The Lotus Sutra is the preeminent scripture in the Mahayana Buddhism of East Asia, and in this work. American composer Alfred Reed sought to realize in music the three different states of man's soul in his quest for ultimate perfection. The first movement portrays the vastness and richness of the experience of the human mind on expanding its field of view from the narrow confines of daily life to contemplation of the universe. The second movement represents a turning away of the mind from the outer to the inner universe. And the final movement celebrates the realization that peace is a thing of beauty in and of itself. This work was commissioned by Rissho Kosei-kai, an organization of Buddhist laymen and sponsor of the world-famous Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra. It was premiered in 1984. Reed was one of America's most prolific and frequently performed composers, with more than 200 published works. He visited Japan frequently, where he was revered as an inspiration for Japanese band performances and composition. --James Huff 06:38, 21 July 2008 (UTC) (from the program notes of The Claremont Winds, submitted with permission)