In the Annotations on the Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sūtra, Miao-lê writes: “The single moment of understanding by faith is foremost of the practices in the essential section.” The first of the four depths of faith in the time when the sūtra was taught is the single moment of understanding by faith and the first of the five stages of practice after the Buddha’s passing away is the stage of rejoicing. Within these two can be found all 100 realms, 1,000 aspects, and 3,000 modes of existences as if in a treasure chest. They are the gate out of which all the Buddhas of all time and space emerge.
Shishin Gohon-shō, The Four Depths of Faith and Five Stages of Practice, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page101
I am grateful to have been born a human with this precious body due to accumulated causes and conditions in my past existences. According to the sutra, I must have encountered and given offerings to ten trillion Buddhas in the past. Even though I did not place my faith exclusively in the Lotus Sutra, thus slandering the Dharma and being born poor and lowly in this life as a result, my merit of giving offerings to the Buddhas was so great that I was born as a believer of the Lotus Sutra.
Nichiren wrote this passage in his Treatise on the Testimony of the Lotus Sutra (Hokke Shōmyō-shō) addressed to Nanjō Tokimitsu. Unlike most of those who practiced the Buddha Dharma in his time, Nichiren did not belong to the higher classes of royalty or warriors. He saw clearly the suffering of common people and vowed to end it. He realized that the superiority of the Lotus Sūtra does not lie in its power to bring rain or change history. The power of this sūtra lies in its determination to save all beings, rich or poor, noble or common, deluded or wise. Nichiren’s offering to the Buddha was to spread this Wonderful Dharma. To benefit the Buddha is to benefit all beings.
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T’ien-t’ai’s interpretation makes it clear that even great bodhisattvas who have thoroughly studied Mahāyāna sūtras such as the Flower Garland Sūtra, Hōdō sūtras and the Wisdom Sūtra and reached the rank next only to the Buddha is incomparably inferior to those who merely listened to the Lotus Sūtra and had a connection with it, namely ordinary people in the Latter Age of Degeneration who were unable to eliminate the evil passions and master even one supernatural power.
Shō Hokke Daimoku-shō, Treastise on Chanting the Daimoku of the Lotus Sūtra, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 8
Many priests in the Latter Age of Degeneration do not discern the capacity of people. When it is impossible to discern the capacity of people, the true teaching should be preached vigorously.
Nichiren wrote this passage in his Treatise on Chanting the Great Title of the Lotus Sūtra (Shō Hokke Daimoku-shō). When the Buddha taught using expedient means, he could see the delusions and attachments of those whom he taught, and adjust his teachings to them for their benefit. For us who live in this time where most people are not aware of the ever-present Buddha Śākyamuni, all we need to know about those whom we wish to benefit is that they are convinced that this age is headed towards ruin. We cannot know who is ready to receive the Buddha’s highest teaching. Therefore our generosity compels us to provide the teaching that leads towards enlightenment, not merely the teaching that leads away from suffering.
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On the palm of a man named Mahānāma a pebble changed to a precious stone. King Konzoku is said to have been able to transform sand into gold. The Lotus Sūtra enables even insentient beings such as grass and trees to attain Buddhahood, not to speak of sentient beings that possess minds such as humans. The Lotus Sūtra enables the Two Vehicles whose seed of Buddhahood has been burned to attain Buddhahood, how much more so with people whose seed of Buddhahood is still alive! Moreover, the Lotus Sūtra enables even the icchantika who has no religious belief to attain Buddhahood, how much more it will lead those with religious faith.
Ueno-dono Gohenji, Reply to Lord Ueno, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 7, Followers II, Page 33
Mind is called the spiritual aspect while voice is the physical aspect. Therefore the spiritual aspect reveals the physical aspect. But it is also possible to perceive the mind by listening to the voice. In this case, the physical aspect (voice) reveals the spiritual aspect (mind).
Nichiren wrote this passage in his Treatise on Opening the Eyes of Buddhist Images, Wooden Statues or Portraits (Mokue Nizō Kaigen no Koto). This is one of the many instructions Nichiren gives us for how to read the Lotus Sūtra and find the wisdom of the Buddha within it. It is easy to understand how the intentions we have in our minds guide our words and actions. By cultivating the intention to benefit all beings, rather than just focusing on making ourselves happy, we mold our speech and actions to accord with that intention. Finding the mind behind the voice is more difficult. When we look for the Buddha speaking to us in all situations, especially those which are demanding, we bring ourselves closer to the Buddha’s own mind. We bring our speech and actions into harmony with the world as it is.
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Once upon a time, a man who had offered a “rice cake” made from mud to a Buddha ascended the throne in a kingdom due to this virtuous act. As the Lotus Sūtra is the dharma superior to a Buddha, those who make donations to the sūtra will inevitably gain blessings in this life and attain Buddhahood in the future lives, will they not?
Kurōtarō-dono Gohenji, A Reply to Lord Kurōtarō, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 153
And yet even though a finger might point to the great earth and miss it, a person tie up the sky, the ocean’s tide lack an ebb and flow, or if the sun should rises in the west, there cannot be a time when the prayer of a practicer of the Lotus Sūtra is not answered. If the various bodhisattvas, human and heavenly beings, eight kinds of gods and demi-gods who protect Buddhism, the two sage bodhisattvas (Medicine King and Brave Donor Bodhisattvas), two heavenly kings (Jikoku-ten and Bishamon-ten), and ten female rākṣasa demons, or even one out of 1,000, do not rush to protect practicers of the Lotus Sūtra, they commit the sin of fooling Śākyamuni and the other Buddhas above and in the nine realms below. Thus, they will protect the practicers of the Lotus Sūtra without fail regardless if the practicers are insincere, unwise, impure, and do not observe the precepts so long as they chant “Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō.”
Kitō Shō, Treatise on Prayers, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 68
Regarding the sūtras, the Lotus Sūtra is the most supreme among all exoteric and esoteric teachings. Regarding the Buddhas, Śākyamuni Buddha is the most supreme among all the Buddhas in all the worlds throughout the universe. Regarding those who practice the faith, Nichiren is worthy of being a practicer of the Lotus Sūtra. When the “three treasures” in Buddhism (the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha) are aligned with one another, there can be no doubt that your most sincere hopes and wishes will be realized.
Niita-dono Gosho, A Letter to Lord Niita, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 7, Followers II, Pages 106-107
Those who read the Lotus Sutra, therefore, should not regard it as consisting of merely written words. The words are the mind of the Buddha.
Nichiren wrote this passage in his Treatise on Opening the Eyes of Buddhist Images, Wooden Statues or Portraits (Mokue Nizō Kaigen no Koto). Here he reminds us of how words affect each of us differently, and even the same person is affected differently in different parts of their life. If we become dogmatically fixed on a single meaning of the Buddha’s highest teaching, and do not continue to indulge our curiosity about the Buddha’s mind, we miss the point.
The Daily Dharma is produced by the Lexington Nichiren Buddhist Community. To subscribe to the daily emails, visit zenzaizenzai.com
