Lotus Sutra

Author: Hongxue Bi
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-11-01
Features: "The Lotus Sutra" consists of seven volumes and twenty-eight chapters, translated by the master Kumarajiva of the Yao period in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. It is included in the "Taisho Tripitaka" (Volume 9). It is one of the key scriptures of Mahayana Buddhism. "Miao Fa" means that the teachings expounded are subtle and supreme; "Lianhua Jing" metaphorically represents the purity and perfection of the scripture. According to research, the original text of the scripture can be traced back to the pre-1st century CE. The purpose of the scripture is to argue that the various schools of Abhidharma Buddhism excessively emphasize form and deviate from the true meaning of the teachings. Therefore, to grasp the true spirit of the Buddha, it employs literary techniques such as verse (poetry), parables, and symbols to praise the eternal Buddha (the Buddha of long since attained perfection). After the Japanese Prince Shotoku annotated the "Yi Shu" (Commentary), this scripture became one of the three protective scriptures for Japan, revered since ancient times. Tong studied in Tang China and returned to Japan, where he founded the Tendai sect. Afterward, this scripture became the central focus of Buddhist education, the main branch of the new Buddhism, and thus dominated the Buddhist world in Japan. The Sanskrit version of this scripture was discovered in places like Kashgar in Xinjiang in modern times. In 1852, the French scholar Bonjour translated it from Sanskrit into French and published it. Subsequently, English and Japanese translations followed.