Correction
The Hebrews did not make the covenant with Abraham, it was God and Abraham
Sorry.
[quote=“Rx4liberty, post:41, topic:462”]The covenant was to teach the world about one God, the father of all creation. Buddha took the concept to a godless/worldly type of father.
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Neither “Godless” nor “Worldly”
The use of “Father” in the sutras appear in Mahayana Buddhism. However there had already been numerous parables of the Prodigal Son and other parables with a father, who is analagous to the Buddha.
Buddhism has the Trinity, essentially Father Son and Holy Ghost. Called the Three Bodies of the Buddha. This iin fact is the origin of the Christian Trinity. Pre Buddhist Brahmanism also used a Trinity. It was called the Triratna. A Buddha posseses all three bodies and generally speaking all people have the three within.
The Dead Sea scrolls, containing the Sermon on the Mount Beatitudes, also proves that Buddhism had already traveled allongl the Silk Road, well prior to the birth of Jesus. The “Teacher of Righteousness” appearing approx. 150 yrs before Jesus, was also crucified. The Sermon on the Mount, as spoken in the New Testament, originates in Buddhist Sutras Greek Pythagorus schools had also received Buddhist Sutra and the Essenes were attuned to this.
More Sutra context. Read it well:
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An inconceivable number of thousands of kotis of Æons, never to be measured, is it since I reached superior (or first) enlightenment and never ceased to teach the law.
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I roused many Bodhisattvas and established them in Buddha-knowledge. I brought myriads of kotis of beings, endless, to full ripeness in many kotis of Æons.
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I show the place of extinction, I reveal to (all) beings a device to educate them, albeit I do not become extinct at the time, and in this very place continue preaching the law.
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There I rule myself as well as all beings, I. But men of perverted minds, in their delusion, do not see me standing there.
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In the opinion that my body is completely extinct, they pay worship, in many ways, to the relics, but me they see not. They feel (however) a certain aspiration by which their mind becomes right.
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When such upright (or pious), mild, and gentle creatures leave off their bodies, then I assemble the crowd of disciples and show myself here on the Gridhrakûta.
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And then I speak thus to them, in this very place: I was not completely extinct at that time; it was but a device of mine, monks; repeatedly am I born in the world of the living.
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Honoured by other beings, I show them my superior enlightenment, but you would not obey my word, unless the Lord of the world enter Nirvâna.
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I see how the creatures are afflicted, but I do not show them my proper being. Let them first have an aspiration to see me; then I will reveal to them the true law.
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Such has always been my firm resolve during an inconceivable number of thousands of kotis of Æons, and I have not left this Gridhrakûta for other abodes.
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And when creatures behold this world and imagine that it is burning, even then my Buddhafield is teeming with gods and men.
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They dispose of manifold amusements, kotis of pleasure gardens, palaces, and aerial cars; (this field) is embellished by hills of gems and by trees abounding with blossoms and fruits.
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And aloft gods are striking musical instruments and pouring a rain of Mandâras by which they are covering me, the disciples and other sages who are striving after enlightenment.
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So is my field here, everlasti.ngly; but others fancy that it is burning; in their view this world is most terrific, wretched, replete with number of woes.
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Ay, many kotis of years they may pass without ever having mentioned my name, the law, or my congregation. That is the fruit of sinful deeds.
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But when mild and gentle beings are born in this world of men, they immediately see me revealing the law, owing to their good works.
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I never speak to them of the infinitude of my action. Therefore, I am, properly, existing since long, and yet declare: The Ginas are rare (or precious).
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Such is the glorious power of my wisdom that knows no limit, and the duration of my life is as long as an endless period; I have acquired it after previously following a due course.
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Feel no doubt concerning it, O sages, and leave off all uncertainty: the word I here pronounce is really true; my word is never false.
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For even as that physician skilled in devices, for the sake of his sons whose notions were perverted, said that he had died although he was still alive, and even as no sensible man, would charge that physician with falsehood;
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So am I the father of the world, the Self born, the Healer, the Protector of all creatures. Knowing them to be perverted, infatuated, and ignorant I teach final rest, myself not being at rest."0
And Abraham meant Exalted Father. His wife was Sara.
Brahma’s wife was Sarasvati. No coincidence. Primordial father in Brahmanism. They were also seen as heavely bodies in the night sky.
Buddhism did not discard the Ancient Indian Gods and Demigods, but spoke of them as protective functions which are emanations from within the core of all beings and specifically emanations from the Buddha lifestate.
wikipedia entry for MANU son of Brahma
“In Vishnu Purana, Vaivasvata, also known as Sraddhadeva or Satyavrata, was the king of Dravida before the great flood.[3] He was warned of the flood by the Matsya (fish) avatar of Vishnu, and built a boat that carried the Vedas, Manu’s family and the seven sages to safety, helped by Matsya. The myth is repeated with variations in other texts, including the Mahabharata and a few other Puranas. It is similar to other flood myths such as that of Gilgamesh and Noah.”
The understanding I have is that the revelation that generated Abraham and his many missionaries was the pattern for the many teachings that followed and took throughout Africa, Eurasia and into India. These missionaries encountered the tribal Vedics who had invaded and dominated India and had like maybe 30 plus Gods??
Vedics were dominated by the Brahman caste priests??
Didn’t the Brahmans organize these many Gods under a “triune” leadership and their three headed god represented the Trinity concept?
The Brahmans were at odds with Abraham missionaries because they believed they were the fundamental energy source of the Vedic Gods?
Missionaries preached one god, so similar to the father Brahman idea.
But Brahmans did not accept the idea of salvation through faith and clung to the many ritualistic and sacrificial ceremonies??
When the Brahmans tried to rid India of the anthropomorphic god thing they tended to depersonalize God. The result was a very elusive and distant diety concept.
Incidentally, Abraham was the chosen person, this was later adopted by the Hebrews as them being the chosen people.
The Vedas were much older, then Sumerian, Egyptian and Hebrew. Diasporas occured beause of droughts and floods. There were actually four floods over a long period. Jews were originally Yadava “Hindus.” The Mahabharata and Puranas told much older stories that were orally passed down.
The “Aryan Invasion” was the invention of Max Mueller, who prior to his death, said, " I may have been wrong." There is no evidence even today. There is only evidence of migrations of peoples, some remainng intact some not.
The “Three faced God” was not the only interpretation of the Hindu Trinity.
Ultimately, the many “Gods” in Hinduism were based in the observed movements of celestial objects in the sky. The stories were created by very ancient astronomers. They even understood Precession of the Equinoxes. The ancient documents actually contain references to celestial events, star positions, that allow discovering their antiquity. The Change of which star is the polestar at a particular time, allows determining the referenced date of a particular event in a given myth.
When you investigate further, you find monotheism , where the “gods,” were like emanations from the Chief God. Which God was the “One God,” would be argued over, by different groups in different geograpical areas. When a Chief “One God” was dethroned from popularity, it would generate new myths, such as Brahma was “cursed to not be worshipped.” even though he was still “the Creator.” Different tribes would favor their One God over another.
What is usually missed, is that the cosmology, was derived from the movements in the sky and other celestial events. Constellations in the sky, revolving around the Polestar such as the Big Dipper, were the seven sages, descended from Manu, son of Brahma, etc. Sarasvati the wife of Brahma, was the creator of Sanskrit and composed the Vedas. She was also both a “river” in the sky (Milky way) and the reflected earthly river named after her. “As above, so below.”
The reality of the preession of the equinoxes was "like the changing of the guard of the polestar. For instance Polaris became the polestar a few thousand years ago and before that it was Thuban ( arabic name) This was viewed as the same principle as the change of prominence of a God or the transfer of lineages from one priest to a inheritor of a lineage., or the change from one rular to the next. Eras were documented according to celestial movements over incredibly long periods.
Today we can use Astronomy software and watch the sky movements as far back or forward as we wish and witness the polestar, “Changing of the guard.”
In the Mahabharata, Puranas and Genesis, there is another connection. In Genesis, Sarai, was said to have been told by Abraham to tell the Pharoah she was Abrahams sister not wife. The truth however came out, but apparently not the whole truth.
Brahma was said to have created Saavasti from his own seminal fluid, so she was his daughter whom he married. In both cases there wrre later, alternate versions of the stories, which avoided the incest implication.
The other hidden factor at the root of ancient religion, besides the celestial objects being the “gods,” is that the great sages learned to meditate and see the visionary cosmology within, with the help of the Soma, nectar of immortality, in the Vedas.
The idea that Buddha’s would be born, periodcally existed prior to the historical Buddha Shakyamuni. It was also taught as the periodic appearance of “Avatars” of Vishnu. These same ideas were in Egypt, Persia and Sumeria and later cultures that I’m not going to touch on now. They all had the same sky. They all saw themselves as the chosen people.
The Egyptian “god,” representing an enlightened human beings was the god called Ptah. Ptah=Putah=Budh.
Just as they all had the same sky, they also had essentially the same archetypal, visionary experiences, because visionary experience comes from the same source in consciousness…called in Hinduism, as “Akasa” or “Akasha” and later, more objectively (scientifically) taught as the Eighth Consciousness in Buddhism as “Alaya” karma storage, I mentioned in earlier posts.
Although some of these things I have written here may sound far out or speculation, rest assured,
it can all be verified in the Akasha.
1 Like
Great history lesson
Thank you for sharing
I have always considered Buddahism as a highly respected but Godless religion.
Your writings making me reconsider.
Thank you I appreciate those words.
Ultimately I would like to point any reader of this thread back to the original post, because there is a startling and wonderful thing between the lines.
Trying to read between the lines I still get a father thing and possibly a prodigal son type scenario.
On the one hand the father may be mortal or diety or maybe a bit of each but he entices his wayward kids by appealing to the physical senses - taste, smell etc. This is not the path to enlightenment and its somewhat analogous to the Christian idea that evil is created, and evil is a necessary exposure for enlightenment. I dont buy that myself but many do.
On the biblical prodical son version the father was clearly mortal and welcomed his wayward kid back to the family by exercising forgiveness and mercy - much more enlightening imho because love, forgiveness and mercy appeal to the spirit, not the sensual or emotions.
Id like to hear your take on it.
Buddhist concepts of diety can be a bit confusing.
What it’s initially pointing to is the use of “Upaya” the expedient means. In ths case the wording detailing the use of expedient means in this parable goes further than just an explanation of expedient means.
This Sutra focuses on revealing the past use of expedient means by the Buddha, but more than that. How life and death, as it is, leads to seeking enlightenment and Buddhahood. The “secret expedient means of the Buddha.”
There are other parables in this Sutra that are more directly the Prodigal Son parable. I will post them on the thread.
When trying to understand what Buddhism teaches, regarding worship and Diety, one needs to learn the Middle Way to Buddhahood within themselves.
The mind tends to operate with an either-or process and the Middle Path can seem hidden. Faith and practice is more primary, theory and study is secondary. Practice to master one’s own mind and observing the mind is central. One can see how the mechanism for the aspiration for Buddhahood is primordial.
In the parable above, what motivates the more incorrigible sons to take the remedy is a very real world teaching.
Chapter Four of the Lotus Sutra -Disposition contain a main Prodigal Son parable.
Rather the only post the parable in this case i am posting the whole Chapter for context. It may be difficult reading.
CHAPTER IV.
DISPOSITION.
As the venerable Subhûti, the venerable MahâKâtyâyana, the venerable Mahâ-Kâsyapa, and the venerable Mahâ-Maudgalyâyana heard this law unheard of before, and as from the mouth of the Lord they heard the future destiny of Sâriputra to superior perfect enlightenment, they were struck with wonder, amazement, and rapture. They instantly rose from their seats and went up to the place where the Lord was sitting; after throwing their cloak over one shoulder, fixing the right knee on the ground and lifting up their joined hands before the Lord, looking up to him, their bodies bent, bent down and inclined, they addressed the Lord in this strain:
Lord, we are old, aged, advanced in years; honoured as seniors in this assemblage of monks. Worn out by old age we fancy that we have attained Nirvâna; we make no efforts, O Lord, for supreme perfect enlightenment; our force and exertion are inadequate to it. Though the Lord preaches the law and has long continued sitting, and though we have attended to that preaching of the law, yet, O Lord, as we have so long been sitting and so long attended the Lord’s service, our greater and minor members, as well as the joints and articulations, begin to ache. Hence, O Lord, we are unable, in spite of the Lord’s preaching, to realise the fact that all is vanity (or void), purposeless (or causeless, or unconditioned), and unfixed; we have conceived no longing after the Buddha-laws, the divisions of the Buddha-fields, the sports [or display of magical phenomena] of the Bodhisattvas or Tathâgatas. For by having fled out of the triple world, O Lord, we imagined having attained Nirvâna, and we are decrepit from old age. Hence, O Lord, though we have exhorted other Bodhisattvas and instructed them in supreme perfect enlightenment, we have in doing so never conceived a single thought of longing. And just now, O Lord, we are hearing from the Lord that disciples also may be predestined to supreme perfect enlightenment. We are astonished and amazed, and deem it a great gain, O Lord, that to-day, on a sudden, we have heard from the Lord a voice such as we never heard before. We have acquired a magnificent jewel, O Lord, an incomparable jewel. We had not sought, nor searched, nor expected, nor required so magnificent a jewel. It has become clear to us, O Lord; it has become clear to us, O Sugata.
It is a case, O Lord, as if a certain man went away from his father and betook himself to some other place. He lives there in foreign parts for many years, twenty or thirty or forty or fifty. In course of time the one (the father) becomes a great man; the other (the son) is poor; in seeking a livelihood for the sake of food and clothing he roams in all directions and goes to some place, whereas his father removes to another country. The latter has much wealth, gold, corn, treasures, and granaries; possesses much (wrought) gold and silver, many gems, pearls, lapis lazuli, conch shells, and stones(?), corals, gold and silver; many slaves male and female, servants for menial work. and journeymen; is rich in elephants, horses, carriages, cows, and sheep. He keeps a large retinue; has his money invested in great territories, and does great things in business, money-lending, agriculture, and commerce.
In course of time, Lord, that poor man, in quest of food and clothing, roaming through villages, towns, boroughs, provinces, kingdoms, and royal capitals, reaches the place where his father, the owner of much wealth and gold, treasures and granaries, is residing. Now the poor man’s father, Lord, the owner of much wealth and gold, treasures and granaries, who was residing in that town, had always and ever been thinking of the son he had lost fifty years ago, but he gave no utterance to his thoughts before others, and was only pining in himself and thinking: I am old, aged, advanced in years, and possess abundance of bullion, gold, money and corn, treasures and granaries, but have no son. It is to be feared lest death shall overtake me and all this perish unused. Repeatedly he was thinking of that son: O how happy should I be, were my son to enjoy this mass of wealth!
Meanwhile, Lord, the poor man in search of food and clothing was gradually approaching the house of the rich man, the owner of abundant bullion, gold, money and corn, treasures and granaries. And the father of the poor man happened to sit at the door of his house, surrounded and waited upon by a great crowd of Brâhmans, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, and Sûdras; he was sitting on a magnificent throne with a footstool decorated with gold and silver, while dealing with hundred thousands of kotis of gold-pieces, and fanned with a chowrie, on a spot under an extended awning inlaid with pearls and flowers and adorned with hanging garlands of jewels; sitting (in short) in great pomp. The poor man, Lord, saw his own father in such pomp sitting at the door of the house, surrounded with a great crowd of people and doing a householder’s business. The poor man frightened, terrified, alarmed, seized with a feeling of horripilation all over the body, and agitated in mind, reflects thus: Unexpectedly have I here fallen in with a king or grandee. People like me have nothing to do here; let me go; in the street of the poor I am likely to find food and clothing without much difficulty. Let me no longer tarry at this place, lest I be taken to do forced labour or incur some other injury.
Thereupon, Lord, the poor man quickly departs, runs off, does not tarry from fear of a series of supposed dangers. But the rich man, sitting on the throne at the door of his mansion, has recognised his son at first sight, in consequence whereof he is content, in high spirits, charmed, delighted, filled with joy and cheerfulness. He thinks: Wonderful! he who is to enjoy this plenty of bullion, gold, money and corn, treasures and granaries, has been found! He of whom I have been thinking again and again, is here now that I am old, aged, advanced in years.
At the same time, moment, and instant, Lord, he despatches couriers, to whom he says: Go, sirs, and quickly fetch me that man. The fellows thereon all run forth in full speed and overtake the poor man, who, frightened, terrified, alarmed, seized with a feeling of horripilation all over his body, agitated in mind, utters a lamentable cry of distress, screams, and exclaims: I have given you no offence. But the fellows drag the poor man, however lamenting, violently with them. He, frightened, terrified, alarmed, seized with a feeling of horripilation all over his body, and agitated in mind, thinks by himself: I fear lest I shall be punished with capital punishment; I am lost. He faints away, and falls on the earth. His father dismayed and near despondency says to those fellows: Do not carry the man in that manner. With these words he sprinkles him with cold water without addressing him any further. For that householder knows the poor man’s humble disposition I and his own elevated position; yet he feels that the man is his son.
The householder, Lord, skilfully conceals from every one that it is his son. He calls one of his servants and says to him: Go, sirrah, and tell that poor man: Go, sirrah, whither thou likest; thou art free. The servant obeys, approaches the poor man and tells him: Go, sirrah, whither thou likest; thou art free, The poor man is astonished and amazed at hearing these words; he leaves that spot and wanders to the street of the poor in search of food and clothing. In order to attract him the householder practises an able device. He employs for it two men ill-favoured and of little splendour. Go, says he, go to the man you saw in this place; hire him in your own name for a double daily fee, and order him to do work here in my house. And if he asks: What - work shall I have to do? tell him: Help us in clearing the heap of dirt. The two fellows go and seek the poor man and engage him for such work as mentioned. Thereupon the two fellows conjointly with the poor man clear the heap of dirt in the house for the daily pay they receive from the rich man, while they take up their abode in a hovel of straw in the neighbourhood of the rich man’s dwelling. And that rich man beholds through a window his own son clearing the heap of dirt, at which sight he is anew struck with wonder and astonishment.
Then the householder descends from his mansion, lays off his wreath and ornaments, parts with his soft, clean, and gorgeous attire, puts on dirty raiment, takes a basket in his right hand, smears his body with dust, and goes to his son, whom he greets from afar, and thus addresses: Please, take the baskets and without delay remove the dust. By this device he manages to speak to his son, to have a talk with him and say: Do, sirrah, remain here in my service; do not go again to another place; I will give thee extra pay, and whatever thou wantest thou mayst confidently ask me, be it the price of a pot, a smaller pot, a boiler or wood, or be it the price of salt, food, or clothing. I have got an old cloak, man; if thou shouldst want it, ask me for it, I will give it. Any utensil of such sort, when thou wantest to have it, I will give thee. Be at ease, fellow; look upon me as if I were thy father, for I am older and thou art younger, and thou hast rendered me much service by clearing this heap of dirt, and as long as thou hast been in my service thou hast never shown nor art showing wickedness, crookedness, arrogance, or hypocrisy; I have discovered in thee no vice at all of such as are commonly seen in other man-servants. From henceforward thou art to me like my own son.
From that time, Lord, the householder, addresses the poor man by the name of son, and the latter feels in presence of the householder as a son to his father. In this manner, Lord, the householder affected with longing for his son employs him for the clearing of the heap of dirt during twenty years, at the end of which the poor man feels quite at ease in the mansion to go in and out, though he continues taking his abode in the hovel of straw.
After a while, Lord, the householder falls sick, and feels that the time of his death is near at hand. He says to the poor man: Come hither, man, I possess abundant bullion, gold, money and corn, treasures and granaries. I am very sick, and wish to have one upon whom to bestow (my wealth); by whom it is to be received, and with whom it is to be deposited. Accept it. For in the same manner as I am the owner of it, so art thou, but thou shalt not suffer anything of it to be wasted.
And so, Lord, the poor man accepts the abundant bullion, gold, money and corn, treasures and granaries of the rich man, but for himself he is quite indifferent to it, and requires nothing from it, not even so much as the price of a prastha of flour; he continues living in the same hovel of straw and considers himself as poor as before.
After a while, Lord, the householder perceives that his son is able to save, mature and mentally developed; that in the consciousness of his nobility he feels abashed, ashamed, disousted, when thinking of his former poverty. The time of his death approaching, he sends for the poor man, presents him to a gathering of his relations, and before the king or king’s peer and in the presence of citizens and country-people makes the following speech: Hear, gentlemen! this is my own son, by me begotten. It is now fifty years that he disappeared from such and such a town. He is called so and so, and myself am called so and so. In searching after him I have from that town come hither. He is my son, I am his father. To him I leave all my revenues, and all my personal (or private) wealth shall he acknowledge (his own).
The poor man, Lord, hearing this speech was astonished and amazed; he thought by himself: Unexpectedly have I obtained this bullion, gold, money and corn, treasures and granaries.
Even so, O Lord, do we represent the sons of the Tathâgata, and the Tathâgata says to us: Ye are my sons, as the householder did. We were oppressed, O Lord, with three difficulties, viz. the difficulty of pain, the difficulty of conceptions, the difficulty of transition (or evolution); and in the worldly whirl we were disposed to what is low. Then have we been prompted by the Lord to ponder on the numerous inferior laws (or conditions, things) that are similar to a heap of dirt. Once directed to them we have been practising, making efforts, and seeking for nothing but Nirvâna as our fee. We were content, O Lord, with the Nirvâna obtained, and thought to have gained much at the hands of the Tathâgata because of our having applied ourselves to these laws, practised, and made efforts. But the Lord takes no notice of us, does not mix with us, nor tell us that this treasure of the Tathâgata’s knowledge shall belong to us, though the Lord skilfully appoints us as heirs to this treasure of the knowledge of the Tathâgata. And we, O Lord, are not (impatiently) longing to enjoy it, because we deem it a great gain already to receive from the Lord Nirvâna as our fee. We preach to the Bodhisattvas Mahâsattvas a sublime sermon about the knowledge of the Tathâgata; we explain, show, demonstrate the knowledge of the Tathâgata, O Lord, without longing. For the Tathâgata by his skilfulness knows our disposition, whereas we ourselves do not know, nor apprehend. It is for this very reason that the Lord just now tells us that we are to him as sons, and that he reminds us of being heirs to the Tathâgata. For the case stands thus: we are as sons to the Tathâgata, but low (or humble) of disposition; the Lord perceives the strength of our disposition and applies to us the denomination of Bodhisattvas; we are, however, charged with a double office in so far as in presence of Bodhisattvas we are called persons of low disposition and at the same time have to rouse them to Buddha-enlightenment. Knowing the strength of our disposition the Lord has thus spoken, and in this way, O Lord, do we say that we have obtained unexpectedly and without longing the jewel of omniscience, which we did not desire, nor seek, nor search after, nor expect, nor require; and that inasmuch as we are the sons of the Tathâgata.
On that occasion the venerable Mahâ-Kâsyapa uttered the following stanzas:
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We are stricken with wonder, amazement, and rapture at hearing a Voice; it is the lovely voice, the leader’s voice, that so unexpectedly we hear to-day.
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In a short moment we have acquired a great heap of precious jewels such as we were not thinking of, nor requiring. All of us are astonished to hear it.
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It is like (the history of) a young, person who, seduced by foolish people, went away from his father and wandered to another country far distant.
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The father was sorry to perceive that his son had run away and in his sorrow roamed the country in all directions during no less than fifty years.
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In search of his son he came to some great city, where he built a house and dwelt, blessed with all that can gratify the five senses.
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He had plenty of bullion and gold, money and corn, conch shells, stones (?), and coral; elephants, horses, and footboys; cows, cattle, and sheep;
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Interests, revenues, landed properties; male and female slaves and a great number of servants; was highly honoured by thousands of kolis and a constant favourite of the king’s.
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The citizens bow to him with joined hands, as well as the villagers in the rural districts; many merchants come to him, (and) persons charged with numerous affairs.
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In such way the man becomes wealthy, but he gets old, aged, advanced in years, and he passes days and nights always sorrowful in mind on account of his son.
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‘It is fifty years since that foolish son has run away. I have got plenty of wealth and the hour of my death draws near.’
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Meanwhile that foolish son is wandering from village to villave, poor and miserable, seeking food and clothing.
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When begging, he at one time gets something, another time he does not. He grows lean in his travels, the unwise boy, while his body is vitiated with scabs and itch.
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In course of time he in his rovings reaches the town where his father is living, and comes to his father’s mansion to beg for food and raiment.
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And the wealthy, rich man happens to sit at the door on a throne under a canopy expanded in the sky and surrounded with many hundreds of living beings.
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His trustees stand round him, some of them counting money and bullion, some writing bills, some lending money on interest.
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The poor man, seeing the splendid mansion of the householder, thinks within himself: Where am I here? This man must be a king or a grandee.
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Let me not incur some injury and be caught to do forced labour. With these reflections he hurried away inquiring after the road to the street of the poor.
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The rich man on the throne is glad to see his own son, and despatches messengers with the order to fetch that poor man.
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The messengers immediately seize the man, but he is no sooner caught than he faints away (as he thinks): These are certainly executioners who have approached me; what do I want clothing or food?
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On seeing it, the rich, sagacious man (thinks): This ignorant and stupid person is of low disposition and will have no faith in my magnificence’, nor believe that I am his father.
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Under those circumstances he orders persons of low character, crooked, one-eyed, maimed, ill-clad, and blackish 1, to go and search that man who shall do menial work.
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‘Enter my service and cleanse the putrid heap of dirt, replete with faeces and urine; I will give thee a double salary’ (are the words of the message).
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On hearing this call the poor man comes and cleanses the said spot; be takes up his abode there in a hovel near the mansion.
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The rich man continually observes him through the windows (and thinks): There is my son engaged in a low occupation, cleansing the heap of dirt.
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Then he descends, takes a basket, puts on dirty garments, and goes near the man. He chides him, saying: Thou dost not perform thy work.
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1 will give thee double salary and twice more ointment for the feet; I will give thee food with salt, potherbs, and, besides, a cloak.
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So he chides him at the time, but afterwards he wisely conciliates him (by saying): Thou dost thy work very well, indeed; thou art my son, surely; there is no doubt of it.
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Little by little he makes the man enter the house, and employs him in his service for fully twenty years, in the course of which time he succeeds in inspiring him with confidence.
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At the same time he lays up in the house gold, pearls, and crystal, draws up the sum total, and is always occupied in his mind with all that property.
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The ignorant man, who is living outside the mansion, alone in a hovel, cherishes no other ideas but of poverty, and thinks to himself: Mine are no such possessions!
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The rich man perceiving this of him (thinks): My son has arrived at the consciousness of being noble. He calls together a gathering of his friends and relatives (and says): I will give all my property to this man.
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In the midst of the assembly where the king, burghers, citizens, and many merchantmen were present, he speaks thus: This is my son whom I lost a long time ago.
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It is now fully fifty years-and twenty years more during which I have seen him-that he disappeared from such and such a place and that in his search I came to this place.
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He is owner of all my property; to him I leave it all and entirely; let him do with it what he wants; I give him my whole family property.
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And the (poor) man is struck with surprise; remembering his former poverty, his low disposition 1, and as he receives those good things of his father’s and the family property, he thinks: Now am I a happy man.
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In like manner has the leader, who knows our low disposition (or position), not declared to us: ‘Ye shall become Buddhas,’ but, ‘Ye are, certainly, my disciples and sons.’
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And the Lord of the world enjoins us: Teach, Kâsyapa, the superior path to those that strive to attain the highest summit of enlightenment, the path by following which they are to become Buddhas.
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Being thus ordered by the Sugata, we show the path to many Bodhisattvas of great might, by means of myriads of kolis of illustrations and proofs.
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And by hearing us the sons of Gina realise that eminent path to attain enlightenment, and in that case receive the prediction that they are to become Buddhas in this world.
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Such is the work we are doing strenuously, preserving this law-treasure and revealing it to the sons of Gina, in the manner of that man who had deserved the confidence of that (other man).
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Yet, though we diffuse the Buddha-treasure we feel ourselves to be poor; we do not require the knowledge of the Gina, and yet, at the same time, we reveal it.
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We fancy an individual [i.e. separate] Nirvâna; so far, no further does our knowledge reach; nor do we ever rejoice at hearing of the divisions of Buddha-fields.
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All these laws are faultless, unshaken, exempt from destruction and commencement; but there is no law-’ in them. When we hear this, however, we cannot believe.
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We have put aside all aspiration to superior Buddha-knowledge a long time ago; never have we devoted ourselves to it. This is the last and decisive word spoken by the Gina.
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In this bodily existence, closing with Nirvâna, we have continually accustomed our thoughts to the void; we have been released from the evils of the triple world we were suffering from, and have accomplished the command of the Gina.
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To whom(soever) among the sons of Gina who in this world are on the road to superior enlightenment we revealed (the law), and whatever law we taught, we never had any predilection for it.
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And the Master of the world, the Self-born one, takes no notice of us, waiting his time; he does not explain the real connection of the things, as he is testing our disposition.
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Able in applying devices at the right time, like that rich man (he says): ‘Be constant in subduing your low disposition,’ and to those who are subdued he gives his wealth.
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It is a very difficult task which the Lord of the world is performing, (a task) in which he displays his skilfulness, when he tames his sons of low disposition and thereupon imparts to them his knowledge.
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On a sudden have we to-day been seized with surprise, just as the poor man who acquired riches; now for the first time have we obtained the fruit under the rule of Buddha, (a fruit) as excellent as faultless.
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As we have always observed the moral precepts under the rule of the Knower of the world, we now receive the fruit of that morality which we have formerly practised.
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Now have we obtained the egregious, hallowed, exalted, and perfect fruit of our having observed an excellent and pure spiritual life under the rule of the Leader.
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Now, O Lord, are we disciples, and we shall proclaim supreme enlightenment everywhere, reveal the word of enlightenment, by which we are formidable disciples.
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Now have we become Arhats, O Lord; and deserving of the worship of the world, including the gods, Mâras and Brahmas, in short, of all beings.
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Who is there, even were he to exert himself during kotis of Æons, able to thwart thee, who accomplishes in this world of mortals such difficult things as those, and others even more difficult I?
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It would be difficult to offer resistance with hands, feet, head, shoulder, or breast, (even were one to try) during as many complete Æons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges.
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One may charitably give food, soft and solid, clothing, drink, a place for sleeping and sitting, with clean coverlets; one may build monasteries of sandal-wood, and after furnishing them with double pieces of fine white muslin, present them;
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One may be assiduous in giving medicines of various kinds to the sick, in honour of the Sugata; one may spend alms during as many Æons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges-even then one will not be able to offer resistance.
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Of sublime nature, unequalled power, miraculous might, firm in the strength of patience is the Buddha; a great ruler is the Gina, free from imperfections. The ignorant cannot bear (or understand) such things as these.
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Always returning, he preaches the law to those whose course (of life) is conditioned, he, the Lord of the law, the Lord of all the world, the great Lord, the Chief among the leaders of the world.
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Fully aware of the circumstances (or places) of (all) beings he indicates their duties, so multifarious, and considering the variety of their dispositions he inculcates the law with thousands of arguments.
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He, the Tathâgata, who is fully aware of the course of all beings and individuals, preaches a multifarious law, while pointing to this superior enlightenment.
seems like a long post. but that’s just me.
Yes it is too long. I was worried a short version would lose the context.
I could put a TLDR, but that seems lazy and might mislead.
The is another famous Parable from the Lotus Sutra, known as “The Parable of the Burning House,”
The Buddha, Shakyamuni tell a parable about a father with many sons, returns home to find his house on fire with his many children playing inside. The father tries to get his sons to safety, but they are so engrossed in their playing inside, they are unaware of the fire and their extreme danger.
The father decides on using an expefient means to entice the Children to escape the Conflageration.
In this Parable, Shakyamuni is soeaking to the multitude and specifically to his disciple Sâriputra.
This is another ectremely deep Parable that all should study.:
"Let us suppose the following case, Sâriputra. In a certain village, town, borough, province, kingdom, or capital, there was a certain housekeeper, old, aged, decrepit, very advanced in years, rich, wealthy, opulent; he had a great house, high, spacious, built a long time ago and old, inhabited by some two, three, four, or five hundred living beings. The house had but one door, and a thatch; its terraces were tottering, the bases of its pillars rotten, the coverings and plaster of the walls loose. On a sudden the whole house was from every side put in conflagration by a mass of fire. Let us suppose that the man had many little boys, say five, or ten, or even twenty, and that he himself had come out of the house.
Now, Sâriputra, that man, on seeing the house from every side wrapt in a blaze by a great mass of fire, got afraid, frightened, anxious in his mind, and made the following reflection: I myself am able to come out from the burning house through the door, quickly and safely, without being touched or scorched by that great mass of fire; but my children, those young boys, are staying in the burning house, playing, amusing, and diverting themselves with all sorts of sports. They do not perceive, nor know, nor understand, nor mind that the house is on fire, and do not get afraid. Though scorched by that great mass of fire, and affected with such a mass of pain, they do not mind the pain, nor do they conceive the idea of escaping.
The man, Sâriputra, is strong, has powerful arms, and (so) he makes this reflection: I am strong, and have powerful arms; why, let me gather all my little boys and take them to my breast to effect their escape from the house. A second reflection then presented itself to his mind: This house has but one opening; the door is shut; and those boys, fickle, unsteady, and childlike as they are, will, it is to be feared, run hither and thither, and come to grief and disaster in this mass of fire. Therefore I will warn them. So resolved, he calls to the boys: Come, my children; the house is burning with a mass of fire; come, lest ye be burnt in that mass of fire, and come to grief and disaster. But the ignorant boys do not heed the words of him who is their well-wisher; they are not afraid, not alarmed, and feel no misgiving; they do not care, nor fly, nor even know nor understand the purport of the word ‘burning;’ on the contrary, they run hither and thither, walk about, and repeatedly look at their father; all, because they are so ignorant.
Then the man is going to reflect thus: The house is burning, is blazing by a mass of fire. It is to be feared that myself as well as my children will come to grief and disaster. Let me therefore by some skilful means get the boys out of the house. The man knows the disposition of the boys, and has a clear perception of their inclinations. Now these boys happen to have many and manifold toys to play with, pretty, nice, pleasant, dear, amusing, and precious. The man, knowing the disposition of the boys, says to them: My children, your toys, which are so pretty, precious, and admirable, which you are so loth to miss, which are so various and multifarious, (such as) bullock-carts, goat-carts, deer-carts, which are so pretty, nice, dear, and precious to you, have all been put by me outside the house-door for you to play with. Come, run out, leave the house; to each of you I shall give what he wants. Come soon; come out for the sake of these toys. And the boys, on hearing the names mentioned of such playthings as they like and desire, so agreeable to their taste, so pretty, dear, and delightful, quickly rush out from the burning house, with eager effort and great alacrity, one having no time to wait for the other, and pushing each other on with the cry of ‘Who shall arrive first, the very first?’
The man, seeing that his children have safely and happily escaped, and knowing that they are free from danger, goes and sits down in the open air on the square of the village, his heart filled with joy and delight, released from trouble and hindrance, quite at ease. The boys go up to the place where their father is sitting, and say: ‘Father, give us those toys to play with, those bullock-carts, goat-carts, and deer-carts.’ Then, Sâriputra, the man gives to his sons, who run swift as the wind, bullock-carts only, made of seven precious substances, provided with benches, hung with a multitude of small bells, lofty, adorned with rare and wonderful jewels, embellished with jewel wreaths, decorated with garlands of flowers, carpeted with cotton mattresses and woollen coverlets, covered with white cloth and silk, having on both sides rosy cushions, yoked with white, very fair and fleet bullocks, led by a multitude of men. To each of his children he gives several bullockcarts of one appearance and one kind, provided with flags, and swift as the wind. That man does so, Sâriputra, because being rich, wealthy, and in possession of many treasures and granaries, he rightly thinks: Why should I give these boys inferior carts, all these boys being my own children, dear and precious? I have got such great vehicles, and ought to treat all the boys equally and without partiality. As I own many treasures and granaries, I could give such great vehicles to all beings, how much more then to my own children. Meanwhile the boys are mounting the vehicles with feelings of astonishment and wonder. Now, Sâriputra, what is thy opinion? Has that man made himself guilty of a falsehood by first holding out to his children the prospect of three vehicles and afterwards giving to each of them the greatest vehicles only, the most magnificent vehicles?
Sâriputra answered: By no means, Lord; by no means, Sugata. That is not sufficient, O Lord, to qualify the man as a speaker of falsehood, since it only was a skilful device to persuade his children to go out of the burning house and save their lives. Nay, besides recovering their very body, O Lord, they have received all those toys. If that man, O Lord, had given no single cart, even then he would not have been a speaker of falsehood, for he had previously been meditating on saving the little boys from a great mass of pain by some able device. Even in this case, O Lord, the man would not have been guilty of falsehood, and far less now that he, considering his having plenty of treasures and prompted by no other motive but the love of his children, gives to all, to coax them, vehicles of one kind, and those the greatest vehicles. That man, Lord, is not guilty of falsehood."
Another passage from the Lotus Sutra. It tells a parable about a King and his valient soldiers and subjects to whom he bestows all his possessions and treasures. The King, however holds back his Crown until his victorius soldiers return distinguihed. Then the King bestows the Crown which contain the most precious jewel.
"And the Tathâgata bestows on all disciples the noble crown jewel, that most exalted crown jewel which brings omniscience to all. For this, Mañgusrî, is the supreme preaching of the Tathâgatas; this is the last Dharmaparyâya of the Tathâgatas; this is the most profound discourse on the law, a Dharmaparyâya meeting opposition in all the world.
In the same manner, Mañgusrî, as that king of righteousness and ruler of armies took off the crown jewel which he had kept so long a time and gave it (at last) to the soldiers, so, Mañgusrî, the Tathâgata now reveals this long-kept mystery of the law exceeding all others, (the mystery) which must be known by the Tathâgata."
Rereading this thread, I can’t find anything further to add. But there are a great many points about Mahayana Buddhism and it’s direct connection to Christianity and religious experience in general, to study by those with superficial knowledge about Buddhism.
Atheists, who seek to negate religion should reflect on the primitive understanding of science to understand the meaning and purpose of what their life really is.
I am restarting this thread to focus on the life and writings of Nichiren.
I have some photos of Writings of the 13th century,
Japanese Buddhist priest Nichiren (Sun Lotus) (1222-1282)
These are taken from translation done in 1917 by a Japanese professor of Japanese religion who wrote the book, “Nichiren, the Buddhist Prophet.”. Masaharu Anesaki.
His translation are my favorite translations of Nichiren’s writings.:
Nichiren’s life story is quite amazing, he was heavily persecuted by the Government and other sects of Buddhism. They tried to behead him and there was a remarkable event of divine intervention, the moment the executioner raised his sword.
Nichiren’s story and teaching are based on the Mahayana Sutra, the Lotus Sutra.
I am going to post these photos of these segments and hope some here are curious to read them. They are nit necessarily in chronological order according to his life, but I will post a chronology of his life, just in case anyone takes an interest.
The terminology will, no doubt be unusual, but these translations are old style English with a style that at times, sounds very Christian…from a time in Japan when no one knew anything about Christianity.
Hopefully readers can sense the intensity of this time of turmoil in Japan and the strong faith of this great Saint.
In thus section Nichiren is discussing the soon to happen “Mongol Invasion”.
Japan had been experiencing, earthquakes, famines and plagues, all attributable to slander of true religion and adopting heretical views and practices. in 1260, he had submitted a writing to the government called, On Establishing Peace in the Land by adhering to the True Buddhism. (Rissho Ankoku Ron)
Nichiren made it clear that due to the Law of Cause and Effect, the slander of the Lotus Sutra and persecution of Nichiren, Japan was encountering the karmic result of their slander. Japan is the first and only country to be struck by a nuclear bomb. Karma and general punishment is all the essence of cause and effect. The core of the human beings and all beings, sentient and insentient, embodies the Law of Karma.
Here is a segment of a letter written after the passing of his Teacher, in 1276. When he was an acolyte, he had an awakening that put him at odds with the temple establishment. His teacher never openly converted to his student’s teachings.
From his early writing, “On Attaining Buddhahood.”
