Lotus Sutra Talks
The Lotus Sūtra (Sanskrit: Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtram, Sūtra on the White Lotus of the True Dharma, Chinese: 妙法蓮華經) is one of the most influential and venerated Buddhist Mahāyāna sūtras. It is the main scripture on which the Tiantai along with its derivative schools, the Japanese Tendai, Korean Cheontae, Vietnamese Thiên Thai and Nichiren schools of Buddhism were established. It is also influential for other East Asian Buddhist schools, such as Zen. According to the British Buddhologist Paul Williams, "For many Buddhists in East Asia since early times, the Lotus Sūtra contains the final teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha—complete and sufficient for salvation." The American Buddhologist Donald S. Lopez Jr. writes that the Lotus Sūtra "is arguably the most famous of all Buddhist texts," presenting "a radical re-vision of both the Buddhist path and of the person of the Buddha."
Two central teachings of the Lotus Sūtra have been very influential for Mahāyāna Buddhism. The first is the doctrine of the One Vehicle, which says that all Buddhist paths and practices lead to Buddhahood and so they are all actually "skillful means" of reaching Buddhahood. The second is the idea that the lifespan of the Buddha is immeasurable and that therefore, he did not really pass on into final Nirvana (he only appeared to do so as upāya), but is still active teaching the Dharma.
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Zen Meditation as Bodhisattva VowDuring this course, we will study the bodhisattva vow, to see how the compassionate intentions of enlightening beings generate, work, and play with the mind of enlightenment to promote peace and... Bodhisattva Vow, zen meditation, Balance, Karmic Consequences, resistance, Confession... |
Aug 21 2007 The Yoga Room |
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Zen Meditation as Bodhisattva VowDuring this course, we will study the bodhisattva vow, to see how the compassionate intentions of enlightening beings generate, work, and play with the mind of enlightenment to promote peace and... zen meditation, Obstacles, Lotus Sutra, Bodhisattva Vow, Soto Zen, Confession-and-... |
Aug 07 2007 The Yoga Room |
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Only a Buddha and a BuddhaThe Lotus Sutra says that the desire to help beings open to Buddha's wisdom is the condition for Buddha's appearing in this world. Lotus Sutra, Soto Zen, soto, Desire, Religion |
Jul 28 2007 Afternoon No Abode Hermitage |
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Worship of the BuddhaWhen a person pays homage and bows to the Buddhas, there is just one Buddha with no other person. Lotus Sutra, Bowing, Duality, Dogen, War |
Jul 28 2007 Morning No Abode Hermitage |
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Zen Meditation as Bodhisattva VowDuring this course, we will study the bodhisattva vow, to see how the compassionate intentions of enlightening beings generate, work, and play with the mind of enlightenment to promote peace and... Bodhisattva Vow, Patience, Desire, zen meditation, Teacher-and-Student, Confession-... |
Jul 24 2007 The Yoga Room |
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Zen Meditation as Bodhisattva VowDuring this course, we will study the bodhisattva vow, to see how the compassionate intentions of enlightening beings generate, work, and play with the mind of enlightenment to promote peace and... Nirvana, Bodhisattva Vow, Harmonizing, Lotus Sutra, zen meditation, true dharma, Bell... |
Jul 17 2007 The Yoga Room |
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May 31st, 2007, Serial No. 01055, Side A Doubt, Mahayana, Lotus Sutra, Subject-and-Object, Buddha Nature, Non-duality, Big... |
May 31 2007 |
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Buddha's ParinirvanaSerial: BZ-01419 Sesshin Day 1 Parinirvana, Nirvana, Lotus Sutra, Greed, Mahayana, Four Noble Truths, Doubt,... |
Feb 17 2007 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Kidzendo: Oneness of OppositesSerial: BZ-01415 "The Teaching is Just for You", Saturday Lecture Non-duality, Dragons, Ego, Aspects of Practice, Lotus Sutra, Big Mind, Two Truths,... |
Jan 27 2007 Berkeley Zen Center |
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January 20th, 2007, Serial No. 01413 Branching Streams, Subject-and-Object, Lotus Sutra, Peace, Dragons, Discrimination,... |
Jan 20 2007 |
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Big MindSerial: BZ-01405B Dharmakaya/Sambhogakaya/Nirmanakaya, Rohatsu Day 5 Trikaya, Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya, Nirmanakaya, Monkey Mind, Big Mind, Buddha Nature... |
Dec 01 2006 Berkeley Zen Center |
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September 24th, 2006, Serial No. 01388 Intimacy, Dharma Transmission, Blue Cliff Record, Lineage, Transmission, Lotus Sutra... |
Sep 24 2006 |
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Commentary on "Komyo-zo Zammai" by Koun EjôSerial: BZ-01174 Storehouse of Radiant Light Samadhi, One-Day Sitting Koun Ejô, Concentration, Samadhi, Hate, Discrimination, Echo, Gaining Mind,... |
Jul 16 2006 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Buddha's Pointing at the GroundSerial: BZ-01207 Indra's Planting a Blade of Grass, Saturday Lecture SER-4, Sanctuary, Book of Serenity, Lotus Sutra, Sangha, Buddha's Birthday,... |
Dec 10 2005 Berkeley Zen Center |
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December 1st, 2005, Serial No. 01204, Side B Lotus Sutra, Buddha Nature, Two Truths, Four Noble Truths, Ego, Lay, Practice Period... |
Dec 01 2005 |
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June 18th, 2005, Serial No. 01328 Lotus Sutra, Dharma Transmission, Patience, Tassajara, Cultivation, Humility,... |
Jun 18 2005 |
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June 2nd, 2005, Serial No. 01033, Side A Birth-and-Death, Ordinary Mind, Buddha Nature, Continuous, Impermanence, Sixth... |
Jun 02 2005 |
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March 25th, 2005, Serial No. 00593 Triple Treasure, Four Noble Truths, Practice Period, Buddha Mind, Soto Zen, Lotus... |
Mar 25 2005 |
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February 20th, 2005, Serial No. 01315 Lotus Sutra, Separation, Five Ranks, Evil, Tassajara, uchiyama, Politics, Intimacy,... |
Feb 20 2005 |
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February 19th, 2005, Serial No. 01308, Side B Offering, Soto Zen, Bodhisattva Vow, Gratitude, Separation, Vows, Avalokiteshvara,... |
Feb 19 2005 |
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January 31st, 2005, Serial No. 00567 Four Noble Truths, Right Speech, Right Effort, Concentration, Birth-and-Death,... |
Jan 31 2005 |
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January 27th, 2005, Serial No. 00595 Blue Cliff Record, Bell, Lotus Sutra, Practice Period, Bodhisattva Way, Silent... |
Jan 27 2005 |
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November 18th, 2004, Serial No. 01030, Side A Dragons, Transmission, Fox, Buddha Ancestors, Lineage, Interview, Lotus Sutra,... |
Nov 18 2004 |
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Buddha Nature and the Ugly DucklingSerial: SF-00056 Zendo lecture; feeling of not fitting in and not belonging that sends us towards spiritual practice. Lotus Sutra, Buddha Nature, Ego, Delusion, training, Precepts, stubbornness, Posture... |
Nov 06 2004 Tassajara |
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July 31st, 2004, Serial No. 01278 Teacher-and-Student, Happiness, Lotus Sutra, Composure, Subject-and-Object, Practice... |
Jul 31 2004 |
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Gakudo Yojin-Shu (last): Practicing Within the ObstructionsSerial: BZ-01270B Staining, Not Breaking Precepts, Sesshin Day 4 Gakudo Yojin-Shu, Hindrances, Precepts, confusion, Practice Period, Buddha Nature,... |
Jun 19 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Gakudo Yojunshu, Point #7Serial: BZ-01267 Turning Dharma and Being Turned by Dharma, Sesshin Day 1 Gakudo Yojin-Shu, Dogen, Lotus Sutra, Dragons, Buddha Mind, Obstacles, Silent... |
Jun 16 2004 Berkeley Zen Center |
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May 20th, 2004, Serial No. 01023, Side B Lotus Sutra, Chanting, Duality, Aspects of Practice, Heart Sutra, Gaining Mind,... |
May 20 2004 |