Now, the Great Bodhisattva Hachiman’s original substance, Śākyamuni Buddha, expounded the sole, true Lotus Sūtra in India. As He manifested Himself in Japan, He summarized the sūtra in two Chinese characters for honesty and vowed to live in the head of a wise man. If so, even if Hachiman burned his palace and ascended to heaven, whenever he finds a practicer of the Lotus Sūtra in Japan, he will not fail to come down to reside where this practicer is and protect him.

Therefore, it is preached in the Lotus Sūtra, fascicle 5, chapter 14 on the “Peaceful Practices”: “Various gods always protect the practicer for the sake of the dharma day and night.” This means that the great King of the Brahma Heaven, Indra, the sun and moon, the Four Heavenly Kings and others will never fail to protect those who say “Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō.”

This sūtra also preaches in the sixth fascicle, chapter 16 on “The Life Span of the Buddha”: “Sometimes I speak of Myself, sometimes of others; sometimes I show Myself, sometimes others; and sometimes I show My deeds, sometimes those of others.” Even Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara manifests himself in 33 traces, and Wonderful Voice Bodhisattva in 34 traces. How can Lord Śākyamuni Buddha not appear as the Great Bodhisattva Hachiman? Grand Master T’ien-t’ai declares in his Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sūtra, “The Buddha manifests Himself variously in the ten realms of living beings.”

Kangyō Hachiman-shō, Remonstration with Bodhisattva Hachiman, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 1, Page 279