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

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Overview

This briefing document reviews the central role of arrogance and its antitheses—faith and respect—as crucial factors in understanding and benefiting from the profound teachings of the Lotus Sutra, particularly as highlighted in Chapter 2 (“Expedient Means”) and elaborated upon by Nichiren Daishonin. The sources emphasize that the Buddha’s “wonderful and inconceivable” Dharma requires an open and humble mind; arrogance acts as a significant barrier, while genuine faith and respect serve as gateways to enlightenment.

Key Themes and Important Ideas/Facts

1. Arrogance as a Barrier to Understanding the Dharma

The Lotus Sutra dramatically illustrates the impediment of arrogance in Chapter 2.

• The Departure of the Arrogant: As the Buddha prepares to reveal the ultimate truth, five thousand members of the assembly—monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen—stand up and depart. These individuals are described as “arrogant” or “overbearingly proud” [1].
• Misconception of Attainment: They mistakenly believed they had “attained what they had not attained” [1], thinking they already understood everything and “felt that they no longer needed to listen to Shakyamuni’s sermon” [5].
• Consequences of Arrogance: The Buddha does not stop them, observing that their departure removed the “chaff” [2][3], leaving only sincere seekers. This reinforces the idea that “My teaching is wonderful and inconceivable. If arrogant people hear me, they will not respect or believe me.”
• Closed Mindset: Arrogance “blocks our ability to hear the Buddha” [6], rendering individuals “incapable of accepting this Dharma” [7][8]. It is like a full cup that cannot receive more water.
• Protection from Slander: The Buddha initially hesitates to preach the profound Dharma, saying, “No, no, I will not say any more” [9], out of concern that arrogant listeners might slander the truth, incurring negative karmic consequences for themselves. The Dharma should be shared with wisdom, considering the audience’s capacity, “among the wise but not among the foolish” [10].

2. Faith and Respect as Open Gateways to the Dharma

In contrast to arrogance, faith and respect are presented as essential attitudes for receiving the Buddha’s message.

• Nature of Faith (śraddhā): Faith is not blind belief but a “trust in the Buddha’s wisdom cultivated through study, reflection, and experience” [12]. It means “being able to accept the teaching based on reason, and to experience and demonstrate its truth amid the realities of daily living” [12]. It involves an “assumption of the Buddha’s reliability” and a willingness to verify teachings in practice.
• Nature of Respect: Respect is an attitude of humility and appreciation, recognizing “the immense compassion and wisdom behind the Buddha’s words” [2]. It means “to recognize the immense compassion and wisdom behind the Buddha’s words, and to refrain from dismissing them arrogantly.” A respectful mind remains open and appreciative, rather than cynical, thus “opens our hearts to [the Buddha’s] enlightenment.”
• Bodhisattva Never Disparaging: This bodhisattva, introduced later in Chapter 20 of the Lotus Sutra, embodies faith and respect. His practice was to bow to everyone and say, “I have profound reverence for you, I would never dare treat you with disparagement or arrogance. Why? Because you will all practice the bodhisattva way and will then be able to attain Buddhahood” [13]. Even when “baselessly criticized and attacked by arrogant people” [14], he “never responded with disrespect or contempt” [14]. This story highlights that “respect for others and faith in their potential is at the core of the sutra’s message” [15][16].

3. Nichiren’s Warnings: Arrogance as a “Slander” and Source of Persecution

Nichiren Daishonin, a 13th-century champion of the Lotus Sutra, strongly emphasized the dangers of arrogance.

• The Fourteen Slanders: Arrogance is listed first among Nichiren’s “Fourteen Slanders” or “fourteen evil causes” [17], which “act against the intent of the sutra” and hinder the benefits of Buddhist practice [18][19]. “To have a haughty attitude toward true Buddhism and to hold it in disdain” is defined as arrogance in this context [21].
• Diminishing Practice: Nichiren warned that even outwardly performing Buddhist practice (like chanting Daimoku) is diminished or nullified if one harbors negative attitudes like arrogance [22][23]. He asserted that the difference between a Buddha and an ordinary person chanting Odaimoku is whether they “avoid” actions that go against the sutra’s intent [23].
• Arrogance as a Social Evil: Nichiren identified arrogance as a major cause of conflict and persecution against the Lotus Sutra. He cited the prophecy of “three powerful enemies” who would oppose the sutra: “arrogant lay people, arrogant priests, and arrogant false sages” [24]. He saw these enemies manifest in his own persecutors, characterizing some as “extremely arrogant false sages” [25].
• Cultivating the Opposite Spirit: Nichiren exhorted practitioners to cultivate humility, gratitude, and compassion, frequently citing Bodhisattva Never Disparaging as an example [15][16][26]. He stated that “The heart of the Buddha’s lifetime of teachings is the Lotus Sutra, and the heart of the practice of the Lotus Sutra is found in the ‘Never Disparaging’ chapter” [15]. This means that “the attitude of respect – never disdaining others or the Dharma – is central to the Lotus Sutra’s practice.”

Conclusion

The sources consistently underscore that an attitude of humility, respect, and faith is paramount for comprehending and actualizing the “wonderful and inconceivable” teachings of the Lotus Sutra. Arrogance, by contrast, creates an impenetrable barrier, causing individuals to “not respect or believe” the Buddha and preventing them from benefiting from the Dharma. Practitioners are encouraged to continually examine their attitudes, guarding against pride and cultivating an “open heart” to fully embrace the Buddha’s enlightenment and advance on the path to Buddhahood.