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The Forth Level of the Fivefold Comparison
Contents
The Essential Teaching (Honmon) and the Theoretical Teaching (Shakumon)
The Lotus Sutra consists of 28 chapters.The first 14 chapters are called the Theoretical Teaching (Shakumon) and the latter 14 chapters are called the Essential Teaching (Honmon). The core of the Theoretical Teaching is the Hoben (second) chapter and the core of the Essential Teaching is the Juryo (sixteenth) chapter.Through comparing the Theoretical and the Essential Teachings, it becomes clear that the Essential Teaching is superior to the Theoretical Teaching.This is called Honjaku Sotai in Japanese, the fourth level of the Fivefold Comparison.In the fifth and final level, “the Buddhism of Sowing is superior to the Buddhism of the Harvest,” the essence of Buddhism, Myoho-Renge-Kyo, hidden in the depths of the Juryo chapter, is ultimately revealed.
What is the difference between the Theoretical and the Essential Teachings of the Lotus Sutra? The Buddha who taught the Theoretical Teachi He is Shakyamuni Buddha, who first achieved enlightenment during His lifetime in India.He was born in a royal palace as the son of King Shuddohodana.Shakyamuni renounced His princely status and, at the age of thirty, after years of ascetic practices, achieved enlightenment under the Bodhi tree.In this capacity, He is called the Buddha of Shijo sogaku, the Buddha, who first achieved enlightenment during His lifetime in India.
However, in the Juryo chapter of the Essential Teaching, Shakyamuni revealed His true identity As the Buddha who had already achieved enlightenment in the distant past of Gohyaku jintengo.From this standpoint, He is called the Buddha of Kuon Jitsujo, the Buddha who achieved enlightenment in the remote past.Shakyamuni’s revelation of His true identity in the Juryo chapter is called Hosshaku kenpon or Kaishaku kenpon.
The character “shaku” in Shakumon (Theo-retical Teaching) signifies a temporary teaching by the manifestation of a Buddha in His temporary form.On the other hand, the character “hon “(” original “or” true “) in Honmon (Essential Teaching) signifies the True Buddha who revealed His true identity. His teaching is not temporary.It is the genuine and True Teaching.
Ichinen Sanzen (a single life-moment possess es three thousand realms) in the Theoretical Teaching
The Daishonin teaches the difference between the Essential and Theoretical Teachings in the “Opening of the Eyes” as follows:
The Hoben chapter, which belongs to the trine of ichinen sanzen, making clear that sop ap spunodxa Hunpro uo persons in the two realms of shomon and ngaku can achieve Buddhahood.It thus avoids committing one of the two errors perpetrated in the earlier sutras. But it nevertheless fails to reveal that the Buddha achieved enlightenment countless aeons ago.So the true doctrine of ichinen sanzen remains unclear and the attainment of Buddhahood by persons in the two realms is not properly affirmed. Such teachings are like the moon seen in the water, or rootless plants that drift on the waves. (MW-2, p. 103)
Here the Daishonin points out one merit and one flaw of the Theoretical Teaching.The merit is the revelation of the principles of theoretical lchinen sanzen and the enlightenment of those of the two vehicles (nijyo sabutsu) .However, the Buddha who preaches this Law has not yet discarded His transient or provisional status and revealed His true identity.He remains the Buddha wh o first achieved enlightenment during His lifetime in India.This is the flaw.
The people of the two vehicies of learning (shomon) and realization (engaku) are those who conduct Buddhist practice for themselves alone.They have no desire to practice for In the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings, it is said that “the people of the two vehicles, who are self-centered will never be able to attain enlighten-ment.” They were constantly disparaged.
But the Hoben chapter of the Lotus Sutra revealed the principles of the true entity of all phenomena, the mutual possession of the Ten Worlds, and the ten factors of life. This is called theoretical Ichinen sanzen (Ri no Ichinen sanzen), and demonstrates that the deluded common mortals of the nine worlds possess the Buddha nature, Likewise, the life condition of the Buddha also posnesses the life conditions of the other nine worlds.This is the principle of the mutual possession of the Ten Worlds.All common mortals also posess the life condition of the two vehiclos, If it were taught that those of the two vehicles could not attain enlightenment, it would also mean that no common mortal could attain enlightenment.
The main discourse of the Theoretical Teaching begins in the Hoben chapter and continues through the Ninki (ninth) chapter.Here the Buddha three times taught the three cycles of preaching, understanding, and predictions of enlightenment.The people in the world of learning, including Shariputra, who listened to the Theoretical Teaching, had previously been taught by the Buddha from the remote past of Kuon. They, however, were unable to under stand the teaching of the true entity of all phenomena.They grasped the truc intention of the Buddha listening to the preaching of the Theoretical Teaching.As a result, they were given a prediction that they would attain enlightenment in the future.
However, the fundamental point is that the Buddha who taught this important doctrine of the true entity of all phenomena, did so from the standpoint of the Buddha who first attained enlightenment during His lifetime in India.Even though He may teach such a respectworthy doctrine, the law taught by the Buddha from this standpoint cannot be the eternal Law.The people in the world of learn ing who heard this preaching were not able to believe in the eternal existence of the Buddha. They had no way to see the complete truth, they were unable to break through even first of the Three Categories of Illusion, the illusions of thought and desire.
Attaining enlightenment means to purify earthly desires. In the Theoretical Teaching, the people in the world of learning were able to understand However, they still had delusions.In the “Opening of the Eyes,” the Daishonin used the following example to explain the realization of those in the world of learning:
Thus the true doctrine of ichinen sanzen remains unclear and the teaching of Buddhahood by persons in the two realms is not properly affirmed.Such teachings are like the moon seen in the water, or rootless plants that drift on the waves. (MW-2, p. 103)
In the main discourse of the Theoretical Teaching the principle of the true entity of all phenomena was taught, and ichinen sanzen was revealed.However, those in the world of learning still had doubts. ,, they had not yet realized the existence of the seed of enlightenment in their lives that they had received in the infinite past of Kuon.
Ichinen Sanzen in the Essential Teaching
The quote from the “Opening of the Eyes continues as follows:
When we come to the chapters of the Lotus Sutra that put forth the Essential Teaching, then the belief that Shakyamuni obtained Buddhahood for the first time in India is demolished, and the effects of the Four Teachings are likewise demolished.When the effects of the Four Teachings are demolished, the causes are likewise demolished. (Gosho, p.536; Ref: MW-2, p.103-104)
In the Juryo (sixteenth) chapter of the Essential Teaching of the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha’s life span was revealed.The Buddha taught that He had already achieved enlightenment in the distant past of Gohyaku jintengo.This revelation is called hosshaku kenpon.
The Juryo chapter reveals what kind of practice the Buddha pursued (“honin” or “true cause”) when He achieve enlightenment Chonga “or” true effect “). Further, it indicates the specifie place, this saha world.where the Buddha lived to preach and teach (“honkokudo” or “true land”). This is the doctrine of the Three Mystic Principles expounded in Juryo chapter the mystic principle of the True Cause of original enlightenment, the mystic principle of the True Effect, and the mystic principle of the True Land.This is called the integration of the Three Mystic Principles.
The doctrine of the Three Mystic Principles originates in T’ien-t’ai’s “Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra (” Hokke Gengi “) .T’ien-t’ai taught that the Essential Teaching is superior to the Theoretical Teaching based on the doctrine of the “Ten Mystic Principles” of the Essential Teaching.The first three are known as the Three Mystic Principles.
When the Three Mystic Principles are finally revealed in the J uryo chapter, the Buddha of the Theoretical Teaching and the pre- Lotus Sutra teachings together with the content of His practices in those teachings are completely nullified.This is the meaning of the quote from “the Opening of the Eyes”:
When the effects of the four Teachings are demolished, the causes are likewise demolpays.
Let’s take a look at the passage from the Juryo chapter that reveals the mystic principle of the True Cause:
Once I also practiced the bodhisattva austenities and the life which I then acquired has yet to be exhausted. (MW1, p. 65)
The Daishonin explains the passage above as “the nine worlds without beginning. ‘” Without beginning “means eternal life and the life that constantly exists in accordance with the limited time frame of Gohyaku jintengo.
The passage from the Juryo Chapter that reveals the mystic principle of the True Effect of original enlightenment reads as follows:
Since I achieved Buddhahood, an unimaginably long period has passed.The length of my life is infinite aeons. My life has always existed and shall never end. (MW-1, p.49 -50)
The Daishonin calls this “enlightenment without beginning.” Together, the mystic principles of True Cause and True Effect reveal the constant existence of the Buddha’s life.
The mystic principle of the True Land is expounded as follows
I always exist in This saha world in order to preach and to lead the people to enlightenment. Through clearly revealing the place where the Buddha would preach and lead the people to enlightenment, the existence of the Buddha becomes c oncrete. The saha world which was considered an impure land is revealed to be the Buddha’s land where the Buddha always resides. Finally it is demonstrate that the enlightenment of insentient beings such as plants and trees is possible.
Summary
In the Theoretical Teaching, the principle of the enlightenment of those of the two vehicles is taught from the point of view of the true entity of all phenomena and ichinen sanzen.It was, however, only theoretical ichinen sanzen since it did not have a concrete manifestation.In the Essential Teaching, ichinen sanzen was taught in accordance with the existence of the Buddha who achieved enlightenment in the remote past of kuon.This is the mutual possession of the Ten Worlds and ichinen sanzen manifested by the Buddha who is in a position to teach.At the same time, it is the ichinen sanzen of the common mortals who are in a position to receive the Buddha’s Teaching. Together with the revelation of the three realms of existence, this is called “actual ichinen sanzen” of the Essential Teaching.
The Daishonin says in “the Opening of the Eyes”:
This is the true mutual possession of the Ten Worlds, the true hundred worlds and thousand factors, the true ichinen sanzen. (MW-2, p. 104)
Thus, the Daishonin expounded the superiority of the Essential Teaching over the Theoretical Teaching.However, as I mentioned before, the next lecture would cover the principle, “the Buddhism of Sowing is superior to the Buddhism of the Harvest.” In this lecture , doctrines such as “hidden in the depths” will be discussed.The teaching of the Fivefold Comparison becomes progressively deeper and deeper.There, please understand that today’s explanation is not the ultimate theory.
