The Dragon King's Daughter; A 9-minute SGI Buddhist comedy for 6 - 7 actors

By Lynette Yetter
Inspired by The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras, translated by Burton Watson, Soka Gakkai, Japan, 2009, pp 224-228.

CAST OF CHARACTERS:

Shakyamuni Buddha 

Bodhisattva Wisdom Accumulated

Fabric waver 1
Fabric waver 2 / Lotus bearer
Bodhisattva Manjushri (aka M Dude) 

Dragon King’s Daughter

PROPS: 

-- shimmery blue fabric, approximately 1.5 yards x 3 yards

-- 2 plastic headbands with a topknot of fake hair fastened to the top of each

-- cardboard cutout of giant lotus flower with LOTS of petals, big enough to appear to be a vehicle for a person to ride on

-- a large paper (approx. 5- to 10-foot long white butcher paper, covered with images of lotus flowers)

FADE IN:

SHAKYAMUNI

In the future ages if there are good men or good women . . .

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

Excuse me, Shakyamuni, what is that thing on top of your head?

SHAKYAMUNI

This protuberant knob of flesh on the crown of my head is like a topknot of hair, is it not? It is one of my 32 characteristics as the buddha.            

                            

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

Cool!

Shakyamuni CLEARS her throat and prepares to once again begin her speech.

SHAKYAMUNI

In the future ages if there are good men or good women who, on hearing the Devadatta Chapter of the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law . . . 

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

What is the Devadatta Chapter?

SHAKYAMUNI

It’s what we are in right now. We floated up off of Eagle Peak into outer space in the Ceremony in the Air that transcends the framework of time and space. You and I and everyone here are characters in the Devadatta Chapter. Does that answer your question, Boddhisattva Wisdom Accumulated?

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

Thanks! 

(Beat)

I just accumulated some more wisdom! Or was that knowledge? Never mind. Please continue, Shakyamuni.

SHAKYAMUNI

As I was saying, 

(Beat)

In the future ages if there are good men or good women who, on hearing the Devadatta Chapter of the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law, believe and revere it with pure hearts and harbor no doubts or perplexities . . .

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

Believe with a pure heart. That’s like faith, right? 

SHAKYAMUNI

Of course.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

And we can substitute faith for wisdom, right?

SHAKYAMUNI

Of course.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

Then I AM accumulating wisdom, and not just knowledge, because I DO believe with a pure heart!

SHAKYAMUNI

That’s why you are Bodhisattva Wisdom Accumulated. Now listen-up so you can accumulate some more wisdom.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

Okay.

SHAKYAMUNI

. . . will never fall into the realm of hell, hungry spirits or beasts . . .

BWA puts his hand in the air and waves it to signal that he has a question.

SHAKYAMUNI (CONT’D)

You have a question?

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

Is the realm of hell, hungry spirits or beasts the lowest three of the 10 Worlds?

SHAKYAMUNI

Yes.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

But, I thought that with the Mutual Possession of the 10 Worlds and Three Thousand Realms that all of the worlds are mutually inclusive. So, even the world of Buddhahood contains Hell, Hungry Spirits and Beasts. If that is true, how can those good men and good women not experience those worlds? I’m confused.

SHAKYAMUNI

Good point. We’ll leave that to Tien Tai to sort out. For now, just bear with me, okay, so we can continue with this play?

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

A play? I thought we were in the Ceremony in the Air?

SHAKYAMUNI

It’s both. We are in a play ABOUT the Ceremony in the Air. And the playwright is being creative with the tale. Now, don’t you want to know what happens next?

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

Sure!

SHAKYAMUNI

Okay then, there’s just a little bit more to my speech. Can you wait that long?

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

I’m all ears. Go ahead!

SHAKYAMUNI

Now where was I . . . Will never fall into the realm of hell, hungry spirits or of beasts, but will be born in the presence of the buddhas of the ten directions, and in this place where they are born they will constantly hear this sutra.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

Don’t those good men and good women get to do anything else beside constantly hear this sutra?

SHAKYAMUNI

This is a parable, a metaphor for the mysterious workings of life. Of course they get to do other things. 

(Beat)

Remember, you promised to wait until I finished the speech.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

Oh yeah. Sorry. Go on.

SHAKYAMUNI

If they are born among humans or heavenly beings, they will enjoy exceedingly wonderful delights.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

Like ice cream?

SHAKYAMUNI

Even better. Now please wait until I finish.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

Okay.

SHAKYAMUNI

And if they are born in the presence of the buddhas, they will be born by transformation from Lotus Flowers.

Silence. A long pause. BWA is content and mellow, enjoying listening attentively, waiting for the speech to continue.

SHAKYAMUNI (CONT’D)

That’s it. I’m done. That’s the speech.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

(Applauds) Great speech! 

(Beat)

Well, I’ve got some other things to be doing. Can I go now?

SHAKYAMUNI

Good man, wait a little while. There is a bodhisattva named Manjushri whom you should see. Debate and discuss the wonderful Law with him, and then you may return to your homeland.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

Okay.

Two Fabric Wavers run out carrying the blue fabric onto the stage from right to left, with Bodhisattva Manjushri hidden behind, ducking down and running along at the same speed as the Fabric Wavers. The Fabric Wavers are rippling the blue fabric as if it is the ocean. Their bodies are hidden behind the fabric.  They stop. Manjushri (still hidden behind the fabric) has a giant lotus flower made from cardboard fastened to him, as if it was his chair or magic carpet or his space ship that he can zoom around on. As the Fabric Wavers continue to ripple the fabric to look like ocean swells, Bodhisattva Manjushri stands up. The Fabric Wavers slowly kneel, lowering the fabric to reveal Bodhisattva Manjushri on his Lotus vehicle.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED (CONT’D)

Wow! Bodhisattva Manjushri is rising out of the sea and floating in the air on a giant lotus flower with a 1,000 petals! Where did you come from, Dude?

The Fabric wavers drag the fabric and exit Stage Right. Off stage they set down the fabric and pick up cardboard cutouts of many Lotus flowers.

M DUDE

My real name is Bodhisattva Manjushri but you can call me M Dude. I have just come from the Palace under the sea of Dragon King Sagara.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

Cool!

M Dude steps out of his Lotus vehicle. Bows to Shakymuni, then goes to side of Bodhisattva Wisdom Accumulating.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED (CONT’D)

When you went to the palace of the Dragon King, how many living beings did you convert?

M DUDE

The number is immeasurable, incapable of calculation. The mouth cannot express it, the mind cannot fathom it. There will be proof. Wait a moment.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

(speaking to the audience directly in a dramatic whisper) Everyone wants me to wait a moment!

Lotus Bearer enters carrying a large paper covered with images of Lotus flowers, as if the Lotus flowers are more flying carpets carrying more people. Lotus Bearer walks around moving the Lotus flowers in a way that looks like they are flying.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED (CONT’D)

Wow! Look at those countless bodhisattvas seated on jeweled lotus blossoms emerging from the ocean and coming here suspended in the air above Eagle Peak.

M DUDE

All of these beings have been converted and saved by me. They carried out all the bodhisattva practices, which are too numerous to mention here in this short play.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

You are of great wisdom and virtue, brave and stalwart, you have converted and saved immeasurable beings. Now those in this great assembly, as well as I myself, have all seen them. You expound the principle of the true aspect, open up the Law of the single vehicle, broadly guiding the many beings, causing them quickly to attain enlightenment.

Lotus bearer EXITS Stage Right.

M DUDE

When I was in the ocean I constantly expounded the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law alone.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

This sutra is very profound, subtle, and wonderful, a treasure among sutras, a rarity in the world. Are there perhaps any living beings who, by earnestly and diligently practicing this sutra, have been able to attain buddhahood quickly?

M DUDE

There is the daughter of the dragon king Sagara.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

What is her name?

M DUDE

What?

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

What is her name?

M DUDE

Her name is “the Dragon King’s Daughter”.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

But, the Dragon King has a name. You told me so yourself. His name is Sagara. What is his daughter’s name?

M DUDE

She doesn’t have a name. After all, she is female and only 8 years old and a reptile to boot. Who cares if she has a name? We’ll just call her the Dragon King’s Daughter.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

Hmmm . . . I still want to know her name. If she doesn’t have a name, we should give her one - like how Nichiren Daishonin gave names to his formerly-nameless female followers. He called them nuns and gave them beautiful names. I think we should name her "Momo!"

M DUDE

Can I get on with the story?

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

Sure. Go ahead.

M DUDE

Anyways, the Dragon King’s Daughter has just turned eight years old. Her wisdom has keen roots and she is good at understanding the activities and deeds of the sense organs of living beings.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

What does that mean?

M DUDE

The translation is kind of complicated, what with different cultures and all. Let’s just say that she is really wise and understands everything and everybody. She is capable of achieving enlightenment.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

And she is only 8 years old? Wow! That’s hard for me to believe.

M DUDE

Why?

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

When I observe Shakyamuni, I see that for a really really long time - like forever and ever, he carried out harsh and difficult practices, accumulating merit, piling up virtue, seeing the way of the bodhisattva without ever resting. There is not a speck of the universe where he has not sacrificed his body and life for the sake of living beings. Only after he had done that was he able to complete the way of enlightenment.

Before his words come to an end, the Dragon King’s Daughter (who has the prop -- a headband with topknot of hair -- hidden somewhere on her person) ENTERS Stage Right as the Fabric waver runs around her with the fabric in such a way as to make it seem that the Dragon King’s Daughter is appearing magically in the assembly. When she is in front of Shakyamuni, she bows to him, and so does the fabric bearer (as if the fabric bearer is her shadow). The fabric bearer from this point on stays near the Dragon Kings Daughter like a shadow, holding the fabric bundled in her arms.

DRAGON KING’S DAUGHTER

Having heard his teachings, I have attained enlightenment -- the Buddha alone can bear witness to this. I unfold the doctrines of the great vehicle to rescue living beings from suffering.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

You know what Shariputra would say, if we had enough actors to have Shariputra present? 

DRAGON KING’S DAUGHTER

What would he say?

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

He would say to you, and I quote, (clears throat), “You suppose that in this short time you have been able to attain the unsurpassed way. But this is difficult to believe. Why? Because a woman’s body is soiled and defiled, not a vessel for the Law. How could you attain unsurpassed enlightenment? The road to buddhahood is long and far-stretching. Only after one has spent immeasurable kalpas (that’s a really really long time like forever) pursuing austerities, etc etc etc can one finally achieve success. Moreover, a woman is subject to the five obstacles. 1. She cannot become a Brahma heavenly king. 2. She cannot become a king Shakra. 3 She cannot become a devil king. 4. She cannot become a wheel turning sage king. And 5. She cannot become a buddha. 

(Beat) 

How then could a woman like you be able to attain buddhahood so quickly?

The Dragon Girl cups her hands, miming holding a precious object.

DRAGON KING’S DAUGHTER

Do you see this precious jewel that is worth a major world system?

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

Yes.

The Dragon Girl mimes handing the jewel to Shakyamuni. He immediately accepts it.

DRAGON KING’S DAUGHTER

I presented the precious jewel, and the world-honored one accepted it. Was that not quickly done?

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

Very quickly!

DRAGON KING’S DAUGHTER

Employ your supernatural powers and watch me attain buddhahood. It will be even quicker than that!

The Fabric waver swirls the fabric around and around the Dragon King’s Daughter. Hidden by the fabric, the Dragon King’s Daughter fastens a topknot to her head, just like the topknot of Shakyamuni.

The Fabric waver drops the fabric. The Dragon King’s Daughter has her hands folded in prayer position and chants to the audience with a confidence of the entire universe in her heart.

DRAGON KING’S DAUGHTER (CONT’D)

Nam myoho renge kyo. Nam myoho renge kyo. Nam myoho renge kyo.

BODHISATTVA WISDOM ACCUMULATED

Wow! If you, a child, a female and a reptile can become a Buddha instantly by chanting Nam myoho renge kyo, anyone can do it! 

Dragon King’s Daughter looks out to the audience and says -

DRAGON KING’S DAUGHTER

We all can become buddhas! Let’s do it, right now! Will you chant with us? 

All the actors turn towards the gohonzon and chant in unison with the audience -

ALL

Nam myoho renge kyo. Nam myoho renge kyo. Nam myoho renge kyo.

THE END

The Maple Leaf that Didn't want to Die

Once upon a time there was a maple leaf that didn't want to die.

"I have too much to live for!" it said. "I have lofty things to do, and stories to tell. There is a big change coming called Winter; I hear the fir trees whispering about it in their sylvan voices. I must see it and document it. For I am a Big Leaf and what I have to say is more important that anything in the world."

The maple leaf was so persuasive that the squirrels who lived in the branches of the tree stopped their nut gathering and nest building and approached the maple leaf with a plan.

"We'll help you," they said in their high squeaky voices. "We are experts and know everything -- for we have traveled hither and yon through-out the parklands; while you have only been on this one branch your whole life, since you were born last spring. We have studied for many years and therefore know far more than you do."

The maple leaf was overjoyed that the squirrels understood his deepest desire and were altruistically going to help him live! He would not die!

The squirrels twitched their whiskers and their tails as they consulted among themselves, then ran off in all directions -- except for Fluffy, Puffy, Muffy and Robert who stayed behind.

"We are your medical administrators," they chirped in unison to the maple leaf. "We are the ones to fill out forms and process payments and file referrals and seek for donors and bill your insurance and hire new specialists and and and . . . "

The maple leaf felt overwhelmed and perplexed by all of this information and terminology, but he told himself it was worth every sacrifice, for he would live!

A squirrel returned, leading three stellar blue jays, each of whom had something in his or her beak.

One had a shard of broken glass. Another had a needle from a hypodermic that some human had carelessly disposed of. The third held a long string, which dangled in loops and squiggles that danced in the wind. And then a fourth jay appeared. He carried a fresh sprig of fir needles.

"The fir tree," announced Fluffy, "has generously volunteered to be a donor for this historic first-ever fir-to-maple transplant . . . "

"Grafting," Robert corrected.

"First-ever fir-to-maple grafting," Fluffy continued, with an irritated expression on his furry face. The facial expression would have been difficult for humans to decipher, but squirrels know the way of squirrels. Robert interpreted the irritation to mean his boss had a weak spot, a touch of insecurity. Robert was vying to move up the corporate ladder in this booming new medical industrial complex, and this triumph would carry him higher. His name would go down in history: "Robert, the inventor of the maple/fir graft!"

Well, if you have ever worked in an office, or had occasion to visit one, you can imagine the rest from here. So I won't go into every little detail of the back-biting and money-grabbing and reputation-building that went on in the ever-growing community of squirrels, jays, then crows and moles and even the spiders who were trying to cash in on this. For of course everything had a price, and a reasonable profit to be made each time a product changed hands.

The poor maple leaf who wanted to live took out a mortgage to pay for it all. And the "all" was an ever expanding total that got bigger and bigger.

The fir sprig was grafted onto the maple leaf in an ingenious operation involving the cutting edge of technology.

The maple leaf felt horrible, what with the holes poked in his stem and that resinous stuff gunking up his system. But, he kept telling himself that it was all worth it. After all, this was an issue of life or death. And death was to be avoided at all costs, no matter how arduous or painful.

The squirrels' nest was filling with nuts that the squirrels themselves did not collect.

"This medical administrating business is a heck of a lot more profitable than collecting our own nuts," they congratulated themselves in the evening, as they reclined in their nest made of already dead leaves, lined with the softest and spongiest moss, decorated with the rarest downy feathers, and filled with a hoard of only the finest nuts of select trees from all over the land. All of this luxury was brought to them, item by item, by subcontractors as their processing fee for getting certified as "Approved Providers."

The squirrels rubbed their white bellies in contentment, and groomed each other's gray fur.

"You're getting fat," Fluffy said.

"So are you," Muffy said with a sniff and a frown.

Since they no longer ran around to forage for their own food, and never left the big old maple tree, they needed more exercise.

They needed a gym.

So, ingenious crows built the administrators aerobic workout devices in the branches of the tree. For of course the squirrels were far too important and busy to leave their work of administrating the medical care in this dire life-or-death situation of the maple leaf that didn't want to die.

One day, an artist went for a walk in the woods. She sat on a fallen log and admired its texture as it weathered in the forest. The skin of bark had long ago decayed back into nourishment for Pachamama to share with all of life. The bole skeleton was beautiful as grubs consumed it. The grubs enjoyed its flavor then cast it, reformed, back into the soup of life.

Dead leaves crunched under the artist's feet as she shifted her position. The scene glowed amber before the fall of early night. Autumn was her favorite season of the year, so quiet and introspective.

She scratched pencil point over paper for several minutes.

Suddenly, the artist was startled by a noise. A strange sight greeted her eyes. An unexpected conglomeration of wildlife scurried by; a convoy of moles, wood rats, hares and other small creatures hurried along, each carrying something. Jays and crows flapped overhead. The birds toted strange objects in their beaks.

Startled by these unusual sights, the artist arose from her magnificent tree corpse to follow the animals and see where they were going.

She came upon a path much trodden with all shapes and sizes of feet, paws, and slithering bellies. The path led to a maple tree.

And what an odd tree it was. The artist frowned at the sight. Her heart felt sad when she gazed at the overweight squirrels running in suspended hamster wheels dangling from skeletal limbs. Other arms of the maple bent low with the weight of the biggest squirrel nests she had ever seen. At any moment the branches could snap from the burden.

All of this feverish activity of forest critters running, flying, and crawling up and down the tree went to -- and originated from -- a certain point on a certain twig from which dangled a lone maple leaf.

And what an odd leaf it was.

A multitude of metal devices fastened the leaf to its twig, while a massive tangle of hoses and pumps transported green fluid into its tender arbolean veins.

The leaf was alive, yes.

"But what kind of life is this?" the artist asked aloud. The stillness and beauty of the autumn day was destroyed for her.

The artist turned and walked away from the chaos and hubbub extending the life of that leaf beyond its season. Her footsteps crunched on the crisp corpses of the leaf's fallen comrades.

Later, she sat at her drawing table. She finished the sketch she'd started while sitting on that log in the woods, bathed in the golden light that is only seen once the trees have shed their leaves.

Thoughtfully, the artist rose, went to the kitchen table and looked at her assortment of amber-colored plastic jars with childproof caps, each of which was to treat the side effects of one of the other medications.

"What do I need with all this?"

With a sweep of her arm, she pushed the jars into the trash.

First published in Foliate Oak Literary Journal, October 2012. Thank you!