Tag: generosity

• The Surprising Truth a Buddhist Text Reveals About Your Character

  

  1.0 Introduction: The Echoes in Our Actions Have you ever wondered why you are drawn to certain ideas, ethical principles, or spiritual practices? What is it within us that seeks out meaning or gravitates toward a path of kindness and wisdom? An ancient verse from the Buddhist Lotus Sūtra offers a profound perspective on this…

  William Altig

  December 1, 2025

  Chapter 16, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  beneficial actions, Buddha, calamity of death, Chapter Seventeen, decline of teachings, evil world, generosity, harmful actions, Lotus Sūtra, Maitreya Bodhisattva, Offerings, practice, previous existences, trauma, Wonderful Dharma

• The Joy of Awakening Buddha-Nature in the Lotus Sūtra

  

  I. Introduction: The Radical Shift of the Original Teaching This briefing document examines the profound implications of faith and joy as presented in Chapter 17 of the Lotus Sūtra, particularly in light of the preceding Chapter 16, “The Life Span of the Thus Come One.” Chapter 16 marks a pivotal doctrinal shift from the “trace…

  William Altig

  September 18, 2025

  Chapter 17, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  Ajita, Arhat, Bodhisattva, Buddha’s longevity, Buddha-nature, buddhadhātu, cetasika, Chapter 16, Chapter 17, dana, Dharmakaya, dhyana, diligence, Distinction of Merits, Dukkha, Ekayāna, Eternal Buddha, firm faith, generosity, human revolution, imaginary city, joy, joyful interest, Kṣānti, kleśa, Lotus Sutra, Maitreya, Meditation, Merit, morality, Nichiren, Nirvāṇa, One Vehicle, original teaching, parable of the jewel in the robe, Parable of the Prodigal Son, Patience, Pratyekabuddha, prīti, Pāramitās, rapture, Saṃsāra, saṅkhāra-kkhandha, Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra, Sakyamuni Buddha, sila, Skillful Means, sukha, Tathagatagarbha, The Life Span of the Thus Come One, three vehicles, Tiantai School, Trace Teaching, triyāna, Upaya, vedanā-kkhandha, virtue, Visuddhimagga, vīrya, zest, Zhiyi, Śraddhā, Śrāvaka

• Necklace of the Boundless Heart

  

  (A Bluesy Folk Song) “Dive into the soulful currents of ‘Necklace of the Boundless Heart,’ a bluesy folk ballad inspired by the Lotus Sutra’s timeless tale of compassion and shared merit. With a voice full of grit and grace, this song weaves the story of Bodhisattvas offering a jeweled necklace not for themselves, but for…

  William Altig

  March 23, 2025

  music

  acoustic, Blues, Blues Folk, Bodhisattva, Buddhist inspired, Compassion, cosmic, Emotional, Folk, folk ballad, generosity, Heartfelt, Lotus Sutra, Meditation, Merit, river imagery, Soulful, Spiritual, Storytelling, universal love

• Share Your Blessings, Let ‘Em Shine

  

  A soulful folk blues rendition of a powerful story from the Lotus Sutra. “Share Your Blessings, Let ‘Em Shine” recounts the tale of Endless-Intent Bodhisattva’s generous offering and the Buddha’s teaching on the importance of compassion. Through heartfelt lyrics and a bluesy melody, the song reminds us that true wealth lies in sharing our blessings…

  William Altig

  March 22, 2025

  music

  asuras, Avalokiteshvara, blessings, Blues, Buddha, Buddhism, Buddhist, compassion., dragons, Endless-Intent Bodhisattva, Folk Blues, gandharvas, garudas, generosity, gods, Guanyin, human beings, kinnaras, Let ‘Em Shine, Lotus Sutra, mahoragas, Merit, nonhuman beings, Share Your Blessings, sharing, World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva, yakshas

• The Necklace of Boundless Compassion

  

  (A Bluesy Folk Song) “The Necklace of Boundless Compassion” is a soulful, blues-infused folk ballad that weaves a timeless Buddhist parable into a universal anthem of generosity and interconnectedness. Inspired by Chapter 25 of the Lotus Sutra, the song tells the story of Endless-Intent Bodhisattva’s offering of a priceless necklace to World-Voice-Perceiver (Avalokiteshvara), who initially…

  William Altig

  March 21, 2025

  music

  Acoustic Guitar, Blues Folk, Bodhisattva, Buddhist teachings, Compassion, divine beings, generosity, Harmonica, interconnectedness, karma and merit, Lotus Sutra, moral parable, mythological imagery, reflective music, sacred narrative, soulful melody, spiritual ballad, Spiritual Journey, Storytelling, universal kindness

• Sharing Boundless Merit: A Deep Dive into the Lotus Sutra’s Teachings on Compassion and Generosity

  

  I. Introduction: The Profound Principle of Shared Merit in the Lotus Sutra The Lotus Sutra, revered as a cornerstone of Mahayana Buddhism, presents a comprehensive vision of the path to enlightenment, emphasizing the inherent potential for Buddhahood within all beings and advocating the compassionate path of the Bodhisattva 1. This scripture, which has profoundly influenced…

  William Altig

  March 14, 2025

  The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  asuras, Avalokiteshvara, Bodhisattva Path, Buddha, Buddhism, Buddhist cosmology, Compassion, Dharma, dragons, Endless-Intent Bodhisattva, Enlightenment, four kinds of devotees, gandharvas, garudas, generosity, gods, Guanyin, human beings, kinnaras, Lotus Sutra, mahoragas, Merit, Namu Myoho Renge Kyo, nonhuman beings, Philosophy, Religion, sharing merit, Spirituality, World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva, yakshas