WONS

The Buddha in Our Minds

Finally, let us try to answer your first question [in part 1 of Question (18) ] whether or not vast virtue of Lord Śākyamuni Buddha exists in our minds. The Sūtra of Infinite Meaning (Muryōgi-kyō), which is regarded as an introductory teaching to the Lotus Sūtra, explains how we attain Buddhahood:

“Suppose there was a prince just born to a king and his queen. Growing up day by day, month by month, year by year, the new prince has reached the age of seven. Though unable to attend the affairs of state, he is respected by his father’s subjects and befriended by children of great kings. He is loved by his royal parents, who find it most enjoyable to chat with him constantly. Why is this? It is because the prince is still young. My good people, he who upholds this Lotus Sūtra is just like this prince. His father is Buddhas; and his mother, this sūtra. Just as the prince was born to the king and his queen, Buddhas and this sūtra are united in one to give birth to the bodhisattva, upholder of this sutra. Suppose, having listened to the Lotus Sūtra, he reads a phrase or a verse of it, or reads it once, twice, ten, one hundred, one thousand, ten thousand times, or one trillion times the grains of sand of the Ganges River—unlimited and infinite number of times. Even if he had not yet obtained the ultimate truth, he would be respected by all the four groups of Buddhists (monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen) and the eight kinds of gods and semi-gods, protectors of Buddhism. Accompanied by great bodhisattvas, he would always be protected and cared for by Buddhas and completely surrounded by their benevolence. It is because he is a beginner on the way to Buddhahood.”

Then, we come across the following passage in the Sūtra of Meditation on the Universal Sage Bodhisattva (Kan Fugen Bosatsu Gyōbō-kyō), considered to be the conclusion of the Lotus Sūtra: “This Mahayana Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma is the treasure house of all the Buddhas and the eyes of all the Buddhas in all the worlds in the universe in the past, present, and future. It is the seed of Buddhahood giving birth to all the Buddhas in the past, present as well as future. You must put the Mahayana teaching into practice lest the seed of Buddhahood be extinguished.” And also: “This Mahayana sūtra is the eyes of all the Buddhas. It is by means of this Lotus Sūtra that all the Buddhas reach the stage of having Five Eyes. The Buddha with three bodies (Dharma Body, Reward Body, and Accommodative Body) was born from this sūtra. This sūtra is the great seal of enlightenment impressed upon the sea of Nirvana, from which the Buddha with three pure bodies was born. The triple-bodied Buddha, therefore, is the source of happiness for men and gods alike.”

Kanjin Honzon-shō, A Treatise Revealing the Spiritual Contemplation and the Most Venerable One, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 141-142.

AI Contribution, Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma for January 7, 2026

20260107-ddi

Illustration by Google Gemini

Show Gemini's thinking

Focusing on Buddhist Imagery
I am starting to explore the core request. It involves generating a square Japanese Buddhist illustration. I am concentrating on the need to exclude specific figures like Amida and Dainichi Nyorai while focusing on the central concept, which is the "Opening the Eyes" ceremony as described in Nichiren's writings.

Deconstructing the Ceremony
Now I am dissecting the central theme: the "Opening the Eyes" ceremony. The current focus is on visual elements. I'm aiming for a Japanese Buddhist statue, avoiding specific forbidden figures. I'm thinking a Shakyamuni statue as the central figure, with a monk performing the ritual. My goal is to add symbolism that conveys the "invisible voice," possibly through light or subtle glows from the statue.

Crafting a Detailed Depiction
I'm now focusing on a concrete scene. A wooden Shakyamuni statue will be central, consecrated by a robed monk. I will add light and clouds radiating from the figure, to subtly represent the "invisible voice." I will also include a text nearby the ceremony, showing both Japanese kanji and an English equivalent. I am aiming to blend traditional Japanese art with a spiritual ambience.

Analyzing Visual Elements
I'm making a comparison between the visual elements and the specifics of the user's request, focusing on the correct depiction of a general Buddha statue. I am verifying the alignment with the "Opening the Eyes" ceremony as described, and I'm checking that the illustration is in the style requested. Also, I am carefully looking for how it incorporates the specific quote.

Validating Artistic Accuracy
I have finished cross-referencing the image against the provided guidelines. I confirmed the style's adherence to Japanese Buddhist art. I also verified the quote's integration and correct kanji use. Furthermore, I have double-checked the Buddha statue's depiction for accuracy, and confirmed it aligns with the user's defined parameters.

Kanji translation
The kanji characters in the upper right corner are:

開眼 (pronounced kaigen)

These characters translate to "Opening the Eyes".

開 (kai) means "open" or "start".

眼 (gen) means "eye".

As the English text directly below the kanji indicates, this refers to the ceremony of "Opening the Eyes" of a Buddhist image or statue.

The Buddha possesses 32 marks of physical excellence, all of which belong to the category of matter. The Brahma’s voice, pure and immaculate voice of the Buddha, however is invisible. Therefore it is impossible for us to depict it in pictures or statues.

Nichiren wrote this passage in his Treatise on Opening the Eyes of Buddhist Images, Wooden Statues or Portraits (Mokue Nizō Kaigen no Koto). The statues, portraits and other images of the Buddha and other protective deities which we use in our practice are not meant to be idols. They are living examples of the perfections to which we aspire and from which we draw strength. The ceremony in which we “Open the Eyes” of an Omandala or anything else we use in our practice reminds us that everything around us has life. When we hear the Buddha’s voice from them, leading us to enlightenment, then we learn how to improve the world for ourselves and all beings.

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

WONS

Finding 3,000 Realms in the Lotus Sutra

Note: Nichiren writes: “[W]e do not see how our mind contains ten realms, 100 realms, 1,000 aspects, and 3,000 modes of existence, unless we see our reflection in the clear mirror of the Lotus Sūtra and writings of Grand Master T’ien-t’ai such as Great Concentration and Insight.” Nichiren then specifies where in the Sūtra we find the explanation.

QUESTION (13): Which parts of the Lotus Sutra are you referring to? How about T’ien-t’ai’s explanation of them?

ANSWER: The second “Expedients” chapter of the Lotus Sutra (fascicle 1) states that the purpose of the Buddhas appearing in the worlds was “to cause all living beings to open the gate to the insight of the Buddha.” This means that of the nine of the ten realms of living beings (excepting the realm of Buddhas), each embraces the realm of Buddhas. In the sixteenth chapter, “The Life Span of the Buddha,” the sutra also declares: “As I said before, it is immeasurably long since I, Śākyamuni Buddha, obtained Buddhahood. My life spans an innumerably and incalculably long period of time. Nevertheless, I am always here and I shall never pass away. Good men! The duration of my life, which I obtained by practicing the way of bodhisattvas, has not yet expired. It will last twice as long as the length of time as stated above.” This passage also shows that the nine realms are included in the realm of Buddhas.

The following passages in the Lotus Sutra also show that the ten realms of living beings embrace one another. It is said in the twelfth chapter, “Devadatta,” that after an incalculably long period of time, Devadatta will be a Buddha called “Heavenly King.” This shows the realm of Buddhas included in the realms of hells as it says that even a man as wicked as Devadatta, who had tried to kill the Buddha and had gone to hell, will be able to become a Buddha.

In the twenty-sixth chapter on the “Mystic Phrases,” the Buddha praises the ten female rāksasas demons such as Lambā saying, “Your merits will be immeasurable even when you protect the person who keeps only the name of the Lotus Sutra.” Since even these rāksasas demons in the realm of hungry spirits protect the practicer of the Lotus Sūtra, the ten realms, from hells up to the realm of Buddhas, are comprised in the realm of hungry spirits.

The “Devadatta” chapter states also that a daughter of a dragon king attained perfect enlightenment, proving the existence of the ten realms in the realm of beasts.

The tenth chapter, “The Teacher of the Dharma,” says that even a semi-god like Asura King Balin (a king of asura demons mentioned in the first “Introduction” chapter) will obtain Buddhahood if he rejoices for a moment at hearing a verse or a phrase of the Lotus Sutra. This shows that the ten realms are contained in the realm of asura demons.

It is stated in the second “Expedients” chapter: “Those who carve an image of the Buddha with proper physical characteristics in His honor have already attained the enlightenment of the Buddha,” showing that the realm of man includes the ten realms in it.

Then in the first “Introduction” and the third “A Parable” chapters, various gods such as the great King of the Brahma Heaven declare, “we also shall be able to become Buddhas,” proving that the ten realms are contained in the realm of gods.

In the third chapter, the Buddha assures Śāriputra, the wisest of His Śrāvaka disciples, that he will also attain Buddhahood in future life and will be called “Kekō (Flower Light) Buddha.” This confirms the existence of the ten realms in the realm of Śrāvaka.

The second chapter states that those monks and nuns who sought emancipation through the way of pratyekabuddha (without guidance of teachers by observing the principle of cause and effect) pressed their hands together in respect, wishing to hear the Perfect Way. This affirms the existence of the ten realms in the realm of pratyekabuddha.

It is written in the twenty-first chapter, “Divine Powers of the Buddha,” that bodhisattvas as numerous as particles of dust of 1,000 worlds, who had sprung up from underground, beseeched the Buddha for this true, pure, and great dharma, namely the Lotus Sutra. This verifies the existence of the ten realms in the realm of bodhisattvas.

Finally in the sixteenth chapter, the Buddha sometimes appears as a Buddha in the realm of Buddhas but at other times appears as some of the others who reside in the other nine realms. This indicates that the ten realms are included in the realm of Buddhas.

Kanjin Honzon-shō, A Treatise Revealing the Spiritual Contemplation and the Most Venerable One, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 130-131.

AI Contribution, Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma for January 6, 2026

20260106-ddi

Illustration by Google Gemini

Show Gemini's thinking

Considering the Context
I'm focusing on the core message, which highlights internal corruption as the main threat. The artwork should reflect the warning about misleading figures in a degenerated age, contrasting them with the true teachings.

Interpreting Visuals
I've been developing an illustration, guided by the central theme of internal corruption versus genuine teachings. I'm aiming for a Japanese Buddhist aesthetic. My current focus is contrasting "false monks" with a figure representing Nichiren, using visual cues to depict their differing natures. I'm also planning the inclusion of kanji and English text to provide further context. The design also incorporates a brocade border.

Validating the Concept
I am now verifying the illustration against the user's initial prompt. The image aligns with the request, effectively integrating Japanese Buddhist elements. It accurately features Nichiren and represents the 'Latter Age.' The visual portrayal differentiates a genuine monk from corrupt figures.

Reviewing the Execution
I'm checking the image against the prompt, making a few tweaks. The illustration successfully embodies the Japanese Buddhist aspects of the user's concept. It features Nichiren and represents the 'Latter Age,' contrasting a genuine monk with corrupt figures and incorporating worldly threats. The text appears to be suitably limited and well placed. The image seems ready for delivery.
Translate kanji
Here is the translation of the kanji text:

On the banner at the top:

Kanji: 立正安国

Romaji: Risshō Ankoku

Translation: "Establish the True [Dharma] and Make the Country Peaceful" or "Securing the Peace of the Land by Establishing the Correct Teaching." This is a core concept in Nichiren Buddhism and the title of a famous treatise by Nichiren.

On the scroll held by the central figure:

Kanji: 妙法蓮華経

Romaji: Myōhō Renge Kyō

Translation: "The Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma," commonly known as the Lotus Sutra.

Thus, what the people in the Latter Age of Degeneration should be afraid of are not swords and sticks, tigers and wolves, or the ten evil acts and the five rebellious sins but those monks who wear Buddhist robes and pretend to be high priests without knowing the true teaching and those people who regard monks of provisional teachings as venerable and hate the practicers of the True Dharma of the Lotus Sutra.

Nichiren wrote this passage in his Treatise on Chanting the Great Title of the Lotus Sūtra (Shō Hokke Daimoku-shō). In Nichiren’s time, Buddhist monks had a great influence on the leaders of Japan, and thus on the lives of ordinary people. Wars, taxes, disease and education were no less important in Nichiren’s time than they are now. Nichiren recognized that the greatest danger came not from external forces, but from those within the country who took positions of power to benefit themselves rather than others. Nichiren’s reliance on the Wonderful Dharma, and his refusal to be coerced by his persecutions, show us how to live in this degenerating age.

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

AI Contribution, Blog

The Problem With Using Japanese Iconography

I have been using Google’s Gemini to illustrate the Daily Dharma for just 15 days and I’m still learning the problems inherent in having an AI illustrator interpret the teachings of the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren.

Here’s the text I asked Gemini to illustrate:

Medicine-King! The Bodhisattvas who, having been surprised at hearing this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, doubt and fear it, know this, are beginners in Bodhisattvahood. The Śrāvakas who, having been surprised at hearing this sūtra, doubt and fear it, know this, are men of arrogance.

The Buddha makes this declaration to Medicine-King Bodhisattva in Chapter Ten of the Lotus Sūtra. In his earlier teachings, he described the thoughts, words and deeds which would help shed our delusions and remove suffering. Many of those following him came to believe that they were superior to other beings and did not want to waste their time even associating with them much less attempting to save them from their suffering. With this Lotus Sūtra, the Buddha reveals that even the most wicked and deluded among us have the capacity for enlightenment and deserve our respect. The more we resist this teaching, in our thoughts, words and deeds, the farther we place ourselves from the Buddha’s wisdom.

Since I have “Thinking” mode selected, Gemini offers a readout of the creation process:

Focusing on Interpretation

I’m currently focused on the interpretation of the Lotus Sutra passage. The text’s core message regarding doubters is becoming clear, differentiating between beginner and arrogant perspectives. Now I’m grappling with how to best visually represent this duality within a square format.

Interpreting Visuals

I’m now breaking down the passage into concrete visual elements for the square format. Medicine-King Bodhisattva will be central, framed by the two groups of doubters: younger, uncertain Bodhisattvas, and older, dismissive Śrāvakas. The radiating Lotus Sūtra and a glowing Buddha figure will represent the enlightenment message. A contrasting element will show diverse, “wicked” beings with inner buddha-nature, and a path symbolizing the impact of accepting versus rejecting the teaching.

Analyzing Visuals

I’ve just finished the analytical phase and am now transitioning into the visual translation stage. I am now deciding the central figure will be Medicine-King Bodhisattva and the two groups of doubters will be depicted. I am currently considering the representation of “wicked” beings to incorporate diverse, flawed individuals, each possessing a subtle, internal buddha-nature.

Visualizing Buddhist Teachings

I’m now comparing the generated image to the user’s initial instructions, particularly concerning the use of Japanese Buddhist iconography and kanji labels. The composition effectively represents the textual prompt: Buddha’s teachings on Medicine…

Reviewing Iconography’s Precision

I’ve examined the visual representation against the provided text. The image accurately depicts the requested elements, including the kanji labels and the specific Buddhist iconography related to Medicine-King’s teachings. I’m satisfied that the visual composition closely aligns with the user’s initial instructions, particularly concerning the diverging paths representing accepting or rejecting the teachings, and the groups of doubters. The image seems suitable to share.

And, for my purposes, the “thinking” was excellent. It was in the execution that it stepped outside my needs.

fail-20260105-explain

The frame around the image contained a number of symbols. At the top center I recognized the svastika (manji in Japanese). I’ve written about this before. See this post. But I had no idea what the symbol in the upper right corner or the bottom center of the frame represented. So I asked Gemini.

1. Symbol in the Upper Right Corner

This character is the Siddham letter “A” (अ).

Meaning: In Buddhism, “A” is the first letter of the Sanskrit alphabet and is considered the mother of all other letters and sounds. It symbolizes the origin of all things, the uncreated, and the unborn nature of ultimate reality.

Significance: It represents the fundamental truth that all phenomena are inherently empty of an independent existence. It is often associated with Dainichi Nyorai (Mahavairocana Buddha), the cosmic Buddha who embodies the absolute truth of the universe. Meditating on the letter “A” (Ajikan) is a key practice in Esoteric Buddhism to realize this ultimate reality.

2. Symbol in the Bottom Center

This character is the Siddham seed syllable “Hrih” (ह्रीः), known as Kirīku in Japanese.

Meaning: A “seed syllable” (bīja) is a single syllable that is believed to contain the essence and power of a specific buddha or bodhisattva.

Significance: The syllable “Hrih” is primarily the seed syllable for Amida Nyorai (Amitabha Buddha), the Buddha of Infinite Light and Life who presides over the Western Pure Land. It is also associated with certain forms of Kannon Bosatsu (Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva), such as the Thousand-Armed Kannon, who is often seen as an emanation of Amida. Placing it at the bottom center could symbolize the foundation of compassion and the saving power of Amida and Kannon, which are central to many Buddhist practices.

I was willing to allow the Siddham letter “A” (अ) since that represents a fundamental teaching of Buddhism, even though it was associated with Dainichi Nyorai (Mahavairocana Buddha), but I couldn’t have at the center of the bottom frame the “the seed syllable for Amida Nyorai (Amitabha Buddha), the Buddha of Infinite Light and Life who presides over the Western Pure Land.”

I had Gemini edit the illustration to remove the problematic characters before I published it.

In hindsight it was obvious that a collection of Japanese Buddhist iconography was going to include a lot of Dainichi and Amida symbols. To prevent a recurrence, I modified my prompt to add: “Do not use symbols or images representing Amida Nyorai (Amitabha Buddha), the Buddha of Infinite Light and Life, or Dainichi Nyorai (Mahavairocana Buddha), the cosmic Buddha who embodies the absolute truth of the universe.”

We’ll see how that works.

WONS

Both Aggressive and Persuasive Means of Spreading the True Dharma

Now, two ways of propagation, the persuasive and aggressive, are incompatible with each other just as water and fire are. The fire dislikes the water, and the water hates the fire. Those who prefer the persuasive tend to laugh at those who practice the aggressive and vice versa. So, when the land is full of evil and ignorant people, the persuasive means should take precedence as preached in the “Peaceful Practices” (14th) chapter of the Lotus Sutra. However, when there are many cunning slanderers of the True Dharma, the aggressive means should take precedence as preached in the “Never-Despising Bodhisattva” (20th) chapter.

It is the same as using cold water when it is hot and fire when it is cold. Plants and trees are followers of the sun, so they dislike the cold moon. Bodies of water are followers of the moon, so they lose their true nature when it is hot. As there are lands of evil men as well as those of slanderers of the True Dharma in this Latter Age of Degeneration, there should be both aggressive and persuasive means of spreading the True Dharma.

Kaimoku-shō, Open Your Eyes to the Lotus Teaching, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 110

 

AI Contribution, Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma for January 5, 2026

20260105-ddi

Illustration by Google Gemini

Show Gemini's thinking

Focusing on Interpretation
I'm currently focused on the interpretation of the Lotus Sutra passage. The text's core message regarding doubters is becoming clear, differentiating between beginner and arrogant perspectives. Now I'm grappling with how to best visually represent this duality within a square format.

Interpreting Visuals
I'm now breaking down the passage into concrete visual elements for the square format. Medicine-King Bodhisattva will be central, framed by the two groups of doubters: younger, uncertain Bodhisattvas, and older, dismissive Śrāvakas. The radiating Lotus Sūtra and a glowing Buddha figure will represent the enlightenment message. A contrasting element will show diverse, "wicked" beings with inner buddha-nature, and a path symbolizing the impact of accepting versus rejecting the teaching.

Analyzing Visuals
I've just finished the analytical phase and am now transitioning into the visual translation stage. I am now deciding the central figure will be Medicine-King Bodhisattva and the two groups of doubters will be depicted. I am currently considering the representation of "wicked" beings to incorporate diverse, flawed individuals, each possessing a subtle, internal buddha-nature.

Visualizing Buddhist Teachings
I'm now comparing the generated image to the user's initial instructions, particularly concerning the use of Japanese Buddhist iconography and kanji labels. The composition effectively represents the textual prompt: Buddha's teachings on Medicine...

Reviewing Iconography's Precision
I've examined the visual representation against the provided text. The image accurately depicts the requested elements, including the kanji labels and the specific Buddhist iconography related to Medicine-King's teachings. I'm satisfied that the visual composition closely aligns with the user's initial instructions, particularly concerning the diverging paths representing accepting or rejecting the teachings, and the groups of doubters. The image seems suitable to share.

Explanation of the symbol in the top center of the frame.
The symbol is a swastika, which in Japanese is called a manji (卍).

In the context of Buddhism and East Asian culture, this is an ancient and sacred symbol with a very positive meaning, completely unrelated to its later misappropriation by the Nazi party in the 20th century.

Here are a few key points about its meaning in this illustration:

Auspiciousness and Good Fortune: The manji represents good luck, prosperity, and eternity. It is considered a very auspicious sign.

Symbol of the Buddha: It is often used to represent the Buddha himself, sometimes appearing on the chest or palms of Buddha statues to symbolize his enlightened state and universal compassion. It can also represent the "seal on the Buddha's heart."

Marker for Temples: In Japan, a manji is the standard map symbol used to denote a Buddhist temple.

The specific version shown here is left-facing (counter-clockwise), which is the most common form found in Japanese Buddhism, though right-facing versions are also used.

Kanji translation

Label in the upper left (near the standing deity):

Original Text: 薬王菩薩
Reading: Yakuō Bosatsu
Translation: Medicine King Bodhisattva (Bhaiṣajyarāja)

Label on the scroll in the center:

Original Text: 妙法蓮華経
Reading: Myōhō Renge Kyō
Translation: The Lotus Sutra (Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Law)

Label in the center-right (near the three kneeling figures):

Original Text: 初心の菩薩
Reading: Shoshin no Bosatsu
Translation: Novice Bodhisattvas (Beginner Bodhisattvas)

Label in the upper right (near the doubting monks):

Original Text: 増上慢の聲聞

Reading: Zōjōman no Shōmon

Translation: Arrogant Disciples (or "Conceited Voice-Hearers")

Label in the lower right (near the monks walking away):

Original Text: 増上慢の聲聞
Reading: Zōjōman no Shōmon
Translation: Arrogant Disciples (This label appears twice, referring to the same group).

Medicine-King! The Bodhisattvas who, having been surprised at hearing this Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma, doubt and fear it, know this, are beginners in Bodhisattvahood. The Śrāvakas who, having been surprised at hearing this sūtra, doubt and fear it, know this, are men of arrogance.

The Buddha makes this declaration to Medicine-King Bodhisattva in Chapter Ten of the Lotus Sūtra. In his earlier teachings, he described the thoughts, words and deeds which would help shed our delusions and remove suffering. Many of those following him came to believe that they were superior to other beings and did not want to waste their time even associating with them much less attempting to save them from their suffering. With this Lotus Sūtra, the Buddha reveals that even the most wicked and deluded among us have the capacity for enlightenment and deserve our respect. The more we resist this teaching, in our thoughts, words and deeds, the farther we place ourselves from the Buddha’s wisdom.

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

WONS

Reading Nichiren’s Writings

Leaving aside this question, I will write this for my followers. Others will not believe in me and go to hell for slandering the True Dharma, which would in turn cause them to obtain Buddhahood. It is possible to know the salinity of the ocean by tasting one drop of water, and the advent of spring by seeing a flower bloom. In the same way without sailing thousands of miles over to Sung China, without spending as long as three years as Fa-hsien did to visit Mt. Sacred Eagle, without entering the Dragon Palace as Nāgārjuna did, without visiting Bodhisattva Maitreya as Asaṅga did, or without attending the “three meetings at two places for lectures on the Lotus Sutra (two on Mt. Sacred Eagle and one up in the sky) you will be able to perceive the relative merits of all the sutras preached by the Buddha during His lifetime by reading this writing of mine.

Kaimoku-shō, Open Your Eyes to the Lotus Teaching, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 88

 

AI Contribution, Daily Dharma

Daily Dharma for January 4, 2026

20260104-ddi

Illustration by Google Gemini

Show Gemini's thinking

Considering The Setting
I'm currently focused on defining the setting for the illustration. I've pinpointed the key figures: the singing Buddha and Maitreya, also known as Ajita. Now I'm working to establish a Japanese Buddhist context, incorporating traditional iconography such as a nimbus and lotus throne.

Defining the Visual Narrative
I'm now integrating the core message. I'm visualizing "merits" not as wealth, but as clarity and the dispelling of delusions, using light and a cleared path as symbols. The key phrase "BOUNDLESS MERITS" will be included, along with the kanji "kudoku." The Buddha and Maitreya will be situated in a serene environment to represent clear understanding.

Refining Visual Metaphor
I am now focusing on the visual representation of 'boundless merits.' I am moving beyond material interpretations and attempting to depict it as a light that cleanses and illuminates. The Buddhist iconographic elements will remain consistent, ensuring the Buddha and Maitreya are central, but the emphasis will shift to the symbolic action of the light.

Clarifying Symbolic Light
The challenge has been refining the visual language. I've concentrated on the symbolic nature of 'boundless merits' as an illuminating and cleansing force. The light's action, clearing away obstacles, is now the core focus. The figures of Buddha and Maitreya remain central, now integrated within the action of the light.

Kanji translation
The kanji text on the scroll translates as follows:

妙法蓮華経 (Myōhō Renge Kyō): The Lotus Sutra

功徳無量 (Kudoku Muryō): Immeasurable Merit

Needless to say, boundless will be the merits
Of the person who hears this sūtra with all his heart,
And expounds its meanings,
And acts according to its teachings.

The Buddha sings these verses to Maitreya (whom he calls Ajita – Invincible) in Chapter Eighteen of the Lotus Sutra. The merits we gain through our study and practice of the Lotus Sūtra do not make us better than any of the other beings with whom we share this world. Merits accumulate when we strip away our delusions and see the world for what it is. We sometimes focus on what we can do to change the world, thinking that merely changing how we look at the world will have little effect. It is only when we see things for what they are that we can act effectively. Otherwise we are merely reinforcing the delusions of ourselves and others.

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

WONS

Mantras Representing the Gist of the Lotus Sutra

The Miao-fa lien-hua-ching is a Chinese designation for the Lotus Sutra, which is called the Saddharma-pundarīka-sūtra in India. Tripitaka Master Subhākarasimha’s mantras representing the gist of the Lotus Sutra are as follows: “I put my faith in the everywhere-penetrating Buddha, the three-bodied Buddha. When one attains Buddha Wisdom, which is opened and revealed to all the people, he will, like the crisp-clear sky, be able to get rid of all delusions and evil passions, accept the teaching of the Sutra of the Wonderful Dharma and live with joy, firmly upholding the teaching.”

These mantras representing the gist of the Lotus Sutra came from an iron Stupa in Southern India. The Satsuri-daruma among them means the True Dharma, while “satsu” means shō (true) or myō (wonderful). Therefore, the Lotus Sutra is called either the Sūtra of the Lotus Flowers of the True Dharma or the Sūtra of the Lotus Flowers of the Wonderful Dharma. Placing the two words of na and mu in front of the latter, we get Namu Myōhō Renge-kyō (I put my faith in the Sutra of the Lotus Flowers of the Wonderful Dharma).

Kaimoku-shō, Open Your Eyes to the Lotus Teaching, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 65-66

On the Journey to a Place of Treasures