Tiantai Buddhism: Historical Background
October 31, 1986 Dharma Talk by Dainin Katagiri Roshi
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Transcript
This transcript is in rough draft stage.
0:00
Katagiri Roshi: Today I would like to talk about a little history. [That history is about] the founder of Tiantai (Japanese: Tendai) teaching in China. And also if I have time, I would like to explain the whole system of […] the Fourfold Tendai teaching in this book.
(Transcriber’s Note: The book is T’ien-t’ai Buddhism: An Outline of the Fourfold Teachings, recorded by Chegwan, editor David Chapell, Hawaii, 1983. The currently available version seems to be “A Guide to the Tiantai Fourfold Teachings” in Tiantai Lotus Texts, BDK English Tripiṭaka Series.)
Page 31, you can see a diagram. I would like to explain this diagram, which is “Tiantai Five Periods and Eight Teachings” based on Chegwan’s The Fourfold Teaching.
I think there are two important turning points which Chinese Buddhism had to face when the Buddhist scriptures had been translated by Buddhist priests. One is the Chinese Buddhism found misunderstanding of the central teaching based on emptiness. Because Chinese people understood the teaching of emptiness in terms of Chinese ancient thought, the Lao Tzu and [Chuang Tzu].
After the translation of Buddhist scriptures in Chinese version, many, many Chinese Buddhist scriptures [were] translated into Chinese in those days, almost 3rd century and 4th century (CE). I think you know pretty well Buddhism was brought into China in 67 AD or so. And in the 3rd and 4th century, the priests named Doan and Eon developed very much Buddhist teaching in those days. So Doan introduced Kumārajīva, one of the outstanding translators, to the Emperor, and the Emperor invited Kumārajīva to China, and let him translate Buddhist scriptures, supported by the Emperor. So many Buddhist scriptures could be translated by Kumārajīva and Genjo.
So the Buddhists gradually realized the misunderstanding of the central teaching based on emptiness. Particularly Sojo, who lived from 384 to 414 (CE), he died [when] almost 30 years old. I think you have the book written by him in English version… I forgot the name, but in Japanese, Joron. He was noted as the first person who understood emptiness very well, properly. So he mainly tried to introduce right understanding of emptiness into Chinese Buddhism. That is one point.
The second point: I think in Chinese Buddhism, Buddhism was transmitted into China from India not systematically. Whatever kind of scriptures they found, they tried to bring to China and started to translate into Chinese. So they didn’t know the systematical Buddhist teaching. So their Buddhist thoughts were very mixed up. They didn’t know. The more Buddhist scriptures were handed down to China, the more they realized it was necessary for them to systematize Buddhist teaching. So that is the period of the time, the 3rd century and 4th century, they tried to understand Buddhist teaching philosophically and systematically.
Mainly the Buddhist teaching had been seen […] based on the Prajnaparamita teaching. There are mainly five systems of scriptures. First one is families of the Prajnaparamita sutras. This teaching was very important for them, because it is a central teaching based on emptiness. And also next the Avatamsaka Sutra, because the Avatamsaka Sutra emphasizes the intrinsic teaching of the truth; intrinsic truth. Very essential teaching of Buddhism, which guides people to touch directly intrinsic nature of the truth. […] And next is the Saddharma Pundarika sutra, which stresses the unity of the existence as oneness. And also Nirvana Sutra, which mentions the eternal life of a buddha. So those Buddhist teachings systematically were understood by Chinese Buddhists in those days. (Transcriber’s Note: It is later clarified that he meant four, not five.)
And then Zhiyi, the founder of the Tendai – in Japanese we say Chigi, “Chi-Gi” – who lived from 538 to 597, systematized the Buddhist teachings in a different way, based on the Saddhama Pundarika sutra. So this is Tendai teaching.
So let me say next a brief history of Chigi, founder of the Tendai teaching. Is that ok? There are two points.
Question: Hoji-san, I wasn’t clear whether you were saying that the Chinese discovered or the Chinese misunderstood emptiness?
Katagiri Roshi: Uh-huh.
Same person: That’s what you were saying?
Katagiri Roshi: Yeah.
Same person: How is it that they misunderstood?
Katagiri Roshi: I think according to Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu, I think nothingness was understood as not exactly nothingness but some entity, some kind of pure entity, so-called emptiness, from which being originates, being emerges. And beings means phenomena; phenomena emerges and returns to emptiness. So emptiness is not exact emptiness, emptiness is a kind of essential entity of existence as a kind of creator. But in Buddhism, Buddhist teaching of emptiness is completely different.
Of course, Tendai teachings are based on three or four philosophical teachings: emptiness, provisional existence, and middle way. Three philosophical points Tendai mentions. So emptiness in the Tendai, [and] generally speaking in Buddhism, is not an essential entity of existence. [It is] exactly nothing, exactly nothing. Because emptiness mentioned in a word or grasped by thought or philosophical sense is essence of existence which is nothing but provisional existence. So essence of emptiness mentioned in the word is already provisional existence. Do you understand?
Real essence is, nothing to say. But if you say emptiness, essential nature of emptiness is already something provisional. That’s why emptiness and provisional existence and middle way, that [system of three] is the Tendai teaching. That [was] misunderstood by Chinese Buddhists. Is that alright?
Okay. Let’s say the history of Chigi. I think you can read the introduction of this book, [and] you can see the history of Tendai, and also you will understand a little bit of the history of Chigi, but I would like to say a little bit, briefly.
Chigi was born in Kayo in Hunan Province. […] He became a monk at the age of 18, in 556 A.D. And he studied Threefold Saddharma Pundarika Sutra. I think [there is an] English version of the Threefold Lotus Sutra. That is the three major scriptures in Tendai. One is the Sutra of Innumerable Meanings, you can see. And also second is the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Law. And third, the Sutra of Meditation on the Bodhisattva Universal Virtue. I think you will find those three scriptures in that book. So he studied the Threefold Lotus Sutra, and at the age of 23, in 561 (CE), he stayed at Mount Taiso in Hunan Province. He studied the Lotus Sutra and learned the method to attain enlightenment under the guidance of Eshi, who lived from 515 to 577. Eshi is a teacher, Eshi’s teacher was Emon, who was one of Nagarjuna’s disciples. But […] in terms of quality of teaching, I think Nagarjuna was the founder of the Tendai teaching, and second is Emon. Nagarjuna is the founder, and Emon, and Eshi. And then, Chigi. So Eshi is [Chigi’s] teacher.
But he (Eshi) emphasizes “three observations in one mind”. Three observations means, one is the all-knowing wisdom. And [second is] the way-seed wisdom. And third is all-knowing and the way-seed wisdom. [This corresponds] to emptiness and provisional existence and also middle way.
All-knowing is the wisdom of shravakas and the pratikabuddha. All-knowing is wisdom which we can see exactly, properly – the essential nature of existence, so-called emptiness. So that is the wisdom of shravakas and pratikabuddha. That is first wisdom.
Second wisdom is the way-seed wisdom. That is the wisdom which causes us to see phenomenal existence or the [differentiated]… the phenomena of existence, as clear as we can. That’s why the way-seed wisdom. In other words the differential wisdom. That wisdom is by which we can see through the real meaning, true meaning of phenomenal world, properly. And then you can get into the truth of emptiness. So that’s why the second wisdom is the way-seed wisdom. In Japanese, do-shu-chi. Do is the way, and shu is seed, wisdom. Or sometimes do-chi, the way wisdom.
And also third is the unity of all-knowing and the way-seed wisdom. Unity. So that is Buddha’s wisdom.
The second one is the wisdom of [a] bodhisattva. A bodhisattva can handle the phenomenal existence properly and deeply, nurturing and cultivating the seed of the way, which guides all sentient beings to the truth of emptiness. That is bodhisattva wisdom, so-called the way-seed wisdom.
And the third one is unity of all-knowing and the way-seed wisdom, which is […] the wisdom of the Tathagata, which guides the people to […] neither depend on all-knowing nor depend on the way-seed wisdom. And nevertheless, people’s life is based on all-knowing wisdom and also the way-seed wisdom. But they don’t depend on, they don’t attach to either one of them. Their life [is] completely alive, [free].
That is the three wisdoms. Those observations of the world through the three wisdoms can work in one mind. One mind means, if you say emptiness, the rest of the two, middle way and also provisional existence can be included. If you see human life in terms of the middle way, I think emptiness and also provisional existence can be included. So, all one.
Dogen Zenji [says it] in a different way: “when one is manifested, the other one is in darkness.” Like this. So when you see the gassho in terms of its own full function, at that time it’s not necessary to say that full function of gassho [is] based on emptiness and provisional existence. It’s not necessary. Exactly functioning of the gassho, that’s it. Totally. Without attaching to form of emptiness or teaching of emptiness and provisional beings.
So in terms of provisional being, so-called form of gassho, I think it’s not necessary to […] devalue [it]. Well, if you see the form of gassho, and think we should accept the form of gassho fully, because form of gassho is supported by emptiness and also middle way, which means full function of gassho beyond form and emptiness. This is a form of gassho we should deal with. That’s why I [say] always the form doesn’t have any thought. It really depends on the person, how much we can give the quality to the form you are dealing with. When you devalue the form of gassho, form of tape recorder, form of your five skandhas… well, your life doesn’t work. [There’s] not [a] problem within the tape recorder, [within the] form of your five skandhas.
So that is three observations in one mind. Is that alright? That is Eshi, Chigi’s teacher built up this teaching.
28:28
And next, Zhiyi (Chigi) lived in the Gakan Temple, G-A-K-A-N Temple, in K’in-Ryo, K-I-N-R-Y-O, for the space of eight years. At that time he taught the Lotus Sutra, and Daichidoron, which means [Mahaprajnaparamito Pradesha], which seems to be, what would you say… [unintelligible] means encyclopedia. Kind of an encyclopedia of Buddhism. You can learn many, many words, [which] were collected there. And the zazen based on the Shidai Zenmon, “Learning Zen One by One”. And at the age of 38, in 575 A.D., he lived his life at the Mount Tendai, T’ien-t’ai, for the space of 11 years.
So he went to […] Mount Tendai from his city life, partly because of the increasing of the numbers of [people] becoming the monks as his disciple, while [there were] decreasing numbers of awakened monks. There were many monks who wanted to become a monk, but decreasing number of enlightened monks. That’s why he seriously reflected upon his life and went to Mount Tendai for the space of 11 years. And also, partly, [to avoid] the dangerous atmosphere of suppression of Buddhism brought on by Emperor Wu of Northern Cho in 574. So by those reasons he went to the mountains and lived there for 11 years.
During these years, Shuzenji Temple was built in 578 at Mount Tendai. And Kan-jo, who lived 561 to 632 (CE), became the first monk of Zhiyi. He became a monk in 583. And also Zhiyi wrote the Hokkai Shidai, which means “Learning the Dharma Word One by One”. The full name is Hokkai Shidai Shomon, which means “Guidance to Learn the Dharma Word One by One”. […] And also another book, it was the Shoshikan, one fascicle of abridgment of Shamatha and Vipassana.
And Zhiyi was invited by Ch’en’s noble family to stay at Kotakuji Temple in 585 and give his talk[s] on the Saddharma Pundarika Sutra. In 587, [Kan-jo] (Chan-jan or Miao-lo?), Zhiyi’s disciple, took a note of Zhiyi’s talks on the Saddharma Pundarika Sutra and made a book. Its title is Hokke-mongu, “Commentary on the Sentences and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra”.
And also Zhiyi went to [Yoshu] in [Chansu] province in China in 589 and gave the Jukai ceremony to the Emperor Yo in 591. So the Emperor gave the posthumous title named Chisha Daishi or “The Great Teacher of the Awakened”. […] So Zhiyi is called in other words Chisha Daishi, Great Teacher of the Awakened. (Transcriber’s Note: “Emperor Yo” appears to be Emperor Yang of Sui.)
In 592, Zhiyi came back to his native town [Keishu] and built Gyokusenji Temple, where he taught his philosophical and practical aspect of the teaching according to Hokke Genki, “The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra”, Saddharma-Pundarika Sutra, which emphasizes the philosophical aspect of the Buddhist teaching. So he taught the philosophical teaching in terms of the Hokke Genki, “The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra,” in 593, and also Maka-shikan, Maha Shamatha and Vipassana (“Great Concentration and Insight”), which emphasizes the practical aspect of Buddha’s teaching, in 594. And in 595, he went to [Yoshu] by invitation of the king, and taught the Yuima-kyo, Vimalakirti Sutra, and made the book of Vimalakirti-Genki, “The Profound Meaning of Vimalakirti Sutra”.
He went back to the Mount Tendai and passed away. In the history, I think he listened to his disciples chant of Saddharma-Pundarika Sutra and The Sutra of Innumerable Life-long of Tathagata and was mindful of welcoming Amitabha and Avalokiteshvara at the end of his life. He was 60 years old.
After Zhiyi’s death, what happened? He died in 597. So in 601, Emperor Yo built Kokuseki Temple at Mount Tendai, regarded as the headquarters of Tendai school order.
There are two types of his works. One is the works written by him, and also the works compiled [of] his talks with commentary, so kind of a commentary on his talks.
The works written by him were mainly [Hokkai Shidai Zenmon], “Three Values” […], [and] Hokkai Shidai Shomon, [which] means “A Guide to Learn the Dharma World One by One”. And also Shoshikan, “A Guide to the Shamatha and Vipassana”. That is one fascicle. And another one is [Jomyo Genki]: [Genki] means the profound meaning, [Jomyo] means translation of Vimalakirti Sutra. Vimalakirti means Jomyo, “pure name”, “pure phenomena”. So [Jomyo Genki] means “The Profound Meaning of the Vimalakirti Sutra”. 10 fascicles. [Those are] the main works written by him.
And the commentary on his talks, the works compiled his talk with commentary, were mainly Hokke Genki, which means “The Profound Meaning of the Saddharma Pundarika Sutra”. And also the “Sentences and Phrases of Saddharma Pundarika Sutra with Commentary”, so the name is Hokke-mongu, it means “The Commentary on Sentences and Phrases of Saddhama Pundarika Sutra”. And also Maka shikan means Maha Shamatha and Vipassana. Those three are major works compiled by his disciple named [Kanjo], first disciple [Kanjo].
So Threefold Tendai Teaching, that is Hokke Genki, Profound Meaning of …
[Tape change.]
… and also vipassana. Those are [the] major Threefold Tendai Teaching.
43:10
I told you, the family tree of the Tendai school, first is the founder Nagarjuna, and Emon, and Eshi, and next is Chigi. Emon’s history didn’t exist, so we don’t know who he was, but Emon was one of Nagarjuna’s disciples. And Eshi lived from 515 to 577, who established his own particular teaching, the beginning of Tendai teaching. Zhiyi’s teacher. And [following] Zhiyi, […], and [E-I], and [Gen-Ro], and then [Tan-Nen].
Between [Zhiyi] and [Tan-Nen], Tendai teaching didn’t flourish [very] well. In other words, Tendai teaching was stagnant, kind of stagnant water. After [Zhiyi] founded the Tendai school in China, Tendai teaching was beginning to decline.
One reason was that Tendai school too much depend on [Emperor Yo]’s support. The fortune of the Sui Dynasty was beginning to decline due to Emperor Yo’s bold activities of domestic and also diplomatic, political policy and his personal life, such as building a great town, and repairing the Great Wall in China, developing the area of Central Asia, facilitating the relationship of Japan and many countries of the Southern Sea area, building a magnificent palace, and so on. So on one hand, the scale of his works was enormously large, on the other hand, it brought on the poverty of the people and gave them a cause to hate him. A revolt broke out in many places in China on the opportunity of failure of subduing all Korea. In 618, Emperor Yo was assassinated by his retainer, and the Sui dynasty was replaced by Tang dynasty in 619, after the Sui empire of 40 years.
So [Kan-jo], the first disciple of Zhiyi, didn’t realize the change of the times well, because he lived at the turning point of the Sui dynasty and the Tang dynasties. This is one reason [the Tendai teaching didn’t flourish].
Second reason was that Tendai teaching was left behind the new atmosphere of the times and the society, because of the arrival of the a new Buddhist age, brought by Genjō’s translation of the scriptures. Genjō means Hsüan-tsang, who lived 600 to 664. In Japanese we call him Genjō; one of the outstanding translators. Kumarajiva [and] Genjō bodhisattvas are great translators, by Genjō’s translation of the scriptures in Tang dynasty.
However, the decline of Tendai teaching didn’t [result in ignoring] the teaching, but [for it] to be adopted by the other Buddhist schools – [by] the Avatamsaka School, and Hoso School, Zen, esoteric schools, et cetera – in order to establish basic systematical teaching of individual schools. So Tendai teaching in China was really broad, [it] has a broad quality, enormous quality, from which many Buddhist schools developed […]. So it has always been called back, in any ages of Buddhist history, how important Tendai teaching is considered.
And also the Chinese Tendai school was handed down to Japan. The founder’s name is Saichō, and Saichō founded the Tendai school in Japan at Mount Hiei, which exists [today] in Japan, where major founders of new Buddhism [in the] Kamakura [era] studie[d] at Mount Hiei and Tendai teaching first.
And then Nichiren, founder of the Nichiren school, and Shinran, founder of Shinshū Pure Land school. And Zen: Dogen Zenji, founder of Soto Zen. And also Hōnen, the founder of Jodo Shinshu Pure Land school; Hōnen is Shinran’s teacher. Those teachers studied at Mount Hiei and the Tendai teaching first.
[The] Japanese Tendai school is a little different taste from Chinese Tendai. But in this book, I think [there is] the general point of Tendai teaching in China.
That is a brief teaching, brief explanation of Zhiyi’s history. Do you have questions?
53:25
Question: When we speak of Bodhidharma in China, how would you say that personage fits in Tendai?
Katagiri Roshi: No, Bodhidharma belongs to the Zen lineage.
Nagarjuna usually was respected as a founder of Tendai lineage, Tendai family tree, and also Avatamsaka family lineage, and also Pure Land school lineage. So Nagarjuna was a great guy, anyway! [Laughing.] Because he built up the central teaching of Buddhism. His history was very interesting. Have you ever read it? His history was really interesting, his life. Well anyway, he was really respected by many Buddhist schools. So even the Zen lineage: Nagarjuna Bodhisattva, you know?
54:59
Question: [Chigi] and Bodhidharma were contemporaries? Lived at the same time? No?
Katagiri Roshi: In China?
Same person: Yeah, approximately…
Katagiri Roshi: Bodhidharma went to China 6th century or so? […] And also Chigi died in 579. Maybe; I don’t know. I don’t know whether they met each other in China. But same age.
Same person: And there were three teachers between Nagarjuna and Chigi?
Katagiri Roshi: Yes. Nagarjuna, Emon, and Eshi, and Chigi. So Chigi is historically founder of Tendai school in China. In Japan, Saichō we call [the founder]. [Chisha Daishi].
I think you can find a book. Do you know the title of that book? Saichō.
Someone: Saichō by David Chappell. (Transcriber’s Note: Actually by Paul Groner. Saicho: The Establishment of the Japanese Tendai School; first published 1984. David Chappell edited the main book being studied.)
Katagiri Roshi: You will find a book, Saicho, who was a founder of Tendai in Japan.
Question: Something seems fishy, historically, because in our lineage there’s 14 people between Nagarjuna and Bodhidharma, but in the Tendai lineage there’s only four. [He laughs.] Either Zen people lived short, or they lived very long… [Katagiri Roshi laughs.] It’s not historical.
Question: Didn’t Nagarjuna live 500 years?
Katagiri Roshi: No, historically, we believe Nagarjuna lived […] 150 to 250. So 100 years old. [Unintelligible.]
58:10
Question: Excuse me, Roshi? You said there were five systems of scriptures. And … three or four of them. Prajnaparamta, Avatamsaka, Lotus Sutra, and Nirvana Sutra. And what was the other one? Is there another one?
Someone: You said there were five, and I only got…
Katagiri Roshi: No, four.
But in the Tendai teaching built by Zhiyi, it is a little different from the general understanding of the Buddhist teaching by the Chinese of those days. That is five periods and eight teachings. That is the overall system of Tendai teaching. At page 31, you can see this.
59:40
Twenty minutes more.
Let’s [look at] Diagram 1, at page 31: “Tiantai Five Periods and Eight Teachings (based on Chegwan’s Tiantai sijiao yi)”.
Five periods. The first one is [Kegon], “Huayan” (Avatamsaka school), and “Deer Park”, “Expanded”, “Wisdom”, and “Lotus and Nirvana”. This is five periods.
Anyway, Zhiyi tried to systematize the teaching according to the scripture built at a certain age, in terms of quality of Buddhist teaching. But lately we have found lots of scriptures, and we have known clearly what ages the individual scriptures were compiled. So according to this, Chigi’s systematized analysis, systematized of teaching, is not exactly right. But it doesn’t matter, because he tried to systematize the Buddhist scriptures in terms of a quality of individual scriptures, not ages in a historical sense. So from this point, I think this system [has] good lessons for us.
So he puts the Avatamsaka Sutra first, because the Avatamsaka Sutra teaches the very intrinsic nature of existence, which tries to guide the people to touch the truth directly. So it’s kind of tasting milk coming directly from cow. Very direct. Which is kind of standing on the top of a high mountain and seeing an overall picture of cities and nations and the whole world directly. That is the quality of the Avatamsaka Sutra.
So the Avatamsaka Sutra, I think Buddha first teaches the Avatamsaka Sutra but it’s very difficult for the Buddhist to understand. Sometimes the Avatamsaka Sutra mentions some of them were completely… has ears not to listen. Deaf. […] They sat there and listened to the Avatamsaka Sutra delivered by buddhas, but most of the people didn’t understand it, so the people looked like [there were] deaf. The Avatamsaka Sutra mentions like that: how difficult it was for the people to understand truth directly.
And also, that’s why on the left side it says the “Fourfold Methods of Conversion”. “Sudden”, and “Gradual”, “Secret”, and “Variable”. And this is the “Fourfold Methods of Conversion”, we say – kagi shikyō in Japanese.
And on the right side it says, the “Fourfold Doctrines of Conversion”. That is “Tripitaka”, “Shared”, “Distinctive”, “Complete”. So Buddhist teaching was systematized in terms of … form. Form of Buddhist teaching, Buddhist speech. And we say that is the Fourfold Method of Conversion.
[There is some discussion about how much time is left. The decision is five minutes.]
Ok, let me say five periods, simply. Kegon (in Japanese), [Hua-Yen], Huayan, Avatamsaka Sutra, that is kind of to taste the very fresh milk coming from the cow directly. That is Avatamsaka Sutra. […] Next is “Deer Park,” that means Agama, four systems of the Nikayas there, collecting original Buddha’s preachings. You know, the Dīgha Nikāya, Samyutta Nikayas… we [have books] in the library. So that’s [because] the first time Buddha teached the [Hua-Yen], the Avatamsaka Sutra, but he found many people who didn’t understand it, so that’s why next, he tried to explain Buddhism in a different way. That is Agama. So Agama is set up in the second line. Agama, that’s why on the left side it is “Gradual”. So very naturally, the Agama tried to guide the people to enlightenment gradually. Gradually through Agama.
And next, “Expanded” means general Buddhist scripture. But as a typical scripture, maybe it is the Vimalakirti Sutra. So the Agama is a kind of refreshment which people can drink a little bit easily. And the Expanded: in terms of expanded, I think this is the Vimalakirti Sutra or general Buddhist teaching, the scriptures. And also next is, that is Vimalakirti Sutra and general Buddhist scriptures are called “Secret” on the left side. […] The classification of “Secret” means Buddhist scriptures is expanded to people beyond whether the people understood or not. Scripture […] is penetrated, scripture influences people’s life very much, beyond their understanding or not. So that is classification of Buddhist scriptures so-called “Secret”.
But next, “Variable” means according to the individual personality. I think […] some of the listeners understand the Buddhist scriptures, some of the listeners don’t understand. You know? So Buddhist scriptures are accepted by individuals who are listeners. So that is classification of Buddhist scriptures which is called “Variable”.
So the [fourth line] is Prajnaparamita. Which emphasizes the central teaching of Buddhist philosophy which is called emptiness. So it is pretty difficult to understand, so some of them understand, some of them don’t understand. So that’s why Prajnaparamita Sutra is put on the fourth rank.
And also, next, is Lotus and Nirvana. Lotus Sutra is emphasis on the unity of phenomena and truth. So the Lotus Sutra is very important for the Tendai teachings.
The Lotus Sutra is a kind of Buddhist scripture which tries to save people who missed the chance to listen to the Avatamsaka Sutra, Agamas, and general Buddhist teachings, and also Prajnaparamita. There are many individuals who missed the chance to listen to Buddhist scriptures. So later, at the fifth rank, the Buddha tried to present the Saddharma Pundarika Sutra, which he tried to give it to the people who missed the chance to meet Buddhist scriptures. Kind of a “gleaner.” So Buddhist scripture, Lotus Sutra is a kind of a gleaner.
Someone: [Greener?] More fresh?
Katagiri Roshi: No, gleaner means picking up gleanings?
People: Gleaning…
Katagiri Roshi: G-l-e-a-n-i-n-g-s. Gleanings. Saddharma Pundarika expresses the compassion, gives compassion over all people who missed the opportunity to meet the Buddhist teachings. So that’s why the Lotus Sutra is put to the fifth rank, because later Buddha tried to save all sentient beings. So that’s on the right side, it says “Additional Teaching.”
You know, this Buddhist teaching is very important. Buddha and Bodhisattva’s kind of a gleaner. I had the opportunity to have a conversation with one of the monks in Japan. He said, “Zen looks like to teach the special people in United States who didn’t fit into American society in a usual sense, and trying to escape from American society. So Zen Buddhism is a little bit funny.” Do you understand that one? So I said, “Who saved those people? Whoever they are, you know? Gleaner, or failure? Whoever they are, they are human beings, who are entitled to live in this world. Why [does the Buddha talk] about compassion and wisdom, extended to everyone without exception? So Zen Buddhism accepts those ‘gleanings’. What’s wrong with it?”
You know, in 1960s and those days, in San Francisco, many churches, many Buddhist temples didn’t accept hippies. But Zen temple anyway accepted. [He laughs.] So people criticized [us]; particularly the Japanese congregation criticized us: you know, you are stupid, because we accepted. But that is very important for us, you know? Don’t discriminate, anyway. Whoever they are, we should accept it and teach.
That is the Saddharma Pundarika Sutra, anyway. [He laughs.] So that’s why Saddharma Pundarika is a pretty important Buddhist scripture. Nichiren school really depends on it.
Well, I would like to say more, but we don’t have time.
Please read the introduction, okay? By next time. The introduction will start from page 21, […] to page 42.
So for the next, I would like to go into the outline of the Tendai Fourfold Teachings.