MYOICHI AMA GOZEN GOSHOSOKU

Those who believe in the Lotus Sutra are like the winter season for many hardships come incessantly. Winter is surely followed by spring. We have never heard nor seen that winter returned to fall. We have never heard that the believers in the Lotus Sutra go back to ordinary men. The Lotus Sutra says, “All people who listen to this sutra will attain Buddhahood.”

(Background : May, 1275, 53 years old, at Minobu, Showa Teihon, p.1000)

Explanatory note

Nichiren Buddhists believe tomorrow brings improvement. Nichiren Daishonin’s life was full of conStant persecutions. He had strong belief in the Lotus Sutra and believed in the Buddha’s protection; therefore, he never gave up his hope of attaining Buddhahood. His life was the practice of his belief and materialization of his faith. So he earnestly preached to us to have the same belief and hope in the sutra.

At his time, there were unseasonable weather, poor harvests, famines, epidemics, and social disorders. Nichiren sought causes of these natural disasters and social disorders in various sutras. As a result, he wrote “Rissho Ankoku Ron” which says at the end, “Ye men of little faith, turn your minds and trust yourselves at once to the unique truth of the righteous way! Then ye shall see that the triple worlds of the unenlightened will become the Buddhaland.” The disasters and disorders, he said, were caused by the people’s disbelief in the Lotus Sutra.

“Strong spirit to overcome any hardship” – this is Nichiren Daishonin’s foundation throughout his life. His strong spirit came out of “hope” which he always kept during many continuous persecutions. The hope was belief in the Eternal Lord Buddha who was watching and protecting him always.

Compared with Kamakura Era, we today are living in an unbelievably comfortable environment. But this comfortable living has many weak points as if we are standing on thin ice. It will easily melt.

Chapter 12 of the Lotus Sutra says that the Buddha Sakyamuni had accumulated merits by practising austerities in His previous lives for innumerable kalpa. To practice Buddha’s way, we must foresee our long steps to Buddhahood.

We adhere in small matters, and we are joyful or sad only for matters before our eyes. But we must open our eyes wide and keep the “hope” revealed in the Lotus Sutra deep in our minds.

Rev. Kanai