48231374 2011 essentials exam study guide

Buddhist TermsGongyo: The Practice for Oneself

Practice for Others • What Is Kosen-rufu? •Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land

The Three Proofs • The Fivefold ComparisonThe Five Guides for Propagation

Excerpts From SGI President Ikeda’s Lecture Series: “Learning From the Writings: The Teachings for Victory”

Nichiren Daishonin: The Votary of the Lotus Sutra

Soka SpiritOn the Persecutions Befalling Nichiren Daishonin:

An Essay by SGI President Ikeda

Protecting the Correct Teaching of Nichiren Buddhism

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For more information and a free electronic copy of the 2011 Essentials of Nichiren Buddhism Exam,

go to the SGI-USA website: www.sgi-usa.org

ISBN: 978-1-935523-14-7

Front cover photo © iStockphotoCover and interior design by Lightbourne, Inc.

Published by the SGI-USA606 Wilshire Blvd.

Santa Monica, CA 90401www.sgi-usa.org

© 2010 SGI-USA. All rights reserved.Printed in the United States of America

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Contents 5 The 2011 Essentials Exam

Buddhist Terms 7 Gongyo: The Practice for Oneself

10 Practice for Others

13 What Is Kosen-rufu?

16 Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land

19 The Three Proofs

22 The Fivefold Comparison

27 The Five Guides for Propagation

Excerpts From SGI President Ikeda’s Lecture Series: “Learning From the Writings: The Teachings for Victory”

31 “The Three Kinds of Treasure,” Part 1: The Essence of Buddhism Lies in One’s “Behavior As a Human Being”

37 “The Three Kinds of Treasure,” Part 2: “Treasuring Each Person”—The Guiding Spirit of Our Actions As Genuine Practitioners of Nichiren Buddhism

40 “The Three Kinds of Treasure,” Part 3: The Ultimate Key to Victory in Life Is Accumulating the Treasures of the Heart

The Votary of the Lotus Sutra 49 Nichiren Daishonin: The Votary of the Lotus Sutra

Soka Spirt 55 On the Persecutions Befalling Nichiren Daishonin:


66 Protecting the Correct Teaching of Nichiren Buddhism

Studying Buddhism 68 SGI President Ikeda on the Importance of Buddhist Study

The 2011 Essentials of Nichiren Buddhism Exam Study Guide

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The 2011 Essentials Exam

The SGI-USA Study Program includes the three-part

Essentials of Nichiren Buddhism Exam series to be held in

April 2011; then in April 2012 and April 2013. Those who

passed the 2010 Introductory Exam are eligible to take the

Essentials Exam series.

This guide includes all study content for the 2011 Essentials Exam.

For further information, please contact your local organization.

= = =

SGI President Ikeda on Study Exams

Study exams provide opportunities for accumulating immense

benefi t not only for the examinees working hard to deepen their

understanding of Nichiren Buddhism but also for everyone else

involved, including those who support them in their studies, those

responsible for administering and marking the exams, as well as the

event staff. As Nichiren Daishonin states, “Where there is unseen

virtue, there will be visible reward” (“Unseen Virtue and Visible

Reward,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 907). All

who participate in and support the study exams are sowing the

seeds for becoming outstanding philosophers, educators and

leaders of abiding happiness and victory.

(September–October 2010 Living Buddhism, p. 10)

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Buddhist Terms

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The Essentials

Gongyo: The Practice for Oneself

Of the three basics—faith, practice and study—practice in Nichiren Buddhism has two aspects: practice for oneself and

practice for others. Practice for oneself takes the form of a twice-daily observance in front of the Gohonzon called gongyo. Gongyo, which means “to exert oneself in practice,” consists of chant-ing Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and reciting portions from the 2nd and 16th chapters of the Lotus Sutra. This is one concrete aspect of the Nichiren Buddhist practice for transforming our lives.

Regarding the practice of gongyo, SGI Presi-dent Ikeda says:

Gongyo is a practice that calls forth and activates the infi nite power that the microcosm inherently possesses. It transforms your fate, breaks through any apparent dead end and converts sufferings into happiness. It creates a transformation, a revolution of the microcosm. It is a diagram in miniature of kosen-rufu in our lives.

The kosen-rufu that is our aim is a movement to transform the universe, the Earth and human society into a world of peace, comfort and harmony in accord with the rhythm of the Mystic Law…

Reciting the sutra and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo are like starting the automobile’s engine every day and

driving in the direction of happiness and truth. By doing so day after day, you will gradually attain perfect unity with the universe and the Law. That state is the state of the Buddha. (My Dear Friends in America, second edition, p. 40)

Through the practice of gongyo, we can bring forth the same power of supreme wisdom, con-viction and compassion as Nichiren Daishonin.

Bringing Forth Our Buddhahood

Life possesses many innate functions that express themselves in response to conditions

or stimuli in the environment. That which has long been dormant inside can emerge suddenly. For example, when we hear fi ne music or see a beautiful painting, a rich sense of joy and satis-faction may fi ll our hearts. Or, when we witness injustice, we are likely to feel anger. In response to chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and reciting the Lotus Sutra with faith in the Gohonzon, our innate Buddha nature arises within us.

Nichiren likens chanting to the sunrise, writ-ing, “When the sun rises in the eastern sector of the sky, then all the skies over the great continent of Jambudvipa in the south will be illuminated

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because of the vast light that the sun possesses” (“The Tripitaka Master Shan-wu-wei,” The Writ-ings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 169).

Regarding this, President Ikeda says, “Gongyo, which forms a fundamental basis of our Bud-dhist practice, could be described as a ceremony in which we bring the primordial sun of Buddha-hood to rise brightly in the vast skies of our lives each day” (March 17, 2006, World Tribune, p. 2).

In another writing, Nichiren explains: “When a caged bird sings, birds who are fl ying in the sky are thereby summoned and gather around, and when the birds fl ying in the sky gather around, the bird in the cage strives to get out. When with our mouths we chant the Mystic Law, our Buddha nature, being summoned, will invari-ably emerge. The Buddha nature of Brahma and Shakra, being called, will protect us, and the Buddha nature of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, being summoned, will rejoice” (“Those Initially Aspiring to the Way,” WND-1, 887).

Through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to the Gohonzon, we can manifest our innate Buddhahood and, at the same time, call forth Buddhahood in the external world, which functions as a protective force. In addition, with a consistent practice of gongyo, we can purge ourselves of delusions accumulated over our present and past lifetimes and bring forth the pure and powerful life-condition of Buddhahood, thereby winning in daily life and enjoying a supreme sense of fulfi llment.

The Primary Practice and the Supporting Practice

For our daily practice of gongyo, in addition to chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we recite

portions of “Expedient Means” and “Life Span,” the 2nd and 16th chapters, respectively, of the Lotus Sutra. Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is essential, and therefore is called the “primary practice.” Our sutra recitation helps bring forth and enhance the benefi t of the primary prac-tice just as soap enhances the cleaning ability of water or side dishes enhance the main dish of a meal; for that reason, reciting the sutra is called the “supporting practice.”

Of all the 28 chapters of the Lotus Sutra, we recite from “Expedient Means” and “Life Span” because they represent the sutra’s essential message that all people are Buddhas. Nichiren states: “If you recite the ‘Life Span’ and ‘Expe-dient Means’ chapters, then the remaining chapters will naturally be included even though you do not recite them” (“The Recitation of the ‘Expedient Means’ and ‘Life Span’ Chapters,” WND-1, 71).

In the fi rst part of gongyo, we recite the open-ing portion of the “Expedient Means” chapter, in which Shakyamuni Buddha speaks of the infi -nite profundity of the Buddha’s wisdom. At the end of the “Expedient Means” portion, we recite three times “the ten factors.” The ten factors are a description of the true aspect of life and all phe-nomena. Reciting them three times represent the three truths—non-substantiality, temporary existence and the Middle Way1—as well as the three bodies of the Buddha—the Dharma body, the reward body and the manifested body.2

The portion of the “Life Span” chapter that we recite teaches the principle that the Buddha nature is an eternal aspect of life. It was previously believed that Shakyamuni attained Buddhahood during his lifetime in India after meditating under the bodhi tree; but in the “Life Span” chapter, he states that he attained Buddhahood in the remote past—incalculable eons ago. This is another way of saying that Buddhahood is an intrinsic component of life itself (though without Buddhist practice it remains dormant). The portion we recite ends with the Buddha’s vow, “At all times I think to myself: / How can I cause living beings / to gain entry into the unsurpassed way / and quickly acquire the body of a buddha?” (The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras, p. 273).

The “Expedient Means” chapter is part of what is called the theoretical teaching—the fi rst 14 chapters of the Lotus Sutra—so called because it describes the principle to which the Buddha is enlightened. The teaching in the “Life Span” chap-ter is contained within the essential teaching—the last 14 chapters—which reveals the actual nature of the Buddha’s enlightenment. Neither of these chapters, however, directly clarifi es how people can fully manifest Buddhahood themselves.

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Because Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the very essence of Buddhahood that enables all people to manifest their enlightened nature, chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the primary practice of Nichiren Buddhism. The supporting practice of reciting the sutra praises and points to this Buddha nature.

The Format of Sutra Recitation

Nichiren Daishonin explains that the foun-dation of our practice is chanting Nam-

myoho-renge-kyo and that we recite from the “Expedient Means” and “Life Span” chapters to enhance the benefi t of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. This is the Buddhist practice he set forth for the Latter Day of the Law.

Nichiren did not, however, spell out a specifi c format for the sutra recitation, and the format has changed over the many centuries. In the 15th century, priests of the Fuji school3 began mak-ing rounds to fi ve locations on the grounds of their head temple, Taiseki-ji, to recite the sutra. By the 17th century, the format of a twice-daily gongyo was formalized. In time, the purpose of the recitation became lost for the general practi-tioner and mainly became a lengthy daily ritual for priests.

Second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda restored the original meaning of gongyo as an individual practice for revealing one’s innate Buddhahood and resolving to spread Nichiren Buddhism widely. Through the eff orts of Soka Gakkai members, gongyo once again became the Buddhist practice for everyone, not merely for priests.

The Silent Prayers

As mentioned above, Nichiren set forth that we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and recite

from the “Expedient Means” and “Life Span” chapters of the Lotus Sutra. And, as SGI mem-bers, we recite excerpts from the chapters he

emphasized. In addition, silent prayers are part of our daily sutra recitation.

As with the format of gongyo, the wording of the silent prayers has also evolved over time. These silent prayers are opportunities to express our sense of gratitude and resolve to work toward bringing forth our own highest state of life as a way to positively infl uence the lives of others. With this in mind, then, it is not specifi c wording but rather our sincerity and heartfelt thoughts while silently reciting these prayers that are important.4

President Ikeda writes:

The prayers that someone off ers refl ect his or her life-state. Prayers have to be concrete, and they must be earnest and made with determination.

Whether chanting [Nam-myoho-renge-kyo] or off ering silent prayers, the most important thing is to pray with a resolute mind. Prayers should not be ab-stract. (Lectures on the “Expedient Means” and “Life Span” Chapters of the Lotus Sutra, vol. 3, p. 183)

1. Three truths: Three phases of truth formulated by T’ien-t’ai. The truth of non-substantiality means that phenomena have no fi xed or independent nature of their own. The truth of tempo-rary existence means that all things, although non-substantial in nature, possess a temporary reality that is in constant fl ux. The truth of the Middle Way is that all phenomena are both non-substantial and temporary, yet are in essence neither.

2. Three bodies: The Dharma body indicates the fundamental Law to which a Buddha is enlightened. The reward body indicates the Buddha’s wisdom. The manifested body refers to a Bud-dha’s physical form and the compassionate actions the Buddha takes to awaken others to enlightenment. Nichiren states that the three bodies correlate to the three truths, the fi rst three fac-tors (appearance, nature and entity) of the ten factors and the three virtues of a Buddha, namely the Dharma body, wisdom and emancipation (see “The Doctrine of Three Thousand Realms in a Single Moment of Life,” WND-2, 82–89).

3. The Fuji school: A Buddhist school in Japan derived from Nikko (1246–1333), one of the six senior priests appointed by Nichiren and his designated successor. In 1289, Nikko left Kuon-ji, a temple that Nichiren had founded at Minobu, and moved to the Fuji district on the southwestern fl ank of Mount Fuji. Nikko es-tablished a temple there called Taiseki-ji; this became the head temple of the Fuji school, which revered Nichiren and Nikko as its founders.

4. For a more specifi c explanation of each silent prayer, please refer to the latest edition of The Liturgy of Nichiren Buddhism.

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Nichiren Buddhism emphasizes twofacets of practice: practice for oneself and practice for others. Practice for

oneself focuses on chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to attain wisdom and fortune while overcoming negative karma and delusion. Practice for others means sharing Buddhism—that is, helping others realize the power of Nichiren Buddhism. We do this through chanting for their happiness, encouraging their Buddhist practice and helping them dispel misunderstandings about Buddhism and life. The two kinds of practice are interrelated; the happier we become, the more others will want to know about Buddhism, and the more we help people practice, the stronger our own practice and happiness become.

SGI President Ikeda states: “When we look after and care for others—that is, help others draw forth the strength to live—our own strength to live increases. When we help people expand their state of life, our lives also expand. This is the marvel of the bodhisattva path; actions to benefi t others cannot be separated from actions to benefi t oneself” (The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra, vol. 4, p. 181).

Mahayana Buddhism views propagation as a crucial practice and an act of supreme compas-sion. Nichiren Daishonin constantly empha-sized sharing the Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with all people. He states, “Therefore, those who

become Nichiren’s disciples and lay believers should realize the profound karmic relationship they share with him and spread the Lotus Sutra as he does” (“Letter to Jakunichi-bo,” The Writ-ings of Nichiren Dai shonin, vol. 1, p. 994).

Understanding the Time and Country

Nichiren Daishonin lived in a time and place in which the Buddhist teachings were being

misinterpreted and distorted. He therefore described practice for others using the Japanese term shakubuku, the compassionate pointing out of erroneous views that lead to unhappiness and teaching people the correct Buddhist view for attaining enlightenment. This approach is contrasted with shoju, a term describing propagation carried out gradually and gently without directly indicating others’ errors and mistaken attachments.

Which method to use, Nichiren indicated, depends on the times and the country in which one is propagating Buddhism. He says: “It is a mistake to practice shakubuku at a time when shoju is called for, and equally erroneous to practice shoju when shakubuku is appropri-ate. The fi rst thing to be determined, therefore, is whether the present period is the time for

The Essentials

Practice for Others

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shoju or the time for shakubuku” (“Conversation between a Sage and an Unenlightened Man,” WND-1, 126).

He also addresses the natures of the coun-tries where the teaching is being propagated, saying: “In the Latter Day of the Law,1 however, both shoju and shakubuku are to be used. This is because there are two kinds of countries, the country that is passively evil, and the kind that actively seeks to destroy the Law” (“The Opening of the Eyes,” WND-1, 285).

He further explains: “When the country is full of evil people without wisdom, then shoju is the primary method to be applied, as described in the ‘Peaceful Practices’ chapter. But at a time when there are many people of perverse views who slander the Law, then shakubuku should come fi rst, as described in the ‘Never Disparag-ing’ chapter” (WND-1, 285).

Nichiren identifi ed the conditions prevail-ing in Japan as calling for the refutation of error and slander with regard to the correct teaching. He persevered in pointing out the errors of the dominant Buddhist schools of his day, whose teachings denied ordinary people the possibil-ity of attaining enlightenment in their present lifetime.

He identifi ed the Latter Day of the Law as a time when slander of the Law is rampant and therefore as a time suited to shakubuku. But, in the passages cited above, he also taught that in countries where people don’t actively slander the Mystic Law, propagation should be carried out without criticizing people’s traditional religious beliefs.

Nichiren himself directly challenged erro-neous interpretations of Buddhism and the priests who misled the people with those inter-pretations. In doing so, he established the cor-rect Buddhist teaching for leading people to enlightenment in the Latter Day. Carrying on Nichiren’s compassionate spirit, SGI members today endeavor to prove the power of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo through our own behavior and examples of receiving benefi t, and by teach-ing others to benefi t from correctly practicing Buddhism as well.

Nichiren lived in a Buddhist country and in a time when confusion about the Buddhist

teachings was rampant. Only by directly confronting that confusion and refuting error could he establish the correct and most eff ective teaching for transforming people’s suff ering in the Latter Day of the Law.

Today, we practice Buddhism in a global society, home to a wide diversity of religious and ideological viewpoints. In many cultures, people’s understanding of Buddhism is minimal, and few are strongly attached to erroneous Bud-dhist teachings. Rather than debating religious doctrine, we of the SGI spread Buddhism by engaging people in dialogue about the benefi ts of Buddhist practice, the process of human revo-lution, and the humane and empowering prin-ciples that underlie it.

Our approach to the priests and teachings of Nichiren Shoshu, however, is the exception to this. Because they alone actively misrepresent and distort Nichiren’s teachings and purposefully promulgate baseless slander of the SGI, which correctly practices and spreads those teachings, it is important to directly address and correct their errors.2

Sharing Buddhism Requires Courage

Conveying the power and philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism to others requires

earnest, persistent and compassionate dialogue. When people’s hearts are open to questioning their beliefs and assumptions, they can consider a deeper, more fulfilling way of life. This process does not come about through debate or argument.

President Ikeda discusses what Nichiren Daishonin means when he writes about “refuting the enemies of the Lotus Sutra” (“On Practicing the Buddha’s Teachings,” WND-1, 394): “Sometimes merely telling people about the essence of Buddhism may put them on the defensive and strengthen their attachment to misguided views. That’s why it’s important that we patiently pursue dialogue to clarify the truth and help them awaken to it. Of course, when people’s misguided views are so entrenched

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that they respond by berating and maligning us and the Law, then it is important to refute their attachment and explain where they are in error” (October 2003 Living Buddhism, p. 40).

He continues: “But refute certainly does not mean to engage in a quarrel or a shouting match, or to employ means other than discourse. It is to clarify what is true and what is false. Specifi cally, it means asserting the correct teaching. Just pointing out that something is mistaken is not adequate. The person you’re trying to convince will not be persuaded. It is only by explicitly pointing out what is correct that we can enable people to take the fi rst step in changing their lives” (p. 40).

Many people today, though they may express no religious belief, are still confused about how best to live or hold mistaken views of what is important in life. Or, they fi nd it impossible to genuinely respect themselves or others. Dengyo states, “To discard the shallow and seek the profound is the way of a person of courage” (see “On the Buddha’s Prophecy,” WND-1, 402). Therefore, in our practice for others, we aim to inspire genuine courage in the hearts of others so that they may embrace the profound means for transforming their lives.

To carry out such dialogue, we need courage as well as an ability to explain Nichiren Bud-dhism convincingly, gaining the other person’s understanding and agreement. We need to seri-ously care for that person’s happiness and have absolute confi dence in the Mystic Law.

To that end, Nichiren teaches us the impor-tance of practice and study, of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for our own happiness and that of others. Willingly chanting and directly working to relieve the suff ering of others causes the state of Buddhahood, imbued with courage, wisdom and compassion, to surge forth in our lives. At the same time, it stifl es the infl uence of egoism or self-centeredness. Study, too, deepens our confi dence and ability to explain Buddhism to others.

Without a practice for others, we cannot accomplish our human revolution, even if we engage in practice for ourselves. Our practice for others powers our inner transformation and is a source of limitless benefi t.

1. Latter Day of the Law: The last of the three periods—the Former Day of the Law, the Middle Day of the Law and the Latter Day of the Law—following Shakyamuni’s death, when his teachings are said to fall into confusion and lose the power to lead people to enlightenment. It is said to last for 10,000 years and is predicted in the sutras to be a time when monks will disregard their pre-cepts and feud among themselves and when erroneous views will prevail and Shakyamuni’s teachings will “be obscured and lost.” But the Lotus Sutra predicts it to be a time when the teachings it contains will be propagated and “benefi t humankind far into the future.”

2. For more on this issue, please visit sokaspirit.org

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What Is Kosen-rufu?

The great goal of the SGI and Nichiren Buddhism is kosen-rufu. We often come across this Japanese term in our SGI

activities and publications, which suggests that it has a meaning not easily translatable into English. At times, the term kosen-rufu is used as a synonym for “world peace,” but this does not convey its full intent or signifi cance. Some-times, the term is more literally translated as “widespread propagation,” but it means more than simply spreading or propagating a religious doctrine.

What, then, does kosen-rufu actually mean? For us as practitioners, kosen-rufu is the

ultimate goal of our Buddhist movement: the transformation of society and the world for the better, and the establishment of lasting peace through the spread of Nichiren Daishonin’s teachings. We endeavor to accomplish this by enabling many people to embrace and practice the Mystic Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo on a broad scale, empowering them to reveal their inherent Buddhahood, or enlightened nature, and thereby bringing peace, happiness and prosperity to humanity.

Where Does the Term Kosen-rufu Come From?

A passage in “Former Aff airs of the Bodhisattva Medicine King,” the 23rd chapter of the Lotus Sutra, reads, “After I have passed into extinction, in the last fi ve-hundred-year period you must spread it abroad widely throughout Jambudvipa and never allow it to be cut off ” (The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras, p. 330). This indicates that the correct Buddhist teaching, the Lotus Sutra, is to be spread abroad widely in the age known in Buddhism as the Latter Day of the Law, which corresponds to the present age. And it is to be spread throughout Jambud-vipa, a name used to signify the entire world. The Chinese phrase in the Lotus Sutra translated above as “spread it abroad widely” is pronounced kosen-rufu in Japanese.

Ko of kosen-rufu literally means “wide” or “widely”; sen means “declare” or “disseminate”; ru means “let fl ow” or “transmit”; and fu refers to “a piece of cloth,” which here means “to spread broadly in all directions like a large piece of


cloth.” Therefore, kosen-rufu can be interpreted to mean “to widely declare and spread broadly.”

The Latter Day of the Law is the period following the death of Shakyamuni Buddha in which his teachings are said to fall into con-fusion and lose their power to lead people to enlightenment. Buddhist sutras predict it to be a time when people’s capacities become clouded, and society becomes mired in quarrels and dis-putes. The Buddha foresees that what is needed in such times is a teaching that has the power to cut through the fundamental ignorance affl ict-ing people’s lives, to relieve them from suff ering and to lead them to genuine happiness. That is the teaching that should be spread abroad, as the Buddha states in the Lotus Sutra.

The Teaching To Be Spread in the Latter Day

If the Buddha’s teachings themselves fall into confusion and lose their power, then

what teaching should be spread in the present age?

Nichiren Daishonin, who appeared at the beginning of the Latter Day of the Law, in 13th-century Japan, was determined to identify that teaching, and had since his childhood prayed for the wisdom to recognize it (see “The Tripitaka Master Shan-wu-wei,” WND-1, 175). He studied the entire body of Buddhist sutras and com-mentaries, and concluded that the Lotus Sutra was the essence or crystallization of the will and intent of Shakyamuni Buddha, which was to relieve all people of misery and enable them to become Buddhas.

“Supernatural Powers of the Thus Come One,” the 21st chapter of the Lotus Sutra, de-scribes the transmission of the sutra’s essence from Shakyamuni to Bodhisattva Superior Practices, the leader of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth. In this scene, Shakyamuni entrusts the Bodhisattvas of the Earth with the mission of spreading the Mystic Law after his death, specifi -cally in the Latter Day.

Based on his studies of the many Buddhist scriptures, Nichiren identifi ed the principle or Law that constitutes the core of the Lotus Sutra as Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Nichiren taught that Myoho-renge-kyo, the title of the Lotus Sutra, embodies the fundamental Law of life and the universe, and that chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo was an act of devotion enabling anyone to fuse with that fundamental Law and bring forth its real power. In Shakyamuni’s exhortation to “spread it abroad widely” in the latter age, “it,” Nichiren concluded, is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

Nichiren made clear that, by spreading Nam-myoho-renge-kyo widely in the Latter Day, he was carrying out the mission that had been entrusted to Bodhisattva Superior Practices.

He writes, “If Nichiren’s compassion is truly great and encompassing, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo will spread for ten thousand years and more, for all eternity” (“On Repaying Debts of Gratitude,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 736).

And in “The Selection of the Time,” he writes: “Little streams come together to form the great ocean, and tiny particles of dust ac-cumulate to form Mount Sumeru. When I, Nichiren, fi rst took faith in the Lotus Sutra, I was like a single drop of water or a single particle of dust in all the country of Japan. But later, when two people, three people, ten people, and eventually a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, and a million people come to recite the Lotus Sutra and transmit it to others, then they will form a Mount Sumeru of perfect enlightenment, an ocean of great nirvana. Seek no other path by which to attain Buddhahood!” (WND-1, 579–80). From these and many similar passages, it is clear that widespread propaga-tion is the essence of Nichiren’s spirit.

Nichiren lived his life spreading the Mystic Law, enduring and winning over a relentless on-slaught of hardships and persecutions.

After his passing, however, the active propagation of his teachings gradually declined, and the various Buddhist schools that bore his name compromised or lost his original spirit to accomplish kosen-rufu.


Spreading the Philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism in Modern Times

It was not until the 20th century, when Tsu-nesaburo Makiguchi founded the organiza-

tion that became today’s Soka Gakkai, that the Mystic Law spread in earnest among the people. Mr. Makiguchi instituted discussion meetings where the practice of Nichiren Buddhism could be shared widely among the citizens of Japan, and he challenged the repressive and violent policies of Japan’s militarist government. He died in prison a martyr to his conviction that a peace-ful nation and world could be built through the life-affi rming philosophy and practice of Nichiren Buddhism.

President Makiguchi was accompanied to prison by his closest disciple, Josei Toda (who later became the second Soka Gakkai presi-dent). After the war, Mr. Toda single-handedly took on the responsibility of widely spreading the Mystic Law, surpassing the goal he set to en-able 750,000 households to accept and practice it during his lifetime. Mr. Toda’s disciple, Dai-saku Ikeda (who became the third Soka Gakkai president in 1960 and who is the current presi-dent of the SGI), inherited and carried on the will and vow of his mentor, leading the Soka Gakkai to achieve a membership of 7.5 million households by 1970.

Today, through his extraordinary leadership, as well as through the eff orts of SGI members around the world who share the same vow for kosen-rufu, Nichiren Buddhism has spread to 192 countries and territories. The time has come when people throughout the world practice the Mystic Law, transcending diff erences of nation-ality, race, culture and language.

The Soka Gakkai, therefore, having been guided by the leadership and spirit of its three founding presidents, has been actualizing and fulfi lling the will of Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin to widely spread the Mystic Law.

The term kosen-rufu expresses more than propagating a religious teaching. It also means communicating the Buddhist philosophy of en-lightened humanism at the core of Nichiren’s teachings; it means broadly conveying a spirit of compassion, and a deep respect for the dignity and noble potential of human life. It is the pro-cess by which people who live this philosophy promote its ideals through dialogue and through their behavior and example at home, at work, in their communities and throughout the various realms of society, including education, music, art, economics and politics.

This is the challenge of kosen-rufu in which each of us is taking part and which aims at cre-ating a bright new phase of human history. Our eff orts to bring forth wisdom, compassion and courage by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo every day, and to encourage others through dia-logue, provide the fundamental support for the precious advance of kosen-rufu.

SGI President Ikeda continually affi rms the great benefi t and fortune that come from sup-porting and working to spread the Mystic Law: “All of our actions for kosen-rufu become good fortune and benefi t that adorn not only our lives but those of our family members and loved ones. Please be fi rmly assured of this” (August 5, 2005, World Tribune, p. 2).

When we chant and take action with the “same mind as Nichiren” (“The True Aspect of All Phenomena,” WND-1, 385) for the spread of the Mystic Law, we bring forth the great power of Buddhist practice in our lives.

Prepared by the SGI-USA study department.


In his treatise “On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land,” Nichiren Daishonin explains that when the people’s

beliefs are fi rmly rooted in the correct Buddhist teaching, peace, security, welfare and prosperity will permeate society.

In the title and throughout this work, Nichiren uses the word land or nation to refer not only to a sovereign state but also to the entire world—the human community and the natural environment. In his view, a nation is not simply a consolidation of social or governmental systems; rather, a nation is any place that forms the basis for people’s existence, including the natural en-vironment that supports all life.

There are several Chinese characters used in China and Japan to indicate land, country or na-tion. All consist of a rectangular enclosure with another character element inside. Most com-mon in Nichiren’s time was an enclosure con-taining the symbol for king or ruler, meaning “the domain of the sovereign.” This is the character used primarily in Japan and most of China today. Another, still used in Hong Kong and Taiwan, contains a symbol for spear or halberd, indicating a political realm protected by an army. But in the original text of his treatise, Nichiren uses a less common Chinese character for land that con-tains a symbol meaning “ordinary people.” Of the 71 times he uses a character meaning land, he employs the one containing the symbol for ordinary people 56 times. This clearly indicates that by land, he means a realm of people, of

human beings, rather than a political state or ruler’s domain.

In one writing, he states, “A king sees his people as his parents” (“Off erings in the Snow,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 2, p. 809). This refl ects his view that the people are the basis of any political realm and that the role of govern-ment or the sovereign is to serve the people. He also warns in another writing that the sovereign will fall into the evil paths if he is unaware of the

Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land

Nichiren Daishonin’s Use of the Chinese Character for Land

In writing his treatise “On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land,” Nichiren Daishonin used the word land 71 times. For 56 out of those 71 times, he uses the symbol for ordinary people, refl ecting that Buddhism is always seeking an approach to the land or nation that is founded on the happiness of all people.

The Chinese character for land using the symbol for king, which suggests a land or nation as the political realm of a monarch.

The Chinese character for land using the symbol for spear or weapon of war, which symbolizes a sovereign entity protected by military force.

The Chinese character for land using the symbol for ordinary people, which symbolizes a land or nation based on the welfare of the people.


“affl ictions of the populace” (“On the Protection of the Nation,” WND-2, 92).

Essentially, the principle of “establishing the correct teaching for the peace of the land” in-dicates that the peace of society and the entire world is possible through the spread of the Bud-dhist teaching that fully respects the value and dignity of ordinary human beings.

The Buddhist Principle for Building Peace

On the 16th day of the 7th month in 1260, Nichiren Daishonin submitted “On Establish-ing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land” to Hojo Tokiyori, the retired regent of the military government. As the most infl uen-tial member of the ruling Hojo clan, Tokiyori, though retired, was the de facto ruler.

At that time, the people of Japan were suff er-ing from a series of disasters, including a devas-tating earthquake, destructive weather, famines and epidemics. Many died, and those who sur-vived struggled with tremendous hardships.

Nichiren points out in his treatise that the people’s attachment to erroneous Buddhist teachings—teachings that deny or fail to sup-port the great potential of the human being—and slander of the correct teaching were the fundamental causes of their suff ering. He urges those in power to renounce erroneous teachings and take faith in the correct teaching in order to stem disaster and realize peace and security for society. He further explains that in light of vari-ous sutra passages, if the ruler and populace turn against the correct teaching and pursue errone-ous ones, the country will suff er seven disasters described in the sutras.1 Nichiren says that all but two—foreign invasion and internal strife—have already occurred in Japan and warns that if the nation continued on this course, it would suff er those two disasters as well. He calls upon Hojo Tokiyori to renounce support of erroneous teachings and priests that lead people further into misery. He urges Tokiyori to take faith in the correct teaching of the Lotus Sutra, which has the power to transform human life at the

deepest level and thereby bring peace and pros-perity to the land.

The shogunate government, however, ignored his remonstration and instead persecuted him. And, as Nichiren had predicted in this writing, the country suff ered internal strife in February 1272, when Hojo Tokisuke, an elder half-brother of the regent Hojo Tokimune, attempted to seize power. The disaster of foreign invasion that Nichiren also predicted occurred in 1274and again in 1281, when Mongol forces attacked Japan.

Though “On Establishing the Correct Teach-ing” addresses the peace and security of Japan at that time, Nichiren’s fundamental intent was to realize the happiness of all people and lasting peace for the entire world. He wrote this trea-tise and remonstrated with the authorities in order to ease the people’s pain and agony. This, we can conclude, expresses his conviction that those who practice Buddhism must not merely seek their own enlightenment or happiness, but, based on Buddhism’s humanistic principles and spirit, should take action to solve the problems and issues facing humanity.

Mahayana Buddhism strictly admonishes against the selfi shness of remaining cloistered in religious tradition while ignoring the problems of society. The principle of establishing the cor-rect teaching for the peace of the land aims not only for the salvation of individuals but also for the transformation of society—that is, the mani-festation of the world of Buddhahood in the en-vironment. The eff orts of the SGI today toward global solutions on matters including peace, cul-ture, education and human rights are grounded in the Nichiren Buddhist principle of establishing the correct teaching for the peace of the land.

Human Revolution Is Key To Transforming the Land

In “On Establishing the Correct Teaching,” Nichiren Daishonin writes: “You must quickly reform the tenets that you hold in your heart and embrace the one true vehicle, the single good doctrine [of the Lotus Sutra]. If you do so,


then the threefold world will become the Bud-dha land, and how could a Buddha land ever decline?...If you live in a country that knows no decline or diminution,…then your body will fi nd peace and security, and your mind will be calm and untroubled” (WND-1, 25).

Here, Nichiren is teaching that the key to creating peace in society lies in the heart of each person. Only through each person’s inner transformation, or human revolution, can true peace be achieved. By taking on and winning over such spiritual affl ictions as suff ering, an-ger, greed and the inability to respect ourselves and others, we can transform ourselves and the world in which we live into a pure and inde-structible Buddha land.

SGI President Ikeda explains, “The essence of ‘establishing the correct teaching’ lies in believ-ing in the fundamental good that is the Lotus Sutra and in each individual establishing peace in their hearts” (The World of Nichiren Daishonin’s Writings, vol. 1, p. 75).

Buddhism Is Inseparable From Society

Buddhist teachings other than the Lotus Sutra tend to regard secular aff airs as separate from Buddhism and the path to enlightenment as ly-ing in a realm beyond the secular world. On the contrary, the Lotus Sutra teaches that Buddhism is inseparable from society, that Buddhism em-braces the secular world and that the true path leading all people to enlightenment exists in the reality of people’s everyday lives.

For this reason, Nichiren Daishonin writes, “A person of wisdom is not one who practices Buddhism apart from worldly aff airs but, rather, one who thoroughly understands the principles by which the world is governed” (“The Kalpa of Decrease,” WND-1, 1121). As he teaches here, our mission as Buddhist practitioners is to manifest the rich wisdom of Buddhism in our daily lives and all our social activities.

Nichiren also explains: “Because Bud-dhism has gradually been turned upside down, the secular world also has been plunged into

corruption and chaos. Buddhism is like the body, and society like the shadow. When the body bends, so does the shadow” (“A Comparison of the Lotus and Other Sutras,” WND-1, 1039). The Law of life that Buddhism teaches is the basis of everything. When the teachings of Buddhism are lost or misinterpreted, then people lose sight of this Law, society falls into confusion and chaos, and humanity descends into the lower worlds of hell, hunger, animality and anger. But when a universal philosophy that treasures the dignity of life and empowers ordinary people takes root, society will move forward, and the people will experience true peace, prosperity and happiness.

It’s not necessary that all people practice Bud-dhism or uphold the Lotus Sutra. Rather, the principle of establishing the correct teaching for the peace of the land means establishing the ideals of human dignity and respect for the sanctity of life that are upheld in the Lotus Sutra as core val-ues that move society. For that reason, the correct teaching of Buddhism becomes paramount in building an ideal society based on humanism.

Nichiren devoted his life to spreading and establishing a teaching that empowers people to fully develop their humanity and achieve enduring happiness. Today, SGI members share his mission: to live the teachings of Nichiren Buddhism, challenge our human revolution and spread Buddhist ideals through our interactions with others at work, at school, in our families and communities. The SGI collectively strives to promote peace, culture, education and hu-man rights toward a positive transformation of society and the world. These eff orts are based on the principle of establishing the correct teach-ing for the peace of the land, grounded in the Buddhist ideals of compassion and humanism, and pursued with the faith that human beings and society can in fact change for the better.

This material is adapted from Kyogaku no kiso (Essentials of Study), a book covering Buddhist concepts

published by the Soka Gakkai study department.

1. Seven disasters: Disasters said to be caused by slander of the cor-rect Buddhist teaching. The Medicine Master Sutra defi nes these disasters as: (1) pestilence, (2) foreign invasion, (3) internal strife, (4) extraordinary changes in the heavens, (5) solar and lunar eclipses, (6) unseasonable storms and (7) drought.


Buddhism is rooted in a tradition of dialogue about the true nature of life and how to live the most meaningful,

happy and fulfilling existence. Shakyamuni Buddha persistently engaged in dialogue to open people’s hearts and minds to the best way to live and help them recognize the limitations of assumptions and beliefs that fell short of creating happiness.

Nichiren Daishonin re-established this tradi-tion in 13th-century Japan by fi ghting to awaken people to Buddhism’s essential message and to cut through the confusion that clouded the Buddhist world of his day. He employed three criteria for testing and evaluating the validity and eff ective-ness of any Buddhist teaching. These are called the “three kinds of proof” or the “three proofs”—documentary, theoretical and actual proof.

Documentary Proof

Documentary proof requires that the teach-ing be backed by the sutras. In this regard,

Nichiren Daishonin writes, “One should accept what is clearly stated in the text of the sutras, but discard anything that cannot be supported by the text” (“Conversation between a Sage and an Unenlightened Man,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 109).

In life, documentation plays a crucial role. To practice medicine as a doctor requires a medi-cal license. A bank statement, credit report or the possession of currency can prove a person’s ability to pay for goods and services. And written content gives us the ability to understand and assess the validity of popular ideas, theories or assertions.

Nichiren rigorously applied the standard of documentary proof in assessing Buddhist schools and teachings, frequently quoting established Buddhist sutras and commentaries. He strictly challenged interpretations not supported by the body of sutras that distorted the intent of Buddhism. For example, he criticized the Pure Land school for classifying the Buddhist teachings—without documentary proof—into two categories: the Sacred Way teachings and the Pure Land teachings. He wrote: “Ask them

The Three Proofs

The Essentials

EExam_2011_pp.19-29.indd 19EExam_2011_pp.19-29.indd 19 10/18/10 11:44:29 AM10/18/10 11:44:29 AM


if, from among the three Pure Land sutras, they can point out any passage verifying the above-mentioned assertions . . . ask your opponents as before if there exists any teaching that aff ords a solid basis for this” (“The Teaching, Practice, and Proof,” WND-1, 477).

He was also strict toward those who claimed to possess secret teachings outside the sutras. Quoting the Great Teacher Dengyo, he writes, “Depend upon the preachings of the Buddha, and do not put faith in traditions handed down

orally” (“Conversation between a Sage and an Unenlightened Man,” WND-1, 109). Nichiren directly questioned the trustworthiness of Buddhist teachings handed down in a manner shrouded in mystery, teachings that did not accord with the Buddha’s recorded teachings.

In the same writing, he says: “In matters of Buddhist doctrines one cannot jump to conclu-sions simply on the basis of the eminence of the person involved. The words of the sutras are what must come fi rst” (WND-1, 109).

Lucy EstephanosTommy Brown (front) and fellow members (back, l–r) Harold Owens, Reuben Jones, Sebastian Johnson, Sam Harris and Darwin Smith celebrate SGI-USA Men’s Division Day at the Atlanta Community Center with a lion’s roar, August 24, 2010.



This standard still applies today. Our dis-cussion and understanding of Nichiren Bud-dhism should be solidly grounded on Nichiren’s writings. Any claims to exclusive teachings or authority not supported by Nichiren’s writings must be rejected. Guidance and writings in the SGI have always been solidly based on Nichiren’s writings.

Theoretical Proof

Nichiren Daishonin writes, “Buddhism is reason” (“The Hero of the World,” WND-

1, 839). One should not rely on a teaching that claims to be Buddhist yet defi es reason and logic, or is not grounded in the essential spirit of Buddhism to respect and nurture the enlight-ened potential of all people. This is the basis of theoretical proof. In “The Opening of the Eyes,” Nichiren quotes the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai’s words: “That which accords with the sutras is to be written down and made available. But put no faith in anything that in word or meaning fails to do so” (WND-1, 264). Here, Nichiren teaches that a Buddhist practitioner should not follow a teaching that lacks documentary proof (“word”) or theoretical proof (“meaning”).

Actual Proof

Actual proof refers to practicing a specifi c teaching as it was intended, and the results

promised by that teaching becoming evident in people’s lives and in their environment. Religion aff ects more than the spiritual aspect of life. It has a signifi cant impact—positive or negative—on people’s behavior, on their quality of life, on what they accomplish and contribute to their communities, and on society as a whole. A par-ticular religion’s actual eff ect on people’s lives and society forms a crucial standard for deter-mining its value.

In the “Three Tripitaka Masters Pray for Rain,” Nichiren Daishonin writes: “In judg-ing the relative merit of Buddhist doctrines, I, Nichiren, believe that the best standards are

those of reason and documentary proof. And even more valuable than reason and documen-tary proof is the proof of actual fact” (WND-1, 599). Buddhism exists to relieve people’s suff er-ing. Actual proof backed by documentary proof and reason, Nichiren explains, is therefore most important.

Applying the Three Proofs

Nichiren Daishonin diligently applies these three standards of evaluation to all the

Buddhist teachings he discusses in his writings. Based on Buddhism’s fundamental principles and sense of reason, and on his and many other people’s actual experiences, Nichiren concluded that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo constitutes the valid and eff ective Buddhist teaching for reliev-ing the people’s suff erings in this age. Nichiren Buddhism encourages Buddhist practitioners to evaluate any teaching in terms of the Buddhist writings, reason and reality—what is objectively demonstrable to all people.

SGI President Ikeda writes: “Ultimately, Bud-dhism is about winning. It is important, there-fore, that you win in your struggles. A steady stream of capable youth is sure to be inspired by your admirable example and follow your lead. Please demonstrate to your children and the youth the great actual proof of faith gained by those who serve as golden pillars of kosen-rufu. The youth are looking up to you with pride and are counting on your continued valiant eff orts” (July 9, 2010, World Tribune Special Insert, p. F).

In Buddhism, actual proof refers ultimately to the attainment of Buddhahood, or absolute happiness, in this lifetime. Today, millions of SGI members around the world are demonstrat-ing the power—the actual proof—of Nichiren Buddhism by leading lives of genuine happiness, compassion, integrity and value. This is what Nichiren calls the most valuable proof of all.



The ultimate value of a religion or phi-losophy lies in how well it clarifi es the law of cause and eff ect. In the fi rst half of

his treatise “The Opening of the Eyes,” Nichiren Daishonin outlines the teaching that later, af-ter being systematized by Nichikan,1 came to be known as the “fi vefold comparison.”

The purpose of the fi vefold comparison is to clarify which religion or philosophy can enable people to overcome their suff ering and attain a state of unshakable happiness. This comparison involves evaluating diff erent teachings in terms of how they explain the causality of life—in other words, the workings of cause and eff ect that lead to happiness or unhappiness.

The teaching of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo propagated by Nichiren consists of the Mystic Law (myoho) and the cause and eff ect that is based on this Law (renge). We can regard the sin-gle phrase Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as expressing the ultimate law of cause and eff ect for attaining Buddhahood.

Looking at the religious and philosophical traditions discussed by Nichiren, we see many diff erences in how they explain the causality of life. Nichiren evaluates the relative depth of each teaching through the fi vefold comparison, there-by clarifying the ultimate causality for attaining Buddhahood—Nam-myoho-renge-kyo—as the

essential teaching for leading all people of the Latter Day of the Law to enlightenment.

The following points are based on Nichiren’s fi vefold comparison as put forth in “The Open-ing of the Eyes.”

Buddhism and Non-Buddhist Teachings

The fi rst comparison is between Buddhism, the “internal way,” and the non-Buddhist

teachings of China and India, the “external way.”

Buddhism teaches that the principal cause determining our happiness or unhappiness lies within our own lives, that we are the protagonists with the power to decide our own destiny. This is why Buddhism is called the “internal way.”

By contrast, a closer look at the non-Buddhist religions and philosophies reveals, fi rst, that some do not recognize the principle of causal-ity as aff ecting individual fortune or misfortune. While some expound doctrines of accidentalism or indeterminism, according to which every-thing is coincidence or chance, others expound doctrines of determinism or fatalism, which hold

The Essentials

The Fivefold Comparison



that regardless of one’s own eff orts or actions everything is predetermined or predestined. There are also those that strike a middle ground between these two perspectives. This refers to the teachings of the three ascetics,2 regarded as the founders of the non-Buddhist philosophies of India. Similar doctrines can also be found in various philosophies and currents of thought prevalent today.

Among the philosophies scrutinized by Nichiren are also those that, while recognizing the principle of causality within the parameters of the present existence, fail to pursue it into the periods before birth and after death, asserting that what happens in those periods is unknow-able. These are represented by such schools of thought as Confucianism and Taoism,3 and would also include Western rationalism, which is based on the development of modern science.

These kinds of philosophies cannot satisfy-ingly answer such questions as “Why are people born into diff erent circumstances?” and “Why are there cases where the eff ects of good or evil actions do not always appear in this lifetime?” Accordingly, they also cannot fully answer exis-tential questions like “Why was I born?” or “What is the purpose of my life?”

Brahmanism,4 the six schools of philosophy 5 and other teachings in ancient India do expound the causality of life operating throughout past, present and future, but it is a causality colored by determinism or fatalism and subject to exter-nal forces such as nature or a deity that controls human destiny. As a result, these teachings seri-ously limit human will and autonomy.

In short, the ancient teachings of India and China other than Buddhism either fail to explain causality or off er only a partial and biased expla-nation. Nichiren concludes in “The Opening of the Eyes” that with regard to the founders of these religions and philosophies, “They are no more than infants who cannot understand the principles of cause and eff ect” (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 223).

Buddhism, the “internal way,” however, teaches that individuals are responsible for everything that happens to them. We can calmly accept the strict law of cause and eff ect, because we understand that the Buddha nature—the

boundless power to transform our lives—exists within our lives. In other words, for us to keep making eff orts to become happy, we need to know that the possibility for happiness exists within our lives.

Buddhism, the “internal way,” enables us to awaken to our personal autonomy and respon-sibility, to recognize that we have the power to carve out our destiny through our own will and actions in the present.

Mahayana Buddhism and Hinayana Buddhism

The next level of the fi vefold comparison is the comparison between Mahayana and

Hinayana Buddhism.Buddhism encompasses a wide variety of

teachings. Among these, the Hinayana teach-ings, through practices such as upholding pre-cepts and engaging in meditation, aim to free people from earthly desires that cause suff ering and to lead them to the state of nirvana. But the nirvana to which Hinayana teachings aspire is passive. It focuses merely on eliminating the cause of unhappiness rather than actively enabling people to establish their own happi-ness, much less help others.

Moreover, since Hinayana proposes that the earthly desires inherent in our lives are the causes of unhappiness, the only way to com-pletely eliminate these desires is to extinguish our lives altogether. Accordingly, the Hinayana approach to enlightenment has been referred to as “reducing the body to ashes and annihilat-ing consciousness.” Herein lies the limitation of the Hinayana teachings, also called the Lesser Vehicle.

In contrast, the Mahayana teachings, instead of urging the elimination of earthly desires, state that by opening up and manifesting the wisdom of enlightenment in our lives, which are fi lled with earthly desires, we can properly control those desires and construct a pure, strong, self-motivated life. This is the principle that “earthly desires are enlightenment.” Rather than merely helping people eliminate the causes of their



unhappiness, the Mahayana teachings, called the Great Vehicle, actively focus on enabling people to transform them into the causes for happiness as well as to lead others to enlightenment.

True Mahayana and Provisional Mahayana

The Mahayana teachings can be divided fur-ther into two categories: true Mahayana

and provisional Mahayana.The Lotus Sutra, which constitutes true

Mahayana, elucidates that the lives of all people are originally endowed with the world of Bud-dhahood, the fundamental cause of happiness. The Lotus Sutra also clarifi es the truth of life that all people can tap and reveal their Bud-dha nature. In “Expedient Means,” the sutra’s second chapter, it sets forth the four aspects of Buddha wisdom—opening, showing, awaken-ing and helping people enter the path of Bud-dha wisdom.6

The pre-Lotus Sutra Mahayana teachings, which make up the provisional Mahayana, insist that the people of the two vehicles,7 who are despised because they only seek their own enlightenment, as well as evil people and women, who are believed incapable of becoming enlight-ened, are not originally endowed with the Bud-dha nature. In this way, these teachings limit the causes of happiness. They are not true Mahayana but rather teachings expounded as an expedient means to accommodate the popular beliefs of the time. They are merely provisional teachings.

On the other hand, the Lotus Sutra, the true Mahayana teaching, elucidates how everyone—including people of the two vehicles, evil people and women—can equally attain Buddhahood. It also indicates the doctrine of “three thousand realms in a single moment of life,” 8 which states that life at any moment can manifest a wide range of life-conditions, including Buddhahood.

The Buddha’s intention is for all people to become happy. And it is in the Lotus Sutra, which expounds the principles that make this possible, that the Buddha’s true enlightenment is directly revealed.

The Essential Teaching of the Lotus Sutra and the Theoretical Teaching of the Lotus Sutra

Even though all people possess within them the world of Buddhahood—the fundamen-

tal cause of happiness—whether they can actu-ally bring it forth is another matter.

Viewed in terms of the eternity of life and the principle of cause and eff ect operating over past, present and future, the life-state we experi-ence in the present results from our karma, our actions from countless former existences. The earlier sutras, including the theoretical teach-ing (fi rst half) of the Lotus Sutra, teach that in order to change that karma, we need to stead-fastly carry out good actions over an extremely long period of time and accumulate the positive benefi ts of those actions in our lives. According to this view, attaining enlightenment requires countless lifetimes of Buddhist practice.

Furthermore, these sutras teach that as a result of practice over an incalculably long period of time, Shakyamuni achieved enlighten-ment for the fi rst time in his lifetime in India. This understanding of attaining Buddhahood derives from the fl awed approach of insisting that only by extinguishing our lives of the nine worlds (cause) can we bring forth the life of Bud-dhahood (eff ect).

By contrast, the essential teaching (latter half) of the Lotus Sutra explains that Shakya-muni attained Buddhahood in the remote past and, because his life as a bodhisattva has endured unceasingly ever since, he has contin-ually appeared in various forms to teach living beings the path to Buddhahood. This reveals the true image of the Buddha. In other words, the nine worlds and the world of Buddhahood are also inherent and ever abiding in the life of the Buddha, Shakyamuni.

By explaining this fact, the essential teaching reveals that we can manifest the world of Bud-dhahood in our lives within the nine worlds, just as we are, thereby opening the way to attaining Buddhahood in our present form.



The Buddhism of Sowing and the Buddhism of the Harvest

The fi fth level of comparison contrasts two ways of viewing enlightenment—gradual

attainment over many lifetimes or attainment of enlightenment in one’s present existence. A lit-eral reading of the Lotus Sutra indicates that to complete the process of attaining Buddhahood takes countless lifetimes. However, Nichiren, in understanding the deeper meaning of the sutra, teaches that one can attain enlightenment in this lifetime.

The Lotus Sutra compares the process of attaining Buddhahood to the growth of plants and describes this process in the three stages of sowing, maturing and harvesting.

The Buddha fi rst plants the “seed” of Bud-dhahood in the lives of the people. This is called sowing. The “seed” refers to the teaching that leads people to awaken their innate Buddha-hood. In the second stage, maturing, the Buddha nurtures the seeds he has planted by helping the people practice the teaching and by leading them gradually to Buddhahood. In the fi nal stage, the Buddha leads the people to reap the “harvest” of enlightenment.

This three-stage process takes countless lifetimes to complete: Shakyamuni fi rst taught living beings the way for attaining enlighten-ment—or planted the seeds of Buddhahood—in the remote past, and then he continued to instruct them countless lifetimes later. He con-tinued to instruct them as the historical Buddha in India, preaching the teaching of maturing, which consists of pre-Lotus Sutra teachings and the theoretical teachings of the Lotus Sutra. He fi nally brought their enlightenment to fruition by preaching “Life Span,” the 16th chapter of the Lotus Sutra. For those who had received the seed of enlightenment countless lifetimes before, the purpose of Shakyamuni’s essential teaching is to help them reap the fruits of Buddhahood. There-fore, Shakyamuni’s Buddhism is called the Bud-dhism of the harvest.

In “The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind,” Nichiren writes:

As regards the essential teaching, it was addressed exclusively to the people early in the Latter Day of the Law. On the sur-face, the Buddha seems to have preached this teaching for the enlightenment of the people of his day; he planted the seeds of Buddhahood in their lives in the remote past [numberless major world system dust particle kalpas ago] and nurtured the seeds through his preaching as the six-teenth son of the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence [major world system dust particle kalpas ago] and through the fi rst four fl avors of teachings [the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings] and the theoretical teaching in this life. Then with the essen-tial teaching he brought his followers to the stage of near-perfect enlightenment and fi nally to that of perfect enlighten-ment. (WND-1, 369–70)

In contrast to the Buddhism of the har-vest, which leads only those who had received the seeds of Buddhahood from the Buddha in previous lifetimes, the Buddhism of sowing implants the seeds of Buddhahood, or Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, in the lives of those who had no connection with the Buddha’s teaching in their past existences, in the lives of the people of the Latter Day of the Law.

Although the essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra teaches of Shakyamuni’s attaining enlight-enment in the remote past, it does not reveal the true cause of his enlightenment—the fun-damental Law that Shakyamuni practiced and to which he awakened in the remote past. The teaching implicit in the Lotus Sutra’s depths reveals Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, which is both the driving force behind Shakyamuni’s bodhi-sattva practice as well as the fundamental Law he perceived at that time. Because this Law is based on the simultaneity of cause and eff ect, it contains within it, at each moment, all three stages of sowing, maturing and harvesting. By seeking and faithfully embracing this Law, an ordinary person can immediately gain the fruit of Buddhahood. In “The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind,” Nichiren continues:



The essential teaching of Shakyamuni’s lifetime and that revealed at the begin-ning of the Latter Day are both pure and perfect [in that both lead directly to Buddhahood]. Shakyamuni’s, however, is the Buddhism of the harvest, and this is the Buddhism of sowing. The core of his teaching is one chapter and two halves, and the core of mine is the fi ve characters of the daimoku [Myoho-renge-kyo] alone. (WND-1, 370)

The Buddhism of sowing expounded by Nichiren opens the path to enlightenment for all people, enabling them to sow the seeds of Bud-dhahood within their lives, which will mature and can be harvested in this lifetime. Nichiren revealed the Gohonzon,9 in which he faithfully

depicts the world of Buddhahood he realized in his own life through Nam-myoho-renge-kyo while remaining an ordinary person. With the Gohonzon as our mirror and Nichiren as our model, we can instantly bring forth that enlight-ened state from within our own lives. We can strengthen our conviction in the power of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and our confi dence that we, too, possess Buddhahood.

This article was adapted from SGI President Ikeda’s lectures on Nichiren Daishonin’s writing

“The Opening of the Eyes,” published in the March 2005 Living Buddhism, pp. 34–37.

1. Nichikan: The 26th high priest of the Nikko lineage, regarded as a restorer of Nichiren Buddhism.

2. Three ascetics: Three religious teachers who appeared before the time of Shakyamuni. Kapila, founder of the Samkhya school, taught that causes produce eff ects. Uluka, the founder of the Vaisheshika school, taught that causes do not produce eff ects. And Rishabha, founder of Jainism, taught that causes both do and do not produce eff ects.

3. Confucius, founder of Confucianism, said such things as: “You do not yet know life, how could you know death?” See The Ana-lects of Confucius, translated by Simon Leys (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1997), p. 50.

4. Brahmanism: A system of thought that developed before Bud-dhism, based on the Vedas and commentaries on them.

5. Six schools of philosophy: The six leading schools of Brahman philosophy in ancient India. They are the Sanmkhya, Yoga, Nya-na, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa and Vedanta schools.

6. The “Expedient Means” chapter of the Lotus Sutra explains that all Buddhas appear in the world (1) “to open the door of buddha wisdom to all living beings,” (2) “to show the buddha wisdom to living beings,” (3) “to cause living beings to awaken to the buddha wisdom” and (4) “to induce living beings to enter the path of buddha wisdom” (see The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras, p. 64). These are referred to as the four aspects of Buddha wisdom.

7. People of the two vehicles: Voice-hearers and cause-awakened ones. The provisional Mahayana teachings condemn persons of

the two vehicles for seeking their own enlightenment without working for the enlightenment of others, and assert that they can never attain Buddhahood. The Lotus Sutra reveals the one vehicle of Buddhahood and identifi es all three vehicles—those of voice-hearers, cause-awakened ones and bodhisattvas—as expe-dient means that lead people to the one Buddha vehicle. Accord-ing to the Lotus Sutra, therefore, even those of the two vehicles can become Buddhas.

8. Three thousand realms in a single moment of life: Also, a single moment of life comprising three thousand realms. “A single moment of life” is also translated as “one mind,” “one thought” or “one thought-moment.” A philosophical system established by T’ien-t’ai in Great Concentration and Insight. The number three thousand comes from the following calculation: 10 (Ten Worlds) x 10 (ten factors) x 3 (three realms of existence). Life at any moment manifests one of the Ten Worlds. Each of these worlds possesses the potential for all the others within itself, and this “mutual possession” of the Ten Worlds is represented as a hundred possible worlds. Each of these hundred worlds possesses the ten factors, making one thousand factors or potentials, and these operate within each of the three realms of existence, thus making three thousand realms. In The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, Nichiren states that this principle is none other than Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (see p. 99 and p. 238).

9. For a detailed explanation of the Gohonzon, please see the May–June 2010 Living Buddhism, pp. 86–89.



The Essentials

The Five Guides for Propagation

Nichiren Daishonin designated fi ve guides for the propagation of Bud-dhism: teaching, capacity, time, coun-

try and sequence. For Buddhism to be under-stood correctly and spread widely, he said, these fi ve points must be considered. He explains:

When the Thus Come One was in the world, although he expounded various Mahayana and Hinayana doctrines dur-ing the fi rst forty and more years of his preaching life, he did not reveal his true intentions, because the time to do so had not yet arrived. Even had the people pos-sessed the capacity to receive it, it was not the proper time, and therefore he did not expound the great Law.

But during the eight-year period at Eagle Peak [when the Lotus Sutra was expounded], although the capacity of the people was not yet perfect, the time to do so had come, and so he revealed his true intentions, and in doing so, he changed the people’s capacity from a ca-pacity to receive the provisional teachings to a capacity to receive the true teaching. (“Nembutsu Practitioners Destined for Hell,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 2, p. 297)

The Teaching, Capacity, Time, Country and Sequence

An understanding of the correct teaching means discerning which Buddhist teach-

ings are profound and which are provisional or erroneous. Nichiren Daishonin clarifi ed that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo implicit in the Lotus Sutra is the highest teaching, capable of help-ing all people bring forth their greatest poten-tial. Essentially, an understanding of the correct teaching is the most important of the fi ve guides, because the wrong teaching cannot help people overcome their suff ering.

A correct understanding of the people’s capacity means having the wisdom to under-stand the nature and mindset of people. Put another way, this means knowing what teaching will be understood by people and lead them to happiness. Nichiren writes, “One who attempts to propagate the teachings of Buddhism must understand the capacity and basic nature of the persons one is addressing” (“The Teaching, Capacity, Time, and Country,” WND-1, 48). He acknowledged the relative merits and fl aws of various teachings but noted that certain teach-ings are only suited to people of exceptional capacity. The greatest teaching, though, would bring unsurpassed enlightenment even to people



of the very lowest capacity, those who cannot initially fathom Buddhist doctrine or who have slandered Buddhism. He teaches that chant-ing Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the only practice suited to all people.

Understanding the time means understand-ing that though some teachings may have pro-duced results in the past, now is the time to spread the teaching of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the essence of the Lotus Sutra. In this age of the Latter Day of the Law, the other sutras have lost their power to lead people to happiness. Nichiren writes: “This teaching was not propagated in the Former or Middle Day of the Law because the other sutras had not yet lost their power of benefi t. Now, in the Latter Day of the Law, nei-ther the Lotus Sutra nor the other sutras lead to enlightenment. Only Nam-myoho-renge-kyo can do so” (“The Teaching for the Latter Day,” WND-1, 903).

Understanding the country where Buddhism is propagated refers to knowing the customs and culture of a society. An appropriate method for sharing Buddhism in one place might be inap-propriate elsewhere. “One must never fail to take into account the kind of country in which one is spreading the Buddhist teachings,” Nichiren says in the writing mentioned above. “There are countries wholly devoted to the Hinayana teach-ings, countries wholly devoted to the Mahayana teachings, and countries in which both Hinaya-na and Mahayana are pursued” (WND-1, 50). The SGI, as a worldwide organization, propagates Buddhism in a variety of cultures. Some coun-tries are fi rmly attached to other forms of Bud-dhism while others, such as the United States, have learned of Buddhism relatively recently.

Finally, it is also important to understand the order in which Buddhist teachings have spread in various countries and how those teachings have infl uenced the understanding of Buddhism. This is what is meant by the sequence of propagation. Nichiren writes: “It is the rule in propagating Buddhism that one must always learn the nature of the teachings that have already spread. To illustrate, when giving medicine to a sick person, one should know what kind of medicine was administered before” (“Encouragement to a Sick Person,” WND-1, 80).

Eff ectively Sharing Buddhism With Others

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the key to awaken-ing Buddhahood in all people, but the most

eff ective means for introducing someone to Bud-dhist practice will vary from person to person. Nichiren Daishonin’s primary intent in creating these criteria was to make the case for why he considered chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to be the correct practice for all people of the Latter Day of the Law.

These guides also apply when sharing Bud-dhism with those around us, prompting us to develop the wisdom necessary to understand each person’s needs. What are their cultural and religious backgrounds? It’s crucial to con-sider how best to encourage people in terms of what they understand about the causes of their problems, confi dent that we can help them awaken their Buddhahood through chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

SGI President Ikeda states:

In an age when both society and the reli-gious world are wrought by turmoil and confusion, only a teaching that gives each individual the power to draw forth his or her innate Buddha nature can lead all people to happiness and transform the tenor of the times. In other words, the only way to realize happiness and peace for people in the Latter Day is by devel-oping our great human potential. There can be no substantial solution to society’s problems that does not involve develop-ing our state of life.

When we delve deeper into the idea of relieving people’s suff ering expounded in the Lotus Sutra, we can see that it is pervaded with a genuine spirit of human-ism. Keenly sensing the real nature of the Latter Day of the Law, the Daishonin revealed this humanistic aspect of the Lotus Sutra in his teaching. (April 2002 Living Buddhism, p. 10)



Notes


Selected Sections From SGI President Ikeda’s Study Lecture Series

Learning From the Writings of Nichiren Daishonin:

THE TEACHINGS FOR

VICTORYSGI President Ikeda’s Study Lecture Series

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I have received various articles from your messenger, including a white quilted robe and a string of coins, and the goods mentioned in Toki’s letter.1 The persimmons, pears, and fresh and dried seaweed are particularly welcome. (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 848)

[ 10 ]

“Th e Th ree Kinds of Treasure”—Part 1 of 3

The Essence of Buddhism Lies in One’s “Behavior As a Human Being”

Sincerity and Integrity Are the Springboard for Overcoming Adversity

Shijo Kingo had been undergoing severe trials. In an earlier letter, Nichiren Daishonin quoted him as saying that

great hardships had showered down on him like rain (see “The Diffi culty of Sustaining Faith,” WND-1, 471). Three years prior (in 1274), Kingo had tried to convert his lord, Ema Mitsutoki,2 to the Daishonin’s teaching, but this only resulted in Ema marginalizing Kingo. From that time on, spiteful fellow retainers spread false accusations about Kingo and tarnished his good name. Attempts were even made on Kingo’s life. Ema’s disfavor also continued, causing tremendous hard-ship for Kingo and his family. This hardship took various forms, most conspicuously his being ordered to relinquish his existing fi ef and accept a smaller one. Throughout his struggles, Kingo faithfully followed Nichiren’s

detailed guidance and tenaciously persevered in his Buddhist practice.

Then, as a consequence of spurious accusa-tions leveled against him in connection with an alleged incident at the Kuwagayatsu Debate3 of June 1277, Kingo suddenly found himself in danger of having all his lands confi scated. Ema pressed him to recant his faith in the Lotus Sutra or else be stripped of his fi ef. But Kingo chose faith without the slightest hesitation or doubt. He immediately sent a pledge to this eff ect to Nichiren. And the swift reply he received contained the famous lines “This life is like a dream. One cannot be sure that one will live until tomorrow. However wretched a beggar you might become, never disgrace the Lotus Sutra” (“A Warning against Begrudging One’s Fief,” WND-1, 824).

Another consistent piece of advice Nichiren

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gave Shijo Kingo was to not be fawning or servile.4 Servility is tantamount to destroying one’s own dignity or self-esteem. Even worse, behaving in a cowardly or servile manner toward devilish functions will prevent one’s Buddhahood from shining forth.

We must fi rmly stand up to devilish functions that bring misery to people. When confronted by people of dignity and integrity, devilish functions will always make a fast retreat. This is just like foxes fl eeing when they hear the mighty roar of the lion king, or like darkness vanishing the instant the sun comes out.

Let us live with unshakable confi dence and pride, and without the least servility. The Daishonin repeatedly teaches his followers that this is where the true brilliance of human dignity is to be found.

What is admirable about Shijo Kingo is how he always sought Nichiren’s guidance and followed it unerringly. Because he strove in a spirit of oneness with his mentor, he could triumph magnifi cently over all obstacles. The mentor–disciple relationship is the driving force for victory in life and in kosen-rufu. This is an eternally unchanging principle of Buddhism.

When Shijo Kingo faithfully put his mentor’s instructions into practice, profoundly determined never to disgrace the Lotus Sutra or behave servilely, his situation changed dramatically. It happened that Ema became seriously ill, and Kingo, who was knowledgeable in medicine, was called on to treat him. He was thus presented with a great opportunity to win back his lord’s trust. This was only a few months after the threat of having his fi efs confi scated.

But the outcome of this chance to improve his relationship with his lord was still very uncertain. And Kingo’s trying circumstances remained unchanged, with no immediate solu-tion in sight. He still faced hostility from fellow retainers as well as continuing discord with his brothers. Meanwhile, the underhanded scheming of Ryokan of Gokuraku-ji and others aimed at discrediting Kingo also continued unabated.

Yet, precisely because significant developments were taking shape—including glimmerings of a positive turnaround—it was crucial that Shijo Kingo not grow overconfi dent or negligent. He would need to proceed carefully and cautiously toward resolving the situation. And it was imperative that he pay even greater attention to the people and things around him, and secure victory through his wise behavior. This is the concrete guidance that the Daishonin off ers Shijo Kingo in this letter, advising him in detail on how to view and challenge the situation confronting him.

The letter begins with the Daishonin expressing his appreciation for the off erings he has received. From this passage, we see that Shijo Kingo had sent a sizable parcel of sincere off erings, along with a letter entrusted to his care by fellow practitioner Toki Jonin. No doubt, concern for Nichiren’s well-being in the remote mountains of Minobu as winter was approaching prompted Kingo to send him so many items. Nichiren confi rms that the goods have arrived safely and warmly thanks Kingo for his generosity, adding that the foodstuff s are “particularly welcome.” Here we can sense the deep heart-to-heart exchange between them as mentor and disciple.

Having received news of the latest devel-opments in Kingo’s situation, Nichiren off ers him pertinent advice on daily conduct. He also praises Kingo for his victory achieved through faith, saying, “Is not [your lord’s] regard for you due to the aid of the Lotus Sutra?” (WND-1, 850). At the same time, concerned that Kingo would become the target of increasing envy and be placed in even greater danger, Nichiren warns him to be extremely careful and avoid rash or indiscreet behavior. He also teaches him that maintaining personal integrity and realizing victory are crucial in opening the way forward in the diff erent challenging situations he faces.

This letter shines throughout with profound passages that have given encouragement and sustenance to countless members:

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More valuable than treasures in a storehouse are the treasures of the body, and the treasures of the heart are the most valuable of all. (WND-1, 851)

= = =

The purpose of the appearance in this world of Shakyamuni Buddha, the lord of teachings, lies in his behavior as a human being. (WND-1, 852)

= = =

The wise may be called human, but the thoughtless are no more than animals. (WND-1, 852)

The Daishonin explains to his embattled

disciple that the key to breaking through

adversity ultimately lies in wise action and

one’s own humanity. This applies not only to

Shijo Kingo. Our actions, as well, refl ect our

faith and determine victory or defeat in our

Buddhist practice.

Each passage in this writing is imbued

with Nichiren’s profound compassion to

encourage each follower as his fi rst priority.

As a Buddhist, no action is more exalted than

that of raising other human beings, fostering

capable people.

The Wise Always Have Appreciation for Their Benefactors

I am most grieved over your lord’s illness. Although he has not professed faith in the Lotus Sutra, you are a member of his clan, and it is thanks to his consideration that you are able to make off erings to the sutra. Thus, these may become prayers solely for your lord’s recovery. Think of a small tree under a large one, or grass by a great river. Though they do not receive rain or water directly, they nonetheless thrive, partaking of dew from the large tree or drawing moisture from the river. The same holds true with the relationship between you and your lord. To give another example, King Ajatashatru5 was an enemy of the Buddha. But because Jivaka,6 a minister in the king’s court, believed in the Buddha and continually made off erings to him, the blessings accruing from his actions are said to have returned to Ajatashatru. (WND-1, 848)

Having followed in the footsteps of his father, Shijo Kingo was a second-generation samurai retainer of the

Ema family, which was directly related to one of the Hojo regents who ruled the Kamakura military government. Both father and son had

been loyal to the Ema family in times of grave peril.7 It is therefore not diffi cult to imagine that his lord would have placed deep trust in Kingo. The latter only incurred his lord’s disfavor after he tried to convert him to Nichiren Daishonin’s teachings.

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Subjected to unjustifi ed harassment and disciplinary action, including transfer to another estate in a remote province, Kingo, it appears, even considered suing Ema. Nichiren, however, urges him to exercise restraint, writing in another letter from the same period: “As vassals, you, your parents, and your close relatives are deeply indebted to your lord” (“The Eight Winds,” WND-1, 794) and “Even if he never shows you the slightest further consideration, you should not hold a grudge against your lord” (WND-1, 794). Ingratitude ranks among the very worst kind of human conduct, as it incurs evil karma.

Nichiren tells Shijo Kingo that rather than resenting his lord, who is directly bringing pressure to bear on him, he should focus on battling the real adversary—namely, the workings of the three obstacles and four devils8 manifesting in Ema’s actions. Far more deserving of blame, he points out, is Ryokan, whose villainous schemes were largely behind the persecution of the Daishonin’s followers and the false assumptions made by Kingo’s lord. He declares that Ryokan is the epitome of the group known as “arrogant false sages”—one of the three powerful enemies9 of Buddhism. It is an admonition to recognize the true nature of such negative and obstructive forces.

Following Nichiren’s guidance, Kingo conducted himself with wisdom and utmost sincerity in his daily life and interactions with others. As a result, when illness struck, Ema sought treatment from Shijo Kingo, who was renowned as an “excellent physician” (“On Prolonging One’s Life Span,” WND-1, 955).

Learning that Ema was unwell, Nichiren writes, “I am most grieved over your lord’s illness” (WND-1, 848). Even though on the surface Ema was the very person infl icting suff ering on Shijo Kingo, a sincere Lotus Sutra practitioner, Nichiren was deeply concerned about his illness.

Regarding truth or error in terms of the Law or teaching, Nichiren Buddhism maintains a rigorous attitude, but when it comes to people’s suff erings, it always has a spirit of tolerance and

compassion. Nichiren would do whatever he could to help those suff ering, even if they were people who slandered the Law. Thinking of their plight, he exclaimed: “How tragic, how pitiful . . . !” (“The Selection of the Time, WND-1, 578). At heart, he was indignant over human suff ering (see “On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land,” WND-1, 7). The essence of Buddhism is found in the heart-felt wish for the happiness of each person.

My mentor, second Soka Gakkai presi-dent Josei Toda, shared the same spirit as the Daishonin. If people discarded their faith, he was fi lled with deep sorrow. “How tragic this is!” he once exclaimed. “It hurts as though a gimlet is boring into my heart!”

The Soka Gakkai has realized brilliant and unprecedented development because it has inherited this noble spirit to go out among the people and take action for their happiness.

In this writing, Nichiren points out that Ema, while not a Lotus Sutra practitioner himself, makes it possible for Shijo Kingo to give off erings to the sutra. Therefore, he says, the merit and good fortune Kingo acquires will also extend to Ema. Nichiren cites the example of a small tree beneath a large tree or grass on the banks of a great river. Though the small tree or the grass may not receive rain or water from the river directly, it will still thrive on the dew. He also notes that in Shakyamuni’s day, a king named Ajatashatru was a great enemy of Buddhism but was ultimately protected because his physician, Jivaka, was a devoted follower of the Buddha.

In a family, too, if one person radiates the brilliance of the Mystic Law, then all family members, including those who do not prac-tice Nichiren Buddhism, will be protected. Individuals can similarly illuminate their work-places and their communities. That is how vast and immeasurable the benefi t of the Mystic Law is. Accordingly, from the standpoint of our Buddhist practice, it is important that we ourselves, irrespective of what others may do, become like the large tree or the great river in this analogy.

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N ichiren Daishonin explains a key Buddhist principle—the “Buddha nature manifesting itself from within

and bringing forth protection from without.” In other words, when we activate the Buddha nature inside us, it will cause the protective functions of life to work externally.

We possess this Buddha nature, and it is up to us to awaken to and manifest it. By prac-ticing Nichiren Buddhism, the Mystic Law comes to permeate one’s life and exert its infl u-ence (see WND-1, 848)—that is, our Buddha nature, once revealed, pervades our lives in the same way that burning incense imbues our clothing with its fragrance. Our Buddha nature emerges like a fragrance wafting in the breeze. And while we speak of receiving protection from “the heavenly deities”—the positive forces of the universe—the fi rst step in that process is to embark on our own inner transformation . . .

Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to the Gohonzon, the object of devotion in Nichiren Buddhism, is in fact the same as summoning

forth and praising the Buddha nature inherent in our own lives and residing in all things in the universe. In response to the sound of our chanting, through which we reveal our Buddha nature, all benevolent forces throughout the universe move into action to protect us. This principle succinctly expresses the unique character of Nichiren Buddhism, which is completely diff erent from faith that pins hope for salvation on some external power.

The concept of the Buddha nature manifesting itself from within indicates a power existing and generated from inside us. Buddhism is known as the “inner way.” Therefore, we do not seek Buddhahood, or the life of the Buddha, outside ourselves. The life-state of the Buddha, characterized by the four noble virtues—eternity, happiness, true self and purity—is found within our own mortal being that also experiences the delusions of earthly desires and the suff erings of birth and death. Nichiren Buddhism enables us to awaken and manifest the benefi t of Buddhahood in our lives.

Buddha Nature Manifesting Itself From Within and Bringing Forth

Protection From Without

Buddhism teaches that, when the Buddha nature mani-fests itself from within, it will receive protection from without. This is one of its fundamental principles. The Lotus Sutra says, “I have profound reverence for you.”10 The Nirvana Sutra states, “All living beings alike possess the Buddha nature.” Bodhisattva Ashvaghosha’s11 Awak-ening of Faith in the Mahayana says, “Because the true abiding Law invariably permeates one’s life and exerts its infl uence, illusions are instantly extinguished, and the Dharma body manifests itself.” Bodhisattva Maitreya’s12 Treatise on the Stages of Yoga Practice contains a similar statement. What is hidden turns into manifest virtue. (WND-1, 848)

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In other words, because we all possess the Buddha nature, when we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with a clearly focused mind, the life of the Buddha is summoned forth from within and emerges. Manifesting our inner Buddhahood causes protection to arise from without. All this hinges on our inner focus or resolve.

In light of the principle of the Buddha nature manifesting itself from within and bringing forth protection from without, we can defi nitely change any situation or envi-ronment by transforming our fundamental mind-set and revealing our Buddha nature. All fear vanishes the moment we fully believe that “I alone write the script for the drama of my life.”

Next, Nichiren continues, “What is hidden turns into manifest virtue” (WND-1, 848). Unseen virtue turns into conspicuous reward. To practice the Mystic Law is to proceed along the path of victory; all virtue will manifest in visible form without fail. When we forge ahead with this deep, unshakable conviction, our future will open up in wonderful ways we could never have imagined. This is the conviction and the declaration of Nichiren Daishonin, the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law.

As a matter of fact, SGI members around the world are constructing such confi dent states of life. They are models of respectful, humanistic conduct toward others. The Lotus Sutra’s spirit of respect and reverence for all people is deeply ingrained in the lives of SGI members.

When someone is in trouble, we cannot simply look the other way. When someone appears to be struggling, we cannot help but off er encouragement. When someone is suff ering, we cannot help but embrace them. Believing in the potential of all people, we actively pursue positive and meaningful inter-actions. SGI members’ actions are the very embodiment of respect for others.

This in itself is proof of their having deeply cultivated the life-state of Buddhas and bodhisattvas. There is no greater benefi t. The fragrant breeze of happiness boundlessly caresses their being. SGI members are truly the heroes of the people. They are great champions of life.

The above are excerpts from President Ikeda’s fi rst installment of his lecture on “The Three Kinds of Treasure.”

Please see the July–August 2010 Living Buddhism, pp. 62–75, for the full installment.

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[ 11 ]


“Treasuring Each Person”—The Guiding Spirit of Our Actions As Genuine Practitioners of Nichiren Buddhism

Faith Is a Struggle With Our Own Inner Darkness

Your face bears defi nite signs of a hot temper. But you should know that the heavenly gods will not protect a short-tempered person, however important they may think he or she is. If you should be killed, even though you might attain Buddhahood, your enemies would be delighted, but we would feel only grief. This would indeed be regrettable. While your foes busy them-selves plotting against you, your lord places greater confi dence in you than before. Therefore, although they appear to have quieted down, inwardly they are no doubt seething with hate. (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, pp. 848–49)

“Y our face bears defi nite signs of a hot temper” (WND-1, 849), Nichiren Daishonin says. There’s

no way of knowing whether Shijo Kingo looked short-tempered all the time, or whether his current tribulations simply caused him to appear grim and tense. In any case, the Daishonin’s description likely captures a key aspect of Kingo’s personality. Kingo tended to be extremely single-minded and acted with a zealous sense of right and wrong. But this could sometimes work to his disadvantage. Therefore, Nichiren tells him bluntly that the Buddhist gods will not protect someone who is short-tempered (see WND-1, 849).

Of course, when it comes to attaining Buddhahood, there is certainly no discrimina-tion based on personality. Anyone’s personality can shine brightly when illuminated by the Mystic Law. And it is by fully utilizing each person’s unique personality that our move-ment for kosen-rufu can achieve perfect and harmonious development.

We can surmise, however, that Nichiren purposely adopts a stern tone here in order to dispel Kingo’s innate darkness. Ignorance gives rise to dark impulses and fuels negative tenden-cies. Everyone has areas he or she needs to challenge to accomplish their own human revo-lution. The important thing is that we confront

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our overarching shortcoming and strive to achieve positive development and growth. Through continually challenging ourselves and ceaselessly striving to move forward, we can grow in faith and expand our state of life.

Sometimes Buddhist teachers may give their disciples strict guidance out of a desire for them to realize their tremendous potential. This is because genuine mentors cherish and care for their disciples. Often their strictness is aimed at breaking through the negative tendencies or devilish functions at work in a disciple’s life.

In the case of Shijo Kingo, there was a very real danger that his hot temper might get the better of him and exacerbate the situation. Carried away by their own views of right and

wrong, people often forget to be circumspect or consider others’ feelings, causing friction and resentment. Nichiren worried that with Kingo, it could create an opening for devilish forces to take advantage; hence, the reason for his unvarnished words.

Nichiren further points out that if Kingo were to antagonize others and lose his life as a result, his enemies would rejoice, while his fellow practitioners of the Mystic Law would be fi lled with sorrow. Here, the Daishonin teaches Kingo that his victory does not stop with him alone but is deeply connected to the victory of the entire community of Nichiren’s followers. Consequently, he advises Kingo to exercise the utmost care and take precautions for his own safety.

Behavior Infused With Respect for Others

But since you are hot-tempered by nature, you might not take my advice. In that case, it will be beyond the power of my prayers to save you.

Ryuzo-bo13 and your elder brother plotted evil against you. Therefore, the heavenly gods so contrived it that the situation would develop exactly as you wished. Then how can you now dare to go against the wish of the heavenly gods? . . . You must hurry and talk with these four men and report to me how the matter goes. Then I will fervently pray to the heavenly gods for your protection. (WND-1, 850)

Having suggested various courses of action, Nichiren Daishonin returns to his earlier theme: “But since you

are hot-tempered by nature, you might not take my advice. In that case, it will be beyond the power of my prayers to save you” (WND-1, 850).

Throughout his writings, Nichiren makes the point that unless he and his disciples are united in purpose and resolve, their prayers,

their goals and aspirations will not be realized. Probably no other follower had put his life on the line to protect Nichiren to the extent Shijo Kingo had. But if Kingo gave in to his temper and acted rashly, forgetting all about his commitment to act in a spirit of oneness with his mentor, he would wind up again fool-ishly ruled by deluded impulses. In that case, Nichiren says, no matter how fervently he prays for Kingo, it will be to no avail.

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I’m sure the Daishonin’s repeated warning about not being quick-tempered must have prompted sober refl ection on Kingo’s part. It is especially interesting to note that he reiterates this immediately after advising Kingo to be on good terms with the night watchmen. This points to the fact that the ultimate foundation of Buddhist practice lies in the solid unity of fellow practitioners and the shared commit-ment of mentor and disciple. It is no exaggera-tion to say that without this foundation the fl ow of kosen-rufu would come to a halt.

Having advised Kingo to ally himself with the night watchmen, Nichiren writes: “You must hurry and talk with these four men and report to me how the matter goes. Then I will fervently pray to the heavenly gods for your protection” (WND-1, 850).

This is a key point of personal guidance. The process doesn’t just end once the guidance and encouragement are given. The person giving guidance must continue to chant wholeheartedly for the other person’s happiness. We see that Nichiren always did precisely that.

The Soka Gakkai is committed to giving responsible guidance. To do so, it is important that we not only strive to impart heartfelt encouragement and clear direction to others

but also let them know that we will struggle alongside them—as a team, so to speak. And we must continue chanting until the person achieves a positive result or breakthrough. Because we have advanced with this spirit, the Soka Gakkai has grown into the great organi-zation it is today.

Shijo Kingo had been confronted with many challenges: the displeasure of his lord; slander, false rumors and attacks by fellow retainers; his elder brother’s betrayal; discord with his younger brothers; and strained rela-tions with a number of fellow practitioners. Nichiren was concerned about each of these situations and gave pertinent advice on how to deal with them. From this letter, we can sense how much Nichiren cared about Shijo Kingo, supporting and guiding him with an aff ection surpassing even that which one might expect from a family member.

Indeed, the Daishonin thoroughly trea-sured each follower. Showing thoughtful consideration to each person is an expression of Buddhist humanism.

The above are excerpts from President Ikeda’s second installment of his lecture on “The Three Kinds of Treasure.” Please see the September–October 2010 Living Buddhism,

pp. 44–58, for the full installment.

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[ 12 ]


The Ultimate Key to Victory in Life Is Accumulating the Treasures of the Heart

Always Return to the Prime Point of Mentor and Disciple

Over and over I recall the moment, unforgettable even now, when I was about to be beheaded and you accom-panied me, holding the reins of my horse and weeping tears of grief. Nor could I ever forget it in any lifetime to come. If you should fall into hell for some grave off ense, no matter how Shakyamuni Buddha might urge me to become a Buddha, I would refuse; I would rather go to hell with you. For if you and I should fall into hell together, we would fi nd Shakyamuni Buddha and the Lotus Sutra there . . . But if you depart from my advice even slightly, do not blame me for what may happen. (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 850)

“I f you become deadlocked, return to the prime point”—this was the guid-ance of fi rst Soka Gakkai president

Tsunesaburo Makiguchi.The Lotus Sutra is based on the spirit of

the oneness of mentor and disciple. Nichiren Buddhism, too, is a teaching of mentor and disciple. Our prime point as practitioners, therefore, is our vow to struggle together with our mentor. If we constantly return to this prime point of mentor and disciple, we will never become deadlocked.

In this passage, Nichiren Daishonin reaf-fi rms the incident that became the prime point in his relationship with Shijo Kingo as mentor and disciple. It took place during the Tatsunokuchi Persecution.14 As Nichiren was being taken to the execution grounds, Kingo gripped the reins of his mentor’s horse and declared that he was prepared to die at his side.

In praise of the faith that Kingo showed at that time, the Daishonin goes so far as to say, “If you should fall into hell for some grave off ense, no matter how Shakyamuni Buddha

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might urge me to become a Buddha, I would refuse; I would rather go to hell with you” (WND-1, 850). We fi nd the essence of his humanistic teaching in his spirit to respond to the sincere devotion of his disciples.

If the Daishonin and Kingo—mentor and disciple upholding steadfast faith in the Mystic Law—were to fall into hell, then Shakyamuni Buddha and the Lotus Sutra would also defi -nitely be found there. In that case, Nichiren explains, it would no longer be hell, but rather the realm of Buddhahood. This is the principle that “hell can instantly be transformed into the Land of Tranquil Light.”15

We can manifest the brilliance of the world of Buddhahood anywhere. This is the teaching of Nichiren Buddhism. Our fi rst two presi-dents, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and Josei Toda, united by the bonds of mentor and disciple, demonstrated this with their own lives. In a prison cell that he described as “cold to the extreme,” Mr. Makiguchi wrote, “Depending on one’s frame of mind, even hell can be enjoy-able.”16 And Mr. Toda, who accompanied him to prison, remarked: “Even if I should fall into hell, it wouldn’t matter to me in the least. I would simply share the correct teaching with the inhabitants there and turn it into the Land

of Tranquil Light.” This spirit is the very quin-tessence of faith in Nichiren Buddhism.

As long as Kingo doesn’t lose sight of this spirit to struggle together with Nichiren, he can triumph in any place and situation, based on the principle that “hell itself can instantly be transformed into the Land of Tranquil Light.” But if he is defeated by his own weakness, losing his temper and lacking consideration for those around him, he will veer from the path of oneness with his mentor. This is why Nichiren repeatedly warns him to be careful. He writes, “If you depart from my advice even slightly, do not blame me for what may happen” (WND-1, 850).

The key to victory lies in aligning our hearts with the heart of our mentor who faith-fully embodies and propagates the Law. If we ignore our mentor’s guidance and simply base ourselves on our own vacillating minds, we cannot complete the arduous path of Buddhist practice. A sutra states, “Become the master of your mind rather than let your mind master you” (“Letter to the Brothers,” WND-1, 502).17 Only when we practice faith in the same spirit as our mentor can we truly become the master of our minds and attain Buddhahood in this lifetime.

A Thoroughly Polished Character Is Priceless

More valuable than treasures in a storehouse are the treasures of the body, and the treasures of the heart are the most valu-able of all. From the time you read this letter on, strive to accumulate the treasures of the heart! (WND-1, 851)

The above passage is the most well-known in this writing. “Treasures in a storehouse” indicates material assets.

“Treasures of the body” means such things as health or acquired skills. “Treasures of the heart,” on one level, means an inner richness, wealth or abundance. On a more fundamental level, it means faith and the brilliance of the Buddha nature polished through faith.

In this passage, Nichiren indicates the order of priority of the three kinds of treasure and sets forth a clear standard of value.

Kingo faced the possibility of losing his estate, which, of course, represented an extremely important source of income for him and his family. But, the Daishonin insists that far more valuable than the treasures of the storehouse and the body are the treasures

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Our Behavior As Human Beings

The heart of the Buddha’s lifetime of teachings is the Lotus Sutra, and the heart of the practice of the Lotus Sutra is found in the “Never Disparaging” chapter. What does Bodhisattva Never Disparaging’s18 profound respect for people signify? The purpose of the appear-ance in this world of Shakyamuni Buddha, the lord of teachings, lies in his behavior as a human being.

Respectfully.The wise may be called human, but the thoughtless

are no more than animals. (WND-1, 851–52)

of the heart. The accumulation of these inner treasures, he says, is the basis for all victory.

The fact that Kingo had been challenging his situation based on faith in the Mystic Law corresponds to placing the highest value on the treasures of the heart. As a result, he had been victorious so far. That is probably why Nichiren clarifi es this point as a universal and unchanging guideline for victory in all areas of life.

And actually, when we base ourselves on the treasures of the heart, the true value and

worth of treasures of the storehouse and the body also become apparent in our lives. In short, we need to make accumulating the trea-sures of the heart our fundamental purpose in life. If we lose sight of this elemental objective, seeking merely to accumulate treasures of the storehouse and the body, it will only give rise to attachment. Fear of losing such material or physical treasures can then become a cause of suff ering. Therefore, what is important above all, what is the correct sense of purpose in life, is to accumulate treasures of the heart.

In concluding “The Three Kinds of Treasure,” Nichiren Daishonin states that the Lotus Sutra is the heart of

Shakyamuni’s lifetime teachings. He says that the essence of the practice taught in the Lotus Sutra is found in the behavior of Bodhisattva Never Disparaging, who is described in the sutra chapter that bears his name as staunchly believing in and venerating the Buddha nature of all people.

Deeply apprehending the truth that—when viewed from the fundamental perspective of life—everyone is a Buddha, Bodhisattva Never Disparaging bowed in reverence to all he met, no matter how he was persecuted and attacked.

This is the behavior of one who truly embodies the spirit of the Lotus Sutra.

It is said that the Lotus Sutra explains why Shakyamuni made his appearance in this world. Describing the practice of Bodhisattva Never Disparaging, who embodies the sutra’s spirit, it indicates that the purpose of Shakyamuni’s appearance in this world lies in his behavior as a human being.

As Nichiren notes when he says, “The Law does not spread by itself: because people propagate it, both people and the Law are respectworthy” (Gosho zenshu, p. 856),19 the greatness of the Law or teaching can only be conveyed and spread when expressed in the

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humanistic actions and behavior of those who embrace it.

The treasures of the heart may be invisible to the eye. But when these inner treasures are given concrete expression as respectful actions toward others, they demonstrate and prove to others the power of the Mystic Law and the Buddha nature.

Viewing treasures of the heart as the most valuable of all refl ects a sense of values concerned with what is most important and precious in life. Showing respect to others in our actions, meanwhile, constitutes the stan-dard for our behavior as Buddhists based on this sense of values.

The universally respectful behavior of Bodhisattva Never Disparaging embodies the

teaching of the Lotus Sutra, which expounds the Buddha’s true intent of enabling all people to realize their enlightenment. Therefore, Bodhisattva Never Disparaging’s respectful behavior toward others is itself the true intent of the Buddha.

The ability to manifest our Buddha nature is a benefi t of faith in the Mystic Law. The behavior of those who embody this benefi t, which is sure to be characterized by respect for others, can serve as actual proof of the great-ness of the Mystic Law.

The above are excerpts from President Ikeda’s third installment of his lecture on “The Three Kinds of Treasure.” Please see the September–October 2010 Living Buddhism, pp. 60–73, for the full installment.

Notes 1. Toki refers to Toki Jonin, one of Nichiren Daishonin’s

leading followers. He lived in Shimosa Province (part of present-day Chiba Prefecture) and served as a retainer of Lord Chiba, the constable of that province.

2. Ema Mitsutoki: Also known as Hojo Mitsutoki. He was a devout follower of the priest Ryokan of the True Word Precepts school.

3. Kuwagayatsu Debate: A debate held in Kuwagayatsu, Ka-makura, in 1277, between Nichiren’s disciple Sammi-bo and a priest named Ryuzo-bo (see note 13), who was un-der the patronage of Ryokan, a priest of the True Word Precepts school. Ryuzo-bo was defeated by Sammi-bo. Kingo merely attended the debate as an observer and did not utter a word. Yet, it was alleged to Kingo’s lord, Ema, that Shijo Kingo had burst into the debate with sev-eral confederates with weapons drawn and disrupted the proceedings.

4. In “A Warning against Begrudging One’s Fief,” Nichiren advises Shijo Kingo: “Just as you have written in your let-ter, you must act and speak without the least servility. If you try to curry favor, the situation will only worsen . . . You must in no way behave in a servile fashion toward the magistrate” (WND-1, 824).

5. King Ajatashatru: A king of Magadha in India in the time of Shakyamuni Buddha. Incited by Devadatta, he gained the throne by killing his father. Later, however, Ajatasha-tru regretted his conduct deeply. Tormented by guilt, he broke out in virulent sores, and it was predicted that he would die. His physician and minister, Jivaka, persuaded him to repent his evil conduct and seek out the Buddha’s teaching. Ajatashatru did so, overcame his illness and became a devout follower of the Buddha. He supported the First Buddhist Council in its compilation of Shakya-muni’s teachings undertaken the year following Shakya-muni’s death.

6. Jivaka: A skilled physician of the state of Magadha in India in Shakyamuni’s time. At the royal court, Jivaka treated Bimbisara, the king of Magadha, and his son, Ajatashatru. He was also a devout Buddhist and patron of the Buddhist Order, and he treated Shakyamuni Bud-dha and his disciples, as well as the general citizenry.

7. A petition to Ema that Nichiren composed on Shijo Kingo’s behalf explains the history of long and dedicated service by Kingo, and his father before him, to the Ema clan. Written as if Kingo were personally addressing Ema, it states: “When your father incurred the wrath of the authorities, his hundreds of retainers all shifted their al-legiance; among them, my late father Yorikazu alone re-mained faithful to the end, accompanying him into exile to the province of Izu. Shortly before the battle that took place in Kamakura on the twelfth day of the second month in the eleventh year of the Bun’ei era, I, Yorimoto, was in the province of Izu, but no sooner had I received word at the hour of the monkey on the tenth day than I hastened alone over the Hakone pass and joined with seven others who vowed before you to put an end to their lives” (“The Letter of Petition from Yorimoto,” WND-1, 811).

8. Three obstacles and four devils: Various obstacles and hin-drances to the practice of Buddhism. The three obstacles are (1) the obstacle of earthly desires, (2) the obstacle of karma and (3) the obstacle of retribution. The four devils are (1) the hindrance of earthly desires, (2) the hindrance of our own physical and mental functions, (3) the hindrance of death and (4) the hindrance of the devil king.

9. Three powerful enemies: Three types of arrogant people who persecute those who propagate the Lotus Sutra in the evil age after Shakyamuni Buddha’s death, described in the 20-line verse section of “Encouraging Devotion,” the 13th chapter of the Lotus Sutra. The Great Teacher Miao-lo (711–82) of China summarizes them as arrogant lay people, arrogant priests and arrogant false sages.

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10. See note 18 on Bodhisattva Never Disparaging.

11. Ashvaghosha (n.d.): A second-century Mahayana scholar and poet of Shravasti in India. He at fi rst criticized Buddhism but was later converted by Parshva. He led many people to the Buddha’s teachings through his skill in music and literature. Ashvaghosha is known as the 12th of Shakyamuni’s 24 successors.

12. Maitreya: The founder of the Consciousness-Only school, thought to have been the teacher of Asanga and to have lived around 270–350 (350–430, according to another account).

13. Ryuzo-bo (n.d.): A Tendai priest who was expelled from Enryaku-ji, a temple on Mount Hiei that was the head-quarters of the Tendai school, and later came to Kama-kura where he won the patronage of Ryokan of Gokur-aku-ji, a priest of the True Word Precepts school.

14. Tatsunokuchi Persecution: On the twelfth day of the ninth month in 1271, powerful fi gures in the govern-ment unjustly arrested Nichiren and had him led off in the middle of the night to the execution grounds on the beach at Tatsunokuchi on the outskirts of Kamakura, the seat of government. They tried to execute him under cover of darkness, but the execution attempt failed, and about a month later, Nichiren was exiled to Sado Island.

15. Hell can instantly be transformed into the Land of Tranquil Light: The world of hell, which is a realm of

extreme suff ering, can be instantly transformed into the Land of Eternally Tranquil Light where the Buddha dwells, or the world of Buddhahood.

16. Translated from Japanese. Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, Makiguchi Tsunesaburo zenshu (Collected Writings of Tsunesaburo Makiguchi) (Tokyo: Daisanbunmei-sha, 1987), vol. 10, p. 285.

17. A quote from the Six Paramitas Sutra.

18. Bodhisattva Never Disparaging: A bodhisattva described in “Bodhisattva Never Disparaging,” the 20th chapter of the Lotus Sutra. This bodhisattva—Shakyamuni in a previous lifetime—would bow to everyone he met and say: “I have profound reverence for you, I would never dare treat you with disparagement or arrogance. Why? Because you will all practice the bodhisattva way and will then be able to attain buddhahood” (The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras, p. 308). But he was attacked by arrogant people, who beat him with sticks and staves and threw stones at him. The sutra explains that his practice of respecting the Buddha nature of others became the cause for him to attain Buddhahood.

19. From “Hyaku rokka sho” (The One Hundred and Six Comparisons); not included in The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin.

Notes

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Notes

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Notes

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Notes

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The Votary of the Lotus Sutra

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Nichiren Daishonin dedicated his life to establishing a Buddhist teaching ac-cessible to all people, one that would

last far into the future—a teaching capable of leading all humanity from hopelessness and misery to genuine happiness. He proclaimed the supremacy of the Lotus Sutra, which teaches that every human being possesses the precious and most respectworthy state of life called Buddhahood. And he established the practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo—the fundamental Law of the universe—as the means for all people to access their inherent life-state of Buddhahood.

Buddhism had long predicted that confl ict and confusion would arise among practitioners during the age the sutras describe as the Latter Day of the Law, the age in which the Daishonin lived. Regarding this period, Nichiren often quoted Shakyamuni Buddha in a passage from the Great Collection Sutra: “Quarrels and dis-putes will arise among the adherents to my

teachings, and the pure Law will become ob-scured and lost” (“The Selection of the Time,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 541). It was clear to Nichiren from this and other sutra passages that, by the Latter Day, the Buddhist teachings had become corrupted and could no longer relieve the people’s suff ering.

With this conviction, Nichiren commenced his practice of shakubuku, the propagation of his teaching aimed at breaking through people’s strongly held delusions and enabling them to recognize and believe in the most fundamental of all principles, the Mystic Law. His eff orts provoked an intense reaction: He was slandered and defamed by the public and severely persecuted by political authorities, who exiled and nearly executed him. Nichiren’s immense compassion and vow to remove the suff ering of all humanity, however, served as his motivation to persevere in the face of these persecutions.

Nichiren Daishonin: The Votary of the Lotus Sutra

The Essentials

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The Vow To Lead All People to Happiness

Beginning with his prayer as a young man to “become the wisest person in all Japan”

(“The Tripitaka Master Shan-wu-wei,” WND-1, 175), Nichiren Daishonin expressed his intention to master the Buddhist teachings in order to ar-rive at the way to relieve the misery he witnessed in society. After traveling throughout Japan to study the Buddhist scriptures, he concluded that the Lotus Sutra was supreme among all Buddhist sutras and affi rmed his mission to propagate the core principle of that sutra, the Mystic Law, or Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

Nichiren compares his mission to that of Bodhisattva Superior Practices, the leader of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth. In the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha entrusts Superior Practices, as the leader of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, to spread the essence of the Lotus Sutra in the Latter Day of the Law, when the entire body of Buddhist doctrine would be near extinction (see “The Selection of the Time,” WND-1, 550).

Fully understanding that the person who spreads the teaching of the Lotus Sutra will be “abused, struck, exiled, and threatened with execution” (“Reply to the Lay Priest Takahashi,” WND-1, 607), Nichiren was prepared for the great persecutions that would result from his ef-forts to establish his teaching. In fact, he viewed these persecutions as proof that he was correctly spreading the Buddha’s highest teaching.

On the 28th day of the 4th month in 1253, at Seicho-ji, the temple where he had begun his education, Nichiren refuted the Pure Land school teachings and boldly chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, publicly declaring for the fi rst time the correct teaching for the happi-ness of the people of the Latter Day of the Law. Rather than the establishment of a new Buddhist order, this is more accurately considered the

establishment of a religious principle—the essential Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Also, this was the occasion when Nichiren, as the votary of the Lotus Sutra, dedicated his life to the emancipation of the people of the Latter Day. And from that day on, he never retreated despite great obstacles and persecutions.

At this time, he changed his name from Rencho, explaining, “My giving myself the name Nichiren (Sun Lotus) derives from my own enlightenment regarding the Buddha vehicle” (“Letter to Jakunichi-bo,” WND-1, 993). In other words, he changed his name as an expression of his profound awareness of the Law and the Buddha’s enlightenment, and of his determination to fulfi ll the mission of Bodhisattva Superior Practices.

The character nichi of Nichiren indicates the sun. The Lotus Sutra states: “As the light of the sun and moon / can banish all obscurity and gloom, / so this person as he advances through the world / can wipe out the darkness of living beings” (The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras, p. 318). Regarding this passage, Nichiren explains that it is the role of Bodhi-sattva Superior Practices to illuminate the dark-ness of ignorance with the fi ve characters of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo (see “Letter to Jakunichi-bo,” WND-1, 993).

The Mystic Law shines like the sun within the life of a person awakened to that Law. Its brilliance is expressed in one’s character, speech and behavior, which in turn can dispel the dark-ness of suff ering that hangs over people’s lives.

Ren of Nichiren indicates the lotus fl ower, which blossoms beautifully despite the murky pond in which it grows. This is a metaphor for the Mystic Law, the life-condition of Buddhahood that blossoms purely within the lives of ordinary human beings, no matter how impure or imperfect they may be. Ren thus expresses the inherent dignity and preciousness of human life.

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Facing Persecutions for the Sake of Spreading the Law

Nichiren Daishonin faced religious perse-cution from the day he declared the es-

tablishment of his teachings in 1253. With his submission of “On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land” in 1260, the opposition increased, and he was confronted by one great persecution after another. He writes, “Minor persecutions and annoyances are too numerous even to be counted, but the major persecutions number four” (“The Opening of the Eyes,” WND-1, 240). These four major perse-cutions are: 1) the Matsubagayatsu Persecution (1260),1 2) the Izu Exile (1261),2 3) the Komatsu-bara Persecution (1264)3 and 4) the Tatsunoku-chi Persecution and his subsequent exile to Sado Island (1271).4

Nichiren was despised and maligned by people at various levels of society. He was ex-iled twice by government authorities and nearly killed on more than one occasion, including an

attack by armed warriors and an attempt to be-head him.

The Lotus Sutra teaches that the sutra’s vo-tary, or genuine practitioner, in the Latter Day of the Law will face opposition in the form of “three powerful enemies.” 5 In addition, “Encouraging Devotion,” the sutra’s 13th chapter, describes the votary as having to face various other hardships, including attacks with swords and staves, being banished again and again and being cursed, re-viled and shamed (see LSOC, 232–34).

The persecutions and diffi culties the Dai-shonin faced and his determination to continue spreading the Law accord exactly with these passages. He describes his undergoing all this as reading the sutra with his life (see “Banishment to Sado,” WND-1, 202).

Undeterred, he continued spreading his teachings and taking compassionate action to save all people from misery and suff ering. He did so with the ever-deepening conviction that he was the votary of the Lotus Sutra.

The Mystic Law shines like the sun within

the life of a person awakened to that Law.

Its brilliance is expressed in one’s character,

speech and behavior, which in turn can

dispel the darkness of suff ering

that hangs over people’s lives.

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An Ordinary Person Is the Buddha; the Buddha Is an Ordinary Person

In “The Opening of the Eyes,” Nichiren Dai-shonin writes: “When it comes to understand-

ing the Lotus Sutra, I have only a minute frac-tion of the vast ability that T’ien-t’ai and Dengyo possessed. But as regards my ability to endure persecution and the wealth of my compassion for others, I believe they would hold me in awe” (WND-1, 242). From this, we can surmise that his life-condition of great compassion enabled him to endure such severe oppression.

In the same writing, he declares: “Let the gods forsake me. Let all persecutions assail me. Still I will give my life for the sake of the Law…I will be the pillar of Japan. I will be the eyes of Japan. I will be the great ship of Japan. This is my vow, and I will never forsake it!” (WND-1, 280–81).

This passage is Nichiren’s “lion’s roar,” ex-pressing his resolve to overcome every perse-cution in order to save all people of the Latter Day from suff ering. In addition, by stating, “I, Nichiren, am sovereign, teacher, and father and mother to all the people of Japan” (WND-1, 287), he is declaring that he is embodying the three virtues of a Buddha.

By facing continual persecutions as predicted in the Lotus Sutra and emerging victorious each time, he exemplifi ed the sutra’s very core—that an ordinary person can bring forth the tremen-dous power of Buddhahood fundamental to hu-man life, that an ordinary person is a Buddha, and the Buddha is an ordinary person.

He states: “Had it not been for the advent of Nichiren in the Latter Day of the Law, the Bud-dha would have been a teller of great lies, and the testimony given by Many Treasures and by the Buddhas of the ten directions would have been false. In the 2,230 and more years since the Bud-dha’s passing, Nichiren is the only person in the entire land of Jambudvipa who has fulfi lled the Buddha’s words,” (“On Persecutions Befalling the Sage,” WND-1, 997).

Fully empowered to spread the essence of the Buddha’s teaching, Superior Practices may

be seen as the “lord of teachings” (a title given to Shakyamuni in the sutras), or the true teacher of the Latter Day of the Law. Nichiren, who proved through his actions that he himself was the “lord of teachings” of the Latter Day, strove in this capacity to relieve the suff ering of all people.

Casting Off the Transient and Revealing the True

Late in the afternoon on the 12th day of the 9th month in 1271, Hei no Saemon and

several hundred soldiers clad in armor arrested Nichiren Daishonin. A few hours later, after they paraded him around town as if he were a traitor, it was decided without a trial that he would be exiled to Sado Island. Nichiren states, “Ostensibly I was being banished to a distant region, but secretly it had been decided that I would have my head cut off ” (“Letter to Shi-moyama,” WND-2, 701).

Taken to the beach at Tatsunokuchi in the middle of the night, just as he was to face the executioner’s sword, Nichiren said to his dis-ciple Shijo Kingo, “What greater joy could there be?” (“The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra,” WND-1, 767), expressing his good for-tune at the opportunity to give his life for the Lotus Sutra.

Shortly thereafter, a bright orb suddenly fl ashed across the sky, frightening the execu-tioner and accompanying soldiers to the extent that they could not carry out their task. Nichiren was instead exiled to Sado Island.

Through the Tatsunokuchi Persecution, Nichiren actualized the principle of “casting off the transient and revealing the true.” In “The Opening of the Eyes,” written on Sado the year following the persecution, he explains the signifi -cance: “On the twelfth day of the ninth month of last year, between the hours of the rat and the ox (11:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.), this person named Nichiren was beheaded. It is his soul that has come to this island of Sado and, in the second month of the following year, snowbound, is writing this to send to his close disciples” (WND-1, 269).

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President Ikeda comments: “In saying that he was ‘beheaded’ when in fact he was not, the Dai-shonin indicates that the ‘self ’ he had been until then came to an end at the execution grounds of Tatsunokuchi. To put it simply, he implies that he had been reborn as a new self. In the phrase, ‘It is his soul that has come to this island of Sado,’ ‘soul’ means this new self—the true identity that the Daishonin manifested during the persecu-tion at Tatsunokuchi” (The World of Nichiren Daishonin’s Writings, vol. 2, p. 82).

In “casting off the transient,” Nichiren dis-carded his transient identity, his status as an ordi-nary person who remains “at the stage of hearing the name and words of the truth.” The “name and words of the truth” means the words of the Bud-dha’s teachings. “At the stage” refers to a person who accepts and understands the Buddha’s words, and is taking the fi rst step in Buddhist practice without yet receiving any fruits of that practice. This describes a novice, an ordinary person, who desires to practice the Buddha’s teachings.

“Revealing the true” signifi es that Nichiren manifested his true identity as the Buddha of limitless joy,6 who brilliantly manifests the life of the eternal Buddha within the life of an ordinary person. In other words, while remaining an ordi-nary person, Nichiren revealed his identity as the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law.

President Ikeda emphasizes the following point: “When we dedicate our lives to kosen-rufu, overcoming painful suff ering and persever-ing in faith, we, too, can actualize the principle of ‘casting off the transient and revealing the true.’ As ordinary people, we can manifest the same life of the Buddha that the Daishonin possessed” (The World of Nichiren Daishonin’s Writings, vol. 2, p. 85).

After casting aside his transient status and revealing his true identity, he then inscribed the mandala called the Gohonzon—a graphic form of his enlightened life with Nam-myoho-renge-kyo written down the center. He established the Gohonzon as the object of devotion for all peo-ple, a means for revealing Buddhahood innate within their lives.

In essence, it was because of the persecutions he faced that Nichiren Daishonin could reveal his identity as the votary of the Lotus Sutra. With

conviction that he was fulfi lling the predictions of Shakyamuni Buddha, he advanced steadfastly in propagating his teaching for the peace and happiness of all humankind.

This material is adapted from Kyogaku no kiso (Essentials of Study), a book covering Buddhist concepts

published by the Soka Gakkai study department.

1. Matsubagayatsu Persection: An attempt on Nichiren’s life by believers of the Pure Land school at his dwelling at Matsubagayatsu in Kamakura, Japan, on the 27th day of the 8th month in 1260. On the night of the attack, a group of several hundred people besieged Nichiren’s dwelling, though he was fortunately not present. Afterward, he went to the home of his follower Toki Jonin in Shimosa Province, and from there spread his teachings for nearly half a year before returning to Kamakura the following spring.

2. Izu Exile: The banishment of Nichiren by the Kamakura sho-gunate to Ito in Izu Province, Japan, from the 12th day of the 5th month in 1261, to the 22nd day of the 2nd month in 1263.After the Matsubagayatsu Persecution, Nichiren returned to Kamakura in spring 1261 and resumed his propagation activities. The shogunate quickly arrested him and, without due investi-gation, ordered him exiled to Ito. Instead of taking him to Ito, the boatmen transporting him abandoned him at a beach called Kawana, where Funamori Yasaburo, a local fi sherman, found him. Yasaburo and his wife secretly fed and sheltered Nichiren for about 30 days, and in the process became his steadfast followers.In 1263, Nichiren was pardoned and returned to Kamakura.

3. Komatsubara Persecution: Tojo Kagenobu, the steward of the Tojo Village in Awa Province where Nichiren was born, and his men attempted to kill Nichiren on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1264.After returning from Izu, Nichiren visited his native village in Awa in 1264. While en route to the home of a believer named Kudo Yoshitaka, Nichiren and his party of about 10 people were ambushed by Kagenobu and his men at Komatsubara. Nichiren suff ered a sword cut to his forehead, and his left hand was broken. Among his followers, Kyonin-bo was killed, and Kudo Yoshitaka died of the wounds he suff ered.

4. Tatsunokuchi Persecution and subsequent exile to Sado Island: An unsuccessful attempt to execute Nichiren at Tatsunokuchi on the western outskirts of Kamakura in Japan in the 9th month of 1271.Nichiren was summoned for interrogation by the deputy chief of the Offi ce of Military and Police Aff airs, Hei no Saemon, on the 10th day of the 9th month in 1271. He took the opportunity to remonstrate with Hei no Saemon, predicting the outbreak of internal strife and foreign invasion if the rulers punished him un-lawfully. Two days later, Hei no Saemon and a group of warriors rushed to Nichiren’s dwelling at Matsubagayatsu and arrested him. Around midnight, he was taken to the execution grounds on the beach at Tatsunokuchi. Just before dawn, at the moment Nichiren was about to be beheaded, a bright object shot across the sky, illuminating the surroundings. Terrifi ed, the soldiers called off the execution.Nichiren was then placed in custody at the Echi residence of Homma Shigetsura, deputy constable of the island province of Sado, for about one month. On the 10th day of the 10th month, 1271, he was sent into exile on Sado. He returned to Kamakura from exile on the 26th day of the 3rd month in 1274.

5. Three powerful enemies: Three types of arrogant people hostile to practitioners of the Lotus Sutra—arrogant lay persons, arrogant priests and arrogant false sages. Described by Miao-lo (711–82) based on passages from “Encouraging Devotion,” the 13th chapter of the Lotus Sutra.

6. Buddha of limitless joy: The Buddha who has opened the bound-less power of the world of Buddhahood by realizing that life itself is eternal and that one is originally and eternally endowed with the life-state of Buddhahood.

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Soka Spirit

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Faith is the struggle to bring the sun of hope to rise in our hearts, in our homes and in our communities.

Nichiren Daishonin was calm and composed even as violent storms of persecution descended upon him. For example, describing his frame of mind, he writes: “How delightful! How gratify-ing,”1 and “I feel immeasurable delight.”2 His sole concern was securing the happiness of the people, and toward that end, he spared no eff ort. What an immense state of life!

Why was a person of such greatness perse-cuted? Why was the most just person publicly denounced as if he were an unsurpassed villain? It may be the way of the world for people of integrity to be ostracized and denigrated. But if this continues, won’t the world be forever shrouded in darkness? Indeed, in the course of history, how many around the world have lamented this state of aff airs?

At the start of 1274, in a letter he sent from his exile on Sado Island, Nichiren instructed that all his disciples and followers read the letter together.3 At the time of writing it, he had spent more than two full years in exile. His followers, striving valiantly in faith in his absence, must have been increasingly anxious about his welfare.

They must have thought: “Our teacher has been exiled for more than two years. How long must he suff er in such a desolate place, lacking in every basic necessity? How long will the authorities keep persecuting our upstanding teacher, who, far from having committed any crime, is merely trying to spread the correct teaching in order to save Japan? Mongol emissaries have repeatedly come to our shores, and conditions suggest that an attack by the Mongols is now imminent. Haven’t things turned out exactly as our teacher warned?


On the Persecutions Befalling Nichiren Daishonin

The Essentials

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Hasn’t his prediction of internal strife within the Hojo clan hit the mark with the Hojo Tokisuke Disturbance?4 Where could you hope to fi nd a more correct teacher of Buddhism? Yet, look at how badly he is being treated!”

In such circumstances, one would assume people’s attention would have been riveted on Nichiren. In one writing, he observes, “Even a tree or stone, or a bird or beast would be moved and alarmed in such circumstances” (“Making Clear the Meaning of Establishing the Correct Teaching,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 2, p. 506). Because his predictions had come true, all of Japan ought to have honored him with the title of Great Teacher.5 But the reality was just the opposite.

Authorities cracked down harshly on Nichi-ren’s followers, resulting in many people aban-doning their faith—so many, in fact, that Nichiren writes that 999 out of 1,000 did so.6 Amid the persecution, some were murdered, and some were banished or had their lands confi scated.

Sadly, when Nichiren was being persecuted, it appears some followers just accepted it with resignation, saying, “It can’t be helped.” Some even criticized Nichiren, saying that he had trig-gered the persecution through his harsh attacks on other schools and should instead spread his teachings in a gentler way. How foolish and shortsighted they were!

Wasn’t he being persecuted precisely because he dared to boldly confront evil and error that caused people profound suff ering? Wasn’t he fi ghting single-handedly, bearing the brunt of all attacks, for the sake of his fellow citizens? Shouldn’t his followers who remained untouched by persecution have been ashamed not to bear some of the hardships befalling him? Nichiren writes, “If they were people who understood their obligations or were capable of reason, then out of two blows that fall on me, they would receive one in my stead” (“Reply to Yasaburo,” WND-1, 828). Those who abandoned faith and turned on Nichiren were disciples who failed to comprehend their teacher’s spirit.

The Sado Exile: The Work of Ryokan

Nevertheless, the remaining followers united and tenaciously persevered in

faith. And at the start of 1274, Nichiren Dai-shonin sent them the letter from Sado Island that I mentioned earlier. This letter is today titled “The Votary of the Lotus Sutra Will Meet Persecution” (WND-1, 447).

Citing passages from the sutras as well as various treatises and commentaries, Nichiren tells his followers they should recognize that the slander and persecution he is encountering per-fectly accords with Shakyamuni’s predictions. If one reads the Buddha’s words without prejudice, it becomes clear that Nichiren is a votary of the Lotus Sutra, who ranks alongside Shakyamuni.

In this letter, Nichiren describes how Hojo Nobutoki, a member of the Council of State [who was also the governor of Musashi and the constable of Sado], had issued orders against him without going through proper channels. Alleging that the Daishonin was “leading his disciples and others in plotting some evil action,” one such order strictly warned that “those who follow that priest are to be severely punished” (“The Votary of the Lotus Sutra Will Meet Persecution,” WND-1, 448).

Nobutoki in fact issued such false orders on three occasions. Who was actually behind this? None other than Ryokan,7 the chief priest of Gokuraku-ji, a temple in Kamakura, who advo-cated this course of action. Ryokan wanted to continue harassing the Daishonin even in his place of exile.8

Indeed, the Sado Exile itself was the result of Ryokan’s scheming. Nichiren writes:

In an attempt to have this sage [Nichiren] executed, the Honorable Ryokan submit-ted a letter of petition to the authorities proposing that he be beheaded; but for some reason the execution was not carried out, and he was instead exiled far away to Sado Island. Was this not the doing of the Honorable Ryokan?” (“The Letter of Peti-tion from Yorimoto,” WND-1, 807)

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Arrogant Priests Who Assume the Position of Sages

Ryokan was revered by people high and low as if he were a living Buddha or the reincar-

nation of Shakyamuni. Why did he then engage in such base actions? Because he feared Nichiren Daishonin. Because Nichiren alone discerned Ryokan’s true nature. Indeed, he came right out and called Ryokan “a counterfeit sage, a person of overbearing arrogance” (“Letter to Ryokan of Gokuraku-ji,” WND-2, 324).

Arrogant false sages constitute the third and most pernicious of the three powerful enemies9 described in the Lotus Sutra. They are people who pretend to be sages, imposters who call themselves something they are not and have no qualifi cation to be. Just as, for example, someone without a legitimate title declaring himself to be king is called a pretender or false monarch, or someone who illegally seizes state power is called a usurper or false ruler. Similarly, a false sage is someone who assumes the title and posi-tion of a sage even though unqualifi ed to do so. A false sage is a thief who dons the mask of a sage.

The Lotus Sutra describes arrogant false sages, saying that, with evil in their hearts and obsessed with worldly aff airs, they will borrow the name of forest-dwelling monks and constantly make slanderous allegations about the correct practitioners to the secular rulers (see The Lotus Sutra and Its Opening and Closing Sutras, pp. 232–33). They create an aura of mystique about themselves by restricting their contact with others, but this is only because, were they to interact closely, in no time everyone would discern their true nature.

The Daishonin says that Ryokan, whom everyone thought upheld the precepts, could in fact be described as wanton, greedy and stingy, jealous, holding erroneous views, and lewd and disorderly.10

Devadatta, the enemy of Shakyamuni, tried to elevate himself in people’s eyes by appearing to adhere to even stricter precepts than the Bud-dha did. Ryokan, likewise, tried to garner peo-ple’s respect by acting like a devout observer of

the precepts who would not harm a single blade of grass. In addition, he promoted charitable enterprises and public works, such as repairing roads and building bridges. In collusion with the government, however, he collected a rice tax at checkpoints near major ports and levied tolls on travelers at barrier stations, thus causing people much hardship.

What does someone who deceives society by putting up a false front fear most? Someone who will strip them of this mask. For Ryokan, this person was Nichiren.

Denouncing Ryokan’s true nature, Nichiren lamented how he had deceived and preyed upon people high and low, and how as a result they would be plunged into suff ering in their present and future lives.11 It was a strict and thorough refutation. His case against Ryokan, backed by sutra passages, reason and actual fact, was lucid and powerfully persuasive.

Terrifi ed of being exposed, Ryokan hatched various schemes to silence Nichiren,12 to muzzle him.

But Nichiren declared to his followers, “To hope to attain Buddhahood without speaking out against slander is as futile as trying to fi nd water in the midst of fi re or fi re in the midst of water” (“The Essentials for Attaining Buddhahood,” WND-1, 747). Thus the more he was persecuted, the more resolutely he spoke out against Ryokan.

Ryokan and his colleagues trembled in fear.

A Threat to the Infl uence and Prestige of False Sages

In addition, a situation arose that fi lled Ryokan and his cohorts with trepidation, for it brought

with it the very real possibility that many people might suddenly recognize Nichiren Daishonin’s correctness. I am referring to the fulfi llment of Nichiren’s predictions in “On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land.”13

At the start of 1268, a little more than seven years after Nichiren had submitted this treatise to the government, a letter arrived from the Mongol Empire threatening an invasion of Japan. The entire country was thrown into turmoil. People’s

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perceptions of the Daishonin also changed. Their attitudes had softened,14 and they recognized the correctness of his assertions.

His followers were emboldened by this turn of events and redoubled their eff orts at propaga-tion. As a result, in a letter dated 1270, Nichiren writes: “Ten or more years ago, virtually every-one was reciting the Nembutsu. But now, out of ten persons, you will fi nd that one or two chant only Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, while two or three recite it along with the Nembutsu” (“The Tripitaka Master Shan-wu-wei,” WND-1, 178). He describes a remarkable growth in the num-ber of people chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Nichiren’s teaching was gaining momentum; it was a perfect time to propagate the Mystic Law still more widely.

But this great opportunity was also a time of great crisis. Nichiren’s enemies had united. Priests of various schools, who had scoff ed at and dismissed “On Establishing the Correct Teaching” and were delighted it had not elicited any response from the government,15 were now alarmed to see its predictions coming to pass. If

the nation’s rulers were to employ Nichiren in overcoming this national calamity, they reasoned: “He will become the foremost priest in this coun-try. We, on the other hand, will lose our infl uence and prestige” (“Letter to the Lay Priest Nakaoki,” WND-1, 1008). So they became fl ustered, jealous and resentful, and they plotted against the Dai-shonin. They were not the least concerned with the future of the country, the happiness of the people or the validity of diff erent teachings. The only thing that mattered was preserving the illusion of their own infl uence and prestige.

Japan was truly a land where, as Nichiren says, people’s thoughts are fi lled with jealousy.16 Jealousy is the world of anger, or the world of asuras—belligerent spirits or demons in Indian mythology that epitomize arrogance.

Asuras are said to be gargantuan, described as eighty-four thousand yojanas17 in height, but this is an allegorical expression of their over-infl ated sense of self-importance. It is an analogy to a false self swollen with arrogance. A person in this state lacks the quiet self-confi dence that derives from genuine ability.

Seikyo Press SGI President Ikeda encourages an SGI leader at the 39th Headquarters Leaders Meeting, Hachioji, Tokyo, April 17, 2010.

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While arrogant false sages might try to pass themselves off as true sages, they know better than anyone that they are really frauds. They know they are living behind a façade. Therefore, they constantly fear discovery.

Ryokan, too, was plagued with anxiety. Even after Nichiren had been banished to Sado Island, Ryokan could not feel at ease. Hardly anyone ever returned alive from exile to Sado, prompting Nichiren to write, “Even if…rain falling from the sky should fail to reach the ground, I, Nichiren, still could not possibly have returned to Kama-kura” (“Letter to Konichi-bo,” WND-1, 660). Nevertheless, Ryokan, unable to put his worries to rest, saw fi t to further persecute Nichiren in his place of exile.

Asuras are always anxious. When attacked by someone of greater standing than themselves, they collapse like a punctured balloon to their true puny form. This is as Nichiren indicates when he writes, “An arrogant person will always be overcome with fear when meeting a strong enemy, as was the haughty asura who shrank in size and hid himself in a lotus blossom in Heat-Free Lake when reproached by Shakra” (“Letter from Sado,” WND-1, 302). This shrinking and hiding is the true image of an asura.

Persecution Based on False Rumors

Ryokan, likewise, showed his true stature when confronted by Nichiren Daishonin.

In summer 1271, Ryokan was shamed before the entire country when defeated by Nichiren in a contest to pray for rain.18 How did Ryokan respond? He reneged on his promise to become Nichiren’s disciple if he failed to elicit rain, and he channeled even more energy into conspiring covertly against Nichiren.

Hiding in the shadows is a characteristic of arrogant false sages; they are ruled by cowardice.

With the Nembutsu priest Gyobin19 acting as his agent, Ryokan denounced Nichiren to the government. Nichiren immediately composed a thoroughgoing refutation of Gyobin’s petition.20 Gyobin could not put forth a counterargument.

Had he responded, there would have been a motion for the two to be brought together in direct debate. Ryokan’s side wanted to avoid such a confrontation at all costs. They knew only too well they could not win. Given this situ-ation, they had eff ectively lost their case against Nichiren.

What did Ryokan and his cohorts do next? They further intensifi ed their behind-the-scenes scheming, spreading lies about Nichiren and his followers.

When they realized they could not rival Nichiren in wisdom, they fi rst petitioned the gov-ernment. After this action failed, they maligned him to the wives and widows of high-ranking offi cials.21 Ryokan and his group also directly appealed to key government fi gures and pressed them to punish Nichiren.

The Lotus Sutra describes the conduct of arrogant false sages saying:

They constantly try to defame us,they will address the rulers,

high ministers,Brahmans, and householders,as well as the other monks,slandering and speaking evil of us

(LSOC, 233).

And this is exactly what Ryokan and his cro-nies did. Without seeking to confront Nichiren in person, they hurriedly petitioned govern-ment offi ces to bring charges against him;22 in other words, they went crying to the authori-ties. Moreover, and most cravenly, they did so under the guise of “appealing for justice.” Since this lobbying took place in clandestine meetings, Nichiren and his followers who were the target of the slanderous rumors had no opportunity for rebuttal. This eventually led to the Tatsunokuchi Persecution.23

The central fi gure among the women of the Hojo clan, with whom Ryokan and his cohorts had ingratiated themselves, was the mother of the eighth regent, Hojo Tokimune. She was also the daughter of Hojo Shigetoki, the for-mer cosigner to the fi fth Hojo regent, Tokiyori. Shigetoki, acting through his son, the sixth regent, Hojo Nagatoki, had been the person

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directly responsible for exiling Nichiren to Izu. Ryokan had close ties with both Shigetoki and Nagatoki. In fact, his temple, Gokuraku-ji, had been donated by Shigetoki. Tokimune’s mother was also Tokiyori’s widow.

It seems Ryokan and others alleged to her that Nichiren had said the late Tokiyori and Shigetoki had both fallen into the hell of incessant suff ering.24 This no doubt fi lled her with deep indignation. Presumably, she went straight to her son, the regent Tokimune, and demanded Nichiren be put to death.

Ryokan and his colleagues made similar slan-derous allegations to the wives of other infl u-ential government offi cials. As a result, these women insisted that investigation was unneces-sary and that Nichiren should have his head cut off at once.25

It is a wonder, however, that they didn’t appear at all hesitant about executing a priest.

Unscrupulous Attempts To Discredit a Person of Justice and Integrity

T he fact that Nichiren Daishonin was viewed as a “priest who broke the precepts”

may have greatly contributed to the animosity against him.

Ryokan and his fellow conspirators may have told the women that the grave off ense of kill-ing a priest would not apply in Nichiren’s case because, they alleged, he had transgressed the priestly code by having forbidden relations with women. Women tend to react strongly when it comes to men’s illicit sexual aff airs, and Ryokan and his colleagues must have tried to take advan-tage of these feelings in their appeals to high-ranking women.

Nichiren says of himself: “Though I have nei-ther wife nor child, I am known throughout the country as a monk who transgresses the code of conduct, and though I have never killed even a single ant or mole cricket, my bad reputation has spread throughout the realm” (“The Four Debts of Gratitude,” WND-1, 42). These words are from

a letter written during his exile to Izu,26 a fairly early period of Nichiren’s eff orts to spread his teachings.

The Izu Exile was also a punishment meted out based on groundless charges; the spurious rumors of his being an immoral priest were likely an excuse for this exile. The priests of other schools who saw the Daishonin as an enemy may have spread such rumors out of malice.

Nichiren had many female followers, and these no doubt included some who practiced faith despite opposition of family members. These women must have struggled on with his encouragement as their sole spiritual support, and they must have greatly admired the Dai-shonin’s immense compassion. Others seeing this likely felt jealous and resentful. Spreading rumors of sexual misconduct or other moral scandals is a standard tactic employed by the unscrupulous to discredit those of justice and integrity. It is simple enough for the side doing the criticism because it only involves spreading a negative image. For those being criticized, however, it is much more diffi cult to prove there is nothing to the charges. That’s why it is the choice method for ruining a person’s good name.

Once a rumor has been started, it arouses people’s curiosity and takes on a life of its own. Because credibility has been so severely damaged by a rumor, people will not listen to what the maligned person has to say, no matter how right it may be. When adverse rumors are circulated about Buddhist practitioners, the unfavorable impression etched in people’s minds can become a psychological barrier to their accepting the correct teaching. The off ense of spreading mali-cious rumors is grave indeed.

This was part of a scheme to invent false-hoods solely to do away with Nichiren.27

Fabricated Scandals About Shakyamuni

In the letter I cited earlier—“The Votary of the Lotus Sutra Will Meet Persecution,” writ-

ten in 1274 while on Sado—Nichiren Daishonin says of the persecutions he faced, “I, Nichiren,

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have personally suff ered each of the nine great ordeals [that Shakyamuni underwent]” (WND-1, 448).

Of Shakyamuni’s nine great ordeals, two had to do with alleged sexual misconduct with women. The “slander of Sundari” refers to an instance in which a group of Brahmans, jealous of the Buddha’s high moral standing, had a courtesan named Sundari frequent the place where Shakyamuni was staying, and then had her spread rumors she was having an aff air with him. These Brahmans then killed Sundari to prevent her from revealing the truth and buried her body under a tree at Jetavana Monastery, making it appear that this had been the doing of the Buddha’s followers. Also, in what is known as the “slander of Chincha,” a Brahman woman named Chincha, strapping a tub to her belly under her robe, claimed that Shakyamuni had impregnated her.

In due course, Shakyamuni’s name was cleared in both incidents. But untold numbers in human history have had their reputations destroyed and been consigned to oblivion as a result of similar schemes and malicious rumors.

Manufacturing Negative Images To Malign and Discredit

False accusations are the prime catalyst behind persecution. Conspirators, build-

ing a case on lies, align themselves with those in power. The latter are deceived—or perhaps merely pretend to be deceived—and then use these lies to justify ousting someone they regard as a troublemaker.

Nowadays, attempting to discredit and oust someone from a position of infl uence in society usually involves collusion with elements of the mass media, sometimes referred to collectively as the fourth estate.28

Those intent on spreading slanderous rumors seek to paint the targeted individual or group in a negative light. Disregarding facts, the only thing that matters is that people receive an unfavorable impression.

The success of such defamatory rumors is described by Nichiren Daishonin when he tells how ready the government offi cials were to believe allegations that his followers were responsible for various crimes.

Before Nichiren’s exile to Sado, his enemies took advantage of the confusion to commit various crimes in Kamakura. There were seven or eight instances of arson and a succession of murders. He explains: “Slanderers went around saying that Nichiren’s disciples were setting the fi res. The government offi cials thought this might be true and made up a list of over 260 of my followers who they believed should be expelled from Kamakura” (“The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra,” WND-1, 769).

In fact, the fi res had been set by followers of Ryokan and by Nembutsu adherents. To vilify Nichiren, however, they spread rumors that his disciples were behind such acts of arson and murder.29 Further, they claimed the followers had burned wooden images of Amida Buddha and Bodhisattva Perceiver of the World’s Sounds, and that they were gathering together rioters,30 creating the impression that they were a dangerous and violent group.

If someone had tried to confi rm the facts, the truth would have been readily apparent. The allegations, if calmly considered, would obvi-ously not add up. But because it concerned “other people,” no one bothered to investigate in any detail. People would half listen to what was being said, and then more or less accept it, thinking, Yes, I suppose that could be true. This is what is so frightening about the calculated manufacturing of negative images to malign and discredit a person or group.

Also, people who already harbored resent-ment or ill will toward Nichiren and his followers may have quickly latched onto the negative rumors that conveniently corroborated what ever they would like to believe. Moreover, the fact that Ryokan and other infl uential priests were all saying the same thing must have lent additional credence to the allegations. Or people may have simply concluded that since the authorities had previously punished the Dai-shonin, he must indeed be a criminal.

Sadly, when authorities and other powerful

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forces in society unite to persecute a person or group, few among the general populace will dare raise their voices in protest, even if many privately feel something is amiss. But the deliberate spread of unfavorable images is not only a problem for those being targeted. If nothing is done to prevent such unreasonable persecution against innocent people, it will lead to the corruption and decay of public morality, fi nally destroying the very fabric of society.

Scandal Means “Trap”

The English word scandal comes from the Greek skandalon, which means “trap.”

Ancient Athens around the time of Socrates was also a society of envy. When an outstanding person emerged, people could not help but try to pull him or her down. As a result, Athens declined.

There was a man who voted in favor of the banishment of Aristides, an eminent Athenian political leader. The leader, disguising his iden-tity, asked the man if this Aristides had ever done him any wrong. The man’s response exemplifi es the pathology of a society of envy: “None at all. Neither know I the man; but I am tired of hear-ing him everywhere called the Just.”31 A just per-son is not safe in an envious society.

In Athens, there were even people whose occupation was to spread defamatory rumors toward ousting individuals from positions of

power. These people were known as dema-gogues. Verbal violence, one could say, was their trade.

Socrates was falsely painted as a villain and sentenced to death. The key point, however, is that he received this sentence not because of his manufactured image. The false allegations were only a pretext. Socrates was punished because he was actually the foremost philoso-pher in Greece, and because many could not bear to see the continued existence of such a noble, upright person.

In the same way, though Nichiren was per-secuted based on a fabricated image of villainy and immorality, that, too, was only a pretext. In fact, he was targeted for attack because he was the wisest person in all Japan. As he indicates, “Stones are split open for their hidden gems, deer are slain for their hides and meat…and a beautiful woman is envied for her beauty” (“The Swords of Good and Evil,” WND-1, 451), it was none other than envy of true excellence.

Envy is a futile emotion. If we allow ourselves to admire greatness, our own lives are elevated and enriched; but envious people are incapable of this. In the words of the ancient Greek philosopher Antisthenes, “As iron is eaten away by rust, so are the envious consumed by their own passion.”32 Envious people are themselves corrupted. People motivated by envy try to bring others down to the same low level they themselves occupy.

The Lotus Sutra predicts that arrogant false

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priests will criticize the Lotus Sutra’s practitio-ners by making such claims as follows:

These monks are greedyfor profi t and supportand therefore they preach non-Buddhist

doctrinesand fabricate their own scripturesto delude the people of the world.Because they hope to gain fame and

renown therebythey make distinctions when preaching

this sutra. (LSOC, 233)

Their vilifi cations—alleging, for example, that the sutra’s practitioners are “greedy for profi t and support” or “hope to gain fame and renown”—merely refl ect their own base desires.

A Struggle Against the Authorities Who Disdain the People

Why, then, was the Kamakura government receptive to slanderous allegations against

Nichiren Daishonin? Why did it fi nd it necessary to crack down on him? The following may shed some light.

On September 13, 1271, the government ordered that retainers with fi efs in Kyushu [the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands] should prepare for a Mongol invasion by either departing for Kyushu themselves or sending deputies to oversee the preparations. That was the day after Nichiren’s arrest. The attempted execution at Tatsunokuchi, since it occurred in the predawn hours of September 13, took place on the very day the government issued this order.

Without going into detailed discussion, suf-fi ce it to say that beginning around August 1271, the government formulated a strategy for deal-ing with the Mongol threat. It is conceivable that the suppression of Nichiren was part of this larger plan.

What precisely did this strategy entail?Around this time, the Kamakura government

was shifting from the council system that had been in place since the start of the Kamakura regime to a dictatorship centering around the main line of the Hojo clan. It was in this con-text that the threat of a foreign enemy appeared, prompting the country to go on high alert and ready its forces for war. As a result, the military dictatorship grew stronger still.

The entire country was expected to act in perfect accord with the central authorities’ orders. Consequently, as the government’s hold on power grew, the presence of Nichiren Dai-shonin, who openly criticized its religious poli-cies, became a thorn in its side. Moreover, as I stated earlier, there had been a rapid growth in support for Nichiren.

Thus, we have a rising tide of kosen-rufu as well as an increasingly autocratic and authoritar-ian government. These opposing trends clashed head-on in the Tatsunokuchi Persecution.

At the root of this clash was Nichiren’s asser-tion of the primacy of the people. In contrast to other religious fi gures, the Daishonin publicly declared that the government exists to serve the people.

Maintaining that the authorities should rule for the benefi t of the people, he proclaimed he would unstintingly support a government that did so, but he would not condone one that was not dedicated to the people’s happiness. This philosophy lies at the heart of his treatise “On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land.” Nichiren’s independent stance was dramatically diff erent from that of other schools’ priests, who served the authorities by doing exactly as they were told and who sought to live under the government’s protection and patronage.

For the Daishonin, the highest authority in Japan was merely “the ruler of this little island country” (“The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra,” WND-1, 765). This world, he writes, is the “domain of Shakyamuni Buddha” (“Letter to the Lay Priest Ichinosawa,” WND-1, 528), a realm where Brahma and Shakra protect the votary of the Lotus Sutra at the behest of Shakyamuni. Here, the four heavenly kings are the retainers of Brahma and Shakra, and the wheel-turning kings of the four continents are their retainers.

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Nichiren’s view was that the ruler of Japan was not even a retainer of these wheel-turning kings; he dismissed him as “simply the chief of this island country” (“On the Proper Way to Preach the Doctrine,” WND-2, 342–43).

Nichiren asserted that in light of Buddhism, ordinary people who uphold the correct teaching occupy a position far above the authorities, who, for their part, were only interested in exploiting religion for self-serving ends. They regarded reli-gion as being far beneath them.

It is signifi cant that Nichiren was the “son of a commoner” (“Letter to the Lay Priest Nakaoki,” WND-1, 1006), who proudly declared himself to have been “born poor and lowly to a chandala family” (“Letter from Sado,” WND-1, 303). He was the polar opposite of those arrogant false sages obsessed with prestige and authority.

It is entirely plausible that the government looked down on the Daishonin even more because of his humble origins; they disdained and discriminated against the common people. At the time, many high-ranking priests were from the nobility or the higher echelons of society.

The Soka Gakkai was once ridiculed as a “gathering of the poor and sick” lacking any power to infl uence society. Now that our organi-zation has prospered and grown, we are starting to be called a “threat.” While these labels express opposite extremes, they share a common disdain for the people. This is likely resistance toward, and envy of, ordinary people becoming indepen-dent, raising their voices and playing a decisive role in society.

Therefore, the Soka Gakkai’s victory signifi es not merely the victory of the Soka Gakkai. It is a resounding victory over the tendency to dispar-age the people that Japan has harbored over its long history.

A Story of Triumph That Will Endure for All Time

Being victorious is the very essence of Buddhism. Nichiren Daishonin, practicing

exactly as the Lotus Sutra teaches, boldly challenged evil and struggled in such a way as

to call forth great persecution. In so doing, he not only enabled those who did not follow the correct teaching to become enlightened by way of a poison-drum relationship,33 but he left us an enduring example of how one can triumph over even the greatest hardship.

The Soka Gakkai’s advance, too, has been occasioned by one great wave of persecution after another. But it is in fi ghting on valiantly amid obstacles that the essence of life is found and the true brilliance of human character shines. Through his example, Nichiren taught that Buddhism exists as a vital, living teaching nowhere but in the midst of this fi erce struggle.

Therefore, as a disciple of Nichiren Daisho-nin, I prayed fervently with the pledge: “I will stand in the very forefront and safeguard kosen-rufu. I will protect the Soka Gakkai and President Toda. Please let me alone bear the brunt of any persecutions.” I had a wife and children. But I wanted to set an example for later generations—to show them that there was a youth among President Toda’s disciples who possessed this readiness to encounter persecution. When we base ourselves on this determination, what do we possibly have to fear? What battle can we possibly fail to win?

One month after Nichiren wrote “The Votary of the Lotus Sutra Will Meet Persecution,” he won a pardon from the government and was allowed to return to Kamakura from his exile on Sado.

From that point on, we see his disciples taking an increasingly proactive role in the struggle. This eventually led to Ryokan and his cohorts making slanderous allegations against Nichiren’s followers such as Shijo Kingo and the Ikegami brothers,34 causing them to be persecuted. But the disciples were victorious. They united in spirit with their teacher and won. Rejoicing at the Ikegami brothers’ victory, the Daishonin exclaimed to them in praise, “Could there ever be a more wonderful story than your own?” (“Letter to the Brothers,” WND-1, 499).

The history that we of the SGI are now composing is also surely being extolled by Nichiren and will be talked about by people into the eternal future of the Latter Day of the Law. People will no doubt look back on this time with

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admiration and longing, saying: “Just look at the victory they achieved at the start of the 21st century. Because of that history, the future path of worldwide kosen-rufu was solidifi ed. If only we could have taken part in that!”

Let us cause the brilliant sun of total victory of the 21st century to rise!

This special essay was published in the January 2004 issue of the Daibyakurenge, the Soka Gakkai’s study journal.

1. “The Joy of Fulfi lling the Sutra Teachings,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 2, p. 463.

2. “The True Aspect of All Phenomena,” WND-1, 386. 3. This refers to the letter titled “The Votary of the Lotus Sutra Will

Meet Persecution,” WND-1, 449. 4. Hojo Tokisuke Disturbance: Civil strife that broke out in Kyoto

and Kamakura in the second month of 1272. Hojo Tokisuke, an elder half brother of the regent Hojo Tokimune, was suspected of plotting to seize power. Tokimune reacted by ordering to have Tokisuke killed.

5. See “The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra,” WND-1, 763. 6. See “Reply to Niiama,” WND-1, 469. 7. Ryokan (1217−1303): Also known as Ninsho. A prominent priest

of the True Word Precepts school during the Kamakura period (1185−1333). In 1267, with the patronage of the Hojo clan, he became chief priest of Gokuraku-ji. Hostile to Nichiren, he used his connections with powerful fi gures to harass Nichiren and his followers, and was behind numerous persecutions that befell them.

8. See “The Sutra of True Requital,” WND-1, 932. 9. Three powerful enemies: Three types of people hostile to those

who spread the Lotus Sutra—arrogant lay persons, arrogant priests and arrogant false sages.

10. See “Letter to Shimoyama,” WND-2, 693–94. 11. See “Letter to Shimoyama,” WND-2, 691. 12. See “Letter to Shimoyama,” WND-2, 691. 13. “On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the

Land”: A treatise Nichiren submitted to Hojo Tokiyori, the most powerful person in the land, on the sixteenth day of the seventh month in 1260. In it, he explains that the cause for the country’s present calamities and disasters lies in people’s adherence to erroneous teachings, including the Nembutsu teaching of Honen. He predicts and warns that if people continue to subscribe to these teachings, the disasters of internal strife and foreign invasion are bound to occur.

14. See “The Annual Lecture on the Doctrines of the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai,” WND-2, 335.

15. See “Letter to the Lay Priest Nakaoki,” WND-1, 1008. 16. See “Those Initially Aspiring to the Way,” WND-1, 873. 17. yojana: An ancient Indian unit of measurement. One yojana is

considered equivalent to 4.35 miles. 18. In 1271, the country was troubled by persistent drought. The

government, fearful of famine, ordered Ryokan to pray for rain. When Nichiren learned of this, he sent a written challenge to Ryokan off ering to become his disciple if the latter succeeded in causing rain to fall. If he failed, however, Ryokan was to become the Daishonin’s follower. Ryokan accepted the challenge, but in

spite of his prayers and those of hundreds of assistant priests, no rain fell. Instead, Kamakura was struck by fi erce gales.

19. Gyobin (n.d.): A Nembutsu priest in Nichiren’s day. 20. In “Response to the Petition from Gyobin,” Nichiren writes: “The

petition also accuses us of having burned or cast into the water images of Amida Buddha, Bodhisattva Perceiver of the World’s Sounds, and the like that had been revered for many years as objects of devotion. You must provide credible witnesses with regard to this matter. But if there is no proof, then perhaps the Honorable Ryokan and his associates, wishing to place the blame on me, themselves removed the objects of devotion and burned or cast them into the water? The details of this matter will no doubt come to light when it is looked into” (WND-2, 387).

21. See “Condolences on a Deceased Husband,” WND-2, 765. 22. See “Condolences on a Deceased Husband,” WND-2, 777. 23. Tatsunokuchi Persecution: An unlawful attempt to execute

Nichiren at Tatsunokuchi in Kamakura on the twelfth day of the ninth month in 1271, orchestrated by Hei no Saemon, the deputy chief of the Offi ce of Military and Police Aff airs. When the secret execution was about to take place, a bright object suddenly appeared in the night sky. Terrifi ed, the soldiers brought a halt to the proceedings. In the course of these developments, Nichiren declared that he was now revealing his true identity as the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law.

24. See “On Repaying Debts of Gratitude,” WND-1, 728. In this and other writings, Hojo Tokiyori is referred to as the lay priest of Saimyo-ji and Hojo Shigetoki as the lay priest of Gokuraku-ji.

25. See “On Repaying Debts of Gratitude,” WND-1, 728. 26. Izu Exile: A persecution in which Nichiren Daishonin was exiled

to Ito in Izu Province, from the fi fth month of 1261 through the second month of 1263. In the eighth month of 1260, a group of Nembutsu believers, infuriated at Nichiren’s criticism of the Pure Land school in “On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land,” attacked his dwelling at Matsubagayatsu in Kamakura in an attempt to assassinate him. Nichiren narrowly escaped. When he reappeared in Kamakura in spring 1261 and resumed his propagation activities, the government arrested him and, without due investigation, ordered him exiled to Ito.

27. See “The Battle of Koan,” WND-2, 967. 28. Fourth estate: The mass media. In medieval society, three “es-

tates” were formally recognized: the clergy, the nobility and the commoners. Each estate had a distinct social role and level of power. Thomas Carlyle, a 19th-century author, popularized the term fourth estate, coined by Edmund Burke in discussing the French Revolution and the power the press had in infl uencing parliamentary procedures and decisions.

29. See “Refuting Ryokan and the Others,” WND-2, 1046–47. 30. See “Response to the Petition from Gyobin,” WND-2, 387. 31. Plutarch, The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans, edited by

Arthur Hugh Clough (New York: Modern Library, 1992), vol. 1, p. 440.

32. The Macmillian Book of Proverbs, Maxims, and Famous Phrases, edited by Burton Stevenson (New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1948), p. 701.

33. Poison-drum relationship: A reverse relationship, one formed through rejection. As used here, it is a bond formed with the Lotus Sutra by opposing or slandering it. One who opposes the Lotus Sutra when it is preached will still form a relationship with it by virtue of opposition and will thereby attain Buddhahood eventually.

34. In 1277, Shijo Kingo’s lord, Ema Mitsutoki, prompted by slander-ous allegations, demanded that Kingo either abandon his faith in the Lotus Sutra or be expelled from service to the Ema clan. In 1275, the elder of the Ikegami brothers, Munenaka, was dis-owned by his father because of his faith in the Lotus Sutra. The machinations of Ryokan were behind both of these persecutions of Nichiren’s followers.

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In his essay “On the Persecutions Befalling Nichiren Daishonin” (see pp. 55–65), SGI President Ikeda describes the dark tenden-

cies that seize the minds of those in secular or religious power and drive them to oppress those promoting the highest virtue. He also describes the behavior and actions of a genuine practitio-ner of Nichiren Buddhism who expresses great delight at the opportunity to face and win over persecution in the process of spreading the core teaching of the Lotus Sutra.

Nichiren Daishonin writes: “If you propagate it, devils will arise without fail. If they did not, there would be no way of knowing that this is the correct teaching” (“Letter to the Brothers,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 501).

First Soka Gakkai president Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and his disciple Josei Toda formed the Soka Kyoiku Gakkai (Value-Creating Educa-tion Society) as a dialogue-based movement to empower ordinary people and revitalize soci-ety. Japan’s national authorities at the time had

ramped up an agenda of war. They planned to suppress Buddhism by placing it under the um-brella of ultra-nationalistic Shintoism. Makigu-chi and Toda were imprisoned for resisting this oppressive policy.

Even the priests of Nichiren Shoshu, fear-ing and trying to ingratiate themselves with the authorities paid homage to the Shinto deity and enacted sanctions against Makiguchi and Toda.

Makiguchi died in prison, and Toda emerged from confi nement committed to rebuilding the Soka Gakkai and securing the worldwide spread of Nichiren Buddhism. Toda never held a grudge against the priests who betrayed him and his mentor, but sought to revive the priesthood based on Nichiren’s spirit to spread the Mystic Law. He restored the head temple, and built and donated many local temples to the school.

Toda, on his deathbed, encouraged his clos-est disciple, Daisaku Ikeda, to remain vigilant against the arrogant and self-serving nature that remained within the priesthood, which had

The Essentials

Protecting the Correct Teaching of Nichiren BuddhismFollowing Nichiren Daishonin’s example, the Soka Gakkai has ceaselessly challenged persecution and the distortion of Nichiren Buddhism.

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become ingrained over the centuries. He said, “Fight adamantly against any corruption that takes root within the priesthood . . . You must never retreat a single step. Never slacken in your resolve against such evil!” (The New Human Revolution, vol. 8, p. 165).

Daisaku Ikeda, too, became the target of oppression. In 1957, authorities in Osaka, seeing the Soka Gakkai as a threat to their entrenched power, lodged false charges of election law violations against Ikeda, whom they saw as responsible for the local organization’s unprecedented growth. He was eventually exonerated of all charges.

As the Soka Gakkai continued to grow, certain elements of the media invented scandalous reports about the organization and Daisaku Ikeda, who had become its third president, to damage its reputation. The Japanese parliament, based on pure speculation, censured the organization on several occasions and demanded that President Ikeda appear before it for questioning.

In the late 1970s, priests within Nichiren Shoshu and certain corrupt former Soka Gakkai offi cials, namely lawyer Masatomo Yamazaki, sought to gain control of the organization by undermining President Ikeda’s respect among the members. To protect the members from these oppressive aims, in April 1979, President Ikeda resigned his position, but nevertheless continued to encourage and foster capable people around the world as president of the SGI.

In late 1990, the priesthood again unjustly took aim at President Ikeda and the lay organi-zation, culminating in its excommunication of the Soka Gakkai and the SGI in 1991. Nikken, the 67th high priest, and his priests repeatedly conspired with others to falsely accuse the Soka Gakkai and President Ikeda of various off enses, including violence, sexual misconduct and even murder. When the police or the courts clearly rejected these charges, Nikken’s allies went so far as to call those institutions corrupt. Innuendo and false rumor were the only basis for their at-tacks, precisely the approach employed by the enemies of Nichiren Daishonin and, before him, by the enemies of Shakyamuni Buddha.

Nikken detested the harmonious unity and

the spirit of the oneness of mentor and disciple that pervaded the Soka Gakkai. He sought to sever those bonds and place himself as an abso-lute center of veneration and authority to whom all believers must unconditionally submit.

The oneness of mentor and disciple, however, has nothing to do with position or authority. As Nichiren exemplified, and the founding presidents of the Soka Gakkai have put into practice, it is rooted in deep mutual care and respect, as well as the shared commitment to work to spread the Mystic Law for the happiness and peace of all people. This, Nikken and his priests completely failed to grasp.

In the Daishonin’s time, the venerated priest Ryokan seethed with jealously toward Nichiren, who cared nothing for power or position but strove selfl essly to relieve society of misery. In modern times, because President Ikeda has de-voted every ounce of his energy to realizing Nichiren’s intent, Nikken, wearing the garb and title of an esteemed priest of Nichiren Buddhism, became consumed with hatred toward him.

In reading Nichiren’s writings, we can readily appreciate that the correct practitioners of the Mystic Law will face such opposition. It is also helpful to remind ourselves how this principle has been borne out in reality today.

The Soka Gakkai members and their founding presidents, having faced and triumphed over all manner of opposition, have with each challenge become stronger. This model of practice and actual proof was set down by Nichiren Daishonin and predicted in the Lotus Sutra. It gives real substance to Nichiren’s words, “If they did not, there would be no way of knowing that this is the correct teaching” (“Letter to the Brothers,” WND-1, 501) and “only by defeating a powerful enemy can one prove one’s real strength” (“Letter from Sado,” WND-1, 302).

We can therefore be confi dent that the SGI fully embodies the correct teaching of Nichiren Buddhism capable of defeating the base impulses that move society toward misery and establishing in reality a culture of peace grounded in respect for all humanity.

—Prepared by the SGI-USA study department

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That afternoon [on January 11, 1963], Study Department examinations, both

entrance level and promotional, were held for Los Angeles Chapter members at two locations—one in Los Angeles and one in San Diego. Some 250 people took the exams, which were all oral exams.

Shin’ichi went to the Los Angeles exam site—a Japanese-language school—to off er words of encouragement to the examinees.

“That you very much for taking the trouble to come here and challenge this exam,” he said. “Some of you must be wondering why we have to study such diffi cult Buddhist theory, when surely it’s simply enough to chant and receive benefi t. Please bear in mind, however, that while correct faith does bring tremendous benefi t, it is also fraught with obstacles and diffi culties. Unless you have a solid grounding in study, you’ll start to have doubts when problems arise.

“When oppression by the military authorities led to the arrests of Mr. Makiguchi and Mr. Toda during World War II,” he went on, “all of their fellow [Soka] Gakkai leaders abandoned their

faith. The reason was that those leaders had not studied and did not understand the principles of this Buddhism.

“But when we study the Daishonin’s teachings thoroughly,” he explained, “we know why obstacles and persecution accompany correct faith and understand how we can attain Buddhahood in this lifetime. Similarly, when talking to others about Buddhism, we can explain why the Daishonin’s teaching is great and elucidate what constitutes a correct religion in a clear, logical and convincing manner. That is why the Daishonin stresses that practice must go hand in hand with study. He urges: ‘Exert yourself in the two ways of practice and study. Without practice and study, there can be no Buddhism’ (The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 386).

After explaining the importance of studying Buddhist theory in a way that all could understand, Shin’ichi said: “The exams we have in the [Soka] Gakkai are to encourage you in your study of Buddhism. The main point is that you not only strengthen your determination to continue studying the Daishonin’s

SGI President Ikeda on the Importance of Buddhist Study

The following excerpts are taken from The New Human Revolution. In the novel, the character

Shin’ichi Yamamoto represents SGI President Ikeda.

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teachings throughout your life but strive to put into practice what you have learned through these exams, even if just a word or a phrase. Your goal is not simply to pass a test but to become winners in faith, victors in happiness.

“By the way, I’m not going to be directly involved in administering your exams today,” he said. “If I were, I know I’d be such a pushover that I’d end up passing you all . . .

“Many of you have brought your children along today, so while you’re taking the exam, I’m going to play with them. Please go into the exam without worrying about a thing and confi dently show the examiners the knowledge you have gained through your day-to-day study of Buddhism.”

Shin’ichi’s words warmed their hearts. (vol. 7, pp. 131–33)

c

Nichiren Daishonin’s writings are a compass to guide us through the rough seas of our complex reality. Pouring energy into establishing the solid path of study would be vital to the activities of the essential phase, a time of introducing the principles of Buddhism widely in society. (vol. 9, p. 19)

c

The steps taken to achieve anything momentous are by no means glamorous. In fact, in most cases, they take place

quietly and out of the limelight. But such accumulated eff orts have the power to change the world. That is why I would like you to study diligently for the sake of your future achievements. I also hope you will study the great life philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism and make it the backbone of your lives. (vol. 14, p. 296)

c

Fundamentally, a mentor exists to bring forth everyone’s potential. If you feel the way you say, it means that I have fulfi lled my mission at least to some small extent.

It’s comparable to learning. When we study alone, we are likely to come across ideas or concepts we just can’t fi gure out, and then we end up stumped and frustrated or with a distorted understanding of the subject. But if we have a good teacher, he or she will help us comprehend the material and will motivate us. Such a person will also make sure we have a solid grasp of the basics, and instill in us effi cient study habits. (vol. 16, p. 43)

c

We uphold the unparalleled teaching of Buddhism. Culture and learning are crucial if we are to convey it accurately to others. It’s important to study every day. We need to learn throughout our lives. (vol. 16, p. 90)

c

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I would like you to thoroughly study the Daishonin’s teachings and become unparalleled philosophers of Buddhism. Please be good friends who respect each other as equals and who encourage and support each other while joyously moving forward together. (vol. 16, p. 128)

c

Shin’ichi said: “Nichiren Daishonin writes: ‘Exert yourself in the two ways of practice and study. Without practice and study, there can be no Buddhism. You must not only persevere yourself; you must also teach others’ (WND-1, 386). ‘Practice’ here refers to the work of advancing kosen-rufu. ‘Study’ is studying the teachings of Buddhism and deepening our understanding. These two are like the two wheels of a bicycle.

“Making an eff ort to study Buddhism and fully grasp Buddhist teachings and principles is indispensable for fresh development. This year [1973] marks the starting point of our great movement to spread this wonderful life philosophy. Practice without study cannot resonate with or persuade the general public; it is nothing but a practice of self-gratifi cation. Similarly, study without practice remains a mere intellectual game that lacks the power to change the world.”

The Soka Gakkai has been successful in expanding kosen-rufu around the globe because it has never strayed from the correct path, upholding fi rm ideals based soundly on Nichiren Daishonin’s writings. Aiming to

make Buddhist philosophy the spirit of the age, Shin’ichi was determined to take the lead in promoting a deeper understanding of Buddhism and in spreading those ideals throughout society . . .

At the New Year’s meeting, Shin’ichi clearly stated that the ultimate purpose of Buddhist study was kosen-rufu and each individual’s human revolution, and he called on members to triumph in the coming year. He then said: “Victory is almost wholly determined at the start of any endeavor. I am determined to once again build a fi rm foundation for the Soka Gakkai with a fresh spirit, for the sake of the eternal prosperity of our movement. I will give my all in this regard. I hope that each of you, in your own way, will also make this a year of progress and development.” (vol. 17, pp. 4–5)

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President Toda constantly said that those who didn’t study were not his disciples. Shin’ichi therefore decided to train the members of the First Corps as genuine disciples of Mr. Toda who both studied and took courageous action, and to foster them into great leaders of society . . .

In order to become champions of kosen-rufu, the young men needed to have strong conviction in Nichiren Buddhism and toward that end develop a profound understanding of its teachings. Shin’ichi thus gave lectures himself on the Daishonin’s writings as well as asking the

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nationwide study department leader and the youth division leader to do the same. By inviting such capable seniors in faith to speak to the members, he strove to create a stimulating and inspiring environment that would promote the young men’s growth and development.

As a general curriculum, Shin’ichi selected one hundred twenty topics from the Lotus Sutra and the Daishonin’s writings underscoring the principles of Nichiren Buddhism to help every corps member master the basics of Buddhism. In addition, he planned special study examinations and debates for corps members. (vol. 17, pp. 228–29)

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Another editor immediately asked: “At the nationwide Seikyo Shimbun correspondents meeting, you said that a spirit to uphold solid and correct faith is the spirit of the newspaper. What’s the essential key to attaining that kind of faith?”

Shin’ichi replied without hesitation: “The key is to always go back to the Daishonin’s writings as our basis. You need to engrave his teachings in your heart and practice in complete accord with them . . .

“It’s very important to read what the Daishonin wrote. That’s the only way to deepen your thinking and solidify your conviction. His teachings contain the guiding principles for our life and faith. It is because the Soka Gakkai has always based itself on the Daishonin’s writings that it has remained

directly connected to the Daishonin and developed to the extent it has.

“If we neglect study, we are like a cog that slips out of alignment and just spins idly” . . .

Shin’ichi continued: “If you allow yourselves to be tossed about by the turbulent waves of society, you cannot perceive the direction that the times are moving in, nor can you do anything to change things. But by opening the eye of faith and raising your life-condition, you can easily apprehend the reality of existence. This is one important meaning of the Buddhist teaching of ‘transcending the world.’ It does not, as you might think, mean simply separating yourselves from the world or abandoning it.

“By transforming your lives through faith, you will be able to respond fl exibly and positively to the varied and constantly changing realities of life. Toward that end, it is important that you base yourselves on Nichiren’s writings and strive to polish yourselves.”

In response to Shin’ichi’s guidance, reading from Nichiren Daishonin’s writings became a tradition at the morning gathering and other meetings held at the Seikyo Shimbun offi ces. (vol. 18, pp. 63–65)

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48231374 2011 essentials exam study guide

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