Buddha expounded the Lotus sutra when he was residing at the summit of the eagle peak (Gijjakuta Parvatha). He was accompanied by a large number of devotees, the decription of the audience takes up about two full pages of the book.
The Buddha illuminated all the corners of the 18,000 worlds down to avichi hell and up to the akanistha heaven from the light emitted from the white curl in the middle of his forehead. The light enabled the audience to visualize these worlds as they are, and in great detail, in such a manner that they could assess each and every being in those worlds.
Each and everyone in the congregation had been greatly moved by this display of wonder by the Buddha. However they pondered on why Buddha displayed this wonder, and whom they could look to for an answer.
Manjusri Bodhisattva who was present in the audience, and had come with the great multitude of Bodhisattvas from the other worlds, explained to the audience that in his various past lives he experienced similar performances by various previous Buddhas. This was an act which they performed before they expounded the most venerated sutra "The Lotus flower of the wonderful law" or the Lotus Sutra.
Now the present Buddha the Shakyamuni Gauthama too expressed the willingness to expound this great Sutra and performed the same wonder in the same manner as all the past Buddhas. He did this in order to make it easier for all living beings to hear and understand the MOST DIFFICULT sutra (teaching) to believe out of all sutras that Buddha preached.
After performing this miraculous display the Buddha emerged from the Samadhi and addressed the Sariputhra and said that the wisdom and the power of the Buddha is profound and immeasurable, the gate to this wisdom is difficult to understand and difficult to enter. The profound and wonderful law is difficult to see and difficult to understand. This law cannot be described, it is inexplicable by words, no one can understand it except with the help of a Buddha or a bodhisattva who has a strong power of faith. As a rule Buddha expounded the true teaching after expounding the expedient [practical] teachings. He saved living beings from the bonds of suffering and allowed them to attain nirvana as a practical study.
The Arahaths and other disciples who where supposed to have attained the status of Nirvana started to wonder why the Buddha is talking about his powers so much and saying that his powers are far more superior to Nirvana. As they believed they had achieved all that had to be achieved with the guidance of Buddha and wondered whether the teachings the Buddha wanted to expound now were of any value to them.
The rest of the congregation pleaded with the Buddha to expound the law even if it is difficult to understand. Buddha said that he is not ready to explain the power he had achieved because it would be difficult for them to understand it even if they tried, but the congregation pleaded many times. Buddha was moved by their enthusiasm and asked them to promise three times that they will believe in what he was going to expound as the supreme truth. The congregation wondered why Buddha requested them to make such a promise, because they always regarded Buddha’s words as the supreme truth. Even though they were perplexed, they promised three times without hesitation, as it was the wish of the Buddha. Having seen the enthusiasm of the congregation Buddha said, "now I will expound the law".
At this moment 5,000 of his disciples who had already attained nirvana got up, bowed down to the Buddha and left the place. As they were sinful and arrogant they thought that they have already obtained the law that Buddha was going to expound.
Buddha stated that they left because they were arrogant and egoistic to think they had already achieved everything and ignored the Buddha’s words and their promise. Buddha said that he feels the congregation is now cleared of twigs and leaves and has been purified with their departure.
Afterwards Buddha started to expound teachings about the power that he possessed. He said that his mission is not fulfilled until all the people in this world obtained a similar insight to that of the Buddha.
Buddha started to convince the congregation with various illustrations and explanations to trust and believe in the super natural powers possessed by the Buddha, "the world honored one".
Though it is difficult to understand and difficult to believe, he tried to convince the audience of the power which Buddha himself possessed. He illustrated the power he has within him; even to control worldly phenomena and also nature.
He stated in the Lotus sutra that he is the savior and that he could save all beings of his kalpa, when it is in the stage of decay or when evil is rampant in this world. This is the present era.
The Buddha tried by all means to persuade the congregation to believe in the miraculous powers possessed by him and to seek the refuge of this power for their salvation.
Buddha proclaimed that the Buddhayana or the Lotus sutra is the most effective method for the salvation of people in the latter day of the law.
Buddha kept on explaining the power he possessed by giving parables and examples to convince them of this law or his power and to convince them that he could save us all from our suffering and he promised them that he would help us all attain anuruttara samma sambodhi, which is the same state he has achieved.
Buddha stated that he has vowed to save each and every being of this world and said that his vow would not be fulfilled till he saves all the beings of this world. He stated that he had wandered this planet for a long time in order to save the beings living in it. He has appeared as 28 Buddhas in past kalpas and stated that this is his last appearance in the physical form as a Buddha to this world.
Now as the period of decay of the Kalpa has started, he keeps this fine dharma or the law for the salvation of the beings after his last physical appearance in this world.
After Buddha preached the Lotus Sutra there were many disputes among the Sangas. The Buddha lived in exile and spent the last 8 years of his life with the most learned monks, who were interested in studying the Lotus Sutra. (maha kasyapa and the others) Buddha preached many Sutras in order to support the Lotus Sutra. The Collection of these sutras is known as provisional Mahayana. Both Mahayana and Hinayana sects originated while the Buddha was still alive.
After the Buddha passed away, the Lotus Sutra was secretly sent out of India in order to preserve its purity. It was taken to Korea, China and finally to Japan. The Buddha proclaimed that his successor would be born in a country where lots of calamities and lots of disasters would occur. Nichiren Daishonin was born in Japan. After the Atomic Bomb, the Japanese gained religious freedom and this was the time the Lotus Sutra emerged. Until then it was kept hidden, as there was great opposition to it by the Provisional Mahayana sects.
The Buddhayana and Mahayana sutras are difficult to believe because they cannot be portrayed through day-to-day activities. For instance, Buddha performed the act of emitting light and illuminating the universe using his miraculous powers, which enabled the congregation to see the other worlds. This cannot be explained and people cannot be made to believe this, unless they see it themselves. Only the people who saw this wonder believed it. But how could they explain the power the Buddha possessed in an adequate way as to convince others who had not been present?
Even those who read the Lotus Sutra will not believe this. This is why people say that they are not able to comprehend that such a miracle is possible. That is why Manjusri said to Maithri Bodhisathwa that this is THE MOST DIFFICULT TEACHING TO BELIEVE.
This is an unfathomable occurrence, thus people tend to discard this sutra.
