The Prose & Verse of The Lotus Sutra

Chapter 25
The Universal Door of the Bodhisattva
Observing the Sounds of the World

Outline

Full Text of the Chapter

On the Meaning of the Title

The Prose and Verse of the Lotus Sutra (C. Fa-Hua Wen-Chu, J. Hokke Mongu)

A. The Prose of the 25th Chapter:

  1. The Time
    1. From East to West
    2. The Four Methods of Teaching (Siddhanta)
      1. The Different Bodhisattvas (The Worldly Method)
      2. The Producing of Good (The Personal Method)
      3. Resolving Doubts (The Therapeituc Method)
      4. The Attainment of Enlightenment (The Method of the Highest Significance)
  • The Bodhisattva Inexhaustible Will - Object & Wisdom
    1. Inexhaustible - The Object of the Three Truths
    2. Will - The Wisdom
    3. Fusion of Wisdom and the Object
  • The First Question - On the Person - The Bodhisattva Observing the Sounds of the World
    1. The General Answer
      1. The Number of People
      2. The Experience of Suffering
      3. Hearing the Name Invoked
      4. Attaining Liberation
    2. The Specific Answer
      1. The Mouth, Its Spiritual Capacity (Prayer), & the Response (The Answer to Prayer)
        1. The Seven Hardships
          1. The Hardship of Fire
            1. Embracing the Name That is Good
            2. Experiencing the Fire That is Evil
              1. The Fruit & Retribution of Hell Ceases, and There is the First Meditation
              2. The Karmic Cause of Hell Ceases, and There is The Heaven Beyond Thoughts & Cares
              3. The Hell of Emotional Desire & Distress Ceases, and There is Attainment of the Universal Enlightenment
            1. The Response
            2. The Conclusion
          1. The Hardship of Water
          2. The Hardship of Raksasa
          3. The Hardship of Knives & Clubs
          4. The Hardship of Demons
          5. The Hardship of Stocks & Chains
          6. The Hardship of Bandits
        2. The Conclusion on the Mouth, and the Bodhisattva's Spiritual Powers
      2. The Thinking Mind, Its Spiritual Capacity (Remembrance), and the Response (Liberation)
        1. Freedom From The Three Poisons
          1. Immoral Sensory Desire
          2. Anger & Hatred
          3. Delusion & Stupidity
        2. The Conclusion on the Thinking Mind, and the Bodhisattva's Spiritual Powers
      3. The Body, Its Spiritual Capacity, and The Response
        1. The Two Things That Are Sought
          1. Sons of Wisdom & Virtue
          2. Daughters of Beauty & Virtue
        2. The Conclusion on the Body, and the Bodhisattva's Spiritual Powers
    3. The Conclusion of the Answer to the First Question
      1. Encouragement to Embrace the Bodhisattva's Name
      2. Measuring the Size of the Bodhisattva
      3. Concluding Praise
  • The Second Question - On the Dharma - The Universal Door
    1. The Question
      1. On the Body - How Does the Bodhisattva Travel in the Saha World?
      2. On the Mouth - How Does the Bodhisattva Teach the Dharma to Living Beings?
      3. On the Thinking Mind - How Does the Bodhisattva Use Ways & Means?
    2. The Answer
      1. The Specific Answer -  The Response of the 33 Manifestations that are Seen and the 19 Teachings of the Dharma that are Heard
        1. Response as a Buddha Teaching the Dharma
        2. Response as a Pratkekabuddha Teaching the Dharma
        3. Response as a Sravaka Teaching the Dharma
        4. Response as King Brahma Teaching the Dharma
        5. Response as Sakra Devendra Teaching the Dharma
        6. Response as Isvara Teaching the Dharma
        7. Response as Mahesvara Teaching the Dharma
        8. Response as a Great General Teaching the Dharma
        9. Response as Vaisravana Teaching the Dharma
        10. Response as a King Teaching the Dharma
        11. Response as an Elder Teaching the Dharma
        12. Response as a Scholar Teaching the Dharma
        13. Response as a Civic Leader Teaching the Dharma
        14. Response as a Brahman Teaching the Dharma
        15. Response as a Monk, Nun, Layman or Laywoman Teaching the Dharma
        16. Response as the Wife of an Elder, a Scholar, a Civic Leader or a Brahman Teaching the Dharma
        17. Response as a Boy or Girl teaching the Dharma
        18. Response of a God, Dragon, Yaksa, Gandharva, Asura, Garuda, Kinnara or Mahoraga Teaching the Dharma
        19. Response of a Vajra-Wielding Spirit Teaching the Dharma
      2. The General Answer
      3. Encouraging the Offering of Service
        1. Praising the Offering of Service
        2. The Bodhisattva Inexhaustible Will Accepts the Buddha's Order
          1. The Offering
          2. Not Accepting It
          3. Offering It Again
          4. The Buddha's Encouragement
          5. Accepting It
          6. The Conclusion

    B. The Verse of the 25th Chapter

    Nichiren's The Oral Transmission of the Meaning (Ongi Kuden)

     

    Literature           Home          Title Study          Begin Text Study

     Outline of Prose          Outline of Verse & Coda          Ongi Kuden

     

     Copyright © Peter Johnson 2001 - All rights reserved

    Copyright Policy - Contact the Author at pj@tientai.net

      

      Since July 9, 2001


     FastCounter by bCentral