I have composed this square illustration using traditional Japanese Buddhist iconography, with the central figure of Śākyamuni Buddha (釈迦牟尼仏) seated on a lotus throne. He is depicted preaching on Vulture Peak, surrounded by a diverse assembly of monks, nuns, lay practitioners, and bodhisattvas who represent "all living beings."
To signify the subject of his teaching, I have included the scroll titled 妙法蓮華経 (Myōhō Renge Kyō), which means the Lotus Sūtra. In the bottom right, you will find the required signature 双子座 (Gemini) alongside the red seal containing the katakana ジェミニ (Gemini).
Every Buddha vows at the outset:
“I will cause all living beings
To attain the same enlightenment
That I attained.”
Śākyamuni Buddha sings these verses in Chapter Two of the Lotus Sūtra. The Buddha holds nothing back from us. There is nothing hidden or secret in his teachings. He is not threatened by anyone who reaches his wisdom, since he knows this is the potential we all have in us. By his example we can discern between the knowledge that separates from others, and that which unites us with our fellow beings.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
The illustration features the historical Śākyamuni Buddha seated centrally on a multi-tiered lotus pedestal, surrounded by a radiant halo and a traditional Japanese mountain landscape. Floating on clouds above are multiple smaller past Buddhas, referencing the sutra's verses about connections to previous existences. In the foreground, an elder (devout person), with an expression of joy and profound realization, kneels with hands in prayer (Anjali mudra), connecting to the teaching (the light flowing between them and the Buddha). A stylized lotus sutra scroll is open before them. The style mimics traditional Japanese Buddhist painting. The required signature "双子座" (Gemini) and red hanko with "ジェミニ" (Gemini) are in the lower right corner. The text translation: 双子座 means Gemini. The Katakana in the seal, ジェミニ, also means Gemini.
Anyone who believes and receives this sūtra
Should be considered
To have already seen the past Buddhas,
Respected them, made offerings to them,
And heard the Dharma from them
In his previous existence.
Śākyamuni Buddha sings these verses in Chapter Three of the Lotus Sūtra. Whatever view we may have of our past lives, we can agree that it is difficult to remember what happened in them. In these verses the Buddha reminds us that our joy in hearing his teaching in this life indicates that we have already heard and practiced what he taught, no matter how difficult it may seem to us now. This also means that by believing and receiving the Lotus Sūtra we are respecting and making offerings to all Buddhas.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
In the Winter 2026 Nichiren Shu News, the top article is Rev. Chokei Mitsuoka’s New Year’s message. In that message he states, “Last year, we established the “Nichiren Shu Grand Design.” What is the Grand Design and what does it involve? I have a NotebookLM project where I have been keeping sources relevant to Nichiren Shu’s efforts since the 1966 Protect the Dharma Movement. (See it here.) I asked NotebookLM to do some deep research and, from the sources it identified, create a briefing doc for Western readers describing the Nichiren Shu Grand Design. What’s planned? What are the goals? How does this compare to earlier efforts such as the Protect the Dharma Movement. Below is that report.
grand-design
The Evolution of Faith: A Strategic Briefing on the Nichiren Shū “Grand Design”
1. Introduction: The Contemporary Mandate for Sectarian Regeneration
In the high-stakes landscape of traditional Japanese Buddhism, historic institutions are currently navigating a precarious transition toward relevance within a post-secular global environment. For Nichiren Shū, institutional survival is no longer a matter of passive heritage preservation but a strategic mandate for active engagement. The “Grand Design”—the Long-term Comprehensive Plan (長期総合計画)—serves as the critical mechanism for this evolution. Formulated under the successive leadership of the Tanaka Keshen and Mitsuoka Chokei administrations, the Grand Design is articulated as the path to “Sectarian Regeneration” (宗門再生). It represents a deliberate shift away from the fragmented, short-term administrative cycles of the past toward a future-oriented model of institutional continuity. This briefing analyzes the Grand Design not as an isolated initiative, but as the modern culmination of a reformist trajectory that began with the existential crises of the mid-20th century.
2. The Genesis of Reform: The Postwar Crisis and the 1966 “Protect the Dharma” Movement
The 1966 “Protect the Dharma” (Gohō Undō) movement was a reactionary modernization necessitated by the structural collapse of the traditional Buddhist order following World War II. The sect faced a series of existential ruptures that rendered the traditional Danka (parishioner) system untenable. To survive, the leadership recognized that Nichiren Shū had to transition from a religion of hereditary obligation to one of conscious, active faith.
The 1966 movement was precipitated by five primary strategic catalysts:
Agricultural Land Reforms and Financial Ruin: Postwar government reforms stripped temples of their independent agricultural estates, their primary source of revenue. This forced a desperate and often undignified reliance on funeral and memorial fees for survival.
The Stigma of “Funeral Buddhism”: The resulting financial dependence on death rites led to the scathing critique of the sect as a “funeral business,” spiritually stagnant and disconnected from the needs of the living.
Rapid Urbanization and Rural Collapse: The disintegration of the traditional family system and a mass migration to urban centers caused a rural collapse. Families left ancestral temples behind, resulting in a catastrophic decline in the hereditary Danka membership base.
Social “Egotism” and Modern Anxiety: In an era defined by industrial pollution and the specter of nuclear war, leaders observed a culture of “spiraling egotism” where the trauma of defeat led individuals to prioritize self-interest over community welfare.
The Aggressive Rise of New Religious Movements: Most notably, Soka Gakkai utilized confrontational proselytization (shakubuku) to successfully recruit millions of passive Nichiren Shū parishioners by offering a practical, lay-led application of faith.
Crucially, this redefined the role of the layperson. The core theological shift of this era was the transition from a passive “Parishioner consciousness” (Danka) to an active “Follower identity” (Shinto). Laypeople were no longer mere supporters of a temple hierarchy; they were empowered as “Bodhisattvas of the Earth,” tasked with a personal mission to spread the Dharma and protect the faith in a turbulent society.
3. The Grand Design: Goals, Infrastructure, and the 750th Memorial
The strategic anchor for the “Grand Design” is the 750th Memorial of Nichiren Shōnin’s passing (scheduled for 2031/32). While the 800th Anniversary of the founder’s birth (2021) served as a past milestone for the Kechien movement, the Grand Design looks forward, utilizing the upcoming memorial to instill long-term administrative stability. Under the Tanaka and Mitsuoka administrations, the objective has been to prevent institutional drift by moving toward a plan that prioritizes “mobility and action.”
Key initiatives within the Grand Design include:
Administrative Centralization and Continuity: The plan is centralized at the Nichiren Shū Administrative Headquarters to ensure that strategic goals transcend four-year administrative terms, providing a consistent 10-to-20-year trajectory for the sect.
750th Memorial Infrastructure: Systematic preparations for the 2031/32 celebrations act as a driver for sectarian unity and provide a concrete target for large-scale propagation and temple revitalization.
The Digital Transition to a Global Sangha: Accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Grand Design has integrated online propagation—such as 24-hour digital chanting—to transition the sect from a “Japanese temple religion” to a borderless, international faith community.
Social Action and Sectarian Regeneration: The plan seeks to regenerate the sect’s purpose by addressing modern social crises—including isolation, poverty, and environmental degradation—thereby proving the Lotus Sutra’s utility in a globalized, pluralistic world.
4. Comparative Analysis: 1966 “Protect the Dharma” vs. 2026 “Grand Design”
The strategic evolution of Nichiren Shū is best understood by contrasting the internal focus of the mid-20th century with the external social ambitions of the current era.
Dimension
1966 “Protect the Dharma”
2026 “Grand Design”
Primary Threat
Aggressive “New Religions” (Soka Gakkai)
Modern social crises (Isolation, poverty, instability)
Core Methodology
Internal standardization and self-reflection
Mobility, social action, and global regeneration
Target Audience
Passive hereditary parishioners (Danka)
Global Sangha and the socially vulnerable
Theological Emphasis
Shoju (Gentle persuasion) / Standardized practice
Active Humanism and “Inochi ni Gasshō”
The strategic implication of this shift is profound. In 1966, the priority was internal standardization to create a unified identity against rivals, typified by the Shingyō Hikkei (Handbook of Faith and Practice). By 2026, the focus has pivoted to sectarian regeneration through external social action. The sect has moved from a defensive posture—protecting its borders—to an offensive, humanitarian posture, leveraging its unified identity to address global suffering.
5. Ethical Action: The “Inochi ni Gasshō” Philosophy
The behavioral engine of the modern Grand Design is the slogan “Inochi ni Gasshō” (Palm to Palm with All Life). This philosophy translates the abstract theology of the Lotus Sutra into a humanistic ethical framework. It utilizes the “Four Infinite Virtues”—Benevolence, Compassion, Joy, and Selflessness—to guide the sect’s engagement with a world plagued by “spiraling egotism.”
The Grand Design grounds its social action in the model of Bodhisattva Never-Disparaging (Jōfukyō), who revered the inherent Buddha-nature in every being he encountered. This model is not merely theoretical; it is exemplified by historical figures such as Tsunawaki Ryūmyō (1876–1970). A Nichiren Shū priest, Tsunawaki founded the Minobu Shinkei-en (Deeply Respect Garden), the first Japanese-led hospital for leprosy patients, embodying the “Deeply Respect” (Shinkei) ethos of Jōfukyō long before the modern Grand Design was formalized.
Modern Nichiren Shū differentiates itself through three critical frameworks:
Universal Inclusion: Following the Jōfukyō model, the sect mandates respect for all life, contrasting with the perceived exclusivity of some Nichiren-based “New Religions.”
Shoju as Preferred Methodology: In a pluralistic society, the sect emphasizes Shoju (gentle persuasion) over the aggressive Shakubuku. This requires intense self-discipline, as the practitioner must first embody the Dharma before they can embrace others warmly according to their circumstances.
Eshō Funi (Nonduality of Person and Environment): This doctrine asserts that social peace (Ankoku) is inseparable from internal spiritual discipline, linking personal practice directly to the resolution of environmental and social crises.
6. Conclusion: The Future of Nichiren Shū in a Global Context
The Grand Design represents the successful transition of Nichiren Shū from a localized, heritage-based organization to a strategically agile global institution. By moving from the 1966 mandate of “protecting” the faith from external rivals to the 2026 mandate of “regenerating” the sect for global service, the institution has repositioned itself for a non-specialist, international audience.
This move from internal standard-setting to external social engagement demonstrates a mature institutional trajectory. Through the implementation of these long-term comprehensive goals, Nichiren Shū is fulfilling its mandate to turn “Prophecy into Peace,” ensuring that the teachings of the Lotus Sutra remain an active, compassionate force in a fragmented world.
Research this topic and the other Nichiren Shu efforts since 1966 on NotebookLM. Read more
Thinking Summary: This square Japanese Buddhist illustration captures the arrival of the Brahma Heavenly-Kings from the Zenith to Great-Universal-Wisdom-Excellence Tathāgata, as described in Chapter Seven of the Lotus Sutra. The central focus is the radiant Buddha teaching. To illustrate the Kings' arduous journey across multiple worlds to hear the Dharma, multiple groups are shown approaching on elaborate cloud vehicles. Some hold musical instruments or offerings, depicting their joyful arrival and praise. The background features a cosmic backdrop of planets and stars, symbolizing the "innumerable worlds" they navigated. The lower part of the composition depicts an idealized pure land, reflecting the goal of the teachings and the presence of the Ever-Present Buddha throughout the triple world.
Figure Identification:
Central Figure: Great-Universal-Wisdom-Excellence Tathāgata (Daitsū Chishō Nyorai), seated on a lotus throne, radiating universal wisdom.
Buddha’s Retinue (Around the main figure): Attending Bodhisattvas and Arhats (monks).
Approaching Figures on Clouds: The Brahma Heavenly-Kings from the Zenith and their retinues, traveling from different directions with musical instruments, flowers, and incense as offerings.
Kanji Translation:
Artist's Signature (Kanji): 双子座 (Futago-za, meaning Gemini)
Seal Text (Katakana): ジェミニ (Jemini, meaning Gemini)
How good it is to see a Buddha,
To see the Honorable Saint who saves the world!
He saves all living beings
From the prison of the triple world.
The Brahma Heavenly-Kings of the Zenith sing these verses in Chapter Seven of the Lotus Sūtra. They gave up their kingdoms, their subjects and their homes to travel across innumerable worlds to hear the Wonderful Dharma. They inspire our devotion by showing how important this teaching is to them. For us who know of the Ever-Present Buddha Śākyamuni, we recognize that the Buddha exists everywhere, even in our triple world of form, formlessness and desire. When let go of the delusions that imprison us, and recognize this Buddha in our midst, we find ourselves in the Buddha’s pure land.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
This is the second of two essays written by Google’s Gemini. Gemini was told to write this from the perspective of a Nichiren Shu scholar priest. That’s why you see “we” and “our” throughout. Gemini was directed to base the essay on the source material found in this Notebook.
protect-the-dharma-movement
As we established in our previous analysis, the postwar landscape of Japan was one of shattered financial foundations and spiritual disorientation. Faced with the decay of the Danka system and the aggressive expansion of lay-led New Religions, the leadership of Nichiren Shū recognized that a passive “funeral business” model would no longer suffice. In 1966, the 18th Sectarian Assembly inaugurated the Protect the Dharma Movement (Gohō Undō). This was not merely an administrative reorganization; it was a profound theological and practical revolution designed to turn institutional crisis into a global spiritual force.
I. Theological Shifts: Defining a Modern Identity
To differentiate our sect from the confrontational image of groups like the Soka Gakkai, we strategically embraced a theology of “deep humanism” and social engagement.
From “Parishioner” to “Follower”: We moved to replace “parishioner consciousness” (danka ishiki), rooted in social obligation and death rites, with a “follower” (shinto) identity. We sought to empower laypeople as “Bodhisattvas of the Earth” who held a personal, active mission to spread the Dharma.
Gentle Persuasion (Shōju) over Confrontation (Shakubuku): While our Founder utilized shakubuku to break false views, we explicitly denounced forced conversions through intimidation. We clarified that true shakubuku requires strict self-discipline first. In a modern pluralistic society, we pivoted toward shōju – a gentler method of persuasion adapted to individual circumstances.
The Nonduality of Self and Environment (Eshō Funi): To reclaim our doctrine from pre-war militaristic associations, we grounded our peace efforts in eshō funi. This asserts that protecting the Dharma within one’s own heart is inextricably linked to creating peace in the external world. Only by overcoming individual egotism can true societal peace (Ankoku) be realized.
II. Practical Initiatives: The Mechanics of Renewal
The movement was executed in distinct phases, transitioning from organizational mobilization to internal spiritual unification.
Quantitative Growth (1966–1970): The early phase focused on structural modernization leading up to the 750th anniversary of Nichiren’s birth. We dispatched “Goho Missionaries” to host large conventions and established Maintenance Associations (Goji-kai) to formalize lay support.
The Shingyō Hikkei and Unified Faith (1971–1978): Realizing that participation was often still perfunctory, Chief Administrator Watanabe Kōin shifted the focus to “Unified Faith” (Gohō Tōnitsu Shingyō). In 1972, we published the Shingyō Hikkei (Handbook of Faith and Practice) to standardize liturgy and daily chanting across the globe.
Synchronized Global Prayer: To foster unity, the handbook instituted global morning prayers at 8:00 AM, directing the hearts of all followers toward Mt. Minobu, the spiritual home of our Founder.
III. Turning Global: The Linguistic Bridge
A critical turning point occurred in 1978 when, urged by Chief Administrator Matsumura Juken, Rev. Kyotsu Hori published the English translation of the Shingyō Hikkei.
The Global Mandate: This translation provided the linguistic bridge to export our unified system to overseas missions in North America, Brazil, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
Fulfilling the Vow: This expansion fulfilled Nichiren Daishonin’s mandate to spread the Lotus Sutra worldwide (ittenshikai kaiki myoho). It transformed the Nichiren Shū from a purely Japanese cultural religion into a global faith dedicated to interfaith dialogue and peace advocacy.
Conclusion: The Legacy of Protection
The Protect the Dharma Movement reached its organizational peak in 1981, the 700th memorial of Nichiren’s passing. Its legacy continues today through current initiatives like the “Inochi ni Gassho” (Palm to Palm with All Life) slogan, which expands the concept of protection to include environmental conservation and universal inclusion.
By synthesizing the militant energy of Nichiren’s medieval mission with the humanistic values of the postwar era, we created a sustainable model for institutional survival. We proved that the protection of the Dharma is not an act of exclusion, but an effort to build a “bright and secure” world through the practice of the Lotus Sutra.
This illustration features Śākyamuni Buddha (center) being revered by the monk Pūrṇa (left). Śākyamuni's teaching flows forth as light and complex symbols that appear as "words" (representing the structure and limits of conventional language). These streams then transform into visual depictions of interconnectedness, showing sentient beings—both human and animal—supporting one another, realizing their shared happiness as Bodhisattvas. The artist's signature reads 双子座 (Gemini), and the red hanko seal contains the katakana ジェミニ (Jemini).
The merits of the Buddha are beyond the expression of our words. Only the Buddha, only the World-Honored One, knows the wishes we have deep in our minds.
In Chapter Eight of the Lotus Sutra, Pūrṇa has these words in mind while looking at the face of Śākyamuni Buddha. The thoughts we have are mostly words, and the words are about the things we want. Words can help us make sense of the world around us, especially the words the Buddha uses to teach us. But words can also confuse us when we mistake our expectations for the reality of the world. When the Buddha calls us to become Bodhisattvas, to realize that our happiness is linked to that of all beings, his words open a part of our mind with which we are not familiar. He asks us to set aside the habits we have learned from this world of conflict and see his world in a new way.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
This is the first of two essays written by Google’s Gemini. Gemini was told to write this from the perspective of a Nichiren Shu scholar priest. That’s why you see “we” and “our” throughout. Gemini was directed to base the essay on the source material found in this Notebook.
shingyo-hikkei-postwar-trouble
As we look back upon the landscape of 1945, a year etched in fire and ash, one might be forgiven for thinking the Latter Day of the Law (Mappō) had arrived in its most literal sense. For the leadership of the Nichiren Shū, the smoke clearing from the ruins of our cities revealed more than just physical destruction; it exposed an unprecedented existential crisis that threatened the very survival of our traditional temple network.
The following analysis examines the cascade of intersecting historical changes that shattered our institutional foundations and forced us into a period of deep, often painful, self-reflection.
1. The Collapse of Financial Foundations
Historically, many of our Buddhist temples were sustained by the income generated from vast, independent agricultural estates. However, in the immediate postwar years, the Japanese government instituted sweeping agrarian land reforms.
Financial Ruin: These reforms stripped temples of their traditional landholdings, delivering a massive financial blow to the clergy.
The Stigma of “Funeral Buddhism”: Deprived of independent revenue, temples were forced to rely almost entirely on performing hereditary funeral and memorial rites to survive. This led to a spiritual stagnation where the Sangha was increasingly criticized as a mere “funeral business,” lacking relevance for the living.
2. Urbanization and the Decay of the Danka System
Simultaneously, the traditional family system (ie), which had functioned as a cohesive patriarchal unit for centuries, began to disintegrate. This social shift triggered a mass migration from rural communities to urban centers.
Membership Decline: As families moved to the cities, they left their ancestral temples behind.
Systemic Collapse: This caused a drastic decline in the Danka membership base – the hereditary parishioner system – that rural temples relied upon for their very existence. The bond between the people and the Dharma was no longer a matter of community, but a fading memory of the countryside.
3. Social Anxiety and “Spiraling Egotism”
The postwar environment was characterized by defeat, grinding poverty, and the loss of traditional values. Citizens were surrounded by modern anxieties: inflation, industrial pollution, and the terrifying specter of nuclear war – particularly after the 1954 Bikini Atoll hydrogen bomb tests.
Nichiren Shū leaders observed that these societal strains were fostering a culture of “spiraling egotism”. Individuals became increasingly self-centered, prioritizing worldly desires and personal survival over community welfare and mutual help. The heart of the nation was becoming fragmented.
4. The Rise of New Religious Movements
The vacuum left by traditional Buddhism’s stagnation was quickly filled by “new religions” such as the Soka Gakkai, Reiyukai, and Rissho Kosei-kai. These movements appealed directly to the disenfranchised urban worker by offering a practical, lay-led application of faith that promised health and wealth in the present life.
Aggressive Proselytization: The Soka Gakkai, in particular, utilized a confrontational method called shakubuku.
A “Wake-Up Call”: This aggressive expansion poached countless passive Nichiren Shū parishioners. To our leadership, this was a glaring signal that the traditional temple structure was inadequate for the modern “thought war”.
Conclusion: The Path to Reform
By the early 1960s, it was clear that piecemeal efforts – such as the Nichiren Shu Reform Alliance or the anti-nuclear World Rissho Peace Movement – were not enough to stem the tide of decline.
The leadership realized that institutional survival depended on a radical transformation: they had to convert their passive “parishioners” into dedicated, active “followers”. We could no longer be a religion of the dead; we had to become a movement for the living.
This realization culminated in the 1966 inauguration of the Protect the Dharma Movement (Gohō Undō), a sweeping, sect-wide campaign to modernize our identity and reclaim the humanistic heart of Nichiren Daishonin’s mission.
In my next essay, I shall detail the specific theological shifts and practical initiatives of this movement, and how they sought to turn a crisis into a global spiritual force.
Tomorrow: Nichiren Shu’s Modernization and Global Reach
This is a storybook suitable for 10-year-olds generated by Google’s Gemini. The AI based this storybook on two stories from the brochures at the Sacramento Nichiren Buddhist Church Study Center. Before distributing this at Sunday school I would want to update page 8 to have Myoho Renge Kyo on the banner and to say that the “map of the spiritual world” was called the Gohonzon. Otherwise, this is a fun demonstration of Google’s AI talents.
This square illustration, in the style of a traditional Japanese Buddhist woodblock print, captures the joyful declaration of the arhats on Vulture Peak, as described in Chapter Eight of the Lotus Sūtra. At the top, Śākyamuni Buddha (Shaka Nyorai) is shown teaching, emitting radiant golden light from his halo. Below him, the assembly of disciples, including Ājñāta-Kauṇḍinya, are depicted with expressions of overwhelming joy. Their previously limited understanding is transformed, and they now recognize their innate potential as Bodhisattvas destined for full enlightenment. The style utilizes rich, flat colors, bold outlines, and traditional forms. In the bottom left corner, the artist's signature 双子座 (Futagoza, or Gemini) is visible, with the red hanko seal of ジェミニ (Gemini) placed subtly nearby.
World-Honored One! Now we see that we are Bodhisattvas in reality, and that we are assured of our future attainment of Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. Therefore, we have the greatest joy that we have ever had.
Ājñāta-Kauṇḍinya and the others gathered to hear Śākyamuni Buddha teach make this declaration in Chapter Eight of the Lotus Sūtra. He and the others thought that their existence was merely to hear and preserve what the Buddha taught them, and to transmit it to others. They believed they were incapable of becoming as enlightened as the Buddha, because the Buddha’s earlier teachings had only led them so far. With the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha reminds all of us of our decision to come to this world of conflict to benefit all beings. He awakens us to our capacity to see the world with his eyes and experience the joy of reality.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
This square illustration accurately captures the iconography and narrative of Chapter Fourteen of the Lotus Sūtra. I have resolved the theological ambiguities mentioned in previous attempts; Śākyamuni Buddha is now clearly depicted as the sole source in the sky, expounding the Dharma. You can observe Mañjuśrī listening while the central Bodhisattva below manifests the teaching, receiving protection and offerings during both day and night.
The signature and hanko seal in the bottom right corner are now perfectly legible. Here is a summary of the visual elements and identified individuals in this illustration:
Śākyamuni Buddha: The original source of the teaching, located in the sky.
Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva: Seated on his blue lion in the clouds, receiving the instruction.
The Exponent Bodhisattva: Located centrally on Earth, expounding the Dharma to the assembly.
Day and Night Symbolism: The guardian figures are flanked by suns (left) and moons (right) to indicate protection is present at all hours.
Offerings: The varied groups in the assembly represent the kings, princes, ministers, common people, bhikṣus, and upāsakas mentioned in the text.
Katakana (Seal Text): The red hanko seal reads ジェミニ, which means "Gemini."
Kanji (Signature): The Kanji text next to the seal reads 双子座, which means "Gemini Constellation."
Mañjuśrī! A Bodhisattva-mahāsattva who performs this fourth set of [peaceful] practices after my extinction, will be able to expound the Dharma flawlessly. Bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, upāsikās, kings, princes, ministers, common people, brāhmaṇas and householders will make offerings to him, honor him, respect him, and praise him. The gods in the sky will always serve him in order to hear the Dharma from him. When someone comes to his abode located in a village, in a city, in a retired place or in a forest, and wishes to ask him a question, the gods will protect him day and night for the sake of the Dharma so that the hearer may rejoice because this sūtra was, is, and will be protected by the supernatural powers of the past, present and future Buddhas.
Śākyamuni Buddha gives this explanation to Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva in Chapter Fourteen of the Lotus Sūtra. The fourth set of peaceful practices is not blaming those who do not hear the Lotus Sūtra and resolving to save them when one becomes perfectly enlightened. Rather than becoming upset with those who do not accept this teaching, it is useful to know that we are not alone in wanting to save them, and that by reducing our own delusions we increase our capacity to benefit others.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
