The Buddha also declares in the Lotus Sūtra: “For anyone who keeps this sūtra in this evil world during the Latter Age of Degeneration” in the “Variety of Merits” chapter; “Buddhas joyfully display their immeasurable, supernatural powers in praise of those who will keep this sūtra after My extinction” in the “Divine Powers of the Buddha” chapter; “Propagate this chapter throughout this Sahā World in the latter five-hundred year period after My extinction lest it should be lost” in the “Previous Life of Medicine King Bodhisattva” chapter and “This sūtra is a panacea for sick people in this Sahā World” in the same chapter. The Buddha also states in the Nirvana Sūtra: “Suppose there are seven children, their parents love them all equally but care most for a sick child.” Icchantika and slanderers of the True Dharma are like the first and second children of the seven whom parents care most about. Of many illnesses, slandering the Lotus Sūtra is the most serious. Of many medicines, “Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō” is the most wonderful medicine.

Hokke Shuyō Shō, Treatise on the Essence of the Lotus Sūtra, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 212-213

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

There once was a poor woman named Golden Pearl Lady who donated a gold coin for gilding a statue of the Buddha. For this merit, her body retained a golden hue through numerous existences for as long as 91 kalpa (aeons). Her husband, a gold beater, is the Buddha’s disciple Kāśyapa in this life and is guaranteed to be a future Buddha called Light Buddha in the Lotus Sūtra.

Now, Priest Jōmyō and his wife donated 2,000 pieces of copper coins to the Lotus Sūtra. Golden Pearl Lady’s donation was made to the Buddha while you donated to the Lotus Sūtra. The sūtra is the teacher of the Buddha and the Buddha is a disciple of the sūtra. Regarding this it is preached in the Nirvana Sūtra, “What is looked up by various Buddhas is the dharma; therefore, various Buddhas respect and donate offerings to the dharma.” It is also preached in the “Medicine King Bodhisattva” chapter of the Lotus Sūtra, fascicle 7, “Suppose a person fills the whole world with the seven treasures such as gold, silver, lapis, and pearls and donate them to the Buddha and other sages such as a great bodhisattva, a pratyekabuddha, and an arhat. The merit he gains does not amount to the great merit of the person who believed in a line or a verse of the Lotus Sūtra.”

As stated above, Golden Pearl Lady continued to be reborn with a golden body for as long as 91 kalpa (aeons) because of her merit of making a donation to the Buddha, who is inferior to the Dharma. How could it be for you two, who made a donation to the Lotus Sūtra, the teacher of the Buddha, not to attain the rank of Buddhas during this lifetime?

Jōmyō Shōnin Gohenji, A Reply to Holy Priest Ota Jōmyō, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 6, Followers I, Pages 39-40

Men of the Two Vehicles such as Śāripūtra and Maudgalyāyana who had been the Buddha’s disciples awakened to their first aspiration for Buddhahood at that time of the Buddha’s first sermon at Deer Park. The Buddha, however, expounded only expedient teachings to them for more than forty years. Now in the Lotus Sūtra, He expounded the True Dharma. And when the eternity of the life of the Buddha was suggested in chapter 15 on the “Appearance of Bodhisattvas from Underground” in the essential section of the Lotus Sūtra, great Bodhisattvas, men of the Two Vehicles (srāvaka and pratyekabuddha), the King of the Brahma Heaven, Indra, sun god, moon god, Four Heavenly Kings, and Dragon King, who had listened to the Buddha preach ever since the preaching of the Flower Garland Sūtra, attained enlightenment, reaching the same rank as the Buddha or the one next to it. Therefore, when we look up to heaven today, we can see living Buddhas giving benefit to people while retaining their original ranks.

Hokke Shuyō Shō, Treatise on the Essence of the Lotus Sūtra, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 211

As the Ages of the True and Sembance Dharmas have already passed those who observe precepts today are as scarce as tigers in downtown; and finding people of wisdom is as rare as the giraffe’s horn. We have to depend on a light before the moon appears; where gems do not exist, gold and silver are treasures. As there exists a precedent of returning a favor received from a white crow to a black crow, favors of a holy priest should be returned to an ordinary priest today. How can there then be no answer when a practicer of the Lotus Sūtra says a prayer that requires a prompt answer?

Kitō Shō, Treatise on Prayers, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 68

QUESTION: For whom was the chapter on “The Life Span of the Buddha” expounded, revealing the Buddha’s enlightenment in the remotest past broadly and in detail?

ANSWER: “The Life Span of the Buddha” chapter together with a half chapter each preceding and following it were expounded specially for the people living after the Buddha’s extinction from beginning to end. It was expounded especially for those in this Latter Age of Degeneration such as Nichiren.

Hokke Shuyō Shō, Treatise on the Essence of the Lotus Sūtra, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 211-212

The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sūtra, fascicle 4, states: “It is said that a thief acquired the golden head of a Buddhist statue by uttering ‘Namu Buddha.’ How much more so for a wise man saying this. Venerable gods in the entire universe will not fail to help a wise man. Be diligent and don’t be lazy.”

This interpretation means that once upon a time there was a state in India where the gods in heaven were worshiped but Buddhism was not. A Buddhist temple was built there enshrining the King of Devils in the Sixth Heaven. As the head of this King’s statue was made of gold, a thief had been trying to steal it for years in vain. One day this thief sneaked into the temple and listened secretly to the Buddha’s sermon saying that “namu” means “to be surprised and awakened.” So, the thief chanted “Namu Buddha.” This enabled him to get hold of the head of the Buddhist statue that he had been trying to steal. Later he confessed it to an investigator. As a result, it is said, everyone in the state abandoned the gods in heaven and became a Buddhist. Surmising from this instance of a thief, even a sinner can be relieved of a great burden if one believes in the Three Treasures of Buddhism.

Dōjōjin Shugo-ji, Protective Deities for the Place of Practicing Buddhism, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 6, Followers I, Pages 16

Pre-Lotus sūtras expound on such topics as the bodies and minds of people. They were expounded according to the wishes of the people. Although they are the Buddha’s teachings, they are nothing but people’s minds, therefore, they were called “sūtras preached according to others’ minds.” Suppose parents who had an aversion to alcohol had a son who loved to drink liquor. Because of their love for their son and also to cater to his whim, they made it a point to offer him alcohol, pretending that they also were drinkers of liquor. The hopeless son then assumed that his parents truly loved alcohol. Sūtras preached according to others’ minds are the same.

The Daii Sūtra expounds on issues regarding human and heavenly beings. The Āgama sūtras expound on the Two Vehicles (śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha). The Flower Garland Sūtra expounds on bodhisattvas. The Hōdō sūtras and the Wisdom Sūtra are similar to the Āgama sūtras and the Daii Sūtra, but they are also similar to the Flower Garland Sūtra. If unenlightened people in the Latter Age of Degeneration read these sūtras, they may think that these are in accordance to the Buddha’s wish. Strictly speaking, however, they read sūtras that reflect their own minds. Their minds are originally inept to such an extent that nothing is satisfactory.

Zui-jii Gosho, The Sūtra Preached in Accordance to [the Buddha’s] Own Mind, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 154-155