In the fourth fascicle of the Lotus Sūtra, in the 10th chapter of the “Teacher of the Dharma,” it is preached, “Many people hate it (the Lotus Sūtra) with jealousy even in My lifetime. Needless to say, more people will do so after My extinction.” In the fifth fascicle of the same sūtra, the 14th chapter titled “Peaceful Practices” it is preached, “I did not expound the Lotus Sūtra before because, if I had done so, many people in the world would have hated it and few would have believed it.” It is also stated in the 13th chapter, “Encouragement for Upholding This Sūtra,” “We will not spare even our lives. We treasure only unsurpassed enlightenment.” The 16th chapter, “The Life Span of the Buddha,” preaches, “They wish to see Me (the Buddha) with all their hearts at the cost of their lives.”
In ninth fascicle of the Nirvana Sūtra, in “The Character of the Buddha” chapter, it is said, “For example, it is like a man, skillful in debate and eloquent in speaking, who is dispatched by the king to a foreign country and accomplishes his mission to convey the King’s message at the risk of his own life. Wise men in Buddhism are the same. Even if one is ordinary, one should not spare one’s own life but expound the Mahāyāna, great teachings of equality.” Grand Master Chang-an interpreted this passage, ” ‘Do not conceal the Buddha’s teachings even if you lose your life’ means that our life is inconsequential when compared to the profundity of the Dharma, hence we spread the Dharma at the risk of our life.”
Seeing these scriptural statements, we cannot say one is the true practicer of the Lotus Sūtra unless one is confronted by the three kinds of enemies while spreading the Dharma. He who spreads the Dharma in such a way as to cause the three kinds of enemies to appear is the true practicer of the Lotus Sūtra. If he does, however, he is bound to lose his life. He will be like Aryasimha, for example, who was beheaded by King Dammira, and Äryadeva, who was killed by a non-Buddhist.
Kyō Ki Ji Koku Shō, Treatise on the Teaching, Capacity, Time and Country, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Page 104