Saddharma-Puṇḍarīka or the Lotus of the True Law (1963)

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Saddharma-Puṇḍarīka or the Lotus of the True Law

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Translations of Sutras (Skt-Eng)

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Descriptionངོ་སྤྲོད།

The Lotus Sutra, one of the most significant texts of Mahayana Buddhism, is presented here complete, in the authoritative translation of H. Kern.

Kern presents the original Buddhist scriptures in their chaptered format, as they begin with the Shakyamuni Buddha lapsing into a deep meditative consciousness. During this state, he perceives a vast ray of light, that shine upon and give light to other buddha-fields far to the East. Following this momentous display, we are given the lessons of early Buddhism, how the spiritual path of the bodhisattva allows for the attainment of the status of Buddha and complete enlightenment.

We also hear of various parables and moral teachings, of those who petition the Buddhas with questions or requests for spiritual guidance. Mythological tales, such as the creation and discovery of the Magic City with its symbolic treasures, are also related. The later chapters, which expound further upon the immortal nature of the Buddha character, and the timeless wisdom that he espouses, count among the finest explanations of the Buddhist faith ever written.

H. Kern renders the stories and spiritual lessons in superb English, with utmost care taken not to misinterpret or dilute the guidance. (Source Accessed Jan 5, 2022)

Citation

Kern, H., trans. Saddharma-Puṇḍarīka or the Lotus of the True Law. Sacred Books of the East 21. New York: Dover Publications, 1963.

Table of contents

INTRODUCTIONix
CHAPTER 1. Introductory1
CHAPTER 2. Skilfulness30
CHAPTER 3. A Parable60
CHAPTER 4. Disposition98
CHAPTER 5. On Plants118
CHAPTER 6. Announcement of Future Destiny142
CHAPTER 7. Ancient Devotion153
CHAPTER 8. Announcement of the Future Destiny of the Five Hundred Monks191
CHAPTER 9. Annpuncement of the Future Destiny of Ananda, Rahula, and the Two Thousand Monks205
CHAPTER 10. The Preacher213
CHAPTER 11. Apparition of a Stūpa227
CHAPTER 12. Exertion255
CHAPTER 13. Peaceful Life262
CHAPTER 14. Issuing of Bodhisattvas from the Gaps of the Earth281
CHAPTER 15. Duration of Life of the Tathāgata298
CHAPTER 16. Of Piety311
CHAPTER 17. Indication of the Meritoriousness of Joyful Acceptance328
CHAPTER 18. The Advantages of a Religious Preacher336
CHAPTER 19. Sadāparibhūta354
CHAPTER 20. Conception of the Transcendent Power of the Tathāgatas363
CHAPTER 21. Spells370
CHAPTER 22. Ancient Devotion of Bhaishagyarāga376
CHAPTER 23. Gadgadsvara393
CHAPTER 24. The All-Sided One406
CHAPTER 25. Ancient Devotion419
CHAPTER 26. Encouragement of Samantabhadra431
CHAPTER 27. The Period440
Index443

Interconnections

Works related to this item

2 Full translation of

Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra [सद्धर्मपुण्डरीकसूत्र]. dam pa'i chos pad ma dkar po zhes bya ba theg pa chen po'i mdo [དམ་པའི་ཆོས་པད་མ་དཀར་པོ་ཞེས་བྱ་བ་ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་མདོ།]. [The Mahāyāna Sūtra "The White Lotus of the Good Dharma" (84000)]. Translated by Surendrabodhi, Ye shes sde, Kumārajīva, Dharmarakṣa, Dharmakṣema, Jñānagupta, Dharmagupta. Kangyur, RKTSK 113 http://www.rkts.org/cat.php?id=113&typ=1.

Classical WorksAbout this item

The White Lotus of the Good Dharma, popularly known as the Lotus Sūtra, is taught by Buddha Śākyamuni on Vulture Peak to an audience that includes bodhisattvas from countless realms, as well as bodhisattvas who emerge from under the ground, from the space below this world. Buddha Prabhūtaratna, who has long since passed into nirvāṇa, appears within a floating stūpa to hear the sūtra, and Śākyamuni enters the stūpa and sits beside him. The Lotus Sūtra is celebrated, particularly in East Asia, for its presentation of crucial elements of the Mahāyāna tradition, such as the doctrine that there is only one yāna, or "vehicle"; the distinction between expedient and definite teachings; and the notion that the Buddha's life, enlightenment, and parinirvāṇa were simply manifestations of his transcendent buddhahood, while he continues to teach eternally. A recurring theme in the sūtra is its own significance in teaching these points during past and future eons, with many passages in which the Buddha and bodhisattvas such as Samantabhadra describe the great benefits that come from devotion to it, the history of its past devotees, and how it is the Buddha's ultimate teaching, supreme over all other sūtras. (Source: 84000)

Kern, H., and Bunyiu Nanjio, eds. Saddharmapuṇḍarīka. Bibliotheca Buddhica 10. St. Pétersbourg: Commissionnaires de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences, 1908-12.

Books1908–1912About this item

A critical Sanskrit edition of the Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra, edited by H. Kern and Bunyiu Nanjio, 1908-1912.

1 Other editions

Kern, H., trans. The Saddharma-Puṇḍarīka or The Lotus of the True Law. Sacred Books of the East 21. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1884.

Books1884About this item

An English translation of the Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra by H. Kern. Published by the Clarendon Press in 1884 as vol. 21 of the The Sacred Books of the East series.