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The Contemplation Sutra was taught in the same time with the Lotus Sutra (in reference to sections 1 and section 33)
“Then the World-honored One returned to Vulture Peak
through the air. There Ananda fully explained to the assembly what had
happened. Innumerable humans, devas, nagas, yakṣas, and all other beings
greatly rejoiced to hear the Buddha’s teaching. Having worshiped the
World-honored One, they departed.”
The last section reminds us of the beginning of the
Contemplation Sutra where we are told that Shakyamuni was already teaching another
sutra on Vulture Peak when Vaidehi asked for His help:
“Thus have I
heard. At one time the Buddha was staying on Vulture Peak in Rajagṛha with a
great assembly of twelve hundred and fifty monks. He was also accompanied by
thirty-two thousand Bodhisattvas led by Manjusri, the Dharma Prince.”
After these first lines, we
are told about the events related with Ajatasatru, king Bimbisara and Queen
Vaidehi who, while she was confined in the palace by her son, turned her
attention to
the direction of Vulture Peak:
“Facing Vulture
Peak, she worshiped the Buddha from afar and said, ‘O Tathagata, World-honored
One, you used to send Ananda to comfort me. Now I am in deep sorrow and
distress. Since there is no way of my coming to look upon your august
countenance, World-honored One, I pray you send Venerable Mahamaudgalyayana and
Venerable Ananda here to see me.’
When she had said
these words, tears of sorrow streamed down her cheeks like rain. Then she bowed
toward the Buddha in the distance”.
Shakyamuni Buddha knew her
thoughts, interrupted His discourse and came to her. This is how the
Contemplation Sutra was taught:
“Even before she
raised her head, the World-honored One, who was then staying on Vulture Peak,
knew Vaidehi’s thoughts and immediately ordered Mahamaudgalyayana and Ananda to
go to her through the air; He himself disappeared from the mountain and
reappeared in the inner chamber of the royal palace.”
Then, when the discourse ended, Shakyamuni returned to
the Vulture Peak where Ananda told the assembly of humans and nonhuman beings gathered
there what happened. So, the Contemplation Sutra was presented again on Vulture
Peak.
Rennyo Shonin explained that the sutra Shakyamuni was
teaching when Vaidehi prayed to Him was the Lotus Sutra
which means that both sutras were actually taught by Shakyamuni in the same
time,
“Accordingly, long ago, when Shakyamuni expounded the
Lotus Sutra, the wondrous text of the One Vehicle, on Mount Gṛdhrakuṭa (Vulture
Peak), Devadatta provoked Ajatasatru to acts of treachery; Shakyamuni then led
Vaidehi to aspire to the Land of Serene Sustenance (the Pure Land of Amida
Buddha). Because Shakyamuni withdrew from the assembly gathered at Mount Gṛdhrakuṭa
(Vulture Peak) where He was expounding the Lotus Sutra, descended to the royal
palace, and graciously set forth the Pure Land teaching for Vaidehi’s sake,
Amida’s Primal Vow has flourished to this day. This is why we say that the
teachings of the Lotus and the Nembutsu were given at the same time.
In other words, it is clear that Shakyamuni used the five grave offenses in which Vaidehi, Devadatta, and Ajatasatru were involved
as compassionate means to cause women and those who have committed the five
grave offenses in the last Dharma age to aspire to birth in the Land of Serene Sustenance
(the Pure Land of Amida); He assured us that even such people would unfailingly
attain birth in the Land of Serene Sustenance if they took refuge in the
inconceivable Primal Vow. This you should know.”
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