Meditating Upon the Truth in One’s Mind

[T]he Daimoku contains the very essence of the [Lotus Sutra]. If anyone sincerely meditates upon the Truth in his mind, and repeats the Daimoku in his heart, he will surely receive great blessings. Even as regards the common occurrences of our daily life, be they good or bad, pleasurable or painful, if they are only recognized as the mysterious manifestations of the Truth of the Good Law, and as representations of the transcendent power of the [Lotus Sutra], we shall be able to free ourselves from the slavery of earthly rapture as well as rest perfectly content even in the midst of trouble; pains and pleasures will be indifferent to us, we shall be confused by neither; we shall attain to complete self-mastery, controlling our hearts and minds and not being controlled by them; able to suppress the five appetites and the seven passions, and thus become possessed of a Buddha-body, replete with the four attributes of eternity or permanence, peace, enlightenment, and purity. Under these conditions we are enabled to rid our minds of all base and mean propensities; for example, instead of giving rein to anger and fury, we shall quiet ourselves, and think calmly about the matter, and by this means be able to attain our object.

Doctrines of Nichiren (1893)