The Third Doctrine

 

 

The astounding revelation of the teaching of the Mystic Law is that the Teaching hidden within the Juryo Chapter of the Lotus Sutra was never and could never be revealed until the advent of Nichiren Dai Shonin. He revealed the up to then impossible reality that Shakymuni was a transient Buddha who in evaluating the blessings of a Buddha set the stage for the third doctrine. This third doctrine was crystallised by The Daishonin on the 28 April 1253 by the Invocation of Nam placed before Myoho Renge kyo.

 

The word 'Nam' fundamentally changed the identification of 'Nyorai' (Buddha).The Juryo chapter becomes the determination of the Blessings of the True Buddha, Nichiren Daishonin and ` Nyorai' although meaning all the Buddhas in the universe and throughout the three existences of life in its broad sense, means in its strictest sense the True Buddha of Musa Sanjin (the votary of the Hokekyo in Mappo) and also indicates all humankind in its broadest sense but disciples in its strictest sense.

 

The Lotus Sutra therefore by itself is insignificant and has no power or relevance to anything until it is retranslated by The True Buddha Nichiren Daishonin. This is why the basic understanding of the essential teaching hidden in the Lotus Sutra can only be found in the Gosho or Teachings of Nichiren Daishonin.

 

The chapters of the Great Concentration and Insight refer to the great writing in ten volumes by T'ien-t'ai, a votary of the Lotus Sutra, who lived in China during the Sui Dynasty in the 6th century. In the "Great Concentration and Insight," T'ien-t'ai comprehensively arranged the documentary proof of the teachings of Hinayana, Mahayana and provisional Mahayana Buddhism, and he revealed the essential truth of the Lotus Sutra. He taught that the Lotus Sutra contains the significance and the benefits of all the teachings that preceded it. However, the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings do not contain the doctrines and benefits of the Lotus sutra. What he taught was partial and incomplete because he could only surmise but not actualize.

 

Tien Tai however was never able to reveal the truth hidden in the Lotus Sutra which indeed was a fundamentally different teaching . The third doctrine however once opened by Nichiren Daishonin on 28 April 1253 revealed the true significance of all Buddhist teachings as when the Sun rises all things are revealed in truth and clarity. All things in this respect means all phenomena in the Universe thus creating a metaparadigm or a new model of the Universe An example is when a Space ship escapes from its moorings ( all previous Buddhist Teachings including the Lotus Sutra) and breaks through the atmosphere of the planet into the universe a bird`s eye is given of the phenomenal World.

 

The Buddha Nichiren Daishonin describes this Buddhism as the summit of all teachings. It is the third doctrine. He explains that all previous teachings are like the shade of a tree whereas the essential teaching is the tree itself He says Though T'ien-t'ai, Miao-lo and Dengyo explained the essential teaching to some extent, they did not clarify it fully.The masters of Wisdom handed down this ultimate teaching from Shakymuni Buddha through the Hinayana and Mahayana Masters to the Original Buddha Nichiren Dai Shonin born February 16 1222.