THE BUDDHISM OF THE TRUE EFFECT AND THE TRUE CAUSE
REVEREND YOSAI YAMADA CHIEF PRIEST
MAY 12, 1985
This morning, I would like to answer a question for you. The question is, "For what purpose and for wham did Shakyamuni preach the Lotus Sutra?" In the Juryo chapter of the Lotus Sutra, the core of all Shakyamuni Buddha's teachings, we meet this passage:
"Since I attained Buddhahood, an unimaginably long period has passed. The length of my life is infinite aeons. My life has always existed and shall never end."
In this passage, the Buddha himself revealed that his life of Buddhahood is eternal. However, regarding the True Cause which enabled him to obtain Buddhahood in the infinite past, he says only these words:
"Once, I also practiced the bodhisattva austerities, and the life which I then acquired has yet to be exhausted. My life will last yet twice as many aeons from now."
The reason for so brief a statement on a matter of such importance is that the immediate purpose of the Juryo chapter lay in revealing the True Effect, or the Buddhahood Shakyamuni had attained aeons before. I think you know these words, "True Effect". But let's look at the meaning of than a little differently.
Let's do this first from the standpoint of what Shakyamuni's disciples must have seen when the Lotus Sutra was preached. First, they saw a physical man, and from descriptions, we know that in the physical presence of this man, there was something extraordinary -- not that he didn't have a head, two arms, a torso, legs and feet. He possessed those things the same as you and I.
But those physical aspects were made extraordinary because they were imbued with a rare achievement and shone with a nobility of purpose. He probably possessed a calm, clear and penetration eye that could see to the heart of the human condition. Yet, he must have been able to still view the human condition with complete understanding and compassion. And because he had a rare, profound compassion, we know that he taught others out of the wisdom of his achievement so they could reach the same state. If you have been following closely, you know that I have described the three properties of the Buddha:
"Hosshin" -- the Dharma Body, or the Buddha as Law;
"Hoshin" -- the Buddha Wisdom, which is his reward for having completed aeons of bodhisattva practices; and
"Ojin" -- the Buddha in his action aspect as one who compassionately teaches to save others.
When Shakyamuni Buddha preached, all three of these aspects were "isshin soku sanjin" or found within his single person. This was the True Effect that his disciples could see in his person and hear in the preaching of the Lotus Sutra and benefit fran. What the Buddha taught was the content of his enlightenment; and because he did, others could see for themselves the True Effect of seeking and practicing the way for that highest state.
When you read the Gosho, and its commentary, you should not be surprised that Prince Satta, son of King Makarada, King Shibi and many others are called "the Shakyamuni as a Bodhisattva", observing one of the six paramitas in another life. Shakyamuni said:
"Once I also practiced the bodhisattva austerities and the life which I then acquired has yet to be exhausted."
But neither should we became overly concerned with knowing our past lives and spend time wondering what prince or princes we might have been. It would probably be detrimental and we auld get no shakubuku completed. We simply do not have time to contemplate past aeons and what we might have been doing to became Buddhas when we consider the state of the world. Besides, we don't have to practice for aeons anymore.
When "isshin soku sanjin" was revealed at Eagle Peak, that this state was possible for the disciples Shakyamuni had been disciplining and guiding for the many years of that present life, and in countless past lives, was made quite clear. Because a deep relationship existed between them, they could reach enlightenment by following the way shown them.
But many of you here heard the name "Shakyamuni" for the first time when you became Nichiren Shoshu Buddhists, and having never been taught by him in any lifetime, you do not know the way, which is difficult, agonizing, long and inappropriate now. Besides the way has been made clear for you by another, as predicted.
What I am saying is that the thousand years for Shakyamuni's Buddhism of the Harvest are over, and those who try to practice it will not reach the Buddha's enlightenment in this lifetime. Nor will they achieve the supreme task of the Buddha, which is to lead all others to it.
This does not mean that Shakyamuni's enlightened life is not eternal. He taught that it is, and indeed it is. The essence of his enlightenment -- its content and the true cause for it -- will remain the same, eternally, for all Buddhas. And because you make the true cause now, it will be your enlightenment also.
The other purpose of the Juryo chapter, which is more important to us who live in the Latter Day of the Law, was to point the direction of the ascendancy of the Great Pure Law and the person who would propagate it. Shakyamuni predicted the decline of his Pure Law and also the rise of the Great Pure Law -- the Original Law -- Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, through which he himself and all other Buddhas in the universe attain enlightenment.
At Eagle Peak, Shakyamuni's disciples saw, heard and felt the True Effect of enlightenment, but their master left them with only a cryptic message regarding their own:
"Follow the Law, not the Person."
In the Latter part of the Lotus Sutra, the Yujutsu chapter, the Buddha entrusted this Great Pure Law to Bodhisattva Jogyo. Implied in this transfer is the return of the content of his enlightenment to its true source. He had revealed the effects of enlightenment and pointed the way. And...his disciples could be secure in following that way because they were connected to him and his teachings.
But the True Cause had to be entrusted to someone else for the sake of those who would have no relationship with him, and who would be in the world when his teachings failed.
He entrusted it to Bodhisattva Jogyo so that all people in the Latter Day of the Law could be led to enlightenment. This was very wise. Don't you think so -- with star wars proposed for the heavens, war in the Middle East, revolution in Central America and famine in Africa? Now is not the time to be practicing aeons of austerities when destruction, disease and death are so swift for so many in peacetime and in war.
Shakyamuni Buddha highly praised the great virtues of Bodhisattva Jogyo, who was to appear in the Latter Day of the Law when he stated in the Jinriki chapter of the Lotus Sutra:
"Just as the light of the sun and moon illuminates all obscurity, this person will practice among the people and dispel the darkness of all mankind."
The sutra says, "this person". It does not say, "this Buddha" or "that Bodhisattva". However, when we consider this with much care, we realize that it means Bodhisattva Jogyo, who accepted the Law of the True Cause from Shakyamuni. Careful consideration leads us to know that this person who accepted the transfer would appear as a common mortal and practice the True Way in the Latter Day of the Law. This transfer was necessary because, through it, the content of Shakyamuni's enlightenment is validated and directly linked to its reason for coming into existence. It was the same true Cause that would make universal enlightenment possible in this world during a future time of propagation.
Buddhism is a religion and as such its depths are infinitely profound. If you try to understand it with your head, you might lose them both. You enter with faith, and the startling and wonderful thing is that actual proof comes with sincere initial belief and acceptance that grows deeper with experience.
Nichiren Daishonin was born a common mortal. He met many persecutions on an unprecedented scale, and by overcoming them one by one, he revealed the tremendous power of the Great Pure Law, Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. He, indeed, was attacked by the three powerful enemies just as the Lotus Sutra predicted.
Each time, whether in people or natural phenomena, the elements rose to assist him as the sutra promised. He was not surprised when a bright object streaked across the sky to prevent his execution. When his executioners trembled in fear, he called to them:
"Here, why do you shrink from this miserable prisoner? Came nearer! Came closer!... What if dawn should break. You must hasten to execute me, for you will find it unbearable to do so after sunrise."
These words show us courage, but also the strength of his conviction, that even should it be shown that he was only the sutra's votary, he was not afraid to die for its truth. But he overcame all great obstacles and was able to express his deep gratitude to his arch-enemies as his good friends, because their animosity and hatred helped him prove the greatness of the Mystic Law and his true identity.
Further, he understood that their slander auld be their benefit because even a negative relationship to the greatness of the Person and the Law becomes the cause for enlightenment through the mercy and compassion of the Law. Therefore, in his Gosho, "Letter to Jakunichi-ho, he wrote:
"Nichiren is the supra votary of the Lotus Sutra in Japan."
Because he understood that it would benefit humanity far into the infinite future, he wrote in, "The Sage Perceives the Three Existences of Life":
"Nichiren is the supreme sage of the entire world."
He understood full well that the Great Pure Law, the Mystic Law, Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, would spread and people would experience the proof of happily surviving being thrown 15 feet in a violent car accident, cleanse their bodies and minds from foul diseases and thoughts; and anxiously anticipate sharing this teaching based upon the actual proof in their lives. You should not be surprised if all phenomena comes to your assistance. You should be surprised when it does not and check your faith and practice.
The Daishonin's statement means that he grasped the entirety of Shakyamuni's enlightenment, his teachings, their significance and relationship to one another. He lived out the Lotus Sutra in one lifetime and re-named himself, Nichiren -- Sun Lotus -- meaning one who achieved enlightenment by himself. Based on this, he propagated the heart of all the teachings, Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo of the three Great Secret Laws, for all the people in the Latter Day of the Law.
In "Reply to Kyo-O" the Daishonin wrote of the Gohonzon inscribed for her:
"I, Nichiren have inscribed my life in sumi ink."
What does he mean? When Shakyamuni preached the Lotus Sutra, the three properties of the Buddha were possessed as "isshin soku sanjin" in one person since his enlightenment in the infinite past, so that people would witness the True Effect of enlightenment.
When the Daishonin began inscribing individual Gohonzon, eventually inscribing the Dai-Gohonzon on October 12, 1279, with the great mercy to save all people in the Latter Day of the Law, all three aspects of the Buddha as Law, as wisdom and compassionate action, existed in him as "musa no sanjin" -- a state existing in the world since before the beginning of time as the true way for universal enlightenment. Manifesting this entity as his own life, he established that eternal property and entity in the Dai-Gohonzon as the source of the True Cause for everyone's Buddhahood.
How wonderful and fortunate it is to greet this Gohonzon and through only faith in and practice to it, attain the same state as his in this lifetime. In America, you have a saying, "Go for it!" Indeed you must "go for it" yourself and make the True Cause to accept with sincere belief, chanting with continuing faith. Then you will understand the meaning of these words:
"Shakyamuni's practices and virtues he consequently attained are all contained within the single phrase, Myoho-Renge-Kyo. If we believe in that phrase, we shall naturally be granted the same benefit as he was."