QUESTION: What is the scriptural proof for the “3,000 existences contained in one thought” doctrine?

ANSWER: I should say, there are two kinds. First, it is preached in the second chapter, “Expedients”: “Reality of all phenomena consists of their appearances, natures, bodies. … The Buddhas, the World Honored Ones, wish to open the gate to Buddha wisdom.” These are scriptural proofs showing the existence of 3,000 dharma worlds even in the moment of thought of unenlightened beings suffering at the bottom of delusions and evil passions.

Secondly, “The Life Span of the Buddha” chapter preaches, “Nevertheless, it has been numerous and limitless aeons since I actually attained Buddhahood. …” It represents the “3,000 existences contained in one thought” doctrine attained by Śākyamuni Buddha in the eternal past. Now in the Latter Age of Degeneration I, Nichiren, exert myself to disseminate this “actual 3,000 in one thought” (ji no ichinen sanzen) doctrine shown in “The Life Span of the Buddha” chapter. I have kept secret in my heart this doctrine of the three great secret dharmas. However, if I do not leave it in writing for the future, I am sure, my disciples would be sorry for my lack of compassion after my death. It is useless to regret then, so I am writing this to be sent to you. After reading it once, please keep it confidential. Do not show it to others or talk about it indiscriminately.

Sandai Hiho Honjo-ji, The Transmission of the Three Great Secret Dharmas, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 291

[The “Hōkikō Gobō Shōsoku” is a letter written by Nichirō by order of Nichiren and it is addressed to Nikkō.]

A passage composed of the 28 Chinese characters that states, “The Lotus Sūtra is good medicine for the diseases of people of the Jambudvīpa; if a patient can hear this sūtra, his disease will disappear at once, and he will neither grow old nor die,” is taken from the “Medicine King Bodhisattva” chapter of the Lotus Sūtra. When Nichiren’s wet nurse who had a serious illness for about a year died, Nichiren Shōnin chanted this passage and placed it in her mouth with pure water. It revived her at once. Lord Nanjō Tokimitsu is not a high-ranking samurai but he is a devoted follower of Nichiren Shōnin. It would be better for him to pray to King Yama beseeching for help just this once, though it might be his karma from his previous life. As a way of curing his illness, please get a cup of pure water from the Shōnin River between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m., write down the 28 character passage of the “Medicine King Bodhisattva” chapter on a piece of paper and burn it. Then, please mix the ashes in the water and have him drink it.

Hōkikō Gobō Shōsoku, Letter to Nikkō, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Volume 5, Pages 209-210

Those who read the Lotus Sūtra, therefore, should not regard it as consisting of merely written words. The words are the mind of the Buddha. Grand Master T’ien-t’ai states:

“When the Buddha was requested to expound the Lotus Sūtra, He preached the meaning of the teachings, not merely the words of the sūtra. The meaning of the teaching is the mind of the Buddha, which is the insight of the Buddha. The insight of the Buddha is so profound that the Buddha declined three times to preach it. He agreed to expound it only upon the fourth request. Why was it necessary to make such a difficult arrangement? It is because the Lotus Sūtra expounds the insight of the Buddha. Other sūtras were preached simply without such an arrangement.”

The “mind of the Buddha” in this commentary arises from the interpretation that the Lotus Sūtra, which is itself of the physical aspect, is of the spiritual aspect. When we define the Lotus Sūtra as the spiritual aspect and enshrine it alongside a wooden or painted image of the Buddha with 31 marks of physical excellence, the image itself becomes the living Buddha. This is what is called the attainment of Buddhahood by trees and plants.

Mokue Nizō Kaigen no Koto, Opening the Eyes of Buddhist Images, Wooden Statues or Portraits, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 91-92

QUESTION: If the Buddha preached the Lotus Sūtra not at the beginning but after four decades of preaching lest the people might slander the sūtra, why do you suddenly expound the Lotus Sūtra without preaching the provisional sūtras first, causing the people to slander the True Dharma and fall into the evil realms?

ANSWER: While in this world the Buddha sat under the bodhi tree contemplating the capacity of the people. He foresaw that preaching the Lotus Sūtra then would cause the people to slander it and fall into the evil realms, but preaching it 40 years or so later would not cause them to slander it; instead, it would cause them to enter the way of bodhisattvas attaining the rank of shojü (state of non-regression) or even the highest rank of myōkaku (wonderful enlightenment).

In the Latter Age of Degeneration, however, it seems that there is no person equipped with the capacity to be saved by the Buddha’s dharma, not even one out of 10,000, who would be able to enter the rank of shojū. Also Buddhist masters who guide the people are no longer Buddhas, who can make judgment about the capability of the people to understand and accept the Buddha’s teaching. Therefore, the Buddha has permitted us to guide the people, both believers (who will attain Buddhahood by following the Buddha’s teaching) and non-believers (who will eventually attain Buddhahood through the merit of reverse relationship), with the Lotus Sūtra from the beginning. Even after the death of the Buddha, however, the provisional sūtras may be preached first for those whose capacity is not for the Lotus Sūtra. Also, those who place emphasis on giving joy to the people should preach provisional sūtras first just as Śākyamuni Buddha did, while those who emphasize relieving the people of their sufferings first should preach the true Lotus Sūtra just as Never-Despising Bodhisattva did.

Ken Hōbō-shō, A Clarificaton of Slandering the True Dharma, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 3, Pages 119-120.

These three great secret dharmas are certainly what I, Nichiren, at the head of the group of bodhisattvas emerged from underground received from Lord Śākyamuni Buddha orally more than 2,000 years ago. Therefore, what I practice today are the “actual” three great secret dharmas revealed in “The Life Span of the Buddha” chapter, which are exactly the same as what was transmitted on Mt. Sacred Eagle without a shred of difference.

Sandai Hiho Honjo-ji, The Transmission of the Three Great Secret Dharmas, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 290-291

How does the mirror of the Lotus Sūtra reflect on those who put faith in the Lotus Sūtra during the Latter Age of Degeneration as stated in the sūtra? Śākyamuni Buddha unmistakably declares that they are the ones who made offering to ten trillion Buddhas in the past (in the “Teacher of the Dharma” chapter).

Concerned that ordinary people in the Latter Age of Degeneration might not believe in the words uttered by just one Buddha, the Buddha of Many Treasures in the Treasure Purity World to the east far away beyond many countries took the trouble of making a trip to this world in order to see Śākyamuni Buddha and testify that the Lotus Sūtra contains nothing but the truth.

Could there be any doubt unresolved after this? Nevertheless, perhaps because ordinary people in the Latter Age of Degeneration may not be wholly convinced, numerous Buddhas were summoned throughout the universe to stretch their long and wide tongues, which told nothing but the truth from incalculable kalpa (aeons) ago till today, upward high in the sky like Mt. Sumeru. This was indeed an event of great significance.

Therefore, if an ordinary person in the Latter Age of Degeneration believes in even one or two words of the Lotus Sūtra, it is equivalent to embracing the truth set forth by the tongues (dharmas) of Buddhas throughout the universe.

Hokke Shōmyō-shō, Treatise on the Testimony of the Lotus Sūtra, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Faith and Practice, Volume 4, Page 184-185

Regarding the kaidan center for the practice of the Lotus Sūtra, should it not be established at the most outstanding place resembling the Pure Land of the Mt. Sacred Eagle with the blessing of an imperial edict and a shogunal directive? Should it not be at such a time when the laws of the kingdom and Buddhist dharmas are in perfect accord with both king and his subjects all believing in the three great secret dharmas revealed in the essential section of the Lotus Sūtra, and the meritorious works of King Virtuous and Monk Virtue Consciousness in the past recur in the evil and corrupt world in the Latter Age of Degeneration? We have to wait for the opportune time for its realization. This is what we call the actual precept dais (ji-no-kaidan), where all the people of India, China and Japan as well as of the Sahā World should repent their sins. Furthermore, such heavenly beings as the great King of the Brahma Heaven and Indra should come to assemble to practice the Lotus teaching.

After the establishment of this kaidan of the essential section of the Lotus Sūtra, the one on Mt. Hiei based on the theoretical section of the sūtra would be useless.

Sandai Hiho Honjo-ji, The Transmission of the Three Great Secret Dharmas, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 290