Lotus Sūtra Collection

Toh 111: The White Lotus of Great Compassion

Toh 112: The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra “The White Lotus of Compassion”

The sūtra describes a previous life of Śākyamuni Buddha when he was a court priest to a king. He makes his prayer to become a buddha and causes the king, his princes, his own sons and pupils, and others, to also take the same vow. This is revealed to be the major event that is the origin of buddhas and bodhisattvas such as Amitābha, Akṣobhya, Avalokiteśvara, Mañjuśrī, and the thousand buddhas of our eon. The “white lotus of compassion” in the title refers to Śākyamuni himself, emphasizing his superiority over all other buddhas, like a fragrant, healing white lotus among a bed of ordinary flowers. He chose to be reborn in an impure realm during the degenerate times. Because of this courageous vow of great compassion, Śākyamuni is considered one of the greatest buddhas.

Toh 113: The Mahāyāna Sūtra “The White Lotus of the Good Dharma”

Summary The White Lotus of the Good Dharma , popularly known as the Lotus Sūtra , is taught by Buddha Śākyamuni on Vulture Peak to an audience that includes bodhisattvas from countless realms, as well as bodhisattvas who emerge from under the ground, from the space below this world. Buddha Prabhūtaratna, who has long since passed into nirvāṇa, appears within a floating stūpa to hear the sūtra, and Śākyamuni enters the stūpa and sits beside him. The Lotus Sūtra is celebrated, particularly in East Asia, for its presentation of crucial elements of the Mahāyāna tradition, such as the doctrine that there is only one yāna, or “vehicle”; the distinction between expedient and definite teachings; and the notion that the Buddha’s life, enlightenment, and parinirvāṇa were simply manifestations of his transcendent buddhahood, while he continues to teach eternally. A recurring theme in the sūtra is its own significance in teaching these points during past and future eons, with many passages in which the Buddha and bodhisattvas such as Samantabhadra describe the great benefits that come from devotion to it, the history of its past devotees, and how it is the Buddha’s ultimate teaching, supreme over all other sūtras.

Toh 835: The Noble Lasso of Methods, the Lotus Garland

Summary Reconstructed stemmatic edition of the tantra together with its Tengyur commentary (G 2716, Q 4717; not found in Degé) in a restored version, IOLTibJ321.

Toh 4017: Untitled

Innumerable Meanings Sūtra

Opening discourse to the Lotus — infinite meanings from a single Dharma.

The Lotus Sūtra

The 'king' of Mahāyāna sūtras. One Buddha Vehicle — all beings will become Buddhas. 28 chapters, the Universal Gateway chapter on Avalokiteśvara is famous.

Contemplation of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva

Closing discourse to the Lotus — practice of Samantabhadra.