Rely On The Dharma, Not On A Man

The Buddha willed us, “Rely on the Dharma, not on a man.” Accordingly we should not believe in anyone, no matter how great a wise man he is, unless he preaches according to the sūtra, shouldn’t we? The Buddha’s will also enjoins us, “Rely on the sūtra thoroughly revealing the truth, not the sūtra not thoroughly revealing the truth.” Therefore, those who are ignorant and unable to distinguish the order of preaching and the profundity or superiority of doctrine among all the holy teachings expounded by the Buddha during His lifetime should follow the sūtras thoroughly revealing the truth. Speaking of sūtras thoroughly or not thoroughly revealing the truth, they are numerous. The Āgama Hinayana sūtras do not thoroughly reveal the truth while such sūtras as the Flower Garland Sūtra, the Hōdō sūtras, the Wisdom Sūtra, and the Sūtra of Meditation on the Buddha of Infinite Life of the Pure Land School are those thoroughly revealing the truth compared to the Āgama sūtras. Compared to the Lotus Sūtra, those preached by the Buddha in the first 40 years or so following His attainment of Buddhahood do not thoroughly reveal the truth. Compared to the Lotus Sūtra, the Nirvana Sūtra does not reveal the truth thoroughly. Compared to the Lotus Sūtra, the Great Sun Buddha Sūtra is not the one thoroughly revealing the truth. Therefore, you should abandon all the sūtras preached during the 40 years or so as well as the Nirvana Sūtra, which was preached last, and follow the Lotus Sūtra as your teacher.

Shō Hokke Daimoku-shō, Treastise on Chanting the Daimoku of the Lotus Sūtra, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 13-14