Bimbisāra was a wise king and the greatest follower of the Buddha in the world (Jambudvīpa). Moreover, he ruled the kingdom of Magadha, where the Buddha was planning to preach the Lotus Sūtra. As the king and the Buddha were in one mind, it was expected that the Buddha would expound the Lotus Sūtra. However, Devadatta wanted to stop this plan by any means. As he could not think of any effective means to prevent this, Devadatta approached Prince Ajātaśatru, Crown Prince of King Bimbisāra. After befriending the prince for several years, Devadatta finally caused discord between the royal father and son and incited Ajātaśatru to kill his own father. As Devadatta and Ajātaśatru were united in one mind, non-Buddhists and evil men gathered from all over India to side with them like swarms of clouds and mist. Ajātaśatru gave them territories and treasures and flattered them. The king of Magadha thus became an archenemy of the Buddha. Catching sight of this, the King of Devils in the Sixth Heaven of the realm of desire, accompanied by his numerous followers, descended from the heavens into Magadha Kingdom and entered the bodies of Devadatta, Ajātaśatru, and his six ministers. They appeared to be humans but they had powers of the devils in the Sixth Heaven. They were more turbulent and horrible than a storm swaying trees and grasses, a typhoon raising big waves in the ocean, a severe earthquake shaking the great earth, or a conflagration consuming many houses. …

Thus, the Buddha endured all kinds of persecution, but He was somehow able to stay alive to preach the Lotus Sūtra. This Lotus Sūtra says: “Many people hate this sūtra with jealousy even in My lifetime. Needless to say, more people will do so after My extinction.” The meaning of this passage is that even in the Buddha’s lifetime, the enemies of the Lotus Sūtra arose like this, not to speak of those who will preach or believe in even a letter or a single stroke of the Lotus Sūtra in the Latter Age of Degeneration.

Reflecting on this passage, although it has been more than 2,200 years since the Buddha preached the Lotus Sūtra, no one has ever read and practiced it as the Buddha preached. Only he who has encountered great persecution can be said to have truly practiced the Lotus Sūtra. Even T’ien-t’ai and Dengyō, who have been considered to be practicers of the Lotus Sūtra, never encountered the kind of hardship which the Buddha did.

Ueno-dono Gohenji, A Reply to Lord Ueno, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 111-112

In order to spread Buddhism in a country, an understanding of the conditions of the teaching that had been spread there previously is important.

It is the same as giving medicine to a sick person. It is necessary to know the type of medicine a person has already taken otherwise mixing the medicines may have ill effects or even kill the patient. The same is true with Buddhism. Teachings of the Buddha may also conflict with one another, leaving the people at a loss.

Nanjō Hyōe Shichirō-dono Gosho, A Letter to Lord Nanjō Hyōe Shichirō, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Pages 143.

It is I, Nichiren, who is the richest in Japan today, because I sacrifice my life for the sake of the Lotus Sūtra and leave my name for posterity. Gods of rivers take orders from the master of a great ocean, and gods of mountains follow the king of Mt. Sumeru. Likewise, when one knows the meaning of the “six difficulties and nine easier actions” and “scriptures preached in the past, are preached at present, and will be preached in the future” in the Lotus Sūtra, one will automatically know the comparative merits of all the Buddhist scriptures without reading them.

Kaimoku-shō, Open Your Eyes to the Lotus Teaching, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 90

Devadatta, archenemy of Śākyamuni Buddha, was the primal “good friend,” who helped Him in His pursuit of truth. Observing the world today, we find that strong enemies, rather than friends, help people improve themselves. I see many such examples right here in my world. The prosperity of the Hōjō clan is due to ex-Emperor Gotoba as well as Wada Yoshimori, who both tried to destroy the Hōjōs. If not for them, how could the Hōjōs hold onto their hegemony and rule over Japan? Therefore, we should say that they, who planned to subjugate the Hōjōs, were the prime allies of the Hōjō clan.

By the same token, my best allies who are helping me to become a Buddha now are: Tōjō Kagenobu, who tried to assassinate me; Priests Ryōkan, Tao-lung, and Dōamidabutsu, who brought false charges against me; and Hei no Saemonnojō Yoritsuna and Lord Hōjō Tokimune, who dominated the country. If not for these people, how could I have been a practicer of the Lotus Sūtra? I sincerely feel indebted to them.

Shuju Onfurumai Gosho, Reminiscences: from Tatsunokuchi to Minobu, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Biography and Disciples, Volume 5, Pages 33

The “self-nature” of the Lotus Sūtra is not what non-Buddhists think it to be because we possess in our heart all living beings of the Ten Realms. We have in ourselves the realm of Buddhas, let alone those of all living beings. Therefore, to become a Buddha now does not mean to be a new one. The “other-power” in the Lotus Sūtra, too, is not what non-Buddhists consider it to be. For other Buddhas are contained within each of us by nature. They also manifest themselves in us ordinary people. At this point I am omitting a discussion of both the “dual” and “spontaneous” powers.

Ichidai Shōgyō Tai-I, Outline of All the Holy Teachings of the Buddha, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Page 91

Though we, as ordinary people, should just believe in and respect any founder of a Buddhist School, I, Nichiren, cannot resolve my doubts at all. In worldly matters, there can be only one sovereign of a country. If there are two, peace cannot be attained. If there are two masters in a home, unity will deteriorate. The same can be said for all the sūtras of Buddhism. One of them, whichever it may be, must be supreme to all other sūtras.

Therefore, if we follow the sūtras uttered by the Buddha without depending on masters and commentators, we shall see the superiority of the Lotus Sūtra, just as the whole world can be seen by anyone who is not blind under the shining sun in the blue sky. Its supremacy is beyond doubt!

Hōon-jō, Essay on Gratitude, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Pages 3-4.

I will write this for my followers. Others will not believe in me and go to hell for slandering the True Dharma, which would in turn cause them to obtain Buddhahood. It is possible to know the salinity of the ocean by tasting one drop of water, and the advent of spring by seeing a flower bloom. In the same way, without sailing thousands of miles over to Sung China, without spending as long as three years as Fa-hsien did to visit Mt. Sacred Eagle, without entering the Dragon Palace as Nāgārjuna did, without visiting Bodhisattva Maitreya as Asaṅga did, or without attending the “three meetings at two places for lectures on the Lotus Sūtra (two on Mt. Sacred Eagle and one up in the sky) you will be able to perceive the relative merits of all the sūtras preached by the Buddha during His lifetime by reading this writing of mine.

Kaimoku-shō, Open Your Eyes to the Lotus Teaching, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 89

Once I decided to speak out and submit my proposal I could not turn back. Instead my proposal grew more insistent by the day, and I was despised by the ruler of the country and attacked by the entire nation. As the whole country of Japan opposed the spread of the Lotus Sūtra, the heavens were offended causing unusual phenomena in the sky to occur including the appearance of a great comet. The earth was enraged and shook continuously. Fighting broke out among the people and foreign troops invaded the country. The Buddha’s prophecy recorded in His sūtras proved to be true just as predicted. From these facts, there is no doubt about my being a practicer of the Lotus Sūtra.

Takahashi Nyūdō-dono Gohenji, A Response to Lay Priest Lord Takahashi, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 7, Followers II, Pages 77