Shouldering Hay
“It is not difficult to shoulder a load of hay and stay unburned in the fire at the end of the kalpa of destruction.” (Lotus Sutra, Chapter XI)
Can you imagine actually doing this? This has always stuck with me, the image of carrying a load of hay on my shoulder through a fire and staying unburned. I can’t imagine how it would be possible to do this. Not unless I had some magical powers, you know the kind you read about it books, where some powerful magician casts a spell over himself and the hay protecting it from fire.
Yet in the Lotus Sutra the Buddha says that compared to keeping the Sutra, keeping hay from burning in a fire is easier.
“It is difficult to keep this sutra and expound it to even one person after my extinction.” (Lotus Sutra, Chapter XI)
Right there in the Lotus Sutra the Buddha says keeping, practicing, and spreading the Lotus Sutra will be very difficult. It is natural to become discouraged or to want to quit practicing; I suspect this happens to everyone at one time or another. We should not be surprised when this happens to us.
In a way, if it was easy then we might suspect that we are not correctly practicing as the Lotus Sutra teaches. Yet by steadily making effort, day-by-day we can change the things in our lives that are preventing us from becoming truly, indestructibly happy; the attainment of enlightenment.
“This sutra is the most excellent. To keep this sutra Is to keep me.” (Lotus Sutra, Chapter XI)
We read, as part of our practice a portion of Chapter XI from the Lotus Sutra, the Hotoge. When we recite it here at the temple, we do so with an irregular rhythm to remind us of the difficulty that Nichiren endured because of his strong faith and resolute practice. We not only read it to remember what Nichiren endured, but to also remind ourselves that we too may face obstacles as we continue to practice.
“It is difficult to keep this sutra. I shall be glad to see anyone keeping it even for a moment. So will all the other Buddhas. He will be praised by all the Buddhas. He will be a man of valor, a man of endeavor.” (Lotus Sutra, Chapter XI)
Day by day, we chant Odaimoku, we make effort, we study. Every day we do this we receive the praise of the Buddha. Don’t be discouraged!
“Anyone who reads and recites this sutra in the future is a true son of mine. He shall be considered to live on the stage of purity and good.” (Lotus Sutra, Chapter XI)
