About one or two hundred years after the emergence of Buddhism, a Greek ambassador of the King of Syria visited India and was astonished at what he observed there. "A surprising thing about India," he exclaimed, "is that there are women philosophers who debate openly with men, pro-pounding the most difficult arguments!" The status of women in ancient India was said to be nearly as low as that of slaves. Shakyamuni's inclusion of women in the religious order he founded was a revolutionary act.
In this installment, we examine the universality of the Lotus Sutra. Specifically, we asked: To whom are these teachings of the Lotus Sutra as a whole directed?
The teachings of Buddhism were expounded for the happiness of all people; there is no discrimination based on sex, priestly or lay status, race, academic achievement, social position, power or wealth. In fact, Buddhism was expounded precisely so as to enable the discriminated and oppressed, those who have experienced the bitterest sufferings, to attain supreme happiness. This is the true power of Buddhism, and the true wisdom of the Lotus Sutra.
To demonstrate this point, it is noted that the Lotus Sutra explicitly stressed the enlightenment of women. This is unheard of in religious and philosophical ideas of that era. Across the globe, women were then given a lower status in every aspects of life. Lotus Sutra refuted that and offer women the same status as men in the pursuit of enlightenment.
The next point is that the Lotus Sutra was designed for the future (then), in what Buddhism described as the Latter Day of the Law. In this Latter Day, mankind is plagued with greed, anger and foolishness which permeated every aspect of society. This phenomenon applies perfectly to our contemporary world. This is why Lotus Sutra is really applicable to us, more than the direct disciples of Shakyamuni.
Nichiren Daishonin says that both the essential and theoretical teachings were taught for the sake of all people living after Shakyamuni's passing; the sutra, he concludes, was taught particularly for people of the Latter Day of the Law.
