Chapter3（Demonstrating That the Lotus Sutra Surpasses All Other Sutras）
The sutras other than the Lotus Sutra do not expound this ultimate doctrine, and so their followers are like ordinary persons at the stage of being a Buddha only in theory. The Buddhas and bodhisattvas who appear in those sutras do not reach the stage of hearing the name and words of the truth in the practice of the Lotus Sutra, let alone the stage of perception and action, for they do not even chant the title of the Lotus Sutra. This is why the Great Teacher Miao-lo stated in On “The Words and Phrases,” “If ‘this’ is not the teaching that surpasses the eight teachings, then how can it be considered the teaching of this [Lotus] sutra?” The titles of the various other sutras fall within the eight teachings. These titles are like the meshes of a fishing net, while the title of the Lotus Sutra is like the main cord of the net that gathers the meshes of the eight teachings.
Lecture
Here, it is first stated that living beings who hear and believe in the pre-Lotus sutras—which do not expound the principles of the mutual possession of the Ten Worlds, the Hundred Worlds and Thousand Factors, and the three thousand realms in a single life-moment—do not advance beyond the stage of principle (ri-soku), the first of the six stages of practice established by the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai. Even the Buddhas and bodhisattvas expounded in those various sutras do not equal the stage of hearing the name and words (myōji-soku) of the Lotus Sutra. Furthermore, because they do not chant the Daimoku of the Lotus Sutra (Myoho-renge-kyo), they cannot even reach the stage of perception and contemplation (kangyō-soku).
Next, quoting the Great Teacher Miao-lo’s The Annotations on the Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra (Hokke Mongu Ki), which states, “Unless it is the ‘Thus’ that transcends the eight teachings, how could it be what was heard in this sutra?”, it is explained that while the titles of the various pre-Lotus sutras fall within the eight teachings and are like individual meshes of a net, the title of the Lotus Sutra transcends the eight teachings and is like the main cord (taikō) that gathers the entire net.
The Six Stages of Practice (Six Identities)
The six stages of practice were expounded by the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai in the first volume, lower fascicle, of Great Concentration and Insight (Maka Shikan), describing the six progressive stages of a bodhisattva practicing the Perfect Teaching of the Lotus Sutra. They are:
- Identity in Principle (ri-soku): The stage of ordinary mortals who have not yet heard the correct teaching and are ignorant of the Buddhist Law, but who are nonetheless inherently endowed with the Buddha nature in principle.
- Identity in Name and Words (myōji-soku): The stage where one realizes through the sutra’s words that one’s own life is inherently a Buddha and that all phenomena are manifestations of the Buddhist Law.
- Identity in Contemplation and Practice (kangyō-soku): The stage where, through practice, one contemplates the Buddha nature inherent within one’s own mind, and the principle contemplated (shokan no ri) corresponds with the wisdom that contemplates it (nōkan no chi).
- Identity in Resemblance (sōji-soku): The stage where one completely severs illusions of thought and desire (kenshi-woku) as well as illusions innumerable as particles of dust and sand (jinja-woku), attains purification of the six sense organs, and achieves a state resembling the Buddha’s enlightenment. In the fifty-two stages of bodhisattva practice, this corresponds to the ten stages of faith (jisshin).
- Identity in Partial Truth (bunshin-soku): The stage where one severs all illusions except for fundamental darkness (ganpin no mumyō), progressively manifesting one’s Buddha nature step by step. This corresponds to the stages from the first stage of abode (shojū) to the stage of near-perfect enlightenment (tōgaku). At the first stage of abode, a portion of one’s Buddha nature is first revealed, and at near-perfect enlightenment, one reaches a realm nearly identical to that of a Buddha.
- Ultimate Identity (kukyō-soku): The stage of marvelous enlightenment (myōgaku), in which one cuts through fundamental darkness and fully manifests the Buddha nature without remainder.
In the Perfect Teaching of the Lotus Sutra, the stages of practice are perfectly integrated and harmonious, inherently lacking rigid divisions. However, because practitioners differ in the depth of their delusion and enlightenment, these stages are established.
These six stages simultaneously contain two essential functions:
- The aspect of “Identity” (soku): Prevents those lacking faith from falling into feelings of inferiority and despair by teaching that at every stage, one is identical with the Buddha, thereby providing hope.
- The aspect of “Six” (roku): Prevents those lacking wisdom from falling into overweening pride (arrogance) by mistakenly assuming that they are already equal to the fully enlightened Buddha.
When the text states, “Unless one expounds this core essence, those outside the Lotus Sutra are merely ordinary mortals in the stage of principle,” it means that living beings who listen to teachings other than the Lotus Sutra remain merely ordinary mortals in the stage of principle, even if granted the highest evaluation, because those sutras do not reveal the mutual possession of the Ten Worlds.
Furthermore, as expressed in the passage, “The Buddhas and bodhisattvas of those sutras have not yet reached the stage of hearing the name and words of the Lotus Sutra,” even the Buddhas and bodhisattvas depicted in the pre-Lotus teachings do not equal the stage of hearing the name and words of the Lotus Sutra.
In addition, the statement “Much less, if they do not chant the Daimoku, how could they attain the stage of perception and contemplation?” should be understood as follows: The stage of perception and contemplation, as mentioned earlier, is the stage where one contemplates the inherent Buddha nature of one’s mind through practice, bringing the principle contemplated into accord with the wisdom that contemplates it. In the Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin, this is defined in The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings (Ongi Kuden): “To hear the teaching and put it into practice is the stage of perception and contemplation” (p. 752). Thus, chanting the Daimoku corresponds to the stage of perception and contemplation. Consequently, because the Buddhas and bodhisattvas of the pre-Lotus sutras did not chant the Daimoku, they were unable to attain this stage.
Regarding the six stages of practice, Nichiren Daishonin states in The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings:
“Speaking in terms of the six stages of practice, the Thus Come One in this chapter is an ordinary mortal who is in the first stage, that of being a Buddha in theory. When one reverently accepts Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, one is in the next stage, that of hearing the name and words of the truth. That is, one has for the first time heard the daimoku. When, having heard the daimoku, one proceeds to put it into practice, this is the third stage, that of perception and action. In this stage one perceives the object of devotion that embodies the three thousand realms in a single moment of life. When one succeeds in overcoming various obstacles of illusions, this is the fourth stage, that of resemblance to enlightenment. When one sets out to convert others, this is the fifth stage, that of progressive awakening. And when one comes at last to the realization that one is a Buddha eternally endowed with the three bodies, then one is a Buddha of the sixth and highest stage, that of ultimate enlightenment.
Speaking of the chapter as a whole, the idea of gradually overcoming illusions is not the ultimate meaning of the “Life Span” chapter. You should understand that the ultimate meaning of this chapter is that ordinary mortals, just as they are in their original states of being, are Buddhas.
And if you ask what is the action or practice carried out by the Buddha eternally endowed with the three bodies, it is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.” (Point One, concerning Chapter Sixteen, The Life Span of the Thus Come One Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, p. 123)
Transcendence of the Eight Teachings: The Main Cord and the Meshes
“The Great Teacher Miao-lo’s commentary states: ‘Unless it is the ‘Thus’ that transcends the eight teachings, how could it be what was heard in this sutra?’ The titles of those various [pre-Lotus] sutras belong within the eight teachings and are like the meshes of a net, whereas the title of this sutra transcends the meshes of the eight teachings and is the main cord of the net.”
Here, the superiority of the Lotus Sutra over all other sutras is demonstrated by citing Miao-lo’s The Annotations on the Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra. This commentary by Miao-lo builds upon T’ien-t’ai’s interpretation of “Thus have I heard” (nyoze gabon) in The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra (Hokke Mongu). T’ien-t’ai stated, ” ‘Thus’ (nyoze) designates the entity of the Law that was heard.” Regarding this “Thus,” Miao-lo further clarified that the “Thus” of the Lotus Sutra is the “Thus that transcends the eight teachings” (chō-hachi no nyoze).
“Transcending the eight teachings” (chō-hachi) means surpassing the classification of the eight teachings established by T’ien-t’ai, which comprise the Four Teachings of Doctrine (kehō no shikyō) and the Four Teachings of Method (kegi no shikyō).
Doctrinal classification (kyōso hanjaku) refers to categorizing Shakyamuni’s lifetime teachings according to their chronological order and doctrinal depth to determine their relative superiority. Its ultimate purpose is to reveal the true intent and core meaning of Shakyamuni’s enlightenment. Through this classification, T’ien-t’ai concluded that the Lotus Sutra is the true intent and supreme purpose of Shakyamuni’s advent.
The Four Teachings of Doctrine classify the content of Shakyamuni’s lifetime teachings into four categories:
- Tripitaka Teaching (Zōkyō): The Hinayana (Lesser Vehicle) teaching based on the three divisions of the canon (sutras, vinaya, and treatises). It clarifies the cause and effect of birth and death within the six paths of the threefold world and teaches how to escape them. It analyzes phenomena into their constituent parts to realize emptiness (the contemplation of analytical emptiness, setsu-kū-gan). Because it fails to recognize the non-empty aspect of phenomena, it is called the teaching of “mere emptiness” (tan-kū). Its primary audience is the two vehicles (voice-hearers and cause-awakened ones), with bodhisattvas guided secondarily.
- Connecting Teaching (Tsūgyō): The introductory gate to the Mahayana, serving as an intermediate bridge between the preceding Tripitaka Teaching and the subsequent Specific Teaching. Depending on the practitioner’s capacity, one can progress either backward or forward, hence the name “Connecting.” It likewise addresses birth and death within the threefold world and liberation from them, but differs from the Tripitaka Teaching by directly perceiving phenomena as empty in their essence (the contemplation of intrinsic emptiness, tai-kū-gan). Because it recognizes the non-empty aspect within emptiness, it is called the teaching of “non-mere emptiness” (futan-kū). It is shared by the three vehicles (voice-hearers, cause-awakened ones, and bodhisattvas), expounded primarily for bodhisattvas and secondarily for the two vehicles.
- Specific Teaching (Bekkyō): A higher Mahayana teaching expounded exclusively for bodhisattvas who seek to transcend the realm of transformative birth and death (henyaku no shōji) after overcoming the birth and death of the threefold world. Its doctrine is based on the “distinct three truths” (kakuryaku no santai), characterized by presenting the Middle Truth (chūtai) as separate and isolated from the truths of temporary existence (ketai) and emptiness (kūtai). Its view of ultimate reality is disconnected from actual daily phenomena, meaning that bodhisattvas must undergo practice spanning countless kalpas (rekkō shugyō) to attain realization.
- Perfect Teaching (En-gyō): The supreme, ultimate doctrine among Shakyamuni’s lifetime teachings. It expounds the principle of the perfect mutual interpenetration of all phenomena: one is all, all is one, one practice encompasses all practices, one stage contains all stages, and earthly desires are identical with enlightenment (bonnō soku bodai) and birth and death are identical with nirvana (shōji soku nehan). Thus, the initial stage of practice embraces the merits of all practices and all stages, enabling the salvation of all living beings without exception. Regarding the three truths, it clarifies the “harmonious three truths” (enyū no santai), showing that each of the three truths is simultaneously empty, temporary, and the Middle.
The Pre-Lotus Perfect Teaching and the Pure Perfect Teaching of the Lotus Sutra
The Perfect Teaching is further distinguished between the Perfect Teaching of the pre-Lotus sutras (nizen no en) and the Perfect Teaching of the Lotus Sutra (Hokke no en). Regarding the pre-Lotus Perfect Teaching, Nichiren Daishonin states in The Meaning of the Sacred Teachings of the Buddha’s Lifetime (Ichidai Seikyō Taii):
“The tenets of this teaching also delineate fifty-two stages of bodhisattva practice. But though the names are the same as those for the fifty-two stages of the specific teaching, the interpretations attached to them are different. As a result, the fifty-two stages are viewed as mutually inclusive; there is no question of some being shallow and others profound, some inferior and others superior. Ordinary people can attain Buddhahood without passing through all the stages, and can also achieve rebirth in a pure land. Though one does not cut off earthly desires, this presents no obstacle to the attainment of Buddhahood. Through a single good practice or observance of a single precept one may attain Buddhahood.
To a certain extent this teaching propounds the doctrine of opening up and merging with the truth. The Vimalakīrti Sutra explains how ordinary people are opened up and merged [with Buddhas], and how earthly desires and evil natures are opened up and merged [with enlightenment and good natures, respectively], but it does not offer such possibility to those of the two vehicles. In the Wisdom sutras the doctrines of the two vehicles are opened up and merged with the truth, but it does not allow such opening and merging to persons of the two vehicles or evil persons. The Meditation Sutra and the other [Pure Land] sutras teach that ordinary people may achieve rebirth in the Pure Land without cutting off so much as a single particle of earthly desire.
These are all examples of the perfect teaching found in the sutras preached prior to the Lotus Sutra.” (WND-2, p. 52)
As this passage clarifies, while the pre-Lotus sutras contain statements suggesting that ordinary mortals can attain Buddhahood without sequential stages or without severing earthly desires, they concurrently deny the attainment of Buddhahood to persons of the two vehicles and evil individuals. Thus, these teachings possess inherent limitations; even where they claim that Buddhahood is possible, they possess the name only, lacking actual substance.
Furthermore, because the pre-Lotus Perfect Teaching is mixed with and tainted by the expedient methods of the Specific, Connecting, and Tripitaka teachings, it cannot be called a purely perfect teaching.
In contrast, the Perfect Teaching of the Lotus Sutra is the purely perfect and singularly wondrous teaching (jun’en dokumyō). It transcends the Four Teachings of Doctrine and surpasses the four methods, representing the “ghee” (daigo) teaching that transcends all eight teachings (chō-hachi). For this reason, Miao-lo interpreted the “Thus” at the beginning of the Lotus Sutra as the “Thus that transcends the eight teachings.”
Drawing upon this commentary, Nichiren Daishonin writes: “The titles of those various [pre-Lotus] sutras belong within the eight teachings and are like the meshes of a net, whereas the title of this sutra transcends the meshes of the eight teachings and is the main cord of the net.”
In other words, while the titles of the pre-Lotus sutras represent doctrines restricted within the scope of the eight teachings—functioning merely as individual meshes of a net—the title of the Lotus Sutra transcends the eight teachings, acting as the overarching main cord that controls and governs all individual meshes.
Regarding the relationship between the main cord and the meshes, Nichiren Daishonin explains in The Conversation between a Sage and an Unenlightened Man (Shōgu Mondō Shō):
” The meaning of this passage is that, when one carries out the single practice of exercising faith in Myoho-renge-kyo, there are no blessings that fail to come to one, and no good karma that does not begin to work on one’s behalf. It is like the case of a fishing net: though the net is composed of innumerable small meshes, when one pulls on the main cord of the net, there are no meshes that do not move. Or it is like a garment: though the garment is composed of countless tiny threads, when one pulls on a corner of the garment, there are no threads that are not drawn along.” (WND-1, p. 133)