The Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path in light of the Lotus Sutra

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illarraza
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The Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path in light of the Lotus Sutra

Post by illarraza »

Here is the Noble Eightfold Path appropriate for the Latter Day:

Right Views: Viewing the Lotus Sutra as the quintessence of the Buddha's teachings.

Right Thought: "By what shall I cause the masses of beings to be able to enter the Supreme Way And rapidly achieve Buddhahood." (Lotus Sutra Chapter 16).

Right Speech: Teaching others to chant Namu Myoho renge kyo and rebuking slander of the Law.

Right Action: Action to spread the Lotus Sutra and repudiate slander .

Right Living: Not begrudging one's life to spread the Lotus Sutra.

Right Endeavor: Endeavoring to attain Buddhahood and causing others to do the same.

Right Memory: Remembering that we are the original disciples of the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni of the Juryo Chapter of the Lotus Sutra.

Right Meditation: Chanting Namu Myoho renge kyo while contemplating the True Object of Devotion.
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Taikor.Taikun
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Re: The Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path in light of the Lotus Sutra

Post by Taikor.Taikun »

illarraza wrote: Sat May 15, 2021 9:04 pm Here is the Noble Eightfold Path appropriate for the Latter Day:

Right Views: Viewing the Lotus Sutra as the quintessence of the Buddha's teachings.
Means to hold the Lotus Sutra as the highest teaching? Does other Sutras 'excluded' from the learning of the Dharma path?
Malcolm
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Re: The Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path in light of the Lotus Sutra

Post by Malcolm »

Taikor.Taikun wrote: Mon Jul 12, 2021 10:49 am
illarraza wrote: Sat May 15, 2021 9:04 pm Here is the Noble Eightfold Path appropriate for the Latter Day:

Right Views: Viewing the Lotus Sutra as the quintessence of the Buddha's teachings.
Means to hold the Lotus Sutra as the highest teaching? Does other Sutras 'excluded' from the learning of the Dharma path?
:popcorn:
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Lotomístico
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Re: The Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path in light of the Lotus Sutra

Post by Lotomístico »

Taikor.Taikun wrote: Mon Jul 12, 2021 10:49 am
illarraza wrote: Sat May 15, 2021 9:04 pm Here is the Noble Eightfold Path appropriate for the Latter Day:

Right Views: Viewing the Lotus Sutra as the quintessence of the Buddha's teachings.
Means to hold the Lotus Sutra as the highest teaching? Does other Sutras 'excluded' from the learning of the Dharma path?
Rather than speculation, claims or personal conjecture, a good question might be: what does the Lotus Sutra say about itself?
And, since this is the Nichiren section of DW after all, what did Nichiren have to say on the matter? Presumably his position would be considered authoritative by the Nichiren school. Hopefully a knowledgeable Nichiren Buddhist will chime in and share that information with us.
Last edited by Lotomístico on Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
One should become the master of one’s mind rather than let one’s mind master oneself.
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Lotomístico
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Re: The Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path in light of the Lotus Sutra

Post by Lotomístico »

Malcolm wrote: Mon Jul 12, 2021 7:04 pm
Taikor.Taikun wrote: Mon Jul 12, 2021 10:49 am
illarraza wrote: Sat May 15, 2021 9:04 pm Here is the Noble Eightfold Path appropriate for the Latter Day:

Right Views: Viewing the Lotus Sutra as the quintessence of the Buddha's teachings.
Means to hold the Lotus Sutra as the highest teaching? Does other Sutras 'excluded' from the learning of the Dharma path?
:popcorn:
Vasubandhu's "Treatise on the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law" could certainly shed some light on the matter.
One should become the master of one’s mind rather than let one’s mind master oneself.
bcol01
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Re: The Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path in light of the Lotus Sutra

Post by bcol01 »

I'm not sure if it would be "excluded", but instead viewed from the perspective of mappo.
Lotomístico wrote: Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:35 pm
Taikor.Taikun wrote: Mon Jul 12, 2021 10:49 am
illarraza wrote: Sat May 15, 2021 9:04 pm Here is the Noble Eightfold Path appropriate for the Latter Day:

Right Views: Viewing the Lotus Sutra as the quintessence of the Buddha's teachings.
Means to hold the Lotus Sutra as the highest teaching? Does other Sutras 'excluded' from the learning of the Dharma path?
Rather than speculation, claims or personal conjecture, a good question might be: what does the Lotus Sutra say about itself?
And, since this is the Nichiren section of DW after all, what did Nichiren have to say on the matter? Presumably his position would be considered authoritative by the Nichiren school. Hopefully a knowledgeable Nichiren Buddhist will chime in and share that information with us.
In his writing, Hokkemongu (Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra), The Great Master Nichiren said, “If the practitioners of the Lotus Sutra wholeheartedly devote their life to the Lotus Sutra and practice according to its golden words, it is certainly needless to say that not only in the next life, but also in this lifetime they will overcome severe difficulty, prolong their life, receive the great, good fortune of unsurpassed enlightenment, and accomplish the great vow of the widespread, propagation of True Buddhism.”
illarraza
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Re: The Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path in light of the Lotus Sutra

Post by illarraza »

bcol01 wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 3:30 pm I'm not sure if it would be "excluded", but instead viewed from the perspective of mappo.
Lotomístico wrote: Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:35 pm
Taikor.Taikun wrote: Mon Jul 12, 2021 10:49 am
Means to hold the Lotus Sutra as the highest teaching? Does other Sutras 'excluded' from the learning of the Dharma path?
Rather than speculation, claims or personal conjecture, a good question might be: what does the Lotus Sutra say about itself?
And, since this is the Nichiren section of DW after all, what did Nichiren have to say on the matter? Presumably his position would be considered authoritative by the Nichiren school. Hopefully a knowledgeable Nichiren Buddhist will chime in and share that information with us.
According to Nichiren, there is the "absolute Myo (or Wonderful)" and the "comparative Myo". The principle of the absolute Myo is the merging of all teachings within the Lotus Sutra. This was the rationale for Nichiren's utilization of hundreds of Sutras and commentaries to explain the Lotus Sutra and the Nirvana Sutra. The comparative Myo, on the other hand, he utilized to refute the provisional teachings. Both should be employed , according to Nichiren.

M
illarraza
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Re: The Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path in light of the Lotus Sutra

Post by illarraza »

Lotomístico wrote: Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:37 pm
Malcolm wrote: Mon Jul 12, 2021 7:04 pm
Taikor.Taikun wrote: Mon Jul 12, 2021 10:49 am
Means to hold the Lotus Sutra as the highest teaching? Does other Sutras 'excluded' from the learning of the Dharma path?
:popcorn:
Vasubandhu's "Treatise on the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law" could certainly shed some light on the matter.
Thanks for pointing this out. The Tibetian Buddhist Encyclopedia has a short article on this treatise: http://tibetanbuddhistencyclopedia.com/ ... otus_Sutra

Vasubandhu taught the Ten Pearlessnesses in light of the "absolute Myo' and the "comparative Myo discussed above":

"(1) The seeds of enlightenment transmitted by the Lotus Sutra are without peer.
(2) The practice of the Lotus Sutra is without peer because it imparts incomparable merit and benefit.
(3) The sutra is without peer enriching and adorning all the other sutras, thus the power of the the Lotus Sutra is without peer.
(4) The sutra’s power to enable all people to comprehend reality is without peer.
(5) The sutra is without peer transforming all lands into the Buddha's Land.
(6) The sutra is foremost among the Buddha’s teachings; in revealing the most profound matters of the Thus Come One it is without peer.
(7) The sutra is without peer teaching and converting all people.
(8) The sutra is without peer in displaying the supreme and perfect Enlightenment of the Buddha.
(9) The teaching of nirvana in the Lotus Sutra is without peer since the Buddha enters nirvana for the purpose of saving the people (though his life is eternal).
(10) The wonderful power of the Lotus Sutra is without peer because of the emergence of the Treasure Tower of the Thus Come One Many Treasures and other unmatched events." - paraphrased from the SGI Dictionary

M
Last edited by illarraza on Mon Jul 19, 2021 4:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Lotomístico
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Re: The Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path in light of the Lotus Sutra

Post by Lotomístico »

illarraza wrote: Mon Jul 19, 2021 3:50 am
Lotomístico wrote: Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:37 pm
Malcolm wrote: Mon Jul 12, 2021 7:04 pm

:popcorn:
Vasubandhu's "Treatise on the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law" could certainly shed some light on the matter.
Thanks for pointing this out. The Tibetian Buddhist Encyclopedia has a short article on this treatise: http://tibetanbuddhistencyclopedia.com/ ... otus_Sutra

Vasubandhu taught the Ten Pearlessnesses in light of the "absolute Myo' and the "comparative Myo discussed above":

"(1) The seeds of enlightenment transmitted by the Lotus Sutra are without peer.
(2) The practice of the Lotus Sutra is without peer because it imparts incomparable merit and benefit.
(3) The sutra is without peer enriching and adorning all the other sutras, thus the power of the the Lotus Sutra is without peer.
(4) The sutra’s power to enable all people to comprehend reality is without peer.
(5) The sutra is without peer transforming all lands into the Buddha's Land.
(6) The sutra is foremost among the Buddha’s teachings; in revealing the most profound matters of the Thus Come One it is without peer.
(7) The sutra is without peer teaching and converting all people.
(8) The sutra is without peer in displaying the supreme and perfect Enlightenment of the Buddha.
(9) The teaching of nirvana in the Lotus Sutra is without peer since the Buddha enters nirvana for the purpose of saving the people (though his life is eternal).
(10) The wonderful power of the Lotus Sutra is without peer because of the emergence of the Treasure Tower of the Thus Come One Many Treasures and other unmatched events." - paraphrased from the SGI Dictionary

M
You're welcome, yes apparently Vasubandhu held the Lotus Sutra in extremely high regard, putting it mildly.
One should become the master of one’s mind rather than let one’s mind master oneself.
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