Category Archives: Promises

Promises, Daily Dharma, Blog

The Next 10 Years

Ryusho Jeffus Shonin inspired my efforts here back in 2015. In his book, “The Magic City: Studying the Lotus Sutra,” Ryusho relates the Parable of the Magic City” in Chapter 7 to our personal practice.

To reach the place of treasure requires traveling a dangerous, bad road five hundred yojanas long. As Ryusho explains: “Yojana is both a measurement of distance as well as time. Simply stated, a yojana is the distance an ox-cart can travel in one day.”

He asks his readers: “I wonder what you could accomplish in your life if you made a commitment from today for 500 days to practice on a regular consistent basis towards the achievement of some change in your life? Would you be able to travel the entire 500 days without giving up or abandoning or forgetting your goal and effort?”

But, really, 500 days is not long. Soon after I started this website, Ryusho suggested a 10-year timeframe would be more useful for judging the merits of the practice of Nichiren Buddhism.

And here I am today, having completed ten years on this journey.

Now I start the next 10 years.

Back in 2022 during my 800 Years of Faith Project, I wrote:

Each time as I cycle through the 32 Days of the Lotus Sutra (which, of course, is actually 34 days with the addition the Sutra of Innumerable Meanings and the Contemplation of Universal Sage) I am struck by the promises offered to everyone. This is especially true in Chapter 2.

“Any Śrāvaka or Bodhisattva
Who hears even a gāthā
Of this sūtra which I am to expound
Will undoubtedly become a Buddha.”

I believe it is these promises that have made the Lotus Sutra so important in Asia and why it translates so well as it is introduced to new readers. How can we not have faith?

At the start of last year, I proposed creating a 365-day collection of those promises contained in the Lotus Sutra. Today I’ll start posting them. These will replace my reprinting of Shinkyo Warner Shonin’s Daily Dharma.

However, I have added a twist. I am replacing references to the Lotus Sutra, this Sutra, the Wonderful Dharma, etc. with Myōhō Renge Kyō.

For example the verse above from Chapter 2 becomes:

“Any Śrāvaka or Bodhisattva
Who hears even a gāthā
Of Myōhō Renge Kyō which I am to expound
Will undoubtedly become a Buddha.”

I am doing this throughout my daily practice.

Here’s the transformed Kaikyoge:

Verses for Opening Myōhō Renge Kyō

The most profound and wonderful teaching
is presented in Myōhō Renge Kyō.
Myōhō Renge Kyō is difficult to meet
Even once in thousands and millions of aeons.
Now we have been able to see,
hear, receive and keep Myōhō Renge Kyō.
May we understand the most excellent teaching of the Tathagata!
The most excellent teaching of Myōhō Renge Kyō is very difficult for us to understand.
We shall be able to approach enlightenment
when we see, hear, or touch Myōhō Renge Kyō.
Expounded is the Buddha’s truth.
Expounding is the Buddha’s essence.
The letters composing Myōhō Renge Kyō
are the Buddha’s manifestation.

Just as perfume is caught by something put nearby,
so shall we be richly benefited by Myōhō Renge Kyō,
even when we are not aware of being so benefited,
because infinite merits are accumulated in Myōhō Renge Kyō.

Anyone can expiate his past transgressions,
do good deeds,
and attain Buddhahood by the merits of Myōhō Renge Kyō.
It does not matter whether he is wise or not,
or whether he believes Myōhō Renge Kyō or rejects it.

Myōhō Renge Kyō is the most wonderful and
most excellent taught by the Buddhas
of the past, present, and future.
May we meet and receive it,
Birth after birth, world after world!

Why insert Myōhō Renge Kyō? For me, this emphasizes that the Odaimoku is the principal practice of Nichiren Buddhism. Studying of the Lotus Sutra and the other teachings of the Buddha are only spices flavoring the meal of the Daimoku.

In Shishin Gohon-shō, The Four Depths of Faith and Five Stages of Practice, Nichiren writes:

The five characters of Myō, Hō, Ren, Ge, and Kyō are not the text of the sūtra nor a mere explanation; rather, they are the sole intent of the whole sūtra. Beginners may practice this without knowing the heart (of the Lotus Sūtra), but their practice will naturally harmonize with its intention.

After 10 years of personally studying and exploring the teachings of the Buddha, I want to emphasize that Myōhō Renge Kyō remains my focus.

Next: Harvesting the promises of Myōhō Renge Kyō

BuddhismInPractice, Promises

The ‘Cloudy and Obscure’ Tale of a Past Life

Note: This is another in the monthly excerpts from “Tales of the Lotus Sutra.”

There was a certain monk–his name has been forgotten–who lived in a monastery in the eastern section of Qin commandery. [In residence at the monastery] was a young novice who could recite the Lotus Sūtra with extraordinary fluency, except for the fact that whenever he reached the two words, “cloudy and obscure” (ai-dai), in the “Medicinal Herbs” chapter, he would forget them no sooner than he was taught them. This must have happened well over a thousand times. Finally his master scolded him bitterly, saying, “You are able to learn to recite the entire sutra perfectly [from memory]. How is it that you can’t muster the concentration to memorize these two words?!”

That night the master dreamt of a Buddhist monk, who told him: “You should not blame this novice. In his previous life he lived in a village on the east side of this monastery, where he had the form of a laywoman. Basically she devoted herself to reciting the single scripture of the Lotus Sūtra. But at that time, silverfish had eaten away the two characters “cloudy and obscure” in the “Medicinal Herbs” chapter of the household copy of the Lotus. Thus the two characters were originally missing from the sūtra. [As a result], when in this present life the novice monk tries to learn the words anew, he cannot do it. The surname [of the family] is such and such, and this copy of the sūtra may still be found there. If you don’t believe my tale, you can go and verify it for yourself.”

The very next day the master went to the village and sought out the household. After introducing himself he said to the head of the family, “Do you have a special place for making offerings?” The man replied, “We do.” “What scriptures do you keep there?” he asked. To which the man replied, “We have a single copy of the Lotus Sūtra.” The master sent him to fetch it so that he might have a look. Sure enough, the two characters were missing from the “Medicinal Herbs” chapter. [The head of the house] went on to relate, “This is the scripture that the deceased spouse of our elder son kept devotedly while she was alive. Since she passed away it has been seventeen years now.”

As it turned out, the dates corresponded perfectly with the month and year of the novice’s gestation. No one knows where and when he died.

Buddhism in Practice, p437-438

For comparison, see Priest Ezō of the Daigoji Temple

Promises

Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Feb. 3, 2025

If anyone keeps, reads, recites, expounds and copies even a gāthā of Myōhō Renge Kyō, and respects a copy of Myōhō Renge Kyō just as he respects me, and offers flowers, incense, necklaces, incense powder, incense applicable to the skin, incense to burn, canopies, banners, streamers, garments and music to it, or just joins his hands together respectfully towards it, Medicine-King, know this, he should be considered to have appeared in the world of men out of his compassion towards all living beings, although he already made offerings to ten billion Buddhas and fulfilled his great vow under those Buddhas in a previous existence.

Lotus Sutra, Chapter 10

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Promises

Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Feb. 2, 2025

Expound Myōhō Renge Kyō to those
Who are not angry
But upright, gentle,
Compassionate
Towards all others,
And respectful to the Buddhas!

Lotus Sutra, Chapter 3

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Promises

Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Feb. 1, 2025

It is not difficult
To grasp the sky,
And wander about with it
From place to place.

It is difficult
To copy and keep Myōhō Renge Kyō
Or cause others to copy Myōhō Renge Kyō
After my extinction.

Lotus Sutra, Chapter 11

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Promises

Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Jan. 31, 2025

Myōhō Renge Kyō opens the gate of expedients and reveals the seal of the truth. The store of Myōhō Renge Kyō is sound and deep. No one can reach its core. Now I show Myōhō Renge Kyō to the Bodhisattvas in order to teach them and cause them to attain [Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi].

Lotus Sutra, Chapter 10

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Promises

Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Jan. 30, 2025

“Mañjuśrī! It is difficult to hear even the title of Myōhō Renge Kyō [even if you try to do so, walking about] innumerable worlds. Needless to say, it is more difficult to see, keep, read and recite Myōhō Renge Kyō.

Lotus Sutra, Chapter 14

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Promises

Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Jan. 29, 2025

Anyone who keeps Myōhō Renge Kyō should be considered
To have already built a monastery
Made of the cow-head candana,
installed with thirty-two beautiful halls,
Eight times as tall as the tala-tree,
Provided with delicious food and drink,
With wonderful garments and bedding,
With accommodations for one hundred thousand people,
With gardens, forests, and pools for bathing,
And with promenades and caves for the practice of dhyāna.
He should be considered lo have already offered
That monastery to me in my presence.

Lotus Sutra, Chapter 17

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Promises

Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Jan. 28, 2025

Anyone who keeps Myōhō Renge Kyō
Will be able to expound
The meanings of the teachings,
And the names and words of Myōhō Renge Kyō.
Their eloquence will be as boundless
And as unhindered as the wind in the sky.

Lotus Sutra, Chapter 21

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Promises

Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Jan. 27, 2025

The good men or women who keep, read, recite, expound and copy even a phrase of Myōhō Renge Kyō, and offer flowers, incense, necklaces, incense powder, incense applicable to the skin, incense to burn, canopies, banners, streamers, garments and music to a copy of Myōhō Renge Kyō, or just join their hands together respectfully towards Myōhō Renge Kyō, should be respected by all the people of the world. All the people of the world should make the same offerings to them as they do to me. Know this! These good men or women are great Bodhisattvas. They should be considered to have appeared in this world by their vow to expound Myōhō Renge Kyō out of their compassion towards all living beings, although they already attained Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi [in their previous existence].

Lotus Sutra, Chapter 10

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Promises

Myōhō Renge Kyō Promise for Jan. 26, 2025

“Mañjuśrī! A Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas who keeps Myōhō Renge Kyō in the latter days after [my extinction] when the teachings are about to be destroyed, should have great loving-kindness towards laymen and monks, and great compassion towards those who are not Bodhisattvas.”

Lotus Sutra, Chapter 14

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