Download a PDF copy of H. Kern’s translation
- Kern’s Introduction to his translation
-
- Chapter 1, Introductory
- Prologue 1
- Chapter 2, Skillfulness
- Awakening of the Lord from his mystic trance; display of his transcendent skillfulness, proved by the apparent trinity of vehicles, whereas in reality there is but one vehicle.
- Chapter 3, A parable
- Prophecy of the Lord regarding the future destiny of Śāriputra, his eldest son. Second turn of the wheel of the law on that occasion, with incidental commemoration of the first turn near Benares. Parable of the burning house, to exemplify the skill of the good father in saving his children from the burning pains of mundane existence.
- Chapter 4, Disposition
- Another parable, exemplifying the skill of the wise father in leading a child that has gone astray and lost all self-respect back to a feeling of his innate nobility and to happiness.
- Chapter 5, On Plants
- Parable of the plants and the rain, to exemplify the impartiality and equal care of the Lord for all creatures. Parable of the blind man, to intimate that the phenomena have but an apparent reality, and that the ultimate goal of all endeavors must be to reach all-knowingness, which in fact is identical with complete nescience.
- Chapter 6, Announcement of Future Destiny
- Sundry predictions as proofs of the power of the Sugata to look into the future.
- Chapter 7, Ancient Devotion
- He has an equal knowledge of the remotest past; his remembrance of the turning of the wheel by the Tathāgata Mahābhigñāgñānābhibhū. Edifying history of the sixteen sons of the said Tathāgata.
- Chapter 8, Announcement of the Future Destiny of the Five Hundred Monks
- Prophecy regarding five hundred Arhats
- Chapter 9, Announcement of the Future Destiny Of Ānanda, Rahula, and the Two Thousand Monks
- Prophecy concerning Ananda, Rāhula, and the two thousand monks.
- Chapter 10, The Preacher
- The Lord teaches how pious preachers of the law, who will come in after-times, ought to be duly honored, and promises that he will always protect the ministers of religion.
- Chapter 11, Apparition of a Stūpa
- Display of the miraculous power of Śākyamuni shown in the appearance of a Stūpa, which, being opened by him, discloses to sight the frame of the expired Tathāgata Prabhūtaratna, who is desirous of hearing the exposition of the Lotus of the True Law. How Śākyamuni in a former birth strove to acquire the Lotus. His great obligations to Devadatta. Episode of the wise daughter of the Ocean and her change of sex.
- Chapter 12, Exertion
- Prediction to Gautamī, Yaśodharā, and the nuns in their train. Promise of the host of disciples and Bodhisattvas to take up the difficult task of preaching the holy word in days to come, after the Lord’s Nirvana.
- Chapter 13, Peaceful Life
- Vocation of the ministers of religion, and practical rules for their conduct in and out of society. Parable of the king who rewards his valiant warriors; in the same manner the Buddha will reward those who struggle for his sake, by bestowing upon them all kinds of favors, at last the most valuable of his boons—eternal rest.
- Chapter 14, Issuing of Bodhisattvas from the Gaps of the Earth
- Splendid phantasmagory of innumerable Bodhisattvas evoked by the creative power of the Lord. Long pause, during which the Tathāgata and the four classes of hearers are silent. Perplexity of Maitreya on hearing that the innumerable Bodhisattvas have all been the pupils of the Lord.
- Chapter 15, Duration of the Life of the Tathāgata
- The Buddha explains the fact by revealing the immense duration of his lifetime, in the past and the future.
- Chapter 16, Of Piety
- Meritoriousness of the belief in the immense duration of the Tathāgatas and all those who have once become Buddhas.
- Chapter 17, Indication of the Meritoriousness of Joyful Acceptance
- The Lord details the great merit attending a ready acceptance of the preaching of the law.
- Chapter 18, The Advantages of a Religious Preacher
- Exposition of the advantages, worldly and spiritual, enjoyed by the ministers of religion.
- Chapter 19, Sadāparibhūta
- Story of Sadāparibhūta, exemplifying the superiority of simple-mindedness and pure-heartedness to worldly wisdom and skepticism.
- Chapter 20, Conception of the Transcendent Power of the Tathāgatas
- Grand show exhibited by the two Tathāgatas Śākyamuni and Prabhūtaratna conjointly. Pause after the performance. After the pause a great stir amongst gods, celestial and infernal beings, men, &c. The Tathāgata extols the Sūtra of the Lotus in which ‘all Buddha-laws are succinctly taught,’ as well as the keepers of this most eminent of Sūtras.
(Immediately after this chapter may have followed, in the oldest version, the epilogue entitled ‘Period of the Law. … The supposed additional chapters contain the following topics, briefly indicated.)
Footnote
- 1
- These chapter descriptions are taken from the Introduction to Kern’s translation.return