Priest Dōei was a man from Ōmi Province. In his youth, he went to Mt. Hiei and lived in the Hōdōin. Since he was one of those who received government support, he spent as much as twelve years sequestered in the mountain. There he read, learned the Mahāyāna Teachings, served his masters, venerated Buddhas by offering flowers, and spent many years reading the sūtras. Twelve years later, he finally returned to his country.

As he quietly remained at home, he reflected, “Being unintelligent, I have not learned much about the teachings of the Law. Lacking energy, I have not accomplished much by my ascetic practices. I only add years to my age and the remaining years before the expiration of my life are fewer. If I spend this life vainly, surely I will tread the path to the Three Lower Realms of fire, blood, and swords. Unless I plant good seeds now, I will not be able to gather the good fruit of Buddha. I think I will copy the Hokekyō.”

Thus deciding, Dōei began to copy the sūtra. Every time he finished copying one chapter, he made it a roll with a cover and invited five experts for veneration, discussion, and lecturing on the chapter. In this manner he offered a venerating dedication for the sūtra a few times or five to six times a month depending on the number of copies. This continued for some ten years and Dōei awaited his last moments as he firmly vowed, “For generation after generation, if one meets Buddhas and the Law, and if one copies the marvelous Hokekyō, one will surely become a Buddha on leaving one’s present status.”

At one time Dōei dreamed of a two-storied golden pagoda constructed in his front yard. It was most beautifully decorated with Korean lutes, with bells hanging from the spire on the top of the roof, and with the bejeweled ball placed at the tip of the spire. Looking at the pagoda, Dōei earnestly venerated it. Then a man resembling Taishaku appeared and said to Dōei , “This is the pagoda for storing your copied sūtras. Open its doors and see the interior.”

Being overjoyed by his dream, Dōei opened the doors and saw that every part of the interior of the pagoda except that towards the northeast was filled with several hundred copies of piled sūtras.

The man said again, “All the sūtras you copied in your present life are in this pagoda. You will ascend to the Tosotsu Heaven with this pagoda.”

Dōei woke up from his dream and leaped up and down with unlimited joy. Afterwards, his faith in the sūtra became firmer and he continued to copy it.

As he grew older, he became unable to walk and moved to the Yasu district, relying on his acquaintances. Towards the end of his life, Dōei finished copying the Chapter of Fugen. He venerated it with lectures, paid homage to it, joined his palms and passed away. (Page 51-52)