Chapter 20. Never Disparaging Bodhisattva
This chapter tells the story of Never Disparaging Bodhisattva, a previous incarnation of Shakyamuni Buddha. At that time, he practiced a specific method: whenever he saw someone, especially a disciple of the Buddha practicing the Lesser Vehicle, he would bow to them and say: “I do not dare to slight you, for you are practicing the Bodhisattva path and will eventually become Buddhas.” Many disciples found him annoying. Some even hit him or cursed him, saying: “You have no right to bestow such prophecies of Buddhahood upon us.” The arrogant disciples were particularly offended. Over time, they grew so irritated that they threw stones or struck him with sticks, saying: “Who wants to hear your empty prophecies? If the Buddha gave us a prophecy, we might listen, but we don’t need it from you.” Despite this, he continued to bow in this manner. Never Disparaging Bodhisattva was actually practicing the Lotus Sutra; through this method, he was bowing to the Buddha-nature within himself and all beings.
When people struck or scolded him, he did not simply stay put because “a Buddha is hitting me.” He would run away quickly to avoid the stones, but even as he ran, he would shout back: “You are practicing the Bodhisattva path and will sooner or later become Buddhas!” Why did he do this? It was to remind them to save themselves and others. However, those people did not realize that the one they were hitting was also a Tathagata. Had they understood the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, they would have thought differently and would not have attacked him. Because he did this so often, he was given the nickname “Never Disparaging,” as he never looked down on anyone. Throughout this process, while being mistreated, he was calming his own greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, and doubt. He observed his own thoughts to see if he felt resentment, weariness, or a desire to stop practicing. By constantly observing himself, he shattered all attachment to the notions of self and others. In this process, he broke through all appearances.
Of course, the scriptures describe how Bodhisattva Never Disparaging would run away smiling even while being beaten. From his actions and behavior, we can see that he harbored no resentment; therefore, there was no question of “tolerance” or “forgiveness.” Often we say, “I forgive him” or “I am being tolerant.” Yet, when you are forgiving or being tolerant, it implies you have already felt offended or uncomfortable. You have already given rise to anger; otherwise, how could there be tolerance? Like Bodhisattva Never Disparaging, who ran around smiling, where is the anger? There is no need for tolerance. He was simply in a state of constant mindfulness, bowing to his own Buddha-nature. He was prostrating to that unborn and undying Buddha-nature within us all. Furthermore, in this process, he no longer clung to the notion of “sentient beings.” Regardless of whether one treated him well or poorly, he consistently regarded them as a Tathagata. This was the dharma door he practiced.
This Never Disparaging Bodhisattva practiced in this manner for a very long time, never becoming angry or resentful when others struck him. As his life drew to a close, he suddenly heard the Lotus Sutra in the void, which had been previously preached by the King of Majestic Voice Tathagata. This was because Bodhisattva Never Disparaging lived during the era of that Buddha’s teaching, just as we are currently in the era of Shakyamuni Buddha. Hearing the twenty quadrillion verses of the Lotus Sutra previously preached by King of Majestic Voice Tathagata, he was able to fully receive and uphold them— meaning he fully realized the teachings of the Lotus Sutra. Consequently, he attained the purification of the six senses: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind. This purification was achieved because he did not cling to appearances. After attaining this purification of the six senses, his lifespan increased by two million quadrillion nayutas of years, during which he extensively preached the Lotus Sutra for the masses.
However, the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen who had previously disparaged him fell into hell because of their contempt. Only after many kalpas did they return. Observe how those four groups of disciples, due to their anger and their disparagement of Never Disparaging Bodhisattva, spent two million quadrillion kalpas without ever encountering a Tathagata, hearing the Dharma, or seeing the Sangha. For a full thousand kalpas, they were reborn in the Avici Hell, suffering immense agony. After their karmic retribution was exhausted, they encountered Never Disparaging Bodhisattva again, received his teachings, and set out on the path toward Unsurpassed Complete Enlightenment. Most importantly, those who had fallen into hell back then are none other than the five hundred Bodhisattvas in the current Lotus Assembly, including Bodhisattva Bhadrapala and his five hundred companions, the five hundred monks led by Simhacandra, and the five hundred laymen like Nisikha. Those who shared this karmic affinity with Never Disparaging Bodhisattva are now in this assembly listening to Shakyamuni Buddha preach the Lotus Sutra. They have already attained non-retrogression on the path toward Buddhahood.
Shakyamuni Buddha used an event from his own past life to illustrate the benefits of practicing the Lotus Sutra. He stated that this sutra brings immense benefits to all great Bodhisattvas, enabling them to achieve Unsurpassed Complete Enlightenment. Conversely, disparaging this sutra results in karmic penalties. He used this story to explain these principles.