Hokke Ten Hokke

In the ten-direction buddha-lands, there is only the Lotus Sutra. Concerning this, all buddhas of the ten directions and three times, the assembly of anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi, there is "turning the Dharma Flower" and there is "the Dharma Flower turns." This is precisely the non-retrogression and non-turning of the original practice of the bodhisattva path. The wisdom of the buddhas is profound and immeasurable; it is the serene samādhi difficult to understand and difficult to enter. Sometimes this is Mañjuśrī Buddha, and there is the "such characteristics" of "only buddha with buddha" in the buddha-land of the great sea.

Sometimes this is Śākyamuni Buddha, and there is the "appearance in the world" of "only I know these characteristics, and the buddhas of the ten directions are likewise." This is precisely the one time of desiring to cause living beings "to open, show, awaken, and enter," as in "I and the buddhas of the ten directions can know this matter." Sometimes this is Samantabhadra.

It is the ground that can produce and the rain that can moisten the three grasses, two trees, and all great and small trees, in accomplishing the "Dharma Flower turns" which is inconceivable merit, and causing the profound, great, and long-enduring anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi to spread in Jambudvīpa. It is solely the exhaustive practice and accomplishment of the "Dharma Flower turns" which is "what they are unable to know." Before Samantabhadra's spreading had concluded, the great assembly on Vulture Peak arrived. Śākyamuni verifies Samantabhadra's coming and going as the mark of the white curl of hair. Before Śākyamuni's buddha-assembly had reached its midpoint, there was the "Dharma Flower turns" of Mañjuśrī's swift "pondering" and bestowing of prediction upon Maitreya. Samantabhadra, all buddhas, Mañjuśrī, and the great assembly should together know and see the "Dharma Flower turns" as the pāramitā of good in the beginning, middle, and end.

Therefore, it appears "solely using the One Vehicle, for the one great matter." Because this appearance is the one great matter, it is said, "Only buddha with buddha can exhaustively fathom the real mark of all dharmas." That Dharma is necessarily the One Buddha-Vehicle, and "only buddha" certainly causes "only buddha" to exhaustively fathom it. All buddhas and the seven buddhas each cause buddha after buddha to exhaustively fathom it, and cause Śākyamuni Buddha to accomplish it. Extending to Western India and Eastern China, it is within the ten-direction buddha-lands.

Extending even to the Thirty-Third Patriarch, Great Mirror Chan Master Dajian, it is precisely the One Buddha-Vehicle Dharma of exhaustive fathoming which is "only buddha." The "solely using" which is certainly the one great matter is the One Buddha-Vehicle. It now appears in the world; it appears here. The buddha-wind of Suō Province is now transmitted; the Dharma-gate of Nanyue is expounded to the world; all are the Tathāgata's true and real knowing and seeing.

One should turn the Dharma Flower, saying it is truly the exhaustive fathoming of "only buddha with buddha," it is the opening, showing, awakening, and entering of the direct buddha-buddha line. This is named the Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra; it is the Dharma for teaching bodhisattvas. Because this has been named "all dharmas," taking the Dharma Flower as the land, there is Vulture Peak and there is empty space, there is the great sea and there is the great earth. This is precisely the real mark; it is "such." The Dharma abides in the Dharma-position; it is the cause and condition of the one great matter.

It is the buddha-knowledge and insight; the worldly characteristics are eternally abiding. It is true and real; it is the Tathāgata's life span. It is profound and immeasurable; all formations are impermanent. It is the samādhi of the Dharma Flower; it is Śākyamuni Buddha. It is turning the Dharma Flower; it is the Dharma Flower turns. It is the True Dharma Eye Treasury, the Marvelous Mind of Nirvāṇa; it is the present body saving beings. There is the preserving and maintaining of the bestowal of prediction and attainment of buddhahood.

In the assembly of Zen Master Dajian at Baolin Temple on Mount Caoxi in Shaozhou, Guangnandong Circuit, in the great Tang country, a monk named Fada came forward. He declared of himself, "I have already recited the Lotus Sutra three thousand times." The Patriarch said, "Even if you reached ten thousand recitations, if you do not grasp the sutra, you will not realize your fault." Fada said, "This student is dull. Until now, I have merely recited according to the letters. How can I clarify its essential meaning?" The Patriarch said, "You should try reciting it once; I will explain it for you." Fada then recited the sutra.

When he reached the "Expedient Means" chapter, the Patriarch said, "Stop. This sutra originally takes 'the one great reason for which buddhas appear in the world' as its essential meaning. Even though it explains many parables, it does not go beyond this. What is this 'one great reason'? It is precisely buddha-knowledge. It is to open, show, awaken, and enter. This is naturally 'the buddha's knowledge and insight.' Since you already possess this knowledge and insight, you are already a buddha.

You should now believe that 'buddha-knowledge' is nothing other than your own mind." He further showed him a verse, saying: "When the mind is deluded, the Lotus turns you; when the mind is awakened, you turn the Lotus. Reciting long without understanding yourself makes the meaning your enemy. The thought of no-thought is right; the thought with thought becomes wrong. When you do not dwell on having or lacking, you forever drive the white ox cart." Hearing this verse, Fada further addressed the Patriarch, "The sutra says that all the great śrāvakas, and even the bodhisattvas, exhausting their thoughts and measuring, cannot fathom the Buddha's wisdom.

Now, if you say that merely awakening to one's own mind is called 'the buddha's knowledge and insight,' unless one is of superior capacity, it would be hard to avoid doubt and slander. Also, when the sutra explains the three carts, what distinction is there between the great ox cart and the white ox cart? I beg the Master to explain further." The Patriarch said, "The sutra's meaning is clear; you yourself are confused and turning away from it.

The fault of those of the three vehicles being unable to fathom the Buddha's wisdom lies precisely in their measuring. Even if they exhaust their thoughts and speculate together, they only become more distant. The Buddha originally spoke for the sake of ordinary people, not for the sake of buddhas. If, unwilling to believe this principle, they leave their seats, they do not realize they are already sitting in the white ox cart yet still seek the three carts outside the gate. The sutra text clearly says to you, 'There are not two, there are not three.' How do you not understand? The three carts are provisional, because they belong to the former time.

The one vehicle is true, because it belongs to the present time. It is only to teach you to abandon the provisional and return to the true. In returning to the true, the true is also without name. Know that all you possess are treasures, all entrusted to you. It is for you to use them. Do not think of father, do not think of son, and also have no thought of using—this is what is called the Lotus Sutra.

From kalpa to kalpa, from day to night, though your hand never leaves the scroll, there is never a time when you are not reciting it." Having received this awakening, Fada, leaping with joy, offered a verse of praise, saying: "Three thousand recitations of the sutra—all lost in Caoxi's one phrase. Without clarifying the purpose of the Buddha's appearing, how could I cease the madness of many lives? Sheep, deer, and ox carts are provisionally set up; beginning, middle, and end perfectly expound.

Who would have known that within the burning house, one is originally the king of the Dharma?" When he presented this verse, the Patriarch said, "From now on, you may be called a 'Sutra-Reciting Monk.'" Such was the occasion of Zen Master Fada's visiting Caoxi. From this, the Lotus of "the Lotus turns you" and "you turn the Lotus" unfolds. Before this, it was unheard of. Truly, to clarify buddha-knowledge must be a buddha-ancestor of the Shōbōgenzō. That idle scholars of letters who count sand and pebbles cannot know this can be seen even now in Fada's former state.

To clarify the true teaching of the Lotus Sutra, you must exhaustively investigate the Patriarch's instruction as the one great reason; do not pay homage to other vehicles. Now, the suchness of the true appearance, true nature, true essence, true power, true cause, and true fruit of "the Lotus turns you"—this was unheard of and did not exist in the land of China before the time of the Patriarch.

The so-called "turning the Lotus" is the mind being deluded; the mind being deluded is precisely turning the Lotus. Therefore, the mind being deluded is turned by the Lotus. The essential meaning is that even if the deluded mind is the myriad phenomena, such aspects are turned by the Lotus. This being turned is not something to be rejoiced in, nor something to be awaited. It is not something to be gained, nor something to come. Nevertheless, turning the Lotus is precisely "not two, not three." Since it is the One Buddha-Vehicle alone, since it is the Lotus of such aspects, even speaking of "that which turns and that which is turned," it is the One Buddha-Vehicle, the One Great Matter.

It is solely the wholehearted, single-minded devotion. Therefore, do not resent the deluded mind. "Your practices are the bodhisattva path." It is "practicing the bodhisattva path and serving the buddhas." Opening, showing, awakening, and entering are each and every one a turning of the Lotus. There is deluded mind in the burning house, at the gate, outside the gate, before the gate, inside the gate.

Because the deluded mind manifests and accomplishes the inside of the gate, the outside of the gate, and even the gate and the burning house, etc., there must be opening, showing, awakening, and entering even upon the white ox cart. When one abides in this adornment on the cart, would one expect the open ground as the place entered? Would one perceive the burning house as the place exited? Should one investigate only that the gate is a place of passage?

You should know clearly: there is a turning that causes opening, showing, awakening, and entering of the burning house within the cart; there is a turning that causes opening, showing, awakening, and entering of the burning house on the open ground. There is turning opening, showing, awakening, and entering in the whole gate of the gate; there is turning opening, showing, awakening, and entering in the single gate of the universal gate. Within each opening, showing, awakening, and entering, there is a turning that opens, shows, awakens, and enters the universal gate. There is turning opening, showing, awakening, and entering inside the gate; there is turning opening, showing, awakening, and entering outside the gate.

There is opening, showing, awakening, and entering of the open ground in the burning house. Therefore, the burning house is not understood, the open ground is not recognized. Who will make the one vehicle of the cart for the wheel turning through the triple world? Who will make the gate for the exiting and entering of opening, showing, awakening, and entering? If one seeks the cart from the burning house, how many wheel-turnings are there? If one looks at the burning house from the open ground, it is only so profoundly distant. Should one investigate that the open ground is peaceful and secure on Vulture Peak? Should one practice that Vulture Peak is level like the open ground?

That "the land where beings enjoy themselves, my pure land, does not perish" and is constantly abiding—this should be practiced in detail. "Single-mindedly wishing to see the buddha"—should one investigate this as oneself? Should one investigate this as another? There is a time of attaining the Way as an emanated body; there is a time of attaining the Way as the whole body. "All emerging from Vulture Peak" is due to not sparing one's own body and life.

There is opening, showing, awakening, and entering of "constantly abiding here and preaching the Dharma"; there is opening, showing, awakening, and entering of "skillfully manifesting nirvana." Though "unseen though near," who would not believe the understanding or non-understanding of the single mind? The place where "gods and humans are constantly filling" is precisely the land of Shakyamuni Buddha Vairocana, the Land of Eternal Light. We who are naturally endowed with the four lands dwell precisely in the single, undifferentiated buddha-land. When one sees a mote of dust, one does not fail to see the dharma-realm.

When one realizes the dharma-realm, one does not fail to realize a mote of dust. When the buddhas realize the dharma-realm, they do not cause us to be unrealized. Its beginning, middle, and end are good. Therefore, even now, the aspect of realization is such; there is no alarm, doubt, fear, or dread that is not such. It is only that seeing a mote of dust with the Buddha's insight and sitting on a mote of dust are different.

When sitting in the dharma-realm, it is not broad; when sitting on a mote of dust, it is not narrow—this is because unless it is maintained, one cannot sit; in maintaining it, there is no alarm or doubt about broad or narrow. This is due to thoroughly investigating the vital power of the Lotus. Therefore, should we practice now in this aspect and nature, in this dharma-realm? Should we practice on a mote of dust? There is no alarm, no dread. It is only that the practice of turning the Lotus is profound, distant, long, and far-reaching. This seeing a mote of dust and seeing the dharma-realm is not created or measurable.

Even the measurable and the created should learn the measure of the Lotus and learn the action of the Lotus. To hear opening, showing, awakening, and entering, one should hear "desiring to cause beings." That is to say, the turning of the Lotus that is opening the Buddha's insight—one should learn showing the Buddha's insight. The turning of the Lotus that is awakening to the Buddha's insight—one should learn entering the Buddha's insight.

The turning of the Lotus that is showing the Buddha's insight—one should learn awakening to the Buddha's insight. Thus, for the turning of the Lotus of opening, showing, awakening, and entering, there should be a path of thorough investigation for each. Generally, this prajñā of the insight of the buddhas and tathāgatas is the turning of the Lotus that is vast, great, profound, and distant. The prediction is precisely one's own opening of the Buddha's insight; it is the turning of the Lotus not bestowed by another. This is precisely the deluded mind turning the Lotus.

The mind awakening turns the Dharma Flower" means to turn the Dharma Flower. That is to say, when the power of the Dharma Flower turning us is exhaustively investigated, we in turn manifest and actualize the power to turn ourselves in just this way. This actualization is turning the Dharma Flower. Although the turning from of old does not cease even now, we naturally turn the Dharma Flower in return. Though the donkey's affair is not yet finished, the horse's affair should arrive. "Appearing in this world" has the sole great purpose and cause.

Though the assembly surging from the earth of a thousand realms are the great venerable sages of the long-standing Dharma Flower, they surge from the earth being turned by themselves, and they surge from the earth being turned by others. One should not turn only the surging from the earth as the Dharma Flower; one should also turn the surging from empty space as the Dharma Flower. It is not only earth and space; one should also turn the surging of the Dharma Flower as buddha-wisdom. Generally, at the time of the Dharma Flower, it is invariably that the father is young and the son is old.

It is not that the son is not a son, nor that the father is not a father. One should learn that indeed the son is old and the father is young. Do not be startled by following the world's disbelief. The world's disbelief is the time of the Dharma Flower. For this reason, one should turn "the Buddha abiding for a time" as the Dharma Flower. Being turned by "opening, showing, awakening, and entering," they surge from the earth; being turned by "the Buddha's knowledge and insight," they surge from the earth. At this time of turning the Dharma Flower, there is the mind awakening of the Dharma Flower; there is the Dharma Flower of mind awakening.

Sometimes what is called "the lower region" is precisely the sky. This lower region, this sky, is precisely turning the Dharma Flower; it is precisely the Buddha's life span. The Buddha's life span, the Dharma Flower, the dharma-realm, and the one mind—one should turn them, actualizing them as the lower region and actualizing them as empty space. Therefore, "the lower region sky" is precisely the actualization of turning the Dharma Flower.

Generally, at this time, there is turning the Dharma Flower to make it the three kinds of plants; there is also turning the Dharma Flower to make it the two kinds of trees. It should not be regarded as having awakening; it should not be doubted as lacking awakening. When turning oneself and arousing bodhi, that is precisely the southern region. This attainment of the Way is originally the assembly on Vulture Peak gathered in the southern region; Vulture Peak is invariably turning the Dharma Flower. There are the buddha-lands of the ten directions assembling in empty space; these are the manifested bodies of turning the Dharma Flower.

Since one turns the ten-direction buddha-lands as the Dharma Flower, there is no place for a single mote of dust to enter. There is turning the Dharma Flower of "form itself is emptiness"; it is not regression or emergence. There is turning the Dharma Flower of "emptiness itself is form"; it should be without birth and death. It should not be called "abiding in the world"; how could it be only extinction? Those who are intimate friends to me, I am also an intimate friend to them.

Because the courtesy between intimate friends should not be neglected. At the time when the jewel in the topknot is bestowed and the jewel in the robe is bestowed, one should investigate thoroughly. There is turning the Dharma Flower where a jeweled stupa is before the Buddha, five hundred yojanas high. There is turning the Dharma Flower where a buddha sits within the stupa, measuring two hundred fifty yojanas. There is turning the Dharma Flower of "surging up from the earth and abiding in the sky"; the mind has no obstruction, form has no obstruction.

There is turning the Dharma Flower of "surging up from the sky and abiding within the earth"; it is perceived even by the eye, it is perceived even by the body. Within the stupa there is Vulture Peak. On Vulture Peak there is a jeweled stupa. The jeweled stupa is a jeweled stupa in empty space; empty space makes empty space of the jeweled stupa. The ancient buddha within the stupa aligns his seat with the buddha of Vulture Peak; the buddha of Vulture Peak verifies verification with the buddha within the stupa.

When the buddha of Vulture Peak verifies and enters into the stupa, it is precisely the environment and beings of Vulture Peak together that turn, enter, and become the Dharma Flower. When the buddha within the stupa surges forth onto Vulture Peak, it is precisely the ancient buddha-land, precisely the long-extinguished one, that surges forth. Both surging forth and turning entry—do not follow ordinary people or the two vehicles; one should learn turning the Dharma Flower. Long extinction is the verification adornment possessed by the buddha. The stupa interior and before the buddha, the jeweled stupa and empty space—they are not Vulture Peak, they are not the dharma-realm. They are not a half section, they are not the whole realm. They are not confined to this dharma position alone; they are simply beyond thinking.

There is turning the Dharma Flower of "sometimes manifesting a buddha-body and expounding the Dharma, sometimes manifesting this body and expounding the Dharma." There is turning the Dharma Flower of "sometimes manifesting as Devadatta"; there is turning the Dharma Flower of "sometimes manifesting 'regression is also excellent.'" Do not necessarily reckon "waiting with palms joined and gaze uplifted" as sixty small kalpas. Even if one condenses the measure of "waiting with one mind" and speaks of a brief, incalculable number of kalpas, still this is the immeasurability of buddha-wisdom. How could the measure of the one mind that is waiting measure buddha-wisdom?

Do not recognize this turning of the Dharma Flower as only "formerly practicing the bodhisattva way." The place of the Dharma Flower seat, the merit of "today the Tathagata expounds the Great Vehicle" turning the Dharma Flower. That the Dharma Flower is now the Dharma Flower—though one is unawakened and unknowing, it is unrecognized and unrealized.

Therefore, the five hundred dust-particle kalpas are a brief, single-hair's worth of turning the Dharma Flower; it is the unfolding and expounding of the Buddha's life span, piece by piece of the sincere heart.

In general, in China, this sutra has been transmitted, and since the turning of the Dharma Flower, for several hundred years, there have been those who composed commentaries and explanations, each flourishing in their own way. Also, there are those who attained the Dharma of the sages through this sutra, but none have grasped the principle of the Dharma Flower turning as did our exalted ancestor, the Ancient Buddha of Caoxi. There is none who employs the principle of turning the Dharma Flower. Now hearing this, now encountering this, we meet the Ancient Buddha of the Ancient Buddha; how could we not be in the land of the Ancient Buddha? One should rejoice.

From kalpa to kalpa, it is the Dharma Flower. From day to night, it is the Dharma Flower. Because the Dharma Flower is "from kalpa to kalpa." Because the Dharma Flower is "now day, now night." Even if one's own body and mind are strong or weak, it is nonetheless the Dharma Flower. All suchness is a precious jewel, it is light, it is the place of enlightenment. It is vast and profound, it is deep, great, and long-enduring. When the mind is deluded, the Dharma Flower turns; when the mind is awakened, one turns the Dharma Flower.

Truly, this is the Dharma Flower turning the Dharma Flower. When the mind is deluded, the Dharma Flower turns; when the mind is awakened, one turns the Dharma Flower. To investigate exhaustively and be able to be thus is the Dharma Flower turning the Dharma Flower. To make offerings, venerate, respect, and praise in this way—the Dharma Flower surely is the Dharma Flower.

In the summer retreat of the second year of Ninji, the cyclical sign kanoto-ushi, I write this and bestow it upon the novice Ekidatsu. This is to rejoice in leaving home and practicing the Way. Simply shaving off the hair and beard is itself a good thing. To shave the hair and again shave the hair—this is the true one who has left home. Today’s leaving home is the “such power” and “such effect” of the past turning of the Lotus Sutra. The Lotus of the present must surely be the Lotus fruit of the Lotus. It is not the Lotus of Śākyamuni, nor is it the Lotus of the various buddhas; it is the Lotus of the Lotus.

The turning of the Lotus in former times was written of in terms of “such characteristics,” yet it was unperceived and unknown. Nevertheless, the Lotus of the present is further revealed as unapprehended and uncomprehended. Past time is exhalation and inhalation; present time is exhalation and inhalation. This should be maintained and sustained as the wondrous, inconceivable Lotus Sutra.

Recorded by the mountain-opening Kannon Dōryū of the Köshō Hōrin Monastery, a monk who entered Song China and transmitted the Dharma [with the imperial seal]. Copied at the Hōkei Monastery in the first month of spring, the cyclical sign kinoto-mi, the third year of Kagen.