SENJI-SHO

The ocean consists of water from many rivers. Mount Sumeru consists of soil and rocks. When I, Nichiren, began to believe in the Lotus Sutra, I was like one drop of water in the ocean or a handful of soil of the mountain, compared to all people of Japan. However, if the number of the believers increases from two to three and to hundreds, thousands, millions; then, it becomes the huge Mount Sumeru of Buddhahood or the great ocean of nirvana.

(Background : June 1275, 53 years old, at Minobu, Showa Teihon, p.1054)

Explanatory note

The Nichiren Sect has traditionally held such a slogan as “Itten Shikai Kaiki Myoho,” or “Convert the entire people under the heaven within four seas to the teachings of the Lotus Sutra.” Kenji Miyazawa, a poet and follower of the Lotus Sutra, stated, “There will be no individual happiness until the whole world becomes happy.”

Nichiren Daishonin’s earnest desire for the attainment of Buddhahood through the recitation of Odaimoku does not stop at the level of individual salvation. The voice of the recitation should not only penetrate the heart of the individual who recites it but should also achieve the attainment of Buddhahood for the entire people.

He had appealed his religious view to Kamakura Government three times. They were 1.) “Rissho Ankoku Ron” completed and given to the government in 1260, 2.) appeal on the occasion of his persecution at Tatsunokuchi in 1271, and 3.) the appeal to the government in 1274. They were all his frantic efforts to materialize his sincere desire. The four major persecutions and the numerous lesser persecutions all befell him around the time he made these expostulations. They served as tests of his prayer for the happiness and attainment of Buddhahood for the entire world.

He kept his composure throughout these hardships, and stated that the vast ocean consists of drops of water, and Mt. Sumeru is composed of grains of soil. That is, each individual’s voice in the prayer of the Lotus Sutra which he advocated may not reach afar, yet the voice will gain compassion in due course of time and will spread far and wide, eventually reaching the pinnacle of the absolute spiritual awakening of our original teacher, the Buddha Sakyamuni. Nichiren had no doubt that the vast ocean of absolute salvation (i.e., nirvana) would reveal itself to the world. Thus, he confidently predicted the future of propagation and spread of his teaching.

Today, we receive our salvation through the prayer of the Lotus Sutra and enjoy its protection. But we must question to what extent we have responded to Nichiren’s great compassion.

Nichiren has led us to the world of great salvation of the Lotus Sutra. We must in turn do our utmost to spread the salvation of the sutra to the numerous individuals covering the entire land. We must realize that it is the proof of our faith to help to guide the whole world to happiness and attainment of Buddhahood.

Rev. Ikuta