Day 3 covers the first half of Chapter 2, Expedients. Having last month considered what happened when the Buddha agreed to preach the Dharma, we consider how all Buddhas of the past, present and future expounded various teachings to all living beings with innumerable expedients. “Śāriputra! I also expound various teachings to all living beings … Continue reading Day 3
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 why the Buddha chose to use expedient teachings, we consider those who have already attained the enlightenment of the Buddha. Those who met a past Buddha, Who heard the … Continue reading Day 4
Day 3 covers the first half of Chapter 2, Expedients. Having last month considered the Buddha’s hesitance to preach the Dharma, we consider what happened when the Buddha agreed to preach the Dharma. Thereupon the World-Honored One said to him: “You asked me three times with enthusiasm. How can I leave the Dharma unexpounded? Listen … Continue reading Day 3
Day 5 begins Chapter 3, A Parable Having last month considered the reaction of the four kinds of devotees; and gods, dragons, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras and mahoragas, we consider Thereupon Śāriputra said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! Now my doubts are gone. You assured me of my future attainment of Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. These twelve … Continue reading Day 5
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 – Feb. 7, 2023
This is another in a series of weekly blog posts comparing and contrasting the Sanskrit and Chinese Lotus Sutra translations. Many of the differences between H. Kern’s translation of the 11th century Nepalese Sanskrit Lotus Sutra and Kumārajīva’s fifth century Chinese translation of the Sanskrit Lotus Sutra are subtle. For example, just prior to the start of … Continue reading The Problem with Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas
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 – July 27, 2022
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 – July 18, 2022
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 why the Buddhas expound the Dharma with expedients, we consider why the Śākyamuni chose to expound the Dharma with expedients. Śāriputra, know this! Seeing with the eyes of the … Continue reading Day 4
Day 3 covers the first half of Chapter 2, Expedients. Having last month considered why the Buddhas teach only Bodhisattvas, we conclude today’s portion of Chapter 2, Expedients. “Śāriputra! These [present] Buddhas teach only Bodhisattvas because they wish to show the insight of the Buddha to all living beings, to cause them to obtain the … Continue reading Day 3