The Lotus Sutra has teachings that prophesy the future after the Buddha’s extinction. These teachings are unique to this Sutra, and are not found in other sutras to such an extent. The prophecy [in Chapter 13, Encouragement for Keeping this Sutra,] tells us that the world after the extinction of the Buddha will be an evil place–an Age of Degeneration–in which expounders of the Lotus Sutra can expect to suffer troubles and even persecution. That they must overcome these troubles and expound the Lotus Sutra to make this Saha-world into the Pure Land of the Buddha, is not just a prophecy. It is a major teaching. The … verses recited by the never-faltering bodhisattvas represent this teaching. It is called the “Twenty Verses of Chapter Thirteen.”

These twenty verses had much influence on Nichiren. He mentions them in his treatise, Kaimokusho (“Opening the Eyes”). “If I had not been born in this country,” he says, “the twenty verses in Chapter Thirteen would not have been proven, the World-Honored One would have seemed to be a great liar, and the eighty billion nayuta of bodhisattvas would have fallen into the sin of lying, too. Just as the Lotus Sutra foretold, I was often driven out (into exile). The word ‘often’ in the Sutra came true. This word was not experienced by either Tendai (Great Master Chih-i of China) or Dengyo (Great Master Saicho of Japan), not to speak of lesser people. I, Nichiren, alone read them from experience. For I perfectly fit the Buddha’s description of the person spreading the Lotus Sutra ‘in the dreadful and evil world’ at the beginning of the Latter Age.”

That is to say, Nichiren was the only person who read, experienced, and dedicated his life to the real meanings of the verses of Chapter Thirteen.

[Peaceful Practices] means maintaining the right mental attitude while expounding the Dharma. There are four points.

1. A Bodhisattva must not be jealous of others, or flatter them, or deceive them.
2. He or she should not despise anyone who studies the Way to Buddhahood by any other method, speak ill of them, or point out their faults.
3. He or she should not disturb or perplex those who seek any of the Three Vehicles (“hearers,” self-enlightened Buddhas, or practicers of the Way Of the Bodhisattvas), and never tell them, “You are far from enlightenment. You cannot attain the knowledge of the equality and differences of all things because you are licentious and lazy in seeking enlightenment. “
4. A Bodhisattva should not get involved in meaningless quarrels with the followers of other schools of thought (p. 218).  Instead of getting bogged down in stupid arguments, a Bodhisattva should have great compassion toward all living beings. He should look upon all the Buddhas as his loving parents, and upon all the Bodhisattvas as his great teachers. He or she should expound the Dharma to all living beings without showing any partiality (p. 218-219).

Bodhisattvas are to choose words carefully and make no mistakes in expounding the Dharma. There are four points:

1. A Bodhisattva should not point out the faults of other sutras or their adherents.
2. He or she should not despise other preachers of the Dharma.
3. He or she should not speak of either the merits or the demerits of other preachers, and should not mention “hearers” by name when criticizing their teachings or even when prais ing them.
4. He or she should not feel hostile toward anybody, and should freely answer any questions put to him. When asked difficult questions, the Bodhisattva should not answer by the teachings of the Lesser Vehicle, but always refer to the Great Vehicle, and so lead people to the “knowledge of the equality and differences of all things” (p. 216).

The studies conducted over so many centuries made possible a deeper understanding of the Lotus Sutra, and methodological standards for its interpretation were established. One example is called Kamon. It is a classification of the twenty-eight chapters into several sets for a systematic explanation of their meaning.

The major Kamon is the “Three Parts of Each of the Two Divisions of the Lotus Sutra” which was established by Great Master Chih-i. Most commentators since his time have accepted his guidelines. …

[T]he “Three Parts of Each of the Two Divisions of the Lotus Sutra” refers to the division of the Sutra into two main sections: the first half, consisting of Chapters One through Fourteen, and the second half, consisting of Chapters Fifteen through Twenty-eight. Kamon gives a detailed explanation of the reason for this division. The first half is named Shakumon, literally “imprinted gate.” Its main purpose is to teach how “hearers” and Pratyekabuddhas can attain Buddhahood in the One Vehicle. The second half is called Hommon, which means “Primal Gate” or “Primal Mystery.” This part reveals Sakyamuni to be the infinite, absolute Buddha, the Buddha who attained enlightenment in the remotest past but still leads living beings in the present. These two points are considered the fundamental ideas of the Lotus Sutra.

The Lesser Vehicle of the “Sravaka” and “Pratyekabuddha” drew a sharp line between this world of sufferings and the pure world of spirit. Its followers renounced worldly concerns, devoted their lives to religious austerities, and made every effort to attain absolute tranquility. This made for a two-dimensional world view, esteeming the pure world of spirit and devaluating the everyday world in which we live.

Bodhisattvas, on the other hand, saw the two worlds as one. They saw this world as the center stage for their religious practice, and preached that spiritual enlightenment must be realized in our life in this world. In short, the Bodhisattva’s mission to deliver people from suffering is to be accomplished in this world of sufferings.

Sakyamuni told us in the Lotus Sutra how we should live. We “read” the Sutra by comparing its teachings with our deeds. It was Nichiren (1220-1280) who completed the practice of “reading” the Lotus Sutra and fulfilling it in deeds throughout his lifetime. As you may know, Nichiren endured many persecutions, but he understood his troubles as having been foretold in the Lotus Sutra. Experiencing them, he realized that Sakyamuni’s prophecies had proven to be true. In stead of lamenting his fate, he derived spiritual joy at being allowed to fulfill the prophecies in his own body.

“Peaceful practices” designates ways to preach and spread the Sutra while keeping your body and mind relaxed and peaceful. The chapter discusses four kinds of peaceful practices: those of body, mouth, mind, and resolution (vows).

This means acting always with restraint. The Buddha divides these peaceful practices into two parts: “performing proper practices” and “approaching proper things. ”

The first means doing good deeds. Bodhisattvas should always practice the virtue of patience, be mild and gentle, and see things as they truly are.

The second, “approach proper things,” indicates how a Bodhisattva should relate to people—that is, his sphere of associations. The Sutra delineates ten points:

The Bodhisattva should always be willing to teach such people if they ask him, but he should not seek them out or ask for any payment from them. He or she should take pleasure in meditation and, in a quiet place, practice to control the mind (p. 211).

This is the first way to approach proper things. The Buddha also teaches a second way to approach proper things: the Bodhisattva should understand that all things are insubstantial, inexplicable, formless, not born, and without property. “Things can exist only by dependent origination” (p. 212).

“Encouragement for Keeping This Sutra” means encouraging people to uphold it in spite of certain difficulties. It also implies effort and patience. In Chapter Eleven, “Beholding the Stupa of Treasures,” Sakyamuni called out to the crowd from the Stupa of Treasures, “Is there anyone here who is willing to expound the Lotus Sutra in this Saha-world (“World of Endurance”) after my death, and overcome all difficulties? If there is, I will transmit the Sutra to that person.” Responding to his words, many bodhisattvas promised to spread the Sutra in the evil world after the Buddha’s extinction, and they spoke about their resolution. This is the theme of this chapter.

[T]he Sutra says that anyone who reads, recites, and expounds the Lotus Sutra will be attractive in appearance, fearless, safe from accidents, and served by angels from heaven. It goes on to say that the figure of the Buddha will appear in the dreams of such a person, lead him or her to renounce the world, attain enlightenment, and enter Nirvana just as the Buddha does.

This is an outline of the chapter called “Peaceful Practices.” The message of this chapter stands in contrast with that of the previous chapter, “Encouragement for Keeping the Sutra.” In that chapter, we recall, the Sutra tells us that we should be ready to accept any difficulty, and endure patiently if we come under persecution while spreading the Sutra. This also means that, in order to spread the Sutra, we must try to convince and convert someone who may be causing us problems. Later, in Chapter Twenty, “Never-Despise Bodhisattva,” the Sutra will tell us about a Bodhisattva named Never-Despise, who used to bow to and respect everyone he met, preaching the law to them, even when they hit him or threw stones at him.

Great Master Chih-i and Nichiren called such ways of spreading the Dharma, shakubuku, meaning “converting others by persistent preaching.” On the other hand, spreading the law by peaceful practices, as described in this chapter, is called shoju, “accepting.”

Shakubuku is the way to reproach opponents for their errors and make them awaken from their illusions. Shoju is to lead and convince them by respectfully accepting and understanding their viewpoints and situations. The difference between these two ways of propagation depends on the times and the abilities of the hearers to understand. Although the two methods seem to be entirely different, they have the same aim—to save others. Therefore, they share the same spirit.

In the history of Buddhism, Great Master Chih-i generally undertook the way of shoju, and Nichiren generally practiced the way of shakubuku. However, Chih-i also valued the spirit of shakubuku, and Nichiren also gave importance to the spirit of shoju. In our times, the way of shoju seems more appropriate, but it must be flavored with the spirit of shakubuku, too.