Chapter 28. Encouragement of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva (part 1)
We have now reached the final chapter of the Lotus Sutra, where Samantabhadra Bodhisattva appears. A great Bodhisattva and a great protector, Samantabhadra is renowned among the great Bodhisattvas for his supernatural mastery and majestic virtue. He possesses Ten Great Vows, which serve as a model for all Bodhisattvas and a pinnacle of practice and resolve. We may know the various vehicles of the teaching and many theories, but if we do not put them into practice through vows, they have no meaning, as they cannot benefit ourselves or other beings. At the very least, in this world of manifested space and time, we must act on our vows. It is not enough to simply think about them or know what Shakyamuni Buddha said; one must act and cultivate toward realization. Cultivation means practicing the Six Perfections (Paramitas).
The medicine the Buddha gives us is the Six Perfections, which must be enacted through vows. Among the great Bodhisattvas we are familiar with, Samantabhadra represents Great Vows. He made Ten Great Vows: first, to worship all Buddhas; second, to praise the Tathagatas; third, to make abundant offerings; fourth, to repent karmic obstacles; fifth, to rejoice in the merits of others; sixth, to request the turning of the Dharma wheel; seventh, to beseech the Buddhas to remain in the world; eighth, to constantly follow the Buddha’s teachings; ninth, to constantly accord with sentient beings; and tenth, to universally dedicate all merit. Samantabhadra is honored as the King of Vows, and all Bodhisattvas learn from him to enact their own. Thus, the Lotus Sutra concludes with Samantabhadra’s practice and vows, which is a call for us to act and cultivate. Knowing the doctrine is not enough; you must practice. When in great suffering, one may call upon Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, but one must also practice these vows.
This chapter begins by describing how Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, famed for his supernatural mastery and majesty, arrives at this assembly from the East along with an immeasurable and countless number of great Bodhisattvas. The lands they pass through tremble, jeweled lotus flowers rain down, and heavenly music plays amidst exquisite singing and dancing. Countless gods, dragons, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas—the Eight Classes of Beings—and both humans and non-humans respectfully surround the great Bodhisattvas, each manifesting their own power of majesty and supernatural ability. What does this passage mean? Samantabhadra Bodhisattva has come from a land in the East with a vast retinue. He is renowned for his majesty and power, and here he is not at all “low-profile.” He arrives with great fanfare, manifesting his supernatural might. His retinue of the Eight Classes of Beings also manifests their majesty as they travel. Why do this? It is to demonstrate the image of our protectors. They march forward to tell any demons or heretics not to harm the Bodhisattvas in the Lotus assembly or the Dharma masters who preach the Sutra. It is as if they are saying, “We are the protectors; see how powerful we are.” They intentionally manifest a majestic appearance.
After arriving at the assembly, Samantabhadra and his retinue prostrate to Shakyamuni Buddha. Samantabhadra then says: “World- Honored One, in the land of King Buddha of Jeweled Majestic Virtue, I heard from afar that the Lotus Sutra was being preached in the Saha World. I have come with an immeasurable, boundless host of hundreds of thousands of millions of Bodhisattvas to hear and receive it. I beseech the World-Honored One to preach the ‘Wisdom and Insight of the Tathagata’ for us. If good men and good women wish to obtain this Lotus Sutra after the Tathagata has entered parinirvana, how can they do so?” Now he asks the crucial question: having finished reading it, how do we truly “obtain” this Lotus Sutra?
The Buddha tells Samantabhadra Bodhisattva that if good men and good women can achieve four things after the Tathagata’s passing, they will obtain the Lotus Sutra. (By “good men and good women,” he refers to those with pure hearts.) First, they must be protected and supported by all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. We have already received this protection! Second, they must plant the roots of virtue and accumulate merit. It seems our merit is not yet perfect, so we must continue to work on this. Third, they must be able to enter right concentration (Samadhi). Our stray thoughts are many, our delusions are frequent, and our minds are scattered. Therefore, we must purify our bodies and minds and strive to enter a state of stillness; we are still lacking in this regard. Fourth, they must resolve to save all sentient beings—the Bodhicitta—and maintain this resolve without interruption. I believe everyone can make this resolution, though we might momentarily forget it when faced with selfish or personal interests. However, we quickly remember it again. And so, we can soon “obtain” the Lotus Sutra. If a good man or woman can accomplish these four things, then after the Buddha has manifested nirvana, they will certainly obtain this scripture and penetrate its teachings.
Samantabhadra Bodhisattva says to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, in the final five hundred years after your passing, within this world of five turbidities, if there are sentient beings who uphold the Lotus Sutra, I shall guard them and eliminate their decline and misfortune, so that their bodies and minds are at peace. I will ensure that those who wish to annoy or harm them find no opportunity to do so, and that no demons or ghosts can hurt them.” This means that for us, living in the age of five turbidities and upholding the Lotus Sutra, Samantabhadra is protecting us. He further says that if anyone reads or recites this Sutra while walking or standing, he will appear before them riding a six-tusked white elephant together with a host of great Bodhisattvas to offer them protection and to honor the Lotus Sutra. If the person ponders the Sutra while sitting, he will also appear before them on his white elephant. If the person forgets even a single sentence or verse of the Lotus Sutra, he will teach them that sentence or verse, enabling them to recite it fluently.
This is Samantabhadra’s vow to protect the Dharma masters who recite and explain the Lotus Sutra. He then utters a dharani (a sacred incantation) for protection and says: “World-Honored One, if any Bodhisattva hears this dharani, they should know it is through the supernatural power of Samantabhadra.” His majesty and merit are fully manifested within this mantra. It signifies that when you hear this mantra, you know Samantabhadra is present! Thus, do not disturb me, and do not disturb the one who upholds the Lotus Sutra.
In this chapter, Samantabhadra says that if anyone upholds, reads, recites, or uses right mindfulness to contemplate and realize the meaning of this Sutra, practicing according to its instructions, then that person is performing the “Practice of Samantabhadra”—the Ten Great Vows. All Buddhas are present within this scripture. By entering the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, you are making offerings to immeasurable and boundless Buddhas and practicing before them. This is the Tathagata. You will plant deep roots of virtue and receive the crown-touching prediction of enlightenment from all Tathagatas. Wherever the Lotus Sutra is found, if you enter its teachings, you will be near and making offerings to immeasurable Buddhas, having planted vast roots of virtue in the past, and you will receive their prediction. If someone copies the Lotus Sutra, when their life ends, they will be reborn in the Trayastrimsha Heaven. Even if you have not yet reached full realization, simply copying the Lotus Sutra will allow you to be reborn in that heaven, where eighty-four thousand heavenly maidens will welcome you with music and song.
This is indeed a virtuous reward! Furthermore, such a person will wear a crown of seven treasures and be surrounded by numerous celestial maidens, enjoying various pleasures. How much more so for those who uphold, read, recite, and correctly contemplate and realize the profound meaning therein, practicing and attaining as described in the sutra. This ensures that at the moment of death, one is protected by a thousand Buddhas, preventing the arising of fear and ensuring one does not fall into the evil realms. Contemplate this meaning: even if you have not fully attained Buddhahood, at the end of your life, you will be protected by a thousand Buddhas. You will not give rise to fear in the intermediate state between death and rebirth, nor will you fall into the evil realms. At the very least, you can be reborn in the Tusita Heaven in the presence of Maitreya Bodhisattva. Even when we have not yet transcended desire, many people aspire to be reborn in the Desire Realm heaven where Maitreya Bodhisattva resides to hear the Dharma. As for Maitreya Bodhisattva, he possesses the thirty-two marks of a Buddha and is constantly surrounded by great Bodhisattvas for whom he speaks the Dharma, with hundreds of thousands of millions of celestial consorts reborn there to listen.
Therefore, upholding, reading, reciting, and contemplating the meaning of the Lotus Sutra brings such meritorious benefits; all Bodhisattvas should believe in and practice it.
After Universal Worthy Bodhisattva finished speaking, Shakyamuni Buddha praised him, saying: “It is wonderful that you possess such merit and spiritual power of realization to protect the Lotus Sutra, enabling sentient beings in countless lands to obtain peace, happiness, and benefit. Your compassion is vast and profound because you have, since kalpas long past, given rise to the aspiration for Unsurpassed, Complete, and Perfect Enlightenment. Only thus can you now use various spiritual vows to protect this sutra.” The Buddha also made a vow, saying: “I, too, shall use my spiritual power to protect those sentient beings who uphold the name of Universal Worthy Bodhisattva.” The Buddha continued: “Universal Worthy, if there is anyone who upholds, reads, recites, practices with correct mindfulness, or copies this Lotus Sutra, they are seeing Shakyamuni Buddha. It is as if they are hearing this sutra directly from the Buddha’s mouth. They are making offerings to Shakyamuni, and the Buddha will praise them, saying, ‘Excellent, excellent!’ Furthermore, they will have their heads touched by Shakyamuni Buddha and receive a prediction of enlightenment.”
This means that while we are studying, we are all having our heads touched and receiving predictions from the Buddha, sheltered by the Dharma robe of Shakyamuni Buddha! We will be sitting here covered by a golden, shimmering Dharma robe. If you can resonate with the teaching of the One Vehicle of the Lotus Sutra, you will gradually cease to crave worldly pleasures. You will no longer take interest in reading the books of external paths, nor will you enjoy the company of such people or the intimacy of worldly, evil men, such as those engaged in professions involving killing, stealing, or sexual misconduct. Such a person is pure and upright in heart, possesses correct values for life, and has the power of merit. This person will not be troubled by the three poisons of greed, anger, and delusion, nor will they be afflicted by jealousy, arrogance, wrong pride, or overweening pride. This person has few desires, knows contentment, and can practice the conduct of Universal Worthy. This is also a standard for testing whether we can resonate with the teachings ofthe Lotus Sutra. If we are free from these afflictions, we have already attained the Lotus Sutra.
Furthermore, the Buddha said: “Universal Worthy, five hundred years after the passing of the Tathagata—which is our current age of the Decline of the Dharma—if we see someone upholding, reading, and reciting the Lotus Sutra, we should give rise to this realization: because this One Vehicle teaching is so important, you essentially already are a Buddha; what remains is only the cleansing. Such a person will soon enter the place of practice, defeat the hordes of demons, and attain Unsurpassed, Complete, and Perfect Enlightenment. We are very fast! We shall turn the Great Wheel of Dharma, strike the Great Dharma Drum, blow the Great Dharma Conch, and rain down the Great Dharma Rain. We shall sit upon the lion seat before the assemblies of gods and humans to universally deliver and transform limitless sentient beings.” When you see such a person, know that they are certainly close to the goal. “Universal Worthy, if in later ages someone upholds, reads, and recites this sutra, they will no longer be attached to luxurious clothing, food, or shelter. All their wishes will not be in vain, and they will obtain blessings in this present life, not just merit in the future.”
If someone disparages or slanders them, saying, “Are you crazy? Why practice Buddhism? It’s enough just to believe; why bother practicing? What use is it?” If you are currently practicing and reciting the Lotus Sutra and someone speaks such words, because of this sinful retribution, they will have eyes but no pupils for generations to come. They do not recognize the value—the Mani Jewel and the Buddha’s crown are right here, but they do not recognize them. They say it is useless because they only care about immediate gains and losses; thus, they have eyes but cannot see. They cannot clearly see the truth of everything around them in their own lives! You see them with two eyes, but in truth, they are blind. They are wide-eyed yet know nothing; they cannot perceive the reality surrounding them. It does not necessarily mean they have no eyeballs; they might have two big eyes wide open but remain ignorant. If we make offerings to and praise such a practitioner, we will receive virtuous rewards in this present life.
If one sees a person who upholds this sutra and speaks of their past faults and evil deeds, whether what you say is true or false, such a slanderer will suffer from vitiligo as a result. This is exactly what is stated in the Buddha’s sutra. I advise the world not to commit slander. The merit of the teachings in the Lotus Sutra is simply too vast! Every sentient being is a Buddha! This single sentence, you must know, was realized by the Buddha only after practicing the Bodhisattva path for immeasurable, countless kalpas. Only then did he realize that everyone is originally equal and that all sentient beings are Buddhas! Without the Buddha’s realization through lifetime after lifetime, we would not know this! If we did not, lifetime after lifetime, break through the attachment to the self and the illusion of time and space, we would not know that all beings are equal. Every single being, whether sentient or insentient—even a grain of dust or a blade of grass—possesses Buddha-nature. Its source is the Buddha; everything comes from the same source, and everything is Buddha! Therefore, this one sentence, the teaching of this sutra, contains all the merit of the Buddha’s practice of the Bodhisattva path throughout his many lives. It is all within! To see the nature is to see the form! All merits, all spiritual powers, all wondrous applications—everything is within this one sentence. If you obtain this, you are a Buddha; you have attained success. It is that simple!
The Buddha speaks of this repeatedly here because he fears people might treat it lightly. Out of compassion, he constantly reminds us in this sutra not to harm those who practice the Lotus Sutra, meaning the retribution for such sin is quite heavy. The Buddha speaks this way not to curse us, but because the merit of this sutra is so great. He speaks for fear that we might accidentally let a slanderous word slip out. If one treats a practitioner of the Lotus Sutra with contempt or mockery, they will have missing or broken teeth for generations, and their facial features will be uneven, ugly, their limbs twisted, their body foul-smelling, and they will be prone to malignant sores with pus and blood, abdominal swelling, shortness of breath, and various other illnesses. Therefore, if you see someone upholding the Lotus Sutra, you should rise and greet them from afar, showing them the same reverence you would show a Buddha!
The Lotus Sutra concludes with the “Chapter on the Encouragement of Universal Worthy” to exhort us all to practice the Bodhisattva path. Furthermore, the final two chapters—the “Dharani Chapter” and the “Chapter on the Encouragement of Universal Worthy”—tell us that there are countless Dharma protectors and great Bodhisattvas guarding us. They tell us not to be afraid no matter what difficulties we encounter. If things are truly difficult, then pray to Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva; the remaining Buddhas and Bodhisattvas will handle everything for us. So, just keep practicing. Do not fear; do not be anxious about what will happen in the future, what will happen tomorrow, or what to do about the past. Do not think, “The karma I created in the past hasn’t been washed away yet, and I have many things unfinished.” Do not worry; there are many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas protecting you.