Master Joshu asked a monastic, “Have you ever read the Lotus Sutra?” The monastic said, “Yes, I have.” The master said, “How do you comprehend the words ‘A Buddhist garment is a borrowed name, and a meditation room deceives people’?” When the monastic was on the point of offering a bow, the master asked the monastic, “Are you wearing a Buddhist garment?” The monastic answered, “Yes, I am.” The master said, “Don’t deceive me.” The monastic said, “How can I avoid deceiving you?” The master said, “Don’t accept my words.”
Student: “Why couldn’t the monastic answer Joshu’s questions although he had read the Lotus Sutra?”
Master: “Because he didn’t read the Sutra but merely the letters on the paper.”
“Furthermore, Subhuti, even if good men and good women accept and hold and read and recite this sutra, if they are slighted by others, those people should have fallen into miserable ways because of their misdeeds in former times; but because of being slighted by others in the present, the misdeeds of former times are thereby erased, and they will attain unexcelled complete perfect enlightenment.”
Commentary:
In the preceding parts, a lot was mentioned regarding what this Sutra is and how to hold and recite it, and how this Sutra signifies the true-Self. Everything, including ourselves, is this Sutra, and every sound is a four-line verse.
However, interpreting the Sutra literally, if someone, now deluded by words and forms, thinks of this Sutra as a physical Sutra that is written, or printed, keeps and reads it, he will also be able to escape from all illusions and attain enlightenment later, even if he struggles with suffering now.
To conclude, it’s up to you who are reading this Sutra whether you enjoy the merit of holding this Sutra at this moment, or later. As mentioned in the beginning, each word is a gate to the Pure land, or the function of the true-Self. If you can see the true-Self in each word now, you are already in the Pure land. If you can’t, you will be there, sooner or later, according to how hard you try.
Student: “According to the preceding parts, the merit of accepting and holding and reading and reciting this Sutra is so immense as to be beyond description. How can being slighted happen to those who keep and read this Sutra?”
Master: “The best medicine works as well as it should when a patient takes it as he is told to.”
A. Nirvana is another name of Emptiness that means the state free from illusions. This is also referred to as Oneness because everything, myself included, belongs to it. In the state, I am one with Nirvana: I am Nirvana and Nirvana is me. That is why Nirvana is not where to stay. Staying in Nirvana implies that there are two; one who stays and a place to stay. This goes counter to the fact that Nirvana is Oneness.
“Subhuti, wherever this Sutra may be, in whatever place it may be, it should be provided support by all beings, celestial, human, and asura. You should know that this place is a stupa, which all should honour, bow to, and circumambulate, and strew with flowers and scents.”
Commentary:
In order to understand this part, we had better take into account Part 13-2, “What do you think, Subhuti – is there any doctrine that the Realised One has preached?” Subhuti said to the Buddha, “World Honoured One, there is no doctrine that the Realised One has preached.”
The Sutra is known as words, text preached by the Buddha, whereas the Buddha said that he didn’t preach any doctrine.
This signifies that we should know clearly what ‘where this Sutra is’ represents. As mentioned in the commentary of Part 12, even if we, deluded by words, pile up hundreds of volumes of the Diamond Sutra somewhere, nothing at all except decay happens to them over time, not to mention them being provided support by all beings, celestial, human, and asura.
The core of the Buddha’s teaching is that everything is equal and one as Emptiness, the true-Self. There should not be any difference between this Sutra, the Buddha (the true-Self) and all other things, including ourselves.
Accordingly, this Sutra doesn’t mean a physical Sutra that is written, or printed on paper, or cloth, or carved in stone, or wood but, as mentioned in the previous parts, means the true-Self. This is why this Sutra should be provided support by all beings, celestial, human, and asura. Where this Sutra is, is no other than where we are now. In other words, to those who know that this Sutra is the true-Self, everything seen and heard, including ourselves, is the Sutra since everything is the true-Self.
Student: “Why should we treasure physical Sutras if they are not true Sutras?”
Master: “They also become true Sutras when you know what the true Sutra is.”
A. They didn’t mean that you don’t have to be attached to your body and take care of it but that you should escape from the stereotype of confining your being to your physical body.
Your physical body is a tiny function of the true-Self that is the essence of our being, which is unchangeable and eternal. You are so attached to the idea that your body is all of your being that you fail to see the main part of your being. This is referred to as being deluded by the illusion of your body.
The words ‘you should not be attached to your body’ mean that you should realise your true-Self that is the essence of your being instead of being deluded by the illusion of your body.
A monk asked Master Woongeo, “What should monastics do?” The master said, “They should stay in a mountain.” The monk bowed to him to indicate that he understood. The master asked him, “How do you understand my answer?” The monk said, “A monastic, just like a mountain, should not be swayed by the phenomena of good and bad, and life and death.” Hearing it, the master, hitting him, said, “You are forsaking ancient masters and spoiling our offspring.”
Student: “What was wrong with the monk?”
Master: “He was blocking the way to the mountain by planting thorn-bushes.”
Commentary:
There is no good and bad, and no life and death in the mountain.
“Why? Subhuti, those who take pleasure in small dharmas are attached to the idea of self, the idea of person, the idea of a being, and the idea of a liver of life; so they cannot accept this Sutra, read or recite it, or explain it to others.”
Commentary:
‘Those who take pleasure in small dharmas’ implies people who are deluded by words and attached to literal understanding. As mentioned in the preceding parts, ancient masters would say that people who understand the true-Self depending on the words in the sutras are not the Buddha’s students but his enemy. Speaking of the Sutra with one’s mind dwelling on words, said ancient masters, is no better than speaking ill of the Buddha. In contrast, the Lotus Sutra says that once we realise the true-Self, no matter what words we may read, or speak; mundane books, political discourses, wealth, or jobs, they will be a Dharma talk. The core of this part is that we should see what this Sutra points to instead of being attached to the words in it.
Student: “Who can accept this Sutra, read or recite it, or explain it to others?”
There are countless people who can read the Sutra, but few who can grasp the Buddha’s teaching. Reading the Sutra is one thing, and understanding the Buddha’s teaching is another.
Zen Fools 