The people of Japan, both wise and ignorant, and rulers as well as the ruled, all say, “How can Priest Nichiren claim to be superior to the commentators, Buddhist teachers, grand masters, and virtuous priests of the past?” In order to clear their suspicions of me, I predicted two great calamities to overtake Japan in the near future: domestic disturbance and foreign invasion, which I foresaw upon seeing the severe earthquakes of the Shōka Era and the great, long comet of the Bun’ei Era. The domestic disturbance would be the fighting among the descendants of Lord Hōjō Yoshitoki, while the foreign invasion would occur in all directions but mostly in the western region. The sole cause for this to happen is that Buddhists in Japan all believe in false teachings, causing the King of the Brahma Heaven and Indra, protectors of the True Dharma, to order a neighboring country to attack Japan. Unless the Japanese people listen to me, Nichiren, even if they have millions and tens of millions of generals such as Taira Masakado, Fujiwara Sumitomo, Abe Sadatō, Fujiwara Toshihito, and Sakanoue Tamuramaro, there is no way to defend the country. I spoke far and wide, “If this prediction of mine does not prove to be true, you may believe in the false teachings of Shingon and Pure Land Buddhism.”

Seichōji Daishū-chū, A Letter to the People of the Seichōji Temple, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 5, Page 176