DESCRIPTION
The Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra 妙法蓮華經 (The Lotus Sutra) is one of the most influential and venerated Buddhist Mahāyāna sūtras. It is the primary text for the Tiantai, Tendai, Nichiren and Soka Gakkai schools of Buddhism. It is also vastly influential on other schools of East Asian Buddhism, such as Zen. According to the British Buddhologist Paul Williams, "For many Buddhists in East Asia since early times, the Lotus Sūtra contains the final teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha—complete and sufficient for salvation." The American Buddhologist Donald S. Lopez Jr. writes that the Lotus Sūtra "is arguably the most famous of all Buddhist texts."
Primary Reading
Suggested Reading
Donald S. Lopez Jr. The Lotus Sutra: A Biography (Princeton, Princeton University Press, 2016)
SYLLABUS
Chapter 1 - Buddha Emits a LightChapter 2 - Upāya (’Skillful Means’)Chapter 3 - Simile and ParableChapter 4 - Complete ConfidenceChapter 5 - The Parable of the Medicinal HerbChapter 6 - Vyākaraṇa (Predictions)Chapter 7 - The Parable of the Phantom CityChapter 8 - Five Hundred Disciples’ PredictionsChapter 9 - Learners and Adepts’ PropheciesChapter 10 - The Dharma TeacherChapter 11 - The Jeweled StupaChapter 12 - DevadattaChapter 13 - Encouragement Chapter 14 - Peaceful Practices~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 15 - Emerging from the EarthChapter 16 - The Lifespan of the TathagataChapter 17 - Distinctions in BenefitsChapter 18 - The Merit of JoyChapter 19 - The Merit of the Dharmabhānaka Chapter 20 - Sadāparibhūta BodhisattvaChapter 21 - The Spiritual Power of the TathagataChapter 22 - Parīndanā (’Entrustment’)~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 23 - Bhaiṣajyarāja Bodhisattva Chapter 24 - Gadgadasvara Bodhisattva Chapter 25 - Avalokiteśvara BodhisattvaChapter 26 - DhāraṇīsChapter 27 - King Śubhavyūha Chapter 28 - Samantabhadra Bodhisattva