Shijo Kingo is one of the very few whose action match their will

The present age has developed exactly as the Buddha predicted it would, and Nichiren may be the person of wisdom whom the Buddha described. Though some people wish to help me, either their determination is weak, or, though firmly resolved, they are unable to act on their intentions. Thus, you are one of the very few whose action match their will. You surpass others in your resolve, and it is because of your devoted support that I have been able to survive. 13/10

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Propagation by the Wise
Written to Shijo Kingo on September 6, 1276

Gain entrance through faith alone

This Gohonzon is also found only in the two characters for faith. This is what the sutra means when it states that one can "gain entrance through faith alone." Since Nichiren's disciples and lay supporters believe solely in the Lotus Sutra, honestly discarding the expedient means and never accepting even a single verse of the other sutras, they can enter the treasure tower of the Gohonzon. How reassuring! 12/10

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon
Written to Nichinyo on August 23, 1277

All those who keep faith in the Lotus Sutra are most certainly Buddhas

Take these teachings to heart, and always remember that believers in the Lotus Sutra should absolutely be the last to abuse one another. All those who keep faith in the Lotus Sutra are most certainly Buddhas, and one who slanders a Buddha commits a grave offense. 11/10

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Fourteen Slanders
Written to the lay priest Matsuno Rokuro Saemon on December 9, 1276

The spreading of Buddhism in the Former, the Middle Days and the Latter Day of the Law

The moon appears in the west and sheds its light eastward, but the sun rises in the east and casts its rays to the west. The same is true of Buddhism. It spread from west to east in the Former and Middle Days of the Law, but will travel from east to west in the Latter Day. 10/10

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Conversation between a Sage and an Unenlightened Man
Recipient unknown; written in 1265

Reading the sutra with one's body and mind

Admirable Nichiro, because you have read the entirety of the Lotus Sutra with both the physical and spiritual aspects of your life, you will also be able to save your father and mother, your six kinds of relatives, and all living beings. Others read the Lotus Sutra with their mouths alone, in word alone, but they do not read it with their hearts. And even if they read it with their hearts, they do not read it with their actions. It is reading the sutra with both one's body and mind that is truly praiseworthy! 9/10

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Letter to Priest Nichiro in Prison
Written to Chikugo-bo Nichiro on October 9, 1271

The Place of the Cluster of Blessings

Where there is water, fish dwell. Where there are woods, birds gather. On the mountain island of P'eng-lai there are many jewels, and on Mount Malaya sandalwood trees grow. There is gold in the mountains from which the river Li-shui flows. Now this place, too, is like that. It is the place of the cluster of blessings where the Buddhas and bodhisattvas dwell. 8/10

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Place of the Cluster of Blessings
Written to Shijo Kingo on October 8, 1280

My faith springs up all the more, and I am confident about my next existence

It seems to me that on the path to attain Buddhahood it may invariably be when one has done something like lay down one's life that one becomes a Buddha. I think that perhaps it is encountering such difficulties as have already been explained in the sutra—being cursed, vilified, attacked with swords and staves, shards and rubble, and banished again and again—that is reading the Lotus Sutra with one's life. My faith springs up all the more, and I am confident about my next existence. 7/10

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Banishment to Sado
Written to Enjo-bo in October 1271

Lessening One's Karmic Retribution

The Nirvana Sutra teaches the principle of lessening one's karmic retribution. If one's heavy karma from the past is not expiated within this lifetime, one must undergo the sufferings of hell in the future, but if one experiences extreme hardship in this life [because of the Lotus Sutra], the sufferings of hell will vanish instantly. And when one dies, one will obtain the blessings of the human and heavenly worlds, as well as those of the three vehicles and the one vehicle. 6/10

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Lessening One's Karmic Retribution
Written to Ota Saemon-no-jo, the lay priest Soya and the Dharma Bridge Kimbara on October 5, 1271

The Lotus Sutra is difficult to act as it teaches

One may be letter-perfect in reciting the Lotus Sutra, but it is far more difficult to act as it teaches.

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Lessening One's Karmic Retribution
Written to Ota Saemon-no-jo, the lay priest Soya and the Dharma Bridge Kimbara on October 5, 1271

Must not spend your lives in vain and regret it

In the light of the above points, this shows, my followers, that you had better cut short your sleep by night and curtail your leisure by day, and ponder this! You must not spend your lives in vain and regret it for ten thousand years to come. 4/10

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Problem to Be Pondered Night and Day
Written to Toki Jonin on August 23, 1275

From the indigo, an even deeper blue

One who, on hearing the teachings of the Lotus Sutra, makes even greater efforts in faith is a true seeker of the way. T'ien-t'ai states, "From the indigo, an even deeper blue." This passage means that, if one dyes something repeatedly in indigo, it becomes even bluer than the indigo leaves. The Lotus Sutra is like the indigo, and the strength of one's practice is like the deepening blue. 3/10

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Hell Is the Land of Tranquil Light
Written to Nanjo Tokimitsu's mother on July 11, 1274

Emerging from the earth

At first only Nichiren chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, but then two, three, and a hundred followed, chanting and teaching others. Propagation will unfold this way in the future as well. Does this not signify "emerging from the earth"? At the time when the Law has spread far and wide, the entire Japanese nation will chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, as surely as an arrow aimed at the earth cannot miss the target. 2/10

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The True Aspect of All Phenomena
Written to Sairen-bo Nichijo on May 17, 1273

Fulfilling the Buddha's words

I do not know whether these trials equal or surpass those of the Buddha. Nagarjuna, Vasubandhu, T'ien-t'ai, and Dengyo, however, cannot compare with me in what they suffered. Had it not been for the advent of Nichiren in the Latter Day of the Law, the Buddha would have been a teller of great lies, and the testimony given by Many Treasures and by the Buddhas of the ten directions would have been false. In the 2,230 and more years since the Buddha's passing, Nichiren is the only person in the entire land of Jambudvipa who has fulfilled the Buddha's words. 1/10

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
On Persecutions Befalling the Sage
Written to all followers (and entrusted to Shijo Kingo on October 1, 1279)

Conspicuous and inconspicuous benefit

The meaning of this passage is that those who obtained benefit during the Former and Middle Days of the Law received "conspicuous" benefit, because the relationship they formed with the Lotus Sutra during the lifetime of the Buddha had finally matured. On the other hand, those born today in the Latter Day of the Law receive the seeds of Buddhahood for the first time, and their benefit is therefore "inconspicuous." 30/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Teaching, Practice and Proof
Written to Sammi-bo on March 21, 1275

It is better to live a single day with honor than to live to 120 and die in disgrace

The number of those endowed with human life is as small as the amount of earth one can place on a fingernail. Life as a human being is hard to sustain—as hard as it is for the dew to remain on the grass. But it is better to live a single day with honor than to live to 120 and die in disgrace. Live so that all the people of Kamakura will say in your praise that Nakatsukasa Saburo Saemon-no-jo is diligent in the service of his lord, in the service of Buddhism, and in his concern for other people. 29/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Three Kinds of Treasure
Written to Shijo Kingo on September 11, 1277

Never seek the Gohonzon outside yourself

Never seek this Gohonzon outside yourself. The Gohonzon exists only within the mortal flesh of us ordinary people who embrace the Lotus Sutra and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. 28/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon
Written to Nichinyo on August 23, 1277

The act of accepting and upholding or protecting and embracing one verse of the Lotus Sutra

What the Lotus Sutra, T'ien-t'ai, and Miao-lo intend to say is that the act of accepting and upholding or protecting and embracing one verse of the Lotus Sutra surpasses the act of making offerings to all living beings, or making offerings to arhats, or even of filling the entire major world system with the seven kinds of treasures as an offering to all Buddhas. 27/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Unmatched Blessings of the Law
Written to the lay priest Nishiyama on May 11, 1279

Avoiding the Offense of Complicity in Slander

Although at heart you are of the same mind as Nichiren, since your person is in service to your lord, it would have been extremely difficult for you to have avoided the offense of complicity in slander. How admirable it is that, despite this, you communicated this teaching to your lord and urged him to take faith in it. Even though he may fail to accept it now, you have managed to avoid the offense of complicity.

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
On Recommending This Teaching to Your Lord and Avoiding the Offense of Complicity in Slander
Written to Shijo Kingo on September 26, 1274

Repay the debts of kindness

Ever since I began to study the Law handed down from Shakyamuni Buddha and undertook the practice of the Buddhist teachings, I have believed it is most important to understand one's obligations to others, and made it my first duty to repay such debts of kindness. In this world, we owe four debts of gratitude. One who understands this is worthy to be called human, while one who does not is no more than an animal. 25/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Conversation between a Sage and an Unenlightened Man
Recipient unknown; written in 1265

The five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo represent the intent of the entire sutra

Though muddy water has no mind, it can catch the moon's reflection and so naturally become clear. When plants and trees receive the rainfall, they can hardly be aware of what they are doing, and yet do they not proceed to put forth blossoms? The five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo do not represent the sutra text, nor are they its meaning. They are nothing other than the intent of the entire sutra. So, even though the beginners in Buddhist practice may not understand their significance, by practicing these five characters, they will naturally conform to the sutra's intent. 24/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
On the Four Stages of Faith and the Five Stages of Practice
Written to Toki Jonin on April 10, 1277

Cure to illness

Miao-lo said, "Wise men can perceive the cause of things, as snakes know the way of snakes." The present epidemics are like the virulent boils of King Ajatashatru that could not be cured by anyone but the Buddha. They can only be eliminated by the Lotus Sutra. 23/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Two Kinds of Illness
Written to Shijo Kingo on June 26, 1278

Harsh living conditions of Daishonin

I cannot see the sun in the daytime or the moon at night. In winter there is deep snow, and in summer the grass grows thick. Because so few people come to see me, the trail is very hard to travel. This year, especially, the snow is so deep that I have no visitors at all. Knowing that my life may end at any time, I put all my trust in the Lotus Sutra.

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra
Written to the lay nun Konichi in 1276

The wondrous Shinjo kingo

I cannot adequately express my gratitude for your frequent letters. At the time of my persecution on the twelfth, not only did you accompany me to Tatsunokuchi, but also you declared that you would die by my side. This can only be called wondrous. 21/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Persecution at Tatsunokuchi Written to
Shijo Kingo on September 21, 1271

Chanting Daimoku and the blessing gain

All those who keep faith in the Lotus Sutra are most certainly Buddhas, and one who slanders a Buddha commits a grave offense. When one chants the daimoku bearing in mind that there are no distinctions among those who embrace the Lotus Sutra, then the blessings one gains will be equal to those of Shakyamuni Buddha. 20/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Fourteen Slanders
Written to the lay priest Matsuno Rokuro Saemon on December 9, 1276

Reality and wisdom

Is it not the meaning of the sutra and commentary that the way to Buddhahood lies within the two elements of reality and wisdom? Reality means the true nature of all phenomena, and wisdom means the illuminating and manifesting of this true nature. Thus when the riverbed of reality is infinitely broad and deep, the water of wisdom will flow ceaselessly. When this reality and wisdom are fused, one attains Buddhahood in one's present form. 19/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Essentials for Attaining Buddhahood
Written to Soya Jiro Hyoe-no-jo Kyoshin on August 3, 1276

Propagation of Buddhism

I cannot express my joy at your having sent a messenger all the way here at such a time. Can it be that Shakyamuni Buddha or the Bodhisattvas of the Earth have entered into your body?
I entrust you with the propagation of Buddhism in your province. 18/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Properties of Rice
Written to the lay priest Takahashi, date unknown

Correct teaching

Even a word or a phrase of the correct teaching will enable one to gain the way, if it suits the time and the capacity of the people. But though one studies a thousand sutras and ten thousand treatises, one will not attain Buddhahood if these teachings are unsuitable for the time and the people's capacity. 17/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Letter from Sado
Written to Toki Jonin on March 20, 1272

Karmic relationship

Therefore, those who become Nichiren's disciples and lay believers should realize the profound karmic relationship they share with him and spread the Lotus Sutra as he does. Being known as a votary of the Lotus Sutra is a bitter, yet unavoidable destiny. 16/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Letter to Jakunichi-bo
Written to Jakunichi-bo Nikke on September 16, 1279

The Farther the Source, the Longer the Stream

The deeper the roots, the more luxuriant the branches. The farther the source, the longer the stream. All sutras other than the Lotus Sutra have shallow roots and short streams, while the Lotus Sutra has deep roots and a distant source. That is why the Great Teacher T'ien-t'ai stated that the Lotus Sutra would survive and spread even in the evil latter age. 15/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Farther the Source, the Longer the Stream
Written to Shijo Kingo on September 15, 1278

What is there to lament?

The government's persecution of me has clearly demonstrated my faith in the Lotus Sutra. There is no doubt that the moon wanes and waxes and that the tide ebbs and flows. In my case, too, since punishment has already occurred, benefit must be forthcoming. What is there to lament? 14/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Letter from Echi
Written to Toki Jonin on September 14, 1271

Buddha's prediction

Now Nichiren's lifelong prayer and desire will be achieved in an instant. And this fits the Buddha's prediction regarding the fifth five hundred years, just as one half of a tally matches the other.

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Reply to the Followers
Written to followers in Kamakura on March 21, 1278

The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra

A brilliant orb as bright as the moon burst forth from the direction of Enoshima, shooting across the sky from southeast to northwest. It was shortly before dawn and still too dark to see anyone's face, but the radiant object clearly illuminated everyone like bright moonlight. The executioner fell on his face, his eyes blinded. The soldiers were filled with panic. Some ran off into the distance, some jumped down from their horses and huddled on the ground, while others crouched in their saddles. I called out, "Here, why do you shrink from this vile prisoner? Come closer! Come closer!" But no one would approach me. 12/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra
Written to the lay nun Konichi in 1276

The Person, the Law and the scared land

Because this mountain is where this wondrous votary of the Lotus Sutra dwells, how can it be any less sacred than the pure land of Eagle Peak? This is what [The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra means when] it says, "Since the Law is wonderful, the person is worthy of respect; since the person is worthy of respect, the land is sacred." 11/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Person and the Law
Written to Nanjo Tokimitsu on September 11, 1281

The treasures of the heart are the most valuable of all

More valuable than treasures in a storehouse are the treasures of the body, and the treasures of the heart are the most valuable of all. From the time you read this letter on, strive to accumulate the treasures of the heart! 10/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Three Kinds of Treasure
Written to Shijo Kingo on September 11, 1277

The entire realm of phenomena will have changed into the Land of Tranquil Light

As I have been saying for some time, in your situation as a lay believer, you should just single-mindedly chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo morning and evening, day and night, and observe what happens at the last moments of your life. At that time, hasten to the summit of perfect enlightenment, and look around you in all directions. The entire realm of phenomena will have changed into the Land of Tranquil Light. . . . Buddhas and bodhisattvas all being caressed by breezes of eternity, happiness, true self, and purity. We, too, will surely be among their numbers. 9/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Reply to Matsuno
Written to Matsuno Rokuro Saemon on September 9, 1277

A Father Takes Faith

Priests possessed by the heavenly devil, such as Ryokan and the others, deceived your father, Saemon no Tayu, and tried to destroy you and your brother, but you, having a wise heart, heeded Nichiren's admonition. Therefore, just as two wheels support a cart, or two legs carry a person, just as two wings enable a bird to fly, or just as the sun and moon aid all living beings, the efforts of you brothers have led your father to take faith in the Lotus Sutra.8/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
A Father Takes Faith
Written to Ikegami Hyoe no Sakan Munenaga on September 9, 1277

Offering and persecuting the votary of the Lotus Sutra

The blessings from making offerings to a votary of the Lotus Sutra in the latter age exceed even those from making offerings to a Thus Come One endowed with the ten honorable titles, while those who persecute a votary of the Lotus Sutra in the defiled age will have their heads split into seven pieces. 7/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Letter to the Lay Nun of Ko
Written to the lay nun of Ko on June 16, 1275

The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra

Even if my counsel is heeded, if I am not given due respect as the votary of the Lotus Sutra, then the country will perish. How ominous that the authorities have turned hundreds of persons against me and have even banished me twice! This country is surely doomed, but since I have asked the gods to withhold their punishment on our land, it has survived until now. However, that punishment has finally descended because these unreasonable actions continued. 6/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra
Written to the lay nun Konichi in 1276

Powerful enemies and great slanderers of the Law

These passages from the sutras speak of powerful enemies of the correct teaching. Such enemies are to be found not so much among evil rulers and evil ministers, among non-Buddhists and devil kings, or among monks who disobey the precepts. Rather they are those great slanderers of the Law who are to be found among the eminent monks who appear to be upholders of the precepts and men of wisdom. 5/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Selection of the Time
Written to Yui in 1275

Condemning others and pointing out the correct doctrines

Question: Why do you alone spew forth such evil words about other people? Answer: I, Nichiren, am not condemning others. I am only pointing out the questionable places in their doctrines. If they want to get angry at me, then let them! 4/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Letter to Shomitsu-bo
Written to Shomitsu-bo in 1277

Bail the seawater of slander and disbelief out of the ship of your life, and solidify the embankments of your faith

Suppose there is a ship that sails on the open sea. Though the ship is stoutly built, if it is flooded by a leak, those on the ship are sure to drown together. Though the embankment between rice fields is firm, if there is an ant hole in it, then surely, in the long run, it will not remain full of water. Bail the seawater of slander and disbelief out of the ship of your life, and solidify the embankments of your faith. 3/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Embankments of Faith
Written to the lay nun Sennichi on September 3, 1275

Slandering priests, mosquitos and gadflies

I hear that these priests have been slandering me for some years now. These mosquitos and gadflies, as it were, are such fools that they groundlessly revile Nichiren, who is like the lion king, when they have neither listened to nor seen him. 2/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Third Doctrine
Written to Toki Jonin on October 1, 1277

Three things are required for effective prayers

In kindling a fire, three things are needed: a good piece of steel, a good flint, and good tinder. The same is true of prayer. Three things are required—a good teacher, a good believer, and a good teaching—before prayers can be effective and disasters banished from the land. 1/9

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
How Those Initially Aspiring to the Way Can Attain Buddhahood through the Lotus Sutra Written to the lay nun Myoho in 1277

Obstruct the practice in Lotus Sutra

Believers in the Lotus Sutra should fear those who attempt to obstruct their practice more than they fear bandits, burglars, night raiders, tigers, wolves, or lions—even more than invasion now by the Mongols. 31/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Letter to the Brothers
Written to Ikegami Munenaka and Ikegami Munenaga on April 16, 1275

Effects of misfortune and fortune

Misfortune comes from one's mouth and ruins one, but fortune comes from one's heart and makes one worthy of respect. 30/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
New Year's Gosho
Written to the wife of Omosu on January 5, year unknown

Wisdom of Nichiren

Tell Joken-bo, Gijo-bo, and the other priests on my behalf: “Nichiren has often been on the verge of being killed. Twice he was exiled and once almost beheaded. This is not because of any worldly wrongs on his part.

[As a youth] he received great wisdom from the living Bodhisattva Space Treasury. He prayed to the bodhisattva to become the wisest person in Japan. The bodhisattva must have taken pity on him, for he presented him with a great jewel as brilliant as the morning star, which Nichiren tucked away in his right sleeve. Thereafter, on perusing the entire body of sutras, he was able to discern in essence the relative worth of the eight schools as well as of all the scriptures. 29/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Letter to the Priests of Seicho-ji
Written to the priests of Seicho-ji temple on January 11, 1276

Firm faith

Everyone in Japan, from the sovereign on down to the common people, without exception has tried to do me harm, but I have survived until this day. You should realize that this is because, although I am alone, I have firm faith. 28/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Supremacy of the Law
Written to Oto and her mother, Nichimyo, on August 4, 1275

Good influence of people with good character

Mugwort that grows in the midst of hemp or a snake inside a tube [will as a matter of course become straight], and those who associate with people of good character will consequently become upright in heart, deed and word. The Lotus Sutra exerts a similar influence. The Buddha will look upon one who simply puts faith in this sutra as a good person. 27/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Bodies and Minds of Ordinary Beings
Recipient and date unknown

Sincerity and devotion of lay nun Sennichi

It is easy to sustain our concern for someone who is before our very eyes, but quite a different thing when that person is far away, even though in our heart we may not forget him. Nevertheless, in the five years. . . that have already passed since I came to live here in the mountains, you have sent your husband from the province of Sado to visit me three times. How great is your sincerity! It is firmer than the great earth, deeper than the great sea! 26/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Sutra of True Requital
Written to the lay nun Sennichi on July 28, 1278

The Gohonzon is the essence of the Lotus Sutra

This Gohonzon is the essence of the Lotus Sutra and the eye of all the scriptures. It is like the sun and moon in the heavens, a great ruler on earth, the heart in a human being, the wish-granting jewel among treasures and the pillar of a house. When we have this mandala with us, it is a rule that all Buddhas and gods will gather round and watch over us, protecting us like a shadow day and night, just as warriors guard their ruler, as parents love their children, as fish rely on water, as trees and plants crave rain, or as birds depend on trees. 25/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
On Upholding Faith in the Gohonzon
Written to the lay nun Myoshin on August 25, 1275

A person of wisdom

If there is one who can cause others to awaken to and take faith in a teaching such as this, then that person is their father and mother, and also their good friend. This is a person of wisdom. 24/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Problem to Be Pondered Night and Day
Written to Toki Jonin on August 23, 1275

The object of devotion, the Gohonzon

How wondrous it is that, around two hundred years and more into the Latter Day of the Law, I was the first to reveal as the banner of propagation of the Lotus Sutra this great mandala that even those such as Nagarjuna and Vasubandhu, T'ien-t'ai and Miao-lo were unable to express! This mandala is in no way my invention. It is the object of devotion that depicts Shakyamuni Buddha, the World-Honored One, seated in the treasure tower of Many Treasures Buddha, and the Buddhas who were Shakyamuni's emanations as perfectly as a print matches its woodblock. 23/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon
Written to Nichinyo on August 23, 1277

Benefits of devoting to the lotus sutra

By considering the magnitude of the punishment suffered by those who harbor enmity toward the Lotus Sutra, we can understand the magnitude of the benefits obtained by devoting oneself to it. 22/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Reply to Jibu-bo
Written to Jibu-bo on August 22, 1281

Knows the Lotus Sutra and understands the meaning of world affairs

T'ien-t'ai states, "By observing the fury of the rain, we can tell the greatness of the dragon that caused it, and by observing the flourishing of the lotus flowers, we can tell the depth of the pond they grow in." Miao-lo says, "Wise men can perceive the cause of things, as snakes know the way of snakes." When the skies are clear, the ground is illuminated. Similarly, when one knows the Lotus Sutra, one understands the meaning of all worldly affairs. 21/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind Established in the Fifth Five-Hundred-Year Period after the Thus Come One's Passing
Written to Toki Jonin on April 25, 1273

Worthy man

And do not go around lamenting to others how hard it is for you to live in this world. To do so is an act utterly unbecoming to a worthy man. 20/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Three Kinds of Treasure
Written to Shijo Kingo on September 11, 1277

The Wealthy Man Sudatta and his offerings

During [Sudatta's] last period of poverty, when all the people had fled or perished and only he and his wife remained, they had five measures of rice that would nourish them for five days. At that time, five people—Mahakashyapa, Shariputra, Ananda, Rahula and Shakyamuni Buddha—came one after another to beg for the five measures of rice, which Sudatta gave them. From that day on, Sudatta was the wealthiest man in all India, and he built the Jetavana Monastery. From this, you should understand all things. 19/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Wealthy Man Sudatta
Written to Nanjo Tokimitsu on December 27, 1280

A single person in body and a single person in mind

People have varied tastes. Some prefer good and some prefer evil. There are many kinds of people. But though they differ from one another in such ways, once they enter into the Lotus Sutra, they all become like a single person in body and a single person in mind. This is just like the myriad different rivers that, when they flow into the ocean, all take on a uniformly salty flavor, or like the many kinds of birds that, when they approach Mount Sumeru, all assume the same [golden] hue. 18/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Treasure of a Filial Child
Written to the lay nun Sennichi on July 2, 1280

The Lotus Sutra and its votary

Rice is what sustains life. It is like the oil that sustains the life of the lamp. The Lotus Sutra is a lamp, and its votary is the oil that sustains it. Or again, the lay supporters are the oil that sustains the lamp of the votary. 17/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
King Rinda
Written to Soya Doso on August 17, 1279

The Good Medicine for All Ills

A person's death is not determined by illness. In our own time, the people of Iki and Tsushima, though not suffering from illness, were slaughtered in an instant by the Mongols. It is not certain that, because one is ill, one will die. And could not this illness of your husband's be the Buddha's design, because the Vimalakirti and Nirvana sutras both teach that sick people will surely attain Buddhahood? Illness gives rise to the resolve to attain the way. 16/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Good Medicine for All Ills
Written to the lay nun Myoshin on August 16, probably in 1278

Believe in the Gohonzon

I, Nichiren, have inscribed my life in sumi ink, so believe in the Gohonzon with your whole heart. The Buddha's will is the Lotus Sutra, but the soul of Nichiren is nothing other than Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. 15/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Reply to Kyo'o
Written to Kyo'o and her parents, Nichigen-nyo and Shijo Kingo, on August 15, 1273

The five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo change evil into good

Let us openly and clearly outline the virtues of Myoho-renge-kyo! Just as poisonous compounds are changed into medicine, so these five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo change evil into good. 14/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
White Horses and White Swans
Written to the lady of Utubusa on August 14, 1280

There is no true happiness other than upholding faith in the Lotus Sutra

Could "enjoy themselves at ease" mean anything but that both our bodies and minds, lives and environments, are entities of three thousand realms in a single moment of life and Buddhas of limitless joy? There is no true happiness other than upholding faith in the Lotus Sutra. This is what is meant by "peace and security in their present existence and good circumstances in future existences." 13/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Happiness in This World
Written to Shijo Kingo on June 27, 1276

The Izu Exile

What caused you to inwardly believe in the Lotus Sutra and to make offerings to me during my more than thirty-day stay there? I was hated and resented by the steward and the people of the district even more than I was in Kamakura. Those who saw me scowled, while those who merely heard my name were filled with spite. And yet, though I was there in the fifth month when rice was scarce, you secretly fed me. Have my parents been reborn in a place called Kawana, in Ito of Izu Province? 12/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Izu Exile
Written to Funamori Yasaburo on June 27, 1261

One mind

Even an individual at cross purposes with himself is certain to end in failure. Yet a hundred or even a thousand people can definitely attain their goal, if they are of one mind. 11/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Many in Body, One in Mind
Written to the lay priest Takahashi on August 6, year unknown

Prayers and responses

Concerning prayer, there are conspicuous prayer and conspicuous response, conspicuous prayer and inconspicuous response, inconspicuous prayer and inconspicuous response, and inconspicuous prayer and conspicuous response. But the only essential point is that, if you believe in this sutra, all your desires will be fulfilled in both the present and the future. 10/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Letter to the Lay Priest Domyo
Written to the lay priest Domyo on August 10, 1276

The sutra will serve as a lantern in the darkness

The Buddha promised in the Lotus Sutra that, for women, the sutra will serve as a lantern in the darkness, as a ship when they cross the sea, and as a protector when they travel through dangerous places. 9/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Supremacy of the Law
Written to Oto and her mother, Nichimyo, on August 4, 1275

The Essentials for Attaining Buddhahood

The sutras expounded prior to the Lotus Sutra cannot lead to Buddhahood because they are provisional and expedient teachings that separate reality and wisdom. The Lotus Sutra, however, unites the two as a single entity. The sutra says that the Buddhas open the door of Buddha wisdom to all living beings, show it, cause them to awaken to it, and induce them to enter its path. By realizing this Buddha wisdom, one attains Buddhahood. 8/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Essentials for Attaining Buddhahood
Written to Soya Jiro Hyoe-no-jo Kyoshin on August 3, 1276

Effect of praises

When praised highly by others, one feels that there is no hardship one cannot bear. Such is the courage that springs from words of praise. 7/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The True Aspect of All Phenomena
Written to Sairen-bo Nichijo on May 17, 1273

Many in Body, One in Mind

Though numerous, the Japanese will find it difficult to accomplish anything, because they are divided in spirit. In contrast, although Nichiren and his followers are few, because they are different in body, but united in mind, they will definitely accomplish their great mission of widely propagating the Lotus Sutra. 6/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Many in Body, One in Mind
Written to the lay priest Takahashi on August 6, year unknown

A Comparison of the Lotus and Other Sutras

The great lantern that illuminates the long night of the sufferings of birth and death, the sharp sword that severs the fundamental darkness inherent in life, is none other than the Lotus Sutra.5/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
A Comparison of the Lotus and Other Sutras
Written to Toki Jonin on May 26, 1280

People who understood their obligations

I spoke out solely because I had long known that the people of Japan would meet with great suffering, and I felt pity for them. Thoughtful persons should therefore realize that I have met these trials for their sake. If they were people who understood their obligations or who were capable of reason, then out of two blows that fall upon me, they would receive one in my stead. 4/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Reply to Yasaburo
Written to Saito Yasaburo on August 4, 1277

The attainment of Buddhahood depends on the faith of sutra

Judging from these examples, we may conclude that for evil people living in the latter age the attainment of Buddhahood does not depend upon whether their offenses are slight or grave, but solely upon whether or not they have faith in this sutra. 3/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin,
Reply to Hakiri Saburo
Written to Hakiri Rokuro Saburo on August 3, 1273

This [Lotus] sutra predicts Buddhahood for all

The heart of the Lotus Sutra is the revelation that one may attain the supreme enlightenment in one's present form without altering one's status as an ordinary person. This means that, without casting aside one's karmic impediments, one can still attain the Buddha way. Thus T'ien-t'ai says, "The other sutras only predict Buddhahood . . . for the good, but not for the evil;. . . This [Lotus] sutra predicts Buddhahood for all." 2/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Reply to Hakiri Saburo
Written to Hakiri Rokuro Saburo on August 3, 1273

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo has the beneficial power to open the blind eyes of every living being

If Nichiren's compassion is truly great and encompassing, Nam-myoho-renge-kyo will spread for ten thousand years and more, for all eternity, for it has the beneficial power to open the blind eyes of every living being in the country of Japan, and it blocks off the road that leads to the hell of incessant suffering. 1/8

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
On Repaying Debts of Gratitude
Written to Joken-bo and Gijo-bo on July 21, 1276

The seeds that lead to Buddhahood

Even a wise man cannot become a Buddha through the other sutras, but with the Lotus Sutra, even fools can plant the seeds that lead to Buddhahood. As the sutra passage I have quoted earlier puts it, "Although they do not seek emancipation, emancipation will come of itself." 31/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Opening of the Eyes
Written to Shijo Kingo in February 1272

Misdeeds and evil karma will vanish like frost or dew

Our worldly misdeeds and evil karma may have piled up as high as Mount Sumeru, but when we take faith in this sutra, they will vanish like frost or dew under the sun of the Lotus Sutra.30/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Letter to Niike
Written to Niike Saemon-no-jo in February 1280

What one has done for another yesterday, will be done for oneself today

Believe in the Gohonzon with all your heart, for it is the robe to protect you in the world after death. No wife would ever leave her husband unclothed, nor could any parents fail to feel compassion for their child shivering in the cold. Shakyamuni Buddha and the Lotus Sutra are like one's wife and parents. You have helped me and thereby saved me from disgrace in this life; in return, I will protect you from disgrace in the next. What one has done for another yesterday, will be done for oneself today. 29/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Letter to Jakunichi-bo
Written to Jakunichi-bo Niike on September 16, 1279

Repaying debt to mother

Since I have realized that only the Lotus Sutra teaches the attainment of Buddhahood by women, and that only the Lotus is the sutra of true requital for repaying the kindness of our mother, in order to repay my debt to my mother, I have vowed to enable all women to chant the daimoku of this sutra. 28/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Sutra of True Requital
Written to the lay nun Sennichi on July 28, 1278

The Hero of the World

Since childhood, I, Nichiren, have never prayed for the secular things of this life but have single-mindedly sought to become a Buddha. Of late, however, I have been ceaselessly praying for your sake to the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha and the god of the sun, for I am convinced that you are a person who can inherit the soul of the Lotus Sutra. 27/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Hero of the World
Written to Shijo Kingo in 1277

What is meant by faith in the sutra?

Faith in this sutra means that you will surely attain Buddhahood if you are true to the entirety of the Lotus Sutra, adhering exactly to its teachings without adding any of your own ideas or following the arbitrary interpretations of others. 26/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Letter to Niike
Written to Niike Saemon-no-jo in February 1280

The eggs of ignorance when nurtured by the chanting of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo

A bird's egg contains nothing but liquid, yet by itself this develops into a beak, two eyes, and all the other parts, and the bird soars into the sky. We, too, are the eggs of ignorance, which are pitiful things, but when nurtured by the chanting of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, which is like the warmth of the mother bird, we develop the beak of the thirty-two features and the feathers of the eighty characteristics and are free to soar into the skies of the true aspect of all phenomena and the reality of all things. 25/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Letter to Niike
Written to Niike Saemon-no-jo in February 1280

A slanderer of the Law

The Great Teacher Nan-yüeh has stated, "If one sees a foe of the Lotus Sutra and yet fails to censure him, one becomes a slanderer of the Law and will fall into the hell of incessant suffering." Even a man of great wisdom, if he sees such a person and fails to speak out, will fall into the depths of the hell of incessant suffering, and as long as that hell shall endure, he will never escape. 24/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Letter to Akimoto
Written Akimoto Taro Hyo-no-jo on January 27, 1280

The Teaching for the Latter Day

Among my disciples, those who think themselves well-versed in Buddhism are the ones who make errors. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the heart of the Lotus Sutra. It is like the soul of a person. To revere another teaching as its equal is to be like a consort who is married to two emperors, or who secretly commits adultery with a minister or a humble subject. It can only be a cause for disaster. 23/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Teaching for the Latter Day
Written to Nanjo Tokimitsu on April 1, 1278

The Best of All People

A good believer is one who does not depend upon persons of eminence nor despise those of humble station; who does not rely on the backing of superiors or look down on inferiors; who, not relying upon the opinions of others, upholds the Lotus Sutra among all the sutras. Such a person the Buddha has called the best of all people. 22/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
How Those Initially Aspiring to the Way Can Attain Buddhahood through the Lotus Sutra Written to the lay nun Myoho in 1277

On Repaying Debts of Gratitude

What can we say, then, of persons who are devoting themselves to Buddhism? Surely they should not forget the debts of gratitude they owe to their parents, their teachers and their country. But if one intends to repay these great debts of gratitude, one can hope to do so only if one learns and masters Buddhism, becoming a person of wisdom. 21/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
On Repaying Debts of Gratitude
Written to Joken-bo and Gijo-bo on July 21, 1276

To speak out without fearing others

To speak out without fearing others and without flinching before society—this is what the sutra means when it says, "We care nothing for our bodies or lives but are anxious only for the unsurpassed way." It is not that one does not recall the calumny, the staves and stones that were suffered by Bodhisattva Never Disparaging. It is not that one is unafraid of the world. It is just that the censure of the Lotus Sutra is even more severe. 20/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Letter to Akimoto
Written to Akimoto Taro Hyo-no-jo on January 27, 1280

Guard the Lotus Sutra against the sutra's enemies

Those who believe in the Lotus Sutra should beware of and guard themselves against the sutra's enemies. . . . If you do not know your enemies, you will be deceived by them. 19/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Letter to Konichi-bo
Written to Konichi-bo in March 1276

Interdependent of body and shadow

The ten directions are the "environment," and living beings are "life." To illustrate, environment is like the shadow, and life, the body. Without the body no shadow can exist, and without life, no environment. In the same way, life is shaped by its environment. 18/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
On Omens
Written to Shijo Kingo in 1275

Myoho-renge-kyo is the essential principle of the Buddha's lifetime teachings

Those who chant Myoho-renge-kyo [the title of the Lotus Sutra] even without understanding its meaning realize not only the heart of the Lotus Sutra, but also the "main cord," or essential principle of the Buddha's lifetime teachings. 17/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
"This is What I Heard"
Written to the lay priest Soya Jiro on November 28, 1277

Establishing the Correct Teaching

I have pondered the matter carefully with what limited resources I possess, and have looked a little at the scriptures for an answer. The people of today all turn their backs upon what is right; to a person, they give their allegiance to evil. This is the reason that the benevolent deities have abandoned the nation and departed together, that sages leave and do not return. And in their stead devils and demons come, and disasters and calamities occur. I cannot keep silent on this matter. I cannot suppress my fears. 16/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land
Submitted to Hojo Tokiyori on July 16, 1260

Must not bear any hatred toward others

I, Nichiren, am hated by the people of Japan. This is entirely due to the fact that the lord of Sagami regards me with animosity. I grant that the government has acted quite without reason, but even before I encountered my difficulties, I foresaw that troubles of this kind would occur, and I resolved that, whatever might happen to me in the future, I must not bear any hatred toward others. This determination has perhaps acted as a prayer, for I have been able to come safely through any number of trials. 15/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
On Consecrating an Image of Shakyamuni Buddha
Made by Shijo Kingo Written to Shijo Kingo on July 15, 1276

Lotus Sutra is the present form to Buddhahood

Outstanding Principles also declares: "Neither teacher nor disciples need undergo countless kalpas of austere practice in order to attain Buddhahood. Through the power of the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law they can do so in their present form.". . . The purpose of [this passage] of commentary is to clarify that the attainment of Buddhahood in one's present form is limited to the Lotus Sutra alone. 14/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Doctrine of Attaining Buddhahood in One's Present Form
Written to Myoichi-nyo on July 14, 1280

Generations and generation of Buddhas

The Venerable Maudgalyayana put his faith in the Lotus Sutra, which is the greatest good there is, and thus not only did he himself attain Buddhahood, but his father and mother did so as well. And, amazing as it may seem, all the fathers and mothers of the preceding seven generations and the seven generations that followed, indeed, of countless lifetimes before and after, were able to become Buddhas.

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
On Offerings for Deceased Ancestors
Written to Jibu-bo Nichii's grandmother on July 13, 1279

Sufferrings are for the sake of the Lotus Sutra

When I think that I will surely eradicate these karmic impediments and in the future go to the pure land of Eagle Peak, though various grave persecutions fall on me like rain and boil up like clouds, since they are for the sake of the Lotus Sutra, even these sufferings do not seem like sufferings at all. 12/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Origin of the Service for Deceased Ancestors
Written to Shijo Kingo on July 12, 1271

Pure land or hell both lie within one's own heart

Neither the pure land nor hell exists outside ourselves; both lie only within one's own heart. Awakened to this truth, one is called a Buddha; deluded about it, one is called an ordinary person. The Lotus Sutra reveals this truth, and one who embraces the Lotus Sutra will realize that hell is itself the Land of Tranquil Light. 11/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Hell is the Land of Tranquil Light
Written to Nanjo Tokimitsu's mother on July 11, 1274

Prediction of Buddha

Just as the Buddha's words in the sutra predict, the ruler grew hostile and the common people began to attack me. And because they treated me with enmity, heaven grew enraged, the sun and moon displayed great changes in their behavior, and huge comets appeared. The earth shook as though it would turn over, internecine strife broke out, and they were attacked by a foreign country. All happened just as the Buddha had predicted, and there is no doubt that I, Nichiren, am the votary of the Lotus Sutra. 10/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Reply to the Lay Priest Takahashi
Written to the lay priest Takahashi on July 12, 1275

Let them say what they will, practicing according to the Buddha's teachings

Strengthen your faith now more than ever. Anyone who teaches the principles of Buddhism to others is bound to incur hatred from men and women, priests and nuns. Let them say what they will. Entrust yourself to the golden teachings of the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha, T'ien-t'ai, Miao-lo, Dengyo, and Chang-an. This is what is signified by the expression, "practicing according to the Buddha's teachings." 9/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Embankments of Faith
Written to the lay nun Sennichi on September 3, 1275

Reply to Tokimitsu

Just as I was thinking that, even if I remained free from illness, I would surely die of starvation, the wheat that you sent arrived. It is more wonderful than gold and more precious than jewels. Rida's millet changed into a golden man. How, then, could Tokimitsu's wheat fail to turn into the characters of the Lotus Sutra? These characters of the Lotus Sutra will become Shakyamuni Buddha and then a pair of wings for your deceased father, flying and soaring to the pure land of Eagle Peak. On returning, they will cover your body and protect you. 8/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
Reply to Tokimitsu
Written to Nanjo Tokimitsu on July 8, 1278

The Sons Pure Storehouse and Pure Eye

Perhaps your deceased son has become a Buddha and, in order to guide his father and mother, has entered your hearts. The king Wonderful Adornment was an evil king. However, because his two sons, Pure Storehouse and Pure Eye, guided him to the way, he and his wife were both able to place their trust in the Lotus Sutra and become Buddhas. Mysteriously enough, your own circumstances are much the same. 7/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Sons Pure Storehouse and Pure Eye
Recipient unknown; written on July 7, 1280

Difference between friends and enemy

Chang-an wrote, "If one befriends another person but lacks the mercy to correct him, one is in fact his enemy." The consequences of a grave offense are extremely difficult to erase. The most important thing is to continually strengthen our wish to benefit others. 6/7

The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin
The Embankment of Faith
Written to the lay nun Sennichi on September 3, 1275