The Unanimous Declaration by the Buddhas of the Three Existencesregarding the Classification of the Teachings and Which Are to Be Abandoned and Which Upheld Chapter8

The Unanimous Declaration by the Buddhas of the Three Existencesregarding the Classification of the Teachings and Which Are to Be Abandoned and Which Upheld Chapter8

Written by Nichiren

Next we come to the teaching that pertains to the Buddha’s enlightenment, namely, the Lotus Sutra preached in the last eight years of the Buddha’s life.

This sutra deals with the original mind [of enlightenment] in the waking state. But because living beings are accustomed to thinking in the mental terms appropriate to a dream state, it borrows the language of the dream state in order to teach the waking state of the original mind. However, though the language is that employed in a dream state, the intention behind it is to give instruction in the waking state of the original mind. This is the aim of both the text of the Lotus Sutra itself and of the commentaries on it. If one does not clearly understand this, one will invariably misunderstand the wording of both the sutra and its commentaries.

One should note that the dream realm doctrines set forth in the teachings designed for the instruction and conversion of others are doctrines of the functions inherent in the waking state of the original mind. Because the dream realm teachings are subsumed within the waking state of the original mind, the doctrines preached in the first forty-two years of the Buddha’s preaching life, the expedient means intended for the instruction and conversion of others in a realm of dreams, are subsumed within the waking mind that is revealed in the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law. Outside of this mind there is no other teaching. This is what is known as the opening up and merging effected by the Lotus Sutra. The situation is comparable to a multitude of streams being gathered into the great ocean.

The wonder of the Buddha mind and the wonder of the mind of living beings—these two wonders are subsumed within the mind of the individual, and therefore we may say that outside of this mind there is no teaching.

One’s own mind, the mind nature, and the mind entity⁷—these three are the three bodies of the Thus Come One of original enlightenment within one’s own body. This is what the Lotus Sutra means when it speaks of the three factors, “appearance” (the Thus Come One of the manifested body), “nature” (the Thus Come One of the reward body), and “entity” (the Thus Come One of the Dharma body).

The Thus Come One of original enlightenment marked by these three factors embodies in flesh the phenomenal realm of the ten directions, has for his mind nature the phenomenal realm of the ten directions, and takes on for his appearance and auspicious features the phenomenal realm of the ten directions. Thus one’s own body becomes the body of the Thus Come One of original enlightenment endowed with the three bodies. It pervades and embraces the whole phenomenal world and manifests the functions of a single Buddha. Hence, as the Buddha explained in his preaching, all phenomena are manifestations of the Buddhist Law.

When he did so, all the beings who were seated in the assembly, the four kinds of believers, the eight kinds of nonhuman beings, the animals, the non-Buddhist believers, all without a single exception instantly cast off the distorted vision and distorted thoughts of delusion, returned to the waking state of original enlightenment, and thus attained the Buddha way.

The Buddha is like a person awake and living beings are like persons dreaming. Therefore when the latter wake from their empty dreams of birth and death and return to their waking state of original enlightenment, they are said to attain Buddhahood in their present form, to gain the great wisdom of equality, the Law that is without distinctions, and to understand that all are able to achieve the Buddha way, for there is only this one doctrine.

Though the Buddha lands of the ten directions are divided up into various regions, the Law pervades them all. The Law is that of one vehicle, there are no expedient means, and hence it is called the Law that is without distinctions. Though the beings of the Ten Worlds fall into various categories, they conform to the one basic principle of the true aspect of all beings and hence in the end are without distinctions. Though the doctrines of the hundred worlds and thousand factors and of the three thousand realms speak of distinctions, yet because the Ten Worlds are mutually inclusive, they are without distinctions. Though the terms “dreams” and “waking state,” “false” and “true” seem to indicate differing categories, they all come together in the single mind and hence are without distinctions.