Day 4 concludes Chapter 2, Expedients, and completes the first volume of the Sūtra of the Lotus flower of the Wonderful Dharma. Having last month considered the simple acts of enlightenment, we consider more simple acts of enlightenment. The boys who by playing drew A picture of the Buddha With a piece of grass or … Continue reading Day 4
Day 3 covers the first half of Chapter 2, Expedients. Having last month considered the purpose of the Buddha’s teaching, we consider why the Buddha appears to expound various teachings. The Buddha said to Śāriputra: “The Buddhas, the Tathāgatas, teach only Bodhisattvas. All they do is for one purpose, that is, to show the insight … Continue reading Day 3
Day 32 covers Chapter 28, The Encouragement of Universal-Sage Bodhisattva, closing the Eighth Volume of the Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma. Having last month considered Universal-Sage Bodhisattva’s vow to protect those who keep the Lotus Sutra, we consider the merits to be earned by keeping the Lotus Sutra. [He said to … Continue reading Day 32
The Lotus Sutra text without annotations Day 1 Chapter 1: Introductory Thus have I heard.[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13] The Buddha once lived on Mt. Gṛdhrakūṭa [1] in the City of King-House. He was accompanied by twelve thousand great bhikṣus. They were Arhats.[1] They had already eliminated … Continue reading Lotus Sutra With Annotations
Lotus Sutra divided by chapter The Lotus Sutra text with annotations Chapter 1: Introductory Thus have I heard. The Buddha once lived on Mt. Gṛdhrakūṭa in the City of King-House. He was accompanied by twelve thousand great bhikṣus. They were Arhats. They had already eliminated āsravas, and had no illusions. They had already benefited themselves, … Continue reading The Lotus Sutra – all 28 chapters combined
The Buddhas, the Tathāgatas, teach only Bodhisattvas. All they do is for one purpose, that is, to show the insight of the Buddha to all living beings, to cause them to obtain the insight of the Buddha. The Buddha speaks these words in Chapter Two of the Lotus Sutra. Here he emphasizes the importance of … Continue reading Daily Dharma – Dec. 23, 2023
Therefore, anyone who has wisdom should copy this sūtra with all his heart, cause others to copy it, and also keep, read and recite it, memorize it correctly, and act according to it. The Buddha declares this to Universal-Sage Bodhisattva in Chapter Twenty-Eight of the Lotus Sūtra. It is important to remember that early in … Continue reading Daily Dharma – Oct. 9, 2023
Śāriputra! Some disciples of mine, who think that they are Arhats or Pratyekabuddhas, will not be my disciples or Arhats or Pratyekabuddhas if they do not hear or know that the Buddhas, the Tathāgatas, teach only Bodhisattvas. The Buddha makes this declaration to his disciple Śāriputra in Chapter Two of the Lotus Sutra. When the … Continue reading Daily Dharma – Oct. 6, 2023
Day 4 concludes Chapter 2, Expedients, and completes the first volume of the Sūtra of the Lotus flower of the Wonderful Dharma. Having last month considered how all Buddhas teach the Dharma for just one purpose, we consider the dilemma faced by the Buddha when he achieved enlightenment. Śāriputra, know this! Seeing with the eyes … Continue reading Day 4
Day 3 covers the first half of Chapter 2, Expedients. Having last month considered how all Buddhas of the past, present and future expounded various teachings to all living beings with innumerable expedients, we conclude today’s portion of Chapter 2, Experients. “Śāriputra! The Buddhas appear in the evil worlds in which there are the five … Continue reading Day 3