Description
Book Synopsis'Once upon a time there was a rich old man who lived in a vast mansion ...' Aware that whatever our age, we never lose our responsiveness to story, myth and drama, the Buddha often told stories and parables, and in the Mahayana phase of the development of Buddhism, the stories became ever more mythical and magical. In this volume, Sangharakshita introduces us to the strange and wonderful worlds of three of the best-loved Mahayana sutras, worlds from which - if we pay close attention - we can return with treasures in the form of teachings and advice. Thanks to Sangharakshita's imaginative and creative approach to these sutras, their gems, mythical or even magical though their origins may be, turn out to be exchangeable for hard currency - the practical business of how we are to live our lives in the everyday world. From the transcendental critique of religion and the means of unification offered by the Vimalakirti-nirdesa to the light shed on economics, ecology and politics by the Sutra of Golden Light, and the vision of life as a journey offered by the White Lotus Sutra, these commentaries offer a unique and transformative perspective on the value of human existence.
Table of ContentsForewordThe Drama of Cosmic Enlightenment: Parables, Myths, and Symbols of the White Lotus Sutra1 The Universal Perspective of Mahayana Buddhism2 The Drama of Cosmic Enlightenment3 Transcending the Human Predicament4 The Myth of the Return Journey5 Symbols of Life and Growth6 Five Element Symbolism and the Stupa7 The Jewel in the Lotus8 The Archetype of the Divine HealerThe Priceless JewelTransforming Self and World: Themes from the Sutra of Golden Light Introduction: The Growth of a Mahayana Sutra Part One: Transformation of Self 1 The Bodhisattva's Dream 2 The Spiritual Significance of Confession Part Two: Transformation of World 3 The Protectors of the Dharma 4 Buddhism and Culture 5 Nature, Man, and Enlightenment 6 Buddhist Economics 7 The Moral Order and its Upholders The Inconceivable Emancipation: Themes from the Vimalakirti-nirdesa 1 The Magic of a Mahayana Sutra 2 Building the Buddha-Land 3 On Being 'All Things to All Men' 4 The Transcendental Critique of Religion 5 History Versus Myth in Humanity's Quest for Meaning 6 The Way of Non-Duality 7 The Mystery of Human Communication 8 The Four Great Reliances: Criteria for the Spiritual Life
