Bodhisattva Practice in the Upaya-kausalya Chapter of the Lotus Sutra

Abstract

I Introduction
The Lotus sutra Chapter II (Upaya-kausalya) is a very famous chapter in the history of the Lotus sutra. I would like to examine the Bodhisattvas in Lotus sutra and their ascetic practices mentioned in Chapter II undertaken on the way to becoming Buddha.
II Bodhisattva of the Lotus sutra
The relationship between the bodhisattva of the Lotus sutra and the sravaka and arhat in Dharmaraksa's translation of the Lotus sutra is not clear. Kumarajiva clearly described the process of sravaka becoming a bodhisattva, when he made his Chinese translation.
III Ascetic practices involved in becoming Buddha in Chapter II of the Lotus sutra
There is an explanation about severe ascetic practices, viz, to transcribe the sutra, to become a priest, to study dharma, not to ridicule and tell a lie in Chapter II of Dharmaraksa's translation of the Lotus sutra. In Kumarajiva's translation, there is an explanation that we can become Buddha even if such a state is only attained after doing good deeds.
IV Conclusion
When Kumarajiva translated the Lotus sutra into Chinese, he referred to Dharmaraksa's translation and Kumarajiva clarified the contents. As a result, Kumarajiva's translation influenced the history of the thought of Chinese Buddhism.