Application of Tathāgata Citta, a Buddhist version of Lectio Divina, to the parables of the Lotus Sūtra
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Author
Peng, Hongye See all items with this value
Date
2024
Degree
Doctor of Buddhist Ministry
Committee
Gabriel, Victor
Gauthier, Jitsujo
Kuo, Shou-Jen
Abstract
The Lotus Sūtra is one of the most important sūtras in the Mahāyāna tradition. Although Buddhists read ancient Sūtras daily, they often do not use these texts to reflect on their feelings and emotions. There is a gap in the relevance and importance of using an ancient sūtra to alleviate contemporary suffering and to engage people in cultivating insightful wisdom to release their suffering.
So far, there has been no research that utilizes an ancient sūtra specifically to address contemporary suffering. However, there is research on the use of Lectio Divina, an ancient Christian meditation technique, on engaging people in their daily lives to confront and transcend their suffering, whether from family or work. This technique can teach people how to contemplate sacred texts for reflection on emotional well-being; it can also be applied to a deeper understanding of Buddhist sacred sūtra.
My project aims to utilize three parables from the Lotus Sūtra to create a three-week course, structured into three sections, with one parable dedicated to each section. Participants were divided into three groups: chaplains, doctors, and Buddhists. A total of 16 participants engaged in this program to explore the parables of the Lotus sūtra using the Lectio Divina to deeply reflect on their feelings and emotions.
This project was designed as a guide—both written and recorded—for monastics and chaplains to teach others how to use this technique for reflecting on emotional health through the Lotus Sūtra parables. My future hope is that the Lotus Sūtra will be used to reflect on symptoms related to Moral Injury, such as guilt, shame, and betrayal.
So far, there has been no research that utilizes an ancient sūtra specifically to address contemporary suffering. However, there is research on the use of Lectio Divina, an ancient Christian meditation technique, on engaging people in their daily lives to confront and transcend their suffering, whether from family or work. This technique can teach people how to contemplate sacred texts for reflection on emotional well-being; it can also be applied to a deeper understanding of Buddhist sacred sūtra.
My project aims to utilize three parables from the Lotus Sūtra to create a three-week course, structured into three sections, with one parable dedicated to each section. Participants were divided into three groups: chaplains, doctors, and Buddhists. A total of 16 participants engaged in this program to explore the parables of the Lotus sūtra using the Lectio Divina to deeply reflect on their feelings and emotions.
This project was designed as a guide—both written and recorded—for monastics and chaplains to teach others how to use this technique for reflecting on emotional health through the Lotus Sūtra parables. My future hope is that the Lotus Sūtra will be used to reflect on symptoms related to Moral Injury, such as guilt, shame, and betrayal.
Keywords
Asian American studies See all items with this value
Creative writing See all items with this value
Regional studies See all items with this value
Buddhism See all items with this value
Buddhist sacred sūtra See all items with this value
contemporary suffering See all items with this value
Lectio Divina See all items with this value
Lotus Sūtra See all items with this value
Mahāyāna tradition See all items with this value
Degree Granter
University of the West
ISBN
9798304970563