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

It often arrives as a quiet, nagging whisper: a sense that amidst the daily urgencies, a deeper purpose has been misplaced, like a vow made in a dream and forgotten upon waking. This experience of a lost connection is a common thread in the human story, a feeling that our lives are meant for something more than just getting by.

A brief, powerful teaching from the ancient Lotus Sūtra offers a profound metaphor for this very feeling. It comes in the form of a verse about the Buddha’s own son, Rāhula, and suggests that what appears ordinary on the surface can conceal a secret, sacred practice. This teaching offers a key to unlock not only Rāhula’s role but also the hidden vow that lies dormant within each of us.

1. The Buddha’s Son Was More Than He Seemed

Rāhula was the son born to the Buddha and his wife, Yaśodharā, before the Buddha left his royal life to seek enlightenment. To many, his role might have seemed straightforward—the son of a great teacher. Yet, the Lotus Sūtra reveals a hidden layer to his identity.

The Buddha himself points to a central mystery, claiming that Rāhula had “secret practices” that were known only to him. This is captured in a verse from the Sūtra:

Only I know his secret practices.
He shows himself
To all living beings
In the form of my eldest son.

What makes this verse so arresting is how it reframes a simple familial relationship into a profound spiritual teaching. It suggests that appearances—even one as significant as being the Buddha’s son—can serve as a vehicle for a much deeper, unseen purpose.

2. You Have a “Secret Practice,” Too

The Sūtra doesn’t share this detail about Rāhula as mere trivia; it presents his secret as a precise and compassionate mirror for our own. In his highest teaching, the Buddha reminds us that we, too, carry a similar secret within us.

The source of this secret is our Bodhisattva vow “to come into this world of conflict to benefit all beings.” This is a fundamental commitment we are all said to have made. This “world of conflict” is not some abstract realm; it is the world we live in, with its internal conflicts of anxiety and doubt, and its external conflicts of social division and ecological crisis. Due to the preoccupations that come with living in this world, these vows are often forgotten. They become “a secret even to us.” This forgotten vow is our own “secret practice.”

This reframes our spiritual journey entirely. The goal is not to become someone new, but to remember who we have always been. Our purpose isn’t a destination to be reached; it’s an origin to be recovered.

3. Enlightenment Is Not Earned, It’s Remembered

The ultimate purpose of teachings like the Lotus Sūtra is not to present new information but to awaken a sleeping part of ourselves. They are designed to remind us of who we truly are and the vows we have already made.

When we hear the Sūtra, the text says, we are reminded that we are the “dear children of the Dharma.” This leads to the most profound point: enlightenment is our “rightful inheritance.” This perspective fundamentally shifts our understanding of the spiritual path. Enlightenment is not a distant, difficult goal that must be earned through immense struggle. Instead, it is our birthright. Remembering our secret vow is the act of claiming this inheritance; they are two sides of the same coin.

Conclusion: What Will You Remember?

This ancient teaching guides us from the mystery of another’s purpose to the heart of our own. It reveals that our most sacred commitment is not something we must build from scratch, but a treasure buried within, waiting to be remembered. Our true nature is not a prize to be won, but an inheritance to be claimed.

If enlightenment is your rightful inheritance, what “secret” vow are you ready to remember today?