The Lotus S¿tra is one of the most important s¿tras in Mah¿y¿na Buddhism. Translated by Kum¿raj¿va in the 5th century, its teachings have inspired many Buddhist scholars such as Chih-i and Saich¿ from the Tiantai (Tendai) tradition, D¿gen from the Zen tradition and Nichiren the 13th century Kamakura founder and reformer. There is a relative lack of scholarly works that are devoted to an examination of how its philosophical ideas were received and developed throughout history. This book remedies that lack by tracing the origin and development of Lotus S¿tra thought, and interprets the text from the perspective of the doctrine of Buddha-nature in Mah¿y¿na Buddhism.
