Chapter Title

dharmabhāṇakaparivartaḥ – Chapter of the Expounder of the Dharma

            bhāṇaka literally means reciter or speaker. The term was also used to refer to people who would commit parts of the canon to memory and recited it. In early Buddhism, the recitation would have been centred around caityas. Accordingly, there were sūtrabhāṇakas, vināyabhāṇakas, and abhidharmabhāṇakas. Parts of each piṭaka would also be split into sections (e.g. jātakabhāṇaka), and possibly even sutras, making the task of transmitting the canon far easier than it would have been otherwise. (Source: Naomi Appleton, Jataka Stories in Theravāda Buddhism, 2010, p. 51-2)

Situation of the Chapter

As discussed in the first meeting, this chapter begins the third part of the first section of the sūtra, i.e., the part that focuses propagation. The section as a whole, as a reminder, is dealing with the causal aspect of the Lotus Sūtra, namely, that the three vehicles as a cause are identical to the one vehicle as a cause. Causes in this sense are dealing with the causes of the attainment of buddhahood. This is to say that the (practice of the) three/one vehicle is the cause of buddhahood.

            Tao-sheng (Kim, 479-480) points out that this situation finds reflection in the structure of the part, namely, that we have seen three teachings of tenets and three bestowals of prophecies. These three are causes of the one. Prophecies can equally be causes as teachings of tenets, as they encourage sentient beings. The three teachings of tenets are:

1.     Chapter 2 – Skilful Means

2.     Chapter 3 – The Burning House Parable

3.     Chapter 7 – The Apparitional City Parable

Chapter 4 is the self-examination of the disciples of their own understanding, and thus is not a new teaching of tenets and chapter 5 focuses on how all these teachings are in fact one. The three prophecies of awakening are for:

1.     Śāriputra

2.     The four great disciples

3.     The five hundred disciples, and the other learners

Overall Teaching

Those who hear, revere, and propagate a bit of this sūtra will attain full awakening, what more to say of those who hear, revere, and propagate the whole sūtra?

Summary

1. The Buddha addresses eighty thousand mahāsattvas by addressing Bhaiṣajyarāja (Medicine King) Bodhisattva.

   1. Benefits for the disciple in regards to the sūtra:

      1. If anyone hears a single line and rejoices in it, they will receive a prediction to full awakening.

      2. If anyone hears a single line and rejoices in it after the Buddha’s parinirvāṇa, they will attain full awakening.

      3. If anyone preserves, recites, explains, or copies a single verse, respects, offers flowers, perfumes, necklaces, ointments, powders, incense, canopies, flags, banners, clothing, or music, or simply honours the Lotus Sūtra, they already made their vow countless aeons in the past and already completed their vow having been born as humans out of compassion for sentient beings.

   2. Qualities of the disciples who revere the sūtra:

      1. These are the types of people who will become buddhas in the future.

      2. They should be revered as the Buddha is, how much more so those who preserve the entire sūtra and revere it.

      3. They set aside the rewards of karma to be born in the troubled world.

      4. They are ambassadors of the Buddha and carry on his work. (30c)

      5. Those who disparage these people have extremely grave faults.

      6. Are carrying the Buddha on their shoulders wherever they go, paying homage to him, and thus should be revered everywhere. (31a)

   3. The Buddha then gives a verse summary of this teaching. Proclaiming, in conclusion, that of all the sūtras taught thus far, “the Lotus Sūtra is the utmost and best.” (31a-b)

   4. The Buddha teaches that the Lotus Sūtra is “the most difficult to accept and to understand.”

      1. Therefore, it should not be openly distributed or taught, but rather protected.

   5. Those who propagate this sūtra dwell together with the Buddha and are clothed with his garments.(31b)

   6. A seven-jewelled stūpa should be built where this sūtra is propagated, but there is no need for a relic as the Buddha is already there. It should be worshipped. Anyone who sees it is near awakening. (31b-c)

   7. Anyone who is not able to hear this sūtra are not yet properly on the bodhisattva path, but anyone who is able to hear it is properly on the path.

      1. This sūtra is like the moist earth that a thirsty man in a high plain finds after digging, it is a sign that highest awakening is not far.

      2. Bodhisattvas who are confused or frightened upon hearing it are new on the path and śrāvakas who are confused or frightened have excessive pride.

   8. One should teach the Lotus Sūtra in the Buddha’s chamber (great compassion), wearing his garments (thoughts of gentleness and perseverance), and on his seat (emptiness of all things). (31c)

   9. The Buddha will dispatch beings to gather people to hear this sūtra and appear to teachers occasionally, and repeat a line of the sūtra to the, occasionally. (32a)

   10. The Buddha then repeats this teaching in verse form. (32a-b)

Analysis

This chapter deals with the practical ways in which we should practice and propagate in relation to the Lotus Sūtra. The instructions are very similar to those we see in the Perfection of Wisdom Sūtras. While the instructions and descriptions are fairly straight forward, there are some points that we can discuss further. For one, the point we have achieved on the path in order to hear this teaching must already by quite advanced. Is this something you can relate to? Do you feel this way? Does this encourage you?

            Tao-sheng’s commentary clarifies a number of points. Firstly, why does the Buddha teach the mahāsattvas through Bhaiṣajyarāja Bodhisattva? Tao-sheng points out that in a past life Bhaiṣajyarāja Bodhisattva was willing to burn his own body for the propagation of the Dharma, and as this teaching concerns propagation, this makes him the figurehead of propagation. (Kim, 480) Tao-sheng also points out how we are “doing the Thus Come One’s business” if we are propagating the Dharma – the Dharma comes from the Buddha, so it is, naturally, a deed of the Buddha, on his behalf. (Kim, 481) Tao-sheng also posits that when the Buddha discusses hearing the sūtra, it is not necessarily a literal understanding of the book/scroll of the sūtra, but rather a comprehension: those who do/don’t comprehend the idea of the One Vehicle. (Kim, 483) Why is the Lotus Sūtra the water underneath a high plain? It is because the One Vehicle is the hardest to believe in, therefore it is far away. Digging for the water, in this case, corresponds to “receiving, keeping, reading, and reciting.” (Kim, 484)