A close reading of texts suggests that such statements as “the defilements are none other than enlightened insight” are articulated from the standpoint of having realized nonduality, not that of having yet to realize it. Great as the attempt has been to minimize or even elude it, inevitably, something remains here of the notion of “acquired enlightenment.” We have seen how Nichirenshū scholars in the early decades of the century distinguished between Tendai original enlightenment thought as a statement of naturally inherent enlightenment (jinen hongaku), and Nichiren’s teaching as the actualizing of inherent enlightenment through practice (shikaku soku hongaku). The distinction, however, is overdrawn. Even the nondual Tendai original enlightenment stance remains, ultimately, one of shikaku soku hongaku, for the insight into original enlightenment and the transformation such insight is said to bring about are mediated by the knowledge (or faith) that “all dharmas are the Buddha-Dharma,” achieved at the stage of verbal identity. It is only from the standpoint of this nondual insight that the hongaku doctrine may be accurately characterized as “absolute affirmation.” (Page 358)