The Drama of Cosmic Enlightenment, White Lotus Sutra

Since they ignore his appeals, and go on playing, he resolves to have recourse to a
stratagem. Knowing that his boys were inordinately fond of playthings of various
kinds, he again calls out to them, this time promising to some goat-carts, to others
deer-carts and to yet others bullock-carts. On hearing these words they all come
rushing and tumbling out of the burning house. Having brought them to safety, the
elder bestows upon them, in response to their demands, not the three different
kinds of cart actually promised, but bullock-carts only, all of the most splendid
workmanship imaginable. For he feels that possessed as he is of inexhaustible
riches it would be unbecoming for him to bestow upon his own offspring inferior
things. The burning house is conditioned existence; the children, sentient beings;
the wise elder, the Buddha. By the three kinds of vehicle are typified the Arhat,
the Pratyekabuddha, and the Bodhisattva ideals. The bullock-carts in which, after
their escape from the house, the children all equally ride, is the Buddha-yāna or
Mahāyāna.
In promising one thing and giving another the elder was not guilty of falsehood,
for he had from the beginning determined to save his children by means of an
expedient. No more, therefore, is the Buddha himself guilty of falsehood in first
preaching the Three Vehicles to attract all sentient beings and afterwards saving
them by means of the One Vehicle only (Chapter 3).‖
Read Chapters 1-3 of the Sūtra. As you do so reflect on one, or more, of the questions
below:
1. Which elements in these first three chapters, as well as the parable, are you drawn
to, and why? What kind of spiritual issues are raised for you?
2. The parable‘s principal metaphor of the ‗Burning House‘ has had an enduring
effect on the Buddhist imagination, as well as raising challenging questions for
both teachers and disciples. In what ways do you experience ‗the burning house‘
of saṁsāra? Do you resonate with the metaphor of the human condition being that
of a predicament or trap? Are you prone to ‗escapism‘? If so, how? Are there any
particular ‗games‘ that you are not so willing to ‗let go of‘, to ‗move on from‘? In
what sense could Buddhism be said to promote ‗escapism‘ (as other religions are
similarly accused by scientific rationalists)? How do you respond to the criticism
that the parable is effectively a secularized vision of Heaven and Hell?
3. What sort of ‗vehicle‘ will really work to ‗get you out of your burning house‘? Is
this really any different to any other vehicles that you know of? How important is
that?
4. Can you identify in any way with the Father‘s predicament? How do you envisage
reconciling ‗carrot‘ and ‗stick‘ approaches? The parable might appear to suggest
that ‗ends can justify the means‘? What do you think about this? What do you
make of the parable‘s exemplification of ‗skilful means‘ (upāya)? How do you
make sense of the Sūtra‘s claim that the father has not acted dishonestly in
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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