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

Introduction:

The Lotus Sutra, Chapter 3, delivers a potent message about the essence of true salvation and the Buddha’s pivotal role in guiding living beings toward enlightenment. This chapter features the Buddha granting a prophecy of Supreme Perfect Enlightenment to Shariputra and utilizes the allegory of the burning house to elucidate the concept of genuine salvation.

Section 1:

“In the echoes of the sacred Law I hear,
A newfound treasure, drawing ever near,
My heart swells with joy, doubts cast away,
In the clarity of truth, I shall stay.”

LS 3:1.4

In the first section, paragraphs 1-25, Shariputra experiences a profound moment of joy upon hearing the Magnificent Law. He then expresses remorse for his initial lack of faith in the Buddha. He understands that the Buddha had been employing provisional methods to save living beings all along and that the true essence of the Buddha’s teachings was beyond his limited comprehension. This regret is a poignant reminder that even the wisest individuals can occasionally be blind to the truth, requiring significant effort to awaken to life’s realities.

Section 2:

“In days to come, Shariputra shall rise,
A Buddha of boundless wisdom and skies,
Named Lotus Light, shining bright and true,
Saving countless beings, guiding them through.”

LS 3:2.8

In the second section, paragraphs 1-18, Shakyamuni Buddha grants the prophecy of Supreme Perfect Enlightenment to Shariputra. This prophecy predicts that Shariputra will eventually become a Lotus Light Buddha in the land known as Free of Defilement. The Buddha’s lifespan will be twelve small kalpas, and his True Law will endure for thirty-two small kalpas. This prophecy underscores the belief that all beings can achieve enlightenment and that the journey toward culture is lengthy and necessitates considerable effort.

Section 3:

“Supreme, the Turn of the Law does stand,
This peerless, great Wheel of Law expands,
Deep and profound, a truth so rare,
A teaching embraced by the few who dare.”

LS 3:3.4

The third section, paragraphs 1-8, depicts the delight of heavenly gods and humans upon hearing the prophecy. They proceed to present offerings to the Buddha, reinforcing that the Buddha’s teachings are widely appreciated and valuable. This demonstrates that people from all walks of life can achieve enlightenment if they commit to the effort.

Section 4:

In the fourth section, paragraphs 1-29, the allegory of the burning house is introduced to illustrate the meaning of true salvation. In this allegory, a wealthy elder’s house catches fire, but his children remain engrossed in their playthings, oblivious to the danger. Finally, the wealthy elder concocts an ingenious plan to save the children by promising them rewards in the form of goat, deer, or ox carriages if they escape the house. Enticed by the prospect of these rewards, the children hastily flee the home. Once safe, the wealthy elder bestows only the white ox carriages upon them.

The central message of this allegory is that the Buddha employs skillful means to differentiate the One Buddha Vehicle into three different vehicles to save living beings with varying capacities, natures, and desires. The Buddha, symbolized by the wealthy elder, rescues living beings from the perilous Saha world, represented by the burning house. The goat carriage signifies the Vehicle of the Shravaka, the deer carriage embodies the Vehicle of the pratyekabuddha, and the white ox carriage symbolizes the Vehicle of the bodhisattva/Buddha. Through this allegory, the Buddha clarifies that all living beings possess the potential to attain Buddhahood via the Mahayana Vehicle, symbolized by the white ox carriage.

“O Shariputra! Comprehend the Buddha’s intent, employing skillful means so well-bent; He seeks to differentiate the One Buddha-Vehicle’s state, by expounding them in three distinct ways to elucidate.”

LS 3:4.29

Shariputra is filled with joy upon encountering the Magnificent Law and subsequently expresses remorse for initially lacking faith in the Buddha’s use of provisional Vehicles to save living beings.

A metaphor elucidates the essence of genuine salvation—freeing living beings from the cycles of birth and death. The Buddha, symbolized as the wealthy elder, rescues living beings (his children) from the Saha world (depicted as the burning house). The goat carriage represents the Vehicle of shravaka, the deer carriage embodies the Vehicle of pratyekabuddha, and the white ox carriage signifies the Vehicle of bodhisattva/Buddha. Ultimately, the Buddha saves all living beings through the Mahayana Vehicle (symbolized by the white ox carriage), enabling them to attain Buddhahood. In essence, the Buddha employs skillful means to distinguish the One Buddha Vehicle into three distinct Vehicles to save living beings of varying capacities, natures, and desires.

Section 5:

Lastly, in the fifth section, paragraphs 1-122, Shakyamuni Buddha recites poetic stanzas to portray the realities of the burning house vividly. Through his eloquent words, the Buddha emphasizes the urgency of relinquishing worldly attachments and pursuing enlightenment to break free from the cycle of birth and death.

“Whosoever embraces this sutra, believe,
Should be deemed as one who did achieve,
In lives before, they saw Buddhas past,
Respected, offered, from first to last,
Heard the Dharma, in prior days,
From those enlightened in countless ways.”

LS 3:5.79

Regardless of our perspectives on our past lives, it is challenging to recall their events. Through these verses, the Buddha emphasizes that our delight in listening to his teachings in this life signifies that we have previously heard and practiced his teachings, even if it appears difficult to us. Additionally, it implies that by embracing and accepting the Lotus Sutra, we are honoring and presenting offerings to all Buddhas.

Conclusion:

Chapter 3 of the Lotus Sutra conveys a compelling message about the nature of true salvation and the Buddha’s essential role in guiding living beings toward enlightenment. The allegory of the burning house serves as a potent reminder that all living beings possess the potential to attain Buddhahood and that the path to enlightenment involves following the teachings and guidance of the Buddha. The Buddha employs various skillful means to differentiate the One Buddha Vehicle.