There was an iron mine in Aita of Mimasaka Province. In the reign of Empress Abe, the provincial governor drafted ten men and had them enter the iron mine to dig out ore.

Suddenly, the entrance to the mine began to collapse. Surprised and terrified, the miners rushed towards the exit. Nine of them barely managed to escape. The last miner was late and the entrance was blocked.

The governor and people, high and low, grieved for the last miner. His lamenting wife and children made copies of Buddhist scriptures and completed the mourning service of forty-nine days.

However, the man in the pit survived for several days and thought, “In previous years I have made a vow to copy the Hokekyō and I have had this misfortune before I have fulfilled my vow. If I am saved, I will surely fulfill my vow.”

While praying, the man noticed that the entrance to the pit had opened a finger’s breadth and that a ray of sunlight had entered. Through the opening, a tiny priest entered the shaft, and offered the man food on a tray. He said, “Since your wife and children observed the service of forty-nine days and offered me food, I have come here to Serve you the food. You will wait here for a while and then I will save you.”

As the priest finished speaking, he went out through the opening. After a while a hole opened above the man’s head, and he could see the sky. The opening was as wide as three feet and as high as fifty feet.

At that time, about thirty men from the vicinity came to the mountain to collect vines, and passed near the hole. The man at the bottom of the hole saw the shadows of these men and asked for help. These men in the mountain heard faint sounds as of a mosquito humming. Thinking this strange, the men lowered a vine with a stone attached into the pit. The man at the bottom in the mine grasped and pulled the vine. Now they knew that someone was at the bottom. They made a basket with vines and lowered it with a vine rope. The man at the bottom got into the basket and the men above all gathered by the opening of the hole and pulled up the basket. They escorted the man to his home.

On seeing the man alive, the joy of his people was unbounded. The governor, too, was surprised, and questioned the man. The man reported his story in detail. Being immensely affected and impressed, the governor called for devotees in his country to prepare paper, to cooperate in copying the Hokekyō, and to hold a dedication service.

One sure to die was miraculously saved. This was due solely to the great power of the Hokekyō. Those involved were all ecstatic with joy and admiration. They became pious, copied, and recited the Hokekyō. This story appears in the Nihon ryōiki. (Page 127)

Yoshikado Mibu was born in the eastern region and was brought up in the uncivilized territory. He enjoyed archery and rode various horses. He enjoyed fishing in the water to keep cool in the summer and hunted across the fields in the autumn wind. He engaged in these activities according to the local customs and habits.

A holy man, Kūshō, who excelled others in his knowledge and piety, developed a close friendship with Yoshikado. Kūshō advised Yoshikado, “Existence as a human being is difficult to attain and easy to lose while the Three Evil Worlds are easy to enter and hard to leave. You should abandon random killing, cultivate a merciful mind, give up secular profits and look forward to achieving Buddhahood.”

Following Kūshō’s suggestions, Yoshikado ended his evil deeds, stopped taking lives, corrected his wrong views, and practised the Buddhist way. He copied the Hokekyō with gold dust and offered dedicatory services for it; he made golden-hued statutes of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, and paid homage to them. His very deep faith permeated him and his many good friends.

Yoshikado offered a great vow, “In my lifetime, I will make one thousand copies of the Hokekyō with gold dust and offer dedicatory services for them.”

Since making his vow, he had abstained from eating fish and meat, and was devoted to the Way. He took all that he had saved, bought gold dust, and engaged himself in copying the sūtra, spending scores of years.

At the time of his dedicatory services, various unusual signs were revealed. Some beautiful white lotus blossoms were scattered of their own accord in the garden where the Buddhist services took place.

Delicate music was heard in the worship hall. Various Heavenly Boys appeared holding flowers. Unusual birds flew and whistled overhead. Guardian deities gathered and paid their respects by clasping their hands. Marvelous revelations sometimes were given in Yoshikado’s dreams and at other times were presented as realities.

Finally, Yoshikado realized his wish by completing one thousand copies of the sūtra as he had vowed. In his last moments, Yoshikado washed his hands and mouth, and said to the people around him, “Several thousands of Heavenly Ladies are descending from the sky with harmonious music. Following them, I am going to ascend to Tosotsu Heaven.” As he finished speaking, Yoshikado took his last breath while clasping his hands. (Page 130-131)

A woman whose name and surname are unknown lived in Nara, the capital. She was gentle by nature and beautiful in appearance. As is customary with married couples, she gave birth to several children with her husband.

As she aged, she became pious, made a copy of the Hokekyō, and decided to keep it as her principal sūtra. Since she had memorized the entire copy, she constantly recited it all the time, not sparing any moments for her daily activities. She completely ignored secular activities such as raising silkworms for silk threads, cutting, dyeing, and sewing cloth and materials. She paid utterly no attention to food, clothes and other household chores, nor to cultivation of the fields. But she fervently recited the sūtra with her palms pressed.

Her husband used to say to her, “People in general are busy making their living in this world. Why is it that you spend days idly, only reciting the sūtra, without caring for yourself, your husband, and your children? You should first engage in daily affairs, and then you may serve Buddha or recite the sūtra in your spare time.” The husband always tried to explain to her the customary mode of life, but the woman would never listen to him. She hired someone else to take care of the daily household chores.

The woman ignored everything secular and devoted herself solely to the sūtra recitation for more than twenty years.

Towards the end of her life, the woman became ill and recovered several days later. She bathed, put on clean clothes, held a copy of the sūtra and said to her husband, “We have spent the past several decades together as a man and wife. But today, I am leaving for another life. Why won’t you accompany me?” The woman turned to her children and said to them, “I delivered you into this world, and raised you while committing many sins. Dividing my body into small portions, I have created many persons. Now at the time when I leave for the other world, why is it that none of you accompany me? The sixty-thousand and three-hundred-some graphs of the Hokekyō which I have recited until today, the various Buddhas who radiate light, and the countless bodhisattvas who hold torches, will surround and accompany me to paradise.”

As the woman finished, she recited the sūtra, paid homage to Buddha, and passed away. For several days, her deceased body released a pleasant fragrance like that of jindan. Finally, her husband, relatives, and other associates in near and distant places all became pious and recited the Hokekyō. (Page 137-138)