Visistacaritra
Encyclopedia
Viśiṣṭacāritra or Bodhisattva Superior Practices (Skt
: विशिष्तचारित्र; Chinese
: 上行; pinyin
: shàng xíng; Japanese
: Jōgyō), is a bodhisattva
mentioned in the 15th, 21st, and 22nd chapters of the Lotus Sutra
. He is one of the four great perfected bodhisattvas who attends Shakyamuni Buddha
and protects the Lotus Sutra and its devotees. The other three are Unlimited Practices, Pure Practices, and Firm Practices
; together they make up the four great primarily evolved bodhisattvas. Visistacaritra is also believed to represent the "true self" characteristic of Buddhahood
, which is the selflessness of Nirvana
.
is considered to be the reincarnation of Viśiṣṭacāritra because he is believed to have fulfilled the role of that Bodhisattva Superior Practices during his lifetime. This is because he revealed what he held to be the Superior Practice of chanting the title (daimoku) of the Lotus Sutra
, or Nam(u)-myoho-renge-kyo, which would quickly allow all beings to attain enlightenment in their present lifetime, no matter what their capacities.
Nichiren is revered as 'The Buddha of True Cause' because, they believe, he revealed the 'cause' of Buddhahood: chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Whereas Shakyamuni is seen as 'The Buddha of True Effect' as he only revealed the 'effect' of Buddhahood. This is based on the passage in Chapter 16 of the Lotus Sutra that reads:
"Originally I [Shakyamuni Buddha] practiced the bodhisattva way, and the life that I acquired then has yet to come to an end"
Nichiren Shoshu, and also Soka Gakkai, interpret the passage to mean that Shakyamuni must have practiced something to attain Buddhahood, but in the Lotus Sutra he did not reveal what that practice was. Whereas Nichiren taught the daimoku, Nam(u)-myoho-renge-kyo, which leads all beings to Buddhahood. Soka Gakkai and Nichiren Shoshu conclude that it was because of the daimoku that Shakyamuni attained Buddhahood in the remote past.
and Kempon Hokke
, Nichiren is revered as Bodhisattva Superior Practices, as they believe he fulfilled the prediction in the Lotus Sutra
: that of revealing the sutra's essence, Namu-myoho-renge-kyo. This is based on what Nichiren wrote in his 'The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind' [which all schools regard as one of his Mahor Writings]:
"Showing profound compassion for those unable to comprehend the gem of the doctrine of three thousand realms in a single moment of life, the Buddha wrapped it within the five characters [of Myoho-renge-kyo], with which he then adorned the necks of the ignorant people of the latter age."
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
: विशिष्तचारित्र; Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
: 上行; pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: shàng xíng; Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
: Jōgyō), is a bodhisattva
Bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is either an enlightened existence or an enlightenment-being or, given the variant Sanskrit spelling satva rather than sattva, "heroic-minded one for enlightenment ." The Pali term has sometimes been translated as "wisdom-being," although in modern publications, and...
mentioned in the 15th, 21st, and 22nd chapters of the Lotus Sutra
Lotus Sutra
The Lotus Sūtra is one of the most popular and influential Mahāyāna sūtras, and the basis on which the Tiantai and Nichiren sects of Buddhism were established.-Title:...
. He is one of the four great perfected bodhisattvas who attends Shakyamuni Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
and protects the Lotus Sutra and its devotees. The other three are Unlimited Practices, Pure Practices, and Firm Practices
Supratisthitacaritra
Supratiṣṭhitacāritra , also known as Firm Practice, is one of the four great perfected bodhisattvas mentioned in the 15th chapter of the Lotus Sutra. He is believed to represent the "bliss" characteristic of Buddhahood, which is the liberation from suffering.- References :*...
; together they make up the four great primarily evolved bodhisattvas. Visistacaritra is also believed to represent the "true self" characteristic of Buddhahood
Buddhahood
In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...
, which is the selflessness of Nirvana
Nirvana
Nirvāṇa ; ) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme being through moksha...
.
In Nichiren Buddhism
In most Nichiren Buddhist schools, NichirenNichiren
Nichiren was a Buddhist monk who lived during the Kamakura period in Japan. Nichiren taught devotion to the Lotus Sutra, entitled Myōhō-Renge-Kyō in Japanese, as the exclusive means to attain enlightenment and the chanting of Nam-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō as the essential practice of the teaching...
is considered to be the reincarnation of Viśiṣṭacāritra because he is believed to have fulfilled the role of that Bodhisattva Superior Practices during his lifetime. This is because he revealed what he held to be the Superior Practice of chanting the title (daimoku) of the Lotus Sutra
Lotus Sutra
The Lotus Sūtra is one of the most popular and influential Mahāyāna sūtras, and the basis on which the Tiantai and Nichiren sects of Buddhism were established.-Title:...
, or Nam(u)-myoho-renge-kyo, which would quickly allow all beings to attain enlightenment in their present lifetime, no matter what their capacities.
In Nichiren Shoshu
In Nichiren ShoshuNichiren Shoshu
Nichiren Shōshū is a branch of Nichiren Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th-century Japanese monk Nichiren . Nichiren Shōshū claims Nichiren as its founder through his disciple Nikkō , the founder of the school's Head Temple Taiseki-ji...
Nichiren is revered as 'The Buddha of True Cause' because, they believe, he revealed the 'cause' of Buddhahood: chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Whereas Shakyamuni is seen as 'The Buddha of True Effect' as he only revealed the 'effect' of Buddhahood. This is based on the passage in Chapter 16 of the Lotus Sutra that reads:
"Originally I [Shakyamuni Buddha] practiced the bodhisattva way, and the life that I acquired then has yet to come to an end"
Nichiren Shoshu, and also Soka Gakkai, interpret the passage to mean that Shakyamuni must have practiced something to attain Buddhahood, but in the Lotus Sutra he did not reveal what that practice was. Whereas Nichiren taught the daimoku, Nam(u)-myoho-renge-kyo, which leads all beings to Buddhahood. Soka Gakkai and Nichiren Shoshu conclude that it was because of the daimoku that Shakyamuni attained Buddhahood in the remote past.
In Nichiren Shu and Kempon Hokke
In Nichiren ShuNichiren Shu
Nichiren Shū is the name of a confederation of several Nichiren Buddhist schools that go back to Nichiren's original disciples...
and Kempon Hokke
Kempon Hokke
Kempon Hokke-shu is a sect of Nichiren Buddhism which traces its lineage back to 14th century priest Nichiju. In Japan, it has a membership of about 100,000 households.Kempon Hokke teaches that to be a disciple of Nichiren, one must:...
, Nichiren is revered as Bodhisattva Superior Practices, as they believe he fulfilled the prediction in the Lotus Sutra
Lotus Sutra
The Lotus Sūtra is one of the most popular and influential Mahāyāna sūtras, and the basis on which the Tiantai and Nichiren sects of Buddhism were established.-Title:...
: that of revealing the sutra's essence, Namu-myoho-renge-kyo. This is based on what Nichiren wrote in his 'The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind' [which all schools regard as one of his Mahor Writings]:
"Showing profound compassion for those unable to comprehend the gem of the doctrine of three thousand realms in a single moment of life, the Buddha wrapped it within the five characters [of Myoho-renge-kyo], with which he then adorned the necks of the ignorant people of the latter age."