Lotus Sutra Chapter Commentary

[Hans]

Hello dear Treeleafers,

here is the first video in a series of videos where I share some superficial impressions that arose when I looked at the Lotus Sutra for a second time recently:




Please feel free to comment, your feedback is a very precious teaching to me.


Gassho and thank you for your practise,

Hans Chudo Mongen

[Oheso]

thank you Chudo Mongen, your talks have helped me a great deal to attempt approaching the Lotus Sutra. After listening to your first encouraging recommendation, I downloaded one of the many versions of the Sutra available online, along with "visions of awakening space, etc.-"

I'm letting my reading of the Sutra precede my reading of the commentary, as you suggested, and must admit so far I've found Leighton to be much murkier than the Sutra itself. thank you for your encouragement and much more comprehensible take on this seminal text.

muddling my way,
gassho,

Robert

[Hans]

Dear Robert,

thank you for your very kind words. As I say in the video, my ramblings are just intended as short commentaries that just have the aim to inspire people to look into some of the roots of our tradition once in a while. I feel very encouraged by your words and will make sure to go through most of the chapters in the next few months.

All the best and gassho,

Hans Chudo Mongen

[Heisoku]

Thank you Chudo, I have had a copy translated by Reeves hanging about unopened for a year and this has encouraged me to take a look! I like the fact that you summarise and contextualise what can be quite unnerving hyperbole. I personally never have like that kind of superdupernatural stuff! Gassho.

[Shokai]

Hans;

Thank you truly for your effort in providing these commentaries. I admire your passion and ability to convey the essence of this and other sutras as you have in the past. Please continue, I really look forward to your videos.

gassho, Shokai

[Genshin]

Thank you Chudo for taking the time to record this wonderful commentary. I really enjoyed it and look forward to the next installment.

One question, any book/translation recommendations?

Gassho,
Matt

[Mp]

Thank you Hans ... I must say I too am really enjoying your talks. Clean and clear, just the way I like it.

Gassho
Shingen

[Hans]

Hello folks,

regarding translations, it seems that most native English speakers seem to agree the the Gene Reeves translation of the Sutra is pretty solid. His book about the stories of the Lotus Sutra is also very useful and written in a style which I find very friendly in a way.

Both hard to read IMHO yet also very very interesting is Taigen Dan Leighton's book "Awakening Space in Time", because it deals with the way in which Dogen's teachings were influenced by the Lotus Sutra. But before one dives into that one, I'd personally say it's much more useful to slowly get aquainted with the Shobogenzo first.

All the best and Gassho,

Hans Chudo Mongen

[RichardH]

Thank you, Hans.

Your energy brings the Lotus Sutra to life for me. I look forward to following this series. The Devas surely approve.

Gassho,
Daizan

[Jinyo]

Thanks Hans - must order a copy - have only browsed through Thich Nhat Hanh's commentry so far.

Gassho

Willow

[Genshin]

Thanks Hans.

Looking forward to your next video.

Gassho
Matt

[Kaishin]

Thank you, Hans!
Gassho, Kaishin

[Kaishin]

I do have a question. Does anyone or any sect take the Lotus Sutra, or even parts or it, literally? I'm thinking here of the Abraamic religions wherein some churches take parts or all of their holy works to be quite literal, whereas others take a more figurative approach. Or was it always intended to be understood allegorically?
Gassho, Kaishin

[Myoku]

and Thank you Hans,
is there are any particular German translation your would recommend ? I have the Margareta von Borsig one here,
but would be glad to hear if something else might be better translated,
Gassho & Thank you again,
Myoku

[Jinyo]

Began reading the Reeves translation today - enjoying it much more than I thought I would

[Hans]

Hello,

Thank you for all your feedback. I am currently working at a trade fair and will sadly not be able to reply properly before Sunday. But rest assured, I will answer your questions

Gassho

hans

[Myozan Kodo]

Good work bro.
Gassho
Myozan

[Mp]

Hello,

Thank you for all your feedback. I am currently working at a trade fair and will sadly not be able to reply properly before Sunday. But rest assured, I will answer your questions

Gassho

hans

No worries Hans ... have fun at the trade show and look forward to more of your teachings.

Gassho
Shingen

[Hans]

Dear Myoku,

I also happen to own the von Borsig translation, and I know some people have criticised it in the past...but actually I find it very readable and I haven't detected any hidden agendas in the translation that might sneak into my pure Buddhist practise

Dear Kaishin, among the Nichiren school, the Lotus school and the lay Soka Gakkai movement in particular one is bound to find a few individuals who interpret the stories in a literal way. In the same way that there are Christians who have different approaches to their scripture, there are many different shades of Buddhist practitioners and their very unique approaches to their sacred texts. We are lucky that we have a bit more leeway than mainstream muslims when it comes to dealing or not dealing with out precious texts.

Gassho to all of you,

Hans Chudo Mongen

[Myoku]

Thank you Hans,
Gassho
Myoku

[Jinyo]

I have to admit that having got to chapter 27 I feel like I've been back in bible school. I'm interested to see how Thich Nhat Hahn deals with the apocalyptic tone (in places) and how we draw genuine compassion from the fear of all manner of plague and pestilence expressed in some parts

(Have now gone back to the beginning and working thru with Thich Nhat Hahn's commentary - which helps a lot. Also - reading a bit about Nichiren - all interesting).

Gassho

Willow

[Kaishin]

Don't leave us hangin', bro!!!!

[Daisho]

Hello, Hans. I had read the portion of the sutra you discussed on video and it's helped tremendously in my understanding of it. I agree with you that the vastness of of the worlds and universes depicted in the 2,000-year-old sutra certainly fits with what we're discovering about the cosmos today. That's one of the reasons Zen resonates with me. Thank you for your help and teaching and I'm very much looking forward to your next discussion.

[Hans]

Dear Daisho,

thank you for your very generous feedback. I'll upload the next chapter commentary in a few days...it's great that the Sangha members and especially our teachers are giving us Unsui such a great place where we can "fail" without fear

Gassho,

Hans Chudo Mongen

[Hans]

Hello,

since I don't want to open a new thread every time I cover a new chapter (in order to avoid spamming the Unsui corner), all new chapter commentaries will appear in the newly opened thread called "New Lotus Sutra Chapter Commentaries from now on.

All the best and Gassho,

Hans Chudo Mongen

[Shokai]

Hans;

Thank you for unraveling the intricacies of the Lotus for us. My wish is that you never lose that passion and animation. You are trully appreciated.

gassho


p.s. Where did the video go?

[Hans]

Hi Shokai,

thank you for your uplifting feedback. The Video formed a new thread in this Unsui Corner forum, which I will use from now for all following installments of my chaotic commentary as well.

http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showt...r-Commentaries



All the best and Gassho,

Hans Chudo Mongen