[Updated to include content from April 19, 2017, discussion]

For the past several Wednesdays I’ve been attending (online) Ryusho Shonin‘s lectures Historical Background of Standards and Rituals in Nichiren Shu. The depth of what we are studying is reflected in the excerpt from the Shutei Nichiren Shu Hoyo Shiki below:

The five characters of myo, ho, ren, ge, and kyo are the wondrousness that opens. The 28 chapters are the Dharma that is to be opened. That is why each phrase converges in the wonderful name. Each character is a true Buddha. Therefore, each of the 60,000 characters is the Dharma-realm. The virtues [of those characters] are mutually embracing with no increase or decrease. [Each character produces virtue just as] the wish fulfilling jewel constantly rains down many other jewels. Even one jewel is enough, while 10,000 jewels are not too many. No matter the quantity what is produced is sufficient. You should know that each character and sound spreads throughout the Dharma-realm to propagate the Buddha’s teaching in the past, present, and future, bringing benefit to all beings.

This is the place of practice where the Three Treasures of ultimate truth and unseen beings who protect the Dharma now appear and accept our offerings. This land is the Buddha’s Pure Land of Eternally Tranquil Light. Our body is the awakened body of the uncreated three-bodies. The sutra that we are upholding is the objective sphere where all the Buddhas of the past, present, and future certify the Dharma. The thought that is rightly upheld is the mind-only Dharma-realm of three thousand worlds in a single thought-moment. Therefore, may each sound and each thought spread throughout the Dharma-realm, as offerings to the Three Treasures, contributions to all sentient beings, and adornments of the Buddha’s land that will equally benefit the natural spirits and other beings of heaven and earth inside and outside the place of practice and also the good men and women who are seeing, hearing, and enjoying them. This virtue will be limitless.

This is the place of practice where the Three Treasures of ultimate truth and the unseen beings who protect the Dharma now appear and descend to this place. They see us clearly with the light of their wisdom. This place of practice where we are is the Pure Land of Eternally Tranquil Light. This present form-body is the awakened Dharma-Body. The sutra that we are upholding is what all Buddhas certify as the Dharma. The thought that is rightly upheld is the entire Dharma-realm. May each sound and each thought and all the virtues spread equally to adorn the Buddha’s land as offerings to the Three Treasures and contributions to all sentient beings. May awakening spread everywhere manifesting its light. May all the natural spirits, other beings, and the four kind of devotees in this world, those who are far and near, inside and outside the place of practice, throughout heaven and earth, and those who have a relationship with the Dharma and are seeing, hearing, and enjoying it receive conspicuous and inconspicuous benefit equally and limitlessly.

The schedule of lectures can be found in the Myoshoji calendar.