Tag: Spiritual Development
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Merit and Wisdom in the Lotus Sūtra
Date: August 23, 2025 Subject: An Exegetical Analysis of Chapter Seventeen of the Lotus Sūtra: The Accumulation of Merit and the Path to Clarity Key Sources: Excerpts from “Lotus Sūtra: Merit and Wisdom” 1. Executive Summary This briefing document provides a detailed review of Chapter Seventeen of the Lotus Sūtra, “Discrimination of Merit and Virtue,”…
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Nichiren’s Path to Enlightenment
This briefing document provides a comprehensive review of key themes and essential facts from the provided source, “Nichiren’s Path to Enlightenment,” focusing on the transformative power of consistent individual action within a collective context. I. Introduction: The Transformative Power of Persistent Individual and Collective Action The core message of Nichiren’s philosophy, particularly as articulated in…
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Limitless Opportunities for Enlightenment in the Lotus Sūtra
I. Introduction: The “Ink-Powder” Parable Chapter 7 of the Lotus Sūtra, “The Parable of the Phantom City,” opens with the Buddha illustrating an “inconceivably long span of time” through a vivid analogy known as the “ink-powder” parable. This parable serves as a foundational element for understanding the cosmic scope of the Buddha’s teachings and the…
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The Perfume of Wisdom: Discerning Reality Through Purified Senses on the Bodhisattva Path
I. Executive Summary This briefing summarizes the core themes and key insights from “Lotus Sūtra Sensory Perception” and its accuracy check, “The Perfume of Wisdom: An Accuracy Check.” The documents explore the profound concept of purified sensory perception, particularly the sense of smell, within the framework of the Bodhisattva path as presented in Chapter Nineteen…
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Faith, Eternal Buddhahood, and the Attainment of Supreme Enlightenment in the Lotus Sūtra (Chapter Seventeen)
Date: June 3, 2025 Subject: Analysis of Lotus Sūtra Chapter Seventeen, focusing on the declaration of the Buddha’s eternal lifespan and its implications for attaining supreme enlightenment. Sources: Excerpts from “Lotus Sūtra Chapter Seventeen Analysis,” with specific references to cited texts. Key Takeaways: This briefing document analyzes the profound teachings presented in Chapter Seventeen of…
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The Merits of Practice and Understanding in Lotus Sūtra Chapter Seventeen
The Lotus Sūtra, a foundational text within Mahayana Buddhism, articulates the doctrine of the One Vehicle, asserting that all paths ultimately lead to Buddhahood.1 This influential scripture, revered across various East Asian Buddhist traditions, is considered by many to encapsulate the complete and final teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha, sufficient for attaining salvation.2 Chapter Seventeen of…
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Chapter 19–Perfuming the Universe
Further, Satatasamitabhiyukta, the Bodhisattva Mahasattva who preserves, shares, studies, and writes this Sacred Teaching (Dharmapāryaya), is blessed with a perfect sense of smell, endowed with eight hundred fine qualities. With this refined sense, he can detect various odors in the entire universe, inwardly and outwardly. These include unpleasant and pleasant smells, foul odors, and the…
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Chapter 19–Hearing the Universe: The Twelve Hundred Sensory Qualities
Moreover, Satatasamitabhiyukta (Ever and Constantly Strenuous), whether a young man from a noble family or a young woman who shares and teaches this Sacred Teaching to others, will possess twelve hundred fine qualities of the ear. They will hear all the sounds produced in the universe, from the depths of the great hell known as…
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Chapter 19–The Sensory Gifts of the Virtuous Bodhisattva
The Lord then spoke to the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Satatasamitabhiyukta, meaning “Ever and Constantly Strenuous.” He declared that anyone, whether a young man or a young woman from a noble family, who shall preserve, read, teach, or write this Teaching, or have it written, will gain extraordinary qualities. They will receive eight hundred fine traits of…
Mr. Altig’s Overview of the Wonderful Dharma of the Lotus Sutra 