A Letter to Monk Sairenbō

Tears roll down when I think of the great hardship which I have to endure today, but I cannot stop tears of joy when I think of Obtaining Buddhahood in the future. Birds and insects cry without shedding tears. Nichiren does not cry but tears keep falling. These tears are shed not for worldly matters. They are solely for the sake of the Lotus Sutra. Therefore, they could be said to be tears of nectar.

(Explanatory note)

When Nichiren Shonin realized that all the difficulties he had to undergo in his life were for the sake of the Lotus Sutra, he was moved so deeply that tears rolled down; and when he thought of the possibility of obtaining Buddhahood in the near future by virtue of the merits he accumulated, he could not stop shedding tears of joy. Birds and insects cry without shedding tears. Nichiren Shonin did not cry but continuously shed tears. What were these tears for? They were not for the worldly happiness, anger, sadness or joy; they were all for the spreading of the Lotus Sutra and leading people in the right way. Therefore, these tears could be said to be tears of nectar.