As crises facing humankind have become more numerous and more acute, interest in the Lotus Sutra has begun to increase. Lotus Sutra takes up the main part of Tiantai Threefold Lotus Sutra (法华三部经), which is the composition of three complementary sutras that together form the “three-part Dharma flower sutra“ – the essential doctrine of the Tiantai Lotus Sec ( 天台宗，也叫法华宗). Rev. Nikkyo Niwano (1906-1999) is one of the founders and first presidient of the Japan Buddhist organization Rissho Kosei Kai. He wrote a study guide to the Tiantai Threefold Lotus Sutra and illuminate to people who adhere the teaching of the sutra the many spiritual benefits, among them:
“First, this sutra makes the unawakened bodhisattva aspire to buddhahood, makes a merciless one raise the mind of mercy, makes a homicidal one raise the mind of great compassion, makes a jealous one raise the mind of joy, makes an attached one raise the mind of detachment, makes a miserly one raise the mind of donation, makes an arrogant one raise the mind of keeping the commandments, makes an irascible one raise the mind of perseverance, makes an indolent one raise the mind of assiduity, makes a distracted one raise the mind of meditation, makes an ignorant one raise the mind of wisdom, makes one who lacks concern for saving others raise the mind of saving others, makes one who commits the ten evils raise the mind of the ten virtues, makes one who wishes for existence aspire to the mind of nonexistence, makes one who has an inclination toward apostasy build the mind of non‐retrogression, makes one who commits defiled acts raise the mind of undefilement, and makes one who suffers from delusions raise the mind of detachment. Good sons! This is called the first inconceivable merit‐power of this sutra.”
This sutra dates back almost seventeen centuries. In the mid‐fourth century Kumarajiva (鸠摩罗什 344‐‐413) journeyed from Kucha （龟兹）, his homeland in Central Asia, to India for study and there he became learned in the teachings of Mahayana Buddhism. When he had completed his studies and was about to leave India on his mission of carrying the Buddha’s teachings to other countries, his teacher, Suryasoma, recommended the Lotus Sutra to him, telling him to transmit it to the east and disseminate it there. In 401 Kumarajiva finally reached China, where he became an eminent translator of Buddhist scriptures. In the dozen years before his death he translated a number of Mahayana texts into Chinese, and the most important and best known is his elegant translation of the Lotus Sutra.
Following its transmission to China, Buddhism flourished there, producing many distinguished monks. Among all those monks, the great patriarch of the Tientai sect (天台宗, 也叫法华宗), was founded by Zhiyi ( 智顗 538‐‐597), who made an exhaustive study of all the Buddhist scriptures available to him. As a result, he concluded that the core of Shakyamuni Buddha’s teaching is revealed in the Lotus Sutra, and thus in the latter half of his life Master Zhiyi dedicated himself to studying, explaining, and disseminating this sutra.
First, the Lotus Sutra reveals and explains the infinite possibilities open to human beings. People have an infinite capacity for degeneracy if left unawakened and unmindful of discipline, yet at the same time they have an infinite capacity for elevation if they live in accordance with spiritual truth. Today, people are simply falling ever downward. Unless we stop now and think and completely change our way of living, we will certainly destroy ourselves. The Lotus Sutra reveals and explains both the theory and the practice necessary for bringing about such a change. Thinking that there is no answer for human foolishness, we are likely to become deeply depressed. But if, through the Lotus Sutra, we come to the realization that it is possible to change human nature for the better, fresh hope and courage ceaselessly well up in our hearts and minds.
Second, the Lotus Sutra teaches that, since all non‐living and living things, including human beings, are manifestations of the great life‐force of the universe, all of them are equal in terms of the fundamental value of their existence. A view of the world based on this thought naturally gives rise to a basic principle of living that can be stated as follows: “When human beings enjoy coexistence and mutual prosperity, respecting the life‐force inherent in all existences, including themselves, and loving that life‐force completely, great harmony will be achieved in this world. The ultimate happiness of human beings lies in such a state of mind.” People have so far tended to consider all non‐living and living things except themselves as existences at their disposal and have exploited, consumed, and destroyed them at will, and one result of this kind of thinking has been the pollution of nature. If we do not correct our wrongdoing immediately, we cannot be saved. The Lotus Sutra not only makes us keenly aware of these facts but also serves as an always dependable guide to the new way of living necessary for us now and in the future.
As we get into struggles of the 21th century, Master Thich Nhat Hanh (1926-2022) placing the Lotus Sutra in its historical context (around the time when Mahayana Buddhism was just emerging, and had to distinguish itself from non-Mahayana schools, which it terms “Hinayana” or “Lesser Vehicle”), and expounds on how this sutra can be the most important guidance to take the path of Bodhisattva in our modern time, and why this sutra firmly proclaimed that _everyone_ could become a fully enlightened buddha in his writing Opening the Heart of the Cosmo – Insighs on the Lotus Sutra (2003). Shining sixty years of study and practice, Master Thick Nhat Hanh demonstrates the practical and direct applicability of Buddhist teachings to today’s issues, from the Palestinian-Israeli tragedy to the threat of terrorism and the degradation of our environment.
Previously, the primary goal of early Buddhism had been to become a saint (“arhat”), liberated from samsara, with the joy of nirvana, but not an actual buddha oneself. Moreover, this path was restricted to renunciant monks, and not open to everyone. In this sutra, the Buddha proclaims that he taught this as a skillful means, because if he had said right away that people could attain buddhahood, no one would believe it. Now, however, the time being right, and people having understood the basics of the Four Noble Truths, etc., he could give this profound teaching. All the teachings and vehicles (Sravakayana, Pratyekabuddhayana, Bodhisattvayana, etc.) point to the one single vehicle: the buddhayana, the path to full buddhahood for all sentinent beings.
Another greater Master, Venerable Hsuang Hua (1918-1995) had organized Buddhist Text Translation Society (BTTS) since 1970 to translate many important sutras. Among them, the English translation of Lotus Sutra and Venerable Hsuang Hua’s comments, are available to the public on the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas Website. He dedicated his virtuous life to translating sutra, which he considered it his most important duty:
“The work of translating the Sutras is sacred work, and it will last for endless generations. We are common people doing the work of sages. Not only is this our duty, it is also very meaningful, for we can benefit others and establish merit. In the past, the kings and emperors used their imperial authority and the strength of the government to carry out the translation of the Sutras. Now we are merely using our strength as ordinary citizens. If we can produce some results, I believe the national leaders will also become involved in this work in the future. Right now, we must first lay a foundation. We must first gather strength among the people.”
天台宗的 两大基本特征是法华思想和观音信仰。南怀瑾先生在《禅宗与道家》一书中指出，“自陈，隋之际开始，经历唐，宋，元，明，清千余年，凡知识分子，士大夫及爱好形而上学的人士，无不从事天台 ‘止观’。” 在下层社会，天台宗流传更为广泛，民间 的“家家念弥陀，户户有观音” 便是真实的写照。 《法华经》综合调停了大小乘经典的派别门户之见的偏颇之处，诱导大小三乘归入唯一佛乘，处处指出，二乘三乘是权非实，唯一佛乘才是究竟。
法华思想把佛与众生放在完全平等的地位上，宣扬只要坚持修善，阐提 （断灭善根的人，Sanskrit: Icchantika ) 亦能成佛。 法华经二十八品中，以第二《方便品》，第十四《安乐行品》，第十六《如来寿量品》，第二十五 《观音普门品》最为重要。 《方便品》是迹门的眼目，迹门为“权”（方便法），本门为“实”（实相理）。 《如来寿量品》是本门的精要，《安乐行品》是法华修行的规范，《观音普门品》是化他无究的应用。根据天台宗的看法，《观音普门品》成了《法华经》的归宿，因为“眼目” 亦好，“精要” 亦好，最后都要落实到应用。
反过来，接受了法华思想和观音信仰，亦就为传播天台宗提供了可能。 因此对于这样一本举足轻重的经典，古往今来都有众多佛教祖师大德研究宣扬《法华经》。 其中现代的，圣严法师著的 《法华经讲要》， 循着原典经文的次第，讲解原典的内容宗旨，脉络分明，一目了然， 又兼融了先贤古德的疏解。圣严法师对每一品的心要，经义所指，于全经的连接位置何在，于整个佛法的修证次第中扮演的角色，都对这本重要的经典予以节要而深入的指点。
While we pay tributes to the great works of these Bodhisattvas, we hope Lotus Sutra shed the light to more and more people in their path to liberation.