The true Buddhist way does not exist outside of the truth in the mundane world. It is stated in the Sūtra of the Golden Splendor, “If one fully understands the worldly law, one knows the Buddhist law.” It is preached in the Nirvana Sūtra, “Non-Buddhist scriptures and commentaries in the secular world all were in reality preached by the Buddha. They are nothing but Buddhist teachings.” The Lotus Sūtra, fascicle 6, also declares, “All the activities and daily works of people in the secular world do not contradict the truth preached by the Buddha.” Collating the two scriptural citations from the Sūtra of the Golden Splendor and the Nirvana Sūtra with that from the Lotus Sūtra, Grand Master Miao-lê explains the mind of the Buddha. According to Grand Master Miao-lê, although the two sūtras (the Sūtra of the Golden Splendor and the Nirvana Sūtra) seem doctrinally profound, their doctrines are superficial when compared to the Lotus Sūtra. Namely, in those two sūtras the worldly law is explained in connection to the Buddhist law. In the Lotus Sūtra, however, the worldly law is interpreted as the totality of the Buddhist law. The pre-Lotus sūtras preach, “Everything is begotten from the mind, which is like the great earth. Grass and trees which grow on the earth is like all things that exist.” The Lotus Sūtra, on the contrary, states, “the mind is the great earth, which is grass and trees.” The pre-Lotus sūtras would say, “Mind is as clear as the moon, and as pure as a flower,” whereas the Lotus Sūtra would say, “The moon is nothing but mind, and flower is nothing but mind.”

Contemplating this, I am sure that the bale of polished rice you donated is not just a bale of rice; it is life.

Jiri Kyuō Gosho, Phenomenal Offering and Noumenal Offering, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 99