Tag: karma

• 5 Ancient Buddhist Teachings That Will Radically Change Your Self-Perception

  

  1.0 Introduction: The Ancient Thirst for Reassurance Have you ever felt trapped by your own mind? Caught in a loop of the same fears, self-doubts, and mental habits, it can feel like you’re fighting a battle against an opponent who knows your every move. We can feel so defined by our past mistakes and limitations…

  William Altig

  October 24, 2025

  Chapter 6, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  Amrita (Nectar), Arhat, Assurance of Future Buddhahood, Avidyā (Ignorance), Bodhisattva, Buddha-fields, Buddha-nature (Tathāgatagarbha), Buddhahood, Buddhata, Chapter Six, Cosmic Therapy, Doctrinal Analysis, Ekayāna, Enlightenment, Existential Fear, Habitual Tendencies (Vāsanā), Joy (Prīti), Juki-hon, Jāmbūnadābhāsa, karma, Kleshas, Lotus Sutra, Mahayana Buddhist Soteriology, Mahā-Kātyāyana, Mahā-Kāśyapa, Maudgalyāyana, Mental Afflictions, Nectar of Assurance, One Vehicle, Parable of the Burning House, Prophecy of Buddhahood, Psychic Powers (ṛddhi), Psychological Intervention, pure lands, Raśmiprabhāsa, Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra, Shou Ji Pin, Skillful Means (Upāya-kauśalya), Subhūti, Tamālapatracandanagandha, Tendai, Tiantai, Triyāna (Three Vehicles), Vyākaraṇa, Wisdom of Emptiness (Śūnyatā), Śrāvaka

• 5 Surprising Truths About Suffering and Liberation from an Ancient Buddhist Text

  

  Ancient scriptures can feel intimidating. Dense and filled with unfamiliar names and concepts, texts like the Buddhist Lotus Sūtra can seem like relics from a world far removed from our own. Yet, hidden within their verses are often profound, timeless insights into the human condition that resonate with startling clarity today. This is especially true…

  William Altig

  October 21, 2025

  Chapter 7, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  akusala kamma, apāyas, Bodhisattva spirit, Brahma Verses, Chapter Seven, Delusion, dharma-prīti, Ekayāna, evil regions, fundamental ignorance, gampon no mumyō, Great-Universal-Wisdom-Excellence Buddha, Heavenly-King Brahmas, karma, Lotus Sūtra, lower realms, Mahābhijñā-jñānābhibhū, mithyā-dṛṣṭi, Moha, One Vehicle, Parable of the Conjured City, pleasure of the Dharma, Saṃsāra, Shakyamuni Buddha, sinful karmas, Skillful Means, spiritual amnesia, Suffering, treasure land, Universal Buddhahood, upāya, wrong views

• 5 Surprising Lessons from the Lotus Sutra That Might Change How You Think

  

  Introduction: Beyond the Ancient Text Ancient spiritual texts can often feel like imposing monuments—dense, remote, and perhaps a little intimidating. We look at them from a distance, appreciating their historical significance but unsure how to connect with the wisdom locked inside. They can seem more like artifacts to be revered in a museum than practical…

  William Altig

  October 13, 2025

  Chapter 25, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  Anger, Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, Avalokitesvara, Bodhisattva Medicine King, Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva Medicine King, Buddha Way, Buddhahood, Chapter 10: A Teacher of the Dharma, emptiness of all phenomena, Endless-Intent Bodhisattva, Enlightenment, expedient means, Gentleness and Patience, Great Compassion, kannon, kanzeon, karma, Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Dharma, lust, Offerings, Phantom people, Pratyekabuddha path, Preaching the Dharma, Reading and Reciting, Slander, Stupa of Seven Treasures, Stupidity, Tathagata, Tathagata’s Envoy, Tathagata’s Robe, Tathagata’s room, Tathagata’s Seat, Teacher of the Dharma, The Lotus Sutra, three poisons, True Nature of Reality, Upholding the Lotus Sutra, World-Honored One, World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva, Śrāvaka path

• Avalokiteśvara’s Role and Transformation in Mahāyāna Buddhism

  

  Executive Summary This document synthesizes a detailed analysis of Avalokiteśvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, as presented in Chapter Twenty-Five of the Lotus Sūtra, titled “The Universal Gateway.” The analysis reveals a complex figure whose significance extends far beyond that of a simple devotional deity. The central thesis is that the text presents a dual-layered understanding…

  William Altig

  September 22, 2025

  Chapter 25, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  *Avalokitasvara* (Sound Perceiver), *Guanshiyin* (Perceiver of the World’s Sounds), *upāya-kauśalya*, *śūnyatā* (emptiness), *īśvara* (Lord who looks down), allegorical interpretation, Amitābha Buddha, Anger, Avalokitesvara, Chapter Twenty-Five, Chenrezig, Compassion (Karuṇā), Engaged Buddhism, feminization of Avalokiteśvara, folly/ignorance, Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin, Heart Sutra, inner transformation, kannon, kanzeon, karma, lotus flower symbolism, Lotus Sutra, lust, Mahayana Buddhism, Natha Deviyo, One Vehicle doctrine, Pure Land Buddhism, pure water vase, Putuo Shan, Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra, Seven Difficulties, Skillful Means, Sukhāvatī, Thirty-Three Forms of Manifestation, Thousand-Armed, Thousand-Eyed Avalokiteśvara, three poisons, Universal Gateway, Upaya, willow branch, Wisdom (Prajñā), World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva

• The Allegory of “Wonders” in the Lotus Sūtra and Modern Buddhist Practice

  

  This briefing document examines the allegorical interpretation of “wonders” in Chapter Twenty-Seven of the Lotus Sūtra, “The Former Deeds of King Wondrous Splendor,” and how these ancient narratives translate into meaningful modern Buddhist practice. It highlights the transformation of supernatural feats into metaphors for internal and social change, emphasizing compassion, self-control, resilience, and respect as…

  William Altig

  September 20, 2025

  Chapter 27, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  “Wonders” allegory, #Resilience, abhijna, ṛddhi, bodhisattva way, Brahmanism, Buddha’s ambivalent view, Buddha-nature, Chapter 27, Cloud Thunder Sound Constellation King Flower Wisdom, collective liberation, compassionate propagation, Divine Ear, Divine Eye, Engaged Buddhism, enlightenment (bodhi), Equanimity, ethical conduct, Freedom by Undefiled Wisdom, fundamental ignorance, human revolution, Internal Transformation, karma, King Wonderful Adornment, Knowledge of Others’ Minds, Lotus Sutra, Mahayana Buddhism, modern Buddhist practice, Nichiren’s teaching, non-duality of person and environment (Eshō Funi), Patanjali’s Yoga-sūtra, personal transformation, Pure Eye, Pure Storehouse, Pure Virtue, purification of mind, Recollection of Past Lives, respect for all beings, self-belittling attitudes, sharing the Dharma, siddhis, six abhijñā interpretation, Six Paramitas, Skillful Means (Upaya), social engagement, social peace, spiritual powers, supernatural feats, Supernatural Powers (ṛddhi), Tathagata, Teachers of the Law chapter, Theravada tradition, Tiantai patriarch Zhanran

• The Empowering Presence and Protection of Universal-Sage Bodhisattva in the Lotus Sūtra

  

  This briefing document reviews the main themes and important ideas surrounding Universal-Sage Bodhisattva (Samantabhadra/Fugen) as presented in the concluding chapter of the Lotus Sūtra, “Encouragement of Universal-Sage Bodhisattva.” It addresses the nature of his vow, the role of dhāraṇīs and “supernatural powers,” the significance of Jambudvīpa, and the enduring legacy of these teachings in various…

  William Altig

  September 17, 2025

  Chapter 28, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  Abhijñā, Avalokiteśvara, Bhaiṣajyarāja, Bodhisattva, Buddha-nature, Dharma, Dhāraṇī, Divine Aid, Enlightenment, External Aid, Fugen, Higher Knowledges, Internal Cultivation, Jambudvīpa, karma, Kōsen-rufu, Lotus Sūtra, Mañjuśrī, Mahāyāna Buddhism, Meditative Aid, Mnemonic Device, Mount Meru, Nichiren Buddhism, Parinirvāṇa, Practice (Caryā), protection, Protective Incantation, Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra, Samantabhadra, Six Perfections, Six Tusks, Skillful means (Upāya), spiritual energy, supernatural powers, Tendai school, Tiantai School, Universal-Sage Bodhisattva, vows, White Elephant, Śākyamuni Buddha

• Lotus Sūtra: Karma and Power

  

  Date: August 27, 2025 Source: Excerpts from “Lotus Sūtra: Karma and Power” (various linked sources) I. Executive Summary This briefing document summarizes key themes from an analysis of Chapter Nineteen, “The Merits of the Teacher of the Dharma,” of the Lotus Sūtra. It highlights the Sūtra’s core message of universal enlightenment, emphasizing that Buddhahood is…

  William Altig

  August 29, 2025

  Chapter 19, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  Avici Hells, body, Buddha Nature, Buddhahood, Chapter Nineteen, Cosmic Humanism, Cutting Off Afflictions, Dharma Teacher, Dharma Transmission, Ears, Embodied Enlightenment, Eyes, Greed, happiness, Heavenly Eye, Insight (Prajna), Internal Happiness, karma, Karmic Consequences, Karmic Transformation, Lotus Sūtra, Love and Compassion, Mahayana Buddhism, Merits of the Teacher of the Dharma, mind, Nose, Patience, Perceptual Transformation, Purification of Six Senses, Rokkonshoujou, Saddharma-puṇḍarīka Sūtra, Spiritual Power, Spiritual Practice, Sumeru-worlds, The Buddha Speaks the Sutra About Karma., Tongue, Universal Enlightenment, Violence, Worldly Power

• Arrogance vs. Faith in the Lotus Sutra

  

  Overview This briefing document reviews the central role of arrogance and its antitheses—faith and respect—as crucial factors in understanding and benefiting from the profound teachings of the Lotus Sutra, particularly as highlighted in Chapter 2 (“Expedient Means”) and elaborated upon by Nichiren Daishonin. The sources emphasize that the Buddha’s “wonderful and inconceivable” Dharma requires an…

  William Altig

  August 14, 2025

  Chapter 2, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  arrogance, Bodhisattva Never Disparaging, Buddha-nature, Buddhist practice, Chapter 2 Expedient Means, Dharma, Enlightenment, faith, Five Thousand Arrogant People, Fourteen Slanders, humility, karma, Lotus Sutra, Miao-lo, Nichiren Daishonin, Obstacles to Dharma, One Buddha Vehicle, Persecution, Receptivity, respect, Shakyamuni Buddha, Slander, Spiritual Growth, Three Powerful Enemies, Śraddhā, Śāriputra

• Devadatta’s Enlightenment in the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren’s Philosophy

  

  1. Executive Summary This briefing examines the paradoxical concept of Devadatta’s enlightenment, a central tenet in the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren’s philosophy. Devadatta, cousin and notorious adversary of Shakyamuni Buddha, committed two of the five “Anantarika-karma” (grave offenses) and was traditionally condemned to the Avīci Hell, a realm of incessant suffering. However, the Lotus Sutra,…

  William Altig

  August 7, 2025

  Chapter 12, Nichiren, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  Adversaries as Teachers, Arhatship, Avici Hell, Bodhisattva Ideal, Buddha, Buddhahood, Buddhism, Changing Poison into Medicine, compassion., Devadatta, Dharma, Dragon King’s Daughter, Enlightenment, Ethical Implications, Final Dharma Age, Five Anantarika-karma, Grave Offenses, Heavenly King Buddha, Hell of Incessant Suffering, Ichinen Sanzen, Inherent Buddha-nature, Instantaneous Enlightenment, karma, Karmic Retribution, Kitō-shō, Lotus Sutra, Mahayana Buddhism, Mappo, Meditation, Nichiren, Non-dualistic Perspective, Philosophy, Religion, Schism in Sangha, Shakyamuni Buddha, Soteriology, Spiritual Growth, Theravada Buddhism, Treatise on Prayers, Universal Buddhahood, universal salvation

• Buddhist Perspectives on Time, Purpose, and Enlightenment: A Briefing

  

  This briefing synthesizes key themes from the provided source, “Lotus Sūtra: Time’s Immeasurability,” focusing on the Buddhist understanding of time, its implications for spiritual practice, and the path to enlightenment. It aims to address the modern anxiety of “not enough time” by demonstrating how the Sūtra’s teachings transform this perception into a liberating framework for…

  William Altig

  August 2, 2025

  Chapter 16, Chapter 7, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  14th Dalai Lama, Abhidharmakośabhāṣyam, Ajahn Brahm, Arhat, Ayya Khema, Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva’s vow, Buddha, Buddha-nature, Buddhism, Buddhist Philosophy, Busyness (modern delusion), Compassion (Karuṇā), cosmic time, Cosmology, Cyclical time, Dukkha, Enlightenment, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, Great Compassion (Mahākaruṇā), Great-Universal-Wisdom-Excellence, Ink-powder parable, Kalpas (Aeons), karma, Linear time, Lotus Sūtra, Mahāyāna Buddhism, Mindfulness, Nirvāṇa, Parinirvāṇa, Pema Chödrön, Phantom City Parable, Philosophy, Pratyekabuddha, Precious human birth, Present moment, Religion, Saṃsāra, Skillful means (Upāya), spiritual path, Spiritual Practice, Spirituality, Sumeru-worlds (Cakravāḍa), Temporal Anxiety, Thich Nhat Hanh, Thousand-million-fold world (Trisāhasra-mahāsāhasra-loka-dhātu), time, Wisdom (Prajñā), Yojanas, Śākyamuni Buddha