On the Ten Worlds

Main Text

Thus when we discuss these matters of doctrine, we must realize that, unless and until the essential teaching is revealed, it is impossible through the sutras preached prior to the Lotus or through the theoretical teaching of the Lotus to free oneself from the six paths. How then could one ever free oneself from the nine worlds [and enter the tenth, that of Buddhahood]?

On the Ten Worlds

 

Background

IT is said that if persons of the two vehicles do not free themselves from the threefold world, then the Ten Worlds that make up the realm of phenomena will lack in number.

Question:1 If one does not understand the principle of the mutual possession of the Ten Worlds, is it possible for one to free oneself from transmigration in the six paths of existence, or transmigration with differences and limitations, and gain birth in the land of transmigration with change and advance?

Answer: Persons of the two vehicles have already cut off the illusions of thought and desire and have no further cause to be reborn in the threefold world. Therefore why should they be reborn in a land in the threefold world? Thus we know that persons of the two vehicles will never be reborn in the six paths.

Hence the second volume of The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra states: “There are three types of persons who are born in the land of transmigration with change and advance: persons of the two vehicles who follow the Tripitaka teaching; persons of the three vehicles who follow the connecting teaching; and persons in the thirty stages of bodhisattva practice2 as set forth in the specific teaching.”

Persons in these three categories have all cut off the illusions of thought and desire and are able to be born in the land of transmigration with change and advance. They will never again be reborn in the impure lands of transmigration with differences and limitations, transmigration in the threefold world.

Objection: The Hinayana teachings speak only of the six paths that are the product of the mind. They do not discuss the six paths that are possessed by the mind. Therefore persons of the two vehicles are unable to make the six worlds manifest in themselves or to describe how these worlds are a possession of the mind. How then can they cut off the illusions of thought and desire that are associated with the six worlds and remove themselves from the six paths?

————————————–～（omitted)～————————————————-

This passage of commentary means that, before the essential teaching is revealed, the theoretical teaching, when compared to the essential teaching, still deserves to be called false. But once the essential teaching has been revealed, then the cause of Buddhahood expounded in the theoretical teaching is seen to be none other than the effect of Buddhahood as expounded in the essential teaching. Like the moon in the sky and the moon reflected in water,50 they are part of a single inherently existing Law, and both the essential teaching and the theoretical teaching are revealed as constantly abiding throughout the three existences of past, present, and future.

That which enables all living beings to gain enlightenment for the first time is what is known as the perfect cause set forth in the theoretical teaching of the Lotus Sutra. And the original enlightenment of all living beings is what is known as the perfect effect set forth in the essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra. This is what a passage of commentary means when it says, “One practices the one perfect cause and achieves the one perfect effect.”51

Thus when we discuss these matters of doctrine, we must realize that, unless and until the essential teaching is revealed, it is impossible through the sutras preached prior to the Lotus or through the theoretical teaching of the Lotus to free oneself from the six paths. How then could one ever free oneself from the nine worlds [and enter the tenth, that of Buddhahood]?

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    1. Main Text
  1. Background
  2. Notes

Background

Nichiren Daishonin wrote this document in 1259. The preceding year, he had pored over the contents of the sutra repository at Jissō-ji temple in Iwamoto of Suruga Province. On the basis of his survey, he authored On the Protection of the Nation, one of his major works, in 1259. The following year he completed and submitted his treatise On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land to Hōjō Tokiyori, the de facto leader of the Kamakura government.

The theme of this current writing differs from those mentioned above from the same period, which focus broadly on the state of the nation, the cause of disasters, and how to address slander of the correct Buddhist teaching. Entitled On the Ten Worlds, this writing compares and contrasts the perspective and principles of the Daishonin’s Buddhism with those of the T’ien-t’ai tradition of China and the Tendai school in Japan. It is not addressed to a particular believer, but seems to have been intended as reference material for future works.

The Daishonin opens by citing an assertion of the Tendai school that, if persons of the two vehicles, voice hearers and cause-awakened ones, do not free themselves from the threefold world, then the two of the Ten Worlds that represent their respective conditions of life could not exist, leaving only eight of the Ten Worlds.

Addressing the theme set forth in this opening statement, the current writing consists of a series of questions or objections and answers. But, unlike other works in which the Daishonin employs a question and answer format to answer a hypothetical questioner, in this case the questions and objections represent the standpoint of the Daishonin, and the answers the doctrinal standpoint of the Tendai school. There is no answer provided to the fourth and final objection; it is in effect a statement of conclusion.

In response to the statement that only eight of the Ten Worlds would exist if persons of the two vehicles were unable to free themselves from the threefold world, the Daishonin presents the following perspective: While the Tendai school acknowledges that persons of the two vehicles can free themselves from the threefold world through the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings, the truth is that, without an understanding of the principles of the mutual possession of the Ten Worlds set forth in the theoretical teaching (first half) of the Lotus Sutra and the Buddha’s original enlightenment in the remote past revealed in the essential teaching (latter half) of the sutra, neither persons of the two vehicles nor bodhisattvas would be able to cut off their illusions of thought and desire. Therefore, they would be unable to free themselves in reality from the threefold world or the six paths of existence.

In summary, the answers counter this challenge by presenting the Tendai school’s position that even in the teachings propounded by the Buddha before the Lotus Sutra, because they were preached in a manner that accorded with the listeners’ individual capacities, people are able to benefit to some degree or attain a certain measure of enlightenment from these teachings. Therefore, persons of the two vehicles and bodhisattvas, through these teachings, are able to free themselves from the six paths.

The Daishonin, in raising his objections, takes the strictly contrasting position that, only if one bases oneself on the essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra, can one achieve genuine emancipation from the six paths, and attain Buddhahood. In making his point, the Daishonin quotes from the works of T’ien-t’ai and Miao-lo, the patriarchs of the T’ien-t’ai school.

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Notes

1. In this work, the portions introduced as questions or objections represent Nichiren Daishonin’s viewpoint, and the portions introduced as answers represent the viewpoint of the T’ien-t’ai or Tendai school.

2. The thirty stages from the eleventh to the fortieth of the fifty-two stages of bodhisattva practice—the ten stages of security, ten stages of practice, and ten stages of devotion.

50. “The moon in the sky” represents the essential teaching and “the moon reflected in water” represents the theoretical teaching.

51. On “The Profound Meaning.”

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