Nichiren’s personal touch with the Scripture

Of great importance, in Nichiren’s view, was the story of the Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta [Never-Despising Bodhisattva], a previous life of Buddha himself, told in the 20th chapter. The story is this: While Buddha was still striving for Buddhahood, he was a monk, and used to salute every person he met as a future Buddha, because he was convinced that everyone was destined eventually to be so. The people, however, took this salute as an insult, and in turn insulted and abused the monk. He endured all this, but never changed his way of saluting others, or his conviction that everyone was a Buddha-to-be. Therefore, he was called the “Constantly-revering.” (The Sanskrit name Sadā-paribhūta certainly means the “Constantly abused,” but Kumārajīva rendered the name by the “Constantly-revering,” that is, Sadā-aparibhūta, or with a different termination, indicating the present participle. Japanese, Jō-kufyō.) This story is told as an occurrence in the past, and also as an example for all Buddhists, especially for those living among the evil-disposed men of degenerate ages. It was this aspect of the story, indicating an underlying bond connecting the true Buddhist of the past with his successor in any age, that inspired Nichiren and kept him ever perseverant throughout all persecutions. Thus, in his mind this story of the “Constantly-revering” saint was nothing else than another version of his own life, which was also foretold in the vows of endurance as recorded in the thirteenth chapter. The same spirit of endurance for the sake of the Truth, and the same life in emulation and practice of the ardent vows of the ancient saints — this was what he found in the story, and derived from it incentive and consolation.

The Lotus of Truth is a rich treasury of religious inspiration and moral precepts, prophetic visions and poetic imagery, philosophical speculations and practical admonitions. From this book, all ages, and every man in Buddhist countries, derived some sort of instruction and inspiration, each according to his needs and disposition. Most Buddhists of a speculative trend of mind occupied themselves in elaborating the teaching of the oneness of Truth, the doctrine of the Sole Road [One Vehicle], notwithstanding the three gateways opened by Buddha in chapter 2, on “Tactfulness.” Many others, inclined to fantastic imagination, and delighted with supernatural glories, were keen for heavenly visions and apocalyptic scenes. Many others, again, found objects of worship in the deities of mercy and benefaction, such as Avalokiteśvara [World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva]. Much was written on the Lotus – philosophical treatises, miracle stories, poems, and prayers; the book also inspired many painters and sculptors, and we have a rich store of works of art whose subjects are taken from it. But there was none, until Nichiren “read” the book in his original way, who derived from it such a wonderful power of strenuous, militant life, and thereby lived a life of striving toward the ardent zeal exemplified by primeval disciples of Buddha. Indeed, Nichiren deemed himself to be an embodiment of the Scripture, a personal version of its teachings and prophecies and a living testimony to them.

How did he carry out his life in accord with this idea and attain to a full conviction of his mission, foreordained in the Lotus of the Perfect Truth?

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NICHIREN: THE BUDDHIST PROPHET

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