Treasure House of Secrets

The original title of this work is the Saddharmapundarikasutra, which may be translated as the Scripture of the Lotus Blossom of the Fine Dharma or the Sutra on the White Lotus of the Sublime Dharma. Originating in the first century BCE, the Lotus Sutra has been regarded as the Buddha's final and highest teaching. The Lotus Sutra takes the form of a drama, consisting of several scenes. Sangharakshita says that the Lotus Sutra's stage is the cosmos, its actors are a host of mythic beings, and its language is images or symbols. For this reason the Lotus refers to itself as a treasure house of secrets. Seten Tomh's introductory commentary to the Lotus Sutra, transcribed from a series of talks at the Buddha Center, identifies and discusses some of the esoteric ideas of the Sutra.