Title

tathāgataddharyabhisaṃskāraparivartaḥ – From abhisaṃskāra (literally higher formations, used in the sense of accomplishments, performances of higher deeds/magic/powers, in texts such as the Divyāvadāna and Daśabhūmikā) and dhari (possibly a variation of dhāra, bearing, or wielding), and tathāgata (the Buddha): The Higher Powers Wielded by the Tathāgata.

Notes

With this chapter, both cause and effect come to a conclusion. The causal section being chapters 1-14, and the effectual section being chapters 15-21. Both teach that the effect of the three vehicles is the effect of the one vehicle. This chapter, consequently, represents the spreading of the virtue found in those causes and effects around the world.

Overall Teaching

The Lotus Sūtra should be preserved and propagated, and wherever this is done should be considered the site of all the Buddha’s awakening and parinirvāṇa. All beings perceive their equal innate awakening.

Summary

1. All the bodhisattva mahāsattvas who previous emerged declare that they will preserve and propagate the Lotus Sūtra.

2. The Buddha then manifests his powers before the bodhisattvas by putting out his tongue to the Brahma world and emitting innumerable lights to worlds of the ten directions.

   1. All the other Buddhas did the same.

   2. They all “drew back their tongues, coughed, and snapped their fingers in unison,” which, penetrating the ten directions, caused the earth to quake in six ways. (51c)

3. All beings, seeing all of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas and the assembly, rejoiced, and the devas rejoiced and suggested honouring and paying homage to the Buddha.

   1. All beings, hearing the devas, proceed to take refuge in the Buddha scattering beautiful things from afar.

4. All the worlds “become pellucid without obstruction, as if they were one buddha land.”

5. The Buddha told the bodhisattvas that the benefits of this sūtra are beyond speech, so, after his parinirvāṇa, they should practice and propagate it.

   1. Wherever it is taught, a monument should be built, as that should be known as the spot on which all the buddhas attained awakening and entered parinirvāṇa. (52a)

6. The Buddha summarises in verse form. (52a-c)

Analysis                                            

The various actions performed in this chapter have been analysed by Tao-sheng in the following ways. The buddhas putting forth their tongues to the brahma realm “implies that the Buddha’s speeches are not empty.” (Kim, 520) The buddhas pores emitting rays indicates that nothing is not illuminated by the wisdom of the Buddha. (Kim, 520) The buddhas coughing and snapping their fingers indicates that the all-illumination of the previous deed is expressed in the Buddha’s words, cough, and deeds, snap, both of which, I shall add, are beyond words. This has been propagated throughout the world, hence their penetration of the ten directions. All beings sense their own innate possession of awakening, hence the six ways in which the earth quakes, corresponding to the six realms. (Kim, 521) It is also clear to them that their endowment of awakening is congealed, it is one and the same, hence their perception of all worlds being like one Buddha Land. (Kim, 521-2) Tao-sheng ends by emphasising that this also indicates that even though the causes of awakening are diverse, they all “return to the effect of the One.” (Kim, 522)