In one passage, Nichiren gives a humorous account of Samantabhadra’s [Universal-Sage Bodhisattva] late arrival at the Lotus assembly:

Among all the many bodhisattvas, Samantabhadra and Mañjuśrī were like ministers of the right and left to the Lord Śākyamuni. It was strange, therefore, that Samantabhadra, as one of those two ministers, should have failed to be in attendance during the eight or so years when the Buddha preached the Lotus Sūtra, which surpasses all the other teachings of his lifetime and which all buddhas and bodhisattvas of the ten directions, more numerous than the dust particles of the great earth, had assembled to hear. But when the Buddha had finished expounding the “King Śubhavyūha” [King Wonderful-Adornment] chapter and was about to conclude his preaching of the Lotus Sūtra, Samantabhadra came hastily from the land of the buddha Ratnatejo’bhyudgatarāja [Treasure-Power­Virtue-Superior-King Buddha] in the eastern quarter, accompanied by the sounds of ten billion musical instruments and leading countless numbers of the eight kinds of nonhuman beings. Probably fearing the Buddha’s displeasure at his tardy arrival, he assumed a serious expression and pledged in all earnestness to protect those who practice the Lotus Sūtra in the latter age. But the Buddha, no doubt pleased with his extraordinary sincerity in vowing to spread the Lotus Sūtra throughout the continent of Jambudvipa, praised him even more highly than he had earlier praised other bodhisattvas of higher rank.