SGI Study Training Course Handout (Mar 5, 2025)
SGI Study Training Course Handout (March 5, 2025)
Lecture by: Mr Koji Ishida (SGI Vice Study Leader)
SGI President Ikeda's Study Lecture Series:
The Buddhism of the Sun — Illuminating the World
Key Passages from
The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings
[14] "The Bodhisattva Never Disparaging" Chapter
[Reference Material 1]
Summary of the "The Bodhisattva Never Disparaging" Chapter
Following the revelation of the Buddha's eternal life in the "Life
Span" (16th) Chapter, the first half of the "Distinctions in Benefits"
(17th) explains the benefits obtained by those listening to the Buddha
preach on his boundless life span. Subsequently, from the latter half
of this chapter through "The Benefits of Responding with Joy" (18th)
Chapter, the "Benefits of the Teacher of the Law" (19th) Chapter, and
the "The Bodhisattva Never Disparaging" (20th) Chapter, the merits
of spreading the Lotus Sutra are expounded.
Specifically, "The Bodhisattva Never Disparaging" Chapter
illustrates both the benefit of embracing and practicing the Lotus
Sutra and the gravity of retribution for slandering its votaries
through the practice of Bodhisattva Never Disparaging, who is
revealed as Shakyamuni in a previous lifetime,
Bodhisattva Never Disparaging would bow in reverence to
everyone he met, monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen with the
absolute belief that every individual inherently possess the state of
Buddhahood. Through his continuous practice of bowing in
reverence to others, he purified his six senses and ultimately
attained Buddhahood.
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[Reference Material 2]
The story of Bodhisattva Never Disparaging — described in the
Lotus Sutra — is one of reaching out to people day after day,
talking with them and affirming the dignity and nobility of their
lives. It is a tale of unwavering belief in people's innate potential
and of showing each person the deepest respect.
Bodhisattva Never Disparaging's Buddhist practice wasn't
anything complicated; he simply continued, with pure-hearted
lifelong dedication, to bow in reverence to everyone he met. And
as a result, he became a towering champion of humanity who was
able to lead to enlightenment even those who had formerly
persecuted him.
(From The Buddhism of the Sun — Illuminating the World, OTT
14; published in March 2005 issue of the Creative Life, pp. 5-6 )
[Reference Material 3]
The more that people believe in the inherent goodness of human
beings, and the more we base our interactions on mutual respect,
the stronger the current of respect for the dignity of life will
become, spreading throughout the world. Ultimately, this will
enable us to put an end to the cycle of conflict and hatred that
seems to have defined the karma of humankind and open the way
to a new era of mutual understanding and peace building.
The humanistic ideal embodied in the behaviour of
Bodhisattva Never Disparaging is the model for action our world
so desperately needs.
(From The Buddhism of the Sun — Illuminating the World, OTT
14; published in March 2005 issue of the Creative Life, pp. 7-8)
[Gosho Passage # 1]
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SGI Study Training Course Handout (Mar 5, 2025)
(Published in Creative Life March 2025 issue page 9)
[Chapter Twenty: The Bodhisattva Never Disparaging
Thirty important points]
Point One, regarding Bodhisattva [Constantly] Never
Disparaging
The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings says:
The word "Constantly" in the name [Constantly] Never
Disparaging refers to the bodhisattva Never Disparaging
who is constantly present in the three existences of past,
present, and future. The name "Never Disparaging"
refers to the three inherent potentials of the Buddha
nature that is present in the minds of all living beings.
The Buddha nature is the Dharma nature. And the
Dharma nature is Myoho-renge-kyo. (OTT, pp. 150–51)
[Reference Material 4]
The defining characteristic of Buddhism is that it clarifies the way
to activate the Buddha nature which, though inactive at the
moment, exists innately within all people.
The ability to awaken and reveal the Buddha nature exists
potentially within everyone, but the influence of another person
is required to make an ordinary human being aware of that. What
Buddhism calls a good friend is crucial for bringing forth the
three inherent potentials of the Buddha nature.
Only a good friend dedicated to the vow for kosen-rufu,
who prays for a person's happiness and teaches them about
Buddhism, can awaken that person's Buddha nature. In some
cases, it's as if that gold of the innate Buddha nature is buried
deep in solid rock. But a good friend remains undeterred and
keeps at it until they uncover the gold of happiness. Only through
the patient, persevering efforts of such a good friend to connect
them to Buddhism will a person finally awaken to their potential
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SGI Study Training Course Handout (Mar 5, 2025)
and become able to excavate their precious inner treasure with
their own hands.
(From The Buddhism of the Sun — Illuminating the World, OTT
14; published in March 2005 issue of the Creative Life, p. 11)
[Reference Material 5]
Helping people from all walks of life form connections with
Buddhism, even in challenging or adverse circumstances,
exemplifies the spirit of compassion. This is the spirit of our
dialogues as Soka Gakkai members. Sharing Buddhism to the best
of our ability with courage, sincerity, and genuine concern for the
other person is an action embodying the Buddha's compassion.
We substitute courage for compassion.
(From The Buddhism of the Sun — Illuminating the World, OTT
14; published in March 2005 issue of the Creative Life, pp. 12-13)
[Gosho Passage # 2]
(Published in Creative Life March 2025 issue page 14)
Point Thirteen, concerning the passage "Gainer of Great
Authority, at that time the four kinds of believers,
the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen, because anger
arose in their minds and they treated me [as Bodhisattva
Never Disparaging in a previous existence] with
disparagement and contempt, were for two hundred
million kalpas never able to encounter a Buddha, to hear
the Law, or to see the community of monks [literally, the
samgha, or community of practitioners]. . . ." [LSOC20, pp.
310–11]
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SGI Study Training Course Handout (Mar 5, 2025)
The "Buddha" spoken of in this passage, the Buddha of the
Latter Day of the Law, is an ordinary mortal and an ordinary
priest. The "Law" is the daimoku [Nam-myoho-renge-kyo].
The "community of monks" is we practitioners of the Lotus
Sutra. We may be called Buddhas, and we may also be called
ordinary priests, because "to have a profound realisation of
the perfect principle is called being a Buddha" (from volume
seven of [T'ien-t'ai's] The Profound Meaning of the Lotus
Sutra). The perfect principle is the Lotus Sutra. (OTT, p. 157)
[Reference Material 6]
This passage states that the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law
is "an ordinary mortal and an ordinary priest" (OTT, p. 157).
Mr Toda once discussed it in a lecture, saying: "Neither
Bodhisattva Never Disparaging nor the Daishonin had the
appearance of a magnificent, light-emanating Buddha. The
Daishonin was an ordinary human being."
The principle that "ordinary people are identical with the
highest level of being [i.e., Buddhahood]" (OTT, p. 22) defines
the true nature of the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law,
affirming that genuine Buddhas are not superhuman beings.
Kosen-rufu is a struggle that advances through
practitioners going out into society and, like Bodhisattva Never
Disparaging, engaging with one individual after another and
forging personal relationships. People who share and spread
the Mystic Law for the sake of those who are suffering will
attain Buddhahood. It has nothing to do with social status,
titles, or recognition.
(From The Buddhism of the Sun — Illuminating the World, OTT
14; published in March 2005 issue of the Creative Life, pp. 14-15)
[Gosho Passage # 3]
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SGI Study Training Course Handout (Mar 5, 2025)
(Published in Creative Life March 2025 issue page 17)
[Point Twenty-three, concerning the bow of obeisance related
to ignorance]
The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings says: When one
sets up distinctions between self and others, then the "others"
are the four kinds of believers of overbearing arrogance, and
the "I" is the bodhisattva Never Disparaging. To set up
distinctions between good and bad by regarding the
bodhisattva Never Disparaging as a "good" person and the
arrogant ones as "bad" persons is a sign of ignorance.
But when one recognises this and performs a bow of
obeisance, then one is bowing in obeisance to Nam-myoho-
renge-kyo, the principle in which good and bad are not two
different things, in which correct and incorrect are one and the
same. (OTT, pp. 162–63)
[Reference Material 7]
History teaches us that religion, while in one regard seeking
happiness for people, has all too often been a source of division
and conflict. The Lotus Sutra embodies a wisdom that
transcends the duality of good and evil and regards both good
and evil as potentials within all human beings. These potentials
lie dormant or emerge depending upon external causes and
conditions. It holds that it is possible to activate the good and
teaches the principles for doing that.
(From The Buddhism of the Sun — Illuminating the World, OTT
14; published in March 2005 issue of the Creative Life, p. 17)
[Reference Material 8]
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SGI Study Training Course Handout (Mar 5, 2025)
Believing steadfastly in our own and others' Buddha nature and
following through with actions expressing profound respect for
people are key to transforming this age of the Latter Day of the
Law.
The practice of Bodhisattva Never Disparaging is the path
of dialogue to enable people to realise their full potential. When
one young person after another embraces and carries on this
practice, it will bring us steadily and surely closer to realising
world peace.
I still remember what my mentor, Mr Toda, said to me one
day as he looked out at the sunset sea in his hometown of
Atsuta Village in Hokkaido: "It's a big, wide world. There are still
people who weep in anguish and children who cower in the
crossfire of war. You must illuminate Asia and the entire world
with the flame of the Mystic Law. You must do this in my place."
And in his place, I worked with our members to open the
way for worldwide kosen-rufu, sowing the seeds of peace of the
Mystic Law everywhere I went. Now, as we approach [2024,
which has been designated] the Year of Fresh Departure for a
Youthful Soka Gakkai Worldwide, I would like to present our
youthful Bodhisattvas of the Earth, whose hearts are one with
mine, with the words my mentor said to me in the past, and ask
that they strive "in my place."
(From The Buddhism of the Sun — Illuminating the World, OTT
14; published in March 2005 issue of the Creative Life, p. 18)
[Reference Material 9]
We have all emerged in the places of our mission due to our vow
as Bodhisattvas of the Earth. We "follow in the footsteps" (WND-
1, p. 641) of Bodhisattva Never Disparaging, persevering in our
practice of showing respect for others, undeterred by criticism
and negativity.
Everywhere around the world, we are tenaciously engaging
in dialogue based on friendship and courageously sowing the
seeds of Buddhahood as Soka Bodhisattvas Never Disparaging.
Through such efforts, we are creating a noble history of
activating the goodness within the hearts of the global human
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family.
The curtain has now finally risen on the crucial seven years
for securing an unshakeable foundation for lasting world peace!
(From The Buddhism of the Sun — Illuminating the World, OTT
14; published in March 2005 issue of the Creative Life, p. 19)
< End >
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