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Lotus Sutra Talks

The Lotus Sūtra (Sanskrit: Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtram, lit. 'Sūtra on the White Lotus of the True Dharma'; traditional Chinese: 法華經; simplified Chinese: 法华经; pinyin: Fǎhuá jīng; lit. 'Dharma Flower Sutra') is one of the most influential and venerated Buddhist Mahāyāna sūtras. It is the main scripture on which the Tiantai and its derivative schools--the Japanese Tendai and Nichiren, Korean Cheontae, and Vietnamese Thiên Thai 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.
Title | Speaker | |
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Recollections of Early Zen Lotus Sutra, Precepts, Priest, Lineage, Lay, Rinzai, Fox, Demons |
Feb 08 1997 1 of 3 Green Gulch Farm |
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Discussing Suzuki-rôshi Lecture #12Serial: BZ-00117 Lecture Monastic Practice, Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, Birth-and-Death, Beginners, Monkey... |
Jan 22 1997 Unknown |
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Embracing Illusions: Path to Enlightenment Four Noble Truths, Lotus Sutra, Darkness-and-Light |
Oct 31 1996 |
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Mumonkan: Case #46Serial: BZ-00789A 100 Foot Pole, Barriers in Practice, Saturday Lecture MM-46, Beginners, Sixth Patriarch, Lotus Sutra, Non-duality, Birth-and-Death, Buddha... |
Oct 19 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Jewel Mirror Samadhi Class Five Ranks, Delusion, Lotus Sutra, Soto Zen, Observe, Forgiveness, Separation,... |
Oct 07 1996 Green Gulch Farm |
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The Five SkandhasSerial: SF-03634 One-day sitting Skandas, Interview, Balance, Heart Sutra, Attachment, Manjushri, Lotus Sutra, Soto... |
Sep 21 1996 Green Gulch Farm |
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Zen and No-BenefitSerial: BZ-00116 Lecture Suzuki Roshi, Bodhidharma, Attachment, Mindfulness, Subject-and-Object, Anger, Family... |
Sep 16 1996 Unknown |
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Living the Zen of Presence Lotus Sutra, Obstacles, Chanting, Realization |
Sep 14 1996 |
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Platform SutraSerial: BZ-00257 Class 8 of 9 Lotus Sutra, Ego, Buddha Nature, Heart Sutra, Bodhidharma, Separation, Duality,... |
Aug 22 1996 8 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Platform SutraSerial: BZ-00255 Class 7 of 9 Lotus Sutra, Buddha Nature, Heart Sutra, Mahayana, Sixth Patriarch, Samsara, Building... |
Aug 08 1996 7 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Platform SutraSerial: BZ-00254 Class 6 of 9 Attachment, Lotus Sutra, Karma, Non-attachment, Nirvana, Samsara, Repentance, Teacher... |
Aug 01 1996 6 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Platform SutraSerial: BZ-00253 Class 5 of 9 Heart Sutra, Attachment, Liberation, Don't Know Mind, Bodhidharma, Samadhi, Lay... |
Jun 13 1996 5 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Lotus Sutra ClassSerial: SF-03193 Chapters 15, 16, 25, 26, 2t Lotus Sutra, Gratitude, Demons, Birth-and-Death, Religion, Manjushri, Faith, Ceremony... |
May 28 1996 Green Gulch Farm |
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Lotus Sutra Class Lotus Sutra, Nirvana, Evil, Manjushri, Dragons, Vow, Buddha Nature, Emptiness,... |
May 23 1996 Green Gulch Farm |
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Lotus Sutra Class Lotus Sutra, Nirvana, Emptiness, Offering, Four Noble Truths, Birth-and-Death,... |
May 21 1996 Green Gulch Farm |
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A Sense of Vision Giving a Sense of Purpose in LifeSerial: SF-03228 Sunday lecture Interdependence, Lotus Sutra, Happiness, Nirvana, Silence, Peace, Enthusiasm, Bell... |
May 05 1996 Green Gulch Farm |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #50Serial: BZ-00806B One-Day Sitting BCR-50, Birth-and-Death, Lotus Sutra, Samadhi, Separation, Doubt, Dragons, Oneness,... |
Apr 21 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Lotus Sutra ClassSerial: SF-03223 Context of the Lotus Sutra - history of Hinayana and Mahayana texts - stylistic differences of - history of Lotus Sutra - key elements/doctrine of sutra - key elements of... Lotus Sutra, Nirvana, Manjushri, Mahayana, Demons, Offering, Avalokiteshvara,... |
Apr 07 1996 Green Gulch Farm |
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Vimalakirti SutraSerial: BZ-00246 Class 3 of 5 Liberation, Manjushri, Evil, Current Events, Dependent Origination, Lotus Sutra,... |
Mar 14 1996 3 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Prajna Paramita Class Emptiness, Perfect Wisdom, Heart Sutra, Ego, Faith, Realization, Lotus Sutra, Nirvana... |
Feb 27 1996 Unknown |
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Meal ChantSerial: BZ-00810A Saturday Lecture Chanting, Nirvana, Perfect Wisdom, Lotus Sutra, Offering, Buddha Nature, Precepts,... |
Feb 18 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Trip to JapanSerial: RA-00769 "Class" on Trip to Japan Work, Lotus Sutra, japanese |
Nov 15 1995 Tassajara |
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Women in Buddhism Class Lotus Sutra, Mahayana, Buddha Nature, Six Realms, Instruction, Lay, Religion, Balance... |
Nov 13 1995 Unknown |
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Unity in Emptiness and Compassion Two Truths, Passions, Oneness, Buddha Mind, Lotus Sutra |
Nov 04 1995 |
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Bodhisattva CeremonySerial: BZ-00819B Lecture Bodhisattva Ceremony, Repentance, Sangha, Lineage, Right Speech, Duality, Lotus Sutra... |
Nov 04 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Enlightenment to Faith in PracticeSerial: BZ-00821A Saturday Lecture Enlightenment, Faith, Practice, Buddha Nature, Intuition, Lotus Sutra, Vow, Ego,... |
Sep 30 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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God/KarmaSerial: BZ-00977B Saturday Lecture Religion, Karma, Giving-and-Taking, Daily Life, Monastic Practice, Lotus Sutra, Big... |
Jun 03 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Importance of ShikantazaSerial: SF-03104 Description of Tokubetsu Sesshin Ceremony, Lotus Sutra, Priest, Letting Go, Buddha's Birthday, Realization, Soto... |
Mar 19 1995 Green Gulch Farm |
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Heart SutraSerial: BZ-00950A Rohatsu Day 6 Heart Sutra, Four Noble Truths, Nirvana, causation, Subject-and-Object, Karma, Lotus... |
Dec 09 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Bendowa I: Bendowa and ThoughtsSerial: BZ-00953A Rohatsu Day 1 Uchiyama, Lotus Sutra, Samadhi, Vow, Posture, Mahayana, Instruction, Equanimity,... |
Dec 04 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Comments on Segaki Ceremony: Mahayana Approach to Demons and PracticeSerial: BZ-00956B Lecture Demons, Offering, Mahayana, Lotus Sutra, Nirvana, Vow, Karma, Commitment |
Nov 05 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Other Four ParamitasSerial: BZ-00936A Skillful Means, Spiritual Power, Aspiration, Knowledge, Sesshin Day 1 Skillful Means, Karma, Four Noble Truths, Doubt, Vow, Bodhidharma, Buddha Mind, Lotus... |
Sep 03 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Blue Cliff Record: Case #50Serial: BZ-00940A Saturday Lecture BCR-50, Samadhi, Doubt, Platform Sutra, confusion, Lotus Sutra, Birth-and-Death,... |
Jul 16 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Perfection of WisdomSerial: BZ-00230 Class 3 of 5 Perfect Wisdom, Six Realms, Evil, Nirvana, Constancy, Right Effort, Lotus Sutra,... |
Apr 07 1994 3 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Perfection of WisdomSerial: BZ-00228 Class 1 of 5 Perfect Wisdom, Heart Sutra, Four Noble Truths, Birth-and-Death, Lotus Sutra,... |
Mar 24 1994 1 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Platform Sutra: Monk FaTa; Life and DeathSerial: BZ-00551 Class 9 of 10 Lotus Sutra, Birth-and-Death, Happiness, Soto Zen, Karmic Consciousness, Karma,... |
Mar 22 1994 9 Tassajara |
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Lotus Sutra: Parable of the Hidden JewelSerial: BZ-00979A One day sitting Lotus Sutra, Heart Sutra, Mahayana, Zazen Mind, Birth-and-Death, Greed, Hate, Posture... |
Feb 20 1994 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Lotus SutraSerial: BZ-00224 Class 4 of 4 Lotus Sutra, Chanting, Birth-and-Death, Lineage, Nirvana, Composure, Six Realms,... |
Feb 02 1994 4 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Lotus SutraSerial: BZ-00221 Class 3 of 4 Lotus Sutra, Big Mind, Avalokiteshvara, Nirvana, Addiction, Heart Sutra, Bowing,... |
Jan 27 1994 3 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Platform Sutra: Maha Prajna ParamitaSerial: BZ-00546 Class 3 of 10 Platform Sutra, Intuition, Attachment, Birth-and-Death, Mahayana, Evil, Buddha Mind,... |
Jan 24 1994 3 Tassajara |
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Lotus SutraSerial: BZ-00222 Clas 2 of 4 Lotus Sutra, Mahayana, Complete Perfect Enlightenment, Instruction, Doubt,... |
Jan 20 1994 2 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Platform SutraSerial: BZ-00559 Class 2 of 10 Platform Sutra, Buddha Nature, Dharma Transmission, Transmission, Evil, Lotus Sutra,... |
Jan 19 1994 2 Tassajara |
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Lotus SutraSerial: BZ-00223 Class 1 of 4 Lotus Sutra, Heart Sutra, Dragons, Offering, Samadhi, Chanting, Mahayana, Manjushri,... |
Jan 13 1994 1 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Zen: Embracing Life's Inherent Challenges Lay, Lotus Sutra, Yaoshan, Thich Nhat Hanh, Way-Seeking Mind |
May 24 1993 |
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Keizan’s Transmitting Light; Tung Shan: the Teaching of Inanimate ThingsSerial: BZ-00665B Lecture Attachment, Discrimination, Lotus Sutra, War, Birth-and-Death, Practice Period,... |
May 15 1993 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Mumonkan, Case #1: Joshu’s Mu and the Importance and Significance of the Lotus SutraSerial: BZ-00633A Lecture Lotus Sutra, Buddha Nature, Four Noble Truths, Three Treasures, Book of Serenity,... |
Jul 25 1992 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Tozan’s Five Ranks: Basic OverviewSerial: BZ-00607 Class 2 of 4 Tozan, Dongshan, Five Ranks, Absolute-and-Relative, Lotus Sutra, Karma, Emotions,... |
May 21 1992 2 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Transmission of LightSerial: BZ-00213 Class 2 of 5 Transmission, Nirvana, Dharma Transmission, Buddha Nature, Manjushri, Buddha Mind,... |
May 13 1992 2 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Early Zen: DogenSerial: BZ-00605 Class 6 of 6 Lotus Sutra, Silent Illumination, Doubt, Rinzai, Instruction, Six Realms, Buddha... |
Apr 09 1992 6 Berkeley Zen Center |
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3rd Precept: No Sexual Greed Buddha Nature, Three Treasures, Lotus Sutra, Sixth Patriarch |
Mar 28 1992 Tassajara |