Since ancient times, the Lotus Sutra has been revered as “the king of sutras,” “the finest sutra,” and “the true teachings of the Buddha.” It is the most celebrated Buddhist sutra and is widely respected and worshipped around the world.
Shakyamuni Buddha, who was historically born in India, attained enlightenment at the age of thirty. He shared numerous teachings over the span of fifty years until his passing at eighty. During the final eight years of his life, he imparted the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, which encapsulates all his previous teachings. For the first time, Shakyamuni Buddha declared:
After attaining enlightenment, I have shared many different teachings with you. However, they are all provisional teachings intended to help you understand my true intention, which is found in the teachings of the Lotus Sutra. Therefore, it is time to set aside all those provisional teachings and listen to the sermon of the Lotus Sutra I am now ready to give. From now on, never follow those provisional teachings and believe only in the teachings of the Lotus Sutra.
These provisional teachings were compiled into other sutras, such as the Flower Garland Sutra (Kegon Sutra 華厳経), Agama Sutra (Agon Sutra 阿含経), and the Three Sutras of Pure Land (Jodo Sanbu Sutra 浄土三部経). Collectively, these are called Nizen-Shokyō (爾前諸経), the Pre-Lotus Sutras. “Nizen” means “preached before the Lotus Sutra,” and “Shokyō” means “all other sutras except the Lotus Sutra.” Shakyamuni Buddha initially preached many Nizen-Shokyō because, much like an elementary school student cannot understand university-level classes without preparation, he needed to gradually prepare people to comprehend the profound worldview of Buddhahood revealed in the Lotus Sutra.
Thus, despite thinking that all sutras preached by the same Buddha are equally valuable, we cannot accumulate Kudoku (merit) by worshipping or practicing the Pre-Lotus Sutras alone. These sutras serve as preliminary training for the final teachings of the Lotus Sutra, which are necessary to accumulate Kudoku and attain Buddhahood.
The Lotus Sutra consists of twenty-eight chapters. The first fourteen chapters are known as Shakumon (迹門, provisional chapters), and the latter fourteen are called Honmon (本門, primordial chapters). This division indicates two distinct parts (teachings) within the Lotus Sutra.
“Shaku” (迹) in Shakumon literally means “shadow” or “footsteps,” while “Hon” (本) in Honmon means “true” or “genuine.” “Mon” (門) means “the gate to Buddhahood (teachings for attaining Buddhahood).” Therefore, although the Lotus Sutra itself is the true teaching and the real intention of the Buddha compared to the Pre-Lotus Sutras (Nizen-Shokyō), Shakumon teachings are still considered provisional, merely shadows of the Honmon teachings.
In simpler terms, Shakumon teachings are superior to the Pre-Lotus teachings because they are part of the Lotus Sutra, but they lack the full effect as they are only the shadows of the Honmon teachings.
The primary difference between Shakumon and Honmon lies in the form of the Buddha during each teaching. When preaching Shakumon, Shakyamuni appeared as the provisional Buddha who historically lived in India about three thousand years ago, renounced his princely status at nineteen, attained Buddhahood at thirty, and passed away at eighty. He delivered all the Pre-Lotus Sutras and Shakumon of the Lotus Sutra in this provisional form.
In contrast, the true form of Shakyamuni Buddha, who preached Honmon, is known as the “Primordial Eternal Buddha.” This form is revealed in chapter sixteen, “The Life Span of the Buddha” (如来寿量品第十六) of the Lotus Sutra. To teach and save all sentient beings, Shakyamuni Buddha was born as an ordinary human to demonstrate that anyone can attain Buddhahood.
Next, let us delve into the identity of the Primordial Buddha.
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The Primordial Buddha—the True Form of the Buddha (3/11) >>
