Tag: Universal Buddhahood

• 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

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• The Parable of the Physician’s Ultimate Prescription

  

  In a city plagued by chronic illness, there lived a wise Physician whose knowledge contained “the store of the hidden core of all the Buddhas”. This Physician possessed a single, ultimate Prescription that promised a cure for all suffering and revealed that the inherent nature of every resident was perfect health—a supreme state of “boundless…

  William Altig

  October 15, 2025

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

  Bodhisattva, Buddha-nature, Compassion, Delusion, Dharma Protectors, Dharmapālas, Ekayāna, Emissary of the Thus Come One, Hatred and Jealousy, Hidden Core of all the Buddhas, Hostility, hōbō, Karunā, Latter Day of the Law, Lotus Sutra, Moha, One Vehicle, Parable of the Physician, Persecution, Reading the Sutra with the Body, Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra, Shikidoku, Skillful Means, slandering the Dharma, Teacher of the Dharma, Ultimate Prescription, Universal Buddhahood, upāya

• 4 Surprising Truths About Why the Buddha’s Most Important Teaching Is Also His Most Hated

  

  Imagine discovering a medicine that could cure every ailment, a universal remedy for all suffering. You would expect it to be met with universal joy and gratitude. Yet, what if the creator of this medicine prophesied that it would attract immense “hatred and jealousy”? This is the profound paradox at the heart of the Lotus…

  William Altig

  October 15, 2025

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

  Bodhisattva, Buddha-nature, Chapter Ten, Compassion, Delusion, Dharma Protectors, Dharmapālas, Ekayāna, Hidden Core of all the Buddhas, Hostility, hōbō, Jealousy, Karunā, Latter Day of the Law., Lotus Sutra, Mahāyāna Buddhism, Moha, Nichiren, One Vehicle, Persecution, Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra, Skillful Means, slandering the Dharma, The Teacher of the Dharma, Tiantai, Universal Buddhahood, upāya, Śikidoku

• The Ancient Secret to True Influence: Why Not Judging Others is a Superpower

  

  Have you ever felt the frustration of trying to share an important idea or a deeply held belief, only to be met with conflict and disagreement? In what often feels like an age of quarrels, it’s easy to assume the biggest obstacle is external opposition. But ancient Buddhist wisdom identifies this era with a specific…

  William Altig

  October 3, 2025

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

  Bodhisattva Never Disrespectful, Chapter 14, Ekayāna, Latter Day of the Law, Lotus Sūtra, Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, Mappō, Mental Attitude, Non-Contempt, peaceful practices, propagation, Purification of the Mind, Spiritual Arrogance, Tathāgatagarbha, Third Peaceful Practice, Universal Buddhahood, Śūnyatā

• “Lotus Sutra: Desire and Liberation”

  

  I. Executive Summary This briefing examines excerpts from “Lotus Sutra: Desire and Liberation,” focusing on Chapter Thirteen’s depiction of Bhikshunis Maha-Prajāpatī and Yaśodharā receiving prophecies of Buddhahood. The analysis addresses a central paradox: how the fulfillment of a desire, even for liberation, can bring immediate and profound peace, given Buddhism’s teaching that desire is the…

  William Altig

  September 14, 2025

  Chapter 13, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

  Arhat, Bhikshunis, Bodhisattva, Certainty, Chanda, compassionate action, Desire, Dukkha, Ekayāna, Enlightenment, Epicureanism, liberation, Lotus Sūtra, Maha-Prajāpatī, Mahayana Buddhism, One Vehicle, peace, Prophecy, Psychological Impact, Saṃsāra, Skillful Means, stoicism, Suffering, Taṇhā, tranquility, Universal Buddhahood, Upaya, Vyākaraṇa, Women’s Ordination, Yaśodharā

• The Bodhisattva Never-Despising and the Embodiment of the Wonderful Dharma

  

  Executive Summary This briefing document analyzes Chapter Twenty of the Lotus Sūtra, focusing on the story of the Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta (Never-Despising Bodhisattva). The narrative serves as a foundational blueprint for Mahayana Buddhist practice, asserting that the “Wonderful Dharma” (Saddharma Puṇḍarıˉka) is not merely theoretical but an active, compassionate engagement with the world. The core message…

  William Altig

  September 13, 2025

  Chapter 20, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

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• “Lotus Sutra: Aspiration and Teaching” – Chapter Four Analysis

  

  Date: September 8, 2025 Subject: Main Themes and Key Insights from Chapter Four of the Lotus Sūtra, focusing on Aspiration and Expedient Means. Executive Summary This briefing document summarizes the core themes and most important ideas presented in the analysis of Chapter Four of the Lotus Sūtra, often titled “Faith Discernment” or “Belief and Understanding.”…

  William Altig

  September 11, 2025

  Chapter 4, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

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• Overcoming Doubt and Embracing Enlightenment in the Lotus Sūtra

  

  Date: September 6, 2025 Sources: Executive Summary This briefing document synthesizes key themes and ideas from the provided sources on the Lotus Sūtra, focusing on the concepts of doubt, the Eternal Buddha, skillful means (upaya), and the path to universal Buddhahood. The Sūtra challenges conventional perceptions of the Buddha and reality, urging practitioners to transcend…

  William Altig

  September 9, 2025

  Chapter 16, Chapter 3, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

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• The Buddha’s Declaration and the Universal Way

  

  Date: September 3, 2025 Subject: An analysis of the Buddha’s declaration in Chapter Five of the Lotus Sūtra and its implications for understanding universal enlightenment. Executive Summary: Chapter Five of the Lotus Sūtra features a seemingly audacious declaration by the Buddha: “I know the Way. I have opened the Way. I will expound the Way.…

  William Altig

  September 6, 2025

  Chapter 5, The Great Teachings of the Lotus of the True Law

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• “Lotus Sutra Bodhisattva Study” – Main Themes and Key Insights

  

  This briefing document provides a comprehensive review of the provided excerpts from “Lotus Sutra Bodhisattva Study,” focusing on Chapter Twenty-Seven, “The Former Affairs of King Wonderful Adornment,” and the Bodhisattvas Medicine-King and Medicine-Superior. It highlights the main themes, most important ideas, and significant facts, incorporating direct quotes from the source material. I. Overview of the…

  William Altig

  August 20, 2025

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

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