Having abstained from evil deeds for a long time, a government official with the title of Ōsumi-no-jō strongly aspired to the Way. He had been reciting the Hokekyō for years and had never neglected his daily recitation of a chapter or a copy of the sūtra. He was also devoted to Kannon and observed the proper precepts on the eighteenth day of the month.

He once accompanied the governor to Satsuma Province. After the governor had completed his term of duty, he and his men, including Ōsumi-no-jō, were travelling home to the capital. The governor had developed a grudge against Ōsumi-no-jō and intended to harm him. While crossing the waters between Agi and Suō, they stopped at a remote uninhabited island and marooned Ōsumi-no-jō there.

That was the eighteenth day of the month. Ōsumi-no-jō observed the precepts and recited the eighth roll of the Hokekyō while he tearfully grieved over being marooned and separated from his people, including his wife and children. Thus, he waited for his death.

He tearfully continued to recite the sūtra until the following day. In the morning, when he looked at the sea he saw a black dot on the horizon. The black dot was a small boat which came towards shore as fast as a gale.

The boatmen were surprised to see Ōsumi-no-jō and asked, “Since long ago, no one has come to this island. How did you happen to come ashore?”

Ōsumi-no-jō explained his situation. The amazed boatmen felt sorry for him and gave him food. They said to each other, “We have seen this island from a distance for years but have never been here before. However, last night we suddenly decided to come here and arrived this morning to find this man. Now we clearly know why we hurried to this island. Thanks to the Buddhas’ assistance, this man was to be rescued. We should take him to our village.”

So the boatmen immediately escorted Ōsumi-no-jō to the provincial office of Suhō. Thus thanks to the assistance of Kannon and the miraculous power of the Hokekyō, Ōsumino-jō prolonged his life span. After his safe return to the capital, his faith in Kannon and the Hokekyō increased. (Page 126)

Renson, a priest of the Gangōji Temple, was of Mimasaka Province. Devoted to the Hokekyō recitation for years, he perfectly memorized twenty-seven chapters of the sūtra, but not the Chapter of Fugen. With further concentration, he tried to memorize the chapter verse by verse, repeating each verse several thousand times in vain. Greatly distressed, Renson engaged himself in difficult practices while observing a Summer Retreat and prayed to Fugen saying, “Bodhisattva Fugen, with a great vow on the Hokekyō, please protect me, a Hokekyō reciter, and make me remember when I forget some verses. I am still imperfect in following the precepts. But my efforts and devotion are all in compliance. I may not be great enough to comply with the teachings of the great sūtra. I have been reciting it with utmost respect and faith which are hard to acquire. I should be able to memorize the entire sūtra with the assistance of Fugen and other Buddhas. Why can’t I learn by heart this single chapter?”

Thus in prayer, Renson spent a summer in retreat. One night he dreamed of a Heavenly Boy who said to him, “I am a messenger from Fugen. I have come here to let you know about your past relationship. In your former life, you were a puppy living with your mother under the plank floor of this temple. A Hokekyō reciter recited the sūtra in the room above you. Both you and your mother listened to all the twenty-seven chapters beginning with the introductory chapter.

But when your mother left from under the floor, you followed her. Because of this, you failed to hear the Chapter of Fugen. Thanks to your merit in listening to the Hokekyō recitation, you were born as a human being in this life, became a priest, and have been able to recite the sūtra. But your karmic relationship to the Chapter of Fugen has not been close enough for you to learn it well in this life. But just continue your efforts. Someday, as you memorize the complete chapter, you will be able to meet various Buddhas in your next life, and to venerate the sūtra again.”

The awakened Renson now clearly knew the karmic cause. He devoted himself to the sūtra more fervently, and finally was able to master the Fugen Chapter. (Page 83)

Priest Shunchō was not an ordinary man but an incarnation of a bodhisattva. He fervently recited the Hokekyō in a beautiful voice; listeners never tired of his recitation and felt as if they were enjoying a feast. Having a sympathetic nature, Shunchō showed mercy to others. When he saw suffering, he regarded it as if it were his own; when he observed others living in peace and comfort, he appreciated their peace and comfort as if his own.

Royal, noble, official, and prestigious families all competed in inviting Shunchō and listening to his recitals, and all wanted him to stay at their places. The people of the capital and those of the countryside, those of high and low estate, nobles and commoners, went to his place, listened to his recitals, and were all impressed by his recitations.

Shunchō noticed prisoners in the two prisons in the east and west of the capital, heard about their sufferings, and became very sad and distressed. He wondered, “What sort of skillful means should I use to release these criminals from their sufferings and bring them to the Buddhas for their future salvation? I will take a solemn vow and have myself imprisoned seven times so that all the criminals in these prisons may hear my recitation of the Hokekyō.” So Shunchō visited a nobleman’s house, stole a silver bowl, and played a game of backgammon. He was soon caught and taken off to prison. As soon as he was imprisoned, he began reciting the sūtra. His high voice resounded like the ringing of bells. Those in the prison joined their hands in a posture of prayer and wept joyful tears.

Ex-emperors and princes sent messages to the chief of police and issued orders to his jailers not to examine or beat Shunchō.

The jailers dreamed that the prison was filled with hundreds of white elephants and various Deva Kings, the protectors of the Law, who asked Shunchō many questions. The chief of police also dreamed that the Bodhisattva Fugen, riding on a white elephant and sending forth radiance, stood facing the prison gate holding a bowl of rice. When the chief of police asked the reason, Fugen replied that he had come every day to offer food to Shunchō. Startled by this revelation in his dream, the chief of police released Shunchō from the prison.

Shunchō was imprisoned six more times; he was not questioned, however, and was released every time. One day the police officials discussed the case among themselves.

“Shunchō has never been interrogated. Although he is a very evil thief, he has been released without being questioned. He has taken advantage of this and has stolen other people’s property just as he wishes. This must be stopped. His legs should be cut off, and he should be treated as a criminal.”

After they had taken this decision, police officers of various ranks took Shunchō to the Riding Ground of Ukon, and were about to cut off his legs. At that very moment Shunchō began to recite the sūtra aloud. When those sixteen wicked officials, who had never done any good deeds, heard his recitation, they could not help shedding tears; they bowed to Shunchō and left. The fettered criminals and those who had gathered to see the event also shed tears of joy.

The chief of police had another dream in which a Heavenly Boy appeared and said, “In order to save criminals in prison, the holy man Shunchō stayed there seven times. This was nothing but the expedience of various Buddhas who concealed their glory from sentient beings in order to make contact with them.”

Shunchō stayed at the riding ground for some time, then he left there and died. His skull lay in the vicinity and recited the Hokekyō every night. All those who heard the recitation were awestruck. One day a hijiri picked up the skull and buried it in a remote mountain. After that the voice was no longer heard. (Page 50-51)