Long ago, when a man of Yamashiro Province was playing a go game with a priest, a Hokekyō reciter came by and begged for food while reciting the Hokekyō. Hearing the recitation, the priest sneered at and scorned the reciter. Immediately, the priest’s mouth became twisted; he was losing his voice and became useless.

Seeing and hearing about the priest, people were all frightened and awestruck saying, “Since he scorned the Hokekyō reciter, he was punished right in his present life.”

The annoyed priest went to an herbalist who tried to give the priest some medicinal treatment, but all was of no avail. The priest’s mouth became more twisted, his voice became fainter, and he was unable to speak.

Since retribution in one’s present life can be like this, the suffering and pain in one’s future life cannot be calculated, just as can be noted in the Hiyu Chapter of the Hokekyō. This story appears in the Ryōiki. (Page 118)