Chapter 8
We are like a poor and impoverished man
who went to the house of a close friend.
The house was a very prosperous one
and he was served many trays of delicacies.
The friend took a priceless jewel,
sewed it without a word and then went away,
and the man, being asleep, knew nothing of it.
After the man had gotten up,
he journeyed here and there to other countries,
seeking food and clothing to keep himself alive,
finding it very difficult to provide for his livelihood.
He made do with what little he could get
and never hoped for anything finer,
unaware that in the lining of his robe
he had a priceless jewel.
Later the close friend who had given him the jewel
happened to meet the poor man
and after sharply rebuking him,
showed him the jewel sewed in the robe.
When the poor man saw the jewel
his heart was filled with great joy,
for he was rich, possessed of wealth and goods
sufficient to satisfy the five desires.
We are like that man.
Through the long night the World-Honoured One
constantly in his pity teaches and converts us,
causing us to plant the seeds of an unsurpassed aspiration.
But because we are without wisdom,
we are unaware of this, unknowing.
Having gained a small portion of nirvana,
we are satisfied and seek nothing more.
But now the Buddha awakens us,
saying, 'This is not really extinction.
When you have gained the Buddha's unsurpassed wisdom,
then that will be true extinction !'
Now we have heard from the Buddha
these prophecies and descriptions of adornment,
and how each in turn will bestow a prophecy on his successor,
and in body and mind we are filled with joy.

[ The Jewel is the One inside us. Once we know this and then get the
Heart-to-Heart SEAL, we are liberated.]
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Chapter 10
"The sutras I have preached number immeasurable thousands, ten
thousands, millions. Among the sutras I have preached, now preach, and
will preach, this Lotus Sutra is the most difficult to believe and the
most difficult to understand. Medicine King, this sutra is the
storehouse of the secret crux of the Buddhas. It must not be
distributed or recklessly transmitted to others. It has been guarded by
the Buddhas, the World-Honoured Ones and from times past until now has
never been openly expounded. And since hatred and jealousy toward this
sutra abound even when the Thus Come One is in the world, how much more
will this be so after his passing ?"

[ It is clear even in Sakyamuni Buddha's time, some monks and nuns did
not believe the sutra. Buddha did not preach the sutra, only after some
monks and nuns had left the assembly. See the first two chapters. This
might be one of the reasons that Buddhism declined in India. The other
reason is the Transmission Line. See Hui Neng sutra to understand. This
is why Chinese Buddhism divided into northern and southern.
I think one reason Lotus Sutra is not popular in India caused the
decline of Buddhism there. In China, Lotus Sutra is one of the most
important sutra expounded widely by the Chinese monks. So Chinese
Buddhism became popular over riding Taoism and Confucianism.]
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"Medicine King, though there may be many persons, those still living in
the household and those who have left it, who practise the way of the
bodhisattvas, if they are not willing to see, hear, read, recite, copy,
embrace and offer alms to this Lotus Sutra, then you should know that
such persons are not yet practising the bodhisattvas way in the fitting
manner. But if there are those who will listen to this sutra, then they
are capable of practising the bodhisattvas way in a fitting manner. If
among the living beings who seek the Buddha way there are those who see
or hear this Lotus Sutra, and who having heard it, believe, understand
and embrace it, then you should know that these persons can draw near
to anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.
"Medicine King, suppose there is a man who is parched with thirst and
in need of water. On an upland plateau he begins digging a hole in
search of water, but he sees that the soil is dry and knows that water
is still far away. He does not cease his efforts, however, and bit by
bit he sees the soil becoming damper, until gradually he has worked his
way into mud. Now he is determined in his mind to go on, for he knows
that he is bound to be nearing water.
"The way of the bodhisattvas is the same as this. As long as a person
has not yet heard, not yet understood, and not yet been able to
practise this sutra, then you should know that that person is still far
away from anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. But if the person is able to hear,
understand, ponder and practise the sutra, then you should know that he
can draw near to anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Why ? Because all
bodhisattvas who attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi in all cases do so
through this sutra. This sutra opens the gate of expedient means and
shows the form of true reality. This storehouse of the Lotus Sutra is
hidden deep and far away where no person can reach it. But now the
Buddha, teaching, converting and leading to success the bodhisattvas,
opens it up for them.
"Medicine King, if there are bodhisattvas who, on hearing the Lotus
Sutra, respond with surprise, doubt and fear, then you should know that
they are bodhisattvas who have only newly embarked on their course. And
if there are voice-hearers who, on hearing this sutra, respond with
surprise, doubt, and fear, then you should know that they are persons
of overbearing arrogance.
"Medicine King, if there are good men and good women who after the Thus
Cone One has entered extinction, wish to expound this Lotus Sutra for
the four kinds of believers, how should they expound it ? These good
men and good women should enter the Thus Come One's room, put on the
Thus Come One's robe, sit in the Thus Come One's seat, and then for the
sake of the four kinds of believers broadly expound this sutra.
"The Thus Come One's room is the state of mind that shows great pity
and compassion toward all living beings. The Thus Come One's robe is
the mind that is gentle and forbearing. The Thus Come One's seat is the
emptiness of all phenomena. One should seat (sit) oneself comfortably
therein and after that, with a mind never lazy or remiss, should for
the sake of the bodhisattvas and the four kinds of believers broadly
expound this Lotus Sutra."