QUESTION: Various sūtras other than the Lotus Sūtra also state that an evil person can become a Buddha. It is preached in the Flower Garland Sūtra that five hundred evil people such as Devadatta will become Buddhas in the future. The Fuchō Zammai Sūtra states that an evil king, Ajātaśatru, will become a Buddha in the future and in the Sūtra of Mahāyāna Dhārani is the story of Vāsudeva, who had gone to hell because of his evil deeds but was guaranteed future Buddhahood. As for the enlightenment of women, the Bosatsu Shotai Sūtra says that any woman can become a Buddha. As for the enlightenment of beasts and birds, the Agama sūtras say that a pigeon will be a Buddha in the future. The enlightenment of the Two Vehicles is mentioned in the Sūtra of Mahāyāna Dhārani and the Heroic Valor Sūtra. The enlightenment of bodhisattvas is mentioned in such sūtras as the Flower Garland Sūtra. As for rebirth in the Pure Land by ordinary people bound by evil passions, the Sūtra of Meditation on the Buddha of Infinite Life says that even “the lowest grade in the lowest class” will be reborn in the Pure Land of the Buddha of Infinite Life, no matter how serious one’s sin is. As for a woman turning into a man, the Sūtra of the Buddha of Infinite Life states in the thirty-fifth of its forty-eight vows that a woman can turn into a man by reciting the name of the Buddha of Infinite Life and be reborn in the Pure Land. How are these enlightenments thus revealed in these various provisional sūtras different from the assurance of future Buddhahood of the Two Vehicles, a dragon girl, Devadatta, and bodhisattvas in the Lotus Sūtra? Also, there is no doubt that they all attain Buddhahood in these various sūtras even though there are some differences between them and the Lotus Sūtra. What do you think of this?

ANSWER: It is easy to answer your question based on the teachings passed down to me which I hold dear. After hearing my answer, you will clearly see that the Lotus Sūtra is superior to the various other sūtras and determine whether or not it is indeed possible to become Buddhas in those sūtras. However, I cannot write this down on paper because it is the secretly treasured doctrine of the Buddha.

Ichidai Shōgyō Tai-I, Outline of All the Holy Teachings of the Buddha, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Page 88-89