Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra

This manuscript contains the Lotus Sūtra (Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra), also known as The White Lotus of the Good Dharma, a foundational Mahāyāna scripture attributed to the Buddha Śākyamuni. Delivered on Vulture Peak to a vast assembly of bodhisattvas—including those emerging from beneath the earth—the sūtra teaches the existence of a single, true path to enlightenment. It distinguishes between provisional and ultimate teachings and portrays the Buddha as an eternal being who continues to teach beyond his historical lifetime. Central episodes include the appearance of the long-departed Buddha Prabhūtaratna in a suspended stūpa, into which Śākyamuni enters, signifying the unity of all Buddhas. Especially revered in East Asia, the text emphasizes its own supremacy and the boundless merit gained through devotion to it. (Source: 84000) Pagination in this manuscript begins at folio 14. The first two folia are notably thin and appear to be written in regular Newari script, with three lines per page. The text on fols. 35b and 36b is significantly faded and partially washed out, making it difficult to decipher. Matsunami has inserted white paper slips to indicate folio numbers.