Origins

Lotus Sutra

Facsimile edition of the Cambridge University Library Lotus Sutra

manuscripts
The Lotus Sutra is widely regarded as one of the most important and
influential sutras, or sacred scriptures, of Buddhism.

Its key message is that Buddhahood--a condition of absolute happiness,

freedom from fear and from all illusions--is inherent in all life. The
development of this inner life state enables all people to overcome their
problems and live a fulfilled and active life, fully engaged with others and
with society.
Almost two thousand years after Shakyamuni's death, Nichiren, a
thirteenth-century Japanese monk, distilled the profound theory of the
Lotus Sutra into a practice to enable anybody to reveal their
Buddhahood, or highest state of life, in the midst of day-to-day reality.
• Shakyamuni
•
• Buddhism originates in the teachings of Shakyamuni (Gautama
Siddartha), the historical founder of Buddhism who was born in what
is now Nepal some 2,500 years ago.
• Gateway of a Buddhist stupa built by King Ashoka (268-232 B.C.) of
India
• Shakyamuni was born a prince but renounced his royal upbringing to
embark on a spiritual quest to understand how human suffering could
be ended. Eventually, while in deep meditation, he experienced a
profound awakening, or enlightenment--a deep, encompassing
understanding of life and human nature.
• According to tradition, Shakyamuni then traveled throughout the
Indian subcontinent for nearly 40 years sharing his enlightened
wisdom, promoting peace and teaching people how to unleash the
great potential of their lives. He became known as the Buddha, or
"awakened one." His teachings were recorded as sutras and spread
throughout Asia, giving rise to a number of distinct schools of
Buddhism, generally characterized by an emphasis on peace and
compassion.
• Essence/philosophy of the scripture -:
• Buddha's Dharma is,
• as experience and as a way to practical realisation, a religion;
• as the intellectual formulation of this experience, a philosophy;
• and as a result of self-observation and analysis, a psychology.

• As diligent Buddhists we use certain precepts to

guide our lives.
• These are the 5 precepts: to refrain from killing, to refrain from stealing, to
refrain from committing sexual misconduct, to refrain from telling lies, and to
refrain from taking intoxicating substances.
• Bodhisattva

• It is held that the bodhisattva makes four vows

expressing a determination to work for the
happiness of others: "However innumerable
sentient beings are, I vow to save them;
however inexhaustible the passions are, I vow to
master them; however limitless the teachings
are, I vow to study them; however infinite the
Buddha-truth is, I vow to attain it."
• Q 3) “management by values” is an essential requisite for
today’s global scenario. Explain
• 1. Equality under the Dharma: The Buddha teaches that all
sentient beings have Buddha nature and that all humans are
inherently equal.
• 2. Decentralized leadership:
• The Buddha, as the head of the Sangha community, led by his
teaching and by establishing the precepts for the group.
• 3.Shared support and responsibility :-When the initial Sangha of the
five bhiksus was formed immediately after the Buddha¡¦s
enlightenment, the ¡§Four Principles of Living¡¨ was laid down to
guide them toward virtuous living: ¡§Eat only food from alms, wear
only cast-off clothing, abide only under trees, and take only
discarded medicine
• 4. Mutual respect and harmony :-Six Points of Reverent
Harmony¡¨ in communal living. They are: (1) doctrinal unity in views and
explanations to ensure common views and understanding; (2) moral unity in
observing the precepts to achieve equality for all under the rules, (3)
economic unity in community of goods to effect fair distribution of economic
interests, (4) mental unity in belief to provide mutual support in spiritual
cultivation, (5) oral unity in speech to nurture com-passion and love, (6)
bodily unity in behavior to assure nonviolence and harmonious living.