Lotus Sutra - Expedient Devices
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Wonderful Dharma Lotus Sutra
(Also known as:) Saddharma Pundarika Sutra (Taisho Tripitaka 0262)
Translated into Chinese during the Yil, Tson Dynasty by Kumarajiva
Translated into English by the Buddhist Text Translation SocietyChapter Two -- Expedient Devices
At that time the World Honored One arose serenely from Samadhi and told Shariputra, "The wisdom of all the Buddhas is extremely profound and unlimited. The gateway to this wisdom is difficult to understand and difficult to enter. It cannot be known by any of the Sound Hearers or Pratyeka Buddhas.
"What is the reason? The Buddhas have, in the past, drawn near to countless hundreds of thousands of tens of thousands of millions of Buddhas, exhaustively practicing the unlimited Dharmas of the Way of those Buddhas. They are forging ahead with courage and vigor and their names are known everywhere.
"They have accomplished the most profound Dharma, one which has never been before, and speak of it according to what is appropriate, but its purport is difficult to understand."
"Shariputra, from the time I realized Buddhahood, I have, by means of various causes and conditions and various analogies, extensively proclaimed the verbal teaching. With countless expedient devices, I have guided living beings, leading them to separate from all attachments.
"Why is this? The Thus Come One has already perfected his expedient devices and his knowledge and vision.
"Shariputra, the knowledge and vision of the Thus Come One is vast, great, profound, and far-reaching. He has profoundly entered, without boundary, the unlimiteds, the unobstructeds, the powers, the fearlessnesses, the Dhyana concentrations, and the Samadhis of liberation, accomplishing all those Dharmas never had before."
"Shariputa, the Thus Come One is able to make various discriminations, cleverly speaking all Dharmas. His speech is gentle and delights the hearts of the multitudes.
"Shariputra, essentially speaking, the Buddha has fully accomplished all of those unlimited, boundless Dharmas which have never been before."
"Stop."
"Shariputra, there is no need to speak further. Why is this? As to that foremost, rare, and hard-to-understand Dharma accomplished by the Buddha--only the Buddhas and the Buddha can exhaust the Real Mark of all Dharmas, that is to say, with regard to all Dharmas: the suchness of the marks, the suchness of the nature, the suchness of the substance, the suchness of the power, the suchness of the function, the suchness of the causes, the suchness of the conditions, the suchness of the effects, and suchness of the retributions, and the suchness of the ultimate equality from beginning to end."At that time in the assembly there were Sound Hearers, Arhats with outflows extinguished, Ajnatakaundinya and others, twelve hundred persons, as well as Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, Upasakas, and Upasikas who had brought forth the resolve to become Sound Hearers and Pratyeka Buddhas. They all had the following thought:
"Why, now, does the World Honored One repeatedly praise the expedient devices saying, 'The Dharma obtained by the Buddha is so extremely profound and difficult to understand and the purport of his speech is so difficult to know, that none of the Sound Hearers or Pratyeka Buddhas can grasp it.' The Buddha has spoken of but one principle of liberation and we have already obtained this Dharma and arrived at Nirvana. Now, we do not understand his intention."
At that time Shariputra, knowing the doubts in the minds of the four-fold assembly, and himself not yet fully understanding, addressed the Buddha saying, "For what reason has the World Honored One repeatedly praised the foremost expedient devices of the Buddhas and the extremely profound and wonderful Dharma which is difficult to understand? From the past onwards I have never heard the Buddha speak in such a way. Presently, the four-fold assembly all has doubts. I only pray that the World Honored One will expound upon this subject: Why has the World Honored One repeatedly praised the Dharma which is extremely profound, subtle, and hard to understand?"At that time the Buddha told Shariputra, "Stop! Stop! There is no need to speak further. If this matter were spoken of, the gods and humans in all the worlds would be frightened and led to doubt."
Shariputra again addressed the Buddha saying, "World Honored One, I only pray that you will speak it. I only pray that you will speak it. What is the reason? In this assembly are countless hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of Asankhyeyas of living beings who have, in the past, seen the Buddhas. Their roots are keen and their wisdom bright. Hearing what the Buddha says they will be able to revere and believe it."
The the World Honored One restated his meaning in verse, saying,
Stop, stop. It must not be spoken.
My Dharma is wonderful beyond conception,
And those of undue pride who heard it,
Surely would neighter revere or believe it.
At that time, Shariputra further addressed the Buddha, saying, "World Honored One, I only pray that you will speak it; I only pray that you will speak it. Presently, within this assembly are those who are my equal, hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of them. Life after life they have been transformed by the Buddha. People such as these will surely be able to revere and believe you. They will gain security and great benefit within the long night."Thereupon the World Honored One told Shariputra, "Since you have earnestly requested three times, how can I not speak? You should now listen attentively, think upon it well, and be mindful of it; I will explain it in detail for your sake."
As he said these words, five thousand Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, Upasakas, and Upasikas in the assembly rose from their seats, made obeisance to the Buddha and left. What was the reason? The roots of their offenses were deep and grave and they were of such overweening pride that they claimed to have obtained what they had not yet obtained and to have certified to that to which they had not yet certified to. With faults such as these they could not stay. The World Honored One remained silent and did not restrain them.
The Buddha then told Shariputra, "My assembly has now been cleared of its branches and leaves and only the trunks remain. Shariputra, it is excellent that those of overweening pride have left. You should now listen well and I shall speak it for you."
Shariputra said, "So be it, World Honored One. I wish joyfully to hear it."http://www.fodian.net/world/0262_02.html
http://www.fodian.net/world/0262.html
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"Shariputra, there is no need to speak further. Why is this? As to that foremost, rare, and hard-to-understand Dharma accomplished by the Buddha--only the Buddhas and the Buddha can exhaust the Real Mark of all Dharmas, that is to say, with regard to all Dharmas: the suchness of the marks, the suchness of the nature, the suchness of the substance, the suchness of the power, the suchness of the function, the suchness of the causes, the suchness of the conditions, the suchness of the effects, and suchness of the retributions, and the suchness of the ultimate equality from beginning to end."
This "suchness" is awesome! - the enlightenment nature of all beings. oh!! praise the Lord! Oh Lord, the suchness of all, and I love you
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As he said these words, five thousand Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, Upasakas, and Upasikas in the assembly rose from their seats, made obeisance to the Buddha and left. What was the reason? The roots of their offenses were deep and grave and they were of such overweening pride that they claimed to have obtained what they had not yet obtained and to have certified to that to which they had not yet certified to. With faults such as these they could not stay. The World Honored One remained silent and did not restrain them.
this are the "hinayana" thinking 'buddhists', as their prejudice views are still pretty strong.BTW, i do not equal Theravada to be hinayana. Both Mahayana and Theravada can also have "mahayanist" and "hinayanist". they are mentalities per se.
the mentality of the hinayana WITHIN the Mahayana school would want to "see" that one do not breach the precept with their Bodies. while the mahayana mentality would want to "see" that one do not breach the precept with their MIND, which is even more difficult per se.
as we all know the teaching of egolessness or selflessness of person (Skt. pudgalanairatmya).
but have you learned the egolesseness or selflessness of phenomena (Skt. dharma-nairatmya)? understanding, selflessness of phenomena, you accomplished selflessness of person. but understand selflessness of person might not accomplish selflessness of phenomena.
so base on my experience on Hua Yen Sutra/Buddha vehicle(一乘法), and seeing people's reactions, i had notice the difference between hinayana and mahayana not base on the apparent or what people had wrote or journalized, that said Theravada is Theravada/Arahathood and Mahayana is Mahayana/Bodhisattvahood. or Theravada is hinayana.
No. i think within Theravada, there's mahayana And hinayana. And within Mahayana, there's hinayana and mahayana. All in one, one in All. note i use cap for the 'm' and 'M'.
What differences?
hinayana cultivator - emphasis on the apparent meaning of what Buddha said; emphasis on sunyata of self; clear distinction between Buddhism from worldly dharma; prefer to meditate base on stillness of body; avoid polutions best as possible.
mahayana cultivator - emphasis more on the significant than apparent; emphasis on sunyata of self And Dharma itself; able to blend/use worldly dharma to convert into Buddhadharma; able to meditate amidst daily activities. ie after they had cultivated bodily stillness in the mountain, they re-enter 'polutions' of urban area to enhance their meditative stillness. such standard of stillness of the mind is more powerful.
so sometime i can fall into the hinayana category and sometimes in mahayana category. but look forward to practice like mahayana standard, while hinayana is my foundation.
imho,
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from archive:-
http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-ENG/dutt.htm
The Place of the Aryasatyas and Pratitya Sam Utpada in Hinayana and Mahayana
BY Dr. Nalinaksha Dutt, Ph. D. (Cal.), D. Litt. (Lond.)
Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute
vol 6:2, 1930.01, pp. 101-127
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At that time Shariputra, knowing the doubts in the minds of the four-fold assembly, and himself not yet fully understanding, addressed the Buddha saying, "For what reason has the World Honored One repeatedly praised the foremost expedient devices of the Buddhas and the extremely profound and wonderful Dharma which is difficult to understand? From the past onwards I have never heard the Buddha speak in such a way. Presently, the four-fold assembly all has doubts. I only pray that the World Honored One will expound upon this subject: Why has the World Honored One repeatedly praised the Dharma which is extremely profound, subtle, and hard to understand?"
At that time the Buddha told Shariputra, "Stop! Stop! There is no need to speak further. If this matter were spoken of, the gods and humans in all the worlds would be frightened and led to doubt."
Exactly! If Buddha would to have spoken directly on the Flower Adornment Sutra that solely on real mark without expediency as that of his attainment under the Bodhi tree. No one would appreciate, not to mention, examine, contemplate, realize and actualize. And all living beings on earth would continue to suffer delusion. Grateful to the 五净居天圣者代为礼请佛陀�世。
Awesome! Namo Buddha Gotama