800 Years: Through Faith Alone

QUESTION: Do you have scriptural proof that even those who believe without comprehension can attain Buddhahood?

ANSWER: The Nirvana Sūtra, fascicle 32, states, “There are many causes of attaining Buddhahood; faith, however, is all-inclusive.” Fascicle 9 in the same sūtra also preaches, “Upon hearing this sūtra, everything becomes the cause and by-cause of attaining enlightenment. The Buddha’s voice of preaching and rays of light emitted by the Buddha all enter through pores necessarily enabling listeners to attain enlightenment.” And the Lotus Sūtra, chapter 3 on the “Parable,” preaches that one can “gain entrance to Buddhahood through faith alone.”

Ken Hōbō-shō, A Clarificaton of Slandering the True Dharma, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Pages 136.