The Lotus Sutra

This sutra was established in the early period of Indian Mahayana Buddhism and is one of the most important sutras in all of Buddhism. The original Sanskrit text is called Saddharmapundarika-sūtra. Several complete copies were handed down to Nepal, and the complete version was published in the early 20th century. There are also versions from Central Asia (Western Regions), Gilgit (Kashmir), and a Tibetan translation. There are three Chinese translations: (1) the True Lotus Sutra, translated by Jikuhogo in 10 volumes (286), (2) the Myoho Renge Sutra, translated by Kumarajiva in 7 volumes (406), and (3) the Supplementary Myoho Renge Sutra, translated by Janakutta and others in 7 volumes (601). (1) is relatively close to the original Sanskrit text but is difficult to decipher. (2) is by far the most widely read, and its influence on Chinese and Japanese Buddhism, and its reflections in literature and other fields, are the greatest of any of the Buddhist scriptures combined. However, (2) originally had several missing parts that were added somewhat later, and it also contains part of a supplementary translation of (3).

The current version of the Lotus Sutra includes the "Devadatta Chapter," but it is not found in either the original Kumarajiva translation or any other text, and excluding this, all texts consist of 27 chapters. These are divided into the first 13 chapters (only the Lotus Sutra has 14 chapters) and the second half of 14 chapters, with the first half referred to as the "Shakumon" and the second half as the "Honmon."

The central idea of ​​the Trace School is to unify the three vehicles of the Buddhism of that time, the two vehicles of the Hinayana of the Shravakas and Pratyekabuddhas, and the Mahayana of the Bodhisattvas, into one vehicle (one Buddha vehicle), and to teach that all the various expedient means of devotion to Buddhism are causal factors for attaining Buddhahood, in which the idea of ​​tolerance and reconciliation can be seen. Not only the "Parable Chapter" (the chapter titles below are from the Lotus Sutra), but many other chapters use truly skillful parables to encourage Buddhist faith and teach that the Lotus Sutra should be respected. The references to pagodas in the "Treasure Tower Viewing" chapter and other chapters are thought to indicate a close relationship between this sutra and the people at the time who worshipped towers (called stupas) which enshrined items associated with the Buddha and other great Buddhist figures.

The Honmon school of thought, as clearly stated in the "Tathagata's Life Span" chapter, emphasizes that the historical Buddha who once appeared on this earth was merely an expedient form, and that the original Buddha is eternal and immortal, never to perish. The "Bodhisattva of Eternal Disdain" chapter tells the story of a bodhisattva who practiced respect in all circumstances and towards all people. The "Bodhisattva of Compassion and All-Pervading Avalokitesvara" chapter explains that Bodhisattva of Compassion saves all living beings, and became the basis for the belief in Kannon. This chapter became independent and has been widely read to this day as the "Kannon Sutra."

Since ancient times, many people have based their own theories on the Lotus Sutra and established schools and sects, and there are also an overwhelming number of commentaries on it. In particular, Tendai Buddhism, which originated in China and is based on this sutra, was introduced to Japan by Saicho, and almost all subsequent monks once retreated to its base, Mount Hiei, to practice asceticism, and the founders of Kamakura Buddhism also studied here. It is well known that Nichiren, in particular, became so devoted to the Lotus Sutra itself that he began chanting "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo." Many of the so-called new religions in Japan today that originate from the Nichiren sect are also active in putting the spirit of the Lotus Sutra into practice.

[Mitsunori Saegusa]

"The Lotus Sutra, Vol. 1, 2 and 3, translated and annotated by Sakamoto Yukio and Iwamoto Yutaka (Iwanami Bunko)" ▽ "The Lotus Sutra, Vol. 1 and 2, translated by Shoto Seiren and others (Masato Nagao and Yuichi Kajiyama, Mahayana Buddhist Scriptures 4 and 5, 1975, 1976, Chuokoron-Shinsha)" ▽ "Lectures on the Lotus Sutra, by Oda Tokuno (1978, Toho Publishing)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

インド大乗仏教初期に成立した経典で、すべての仏教テキストのうちでも、もっとも重要な経の一つ。サンスクリット原典はサッダルマ・プンダリーカ・スートラSaddharmapundarīka-sūtraといい、ネパールにその完全な写本が数種伝えられ、20世紀初めに完本が出版された。そのほか中央アジア（西域）本、ギルギット（カシミール）本などがあり、チベット訳もある。漢訳は、（1）竺法護(じくほうご)訳『正(しょう)法華経』10巻（286）、（2）鳩摩羅什(くまらじゅう)訳『妙法蓮華経(みょうほうれんげきょう)』7巻（406）、（3）闍那崛多(じゃなくった)他訳『添品(てんぼん)妙法蓮華経』7巻（601）の3本がある。（1）はサンスクリット原典に比較的近いが、解読しがたい。（2）が断然群を抜いて広く読まれ、それが中国や日本の仏教に与えた影響、そしてそれを通じて文学などにみえる反映は、あらゆる仏教経典をあわせたもののなかで最大である。ただし（2）は当初数か所の欠落があり、それらはやや後代に付加され、さらに（3）の補訳の一部を含む。

　現行の『妙法蓮華経』は「提婆達多品(だいばだったぼん)」を加えているが、羅什訳原本にも他書にもなく、それを除くと、すべてのテキストが27章からなる。これらを前半の13章（『妙法蓮華経』だけ14章まで）と後半の14章とに分け、前半を「迹(しゃく)門」、後半を「本門」とする。

　迹門の中心思想は、当時の仏教において、声聞(しょうもん)と縁覚(えんがく)のいわゆる小乗の二乗と、菩薩(ぼさつ)の大乗との計三乗を、一乗（一仏乗）に統一することを説き、さまざまな仏教帰依(きえ)の方便（手段）がことごとく成仏の因縁となることを教えて、ここには寛容宥和(ゆうわ)の思想がみられる。「譬喩(ひゆ)品」（以下章名は『妙法蓮華経』による）だけではなく、多くの章は、まことに巧みな譬喩を交えて、仏教信仰を勧め、また、この『法華経』を尊重すべきことを教える。「見宝塔品(けんほうとうぼん)」などに宝塔について説かれるのは、当時ブッダ（釈迦(しゃか)）や偉大な仏教者にゆかりの品々を祀(まつ)った塔（これをストゥーパという）を崇拝していた人々と、この経との密接な関係を物語るとみられる。

　本門の思想は、「如来寿量(にょらいじゅりょう)品」に明言されるように、かつてこの地に現れた歴史上のブッダは方便の姿にすぎず、本来の仏は永遠に滅びることのない久遠(くおん)常住不滅であることを強調する。「常不軽(じょうふぎょう)菩薩品」には、どんな場合にも、どんな人に対しても、尊敬を実践した菩薩の物語がある。「観世音(かんぜおん)菩薩普門(ふもん)品」は、観世音菩薩があまねく衆生を救済することを説いて、観音(かんのん)信仰の根拠となり、この章が独立し、『観音経』として広く読まれて現在に至る。

　古くから、『法華経』をよりどころとして自説をたて、学派・宗派を確立した人々は数多く、また注釈書も圧倒的に多い。とくに、この経に依拠して、中国の智ぎに始まる天台宗は、最澄(さいちょう)により日本に伝えられ、その本拠の比叡山(ひえいざん)には、以後の出家者のほぼすべてが、いったんは籠(こも)って修行し、鎌倉仏教の祖師たちもここに学んだ。なかでも日蓮(にちれん)が『法華経』そのものに傾倒して、「南無妙法蓮華経」の唱題を始めたことは名高い。日蓮宗の系譜から出る現在の日本のいわゆる新宗教の多くも、『法華経』の精神の実践に活躍している。

［三枝充悳］

『坂本幸男・岩本裕訳注『法華経』上中下（岩波文庫）』▽『松濤誠廉他訳『法華経1・2』（長尾雅人・梶山雄一監修『大乗仏典4・5』1975、76・中央公論社）』▽『織田得能著『法華経講義』（1978・東方出版）』

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