Tag: Philosophy

• The Lotus Sūtra and the Deconstruction of the Zero-Sum Fallacy in Spiritual Attainment

  

  Executive Summar The Lotus Sūtra, a pivotal Mahayana Buddhist scripture (1st-2nd centuries CE), fundamentally redefines spiritual attainment from a zero-sum paradigm to one of universal, interconnected abundance. It asserts that enlightenment is an inherent potential within all beings, accessible to everyone, and mutually beneficial. Through key doctrines and parables, the Sūtra demonstrates that individual spiritual…

  William Altig

  August 1, 2025

  Chapter 10, Chapter 7, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

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• The Unveiling of Universal Wisdom in the Lotus Sūtra

  

  I. Introduction: The Lotus Sūtra and the Bodhisattva Ideal The Lotus Sūtra (Saddharmapundarika-sutra) is a foundational and highly influential text in East Asian Buddhism, composed between the 1st century BCE and 2nd century CE. It is widely considered the final and complete teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha, aiming for the enlightenment of all sentient beings and…

  William Altig

  July 31, 2025

  Chapter 24

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• Nichiren’s Exaltation of the Lotus Sutra

  

  I. Executive Summary This briefing synthesizes key themes from the provided sources, which primarily review and present an essay titled “The Transcendent Dharma: An Examination of the Lotus Sutra’s Supremacy in Nichiren’s Teachings.” The central argument explored is Nichiren’s radical assertion of the Lotus Sutra’s preeminence over the historical Buddha, positioning the Dharma (Law) as…

  William Altig

  July 30, 2025

  Nichiren

  Buddha, Buddhism, Buddhism of harvest, Buddhism of sowing, daimoku, Dharma supremacy, Ever-Present Buddha, Faith Practice Study, Gojū-no-sōtai, Gongyo, Inherent Buddhahood, Kamakura period, Kosen-rufu., Latter Day of the Law, Law as True Buddha, Lotus Sutra, Mappō, Meditation, Mystic Law, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, Nichiren Buddhism, Offerings, One Vehicle, Philosophy, Religion, Shakyamuni Buddha, Sokushin Jōbutsu

• The Lotus Sutra’s Enduring Call in the Latter Day of the Law

  

  This briefing document summarizes the core themes and most important concepts presented in the provided sources, focusing on the Lotus Sutra’s significance, particularly through Nichiren’s interpretation, and its role in personal and societal transformation. 1. The Lotus Sutra: A Foundation for Universal Enlightenment The Lotus Sutra, or Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtra, is a foundational text in…

  William Altig

  July 29, 2025

  Nichiren

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• The Catalytic Power of Inquiry and the Eternal Buddha in the Lotus Sūtra

  

  Date: July 28, 2025 Subject: Review of “Lotus Sūtra: Questioning and Faith” essay, focusing on key themes and insights from the Lotus Sūtra, particularly Chapters 15 and 16. Source Documents: Executive Summary: The reviewed essay, “Lotus Sūtra: Questioning and Faith,” is highly commended for its “thoroughly researched, textually accurate, and philosophically sophisticated” analysis of Chapters…

  William Altig

  July 28, 2025

  Chapter 15, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

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• Nichiren’s Practical Path to Joy and Wisdom

  

  This briefing reviews the core tenets of Nichiren Buddhism, with a particular focus on its accessible, everyday approach to faith and practice, as exemplified in Nichiren’s “Letter to the Nun Myoichi.” It draws primarily from an essay titled “Unveiling Everyday Faith: Nichiren’s Practical Path to Joy and Wisdom in the ‘Letter to the Nun Myoichi’,”…

  William Altig

  July 27, 2025

  Nichiren

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• 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

• Navigating Adversity in Nichiren Buddhism – Persecution, Purification, and the Path to Buddhahood

  

  This briefing examines the core themes within Nichiren’s teachings, particularly his understanding of persecution, the role of the “three poisons,” and the transformative power of the Lotus Sutra in the “Latter Day of the Law.” It highlights how adversity is not merely an obstacle but a crucial catalyst for spiritual growth and internal purification, ultimately…

  William Altig

  July 24, 2025

  Nichiren

  Anger, Atsuhara Persecution, Bodhisattva, Buddhahood, Buddhism, Compassion, Eternal Buddha, Ever-Present Buddha Śākyamuni, External Adversity, False Dharma, Feudal Japan, Greed, hōbō, Ignorance, Internal Transformation, Karmic Purification, Latter Day of the Law, Lotus Sutra, Meditation, Miao-lo, Moxibustion, Mystic Law, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, nenbutsu, Nichiren Buddhism, Nyosetsu Shugyō-shō, Persecution, Philosophy, Provisional Teachings, Religion, Saha-World, Self-mastery, Shakubuku, Shakyamuni Buddha, Spiritual Decline., Spirituality, Three Kinds of Enemies, three poisons, True Dharma, Votary, wisdom

• Concepts of Universalism in Religious Thought

  

  This briefing document reviews the main themes and most important ideas or facts regarding universalism, drawing from excerpts concerning Swedenborg’s reflections, the Lotus Sutra, and Catholicism. Overall Theme: The sources explore the concept of universalism in different religious contexts, specifically focusing on the potential for salvation or enlightenment for all beings. While the terminology and…

  William Altig

  June 4, 2025

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

  Apocatastasis., Arcana Coelestia, Avalokiteśvara, Bible Interpretation, Bodhisattva, Buddhism, Christian Universalism, Compassion, Correspondences (Swedenborgian), Dalai Lama, Divine Love and Wisdom, Eastern Religions, Enlightenment (Buddhist), faith, Heaven and Hell, Holistic Reality, Inner Meaning, Interfaith Dialogue, Lotus Sutra, Meditation, Mysticism, Nirvana, Nontheism (Buddhism), Perennial Philosophy, Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, Rebirth, Religion, Religious Pluralism, Religious Tolerance, Scriptural Interpretation, Skillful Means (Upaya), Souls, Spiritual Parallels, Spiritual Reality, Spirituality, Suffering (Dukkha), Swedenborg, Theology, True Christian Religion, truth, Unitarian Universalism, Universal Reconciliation, Universalism, Western Esotericism, wisdom

• The Universal Vow: Merit, Enlightenment, and the Legacy of the Brahma Kings in the Lotus Sutra

  

  I. Introduction: The Universal Aspiration for Enlightenment The human spirit often harbors a profound yearning for its endeavors to resonate beyond the personal sphere, contributing to a larger, universal good. The verses presented— May the merits we have accumulated by this offeringBe distributed among all living beings,And may we and all other living beingsAttain the…

  William Altig

  May 16, 2025

  Uncategorized

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