The three delusions (delusions arising from incorrect views and thoughts, delusions which hinder knowledge of salvation methods, and delusions which hinder knowledge of the ultimate reality) that exist in the mind of all people as well as the karma of committing the ten evil acts, and the five rebellious sins are like the darkness of night. All the Buddhist scriptures such as the Flower Garland Sūtra are like stars in the dark night whereas the Lotus Sūtra is comparable to the moon that brightens the darkness of night. Those who believe in the Lotus Sūtra only half-heartedly are like the half-moon shining in the dark night. Those who deeply believe in the sūtra are likened to the full moon brightening the darkness of night. In the night with only stars twinkling in the sky without the moon, aged persons, women and children are unable to go out, though strong and healthy persons may. When the full moon brightens the night, even older persons and women and children are free to go out to play, attend parties, or meet friends and acquaintances. Likewise, in sūtras other than the Lotus Sūtra, though bodhisattvas and ordinary people with superior nature may be able to attain Buddhahood, the Two Vehicles, ordinary people, evil persons, women, or aged people, idlers and those without precepts in the Latter Age will never be able to be reborn in the Pure Land or attain Buddhahood. That is not the case with the Lotus Sūtra. The Two Vehicles, evil persons and women all attain Buddhahood in the Lotus Sūtra, not to speak of bodhisattvas and ordinary people with superior nature. Again, the moon shines brighter at dawn than in the early evening and in autumn and winter than in spring and summer. Likewise, the Lotus Sūtra has more divine help in the Latter Age of Degeneration than during the 2,000 years of the Ages of the True Dharma and the Semblance Dharma.

Yakuō-bon Tokui-shō, The Essence of the “Medicine King Bodhisattva” Chapter, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 31

The Lotus Sūtra is like the moon. The rays of light emitted by stars reach the distance of half a mile, 1, 10, or 20 miles at the most whereas the rays of the moon light reach as far as 1,000 miles or so. Even if all stars in the four continents and all the worlds throughout the universe, 100, 1,000, 10,000, 1,000,000 in number, are put together, they are not comparable to the moon in brightness. It goes without saying that one star can never be compared to the moon in brightness. Likewise, all the sūtras such as the Flower Garland Sūtra, the Āgama sūtras, the Hōdō sūtras, the Wisdom Sūtra, the Nirvana Sūtra, the Great Sun Buddha Sūtra, and the Sūtra of Meditation on the Buddha of Infinite Life put together, do not amount to one character of the Lotus Sūtra.

Yakuō-bon Tokui-shō, The Essence of the “Medicine King Bodhisattva” Chapter, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 30-31

Let me next use a metaphor of a mountain to help explain the Lotus Sūtra. There are ten mountains of treasures, of which Mt. Sumeru is supreme. The ten mountains of treasures consist of 1. Sessen (Snowy Mt.), 2. Kōsen (Fragrant Mt.), 3. Karira-sen (Mt. Kharādiya), 4. Senshō-sen (Hermit Sage Mt.), 5. Yugenta-sen, 6. Meni-sen, 7. Nimindara-sen, 8. Shakara-sen, 9. Shukue-sen, and 10. Mt. Sumeru. The first nine of these ten mountains are like sūtras other than the Lotus Sūtra, though each of them is equipped with a treasure. Mt. Sumeru is equipped with all the nine treasures, each of which is superior in quality to the one in the corresponding mountain. It is like how gold in the mundane world is valuable but not comparable to the purplish gold said to be from the river running through the mango forest in the Jambudvīpa continent.

Yakuō-bon Tokui-shō, The Essence of the “Medicine King Bodhisattva” Chapter, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 30

There are ten similes preached in the “Medicine King Bodhisattva” chapter, the first of which is the simile of a great ocean. Let me speak of this simile. In the continent of Jambudvīpa, where we human beings live, there are 2,500 rivers. In the continent of Aparagodānīya there exists 5,000 rivers. Altogether 25,900 rivers flow in the four continents lying in the four directions from Mt. Sumeru. Some of these rivers are as long as 100 or 250 miles. Others are as short as 25 miles, 100 yards, or six feet. None of these rivers, however, can compare to an ocean in depth.

Likewise, the Lotus Sūtra is supreme among all the sūtras—all the sūtras expounded before the Lotus Sūtra such as the Flower Garland Sūtra, the Āgama sūtras, the Hōdō sūtras, the Wisdom Sūtra, the Revealing the Profound and Secret Sūtra, the Amitābha Sūtra, the Nirvana Sūtra, the Great Sun Buddha Sūtra, the Diamond Peak Sūtra, the Sūtra on the Act of Perfection, and the Sūtra of Mystic Glorification—all the sūtras preached by Śākyamuni Buddha, the Great Sun Buddha, the Buddha of Infinite Life, Medicine Master Buddha as well as all the sūtras preached by all the Buddhas in the past, present and future.

Yakuō-bon Tokui-shō, The Essence of the “Medicine King Bodhisattva” Chapter, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 28

It is preached in the Lotus Sūtra, fascicle 7 (“Medicine King Bodhisattva” chapter), “This sūtra is a good medicine for the diseases of the people of the Jambudvīpa.” Bear in mind that this scriptural statement is preached in the Lotus Sūtra. Although the holy teachings of the Buddha preached during His lifetime are all the words of the Buddha, which from the eternal past have never been in error, this Lotus Sūtra especially is the most truthful of all the true teachings as Śākyamuni Buddha Himself states, “Having abandoned the expedients, I preach this sūtra honestly.” This is why the Buddha of Many Treasures bore witness to the truth of the Lotus Sūtra and various Buddhas gathered from all the worlds throughout the universe stretched their tongues ̄to touch the Brahma Heaven. How then can the Lotus Sūtra be false?

Kaen Jōgō Gosho, Writing About Lengthening the Life Span, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 7, Followers II, Pages 112-113

As for the main meaning of the “Medicine King Bodhisattva” chapter, it is in the seventh fascicle of the sūtra and is the 23rd of the 28 chapters. The first fascicle of the Lotus Sūtra includes the “Introductory” and “Expedients” chapters, the former being the introduction to the 28 chapters. The eight chapters from the “Expedients” to the “Assurance of Future Buddhahood of Learners and Adepts” chapters chiefly clarifies the attainment of Buddhahood by the Two Vehicles of śrāvaka and Pratyekabuddha and secondly explains the attainment of Buddhahood by bodhisattvas and ordinary people.

The five chapters, “The Teacher of the Dharma,” “The Appearance of the Stupa of Treasures,” “Devadatta,” “Encouragement for Upholding This Sūtra,” and “Peaceful Practices” chapters, expound the way ordinary people in the Latter Age of Degeneration should practice the eight chapters following the second “Expedients” chapter. Also, the 15th “Appearance of Bodhisattvas from Underground” chapter is the introductory to the 16th “Life Span of the Buddha” chapter. The 12 chapters beginning with the 17th chapter, “Variety of Merits,” explain mainly how ordinary people in the Latter Age of Degeneration should practice the “Life Span of the Buddha” chapter, while in the second place they also preach how to practice the eight chapters beginning with the “Expedients” chapter. Accordingly, this “Medicine King Bodhisattva” chapter explains the way to practice the eight chapters following the “Expedients” chapter as well as the “Life Span of the Buddha” chapter.

Yakuō-bon Tokui-shō, The Essence of the “Medicine King Bodhisattva” Chapter, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 27-28

The ten parables preached in the “Medicine King Bodhisattva” chapter of the Lotus Sūtra seem to compare the relative merits of the Lotus Sūtra against all other Buddhist scriptures, though this is not the true intent of Śākyamuni Buddha. In actuality, what the Buddha is preaching is that when we compare the practicer of the Lotus Sūtra against the practicer of all other scriptures of Buddhism, the former is like the sun and moon while the latter is like stars and lights.

How do we know this? We know this because of the most important statement in the eighth parable: “Likewise, one who is able to uphold this sūtra is the most superior of all living beings.” These 22 Chinese characters are the foremost essence of the entire Lotus Sūtra. They are the eyes of all living beings. This scriptural statement means, “The practicer of the Lotus Sūtra is like the Sun Deity, Moon Deity, King of the Brahma Heaven, and a Buddha while the practicer of the Great Sun Buddha Sūtra is like a star, river and an ordinary being.”

Therefore, anyone in this world, male or female, laity or clergy, who upholds the Lotus Sūtra will be regarded by the Buddha to be the lord of all living beings and revered by the King of the Brahma Heaven and Indra. When I think of this, my joy is beyond expression.

Shijō Kingo-dono Nyōbō Gohenji, A Reply to the Wife of Lord Shijō Kingo, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 7, Followers II, Pages 120-121

According to the scriptural statement and its interpretations by T’ien-t’ai and Miao-lê, the merit of upholding or protecting even one verse of the Lotus Sūtra is superior to that of giving offerings to all living beings, arhats, or all Buddhas with the seven treasures that spill over all the worlds in the universe. The “Medicine King Bodhisattva” chapter states, “The merit of upholding a stanza or a verse of the Lotus Sūtra is the greatest, to which none can compare.” T’ien-t’ai declares, “A man is light while the Dharma is heavy,” and Miao-lê, “The four stages of birth, rearing, growth and prosperity are different from one another, but they are all based on the Dharma.” Comparing all the living beings in the nine realms against Buddhas (in the realm of Buddhas), the merit of all the living beings is as light as a strand of hair while that of Buddhas is as heavy as a great mountain. Comparing Buddhas against the Lotus Sūtra, on the other hand, the merit of Buddhas is as light as the Brahma King’s robe while one character of the Lotus Sūtra is as heavy as the great earth. When T’ien-t’ai said that a man was light and the Dharma was heavy, he called a Buddha a man and the Lotus Sūtra the Dharma. The sūtras preached before the Lotus Sūtra and commentaries on them all praise the merit of Buddhas. These writings are like Buddhas. The Lotus Sūtra, on the contrary, extols the merit of the sūtra; it is like the parents of the Buddha, the parents who gave birth to those Buddhas.

Hōkyō Hōjū Ji, The Dharma Is More Precious Than Treasures, Wooden Statues or Portraits, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 95

[T]he only dependable teaching is a phrase in fascicle seven of the Lotus Sūtra saying: “Propagate this sūtra throughout Jambudvipa during the last 500-year period after My passing.” Grand Master Dengyō interprets this: “The Ages of the True Dharma and Semblance Dharma are approaching the end, and the Latter Age of Degeneration is around the corner. It is the time when the One Vehicle teaching of the Lotus Sūtra will be propagated.”

Mikoshi Buri Gosho, Intimidation with the Portable Shrine, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Biography and Desciples, Volume 5, Page 138