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During our service and the recitation of portions from the Lotus Sutra we recite the Junnyoze from Chapter II three times. You may wonder why that is since it is only written one time in the sutra. I’m surprised more people don’t ask about that since it is so clearly at odds with any other recitation we do, repeating something that isn’t written.
I suppose it is because some may think they would appear to be asking a dumb question as if they should know it by osmosis. Let me just say that before I began this more in-depth exploration of the Ten Suchnesses I would not have been able to answer it. I was reminded of it by Sensei Ryuei McCormick and his in-depth study of all things Nichiren. I do recall studying it years ago and then I forgot the reason. Since no one asked me I continued to forget.
This is a good lesson on why it’s important to ask questions, it keeps people like myself honest. Don’t ever think that your question is silly, superfluous, unimportant, or heaven forbid dumb. Working on this I had to ask the question myself.
The fact of our reciting it three times is unique to Nichiren Buddhism and Chih-I. In brief it is the Threefold Contemplation in a Single Mind. There is the Three Thousand States of Mind and then there is the Three Contemplations of a Single Mind.
Each recitation of the Ten Aspects or Ten Suchnesses is done from a different perspective even though the wording does not actually change. In fact the wording does change in our minds, though this point is lost if we don’t learn it. So mostly people merely recite it three times because everyone else is doing it and after all who wants to be the one who raises their hand and says, “yea, but why.”
Other schools according to Nichiren only view the Contemplation from the perspective of a single realm. By doing so they ignore the realms of non-substantiality and temporary existence. According to our schools reading the first read is from the point of non-substantiality and so the meaning is; this appearance is thus, this natures is thus, this entities is thus, and so forth. The second reading is from the perspective of temporary existence and so is read in this way; thus appearance, thus nature, thus entity, and so forth. The third and final reading is from the perspective of the Middle Way and reads like this; appearance is thus, nature is thus, entity is thus, and so forth.
On the first reading, the one from the point of view of non-substantiality we are making ourselves or reminding ourselves that we are The Buddha, the Thus Come One of the reward body. All the Ten worlds are non-substantial as at any one moment they contain each other and can manifest any other. This truth is the truth of the reward body which we acquire when we read it in this way. The reward here being the manifestation of enlightenment even in the presence of the other Ten Worlds.
The second reading reminds us or recalls to us that all things are temporary or impermanent. This is the benefit of the manifest body. The truth of our impermanence is also the truth of the human being Shakyamuni who is the Eternal Buddha.
The third reading calls us to remember that we are the manifestation of the of the Thus Come One of the Dharma Body. We gain the same benefit of the Dharma Body of the Eternal Buddha, that of emancipation and wisdom of the Dharma Body.
In summary we have the Ten Worlds, each possessing all the Ten Worlds equalling 100 Worlds. This is then multiplied by the Ten Aspects giving us 1000. The 1000 is then multiplied by The Three Buddha Bodies giving a total of 3000 Conditions of Mind in a Single Moment of Existence.
There is much more to this portion of Ichinen Sanzen that can be said and for now I will leave it as it is and hold out the hope that soon I will write another book devoted solely to this final point. It is rich with meaning, importance, and complexity deserving it’s own study.
This concludes my writing on the subject of the Ten Aspects or Ten Suchnesses. My original thinking was this would be a small book roughly about 24 pages, or two page per suchness. It ends as a slightly longer book and hopefully not too boring, or difficult. This was only intended to be an entry level exploration into the subject and I believe I’ve kept it that way, or I hope I have.
I did not devote a separate chapter to the equality aspect because I feel I have covered it all along in the writing and felt there was nothing more to add without simply being redundant.
Thank you for purchasing this book, for reading it, and for considering the subject in relation to your life and your practice in faith to the Lotus Sutra.
With Gassho,
Ryusho Jeffus, Shonin
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