Easy Readings of the Lotus SutraTo leave us with no choice but to restore faith day by day, Nichiren Shōnin expounds his teachings as follows:
“Reflecting deeply on my past, I, Nichiren, studied Buddhism from childhood and began to ponder and wish as follows: People’s life spans are never, for a single moment, static and continue to change. If you look closely at the state of one’s dying moment, you will find that the breath once exhaled is never inhaled again. That is exactly like when dew on top of a leaf falls off to the ground. Our life ends regardless of wisdom or foolishness, old age or youth. Therefore, since we have such a transitory life, we must learn about it deeply, keeping in mind day after day that the end of life is just before us, and that our life is limited.
“Thinking about it in this way, you must come to realize that the most important thing upon death is the noble heart as a fundamental part of human beings. There is no other way to realize the existence of that noble heart and cultivate it than to follow the proper faith. Since the proper faith is precisely the faith in the Odaimoku, you should devote yourself to it without delay.
“Since the proper mental activity arises with the proper faith, true peace is achieved only when people who are engaged in such a mental activity collectively form a nation. At that time, those who live there will live at peace both in mind and body.”
Category Archives: WONS
800 Years: ‘Difficult to Put Faith In and Difficult to Understand’
There are many people who put faith in the teaching of the Lotus Sūtra. Yet as I often experience great difficulties, both public and private, some change their faith after a year or two, even becoming my enemies who shoot arrows at me. Some only outwardly appear to be believers of the Lotus Sūtra, while others believe in the Lotus Sūtra in heart but not in practice.
Śākyamuni Buddha, was the legitimate son of King Śuddhodana, a great king who governed the entire continent of Jambudvīpa, and all of its 84,210 countries. The kings in Jambudvīpa all submitted to King Śuddhodana, and he had an innumerable number of domestic servants. Nevertheless, Śākyamuni, at the age of 19, left the palace of King Śuddhodana and entered Mt. Daṇḍaloka, where he spent 12 years practicing asceticism. He was then accompanied by only five men: Ājñāta-Kauṇḍinya, Aśvajit, Bhadrika, Dasābala-Kāśyapa and Mahānāman, two of whom left him in the sixth year and the remaining three also deserted him during the last six years. In the end he continued his training alone until he attained Buddhahood. The Lotus Sūtra is harder than this to have faith in. Therefore, the sūtra itself preaches that it is “difficult to put faith in and difficult to understand.” It is also preached in the sūtra (“The Teacher of the Dharma” chapter) that the great difficulties that abound today in the Latter Age of Degeneration surpass those that occurred during the lifetime of the Buddha. Therefore, the practicer of this sūtra who perseveres through the adversities today acquires more merit than giving alms to the Buddha over the course of a kalpa (aeons).
Shijō Kingo-dono Gohenji, Response to Lord Shijō Kingo, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Followers I, Volume 6, Page 152
800 Years: Faith and Comprehension of the Unenlightened
Compared to this Eternal Buddha and His teaching preached in the essential section, those preached in the theoretical section, the pre-Lotus sūtras, the Sūtra of Infinite Meaning, and the Nirvana Sūtra, namely, all the sūtras preached prior to, at the same time as, and after the Lotus Sūtra, are easy to believe in and understand. It is because they are provisional teachings adjusted to meet the faith and comprehension of the unenlightened while what is preached in the essential section transcends them all and is difficult to believe in and comprehend because it adheres to the true intent of Śākyamuni Buddha.
Kanjin Honzon-shō, A Treatise Revealing the Spiritual Contemplation and the Most Verable One, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 152
800 Years: Endeavor
Endeavor to strengthen your faith after listening to this important teaching. He who endeavors to strengthen his faith after listening to the teaching of the Lotus Sūtra is a true seeker of Buddhahood. Grand Master T’ien-t’ai says: “Indigo becomes deep blue even though it is created from indigo leaves.” This means that if dyed blue over and over, indigo blue will become deeper than its original color. Practicing the Lotus Sūtra is the same. By practicing the teaching of the Lotus Sūtra over and over, you will be a true follower. Practice is the best master.
Ueno-dono Goke-ama Go-henji, A Response to the Nun, Widow of Lord Ueno, Nyonin Gosho, Letters Addressed to Female Followers, Page 48-50
800 Years: The Milk of Faith
QUESTION: If someone chanted Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō without understanding its meaning will the benefit of understanding still be received?
ANSWER: When a baby nurses, it does not comprehend the taste; nevertheless, it receives the benefits of the milk naturally. Did anyone know the ingredients or formula for Jīvaka’s wondrous medicines? Water is without intent but it can extinguish fire; and even though fire consumes many things, can we say it does this deliberately? This is Nāgārjuna and T’ien-t’ai’s idea! I am merely repeating it.
Shishin Gohon-shō, The Four Depths of Faith and Five Stages of Practice, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 106-107
Daily Dharma – Aug. 10, 2022
Even if one should read 80,000 holy scriptures, set up stupas as numerous as the number of dust-particles of the great earth, observe the Mahayana and Hinayana precepts, and love all the people in all the worlds throughout the universe just as one’s sole child, one cannot dissipate the sin of slandering the Lotus Sutra. It is solely due to the sin of slandering the Lotus Sutra that we are unable to attain Buddhahood throughout the past, present and future lives and continue to suffer in the lower six realms.
Nichiren wrote this passage in his Treatise on Śubhākarasiṃha (Zemmui-shō). It is difficult to understand what Nichiren means by “slandering the Lotus Sutra.” Many wise people have debated this term over many years. We know that it prevents us from seeing things as they are and becoming enlightened, but it is as hard to tell whether we are slandering the Sutra as it is to see our own delusions. When we deny the possibility of enlightenment, either for ourselves or others, when we ignore the teaching provided by the Lotus Sutra and rely on our power over others, or when we remain preoccupied with our own suffering, these are surely ways that we slander the Sutra and stray from the path to Enlightenment.
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800 Years: Pile Up Your Faith in the Lotus Sutra
Ice is made of water, but it is colder than water. Blue colored cloth is colored by indigo, but it will be bluer than indigo when dyed repeatedly. In the same fashion, if you pile up your faith in the Lotus Sutra, you will be filled with more vitality and blessings than other people.
Oto Gozen Go-shōsoku, A Letter to Lady Oto, Nyonin Gosho, Letters Addressed to Female Followers, Page 122-124
800 Years: A Laughingstock’s Faith
I, Nichiren, am a laughingstock, but how can it be said that the Lotus Sūtra, which I believe in, is also a laughingstock? For instance, even if a purse emits a foul odor, the gold in the purse is beautiful. Even if a pond it stagnant and filthy, the lotus flowers that bloom in the pond are pristine. Likewise, though I am the most insignificant being in Japan, the Lotus Sūtra, which I put faith in, is the supreme of all the Buddhist scriptures.
A sensible person who wants to get hold of gold should not discard it just because the purse containing the gold reeks. If one loves the lotus flower, one should not have disdain for the pond where the lotus plant grows. If I, though insignificant, become a Buddha, it proves the great power of the Lotus Sūtra. Accordingly, if the last moment of my life is not positive, I will hurt the reputation of the Lotus Sūtra. If the last moment of my life happens to be negative, I will not only be viewed as evil by everyone in the world but I will also become a very evil person who ruins the name of the Lotus Sūtra.
Nishiyama-dono Goke-ama Gozen Gohenji, A Response to My Lady, the Nun Widow of Lord Nishiyama, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 7, Followers II, Pages 101
800 Years: With Sincere Repentence
A tiny needle sinks into the water. Rain falls — it cannot float in the air. These are natural laws. A person who kills a tiny ant falls into hell. Thus, a person who kills a human being falls into hell.
However, a huge rock can float on water if it is placed on a ship. A raging fire can be extinguished by the power of water. Without repentance, even a small sin can make a man fall into hell. On the other hand, with sincere repentance, even great sins can be erased.
KONICHI BO GOSHO
800 Years: Faith Despite Suffering
Having faith in the Lotus Sūtra involves suffering and punishment by the shogunate. There is no doubt that the moon wanes and waxes and the tide ebbs and rises. Though at the moment I endure punishment and suffering, they will return to me as merit. Why would I lament a joy such as this?
Toki-dono Gohenji, Reply to Lord Toki, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Biography and Desciples, Volume 5, Page 11