The Competition of the Four Devils

The Record of Western Regions by Hsüan-chuang states the following: A recluse lived in the Deer Park in Vārāṇasī, India, trying to master the art of wizardry. He was able to transform rubble into treasure or change the shape of a human or a domestic animal but was still unable to come and go out of the wizard palace by riding on the wind and clouds. For the purpose of attaining this art, the recluse recruited an honorable man to stand at a corner of the earthen platform carrying a long sword and to stand there holding his breath without saying a word. The art of wizardry would be gained if no word was uttered from the evening to the following morning. The recluse who was seeking the art was sitting in the center of the platform, holding a long sword in hand and chanting the magic words. They promised not to utter a word even if faced with death, and the honorable man swore not to say a word at the cost of his life. When midnight passed and the daybreak was approaching, the honorable man, for some reason, suddenly let out a shout. Thus, the practice of silence failed, and the recluse failed to attain the art of wizardry. The recluse reproached the honorable man saying, “Why did you break your promise? This is deplorable.”

The honorable man sighed and answered:

“When I slept for a while, the lord whom I served in the past appeared and chastised me for my silence. Nevertheless, I kept silent because I considered my promise to you important. Then my former lord became angry and said that he would behead me. Still I remained silent and was beheaded. I felt sorry and sad looking at my dead body wandering in the intermediate state between death and the next life, yet I kept silent. Then I was reborn in a Brahman family in Southern India. The pain upon conception and birth were unbearable, but I did not breathe out nor utter a word. After growing up, I got married, my parents died, and my child was born. I experienced both sadness and joy of life without saying a word until I became 65 years old. My wife then told me that she would kill my child whom I loved if I did not speak. Then I thought that if my child were killed I, at this old age, would never have a chance of having another child, and uttered a word involuntarily. I was awakened from my sleep by my own voice.”

The recluse master answered, “It cannot be helped. Both you and I were unable to attain the art of wizardry due to the deception of a devil.” The honorable man apologized to the master, “I am sorry that my resolution was not strong enough to help you attain the art of wizardry.” Then the master replied, “It is my fault. I should have forewarned you.” Nevertheless, the honorable man blamed himself for being unable to repay the master’s favor to such an extent that he ultimately died from his grief. Thus, it is recorded in the Record of Western Regions.

Wizardry was born of Confucianism in China and it has been a part of non-Buddhist teachings in India. Its worth does not even amount to the Hinayāna Āgama sūtras, which are not worth mentioning in Buddhism, let alone the Common, Distinct, and Perfect teachings of Buddhism, to say nothing of the Lotus Sūtra. When we try to accomplish a shallow doctrine such as this, “the four devils” compete with each other to interfere with us. How much more so when the disciples and followers of Nichiren try to spread the seven Chinese characters of Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō, the secret doctrine of the Lotus Sūtra, for the first time in Japan! It is inevitable that the followers will be confronted with such great difficulty that it is impossible to express in words and can only be guessed in mind.

Kyōdai-shō, A Letter to the Ikegami Brothers, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 6, Followers I, Page 81-82