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The Lotus Sutra

The Lotus Sutra is probably the pre-emminent teaching of the Mahayana canon attributed to Shakyamuni Buddha. It has a distinguished pedigree since it was first translated into Chinese by "Dharmaraksha" around 268 CE, and was translated again by Kumarajiva in 406 CE. The version by Dharmaraksha used a lot of Taoist terminology. The version by Kumarajiva was considered more authoritative. Kumarajiva is said to have broken the precepts (I believe by marrying). When he was to be cremated, he said that all of him would burn but if he had done a good job of translation his tongue wouldn't. His tongue is said to have not burned, and therefore it is said that his translations of sutras were canonical. For centuries Buddhists have attested to the deep truths of the Lotus Sutra, even from groups that take as their primary Sutra other sutras. Those who have honestly studied it can attest that it is the highest of all sutras in that it fully crystalizes the Mahayana notion of the salvation of all sentient beings and in it's deep doctrines. From the Lotus Sutra, the great teacher T'ien-t'ai derived the notion of Ichinen Sanzen, or the interpolation of Three-Thousand Worlds in a single thought moment. This teaching itself can serve as a wonderful introduction to understanding life and it's manifestations.


Composition

Like all Sutras, The Lotus Sutra developed out of a monastic, meditational tradition probably as oral teachings. It is attributed to Shakyamuni Buddha, but actually seems to have been composed over a period of time. It appears that the first 9 or so chapters were written first, and these compose an almost independent work. Then chapters 11-19 transmit the teachings of the "Treasure Tower" with it's practice aimed at the "evil later day of the Law" and restricted to "Bodhisattvas of the Earth," and also appear to have been written later than chapters 1/9. Finally chapters 20-26 tell various stories and "wrap up" the teachings. Each part of the sutra has the three functions of "preparation, revelation, and transmission". The teachings of the Lotus Sutra were used by Ch'i-Hi in formulating his T'ien-t'ai teachings. They also have informed various pure land and Zen traditions. For the Nichiren Sect it is considered the greatest of the Mahayana teachings. It along with two other sutras form the "Threefold Lotus Sutra" and it is usually studied with the Nirvana Sutra which complements it's teachings.

Threefold Lotus Sutra

The full text of the Lotus Sutra usually includes the Lotus Sutra, the Sutra of Innumerable meanings and the Meditation Sutra. These other sutras that are usually included with the lotus Sutra, were probably composed later than it was, but they are necessary to understanding the Lotus Sutra. No one familiar with Mahayana Buddhism focuses on literal authenticity, but instead looks at authenticity in terms of "authentic doctrines" and as verified by the history of the various schools and their teachers.

Introductory book to the Lotus sutra:
Sutra of Innumerable Meanings (usually regarded as the intro to the Lotus Sutra

Votaries of the Lotus

The Lotus Sutra receives it's most importance from the way it has been used over the centuries. It forms the centerpiece for once of the greatest teachings of Mahayana Buddhism, that of "Ch'i-H'i" or T'ien-t'ai, teacher of Mt. T'ien-t'ai in China. He derived the great teaching of "Ichinen Sanzen" or "Three-Thousand Worlds in a Momentary Thought Moment" from it. This teaching as transmitted to Japan by Dengyo Daishi was the Nucleus of Tendai Buddhism and later of Nichiren Buddhism.Nichiren constantly refers to it in his "Gosho". Indeed many Gosho are explanations or commentary on the Lotus Sutra, that don't even make full sense until you read the source materials referred to. The Lotus Sutra is the primary reference for Nichiren Buddhists, and would be for Tendai Buddhists as well if they weren't so fascinated with Esotericism.


Chanting the Title

The various Nichiren Schools all stress the importance of Chanting the words of the Lotus Sutra, and also of Chanting the Title of the Lotus Sutra. This practice was advocated before Nichiren was born, but took off during his lifetime. It is a nice practice because it contains all the "merits" of chanting and studying the entire sutra. The source of this benefit is both faith, which is powerful in and of itself, and also in the merits of what you are chanting. The "Daimoku" or Great Title of Namu Myoho Renge Kyo is from the Sino-Japanese title of the Lotus Sutra, meaning "Devotion to the Mystic Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra" which is the translation of the Title "Saddharma Pundarika Sutra" from the Sanskrit. Other teachers have referred to the Lotus Sutra as well.

For examples of the chant, and to download prayers:
Gakkai
http://www.sgi-usa.org/thesgiusa/newmembers/gongyo/liturgy.html
Silent prayers(Gakkai):
http://www.ezlink.com/~dozer/fc_sgi/gongyo/oldprayr.htm
http://www.ezlink.com/~dozer/fc_sgi/gongyo/newprayr.htm

Main Body of Lotus Sutra

Translated by Burton Watson

Get The Lotus Sutra

This used to point to the SGI copy of the Lotus Sutra maintained by the US Gakkai. They also had the Gosho on web-pages. They took these pages down, they said it was for copyright reasons. Who can copyright the Lotus Sutra? Well someone did copyright an English Translation. Kumarajiva spared his tongue from roasting in hell because he did a good job translating the sutra. I don't know if that applies to present day translators. I'm going to fix these links as soon as I can.

  1. Chapter One: Introduction [Jo]
  2. Chapter Two: Expedient Means, upaya, "skillfulness" [Hoben]/ Josei Toda's lecture on the "Hoben Chapter"
  3. Chapter Three: Simile and Parable [Hiyu]
  4. Chapter Four: Belief and Understanding [Shinge]
  5. Chapter Five: The Parable of the Medicinal Herbs [Yakusoyu]
  6. Chapter Six: Bestowal of Prophecy [Juki]
  7. Chapter Seven: The Parable of the Phantom City [Kejoyu]
  8. Chapter Eight: Prophecy of Enlightenment for Five Hundred Disciples [Gohyaku Deshi Juki]
  9. Chapter Nine: Prophecies Conferred on Learners and Adepts [Ninki]
  10. Chapter Ten: The Teacher of the Law [Hosshi]
  11. Chapter Eleven: The Emergence of the Treasure Tower [Ken Hoto]
  12. Chapter Twelve: Devadatta [Daibadatta]
  13. Chapter Thirteen: Admonition to Embrace the Sutra [Kanji]
  14. Chapter Fourteen: Peaceful Practices [Anrakugyo]
  15. Chapter Fifteen: Emerging from the Earth [Juji Yujutsu]
  16. Chapter Sixteen: The Life Span of the Tathagata [Nyorai Juryo]
  17. Chapter Seventeen: Distinction of Benefits [Funbetsu Kudoku]
  18. Chapter Eighteen: The Benefits of Joyful Acceptance [Zuiki Kudoku]
  19. Chapter Nineteen: The Benefits of the Teacher of the Law [Hosshi Kudoku]
  20. Chapter Twenty: Bodhisattva Never Disparaging [Jofukyo Bosatsu]
  21. Chapter Twenty-one: The Mystic Powers of the Tathagata [Nyorai Jinriki]
  22. Chapter Twenty-two: Entrustment [Zokurui]
  23. Chapter Twenty-three: The Former Deeds of Bodhisattva Medicine King [Yakuo Bosatsu Honji]
  24. Chapter Twenty-four: Bodhisattva Myozon [Myo'on Bosatsu]
  25. Chapter Twenty-five: The Universal Gate of Bodhisattva Kanzeon [Kanzeon Bosatsu Fumon]
  26. Chapter Twenty-six: Dharani (Protective Spells) [Darani]
  27. Chapter Twenty-seven: The Former Deeds of King Wondrous Splendor [Myoshogonno Honji]
  28. Chapter Twenty-eight: The Encouragement of Bodhisattva Universally Worthy [Fugen Bosatsu Kambotsu]

Meditation Sutra and Nirvana Sutra

Description of the Lotus Sutra

Chapter Two: Expedient Means, upaya, "skillfulness" [Hoben]

The "Hoben" or "Upaya" are the "skillful methods" that the Buddha uses to teach people about life. This chapter introduces the subject and provides preparatory information about what is going to be talked about. The Buddha warns people that

"Stop, stop, no need to speak!
My Law is wonderful and difficult to ponder.
Those who are overbearingly arrogant
when they hear it will never show reverent belief.

The assembly begs him to preach and he starts to do so. Sure enough some leave. Shakyamuni warns him that:

Shariputra, if any of my disciples should claim to be an arhat or a pratyekabuddha and yet does not heed or understand that the Buddhas, the Thus Come Ones, simply teach and convert the bodhisattvas, then he is no disciple of mine, he is no arhat or pratyekabuddha...

And that he should "believe and accept the words of the Buddha." He teaches that the only way to enter the "portal" of enlightenment is through his faith.

Unfortunately, this term upaya, translated as Hoben in Japanese, has come to mean something very different from it's original meaning. (See Issues pages).

The Lotus Sutra has been used for many purposes. Among them has been as a riffing point for doctrinal or even dogmatic beliefs. One of the people who has used it was Josei Toda. As my first exposure to the Lotus Sutra was through him you can read a hard won transcription of an out of print version of his lectures here: (reproduced as a teaching aide:)

Lectures on the Sutra

Toda's lectures on the Sutra:
Index Page
jt_lls_a.html First File
jt_lls_b.html Second File
jt_lls_c.html Third File
My Comments

These are very old files, and I will get back to them as I get time. So forgive their rough state. There was a time when Toda's lectures had my heart racing and my mind full of wonder, but then I actually read the Lotus Sutra for myself, and I don't need his explanations anymore, they even throw off my understanding by kicking in all sorts of nationalistic and provisional ideas. As Soon as I can restore links to a real translation of the Lotus I will. Or else I'll have to put in a set of commentaries of my own.

Links and Papers related to the Lotus Sutra

"Language of the Lotus Sutra"
http://sino-sv3.sino.uni-heidelberg.de/FULLTEXT/JR-EPT/al.htm
A wonderful site on the
"Ethics of the Lotus Sutra"
Harvey Craft has a nice essay on the Lotus Sutra, which also summarizes it:
http://everlife.org/pdf/SLS-Legacy-01.pdf
Homepage:http://www.everlife.org/index.htm
http://www.tientai.net/ has a number of pages containing translations of works used by
Nichiren, and includes a translation of parts of the "Ongi Kuden".
Toda's Lecture on Sutra:
http://www.geocities.com/chris_holte/Buddhism/LotusSutra/Toda/index.html
Copy of President Ikeda's lecture on the sutra:
http://www.sgi-usa.org/buddhism/library/SokaGakkai/Study/LectLS/index.html
Language and logic of the Lotus Sutra (latrobe site)
Fa Hui translation of Lotus Sutra
Multicultural (mainly pureland) Lotus Sutra study site:
Cool pictures and explainations of terms
http://buddhistinformation.com/the_lotus_sutra_study_center/

Some Stories based on the Lotus Sutra:

The Thief of Yu Tale

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