[9][14], Reeves also notes that the theme of unity and difference also includes other ideas besides the one vehicle. This is a Mahayana question and I'll answer it as such. The cosmology of the Amitabha Buddha is described as something akin to an infinite number o Cosmic Buddhas in the Himalayas | Essay | The Metropolitan [178], Apart from the major Heian period Tendai temples, there also arose groups of independent Lotus Stra devotees (jikysha) or "Lotus holy ones" (hokke hijiri). Gallery. His sons proceeded to teach the sutra. According to their co-founder Niwano Nikky (19061999), "Lotus Stra is not a proper noun, but the fundamental truthGod, Allah, or the one vehicleat the heart of all great religions. Amitbha is also one of the Buddhas featured in the Womb Realm Mandala used in Shingon practices, and sits to the west, which is where the Pure Land of Amitbha is said to dwell. [251] Examples can be seen in a bronze plaque (year 686) at Hase-dera Temple in Japan[252] and, in Korea, at Dabotap and Seokgatap Pagodas, built in 751, at Bulguksa Temple. Shakyamuni Buddha: Life, Appearance and Teachings The Buddha uses nine similes to declare that the Lotus Stra is the king of all sutras. [87][44], Chapter 20: The Bodhisattva Never Disparaging, The Buddha tells a story about a previous life when he was a bodhisattva called Sadparibhta ("Never-disparaging" or "Never-disrespectful") and how he treated every person he met, good or bad, with respect, always remembering that they will become Buddhas. Samantabhadra promises to protect and guard all those who keep this sutra in the future. [64][65][66][61] The hidden jewel has been interpreted as a symbol of Buddha-nature. [45], Modern scholars suggest that chapters 29 contain the original form of the text. The Miraculous Tales of the Lotus Sutra[261] is a collection of 129 stories with folklore motifs based on "Buddhist pseudo-biographies."[262]. [68], Chapter 9: Prophecies for the Learners and Adepts, nanda, Rhula, and two thousand bhikus aspire to get a prophecy, and the Buddha predicts their future Buddhahood. [242] Other passages from the sutra have been seen as promoting certain ways of living. "[219] He also understood the Lotus Stra (as well as other Mahayana works) to be later, more "developed" texts than the "simple" earlier sutras which contained more historical content and less metaphysical ideas. They were believed to help the dead and to grant long life to the living. honmon). [250] In the fifth century, the scene of Shakyamuni and Prabhutaratna Buddhas seated together as depicted in the 11th chapter of the Lotus Stra became arguably the most popular theme in Chinese Buddhist art. At the foundation are the unchanged Lvi, Sylvain; Takakusu, Junjir; Demiville, Paul; Watanabe, Kaigyoku (1929). [157] There are two major commentaries from Zhiyi on the sutra, the Profound Meaning of the Lotus Stra (Fahua xuanyi) which explains the main principles of the text and the Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra ( Fahua Wenzhu), which comments on specific passages. "Fo" is the Chinese word for "Buddha".[12]. Its authors are unknown, but they were likely highly educated Buddhist monks, fully at ease among the doctrines and tropes of Buddhism as it existed in India at the time. [9], Zhiyi's philosophical synthesis saw the Lotus Stra as the final teaching of the Buddha and the highest teaching of Buddhism. However, Christian missionaries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, based predominantly in China, became interested in Kumrajva's translation of the Lotus Stra. [71] The Buddha states that they should be honored as if they were Buddhas and that stupas should be built wherever the sutra is taught, recited or written. The term derived from the Sanskrit root dhr, related to dharani and could refer to the memorization and retention of the teaching as well as to the more abstract "apprehension" of the Dharma in meditative states of samadhi. Amitbha statue in gold leaf with inlaid crystal eyes. "[34], According to Gene Reeves, the Lotus Stra also teaches that the Buddha has many embodiments and these are the countless bodhisattva disciples. [105][106][107][98], Hariti and several bodhisattvas offer sacred dhra (magical formulas) in order to protect those who keep and recite the Lotus Stra. [91][92][93] The Buddha Prabhtaratna in his jeweled stupa and the countless manifestations of Shakyamuni Buddha return to their respective buddha-fields. Buddha discourages display of a In this view, which is very influential in Tiantai and Japanese Buddhism, "this world and the pure land are not, ultimately, separate places but are in fact non dual. Sakyamuni Buddha Amitabha Gallery [256] Far more poems have been Lotus Stra-inspired than other sutras. What he meant was that it was the supreme vehicle. [60][61][62] The Buddha explains that the magic city represents the "Hinayana Nirvana", created merely as a rest stop by the Buddha, and the real treasure and ultimate goal is Buddhahood. [78], The Buddha encourages all beings to embrace the teachings of the sutra in all times, even in the most difficult ages to come. Then the ground splits open and countless bodhisattvas spring up from the earth (lead by Viiacritra, Anantacritra, Viuddhacritra, and Supratihitacritra), ready to teach. He would write "I know of nothing so Christian in all of Asia" and saw the Lotus as containing a "moral Christianity, full of compassion for all creatures. According to the Larger Stra of Immeasurable Life, Amitbha was, in very ancient times and possibly in another system of worlds, a monk named Dharmkara. Thirdly, they should be happy and never criticize and discourage people from enlightenment. [213], One of the first mentions of the Lotus Stra by a westerner can be found in the work of the Catholic missionary Matteo Ricci. His consort is Paravsin. He then says that the Buddha is about to expound his ultimate teaching, The White Lotus of the Good Dharma. By the power of his vows, Amitbha has made it possible for all who call upon him to be reborn into this land, there to undergo instruction by him in the dharma and ultimately become bodhisattvas and buddhas in their turn (the ultimate goal of Mahyna Buddhism). The Buddha prophecies that the six thousand nuns who are also present, including Mahprajpat and Yaodhar, will all become Buddhas.[79][44]. These two works were compiled by Zhiyi's disciple Guanding (561632). [44] The hearing and chanting of the Lotus Stra is also said to cure diseases. Are Amitabha and Sakyamuni the same? - Buddhism The Buddha Shakyamuni (article) | Khan Academy Another parable found in some versions says that just like a potter makes different types of pots from the same clay, the Buddha teaches the same One Vehicle in different forms. In the Highest Yogatantra of Tibetan Buddhism, Amitbha is considered one of the Five Dhyni Buddhas (together with Akobhya, Amoghasiddhi, Ratnasambhava, and Vairocana), who is associated with the western direction and the skandha of saj, the aggregate of distinguishing (recognition) and the deep awareness of individualities. [175][176], Post-Saich Tendai leaders like Ennin and Enchin also adopted further teachings from Esoteric Buddhism (mikky) into their interpretation and practice of the Lotus. Are Amitabha and Sakyamuni the same? Since this question is not very specific, there are a few ways to answer. [202][203], According to Jacqueline Stone, several of these new Lotus based groups, such as Rissh Ksei Kai and Sokka Gakkai, are also known for their social activism, international relief work and peace work. [9] In the Lotus Stra, the One Vehicle encompasses many different and seemingly contradictory teachings because the Buddha's great compassion and wish to save all beings (bodhicitta) led him to adapt the teaching to suit many different kinds of people and contexts. Sukhvat is situated in the uttermost west, beyond the bounds of our own world. Shakyamuni Buddha. :; ychng), the supreme and all encompassing path that leads to Buddhahood. He dates the third stage (Chapters 2227) around 150 CE. This is typically the easiest way to [241], It was said that these practices were very meritorious and could lead to miracles. "[18] According to Reeves, the story of the little Dragon Girl promotes the idea that women can also become Buddhas just like monks. [30][31][32][29], The idea that the physical death of a Buddha is the termination of their life is graphically refuted by the appearance of another Buddha, Prabhtaratna, who has taught the Lotus countless aeons ago. . This was to be recited in front of a gohonzon ("object of veneration"). "[9], The Lotus Stra has inspired a branch of folklore based on figures in the sutra or subsequent people who have embraced it. The Lotus Stra was also a key source for Dgen (12001253), the Japanese founder of St Zen Buddhism. The 'Dainihonkoku hokekykenki' of Priest Chingen by Yoshiko Kurata Dykstra", "Social responsibility, sex change, and salvation: Gender justice in the Lotus Stra", "Introduction: The Lotus Sutra and Process Thought", "A Discussion with Gene Reeves, Consultant, Rissho Kosei-kai and the Niwano Peace Foundation", "On a Possible Origin of the "Ten Suchnesses" List in Kumrajva's Translation of the Lotus Sutra", "The Mahyna Stra "The White Lotus of the Good Dharma", "The Lotus Sutra in Japanese literature: A spring rain", "The place of the Lotus Sutra in Indian Buddhism", "Kern and the Study of Indian Buddhism With a Speculative Note on the Ceylonese Dhammarucikas", "Medieval Tendai Hongaku Thought and the New Kamakura Buddhism", "Chanting the August Title of the Lotus Sutra: Daimoku Practices in Classical and Medieval Japan", "Realizing This World as the Buddha Land", "Two parables on "The wealthy father and the poor son" in the, "The Characteristic of the Bodhisattva Concept in the Lotus Sutra The Apostle-idea", "The Problem of the Buddha's Short Lifespan", An English translation by the Buddhist Text Translation Society, Basic points unifying Theravda and Mahyna, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lotus_Sutra&oldid=1169418103, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from November 2021, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing Chinese-language text, Articles containing Sanskrit-language text, Articles containing Japanese-language text, Articles containing Standard Tibetan-language text, Articles containing Vietnamese-language text, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0, Lopez, Donald S.; Stone, Jacqueline I. [100][101][102] This chapter teaches the practice "offering the body", which involves burning a part of one's body (such as toe, finger, or a limb) as an offering. It was believed that these practices generated many benefits, from spiritual benefits like visions of Buddhas, rebirth in a pure land, awakening, and helping deceased relatives, to worldly benefits like peace, healing and protection from harm. The basic doctrines concerning Amitbha and his vows are found in three canonical Mahyna texts:[3]. According to Lopez, this tome "seems to have been originally intended to aid readers in understanding the Lotus Stra," the translation of which Burnouf had completed in 1839. This rishi was none other than Devadatta, who is destined for Buddhahood in the future as the Buddha Devarja. [98][99], Chapter 23: "Former Affairs of Bodhisattva Medicine King", The Buddha tells the story of the 'Medicine King' (Bhaiajyarja) bodhisattva, who, in a previous life as the bodhisattva Sarvasattvapriyadarana, set his body on fire, lighting up many world systems for twelve years, as a supreme offering to a Buddha. With this framework, the historical Sakyamuni Buddha is [32], The Chinese Lotus Stra has been translated into other Asian languages including Uighur, Tangut, and more recently colloquial Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Korean.[9]. WebSutras in which Shakyamuni expounds the glories of Sukhavati, the Pure Lands, speak of the presiding Buddha sometimes as Amitabha and sometimes as Amitayus. The father therefore sends low class people to offer him a menial job cleaning trash. [239], According to Gene Reeves, "the Lotus Stra frequently advocates concrete practices, which are often related to the sutra itself. Amitbha is the head of the Lotus family.[15]. [160][9] Saich also understood the Lotus Stra to be a "great direct path" to Buddhahood which could be reached in this very life and in this very body. This work is said to be at the origin of pure land practices in China and was integrated with and influenced by the already established Taoist and Confucian principles and practices. [186] Nichiren taught that chanting the title of the Lotus Stra in a phrase called the daimoku (Namu Myh Renge Ky, "Glory to the Dharma of the Lotus Stra") was the only effective Buddhist practice in what he believed was the current degenerate age of Dharma decline (Skt. Ritualized recitation, copying of the text and lectures explaining the Lotus Stra were performed at temples, shrines, and private residences. [note 2][40][41] Maitreya wonders what this means, and the bodhisattva Majur states that he has seen this miracle long ago when he was a student of the Buddha Candrasryapradpa. the Buddha Gautama) are portrayed as an illusory manifestation, a skillful means meant to teach others. [84] Maitreya then asks how this is possible, since these bodhisattvas have been training for aeons. [44], The Buddha transmits the Lotus Stra to all bodhisattvas in his congregation and entrusts them with its safekeeping and its propagation far and wide. These bodhisattvas choose to remain in the world to save all beings and to keep the teaching alive. The senior disciples say that they are like the son, because initially they did not have the confidence to accept full Buddhahood, but today they are happy to accept their future Buddhahood. [13][14] This can and has been interpreted by some figures in an exclusive and hierarchical sense, as meaning that all other Buddhist teachings are to be dispensed with. [119], According to Donald Lopez "the general scholarly consensus is that the Lotus Stra took shape in four phases." Amitbha , also known as Amityus, is the primary Buddha of The text states that the Buddha actually achieved Buddhahood innumerable eons ago, but remains in the world to help teach beings the Dharma time and again. [204] Nichiren-inspired Buddhist organizations have shared their interpretations of the Lotus Stra through publications, academic symposia, and exhibitions. Inscribed pedestal with the first known occurrence of the name of "Amitabha Buddha" in "the year 26 of. Amitbha[2] (Sanskrit: , IPA: [mtab]), also known as Amityus, is the primary Buddha of Pure Land Buddhism. These rituals are mentioned in The Tale of Genji. For Reeves "the fantastically long life of the Buddha, in other words, is at least partly a function of and dependent on his being embodied in others. [35] According to British writer Sangharakshita, the Lotus uses the entire cosmos for its stage, employs a multitude of mythological beings as actors and "speaks almost exclusively in the language of images. [153] Kuiji (63282), a disciple of Xuanzang, wrote a commentary on the Lotus. [172][173] Saich attempted to create a great synthesis of the various Chinese Buddhist traditions in his new Tendai school (including esoteric, Pure Land, Zen and other elements), all which would be united under the Lotus One Vehicle doctrine. [9] One topic of debate among Chinese commentators to the Lotus was the "three carts or four carts" debate which focused on whether the One Vehicle was the same as the bodhisattva vehicle or a different vehicle that transcends the Mahyna. His accumulated merits enable him to take on many different forms to propagate the Lotus Stra. He also held that the current social and political chaos in Japan was caused by this sinful behavior. He exhibits Samadhi Mudra his two palms folded face up, one on top of the other, lying on his lap. [216][217][218], Burnouf really appreciated the "parables" (Sanskrit: aupamya, "comparisons", "analogies", more accurately described as allegories) found in the Lotus, which reminded him of the parables of the New Testament. [32], According to Paramrtha (499569 CE), there were over fifty Indian commentaries on the Lotus. [32] The idea that the sutra was originally in prakrit remains a contested claim among both secular and religious historians. One of these was written by Je Tsongkhapa on the request of Manjushri (For a discussion and translation of the most important prayers in the Tibetan tradition see Halkias).[9]. [243] Similarly, other parts of the sutra have been interpreted as exhortations to share the Dharma of the Lotus with other people. The Buddha affirms that he has taught all of these bodhisattvas himself in the remote past after attaining Buddhahood. [130] It is cited by Indian Buddhists such as Vasubandhu (in his commentary on the Mahynasagraha), Candrakrti (Madhyamakvatra-bhya), ntideva, Kamalala and Abhaykaragupta. The plants represent rvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas,[58] and all beings which receive and respond to the teachings according to their respective capacities. [144] The Sanskrit editions[145][146][147][148] are not widely used outside of academia. One of the earliest four layer theories of the development of the sutra was Kogaku Fuse's. Buddhist practice is a way to realize this nature. Amitbha is also known in Tibet, Mongolia, and other regions where Tibetan Buddhism is practiced. From my understanding Gautama Buddha and Amida Buddha are two different Buddha. When Amida made his vows it was immeasurable kalpas ago and He jus [32] The Lotus Stra was also one of the most widely memorized Buddhist texts, a practice which became a requirement for Buddhist monastic ordination at various points throughout Chinese history. This openness and acceptance of all kinds of people has made belief in pure lands one of the major influences in Mahyna Buddhism. [44], The Buddha also teaches a parable about a group of people seeking a great treasure who are tired of their journey and wish to quit. [156] According to Lopez, "Zhiyi compares the fundamental teaching with the moon shining in the sky and the trace teaching with a moon reflected in a lake; the first is the source of the second. [22] Even those, who practice only simple forms of devotion, such as paying respect to the Buddha, or drawing a picture of the Buddha, are assured of their future Buddhahood. Hiei", "From scholarly object to religious text - the story of the Lotus-sutra in the West", "Literal means and hidden meanings: a new analysis of skillful means", "Editors' Introduction: The "Lotus Sutra" in Japan", "Introduction to the Sanskrit Lotus Sutra Manuscripts", "The Saddharmapundarika and Sunyata Thought", "Vehicle (yna) and Wisdom (jna) in the Lotus Sutra the Origin of the Notion of yna in Mahayna Buddhism", "The Buddhist "Prodigal Son": A Story of Misconceptions", "Dogen's Appropriation of Lotus Sutra Ground and Space", "How Did the Indian Masters Read the Lotus Sutra? All Buddhas praise kyamuni for teaching the Lotus. Sutras in which Gautama Buddha expounds the glories of Sukhavati, the Pure Lands, speak of the presiding Buddha sometimes as Amitbha and sometimes as Amityus. This page was last edited on 9 August 2023, at 00:09. In his The True Doctrine of the Lord of Heaven (Tianzhu shiyi), published in 1603, Ricci mentions the Lotus Stra and denounces its teaching. [243] A particularly important set of practices are the "five practices of the preacher of the dharma" (found in Chapter 19), which are preserving (or "upholding"), reading, reciting, explaining, and copying the stra. [44], In another story, Majur praises the nga king Sgaras daughter and says she can attain Buddhahood. "[117] Jacqueline Stone and Stephen F. Teiser meanwhile write that "it is perhaps no exaggeration to say that the Lotus Stra has been the most influential Buddhist scripture in East Asia. Nichiren believed that chanting while contemplating the gohonzon allowed to enter the mandala of the Lotus assembly. At the request of his sixteen sons, he then taught the Lotus Stra for a hundred thousand eons. The works of the Tiantai master Zhiyi include various Lotus Stra based practices like the "Lotus samdhi" and the "Rite of Repentance for the Lotus Samdhi". For example the story of Never Disrespectful Bodhisattva in chapter 20 has been seen by some as teaching that we should see all beings as potential Buddhas and treat them accordingly. Later, these elements were added back to the Kumrajva text. According to the British Buddhologist Paul Williams, "For many Buddhists in East Asia since early times, the Lotus Stra contains the final teaching of Shakyamuni Buddhacomplete and sufficient for salvation. Some of these groups have pushed the study and practice of the Lotus Stra to a global scale. When in the descending standing position, Amitbha is often shown with left arm bare and extended downward with thumb and forefinger touching, with the right hand facing outward also with thumb and forefinger touching. [47], Shakyamuni explains his use of skillful means to adapt his teachings according to the capacities of his audience. How to tell the difference between Amitabha and Shakyamuni It could also refer to the storing, enshrining and safekeeping of the physical copies of the sutra. They are also simply known as Amida in the Chinese and Japanese tradition. [74][44], Countless manifestations of Shakyamuni Buddha in the ten directions are now summoned by the Buddha into this world, transforming it into a Pure Land. [159] According to Lopez and Stone, Zhiyi's view of the Lotus was an inclusive vision which had a place for every Buddhist sutra, teaching and practice. Because the Buddha uses skillful means in this way, he should not be seen as a liar, but as an intelligent teacher. This behavior would often lead to the persecution of Nichiren and Nichiren Buddhists. [44] Thereafter Prabhtaratna invites Shakyamuni to sit beside him in the jeweled stupa. By the 8th century, the stra was important enough that the emperor had established a network of nunneries, the so-called "Temples for the Eradication of Sins through the Lotus" (Hokke metsuzai no tera), in each province, as a way to protect the royal family and the state.
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