Since the Buddha’s Ingyō, practice as cause, and katoku, virtues as effect, are contained in the Odaimoku, the merits of our Bodhisattva practices are also contained in the Odaimoku as the Buddha’s merits and are accumulated in the Great Mandala. This means that not only the merits of the Buddha, but also all the merits of the practice of the Bodhisattva way performed by practitioners such as Nichiren Shōnin, his disciples and followers since the beginningless beginning are contained in the Great Mandala and the Odaimoku as merits of Ingyō. We also successfully accumulate merits in this life time. This is how the Ingyō of the Original Buddha produces effects. Therefore, as we receive the merits from the Buddha, the Great Mandala and the Odaimoku by devoting ourselves to them, we also send merits to them as well. How wonderful it is!

When we devote ourselves to the Buddha and the Lotus Sutra, we are also included in the great life of the Buddha. Moreover, it is also ourselves getting included in the Great Mandala, because our practice of the Bodhisattva way as messengers of the Buddha are also activities of the nine realms among the ten realms in the Great Mandala. For example, Kishimojin is included in the Great Mandala. So the activities of Kishimojin are also the activities of the nine realms of the Great Mandala, especially the realm of asura (angry devils). The virtues of Kishimojin’s activities are also the merits of the Great Mandala, or even merits of the Original Buddha. Likewise, as we practice the Bodhisattva way as messengers of the Buddha, our virtues are not only our own but also the Buddha’s merits. This is the merit of Ingyō.

Enlightenment means awakening to the truth of Ichinen Sanzen and realizing a great life transcending the limits of time and space. Ichinen Sanzen is the wisdom of the Buddha’s enlightenment and the circumstances obtained with His enlightenment. Ichinen Sanzen of Ri is awakening to Ichinen Sanzen as the Buddha’s enlightenment through meditation or mental practice, and the enhancement of one’s own wisdom.

In contrast, our own lives are connected with the Buddha’s life through faith and the Odaimoku. If one can imagine connecting a pipe between the Buddha’s life and ours, Ichinen Sanzen as the Buddha’s wisdom and circumstance of His enlightenment flows naturally into our lives and becomes our own wisdom. We receive Ichinen Sanzen from the Buddha through our chanting of the Odaimoku. This is Ichinen Sanzen of Ji.

Fundamentally, Ichinen Sanzen can be explained as follows: every thought (ichinen) encompasses three thousand (san-zen) worlds which make up the entirety of existence and the universe, or more simply, “the three thousand realms are contained in one mind.” The number 3,000 derives from multiplying the conceptual categories of “the mutual possession of the ten realms,” “the ten aspects of existence” and “the three categories of realms.” These basic concepts describe the states of existence. While “3,000” theoretically represents the existing worlds in the universe, the number is meant to describe vastness, universality, or infinity. Ichinen Sanzen of Ri refers to the theoretical principles found in the theoretical or “shakumon” section of the Lotus Sutra.

[That] Ichinen-Sanzen exists only in the Lotus Sutra, and attaining buddhahood can be accomplished only with Ichinen Sanzen, leads to the conclusion that attaining buddhahood is limited to the Lotus Sutra. Nichiren Shōnin stated:

“To tell the truth, however, without the power of the Lotus Sūtra, it is impossible for any living being to attain Buddhahood, break through the six lower realms and be reborn in any of the Pure Lands of Buddhas throughout the universe. You must rely on the power of the Lotus Sūtra in order to leave this Sahā World to enter a Pure World. … Accordingly all living beings including bodhisattvas, men of the Two Vehicles, human beings, heavenly beings and animals who will be reborn in Pure Lands throughout the universe do so as royal children of the Lotus Sūtra. It is because children of the Lotus Sutra are all able to become Buddhas.” (Shōjō Daijō Fumbetsu-Shō, WNS2, p. 197)

What is attaining Buddhahood? It is to awaken to Ichinen Sanzen and to achieve a great life transcending the limits of time and space. Therefore, Nichiren Shōnin said,

“The only way seemingly that leads to Buddhahood is the ‘3,000 in one thought’ doctrine.
(Kaimoku-Shō, WNS2, p. 108)

and also,

“Ichinen-Sanzen is like father and mother of a Buddha.”
(Shōmitsubō-gosho 3)

In other words, all Buddhas were born from Ichinen-Sanzen. He also said,

“This is not an immediate attainment of Buddhahood in this world (referring to women having to change before reaching Buddhahood), which can only be possible through the ‘3,000 in one thought’ doctrine.”
(Kaimoku-Shō, WNS2, p.90)

We get involved in the Buddha’s life by devoting ourselves to participating in the Buddha’s activities. We can carry out the Buddha’s activities by using our bodies to carry out His work. This is attaining Buddhahood in one’s present form or Sokushin Jōbutsu. It is essentially attaining Buddhahood by receiving the teaching of the Lotus Sūtra and expressing the teachings through one’s body. This means to believe in the Lotus Sūtra, to respect the Buddha, to chant the Odaimoku, and to realize oneself to be a messenger of the Buddha; and thus, work to help Him.

The fundamental goal is to honor the Original Buddha, to have faith in the Lotus Sūtra and to chant the Odaimoku faithfully. By doing so, we receive the Buddha’s great compassion, and we get involved in the Buddha’s life as His messengers. We will improve ourselves, because the Original Buddha’s Ichinen Sanzen is naturally transferred to us. Having gratitude, respect and compassion improves our consciousness of being messengers of the Buddha. When we make efforts to exceed our small ego of self, we are able to become messengers of the Buddha.

When we face difficulty or suffering, maybe we should consider whether such difficulty or suffering is advice from the Buddha calling for our reflection. Could such difficulty or suffering be an advance warning to avoid a major incident? Is this a hurdle to overcome on the road to self-improvement or development? Is this experience needed to make us examine our lives more deeply? In any event, this is a compassionate test given by the Buddha to us to improve ourselves.

The doctrine of Ichinen Sanzen must be considered from two perspectives: the doctrine as taught in the theoretical section (shakumon) of the Lotus Sutra and the doctrine as taught in the essential section (honmon) of the Lotus Sutra. Simply speaking, the theoretical section refers to the first 14 chapters of the Lotus Sutra, which is the realm of the historical Buddha, while the essential section refers to the latter 14 chapters, which is the realm of the Eternal Śākyamuni Buddha who is eternally engaged in the activities of saving living beings. The theoretical section is known as the “Ichinen Sanzen of Ri, ‘ while the essential section is known as “Ichinen Sanzen of Ji