Realizing My Mission "Teacher of the Law" By Joyce Manalo

Chapter 10 A Teacher of the Law

This chapter declares what the Teachers of the law should know and practice. “Teachers” are any persons who devote themselves to spreading the Lotus Sutra. It is a very important chapter and has the most intimate connection with our own life in the faith, it indicates the frame of mind, the feeling that we must have, points out the merits of the right teaching of the law and it tells us of the five (5) importance practices that we as “Teachers of the Law” must know and practice diligently. This chapter holds two very important passages that are essential in our daily lives.

The first important passage tells us of the five practices of the Teachers of the Law. They are broken into two sections, the intensive practice (most important and fundamental practice of the five) and the assisting practices (helps the fundamental practices):

1. Receive and keeping the sutra: (The Intensive Practice) indicates believing deeply in the teachings of the Buddha, and keeping means to adhere firmly to that belief.

2. Reading: actually reading the sutra, includes reading aloud, silently and listening intently to others reading of it.

3. Reciting: Reciting the sutra from memory, includes the repetition of the words of the sutra that we have learned by heart and mental repetition. Teaching becomes deeply rooted in our minds thru repeated recitation.

4. Expounding: explaining the meaning of the sutra to others, we must study the sutra over and over to ensure we understand the wisdom that the Buddha is teaching us and thus causing us to reflect on our own selves while trying to help others.

5. Copying: one is actually engaged in the effort to spread the teaching throughout the world. It is a practice for propagating the teaching and practicing the deepening of our own faith.

The second important passage tells us of the abode, the robe, and the throne of the Tathagata.

1. The abode of the Tathagata is the great compassionate heart within all living beings. This means the possession of a heart, so great and compassionate that one desires to save all people, both good and bad, even those who tries to harm you.

2. The robe of the Tathagata means to have such a gentle and forbearing heart that one never becomes angry at whatever experiences one may have and never swayed by compliments. One who practices must maintain a firm determination to spread the sutra.

3. The throne of the Tathagata is to view all things equally. Even if differences among all things are recognizable, one must view everything equally by rising above the differences.

The Buddha teaches us that we must faithfully keep these three rules concerning the virtue of the Tathagata and untiringly preach the sutra based on them. Before we came to this earth to be born as a human, we vowed to make our mission in this human world one that we practice and spread this wonderful teaching.

With the five practices of the Teachers of the Law and the robe, abode and the throne of the Tathagata, the Buddha gives us the tools and protection to be able to help us remember our vow, spread the teaching and also help others and to encourage them to join in following the Lotus Sutra and know and feel that the our lives are forever protected and guided by the Buddha.

 

“Realizing My Mission in Life”

A Teacher of the Law, what does this mean? When you first read it or see the title, I think of some scholarly person, who after years of studying has mastered a subject and is now an authority of it. I would not think that all who practices are or has the potential to be a Dharma Teacher, but after reading this chapter in the Lotus Sutra (brown book), Buddhism for Today and A Guide the to the Lotus Sutra, I began to realize that all who believes firmly in the Buddha and the teachings and practices are all “Teachers of the law”.

In late August, Reverend Idei asked me to go to Japan to receive the Dharma Teacher Certificate or Nyushin and that one of the criteria’s that needs to be completed was to initiate ten (10) new members to the teaching. After hearing this, I could not accept this wonderful request from the Rev and Buddha. The Reverend tried and tried to encourage and motivate me into accepting the wonderful opportunity. I did not see myself as a possible candidate to be a Dharma Teacher, nor could I appreciate the wonderful opportunity to grow spiritually. My stomach started to hurt and I felt ill. After meeting with the Reverend, Mae and other selectees and with much encouragement from them, I had agreed to at least try to initiate people. Before leaving the church that day, I had a list of family, friends and co-workers that I would ask and encourage them to join our church, but somehow I still could not be motivated to try and complete this challenge. With only two weeks to accomplish this challenge, I had accepted the fact that I would not be able to go to Japan with the other three selectees, but the Buddha did not give up on me. He arranged to have Karen call me everyday to encourage me and to try and just ask everyone I saw and dealt with. Every time she called, there was always someone either on the phone or was standing at my desk talking to me. Mae, Suesan and the other selectees also encouraged me. Everyday when I prayed, I asked the Buddha to please help give me the courage to ask. Slowly I began to accept this wonderful challenge and slowly began to initiate the people I needed. At first I asked the Buddha to help them and then over the two weeks learned that they didn’t the help as much as I needed their help. Instead of thinking that they were lucky for joining, I realized how very fortunate I am that they joined. From this practice, I was able to see myself better. I could realize that I am very unappreciative of the Buddha and the teaching and was not humble to my family, friends and others around me.

People accomplish great things because of their strong convictions/determination that when something is so important and worth doing, it makes unlimited achievement possible. To be sure that we are able to keep and nurture that momentary delight, we must ensure that we keep this in our hearts and minds and we must make it grow in our heart and minds and this helps to cultivate and nuture our own life and helps us to help others. I really feel that the Buddha wanted me to remember my vow or promise that I made before coming into this world, to help others come in contact with the Lotus Sutra and to vow to recite, practice and spread this wonderful teaching with all I come in contact with.

All of us here are enrolled in the Lotus Sutra School for Life. We are born as a infant and enter this world totally dependent on our parents, we go to Pre-School, Elementary, Intermediate, High School and College for the quarter of our lives. Only to think that once we graduate we are done with school. We forget that we are always learning new things, practicing/reinforcing what we are learning daily.

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