The Lotus Sūtra enjoins us to give up the provisional teachings, saying that with faith we can enter the Way to Buddhahood. The Nirvana Sūtra preached last in the śāla forest states that there are numerous ways to get the seed of Buddhahood, but as faith in the Three Treasures include all those ways, it is faith in the Three Treasures that matters most. The basic way to Buddhahood thus lies in faith. The foundation of the Fifty-two Ranks is the ten stages of faith which those who practice Buddhism should live up to. Of the ten stages of faith, the belief in the Three Treasures comes first. Those with faith in the Three Treasures are considered to have the right view even if their caliber is low and they cannot perceive much. Those without belief in the Three Treasures, on the other hand, are considered to have abandoned the seed of Buddhahood even if they are talented and can perceive many things.

Hokke Daimoku Shō, Treatise on the Daimoku of the Lotus Sūtra, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 36-37