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

Source: Excerpt from “Chapter 7d–The Cosmic Quake and Luminosity: Revelation of the Buddha’s Enlightenment,”

Main Theme: The excerpt describes the extraordinary cosmic events that occurred upon the Buddha’s enlightenment. This highlights the profound impact of this event on the universe and its inhabitants.

Key Points:

• Cosmic Upheaval: The Buddha’s enlightenment triggered a cosmic quake affecting countless worlds across the universe.

“Fifty hundred thousand myriads of spheres in each of the ten directions of space trembled in six different ways, illuminating with an intense, great brilliance.”

• Universal Illumination: The light from the Buddha’s enlightenment reached even the darkest corners of the universe. These corners were previously unknown to their inhabitants.

“Even in the darkest, most desolate corners of the universe, where the sun and moon’s mighty light never reaches, a sudden brilliance appeared.”

• Divine Awe: The event illuminated and shook the palaces and vehicles of gods, even in the highest realms. It surpassed their own divine splendor.

“The palaces and celestial vehicles of the gods, extending all the way to the Brahma-world, quivered and glowed with a luminosity surpassing even the divine splendor of the gods.”

• Angelic Inquiry: The Brahma angels, witnessing the unprecedented brilliance, were bewildered and sought an explanation for the cosmic phenomenon.

“The Brahma angels pondered the meaning of this phenomenon: ‘What could be foretold by this incredible display of light and brilliance?’”

• Poetic Revelation: The Brahma-angel Sarvasattvatrātri shares verses. These verses suggest that the Buddha’s enlightenment is the most likely cause for the spectacular display.

“Or could it be the Buddha, king of kings, Born somewhere in the world, his birth it brings, A token so divine, a splendor so bright, That all horizons blaze with radiant light?”

Significance:

The excerpt emphasizes the universality and magnitude of the Buddha’s enlightenment. It wasn’t just a personal achievement but an event with cosmic repercussions, impacting even the highest celestial realms. The light imagery symbolizes the dispelling of ignorance and the dawning of wisdom, a concept central to Buddhist teachings. The curiosity of the Brahma angels highlights the sense of wonder. Their poetic inquiry reflects the search for meaning that such an event inspires.