Tag: Mahāyāna Buddhism

• The Eternal Buddha, Skillful Means, and Ultimate Reality in the Lotus Sūtra

  

  This briefing document provides a comprehensive review of the main themes and crucial ideas presented in the provided source, “The Eternal Buddha: Lifespan, Skillful Means, and Ultimate Reality.” It focuses on the re-conceptualization of the Buddha, the pedagogical role of skillful means (upāya), and the implications for practitioners and the understanding of reality within the…

  William Altig

  August 26, 2025

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

  Buddha-nature, Buddhism, Chapter 16 (The Life Span of the Thus Come One), Compassion (Karuṇā), Cosmic Scale of Buddhahood, Dharma-kāya (Pure Dharma Body), Eternal Buddha, Expedient Nirvāṇa, Faith and Practice, Historical Buddha, Lotus Sūtra, Mahāyāna Buddhism, Meditation, Nichiren, Nirmāna-kāya (Transformation Bodies), Nonduality, One Vehicle (Ekayāna), Ontology, Parable of the Burning House, Parable of the Skilled Physician, Pedagogy, Philosophy, Religion, Sambhoga-kāya (Perfect Reward Body), Skillful means (Upāya), Spirituality, Tiantai School, Time (Linear vs. Unconditioned), Tri-kāya (Three Bodies), Wisdom (Prajñā), Zhiyi, Śākyamuni Buddha

• The Lotus Sūtra and Universal Buddha-Nature

  

  Core Thesis: The “Lotus Sūtra” deeply emphasizes the universal potential for enlightenment (Buddha-nature) inherent in all beings. The Sūtra’s profound praise for those who uphold and propagate its teachings signifies the Buddha’s recognition and encouragement of this latent Buddha-nature, effectively entrusting practitioners with the fulfillment of his original vow to lead all beings to the…

  William Altig

  August 15, 2025

  Chapter 16, Chapter 21, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  Bodhisattva Never Disparaging, Bodhisattvas of the Earth, Buddha-nature, Chapter 21, Dharma, Enlightenment, Entrustment, Latter Day of the Law, Lotus Sūtra, Mahāyāna Buddhism, Miao-lo, Nam-myōhō-renge-kyō, Nichiren Daishonin, Odaimoku, Praise for Sutra Keepers, Repaying Gratitude, Samantabhadra, Shakyamuni Buddha, Superior Practices, Three Treasures, Universal Buddhahood

• The Dragon Girl’s Enlightenment: A Briefing on Universal Buddhahood and the Challenge to Tradition in the Lotus Sūtra

  

  Date: August 8, 2024 Subject: Analysis of the Dragon Girl’s Narrative in the Lotus Sūtra‘s Chapter Twelve Purpose: This briefing provides a detailed review of the main themes and most important ideas presented in the provided sources regarding the Dragon Girl’s story in the Lotus Sūtra, highlighting its significance for Mahāyāna Buddhist doctrine, particularly concerning…

  William Altig

  August 8, 2025

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

  Avalokiteśvara, Bodhi, Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, Buddhism, Buddhist art, Chapter Twelve, Devadatta, Dharma, Dragon Girl, Dragon King Sāgara, East Asian Buddhism, Emptiness (Śūnyatā), Enlightenment, Expedient Means (Upāya), Female Buddhahood, Five Obstacles, Gender Transformation, Guanyin, Henjō Nanshi, Instantaneous Enlightenment, Lotus Sūtra, Mahāyāna Buddhism, Meditation, Nichiren Buddhism, Nichiren Daishonin, Nāga, One Vehicle (Ekayāna), Patriarchal Prejudices, Philosophy, Precious Jewel, Religion, Sokushin Jōbutsu, Spiritual Equality, Spirituality, Spotless World of the South, Subitism, Sudden Enlightenment, Sudhana, Three Thousand Realms in a Single Moment of Life (Ichinen Sanzen), Tiantai School, universal salvation, Wisdom Accumulated, Zhiyi, Śāriputra

• The Patient Vow in the Lotus Sūtra

  

  I. Executive Summary This briefing document synthesizes the core themes and critical insights from “The Patient Vow: A Theological and Psychological Analysis of Compassion in Chapter 14 of the Lotus Sūtra” and its review. The central argument is that Chapter 14 of the Lotus Sūtra, particularly the teachings on “Peaceful Practices” (Anrakugyō), provides a sophisticated…

  William Altig

  August 3, 2025

  Chapter 14, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  Anrakugyō, Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva vow, Buddhism, Buddhist Feminism, Burnout, Chapter 14, Compassion, cosmic time, Delaying Nirvāṇa, Ekayāna, emptiness, Great Fault, Great Loss, Kalpas, karuṇā, Kṣānti, Lotus Sūtra, Mañjuśrī, Mahāyāna Buddhism, Meditation, Non-Judgmentalism, One Vehicle, Patience, Patient Vow, peaceful practices, Philosophy, prajñā, Priceless Gem Parable, Psychological Analysis, Reflective Practice, Religion, Rules of Association, Self-Perfection, Skillful Means, Spiritual Hygiene, Spiritual Practice, Spiritual Pride, Spirituality, Sukhivihāra, upāya, wisdom, Yogācāra, Śūnyatā

• 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

• The Lotus Sutra’s Paradox: Rarity vs. Eternal Buddha

  

  1. Introduction: The Dynamic Revelations of Truth in the Lotus Sūtra The Lotus Sūtra (Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtram) is a foundational and highly influential text in Mahāyāna Buddhism, particularly in East Asia. It presents key Mahāyāna tenets such as the One Vehicle (ekayāna), the distinction between expedient and ultimate teachings, and the revolutionary concept of the…

  William Altig

  July 26, 2025

  Chapter 16, Chapter 2, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law, Uncategorized

  air analogy, antithesis, apparent Nirvāṇa, apparent paradox, arrogance, aspiration for enlightenment, Bodhicitta, Buddha wisdom, Buddha’s immeasurable lifespan, Buddhism, casting off the transient and revealing the true, Chapter Sixteen, Chapter Two, complacency, cultivating recognition, Devadatta, Dharmakāya, dialectical framework, difficulty of encounter, dust particle kalpas, Ekayāna, equality, Eternal Lifespan of the Tathāgata, expedient teachings, faith, false views, far distant past, feigned death, five thousand Bhikshus, Great Vehicle Dharma, historical Shakyamuni Buddha, human inability, immanence of Dharma, inconceivable Dharma, infrequent appearance, Inherent Buddhahood, interconnectedness, Lotus Sūtra, Mahāyāna Buddhism, Meditation, Nirmāṇakāya, Nishyanda Buddha, non-dualistic realization, non-judgmental compassion, objective reality, obstruction of sense organs, One Vehicle, original enlightenment, Parable of the Plants, Parable of the Skilled Physician, pedagogical strategy., pervasive Dharma, Philosophy, potential for Buddhahood, practice, preciousness, prejudice, profound Dharma, Provisional Teachings, provisional to the real, rarity vs. eternal presence, Religion, reverence, Sambhogakāya, shallow merits, Skillful Means, Small Vehicle Dharma, spiritual readiness, spiritual truths, Spirituality, subjective experience, synthesis, thesis, Three Bodies of the Buddha, three vehicles, Trikāya, true entity of all phenomena, Udumbara flower, ultimate teachings, Universal Buddhahood, unsurpassed Way, upāya, urgency, Vairochana Buddha, virtuous roots, Wonderful Dharma

• An Analysis of the Cosmic Assembly in Chapter Eleven of the Lotus Sūtra: Emanation Buddhas, the Treasure Stupa, and the Supreme Dharma

  

  1. Introduction: The Pivotal Eleventh Chapter of the Lotus Sūtra The Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra, or Lotus Sūtra, stands as a foundational text within Mahāyāna Buddhism, profoundly shaping the religious landscape of East Asia.1 Revered as containing the final and complete teachings of Śākyamuni Buddha, it is particularly central to the Tiāntāi (Tendai), Cheontae, and Nichiren…

  William Altig

  April 20, 2025

  Chapter 11

  Buddha-fields, Buddha-nature, Buddhist Scripture, Chapter Eleven, Cosmic Assembly, Cosmology, Dharma preservation, Ekayāna, Emanation Buddhas, Lotus Sūtra, Mahāyāna Buddhism, Nichiren, One Vehicle, Prabhūtaratna, Religious Text, Saddharma, Skillful Means, Tendai, Tiāntāi, Treasure Stupa, Trikāya, upāya, Wonderful Dharma