Part I – Time as a Factor in Buddhism
“To study Buddhism, first of all we must know the right time.1”
In Nichiren’s opening section to this writing, which consists of a series of questions and answers, he briefly sets forth several examples of how time or timing is so important in many matters of life and even more so concerning Buddhism. That knowing the correct time for a particular teaching, that is what time it was taught for, is a critical factor in knowing which teaching one should practice. He says that given a choice between teaching for the capacity of a person and teaching in accord with the correct time, we should go with time. Some examples of why he believes this are; one is that even when given an audience of learned people the Buddha did not teach certain things because the time was not ripe, and two even when begged to teach he refused because as it says in chapter 2 Expedients from the Lotus Sutra, “the time was not ripe for it.2”
Expanding upon this small quoted section the Lotus Sutra reveals Sakyamuni as saying that he had held off saying many amazing things such as being able to attain the enlightenment of a Buddha, and he only withheld this for one reason. The reason why he withheld teaching these things was because the time was not ripe and he does so now because “Now is the time to say it.3”
So then the issue becomes suppose the Dharma is taught and the people are so incapable of understanding or appreciating the value of the teachings, what then? Doesn’t the slander of these disbelievers fall back on the teacher? Wouldn’t the teacher be causing more harm than good by teaching it to people who were not ready to receive it. To this Nichiren simply replies that if a good road is built is it the fault of the person constructing the road that someone becomes lost? Or is it the fault of the doctor because someone does not take a good prescription given to them? No to both of these. If the time is correct then regardless of the capacity of the people the correct teaching must be made. This is the point Nichiren is making. Just because the people may have a difficult time with the teaching is no reason to not teach the most effective thing that will save them from suffering. And as he will point out, now is the time for the Lotus Sutra so now is the time it should be taught regardless of the difficulty of understanding it.
One of the criticism Nichiren is trying to refute is the belief among many contemporary Buddhist teachers that the Lotus Sutra was too difficult for people to understand and so it should not be taught to common people. And since common people may not understand the Lotus Sutra they may slander it and fall into great suffering. In fact one of the quotes in the second question is from the Lotus Sutra which says “Do not expound this sutra to men of no wisdom.4”
Besides the admonition in the Lotus Sutra cited above about ignorant people the Lotus Sutra also contains these quotes as well; “Do not give it to others carelessly 5”, and “This Lotus Sutra is the treasured teaching of Buddha. This is supreme of all sutras. Keep in and refrain from expounding it for a long period time.6”
Nichiren then proceeds to throw the question back by pointing out that Bodhisattva Never-Despising continued to practice the Lotus Sutra even when he was being verbally and physically abused. Nichiren points out that the Lotus Sutra says regarding the angry and outspoken abuse leveled against Never-Despising Bodhisattva, “Ignorant people will speak ill of us, and threaten us with swords or sticks.7”
These various quotes bring up a point of seeming inconsistency, which the questioner points out. The series of statements are incompatible with each other; don’t preach to ignorant people, don’t give it out carelessly, refrain from expounding. All of those are contrasted with the universal preaching that Never-Despising Bodhisattva carried out. But T’ien-t’ai says “It all depends on the situation.8”
In fact we are next presented with four extenuating and conditional situations, which guide our decision as to whether or not to propagate the Lotus Sutra. Sometimes we should suspend preaching if people are abusive, but other times it would be better to continue. Sometimes preaching should be suspended when most people are abusive although there are a few faithful and yet other times preaching must be done even if all people are abusive. So we are left with what I believe is a caution for us to examine the situation carefully in order to determine which case applies. In the case of Never-Despising Bodhisattva, when faced with large numbers of physically abusive people he paused to move out of range of physical harm and then resumed his practice and teaching of the Lotus Sutra. So too, we must develop skill at making the correct determination as to when to preach and when to suspend, as well as the manner and form of teaching we will engage in.
First Nichiren talked about how the Lotus Sutra was not preached even though the audience was fully capable of understanding what was being taught. He does this to show that time is more important than capacity, for if capacity were the determining criteria then he would have taught it in the midst of eminently qualified people. Next he says that even when he had the most favorable of audiences, namely Heavenly Kings, Indra, King of the Brahma Heaven and so forth he did not expound the Lotus Sutra. Even when he taught to his own mother in Trayastrimsa Heaven the Maya Sutra he did not reveal his true intent which was the Lotus Sutra. So whether people are receptive or not is also not a qualifying factor for teaching the Lotus Sura. Again it is time that is the single most important reason for teaching the Lotus Sutra. When the time is ripe it should be taught.
Footnotes——————-
1. Senji-sho; Writings of Nichiren Shonin; Doctrine I; pub NOPPA; University of Hawaii Press, 2003; p. 188
2. Lotus Sutra, trans. Senchu Murano, second edition; p. 35
3. Lotus Sutra – Chapter 2 – Expedients; p. 35
4. Lotus Sutra –Chapter 3 – A Parable; p. 85
5. Lotus Sutra – Chapter 10 – The Teacher of the Dharma; p. 175
6. Lotus Sutra – Chapter 14 – Peaceful Practices
7. Lotus Sutra – Chapter 13 – Encouragement for Upholding This Sutra; p. 206
8. Senji-sho; Writings of Nichiren Shonin; Doctrine I; p.190; [this quote is from Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra by T’ien-t’ai]
