The Lotus Sutra

A Contemporary Translation of a Buddhist Classic

Gene Reeves

• Publisher: Wisdom Publications
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN: 9780861715718
• eBook ISBN: 9780861719877
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Eastern Philosophy

The Lotus Sutra is regarded as one of the world's great religious scriptures and most influential texts. It's a seminal work in the development of Buddhism throughout East Asia and, by extension, in the development of Mahayana Buddhism throughout the world. Taking place in a vast and fantastical cosmic setting, the Lotus Sutra places emphasis on skillfully doing whatever is needed to serve and compassionately care for others, on breaking down distinctions between the fully enlightened buddha and the bodhisattva who vows to postpone salvation until all beings may share it, and especially on each and every being's innate capacity to become a buddha.

Gene Reeves's new translation appeals to readers with little or no familiarity with technical Buddhist vocabulary, as well as long-time practitioners and students. In addition, this remarkable volume includes the full "threefold" text of this classic.

The Sutra of The Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma

1. Introduction

This is what I heard.

AT ONE TIME the Buddha was staying at Rajagriha on Holy Eagle Peak with a large group of great monks, twelve thousand in all. All of them were arhats, without faults, free from afflictions, self-developed, emancipated from all bonds of existence, and mentally free.

They included Ajnata-Kaundinya, Maha-Kashyapa, Uruvilva-Kashyapa, Gaya-Kashyapa, Nadi-Kashyapa, Shariputra, Maha-Maudgalyayana, Maha-Katyayana, Aniruddha, Kapphina, Gavampati, Revata, Pilindavatsa, Bakkula, Maha-Kausthila, Nanda, Sundarananda, Purna son of Maitrayani, Subhuti, Ananda, and Rahula. Such great arhats are all well known to everyone. In addition there were two thousand others, some in training and some no longer in training.

The nun Mahaprajapati was there with six thousand followers, and the nun Yashodhara, the mother of Rahula, with her followers.

There were eighty thousand bodhisattvas, great ones, all free from backsliding in the pursuit of supreme awakening. All of them had mastered incantations, taught with delight and eloquence, had turned the irreversible Dharma wheel, made offerings to countless hundreds of thousands of buddhas, planted many roots of virtue, and were always being praised by buddhas. Having trained themselves in compassion, they could enter into Buddha-wisdom, deeply understand great wisdom, and reach the other shore. Their fame had spread to innumerable worlds. And they were able to liberate innumerable hundreds of thousands of living beings.

They included Manjushri Bodhisattva, Regarder of the Cries of the World Bodhisattva, Great Strength Bodhisattva, Constant Effort Bodhisattva, Never Resting Bodhisattva, Jeweled Palm Bodhisattva, Medicine King Bodhisattva, Bold Almsgiver Bodhisattva, Jeweled Moon Bodhisattva, Moon Light Bodhisattva, Full Moon Bodhisattva, Great Power Bodhisattva, Immeasurable Power Bodhisattva, Above the Threefold World Bodhisattva, Bhadrapala Bodhisattva, Maitreya Bodhisattva, Accumulated Jewels Bodhisattva, and Guidance Bodhisattva. In all, eighty thousand such bodhisattva great ones were there.

Also there at that time were Indra, king of the gods, with his following of twenty thousand children of heaven; plus the children of heaven Rare Moon, Universal Fragrance, and Jewel Light, and the four great kings of heaven with their following of ten thousand children of heaven. There were the children of heaven Freedom and Great Freedom, followed by thirty thousand children of heaven. Brahma, king of heaven and lord of this world, was there, as was Great Brahma Shikhin, Great Brahma Bright Radiance, and others, along with their following of twelve thousand children of heaven.

There also were the eight dragon kings: Nanda Dragon King, Upananda Dragon King, Sagara Dragon King, Vasuki Dragon King, Takshaka Dragon King, Anavatapta Dragon King, Manasvin Dragon King, and Utpalaka Dragon King, each with several hundred thousand followers.

There were four chimera kings: Dharma Chimera King, Wonderful Dharma Chimera King, Great Dharma Chimera King, and Upholding the Dharma Chimera King, each with several hundred thousand followers.

In addition there were four centaur kings: Pleasant Centaur King, Pleasant Sound Centaur King, Beautiful Centaur King, and Beautiful Sound Centaur King, each with several hundred thousand followers.

There were four asura kings: Balin Asura King, Kharaskandha Asura King, Vemacitrin Asura King, and Rahu Asura King, each with several hundred thousand followers.

Four griffin kings were also there: Great Dignity and Virtue Griffin King, Great Body Griffin King, Great Fullness Griffin King, and Thus Willed Griffin King, each with several hundred thousand followers.

And King Ajatashatru, son of Vaidehi, with several hundred thousand followers was there.

Each prostrated himself at the Buddha’s feet, then withdrew and sat to one side.

At that time the World-Honored One, surrounded by the four groups, was given offerings, revered, honored, and praised. For the sake of all the bodhisattvas, he taught the Great Vehicle Sutra called Innumerable Meanings, the Dharma by which bodhisattvas are taught and which buddhas watch over and keep always in mind.

Having taught this sutra, sitting cross-legged, the Buddha entered the state of concentration called the place of innumerable meanings, in which his body and mind were completely motionless. Then mandarava, great mandarava, manjushaka, and great manjushaka flowers rained down from the sky on the Buddha and the entire assembly, while the whole Buddha-world trembled and shook in six ways.

Then the whole congregation — monks and nuns, laymen and laywomen, gods, dragons, satyrs, centaurs, asuras, griffins, chimeras, pythons, humans, and nonhumans, as well as minor kings and the wheel-turning saintly kings — astonished because this had never happened before, with palms together and with complete attention, joyously looked up at the Buddha.

From the tuft of white hair between his eyebrows, one of his characteristic features, the Buddha emitted a beam of light, illuminating eighteen thousand worlds in the east, so that there was nowhere that it did not reach, down to the lowest purgatory and up to Akanishtha, the highest heaven.

In those worlds, all the living beings in the six states could be seen. Likewise the buddhas existing at present in those lands could be seen, and the sutra teachings those buddhas were preaching could be heard. Monks and nuns, laymen and laywomen, who had attained the Way through practice, could also be seen. Further, one could see bodhisattvas, the great ones, walking the bodhisattva way due to various causes and conditions, with various degrees of faith and understanding, and in various forms. Likewise buddhas who had entered complete nirvana could be seen. And one could see there stupas made of the seven precious materials, stupas that had been built to hold the remains of these buddhas after they had entered complete nirvana.

Then Maitreya Bodhisattva thought: “Now the World-Honored One has displayed a marvelous sign. But what is the cause or reason for this auspicious sign? Now that the Buddha, the World-Honored One, has entered into concentration, whom can I ask about such inconceivable and unprecedented wonders? And who will be able to answer?” Then he thought: “Here is Manjushri, the son of the Dharma-king , who has been in close contact with, and made offerings to, innumerable buddhas in the past. Surely, he must already have witnessed such rare signs as these. I will ask him.”

Then the monks and nuns, laymen and laywomen, and all the gods, dragons, demon-gods, and others thought: “Whom shall we ask about this shining spiritual sign from the Buddha?”

Then Maitreya Bodhisattva, wanting to resolve his own doubts and seeing what was on the minds of the four groups of the assembly — the monks, and nuns, laymen and laywomen — as well as the gods, dragons, demon-gods, and others, asked Manjushri: “What is the reason for this auspicious and spiritual sign, emitting such a great, bright beam of light, illuminating the eighteen thousand eastern lands, revealing in detail the splendor of those Buddha-worlds?”

Then Maitreya Bodhisattva, wanting to say what he meant once again, asked in verse:

Manjushri,
From the tuft of white hair between his eyebrows
Why does our leader and teacher
Radiate so great a light in all directions?

The rain of mandarava
And manjushaka flowers
And fragrant breezes of sandalwood
Delight us all.

For this reason
The earth became splendid and pure,
And this whole world
Trembled and shook in six different ways.

At this moment the four groups
Are all full of joy,
Glad in body and in mind,
Having obtained something they never had before.

When the beam of light...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Table of Contents
• Preface
• Translator’s Introduction
• The Sutra of Innumerable Meanings
• The Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma
• The Sutra of Contemplation of the Dharma Practice of Universal Sage Bodhisattva
• Notes
• Glossaries
• Bibliography
• Index
• About the Translator
• About Wisdom Publications
• Copyright