Stories of the Lotus Sutra - Chapter 6: Shariputra

[Bion]

image-7.jpg Dear friends, we continue turning pages in our book, moving to chapter 6 this week, as Reeves unfolds more of the Lotus Sutra stories.

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Reading Assignment - Chapter 6: Shariputra

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This week, we meet Shariputra, one of the Buddha's most well-known disciples. We mention him every week in our chanting of the Heart Sutra. I hope you'll discover some new information about him in this chapter of our book.

As always, please take your time reading and then, when you're ready, return to the forum and share your reflections. Let's continue our practice of identifying one thing we've learned and one question that arises.

Our next Book Club meeting is scheduled for Saturday, March 14th, and I hope to see many of you there!

For more information and resources, please visit our
Study Page

Gassho
Sat lah

[Myojo]

Hi, I am new to this discussion.
I have just read chapter 6.
I think it might be interesting to discuss the difference between an Arhat and a Bodhisattva.
Gassho,
Myojo

[Chikyou]

In this chapter, Reeves dives into the topic of “Hinayana” and “Mahayana” Buddhism. He says this:

“Rather than reject “Hinayana” teachings and methods, the Dharma Flower Sutra seeks to incorporate them into the One Vehicle.”

This, I think, is significant. While I’m sure someone with more historical knowledge than I have will chime in, my strong impression is that the “lesser vehicle”/Hinayana teachings were seen as outdated/backwards/inferior. The Lotus Sutra here is refuting that - it is saying, quite clearly in the Parable of the Burning House that all vehicles are part of the Great Vehicle. Shariputra, portrayed somewhat poorly in other sutras (according to Reeves; I haven’t read them myself), is assured here of his enlightenment.

This feels like a cultural commentary as much as it is a sacred text at this point.

Gassho,
SatLah,
Chikyō

[Hokuu]

I feel bad for Shariputra.
Assuming Mr. Reeves is right in describing how other Mahayana sutras present Shariputra as a dumb guy who was not eloquent or smart enough to understand the TRUE(c) teaching of the Buddha, it's unfair and didn't add much to peaceful coexistence between different schools, I guess.

gassho
satlah

[Bion]

I feel bad for Shariputra.
Assuming Mr. Reeves is right in describing how other Mahayana sutras present Shariputra as a dumb guy who was not eloquent or smart enough to understand the TRUE(c) teaching of the Buddha, it's unfair and didn't add much to peaceful coexistence between different schools, I guess.

gassho
satlah

Peace, was unfortunately not a priority... Though, initially it wasn't that much of a separation. It was later on in the development of the Mahayana that things took a turn.. In very early Bodhisattvayana sutras, Shariputra hardly makes an appearance if I remember correctly

Gassho
sat lah

[Tairin]

Thank you Bion.

I think the biggest reflection I had out of this section is the (for lack of a better way of saying this) emphasis on the religious aspect of Buddhism. We don't shy away from the fact that Buddhism is a religion at Treeleaf but in some ways it feels like it is floating there. Religion to some, philosophy to others, a way to live life to yet another group. But here in the commentary Reeves does not hide that this is a religion we are talking about. He even makes reference to the Christian God a couple of times almost as a comparison.

... nothing can separate us from what Christians call the love of God and Buddhists the compassion of the Buddha

I personally have no problem with the religious aspect. If someone asks me if I believe in God/gods I say I am agnostic. If someone was to ask about the path I follow I'd say "Buddha-Dharma". If someone was to ask if that meant I was a Buddhist, I'd say that in the context of the way they ask the question "yes".

we owe our lives not only to our biological parents and ancestors, but even more to the process, the Dharma, by which we live and are sustained

I can see some being uncomfortable with the implications but I see it as truth. I am here through the miracle of billions of events, as are my parents. It is unfathomable and yet wondrous.

No matter how good or bad a person or situationor thing may be, it can be something from which we can learn, if we are open to it, we can find in it something of great value

Credit to Jundo here. In my time at Treeleaf I have bowed to discarded trash in an abandoned lot, busy downtown Tokyo, Donald Trump, etc. I am a great believer in the statement "All of Life is our Temple". All are sacred.

One thing I learned.... Given that Shariputra is one of only two beings mentioned by name in the Heart Sutra, I am surprised to read that he is often treated as stupid or foolish. Now I have read Okumura's "Living By Vow" and I believe it is addressed there that Shariputra is mentioned because of his association with Abhidharma's idea of self-nature of the skandhas. Shariputra is addressed because the Sutra is attempting to refute the Abhidharma position. Or at least that is my recollection.

One question that arises... do we know anything about these six great non-Buddhist teachers? Sanjaya (mentioned in the text) is one. I assume Mahavira (founder of Jainism and contemporary of Shakyamuni) is another.

I should be able to join this week's Zoom discussion. It's the first one I've been available for.


Tairin
sat today and lah

[Maro]

Hello fear friends

I found myself bowing again and again, all the way through to coming "face to face" with the statue of Kanzeon!

there is a magnificent statue of Kannon Bodhisattva with a thousand arms in the main hal . But in order to get to it one walks through a large reception hall dominated by four great black columns in which are carved the four noble truths. The four truths, in other words, are not to be discarded; they can lead you to the bodhisattva way.

Gassho
Maro
satlah

[Maro]

Michty me! You are the dear friends not the fear friends!
Apologies for not checking the text before sending it, knowing that I type from a tiny keyboard of a phone and not a laptop...

[Bion]

Hello, all. This week, I see you are all being quite quiet. My hope is that you're saving your thoughts for tomorrow, when we meet for our Zoom chat! I hope I see many of you there. Please remember, this is anchored in my time zone, so CHECK THE CALENDAR BEFORE JOINING!!!!
I am excited to hear all your wonderful thoughts on these 2 chapters we've been reading.
How are you all doing, in general??

gassho
sat lah

[Chiko]

I’m grateful to Shariputra here for standing in as a kind of literary foil, much to our benefit as we see a disciple progress along the path. I’m curious about the prediction of his Buddhahood, and how it might relate to the skillful means aspect of the previous chapter. If the teachings up to this point are skillful means, perhaps the prediction itself functions that way as well as an encouragement offered in the present. Did this message change his path, or reveal the deeper trajectory that had always been there? Awakening and aspiration seem to coexist in the seeking mind. I also wonder about the role of encouragement in practice. A prediction like this can inspire confidence and commitment, but there’s a balance. At what point might encouragement become something we cling to, holding onto an accolade until it turns into a fetter?

Regarding Zen as a religion, I feel like my relationship with that question has softened over the years. I might have once considered bowing to be strange, or at least exotic, and now it comes naturally. The courage to embrace Zen as a religion has allowed me the space to sanctify and treat precious the mundane trinkets in my life, the courage to let mountains be mountains. At times, ironically, this softening defies my own instinct to defy religion on principle. I don’t know why this is comforting. Reassurance that I’ll be in attendance for my life in a way that a philosophy alone wouldn’t bring forth? That my eyes will be open when the 10,000 dharmas flip me on my head again?

Gassho,
Chiko
st lah

[Tensei]

The time change and the end of the academic year have kicked me in the butt. Maybe next week I won't be as far behind!

Speaking of said time change, does CET switch to daylight savings on the 29th? I'm out-of-sync this week and so won't be able to make it to the in-person meeting, but I look forward to catching up with the recording.

I enjoyed reading about Shariputra this week, as I didn't know too much about him other than he was a disciple of the Buddha and often shows up in sutras. I leaned into Chiko's foil description and didn't interpret Shariputra being called slow as necessarily a 'bad' thing. We're all Shariputra, doing our best to understand the teachings given the limitations of our own understanding of the world.

I also appreciate him as a familiar face at a party in a "Hey! I know that guy!" kind of way.

One thing I learned is that some sutras describe Shariputra in an unfavourable way, and my question is: why him, and not Ananda, for example? (Tairin, I'll keep an eye out for that section when I start Living by Vow).

Gassho,
Tensei
satlah

[Kotei]

Speaking of said time change, does CET switch to daylight savings on the 29th? I'm out-of-sync this week and so won't be able to make it to the in-person meeting, but I look forward to catching up with the recording.

Yes, in the night from 28th to 29th. So on Sunday, 29th, we'll be back to normal.
Bows,
Kotei sat/lah today.

[Hosui]

I'm struggling this week, I have to admit. It's not the text but the overall 'religion' aspect, which has caused me to pause and recalibrate (never a bad thing to have happen). I'm grateful for others here bringing 'religiousness' up and expressing almost exactly what I'm feeling. I need to take refuge some more...

Gassho
Hosui
sat/lah

[Bion]

I'm struggling this week, I have to admit. It's not the text but the overall 'religion' aspect, which has caused me to pause and recalibrate (never a bad thing to have happen). I'm grateful for others here bringing 'religiousness' up and expressing almost exactly what I'm feeling. I need to take refuge some more...

Gassho
Hosui
sat/lah

Seems to be a common thing this week! Maybe it’s something we can tackle at today’s Zoom meeting! The religious aspect is something that I had issues with, but for totally different reasons. I embrace it nowadays and fully enjoy it.

Gassho
sat lah

[Chikyou]

I think I’ve said something to this effect before, but I really enjoy the “religion” aspect. I’m not “allergic to religion” as many are (for good reason, as it’s usually due to bad experiences) and I find something deeply fulfilling about it. The trouble I have had with other religions is that they don’t resonate with me in some way - something always felt “off” about them, like I was play acting or pretending to believe things that I couldn’t believe (which is especially the case with Christianity). But the ritual, the sacredness, the deep connection to something far older and greater than myself - that’s a real need for me. I actually “tried out” a bunch of different religions before I stumbled into Zen and now that I have, I feel I’ve come home. (Who knows, maybe I was Buddhist in a past life? I’m joking…sort of.)

Gassho,
SatLah,
Chikyō