Chant Before Figuring It Out
The Strategy of the Lotus Sutra means that when faced with a challenge or a matter of concern, a practitioner will chant about it first before doing anything else.
This is different from how our society addresses problems. We’re taught that it is up to us to solve our own problems, that we have to think through the issues. Be self-reliant.
Solve the Problem From Deeper Wisdom
Although it seems contrary to what you were taught, you’ll find that when you chant about an issue first, you’ll get ideas on how to handle the situation and will think far more deeply about it than you would if you just addressed it on your own. It’s almost as though you are given an overview of the problem and creative ways of handling it you wouldn’t have thought of by yourself.
Try it with an issue you are facing. You’ll see if the Strategy of the Lotus Sutra works.
“The Strategy of the Lotus Sutra,” (C) Margaret Blaine, The Practical Buddhist