NMHRK-5 principles of name, essence, quality, function, and teaching

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mansurhirbi87
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NMHRK-5 principles of name, essence, quality, function, and teaching

Post by mansurhirbi87 »

Dear ones,

Anyone knows what does it mean that the daimoku are or have this 5 five major principles of name, essence, quality, function, and teaching ?
It is in the gosho : On the Receiving of the Three Great Secret Laws. Was it from Nichiren or Tientai ?

_/\_
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Re: NMHRK-5 principles of name, essence, quality, function, and teaching

Post by narhwal90 »

Subject to Q's expert correction, Nichiren gave the characters the significance & expounded the principle. He asserts that prior to this notables such as Nagarjuna and Tien'tai also understood the significance but did not expound since it was not yet the time for such a teaching.

I've always wondered to what extent the proposition is supported or is this a case of Nichiren filling in the blanks with a supporting narrative.
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Seishin
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Re: NMHRK-5 principles of name, essence, quality, function, and teaching

Post by Seishin »

The 5 principles are from Zhiyi, Tientai:

Common to the masters of his time, Zhiyi claimed that the essence of the Lotus Sutra can be found
within its title; “Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra”, in English “Sūtra on the White Lotus of the Sublime
Dharma”, in Chinese 妙法蓮華經 Miàofǎ Liánhuá jīng, and in Japanese Myōhō Renge Kyō. Zhiyi created
5 points to interpret the title, these 5 points were also used to interpret the sutra itself. These 5 points
are ‘name, essence, quality, function, and teaching’.

1. “Name” 名; concerns the meaning of the title of a sutra. The “Interpretation of the Name”
section of ‘[The] Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra’ gives a detailed explanation of the title
and explains why it represents the essence of the Lotus Sutra.

2. “Essence” 體; concerns the ultimate or fundamental principle of a sutra. The “Clarification of the
Essence” section defines the substance of the title (and thus the sutra) to be the true aspect of
all phenomena.

3. “Quality” 宗; concerns the essential doctrines of the sutra, and takes the practice of attaining
Buddhahood as ‘cause’, and the attaining Buddhahood as ‘effect’. The section “Elucidation of
Quality” defines the principal doctrine of the theoretical teaching (first half) of the Lotus Sutra to
be the replacement of the provisional teachings with the true teaching, and the principal
doctrine of the essential teaching (latter half) to be the revelation of the Buddha’s true identity,
i.e., his original attainment of enlightenment, as well as the revelation of the true cause and true
effect of his enlightenment. This section of Profound Meaning also states that the quality, or
main point, of the sutra as a whole is the causality of the supreme vehicle of Buddhahood.

4. “Function” 用; concerns the benefit and power of a sutra for sentient beings. The “Discussion of
Function” section says that the theoretical teaching dispels belief in the three vehicles
(teachings for voice-hearers, cause-awakened ones, and bodhisattvas) and arouses faith in the
one vehicle of Buddhahood, and that the essential teaching denies the Buddha’s attainment of
enlightenment in this life and arouses faith in his original attainment of enlightenment in the
remote past. Moreover, the function of the Lotus Sutra as a whole is to lead all people to
Buddhahood.
5. “Teaching” 教; concerns the position and influence of a sutra with respect to other sutras, that
the Lotus Sutra incorporates and made valid by the Lotus Sutra. The section “Evaluation of the
Teaching” asserts that the Lotus Sutra encompasses all other teachings, and that its influence
permeates all phenomena. This section introduces the systems of classifying the sutras
advocated by the three schools of southern China and the seven schools of northern China, and
refutes them with Zhiyi’s own classification of “five periods and eight teachings,” a system that
defines The Lotus Sutra as the supreme sutra. Zhiyi’s five major principles are based on the
passage of the “Supernatural Powers” (twenty-first) chapter of the Lotus Sutra that begins the
transfer of the essence of the sutra to the Bodhisattvas of the Earth. It reads: “To put it briefly,
all the doctrines possessed by the Thus Come One [name], all the freely exercised supernatural
powers of the Thus Come One [function], the storehouse of all the secret essentials of the Thus
Come One [essence], all the most profound matters of the Thus Come One [quality] —all these
are proclaimed, revealed, and clearly expounded in this sutra [teaching].”

The entirety of “[The] Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra” is Zhiyi’s interpretation of the title and how
it illustrates the essence, or “profound meaning” of the Lotus Sutra.
mansurhirbi87
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Re: NMHRK-5 principles of name, essence, quality, function, and teaching

Post by mansurhirbi87 »

Seishin wrote: Mon Dec 24, 2018 3:10 pm The 5 principles are from Zhiyi, Tientai:

Common to the masters of his time, Zhiyi claimed that the essence of the Lotus Sutra can be found
within its title; “Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra”, in English “Sūtra on the White Lotus of the Sublime
Dharma”, in Chinese 妙法蓮華經 Miàofǎ Liánhuá jīng, and in Japanese Myōhō Renge Kyō. Zhiyi created
5 points to interpret the title, these 5 points were also used to interpret the sutra itself. These 5 points
are ‘name, essence, quality, function, and teaching’.

1. “Name” 名; concerns the meaning of the title of a sutra. The “Interpretation of the Name”
section of ‘[The] Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra’ gives a detailed explanation of the title
and explains why it represents the essence of the Lotus Sutra.

2. “Essence” 體; concerns the ultimate or fundamental principle of a sutra. The “Clarification of the
Essence” section defines the substance of the title (and thus the sutra) to be the true aspect of
all phenomena.

3. “Quality” 宗; concerns the essential doctrines of the sutra, and takes the practice of attaining
Buddhahood as ‘cause’, and the attaining Buddhahood as ‘effect’. The section “Elucidation of
Quality” defines the principal doctrine of the theoretical teaching (first half) of the Lotus Sutra to
be the replacement of the provisional teachings with the true teaching, and the principal
doctrine of the essential teaching (latter half) to be the revelation of the Buddha’s true identity,
i.e., his original attainment of enlightenment, as well as the revelation of the true cause and true
effect of his enlightenment. This section of Profound Meaning also states that the quality, or
main point, of the sutra as a whole is the causality of the supreme vehicle of Buddhahood.

4. “Function” 用; concerns the benefit and power of a sutra for sentient beings. The “Discussion of
Function” section says that the theoretical teaching dispels belief in the three vehicles
(teachings for voice-hearers, cause-awakened ones, and bodhisattvas) and arouses faith in the
one vehicle of Buddhahood, and that the essential teaching denies the Buddha’s attainment of
enlightenment in this life and arouses faith in his original attainment of enlightenment in the
remote past. Moreover, the function of the Lotus Sutra as a whole is to lead all people to
Buddhahood.
5. “Teaching” 教; concerns the position and influence of a sutra with respect to other sutras, that
the Lotus Sutra incorporates and made valid by the Lotus Sutra. The section “Evaluation of the
Teaching” asserts that the Lotus Sutra encompasses all other teachings, and that its influence
permeates all phenomena. This section introduces the systems of classifying the sutras
advocated by the three schools of southern China and the seven schools of northern China, and
refutes them with Zhiyi’s own classification of “five periods and eight teachings,” a system that
defines The Lotus Sutra as the supreme sutra. Zhiyi’s five major principles are based on the
passage of the “Supernatural Powers” (twenty-first) chapter of the Lotus Sutra that begins the
transfer of the essence of the sutra to the Bodhisattvas of the Earth. It reads: “To put it briefly,
all the doctrines possessed by the Thus Come One [name], all the freely exercised supernatural
powers of the Thus Come One [function], the storehouse of all the secret essentials of the Thus
Come One [essence], all the most profound matters of the Thus Come One [quality] —all these
are proclaimed, revealed, and clearly expounded in this sutra [teaching].”

The entirety of “[The] Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra” is Zhiyi’s interpretation of the title and how
it illustrates the essence, or “profound meaning” of the Lotus Sutra.
Thank you very much, brother _/\_
mansurhirbi87
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Re: NMHRK-5 principles of name, essence, quality, function, and teaching

Post by mansurhirbi87 »

narhwal90 wrote: Mon Dec 24, 2018 2:34 pm Subject to Q's expert correction, Nichiren gave the characters the significance & expounded the principle. He asserts that prior to this notables such as Nagarjuna and Tien'tai also understood the significance but did not expound since it was not yet the time for such a teaching.

I've always wondered to what extent the proposition is supported or is this a case of Nichiren filling in the blanks with a supporting narrative.
Agree, brother

Waiting for, Q post :) _/\_
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Queequeg
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Re: NMHRK-5 principles of name, essence, quality, function, and teaching

Post by Queequeg »

No need to wait. Ven. Seishin covers it. Thank you, Seishin. :smile:
There is no suffering to be severed. Ignorance and klesas are indivisible from bodhi. There is no cause of suffering to be abandoned. Since extremes and the false are the Middle and genuine, there is no path to be practiced. Samsara is nirvana. No severance achieved. No suffering nor its cause. No path, no end. There is no transcendent realm; there is only the one true aspect. There is nothing separate from the true aspect.
-Guanding, Perfect and Sudden Contemplation,
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Re: NMHRK-5 principles of name, essence, quality, function, and teaching

Post by narhwal90 »

Cool, thanks Seishin- I think I was imprecise above. Given Nichiren is quoting Zhiyi, I think I'd rather propose that recitation of daimoku as a efficacious practice was known but not taught by Zhiyi, Nagarjuna et al because the time for such a practice had not yet arrived.
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Re: NMHRK-5 principles of name, essence, quality, function, and teaching

Post by Seishin »

Queequeg wrote: Mon Dec 24, 2018 3:46 pm No need to wait. Ven. Seishin covers it. Thank you, Seishin. :smile:
:bow:
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Re: NMHRK-5 principles of name, essence, quality, function, and teaching

Post by Queequeg »

narhwal90 wrote: Mon Dec 24, 2018 2:34 pm Subject to Q's expert correction, Nichiren gave the characters the significance & expounded the principle. He asserts that prior to this notables such as Nagarjuna and Tien'tai also understood the significance but did not expound since it was not yet the time for such a teaching.

I've always wondered to what extent the proposition is supported or is this a case of Nichiren filling in the blanks with a supporting narrative.
Aw shucks.

Right - the phrase "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo" had been around - usually as part of an invocation, along with variations such as Namuichijomyoten (I praise, honor, take refuge in the one vehicle - or something along those lines). Nichiren was facing the problem of Mappo, as well as a form of Pure Land that was dismissive of the possibility of awakening in this life that was embodied in the wildly popular practice of reciting Nembutsu. He settled on the Daimoku as a simple practice comparable to the Nembutsu, accessible to all people regardless of capacity but instead founded on the Lotus, thereby re-emphasizing the immediacy of Buddhist practice and the immanence of enlightenment, even in Mappo. Nichiren was not the only one who taught a chanting practice as an alternative to Nembutsu. He however had a complete teaching based squarely on a Tendai theoretical foundation, including this Profound Teaching of the Lotus Sutra and the Five Principles.

The problem that Nichiren found with Tendai was its sprawling teachings and practices that were more or less impenetrable by an ordinary person who was not educated in the Tendai systems. The Daimoku was comparably simple and offered an access to all - the Universal Gate, the Diamond Chalice Precept that could not be broken. Nichiren applied the Zhiyi's mutuality teaching to settle on the Daimoku as the embodiment of the entirety of the practices and teachings (causes) and enlightenment (effect). Nichiren viewed his teaching on Daimoku as the missing single vehicle practice that anyone could undertake complementing the theoretical foundation Zhiyi described.
There is no suffering to be severed. Ignorance and klesas are indivisible from bodhi. There is no cause of suffering to be abandoned. Since extremes and the false are the Middle and genuine, there is no path to be practiced. Samsara is nirvana. No severance achieved. No suffering nor its cause. No path, no end. There is no transcendent realm; there is only the one true aspect. There is nothing separate from the true aspect.
-Guanding, Perfect and Sudden Contemplation,
mansurhirbi87
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Re: NMHRK-5 principles of name, essence, quality, function, and teaching

Post by mansurhirbi87 »

Thank you, brothers

Related to the subject (but if Q prefer can put as another one, maybe would be better) new point of view of Nichiren compared to Chi-i, i guess the ongui kuden offers us a window (i'm reading Martin Bradley, a little bit hard to me; he wrote in a high level english and it's nor my native language). What do you think , brothers ? I'll wait for yours answers
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Re: NMHRK-5 principles of name, essence, quality, function, and teaching

Post by Queequeg »

While others may have read the Lotus Sutra with their mind, Nichiren Shonin read the Lotus Sutra with his body. In this regard, Nichiren looked to the Sadaparibhuta (Never Disparaging) Chapter. Others were not beaten and persecuted, even sentenced to death, for pointing out the immediacy and universality of Buddha Nature. Nichiren was hit across the face with the fifth scroll of the Lotus and was sentenced to death - only saved when the Nitten, the sun god, intervened.

When you start telling people that Buddha Nature is universal, some people have adverse reactions, some even get homicidally violent.

Nichiren did not mince words and held back nothing and people repeatedly tried to kill him. Some of his disciples paid with their lives.

You would think people would rejoice at having Buddha Nature pointed out, but that news overturns many dearly held beliefs and has deep implications. Some people really don't like that.
There is no suffering to be severed. Ignorance and klesas are indivisible from bodhi. There is no cause of suffering to be abandoned. Since extremes and the false are the Middle and genuine, there is no path to be practiced. Samsara is nirvana. No severance achieved. No suffering nor its cause. No path, no end. There is no transcendent realm; there is only the one true aspect. There is nothing separate from the true aspect.
-Guanding, Perfect and Sudden Contemplation,
mansurhirbi87
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Re: NMHRK-5 principles of name, essence, quality, function, and teaching

Post by mansurhirbi87 »

Thank you, dear brother
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