Relationship To Lotus Sutra
Studying the Lotus Sutra we learn of many predictions of future enlightenment for various individuals and groups of people who are present with the Buddha as he reveals the Lotus Sutra. The Buddha is approached numerous times by folks seeking their own predictions of future enlightenment.
The reason for this is due to the fact that all the people present who ask this of the Buddha had up to this point been denied the ultimate enlightenment. So time after time the Buddha assures these people that they will indeed attain enlightenment in the future.
It is interesting to note that in each case the enlightenment to be achieved is in some distant future and also in some other world. There isn’t any case where the future enlightenment will occur in this Saha world in which you and I live. Have you ever noticed that?
There really is only one group that will manifest their enlightenment in this Saha world and that is the Bodhisattvas from beneath the ground.
The contemporary disciples attain enlightenment in the future because of their future efforts beginning with their relationship with the Buddha in his present life or in previous lives. They do not however attain enlightenment because of any relationship with the Eternal Buddha revealed in Chapter 16.
The Bodhisattvas from beneath the ground attain enlightenment in the future, our present, not because of any relationship with the historical Buddha but because of their relationship with the Eternal Buddha. And the Eternal Buddha is revealed for the first time in Chapter 16.
Lotus Sutra Relationships
The people who are practicing the Lotus Sutra her in this Saha world now, then must be the Bodhisattvas from under the ground and not the future lives of the contemporaries of the historical Buddha. The sole means for attaining the ultimate enlightenment described in the Lotus Sutra has to be through a relationship with the Eternal Buddha of Chapter 16.
Consider this as you practice every day. Consider the deep relationship we have with the Lotus Sutra, and the Eternal Buddha. Practicing today in this age means you are a Bodhisattva from underground, it means that you have an eternal relationship with the Lotus Sutra, it means that our path to enlightenment and understanding of Buddhism is through our relationship with the Eternal Buddha from the beginningless past.
