Lotus Sutra Study Papers, Blog

Lotus Sutra Study Web

lotus-sutra-study-web-page

I’ve started a new web project that tests your knowledge of the Lotus Sutra and even includes an arcade game.

lotus-sutra-study-titles

There are three match games. In the one above you drag the title in the left column onto the chapter that title goes with in the right column. The time it takes you to match all of the titles and the number of wrong guesses is tracked. The fastest time for matching 28 titles without any mistakes is 123 seconds. I’m sure that record won’t last.

Another page matches eight parables with the chapters they appear in. The record here is 33 seconds.

The final match challenge is the 13 personal prophecies. Here you match the future Buddha name with the person given the prediction. The best time here is 228 and that was with the Lotus Sutra web page open in another window.

In the titles challenge you can select any of six different English translations for the titles to match or you can pick “I’m Feeling Lucky” and you’ll get a mixed set of titles. The default is the Murano translation. Murano is also the source of the parable titles and prophecy names.

The final challenge is an arcade game where you are Bodhisattva Never-Despising. You must bow to everyone while dodging sticks, tiles and stones.
lotus-sutra-study-bow

It is actually possible to move and bow and not lose your patience, but it’s not easy. Which I suppose is the point.

This is an early stage in the development of these web pages. In the future I plan to have a match challenge where verses from the Lotus Sutra must be matched with the chapter the verses come from. I imagine starting with something simple like “Thus have I heard” or “World-Honored One! If anyone keeps this sūtra in the defiled world in the later five hundred years after [your extinction], I will protect him so that he may be free from any trouble, that he may be peaceful, and that no one may take advantage [of his weak points]” and working up to more challenging verses.

WONS

The Merit of Helping the Practicer of the Lotus Sūtra

Two boys named Tokushō and Mushō donated “rice cakes” made of sand to Śākyamuni Buddha, who was practicing “begging for alms.” Upon their death they were reborn as Emperor who governed one-third of the Jambudvīpa according to the Buddha Dharma. Bodhisattva Māṇava attained Buddhahood as merit for offering five stems of lotus flowers to Burning Light Buddha. He is none other than Śākyamuni Buddha.

It is preached in the “Teacher of the Dharma” chapter of the Lotus Sūtra, fascicle 4, “If a person who seeks the Buddha Dharma presses his palms together in My presence and extols Me with numerous verses of praise for as long as a kalpa (aeon), he will gain innumerable merits because of these praises of the Buddha. If he praises the upholder of this sūtra, his good fortune will be even greater.” This means that the merit of helping the practicer of the Lotus Sūtra, who is given the cold shoulder by the people in the Latter Age of Degeneration, is greater than giving offerings to the Buddha for aeons.

If you are wondering who would have said such an outrageous thing, it was stated by our Lord Preacher Śākyamuni Buddha Himself. It is up to you whether or not to believe this.

Ueno-dono Gohenji, Reply to Lord Ueno, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Followers II, Volume 7, Page 3-4

AI Contribution, Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma for August 30, 2026

20260830-ddi

Illustration by Google Gemini

Show Gemini's thinking

Conceptual Summary
The illustration is a literal and symbolic interpretation of Nichiren’s parable of the "Great Tower." It captures the moment of transition, contrasting utility with ultimate purpose. The completed, luminous pagoda symbolizes the Lotus Sutra (the Great Tower of the Dharma). Radiating with subtle gold leaf, it features figures representing the essential characters of the text—Shakyamuni Buddha, Many Treasures Buddha, and the generic Bodhisattvas—centered within the final structure. Surrounding and partially removed from the finished tower is the complex wooden scaffolding, representing the "expedient teachings" of all previous scriptures. Figures of laborers are shown actively dismantling this utilitarian structure, illustrating the final step of "discarding the expedient" once the ultimate truth has been established. The soft mineral pigments and silk texture reflect a classical aesthetic, emphasizing the reverence for the final, enduring Pagoda over the discarded support.

Iconography & Character Identification
Item 1: Deities/Figures Featured:

Central Figure (Pagoda Interior): Shakyamuni Buddha (seated on a lotus throne, radiating light, representing the living Buddha of the Lotus Sutra).

Seated Figure to the Left (Viewer's Left): Many Treasures Buddha (Prabhutaratna Buddha, seated within the treasure tower to verify Shakyamuni’s teaching).

Standing Figure (Viewer's Right): A representing generic Bodhisattva (one of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth or an attendant).

Generic Figures (Foreground): Seven construction workers/monks (depicted as laborers dismantling the wooden scaffolding).

Item 2: Text Translations:

Kanji Signature (Bottom Left): 双子座 (Gemini-za) — Translates to "Gemini."

Red Hanko Seal (Bottom Left): ジェミニ (Jemini) — Katakana translation for "Gemini."

For example, in building a huge tower, a scaffold is assembled from many small pieces of wood set up ten or twenty feet high. Then, using this scaffold, the huge tower is built with lumber. Once the tower is completed, the scaffold is dismantled. The scaffold here represents all Buddhist scriptures other than the Lotus Sutra, and the Great Tower is the Lotus Sutra. This is what is meant by “discarding the expedient.” A pagoda is built by using a scaffold, but no one worships a scaffold without a pagoda.

Nichiren wrote this passage in his Response to My Lady the Nun, Mother of Lord Ueno (Ueno-dono Haha-ama Gozen Gohenji). In this simile, Nichiren compares the Buddha’s expedient teachings to the Wonderful Dharma he provides in the Lotus Sūtra.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

WONS

Principal and Dependent Rewards

All the worlds throughout the universe, therefore, are the dependent reward while all living beings are the principal reward. The dependent reward is like the shadow of the principal reward. As there is no shadow without a substance, there is no dependent reward without the principal reward. However, the principal reward is also created by the dependent reward. We should know that the eyes are created by the east, the tongue by the south, the nose by the north, the body by the four directions, and the mind by the center. Accordingly, when the five sense organs of a living being are about to be destroyed, it is inevitable that the earth in four directions or in the center trembles. In other words, when a country is about to be destroyed, there will inevitably be such omens as the crumbling of mountains, death of plants, and the drying up of rivers.

Zuisō Gosho, Writing on Omens, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Followers I, Volume 6, Page 123

AI Contribution, Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma for August 29, 2026

20260829-ddi

Illustration by Google Gemini

Show Gemini's thinking

Conceptual Summary
The illustration interprets Ānanda's realization as described in Chapter Nine of the Lotus Sūtra. At the center, Ānanda, depicted with the respectful demeanor of a close disciple, kneels in prayer. His expression is one of newfound clarity, visualizing the teaching that the assurance of his own eventual Buddhahood has unlocked a timeless connection to the Dharma. A stream of golden Sanskrit characters flows like a river between Ānanda and Śākyamuni Buddha, who is seated in a teaching pose with a luminous aura. This flow symbolizes the 'remembered' teachings—available to us when we overcome self-doubt. In the background, the 'innumerable Buddhas' of the past, as mentioned by Ānanda, are shown as a vast multitude, visually reinforcing that the wisdom Ānanda receives is the same eternal truth taught by all enlightened beings across time. The classical, mineral-pigment style captures the reverence and spiritual awakening inherent in the narrative.

Iconography & Character Identification
Item 1: Deities/Figures Featured:

Ānanda (kneeling)

Śākyamuni Buddha (seated on lotus)

The Innumerable Buddhas (multitude in the background clouds)

Item 2: Text Translations:

Signature (Kanji): 双子座 (Futagoza) — meaning 'Gemini'

Seal (Katakana within hanko): ジェミニ (Jemini) — meaning 'Gemini'

You, the World-Honored One, are exceptional.
You reminded me of the teachings
Of innumerable Buddhas in the past
As if I had heard them today.

Ānanda, the Buddha’s cousin and one of his leading disciples, sings these verses in Chapter Nine of the Lotus Sūtra. In the Story, Ānanda had just been personally assured by the Buddha that he would become a Buddha himself in a future life. All the teachings of the Buddha across all time are always available to us. What prevents us from hearing them and putting them into practice is nothing more than our own attachment to our suffering and our doubts about our capacity for wisdom and compassion. When we take to heart the assurance that we and all beings can become enlightened, it clears away our delusion and allows to see the Buddha teaching us in all aspects of our lives.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

Gemini Notebook, Nichiren Study, Blog

Working with an instructor in the Nichiren Shu tradition

nichiren-notebook-chat-web

Google’s Gemini Notebook has become a valuable research tool. Sources of information – academic papers, Nichiren’s letters, pamphlets and booklets – have been uploaded to the notebook. Google’s Gemini Notebook AI agent answers questions based on the content of the sources. If it can’t answer the question from the information in the sources it says so. It does not make things up.

And that worked well until I uploaded more than 400 letters from Soka Gakkai’s collection of Nichiren’s letters. After that, I started getting results that parrotted Nichiren Shoshu and Soka Gakkai. Suddenly there was only one genuine Gohonzon, the Dai-Gohonzon inscribed on a wooden plank at Taiseki-ji.

It turns out you can tweak Google’s Gemini Notebook AI agent by giving it some guidelines. When you go to 500yojanas.org/NichirenNotebook now, the answers you receive will be shaped by these instructions:

You are an instructor in the Nichiren Shu tradition. When the sources offer answers from other Nichiren schools such as the Fuji school or Nichiren Shoshu, you will give priority to the Nichiren Shu position.

Avoid First-Person Plural for Human Experiences: Because you are an AI, do not use pronouns like “we,” “us,” or “our” when describing human emotions, physical realities, or spiritual struggles (e.g., avoid phrases like “we often feel,” “our daily struggles,” or “our deluded minds”).

Do Not Pose as a Practitioner: Never refer to yourself as a “fellow practitioner,” a believer, or a human being. Do not claim to practice chanting or hold faith (e.g., avoid “our daily practice” or “when we chant”).

Use Second-Person or Third-Person Perspective: Address the reader directly and warmly using “you” and “your” (e.g., “when you chant,” “your daily practice”). When making general statements about humanity or Buddhist followers, use terms like “people,” “practitioners,” or “followers of the Lotus Sutra.”

Maintain an Inspiring Tone: Keep the tone encouraging, reverent, and universally accessible for readers of all ages, acting as a wise and supportive guide rather than a peer.

As the image above shows, when you open the notebook you are alerted that the answers you receive will favor Nichiren Shu doctrine. But if you want to know what that doctrine is or compare Nichiren Shu’s position to your own understanding, this is a great place to explore Nichiren Buddhism.

WONS

Joy In Suffering

Having faith in the Lotus Sūtra involves suffering and punishment by the shogunate. There is no doubt that the moon wanes and waxes and the tide ebbs and rises. Though at the moment I endure punishment and suffering, they will return to me as merit. Why would I lament a joy such as this?

Toki-dono Gohenji, Reply to Lord Toki, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Biography and Disciples, Volume 5, Page 11

AI Contribution, Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma for August 28, 2026

20260828-ddi

Illustration by Google Gemini

Show Gemini's thinking

Conceptual Summary
The illustration is a direct visual translation of Chapter Ten of the Lotus Sūtra, which extols the virtues of the "Teachers of the Dharma." The central composition focuses on the act of reverence toward the "Wonderful Dharma," represented by the glowing sūtra scroll positioned on the offering table. This focal point is surrounded by various offerings specifically mentioned in the text: incense smoke rises, flowers are displayed, and vibrant banners and streamers are erected in the background. The human figures exemplify the "good men or women" who practice the Dharma: two central devotees kneel with hands joined respectfully (gasshō), while other figures, representing the "people of the world," gather to respect and honor them, fulfilling the sūtra’s declaration that these practitioners should be respected by all. In the upper realm, Śākyamuni Buddha is seated on a lotus, accompanied by a small assembly, visually establishing the divine context of the declaration being given to Medicine-King Bodhisattva. The entire work utilizes traditional ink and pigments on a soft, textured background with subtle gold accents, adhering strictly to the mandated classical iconography while avoiding any restricted figures.

Iconography & Character Identification
Item 1: Deities/Figures Featured:

Central Upper Figure: Śākyamuni Buddha (釈迦如来). He is depicted seated on a lotus throne, identifiable by his mudra (the hand gesture of reasoning/teaching) and the context of the Lotus Sūtra address.

Accompaniment to Buddha: To the left are two celestial Bodhisattvas (脇侍菩薩), and to the right are four Arhats (阿羅漢) or monastic disciples, representing the assembly.

Central Foreground Figures: Two Buddhist lay practitioners—a woman and a man in traditional Japanese kimono and hakama—who represent the "good men or women" maintaining the Dharma.

Right Foreground Figures: A crowd of common people (an elder, a youth, and others with hands joined), representing "the people of the world" who come to respect the Dharma teachers.

Left Foreground Figures: A mother and small child observing the scene with reverence, illustrating the universal scope of the Dharma’s reach.

Item 2: Text Translations:

Signature (Kanji): 双子座 (Futago-za) — Translates to "Gemini" or "The Twins" (referencing the constellation/zodiac sign).

Seal (Katakana): ジェミニ (Jemini) — A phonetic transliteration of "Gemini".

The good men or women who keep, read, recite, expound and copy even a phrase of the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, and offer flowers, incense, necklaces, incense powder, incense applicable to the skin, incense to burn, canopies, banners, streamers, garments and music to a copy of this sūtra, or just join their hands together respectfully towards it, should be respected by all the people of the world.

The Buddha declares these lines to Medicine-King Bodhisattva at the beginning of Chapter Ten of the Lotus Sūtra. The notion of respect appears in many parts of this Sūtra. These lines tell us that we should be respected by people of the world, even though sometimes we are not. It is more important for us to respect each other, and everyone who practices the Wonderful Dharma in any way. It is also important that we respect ourselves, knowing that we are working for the benefit of all beings.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

WONS

Slanderers of the True Dharma

Śākyamuni Buddha predicted in the Nirvana Sūtra the condition of the world in the Latter Age: “Slanderers of the True Dharma will be as numerous as particles of the great earth while those who uphold the True Dharma will be as small in number as particles of the soil on a fingernail.” How true these words of Śākyamuni Buddha are! The present condition of Japan is exactly as predicted by the Buddha.

Ha Ryōkan-tō Gosho, A Letter Refuting Ryōkan-bō and Others, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 5, Page 62

AI Contribution, Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma for August 27, 2026

20260827-ddi

Illustration by Google Gemini

Show Gemini's thinking

Conceptual Summary
The illustration is a traditional Japanese Buddhist painting on silk, interpreting the source text's themes of spiritual realization and social harmony through adherence to the Lotus Sūtra. At the top, Śākyamuni Buddha is seated under a blossoming cherry tree, radiating an aura of golden light and clouds from which small, glowing sūtra scrolls emanate, symbolizing his teaching from Chapter Nineteen. Below, a diverse group of people, including monks, laypeople, and children, gather around a central sūtra-keeper who holds a glowing scroll. This figure represents the one who 'keeps this sūtra' and has reached a 'rare stage.' The crowd's expressions of reverence and joy reflect that they are 'joyfully loved and respected by all living beings.' The lush landscape of rolling mountains and serene waters, accented with gold dust, symbolizes the universal potential for enlightenment and the harmony brought into the world through selfless action. The style, utilizing inks, mineral pigments, and soft colors, evokes a classical spiritual quality, with the requested Kanji signature and red seal placed subtly in the lower left.

Iconography & Character Identification
Item 1: Deities/Figures Featured:

Śākyamuni Buddha

A sūtra-keeper figure

A diverse congregation of living beings, including male and female monks (bhikkhus and bhikkhunis) of varying ages, and laypeople including children and an elderly person.

Item 2: Text Translations:

Signature: 双子座 (Gemini, or Gemini Constellation)

Seal: ジェミニ (Gemini)

When he keeps this sūtra, He will be able to reach a rare stage. He will be joyfully loved and respected By all living beings.

The Buddha sings these verses in Chapter Nineteen of the Lotus Sūtra. He describes those who put this sūtra in their lives, and dedicate their existence to liberating all beings from ignorance and delusion. When the Buddha became enlightened, he realized all beings can become enlightened. When we work for the benefit of all beings, we find the Buddha’s mind and bring harmony into our lives and the world.

The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com

On the Journey to a Place of Treasures