kde@heawk1.gsfc.nasa.gov ( Keith Evans) (02/19/91)
The omens that occurred before Shakyamuni Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra were: 1) after preaching the Sutra of Infinite Meaning, the assembly do not disperse, but wait in expectation, 2) Shakyamuni enters profound meditation, 3) four kinds of exquisite flowers rain from heaven, 4) the earth trembles in 6 different ways, 5) seeing these, the people rejioce and placing their palms together, single-mindedly behold the Buddha, 6) Shakyamuni emits a beam of light from the tuft of white hair between his brows, illuminating 18,000 worlds to the east; all the beings of the 6 paths as well as the Buddhas and their disciples in all these worlds, become clearly visible. These occurred before most of the sutras that Shakyamuni taught, but according to Nichiren, they were more auspicious than ever before Shakyamuni taught the Lotus Sutra. Also, during the preaching of the Lotus Sutra, the Treasure Tower appeared in the 11th chapter, with the 7 kinds of jewels and Taho (Many Treasures) Buddha, who proclaimed that "eveything that you (Shakyamuni) have said is the truth. Then in the 15th chapter, the Shakyamuni's disciples from the past emerged from the Earth (after the whole assembly was raised into the air). It was like saying this 25 year-old man was the father of these 100-year-old men. Shakyamuni's disciples at Eagle Peak, didn't understand who these bodhisattvas were, and this is when Shakyamuni proceeded to talk about the length of his life (16th chapter, "Length span of the Tathagata"). Then in the 21sat chapter, the most auspicious of omens occurred when the Buddha displayed the 10 mystic powers, one was to extend his long broad tongue to the Brahma heaven, another was to emit a variety of colors of light from every pore of his body, illuminating the TEN directions, all the land in the TEN paths tremblein 6 different ways, etc. (the rest I leave off for brevity). What other sutra has these kinds of omens? (hint: none) This is all very difficult to understand. The key to understanding the Lotus Sutra is recognizing that all this came from Shakyamuni's own life, demonstrating the fullness of human life. -- Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Respectfully, Keith Evans kde@heawk1.gsfc.nasa.gov
tilley@ssd.kodak.com (David Tilley) (02/20/91)
In article <kde.666973489@heawk1> kde@heawk1.gsfc.nasa.gov ( Keith Evans) writes: >The omens that occurred before Shakyamuni Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra >were: >..... > >What other sutra has these kinds of omens? (hint: none) > >This is all very difficult to understand. The key to understanding the >Lotus Sutra is recognizing that all this came from Shakyamuni's own life, >demonstrating the fullness of human life. As much as I have great respect for the Lotus Sutra, let me say that it is not because I am particularly impressed by omens. What Sutras have the parting of the Red Sea? (hint: none). How about living in the belly of a whale? How about a wooden puppet becomming a living boy? :-) Just because a book says something happened does not make the book the only book worth paying attention to. Almost every Sutra that I have read goes on at some length about the merit of reading the sutra. About why this is the best sutra. etc. The Buddha did not write this stuff down. People did. People tend to embelish. Even me :-) dave
rks@dynamic.princeton.edu (Ramesh Sitaraman) (02/20/91)
In article <kde.666973489@heawk1> kde@heawk1.gsfc.nasa.gov ( Keith Evans) writes: >The omens that occurred before Shakyamuni Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra >were: > 1) after preaching the Sutra of Infinite Meaning, the assembly > 2) Shakyamuni enters profound meditation, > 3) four kinds of exquisite flowers rain from heaven, > 4) the earth trembles in 6 different ways, > >What other sutra has these kinds of omens? (hint: none) Far from wanting to comment adversely on any other persons beliefs.... I personally dont think much of omens and magic. I think an important aspect (or interpretation if you may) of Hindu-Buddhism is to empahsise that enlightenment and nirvana are nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing supernatural. Nothing miraculous. A radical change in the way one percieves things perhaps but in nothing else. It is unfortunate that some see Buddha as a doer of superhuman miracles with supernatural powers. I like to believe that he was a suffering human being like you and me who sought his way to the ultimate truth. Ramesh -- ARPA: rks@cs.princeton.edu | SPRINT:(609) 683 1979 (Home) |**** WATCH THIS SPACE !!! ***** (609) 258 1794 (Off) | |
kde@heawk1.gsfc.nasa.gov ( Keith Evans) (02/20/91)
In <1991Feb19.174322.28506@ssd.kodak.com> tilley@ssd.kodak.com (David Tilley) writes: >In article <kde.666973489@heawk1> kde@heawk1.gsfc.nasa.gov ( Keith Evans) writes: >>The omens that occurred before Shakyamuni Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra >>were: >>..... >> >>What other sutra has these kinds of omens? (hint: none) >> >>This is all very difficult to understand. The key to understanding the >>Lotus Sutra is recognizing that all this came from Shakyamuni's own life, >>demonstrating the fullness of human life. >What Sutras have the parting of the Red Sea? (hint: none). >How about living in the belly of a whale? >How about a wooden puppet becomming a living boy? :-) In comparing various writings, buddhist teachings are superior to non-buddhist teachings. Then within the buddhist teachings, Mahayana Buddhism is superior to Hinayana Buddhism. Then within Mahayana Buddhism, true Mahayana is superior to provisional Mahayana. Within the true Mahayana (the Lotus Sutra), the essential taching (the last 14 chapters) is superior to the theoretical teaching (the 1st 14 chapters). -- Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Respectfully, Keith Evans kde@heawk1.gsfc.nasa.gov