Note: Nichiren writes: “[W]e do not see how our mind contains ten realms, 100 realms, 1,000 aspects, and 3,000 modes of existence, unless we see our reflection in the clear mirror of the Lotus Sūtra and writings of Grand Master T’ien-t’ai such as Great Concentration and Insight.” Nichiren then specifies where in the Sūtra we find the explanation.

QUESTION (13): Which parts of the Lotus Sutra are you referring to? How about T’ien-t’ai’s explanation of them?

ANSWER: The second “Expedients” chapter of the Lotus Sutra (fascicle 1) states that the purpose of the Buddhas appearing in the worlds was “to cause all living beings to open the gate to the insight of the Buddha.” This means that of the nine of the ten realms of living beings (excepting the realm of Buddhas), each embraces the realm of Buddhas. In the sixteenth chapter, “The Life Span of the Buddha,” the sutra also declares: “As I said before, it is immeasurably long since I, Śākyamuni Buddha, obtained Buddhahood. My life spans an innumerably and incalculably long period of time. Nevertheless, I am always here and I shall never pass away. Good men! The duration of my life, which I obtained by practicing the way of bodhisattvas, has not yet expired. It will last twice as long as the length of time as stated above.” This passage also shows that the nine realms are included in the realm of Buddhas.

The following passages in the Lotus Sutra also show that the ten realms of living beings embrace one another. It is said in the twelfth chapter, “Devadatta,” that after an incalculably long period of time, Devadatta will be a Buddha called “Heavenly King.” This shows the realm of Buddhas included in the realms of hells as it says that even a man as wicked as Devadatta, who had tried to kill the Buddha and had gone to hell, will be able to become a Buddha.

In the twenty-sixth chapter on the “Mystic Phrases,” the Buddha praises the ten female rāksasas demons such as Lambā saying, “Your merits will be immeasurable even when you protect the person who keeps only the name of the Lotus Sutra.” Since even these rāksasas demons in the realm of hungry spirits protect the practicer of the Lotus Sūtra, the ten realms, from hells up to the realm of Buddhas, are comprised in the realm of hungry spirits.

The “Devadatta” chapter states also that a daughter of a dragon king attained perfect enlightenment, proving the existence of the ten realms in the realm of beasts.

The tenth chapter, “The Teacher of the Dharma,” says that even a semi-god like Asura King Balin (a king of asura demons mentioned in the first “Introduction” chapter) will obtain Buddhahood if he rejoices for a moment at hearing a verse or a phrase of the Lotus Sutra. This shows that the ten realms are contained in the realm of asura demons.

It is stated in the second “Expedients” chapter: “Those who carve an image of the Buddha with proper physical characteristics in His honor have already attained the enlightenment of the Buddha,” showing that the realm of man includes the ten realms in it.

Then in the first “Introduction” and the third “A Parable” chapters, various gods such as the great King of the Brahma Heaven declare, “we also shall be able to become Buddhas,” proving that the ten realms are contained in the realm of gods.

In the third chapter, the Buddha assures Śāriputra, the wisest of His Śrāvaka disciples, that he will also attain Buddhahood in future life and will be called “Kekō (Flower Light) Buddha.” This confirms the existence of the ten realms in the realm of Śrāvaka.

The second chapter states that those monks and nuns who sought emancipation through the way of pratyekabuddha (without guidance of teachers by observing the principle of cause and effect) pressed their hands together in respect, wishing to hear the Perfect Way. This affirms the existence of the ten realms in the realm of pratyekabuddha.

It is written in the twenty-first chapter, “Divine Powers of the Buddha,” that bodhisattvas as numerous as particles of dust of 1,000 worlds, who had sprung up from underground, beseeched the Buddha for this true, pure, and great dharma, namely the Lotus Sutra. This verifies the existence of the ten realms in the realm of bodhisattvas.

Finally in the sixteenth chapter, the Buddha sometimes appears as a Buddha in the realm of Buddhas but at other times appears as some of the others who reside in the other nine realms. This indicates that the ten realms are included in the realm of Buddhas.

Kanjin Honzon-shō, A Treatise Revealing the Spiritual Contemplation and the Most Venerable One, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 130-131.

Now, two ways of propagation, the persuasive and aggressive, are incompatible with each other just as water and fire are. The fire dislikes the water, and the water hates the fire. Those who prefer the persuasive tend to laugh at those who practice the aggressive and vice versa. So, when the land is full of evil and ignorant people, the persuasive means should take precedence as preached in the “Peaceful Practices” (14th) chapter of the Lotus Sutra. However, when there are many cunning slanderers of the True Dharma, the aggressive means should take precedence as preached in the “Never-Despising Bodhisattva” (20th) chapter.

It is the same as using cold water when it is hot and fire when it is cold. Plants and trees are followers of the sun, so they dislike the cold moon. Bodies of water are followers of the moon, so they lose their true nature when it is hot. As there are lands of evil men as well as those of slanderers of the True Dharma in this Latter Age of Degeneration, there should be both aggressive and persuasive means of spreading the True Dharma.

Kaimoku-shō, Open Your Eyes to the Lotus Teaching, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 110

Leaving aside this question, I will write this for my followers. Others will not believe in me and go to hell for slandering the True Dharma, which would in turn cause them to obtain Buddhahood. It is possible to know the salinity of the ocean by tasting one drop of water, and the advent of spring by seeing a flower bloom. In the same way without sailing thousands of miles over to Sung China, without spending as long as three years as Fa-hsien did to visit Mt. Sacred Eagle, without entering the Dragon Palace as Nāgārjuna did, without visiting Bodhisattva Maitreya as Asaṅga did, or without attending the “three meetings at two places for lectures on the Lotus Sutra (two on Mt. Sacred Eagle and one up in the sky) you will be able to perceive the relative merits of all the sutras preached by the Buddha during His lifetime by reading this writing of mine.

Kaimoku-shō, Open Your Eyes to the Lotus Teaching, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 88

The Miao-fa lien-hua-ching is a Chinese designation for the Lotus Sutra, which is called the Saddharma-pundarīka-sūtra in India. Tripitaka Master Subhākarasimha’s mantras representing the gist of the Lotus Sutra are as follows: “I put my faith in the everywhere-penetrating Buddha, the three-bodied Buddha. When one attains Buddha Wisdom, which is opened and revealed to all the people, he will, like the crisp-clear sky, be able to get rid of all delusions and evil passions, accept the teaching of the Sutra of the Wonderful Dharma and live with joy, firmly upholding the teaching.”

These mantras representing the gist of the Lotus Sutra came from an iron Stupa in Southern India. The Satsuri-daruma among them means the True Dharma, while “satsu” means shō (true) or myō (wonderful). Therefore, the Lotus Sutra is called either the Sūtra of the Lotus Flowers of the True Dharma or the Sūtra of the Lotus Flowers of the Wonderful Dharma. Placing the two words of na and mu in front of the latter, we get Namu Myōhō Renge-kyō (I put my faith in the Sutra of the Lotus Flowers of the Wonderful Dharma).

Kaimoku-shō, Open Your Eyes to the Lotus Teaching, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 65-66

But now, it has been over 200 years since the beginning of the Latter Age of Degeneration. I have not been allowed to meet opponents in debate; instead I have been banished with my life in jeopardy. It proves that the warning in the Lotus Sutra about much hatred and jealousy after the death of the Buddha is not an empty threat. It also proves that we are in the beginning of endless warfare and in a decadent world of corruption where unreasonableness takes precedence over reason.

Therefore, although my comprehension of the Lotus Sutra is not worthy even one ten millionth of that of T’ien-t’ai and Dengyō, I dare say that my endurance on its behalf and compassion for the people are beyond these masters. I am sure that I deserve to receive heavenly protection, but there is not even a shred of it. Instead I have been condemned to heavier and heavier penalties. Looking back in this light, I wonder whether or not I am a practicer of the Lotus Sutra and whether or not various gods and deities have left this land.

However, if only I, Nichiren, had not been born in this country, the twenty-line verse of the thirteenth chapter, “The Encouragement for Upholding This Sutra,” in the fifth fascicle of the Lotus Sutra would be empty words and the Buddha would almost be a great liar. Those uncountable number of bodhisattvas, who made the vow to uphold the Lotus Sutra, would be accused of committing the same sin of lying as Devadatta did. The verse says, “Ignorant people will speak ill of us, abuse us, and threaten us with swords or sticks.”

In the world today, is there any Buddhist priest other than me, Nichiren, who is spoken ill of, abused, and threatened with swords or sticks on account of the Lotus Sutra?

Kaimoku-shō, Open Your Eyes to the Lotus Teaching, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Pages 55

Ignorant of the past and future [these Four Chinese] sages cannot help in the future lives of their parents, rulers and teachers. Not knowing what they owe to them in the past, they cannot be considered truly holy and wise. This is why Confucius said, “Truly wise and holy men do not exist in China, but in the land to the west, there is a man called Buddha. He is a true sage.”

Confucius thus indicated Confucianism, which is non-Buddhist (geten), to be the first step toward Buddhism. It would be easier, Confucius knew, for the people to understand the fundamental Buddhist teachings of commandments, meditation, and wisdom if they first learned the fundamental Confucian concepts of rituals and music.

He therefore taught the kings’ subjects to be loyal to their rulers, children to be devoted to their parents, and students to respect their teachers. Grand Master Miao-lê therefore declared in his Annotations on the Great Concentration and Insight: “The dissemination of Buddhism in China indeed depended on Confucianism. Buddhism found its way by following on the heels of the rituals and music of Confucianism.”

Kaimoku-shō, Open Your Eyes to the Lotus Teaching, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Pages 30