Customer Reviews
Shakyamuni's Highest Teaching - By: , 03 Jun 2000 
This book is the entire text of Shakyamuni's highest teaching, the Lotus Sutra, which forms the basis of faith & daily practice for millions of Nichiren Buddhists around the world, particularly members of Soka Gakkai International (SGI-UK).
The Lotus Sutra was conceived as a drama of colossal proportions & is considered by many scholars to be one of the earliest known literary masterpieces. Burton Watson's vivid translation provides readers with a clear understanding of this most profound work.
Masterpiece of Buddhism - Masterfully Translated by Watson - By: , 03 Jun 2000 This new translation of the most important scripture in the Mahayana Buddhist tradition has a special value. Not only is it reliable, but Burton Watson's rendition alll but sings. Translated directly from the Chinese Kumarajiva version, regarded as the most historicallly legitimate version, this complete & straightforward Lotus Sutra is recommended for its accessibility & its seriousness of purpose.
Since its appearance in China in the third century, the Lotus Sutra has been regarded as one of the most illustrious scriptures in the Mahayana Buddhist canon. The object of intense veneration among generations of Buddhists in China, Korea, Japan, & other parts of East Asia, it has attracted more commentary than any other Buddhist scripture & has had a profound impact on the great works of Japanese & Chinese literature.
Conceived as a drama of colossal proportions, the text takes on new meaning in Burton Watson's translation. Depicting events in a cosmic world that transcends ordinary concepts of time & space, The Lotus Sutra presents abstract religious concepts in concrete terms & affirms that there is a single path to enlightenment--that of the bodhisattva--and that the Buddha is not to be limited by time & space. Filled with striking imagery, memorable parables, & countless revelations concerning the universal accessibility of Buddhahood, The Lotus Sutra has brought comfort & wisdom to devotees over the centuries & stands as a pivotal text in world literature.
Burton Watson have been subjected to SGI/Nikken influence. - By: , 22 Mar 1999 
I have read this book many times over & also other Lotus Sutra translations. This is quite well translated, though it is more oriented to Japanese type religious culture & readers. Burton Watson was working with the assistance of the Nichiren Shoshu Internation Centre which was a connected part of Sokka Gakkai International. The two have since parted company. It is my view that Burton Watson was subjectively influenced by the Nichiren Shoshu staff & SGI, because according to my readings, Burton Watson conveniently left out certain very important explanations which would have been helpful to some readers of The Lotus Sutra. Such omissions may seem totallly reasonable for the author to disregard. But, this sectarian influence on his work on The Lotus Sutra only helped the Nichiren Shoshu sect & SGI to reinforce their "twist" by the SGI/NSIC pristhood, to remove the Sakyamuni Buddha as the enlightened Buddha & replace it with Nichiren Daishonin as the eternal buddha. It is very important to translate unbiasly & to insert as much as possible past original commentaries & explanations to help researchers & readers obtain a proper insight into Buddhism, or in this case The Lotus Sutra. I am an SGI member, & I am among those who wonder at the private agendas of the heads of the 2 separated organisations. For Burton Watson, leaving certain parts out is like erasing the important tracks & the spot mark "x" in a treasure map. It is in fact (again it is only my opinion), quite sinful. Perhaps, this would help him sell more books to SGI members.
An Excellent Translation - By: , 27 Aug 1996 This is the most beautiful translation of the Lotus Sutra
that I have ever read. Burton Watson has taken care to
preserve the meaning behind the text, while translating it
into a readable form that is both illuminating and
absorbing.
