Generally speaking, there are two things which we should keep in mind as to the Perfect Teachings of the pre-Lotus sūtras. Before Ānanda assembled disciples of the Buddha to compile the sūtras, the Buddha added the doctrine of Distinct and Perfect Teachings and the Four Teachings and Three Teachings to every teaching. Thus, the pure Perfect Teaching was not preached in the sūtras expounded prior to the Lotus Sūtra. In this sense, the Perfect Teachings prior to the Lotus Sūtra are classified as the Distinct Teachings in the Lotus Sūtra. It is said in the tenth fascicle of the Commentary on the Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sūtra that in every stage there are two doctrines, fugen (mutually identical and mutually penetrating) and gyōfu (independence of every stage of the order); thus, we should know that the Perfect Teaching (prior to the Lotus Sūtra) is classified as the Distinct Teaching. Therefore, Buddhahood will not be attained in the pre-Lotus sūtras.

Nijō Sabutsu Ji, Obtaining Buddhahood by the Two Vehicles, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Page 227