That Śākyamuni Buddha is in us also means we are In Śākyamuni Buddha. In other words, we are living in the Buddha’s life. These phrases show us the meaning that the Buddha and we are united and seen from the Buddha’s perspective, we are also one with him.

Nichiren Shōnin stated in the Kanjin Honzon Shō,

“Śākyamuni Buddha, the Lord-preacher of this Pure Land, has never died in the past, nor will He be born in the future. He exists forever throughout the past, present, and future. All those who receive His guidance are one with this Eternal Buddha. It is because each of our minds is equipped with the ‘3,000 modes of existence’ and the ‘Three Factors,’ namely, all living beings, the land in which they live, and the five elements of living beings.”
(WNS2, page 148)

In summary, according to the doctrine of Hon-In Hon-Ga (true cause and true effect) and Ichinen Sanzen of Ji, a master (the Buddha) and his disciples (beings of nine realms, especially followers of the Lotus Sūtra) are beginningless and endless and one with the Buddha. This is the world of Ichinen Sanzen of Ji.

When we thoroughly consider about Ichinen Sanzen of Ri deeply, we come to understand that everything in the Universe depends on each other, relates with each other, and does not exist independently. Everything exists as one. In the cycle of nature, everything in the Universe has its own role by making others active with each other and supporting each other. In other words, this Universe is one great being. Nothing has an independent existence. We human beings also have our own role as a part of the great life of the Universe.

When we read Chapter 16 of the Lotus Sūtra, “The Duration of the Life of the Tathagata,” we realize that the one great being of the Universe is the Original Buddha Śākyamuni who has warm compassion and personality. Now the philosophical theory of Ichinen Sanzen of Ri has become a warmhearted religion and the understanding of this religion is realized through chanting of the Odaimoku, creating the actual Ichinen Sanzen of Ji.

In accordance with his compassionate vow, Śākyamuni prescribed a great medicine known as the Odaimoku or Buddha seed.

“In consequence, all living beings under the Buddha in this Sahā-world are one with him and are eternal. This is because those who believe in the Lotus Sutra, live in the land where they have united themselves with the Buddha and attained the truth of the Three Thousand Existences in One Thought.”
(Kanjin Honzon Shō, A Phrase A Day, p. 178)

No matter where we are, at the office, home, dentist or the park, the Buddha’s compassion is being given to us in the form of the five characters (Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo). Our faith and respect for the Buddha should grow deeper and stronger. The Buddha has given us a great gift.

Through the practice of the seven characters of the Odaimoku, people can unite with the Eternal Buddha as a part of his life. This is known as Sokushin Jōbutsu, attaining buddhahood with one’s present form. This is also referred to as Juji Jōbutsu, attaining buddhahood by upholding the Lotus Sutra and the Odaimoku and practicing the Sutra in one’s daily life.

We realize that the Eternal and Original Buddha Śākyamuni has always had great compassion toward us. We feel the Buddha’s favor, respect Him, and adore Him and by upholding the Odaimoku verbally and faithfully, we connect our lives with the Original Buddha’s life. We should be aware that the Lotus Sūtra is the Buddha’s real intention and that the Lotus Sūtra and the Odaimoku are the paths to attain Buddhahood. We should endeavor to take the Buddha’s vow as our own. That vow is to save all people and have them attain Buddhahood with the Lotus Sūtra and the Odaimoku, and to help the Buddha through our compassionate activities. By doing so, we are able to participate in the Buddha’s eternal life. We are inspired with joy and we find our true reason for living.

Please be aware of the Buddha’s true intention. Understand the basics of what the Odaimoku is, what the Lotus Sūtra is, and what teachings Nichiren Shōnin left for us at the risk of his own life. Endeavor to strengthen your practice, chant and transmit the Odaimoku to other people. We sometimes tend to be self-righteous about our own faith. At that time we should try to correct our way of faith and life by checking ourselves against the true intention of the Buddha and Nichiren Shōnin and the Lotus Sūtra.

As Column B indicates, we merge with the Odaimoku. It is “Namu” or devotion. Then the Odaimoku merges with us. It is Jinen Jōyo, or transferring naturally. It is not awakening to Ichinen Sanzen with one’s own wisdom, but the Buddha’s Ichinen Sanzen is transferred naturally by one’s faith of Namu, devoting oneself to the Buddha’s teaching.

Nichiren Shōnin stated in Kanjin Honzon Shō,

… Śākyamuni Buddha’s merit of practicing the bodhisattva way leading to Buddhahood, as well as that of preaching and saving all living beings since His attainment of Buddhahood are altogether contained in the five words of Myo, Ho, Ren, Ge and Kyo and that consequently, when we uphold the five words, the merits which He accumulated before and after His attainment of Buddhahood are naturally transferred to us.”
(WNS2, p. 146)

He also stated in Kanjin Honzon Shō,

“For those who are incapable of understanding the truth of the ‘3,000 existences contained in one thought,’ Lord Śākyamuni Buddha, with his great compassion, wraps this jewel with the five characters of Myo, Ho, Ren, Ge, and Kyo and hangs it around the neck of the ignorant in the Latter Age of Degeneration.”
(WNS2, p. 164)

Buddha Seed: Understanding the Odaimoku

Nichiren Shōnin took the Buddha’s vows as his own and did not spare his life to spread the Odaimoku. This is the actual meaning of Shiki doku, reading the Lotus Sūtra by realizing its teaching through our experience; and, it is the ultimate form of reciting the Odaimoku verbally and faithfully.

What does the Lotus Sutra teach? According to Nichiren Shōnin,

“Twenty important doctrines are in this Lotus Sūtra … The ‘3,000 existences in one thought’ doctrine is hidden between the lines of the sixteenth chapter on ‘The Life Span of the Buddha’ in the essential (honmon) section of the Lotus Sutra.” (Kaimoku Shö, WNS2, p. 34)

Among these doctrines, the most important one is Ichinen Sanzen. Nichiren Shōnin said,

“The doctrine of Ichinen-Sanzen, or the ‘Three Thousand Existences in One Thought,’ is the rarest and the most miraculous.” (Shōjō Daijō Funbetsu Shō, WNS2, p. 193)

In the Kaimoku-Shō, Nichiren Shōnin further stated,

“Considering these testimonies of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in various sutras with those in the Lotus Sutra, they are like yellow rocks against gold nuggets, white clouds against white mountains, white pieces of ice against mirrors of silver, and black color against blue color.” (Kaimoku shō, WNS2, p. 44)

[For us to attain Buddhahood in Mappō] … we must endeavor to overcome the small ego of self, and then work on becoming a great person. Otherwise, it is difficult to become one with the Buddha. We must first try not to cling to our own point of view or perspective. Instead, we should try to think of things from the standpoint of others, not only about people but also about things in nature such as animals, plants or our planet. It is a Buddhist practice to observe the situation of all things in our environment and listen to their message. Viewing oneself from a general perspective is also a way to deny ego. Without this type of effort, the Odaimoku would lose its meaning. We sometimes see some who chant the Odaimoku who are doing so only to fulfill their selfish ego.