The Lotus Sutra A Contemporary Translation of a Buddhist Classic

by Reeves, Gene

• ISBN13: 9780861715718
• ISBN10: 0861715713
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-12-02
• Publisher: Wisdom Publications

Summary

The Lotus Sutra is regarded as one of the world's great religious scriptures and most influential texts. It's a seminal work in the development of Buddhism throughout East Asia and, by extension, in the development of Mahayana Buddhism throughout the world. Taking place in a vast and fantastical cosmic setting, the Lotus Sutra places emphasis on skillfully doing whatever is needed to serve and compassionately care for others, on breaking down distinctions between the fully enlightened buddha and the bodhisattva who vows to postpone salvation until all beings may share it, and especially on each and every being's innate capacity to become a buddha.

Gene Reeves's new translation appeals to readers with little or no familiarity with technical Buddhist vocabulary, as well as long-time practitioners and students. In addition, this remarkable volume includes the full "threefold" text of this classic.

Author Biography

Gene Reeves is a Buddhist scholar and teacher, process philosopher, and theologian who has lived in Tokyo for over 23 years studying, teaching, and practicing the Buddhism of the Lotus Sutra. He is a founder of the International Buddhist Congregation with headquarters in Tokyo, a part of the much larger Rissho Kosei-kai lay Buddhist organization. He is the translator from Chinese into English of The Lotus Sutra: A Contemporary Translation of a Buddhist Classic. His most recently published book is The Stories of the Lotus Sutra. A Buddhist Kaleidoscope: Essays on the Lotus Sutra, which he edited, was published in 2002. Reeves is currently working on ""A Buddhist Natural Theology"" which attempts to relate the process philosophy of A.N. Whitehead and Charles Hartshorne with the Buddhism of the Lotus Sutra. Reeves is a regular contributor to the magazine Dharma World, and a frequent speaker on the Lotus Sutra and Chinese Buddhism in Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and the United States. He retired in 2012 as distinguished professor at Renmin University of China in Beijing and continues to do field research on contemporary Chinese Buddhism in China and serve as an International Advisor at Rissho Kosei-kai in Japan. He has taught at the University of Tsukuba in Japan, the University of Peking in China, and at the University of Chicago and Meadville Lombard Theological School, Wilberforce University, and Tufts University in the United States. Born and raised in a small factory town in New Hampshire, Reeves graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in psychology, from Boston University with a degree in theology, and from Emory University with a PhD in philosophy. In addition to his passion for Buddhism, Reeves has been active for over 50 years in civil rights causes, working for a time with Martin Luther King, Jr. and for Chicago Mayor Harold Washington. Reeves is married to Yayoi Reeves and has homes in Tokyo and Chicago. He has two adult daughters who live and work in the United States.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. vii
Translator's Introduction	p. 1
The Sutra of Innumerable Meanings	p. 21
Virtuous Conduct	p. 23
Dharma Preaching	p. 33
Ten Blessings	p. 41
The Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma	p. 51
Introduction	p. 53
Skillful Means	p. 75
A Parable	p. 103
Faith and Understanding	p. 141
The Parable of the Plants	p. 159
Assurance of Becoming a Buddha	p. 169
The Parable of the Fantastic Castle-City	p. 179
Assurance for the Five Hundred Disciples	p. 207
Assurance for Arhats, Trained and in Training	p. 219
Teachers of the Dharma	p. 225
The Sight of the Treasure Stupa	p. 235
Devadatta	p. 247
Encouragement to Uphold the Sutra	p. 255
Safe and Easy Practices	p. 261
Springing Up from the Earth	p. 279
The Lifetime of the Tathagata	p. 291
The Variety of Blessings	p. 301
Blessings of Responding with Joy	p. 315
The Blessings of the Dharma Teacher	p. 321
Never Disrespectful Bodhisattva	p. 337
Divine Powers of the Tathagata	p. 345
Entrustment	p. 351
Previous Lives of Medicine King Bodhisattva	p. 353
Wonderful Voice Bodhisattva	p. 363
The Universal Gateway of the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Cries of the World	p. 371
Incantations	p. 381
The Previous Life of King Wonderfully Adorned	p. 387
Encouragement of Universal Sage Bodhisattva	p. 393
The Sutra of Contemplation of the Dharma Practice of Universal Sage Bodhisattva	p. 399
Notes	p. 425
Glossaries	p. 429
Glossary of Proper Names	p. 431
Glossary of Terms	p. 455
Bibliography	p. 475
Index	p. 479
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