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

We’ve all encountered it. That person who declares they are unsurpassed, the best, the one with all the answers. Our natural reaction is often one of suspicion and skepticism. Such claims tend to trigger our distrust, and we dismiss them as pure arrogance—an inflated sense of self-worth born of ego. We are conditioned to see humility as a virtue and bold self-proclamation as a flaw.

But what if a declaration of ultimate superiority wasn’t about ego at all? What if it was a statement of profound purpose and responsibility? In one of the most important Buddhist texts, the Buddha makes a claim that challenges our very definition of arrogance and reveals a deeper truth about the nature of greatness.

The Buddha’s Astonishing Claim

In Chapter Five of the Lotus Sūtra, the Buddha makes a proclamation that sounds like the ultimate display of arrogance. He states, without qualification:

I am the World-Honored One.

I am not surpassed by anyone.

I have appeared in this world

To give peace to all living beings.

If anyone else were to make such a statement, we would almost certainly accuse them of arrogance. It seems to be a clear claim of personal supremacy, the kind of assertion that immediately puts us on guard.

The Deeper Meaning: Superiority for the Sake of Others

With the Buddha, however, this declaration is understood in a fundamentally different light. The statement is not seen as an act of ego but as a necessary expression of his purpose. The reason for this interpretation lies in the understanding that his wisdom and compassion are boundless.

The most critical insight is this: his superiority is for our benefit. The first two lines establishing his status are not a boast, but a necessary credential for the immense task outlined in the final line. The claim of being “not surpassed by anyone” isn’t a statement of ego; it is the establishment of the ultimate qualification required “To give peace to all living beings.” After all, if the one promising peace weren’t unsurpassed, the promise itself would be less credible. His supreme authority is what makes his universal promise possible.

A New Perspective on Greatness

This short passage offers a profound shift in perspective. What initially appears as a declaration of ultimate spiritual authority is revealed to be a declaration of ultimate capacity and purpose. The Buddha’s greatness isn’t something he possesses for his own sake; it is the very quality that enables him to serve all others.

This challenges us to redefine greatness itself: not as a measure of how far above others we are, but of how deeply we are able to serve them.