Mahayana Myths and Stories

'Once upon a time there was a rich old man who lived in a vast mansion ...' Aware that whatever our age, we never lose our responsiveness to story, myth and drama, the Buddha often told stories and parables, and in the Mahayana phase of the development of Buddhism, the stories became ever more mythical and magical. In this volume, Sangharakshita introduces us to the strange and wonderful worlds of three of the best-loved Mahayana sutras, worlds from which - if we pay close attention - we can return with treasures in the form of teachings and advice. Thanks to Sangharakshita's imaginative and creative approach to these sutras, their gems, mythical or even magical though their origins may be, turn out to be exchangeable for hard currency - the practical business of how we are to live our lives in the everyday world. From the transcendental critique of religion and the means of unification offered by the Vimalakirti-nirdesa to the light shed on economics, ecology and politics by the Sutra of Golden Light, and the vision of life as a journey offered by the White Lotus Sutra, these commentaries offer a unique and transformative perspective on the value of human existence.