“Niji
seson. Ju sanmai.
Anjo ni
ki. Go sharihotsu …”
“At that time the World-Honored one
calmly arose from his Samadhi and addressed Shariputra …” (LSOC2, 56)
After
finishing his meditation on the Immeasurable Meanings Sutra, Shakyamuni - here
referred to as “seson” ( the most respectworthy of the world) - starts to teach
the assembly the Lotus Sutra by addressing Shariputra, one of his ten main disciples
who was known for his outstanding wisdom.
This
is a great departure from Shakyamuni’s previous sutras, which tend to follow
the format of a discussion in which he answers his disciples questions in
accordance with their current level of understanding.
“At
this time” Shakyamuni knows the time has come for him to expound the Lotus Sutra
and he starts to teach in accordance with what HE wants to say, rather than in
response to what his disciples want to know.
Shakyamuni confidently begins to explain his greatest teaching in which he will reveal to
all of his followers how they too can achieve Buddhahood in this lifetime. Later in the chapter he explains:
“Up to now I have never told you that you were certain to
attain the buddha way. The reason I
never preached in that manner was that the time to preach so had not yet come. But now is the very time when I must
decisively preach the great vehicle” (LSOC2, 68)
In
his treatise “The Selection of the Time”, Nichiren writes “When it comes to studying
the teachings of Buddhism, one must first learn to understand the time. In the past, when the Buddha Great Universal
Wisdom Excellence appeared in the world, he remained for a period of ten small
kalpas without preaching a single sutra. Thus the Lotus Sutra says, “Having
taken his seat, ten small kalpas pass. …
The Buddha knew that the time had not yet come, and though they
entreated, he sat in silence.” [LSOC7,
176-177]” (WND-1, 538)
For
this reason, within Buddhism “At that time” has the special significance of being the time when a
Buddha realizing the correct moment has come, stands up and teaches people how
to become enlightened and reveal their own Buddhahood.
For
Nichiren, this moment came on 28 April 1253, when he had completed his journey to
find the one supreme teaching of the Buddha.
“At that time”, after finishing his meditation (chanting “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo”), the Daishonin addressed the
local people, teaching them the pre-eminence of the Lotus Sutra among Shakyamuni’s
many teachings and explaining the limitations of the expedient means that other schools of Buddhism were teaching.
In
Volume 1 of his “Lectures on the “Expedient Means” and “Life Span” Chapters of
the Lotus Sutra”, Daisaku Ikeda explains that with regard to our
own practice, “At that time” is the moment when we pray to the Gohonzon and single-mindedly determine, of our own volition, to stand up and work to achieve kosen-rufu. It's not about sharing this Buddhism with others because we are told to, or because we think we should, it's something we do because WE want to. He writes:
“’That
time’ is the moment you resolve from the depths of your heart: ‘Now I will
stand up and fight!’ From that instant
your destiny changes. Your life
develops. History begins.” (p33)
