Political Interpretations of the Lotus Sutra

James Shields

Political Interpretations of the Lotus Sutra

James Shields

Bucknell University

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

Abstract

The Sutra on the White Lotus of the Sublime Dharma (Sk., Saddharmapuṇḍar&imacr;ka-s&umacr;tra ; Ch., Miàofǎ liánhuá j&imacr;ng ; Jp., My&omacr;h&omacr; renge ky&omacr; ), commonly known as the Lotus Sutra , is arguably the most influential sutra of Mah&amacr;y&amacr;na Buddhism, and certainly one of the most revered sacred texts in East Asia. Via parables and short stories, the twenty-eight chapters of the Lotus Sutra indirectly present a number of core doctrines of the early Mah&amacr;y&amacr;na, the form of Buddhism that first emerged in India and West Asia roughly five centuries after the death of the historical Buddha Siddhartha Gautama (c. 563–486 BCE) and would eventually come to dominate East Asian Buddhism. The Lotus Sutra is a devotional text rather a philosophical one—i.e., it seems intended to work on the level of the emotions and the senses rather than the intellect. And yet, despite its otherworldly aspects, the Lotus Sutra has been employed over the centuries as a political text, both as a tool for maintaining the status quo and—especially in the twentieth century but with a few historical precedents—as an inspiration and justification for political transformation or reform. This chapter explores some of the various ways in which the Lotus Sutra has been understood and utilized as a political text.

Original language	American English
Title of host publication	A Companion to Buddhist Philosophy
State	Published - Apr 1 2013

Keywords

Lotus Sutra
Buddhism and politics

Disciplines

Asian History
Buddhist Studies
Chinese Studies
History of Religion
History of Religions of Eastern Origins
Japanese Studies
Political History
Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion

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Political Interpretations of the Lotus SutraFinal published version, 7.19 MBLicense: CC BY

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abstract = " The Sutra on the White Lotus of the Sublime Dharma (Sk., Saddharmapuṇḍar\&imacr;ka-s\&umacr;tra ; Ch., Mi\àofǎ li\ánhu\á j\&imacr;ng ; Jp., My\&omacr;h\&omacr; renge ky\&omacr; ), commonly known as the Lotus Sutra , is arguably the most influential sutra of Mah\&amacr;y\&amacr;na Buddhism, and certainly one of the most revered sacred texts in East Asia. Via parables and short stories, the twenty-eight chapters of the Lotus Sutra indirectly present a number of core doctrines of the early Mah\&amacr;y\&amacr;na, the form of Buddhism that first emerged in India and West Asia roughly five centuries after the death of the historical Buddha Siddhartha Gautama (c. 563\–486 BCE) and would eventually come to dominate East Asian Buddhism. The Lotus Sutra is a devotional text rather a philosophical one\—i.e., it seems intended to work on the level of the emotions and the senses rather than the intellect. And yet, despite its otherworldly aspects, the Lotus Sutra has been employed over the centuries as a political text, both as a tool for maintaining the status quo and\—especially in the twentieth century but with a few historical precedents\—as an inspiration and justification for political transformation or reform. This chapter explores some of the various ways in which the Lotus Sutra has been understood and utilized as a political text.",

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ER -

Political Interpretations of the Lotus Sutra

Abstract

Keywords

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