Parable of the Burning House.
Project Gutenberg EPUB edition
Soothill, William Edward and Kumārajīva
Have seen Buddhas of past times,
Revered and worshipped them
And listened to this Law.
If there be any who are able
To believe in your preaching,
They must formerly have seen me,
And also have seen you,
And these bhikshu-monks,
As well as these bodhisattvas.
This Law-Flower Sutra
Is addressed to the truly wise;
Men shallow of knowledge hearing it,
Go astray not understanding.
All the Sravakas,
And Pratyekabuddhas,
Cannot by their powers
Attain unto this Sutra.
Śariputra!
Even you, into this Sutra
Enter only by faith,
Much more must the other Sravakas.
The other Sravakas,
By believing the Buddha’s words,
Obediently follow this Sutra,
Not by wisdom they have of their own.”
The terrible consequences of contemning the Mahayana, as offered by The Lotus Sutra, are shown thus:
“Again, Śariputra!
To the haughty and indifferent
And those with self-centred views,
Do not preach this Sutra.
To common shallow people,
Deeply attached to the five desires,
Who hear but cannot apprehend,
Do not preach it to them.
If such people do not believe in,
But vilify this Sutra,
They cut themselves off from all
The Buddha-Seed in the world;
Or if, sullenly frowning,
They are harbourers of doubts,