The Lotus Sutra

The Lotus Sutra is one of the most important Mahayana texts and the most widely read, chanted and revered, particularly in Asian Buddhist countries, notably China and Japan. It is certainly a remarkable document, replete with the Mahayana characteristics of fantastical images, extraordinary appearances, magical happenings, views of time and space which are galactic in size; and pronouncements which are definite, unequivocal, practical in some areas and dependent upon a faith commitment in others. First and foremost, it proclaims the one yana or vehicle of the Mahayana teaching as pre-eminent, over other teachings, especially those following the paths of the sravakayana (the hearers – the bhikshus) and the pratyekabuddhas (those attaining enlightenment through a solitary path); but also the lay men and lay women. These are the ‘four classes of assembly’ who, according the Lotus Sutra, have been following the ‘preliminary’ teachings presented by the Buddha Sakyamuni as an ‘expedient’ (skilful means). The Lotus Sutra sees the Buddha, teaching from the Gridhrakuta, the Vulture Peak, the full teaching of the Mahayana which leads unerringly (if over aeons in larger numbers than the sands of the Ganges!) to nirvana. Contained within the 27 chapters are many of the principal Buddhist teachings seen in all the schools across the world: the four noble truths, the 12 nidana chain, the six paramitas or perfections; again and again the qualities of mindfulness, diligence, patience and spiritual vigour or energy are propounded – without these, nirvana is not attainable. In short, the path to enlightenment is not for the faint-hearted. Around these core teachings are magical stories of numerous Buddhas from different time eras appearing to support the teaching of Sakyamuni;…