Don’t Let Your Negative Karma Hinder Your Faith

Don’t Let Your Negative Karma Hinder Your Faith
Religious discourse by Seijun NAGAMATSU, head priest of Myoushinji Temple, Honmon Butsuryu Shu (HBS), Yokohama, Japan.
Translated by K. Yamazaki

When we smell danger in the wind, instinct pushes us into a protective posture. Similarly, the world charges toward protectionism when it is trapped in an economic predicament. What concerns us today is how we can protect ourselves against and prepare for the unpredictable; we are too self-centered to look after other people and tend to the needs of other countries.

When the world seems harsh and discomforting, it is because the minds and hearts of the people are harsh and discomforting. It appears as though we are becoming increasingly egotistical, blaming others for all the woes that we experience in our daily lives. We are permitting the occurrence of incidents such as miscommunications and misunderstandings with the people who are closest to us more frequently than ever before. Everyday conversations are often marked by complaints about and criticisms of someone outside of the party. Given the current socioeconomic realities of the world, we are encountering more cases like this than ever before, so we must ask ourselves if we are sane to live like this.

One unhappy event can cause people to hold grudges against each other. They ask themselves why this is happening to them without arriving at a convincing answer. They maintain that they have done nothing wrong and ask why they have reached a dead end. Lamenting and pondering why so many outrageous things are happening around us and holding grudges against cold-hearted and uncaring neighbors will inevitably lead us nowhere but to a nervous breakdown.
Now is the best time to change and start living the Buddhist way.

People who are unaware of their negative Karma are not Buddhists. Today, the word “Karma” is widespread in Japan, but very few people understand its true meaning. The “mediocre persons” of the Mappo era have long lost this awareness. These people are referred to as “mediocre persons with three poisons” because their lives are heavily influenced by their desires, anger, and lack of enlightenment.

Our past deeds (three forms of Karma, from the body, the mouth, and our emotions, inclusive of our thoughts) do not evaporate in the moment of action. What we have done, what we have said, and what we have thought are all recorded in our soul. Dreadful though it may be, these actions, words, and thoughts are all accumulated in the innermost part of the subconscious and the deeper part of the soul as “seeds.” All of our emotions, words, and actions are planted as seeds in the soil of the deepest strata of our subconscious.

However, we want to know when these seeds will sprout into leaves. This depends on the weather and environment, but there is no denying that our behaviors constitute the seeds.

In Japan, popular contemporary hobbies include gardening and cultivating small family farms. Everybody who has experience in growing flowers and vegetables knows the wonder of seeds. A variety of miniscule seeds that are only a few millimeters in diameter produce a range of flowers and vegetables in the same soil. Because the seeds look alike, very few experts have the ability to distinguish between the tens of thousands of different species contained therein. Once planted, under the proper conditions, seeds never fail to spring forth leaves; without seeds, there can be no buds.

There is a religious poem written by Master Nissen Shonin, the founder of HBS, and it reads as follows:

Remember: without seeding, there is no sprouting.
Sow the seeds. They will always mature into leaves.
The occurrences that we see every day around us are the results or the buds (effect) of the seeds (cause) that we planted in the past, either immediate or remote. This is what the Law of the Universe is all about. We can also refer to this as the General Law or the Law of Cause and Effect. Buddhists call this 果報 [kahoo] (this literally means “good news,” but it should be understood as “capacity” or “potential”), or 罪障 [zaisho] (negative Karma), or simply カルマ [karuma] (Karma).

We are inclined to think that everything is acceptable as long as it remains masked or unnoticed. On the contrary, each act is documented in the soul as though the seeds are being planted in the soil of the soul day by day, hour by hour, and moment by moment. One of the teachings of the Great Master Nichiren is that we plant seeds 840,000,000 times a day.
Bad seeds give life to bad buds and good seeds, good buds. This is what we call 善因善果・悪因悪果 [zenin zenga, akuin akuga] or “good cause, good effect; bad cause, bad effect.” We should know that self-centered behavior caused by the three poisons translates into bad seeds, which then get planted. The seeds sprout one after another and start swaying our lives in a certain direction. Buddhists should wholeheartedly acknowledge this factual truth.

Sometimes, a succession of negative occurrences in daily life distresses us. All of the inconveniences and hardships that we face certainly have causes. An accident before us surely occurred from the seed. This seed was planted by you and nobody else. To live a truly happy life, we should uproot the bad seeds and buds and freshly plant good seeds instead.

Tell a lie and sooner or later, somebody, not necessarily the person who you deceived, will get even with another lie. Strike somebody and sooner or later, you will be hit by somebody who may or may not be the same person who you struck. The same thing can be said for name calling and gossiping. Likewise, a person who acquires money by cheating will eventually be cheated out of money by somebody else.

Preaching about ethics and codes of conduct is not necessarily the most significant part of Buddha’s teachings. Buddhists know that teachings such as “do a good thing” and “do not do a bad thing” are not effective enough to change people. This may be the case because the so-called mediocre persons of the Mappo era are often overwhelmed by their deep desires; their bad deeds outnumber their good deeds. Such people waste their lives in this way, as they are perpetually stuck in the vicious cycle.

It is essential to know what is important in life. The reason why we remain unhappy and full of anxiety is because we do not recognize the cause and effect relationships of the events that unfold in front of us. In short, we do not see the true nature. The idea that the individual is responsible for the good things, while the people around him or her are to blame for the bad things is utterly incorrect. We must face the truth, and the truth is that you and you alone are accountable for all of the bad things and bad situations that arise. Remember that everything results from the seeds that you have planted. Therefore, be cognizant of the kinds of seeds that you are planting at this moment.

Let us take a look at another religious poem by Nissen Shonin:
Seeds matter for all things. Enlightenment can be achieved only when we plant good seeds of the fine Dharma.

Human beings are creatures that cannot be controlled by the simple moral dichotomy of “good versus evil” that instructs us to undertake good deeds and forsake bad deeds. This is why the great masters of the past have taught us the importance of the action of “planting the best and most excellent seeds.” We are bestowed with the Odaimoku (sacred mantra) of the “cause, essence, and seeds of illumination (or enlightenment).” The fine mantra of Namumyohorengekyo itself constitutes the “seeds of the fine Dharma,” the most precious seeds, the seeds that contain all of Buddha’s virtues.

The “seeds of 本因妙 [honinmyo] (the true and ultimate cause, or the fine Dharma)” lie at the base of all cause-effect relationships. Take a step forward, acknowledge the precious seeds, and start planting the seeds of happiness; then, you will surely have a better future, eliminating your bad Karma and bad buds. Do this and I am certain that your future will be bright.
Everything results from the seeds that you plant. Nobody is responsible but you. Thus, you should plant the “seeds of the fine Dharma” so that you can eradicate the bad seeds and buds that you have been accumulating since your remote past.

Buddhism is action. Regretting your past deeds and blaming other people will lead you nowhere. We are so inflexible with and critical of others and yet so easy on ourselves… We can tell other people what to do because we see them from a distance, but we do not know what to do with ourselves because we do not see ourselves. We experience the pitfalls of human relationships this way. We are so sensitive to other people’s deeds and yet so insensitive when it comes to our own actions and words. With a human nature such as this, we often find ourselves in unhappy situations. Therefore, we must be sensitive to our bad Karma and take a step forward to plant new seeds of happiness in our soul. I am certain that if you start to live this way, you will be rewarded with a new, truly happy life. However outrageous the world may be, your destiny and connections will begin to move forward in a positive direction.

Let me cite one more religious poem by Nissen Shonin:
Your destiny will turn in a better direction
as soon as you have decided to practice faith.
The moment when you decide to live with faith and you begin to practice your faith in your daily life will be the moment when you bring luck on your side. However, beware that your bad Karma might hamper your precious first step in that direction.

Never let your negative Karma hinder your faith.
Take a step forward into faith!

What is Enlightenment?

The aim of one who aspires to practice Buddhism is to remove perplexities and turn them into the path of enlightenment.
What is enlightenment? The Lotus Sutra explains that it cannot be explained in words. Perhaps it is only possible to imagine what enlightenment is. In the first place, Buddhism looked upon by the people as a teaching of logic and morality and stoicism, and enlightenment followed that image. What was the cause of this image? Is it because the teaching gives that impression? Not so. Examining the King of Sutras, The Lotus Sutra, it does not lean toward logic or morality. Who than depicted those images of Buddhism. It was the priests and followers after the death of Shakamuni Buddha.
After the death of Shakamuni Buddha, Buddhism became Buddhism for practioners as priests who were engaged in learning the teachings. The priests put the Buddha's teachings into a framework of common, ordinary logic and morals. As a result, Buddhism became a tasteless, dehydrated philosophical instructive religion.
The image that Buddhism was stoic is the responsibility of the Small Vehicle Buddhist priests and followers after the demise of Shakamuni Buddha. They began to possess a peculiar elite concept, and the followers who could not complete certain religious commandments could not attain enlightenment.
They also thought of methods of religious practices which most ordinary people could not accomplish. This resulted in Buddhism becoming stoic, and the world of enlightenment was also considered as such. It goes without saying, in the state of enlightenment there is stillness apart from the worldly mundane attachments or perplexities. That is not the essence of enlightenment, the essence of enlightenment is more energetic and dynamic.
In the first place, Shakamuni Buddha became a Buddha because he attained enlightenment. He became a Buddha as a result of attaining enlightenment of the Fine Dharma. That is the universe itself and creator of the universe. It is the basic foundation of every existence, creator embracing all eternal life.
Imagine what the universe, including our planet, is like. On earth people and animals are born and raised, flowers bloom, clouds gather, wind blows, and red hot lava swirls in the center of the earth. In space, there are innumerable heavenly bodies, and, one after another, large scale life activities are being repeated. This is because a great law of existence is in action. The law of the universe instilled in our soul, which Shakamuni Buddha discovered was the Fine Dharma. If the basic foundation of Buddhist enlightenment is applicable to the ever changing arrangement of the universe, enlightenment is not a stoic static thing. It is full of energy.
In the Lotus Sutra，the Buddha's enlightenment is explained as the teachings of Ichinen Sanzen.
Nichiren Shonin stated in his writing, "Kanjin Honzon Sho"
“When chanting the Odaimoku faithfully, the power of enlightenment of the Buddha will flow into our soul and be absorbed. Even an ordinary people can possess the same merits of Buddha and can gain enlightenment.”
Earlier, I stated that the aim of Buddhism is to attain the goal or overturning perplexities and pave the way for enlightenment. There are two courses to accomplish this. One course is for a person who wants to use his mind to understand the law of logic of Ichinen-Sanzen. The other course is for a person who does not use his mind and solely raise his soul to believe and earnestly chants the Odaimoku. There is only one condition demanded for a person wants to take this path. That is to cut off all doubts and chant earnestly. The basic foundation of Buddhist practice is a soul faithfully believing in it. What course is better for us need not be discussed.
The difference between the teachings of Great Master Tendai (Tien-tai) of China and Nichiren Shonin is Tendai's course is difficult, whereas Nichiren Shonin's course is simple and easy for ordinary people. To describe it in other words, Tendai's Buddhism is recognition of the core of the teachings, whereas the core of Nichiren Shonin's teachings is active participation. When comparing Tendai's style to that of Nichiren Shonin's, Tendai's course at first glance seems orthodox, and Nichiren Shonin's course is for the common people. But on the basis of the primordial eight chapters of the Lotus Sutra, Nichiren Shonin's course is orthodox and original and Tendai's style is unorthodox. In the primordial (Honmon) eight chapters (Happon) of the Lotus Sutra, The world of the Fine Dharma is explained by the Eternal Buddha as the original stage of Shakamuni Buddha. The Fine Dharma, the philosophy of Ichinen Sanzen teaching mentioned here, is not for the comparison of impressions or logic. In the first place, the Fine Dharma was activities for Buddha and we should participate in Buddhist teachings. Although the Lotus Sutra gives us the impression that we are just watching a magnificent opera, it does not make us feel like we are just observers. It makes us feel as though we want to have a part and participate in it directly by going on stage. The story is written in such a fashion. The teachings in the Lotus Sutra present us with roles and rules which we must act out. The script prepared for us is the primordial eight chapters of the Lotus Sutra. Our participation is in the third scene, "Mappo Period" (the Last Dharma Era), and our role is "Chanting the Odaimoku” which is brought by Bodhisattva Jyogyo not only for ourselves but for spreading it. If enlightenment is entering into the world of the Fine Dharma, which was given to us through Nichiren Shonin, by coming into contact with the breath of the Buddha and inhaled the powerful energy of his teaching through the Odaimoku, it can be understood that the world of enlightenment is not a serene, but an energetic and active thing.
Nissen Shonin, the founder of HBS stated that
“All living beings are made from the five constituent elements and they are all in realms. Living beings, the five constituent elements, and realms are inseparably related to one another. The teaching of the Lotus Sutra which fully expounds the law of harmonious coexistence of the above―mentioned three is the doctrinal principle called 'Three thousand realms in a moment's thought' on the basis of the theory 'Each of the Ten Realms Mutually Contains the Other Nine'. NamuMyohoRengeKyo contains all the substance of this teaching and the merit of having a good knowledge of it. Thus there is no ocean, no mountain, no country, nothing, except the Fine Dharma. The sky, the earth, and all living beings are breathing altogether in the merit of the Fine Dharma. If one understood this real state of things, one could become a Buddha but an ordinary man, far from understanding it, acts against it and brings about his own ruin. An ordinary man doesn't know that the sunlight, the moonlight, fire, water, trees and plants, land, and changes of the seasons are all produced by the grace of the Fine Dharma. It is beyond our power to realize it, but the Fine Dharma which we believe and chant contains the meritorious power to enable us to attain Buddhahood.”
―Kaidoyooetsu―831
If one chants NamuMyohoRengeKyo which is revealed in the primordial eight chapters of the Lotus Sutra entrusted to the Bodhisattva Jogyo and plants in the minds of all living beings the seed, the genuine cause of Buddhahood, this one practice based on chanting the Daimoku will produce all kinds of merits. If one listens to the chanting voice for even a moment and can surely attain the Buddhist Way, how much more so will it be if one feels grateful for the Daimoku in one’s mind. That one thought of faith will lead you to get to the Buddha―land. The Buddha's enlightenment is attained in chanting the Daimoku. As a result, the three poisons (greed, anger, stupidity) with which our hearts have been stained are all eradicated, and also the five sins (to kill, to steal, to satisfy lust, to tell lies, to use indecent language) which have been accumulated since the past and are now lurking in ourselves will be eliminated through a moment's thought of faith when chanting the Daimoku. Ordinary men as they are will be given the Buddha's merit. Nichiren Shonin said that practitioners of the Lotus Sutra would be able to become a Buddha without extinguishing evil passions and mortifying the five desires. How fortunate we are!
―Kaidoyoketsu―869

An Explanation of Descriptions in the Lotus Sutra

"The Lotus Sutra is a supreme teaching", "It is the king of the Sutras" are what I repeatedly heard in my father's sermons since childhood. I was 22 years old when I became a priest and continued my devotion to the Lotus Sutra. "What is this? What's it all about?", That was my frank impression when I read the Lotus Sutra from cover to cover. I began to read it feeling it was a book on ideology teaching profound philosophical principles. But, I felt I was confounded by the accounts which were detached from reality and the development of fantasy-like stories. "On what basis is the Sutra considered the supreme teaching." "What was Nichiren Shonin’s standpoint with regard to the teachings ", was what I wanted to know. I therefore began reading as many books as possible on the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Shonin.
By reading books written by various people of my sect as well as others, I began to learn it was not so important that what was written in the Lotus Sutra was fact or not. To understand what it wanted to say or what it wanted to explain was important. But the descriptions in accounts in the Lotus Sutra are very unrealistic.
Following are some examples.
A light emitted from the forehead of Buddha lit up eighteen thousand worlds to the east; buddhas and future buddhas instantly came flying from the another universe; or from the ground an unbelievable large pagoda decorated with jewels appeared and began floating in a non-gravitational state; or innumerable buddhas appeared from the cracks of the earth.
Why did the lotus Sutra avoid description in a logical and scientific way and described in a poetic and fantasy fashion as if watching a huge magnificent opera? I thought that if these questionable aspects as to what the Sutra was appealing to and what it was trying to teach were not clarified, it could not be understood. Embracing such doubts, I learned the following after reading many books and listening to my senior priests.
First of all, what the Lotus Sutra wanted to appeal to was The "World of Enlightenment” or “Buddha's Enlightenment", and how the teachings could assist us in reaching the world of enlightenment.
Let's say that you enjoyed a meal that you had never eaten before in a splendid atmosphere, and you had to describe the atmosphere and what the food tasted like.
Can you do it? Most likely not. No Matter how skilful you may be in writing. it cannot be described with words.
If it was difficult to relate in words what you had sensed regarding the food you ate with your five senses, it would be likewise difficult to describe in words what Shakamuni Buddha obtained through his original religious experiences concerning the world of enlightenment. As such, to describe the world of enlightenment which Buddha attained is impossible to explain in words.
The Buddha himself was reluctant to explain in words how he obtained enlightenment and how it should be explained to the people. However, if it was not put in words, how could he teach the world of enlightenment? It could not be conveyed. Overcoming these obstacles, the magnificent Lotus Sutra came into being, in the form of figure of speech and drama. It was to appeal to the people so they could use their five senses and their entire six senses to understand even a small portion of the world or enlightenment. In short, the sutra expresses what cannot be explained in words. It is substance before words, and it teaches the truth.
From the beginning, the world of religion (the left side of the brain) is not a world which can be understood by logic. It is a world which can be understood through admiration and sensitivity (the right side of the brain). Because the Lotus Sutra thoroughly appeals to the people in the form of sensitivity to teach the world of enlightenment, it is admired and praised by many people. In contrast, the deep philosophical Buddhist writings expressed scientifically and logically may have religions value, but they are not admired by the majority people.
What is the meaning of the emitted light?
What kind of message is included in allegory or daily life expressions embodied in the Lotus Sutra?
Only one example will be given because it would take too long to explain this. The first chapter of the Lotus Sutra says, "At that time, the light emitted from his brow shone over one million eight thousand territories to the east. There was nothing that could not be shone upon". Just before Shakamuni Buddha had gone into meditation, he explained the Lotus Sutra. It is said that he emitted the light just after the completion of his mediation.
However, no matter how virtuous a person may be, to portray the reality of events as they existed is irrational. It is only reasonable to think that there is a hidden meaning. What kind of message may have been hidden?
In Buddhism, the direction of the east refers to the past. It can be explained that when Shakamuni Buddha shone light over the territories to the east, he had taken into consideration the process of events of the past to present. Cause precedes results. If you want to know the cause of what is taking place today, it is necessary to grasp exactly the affairs of the past.
What you are doing today will be the cause that decides your future destiny. If you want to predict what the future holds for you, you must grasp what you are doing today. The actual cause and effect which takes place in this world is a repetitious chain of events of life and extinction. It is probable that Shakamuni Buddha accurately grasped this and emitted the light.
Another possible explanation is, in each of the lands that Shakamuni Buddha shone light, there was a Buddha who was teaching the law．What this means is the truth of the world of enlightenment is not for this world only. It's the only non-changing truth which penetrates the huge universe. Therefore, Shakumuni Buddha is not the only one who attained enlightenment. It exemplifies that other buddhas in the universe had also attained enlightenment.
Another interpretation can be made. Not only people of this world can be redeemed by the teachings of the Buddha who is a powerful savior of all existences．It can also be interpreted as a symbol of Buddha's vast merciful energy. What is portrayed and explained in the Lotus Sutra at a glance appears to be non-reality, but in it is various messages．An explanation will not be made here.

Becoming the Treasure Tower by Oneself

In Chapter 10, ‘The Teacher of the Law’, Shakamuni Buddha stated, "A mourning service for my remains is unnecessary. Within the Treasure Tower dwells my entire body and soul." The appearance of the huge Treasure Tower indicates that the Gohonzon of the wonderful Dharma should be enshrined in an altar as Shakamuni Buddha was enshrined in the Treasure Tower
The Treasure Tower rising from earth and not descending from heaven was indicative that the spirit of the Lotus Sutra lies therein. That is, the faith of the Lotus Sutra is the earth. Its teachings are based on reality. Our society has been polluted by greedy people that caused defilement and sufferings in the world. The Treasure Tower floating in the sky represented the people who have not been polluted by greed and have overcome sufferings.
The Treasure Tower suggests that it was the form of faith based on the teachings of the Lotus Sutra. In other words, chanting the Odaimoku, NamuMyohoRengeKyo, which embodies the true body of Buddha's enlightenment and Bodhisattva practices, engages oneself in the faith of the HBS religion. Spreading it to others is sowing the seed of Buddha's enlightenment into the souls of others by doing so, worldly desires possessed by the common people will immediately turn into a Treasure Tower. This represents the people that rose into space through Buddha's magical supernatural power
Nichren Shonin wrote ‘A Treatise Revealing the Spiritual Contemplation and the Object of Worship’ for the first time in the fifth 500-year period after the death of Shakamuni Buddha. (Kanjin Honzon Sho). In it, he displayed a text mandala of the Gohanzon for the first time.
From within the "One Session of the Fine Congreation" (Myoko lchiza), we recite "Homage Formula to the Buddha and Saints" (Namukaon No Mon) to reconfirm and increase our faith in the Gohonzon.

The Sermon About the Assembly in Space

In Chapter 10, ‘The Teacher of the Law’, Shakamuni Buddha stated: "Build a magnificent tower to enshrine the Gohonzon. Within this tower will dwell my entire body and soul. Revere this tower with your soul. Persons holding services for the dead will receive the merits of Buddha's enlightenment", but, in the next chapter, Chapter 11, "The Emergence of the Treasure Tower", a vast tower decorated with gold, silver and seven treasures appears suspended in mid‐space after rising out the earth.
Then, a loud voice from within the tower is heard saying, "Good, good. Shakamuni Buddha you have begun to preach the Way of Bodhisattva-hood that contains the spirit of the Buddha". The Way of Bodhisattva-hood has two aspects. 1) self‐protection. 2) benefitting others.
The assembled people, astonished and yet moved by the unexpected happening, clasped their hands. Among them, Taigyosetsu Bodhisattva, representing the attendees asked, "Shakamuni Buddha, why on earth did such a huge treasure tower appear? "Shakymuni Buddha answered, "Taho Nyorai is in there. He is in there to verify the true teachings of the Lotus Sutra that I am preaching." Taigyosetsu Bodhisattva further requested:"We would also like to meet Taho Nyorai." Shakamuni Buddha replied, "In order to pray to the figure of Taho Buddha, the other buddhas who are expounding the teachings of the Lotus Sutra throughout the ten directions of the world must be gathered altogether." At that instance Shakyanuni Buddha emitted a ray of light from between his white brows to send a signal for every Buddha in the ten directions of the world to attend the assembly. Shakamuni Buddha opened the door of the treasure tower with his right hand. There, a figure of Taho Buddha sitting silently was observed.
Upon seeing Shakamuni Buddha, Taho Buddha said, "Good. Shakamuni Buddha I have come to listen to the pleasant sermons of the teachings of the Lotus Sutra. Please sit here". Taho Buddha shared his seat with Shakamuni Buddha, whereupon Shakamuni Buddha rose into space, entered the treasure tower, and sat alongside Taho Buddha.
The people who saw the scene wished they could rise into space and be permitted to sit near the Buddhas. Shakamuni Buddha perceiving the inner soul of the people through his supernatural power raised the people into space and thereafter transferring the place of the sermon into space, Shakymuni Buddha loudly shouted, "Is there someone that could spread the teachings of the Lotus Sutra far and wide in this earthly world? I will probably die shortly. I desire that the teachings of the Lotus Sutra be eternally spread throughout the world after my death". After pronouncing this, he further elaborated that to spread the teaching will be very difficult and anyone resigned to widely express and circulate the teachings should personally file a petition. Shakamuni Buddha concluded that those people will enter into the Buddha path.
The above is the general gist of Chapter 11. However, what did it want to teach?

Three Kinds of Carts and a Burning House

In ancient times, there was a wealthy man living in a town in a certain country. One day, a fire broke out in his residence. The children, however, were oblivious to the fire. The father desperately shouted to his children to get out of the house, but they ignored his call. Out of desperation, the father called out to them claiming there were goat‐carts, deer‐carts and ox‐carts outside. Because such things were just what the children had wanted, they all came wildly dashing out of the burning house and were able to escape death. The father later purchased a cart led by a white ox.
In this parable, the father was Shakamuni Buddha himself. The children represented the people that Shakamuni Buddha had wanted to guide. The burning estate represented the society in which the people lived in. Shakamuni Buddha attempted to guide the people who were suffering from the affliction of the fire to a tranquil world, but the people who had short-sighted souls for only profit, pleasure and comfort ignored Shakamuni Buddha's plea.
Shakamuni Buddha, therefore, invented an expedient way to have people lend their ear to his sermon. The people that left the burning house to go outside are a condition represented by the goats, deer, and oxen. The white oxen represented the teachings of the Lotus Sutra.
Unbeknown to the children, various flying creatures lived in the house, such as eagles, crows, owls, magpies and pigeons and from the animal family, such things as snakes, vipers, centipedes, millipedes, wall lizards, raccoons, foxes, and rats. In addition, there was the Kuhanda, (a demon who had a large testicle that deprived people of their virility and Yaksha (a devil) and other evil spirits that were jumping and running around. When the fire broke out hell broke loose. They killed one another, drank blood, and ate the flesh of one another. This exemplified our society.
The birds flying above in the sky represented an arrogant man who attained wealth or a high social status that looked down on the people. The poisonous scorpions and vipers that caused various harm to humans symbolized people that caused trouble. Snakes symbolized vindictive people. Millipedes exemplified hated people. Pigeons exemplified timid people. Raccoons exemplified crafty persons. Owls that hide in shady spots exemplified crafty behind-the-scenes people. Or like Kuhanda, a metamorphosis, or people living with a soul of envy that are mutually engaged in greed, deception, quarreling and flattering are like the devil, Yaksha. This expedient story attempts to illustrate the ugly and filthy events that take place in this earthly world.

What methods of ‘Butchiken’ did Shakymuni Buddha use to lead the people possessed with suffering and perplexity to a world of tranquility, and to open the doors to Buddha-wisdom?
The Lotus Sutra is not a recording of Shakamuni Buddha's words, but is constructed like a script of a drama. Moreover, the nature of the script is quite far from reality. It appears like a dream. Chapter 11 of the Lotus Sutra, "The Emergence of the Treasure Tower" begins with an account of a treasure tower rising up out of the earth suspended in air. This event is truly an unrealistic scene not possible in this world.
From this standpoint let us study the message the Buddha elucidated in Chapter 11.

The Worms that Grew for Money and Sex

Nissen Shonin, the founder of HBS, stated:"Greed for money and sex is a worn, that is man himself." That is surely true. Human beings may be likened to a greedy slave of money and sex. There are some people that will abuse friendship to accumulate money. There are some people that will go out of their way to gain favors of women they take a fancy to even if they have to break the law. Nissen Shonin is referring to those types of people.
In short, Shakymuni Buddha appeared in the world to awaken mankind to lead a life worthy of living through proper thinking and observation. The Lotus Sutra's elucidated: "To open 'Butchiken’ for the salvation of mankind is to have mankind understand ‘Butchiken’ and enter the path of ‘Butchiken’. However, to the common people that have become prisoners of greed, it is difficult to "open the door to Buddh-wisdom, or to reveal it, or to let all beings know it and to let them enter into it. (Kai-ji-go-nyu)."
Thus, Shakamuni Buddha, while preaching the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, used various similes and parables to get people to comprehend the correct way of observing and thinking about things.
The following parable is next:

The Buddha World Shook Everywhere and the Emission of a Ray of Light

Just prior to Shakamuni Buddha's sermon on the Lotus Sutra, the world shook in six different ways. That signified that the assembled peoples' souls trembled with excitement eagerly awaiting to hear Shakamuni Buddha's sermon. It can also be said that the six‐sense organs were touched, or it can be described as the sleeping seeds deep within the soul or the soul of Bodhisattva were shaken into motion. In addition, it is elucidated that the Buddha emitted a ray of light from his forehead, one of his characteristic features lighting up eighteen thousand worlds in the eastern direction. This can be considered as Shakamuni Buddha's rationale exposition of principles to reveal vividly that the true teachings were for the salvation of mankind and that people should grasp the true faith.
Chapter 2 of the Lotus Sutra, "Expedient Means", elucidated, "Because Shakamuni Buddha and other Buddhas desired to cause all living beings to open their eyes to the wisdom or insight of the Buddha, (Butchiken), they appeared in world to assist the people to gain a pure mind."
Butchiken is said to be "The Eyes of the Mind". That is, one should not be self‐centered and have a soul that thinks and sees only for one's selfishness. Butchken is having a soul of wisdom that can judge matters from a big‐hearted viewpoint. Shakamuni Buddha's purpose in appearing in the world was to propagate the above mentioned objectives.

Buddha's message contained in the Lotus Sutra

Shakamuni Buddha's message in the form of similes or parables contained many expressions and descriptions. People living in the 21st century can learn about the hidden messages contained in the following parables:
Within Chapter 1, Introduction of the Lotus Sutra exemplifies strange accounts in succession. First of all, it claimed that the names of people that assembled to hear Shakamuni Buddha's sermon were lined up in a row. The hidden message in this parable is the teachings of the Lotus Sutra were for the salvation of all existences and not only for the buddhas and disciples of Shakamuni Buddha's lifetime, but for all realms.

The Eternal Buddha

Chapter 16 of the Lotus Sutra, The Lifespan of the Eternal Buddha, elucidated that Shakamuni Buddha, the historical Buddha, who appeared in India stated: "My good sons, I became Buddha in the very far distant past and it has been countless, millions of nayutas of kalpas since I, in fact, attained Buddhahood. Thus, my lifetime is of infinite asamkhya kalpas, forever existing and immortal."
This Chapter also expounded that the Eternal Buddha's true form has been preaching the law beyond time and space for the salvation of mankind. This is an extremely significant point for the people born in the period of the last and decadent Dharma, the Mappo Period.
To some people the word, Buddha, makes reference to Amida Buddha, Yakushi Buddha, Dainichi Buddha, and provisional buddhas of the Eternal Buddha. They differ depending on one's image. But, the Lotus Sutra brought an end to this general confusion. The Lotus Sutra clarified that the Eternal Buddha is the original body and all other buddhas are manifestations of the Eternal Buddha. With this clarified, it became apparent that men should follow the true teachings of the Lotus Sutra.
In order for mankind to attain rewards of enlightenment, it is important to sow the seed of Buddhahood. The seed of Buddhahood is the seed that creates merits and virtues of Buddha enlightenment. The seeds of Yakushi Buddha or those of Amida Buddha are not true seeds for Buddhahood because those buddhas are only manifestations of the Eternal Buddha. In other words, they are provisional buddhas and not buddhas that possess the root of eternal life. To summarize, by relying on the primordial eight chapters of the Lotus Sutra (Chapters 15 to 22 in which Shakamuni Buddha revealed that he was the original Eternal Buddha in the primordial land) one could receive the true seed of Buddhahood.
Nichiren Shonin, who appeared in this Mappo Period, preached faithfully the teachings of the primordial eight chapters of the Lotus Sutras that ordinary people could receive the seed of merits and virtues of Buddhahood by repeated chanting of the Odaimoku, NamuMyohoRengeKyo.
As mentioned above, the Lotus Sutra is the only sutra which gives a chance to everyone to attain Buddhahood
In addition, the Lotus Sutra expounds a path for people of inferior capabilities and common people in the Mappo Period, Also, it elucidated the message of the Eternal Buddha as the true guide. Therefore, the Lotus Sutra transcends all other sutras. Based on such integrated teachings it has continued to be revered by many people from ancient times.