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The Lotus Sutra (Translations from the Asian Classics)
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by Burton Watson
Sales Rank: 619330
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List Price: $75.50
$60.40
At Amazon
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Hardcover: 390 pages
Publisher: Columbia University Press June 17, 1993
Language: English
ISBN-10: 023108160X
ISBN-13: 978-0231081603
Product Dimensions:
9.3 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
From Library Journal
A third-century Mahayana text, this is used and revered in several traditions. It contains the essential teachings of Mahayana, stressing the doctrine of the transcendental nature of the Buddha, the ideal of the Boddhisattva, and the possibility of universal liberation.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
Product Review
Burton Watson's felicitous rendition of The Lotus Sutra captures superbly well the literary essence of the Chinese text. Considering the manifold complexities and beauties of the work, this is a stunning achievement. -- Victor Mair
Watson's felicitous rendition of The Lotus Sutra captures superbly well the literary essence of the Chinese text. Considering the manifold complexities and beauties of the work, this is a stunning achievement. -- Review
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
Customer Reviews & Comments
This review is from: The Lotus Sutra (Paperback)
The translation: Watson's translation of the Lotus Sutra is the most widely read version in English, and for laypeople it certainly deserves that distinction. Watson's English flows well and manages to avoid overuse of Sanskrit words, although a few generally understood Sanskrit terms are used. The layout of the book is attractive, and the typeface is extremely readable. I found the glossary in the back helpful to understand some of the Buddhist jargon (both English and Sanskrit) used in the translation. The sutra: The Lotus Sutra more than any other work is responsible for the distinctiveness of East Asian Buddhism. Its peculiar theme is the promolgation of Mahayana Buddhism by explaining the principle of the Dharmakaya and the Boddhisattva ideal, although in doing so it sometimes takes cheap shots at Theravada Buddhism. The Lotus Sutra contains some of the most enthalling stories in Mahayana Buddhism, such as Buddha's parable of the phantom city. Most interesting, in this reviewer's opinion, is Buddha's prophecy of enlightment for Devadatta. Regarded as Buddhism's version of Judas, Devadatta tried numerous times to kill the Buddha and cause schism in the sangha. By telling this prophecy of enlightenment for even the most notorious sinner in all of Buddhist thought, Buddha is saying that the fundamental principle of the Dharmakaya can reach even the most deluded person. Essential for understanding Mahayana Buddhism, I would recommend this version of the Lotus Sutra to anyone interested in this variety of Buddhism.
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The Lotus Sutra (Translations from the Asian Classics)
List Price: $75.50
Available from Amazon
Price: $60.40
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