In Chapter 15, the “Appearance of Bodhisattvas from Underground,” the earth split open before Sakyamuni, and countless Bodhisattvas welled forth. Among these Bodhisattvas, four of them were the leaders. Their names were Superb-Action, Limitless-Action, Pure-Action, and Steadily-Established Action. They and the innumerable great beings accompanying them had appeared in this world to take on the task of disseminating the Lotus Sutra after Sakyamuni’s extinction. In [Chapter 21], “Supernatural Powers of the Tathagatas,” Sakyamuni assigns them the mission for which they had come, and transmits the Sutra to them for dissemination in the future.

On September 12, 1271, when he was fifty years old, the government arrested Nichiren. Officials secretly attempted to behead him at Tatsu-no-Kuchi on the seashore near Kamakura, but a sudden miracle spared Nichiren and the government had to exile him instead to the Island of Sado. During his exile on Sado, the saint further deepened his religious contemplation and wrote some of his major works, such as Kaimoku-sho (“Opening the Eyes”) and Kanjin-honzon-sho (“The Most-Venerable-One Revealed by Introspection”). In these writings, Nichiren clarified the practical significance of the Great Bodhisattvas from underground, including Superb-Action Bodhisattva, as the propagators of the Primal Mystery (Hommon) in the evil ages after the extinction of the Buddha.

Nichiren … emphasized that whenever ordinary men and women accept and keep the Sacred Title, the Four Great Bodhisattvas, including Superb-Action, will unquestionably appear to protect them. Since the Sutra defines these Four Great Bodhisattvas as “the highest leaders among people,” they are destined to lead all living beings. Apparently Nichiren saw these Bodhisattvas as symbols of his own position as leader of the people. He stated this in his work, Shohojisso-sho, “The Real State of All Things.”

Born in this Age of Degeneration, [Nichiren] presents and propagates the Wonderful Dharma (the Sacred Title) prior to the appearance of Superb-Action Bodhisattva, who is initially assigned to propagate it … This is a glorious thing to me. … It is only Nichiren who is ahead of the Bodhisattvas from Underground in performing the mission given by Sakyamuni. In this sense, [Nichiren] may also be counted as one of the Bodhisattvas from Underground (who are authorized to lead living beings in the Age of Degeneration).

Shakumon

The Realm of Trace or Imprinted Gate (Chapter One, “Introductory,” to Chapter Fourteen, “Peaceful Practices.”)

1. Introduction: Chapter One.
2. The Main Part: Chapter Two, “Expedients,” to Chapter Nine, “The Assurance of Future Buddhahood of the Sravakas Who Have Something More to Learn and of the Sravakas Who Have Nothing More to Learn.”
3. Conclusion: Chapter Ten, “The Teacher of the Dharma,” to Chapter Fourteen, “Peaceful Practices.”

Hommon

The Realm of Origin or Primal Mystery.

1. Introduction: The first half of Chapter Fifteen, “The Appearance of Bodhisattvas from Underground.”
2. The Main Part: The second half of Chapter Fifteen to the first half of Chapter Seventeen, “The Variety of Merits,” with Chapter Sixteen as its core. This is called the “one chapter and two halves.”
3. Conclusion: From the second half of Chapter Seventeen to Chapter Twenty-eight, “Encouragement of Universal-Sage Bodhisattva. “

According to Kamon, which is an ancient method of analyzing the Lotus Sutra, the first half of the Sutra, consisting of fourteen chapters, is called Shakumon—teachings “derived” from a source (shaku literally means “footprint; mon is “gate”). The second half, consisting of the final fourteen chapters, is known as Honmon or Hommon—the “Primary Gate” or Primary Mystery (hon means “root” or “source”). This second half reveals the Original and Eternal Buddha (Kuon Hombutsu). The appearance of the Bodhisattvas from Underground (Jiyu-no-bosatsu, literally “Bodhisattvas who well up from the earth”) is an introduction to the second half of the Sutra; and the next chapter, “The Duration of the Life of the Tathagata,” is its principal part.

That is to say, [Chapter 15, The Appearance of Bodhisattvas from Underground] presents the ideal Bodhisattvas in the persons of the Bodhisattvas from Underground. The following chapter, the “Duration of the Life of the Tathagata,” reveals the true nature of the Buddha (the Original and Eternal Buddha) and his true Pure Land. It is none other than this Saha-world of ours. Thus the “Duration of the Life of the Tathagata” will emerge as the Sutra’s heart and center.

We recall that in Chapter Eleven, “Beholding the Stupa of Treasures,” Sakyamuni had appealed from within the Stupa to the congregation. “Is there anyone here,” he asked, “who is willing to expound the Lotus Sutra in the world after my extinction? I wish to hand it on to someone so that it can be perpetuated.” In Chapter Thirteen, “Encouragement for Keeping the Sutra,” eighty thousand Bodhisattvas of superior quality, such as Medicine-King Bodhisattva, and eighty thousand billion other great Bodhisattvas respond to his appeal and offer to keep and spread the Sutra in our world. But Sakyamuni did not answer them. Instead, he went on to expound Chapter Fourteen, “Peaceful Practices.” As Chapter Fifteen begins, countless Bodhisattvas, “more than eight times the number of sands in the River Ganges,” stand up before the Buddha and reiterate their offer to spread the Sutra. “We are the ones,” they promise, “who will disseminate the Lotus Sutra in this World of Endurance.” But Sakyamuni gives them an unexpected answer:

“No,” he said, “You don’t need to protect or uphold this sutra, because there are (already) Bodhisattvas in this World of Endurance, as many as sixty thousand times the number of sands in the River Ganges, and they are the ones who will assume the responsibility for disseminating the Sutra in this Saha-world.”

No sooner had he spoken these words, when the ground quaked and cracked, and countless Bodhisattvas emerged from beneath the earth like clouds, and sprang up into the air. All of these extraordinary beings were golden colored. They emitted brilliant rays of light, and displayed the “thirty-two marks of Buddhas.”

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.