Lotus Sutra Study Guide
The more you read — and reread — the Lotus Sutra, the more you learn about you
This track by Sandeep Khurana is my go-to Spotify jam when I’m chanting Nam Myoho Renge solo and want some accompaniment. It also works when my insomnia kicks in and I’m like, “Welp, since I’m not sleeping, I might as well listen to chanting”. Usually, I end up falling in and out of sleep this way, which beats not sleeping at all. But, I must say, these days, I’ve been sleeping pretty well — Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.
You’ll find that if I’m writing about Buddhism, and you’ve read my writing before, I repeat myself. This is because I never know when someone is coming across these concepts and definitions and historical tidbits for the first time. Plus, it helps me to research and write these things. There is always something new I learn by doing it. The guide opens with this:
Nichiren Buddhists pray by chanting the title of the Lotus Sutra in Sanskrit (Nam) and Japanese: Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. This translates as Devotion to the Wonderful Law of the Lotus Flower Teaching of the Buddha. Online editions of the Lotus Sutra, Nichiren's writings, the history of Buddhism and Nichiren Buddhism as forewords to these texts, and the Soka Dictionary if Buddhism are at nichirenlibrary.org.
I have compiled reading suggestions in a study guide based on chapters of the Lotus Sutra that Nichiren wrote about. He is the 13th-century Japanese scholar monk who propagated chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. In addition, I suggest reading writings of his that explain the chapters. You might find it helpful to read the footnotes in his writings. I do. It will take a long time to do all this reading but there’s no rush. The goal of Buddhist study is to deepen our understanding of our true limitless and eternal selves so that we can live fulfilling lives of victory for ourselves and others.
The Lotus Sutra is the only sutra the Buddha preached spontaneously, not in response to being asked a question. Nichiren said this meant he was speaking directly from his own enlightenment instead of providing answers that fit his listeners’ level of understanding, which he had done when preaching over the preceding 40 years.
The Lotus Sutra is not an easy read. I have to pray to understand it. In “On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime,” Nichiren said all of the teachings of the Buddha are the story of one’s life itself. I believe that no matter how many times I read the Lotus Sutra, I’ll always learn something new from it. It's full of metaphor and symbolism. Much of it is not intended to be taken literally. Chapters 1-14 are called the Theoretical Teaching and chapters 15-28, the Essential Teaching.
The complete Lotus Sutra Study Guide is online at
The Dalai Lama’s publisher — Wisdom — published my children’s novel Taneesha Never Disparaging. It’s the world’s first book about an African-American Buddhist child. The remarkable illustrator, the late Floyd Cooper, created its cover art. I wish I could delete mention of Daisaku Ikeda in it. But, I can’t until it goes into reprint. So just ignore that part. My other children’s book is about the eternity and inseparability of life told through an ancient Chinese tale about a loving father and his son: Wu-lung and I-lung. Support independent booksellers by buying it on Alibris.com. Email me to order an autographed copy: sutraofthelotusflower@gmail.com.
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