On the Treasure Tower
I have read your letter with great care. I have also
received your offering to the Treasure Tower of
one kan of coins, polished rice and other articles.
This I have respectfully reported to the Gohonzon
and to the Lotus Sutra. Please rest assured.
In your letter you ask: "What is signified by the
Treasure Tower, where Taho Buddha was seated,
appearing from within the earth?" The appearance
of this bejeweled stupa [in the eleventh chapter of
the Lotus Sutra] is of great importance. In the
eighth volume of his Hokke Mongu, the Great
Teacher T'ien-t'ai explained the appearance of the
Treasure Tower. He states that it had two distinct
functions: to lend credence to the preceding
chapters and to pave the way for the revelation to
come. Thus, the Treasure Tower appeared in
order to verify the theoretical teaching and to
introduce the essential teaching. To put it another
way, the closed Tower symbolizes the theoretical
teaching and the open Tower, the essential
teaching. This represents the two principles of
object (kyo) and subject (chi), or reality and
wisdom. However, this is extremely complex, so I
will not go into further detail now. In essence, the
appearance of the Treasure Tower indicates that
the three groups of Shakyamuni's disciples
attained enlightenment only when they heard the
Lotus Sutra and perceived the Treasure Tower
within their own lives. Now Nichiren's disciples are
doing the same. In the Latter Day of the Law,
there is no Treasure Tower other than the figures
of the men and women who embrace the Lotus
Sutra. It follows, therefore, that those who chant
Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, irrespective of social
status, are themselves the Treasure Tower and
likewise they themselves are Taho Buddha. There
is no Treasure Tower other than Myoho-renge-
kyo. The daimoku of the Lotus Sutra is the
Treasure Tower, that is to say, the Treasure
Tower is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
Now the entire body of Abutsu Shonin is
composed of the five universal elements of earth,
water, fire, wind and ku. These five elements are
also the five characters of the daimoku.
Therefore, Abutsu-bo is the Treasure Tower itself,
and the Treasure Tower is Abutsu-bo himself. No
other knowledge is purposeful. It is the Treasure
Tower adorned with seven kinds of gems -
listening to the true teaching, believing it, keeping
the precept, attaining peace of mind, practicing
assiduously, unselfishly devoting oneself, and
forever seeking self improvement. You may think
you offered gifts to the Treasure Tower of Taho
Buddha, but that is not so. You offered them to
yourself. You, yourself, are a true Buddha who
possesses the three enlightened properties. You
should chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with this
conviction. Then, the place wherein you dwell and
chant daimoku is the place of the Treasure Tower.
The sutra reads: "Wherever one teaches the
Lotus Sutra, this Treasure Tower of mine will rise
and appear before him." Faith like yours is so
extremely rare that I will inscribe the Treasure
Tower especially for you. You should never
transfer it to anyone but your son. You should
never show it to others unless they have steadfast
faith. This is the reason for my advent in this world.
Abutsu-bo, you deserve to be called a leader of
this northern province. Could it be that Bodhisattva
Jyogyo was reborn into this world as Abutsu-bo
and visited me? How marvelous! It is beyond my
power to understand why you have such pure
faith. I will leave it to Bodhisattva Jogyo when he
appears, as he has the power to know these
things. I am not saying all this without good
reason. You and your wife should worship this
Treasure Tower privately. I will explain more later.
With my deep respect,
Nichiren
The thirteenth day of the third month in the ninth
year of Bun'ei (1272)
On the Urabon
I have placed your offerings of one sack of rice, parched rice, melons, eggplants and other items before
the Buddha.
As to the origin of the festival known as urabon, among the disciples of the Buddha was one called the
Venerable Maudgalyayana. As the foremost in transcendental powers among the disciples, he ranked alongside Shariputra, the
foremost in wisdom. These two were like the sun and moon ranged over Mount Sumeru, or like the ministers of the left and right
who assist a great king.
Maudgalyayana’s father was called Kissen Shishi and his mother was called Shodai-nyo. His mother,
because she was guilty of the fault of greed and stinginess, after her death was reborn in the realm of hungry spirits, but
the Venerable Maudgalyayana rescued her from there, and that is how the festival began.
It came about as follows. Though Maudgalyayana’s mother had fallen into the realm of hungry spirits
and was suffering there, Maudgalyayana, being only a common mortal, had no way of knowing this. When he was a young boy, he
entered the house of a teacher of Brahmanism and there made an exhaustive study of the four Vedas and the eighteen major scriptures,
which constitute the complete sacred writings of Brahmanism.
At this time, however, he still did not know where his mother had been reborn.
Later, at the age of thirteen, he and Shariputra together visited Shakyamuni Buddha and became his disciples.
Thereafter, Maudgalyayana was able to free himself from the illusions of thought and to advance to the first stage of sagehood,
and then to cut off the illusions of desire and become an arhat, thereupon gaining the three insights and the six transcendental
powers. Having opened the divine eye, he could see throughout the entire major world system as though it were reflected in
a clear mirror. His vision penetrated the earth and he could see into the three evil paths just as we, looking down through
a layer of ice, see fish beneath the ice when the morning sun shines on it. And as he looked down, he saw that his mother
was in the realm of hungry spirits.
She had nothing to drink, nothing to eat. Her skin was like that of a golden pheasant when its feathers
have been plucked, her bones were like round stones placed one beside the other. Her head was big as a ball, her neck thin
as a thread, and her stomach like a great sea swelling out. Her appearance as she opened her mouth and pressed her palms together
begging for something was such that she resembled a starving leech that has caught the scent of human beings. Her figure as
she gazed at the son she had had in her previous existence and began to weep, and her famished form, were beyond the power
of analogy to describe. One can imagine how heartrending this sight must have been for Maudgalyayana.
The priest Shunkan, temple administrator of Hossho-ji, was exiled to the island of Nagashima. His body
naked, his hair hanging down unbound, he wandered, wasted and thin, along the seashore, where he picked up bits of seaweed
and wrapped them about his loins or, spotting a single fish, seized it with his right hand and gnawed it with his teeth. At
that time a youth who had once been in the priest’s service came to the island to visit him. I wonder which was the
more miserable sight, this priest or Maudgalyayana’s mother? I venture to think that Maudgalyayana’s mother was
even more pitiful to look at that, the priest.
Maudgalyayana was so overwhelmed with pity at the sight of his mother that he immediately employed his
great transcendental powers and offered her some rice. His mother was delighted and, seizing some of the rice in her right
hand, while concealing the remainder with her left, she stuffed the rice into her mouth. What should happen then but the rice
changed into fire and began to burn! It burst into flame as though a bundle of torches had been lit, and his mother’s
body crackled and burned.
When Maudgalyayana saw this, he panicked and became utterly confused, and, employing his transcendental
powers, summoned forth a great flood of water. But the water turned into firewood and his mother’s body only burned
more fiercely, the sight of which filled him with even greater pity.
Maudgalyayana, realizing that his own transcendental powers were altogether inadequate to remedy the
situation, raced away and in an instant appeared in the presence of the Buddha, where he presented his tearful appeal.
"I was born into a family of believers of Brahmanism," he said, "but later I became a disciple of the
Buddha. I have gained the rank of arhat, freed myself from rebirth in the threefold world, and acquired the three insights
and the six transcendental powers that go with the status of arhat. But now when I try to rescue my own mother from the great
sufferings that beset her, I seem only to make her anguish worse than before, which fills my heart with grief!"
The Buddha replied, "Your mother has committed grave misdeeds. You alone do not have the power to remedy
this situation. And indeed no one, neither the gods of heaven, the gods of earth, the devils of heaven, the Brahmans, the
Taoist priests, the Four Heavenly Kings, nor the gods Taishaku and Bonten have the power to do so. Therefore, on the fifteenth
day of the seventh month, you should bring together all the holy monks of the ten directions, prepare offerings of food and
drink representing a hundred different flavors, and present them for the purpose of rescuing your mother from her sufferings."
Maudgalyayana did just as the Buddha had instructed him, and as a result his mother was freed from the
realm of hungry spirits, where she had been destined to suffer for the period of a kalpa. So we are told in the scripture
known as the Urabon Sutra. That is the reason why even now, in this latter age after the passing of the Buddha, people perform
this ceremony on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. It is common practice for them to do so.
I, Nichiren, would like to note the following. Maudgalyayana was, among the Ten Worlds, one who belonged
to that of the voice-hearer. His observance of the two hundred and fifty precepts was as firm as a rock, and his attention
to the three thousand rules of conduct, without a single exception, was as perfect as the full moon on the night of the fifteenth.
His wisdom was like the sun, and his transcendental powers enabled him to encircle Mount Sumeru fourteen times, and thereby
move the huge mountain.
And yet, even though he was a sage of this order, he found it very difficult to repay the great debt
of kindness he owed his mother. Moreover, when he attempted to repay it, he actually increased her great suffering.
In comparison, the priests of today observe the two hundred and fifty precepts in name only, and in
fact use their so-called observance of the precepts as a means to dupe others. They have not a trace of transcendental power
-- a huge stone could sooner ascend to heaven than they could exercise such powers. Their wisdom is in a class with that of
oxen, no different from that of sheep. Though they might gather together by the thousands or ten thousands, they could never
relieve one iota of the suffering of departed parents.
All things considered, the reason Maudgalyayana could not rescue his own mother from suffering was that
he put his faith in the Hinayana version of Buddhism and devoted himself to the observance of the two hundred and fifty precepts.
According to the Vimalakirti Sutra, the layman called Vimalakirti criticized Maudgalyayana, saying, "Those who give alms to
you will fall into the three evil paths." The meaning of this passage is that, although the Venerable Maudgalyayana is a most
worthy man who observes the two hundred and fifty precepts, those who make offerings to him will be reborn in one of the three
evil paths. And this does not apply to Maudgalyayana alone, but to all the voice-hearers, and to those in this latter age
who place great emphasis upon the observance of the precepts.
In comparison to the Lotus Sutra, this Vimalakirti Sutra I have just mentioned is no more than a lowly
servant far down in the ranks of retainers. The point is that the Venerable Maudgalyayana had not yet attained Buddhahood
himself. Since he himself had not yet attained Buddhahood, it was very difficult for him to relieve the sufferings of his
parents. And how much more difficult would it have been for him to do so for anyone else!
Later, however, following the teaching of the Lotus Sutra to honestly discard expedient means, the Venerable
Maudgalyayana summarily rejected and cast aside the two hundred and fifty precepts of the Hinayana teaching and chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.
In time Maudgalyayana attained Buddhahood and was called by the name Tamalapattra Sandalwood Fragrance Buddha. And at that
time his father and mother, too, attained Buddhahood. Hence it is said in the Lotus Sutra, "Then our wishes will be fulfilled
and the longings of the multitude will likewise be satisfied."
Maudgalyayana’s physical body was inherited by him from his parents. Therefore, when his own physical
body attained Buddhahood, the bodies of his father and mother likewise attained Buddhahood.
By way of analogy, let us consider the case of the military leader Taira no Kiyomori, the governor of
Aki, who lived at the time of the eighty-first sovereign of Japan, Emperor Antoku. Kiyomori, engaging in one battle after
another, overthrew the enemies of the nation and in time advanced to the highest post in the government, that of grand minister
of state. Emperor Antoku was his grandson. All the members of his clan were permitted to enter the palace and were assigned
to positions of great eminence. Kiyomori held the entire country of Japan, with its sixty-six provinces and two outlying islands,
in the palm of his hand, and people bowed before him as plants and trees bow before a great wind.
But he became arrogant and puffed up with pride, and in the end treated the gods and Buddhas with contempt
and attempted to dictate to the shrine keepers and the Buddhist priests. As a result, he aroused the enmity of the priests
of Mount Hiei and of the seven major temples of Nara. Eventually, on the twenty-second day of the twelfth month in the fourth
year of the Jisho era (1180), he went so far as to burn down two of those seven temples, Todai-ji and Kofuku-ii.
The retribution for this grave offense soon fell upon the person of the grand minister and lay priest
himself. In the following year, the first year of the Yowa era, on the fourth day of the second intercalary month, [having
contracted a fever,] he began to burn like a piece of charcoal, his body the fuel, his face the flames. In the end, tongues
of flame shot out from his body and he perished from the heat.
The results of his grave offense then fell upon his second son, Munemori. Munemori was thought to have
drowned in the western sea [at the battle of Dannoura, but he came floating up on the eastern horizon, where he was captured,
bound and forced to kneel in the presence of the General of the Right, Minamoto no Yoritomo.
Meanwhile, Kiyomori’s third son, Tomomori, threw himself into the sea and ended up as the excrement
of fish. And his fourth son, Shigehira, was taken captive and bound, and after having been dragged first through Kyoto and
then through Kamakura, was in the end handed over to the seven Major temples of Nara. There a great multitude of a hundred
thousand temple followers gathered and, declaring him to be the enemy of their Buddha, one by one slashed him with swords.
The greatest evil among evils produces consequences that not only affect the perpetrators personally,
but extend to their sons, their grandsons and so on down to the seventh generation. And the same is true of the greatest good
among good.
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. Not only that, but 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 attain Buddhahood, amazing as it may seem. And in addition, all their sons, their wives or husbands,
their retainers, supporters and countless other persons were not only enabled to escape from the three evil paths, but all
attained the first stage of security and then Buddhahood, the stage of perfect enlightenment.
Therefore it is said in the third volume of the Lotus Sutra: "We beg that the merit gained through these
gifts may be spread far and wide to everyone, so that we and other living beings all together may attain the Buddha way."
With all this in mind, I note that you have a grandson, Jibu-bo, who is a Buddhist priest. This priest
does not uphold the precepts and is lacking in wisdom. He does not observe a single one of the two hundred and fifty precepts,
nor a single one of the three thousand rules of conduct. In his lack of wisdom he is in a class with oxen or horses, and because
of his failure to observe the rules of conduct he resembles a monkey. But he reveres Shakyamuni Buddha and puts his faith
in the teaching of the Lotus Sutra. Hence he is like a snake that grips a jewel in its mouth, or a dragon that bears sacred
relics on its head. A wisteria vine, by twining around a pine, may climb a thousand meters into the air, and a crane, because
it has its wings to rely upon, can travel ten thousand miles. It is not their own strength that allows them to do these things.
This applies likewise in the case of the priest Jibu-bo. Though he himself is like the wisteria vine,
because he clings to the pine that is the Lotus Sutra, he is able to ascend the mountain of perfect enlightenment. Because
he has the wings of the single vehicle to rely upon, he can soar into the sky of Tranquil Light. With wings such as these
he is a priest who can bring comfort to the souls not only of his parents and his grandfather and grandmother, but of all
his relatives down to the seventh generation!
How fortunate you are to possess this fine jewel of a grandson! The dragon king’s daughter offered
her jewel and thereby obtained Buddhahood. You have given your grandson to be a votary of the Lotus Sutra, and this will lead
you to enlightenment!
I am so pressed by various matters that I cannot write in detail just now. I will write again another
time.
Respectfully,
Nichiren
The thirteenth day of the seventh month
To the grandmother of Jibu-bo
Persecution at Tatsunokuchi
Shijo Kingo-dono Go-shousoku (Letter to Shijo
Kingo)
I cannot adequately express my gratitude for your
frequent letters. At the time of my persecution on
the twelfth of last month, you not only
accompanied me to Tatsunokuchi but declared
that you would die by my side. I was deeply
moved!
How many are the places where I died in past
existences for the sake of my family, lands and
kin! I have given up my life on mountains, seas
and rivers, on the seashore and by the roadside,
but never once did I die for the Lotus Sutra or
suffer persecution for the daimoku. Hence none
of the ends I met enabled me to reach
enlightenment. Because I did not attain
Buddhahood, the seas and rivers where I died are
not the Buddha's land.
In this life, however, as the votary of the Lotus
Sutra, I was exiled and almost put to death-exiled
to Ito and nearly beheaded at Tatsunokuchi.
Tatsunokuchi in Sagami Province is the place
where Nichiren gave his life. Because he died
there for the Lotus Sutra, how could it be anything
less than the Buddhaland? A passage from the
sutra reads, "In all the Buddha lands of the
universe there is but one supreme vehicle,..."
Doesn't this bear out my assertion? The "one
supreme vehicle" is the Lotus Sutra. There is no
true teaching other than the Lotus Sutra in any of
the Buddha lands throughout the universe. The
Buddha's provisional teachings are excluded, as
the sutra explains elsewhere. This being so, then
every place where Nichiren meets persecution is
the Buddha land.
Of all the places in this world, it is at Tatsunokuchi
in Katase of Sagami Province where Nichiren's life
dwells. Because he gave his life there for the sake
of the Lotus Sutra, Tatsunokuchi may well be
called the Buddha land. This principle is found in
the Jinriki chapter, where it states, "Whether in a
grove, in a garden, on a mountain, in a valley or in
a broad field,...the Buddhas enter nirvana."
You accompanied Nichiren, vowing to give your
life as a votary of the Lotus Sutra. Your deed is
infinitely greater than that of Hung Yen, who tore
open his stomach and inserted the liver of his
dead lord, Duke Yi, to save him from shame and
dishonor. When I reach Eagle Peak, I will first tell
how Shijo Kingo, like Nichiren, resolved to die for
the Lotus Sutra.
Secretly I learned that I am to be exiled to Sado
by order of Regent Hojo. Of the three heavenly
gods, the god of the moon saved my life at
Tatsunokuchi by appearing as a shining object,
and the god of the stars descended four or five
days ago to greet me. Now only the god of the
sun remains, and he is certain to protect me. How
reassuring! The Hosshi chapter states, "[The
Buddha] will send gods in various guises to
protect the votary of the Lotus Sutra." This
passage leaves no room for doubt. The
Anrakugyo chapter reads, "Neither swords nor
staves will harm him." The Fumon chapter states,
"The sword will instantly be broken into pieces."
There is nothing false in these quotations. Strong
and steadfast faith is the vital thing.
With my deep respect,
Nichiren
The twenty-first day of the ninth month in the
eighth year of Bun'ei (1271)
Persecution by Sword and Staff
The greatest of all the persecutions which I have suffered were the attempted decapitation at Tatsunokuchi
and the attack at Tojo. None of the others were direct attempts on my life. I have been reviled, denounced, ousted, falsely
accused, and struck across the face, but these were all comparatively minor incidents. I, Nichiren, am the only person in
Japan to be abused in both body and mind [for the sake of the Lotus Sutra]. If anyone else has been slandered as I have, it
was not because of the Lotus Sutra. One incident in particular I can never forget is how Shobo seized the fifth scroll of
the Lotus Sutra and struck me across the face with it. His attack on me stemmed from the three poisons.
Once in India there was a jealous woman5 who hated her husband so much that she smashed everything in
the house. Her excessive rage completely altered her appearance; her eyes blazed like the sun and moon, and her mouth seemed
to belch fire. She looked exactly like a blue or red demon. She seized the fifth scroll of the Lotus Sutra which her husband
had been reciting for some years and trampled it savagely with both feet. Later she died and fell into hell, all of her except
her feet. Though the wardens of hell tried to force them down by beating them with iron staves her feet remained outside of
hell as a result of the relationship, albeit a reverse one, which they had formed with the Lotus Sutra by trampling on it.
Shobo struck me in the face with the fifth scroll of the Lotus Sutra because he hated me. Thus he too has formed a reverse
relationship8 with this sutra.
One incident occurred in India, the other in Japan; one was perpetrated by a woman, and the other by
a man; in one, a pair of feet committed the violence, and in the other, a pair of hands; one happened because of jealousy,
the other because of the Lotus Sutra. However, the same fifth scroll of the sutra was involved in both instances. The woman’s
feet did not enter hell, so why should Shobo’s hands fall into the hell of incessant suffering? The woman, however,
hated only her husband and not the Lotus Sutra itself, whereas Shobo hated both the Lotus Sutra and me, Nichiren. Therefore
his entire body will enter the hell of incessant suffering. As the sutra states, "When his life comes to an end, he will enter
the Avichi hell." There is no mention of his hands being spared. How pitiful, how truly pitiful! Eventually, however, he will
meet me again and be able to gain the fruit of Buddhahood, just as the four kinds of believers who arrogantly persecuted Bodhisattva
Fukyo were ultimately saved by him.
The fifth scroll contains the heart of the Lotus Sutra, for it reveals that the dragon king’s
daughter attained Buddhahood in her present form. Devadatta represents the spiritual aspect of enlightenment, and the dragon
king’s daughter, the physical aspect. The principle of attaining Buddhahood in one’s present form can be found
nowhere else in the Buddha’s entire lifetime of teachings. The Great Teacher Dengyo enumerated ten outstanding points
in which the Lotus Sutra surpasses all others. One of them is the sutra’s "superiority in leading people to attain Buddhahood
in their present form." This is the most important doctrine of the Tendai sect, and a section of the Hokke mongu is devoted
to this teaching of attaining Buddhahood in one’s present form. It is also a point of controversy between the Shingon
and Tendai sects. The dragon king’s daughter attained Buddhahood through the power of the Lotus Sutra. Bodhisattva Monjushiri
stated, "I constantly expounded the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law alone." The words "alone" and "constantly" are the core
of this statement. However, the Bodaishin ron reads, "Only in the Shingon teachings [can one attain Buddhahood in one’s
present form]." Which is one to accept, "only" or "alone"? The Muryogi Sutra states, "In these more than forty years, I have
not yet revealed the truth." The Lotus Sutra reads, "The World-Honored One has long expounded his doctrines and now must reveal
the truth." Taho Buddha affirmed that only the Lotus Sutra enables one to attain Buddhahood in one’s present form when
he said, "All that you have expounded [in the Lotus Sutra] is the truth." No matter how firmly the sutras preached before
the Lotus Sutra guarantee the attainment of Buddhahood, and no matter how much the believers in these provisional doctrines
may wildly insist that this is so, it is as easy to refute these assertions as it is to smash a thousand earthen cooking dishes
with a single hammer. This is what is meant by [T’ien-t’ai’s words:] "The Lotus Sutra is the teaching of
shakubuku, the refutation of the provisional doctrines." The Lotus Sutra is indeed the most profound teaching.
Ever since Jikaku, scholars of the Tendai sect have interpreted the passages from T’ien-tai’s
three major works of the Hokke gengi, Hokke mongu and Maka shikan in one way or another, and have given plausible explanations.
Their views, however, are as useless to us now as last year’s calendar or yesterday’s meal. Even if someone should
insist that, in the first five hundred years of the Latter Day of the Law, there exists a way to enlightenment apart from
the daimoku of the Lotus Sutra, you should take no heed of what he says, even if it is based on the Buddha’s teachings,
and even less so if it is merely some teacher’s opinion. The Devadatta chapter of the Lotus Sutra teaches that Devadatta
was the teacher of the Thus Come One Shakyamuni in some past existence. He who was once the teacher is now the disciple, and
he who is now the disciple was formerly the teacher. On pondering this chapter, I, Nichiren, realized that it reveals the
profound meaning of the Lotus Sutra through the oneness of past and present and the inseparability of the one who teaches
and the one who learns. Therefore, the merciful Shakyamuni Thus Come One became the teacher of the wicked Devadatta, and the
wise Monju became the teacher of the ignorant daughter of the dragon king. Certainly I, Nichiren, can in no way be inferior
to Monju or to Shakyamuni Thus Come One. The men of Japan are like Devadatta and the women are like the dragon king’s
daughter. Whether by following it or opposing it, they will attain Buddhahood through the Lotus Sutra. This is the message
of the Devadatta chapter.
Next we come to the Kanji chapter. Only I, Nichiren, have read with my entire being the twenty-line
verse from this chapter, which the eight hundred thousand million nayutas of bodhisattvas proclaimed in a single voice. Since
the Buddha’s death, who else in the three countries of India, China and Japan has ever read this verse as I have? No
one even claims to have done so, nor do I believe that anyone has. The verse reads, "[There will be many ignorant people who
will] ... attack us with swords and staves." Perhaps others have been beaten with staves, but I have never heard of any who
were injured by the sword.
We know that Bodhisattva Fukyo was attacked with staves, as is written in the sutra, "[Some ... would
take] sticks of wood or tiles and stones [and beat and pelt him, ]" but he was not persecuted by the sword. T’ien-t’ai,
Miao-lo and Dengyo also escaped persecution by sword and staff, as the sutra states, "Swords and staves will not touch him."
I, Nichiren, however, have been attacked by both. As I mentioned before, I was attacked with a sword at Matsubara in Tojo
and later at Tatsunokuchi. No one else has been thus assaulted [for the sake of the Lotus Sutra] even once, but I, Nichiren,
have been so assaulted twice. As for being attacked with staves, I have already been struck in the face by Sho-bo with the
fifth scroll of the Lotus Sutra. It is the very scroll used as a staff that carries the passage that [votaries of the Lotus
Sutra] will be attacked with staves. What a miraculous prediction of the sutra! Sho-bo hit me before dozens of people, and,
though I knew it was for the sake of the Lotus Sutra, being human, I felt miserable and ashamed. Had I had the strength, I
would have wrested the weapon from his hand, trampled it to pieces, and thrown them away. However, it was in fact the fifth
scroll of the Lotus Sutra
This brings to mind a story. A father, anxious about his son’s future, thrashed the boy with a
bow made of a zelkova tree because he refused to study. At the time, the son resented his father’s action and hated
the zelkova bow. However, he applied himself to his studies so much that eventually he [mastered Buddhism], thereby achieving
emancipation himself and benefiting others. In retrospect, he saw that he owed his achievements to his father’s thrashings.
It is said that he erected a stupa made of a zelkova tree for the repose of his deceased father.
It is the same with me, Nichiren. When I attain Buddhahood, how will I be able to forget my obligation
to Sho-bo?
Much less can I forget the thanks I owe to the scroll of the Lotus Sutra [with which he struck me]. When
I think of this, I cannot restrain my tears of gratitude.
The Yujutsu chapter also explains something about me, because it states that Bodhisattva Jogyo and his
followers will appear in the Latter Day of the Law to propagate the five characters of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. I, Nichiren, have
appeared earlier than anyone else. How reassuring to think that I will surely be praised by bodhisattvas equal in number to
the sands of sixty thousand Ganges Rivers! Be that as it may, commit yourself to the Lotus Sutra and have faith in its teachings.
You must not only believe in them yourself but also encourage others to do the same, so that you may save your parents in
all your past existences.
From the time that I was born until today, I, Nichiren, have never known a moment’s ease; I have
thought only of propagating the daimoku of the Lotus Sutra. I do not know how long I or anyone else may live, but without
fail, I will be with you at the time of your death and guide you from this life to the next. All the Buddhas of the past,
present and future attain enlightenment between the hours of the Ox and the Tiger. In all three countries of India, China
and Japan, the place of Buddhist practice is located to the northeast, in the direction of the demon gate. These are profound
teachings of Buddhism, which are reverently transferred from teacher to disciple. I will explain in more detail later.
With my deep respect,
As you crave food when hungry, seek water when thirsty, long to see a lover, beg for medicine when ill,
or as a beautiful woman desires powder and rouge, so should you put your faith in the Lotus Sutra. If you do not, you will
regret it later.
Nichiren
The twentieth day of the fourth month in the second year of Koan (1279), cyclical sign tsuchinoto-u
Reply to Lord Ueno
Postscript to the Rissho Ankoku Ron
- Rissho Ankoku Ron Okugaki -
I compiled the above work in the first year of the
Bunno era (1260), when the reverse marker of
Jupiter was in the sector of the sky with the
cyclical sign kanoe-saru. That is, I began the work
during the Shoka era (1257-1259) and completed
it in the first year of Bunno.
In the first year of the Shoka era, cyclical sign
hinoto-mi, on the twenty-third day of the eighth
month, at the time when the hour of the dog gives
way to the hour of the boar (around 9:00 P.M.),
there was a severe earthquake. Observing this
event, I conceived the work. Later, in the first year
of Bunno, cyclical sign kanoe-saru, on the
sixteenth day of the seventh month, I presented it
to His Lordship, the lay priest of Saimyo-ji who is
now deceased, by way of Yadoya Zemmon. Still
later, in the first year of the Bun’ei era (I264),
cyclical sign kinoe-ne, on the fifth day of the
seventh month, when a great comet appeared, I
became even more certain of the origins of these
disasters. Then, on the eighteenth day of the
intercalary first month of the fifth year of Bun’ei,
cyclical sign tsuchinoe-tatsu, nine years after the
first year of Bunno, [when I submitted the "Rissho
Ankoku Ron,"] an official letter came from the
great kingdom of the Mongols that lies to the west,
threatening to attack our country. Again, in the
sixth year of the same era (1269), a second letter
arrived. Thus the prediction that I made in my
memorial [the "Rissho Ankoku Ron"] has already
proved to be true. In view of this, we may suppose
that the predictions I made will continue to come
true in the future as well.
This work of mine has now been substantiated by
fact. But this has in no regard happened because
of my powers. Rather it has come about as a
response to the true words contained in the Lotus
Sutra.
I copied this work on the eighth day of the twelfth
month in the sixth year of Bun’ei (1269), cyclical
sign tsuchinoto-mi
Propagation by the Wise
Buddhism can be correctly propagated only by a person of unsurpassed wisdom. This is why Shakyamuni,
after expounding all the sutras, entrusted the Hinayana teachings to Ananda and the Mahayana teachings to Monju, but refused
to transfer the ultimate principle of the Lotus Sutra to any of his immediate disciples. Shakyamuni instead summoned Bodhisattva
Jogyo, his disciple from ages past, and entrusted it to him.
Even if there should be a person of wisdom who embraces Buddhism, how could he propagate it without
believers who support him? Shakyamuni had the support of Bonten and Taishaku who dwell in heaven. From among the six paths,
the Buddha chose the worlds of Heaven and Humanity, and of these two, he chose to be born among human beings. Of all places
in the universe inhabited by men, he appeared in India, in the kingdom of Magadha. The king of Magadha should have been a
protector of the Buddha, but the ruler was King Ajatashatru, an evil man. The most unfortunate destiny for a Buddha is to
be born in the reign of an evil monarch. King Ajatashatru had murdered his father, a wise king who had supported the Buddha.
Even worse, he had taken Devadatta as his mentor. Devadatta committed three of the five cardinal sins, worst of all injuring
the Buddha and causing him to bleed. The impious and evil king joined forces with this slanderer of Buddhism, compounding
the great harm to humanity. Not only for one or two years but for several decades, this king repeatedly harassed the Buddha
and killed a great many of his disciples. This infuriated the heavens, and the skies reacted violently. Moreover, the terrestrial
gods were so provoked that the great disasters occurred on earth. Month after month violent gales raged, and year after year
famines and epidemics struck, killing the majority of the people. Furthermore, neighboring kingdoms attacked on all sides,
driving Magadha to the brink of ruin. At that time, motivated by a revelation in a dream, by the advice of his physician and
minister Jivaka and finally by his own inner doubts, Ajatashatru left Devadatta and went to Shakyamuni Buddha to repent for
his sinful deeds. Therefore his illness was cured immediately, the invasions ceased and the entire country became peaceful.
Not only did he recover his health; he was able to thwart the prophecy that he would die on the seventh day of the third month
and in fact prolonged his life by forty years. In gratitude, he assembled a thousand arhats to record all the Buddha's teachings,
especially the Lotus Sutra, for future generations. It is therefore thanks to King Ajatashatru that we have the Lotus Sutra
we embrace today.
Even so, if I, Nichiren, should repeat the teachings given by the Buddha to King Ajatashatru, most Japanese
would consider them to be merely my own fabrication. But since you are my disciple and supporter, I will reveal them to you.
The Buddha stated, "After my death, during the Latter Day of the Law, there will be many who will piously observe the five
ascetic practices as Devadatta did. They will persuade an evil ruler to act against the one person of unsurpassed wisdom.
At times they will slander or strike him, cause him to be exiled, and even try to kill him. In that age there will be natural
disasters, such as typhoons, famines, and epidemics even greater than those witnessed in this day, and these calamities will
continue year after year. There will also be foreign invasions." This is the substance of the tenth volume of the Shugo Sutra.
The present age has evolved exactly as the Buddha predicted it would, and Nichiren is the wise man whom
the Buddha described. Although there are people who wish to help me, many of them are weak-willed and others, though having
a strong spirit, cannot act upon their intentions. Thus you are one of the very few whose action matches his will. Your faith
is stronger than the faith of others, and it is because of your support that I have been able to survive. Both the heavens
and the earth are certainly aware of this, so if any misfortune happens to you, it could only mean that heaven wants my life
itself. Wherever he may be, whether in the mountains, on the seas, in the skies or in the cities, man cannot escape death.
However, a passage from one of the sutras explains that even one's immutable karma can be changed. T'ien-t'ai interprets this
passage to mean that one can prolong his fixed span of life.
As I advised you earlier, until the Mongol forces actually attack this country, you should refrain from
spreading any alarm. As for the reply to your lord, answer him firmly in this way: "Since I am ill, it is most distressing
for me to be transferred to a remote place. Moreover, the entire country is on the verge of ruin. Should an emergency arise,
how could I possibly be a coward? At this moment I am resolved to sacrifice my life for my lord. Yet, should a sudden crisis
occur, it is doubtful whether I could reach you in time from the distant province of Echigo. Therefore, even at the risk of
losing my estate, I will not leave you this year. Anything else you may command of me, I will obey without hesitation or fear.
The only people more important to me are the priest Nichiren and my deceased parents. However, I will devote this life to
you, even if you disown me, for I have entrusted my life after death to the priest Nichiren."
Nichiren
The sixth day of the ninth month in the second year of Kenji (1276)
