Day 31 covers Chapter 27, King Wonderful-Adornment as the Previous Life of a Bodhisattva.

In the our modern world, where religious practice seems the domain of only the old, where are the sons of the King of the Dharma, the youth who inspire and lead their parents?

Innumerable, inconceivable, asamkhya kalpas ago, there lived a Buddha called Cloud-Thunderpeal-Star-King-Flower-Wisdom, the Tathagata, the Arhat, the Samyak-sambuddha. His world was called Light-Adornment; the kalpa in which he lived, Gladly-Seen. Under that Buddha lived a king called Wonderful-Adornment. His wife was called Pure-Virtue. They had two sons, Pure-Store and Pure­Eyes by name. The two sons had great supernatural powers, merits, virtues and wisdom. A long time ago, they had already practiced the Way which Bodhisattva should practice. They had already practiced the dana-pararnita, the sila-paramita, the ksanti-pararnita, the virya-paramita, the dhyana-paramita, the prajna-paramita, and the paramita of expediency. They also had already obtained [the four states of mind towards all living beings:] compassion, loving­ kindness, joy and impartiality.

At 64 years of age, I’d estimate that I’m about the average age of those who regularly attend, maybe even on the younger side some Sundays. Reading the story of King Wonderful-Adornment as the Previous Life of a Bodhisattva makes me long to meet a young follower – perhaps two brothers – with a fire of devotion for the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Shonin’s teaching that only the young can possess.

[King Wonderful-Adornment said,] World-­Honored One! These two sons of mine did the work of the Buddha. They converted me from wrong views by displaying wonders. They caused me to dwell peacefully in your teachings. They caused me to see you. These two sons of mine are my teachers. They appeared in my family in order to benefit me. They inspired the roots of good which I had planted in my previous existence.

Thereupon Cloud-Thunderpeal-Star-King-Flower-Wisdom Buddha said to King Wonderful-Adornment, ‘So it is, so it iS. It is just as you say. The good men or women who plant the roots of good will obtain teachers in their successive lives. The teachers will do the work of the Buddha, show the Way [to them], teach them, benefit them, cause them to rejoice, and cause them to enter into the Way to Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Great King, know this! A teacher is a great cause [of your enlightenment] because he leads you, and causes you to see a Buddha and aspire for Anuttara­samyak-sambodhi.