Earlier, I said there were two reasons why teaching the sutra is important. The second reason is that by teaching the sutra to others, you can truly immerse yourself in the truth of the Dharma and achieve true awakening.
Shakyamuni Buddha affirms this in chapter 20 of the Lotus Sutra, “The Bodhisattva Never Unworthy of Respect,” when he reveals, “In the presence of all of those former buddhas, I received, embraced, read, and recited this sutra and taught it for the benefit of other people. Therefore, I quickly attained Supreme Perfect Awakening.”
“Supreme Perfect Awakening” refers to the awakening of a buddha. Shakyamuni is saying that because he expounded this teaching for the sake of others, he could attain the awakening of a buddha. This is how important it is to teach the sutra to others.
When you try introducing people to the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, unless you are a truly exceptional person, you will distinctly feel that you are still far from grasping the truth of the Dharma yourself. At that point you will read the sutra’s commentaries again, consult with more senior members of the sangha, and reflect on the teachings yourself. By doing so, you’ll improve yourself without even realizing it.
My teacher, Mr. Sukenobu Arai, was very skilled at calligraphy. When I asked him how he had practiced it, he told me that he opened a calligraphy school, and in the process of teaching children, his handwriting improved. Even in the case of arts such as singing or shamisen (a type of three-stringed Japanese banjo), it is said that one’s skill improves through beginning to teach others. Connecting people with the Dharma is the same.
It’s not just about cramming your head with theory; it’s by gaining practical experience, interacting with many people, and repeating the process of trial and error that you truly acquire what’s called the “power of skillful means.” This is how your ability to be a bodhisattva grows.
Depending on the person, they may ignore you, and they may react negatively. The effort and resourcefulness you summon to, in one way or another, help these people understand the teachings elevates and expands your own self. Of course, there are also people who listen receptively and are liberated completely. There is something about the joy of connecting such people with the Dharma that is incomparable.
In other words, it’s about hands-on practice. It’s about experience. You enhance your humanity through experience, and by accumulating experience you gain depth as a human being.
In Zen, there is a saying: “If you sit in meditation for even a moment, you are a buddha for that moment.” This means that even if you sit in meditation for just the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, for that period, you can have the mind of the Buddha.
I’d like to rephrase this as “If you connect one person with the Dharma, you are a buddha to the extent of one person.” Since the word “buddha” refers to an “awakened person,” if you connect a person with the Dharma, that gives rise to a proportional awakening. I can fully guarantee this based on my many years of experience.
After all, the Lotus Sutra is a teaching for the real-life liberation of people and of the world. For this reason, unless we share the teaching with as many people as possible and help them attain liberation, we won’t be able to express our gratitude for the compassion of Shakyamuni Buddha who gave us this teaching. I sincerely hope that you will inscribe this deeply into your hearts and make even greater efforts to teach the Lotus Sutra to others.
Bodai no me o okosashimu [Germinating the Seeds of Awakening] (Kosei Publishing, 2018), pp. 46–48
Nikkyo Niwano, the founder of Rissho Kosei-kai, was born in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, in 1906. A longtime advocate of cooperation and dialogue between the world’s religious faiths, Rev. Niwano promoted interreligious understanding as honorary chairman of Shinshuren (Federation of New Religious Organizations of Japan), honorary president of Religions for Peace, and in various other capacities. He is the author of several books on Buddhism, the Lotus Sutra, and spirituality, such as Buddhism for Today, Lifetime Beginner, Buddhism for Everyday Life, and more. Rev. Niwano passed away in 1999 at the age of 92.
