Upaya

            One of the most important scriptures in Mahayana Buddhism is the Lotus Sutra. The Lotus Sutra text is considered to be the teachings of the Buddha just before he passed away. The book is divided into two parts - upaya and the eternal Buddha. Of the two, this essay will focus on the meaning of the word upaya and how it is used in the Lotus Sutra. .
             Different translators have translated the word upaya in a wide variety of ways. The most extensively used translation is by Kumarajiva. He was born in 344 C.E. at Kucha and spent most of life in Central Asia. Besides translating Buddhist texts, Kumarajiva is a key player in the creation and understanding of Mahayana Buddhism. Though, Kumarajiva's translation of the Lotus Sutra is considered to be one of the best in the world, scholars have discovered that his translation of the word upaya does not fit the exact meaning of the word. Nonetheless, his translation did not have a strong impact on the understanding of the essential teachings brought forth in the Lotus Sutra (Pye, 38).
             Upaya otherwise known as skilful means is an essential component of Buddhism. The word was first used by Buddha to explain the Dharma to the people. Buddha used skilful means as a teaching tool because he understood that his message was not something that most people could understand. One story that proves this point concerns the first teaching that Buddha gave to his followers. The story goes that Buddha gave the complete Dharma teaching however no one was able to grasp what he was saying. Buddha says that even the most intelligent being could not understand his message (Watson, 3). He goes on to state that the only beings that would be capable of understanding the message would be other Buddhas (Watson, 2). .
             It is for this reason that Buddha created skilful means. The skilful means is not the complete teachings of the Dharma. It is only a provisional teaching to help people along in their quest for enlightenment.