Take the image of a house. A man is like a pillar while a woman is like the crossbeam. Or use the image of a human body. A man is like a leg, and a woman is like the body. Further still, take the image of a bird, a man is like the wings and woman is like the body. If the wings and the body separate, how can a bird fly? If the pillar collapses, the crossbeam will fall. A house without a man is like a body without a soul. With whom can you have conversations or discuss important matters? With whom can you share delicious meals?

Sennichi-ama Gohenji, A Reply to Sennichi-ama, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 7, Followers II, Pages 161

First of all, let me state what is most important to you. During the 2,000-year period after the passing of Śākyamuni Buddha, in the Age of the True Dharma and that of the Semblance Dharma, the power of the Buddhist Dharma was vibrant, sages and wise men continued to appear in the world one after another, and the Buddhas and heavenly beings continued to protect human beings. In the Latter Age of Degeneration, however, people have become greedy thus fighting never ceases between a lord and subordinates, parents and children, and among siblings. How much more so is this the case among those who are not related! Therefore, heaven has abandoned such a country and as a result the “three calamities and seven disasters” have overtaken the land and not just one, but two, three, four, five, six and as many as seven suns appear at the same time. Plants wither and die, large and small rivers dry up, the earth catches fire like charcoal, the ocean becomes like boiling oil, and in the end a blaze will start in the Hell of Incessant Suffering, burning everything down including the Brahma Heaven above. This is the devastation that awaits a world in decline.

Hyōesakan-dono Gohenji, Answer to Lord Ikegami Munenaga, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Followers I, Volume 6, Page 91-92

On the 12th of the 9th month in the 8th year of the Bun’ei Era (1271), when I was arrested, I declared to Hei no Saemon and hundreds of his soldiers, “I, Nichiren, am the pillar of Japan. When you kill me, you cut down the pillar of Japan.”

Now, it is said in those sūtras that if the wise man is punished by the rulers of the land because of calumnies of evil priests or slandering words of the people, immediately there will be a civil war, gale and foreign invasion. A civil war broke out within the Hōjō clan in the second month in the 9th year of the Bun’ei Era (1272). A terrible wind blew in the 4th month in the 11th year of the Bun’ei Era. The Mongols invaded Japan in the tenth month of the same year. Aren’t these solely due to Nichiren being persecuted? As I predicted these in my “Treatise on Spreading Peace Throughout the Country by Establishing the True Dharma,” how can anyone have doubts about it?

Hōon-jō, Essay on Gratitude, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Pages 32-33.

QUESTION: Hasn’t Grand Master T’ien-t’ai really attained the word of the Wonderful Dharma?

ANSWER: Though Grand Master T’ien-t’ai attained the Wonderful Dharma in mind, he did not propagate it outwardly. He kept the realm of profound enlightenment he attained to himself and outwardly did no more than calling the Wonderful Dharma the threefold contemplation and show the way of practicing the doctrine of “3,000 existences contained in one thought.”

QUESTION: Why did Grand Master T’ien-t’ai not propagate the teaching of the Wonderful Dharma though he attained it?

ANSWER: First, (as Grand Master T’ien-t’ai was in the Age of the Semblance Dharma while the Lotus Sūtra should be spread in the Latter Age of Degeneration,) his days were not appropriate for the essence of the Lotus Sūtra to be revealed; secondly, (since the propagation in the Latter Age of Degeneration was entrusted to such bodhisattvas emerged from underground as Superior Practice Bodhisattva,) he did not take charge of the propagation; thirdly, Grand Master T’ien-t’ai was a disciple of a manifestation Buddha (not of the Original Śākyamuni Buddha).

Risshō Kanjō, A Treatise on Establishing the Right Way of Meditation, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 229

Once there were two boys named Unvanquished and Virtuous-Victory [who met the Buddha but had nothing of value to offer] so they offered a mud pie to the Buddha, and by virtue of this one of them was reborn as King Aśoka the lord of Jambudvīpa. After building 84,000 stupas and sending them to various countries, he was able to fulfill his long time wish and attain enlightenment.

Minobu-san Gosho, Mt. Minobu Letter, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 5, Page 131

Thus, only those who thoroughly discern the difference between the Lotus Sūtra and other sūtras can truly be said to have understood the teaching.

Many scholars today do not understand this correctly, so very few seem to have truly understood the teaching. As there are few scholars who understand the teaching, there are only few who truly read the Lotus Sūtra. If no one reads the Lotus Sūtra, there will be no one who can lead the country wisely. If there is no right leader, the people of the country will not know the difference between Hinayāna and Mahāyāna, provisional and true teachings, and exoteric and esoteric teachings. As a result, no one will be able to leave the transmigration of birth and death, and everyone will become a slanderer of the Dharma. More people than the number of dust-particles in the earth will believe in evil dharmas and fall into the Hell of Incessant Suffering. Those who leave the delusion of life and death through the right teaching are scarcer than the amount of soil on a fingernail. How terrible this is!

Kyō Ki Ji Koku Shō, Treatise on the Teaching, Capacity, Time and Country, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Page 100-101

If what Grand Masters T’ien-t’ai and Dengyō said upon transmitting their teaching is true, we can see that the most essential teaching transmitted from Grand Master T’ien-t’ai is (not the threefold contemplation in a single thought but) the word of the Wonderful Dharma. The threefold contemplation in a single thought is merely a way of practice to attain the Wonderful Dharma. It is the practice as the cause and the Wonderful Dharma is the realm of enlightenment as the result. However, since the practice as the cause includes the result, and the enlightenment as the result includes the cause, the cause and the result are one and inseparable. Contemplating on the Wonderful Dharma, which includes both the cause and result, a person can attain the merit of acquiring the Wonderful Principle of all (Buddhist) teachings (as mentioned in their transmission documents.)

Thus, we should know that it is indeed a prejudice to insist on such a fallacy saying, “The ultimate teaching of Grand Master T’ien-t’ai establishes a teaching of the ‘concentration and insight of no thought’ other than the distinction between the theoretical and essential sections, and this ‘concentration and insight of no thought’ is beyond description and thus the most important secret teaching.” Great Bodhisattvas such as those called Four Reliances respectfully interpreted the sūtras expounded by the Buddha and developed their theories. Why should Grand Master T’ien-t’ai alone have established the “concentration and insight of no thought” against the thought of the Buddha? If this “concentration and insight” is not based on the Lotus Sūtra, the Great Concentration and Insight of Grand Master T’ien-t’ai is the same as the (false) teaching of a heavenly devil teaching transmitted from heart to heart, without scriptures or preachings. The Great Concentration and Insight by Grand Master T’ien-t’ai is never such a teaching. It is really regrettable (that many people interpret the teaching incorrectly).

Risshō Kanjō, A Treatise on Establishing the Right Way of Meditation, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 230

The cherry blossoms scattered last year bloomed again this year. The nuts and berries that fell off last year have appeared again this year. The spring winds blow as gently as last year. The autumn leaves look as beautiful as last year. Why is it, then, that only in this case does something disappear (the life of your husband) and does not return? The moon sets but rises, and the clouds scatter but never fail to come back. In all of heaven and earth your lament must be greatest that a man does not return from death. Be quick in your determination to set a trip to the Pure Land on Mt. Sacred Eagle, trusting the Lotus Sūtra to take care of all your travel needs and meet your beloved husband.

Sennichi-ama Gohenji, A Reply to Sennichi-ama, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 7, Followers II, Pages 161