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

We move through our days shadowed by the sense that time is running out, that the clock is always ticking toward an inevitable end. But what if this perception of a single, fleeting lifetime is a profound misunderstanding? An ancient passage from the Lotus Sūtra offers a radically liberating perspective on the true nature of life and time.

1. Our Perception of Time Is an Illusion

The Buddha invites us to perceive time not as a river flowing in one direction, but as a vast, boundless ocean. We tend to believe our existence is tied directly to the lifespan of our physical bodies, beginning at birth and ending at death. The Buddha’s perspective, however, is not so limited.

I remember the extinction of that Buddha

As vividly as if he had passed away just now,

By my unhindered wisdom; I also remember

The Śrāvakas and Bodhisattvas who lived [with him].

The power here lies in the words “vividly” and “just now.” For an enlightened mind, the past is not a faded photograph but a present, accessible reality. This suggests that our core consciousness is not bound by a linear clock, but can directly perceive across time. Consider a memory so vivid it feels like yesterday. The Sūtra suggests this is not a trick of the mind, but a glimpse into the true, timeless nature of our awareness.

2. You Are More Than Your Physical Body

While our individual lives are certainly precious, the Sūtra reminds us that this is “not the whole story.” Our existence is deeply interconnected with that of “countless beings,” woven into a much larger tapestry of life. This is not merely a poetic sentiment; it is the key to transcending the fear of death. If our “self” is not an isolated island but is part of this vast web of existence, then the “extinction” of one small part—our body—is not the end of the whole. The life force that animates us continues its journey through these countless beings. From this perspective, there truly is “no shortage of time, and no shortage of lives.”

3. The Only Real Limits Are Self-Imposed

If our time and existence are not truly limited, then our opportunities to benefit others are “truly boundless.” The potential for positive action, learning, and growth extends far beyond the horizon of a single lifetime. The text states clearly that the only things restricting this immense potential are “our own delusion and attachment.”

What are these inner restrictions? In this context, “delusion” is the mistaken belief that this single, fragile life is all we have. “Attachment” is the fear-based clinging that arises from this delusion—the desperate grip on a temporary form. This is an incredibly empowering idea, as it shifts the source of our limitations from unchangeable factors like mortality to internal states we can actively work with and transform.

A Boundless Horizon

This ancient wisdom is an invitation to inhabit a larger reality—one where our existence is not a brief spark, but a continuous thread in a grand, interconnected tapestry. It points toward a reality unconstrained by a single body or a linear timeline, where our potential is truly limitless.

If you truly believed your opportunities were boundless, what fear would you let go of today?