The Parable of the Jewel in the Topknot

Found in Chapter 14 (Peaceful Practices), this parable explains why the Buddha withheld the Lotus Sutra until the right moment, comparing it to the most precious jewel a king possesses.

A powerful wheel-turning king wages war against rival kingdoms. His soldiers fight bravely, and after achieving victory, the king rewards them lavishly according to their merits. He distributes lands, villages, cities, robes, ornaments, gold, silver, and jewels of every kind. He gives away treasures without restraint, withholding only one thing: the single bright jewel set in his topknot, the most precious gem in all his possessions. He does not give this jewel lightly, for it is the supreme treasure of his realm, and to bestow it casually would diminish its significance.

Only when he encounters a soldier of truly extraordinary merit -- one whose valor and devotion surpass all others -- does the king finally remove the jewel from his topknot and present it. The entire court marvels, for they have never seen the king part with this treasure before. The gift marks the recipient as the most honored of all the king's subjects.

The Buddha is the wheel-turning king, and the soldiers are sentient beings who practice the Dharma. The various rewards -- lands, robes, gold, jewels -- represent the many sutras and teachings the Buddha has given over the course of his ministry: teachings on meditation, discipline, wisdom, emptiness, and countless other subjects. The jewel in the topknot is the Lotus Sutra itself, the supreme teaching that the Buddha has reserved until last because of its profundity and difficulty. Just as the king would not give his finest jewel to those who could not appreciate it, the Buddha has waited until his listeners were prepared before revealing this final and greatest treasure of the Dharma.