The place of “the ruler” in Nichiren’s thought is a complex one. Nichiren himself often directed his efforts in shakubuku toward those in positions of power because of their influence over the people at large. But at the same time, he strictly subordinated the authority of worldly rule to that of the true Dharma of the Lotus. A ruler’s obligation, in his view, was to protect the Lotus Sūtra and the monks who upheld it while denying support to those who “disparage the Dharma”; this would ensure general peace and prosperity. If, on the contrary, the ruler gave support to misleading teachings, disaster would plague his realm. This claim was articulated in Nichiren’s famous admonitory treatise Risshō Ankoku Ron (Treatise on establishing the true [Dharma] and bringing peace to the land), submitted to the Bakufu in 1260.