Laozi, literally "Old Master," probably lived during the Warring States period of the 4th century BCE. This was an era in ancient Chinese history characterized by war, as well as bureaucratic and military reforms and consolidation, leading to the Qin dynasty, the first unified Chinese empire. Laozi was an official in the imperial archives, a scholar who worked as the Keeper of the archives for the royal court of Zhou. This allowed him broad access to the works of the Yellow Emperor and other classics. Laozi never opened a formal school but attracted a large number of students and loyal disciples. Laozi tired of the moral decay of life in Chengzhou and, noting the kingdom's decline, travelled west to live as a hermit in the unsettled frontier at an advanced age. At the western gate he was recognized by the guard Yinxi. He asked the old master to record his wisdom before he would allow him to pass. The text Laozi wrote was the Tao Te Ching. Also available in Cloth.

The original title of this work is the Saddharmapundarikasutra, which may be translated as the Scripture of the Lotus Blossom of the Fine Dharma or the Sutra on the White Lotus of the Sublime Dharma. Originating in the first century BCE, the Lotus Sutra has been regarded as the Buddha's final and highest teaching. The Lotus Sutra takes the form of a drama, consisting of several scenes. Sangharakshita says that the Lotus Sutra's stage is the cosmos, its actors are a host of mythic beings, and its language is images or symbols. For this reason the Lotus refers to itself as a treasure house of secrets. Seten Tomh's introductory commentary to the Lotus Sutra, transcribed from a series of talks at the Buddha Center, identifies and discusses some of the esoteric ideas of the Sutra.