Śākyamuni Buddha is the supreme leader and excellent eyes for all the people. He is the bridge that enables them to cross the river of evil passions; He is the skipper who guides them over the sea of life and death; and He is the fertile field in which they plant the seed of merits. The so-called Four Sages of Confucianism and Three Hermits of Brahmanism, despite their worthy names, are actually unenlightened ordinary men unable to rid themselves of the Three Delusions (all delusions and evil passions). Although their names suggest that they are wise men, in reality they are as ignorant as infants, who know nothing of the principle of cause and effect. How can we cross the sea of life and death aboard a ship steered by such men? How can we pass through the winding street in the Six Realms over to the world of Nirvana by means of a bridge constructed by such men? Our Śākyamuni has already crossed the sea of life and death for arhats, not to speak of that for the unenlightened. He has already extinguished fundamental ignorance, not to speak of delusions in view and thought arising from it.

Kaimoku-shō, Open Your Eyes to the Lotus Teaching, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 33