Lotus Sutra definition

Lotus Sutra: A Source of Energy and Transformation

Lotus Sutra, by definition, is a special teaching that encourages a very active involvement with ordinary life and all of its obstacles. It does not, however, provide an escape from the hardships of life; rather, it is a limitless source of energy that assists a believer in transforming and grappling with life’s contradictions and pains in order to produce happiness amidst all the challenges. The teachings of Shakyamuni are also the cornerstone of Daisaku Ikeda’s ideology and Nichiren Buddhism.The Lotus Sutra makes a lot of emphasis on the concepts of the eternity of life, the sanctity of all life and also the interdependence of all life.

The Essentiality of the Lotus Sutra

Further, the Sutra is widely regarded to be one of the most influential and essential sutras and very sacred scriptures of the Buddhism. In fact, the ultimate truth of life that had been revealed to Shakyamuni is expounded in the same. For instance, one of the most important ideas that are clarified in the Sutra can be the fundamental principle of equality of all the people that include evil people, women and those who always receive a discrimination in the other teachings. Markedly, the basis of the equality of everyone as depicted in the Sutra is the people’s universal potential that is inherent in that all can manifest the Buddhahood life conditions or the enlightenment.

The Unfolding of Buddhahood

This Sutra presents Buddhahood as the dynamic unfolding of the qualities of compassion, courage, and wisdom that are amid the realities of the men’s and women’s lives. Therefore it shows the Buddhism objective to be the bringing forth of the inherent potential in everyone, but not to be a final static state that should be attained. Mostly, the Lotus Sutra is a proclamation of the dignity inherent and the infinite potential in each’s life. Besides, it is the guide that unleashes the potentiality of the transformation of the presence of each. Ikeda’s philosophy clarifies the Sutra and applies the same on the contrary society through the standard practice of dialogue. Moreover, it shares the human values that are both universal and also accord the core values of the life’s sanctity, and in the promotion of the cooperation, peace, and mutual understanding as the human civilization basis.

The Vitality of the Sutra in Japanese Buddhism

The Sutra is vital in the Japanese Buddhism since it is the principle or the law of which the religion’s founder became enlightened. Precisely, the Sutra is the ultimate law that inspires the workings of life and the universe in which the believers live. Furthermore, it dictates the state of the awakening of the in an individual’s life. When a disciple shares and devotes himself to the Sutra, the person gets automatic awakening to the critical and mystic law that cannot be explained. Importantly, it also points out that Buddhahood as a present and also an eternal reality in everyone’s life even if they do not recognize the same.

The Liberating Power of the Sutra

The sutra is also crucial because it acts like the liberator of the people from the suffering of life without regard to some problems they face. Also, it teaches that attaining enlightenment is not restricted to specific people but is possible to everyone without distinction that is based on race, gender, education or even the person’s social standing. It extensively instructs the disciples on both the concept and usage of skillful means that are mostly in parable forms. The fundamental idea that the Lotus sutra emphasize is the love among the people because it is an eternal entity hence it bring unity in the society.

The Sutra’s Influence on Japanese Buddhism

Through this sutra, several Japanese traditional Buddhist doctrines are mentioned either directly or indirectly and sometimes discussed majorly the four truths that are considered holy. Other vital beliefs that are addressed include the eightfold path, the six transcendental practices, and the twelve-link chain that involves the conditions and causes. The entailments of the sutra, therefore, makes it easy for the Japanese Buddhists to achieve their goals of overcoming their sufferings, becoming free of the faults in their daily lives, getting rid of the attachments that are disappointing to them, dispelling the illusions, and other harmful things that confront their lives so that they are not disparaged in any way in their lifetime.

Supreme Awakening and Enlightenment

Evidently, the sutra also gives the followers of Buddha a chance to receive the supreme awakening and enlightenment that is arrived at through total self-devotion to the sutra and sharing the same with the subsequent followers hence they become peaceful with both their conscience and Buddha. The recitation or just hearing even a portion of the sutra is believed to bring a lot of joy to the believer. Further, the disciples tend to witness the joy that always comes to Shariputra when he gets to realize that he is also a bodhisattva who is on the way to become a Buddha.

The Transformative Power of the Sutra

Emphatically, when a Buddhist recites or just listens to a recitation of the Lotus Sutra, the person leaves the phenomenal world behind and the scene tends to open in a place that is outside the ordinary space and time, in this way, the person is attended to by several beings including human and nonhuman, monks, laymen, nuns, laywomen, dragons, heavenly beings, garudas, and the arhats and bodhisattvas. In the space, the reader of the sutra gets nourished, strengthened and encouraged into pulling through the challenges that he faces in the world, and he becomes peaceful and very joyful. In essence, the sutra is an attempt to teach the followers that the truth of life in a more comprehensible way. This fact that is shown is that every person has always been a Buddha from the eternal past and even in the infinite future, the people will still be Buddha.

Working Towards Peace and Transformation

In conclusion, the sutra in question helps the Buddhists to achieve the goal of peace that inspires them to work for inner peace and also for the peace in their families, their nations, their communities, and the world in general. Peace, in this case, is not just the mere absence of con\ufb02ict. Additionally, it brings great happiness and joy to the beings that live and also gives them the strength that they may require to share their happiness and joy with others, with the purified intention of working together to help in the transformation of the world into a pure land that experiences much peace. Besides, the sutra enables the disciples to embody the truth of being Buddha eternally and knowing the great treasures of the heart that dispels their feelings of powerlessness and automatically comes when one earnestly recite or read the Lotus Sutra in the person’s life in Japan.

Bibliography

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Groner, Paul, and Jacqueline I. Stone. 2014. “Editors’ Introduction: The Lotus Sutra In Japan.” Japanese Journal Of Religious Studies. doi:10.18874/jjrs.41.1.2014.1-23.

Lai, Whalen. 2010. “Why The Lotus Sūtra? On The Historic Significance Of Tendai”. Japanese Journal Of Religious Studies 14 (2-3). doi:10.18874/jjrs.14.2-3.1987.83-99.

Leighton, Taigen Dan. 2005. “Dōgen’S Appropriation Of Lotus Sutra Ground And Space”. Japanese Journal Of Religious Studies. doi:10.18874/jjrs.32.1.2005.85-105.

O’Leary, Joseph S. 2003. “Review Of Gene Reeves, Ed., A Buddhist Kaleidoscope: Essays On The Lotus Sutra”. Japanese Journal Of Religious Studies. doi:10.18874/jjrs.30.1-2.2003.175-177.

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