A Comparison of the Lotus Sutra and Other Sutras
Question: The Hosshi chapter in the fourth volume of the Lotus Sutra reads, "[. . . this Lotus Sutra is] the most difficult
to believe and the most difficult to understand." What is the meaning of this passage?
Answer: More than two thousand years have passed since the Buddha expounded the Lotus Sutra in India. It took a little
more than twelve hundred years before this sutra was introduced to China, and two hundred more years before it was brought
from China to Japan. Since then, more than seven hundred years have already passed.
After the death of the Buddha, there were only three persons who realized the true meaning of this passage of the Lotus
Sutra. In India, Bodhisattva Nagarjuna said in his Daichido Ron: "[The Lotus Sutra] is like a great physician who changes
poison into medicine." This is the way he explained the meaning of the passage, ". . . the most difficult to believe and the
most difficult to understand." In China, the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai Chih-che interpreted this phrase in light
of its context:
"Among all those [sutras] I have preached, now preach and will preach, this Lotus Sutra is the most difficult to believe
and the most difficult to understand." And in Japan, the Great Teacher Dengyo elaborated on this phrase: "All the sutras of
the first four of the five periods preached in the past, the Muryogi Sutra now being preached, and the Nirvana Sutra to be
preached in the future, are easy to believe and easy to understand. This is because the Buddha taught these sutras in accordance
with the capacity of his listeners. The Lotus Sutra is the most difficult to believe and to understand because in it the Buddha
directly revealed what he had attained."
Question: Can you explain what he meant by that?
Answer: The ease of believing and understanding in the one case is due to the fact that the Buddha taught in accordance
with the capacity of the people. And the difficulty of believing and understanding in the other case is due to the fact that
he taught in accordance with his own enlightenment.
Kobo Daishi and his successors at To-ji temple in Japan hold that, of all the exoteric teachings, the Lotus Sutra is the
most difficult to believe and the most difficult to understand. They assert, however, that in comparison to the esoteric teachings,
the Lotus Sutra is easy to believe and easy to understand. Jikaku, Chisho and their followers contend that both the Lotus
Sutra and the Dainichi Sutra are among the most difficult to believe and the most difficult to understand, but that of these
two, the Dainichi Sutra is by far the more difficult to believe and to understand.
All people in Japan agree with both of these contentions. However, in interpreting this passage ["the most difficult to
believe and the most difficult to understand"], I, Nichiren, say that non-Buddhist scriptures are easier to believe and understand
than Hinayana sutras, the Hinayana sutras are easier than the Dainichi and other [Hodo] sutras, the Dainichi and other [Hodo]
sutras are easier than the Hannya sutras, the Hannya sutras are easier than the Kegon Sutra, the Kegon is easier than the
Nirvana Sutra, the Nirvana is easier than the Lotus Sutra, and the theoretical teaching of the Lotus Sutra is easier than
the essential teaching. Thus there are many levels of comparative ease and difficulty.
Question: What is the value of knowing them?
Answer: No other doctrine can surpass the Lotus Sutra, a great lantern that illuminates the long night of the sufferings
of birth and death, a sharp sword that can sever the fundamental darkness inherent in life. The teachings of the Shingon,
Kegon and other sects are categorized as those expounded in accordance with the people’s capacity. They are, therefore,
easy to believe and understand. The teachings expounded in accordance with the people’s capacity are those sutras which
the Buddha preaches in response to the desires of the people of the nine worlds, just as a wise father instructs an ignorant
son in a way suited to the child’s understanding. On the other hand, the teaching expounded in accordance with the Buddha’s
enlightenment is the sutra which the Buddha preaches directly from the world of Buddhahood, just as a saintly father guides
his ignorant son to his own understanding.
In the light of this principle, I have carefully considered the Dainichi, Kegon, Nirvana and other [provisional] sutras,
only to find that all of them are sutras expounded in accordance with the people’s capacity.
Question: Is there any evidence to support this contention?
Answer: The Shrimala Sutra says: "The Buddha brings to maturity those who have only practiced non-Buddhist teachings by
enabling them to make good causes leading to the states of Humanity and Heaven. For those seeking the state of Learning, the
Buddha imparts the vehicle which leads them to that state. To those seeking the state of Realization, the Buddha reveals the
vehicle for that state. To those who seek the Mahayana teachings, the Buddha expounds them." This statement refers to those
teachings which are easy to believe and easy to understand, such as the Kegon, Dainichi Hannya, Nirvana and other sutras.
[In contrast, the Lotus Sutra says,] "At that time, through Bodhisattva Yakuo, the World-Honored One addressed the eighty
thousand great seekers of the Law: ‘Yakuo, do you see—within this great multitude of uncountable gods, dragon
kings, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, mahoragas, humans and non-humans, as well as monks, nuns, laymen and
laywomen — those who seek the rank of shravaka, those who seek the rank of pratyekabuddha, and those who seek the path
to Buddhahood? If any of them in the presence of the Buddha hears a single verse or phrase of the Lotus Sutra and experiences
a single moment of rejoicing, then I hereby confer on him a prophecy that he shall attain supreme enlightenment’."
In the provisional sutras, Shakyamuni taught five precepts for the beings of Humanity; ten good precepts for those of Heaven;
the four infinite virtues for the god Bonten; a practice of impartial almsgiving for the Devil King; two hundred and fifty
precepts for monks; five hundred precepts for nuns; the four noble truths for the people of Learning; the twelve-linked chain
of causation for the people of Realization; and the six paramitas for bodhisattvas. This method of teaching is comparable
to water that assumes the round or square shape of its container, or to an elephant which exerts just enough strength to subdue
its enemy.
The Lotus Sutra is entirely different. It was preached equally for all, including the eight kinds of lowly beings and the
four kinds of believers. This method of teaching is comparable to a measuring rod that is used to eliminate uneven places,
or to the lion, king of beasts, which always exerts its full power in attack, regardless of the strength of its opponent.
When one examines all the various sutras in the clear mirror of the Lotus Sutra, it is evident that the three sutras of
Dainichi Buddha and the three Jodo or Pure Land sutras are teachings expounded in accordance with the people’s capacity.
Yet because the teachings of Kobo, Jikaku and Chisho have for some reason been widely accepted, this truth was obscured in
Japan more than four hundred years ago. [To uphold these men’s teachings instead of the Lotus Sutra] is like exchanging
a gem for a pebble or trading sandalwood for common lumber.
