Stories of the Lotus Sutra - The Jewel in the Topknot

[Bion]

For the fruits of these vows to bud and eventually blossom, it takes consistent effort and practice.

I would take it a step further and say, the special thing about the vows is that they bear fruit instantly.

Gassho
sat lah

[Bion]

This chapter irritates me.

It tells one to avoid shravakas and, at the same time, accepts that there are different valid vehicles.
It tells one to avoid "wrestlers and boxers" and later - "the five types of unmanly men". Come on, be consistent I won't even quote who these "five types" are; feel free to google "paṇḍaka".
This list can be much longer.

I explained many of the inconsistencies to myself by the fact that this text might be a collection of texts, traditions, and teachings, but it's hard not to notice these very clear inconsistencies. One need not be a modern person to notice them. Old sages were smart enough - why compile a text like this?

And the most annoying thing is this "hidden and later revealed" idea. I get it, some teachings go through transformation and change across different ages and cultures, but it was not hidden at the beginning to be revealed later.


satlah

I hear you, friend!

In challenging moments of reflection like this one, it’s important to remember that the Lotus Sutra does not represent the entirety of the Mahayana tradition throughout its history. Although I’ve mentioned this before, it wasn’t a significant text for a period. It clearly reflects a movement, perhaps even a specific group, within a particular area of the Mahayana world, and it illustrates its evolution across both space and time, as well as the broader struggles within the Buddhist community. Like most Mahayana sutras, it may have originated as something different and gradually accumulated more content over decades and centuries. Modifications were made to enhance their authority and validate their authenticity. Some sutras began as dialogues between a teacher and a student, evolved into discussions among the Buddha’s first disciples, and eventually featured the Buddha as the central figure.


gassho
sat lah