XIV

The great Bodhisattva Manjuśri now addresses the Buddha in praise of this vast concourse, which has pledged itself wholly and solely to The Lotus doctrine. He asks how they are to preach it in the evil age to come. Thereupon the Buddha lays down certain rules, which are styled the Four Methods.

The first is styled the Bodhisattva’s Sphere of Action and Intimacy; the second, that of a Serene Mind; the third, that of Thought towards Others; and the fourth, that of Charity and Compassion.

In the Sphere of Action and Intimacy, the bodhisattva “dwells in a state of patience, is gentle and agreeable, is neither hasty nor overbearing, and his mind is unperturbed; he has no active interest in affairs, but sees all things in their reality, and neither takes part in nor discusses them”. As to his intimates, he has no intimacy with kings, princes, ministers, and rulers; nor with heretics and naked fakirs; nor with authors of worldly books of prose or poetry; nor with pugilists, sportsmen and jugglers; nor with hunters, fishermen and butchers; nor with keepers of domestic animals for food. He may preach the Law to them when they seek him, expecting nothing in return. His objection to Hinayana is so strong that he will not consort with its disciples, nor speak to them, neither within nor without. If they should come to him, he preaches the Sutra to them.

182He is strict in conduct towards women and girls. He should not “preach the Law to women, displaying an appearance capable of arousing passionate thoughts, nor have pleasure in seeing them; if he enters the homes of others, he does not converse with any girl, virgin, widow, and so forth, nor again does he become on friendly terms with any hermaphrodite; he does not enter the homes of others alone; if for some reason he must enter there alone, then with single mind he thinks on the Buddha; if he preaches the Law to women, he does not show his teeth in smiles, nor let his breast be seen; not even for the sake of the Law does he ever become intimate with them, how much less for other reasons. He takes no pleasure in keeping young pupils, sramaneras, and children; nor has he pleasure in being with them as teachers; but ever preferring meditation and seclusion, he cultivates and controls his mind. Manjuśri! This is termed the first Intimate Sphere of a Bodhisattva”.

His proper sphere of Intimacy is with things in their reality. He looks upon them as empty, void, unreal and thus sees them as they really are, “just like space, of the nature of nothingness, cut off from the course of all words and expressions, unborn, not coming forth, not arising, nameless, formless, really without existence, infinite, boundless, unimpeded, unrestrained, only existing in causation and brought into being through perceptive perversion.”

183“If any Bodhisattva In the future evil age With fearlessness of mind Desires to preach this Sutra, Let him occupy his Sphere of Action And his proper Sphere of Intimacy; Ever avoiding kings, And the sons of kings, Ministers and rulers, Brutal and dangerous performers. . . . . . Let him also not consort With men of arrogance Devoted to the study of the Tripitaka of Hinayana. . . . . . Nor with female disciples Fond of banter and laughter. . . . . . But if such people as these, In goodness of their mind, Come to the Bodhisattva To hear the Buddha-Way Then the Bodhisattva, With fearless of mind, Cherishing no expectation, Should preach to them the Law. . . . . . If there should be any monk Who, after my extinction, 184Enters this Sphere of Action And this Sphere of Intimacy, When he preaches this Sutra, He will be freed from timid weakness. When this Bodhisattva Enters his quiet room, And, in perfect meditation, Sees things in their true meaning, And, rising from his meditation, Whether to kings or nations, Or princes, ministers and people, To Brahmans or to others, Opens up, expounds, And preaches to them this Sutra, His mind shall be at ease And free from timid weakness. Manjuśri! This is the Bodhisattva’s First Law of Steadfastness, By which he is able, in future ages, To preach the Law-Flower Sutra.”

The second Sphere is that of Serenity. In preaching he has no pleasure in exposing the errors of others, or of the Sutras; he despises not other preachers, nor speaks of their good or evil, their merits or demerits; nor does he single out disciples by name and expose their sins, nor by name praise their virtues; nor does he cherish dislike. By keeping well such a serene heart, those who hear will not oppose him. “To those who ask difficult questions, he does not give answer after the manner of 185the Hinayanists, but in Mahayana fashion, explaining in such manner that they may obtain Perfect Knowledge.”

“The wise man in ways such as these, Rightly cultivates his mind, And is able to abide serene. The merit of such a man, Thousands, myriads, kotis of kalpas Spent in reckoning and comparison Would not suffice for the telling.”

The Third Sphere is that of his attitude of mind towards others; but it is not easy to distinguish this Sphere from the last. He “does not cherish an envious, suspicious and deceitful mind; nor does he slight and abase the learners of the Buddha-Way and seek out their excesses and shortcomings”. He does not distress any seekers, causing them doubts and regrets. He does not indulge in disputations. He is reverent to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and preaches the Law, neither more nor less. Nothing can perturb such a monk and multitudes will flock to hear him.

“Let him who would preach the Sutra Renounce an envious, angry, proud, Deceitful or false mind, And ever do upright deeds; He should disparage none, Never argue over the Law, Nor cause others doubts or regret, . . . . . 186But ever be gentle, patient, And compassionate to all.”

The Fourth Sphere of Action is that of Charity towards laymen and friars, and Compassion for those not yet bodhisattvas. He should remember that these people are great losers, for they have never learnt the true Way. “Though they have not sought, nor believed, nor understood this Sutra”, yet, says the Buddha, “when I have attained to my Perfect Enlightenment, wherever I am, by my transcendent powers and powers of wisdom, I will lead them to take up their abode in this Law.”

The disciple who reaches and accomplishes the Fourth Sphere, when he preaches will be free from error, and will ever be revered by all disciples, kings and princes, ministers and people, brahmans and citizens. The gods will protect him and will reveal to him the answer to those who confront him with hard questions; because this Sutra is that which all Buddhas, past, present, and to come, watch over by their divine powers.

Then follows a parable to show that it is the very jewel of jewels, the crown-jewel of the Buddhas.

“It is like a powerful sacred Wheel-rolling King who desires by force to conquer other domains. When minor kings do not obey his command, the Wheel-rolling King calls up his various armies and goes to punish them. The King, seeing his soldiers distinguish themselves in the war, is greatly pleased and, 187according to their merit, bestows rewards, either giving fields, houses, villages or cities, or giving garments or personal ornaments, or giving all kinds of treasures, gold, silver, lapis lazuli, moon-stones, agates, coral, amber, elephants, horses, carriages, litters, male and female slaves, and people; only the crown-jewel on his head he gives to none. Wherefore? Because only on the head of a king may this sole jewel be worn, and, if he were to give it, his retinue would be amazed. Manjuśri! The Tathagata is also like this. By his powers of meditation and wisdom, he has taken possession of the domain of the Law and rules as King over the triple world. But the Mara-kings are unwilling to submit. The Tathagata’s wise and holy generals fight against them. With those who distinguish themselves he, too, is pleased, and in the midst of his four hosts preaches the Sutras to them, causing them to rejoice, bestowing on them the meditations, the emancipations, the faultless roots and powers, and all the wealth of the Law. In addition, he gives them the city of Nirvana, saying that they have attained to extinction, and attracts their minds so that they all rejoice; yet he does not yet preach to them this Law-Flower Sutra. Manjuśri! Just as the Wheel-rolling King, seeing his soldiers distinguish themselves, is so extremely pleased that now at last he gives them the incredible jewel so long worn on his head, which may not wantonly be given to any one, so also is it with the Tathagata.

“As the Great Law-King of the triple world, teaching and converting the living by his Law, 188when he sees his wise and holy army fighting with the Mara of the five mental processes, the Mara of earthly ills, and the Mara of death, and doing so with great exploits and merits, exterminating the three poisons, escaping from the triple world, and breaking through the nets of the Maras, then the Tathagata also is greatly pleased. Now at last he preaches this Law-Flower Sutra which has never before been preached, and which is able to cause all the living to reach perfect knowledge, though the world greatly resents and has difficulty in believing it. Manjuśri! This Law-Flower Sutra is the supreme teaching of the Tathagatas and the most profound of all discourses. I give it to you last, just as that powerful king at last gives the brilliant jewel he has guarded for long. Manjuśri! This Law-Flower Sutra is the mysterious treasury of the Buddha-Tathagatas, which is supreme above all Sutras. For long has it been guarded and not prematurely declared; to-day for the first time I proclaim it to you.”

“It is like to a powerful Wheel-rolling King Who, to his war-distinguished soldiers, Makes presents of many rewards, Elephants, horses, carriages, Litters, personal ornaments, As well as fields and houses, Villages and cities; Or bestows garments, Various kinds of jewels, Slaves and other wealth, 189Bestowing all with joy; But only for one, heroic And of rare exploits, Does the king take from his head The crown-jewel to give him.

Thus also is it with the Tathagata; He is the king of the laws, Possessing great powers of endurance And the treasury of wisdom; With great benevolence, He transforms the world with his Law. Seeing every human being Suffering from pains and distresses, Seeking for deliverance, Fighting against the Maras, To these living beings, He has preached various laws And, in great tactfulness, Has preached these numerous Sutras; Finally knowing the living Have attained developed powers, At the very last he to them Preaches this Law-Flower, As the king takes from his head The jewel and bestows it. So this Sutra is pre-eminent Among all the Sutras.

I have always carefully guarded And not prematurely revealed it. Now, indeed, is the time To preach it to you all. 190After my extinction, Whoever seeks Buddhahood And desires in serenity To proclaim this Sutra, Should associate himself with Such four rules as these.

He who reads this Sutra Will ever be free from worry And free from pain and disease; His face will be fresh and white; He will not be born poor, In low estate, or ugly. All creatures will delight to see him As of a longed-for saint; Heavenly cherubim Will be his servitors. Nor sword, nor staff, will be laid on him; Poison cannot harm him; If any one would curse him, That man’s mouth will be closed. Fearlessly he will roam Like to a Lion-king. The radiance of his wisdom Will shine forth like the sun. If he should be in dreams, He will only behold the wonderful, Seeing the Tathagatas Seated on Lion-Thrones, Preaching the Law to hosts Of surrounding bhikshus. . . . . . 191He will also see the Buddhas, With the sign of the golden body, Emitting boundless light, Illuminating all beings, And with their Brahma-voices, Discoursing on the laws. While Buddha to the four groups Is preaching the Supreme Law, He will find himself in the midst Praising Buddha with folded hands; Hearing the Law with joy.”