Josei Toda's Lecture on the Sutra (chap.2 cont.)
Josei Toda's Lecture on the Sutra (chap.2 cont.)
Parable of the Wealthy Man and His Son
This is the parable presented in the Shinge Chapter of the Hokekyo, and is famous for the fact that Four Great Bodhisattvas - Shubodai, Kasen’nen, Kasho and Mokkenren - came to understand Shakyamuni’s teachings through this parable.
Once there was a son who in his youth left his home and father. After travelling in many countries, he found himself already at the age of over fifty. However, he could only live from hand to mouth to maintain his aged and poor life.
The father, worried about his son, constantly wished to find his heir from the very time of his departure, but he could never find out where the son lived. The father was a very rich man, lived in a castle, and his wealth was said to be uncountable. His treasury was filled with gold, silver, rubies, coral, amber, crystal and other rare things. Also he had countless number of servants and clansmen.
Even though the father was respected and envied by many, he had one worry - his son who had been away from home for over fifty years. The father’s only wish was to bequeath his property to his son. Unless he could hand over the treasure to his son, they would be scattered.
Meanwhile the wandering son, not knowing of his father’s worry, passed by the father’s castle one day. The destitute son was seeking some work, but seeing his father wealthy as a king, surrounded by many servants, he was dumbfounded. He said, “Ah, I am in the wrong place. This must be a king, and it is not a place where my poor self can come and get work. I had better run away before I am caught and made his slave.” So saying, the cowardly son fled.
The father, observing the man at the gate knew that it was his own son. Deeply gladdened in his heart, he ordered two of his retainers to run after him and bring him back. The man was frightened and screamed, “I have done nothing wrong. Why do you arrest me? Help!” Moreover, fearing that he might be killed, he lost his senses.
The wealthy father, looking at him, splashed water to the son, and let him go. The distressed son was relieved and ran away to a town where poor men lived. The father as a Hoben (means) sent to his son two of shabby looking retainers pretending to be night-soil men. The two men said, “Why don’t you come collecting night soil with us?”
The prodigal son was very pleased and said, “I will work with you but pay me first.” Then, after receiving the money in advance, the son began to work. The father, looking at his son dipping up night soil, felt sorry for his mean character. He arrayed himself in shabby clothes and approached the son, saying:
“You are a man. Stop doing such a menial and dirty job. Pull yourself together and engage in proper work here. If you work hard, I will increase your income. Tell me whatever you want, be it salt or rice. You have some merits worthy of note. I am now so old that I will take care of you like a father. From now on stop your cunning lying, getting angry, being jealous of or reviling others.”
The unhappy son was impressed with the exceptional treatment by the wealthy man but he kept on thinking that he was still a night-soil man. After a lapse of twenty years, he gradually became intimate with the rich man’s family and became familiar with the rich man.
One day, the wealthy man fell ill. He knew he was soon to die, so he called his son and taught him the place where the gold, silver and all his property were kept. He said, “I will hand them over to you. You may freely run a business with it, but take care not to lose it.” The son used all the property of the rich man and became so honest that he never filched even a penny. However, he did not know that the property actually belonged to him. He was conscious only that he was a mere clerk for the rich man.
Knowing that he was about to die, the wealthy man assembled his relatives, the king and his men, and all other responsible persons to a room of his castle and said, “Now, everyone, this is my son who fled my home, suffered many hardships for more than fifty years, traveling in many lands, and at last came back to my home. All of my property will be handed over to him. I hope you will be friendly to him.”
The honest son, upon hearing his father’s words, felt unprecedented delight and said, “I never dreamed that I was his son. I have gained uncountable treasures without even seeking them.”
The wealthy father in this parable is Nichiren Daishonin himself or the Dai-Gohonzon. The wandering son stands for the people born in Mappo, and that he traveled through many countries away from his father shows that people live unhappy lives, completely forgetting the true faith. The fact that the destitute son ran away even after he was found by his father shows that people do not want to accept Buddhism smoothly even after they are introduced to the Gohonzon. That the son was happy in the mean occupation of night-soil carrier represents that believers are satisfied with small benefits after accepting true faith. The unprecedented pleasure the son felt when he inherited all his father’s property shows that the believers gain Buddhahood and cherish the confidence that “I am a Buddha.”
In the above parable, the unhappy son works as a poor man until he realizes that he is in reality the son of the wealthy man. This is the Himyo Hoben (mystic means).
In the same way, people in Mappo are all common mortals but in reality the original disciples of Nichiren Daishonin, the True Buddha. The acts of the Daishonin in Mappo are the same as those He did as the original Buddha in the infinite past. Once we realize that we ourselves are Buddhas, we will be behaving the same as we have done in the limitless past as the true disciples of the True Buddha. This is called the Himyo Hoben.
Nyorai Himitsu Jinzu shi riki of the Juryo Chapter shows that Buddha can make all common mortals Buddhas. It is the Himyo Hoben of Buddha in which, before revealing the mysterious power of Jinzu shi riki, the Buddha convinces of the fact that even they, common mortals, can attain Buddhahood. (See Page 92)
In the Hoben Chapter, there is a long phrase after the parable in which is revealed the Himyo Hoben. The phrase is condensed as follows: “You are in the states of Shomon or Engaku, but these are not the true purpose of your life. To attain Buddhahood is the final object of life.” The fact that we are mere common mortals is in itself Himyo Hoben, and the truth is that we are Buddhas. The Gohonzon is enshrined in our altar. The basic understanding of our faith should be to know that the Gohonzon in the family altar exists also in ourselves.
Parable of Gem Inside the Robe
This is a parable set forth in the Gohyaku-deshi Juki-bon (the eighth chapter) of the Hokekyo.
One day, a man visited one of his friends. While being warmly treated by his friend, the man chatted vigorously, became intoxicated with liquor, and finally passed out. His intimate friend, however, had an official duty that night, and so he left the man asleep and went out. Before leaving, however, the friend wanted to give the visitor a splendid jewel, which was called the ’priceless gem of perfection’. The gem was invaluable with a mysterious power to make any prayer come true without fail.
The friend, seeing that the man was fast asleep, sewed the priceless gem secretly inside the man’s robe so that it would not be lost. Not knowing of it, the man awoke from his sleep, wandered in many lands, was engaged in many kinds of work, failed in all of them, and spent a hard life. Thus, both his heart and appearance became haggard, and he returned to his friend’s home. The friend who was an official was much surprised to see the man’s shabby mien and asked him as if in reproach, “Why are you so poor-looking? Why didn’t you use the priceless gem which I gave you?”
The poor fellow, however, did not understand what he meant and stood there dumbstruck. The intimate friend explained that he had sewn the priceless gem inside his robe and said, “It must still be inside your robe. Look and find it.” The man looked for the gem and found it neatly sewn inside his robe. The man was surprised, ashamed of his foolishness, and at the same time much delighted with such a splendid gem.
Now according to Nichiren Daishonin, to sew a gem inside a robe means to accept the treasure of the faith of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. The liquor signifies inferior religions or mistaken thoughts, and to be intoxicated with the liquor is to be misled into unhappy life by false religions. People who do not embrace the faith of Nichiren Shoshu are same as those who are asleep after drinking liquor. When people embrace the True Buddhism and begin worshipping the Gohonzon, they may be said to be awakened from their sleep.
We have the life of Buddha within ourselves but, being unaware of it, we go through many troubles and difficulties. Therefore, through faith in the Gohonzon, we can enjoy the utmost happiness.
In reality, however, few people are leading delightful lives, giving full play to the Buddha’s life inherent in themselves. Many people suffer from poverty, illness or family discord, and they are likened to the man who wandered in poverty without using the priceless gem even though he had it inside his robe. Life without the Gohonzon is same as the man ignorant of his own priceless gem.
Those who have taken faith in the Dai-Gohonzon, or have become convinced that they themselves are the real entity of the Mystic Law and are Bodhisattvas of the Earth, can be said to be living a life filled with happiness, fully utilizing the priceless gem of perfection.
Fortunately, the believers of Nichiren Shoshu have awakened from the intoxication of false religions, but there are still many others who are not yet awakened from the life of illusion. To awaken and lead them to the true teachings is the mission for all Nichiren Shoshu believers.
The man in the parable who was delighted to find the priceless gem and the man still suffering from a poor state of life are the same and one person. This is a mysterious means only the Buddha knows. Until the gem was found, the man did not know it was there. Thus the parable represents the Himyo Hoben (literally Secret and Mysterious Means).
Aside from the aforementioned three kinds of Hoben, there are two Hoben - (means) in the True Buddhism. They are ‘punishment’ and ‘blessing’.
In practicing Shakubuku for others, you may find that they will not listen to you even though you say, “You are in reality none other than the true entity of the Gohonzon of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. You will surely become a Buddha, so take the faith.” They will only answer, “I am satisfied as I am. I shall become a Buddha after death.”
This is why there is punishment for those who oppose the faith, and divine blessings for those who take faith and earnestly practice it.
This is what the Buddha taught: “We have obtained the priceless gem of perfection without seeking it earnestly”. Here the priceless gem is nothing other than the Gohonzon. It is we, the Nichiren Shoshu believers, who gained the Gohonzon without seeking the Gohonzon.
Josei Toda's Lecture on the Sutra (chap.2 cont.)
Parable of the Wealthy Man and His Son
This is the parable presented in the Shinge Chapter of the Hokekyo, and is famous for the fact that Four Great Bodhisattvas - Shubodai, Kasen’nen, Kasho and Mokkenren - came to understand Shakyamuni’s teachings through this parable.
Once there was a son who in his youth left his home and father. After travelling in many countries, he found himself already at the age of over fifty. However, he could only live from hand to mouth to maintain his aged and poor life.
The father, worried about his son, constantly wished to find his heir from the very time of his departure, but he could never find out where the son lived. The father was a very rich man, lived in a castle, and his wealth was said to be uncountable. His treasury was filled with gold, silver, rubies, coral, amber, crystal and other rare things. Also he had countless number of servants and clansmen.
Even though the father was respected and envied by many, he had one worry - his son who had been away from home for over fifty years. The father’s only wish was to bequeath his property to his son. Unless he could hand over the treasure to his son, they would be scattered.
Meanwhile the wandering son, not knowing of his father’s worry, passed by the father’s castle one day. The destitute son was seeking some work, but seeing his father wealthy as a king, surrounded by many servants, he was dumbfounded. He said, “Ah, I am in the wrong place. This must be a king, and it is not a place where my poor self can come and get work. I had better run away before I am caught and made his slave.” So saying, the cowardly son fled.
The father, observing the man at the gate knew that it was his own son. Deeply gladdened in his heart, he ordered two of his retainers to run after him and bring him back. The man was frightened and screamed, “I have done nothing wrong. Why do you arrest me? Help!” Moreover, fearing that he might be killed, he lost his senses.
The wealthy father, looking at him, splashed water to the son, and let him go. The distressed son was relieved and ran away to a town where poor men lived. The father as a Hoben (means) sent to his son two of shabby looking retainers pretending to be night-soil men. The two men said, “Why don’t you come collecting night soil with us?”
The prodigal son was very pleased and said, “I will work with you but pay me first.” Then, after receiving the money in advance, the son began to work. The father, looking at his son dipping up night soil, felt sorry for his mean character. He arrayed himself in shabby clothes and approached the son, saying:
“You are a man. Stop doing such a menial and dirty job. Pull yourself together and engage in proper work here. If you work hard, I will increase your income. Tell me whatever you want, be it salt or rice. You have some merits worthy of note. I am now so old that I will take care of you like a father. From now on stop your cunning lying, getting angry, being jealous of or reviling others.”
The unhappy son was impressed with the exceptional treatment by the wealthy man but he kept on thinking that he was still a night-soil man. After a lapse of twenty years, he gradually became intimate with the rich man’s family and became familiar with the rich man.
One day, the wealthy man fell ill. He knew he was soon to die, so he called his son and taught him the place where the gold, silver and all his property were kept. He said, “I will hand them over to you. You may freely run a business with it, but take care not to lose it.” The son used all the property of the rich man and became so honest that he never filched even a penny. However, he did not know that the property actually belonged to him. He was conscious only that he was a mere clerk for the rich man.
Knowing that he was about to die, the wealthy man assembled his relatives, the king and his men, and all other responsible persons to a room of his castle and said, “Now, everyone, this is my son who fled my home, suffered many hardships for more than fifty years, traveling in many lands, and at last came back to my home. All of my property will be handed over to him. I hope you will be friendly to him.”
The honest son, upon hearing his father’s words, felt unprecedented delight and said, “I never dreamed that I was his son. I have gained uncountable treasures without even seeking them.”
The wealthy father in this parable is Nichiren Daishonin himself or the Dai-Gohonzon. The wandering son stands for the people born in Mappo, and that he traveled through many countries away from his father shows that people live unhappy lives, completely forgetting the true faith. The fact that the destitute son ran away even after he was found by his father shows that people do not want to accept Buddhism smoothly even after they are introduced to the Gohonzon. That the son was happy in the mean occupation of night-soil carrier represents that believers are satisfied with small benefits after accepting true faith. The unprecedented pleasure the son felt when he inherited all his father’s property shows that the believers gain Buddhahood and cherish the confidence that “I am a Buddha.”
In the above parable, the unhappy son works as a poor man until he realizes that he is in reality the son of the wealthy man. This is the Himyo Hoben (mystic means).
In the same way, people in Mappo are all common mortals but in reality the original disciples of Nichiren Daishonin, the True Buddha. The acts of the Daishonin in Mappo are the same as those He did as the original Buddha in the infinite past. Once we realize that we ourselves are Buddhas, we will be behaving the same as we have done in the limitless past as the true disciples of the True Buddha. This is called the Himyo Hoben.
Nyorai Himitsu Jinzu shi riki of the Juryo Chapter shows that Buddha can make all common mortals Buddhas. It is the Himyo Hoben of Buddha in which, before revealing the mysterious power of Jinzu shi riki, the Buddha convinces of the fact that even they, common mortals, can attain Buddhahood. (See Page 92)
In the Hoben Chapter, there is a long phrase after the parable in which is revealed the Himyo Hoben. The phrase is condensed as follows: “You are in the states of Shomon or Engaku, but these are not the true purpose of your life. To attain Buddhahood is the final object of life.” The fact that we are mere common mortals is in itself Himyo Hoben, and the truth is that we are Buddhas. The Gohonzon is enshrined in our altar. The basic understanding of our faith should be to know that the Gohonzon in the family altar exists also in ourselves.
Parable of Gem Inside the Robe
This is a parable set forth in the Gohyaku-deshi Juki-bon (the eighth chapter) of the Hokekyo.
One day, a man visited one of his friends. While being warmly treated by his friend, the man chatted vigorously, became intoxicated with liquor, and finally passed out. His intimate friend, however, had an official duty that night, and so he left the man asleep and went out. Before leaving, however, the friend wanted to give the visitor a splendid jewel, which was called the ’priceless gem of perfection’. The gem was invaluable with a mysterious power to make any prayer come true without fail.
The friend, seeing that the man was fast asleep, sewed the priceless gem secretly inside the man’s robe so that it would not be lost. Not knowing of it, the man awoke from his sleep, wandered in many lands, was engaged in many kinds of work, failed in all of them, and spent a hard life. Thus, both his heart and appearance became haggard, and he returned to his friend’s home. The friend who was an official was much surprised to see the man’s shabby mien and asked him as if in reproach, “Why are you so poor-looking? Why didn’t you use the priceless gem which I gave you?”
The poor fellow, however, did not understand what he meant and stood there dumbstruck. The intimate friend explained that he had sewn the priceless gem inside his robe and said, “It must still be inside your robe. Look and find it.” The man looked for the gem and found it neatly sewn inside his robe. The man was surprised, ashamed of his foolishness, and at the same time much delighted with such a splendid gem.
Now according to Nichiren Daishonin, to sew a gem inside a robe means to accept the treasure of the faith of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. The liquor signifies inferior religions or mistaken thoughts, and to be intoxicated with the liquor is to be misled into unhappy life by false religions. People who do not embrace the faith of Nichiren Shoshu are same as those who are asleep after drinking liquor. When people embrace the True Buddhism and begin worshipping the Gohonzon, they may be said to be awakened from their sleep.
We have the life of Buddha within ourselves but, being unaware of it, we go through many troubles and difficulties. Therefore, through faith in the Gohonzon, we can enjoy the utmost happiness.
In reality, however, few people are leading delightful lives, giving full play to the Buddha’s life inherent in themselves. Many people suffer from poverty, illness or family discord, and they are likened to the man who wandered in poverty without using the priceless gem even though he had it inside his robe. Life without the Gohonzon is same as the man ignorant of his own priceless gem.
Those who have taken faith in the Dai-Gohonzon, or have become convinced that they themselves are the real entity of the Mystic Law and are Bodhisattvas of the Earth, can be said to be living a life filled with happiness, fully utilizing the priceless gem of perfection.
Fortunately, the believers of Nichiren Shoshu have awakened from the intoxication of false religions, but there are still many others who are not yet awakened from the life of illusion. To awaken and lead them to the true teachings is the mission for all Nichiren Shoshu believers.
The man in the parable who was delighted to find the priceless gem and the man still suffering from a poor state of life are the same and one person. This is a mysterious means only the Buddha knows. Until the gem was found, the man did not know it was there. Thus the parable represents the Himyo Hoben (literally Secret and Mysterious Means).
Aside from the aforementioned three kinds of Hoben, there are two Hoben - (means) in the True Buddhism. They are ‘punishment’ and ‘blessing’.
In practicing Shakubuku for others, you may find that they will not listen to you even though you say, “You are in reality none other than the true entity of the Gohonzon of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. You will surely become a Buddha, so take the faith.” They will only answer, “I am satisfied as I am. I shall become a Buddha after death.”
This is why there is punishment for those who oppose the faith, and divine blessings for those who take faith and earnestly practice it.
This is what the Buddha taught: “We have obtained the priceless gem of perfection without seeking it earnestly”. Here the priceless gem is nothing other than the Gohonzon. It is we, the Nichiren Shoshu believers, who gained the Gohonzon without seeking the Gohonzon.