Gongyo—which includes reciting portions of the “Expedient Means” and “Life Span of the Thus Come One” chapters of the Lotus Sutra morning and evening—is part of daily practice for Nichiren Buddhists. This series carries Ikeda Sensei’s explanations of gongyo. This section, part of the prose section of the “Life Span” chapter, is no longer recited during our morning and evening prayers. However, we have included it here for its invaluable content. The full text can be found in The Heart of the Lotus Sutra, pp. 189–96.
Sho zen-nanshi. O ze chugen. Ga setsu nen-to-butto. U bu gon go. Nyu o nehan. Nyo ze kai i. Hoben fun-betsu. Sho zen-nanshi. Nyaku u shujo. Raishi ga sho. Ga i butsu-gen. Kan go shin to. Sho kon ridon. Zui sho o do. Shosho ji setsu. Myoji fudo. Nenki daisho. Yaku-bu gen gon. To nyu nehan. U i shuju hoben. Setsu mimyo ho. No ryo shujo. Hokkangi shin.
Literal translation: Good men, during that time I have spoken about the Buddha Burning Torch and others, and described how they entered nirvana. All this I employed as an expedient means to make distinctions.
Good men, if there are living beings who come to me, I employ my Buddha eye to observe whether their faith and other faculties are keen or dull, and then depending upon how receptive they are to salvation, I appear in different places and preach to them under different names, and describe my life span as long or short. Sometimes when I make my appearance I say that I am about to enter nirvana, and also employ different expedient means to preach the subtle and wonderful Law, thus causing living beings to awaken joyful minds. (The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras, pp. 266–67)
Ikeda Sensei:
“During that time” refers to the period from when Shakyamuni attained Buddhahood in the remote past until his appearance as Shakyamuni in India. In this passage, Shakyamuni speaks in detail of his activities during that interval. …
The Buddha’s appearance is motivated by compassion. Deep in their lives, those experiencing pain and suffering seek Buddhism; they aspire to encounter the Buddha. The Buddha, due to his power of compassion, hears their unvoiced cries and yearns to help them. And he responds by appearing in the world to lead all people to happiness. This is the mystic principle of responsive communion.
To act in response to seeing someone suffering is to manifest the compassion of the Buddha. This spirit of compassion, this spirit to sympathize with others’ sufferings, underlies the practice of the SGI. Precisely because we base ourselves on such a spirit of compassion, earnestness is born, wisdom wells forth, ideas are quickly translated into action and there is development. We absolutely must never forget this.
Buddhas Yearn to Share Their Benefits With Others
For the Buddha to save the people means for him to share his immense life force—his life span—with others. Fundamentally, the Buddha’s benefit is life force; it is the power to thrive. In the “Life Span” chapter, Shakyamuni clarifies that the Buddha’s life span is in fact immeasurable.
Each day, we receive this immeasurable life force, this immeasurable benefit, from the Gohonzon. Therefore, the more we praise the great beneficial power of the Gohonzon, the more our own lives increase in majesty and power and shine with brilliance.
With faith in the Gohonzon as the foundation, we pray, take action and speak out for the happiness of others. The maintenance of this correct rhythm directs one’s entire being toward longevity, health and happiness.
Faith of Valiant Action Produces Great Joy
Those who earnestly embrace the Mystic Law will certainly never become miserable. This is true absolutely beyond any doubt.
Second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda went so far as to say that unless great joy wells forth when praying to the Gohonzon, then one’s faith is not correct. When we experience such joy, a great flower of benefit blossoms in our lives. …
Faith is taking spirited action. When we do so earnestly, our hearts become light and filled with momentum. Pessimism is alien to Buddhism.
Taking action on the side of justice brings joy. Let us cheerfully, joyfully and brightly advance along the path of our convictions.
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