No matter which sūtra one practices, he who practices Buddhism is bound to encounter difficulties depending on the sūtra he practices. Of all sūtras, the practicer of the Lotus Sūtra is faced with the most severe obstacles, especially in the Latter Age of Degeneration, when it is stated in the sūtra that it is most suited to the time and the capacity of people. Therefore, Grand Master Miao-lê states in his Annotations on the Great Concentration and Insight, fascicle 8, “Seeing people not desirous of cutting the chain of life and death and not aspiring to the way leading to Buddhahood, the devil will cherish them as if he were their real parent.”

The meaning of this interpretation is that even though a person practices meritorious acts, if he practices only those teachings such as the nembutsu, Shingon, Zen and Ritsu without practicing the Lotus Sūtra, the true way leading to Buddhahood, the king of devils will act as though he were the practicer’s parent, and haunt many people to entertain and make offerings to the practicers. It is for the purpose of deceiving people into believing in him as a true practicer of Buddhism. It is like the priest who is respected by the king and therefore highly esteemed with offerings by ordinary people. The fact that the ruler of the country looks upon Nichiren as an enemy, on the contrary, proves that Nichiren is the practicer of the True Dharma.

Shuju Onfurumai Gosho, Reminiscences: from Tatsunokuchi to Minobu, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Biography and Disciples, Volume 5, Pages 33