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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Sunday LectureSerial: SF-01062 Story of Parvati and ...(?); falling in love - never alone; the entire universe in ten directions is the true human body; Coming of Age Program; samsara/dukkha; parenting a... Samsara, Karma, Lotus Sutra, New Year, Continuous, Hate, Interdependence, Passions,... |
May 20 2007 Green Gulch |
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Treasury of LightSerial: SF-00926 Sesshin Lecture: light can't be seen - only reflections off objects; Koun Ejo's Treasury of Light Samadhi; myth of Phaeton and Helios - driving the sun chariot; Yunmen: What is... Lotus Sutra, Bell, Delusion, Discrimination, Subject-and-Object, Zendo, Nirvana,... |
Mar 31 2006 Green Gulch |
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Birth and DeathSerial: SF-00970 Sunday Lecture - Children's Lecture: children's story - Amos and Boris; response to Hurrican Katrina; Story of king, knowing death is coming; vowing to live for the benefit of... Birth-and-Death, Vows, Four Noble Truths, First Principle, Lotus Sutra, Mill Valley,... |
Sep 04 2005 Green Gulch |
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Rootedness, Relatedness, ResponsibilitySerial: SF-01013 Wednesday Lecture: zen practice and ecology Don't Know Mind, Bell, Lotus Sutra, Separation, confusion, training, Peace,... |
Jul 27 2005 Green Gulch |
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Zendo Lecture Lotus Sutra, Mindfulness, Suzuki Roshi, Offering, Sanctuary, Obstacles, Impermanence... |
Jul 23 2005 Tassajara |
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May 28th, 2005, Serial No. 01115 Lotus Sutra, Four Noble Truths, Practice Period, Zazen Mind, Karma, Monastic Practice... |
May 28 2005 Unknown |
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Shuso TalkSerial: SF-01924 #shuso-talk Sesshin 1 Day 3 - Practice Period led by Sojun Roshi Practice Period, Bell, Lotus Sutra, Blue Cliff Record, Silent Illumination,... |
Jan 27 2005 Tassajara |
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Lotus Sutra ClassSerial: SF-03557 Dining Room Class Lotus Sutra, Intimacy, Vows, Zendo, Manjushri, First Principle, Ordinary Mind, Suzuki... |
Dec 03 2004 Tassajara |
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Shuso TalkSerial: SF-01900 #shuso-talk Lotus Sutra, Birth-and-Death, Nirvana, Bodhisattva Way, Practice Period, Buddha Mind... |
Dec 01 2004 Tassajara |
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Lotus Sutra ClassSerial: SF-03560 Dining Room Class Addiction, Lotus Sutra, Happiness, realization, Emptiness |
Nov 27 2004 Tassajara |
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Lotus Sutra ClassSerial: SF-03484 Dining Room Class Dragons, Lotus Sutra, Manjushri, Mahayana, Emptiness, Hindrances, Diversity,... |
Nov 27 2004 Tassajara |
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Sesshin LectureSerial: SF-03546 Second Sesshin, Zendo Lecture day 6 Lotus Sutra, Buddha Nature, Letting Go, Karma, Karmic Consequences, Buddha's... |
Nov 21 2004 Tassajara |
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Sesshin LectureSerial: SF-03548 Second Sesshin, Zendo Lecture Lotus Sutra, Complete Perfect Enlightenment, Emotions, Emptiness, Freedom, training,... |
Nov 16 2004 Tassajara |
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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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Zendo Lecture Lotus Sutra, Buddha Nature, Ego, Delusion, training, Light-and-Darkness, Passions,... |
Nov 06 2004 Tassajara |
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Lotus Sutra ClassSerial: SF-03549 Dining Room Class Lotus Sutra, Ceremony, Perfect Wisdom, Buddha Nature, Nirvana, Zazen, Practice Period... |
Nov 03 2004 Tassajara |
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Sesshin LectureSerial: SF-03545 First Sesshin, Zendo Lecture Ceremony, Offering, Lotus Sutra, Suzuki Roshi, Chanting, Branching Streams, Karma,... |
Oct 29 2004 Tassajara |
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Lotus Sutra ClassSerial: SF-03554 Dining Room Class 3 Lotus Sutra, Describe, Precepts, Daily Life, Nirvana, Bell, Renunciation, Samsara,... |
Oct 20 2004 Tassajara |
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Lotus Sutra ClassSerial: SF-03556 Dining Room Class 3 Lotus Sutra, Suzuki Roshi, Mahayana, Big Mind, Practice Period, Heart Sutra, Buddha... |
Oct 20 2004 Tassajara |
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Breathing In and Breathing OutSerial: SF-00934 One-day sitting lecture: Book of Serenity Case 3, Anapanasati Sutta, Six Subtle Dharma Gates Mindfulness, Dragons, Lotus Sutra, Concentration, Book of Serenity, Bodhidharma,... |
Sep 18 2004 Green Gulch |
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Non-Thinking and the Twelve-Fold Chain of CausationSerial: SF-00968 Sunday Lecture Lotus Sutra, Instruction, Four Noble Truths, Posture, Peace, Letting Go, Separation,... |
Jul 18 2004 Green Gulch |