In considering how to practice the Lotus Sutra, I find it helpful to think of all the Buddha’s teachings as specific pieces of lumber crafted for specific purposes, ridge poles, beams, doors, windows, flooring and roof tiles. It is with the use of the Lotus Sutra that we are able to take those expedient teachings and build our wonderful practice hall, to see the One Buddha Vehicle encompasses and doesn’t replace these teachings, to realize the Eternal Sakyamuni Buddha is ever present and ever active performing Bodhisattva practices. Academics who study just the words and miss the meaning of the sutra, complain that there is no actual teaching there. It is just a preface to a sutra that is never delivered. What these academics miss is that the every emptiness of the Lotus Sutra provides the space within the structure of the expedient teachings within which we can pursue the Buddha Way, both for ourselves and all other beings.

I posted the above statement in the Nichiren Shu Facebook group in response to this question:

“Can someone chant Odaimoku with adoration for the Lotus Sutra (especially with it’s focus on Ekayana (one vehicle) and Upaya (skillfully means)), while also practicing zazen or vipassana, or should one give up all other practices and practice the mantra alone?”

I’ve raised this concept of the Lotus Sutra practice space before and eventually I hope to expand this into a more detailed thesis incorporating Chih-i’s teaching. I’m posting this here so that I can come back to this at that time.

See also this post: Between Day 32 and Day 1: Practicing the Great Vehicle