Persons of the Two Vehiclesand Bodhisattvas Cannot Attain Buddhahood in the Pre-Lotus Sutra Teachings

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QUESTION: It is said of some teachings that through them persons of the two vehicles can never attain Buddhahood. Does this mean that through them bodhisattvas likewise can never attain Buddhahood, or does it not?

Persons of the Two Vehiclesand Bodhisattvas Cannot Attain Buddhahood in the Pre-Lotus Sutra Teachings

 

Background

QUESTION: It is said of some teachings that through them persons of the two vehicles can never attain Buddhahood. Does this mean that through them bodhisattvas likewise can never attain Buddhahood, or does it not?

Answer: In volume two of the Lankāvatāra Sutra we read: “‘[Bodhisattva] Great Wisdom,1 what is meant by the group who are without the nature of enlightenment? It means the icchantikas. Great Wisdom, the icchantikas do not have the nature to attain nirvana. Why? Because when it comes to the possibility of emancipation they do not have a believing mind, and therefore they will never enter nirvana.

“‘Great Wisdom, the icchantikas are of two kinds. What are the two kinds? The first kind is those who have burned all the roots of goodness. The second kind is those who, feeling pity and compassion toward all living beings, vow to save all those in the realm of living beings.

“‘Great Wisdom, what does it mean to burn all the roots of goodness? It means to speak slanderously of the storehouse of bodhisattva teachings, saying, “These do not accord with the teachings of the sutras, the monastic rules, and emancipation, and will cause one to abandon the roots of goodness.” Because they say such things, they can never attain nirvana.

“‘Great Wisdom, those who out of pity for living beings take a vow to save all those in the realm of living beings are called bodhisattvas. Great Wisdom, these bodhisattvas as an expedient means make their vow, saying, “So long as there are other living beings who do not enter nirvana, I myself will not enter nirvana!” Therefore these bodhisattvas and mahāsattvas do not enter nirvana.

“‘Great Wisdom, the persons described above constitute the two kinds of icchantikas, or those who are without the nature to attain nirvana. And for this reason they invariably pursue the way of the icchantika.’

“Bodhisattva Great Wisdom then said to the Buddha, ‘World-Honored One, of these two kinds of icchantikas, which will never enter nirvana?’

“The Buddha replied to Great Wisdom, ‘Those icchantikas who are bodhisattvas and mahāsattvas will never enter nirvana. Why? Because they know that all things in their original state are in nirvana. Therefore they do not enter nirvana.

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“Thus in the Lotus Sutra the Buddha says: ‘What I long ago hoped for has now been fulfilled. I have converted all living beings and caused them all to enter the Buddha way.’9 Since those in the realm of living beings are numberless, even though there may be those living beings who have yet to enter the Buddha way, the power of this sutra insures that all living beings in the Ten Worlds attain the Buddha way. Since this is so, the Buddha’s original vow to benefit all living beings has been fulfilled.”

He also says: “First of all, if we were to clearly state the overall meaning of the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law, it is that the Buddhas appear in the world for one great reason alone, namely, to teach that all living beings possess the Buddha nature, and that if they heed the Law and observe the religious practices they will all be able to attain Buddhahood.

“For what reason did the Buddha teach that all living beings in the Ten Worlds possess the three inherent potentials of the Buddha nature? Bodhisattva Vasubandhu in his Treatise on the Buddha Nature, in the first section that deals with dependent origination, states: ‘The Thus Come One, in order to free living beings from the five types of faults and allow them to gain the five types of virtues, teaches that all living beings possess the Buddha nature.’

“The five types of faults are (1) to possess an inferior and unworthy mind, (2) to possess an arrogant mind, (3) to cling to what is unreal and illusory, (4) to slander the true doctrine, and (5) to think only of oneself. The five types of virtues are (1) assiduousness, (2) reverence, (3) wisdom, (4) knowledge, and (5) great compassion.

“To doubt that one can bring forth the Buddha nature and therefore to fail to set one’s mind on the attainment of enlightenment is what is meant by possession of an inferior and unworthy mind. To be confident that one possesses the Buddha nature and to go about declaring that one has set one’s mind on the attainment of enlightenment is what is meant by possession of an arrogant mind. Though all things are lacking in an inherent self, to cling to the idea that they have a self is what is meant by clinging to what is unreal and illusory. To deny and speak slanderously of the wisdom and blessings inherent in the purity of all phenomena is what is meant by slandering the true doctrine. To be conscious only of one’s own existence and to have no wish to show pity toward all living beings is what is meant by thinking only of oneself. By replacing these five faults with the five virtues and understanding once and for all that all beings possess the Buddha nature, one can set one’s mind on the attainment of enlightenment.”

Nichiren

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Background

Though the date and recipient of this writing are unknown, because its content seems to follow a similar line of reasoning as that seen in On the Ten Worlds, written in 1259, it is considered to have been written around the same time. These writings explain from various angles that neither persons of the two vehicles—voice-hearers and cause-awakened ones—nor bodhisattvas can attain Buddhahood through the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings; that only the Lotus Sutra enables them to do so.

This writing consists of two questions and their corresponding answers. The first concerns whether those sutras that deny persons of the two vehicles the attainment of Buddhahood can still enable bodhisattvas to do so? To this, Nichiren Daishonin answers in the negative, explaining that, because those sutras preached before the Lotus Sutra do not permit persons of the two vehicles the attainment of Buddhahood, they cannot lead bodhisattvas to that goal either. In Mahayana Buddhism, bodhisattvas make four universal vows, the first of which is to save, or lead to enlightenment, all people, and the last to attain enlightenment themselves. It is the nature of bodhisattvas to put off their own nirvana until they fulfill the vow to save all others.

If persons of the two vehicles cannot attain Buddhahood, then how can bodhisattvas fulfill their vow to save all people? With this vow unfulfilled, they too cannot attain Buddhahood. Thus, the pre-Lotus sutras, by taking the position that persons of the two vehicles can never attain Buddhahood, deny Buddhahood to bodhisattvas as well.

The second question is about reliable passages from the Buddhist scriptures and commentaries that support the view stated above. In response, the Daishonin cites passages from the Nirvana Sutra, The Essentials of the One Vehicle Teaching by Genshin, Tz’u-en’s Praising the Profundity of the Heart Sutra, and Jikaku’s On the Quick Attainment of the Stage of Buddhahood.

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Notes

1. Great Wisdom is the leading bodhisattva appearing in the Lankāvatāra Sutra.

2. A reference to the four teachings of doctrine. See four teachings of doctrine in Glossary.

3. A rephrasing of the passage in the Flower Garland Sutra.

4. Immeasurable Meanings Sutra.

5. The other nine rules are to (1) observe the precepts, (2) be intimately associated with good friends or good teachers, (3) pursue a state of tranquillity and quietude, (4) be assiduous in practice, (5) achieve a state of concentration of mind, (6) perceive the mind of others and discourse with them accordingly, (7) propagate the correct teaching and make offerings to one who strives in propagation, (8) offer to one’s comrades in practice what they need, and (9) obtain wisdom, especially wisdom leading to perception of the inherence of the Buddha nature within all people.

6. This passage is not found in Tz’u-en’s Praising the Profundity of the Heart Sutra, but is cited in The Essentials of the One Vehicle Teaching as coming from Praising the Profundity of the Heart Sutra. The priest Pao-chih (418–514) was criticized for using occult powers and deluding people, but later won the respect of Emperor Wu of the Liang dynasty.

7. The Commentary on “The Diamond Scalpel” written by Dengyō. See also Diamond Scalpel in Glossary.

8. This work is no longer extant.

9. Lotus Sutra, chap. 2.

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