Mr. Altig’s Overview of the Wonderful Dharma of the Lotus Sutra

“He is born from precepts, meditation, wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and insight, embarking from the Three Understandings, Six Divine Powers, arising from compassion, the Ten Powers, and fearlessness, emerging from charitable actions for living beings.”

(Immeasurable Meanings Sutra 1: 2.4)

The Three Understandings

The Three Understandings in Buddhism are:

1. Understanding of the impermanence of all things, which includes recognizing that everything is constantly changing and nothing lasts forever.
2. Understanding of the unsatisfactoriness of all existence, which involves recognizing that all worldly experiences are inherently flawed and bring suffering.
3. Understanding of the non-self nature of all things, which means recognizing that there is no permanent self or essence in any individual or phenomenon, and that all things are dependent on other factors and conditions.

These three understandings are considered key in the development of wisdom and the attainment of enlightenment in Buddhist philosophy and practice.

The Six Divine Powers

The Six Divine Powers in Buddhism refer to the spiritual powers that a practitioner can cultivate in order to progress on the path towards enlightenment. They are:

1. The divine power of faith: the ability to maintain a strong and unwavering faith in the Buddhist teachings and in the possibility of enlightenment.
2. The divine power of mindfulness: the ability to maintain clear and continuous awareness of one’s thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations.
3. The divine power of diligence: the ability to maintain strong effort and dedication in one’s spiritual practice.
4. The divine power of concentration: the ability to focus the mind and maintain a state of deep meditation for extended periods of time.
5. The divine power of wisdom: the ability to understand the nature of reality and to see things as they truly are.
6. The divine power of liberation: the ability to achieve freedom from the cycle of birth and death and attain enlightenment.

By cultivating these powers, a practitioner can overcome mental obstacles and progress towards the ultimate goal of enlightenment in Buddhist philosophy and practice.

These six divine powers are considered to be interdependent and reinforcing. For example, developing mindfulness can enhance one’s concentration, which can then lead to deeper wisdom and liberation. By nurturing these powers, the practitioner can overcome mental obstacles such as ignorance, craving, and aversion, and achieve a state of peace, wisdom, and compassion.

In the Buddhist tradition, these powers are considered to be developed through a combination of mindfulness, meditation, and ethical conduct, as well as by studying the Buddhist teachings and seeking guidance from experienced spiritual teachers. The development of these powers is considered to be a gradual process that takes time and effort, but it is also seen as being ultimately achievable for all those who are dedicated to the spiritual path.

The Ten Powers?

The Ten Powers in Buddhism are ten qualities that a fully-enlightened being, such as a Buddha, possesses. They are:

1. The power of perfect knowledge: the ability to know everything without any hindrance or obstruction.
2. The power of the ability to see everything: the ability to see all things and understand their nature.
3. The power of the ability to hear everything: the ability to hear all things and understand their nature.
4. The power of the ability to know the thoughts of others: the ability to know the thoughts and intentions of all beings.
5. The power of the ability to transcend birth and death: the ability to be free from the cycle of birth and death and attain enlightenment.
6. The power of the ability to achieve anything: the ability to accomplish any aim or aspiration through the power of one’s own effort.
7. The power of the ability to teach the dharma: the ability to teach the Buddhist teachings in a way that is appropriate for each individual.
8. The power of the ability to awaken others: the ability to help others to understand the Buddhist teachings and awaken from ignorance.
9. The power of the ability to know past lives: the ability to recall one’s past lives and understand their causes and conditions.
10. The power of the ability to destroy defilements: the ability to overcome the mental afflictions that cause suffering and hindrance to spiritual progress.

These ten powers are considered to be the ultimate goal of Buddhist practice, and are achieved by fully-enlightened beings who have perfected the path to liberation. They are also seen as qualities that can be cultivated and developed by anyone who embarks on the Buddhist path.

The quote from the Immeasurable Meanings Sutra describes the process of spiritual development in Buddhism, emphasizing the importance of a combination of moral conduct, meditation, wisdom, and compassion.

The Three Understandings, Six Divine Powers, and Ten Powers are considered to be the qualities that a practitioner can cultivate in order to progress on the path towards enlightenment. By combining these qualities with compassion and fearlessness, and through the practice of charitable actions for the benefit of all living beings, one can be “born” into a state of spiritual maturity and liberation.

This quote highlights the idea that spiritual development in Buddhism is a holistic process that involves the development of wisdom, compassion, and moral conduct, and that these qualities are interdependent and reinforce one another. Through this process, the practitioner can overcome ignorance, craving, and aversion, and attain a state of peace, wisdom, and compassion.