The Story of the Lotus Sutra of Your Life
(I apologize in advance for this long post. I belive the content could not be broken up into multiple posts.) What follows is the beginning of a new study program that will take at least two years to complete. The framework will be the examination of one chapter of the...
If a Phrase of the Sutra Fills Your Heart… – May 5, 2017
“If a phrase of the sutra fills your heart it will be an aid to reaching the other Shore. By deeply reflecting on and mastering the Dharma it will become a great vessel for crossing over. Being able to see and hear the Dharma follows upon its joyful reception,...
Chapter IV – Part 2 – Treasury of the Buddha Law
The translucent layers in both of the art pieces are representative of the multiple layers, the various ways of being in our lives. In each case nothing is completely covered over, nothing is eliminated and especially in the last piece every layer is required in order to form the whole. ...
Chapter IV – Part 1 – Never Had Before
Chapter IV is written from the voice of the Pratyekabuddhas, the elders of the Sangha. This group of people and the World, in the Ten Worlds, it represents is sometime called the self-enlightened or the contemplatives. In both of my art pieces for this chapter I used translucent layers in...
Chapter III: Part 3 – Rejoice
Chapter III provides me with many different inspirational passages which have defined my practice of the Lotus Sutra and how I have tried to encourage others. I am using page 81 from the Murano 3rd edition translation of the Lotus Sutra. You may have by now noticed a trend or...
Chapter III: Part 2 – Peaceful as the Sea
In this passage we have Shariputra telling the Buddha about how confused he was, about how perplexed, and even afraid. He had begun to suspect that Mara was impersonating his beloved teacher, his doubt had become so great. As a teacher I have had people react to me in similar...