Ceremony in the Air ［虚空会］ ( kokū-e):
The second of the three assemblies described in the Lotus Sutra, in
which the entire gathering is suspended in space above the ground. The
two other assemblies take place on Eagle Peak. The Ceremony in the Air
is depicted from the latter half of the “Treasure Tower” (eleventh)
chapter through the “Entrustment” (twenty-second) chapter of the sutra.
In the “Treasure Tower” chapter, the treasure tower of the Buddha Many
Treasures emerges from beneath the earth and is suspended in midair.
Shakyamuni, after summoning the Buddhas who are his emanations from the
ten directions, stations himself in midair, opens the treasure tower,
and enters it, taking a seat beside the Buddha Many Treasures. Then,
using his transcendental powers, he lifts the entire assembly into space
so that they are at the same level. This begins the Ceremony in the
Air. The “Treasure Tower” chapter ends with Shakyamuni urging the
audience to propagate the sutra in the evil age after his death. In the
“Encouraging Devotion” (thirteenth) chapter, the innumerable
bodhisattvas attending vow to fulfill the Buddha’s will even if they
must endure persecution by the so-called three powerful enemies.
In the “Emerging from the Earth” (fifteenth) chapter, the bodhisattvas
of the other worlds make the same vow, but the Buddha refuses to entrust
the mission to them. At that moment the Bodhisattvas of the Earth make
their appearance; this marks the beginning of the essential teaching of
the sutra. In the “Life Span” (sixteenth) chapter, Shakyamuni reveals
his original enlightenment—the enlightenment that he attained numberless
major world system dust particle kalpas
in the past. In the “Supernatural Powers” (twenty-first) chapter,
Shakyamuni transfers the essence of the sutra specifically to the
Bodhisattvas of the Earth led by Bodhisattva Superior Practices,
entrusting them with its propagation in the Latter Day of the Law. In
the “Entrustment” chapter, he transfers the sutra to all the
bodhisattvas present. Then Shakyamuni’s emanations return to their
lands, the treasure tower reverts to its former position, and the
Ceremony in the Air comes to an end. The heart of this ceremony consists
of the revelation of Shakyamuni Buddha’s original enlightenment and the
transfer of the essence of the sutra to the Bodhisattvas of the Earth.
