A Guide To The Threefold Lotus Sutra

This concise, readily understandable book is designed as a guide to one of the supreme scriptures of Mahayana Buddhism: the Threefold Lotus Sutra. With careful consideration of the relationships among the 32 chapters, the author outlines the contents and explains the major points.

‡a The Sutra of Lotus Flower of the Wonderous Dharma, popularly known as the Lotus Sutra, has been one of the foremost scriptures of Mahayana Buddhism since appearance of its superb translation to Chinese by Kumarajiva in 406 CE. Over the ensuing centuries, is centerpiece of the three sutras comprising the Threefold Lotus Sutra has thoroughly suffused East Asian civilization. This is the first English version of this religious classic tailored to the essential Buddhist practice of daily sutra recitation. In addition to providing an accurate translation faithful to the original text and following standard definitions of key Buddhist terminology, this innovative Threefold Lotus Sutra breaks new ground by employing more inclusive language to reflect present-day concepts of equalitynd human dignity in a diversified world.

This concise, readily understandable book is designed as a guide to one of the supreme scriptures of Mahayana Buddhism: the Threefold Lotus Sutra. The first publication of the complete sutra in English (Kosei, 1975) was widely acclaimed, and an ever-growing audience has been created for what is certainly among the greatest of the world's religious documents. Like the Bible and the Koran, however, the Threefold Lotus Sutra requires explanation by a gifted teacher, and it is for this reason that Niwano has written this guide. Giving careful consideration to the relationships among the thirty-two chapters of the sutra, he not only outlines the contents but also explains the major points.