Lord Shakyamuni Gautama Buddha is the founder of Buddhism, one of the major religions and philosophical systems of southern and eastern Asia and of the world
Buddha, (It is a Sanskrit word that means "a person who is awake")
Clan name (Sanskrit) Gautama or (Pali) Gotama,
Personal name (Sanskrit) Siddhartha or (Pali) Siddhattha,
Shakyamuni, "the sage of the Shakya clan"
Born during the 6th–4th century BCE
( While scholars agree that Buddha did in fact exist, the specific dates and events...Read More
Nichiren Daishonin, the great Bodhisattva of the earth, (who is known as "Vishista Charithra" is a great disciple of Buddha from the remote past) He was a Buddhist priest born in Japan, about 755 years ago and lived during the Kamakura period (1185–1333).
Nichiren is known for his sole devotion to the Lotus Sutra, asserting that it was Shakyamuni Buddha's ultimate teaching and was the best method to attain enlightenment. Nichiren believed that the Lotus Sutra contained the essence of all of Shakyamuni Buddha's teachings related to the laws of causality, karma. His interpretation of the Lotus Sutra centers on the emphasis of its 16th chapter, The Life Span of the Thus Come One, where he grounds his revelation that the chanting of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is the superior practice of today's age (Mappō).
Nichiren Daishonin became a monk at the age of 12 years and studied all the existing Sutras and he came to the conclusion that the Lotus Sutra is the king of the...Read More
The Lotus flower is of great significance in the life of the Buddha.
On the night of the "Esala" full moon, when the future Buddha was conceived in the womb of his mother Mahamaya she dreamt of a white elephant entering her womb carrying a white lotus in its trunk. Again after nine months when the future Buddha was born in Lumbini it was said that he treaded on seven lotus flowers that sprang up from the ground to receive his feet.
After attaining enlightenment the Buddha carried on his mission for 45 years and towards the end of his life it was again the Lotus Sutra (Saddharma Pundarika Sutra) he preached at the Gijakoota Parvatha (Eagle Peak) and declared it the Supreme Sutra of all Sutras he had preached earlier. This Saddharma Pundarika Sutra could be considered the last Major Sutra preached by the Buddha before attaining...Read More
Buddha expounded the Lotus sutra when he was residing at the summit of the eagle peak (Gijjakuta Parvatha). He was accompanied by a large number of devotees, the decription of the audience takes up about two full pages of the book.
The Buddha illuminated all the corners of the 18,000 worlds down to avichi hell and up to the akanistha heaven from the light emitted from the white curl in the middle of his forehead. The light enabled the audience to visualize these worlds as they are, and in great detail, in such a manner that they could assess each and every being in those worlds.
Each and everyone in the congregation had been greatly moved by this display of wonder by the Buddha. However they pondered on why Buddha displayed this wonder, and whom they could look to for an answer.
Manjusri Bodhisattva who was present in the audience, and had come with the great multitude of Bodhisattvas from the other worlds, explained...Read More
