The Dharma, more than anything else, can give life to beings, raise them and make them grow and prosper. Therefore, in terms of spiritual weight, a person is light while the Dharma is heavy. Grand Master Miao-lê explains this in his Annotation on the Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sūtra, fascicle 10: “Parents bring up children and protect them through four stages: birth, rearing, growth and prosperity. Likewise, in Buddhism, the aspiration for Buddhahood is awakened by the Dharma (birth). This aspiration grows when one follows the Dharma from birth through the nurturing stage (rearing) until one attains Buddhahood (growth). As a Buddha, one can appear in the Dharma worlds throughout the universe to spread the teaching of the Buddha (prosperity). These four stages differ from one another, but they are all based on the Dharma.”

Hōkyō Hōjū Ji, The Dharma Is More Precious Than Treasures, Wooden Statues or Portraits, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 95

To begin with, the eighth day is the holy day, the birthday of Śākyamuni Buddha, who is your father. Thirty-two inexplicable phenomena appeared on that day. In the first place, all the plants blossomed and bore fruits. In the second place, various treasures gushed forth from the earth. Thirdly, water sprang out of the fields without rainfall. Fourthly, it became as bright as day during the night. In the fifth place, no voice of sorrow was heard throughout the entire world, and so on. Thus, they were all lucky omens. Since that day until now, for 2,230 years or so, it has been customary for us to choose the eighth day for a happy gathering.

Shijō Kingo-dono Gohenji, Response to Lord Shijō Kingo, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Followers I, Volume 6, Page 154

Incidentally, your donation is not to me — someone who is imperfect. Your donation is instead to the Lotus Sutra, Śākyamuni Buddha, Buddha of Many Treasures, and various Buddhas in manifestation throughout the universe. They will reward you for your benevolence. You may leave it to them.

Kubo-ama Gozen Gohenji, A Response to My Lady, the Nun of Kubo, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Followers II, Volume 7, Page 98

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A millionaire Sudatta was the wealthiest person in India who built the Jeta Grove Monastery for Śākyamuni Buddha. However, the temple vanished without a trace in a fire. Originally, this wealthy man made his fortune through a fish-killing business. Because of this, the temple disappeared completely.

Likewise, meritorious good acts of people these days seem great in all appearances. When we inquire about their source of revenue, however, we learn that it was either from a domain granted for a glorious achievement in war or savings made by torturing people without a cause. They may look like great acts of charity (fuse) in Buddhism, but because their acts are not pure at the root, they are not only unable to attain Buddhahood, but they also cause their descendants to vanish without a trace.

Kubo-ama Gozen Gohenji, A Response to My Lady, the Nun of Kubo, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Followers II, Volume 7, Page 97-98

The “Teacher of the Dharma” chapter of the Lotus Sūtra, fascicle 4, preaches, “Among the sūtras which had been preached, are now being preached, and will be preached, this Lotus Sūtra is the most difficult to embrace and perceive.” The “Peaceful Practices” chapter also states that the Lotus Sūtra is above all other sūtras. The “Medicine King Bodhisattva” chapter enumerates the ten kinds of simile to confirm the superiority of the Lotus Sūtra among all the scriptures of Buddhism. Beside the Lotus Sūtra such sūtras as the Flower Garland Sūtra, the Hōdō Sūtras, the Wisdom Sūtra, the Revealing the Profound and Secret Sūtra, the Great Cloud Sūtra, the Sūtra of Mystic Glorification, and the Sūtra of the Golden Splendor speak of the comparative superiority of sūtras. However, they claim to be supreme against Hinayāna sūtras, call the Principle of the Middle Way superior to the truth of emptiness and that of temporariness, or claim to be supreme for simply being able to explain finger signs (mudrā) and mantras. Though they make various claims to be supreme, their claims of superiority have never been as absolute as that of the Lotus Sūtra, which is said to be superior to all the sūtras preached in the past, present, and future.

Soya Jirō Nyūdō-dono Gohō, Response to Lay Priest Lord Soya Jiro, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Followers I, Volume 6, Page 68

QUESTION: What is the scriptural proof for the “3,000 existences contained in one thought” doctrine?

ANSWER: I should say, there are two kinds. First, it is preached in the second chapter, “Expedients”: “Reality of all phenomena consists of their appearances, natures, bodies. … The Buddhas, the World Honored Ones, wish to open the gate to Buddha wisdom.” These are scriptural proofs showing the existence of 3,000 dharma worlds even in the moment of thought of unenlightened beings suffering at the bottom of delusions and evil passions.

Secondly, “The Life Span of the Buddha” chapter preaches, “Nevertheless, it has been numerous and limitless aeons since I actually attained Buddhahood. …” It represents the “3,000 existences contained in one thought” doctrine attained by Śākyamuni Buddha in the eternal past. Now in the Latter Age of Degeneration I, Nichiren, exert myself to disseminate this “actual 3,000 in one thought” (ji no ichinen sanzen) doctrine shown in “The Life Span of the Buddha” chapter. I have kept secret in my heart this doctrine of the three great secret dharmas. However, if I do not leave it in writing for the future, I am sure, my disciples would be sorry for my lack of compassion after my death. It is useless to regret then, so I am writing this to be sent to you. After reading it once, please keep it confidential. Do not show it to others or talk about it indiscriminately.

Sandai Hiho Honjo-ji, The Transmission of the Three Great Secret Dharmas, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 291

Those who read the Lotus Sūtra, therefore, should not regard it as consisting of merely written words. The words are the mind of the Buddha. Grand Master T’ien-t’ai states:

“When the Buddha was requested to expound the Lotus Sūtra, He preached the meaning of the teachings, not merely the words of the sūtra. The meaning of the teaching is the mind of the Buddha, which is the insight of the Buddha. The insight of the Buddha is so profound that the Buddha declined three times to preach it. He agreed to expound it only upon the fourth request. Why was it necessary to make such a difficult arrangement? It is because the Lotus Sūtra expounds the insight of the Buddha. Other sūtras were preached simply without such an arrangement.”

The “mind of the Buddha” in this commentary arises from the interpretation that the Lotus Sūtra, which is itself of the physical aspect, is of the spiritual aspect. When we define the Lotus Sūtra as the spiritual aspect and enshrine it alongside a wooden or painted image of the Buddha with 31 marks of physical excellence, the image itself becomes the living Buddha. This is what is called the attainment of Buddhahood by trees and plants.

Mokue Nizō Kaigen no Koto, Opening the Eyes of Buddhist Images, Wooden Statues or Portraits, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 91-92

QUESTION: If the Buddha preached the Lotus Sūtra not at the beginning but after four decades of preaching lest the people might slander the sūtra, why do you suddenly expound the Lotus Sūtra without preaching the provisional sūtras first, causing the people to slander the True Dharma and fall into the evil realms?

ANSWER: While in this world the Buddha sat under the bodhi tree contemplating the capacity of the people. He foresaw that preaching the Lotus Sūtra then would cause the people to slander it and fall into the evil realms, but preaching it 40 years or so later would not cause them to slander it; instead, it would cause them to enter the way of bodhisattvas attaining the rank of shojü (state of non-regression) or even the highest rank of myōkaku (wonderful enlightenment).

In the Latter Age of Degeneration, however, it seems that there is no person equipped with the capacity to be saved by the Buddha’s dharma, not even one out of 10,000, who would be able to enter the rank of shojū. Also Buddhist masters who guide the people are no longer Buddhas, who can make judgment about the capability of the people to understand and accept the Buddha’s teaching. Therefore, the Buddha has permitted us to guide the people, both believers (who will attain Buddhahood by following the Buddha’s teaching) and non-believers (who will eventually attain Buddhahood through the merit of reverse relationship), with the Lotus Sūtra from the beginning. Even after the death of the Buddha, however, the provisional sūtras may be preached first for those whose capacity is not for the Lotus Sūtra. Also, those who place emphasis on giving joy to the people should preach provisional sūtras first just as Śākyamuni Buddha did, while those who emphasize relieving the people of their sufferings first should preach the true Lotus Sūtra just as Never-Despising Bodhisattva did.

Ken Hōbō-shō, A Clarificaton of Slandering the True Dharma, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Pages 119-120.

These three great secret dharmas are certainly what I, Nichiren, at the head of the group of bodhisattvas emerged from underground received from Lord Śākyamuni Buddha orally more than 2,000 years ago. Therefore, what I practice today are the “actual” three great secret dharmas revealed in “The Life Span of the Buddha” chapter, which are exactly the same as what was transmitted on Mt. Sacred Eagle without a shred of difference.

Sandai Hiho Honjo-ji, The Transmission of the Three Great Secret Dharmas, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 290-291