QUESTION: If even insentient beings possess “ten aspects, does it mean that even grass and trees possess senses so that they can obtain Buddhahood just like sentient beings?
ANSWER: This is difficult to comprehend and difficult to believe in. In fact, T’ien-t’ai is hard to understand and hard to believe in two aspects: one is his theology, and the other his spiritual contemplation. What is difficult in his theology are the seemingly contradictory statements found in Buddhist scriptures preceding the Lotus Sūtra and in the Lotus Sūtra itself, which were preached by one person, the Buddha. The pre-Lotus sūtras hold that the two groups of Hinayāna sages called śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha (Two Vehicles) and icchantika (those without the Buddha-nature) will never reach Buddhahood, and that Lord Śākyamuni achieved Buddhahood for the first time in this life.
However, the Lotus Sūtra, both essential (hommon) and theoretical (shakumon) sections, denies this, stating that even the Two Vehicles and icchantika can become Buddhas in the future and that the Lord Śākyamuni is in fact the Eternal Buddha. Thus one Buddha claimed two views, as far apart as fire and water. How could anyone believe in Him? This is the most difficult doctrine to understand and to put faith in.
The second difficulty in the T’ien-t’ai doctrine is his spiritual contemplation regarding his doctrine of “1,000 aspects contained in 100 realms” and “3,000 existences contained in one thought.” It is founded on the concept of “ten aspects,” maintaining that insentient beings such as grass, trees, and land possess ten aspects, that is to say, even insentient beings have mind as well as body. This is hard to believe. However, worshiping wooden icons and portraits as honzon has been allowed in Buddhism as well as other religions. This is acceptable only through the T’ien-t’ai doctrine. Unless grass and trees possess both matter and spirit and the principle of cause and effect, it does not make sense at all to worship wooden icons and portraits.
Kanjin Honzon-shō, A Treatise Revealing the Spiritual Contemplation and the Most Verable One, Writings of Nichiren Shōnin, Doctrine 2, Page 130-131