The Hokekyō reciter Eijitsu was not a man of low birth but a descendant of royalty. In his youth, he left his parents and entered the priesthood. He was merciful by nature and had pity on those suffering. He lived in Mount Atago and recited the Hokekyō.

When it was cold, he removed his robe to cover someone without clothes. When he had no clothes for himself, he filled a large barrel with leaves, placed himself inside the barrel to avoid the cold and recited the Hokekyō.

A heavy snow fell on one occasion. Eijitsu had no food for several days. He ate earth from the hearth, which tasted very sweet. Thus he prolonged his life while continuously reciting the sūtra. As he completed his recitation of an entire copy of the sūtra with difficult ascetic practices, a white elephant appeared in front of him and released a radiance from its mouth. Such extraordinary incidents happened frequently.

Eijitsu’s reciting voice was so beautiful that the listeners all shed tears. There is no doubt that the miraculous power of his recitation subjugated evil and cured the pains of the sick. The emperor and his ministers, as well as those near and far, were all joyful and respected him as they listened to his recitations.

A sick person was lying on the street, soiled by his excrement which had a terrible odor. The passers-by ran away, closing their eyes and holding their noses. Eijitsu remained with the sick person, covered him with a robe, held him and lay beside him while reciting the Hokekyō. Thanks to the power of the sūtra and Eijitsu’s influence, the sick person recovered. Such examples were numerous. Certainly these deeds of mercy, which alleviated pain and suffering, would not be possible by an ordinary man.

Eijitsu once went down to Kyūshū where he became very successful, like a wealthy man, in managing secular affairs such as cultivating fields with abundant profit in rice and sake. Sometimes he ate fish and fowl and at other times he equipped himself with a bow and arrow. While in secular life, Eijitsu had unusual experiences. When he recited the Hokekyō to the broiled fish, the fish began to breathe with quivering gills and swam about as they were released in the water. At another time, he was carrying a quiver of arrows on his back. A nearby person saw him carrying a bunch of lotus flowers on his back. The surprised person took a second look at his back, and this time he saw a quiver with arrows on his back.

The governor of Higo Province of Kyūshū slandered Eijitsu and confiscated his property, saying, “Eijitsu is a precept-violating priest. No one should associate with him!” Sometime later the governor’s wife became fatally ill. Medicinal treatments and abundant prayers proved ineffective. The distressed governor showed his grief in every movement. His deputy suggested that they should invite Eijitsu to recite the Hokekyō. The governor became enraged, saying, ”A priest committing such violations should not be invited here!” But on the deputy’s repeated recommendations, the governor finally said, “I don’t know, but you do as you like.” So the deputy sent the invitation to Eijitsu, who first refused, saying, “Since I am a precept-violating priest and as ignorant as a vulgar man, you will not trust me.” However, at the deputy’s sincere repeated request, Eijitsu finally went to the governor’s mansion and began to recite the Hokekyō. Before he finished the first chapter, the spirit of a guardian deity possessed the wife, and kicked down and struck the screens several hundred times in front of Eijitsu. Then the wife became free of pain and suffering, ate her food, felt comfortable in her movements, and again became her healthy self.

Clasping his hands, the governor paid homage to Eijitsu, apologized for his mistakes and rudeness, and tried to return to Eijitsu all that had been taken from him. But Eijitsu declined the governor’s offer.

Towards the end of his life, Eijitsu became aware of the approach of his death, built a hut and secluded himself. He recited the Hokekyō and fasted for several days. His reciting voice was heard even in distant places. Those who listened all said piously, “Oh, that is Eijitsu’s voice in his last recitation before his death!” Shortly after, clasping his hands, Eijitsu passed away, meditating with a firm faith.

A person said that Eijitsu, in his last moments, encountered a malignant influence and made an erroneous vow. Others denied this, explaining, “He did not develop an incorrect view. He apparently may have conceived an erroneous idea, but later he repented, generated deep piety, and passed away while reciting the Hokekyō.” (Page 88-89)

Having left his parents in his youth, Genson entered the priesthood. Being gentle and pure-hearted by nature, he avoided evil for a long time, venerated the Hokekyō, and recited several copies of the sūtra every day. However, he was still unable to memorize it.

In his prime, he became seriously ill, and was about to die. He was taken to the King Enra’s Palace in the World After Death, where the officials wore crowns and the demons in armor wore sleeveless robes or garments with unsewn sides or loincloths. Some held spears and others sat at writing desks, opening the boxes which contained writing utensils, and recording the good and evil deeds of the deceased on cards. They all looked very frightening.

A noble priest, holding a walking stick in one hand and a casket containing sūtras in his other hand, spoke to King Enra, “Priest Genson has spent many years reciting the Hokekyō. Please seat him properly.” The noble priest opened the casket, took out a copy of the Hokekyō, and handed it to Genson. Genson began to recite from the first to the eighth rolls in a high voice. King Enra and all his attendants listened to the recitation with their hands clasped.

The noble priest escorted Genson from the palace to send him back to his country. Genson observed that the noble priest who had spoken to him had the appearance of Kannon. The noble priest said, “After returning to your country, read the Hokekyō well. I will assist you in memorizing it with my mysterious powers.”

Genson revived after a day and night. He recovered from his illness and regained his health. He became very familiar with the sūtra since he had recited at King Enra’s palace, and finally memorized it completely. He daily recited three copies of the Hokekyō, two for others and one for himself.

At the end of his life, Genson became slightly ill. Retaining his mental and physical composure, Genson passed away while reciting the Hokekyō. (Page 55-56)

A man of Bizen Province whose name is unknown had been blind since the age of twelve. He visited the Yakushi Buddha of Chūdō and prayed for his sight. Twenty-seven days later, an old priest appeared to the man and said to him, “You became blind due to your karma from your previous life, and you will not regain your sight. In your former life, you were a snake living in the trunk of a nettle tree at the north corner of the Kawadaji Temple. A hijiri who lived in that temple recited the Hokekyō and you listened during the days and nights. Since you had grave sins, you got little food and underwent many sufferings. At night, you used to go into the temple hall and lick the oil for the taper.

“Thanks to the merit of listening to the Hokekyō recitation, you received a human body and have learned about the Law. However, because you stole the oil for the tapers, you have become blind and will not be able to see again during this life. You should immediately recite the Hokekyō and expiate your sins. In another life, you will be endowed with the clear sight of a heavenly person perceiving the vast world of the Law and you will benefit others.”

The man became repentant, expiated his karmic sins and recited the Hokekyō. He understood the whole sūtra from the beginning to the end and acquired its merits. Now he could control his delusions, became completely free from his physical and mental sufferings, and finally attained enlightenment. (Page 54-55)