomena by perceiving the twelve-linked chain of causation or by observing natural phenomena. While they seek personal emancipation, they tend not to share it with others. For this reason, various sutras describe them as being reprimanded by Shakyamuni Buddha.

When viewed as a state of life, the world of cause-awakened ones is a condition in which one perceives the transience of all things and strives to free oneself from the sufferings of the six paths, seeking to learn the way to self-improve-ment through personal effort and direct observation of the world. In this world, a sense of the impermanence of all things causes one to aspire for something eternal and unchanging. The world of cause-awakened ones and that of voice-hearers constitute the two vehicles. In The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind, Nichiren states: "The fact that all things in this world are transient is perfectly clear to us. Is this not because the worlds of the two vehicles are present in the human world?".

(See also: World of cause-awakened ones, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)

Inclusion of the nine worlds in Buddhahood

(Jpn.: bukkai-soku-kukai or bukkai-shogu-no-kukai)

The principle that the nine worlds are inherent in Buddhahood. That is, the world of Buddhahood possesses the nine worlds, i.e., the world of hell, the world of hungry spirits, the world of animals, the world of asuras, the world of human beings, the world of heavenly beings, the world of voice-hearers, the world of cause-awakened ones, and the world of bodhisattvas. The nine worlds indicate realms or states of life that are tainted by illusions and suffering.

According to this principle, a Buddha does not eradicate the nine worlds even after attaining enlightenment, but retains and uses them to save the people. In other words, even when one has attained Buddhahood, the nine worlds continue to exist in one's life, as does the potential for suffering and illusions. This principle is derived from the Lotus Sutra, particularly the "Life Span" (sixteenth) chapter, and with the inclusion of Buddhahood in the nine worlds explains T'ien-t'ai's concept of the mutual possession of the Ten Worlds.

The "Life Span" chapter reads: "The scriptures expounded by the Thus Come One are all for the purpose of saving and emancipating living beings. Sometimes I speak of myself, sometimes of others; sometimes I present myself, sometimes others; sometimes I show my own actions, sometimes those of others. All that I preach is true and not false." T'ien-t'ai (538-597) interprets "myself " in the quotation as the Buddha's Dharma body and "others" as his manifested body. He says that, when the Buddha teaches directly from the standpoint of his enlightenment, he speaks of "myself " (Buddhahood), and when he teaches in accord with the people's capacity, he speaks of "others" (the nine worlds).

(See also: Inclusion of the nine worlds in Buddhahood, Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment, Buddhism Enlightenment Dictionary)