DESCRIPTION

This chapter begins with Mañjuśrī asking the Buddha how those in later times can explain the Lotus Sutra. The Buddha explains four aspects to the bodhisattva expounding this sutra:

1. Abiding in the bodhisattva's place of practice (patient tolerance) and place of intimate acquaintance (not associating with others). But if other come asking for teaching, they teach.
2. Observing that all dharmas are empty
3. Not harboring thoughts of jealousy, flattery, or deception towards those on other paths.
4. Generating great compassion towards both householders and monastics, and great compassion towards those who are not bodhisattvas.

The chapter concludes with the Buddha giving an analogy of a wheel-turning king giving away everything, and only at the end giving away the pearl in his topknot, like the Buddha giving the Lotus Sutra.

According to the Tien-Tai Buddhist tradition and the teachings of Zhiyi, this chapter marks the end of the first half of the Lotus Sutra, consisting of fourteen chapters, called Shakumon 迹門 —’trace’ teachings “derived” from a source (shaku literally means “footprint; mon is “gate”). The second half of the sutra, consisting of the final fourteen chapters, is known as Honmon or Hommon 本門 — the “Primary Gate” or Primary Mystery (hon means “root” or “source”). The second half reveals the Original and Eternal Buddha.