[Gohonzons] are only expressions of the focus of devotion; the true focus of devotion is the Eternal Buddha transmitting the Wonderful Dharma to us in the depths of our lives. While statues and mandalas can be helpful, they cannot magically grant us enlightenment, nor do they have any other kind of power for us or over us except as a concrete aid to our own practice of Buddhism. We should not become obsessed or dependent upon them, no matter what they represent or what state of life they are expressing. The bottom line is our own practice and realization. The true focus of devotion is in the depths of our lives.