This book is a guide to one of the most influential of all Buddhist texts, co-authored by two of the most prominent and respected scholars in Buddhist Studies in the Anglo-American academy.
An essential companion to a timeless spiritual classicThe Lotus Sutra is among the most venerated scriptures of Buddhism. Composed in India some two millennia ago, it affirms the potential for all beings to attain supreme enlightenment. Donald Lopez and Jacqueline Stone provide an essential reading companion to this inspiring yet enigmatic mast
This book is a guide to one of the most influential of all Buddhist texts, co-authored by two of the most prominent and respected scholars in Buddhist Studies in the Anglo-American academy.
An essential companion to a timeless spiritual classicThe Lotus Sutra is among the most venerated scriptures of Buddhism. Composed in India some two millennia ago, it affirms the potential for all beings to attain supreme enlightenment. Donald Lopez and Jacqueline Stone provide an essential reading companion to this inspiring yet enigmatic mast
An essential companion to a timeless spiritual classicThe Lotus Sutra is among the most venerated scriptures of Buddhism. Composed in India some two millennia ago, it affirms the potential for all beings to attain supreme enlightenment. Donald Lopez and Jacqueline Stone provide an essential reading companion to this inspiring yet enigmatic mast
“"While scholarly in nature, this work's engaging, thoughtful manner serves its subject well. Essential for readers with academic-level interest in Buddhist studies."”
"Lopez Jr. and Stone’s detailed analysis makes for a welcome, admirable addition to the large repertoire of more general Lotus Sutra studies." Publishers Weekly
"The Lotus Sūtra . . . is given a near perfect summary when the authors write that it is a 'sūtra that never ends, an assembly that never disperses, and a mission that is ongoing'."---Nilanjan Bhowmick, Los Angeles Review of Books
"While scholarly in nature, this work’s engaging, thoughtful manner serves its subject well. Essential for readers with academic-level interest in Buddhist studies." Library Journal
Donald S. Lopez Jr. is the Arthur E. Link Distinguished University Professor of Buddhist and Tibetan Studies at the University of Michigan. His books include The "Lotus Sūtra": A Biography (Princeton). He lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Jacqueline I. Stone is professor of religion at Princeton University. Her books include Original Enlightenment and the Transformation of Medieval Japanese Buddhism. She lives in Kingston, New Jersey.
An essential companion to a timeless spiritual classic The Lotus Sutra is among the most venerated scriptures of Buddhism. Composed in India some two millennia ago, it affirms the potential for all beings to attain supreme enlightenment. Donald Lopez and Jacqueline Stone provide an essential reading companion to this inspiring yet enigmatic masterpiece, explaining how it was understood by its compilers in India and, centuries later in medieval Japan, by one of its most influential proponents. In this illuminating chapter-by-chapter guide, Lopez and Stone show how the sutra's anonymous authors skillfully reframed the mainstream Buddhist tradition in light of a new vision of the path and the person of the Buddha himself, and examine how the sutra's metaphors, parables, and other literary devices worked to legitimate that vision. They go on to explore how the Lotus was interpreted by the Japanese Buddhist master Nichiren (1222-1282), whose inspired reading of the book helped to redefine modern Buddhism. In doing so, Lopez and Stone demonstrate how readers of sacred works continually reinterpret them in light of their own unique circumstances. An invaluable guide to an incomparable spiritual classic, this book unlocks the teachings of the Lotus for modern readers while providing insights into the central importance of commentary as the vehicle by which ancient writings are given contemporary meaning.
This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.