No it still takes action to become a Votary of the Lotus Sutra and
bridge the apparent illusory gap between a Buddha and a common mortal.

Lessening Karmic retribution:

http://www.sgilibrary.org/view.php?page=200&m=1&q=action

"I expounded this principle a long time ago, so it should not be new
to you. One of the six stages of practice in the perfect teaching is
the stage of perception and action. At this stage

“one acts as one speaks and speaks as one acts.”

Those at the stage of being a Buddha in theory only and at the stage
of hearing the name and words of the truth believe in the perfect
teaching; but even though they praise it,their actions fail to reflect
their words. For example, countless people study the non-Buddhist
works known as the Three Records and the Five Canons, but not even one
case in ten million is found where a person governs society and
behaves as the texts teach. Thus it is very difficult to establish
peace in society. One may be letter-perfect in reciting the Lotus
Sutra, but it is far more difficult to act as it teaches...."

Chris

--- In buddhist_dialogue_group@yahoogroups.com, "Robin Beck"
<rrobinrb@...> wrote:
>
> --- In buddhist_dialogue_group@yahoogroups.com, "Christopher H. Holte"
> <chris_holte@> wrote:
> >
> > Nancy Rogow <illarraza@> wrote:
> > > Hi Chris. There are two basic ways to change the real world
> > > [the tendency from the Lower Six to the Higher Four] to achieve
> > > a desireable end: Mandates, laws or rules and regulations from
> > >without; and an awakening from within.
> >
> > No, laws, rules, mandates and awakening are not enough. Action is what
> > changes the 6 worlds. Those who go into the forest to awaken awaken to
> > the level of "Self-enlightenment" but that doesn't translate to full
> > and complete enlightenment because we are connected to the Saha world
> > through our actions. Both awakening and mandates are means towards
> > that end.
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> I think the Lotus Sutra refuted that. You are expressing a partial
> view of provisional mahayana. Also, the use of the term pratyeka would
> likely only apply to those who never heard the dharma at all. I do not
> think the Suttas tell us much about pratyekas. There is some
> contradiction. Perhaps in terms of life philosophy, we can say
> pratyeka is a necessary partial aspect of full awakening.
>
> r
>