ABSTRACT
So far the more fantastic perspectives of The Lotus Sutra have been rather left on one side in favour of the more direct expository account in Chapter II and the string of illustrative stories which follow. This procedure is justified in that the account given so far has followed the main lines of exposition apparent in the sutra itself while paying special attention to the usage of the term skilful means. Readers of the sutra however will be aware that the overall scenario of this exposition includes quantities of mythological elaboration in which indeed western readers with none too much time sometimes get lost. Perhaps it is best to admit that the overall narrative framework by no means affords the dramatic coherence sometimes claimed for it, which is not surprising in view of the fact that it was undoubtedly the work of various hands over a long period of time.
