The Drama of Cosmic Enlightenment, White Lotus Sutra

Unit 4 – Transcending the Human Predicament
Aim
To explore our individual response to the Buddha‘s revelation of Universal
Enlightenment in the Sūtra‘s first three chapters, and to engage with questions implicit to
practising upāya or ‗skilful means‘ as highlighted through the ‗Parable of the Burning
House‘.
Preparation
For a succinct recapitulation of the first three chapters of the Sūtra, read the relevant
paragraphs, reproduced here, from Chapter Nine of Sangharakshita‘s The Eternal Legacy,
pp.109-112.
―As in the case of a number of other Sūtras, both Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna, the
venue of the great revelation is the Gṛdhrakūṭa or ‗Vulture-Peak‘ overlooking
Rājagṛha. In the Saddharma-puṇḍarīka, however, the earth is spiritualised, and the
Peak represents, not a geographical expression, but the summit of existence. This
is indicated by the fact that around the Buddha are gathered not only twelve
thousand Arhats but eighty thousand Bodhisattvas, besides tens of thousands of
gods and other non-human beings with their followers. To this vast assembly he
preaches the Vaipulya-sūtranta known as the Mahā-nirdesa or ‗Great Exposition‘.
Flowers fall from the heavens and the universe shakes. He then enters into deep
meditation, whereupon there issues from between his eyebrows a ray of light
which illumines upward to their highest heavens and downwards to their lowest
hells, innumerable world-systems in the infinitude of space, revealing in each one
of them a Buddha teaching the Dharma to his disciples, and Bodhisattvas
sacrificing life and limbs for the sake of Supreme Enlightenment. Voicing the
curiosity of the whole congregation, Maitreya inquires of Mañjuśrī the meaning of
this sublime spectacle. The latter, who has witnessed such wonders before, under
previous Buddhas, replies that the emission of the Ray has always preceded the
promulgation of the Saddharma-puṇḍarīka Sūtra, which he believes the present
Exalted one to be about to preach (Chapter 1).
Emerging from his meditation, the Buddha proceeds to justify the transition from
the more elementary teaching to which he had hitherto confined himself and the
higher one now to be disclosed. Addressing Śāriputra, and through him the whole
assembly, he declares that truth in its plenitude can be understood only by the
Tathāgatas. Others must have faith in the Word of the Buddha and approach it
gradually, step by step, through a series of progressive stages. For this reason it
had been necessary for him to preach, by way of introduction, first the lower,
preparatory ideals of the Arhat and the Pratyekabuddha. Had he all at once
revealed to his disciples the highest truth, telling them outright that they too were
one day to attain Supreme Enlightenment, they would never have believed him.
Even now, despite the entreaties of Śāriputra, he is doubtful whether the
Triratna Dharma Training Course for Mitras
Year Four – Module 4: The Drama of Cosmic Enlightenment
Parables, Myths and Symbols of the Saddharma-puṇḍarīka Sūtra
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