QUESTION: Why do you claim that the daimoku contains all the Buddha’s teachings?

ANSWER: Interpreting the preface of the Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sūtra, Chang-an says, “The daimoku at the beginning is the king of the Lotus Sūtra that expresses the profound meaning of the sūtra. The sūtra’s profound meaning is the heart of the text. The heart of the text is unsurpassed by even the theoretical and essential teachings.” Miao-lê says, “By the daimoku, the heart of the text of the Lotus Sūtra, the comparative superiority among all the teachings of the Buddha is discerned.”

Muddy water has no mind but it still catches the moon’s reflection and naturally becomes lucid. Plants and trees catch the rain in order to blossom, but can we say they do this deliberately? The five characters of Myō, Hō, Ren, Ge, and Kyō are not the text of the sūtra nor a mere explanation; rather, they are the sole intent of the whole sūtra. Beginners may practice this without knowing the heart (of the Lotus Sūtra), but their practice will naturally harmonize with its intention.

Shishin Gohon-shō, The Four Depths of Faith and Five Stages of Practice, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 107