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[12] a Lotus Flower with a central platform and eight petals
The eight-petaled lotus flower is a symbol of the Heart.
[13] Chapters of the Lotus Sutra
The chapters analyzed here are the Lotus Sutra’s chapters, which are mapped to the actions or manifestations of an eight-petaled Lotus Flower.
[14] The Two Buddhas in Eternally Quiescent Light travel throughout all spaces
The two Buddhas are Abundant Treasure (Prabhuta-Ratna) Buddha and Sakyamuni Buddha, mentioned in the Vision of the Precious Tower Chapter ( Chapter 11 of the Lotus Sutra ).
The central platform of the Lotus Flower symbolizes the innermost or highest Reality, or in other words, the core of Heart from where everything is manifested.
The two Buddhas represent the highest Awakenment and ultimate Wisdom that are motionless and unchanging in nature. They stay in the tower of Eternally Quiescent Light, constructing an image that the Eternally Quiescent Light contains both the highest Awakenment and ultimate Wisdom.
Therefore, this sentence in the sutra hints that in the highest Reality, the light of Awakenment and Wisdom is constantly stationary ( Eternally Quiescent ), while in lower realities ( or relative realities ), it appears as traveling throughout all spaces and manifesting all phenomena.
[15] The hologram-like Lotus Sutra
Lotus Flowers of different sizes are mentioned here. They are -
(a) The whole Lotus Sutra is an eight-petaled Lotus Flower. Chapter 01 is an unfolding of the eight petals ( blooming of the flower ). Chapter 28 is a closure of the flower ( producing fruit ). The middle chapters, Chapter 02 to Chapter 27, are the manifestations of the eight petals and the central platform.
(b) If we divide the Lotus Sutra into two equal halves, we get two Lotus Flowers, each has a central platform and eight petals. For the first one, Chapter 01 is a blooming, Chapter 14 is a closure, and Chapter 02 to Chapter 13 are the central platform & eight petals. For the second one, Chapter 15 is a blooming, Chapter 28 is a closure, and Chapter 16 to Chapter 27 are the central platform & eight petals.
(c) If we further divide the sutra, we get more Lotus Flowers, each has a central platform and eight petals.
So the Lotus Sutra is like a hologram - When a hologram is cut in half, the whole scene can still be seen in each piece. ( according to Wikipedia )
The Lotus Sutra is also like a Fractal - Many fractals appear similar at various scales, … This exhibition of similar patterns at increasingly smaller scales is called self-similarity, also known as expanding symmetry or unfolding symmetry; if this replication is exactly the same at every scale, … the shape is called affine self-similar. ( according to Wikipedia )
[16] The two Buddhas on the central platform
This is an example that one sentence in the Lotus Sutra is mapped to a component of a Lotus Flower. The central platform mentioned here belongs to a smaller Lotus Flower, whose components are mapped to the sutra using an alternative mapping.
‘A Buddha and another Buddha’ alludes to Sakyamuni Buddha and Abundant Treasure Buddha in the Abundant Treasure Tower, as depicted in the*Dharma Lotus Mandala. This image - two Buddhas in a tower located in the center of a Lotus Flower, symbolizes the innermost Self Enlightenment in the center of Heart, or in other words, the perfect Awakenment and ultimate Wisdom in the highest Reality.
[17] The second half of Lotus Sutra manifests as another Lotus Flower
A new mapping starts here. As always, the first petal mentioned is the Eastern one, and then the Southeast, Southern, Southwest, Western, Northwest, Northern, and Northeast ones, in a clockwise order.
It is mentioned previously that Chapter 15 is an unfolding of the Lotus Flower, and Chapter 28 is a closure of the Lotus Flower, therefore they are not mentioned again here.
[18] Origin Lord
An Origin Lord of a Dharma ( which can be a sutra, a Dharani, a ritual, a set of doctrines, etc. ) can be viewed as an origin, an overall representative, or an equivalent of the Dharma.
For example, the Great Compassion Dharani’s Origin Lord is Eleven-Headed, Thousand-Armed and Thousand-Eyed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. This manifestation of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva is an overall representative of Great Compassion Dharani and the Great Compassion Dharani Sutra, and also can be viewed as an equivalent of Great Compassion Dharani. A practitioner of Great Compassion Dharani usually visualizes Eleven-Headed, Thousand-Armed and Thousand-Eyed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva in his mind when reciting the Dharani.
Another example, the Six Words Great Enlightening Dharani ( Om Mani Padme Hum )’s Origin Lord is Four-Armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. Therefore a practitioner of Six Words Great Enlightening Dharani usually visualizes Four-Armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva when reciting the Dharani.
In some Sutras it is stated explicitly that a Buddha or a Bodhisattva transforms himself into a Dharani, so the Dharani can be viewed as an equivalent of the Buddha or Bodhisattva. For example, in Manjusri’s Precious Dharani Sutra ( Taisho Tripitaka 1185B ) it is written “This is Manjusri Bodhisattva, in order to benefit all living beings, transforming himself into an eight-worded Dharani …”
Therefore, “Manjusri is the Origin Lord of the first fourteen chapters of Lotus Sutra” can be understood as Manjusri manifests as the first fourteen chapters of Lotus Sutra, or is an overall representative of the first fourteen chapters of Lotus Sutra.
Likewise, “Samantabhadra is the Origin Lord of the last fourteen chapters of Lotus Sutra” can be understood as Samantabhadra manifests as the last fourteen chapters of Lotus Sutra, or is an overall representative of the last fourteen chapters of Lotus Sutra.
A Dharma practitioner can also have an Origin Lord ( Sanskrit : Svesta-devata, literally means ‘a deity dearest to one’s self’, or ‘a deity nearest to one’s heart’ ).
In this sense, a Dharma practitioner’s Origin Lord can be viewed as a divine personal tutor, a divine example to follow, or a metaphysical figure that best fits the practitioner’s divine self.
If a person practices the Dharma of his Origin Lord correctly, during the Dharma practice both his mind and body can be gradually purified and elevated, so it is possible that he will eventually unite with his Origin Lord, or become exactly the same as his Origin Lord. In this situation, the Dharma practitioner can be viewed as a projection of his Origin Lord.
[19] Candra-Surya-Pradipa Buddha
Literally Moon-Sun-Lamp Buddha, a.k.a. Brightness of Sun-Moon-Lamp Buddha, first mentioned in Chapter 01 of Lotus Sutra.
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