Forbearance

The Lotus Sutra, one of the most fundamental texts of Mahayana Buddhism, relies on a number of allegories to make its point. The last few chapters feature archetypal bodhisattvas (including Avalokitesvara) who each represent different virtues espoused in Mahayana Buddhism.

For today, we are looking at the Chapter Twenty. This chapter features a bodhisattva named Sadāparibhūta, who in Chinese was named 常不輕菩薩 (cháng bù qīng púsà), which in turn became jōfukyō bosatsu in Japanese. In English, we translate this as the Never-Disparaging Bodhisattva.

The story of Chapter Twenty is that Never-Disparaging Bodhisattva previously lived as a simple, unlettered monk during a past aeon where the Buddhist monastic community was arrogant and domineering. Nonetheless, this humble monk always bowed to other monks, nuns and laity stating that they would one day become Buddhas themselves.

As an uneducated monk making such bold statements, the other monks and nuns found him presumptuousness (I would have appreciated the compliment, personally), and assaulted him. Rather than fighting back, he would retreat and then bow toward them from a distance, still acknowledging their inherent Buddha-nature (e.g. they had the capacity to become Buddhas someday).

This continued on for years, yet the monk never got angry and continued venerating those around him. When he was finally on his deathbed though…

…he heard up in the sky fully twenty thousand, ten thousand, a million verses of the Lotus Sutra….and he was able to accept and uphold them all. Immediately he gained the kind of purity of vision and purity of the faculties of the ear, nose, tongue, body and mind….Having gained this purity of the six faculties, his life span was increased by two hundred ten million nayutas of years, and he went about widely preaching the Lotus Sutra for people.

Translation by Dr Burton Watson

The monks, nuns, and laity were astounded by the transformation reformed their ways, becoming sincere disciples. The chapter then ends in a lengthy series of “plot twists” where such and such person in that past aeon was now a disciple in Shakyamuni’s retinue, while Shakyamuni himself was originally Bodhisattva Never-Disparaging.

I say this a bit tongue-in-cheek because the narrative style of the Lotus Sutra can feel a bit forced at times to modern audiences. However, the underlying message is really profound and something I think about regularly, especially when someone really annoys me.

Chapter Twenty is all about forbearance.

This isn’t a new teaching within Buddhism. You can find many similar teachings on forbearance in older texts such as Pali Canon (example here), the Dhammapada, and also one of the Six Perfections. From the very beginning, Buddhism elevated forbearance as a crucial teaching. It is central to the concept of goodwill in Buddhism.

3. “He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me.” Those who harbor such thoughts do not still their hatred.

4. “He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me.” Those who do not harbor such thoughts still their hatred.

The Dhammapada, translation by Ven. Acharya Buddharakkhita

What makes the Lotus Sutra approach interesting is the use of simile and archetypal characters. Nonetheless, even in a later text like the Lotus Sutra, the message remains the same: a disciple must always practice forebearance and avoid ill-will towards others if they intend to attain a state of peace.

This is harder than it sounds, believe me.

Not too long ago, I was yelled at by a neighbor for something me (and my dog) didn’t do. It was frustrating. I tried to explain, but they didn’t listen and cursed and yelled at me. I was pretty angry, but I managed to hold my tongue and just walk away. Even now, weeks later, I am still a bit raw about it, and every time I walk past that house (which is almost daily, unfortunately), I still am a little bitter about it.

But then I have to remind myself the opening words of the Dhammapada, or the example of the Bodhisattva Never-Disparaging. Because ill-will is one of the Five Hindrances, it must be counteracted with goodwill (or at least wisdom to see why ill-will is self-destructive).

Further, because the Never-Disparaging Bodhisattva was able to practice the Buddhist path to fruition, there’s a second, related teaching that the Lotus Sutra emphasizes.

The start of the chapter talks about how those who uphold the Lotus Sutra purify their senses, and the Bodhisattva Never-Disparaging has his senses purified before his death. This “Lotus Sutra” isn’t the historical Lotus Sutra as a text, it is the deep, fundamental teaching of Buddhism that the text represents. The Bodhisattava’s unwavering conduct in the face of adversity led to his awakening to (i.e. he “heard” the teachings of) the Lotus Sutra and his senses were purified. He saw world with clarity and purity, and was this capable of teachings others.

Further, the other disciples picked up on his change. It’s not clear how or why, but there was just something “different” about him, and this metaphorical (not literal) aura was something that others around him picked up on.

You can find similar teachings in Yogacara school of Buddhism, even when it’s phrased differently. In Yogacara Buddhism, they talk about the mental feedback loop or “seeds” of the mind planting and replanting themselves through our thoughts, choices and habits. Like a pair of jeans, these seeds also give off a “scent” or “perfume” in Yogacara terms. If you wear a pair of jeans to a bar, it smells like tobacco and alcohol. If you wear a pair of jeans at a bbq, it will smell like bbq. If you wear a pair of jeans to a Buddhist temple, it will smell like incense. In the same way, one’s environment and conduct does “perfume” a person, and if one chooses the wholesome, noble path, people will eventually pick up on it. But it does require patience (shall we say _forbearance_ 😉).

Forbearance, like the other Six Perfections, is a very long-term virtue to perfect, with many setbacks, but as the Lotus Sutra shows, if carried to fruition, it is a great benefit to oneself, but also those around you.

P.S. The featured image is from Fire Emblem: Three Hopes, the successor to Three Houses. I have been enjoying this game too. The character here, Mercedes, is one of the nicest and most positive characters of the game. Also shout-out to Dorothy Elias-Fahn for her excellent voice-acting.