More than 1,500 years after the passing of Śākyamuni Buddha a man named Ch’én Ch’én lived in China. His life span was set for 50 years as stated in the Analects of Confucius: “At the age of 50, one knows one’s life.” However, as he encountered Grand Master T’ien-t’ai, from whom he learned about the Lotus Sūtra, he lengthened his own life span by 15 years, living until he reached 65 years old. Also, as it is preached that the Never Despising Bodhisattva lengthened his life span again by practicing the Lotus Sūtra, he extended his life span set by his immutable karma.

These people cited above were all males, not one was a female as cited in the Lotus Sūtra. Nevertheless, they lengthened their life span by practicing the Lotus Sūtra. Especially Ch’én Ch’én, who appeared 1,500 years after the passing of the Buddha, is not included in the prediction of the Buddha for the time of 2,500 years after His passing. Ch’én Ch’én, like the rice plant in winter or the chrysanthemum flower in summer, was out of season. On the contrary, today we are in the time of 2,500 years after the passing of the Buddha. Therefore, for a female today changing her immutable karma and extending her life span through practicing the Lotus Sūtra is like the rice plant in autumn or the chrysanthemum flower in winter. No one will be astonished at seeing this. Therefore, when I prayed for the recovery of my ill mother through the Lotus Sūtra, not only did she actually recover from her illness but also extended her life span by four years.

Kaen Jōgō Gosho, Writing About Lengthening the Life Span, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 7, Followers II, Pages 113