I am deeply worried to hear that your illness has worsened. As we have a sword to kill an enemy and medicine to cure an illness, your illness can be cured through good medicine.

In ancient times King Ajātaśatru of India killed his father, and in doing so became an enemy of the Buddha. As a result, he suffered from rashes all over his body. However, he put faith in the Buddha and upheld the Lotus Sūtra and because of this his rash disappeared and his life span was extended by 40 years. The Lotus Sūtra preaches that it is the good medicine for the people in the Jambudvīpa (whole world). Everyone in the world suffers from illness, and the Lotus Sūtra is for them. Regarding your own illness, the three (Śākyamuni Buddha, the Lotus Sūtra, and Nichiren) will join hands to help you. How then can it not be cured? However, I cannot help if you don’t place your trust in me. Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō! Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō!

Takahashi Nyūdō-dono Gohenji, A Response to Lay Priest Lord Takahashi, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 7, Followers II, Pages 80-81

The Record of Western Regions by Hsüan-chuang states the following: A recluse lived in the Deer Park in Vārāṇasī, India, trying to master the art of wizardry. He was able to transform rubble into treasure or change the shape of a human or a domestic animal but was still unable to come and go out of the wizard palace by riding on the wind and clouds. For the purpose of attaining this art, the recluse recruited an honorable man to stand at a corner of the earthen platform carrying a long sword and to stand there holding his breath without saying a word. The art of wizardry would be gained if no word was uttered from the evening to the following morning. The recluse who was seeking the art was sitting in the center of the platform, holding a long sword in hand and chanting the magic words. They promised not to utter a word even if faced with death, and the honorable man swore not to say a word at the cost of his life. When midnight passed and the daybreak was approaching, the honorable man, for some reason, suddenly let out a shout. Thus, the practice of silence failed, and the recluse failed to attain the art of wizardry. The recluse reproached the honorable man saying, “Why did you break your promise? This is deplorable.”

The honorable man sighed and answered:

“When I slept for a while, the lord whom I served in the past appeared and chastised me for my silence. Nevertheless, I kept silent because I considered my promise to you important. Then my former lord became angry and said that he would behead me. Still I remained silent and was beheaded. I felt sorry and sad looking at my dead body wandering in the intermediate state between death and the next life, yet I kept silent. Then I was reborn in a Brahman family in Southern India. The pain upon conception and birth were unbearable, but I did not breathe out nor utter a word. After growing up, I got married, my parents died, and my child was born. I experienced both sadness and joy of life without saying a word until I became 65 years old. My wife then told me that she would kill my child whom I loved if I did not speak. Then I thought that if my child were killed I, at this old age, would never have a chance of having another child, and uttered a word involuntarily. I was awakened from my sleep by my own voice.”

The recluse master answered, “It cannot be helped. Both you and I were unable to attain the art of wizardry due to the deception of a devil.” The honorable man apologized to the master, “I am sorry that my resolution was not strong enough to help you attain the art of wizardry.” Then the master replied, “It is my fault. I should have forewarned you.” Nevertheless, the honorable man blamed himself for being unable to repay the master’s favor to such an extent that he ultimately died from his grief. Thus, it is recorded in the Record of Western Regions.

Wizardry was born of Confucianism in China and it has been a part of non-Buddhist teachings in India. Its worth does not even amount to the Hinayāna Āgama sūtras, which are not worth mentioning in Buddhism, let alone the Common, Distinct, and Perfect teachings of Buddhism, to say nothing of the Lotus Sūtra. When we try to accomplish a shallow doctrine such as this, “the four devils” compete with each other to interfere with us. How much more so when the disciples and followers of Nichiren try to spread the seven Chinese characters of Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō, the secret doctrine of the Lotus Sūtra, for the first time in Japan! It is inevitable that the followers will be confronted with such great difficulty that it is impossible to express in words and can only be guessed in mind.

Kyōdai-shō, A Letter to the Ikegami Brothers, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 6, Followers I, Page 81-82

Bimbisāra was a wise king and the greatest follower of the Buddha in the world (Jambudvīpa). Moreover, he ruled the kingdom of Magadha, where the Buddha was planning to preach the Lotus Sūtra. As the king and the Buddha were in one mind, it was expected that the Buddha would expound the Lotus Sūtra. However, Devadatta wanted to stop this plan by any means. As he could not think of any effective means to prevent this, Devadatta approached Prince Ajātaśatru, Crown Prince of King Bimbisāra. After befriending the prince for several years, Devadatta finally caused discord between the royal father and son and incited Ajātaśatru to kill his own father. As Devadatta and Ajātaśatru were united in one mind, non-Buddhists and evil men gathered from all over India to side with them like swarms of clouds and mist. Ajātaśatru gave them territories and treasures and flattered them. The king of Magadha thus became an archenemy of the Buddha. Catching sight of this, the King of Devils in the Sixth Heaven of the realm of desire, accompanied by his numerous followers, descended from the heavens into Magadha Kingdom and entered the bodies of Devadatta, Ajātaśatru, and his six ministers. They appeared to be humans but they had powers of the devils in the Sixth Heaven. They were more turbulent and horrible than a storm swaying trees and grasses, a typhoon raising big waves in the ocean, a severe earthquake shaking the great earth, or a conflagration consuming many houses. …

Thus, the Buddha endured all kinds of persecution, but He was somehow able to stay alive to preach the Lotus Sūtra. This Lotus Sūtra says: “Many people hate this sūtra with jealousy even in My lifetime. Needless to say, more people will do so after My extinction.” The meaning of this passage is that even in the Buddha’s lifetime, the enemies of the Lotus Sūtra arose like this, not to speak of those who will preach or believe in even a letter or a single stroke of the Lotus Sūtra in the Latter Age of Degeneration.

Reflecting on this passage, although it has been more than 2,200 years since the Buddha preached the Lotus Sūtra, no one has ever read and practiced it as the Buddha preached. Only he who has encountered great persecution can be said to have truly practiced the Lotus Sūtra. Even T’ien-t’ai and Dengyō, who have been considered to be practicers of the Lotus Sūtra, never encountered the kind of hardship which the Buddha did.

Ueno-dono Gohenji, A Reply to Lord Ueno, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 111-112

In order to spread Buddhism in a country, an understanding of the conditions of the teaching that had been spread there previously is important.

It is the same as giving medicine to a sick person. It is necessary to know the type of medicine a person has already taken otherwise mixing the medicines may have ill effects or even kill the patient. The same is true with Buddhism. Teachings of the Buddha may also conflict with one another, leaving the people at a loss.

Nanjō Hyōe Shichirō-dono Gosho, A Letter to Lord Nanjō Hyōe Shichirō, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Pages 143.

It is I, Nichiren, who is the richest in Japan today, because I sacrifice my life for the sake of the Lotus Sūtra and leave my name for posterity. Gods of rivers take orders from the master of a great ocean, and gods of mountains follow the king of Mt. Sumeru. Likewise, when one knows the meaning of the “six difficulties and nine easier actions” and “scriptures preached in the past, are preached at present, and will be preached in the future” in the Lotus Sūtra, one will automatically know the comparative merits of all the Buddhist scriptures without reading them.

Kaimoku-shō, Open Your Eyes to the Lotus Teaching, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 90

Devadatta, archenemy of Śākyamuni Buddha, was the primal “good friend,” who helped Him in His pursuit of truth. Observing the world today, we find that strong enemies, rather than friends, help people improve themselves. I see many such examples right here in my world. The prosperity of the Hōjō clan is due to ex-Emperor Gotoba as well as Wada Yoshimori, who both tried to destroy the Hōjōs. If not for them, how could the Hōjōs hold onto their hegemony and rule over Japan? Therefore, we should say that they, who planned to subjugate the Hōjōs, were the prime allies of the Hōjō clan.

By the same token, my best allies who are helping me to become a Buddha now are: Tōjō Kagenobu, who tried to assassinate me; Priests Ryōkan, Tao-lung, and Dōamidabutsu, who brought false charges against me; and Hei no Saemonnojō Yoritsuna and Lord Hōjō Tokimune, who dominated the country. If not for these people, how could I have been a practicer of the Lotus Sūtra? I sincerely feel indebted to them.

Shuju Onfurumai Gosho, Reminiscences: from Tatsunokuchi to Minobu, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Biography and Disciples, Volume 5, Pages 33

The “self-nature” of the Lotus Sūtra is not what non-Buddhists think it to be because we possess in our heart all living beings of the Ten Realms. We have in ourselves the realm of Buddhas, let alone those of all living beings. Therefore, to become a Buddha now does not mean to be a new one. The “other-power” in the Lotus Sūtra, too, is not what non-Buddhists consider it to be. For other Buddhas are contained within each of us by nature. They also manifest themselves in us ordinary people. At this point I am omitting a discussion of both the “dual” and “spontaneous” powers.

Ichidai Shōgyō Tai-I, Outline of All the Holy Teachings of the Buddha, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Page 91

Though we, as ordinary people, should just believe in and respect any founder of a Buddhist School, I, Nichiren, cannot resolve my doubts at all. In worldly matters, there can be only one sovereign of a country. If there are two, peace cannot be attained. If there are two masters in a home, unity will deteriorate. The same can be said for all the sūtras of Buddhism. One of them, whichever it may be, must be supreme to all other sūtras.

Therefore, if we follow the sūtras uttered by the Buddha without depending on masters and commentators, we shall see the superiority of the Lotus Sūtra, just as the whole world can be seen by anyone who is not blind under the shining sun in the blue sky. Its supremacy is beyond doubt!

Hōon-jō, Essay on Gratitude, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Pages 3-4.