Contemplating the time after the death of the Buddha in light of the capacity of people and method of preaching during the Buddha’s lifetime mentioned above, we see the three periods following the passing of Śākyamuni Buddha—the Ages of the True Dharma, Semblance Dharma and the Latter Age of Degeneration. In the 2,000 year period of the Ages of the True Dharma and Semblance Dharma, there existed people who had the seed of Buddhahood planted in them just as in the pre-Lotus years of 40 years or so. This was the period when care was needed not to preach the True Dharma of the Lotus Sūtra arbitrarily. Now, however, we live in the Latter Age of Degeneration, when those who made connections with the Lotus Sūtra during the Buddha’s lifetime have gradually dwindled and people with the capacity to attain Buddhahood by listening to the provisional or true teachings have all disappeared. Thus, this is the time when the seed of Buddhahood (of the Lotus Sūtra) should forcibly be planted, in the same manner as Never-Despising Bodhisattva appearing in the Latter Age of Degeneration beating the “poisonous drum.”

Soya Nyūdō-dono-gari Gosho, A Letter to Lay Priest Lord Soya, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Pages 151.