Chapter 11: The Jeweled Stūpa Appears - 《The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Sūtra》

Описание: In the past, when the Buddha Many Treasures was practicing the Bodhisattva Path, he made the vow that whenever and wherever the Dharma Lotus Sūtra is being taught, he will come in his stūpa to listen to it and to bear witness to its excellence. As Śākyamuni Buddha is about to teach the Dharma Lotus Sūtra, the stūpa of Buddha Many Treasures emerges from the earth. All the transformation bodies of Śākyamuni Buddha return from every direction and assemble at Vulture Peak. Then, from within the jeweled stūpa, Buddha Many Treasures offers half his seat to Śākyamuni Buddha, an interesting gesture that has prompted several interpretations.

One of these interpretations says that two Buddhas seated side by side on the same chair represents the teaching that “all Buddhas follow the same Path.”

Another interpretation says that an ancient Buddha who long ago entered parinirvāṇa inviting a present Buddha to sit by his side indicates that there is neither birth nor death, that nothing comes into being or ceases to be.

Yet another interpretation says that Buddha Many Treasures and Śākyamuni Buddha —two Buddhas sitting on the same seat—represent that the provisional and the ultimate are nondual: the provisional is the ultimate, and the ultimate is the provisional. These two approaches might differ, but they lead to the same goal.