[I]f only I, Nichiren, had not been born in this country, the twenty-line verse of the thirteenth chapter, “The Encouragement for Upholding This Sūtra,” in the fifth fascicle of the Lotus Sūtra would be empty words and the Buddha would almost be a great liar. Those uncountable number of bodhisattvas, who made the vow to uphold the Lotus Sūtra, would be accused of committing the same sin of lying as Devadatta did. The verse says, “Ignorant people will speak ill of us, abuse us, and threaten us with swords or sticks.”

In the world today, is there any Buddhist priest other than me, Nichiren, who is spoken ill of, abused, and threatened with swords or sticks on account of the Lotus Sūtra? If I, Nichiren, were not here, this verse would be a false prediction.

It also says: “Monks in this evil world will be cunning and ready to flatter others. They will preach the dharma to laymen for worldly gain and be respected by the people just as the arhat who has the Six Superhuman Powers is.” If there were no Pure Land Buddhists or priests of Zen or Ritsu School of Buddhism in this world, this prediction would also make the Buddha a great liar.

It says, “In order to slander us in the midst of a great crowd of people they will speak ill of us to kings, ministers, Brahmans, and men of influence.” These would be empty words unless Buddhist priests in this world slandered me and had me exiled.

It is further stated, “We will be banished many times.” If I, Nichiren, had not been exiled repeatedly on account of the Lotus Sūtra, what could we do with these two words of “many times?” Even T’ien-t’ai and Dengyō did not read these two words from experience, not to speak of other people. I, Nichiren, alone read them from experience. For I perfectly fit the Buddha’s description of the person spreading the Lotus Sūtra “in the dreadful and evil world” at the beginning of the Latter Age of Degeneration.

Kaimoku-shō, Open Your Eyes to the Lotus Teaching, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 56-57