I am not interested in arguing whether the sutra was preached by Buddha
or written by other monks.I am only interested in expounding the sutra.
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Chapter 7
The World-Honoured One, immeasurable in wisdom,
accepted the entreaties of the assembly
and for their sake proclaimed various doctrines,
the four noble truths, the twelve-linked chain of causation,
describing how from ignorance to old age and death,
all are produced through the cause of birth, saying,
"with regard to these many faults and vexations,
you should understand this about them."
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The Buddha understood their boyish minds
and the actions they had carried out in past existences,
and employing immeasurable causes and conditions
and various similes and parables,
he preached the six paramitas
and matters concerning transcendental powers,
distinguishing the true Law,
the way preached by bodhisattvas,
preaching this Lotus Sutra
in verses as numerous as Ganges sands.
When the Buddha had finished preaching the sutra
he entered into meditation in a quite room,
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For this reason I will employ an expedient means
to lead you in the persuit of Buddha wisdom;
because of these earlier causes and conditions
I now preach the Lotus Sutra.
I will cause you to enter the Buddha way---
be attentive and harbour no fear !
Suppose there was a stretch of steep bad road,
in a remote wasteland with many harmful beasts,
a place morever without water or grass,
one dreaded by people.
A group of countless thousands and ten thousands
wanted to pass over this steep road,
but the road was very long and far-stretching,
extending five hundred yojanas.
At this time there was a leader,
well informed, possessing wisdom,
of clear understanding and determined mind,
capable of saving endangered persons from manifold difficulties.
The members of the group were all weary and disheartened
and said to their leader.
"We are now exhausted with fatigue
and wish at this point to turn around and go back."
The leader thought to himself.
These people are truly pitiful !
Why do they wish to turn back
and miss the many rare treasures ahead ?
At that time he thought of an expedient means,
deciding to exercise his transcendental powers.
He conjured up a great walled city
and adorned its mansions,
surrounding them with gardens and groves,
channels of flowing water, ponds and lakes,
with double gates and tall towers and pavilions,
all filled with men and women.
As soon as he had created this illusion,
he comforted the group, saying, "Have no fear--
you can enter this city
and each amuse himself as he pleases."
When the people had entered the city,
they were all overjoyed in heart.
All had a feeling of ease and tranquility,
telling themselves that they had been saved.
When the leader knew they were rested,
he called them together and announced,
"Now you must push forward---
this is nothing more than a phantom city.
I saw that you were weary and exhausted
and wanted to turn back in mid-journey.
Therefore I used the power of expedient means
to conjure up this city for the moment.
Now you must press forward diligently
so that together you may reach the place where the treasure is."
I too do likewise,
acting as leader to all beings,
I see the seekers of the way
growing disheartened in mid-journey,
unable to pass over the steep road
of birth and death and earthly desires,
and therefore I use the power of expedient means
and preach nirvana to provide them with rest,
saying, "Your suffering are extinguished,
you have carried out all there is to be done."
When I know they have reached nirvana
and all have attained the stage of arhat,
then I call the great assembly together
and preach the true Law for them.
The Buddha through the power of expedient means
make distinctions and preach three vehicles,
but there is only the single Buddha vehicle--
the other two nirvanas are preached to provide a resting place.
Now I expound the truth for you--
what you have attained is not extinction.
For the sake of the comprehensive wisdom of the Buddha
you mustexpand great effort and diligence.
If you gain enlightenment in the Law of the Buddha
with its comprehensive wisdom and ten powers
and are endowed with the thirty-two features,
then this will be true extinction.
The Buddhas in their capacity as leaders
preach nirvana to provide a rest.
But when they know you have become rested,
they lead you onward to the Buddha wisdom.

[The sutra is so long and the TRUTH is like a needle in the ocean. Only
Maitreya Buddha is able to tell you the TRUTH.
That is the Buddha SEAL. No explanation is given.
So I have to employ the Visualising Sutra to explain the Mark on the
forehead, the mid-point between the two eyes. This Mark has to be
SEALED by the Heart-to-Heart SEAL.
At the moment it is done by Heavenly Way of I-Kuan-Tao.]

Bald eagle wrote: