Re: Gohonzon Study; The Blessing and Curse Phrases
Group: alt.religion.buddhism.nichiren
Date: Wed, Oct 3, 2007, 5:48pm  
From: Reginald Carpenter <chiefstoneea...@msn.com>

Article continued ............. **
    "The term, ukuyosha fukuka jugo, is also explained in the Hokke
Mongu Ki, and can be translated:
"Those who make offerings [to the Lotus Sutra] will reap fortune
exceeding the ten honorable titles." {6th para.}

Again, this passage is an interpretation of an original passage
appearing in the chapter of the Lotus Sutra, which speaks of the
blessings a person will gain by embracing the Lotus Sutra. {7th para.}

    "The ten honorable titles" refer to ten kinds of honorific names
given to a Buddha." They are: "Thus Come One," "Worthy of Offerings,"
"Right and Universal Knowledge," "Perfect Clarity and Conduct," "Well
Gone," "Understanding of the World," "Unexcelled Worthy," "Leader of
People," "Teacher of Gods and Humans," and "Buddha, the World-Honored
One." {8th para.}

    A passage from the Yakuo chapter of the Lotus Sutra reads: "Even if
a person were to fill the whole thousand-million-fold world with the
seven treasures as an offering to the Buddha and the great Bodhisattvas,
Pratyeka-buddhas and arhats, the benefits gained by such a person cannot
match those gained by accepting and upholding this Lotus Sutra, even
just one four-line verse of it! The latter brings the most numerous
blessings of all." (Hokekyo, p. 532; Ref.: The Lotus Sutra, Translated
by Burton Watson, p. 285) {9th para.}

    In the same way that this passage from the Yakuo chapter claims that
the blessings of embracing even one four-line verse of the Lotus Sutra
outshine the benefits gained by filling the whole thousand-million-fold
world with the seven treasures as an offering to the Buddha, the Great
Teacher Miao-lo praises the virtues gained by making offerings to the
Lotus Sutra as surpassing the fortune earned by making offerings to a
Buddha endowed with the ten honorable titles." {10th para.}

To Be Continued .............

**Page 8 of Nichiren Shoshu Monthly magazine, June 2002 issue; copyright
2002 NST.
All Rights Reserved.

Corrected & reposted 10/03/07, 7:55pm GMT -5