Mr. Altig’s Overview of the Wonderful Dharma of the Lotus Sutra

Once upon a time, there was a young man named Raj who lived in a small village at the foothills of a mountain range. Raj was a hardworking and kind person, but he was plagued by a deep sense of unfulfilled desire. He craved more wealth, more status, and more pleasure in his life, and this desire consumed him entirely.

One day, Raj heard of a wise monk who lived atop the tallest mountain in the range. The monk was said to have the answers to life’s greatest mysteries, and Raj was determined to seek him out. So he set out on a journey that would take him up the winding paths of the mountain, through dense forests and treacherous terrain.

Finally, after many days of arduous climbing, Raj reached the summit and met the monk. The monk could sense the young man’s inner turmoil and asked him what was troubling him.

Raj replied, “I feel like my life is empty and meaningless. No matter what I do, I can never seem to satisfy my cravings for more wealth, status, and pleasure.”

The wise monk listened to Raj’s words and responded, “What you are experiencing is the second noble truth – the truth of craving. Your unquenched thirst for more is a source of suffering that can never be fully satisfied. The more you try to fulfill your desires, the more they will arise, and the more you will suffer.”

Raj was taken aback by the monk’s words. He had never considered that his desire for more was the root of his suffering. However, as he reflected on what the monk had said, he began to see the truth in his words.

The monk then shared with Raj an insightful response to this truth: “The way to overcome craving is not to chase after more but to release your attachment to your desires. Letting go and cultivating dispassion towards the objects of your desire will bring a sense of freedom and intrinsic joy that cannot be found in the pursuit of material possessions.”

Raj was intrigued by the monk’s words and asked, “But if I let go of my desires, won’t I become complacent and lazy?”

The monk smiled and replied, “Not at all. When you release your attachment to your desires, you will find a sense of inner peace and contentment that will drive you to act in the world in ways that are aligned with your highest values and aspirations. You will act out of love and compassion rather than out of craving and self-interest.”

Raj took the monk’s words to heart and began to practice dispassion and letting go. He found that as he released his attachment to his desires, a sense of inner freedom and joy began to arise within him. He discovered that true fulfillment could only be found in the present moment, and that by letting go of his attachment to the future, he was able to live a life of purpose and meaning.

And so, Raj returned to his village, a changed man. He no longer craved more wealth, status, or pleasure, but instead lived a life of simplicity, contentment, and service to others. He had found the intrinsic joy that comes from releasing attachment to one’s desires, and he knew that he would never be the same again.

As the story drew to a close in its prose, the words began to rhyme with a poetic flow.

In a village nestled by a mountain range,
Lived a young man, Raj, with unfulfilled desire so strange.
He longed for more wealth, status, and pleasure to arrange,
And his craving consumed him, like an all-consuming flame.

One day, he heard of a wise monk atop the mountain high,
Who could answer life’s mysteries and make him wise.
Raj set out on a journey, through forests dense and skies,
Till he reached the summit and met the monk’s eyes.

The monk sensed his turmoil, and asked what was amiss,
Raj replied, “I crave more, but it brings no bliss.”
The monk spoke of the second noble truth, “Craving is,
A source of suffering, that’s never fulfilled or remiss.”

Raj was struck by the monk’s words, and began to see,
That his desire for more, was the root of his misery.
The monk’s answer to this was to let go and be,
Dispassionate to his desires, and find intrinsic joy and glee.

Raj was curious, “But won’t I become lazy and aloof?”
The monk smiled, “No, you’ll be driven by a purposeful truth,
Aligned with your highest values, love, compassion, and proof,
That letting go of desire, brings freedom, and a life uncouth.”

Raj practiced letting go, and found within,
A sense of inner peace and contentment, a joyful grin.
He realized that fulfillment lay not in possessions or sin,
But in the present moment, and service to others akin.

And so, Raj returned to his village, a changed man,
No longer consumed by craving, or in need of a plan.
He lived a life of simplicity, contentment, and a service fan,
Knowing that true joy lay in letting go, and in love’s endless span.