the three carts and the burning house

The Three Carts and the Burning House
[from the Hiyu chapter (Chapter 3) of the Lotus Sutra]

One day, a fire brokes out in the house of a wealthy man who had many children. The wealthy man shouts at his children inside the burning house to flee. But, the children are absorbed in their games and cannot understand his warning, though the house is being consumed by flames.

Then, the wealthy man devises a practical way to lure the children from the burning house. Knowing that the children are fond of interesting playthings, he calls out to them, “Listen! Outside the gate are the carts that you have always wanted: carts pulled by goats, carts pulled by deer, and carts pulled by oxen. Why don't you come out and play with them?"

The wealthy man knows that these things will be irresistible to his children.

The children immediately race out to get into the carts. In this way, the wealthy man is able to get his children safely away from the burning house.

Once outside, the children demand the carts they have been promised. Instead, the wealthy man gives them a much finer and larger cart — one that runs as swiftly as the wind — adorned with many jewels and drawn by a great white ox. This cart is called the Great White Ox Cart.

the parable of the impoverished son

The Parable of the Impoverished Son
From the Lotus Sutra Chapter 4, Belief and Understanding

Once a boy ran away from home and wandered for many years becoming more and more poor and confused.

The boy’s father loved his son very much, but had no idea where to find him. As time went on, the father became very rich.

Fifty years passed. One day, the son showed up at his father's estate. He did not know whose grand home this was, but wondered if he could find a job there. The father recognized his son, and set messengers to greet him. The father was overjoyed that his son had returned.

But the son misunderstood. He thought the messengers were trying to arrest him for doing something wrong.

The father saw his son’s fear and confusion. He realized his son was not ready to accept the truth, so he told the messengers to leave his son alone.

Later the father had some of his servants dress in rags. He had these servants go to his son and offer him a job shoveling excrement. The son had been living so poorly for so long, he saw this job as a wonderful opportunity.

Over the years, the father showed an interest in his son. He praised him, increasing his pay, and gave him better jobs. But he never told him his true identity.

After twenty years, the father was old and near death. By then the son was in charge of all of the wealthy man’s business. The son had become a responsible but humble man.

Finally, just before his death, the father gathered all of his friends and all the powerful people of the city to his bedside. He told them all the true identity of his son. He said his son was heir to all his fortune.

well tell me dont telling the truth for 20 years isnt same as tellin a lie?
i would say no. one can argue that but tell me if he had told his son earlier will he had the capacity to take care and to learn so diligently.
rather than owing something its better to acquire skills.
and that wise father who was longing for his son and would love to part away with all his wealth and give it to his son had to wait for 20 years.
how difficult that would have been for the father.
similarly, shakyamuni knew the real and ultimate truth that is lotus sutra but how difficult it would have been for him to not actually speak of it and circumvent for a moajor part of his preaching life to make sure that his disciples can get to that level of understanding.
it was all his compassion.
a vast ocean of compassion :)

the parables of medicinal herbs

The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs

The world has many kinds of plants — more kinds than can be named. There are bushes and trees, mosses and ferns, flowers and grains. There are herbs that can be made into medicines.

All over the earth there are plants growing. Different plants grow in different areas: on the tops of mountains and at the bottom of the sea, in the desert and in the jungle.

Clouds also cover the earth. In one moment, a cloud can rain life-giving water onto the plants. The rain nurtures the plants and soaks the soil.

Through the soil, the water soaks down, down, down to the plants’ roots. Some of the roots are woody and big. Some are thin and fine. The water goes to all the millions of kinds of plants.

Each plant uses this water according to what kind of plant it is. Some plants may blossom. Some trees may bear fruit. Some mushrooms may grow. Some vines may grow long. Some herbs may grow to be used for medicine. Each plant uses the water differently.

Although all these plants and trees grow in the same earth and are moistened by the same rain, each has its differences. But all may be nourished.


such a simple analogy to explain so profound things. isnt it:)
well just like plants are different, we are all different, we all have our own individuality , characteristics, and basic tendancies.
but inspite of all that just like mother earth treats them all equally, lotus sutra makes them all equal and eligible to attain buddhahood. and whats more?
all that in this lifetime only.

the jewel in the topknot

The Jewel in the Topknot

Once upon a time there was a great king. He was the greatest of kings and was called the Wheel-Rolling King. It was said that he owned a magical wheel of jewels that would spin while he governed.

The king was a fine ruler, and when he found a country that was run by evil people, he would wage war against it. He continually fought such evil countries until he had crushed them all.

The king was very glad to see that some of his soldiers were very brave in war. He rewarded these soldiers with treasures such as gold, silver, shell, agate, coral, and amber. He gave some of them farms, houses, villages, and cities. He also gave elephants, horses, and vehicles to those who were worthy.

Every time the soldiers were given these gifts from the king, they boasted, saying “I received golden rings and necklaces from the Wheel-Rolling King.”

Or: “He gave me a fabulous elephant and an ox-cart, praising my brave fight in the war.”

Or: “It was clothes this time for me. But I’ll get much more next time for my valiant fight.”

Or: “But you’ll not outdo me. I’ll be fighting with all my might, too.”

There was one thing that the king kept for himself: the brilliant gem which he was keeping in his topknot. This gem was the only one of its kind in the world. If he had given it to anyone, his followers would have been shocked.

Finally, one day, the Wheel-Rolling King saw an especially brave soldier and gave him that precious gem.



wow, all the parables are so profound. isnt it?
well wheel rolling king is none other than shakyamuni .
he had many jewels comparable to many sutras(expedient means) but he has the main sutra which he never shared/ given to anyone.
reason?
no one is capable of comprehending the sutra at that time.
its like a professor of maths knows everything about maths. but if he teach a class 5 student he will use simple language and examples to make him clear. though he knws calculus but it is not a appropriate time to tell that student.
so this professor will keep on teaching the student until he reaches the level where the professor can reveal the true and discard the expedient means.
he will say "listen the formula of circle A= pie*square of radius is just a very small side of integration.
what i teach u till now is just a very part of large picture.
here is that picture itself.
enjoy :)
u have been able to wage lots of war(passing from 5th to 11th) and now u deserve to look at this picture (lotus sutra)

the excellent physician and his sick children

well how profound this parable is.
this parable depicts that shakayamuni's life is eternal but he used his death as an expedient mean to teach his followers. if he will always be there then his follower will take him for granted.
secondly it also states that though shakyamuni has prepared an elixir of life as a lotus sutra but we in the later stage of the law are keep on refusing it because of our own ignorance.
father returning later can be taken as coming of nichiren daishonin at the start of late day of the law with five characters of nam myoho renge kyo.
but children/people refused to listen to him and hence he left Dai-Gohonzon for all so that even after his passing away everyone can be benefitted from that great medicine of NMHRK

THE DAIMOKU PARROT

WELL HOW ABOUT STARTING A BLOG WITH THIS FUNNY THING I READ ON ONE OF THE WEBSITE WHILE SURFING.

anyways lets enjoy it :)

A guy walks into the pet shop to buy a parrot. The shopkeeper shows him three parrots — a one thousand dollar parrot, a two thousand dollar parrot, and a three thousand dollar parrot.

The guy asks, "What is the difference?"

The shopkeeper says, "The one thousand dollar parrot speaks English. The two thousand dollar parrot speaks eight languages. The three thousand dollar parrot mumbles something and when he does, you get whatever you want."

The guy buys the most expensive parrot. He takes him home and removes the cage cover. The bird starts saying "Myohorengekyo ... nam-myohorengekyo ... nam-myohorengekyo..." An hour later, the guy's girlfriend calls and says "Honey, I miss you. How soon can we get together?" Two hours later, his boss calls and says, "We are sorry we fired you. We will give you a raise if you can come back Monday."

Eight hours later, the parrot is still chanting, so the guy calls the pet store and says "This bird is driving me nuts. How do I get him to stop saying these words?"

The shopkeeper says "Oh! I forgot to tell you. You gotta ring the bell three times."

So the guy finds the bell and the ringer in the cage and sounds: "Ding, ding, ding."

The parrot slows to a finish with "Myo...ho...renge...kyo."

Then he starts again: "Niji sesson ju san mai..." etc.