Lotus sutra

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The Lotus Sutra ( Sanskrit , n. सद्धर्मपुण्डरीकसूत्र , saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra, literally "Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the wonderful law"; Vietnamese: .: Dieu Pháp Liên Hoa Kinh, Chinese  妙法蓮華經 , Pinyin miàofǎ Lianhua jīng ; Jap. 妙法蓮華経 , Myōhō-renge-kyō ; Kor. 묘법 연화경 , myobeop yeonhwa gyeong ; short: Chinese  法華經 , Pinyin Fǎhuá jīng , W.-G. Fa-hua ching ; Japanese 法 華 経 , Hokke-kyō ; Kor. 법화경 , Beophwa gyeong ; Tibetan དམ་ པའི་ ཆོས་ པད་ མ་ དཀར་པོ་ ཞེས་ བྱ་བ་ ཐེག་ པ་ ཆེན་ པོའ ི་ མདོ ། Wylie dam pa'i chos padma dkar po'i mdo ) is one of the most famous sutras of the Mahayana - Buddhism .

Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra: Brahmi script South Turkestan

history

The Lotus Sutra was transmitted in Sanskrit and Central Asian languages ​​(Xixia ( Tangut ), Sogdian , Khotansak and Old Uighur ) in India , Nepal and Central Asia , and in translations in Tibet and China : the former Zheng fahua jing ( 正 法華經 , Zhèng fǎhuā jīng , Cheng fa-hua ching ) in 10 chapters and 27 fascicles , made during the western Jin dynasty of Dharmarakṣa (uncertain: 230–316; 竺 法 護 , Zhú fǎhù , Chu fa-hu ); and the younger, but far more popular Miaofa lianhua jing ( 妙法 蓮華 經 , Miàofǎ liánhuā jīng , Miao-fa lien-hua ching ) in 7 fascicles, made in 406 by Kumārajīva (344–413; 鳩摩羅什 , Jiūmóluóshé , Chiu -mo-lo-shih ).

The following non-Chinese texts are known: 1) Complete: in Nepali , after the 8th century, 2) Fragments of Central Asian texts (5th to 7th centuries): a) From Kashgar (= "Petrofsky's" text), b) Fragments from Khotan , c) the Khadalik text; 3) The Gilgit text from Kashmir contains about ¾ of the entire work.

Most of the later comments and translations (also into modern languages) are based on the later Chinese translation. In this version, the Lotus Sutra is the basis of the Chinese Tiantai zong and the Japanese Tendai-shū , as well as all schools of Nichiren Buddhism , but is also particularly valued in Zen and the schools of the Pure Land . Sometimes the Lotus Sutra, especially in connection with the Tendai-shū, is also referred to as Ichijōkyō (一 乗 経 'Sutra of the one vehicle ').

The verses of Part 1 (Chapters 2-9) were about 50 BC. Chr. [In another opinion 40 AD] completed, its prose about 50 years later. The second part (chapters 10-20 / 21) was completed up to around 100, with chapter 12 Daibatta (Skr. Devadatta) being a later insertion, the third part (chapters 21-28) was up to 150 [220] n. Chr. Complete. (The exact timing of the individual sections has been discussed a lot, especially by Japanese scholars.)

In contrast to previous teachings of the Buddha , as described in the Pali Canon , it does not focus on the pursuit of holiness ( arhatships ) and liberation of the mind from all attachments, which leads to "ultimate extinction" in nirvana , but strives the redemption of men without exception, which starts with the individual. This requires “ skillful means ” ( upaya kaushalya), as described in the 2nd chapter and in the well-known parables and parables of the “burning house”, the “prodigal son”, the “plants”, the “hidden jewel”, from the "poisoned sons" and the "dragon princess" are formulated. The Lotos Sutra expresses the chance of every person to determine their own life and fate themselves and to steer them on the path of " freedom from suffering ".

Structure and content

The Lotus Sutra in its current form consists of 28 chapters, the first 14 of which deal with the earthly apparition of Buddha Shakyamuni . Chapter 1 contains a late introduction that aims to connect the first two parts. Chapters 2 to 9 are the original sections and are also coherent. Chapters 10 to 21 (Japanese 如 来 神力 品 , Nyorai jinriki hon ) - without 18 (Japanese 随喜 功 徳 品 , Zuiki kudoku hon ) - were added by a group of authors, with Chapter 10 (Japanese 法師 品 , Hosshi hon ) the merit of sutracopying is particularly emphasized. They are understood as the "law of appearance" and contain the teaching on the organization of the universe, human life and human relationships based on the experience of Shakyamuni. Accordingly, every living being has the opportunity to understand the ultimate truth. The possibility of attaining Buddhahood is also explained. The wisdom of the Buddha is represented as the main element of enlightenment . In this part the “human” Buddha ( Nirmanakaya ) confronts us , as the Theravada also knows him, whereby some “dogmas of Theravada ” are questioned here - even the “bad guys” can reach salvation through Buddha's infinite compassion, like the Arch opponent of the Buddha Devadatta .

In the other chapters, which are understood as the "law of origin", it is shown that the Buddha has taught people since time immemorial and that he is the fundamental principle that determines the appearances of the universe and that has existed from the beginning of the universe . The Buddha appears here as the embodiment of universal and general truth, as the ruler of the space-time continuum ( Sambhogakaya ). This transcendent Buddha (the Buddha of the Mahayana) is considered to be the embodiment of the cosmic order or Dharma, the earthly embodiment of which serves to help all suffering beings. The Buddha as a cosmic principle ( Dharmakaya ) is called the "original Buddha". Chapters 23-28 contain specific instructions such as: B. Chapter 23 the doctrine of the Medicine King (Japanese 薬 王 菩薩 , Yakuo Bosatsu ) and Chapter 24 the 16 kinds of the sammai des Myō-on-Bosatsu . In the 25th chapter (Japanese 観 世 音 菩薩 普 門 品 , Kanzeon bosatsu fumon bon ) the 33 transformations of Kannon d. i. Avalōkiteshvaras and the miraculous powers of this Bodhisattva explains in detail why this chapter is commonly referred to as the Kannon Sutra and is often considered an independent script. Chapter 26, Darani -hon ( 陀羅尼品 ), the spread of the Sutra and the recitation of various deals with the merit Dharanis . In the 27th chapter (Japanese 妙 荘 厳 王 本事 品 , Myō shōgon ō honji hon ) the conversion of a king by his sons is described.

In China there is also a 29th chapter Miaofa lianhuajing du liang tiandi pin di ershijiu that covers the spread of the lotus in heaven and on earth.

There are slightly different versions in the numbering of the chapters.

Women in the Lotus Sutra

The daughter of the Dragon King offers the Buddha her priceless jewel. After that she turns into a man and immediately attains the highest enlightenment of a Buddha. Sutra illustration from the Heike Nokyo, twelfth century.

The sutra is based on a strict cosmology and doctrine of salvation. Thus it is possible for a woman to attain Buddhahood through the transformation of a rebirth as a man. In detail it says:

Sariputra: A woman's body is filthy (by defilement) and is not a vessel of the law. How are you able to (dragon girl) attain the highest enlightenment? […] Furthermore, there are five obstacles for a woman because of her body: 1) She does not achieve to become a Brahmā-Heaven-King, 2) Not Indra, 3) Not King of the Māras, 4) Not turning a wheel and 5) not Buddha. Dragon girl: you should now see with your unearthly power that I am becoming even faster than (this) Buddha . The following also applies:

If after the extinction […] a woman hears this text, practices according to this sermon and thus ends her life, she will be reborn on the jewel seat in a lotus flower. She (who has been transformed into a man) will no longer be beset by covetousness, nor by anger and folly.

literature

Introduction and comments
  • Thich Nhat Hanh; The heart of the cosmos. The wisdom of the Lotus Sutra. Herder Verlag, 2005, ISBN 3-451-28468-5
  • Nikkyo Niwano; Buddhism for today. A modern representation of the Triple Lotus Sutra. Octopus Publishing House. ISBN 978-3-900290-27-6
  • Shinjo Suguro (1998): Introduction to the Lotus Sutra, Jain Publishing Company. ISBN 0-87573-078-7
  • Tamura, Yoshio; Reeves, Gene (ed) (2014), Introduction to the Lotus Sutra, Boston: Wisdom Publications, ISBN 9781614290803
  • George Tanabe (Ed.): The Lotus Sutra in Japanese Culture. University of Hawai'i Press, 1989, ISBN 978-0-8248-1198-3 . 'History and reception.
  • Teiser, Stephen F .; Stone, Jacqueline Ilyse; eds. (2009). Readings of the Lotus Sutra, New York: Columbia University Press
Sanskrit texts
  • Hendrik Kern; B. Nanjio (ed.); Saddharmapuṇḍarīka; St. Pétersbourg 1912 (Imprimerie de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences), Bibliotheca Buddhica, 10 (In Nāgarī) Vol.1 , Vol. 2 , Vol. 3 , Vol. 4 , Vol. 5 .
  • Vaidya, PL: Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtram. The Mithila Institute of Post-Graduate Studies and Research in Sanskrit Learning, Darbhanga 1960. Digitized (romanized Sanskrit)
  • Akira Yuyama: A Bibliography of the Sanskrit Texts of the Sadharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra. Faculty of Asian Studies in Association With Australian National University, Canberra, Australia, 1970.
German translations
  • Margareta von Borsig (ex.): Lotos Sutra - The great book of enlightenment in Buddhism. Herder Verlag, new edition 2009. ISBN 978-3-451-30156-8 First complete translation into German.
  • Max Deeg (ex.): The Lotos Sūtra. Primus Verlag, 2007. ISBN 978-3-89678-607-4 Taken from early Chinese versions by Kumarajiva, which have been compared with a parallel Sanskrit original text. With an introduction by Max Deeg and Helwig Schmidt-Glintzer. Funded by the Buddhist Soka Gakkai International (SGI)
  • Heinz W. Kuhlmann (translator): The Triple Lotos Sutra. Octopus Verlag, Vienna 1989. ISBN 3-900290-52-0 , translation from English.
  • Tenzin Tharchin: The triple sutra of the white lotus flower of the wonderful Dharma , Tushita-Verlag, 1st edition (December 2008): ISBN 978-3-902549-13-6
English translations
  • Katō Bunno, Tamura Yoshirō, Miyasaka Kōjirō (tr.), The Threefold Lotus Sutra: The Sutra of Innumerable Meanings; The Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Law; The Sutra of Meditation on the Bodhisattva Universal Virtue , Weatherhill & Kōsei Publishing, New York & Tōkyō 1975 (Rissho Kosaikai) PDF (1.4 MB)
  • Hendrik Kern (tr.). Saddharma Pundarîka or the Lotus of the True Law , Sacred Books of the East, Vol. XXI, Clarendon Press, Oxford 1884. Reprints a. a .: New York 1963 (Dover), Delhi 1968. Translation from the Sanskrit e-text without the comments in the original (PDF 915 kB)
  • Murano Senchu ​​(tr.). The Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Law . Tokyo 1974 (Nichiren Shu Headquarters). Reprint: University of Hawaii Press 2013.
  • Kubo Tsugunari, Yuyama Akira (tr.) The Lotus Sutra . Revised 2nd ed. Berkeley, Calif. : Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research, 2007. ISBN 978-1-886439-39-9 PDF (1.6 MB)
  • Burton Watson (tr.). The Lotus Sutra , Columbia University Press, New York, 1993 (Soka Gakkai)
Individual evidence
  1. ↑ Abe, Ryuchi (2015). " Revisiting the Dragon Princess: Her Role in Medieval Engi Stories and Their Implications in Reading the Lotus Sutra ( Memento September 7, 2015 in the Internet Archive )". Japanese Journal of Religious Studies. 42 (1): 29, 36, 37
  2. ↑ Borsig, 2003, page 239.
  3. ↑ Borsig, 2003, page 345f.

Web links

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