The Sanjō Wasan (三帖和讃) is a collection of three Japanese hymns written by Jōdo Shinshū founder, Shinran . Alternative English titles have been given such as the " Three Eulogies " and " Three Pure Land Poems ." The Sanjō Wasan was formally designated a National Treasure of Japan.
80-656: The text consists of the Jōdo Wasan (浄土和讃 Hymns of the Pure Land ), Kōso Wasan (高僧和讃 Hymns of the Pure Land Masters ) and Shōzōmatsu Wasan (正像末和讃 Hymns of the Dharma Ages ). The Jōdo Wasan is composed of 118 verses, classified as follows: The Kōso Wasan is composed of 119 verses, classified as follows: The Shōzōmatsu Wasan is composed of 116 verses, classified as follows: Pure Land Pure Land
160-475: A "pure vision" of this realm as being the pure realm of the deity, along with the visualization of their chosen deity . To fail to do this at all times is a deviation from the tantric practice and the esoteric view taught in the tantras . As explained by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche : Mandalas , especially sand mandalas , are 'Pure Lands' and may be understood as Nirmāṇakāya , as are all murti , thangka and sacred tools that have consecrated, dedicated and
240-465: A Pure Land. The Buddha then opens the stupa. Thereafter Prabhūtaratna invites Shakyamuni to sit beside him in the jeweled stupa. This chapter reveals the existence of multiple Buddhas at the same time as well as the idea that Buddhas can live on for countless aeons. According to Donald Lopez "among the doctrinal revelations that this scene intimates is that a buddha does not die after he passes into nirvāna ." Chapter 12: Devadatta The Buddha tells
320-528: A buddha for someone else." According to Reeves, the story of the little Dragon Girl promotes the idea that women can also become Buddhas just like monks. Reeves sees this as an inclusive message which "affirms the equality of everyone and seeks to provide an understanding of Buddha-dharma that excludes no one." Although the term buddha-nature ( buddhadhatu ) is not mentioned in the Lotus Sūtra , Japanese scholars Hajime Nakamura and Akira Hirakawa suggest that
400-425: A gathering at Vulture Peak , Shakyamuni Buddha goes into a state of deep meditative absorption ( samadhi ), the earth shakes in six ways, and he brings forth a ray of light from the tuft of hair in between his eyebrows ( ūrṇākośa ) which illuminates thousands of buddha-fields in the east. Maitreya wonders what this means, and the bodhisattva Mañjuśrī states that he has seen this miracle long ago when he
480-537: A process of the development of lotus ( padma )-symbolism in Pure Land Buddhism. The final outcome of the thought was as follows: the aspirants of faith and assiduity are born transformed ( anupapāduka ) in the lotus flowers. But those with doubts are born into the lotus-buds. They stay in the calyx of a lotus ( garbhāvāsa ) for five hundred years without seeing or hearing the Three Treasures. Within
560-654: A schema of five main Buddhas (called the Five Tathāgatas ). In this schema, which is popular in Esoteric Buddhism and is organized as a mandala , there the five Pure Lands of the five key Buddhas are: In Chinese Buddhism , the Pure Land was commonly seen as a transcendent realm beyond the three realms (the desire realm, form realm and formless realm) into which one can be reborn after death. This view
640-511: A sense of timelessness and the inconceivable, often using large numbers and measurements of space and time. Jacqueline Stone writes that the Lotus Sūtra affirms the view that the Buddha constantly abides in our present world. As the Lotus states in chapter 16, the Buddha remains "constantly dwelling in this Sahā world sphere, preaching the dharma, teaching and converting." According to Stone,
720-795: A similar function to pure lands in Buddhism. This pure land is the realm of Tàiyǐ Zhēnrén also known by the longer title Heavenly Venerable Taiyi Savior from Suffering, the Great Emperor of Azure Radiance (青華大帝太乙救苦天尊). Taiyi, like Amitabha, is also said to provide salvation for all sentient beings in the 10 directions, with a different incarnation for each direction. Chinese Manichean texts also contain depictions of pure lands. There are various Pure Land worlds described in various texts of various Chinese folk religions and Chinese new religions . Lotus Sutra The Lotus Sūtra (Sanskrit: Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtram , Sūtra on
800-633: A story about how in a previous life he was a king who became the slave of a rishi just so he could hear the Lotus Sūtra . This rishi was none other than Devadatta, who is destined for Buddhahood in the future as the Buddha Devarāja. In another story, Mañjuśrī praises the nāga king Sāgara's daughter and says she can attain Buddhahood. The bodhisattva Prajñākūṭa is skeptical of this, and then the nāga princess appears. Śāriputra says that women cannot attain Buddhahood. The nāga princess makes an offering to
880-550: A symbol of Buddha-nature. Zimmermann noted the similarity with the nine parables in the Tathāgatagarbha Sūtra that illustrate how the indwelling Buddha in sentient beings is hidden by negative mental states . Chapter 9: Prophecies for the Learners and Adepts Ānanda , Rāhula , and two thousand bhikṣus aspire to get a prophecy, and the Buddha predicts their future Buddhahood. Chapters ten to twenty two expound
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#1732794618319960-481: A synthesis of these various views on the nature of the pure land. East Asian Buddhist thinkers taught various schemas which outlined different types or levels of the pure lands. One of the most influential of these was that taught in the Tiantai school which outlined four pure lands: In Japanese Pure land Buddhism meanwhile, a common distinction is between two main lands that Pure Land devotees can be reborn in:
1040-416: A unity." Similarly, though there are said to be many Buddhas, they are all closely connected with Shakyamuni and they all teach the same thing. Another important teaching of the Lotus Sūtra is that all beings can become Buddhas. The sutra sees the awakening of a Buddha as the only and ultimate goal, and it claims that "of any who hear the dharma, none shall fail to achieve buddhahood." Numerous figures in
1120-560: A wish to be reborn there. Other Buddhist monks, such as Xuyun , have also been known to have dreamt of going to the Inner Court of Tushita. Some Yiguandao followers claimed to have traveled there. The Inner Court of Tuṣita was historically a popular place for Buddhists to wish to be reborn in; however, the vast majority of Pure Land Buddhists today hope to be reborn in Sukhavati . Later Indian Buddhism developed
1200-517: Is a Mahayana Buddhist concept referring to a transcendent realm emanated by a buddha or bodhisattva which has been purified by their activity and sustaining power . Pure lands are said to be places without the sufferings of samsara and to be beyond the three planes of existence . Many Mahayana Buddhists aspire to be reborn in a Buddha's pure land after death. The term "Pure Land" is particular to East Asian Buddhism ( Chinese : 淨土 ; pinyin : Jìngtǔ ). In Sanskrit Buddhist sources ,
1280-479: Is already pure, we cannot see the purity of the world due to our delusion and afflictions (as per the Vimalakirti Sutra ). However, on attaining the higher bodhisattva stages, the purified mind will be able to witness the purity of this world, along with the majestic displays of the jeweled ground, divine flowers, and so on. Furthermore, Tibetan Vajrayana deity yoga methods require the yogi to maintain
1360-536: Is also associated with the Lotus Sutra assembly over Vulture Peak (靈鷲山釋迦淨土). While Zhiyi was chanting the Lotus Sutra , he saw the meeting of Gautama Buddha and bodhisattvas there. Nanyue Huisi (慧思大師) said, "Only you can know that, only I can prove you". According to the Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra , the whole universe is a vast pure buddha-field which has been purified by Vairocana Buddha. This
1440-461: Is also called "other direction" or "western direction" pure land. This view of the Pure Land as an actual realm or place was defended by masters of Pure Land Buddhism like Shandao . Another interpretation of a Pure Land is that it is non-dual with our world since the whole world is mind-only . The Vimalakīrti Sutra was widely cited by exponents of this non-dual view of the Pure Land, often called "mind-only" Pure Land (wéixīn jìngtǔ 唯心淨土). This
1520-683: Is ambiguous. It can refer to a way of practice which is found in most Mahayana traditions which employ various means to attain birth in a pure land. This specific concept is termed the "Pure Land Dharma gate" (Ch: 淨土法門, Pinyin: jìngtǔ fǎmén) in East Asian Buddhism . The English term can also refer to specific Buddhist schools or sects which focus on Pure Land practice. Specifically these would be termed Jìngtǔzōng (淨土宗) in Chinese and Jōdo bukkyō in Japanese. Pure Lands are also found in
1600-666: Is an array of billions of worlds in a lotus shape. Furthermore, Ghanavyūha (Dense Array or Secret Adornment) is considered to be the supreme pure buddhafield specific to Vairocana . It appears in Mahayana sutras like the Ghanavyūha Sutra . According to this sutra, by following virtuous teachers, hearing and contemplating Buddha Dharma, and letting go of all concepts and craving, one can be reborn there, achieve enlightenment, and manifest in countless ways to help all beings. In East Asian Esoteric Buddhist traditions, like Shingon ,
1680-610: Is far away and is called "Unsurpassable" (Chinese: Wúshèng 無勝). The Buddha manifests from his Pure Land into our world in order to teach the Dharma. Under the influence of the Lotus Sutra , Japanese Buddhist schools like the Tendai and Nichiren schools saw Śākyamuni's pure land as being continuous with this supposedly impure world. This pure land was called "Jakkōdo" (寂光土, Land of Tranquil Light). Śākyamuni Buddha 's pure land
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#17327946183191760-419: Is heard from within praising the Lotus Sūtra . The Buddha states that another Buddha resides in the stupa, Prabhūtaratna , who attained awakening through the Lotus Sūtra and made a vow to make an appearance to verify the truth of the Lotus Sūtra whenever it is preached. Countless manifestations of Shakyamuni Buddha in the ten directions are now summoned by the Buddha into this world, transforming it into
1840-523: Is impure. Numerous Mahayana sutras , such as the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā prajñāpāramitā , Lankavatara , Vimalakirti , and Lotus Sutras , also state that this dualism between purity and impurity is illusory and instead state that even this world is a pure buddha-field. Thus, according to the Vimalakirti , this seemingly impure world is actually pure. It only appears impure because
1920-464: Is inhabited by people with enlightened pure minds then it is a Pure Land." Numerous Mahayana sources also connect the concept of a purified buddhafield ( pariśuddha - buddhakṣetra ) with the purity of one's own mind. Hence, the Vimalakirti sutra states: "the bodhisattva who wishes to purify his buddhakṣetra should, first of all, skillfully adorn his own mind. And why? Because to the extent that
2000-401: Is interfused with all worlds in the multiverse and indeed with all phenomena (dharmas). This view of the Buddha's Pure Land is inconceivable and all pervasive. Since for Fazang, the entire Dharma realm is visible within each particle in the universe, the Pure Land is therefore contained in every phenomena and is non-dual with our world. Later Chinese thinkers similarly attempted to synthesize
2080-409: Is often explained through parables or allegories . In the Lotus Sūtra , the many 'skillful' or 'expedient' practices and teachings taught by the Buddha (including the " three vehicles " to awakening) are revealed to all be part of the "One Vehicle" (Skt.: ekayāna , Ch.:一乘; yīchéng ), the supreme and all encompassing path that leads to Buddhahood. Moreover, this single vehicle is none other than
2160-508: Is only one single vehicle to Buddhahood, i.e. the Mahāyāna. The sutra emphasizes that this is not a lie, but a compassionate salvific act. Chapter 4: Belief and Understanding Four senior disciples including Mahākāśyapa address the Buddha. They tell the parable of the poor son and his rich father (sometimes called the "prodigal son" parable). This man left home and became a beggar for 50 years while his father became incredibly rich. One day
2240-565: Is overjoyed. The senior disciples say that they are like the son, because initially they did not have the confidence to accept full Buddhahood, but today they are happy to accept their future Buddhahood. Chapter 5: The Parable of Medicinal Herbs This parable says that the Dharma is like a great monsoon rain that nourishes many different kinds of plants in accordance with their needs. The plants represent Śrāvakas , Pratyekabuddhas , and Bodhisattvas, and all beings which receive and respond to
2320-845: Is still active teaching the Dharma . The earliest known Sanskrit title for the sūtra is the Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra , which can be translated as "the Scripture of the Lotus Blossom of the Fine Dharma " or "The Discourse on the White Lotus of the True Doctrine." In English, the shortened form Lotus Sūtra is more common. Translations of this title into Asian languages include the following: The Japanese Buddhist priest Nichiren (1222–1282) regarded
2400-579: Is the basis, ground, or "source" ( Tibetan : ཆོས་འབྱུང , Wylie : chos 'byung ; Sanskrit: dharmodaya ), the true nature of reality, out which all buddhas and buddhafields arise. Tibetan Buddhism also holds that this world is also a pure land, since samsara and nirvana are non-dual . Specifically, our world is the pure land of the Sambhoghakaya Vairocana Buddha, as stated in the Avatamsaka sutra . Though our realm
2480-493: Is the view of Pure Land which is found in the Chinese Huayan tradition. According to this view, our world is just one small part of this universal Pure Land which is named: "Ocean of worlds, whose surface and inside are decorated with an arrangement of flowers" (Sanskrit: Kusumatalagarbha-vyūhālamkāra-lokadhātusamudra ). It is also called the "Lotus Treasury World" (Chinese: 華蔵世界, Skt. Padmagarbha-lokadhātu ), since it
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2560-467: The Lotus is like digging a well and finding only dry earth, while a bodhisattva that knows the Lotus is like striking water. The Buddha also says that he will send emanations to protect the teachers of the sutra. Chapter 11: The Emergence of the Jeweled Stupa A massive jeweled stupa (a stylized Buddhist reliquary burial mound ) rises from the earth and floats in the air. Then a voice
2640-399: The Lotus Sūtra also teaches that the Buddha has many embodiments and these are the countless bodhisattva disciples. These bodhisattvas choose to remain in the world to save all beings and to keep the teaching alive. For Reeves "the fantastically long life of the Buddha, in other words, is at least partly a function of and dependent on his being embodied in others." The sutra is presented in
2720-480: The Lotus Sūtra is the idea that the Buddha's lifespan is immeasurable and that he is still present in the world. The text states that the Buddha actually achieved Buddhahood innumerable eons ago, but remains in the world to help teach beings the Dharma time and again. The lifespan of the Buddha is said to be incalculable, beyond imagination, "ever enduring, never perishing." The biography and apparent death ( paranirvana , "final nirvana") of Sakyamuni Buddha (i.e.,
2800-600: The Lotus Sūtra : "Ever since I became a buddha, I have used a variety of causal explanations and a variety of parables to teach and preach, and countless skillful means to lead living beings." The Lotus Sūtra declares also all other teachings are subservient to, propagated by and in the service of the ultimate truth of the "One Buddha–Vehicle", a goal that is available to all. This can and has been interpreted by some figures in an exclusive and hierarchical sense, as meaning that all other Buddhist teachings are to be dispensed with. However, Reeves and other interpreters understand
2880-683: The "three pure land sutras", the main sources for East Asian Pure Land Buddhism: the Smaller Sukhāvatī-vyūha (T 366), the Longer Sukhāvatīvyūha Sūtra , and the Amitayus Contemplation Sutra ( i.e. The Contemplation Sutra ). According to Mahayana scriptures, in his past life, Amitabha was a devoted king of a joyous kingdom in a distant eon who renounced his throne to become a monk and vowed to attain buddhahood . He made forty-eight vows which focus on
2960-508: The 'deity' ( yidam ) invoked and requested to reside. Some namkha are Pure Lands. According to Nirmāṇakāya (as tulku ) theory, nirmanakaya spontaneously arise due to the intention, aspiration, faith and devotion of the sangha . Chinese Daoism adopted the idea of heaven realms similar to pure lands from Chinese Buddhism. One popular afterlife in Chinese Daoism is the pure land of eternal bliss (Chánglè Jìngtǔ, 長樂淨土). It has
3040-608: The British Buddhologist Paul Williams , "For many Buddhists in East Asia since early times, the Lotus Sūtra contains the final teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha —complete and sufficient for salvation." The American Buddhologist Donald S. Lopez Jr. writes that the Lotus Sūtra "is arguably the most famous of all Buddhist texts ," presenting "a radical re-vision of both the Buddhist path and of
3120-670: The Buddha Gautama) are portrayed as an illusory manifestation, a skillful means meant to teach others. The idea that the physical death of a Buddha is the termination of their life is graphically refuted by the appearance of another Buddha, Prabhūtaratna , who has taught the Lotus countless aeons ago. The Lotus Sūtra indicates that not only can multiple Buddhas exist in the same time and place (which contrasts with earlier Indian views), but that there are countless streams of Buddhas extending throughout all of space and through unquantifiable eons of time. The Lotus Sūtra illustrates
3200-515: The Buddha vehicle ( buddhayāna ). This concept is set forth in detail in chapters 3–9, using parables , narratives of previous existences and prophecies of awakening. Chapter 2: Skillful Means Shakyamuni explains his use of skillful means to adapt his teachings according to the capacities of his audience. He also says that his ways are inconceivable. Śāriputra asks the Buddha to explain this and five thousand monks leave because they do not want to hear this teaching. The Buddha then reveals that
3280-451: The Dharma and where sentient beings can be reborn into (due to their good karmic acts). A buddha-field is a place where bodhisattvas can more easily progress spiritually on the bodhisattva path. Jan Nattier has argued that this idea became popular because the traditional understanding of the extreme length of the bodhisattva path seemed very difficult and training under a buddha in a buddha-field (especially prepared to train bodhisattvas)
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3360-579: The Pure Lands may be different, with a day in one Pure Land being equivalent to years in another. Mahayana sources speak of three kinds of buddha-fields: pure, impure, and mixed. An example of an "impure" field is often this world (called Sahā – “the world to be endured"), Sakyamuni's field. Purified fields include Amitabha's buddha-field of Sukhavati . Some sutras say that Sakyamuni chose to come to an impure world due to his vast compassion. However, not all Mahayana texts agree that Sakyamuni's world
3440-645: The Transformed Land and the Fulfilled Land. Shinran (1173 – 1263), the founder of Jōdo Shinshū , discusses this theory, drawing on the teachings of Shandao . Shinran's schema is as follows: According to Hanshan Deqing (1546–1623), there are three kinds of Pure Lands (associated with the trikaya , the three bodies of the buddha): In Tibetan Buddhism, buddhafields (Skt. buddhakṣetra ; Wylie : sangs rgyas kyi zhing ) or pure realms (Wyl. dag pa'i zhing ) are understood as realms arising due to
3520-560: The White Lotus of the True Dharma, Chinese : 妙法蓮華經 ) is one of the most influential and venerated Buddhist Mahāyāna sūtras . It is the main scripture on which the Tiantai along with its derivative schools, the Japanese Tendai and Nichiren , Korean Cheontae , and Vietnamese Thiên Thai schools of Buddhism were established. It is also influential for other East Asian Buddhist schools, such as Zen . According to
3600-477: The arising of a purified buddha-field, which is the manifestation and reflection of a Buddha's activity. Mahayana sources state that bodhisattvas like Avalokiteśvara and Manjushri will obtain their own buddha-fields after they attain full buddhahood . In the Lotus Sutra , Buddha's close followers, such as Śāriputra , Mahākāśyapa , Subhuti , Maudgalyāyana and Buddha's son Rāhula are also predicted to attain their own Pure Lands. The relative time-flow in
3680-506: The assembly are confused. The Buddha responds with the parable of the burning house, in which a father (symbolizing the Buddha) uses the promise of various toy carts to get his children (sentient beings) out of a burning house (symbolizing samsara ). Once they are outside, he gives them all one large cart to travel in instead. This symbolizes how the Buddha uses the three vehicles , as skillful means to liberate all beings – even though there
3760-629: The closed lotus-flowers they enjoy pleasures as though they were playing in a garden or palace. Sukhāvatī ("The Blissful") is by far the most popular pure land in East Asian Mahayana Buddhism . It is also the main goal of Pure Land Buddhism , which is centered around faith and devotion to Amitābha Buddha as the means of attaining rebirth in his pure land. It is also a popular pure land in Tibetan Buddhism as well. The key canonical teachings on Sukhāvatī are found in
3840-460: The concept is implicitly present in the text. An Indian commentary (attributed to Vasubandhu ), interprets the Lotus Sūtra as a teaching of buddha-nature and later East Asian commentaries tended to adopt this view. Chinese commentators pointed to the story of Bodhisattva Never Disparaging in chapter 20 as evidence that the Lotus taught buddha-nature implicitly. Another key concept introduced by
3920-411: The deluded and impure minds of sentient beings perceive it like that. As Paul Williams explains: "The impurity that we see is the result of impure awareness, and also the Buddha's compassion in creating a world within which impure beings can grow. Thus the real way to attain a Pure Land is to purify one's own mind. Put another way, we are already in the Pure Land if we but knew it. Whatever the realm, if it
4000-519: The deluded hope to be born in a faraway land in the west, while the wise who know their nature is empty seek the Pure Land by purifying their minds. These two views of the Pure Land led to many debates in Chinese Buddhism . In a similar fashion, according to the Huayan school patriarch Fazang , the ultimate view of the Buddha's Pure Land (derived from the Avatamsaka sutra ) is that it
4080-514: The dual mandalas of the Vajradhatu and Garbhadhatu mandalas are considered to be the representation of the buddhafield of Mahāvairocana Buddha, the supreme cosmic Buddha. The "Inner Court of Tushita" (兜率內院) is Maitreya's pure land, which is actually located in the deva realm of Tuṣita. Some Buddhist scriptures have noted that Maitreya is currently teaching at the Inner Court of Tuṣita. Some Buddhist Masters, such as Xuanzang , expressed
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#17327946183194160-515: The equivalent concept is called a buddha-field ( buddhakṣetra ) or more technically a pure buddha-field ( viśuddha-buddhakṣetra ). It is also known by the Sanskrit term buddhabhūmi (Buddha land). In Tibetan Buddhism meanwhile, the term "pure realms" (Wyl. dag pa'i zhing ) is also used as a synonym for buddhafield. The various traditions that focus on attaining rebirth in a Pure Land are often called Pure Land Buddhism . The English term
4240-543: The form of a drama consisting of several mythological scenes. According to British writer Sangharakshita , the Lotus uses the entire cosmos for its stage, employs a multitude of mythological beings as actors and "speaks almost exclusively in the language of images." According to Gene Reeves the first part of the sutra "elucidates a unifying truth of the universe (the One Vehicle of the Wonderful Dharma)",
4320-499: The greatness of his future pure land, pledging that he would not accept buddhahood if any of these vows went unfulfilled. The vows are dedicated to establishing a pure realm accessible to all beings who aspired to be reborn there. This monk would ultimately become Buddha Amitabha. His vows were grounded in hearing his name ("Amitabha"), establishing virtue, and dedicating merit toward rebirth in this pure land. Some Mahayana sutra teachings say that after Amitabha attains final nirvana ,
4400-473: The intention and aspiration of a buddha or bodhisattva. They are also understood to manifest effortlessly and spontaneously from the Buddha qualities. In Tibetan Buddhism, it is generally held there are two main types of pure lands or buddhafields: All buddhafields are understood as ultimately arising from the Dharmakāya , the foundational aspect of the "triple body" of Buddhahood ( trikaya ). The Dharmakāya
4480-542: The magic city represents the "Hinayana Nirvana", created merely as a rest stop by the Buddha, and the real treasure and ultimate goal is Buddhahood. Chapter 8: Prophecy for Five Hundred Disciples Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra is declared by the Buddha to be the supreme teacher in his saṅgha and is given a prediction of future Buddhahood (his name will be Dharmaprabhāsa). The Buddha then gives prophecies of future Buddhahood to twelve hundred arhats. The five hundred arhats who had walked out before confess that they were ignorant in
4560-505: The mind of a bodhisattva is pure is his buddhakṣetra purified." Nakamura (1980, 1987: p. 207) establishes the Indian background of the padma imagery of the field which is evident iconographically, as well as in motif and metaphor: The descriptions of Pure Land in Pure Land sutras were greatly influenced by Brahmin and Hindu ideas and the topological situation in India. There was
4640-540: The myriad skillful means which are its expressions and modes. As the Buddha says in the sutra, "seek as you will in all ten directions, there is no other vehicle, apart from the upāyas of the buddhas." The One Vehicle is associated with the Mahāyāna ("Great Vehicle"), which is a path that rejects the cutting off of rebirth (the individual nirvana or "extinction" of the Buddhist saint ) and seeks to heroically remain in
4720-486: The non-Buddhist traditions of Taoism and Bon . The Mahavastu defines a buddha-field as a realm where "a tathagata , a holy one, fully and perfectly enlightened , is to be found, lives, exists and teaches the Dharma , for the benefit and happiness of the great body of beings, men and gods." The Indian Mahayana sutras describe many buddha-fields. Mahayana sources hold that there are an infinite number of buddhas, each with their own buddha-field where they teach
4800-422: The one vehicle in a more pluralist and inclusive sense which embraces and reconciles all Buddhist teachings and practices. Some have even applied this universalism to non-Buddhist teachings. Reeves also notes that the theme of unity and difference also includes other ideas besides the One Vehicle. According to Reeves "on more than one occasion, for example, the many worlds of the universe are brought together into
4880-441: The past and attached to the inferior nirvana but now they are overjoyed since they have faith in their future Buddhahood. The arhats tell the parable of a man who has fallen asleep after drinking and whose friend sews a jewel into his garment. When he wakes up he continues a life of poverty without realizing he is really rich, he only discovers the jewel after meeting his old friend again. The hidden jewel has been interpreted as
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#17327946183194960-613: The person of the Buddha ." Two central teachings of the Lotus Sūtra have been very influential for Mahāyāna Buddhism . The first is the doctrine of the One Vehicle , which says that all Buddhist paths and practices lead to Buddhahood and so they are all actually " skillful means " of reaching Buddhahood. The second is the idea that the lifespan of the Buddha is immeasurable and that therefore, he did not really pass on into final Nirvana (he only appeared to do so as upāya ), but
5040-474: The request of his sixteen sons, he then taught the Lotus Sūtra for a hundred thousand eons. His sons proceeded to teach the sutra. The Buddha then says that these sons all became Buddhas and that he is one of these. The Buddha also teaches a parable about a group of people seeking a great treasure who are tired of their journey and wish to quit. Their guide creates a magical illusory city for them to rest in and then makes it disappear. The Buddha explains that
5120-418: The role of the bodhisattva and the concept of the immeasurable and inconceivable lifespan and omnipresence of the Buddha. The theme of propagating the Lotus Sūtra which starts in chapter 10, continues in the remaining chapters. Chapter 10: The Dharma teachers The Buddha states that whoever hears even just one line from the sūtra will attain Buddhahood. This chapter presents the practices of teaching
5200-577: The same One Vehicle in different forms. Chapter 6: Bestowal of Prophecy The Buddha prophesies the future Buddhahood of Mahākāśyapa , Mahāmaudgalyāyana , Subhūti , and Mahākātyāyana . Chapter 7: A Past Buddha and the Illusory City The Buddha tells a story about a past Buddha called Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū, who reached awakening after aeons under the Bodhi tree and then taught the four noble truths and dependent origination. At
5280-415: The second part "sheds light on the everlasting personal life of the Buddha (Everlasting Original Buddha); and the third part emphasizes the actual activities of human beings (the bodhisattva way)." The following chapter by chapter overview is based on the expanded Chinese version of Kumārajīva, the most widely translated version into other languages. Other versions have different chapter divisions. During
5360-497: The simplest forms of devotion will eventually reach Buddhahood. The Buddha also states that those who reject and insult the Lotus Sūtra (and those who teach it) will be reborn in hell. Chapter 3: The Parable of the Burning House The Buddha prophesies that in a future eon ( kalpa ) Śāriputra will become a Buddha called Padmaprabha. Śāriputra is happy to have heard this new teaching, but says that some in
5440-403: The son arrives at the father's estate, but the son does not recognize his father and is afraid of such a powerful man. The father therefore sends low class people to offer him a menial job cleaning trash. For over 20 years, the father gradually leads his son to more important and better jobs, such as being the accountant for all the father's wealth. Then one day he announces his identity and the son
5520-616: The successors of Amitabha in Sukhāvatī will be Avalokiteśvara , followed by Mahāsthāmaprāpta . There are numerous East Asian texts discussing the various experiences of Pure Land Buddhists who have gone to the Pure land or had a vision of Sukhavati. Some Buddhists and followers of other religions claimed to have seen Sukhavati and numerous East Asian popular faiths and cults also discuss Sukhavati. The Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra states that Śākyamuni Buddha has his own Pure Land which
5600-668: The sutra receive predictions of future Buddhahood, including the ultimate Buddhist villain Devadatta . In chapter 10, the Buddha points out that all sorts of people will become Buddhas, including monks, nuns, laypeople, along with numerous non-human beings like nagas. Even those, who practice only simple forms of devotion, such as paying respect to the Buddha, or drawing a picture of the Buddha, are assured of their future Buddhahood . According to Gene Reeves, this teaching also encourages this potential for Buddhahood in all beings, even in enemies as well as "to realize our own capacity to be
5680-417: The sutra which includes accepting, embracing, reading, reciting, copying, explaining, propagating it, and living in accordance with its teachings. The teachers of the Dharma ( dharmabhāṇaka ) are praised as the messengers of the Buddha. The Buddha states that they should be honored as if they were Buddhas and that stupas should be built wherever the sutra is taught, recited or written. Someone who does not know
5760-461: The sūtra has also been interpreted as promoting the idea that the Buddha's realm ( buddhakṣetra ) "is in some sense immanent in the present world, although radically different from our ordinary experience of being free from decay, danger and suffering." In this view, which is very influential in Tiantai and Japanese Buddhism , "this world and the pure land are not, ultimately, separate places but are in fact non dual ." According to Gene Reeves,
5840-462: The teachings according to their respective capacities. Some versions of the sutra also contain other parables, such as one which compares the Dharma to the light of the Sun and moon, which shine equally on all. Just like that, the Buddha's wisdom shines on everyone equally. Another parable found in some versions says that just like a potter makes different types of pots from the same clay, the Buddha teaches
5920-404: The three vehicles ( yānas ) are really just skillful means, and that they are in reality the One Vehicle ( ekayāna ). He says that the ultimate purpose of the Buddhas is to cause sentient beings "to obtain the insight of the Buddha" and "to enter the way into the insight of the Buddha." The Buddha also states the various benefits for those who preserve the sutra, and that those who perform even
6000-444: The title as the summary of the Lotus Sūtra 's teachings. The chanting of the title is the basic religious practice he advocated during his lifetime. The Lotus Sūtra is known for its extensive instruction on skillful means (Sanskrit: upāyakauśalya or upāya , Ch.: fangbian , Jp.: hōben ), which refers to how Buddhas teach in many ways adapted to the needs of their disciples. This concept of Buddhist pedagogical strategies
6080-442: The two ideas. Yúnqī Zhūhóng (1535–1615) saw the Pure Land as an actual place which is a useful upaya (skill means) created by the Buddha. Once beings reach this realm, they realize that it is just the Buddha mind, and that the Buddha's wisdom was not ever separate from their own mind. Real sages can see that both ideas are interconnected and thus can affirm both without any conflict. Similarly, Hānshān Déqīng (c. 1546–1623) taught
6160-401: The world of suffering to help others attain awakening , all while working towards complete Buddhahood. In the Lotus Sūtra , the One Vehicle encompasses many different and seemingly contradictory teachings because the Buddha's great compassion and wish to save all beings ( bodhicitta ) led him to adapt the teaching to suit many different kinds of people and contexts. As the Buddha states in
6240-555: Was a student of the Buddha Candrasūryapradīpa. He then says that the Buddha is about to expound his ultimate teaching, The White Lotus of the Good Dharma . In fact, Mañjuśrī says this sutra was taught by other Buddhas innumerable times in the past. Modern scholars suggest that chapters 2–9 contain the original form of the text. In Chapter 2 the Buddha declares that there ultimately exists only one path, one vehicle,
6320-728: Was commonly defended by masters of the Chan / Zen school, but was also accepted by some figures of the Pure Land school and the Yogacara school . Another sutra which teaches the view that the pure land is mainly a kind of pure mind or wisdom (i.e. the five wisdoms ) is the Buddhabhūmi-sūtra (Scripture on the Buddha Land, Ch: 佛說佛地經, Taishō Tripitaka no. 680). In the Platform Sutra for example, Huineng states that only
6400-455: Was seen as a faster way to buddhahood, known as stream winning. Sentient beings who are reborn in these pure buddha-fields due to their good karma also contribute to the development of a Buddha-field, as can bodhisattvas who are able to travel there. These buddha-fields are therefore powerful places which are very advantageous to spiritual progress. According to Indian sources, the bodhisattva path, by ending all defilements , culminates in
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