Scripture of the Lotus Blossom of the Fine Dharma: The Lotus Sutra (Records of Civilization: Sources and Studies)

This is a translation of a Buddhist scripture which was originally written in Sanskrit but is best known to Buddhists through Chinese versions. It is one of the most influential and popular texts of Mahayana Buddhism, emphasizing the doctrine that there is only one path to enlightenment, the bodhisattva-path, and the principle that the Buddha is not to be delimited in time and space. The work is famous and beloved throughout the Far East for its parables, such as that of the burning house, that of the wayward son, and many others; for its presentation of abstract religious concepts in concrete images; for the innumerable fascinating beings which people the work; and for the charm, warmth, and directness of its style.

This translation of the Lotus Sutra has been made from the best known of the Chinese versions; however, it also includes translations of passages of the Sanskrit that are omitted from the Chinese versions or differ sharply from the Chinese.