SGI-USA Study Curriculum

Selected Lectures on the Gosho by SGI President Ikeda

Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life
- Shoji Ichidaiji Kechimyaku Sho -

Lecture 3 of 3 from Selected Lectures on the Gosho, vol. 1.

Mercy for All Mankind

Nichiren has been trying to awaken all the people of Japan to faith in the Lotus Sutra so that they too can share the heritage and attain Buddhahood. But instead they attacked me time and again, and finally had me banished to this island. You have followed Nichiren, however, and met with sufferings as a result. It pains me deeply to think of your anguish.

From this passage on, Nichiren Daishonin demonstrates concern for Sairen-bo, giving him deep encouragement and enfolding him with compassion. The heart of the Daishonin was filled with one thing, and one thing alone --- the infinitely merciful wish to let all people "share the heritage and attain Buddhahood." The only reason he so categorically denounced misleading teachings was to bring the heritage within reach of the people. He was especially severe with Ryokan of Gokuraku-ji temple, to whom many in those days looked up as a great spiritual and philosophical leader. The Daishonin carried through everything he did in righteousness to the end. He fought for the people, courageously, in utter disregard of his own life.

We of the Soka Gakkai carry on the struggle in the same spirit. The Daishonin fought to bring happiness to all the people in the world, and we follow in his footsteps to let them "share the heritage and attain Buddhahood." Being ourselves entities of the Mystic Law, whatever we do to encourage others to join us is a noble endeavor, whether we are aware of it or not. By encouraging them to join, we bring them the chance to inherit the ultimate law and let it take root firmly in their lives.

"But instead they attacked me time and again, and finally had me banished to this island." The country's leaders during the Daishonin's time were easily cajoled by the cunning, villainous priests into persecuting and finally banishing him to Sado Island. Exile on Sado was almost a living death, as the Gosho confirms, "Exiles to this island are seldom able to survive. Even if they do, they can never return home." He was forced to dwell in a small temple called Sanmaido at Tsukahara. It was in a state of utter ruin. The howling wind swept through the wide gaps in the roof and walls. Any other person would have felt as if he were living in hell itself, but the Daishonin's heart was filled with joy. He felt the kind of joy that could only be felt by the original Buddha. In spite of being in such terrible surroundings, or rather, because he found himself there, he could perceive people's misery all the more acutely. That sense made him want to bring them happiness and bring the merciful light of his Buddhism to shine over the whole earth, a Buddhism as bright and powerful as the sun.

The Daishonin's mercy takes on added significance and depth from the fact that he wrote this important Gosho, the Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life, while on Sado Island. In spite of being made to live in the worst environment imaginable, he recharged and polished his life all the further to leave unfading landmarks of true Buddhism that would guide mankind for eternity. Perhaps only the original Buddha could achieve this, but we nonetheless must try to follow suit. The more trying and harsh our circumstances become, the more faith and courage we must call forth.

"You have followed Nichiren, however, and met with sufferings as a result." Nichiren Daishonin was going through persecution that came at him from all over the land. Flames of hatred roared up against him from all quarters. Under these circumstances Sairenbo dared to follow the Daishonin and, as a result, he too met with suffering. We do not know for certain what agonies he underwent, but it is certain that he was a man of great courage. The kind of attacks that caused him such pain were aimed less at him as an individual than they were part of a greater persecution to which the Daishonin's entire Buddhist order was subjected. Sairenbo stood his ground, and continued to follow his master. Such perseverance must have required extraordinary conviction. On the other hand, his faith was undoubtedly put to a real test.

The Ongi Kuden, interpreting the phrase "to follow this master and study," which appears in the tenth chapter of the Lotus Sutra, says, "To follow means to believe and accept." In another part it explains that to follow means to devote both mind and body to the Lotus Sutra. Thus, in saying, "You have followed Nichiren...," the Daishonin was offering deep encouragement to Sairenbo, the man who shared the greatest hardship his master ever had to suffer. To me, one of the reasons that the Daishonin was not only a peerless master but a source of warm, human inspiration was his capacity for unbending sternness --- which in itself indicates concern --- combined with a limitless, personal interest in all his followers.

What Nichiren Daishonin went through was no ordinary abuse. It was a fierce attack by sensho zojoman, the third and worst of the three powerful enemies.* The authorities of some of the religious groups had schemed and prevailed upon the government to publicly punish the Daishonin. The entire nation was like a hive of angry bees swarming in hatred around him. Sairenbo made his commitment to follow the Daishonin right at that point, at a peak of his distress and unpopularity. And Sairenbo never faltered, despite the trials he had to face. At the same time, Sairenbo's courage and perseverance made it possible for the Daishonin to place unqualified confidence in him. Josei Toda used to say, "I trust only those people who have stuck to their faith through thick and thin for at least twenty years --- especially those who have overcome hardship after unbearable hardship. I trust them with my very life." I also remember Dr. Toynbee saying during one of our talks, "I can correctly appraise a person's value only when I have reviewed the past twenty years of his life."

*[Three types of people described in the Kanji (13th) chapter of the Lotus Sutra who will persecute those who propagate the sutra in the evil age after the Buddha's death. They are: 1) lay people ignorant of Buddhism who denounce and persecute the votaries of the Lotus Sutra; 2) arrogant and cunning priests who slander them; and 3) influential figures who induce those in power to exile or execute them.]

"It pains me deeply to think of your anguish." This sentence expresses the Daishonin's very personal consideration for his disciple. He knows the terror that must have gripped Sairenbo's heart, and understands the mental conflict and indignation that must have been raging within him. He thinks of this disciple's distress even more than his own suffering, which is possible only from the heart of the original Buddha.

People of "Pure Gold"

Gold can neither be burned by fire nor corroded or swept away by water, but iron is vulnerable to both. A wise person is like gold and a fool like iron. You are like pure gold because you embrace the "gold" of the Lotus Sutra. The Lotus Sutra reads in part, "Sumeru is the loftiest of all mountains. The Lotus Sutra is likewise the loftiest of all the sutras." It also states, "The good fortune of the believer cannot be burned by fire or washed away by water."

Gold is one metal that will not oxidize even in fire, nor can it be corroded by water. And, because of its density, it is not even budged by a flood. In contrast, iron rusts and eventually disintegrates in either fire or water. A wise person, therefore, is one who, like gold, does not waver the slightest in his faith, no matter what suffering he meets or how difficult his life becomes. A fool, on the other hand, is as vulnerable and corruptible as iron.

Fire and water are like the trials we meet in daily life. The Gosho, The Eight Winds, reads, "A truly wise man will not be carried away by any of the eight winds: prosperity, decline, disgrace, honor, praise, censure, suffering and pleasure. He is neither elated by prosperity nor grieved by decline." Most people lose their integrity when they receive prosperity, honor, praise or pleasure, and they become morose in the face of decline, disgrace, censure or suffering. Fire and water are symbols of the temptations and troubles of this constantly changing world. Unswayed by praise or blame, we must not let them move us, but instead, we must advance straight along our path of faith, making the life we live shine like polished gold.

Because of his faith in true Buddhism, Sairenbo went through suffering as withering as a fire and as relentless as a flood. But he never gave in. He upheld his faith to the end. That is why Nichiren Daishonin praises him, saying, "You are like pure gold." A passage in the "Precepts for Youth" written by President Toda states, "For a wise person it is a shame to be praised by a fool. But for him to be praised by the Buddha is a lifelong honor." I hope each of you will steadily lead your life in your own way and be worthy of praise from the Daishonin.

"Pure gold" is talking about those of unquestionable integrity of faith and practice. The test is whether a person has the insight to get to the core of things, whether he can carry through his faith while living a truly humane life, and whether he can keep on the path of righteousness to the end. I hope all of you will become people with insight and conviction based on Buddhism, who can discern the truth of things and who never falter or doubt, no matter what may happen. When the Daishonin was banished to Sado, quite a few of his disciples began to doubt, wondering whether his Buddhism was really true or not. However, it was precisely because he was exiled to Sado that he could prove in the way he responded to exile that he was the original Buddha and was able to complete so many important works. None who only saw into superficial aspects of what was happening could have anticipated this.

Much, much later, when Mr. Makiguchi and Mr. Toda were imprisoned, once more many followers began to doubt and eventually abandoned their faith. More than thirty years have passed since the Soka Gakkai was fiercely oppressed by the Japanese military authorities, and during this period our organization has achieved phenomenal growth. Looking back, we can see profound significance in Mr. Makiguchi's death in prison. He left us with the spirit of determination to propagate the Law even at the cost of our lives. It was also in prison that Mr. Toda discovered that Buddha is life itself, awakening to his mission as a Bodhisattva of the Earth. Thus, even the cruel, wartime oppression had considerable meaning. It was through that persecution that the spiritual core of the Soka Gakkai solidified. It produced the seed which has since blossomed into our organization today. Continue to live as people of "pure gold," no matter what situation you may face. People of pure gold will eventually reveal their inner light and their true ability, no matter where they may be.

"Because you embrace the 'gold' of the Lotus Sutra" means that we are able to walk a golden path only because we embrace the Lotus Sutra, the highest philosophy of life. As the Gosho states, "If the Law is supreme, so is the person who embraces it." Buddhism teaches that the content of one's life is determined by the quality of the belief he upholds, whether it is noble or base, deep or shallow. We have already received the Gohonzon and based our lives on it. This is the supreme teaching of which the Buddha of the Latter Day, Nichiren Daishonin, declared, "So long as men of wisdom do not prove my teachings to be false, then I will never accept the practices of the other sects !" There is no alternative; we must make the Gohonzon part of us throughout our lives, and it will take us on a golden journey in life.

Both quotations from the Lotus Sutra appear in the twenty-third chapter, Yakuo-hon. "Sumeru is the loftiest of all mountains. The Lotus Sutra is likewise the loftiest of all the sutras," extols the Lotus Sutra. The sentence, "The good fortune of the believer cannot be burned by fire or washed away by water," concerns the good fortune of those who receive and embrace that sutra. President Toda explained that "fire" in this sentence indicates the fire of desire and that "water" denotes the water of suffering. The Ongi Kuden, interpreting the same phrase, states that "fire" represents the flames of the hell of incessant suffering and that "water" signifies the ice of the hell of unspeakable cold. In any case, the second quotation clearly tells us that the life of each person who embraces the Gohonzon will be illuminated by good fortune and he will find absolute happiness. Neither his fortune nor happiness can be disturbed by any of the fires or floods in life.

Bonds in the Depths of Life

It must be ties of karma from the distant past that have destined you to become my disciple at a time like this. Shakyamuni and Taho Buddhas certainly realize this truth. The sutra's statement, "In lifetime after lifetime they were always born together with their masters in the Buddha's lands throughout the universe," cannot be false in any way.

The fact that Sairenbo became Nichiren Daishonin's disciple during the most severe persecution in the Daishonin's lifetime cannot be understood in terms of worldly relationships. That is why the Daishonin states, "It must be ties of karma from the distant past that have destined you to become my disciple at a time like this."

"Shakyamuni and Taho Buddhas certainly realize this truth." Literally, this means that since the Daishonin is an ordinary person, he does not himself realize the fact but that Shakyamuni and Taho, being Buddhas, do. More than that, however, it means that the eternal law of Buddhism reveals that Sairenbo shared the Daishonin's difficulties because of the deep bonds they had formed in the past.

"In lifetime after lifetime they were always born together with their masters in the Buddha's lands throughout the universe." This is a well-known passage from the seventh chapter, Kejoyu-hon, of the Lotus Sutra. According to this chapter, in a distant past called sanzen-jintengo a Buddha by the name of Daitsu expounded the Lotus Sutra. He had sixteen sons, and taught each of them the Law. They in turn preached the Law to as many people as there are grains of sand in six hundred billion Ganges Rivers, forming a master-disciple relationship with all. Since then, in lifetime after lifetime these people were continually born together with their masters in the Buddha's lands throughout the universe. They heard the teaching, and practiced Buddhism together with their masters. Three thousand years ago, the sixteenth of those sons came into the world as Shakyamuni and attained enlightenment. At that time the people he had taught in the past existences were also born into this world, heard him expound the Law, and attained Buddhahood.

In a word, the quotation from the Kejoyu chapter confirms that the master and his disciples are always born in the same world to practice Buddhism together. In Japan, Nichiren Daishonin made his advent in the Kamakura era. So Nikko Shonin and many other disciples and followers appeared during the same period and devoted themselves to spreading the Mystic Law. Therefore, Nichiren Daishonin is the "master" in the Latter Day of the Law.

How, then, should we read the passage from the Kejoyu chapter after the Daishonin's death? By inscribing the Dai-Gohonzon, Nichiren Daishonin provided the answer for us and our future generations. Also, he transmitted the entirety of his teachings to Nikko Shonin, his immediate successor. We live together with Nichiren Daishonin when we worship the Gohonzon enshrined at our own homes with the same attitude we have toward the Dai-Gohonzon. Hence the statement of the Kejoyu chapter. We are now fighting for kosen-rufu because we are brothers and sisters joined by the deep bond of the Mystic Law we have formed in the past. What strengthens our relationship is the prayer that we offer to the Gohonzon, with the same mind, as well as the mental and physical struggle we undergo together to save mankind and attain kosen-rufu.

At times the Soka Gakkai may enjoy smooth sailing; at other times it may face a fierce wind. No matter what, stay firm within the Soka Gakkai and grow together with it. The karmic relationship we have shared since the distant past has destined us to become Soka Gakkai members. Therefore, live your whole life together with me and together with the Soka Gakkai so that, with the Gohonzon's mercy, we may be born again together and enjoy the happiest of possible lives.

The quotation from the Kejoyu chapter is very significant from the viewpoint of faith. Whether we are true disciples of Nichiren Daishonin or not depends on how we display the spirit of that sentence in our practice. There are many kinds of relationships: flesh-and-blood relationships between parents and children or brothers and sisters, work relationships between superior and subordinates, social relationships between friends or teachers and students. These are very important relationships, and the happiness and prosperity of families and society rest on whether those ties remain strong and whether individuals can associate with each other on a constructive basis or not. But of all human relations, that between master and disciple is the deepest and most important. Only through the master-disciple relationship can we learn and teach each other how to develop ourselves as human beings and how best to deal with life. This is the only life-to-life bond which continues for all eternity and which remains firm no matter where we may be.

Ties based on common interests collapse when interests diverge. Relationships forced upon us by external circumstances all change according to the time and place. However, the symphony played by master and disciples in one mind, creating harmony in the depths of their lives, will send forth its echoes throughout the universe and on into eternity. We are all legitimate disciples of Nichiren Daishonin. And now growing numbers with pure faith assemble in perfect harmony in countries around the world. You should have the pride and conviction to know that this is the purest crystallization of human relationships ever achieved in the history of man.

Whenever I read the quotation from the Kejoyu chapter, my heart is rent by the memory of Mr. Toda's words to his late master at the second memorial service on November 17, 1946:

Your mercy was so boundlessly great that you even took me to prison with you. Because you did so, with my very life I was able to read the phrase in the Lotus Sutra which states, "In lifetime after lifetime they were always born together with their masters in the Buddha's lands throughout the universe." The wonderful result was that I awoke to the mission of Bodhisattvas of the Earth and could understand even a little of the meaning of the Lotus Sutra. Nothing could have made me happier.

Even in prison, Mr. Toda visualized the Gohonzon and chanted daimoku to it sincerely. As a result, he discovered himself in perfect fusion with the Gohonzon as the passage from the Kejoyu chapter reads. Also, he realized his deep sense of mission, with which he would devote his remaining years to spreading faith in the Gohonzon. "Your mercy was so boundlessly great" and "Nothing could have made me happier" are the expressions of his pure, genuine faith in the Gohonzon. Mr. Toda's struggle reminds me that every individual can feel the statement of the Kejoyu chapter with his faith in true Buddhism.

"The Buddha's lands throughout the universe" indicate worlds inhabited by human beings. In theory all forms of life are entities of ichinen sanzen, but only the human being can reform and direct himself toward attaining Buddhahood. Therefore, we can be born as humans in world after world and devote ourselves to the construction of a Buddha's land in each lifetime. This is the greatest good fortune. According to the third chapter, Hiyu-hon, of the Lotus Sutra, those who slander the sutra will sometimes be born as stray dogs, emaciated and lean, hated and scorned by others. At other times they will be born as asses, destined to forever carry burdens on their backs, beaten with sticks. At still other times they will receive a serpent's body and wriggle about on their bellies, shunned. In contrast, we will always be born to live a joyful life, strolling, as it were, in the beautiful garden of our hearts, enjoying music that rings from within our lives. We are able to lead the noblest life possible. It is a remarkable achievement that deserves our most grateful thanks. It gives all the more reason to earnestly ponder what we must do in this life.

A Buddha's land is not some particular part of the universe where the Buddha resides. The principle of the oneness of life and its environment teaches that the condition of a land depends on the entities who dwell there. Thus, where we pursue the truths of Buddhism with firm faith in the Gohonzon is transformed into a land of eternal enlightenment. The Buddha's land is a place where master and disciple strive together in perfect unity.

"The Buddha's lands throughout the universe" indicates that such lands exist everywhere in the universe. Mr. Toda used to tell us his grand view of the cosmos in a straight-forward manner: "I'll continue to do shakubuku until we attain kosen-rufu on this Earth. Then I'll go to another planet and do the same thing." According to Buddhism, the Buddha's land is not limited to the Earth; it exists across the universe and throughout time.

Modern astronomy seems to endorse the Buddhist view. Scientists have asserted the possibility of cosmic dust floating between nebulae to form he building blocks of life. We may assume, therefore, that among the myriad stars many are inhabited by beings as advanced as man. This, I believe, is what "the Buddha's lands throughout the universe" indicates. Be convinced that we will always be born in one or another of the Buddha's lands spread throughout the universe and that there we will be able to devote ourselves to building an ideal human society.

No Enlightenment without Practice

How admirable that you have asked about the transmission of the ultimate law of life and death! No one has ever asked me such a question before. I have answered in complete detail in this letter, so I want you to take it deeply to heart. The important point is to carry out your practice, confident that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the very lifeblood which was transferred from Shakyamuni and Taho to Bodhisattva Jogyo.

Nichiren Daishonin praises Sairenbo for having asked this vital question, which no one had ever asked before. Then he stresses that "the important point is to carry out your practice, confident that Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the very lifeblood which was transferred from Shakyamuni and Taho to Bodhisattva Jogyo." The Daishonin thus emphasizes the importance of the seeking spirit, and at the same time gives his disciple profound guidance so that he could elevate his state of life and live the life of that spirit.

Perhaps one of the best-known stories about a seeking spirit is that of Sessen Doji and the particular process by which he attained enlightenment. Sessen Doji was practicing austerities in search of the Law when he heard a voice say, "All is changeable; nothing is constant. This is the law of birth and death." Certain that the verse contained the law for enlightenment he had so seriously been seeking, he beseeched the demon which appeared in front of him to tell him the rest of the verse. The demon --- actually Taishaku in disguise --- looked horrible and lowly. Why did Shakyamuni, in telling this story, have such an abominable creature enter the scene? It may have symbolized the many crimes and evils widespread in Shakyamuni's day. Shakyamuni may also have wanted to teach that we must seek the law on the basis of its philosophy, not on the appearance or station of the person who preaches it.

We can look still deeper into the significance of the story. The demon demanded warm human flesh as the price for its teaching. Sessen Doji, by offering his own body to the demon, was finally able to hear the rest of the verse. This lesson could not be clearer: seekers of Buddhism should be prepared to offer even their own lives for the sake of the law. But why was it that the price was human flesh? Why did Taishaku, disguised as the demon, demand it? To find the answer, recall the latter half of the verse the demon told Sessen Doji. It reads, "Extinguishing the cycle of birth and death, one enters the joy of nirvana." This represents extinguishing the suffering of birth and death in the phenomenal world and entering the unshakably happy state of nirvana in which there is neither birth nor death. This is a Hinayana doctrine, and it does not come anywhere near the highest teaching, the Lotus Sutra, much less Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. However, the verse contains an eternal truth in teaching us not to be blinded by births and deaths in the world, but instead to seek nirvana in the depths of those phenomena.

In order to truly understand the teaching, therefore, Sessen Doji first had to rid himself of the tendency to cling to his physical self. This was where the demon came in. The demon appeared and demanded that Sessen Doji give him human flesh. That demand was itself the answer to his quest. When he resolved to offer himself to meet the demon's request, he became qualified to hear the latter half of the verse or, right then and there, he attained enlightenment.

Some who heard the Buddha explain this were incapable of comprehending it. For them Sessen Doji's act of offering his body was the substance of that teaching. The abundance of parables in the sutras reflects an attempt to make the philosophy comprehensible to all people. To go a step further, the fact that the demon would not preach the law until Sessen Doji vowed to offer his body is saying that enlightenment lies only in practice. Aside from the degree of Sessen Doji's enlightenment, his act tells us that Buddhism exists only within human behavior. Had he not offered his body for the sake of the law, he would not have been able to attain enlightenment, no matter how profound a teaching he came across. Without practice, no one can acquire the law of Buddhism. For Buddhism is a philosophy that was systematized only to reveal the enlightenment the Buddha attained after many long years of practice.

While it is true that Buddhism embodies a profound philosophy of life, and we must not depreciate the intellectual side, in its essence Buddhist doctrines enlarge on the Buddha's own enlightenment --- enlightenment which can be acquired only through practice. Buddhism is not just a compilation of abstract, theoretical teachings. It is a dynamic guide to a better life, the way to live most humanely, and how to reform ourselves. Since Buddhism is the true way of life, we can naturally find a profound philosophy behind it. Therefore, the heritage of the ultimate law of life exists only within our own lives. The spirit of this Gosho lives only within a life that continues to grow from day to day and month to month.

"Nam-myoho-renge-kyo . . . was transferred from Shakyamuni and Taho" tells us that the entity of the Lotus Sutra manifested by the two Buddhas in the Treasure Tower is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Nichiren Daishonin was aware that Sairenbo, a former scholar of the Tendai school, tended to see only the literal interpretation of the Lotus Sutra. He reiterates here, therefore, that the ultimate of the Lotus Sutra is Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

"The very lifeblood which was transferred . . . to Bodhisattva Jogyo." Here again the Daishonin emphasizes the same point. Bodhisattva Jogyo, who was entrusted with the mission of spreading the Law during the ceremony of the Lotus Sutra, is the supreme leader of propagation in the Latter Day. It follows therefore that the teaching he spreads is the one and only True Law for that age.

The Functions of the Mystic Law

The function of fire is to burn and give light. The function of water is to wash away filth. The winds blow away dust and breathe life into plants, animals and human beings. The earth nourishes the grasses and trees, and heaven provides nourishing moisture. Myoho-renge-kyo too works in all these ways. It is the cluster of blessings brought by the Bodhisattvas of the Earth.

In this passage the Daishonin explains that the functions of earth, water, fire, wind and ku are themselves the workings of Myoho-renge-kyo --- the blessings brought by the Bodhisattvas of the Earth. Earth, water, fire, wind and ku are the basic constituents of all things in the universe. They are called the five elements, which by inference are represented by the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo. On the Ultimate Teaching Affirmed by All Buddhas states, "When Shakyamuni Buddha was still a common mortal, at a time more distant than gohyaku-jintengo, he perceived that his body consisted of earth, water, fire, wind and ku, and he immediately attained enlightenment." "His body consisted of earth, water, fire, wind and ku" is another way of saying that "his body consisted of Myoho-renge-kyo."

Buddhism is in part the declaration to mankind that Myoho-renge-kyo --- the ultimate law of all things --- does not exist outside the phenomenal world, and the five elements that make up the physical world are themselves Myoho-renge-kyo. The Lotus Sutra teaches that this world is itself the land of eternal enlightenment, that a common mortal can attain Buddhahood just as he is, that the nine worlds and Buddhahood are mutually inclusive, and that suffering leads to nirvana. All of these are revolutionary philosophical concepts, and they all originate in this single insight that is so basic to Buddhism.

Buddhism does not exist apart from this world; any system of religious thought that evades the realities of life and concentrates on fleeting pleasures or escapism, or ends up with dreams of heavenly pastures, is powerless to help the plight of man. How should we deal with our constant, and often agonizing, reality? How should we live in the tumult of society? What can we do to open the path from chaos to a bright future? It is by seeking out answers to these questions that we can discover the revitalizing power of Buddhism. Religions that teach escapism or resignation, or religions that exist only in ceremony, are not religions in the true sense of the word.

Our movement has, from the beginning, advanced together with the masses, and today, it continues to be borne forward by a broad section of the populace. It lives among them and supports them in their sorrows and joys, sharing their sufferings and pleasures. Maintain this constant path for the Soka Gakkai, and always be proud in following it. It is the road Presidents Makiguchi and Toda built for us and led us to. No matter what others may say, let us proceed without fear along the Soka Gakkai's noble path and live the most precious life of all.

To go back to the text, the above passage enumerates the functions of the five elements. Their physical workings are exactly as the passage describes, but I feel that we must also study them in the light of the phrase, "Myoho-renge-kyo too works in all these ways. It is the cluster of blessings brought by the Bodhisattvas of the Earth."

First, consider fire. The text says, "The function of fire is to burn and give light." What does this mean for the life philosophy? A careful answer is given in the section of the Ongi Kuden concerning the first chapter, Jo-hon, of the Lotus Sutra. It states that "fire" means the fire of enlightened wisdom. "Giving light" is what wisdom does as it adapts to each new circumstance, and "burning" relates to the unchanging law of the universe. Nam-myoho-renge-kyo itself possesses both the virtue of burning and of giving light. The Ongi Kuden goes on to say that we who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo "can illuminate the darkness of suffering in life and death and can eventually see clearly the fire of nirvana's wisdom." It also says that we "can burn the firewood of desires and reveal the fire of enlightened wisdom." Since flames burn upward, fire represents Bodhisattva Jogyo, as jo means "upward."

"The function of water is to wash away filth." This is the function of washing away evil karma and eliminating the five impurities of life.* It symbolizes life's innate power --- coming from the Mystic Law --- to purify itself. Water represents Bodhisattva Jyogyo, jyo meaning to purify. The many evil deeds we committed in past existences destine us to suffer for countless lifetimes in succession. When we take faith in the Gohonzon, however, all that cumulative suffering comes to us all at once here in the present, but with far less intensity. This is the principle of lessening karmic retribution. When you flush water through an old hose, all the dirt in it is washed out the end. You may have to undergo hardship after hardship during this lifetime, but after the last dregs are purged, you will be able to live in comfort for the rest of your life and accumulate great good fortune.

*[They are: I) impurity of the age caused by war, natural disasters, etc.; 2) impurity of thought, or illusion, caused by confusion in philosophy and religion; 3) impurity of desires, or ugly tendencies such as greed, anger and stupidity; 4) impurity of the people, weak, both physically and spiritually, and 5) impurity of life itself.]

Third, "The winds blow away dust" means to sweep away the difficulties that occur during our lifetime and the obstacles that try to block our path of faith. Just as the winds blow away dust and dirt, so can we clear away obstacles and difficulties by chanting powerful and resounding daimoku. The winds represent Bodhisattva Muhengyo, muhen meaning "without bounds." The Daishonin says that the winds also "breathe life into plants, animals and human beings." From old, wind has symbolized the vitality of nature and the universe, blowing the breath of life into all things.

Fourth, "The earth nourishes the grasses and trees" indicates the stabilizing factor of life. Just think of how life works. Nothing is more complicated or delicate. Our body, for instance, maintains a temperature that averages about 36.5¿C. A fever, even if only two or three degrees above normal, feels uncomfortable. It is a wondrous system that maintains our temperature at the same level, except in times of illness, when it changes to tell us that something is wrong. The thoughts and feelings in our mind change from moment to moment, but always with well-coordinated balance. The stability-maintaining function of our mind and body represents Bodhisattva Anryugyo, anryu meaning harmonious support.

Finally, "heaven provides nourishing moisture." "Heaven" here corresponds to ku, the fifth element. Rather than any of the Four Bodhisattvas, it symbolizes Myoho-renge-kyo itself. Just as heaven lets life-giving rain fall upon all things, so Myoho-renge-kyo bestows its benefits on all phenomena and is the fundamental force by which they work.

A passage similar to the one above appears in the Ongi Kuden:

Now Nichiren and his disciples who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo are all Bodhisattvas of the Earth. The benefits of the Four Bodhisattvas are as follows: The natural function of fire is to burn things [Jogyo], that of water to purify [Jyogyo], that of wind to blow away dust and dirt [Muhengyo], and that of earth to nourish plants and trees [Anryugyo]. The roles of the Four Bodhisattvas are not the same, but all of them are derived from Myoho-renge-kyo. The Four Bodhisattvas dwell underneath, and T'ien-t'ai's interpretation in the Hokke Mongu speaks of "underneath" as "the ultimate depth of life, that being the absolute reality." That the Bodhisattvas of the Earth dwell underneath means that they dwell in the truth.

Fire burns; water cleanses; wind blows away dust and dirt, and the earth supports plants-all these natural functions correspond to the functions of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth.

What is the significance of the functions of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth in terms of our daily life? To fight for happiness, consuming our own life force; to carry on the movement to purify others' lives as well as our own; to clear away the ugliness in society just as the wind blows away dust; to become an indestructible pillar in which anyone can place full confidence --- all of these are the natural functions of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth.

The Bodhisattvas of the Earth need never to be told to do anything by anyone. They work spontaneously for the benefit of the people and society, upholding the philosophy of the Mystic Law. It is a natural duty, which they sense within their own lives. Where does that sense of mission come from? Where in our hearts do the Bodhisattvas of the Earth dwell? Nichiren Daishonin explains this by quoting T'ien-t'ai's words-that they dwell in "the ultimate depth of life, that being the absolute reality." In other words, the Bodhisattvas of the Earth dwell in Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, the entity which reigns over all the spiritual functions in man. By chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we bring its life force from within ourselves. We manifest the ultimate entity of our life and use our inner life force to improve our lives and society as we carry out our mission as Bodhisattvas of the Earth. In the final analysis, the functions of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth are those of Myoho-renge-kyo. So, when we manifest ourselves as the entities of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we become by our actions Bodhisattvas of the Earth, and we join the ranks of people who continue this unparalleled odyssey in the eternal current of life.

Mission as a Great Bodhisattva

This discussion reminds me of two episodes which Josei Toda personally experienced in prison, especially the second. On New Year's Day, 1944, he began alternately to chant daimoku and read the Lotus Sutra, visualizing the Dai-Gohonzon enshrined at the Head Temple, Taisekiji. At the beginning of March, he was reading the first chapter, Toku-gyo-hon, of the Sutra of Infinite Meaning, the sutra introductory to the Lotus Sutra itself. When he came to a twelve-line verse consisting of thirty-four negative descriptions of the Buddha's entity, he suddenly became enlightened to the truth that the Buddha is life itself. He could not repress the profound emotion which kept welling up within him. This was the first episode.

Spring went by, then the summer, and autumn was turning into winter. In the freezing cell, emaciated and weak, my master was a bag of skin and bones, but he continued his intense meditation. One day in mid-November he was going over a passage in the fifteenth chapter, Yujuppon, of the Lotus Sutra: ". . . All these bodhisattvas, hearing the voice of Shakyamuni Buddha preaching, sprang forth from below. Each one of these bodhisattvas was the commander of a great host, leading a retinue as numerous as the sands in sixty thousand Ganges Rivers; moreover, others led retinues as numerous as the sands in fifty thousand, forty thousand, thirty thousand, twenty thousand, ten thousand Ganges; moreover....

Before he knew what had happened, he was floating in the air. He found himself among a multitude, his palms joined together, praying to the magnificent Dai-Gohonzon. He clearly witnessed the solemn ceremony which revealed the eternity of life, and he himself was a participant. In the light of the morning sun streaming through the window into the small, wretched cell, he sat stupefied with utmost joy, oblivious of the hot tears rolling down his cheeks. "I am a Bodhisattva of the Earth!" No words could have expressed the profound and intense joy he experienced then. He had awakened to his mission as a Bodhisattva of the Earth. "Now I know the objective of my life," he thought resolutely to himself. "I will never forget this day. I will dedicate the rest of my life to propagating the Supreme Law."

About the same time, Mr. Toda's master, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, breathed his last in another cell in the same prison. He was seventy-three. In spite of his advanced age, Mr. Makiguchi had never ceased fighting the suppression by the military authorities, never yielding an inch. Finally, on November 18, 1944, he died a martyr to his belief. Mr. Makiguchi died at the same time that Mr. Toda awakened to his lifelong mission.

In some cases the awakening is called the second president Toda's enlightenment. It means, however, that he attained a great awakening to his mission as Nichiren Daishonin's disciple. The prewar Soka Gakkai could also conceive of some movement for kosen-rufu, but its awakening to the mission of kosen-rufu was so weak that it collapsed in the face of suppression by the military authorities. Visualizing the Gohonzon in the most severe circumstances of prison, Mr. Toda chanted daimoku and awakened to his mission as a Bodhisattva of the Earth. With joy, gratitude and realization, he cried out from prison for the attainment of kosen-rufu. Herein lies the profound significance of his declaration. His awakening was a single-minded devotion to kosen-rufu, which would never waver in any of the storms of life. Whatever the case, this was the starting point for the Soka Gakkai's remarkable development as the organization for the propagation of true Buddhism.

In his essay, "The History and Conviction of the Soka Gakkai," my master wrote: "About the time of Mr. Makiguchi's death the number of my daimoku was approaching two million. It was then, with the mercy of the original Buddha, that I experienced a mystic state of life. From that time on I spent every day being interrogated and chanting daimoku, overjoyed that now I could understand the Lotus Sutra, whereas I had been unable to before."

It was this single, decisive moment which destined the Soka Gakkai to become the center of a multitude of bodhisattvas who would spring forth, filled with energy and potential, one after another. Mr. Toda was then forty-five. Confucius once said, "At the age of forty I was free of delusion. At the age of fifty I knew heaven's will." My master exclaimed, "It took me five years longer to dispel my delusion, but five years shorter to know heaven's will." Mr. Toda's awakening to his mission was what destined the Soka Gakkai to become the great organization of the Bodhisattvas of the Earth.

In the following year, standing among the ruins of war-ravaged Tokyo, Mr. Toda took his first step in the reconstruction of the Soka Gakkai. His master had left the prison in death; the disciple left it alive. Life and death-these are the mysterious workings of life essence. President Toda's heart must have been filled with a thousand emotions, but the profundity and abundance of those feelings became the source for the growth which the Soka Gakkai has now achieved. On July 3, 1945, the day he was released from prison, the single disciple, Josei Toda, firmly pledged to his master, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi: "Our lives are really eternal, without beginning or end. I now know that we were born in this world with the great mission of spreading the seven-character Lotus Sutra in the Latter Day of the Law. What are we, then? In the final analysis, we are bodhisattvas of the essential teaching, Bodhisattvas of the Earth."

Mr. Toda's awakening that he, and his master, were Bodhisattvas of the Earth gradually found its way into the lives of individual Soka Gakkai members until they, too, awakened to the fact that they were also. However, it had not yet caused the rebirth of the organization as a whole. It was not until May 3, 1951, when Mr. Toda was inaugurated as second president, that the great awakening spread through the whole Soka Gakkai. The declaration he made in his inaugural speech was what became the core principle of the organization:

From a superficial understanding or from our outward appearance, we are Bodhisattvas of the Earth. However, from the inner viewpoint of our faith, we are kindred souls and disciples of Nichiren Daishonin. Whether we stand in the presence of all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas or in the depths of hell, we chant the Lotus Sutra of seven characters to the Dai-Gohonzon and have one thing we can be proud of --- the Dai-Gohonzon within our hearts.

With that declaration Nichiren Shoshu Soka Gakkai's march began, carrying it toward its subsequent development, a growth that has been unprecedented in the annals of Buddhism.

Life-to-Life Communication

The Lotus Sutra says that Bodhisattva Jogyo should now appear to propagate this teaching in the Latter Day of the Law, but has this actually happened? Whether or not Bodhisattva Jogyo has already appeared in this world, Nichiren has at least made a start in propagating this teaching.

Nichiren Daishonin knew that outwardly his behavior and practice were those of the incarnation of Bodhisattva Jogyo. However, his inner enlightenment and his ultimate identity were those of the original Buddha. In the majority of his writings he speaks in a very roundabout way even of his outward appearance as Bodhisattva Jogyo. He says that he was "the first to propagate," "the first to spread," and so on, without specifically identifying himself as Bodhisattva Jogyo. According to the Lotus Sutra, the multitude of bodhisattvas of the essential teaching, who sprang forth from the earth, were so magnificent in appearance that they even eclipsed the Buddha, who was preaching the essential teaching. Among them, the leader, Bodhisattva Jogyo, looked the most dignified of all. The Daishonin, in contrast, looked no better than a common priest. If he had claimed to be Jogyo, the people might have become unnecessarily suspicious and create the evil cause of slandering him. This probably made him avoid a straightforward statement.

However, "Nichiren has at least made a start in propagating this teaching" clearly states that he is Bodhisattva Jogyo himself. Consider the purposes for which Shakyamuni expounded the Lotus Sutra. One of them was to summon the bodhisattvas of the essential teaching from underneath the earth and entrust them with propagation in the Latter Day after his passing. Therefore, as soon as the transfer was completed with the Jinriki and Zokurui chapters, all the Buddhas returned to their respective lands, the Treasure Tower vanished, and the solemn assembly returned from the air to Eagle Peak.

Thus we are made to understand the extent Shakyamuni went to in order to entrust the Law to the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, especially to their leader, Jogyo. In the Latter Day, Nichiren Daishonin was spreading the Law which Jogyo should propagate. If the Daishonin were not Jogyo but some other person, then the ceremony of the Lotus Sutra would have been entirely meaningless. The appearance of Taho Buddha and all the other Buddhas throughout the universe would have lost its significance. First, that is impossible. Neither would the Daishonin have allowed such a situation. It is evident, therefore, that outwardly he was acting as Bodhisattva Jogyo but his inner enlightenment was that of the Buddha who established a Law powerful enough to illuminate darkness on into eternity.

Be resolved to summon forth the great power of your faith, and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with the prayer that your faith will be steadfast and correct at the moment of your death. Never seek any other way to inherit the ultimate law and manifest it in your life. Only then will you realize that earthly desires are enlightenment and the sufferings of life and death are nirvana. Without the lifeblood of faith, it would be useless to embrace the Lotus Sutra.

I am always ready to clear up any further questions you may have.

"Be resolved" indicates the tremendous importance of the guidance which follows. At that time Sairenbo found himself in the worst hardship imaginable, at a crucial juncture which would determine whether he would attain enlightenment or not. The phrase "be resolved" carries with it the Daishonin's fervent wish for him to somehow inherit true Buddhism's lifeblood. The heritage of the ultimate law flows only in the lives of those who summon forth the great power of their faith and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. "Summon forth the great power of your faith" is the way the Daishonin, with his entire being, encouraged the faith of this one person.

For faith to "be steadfast and correct at the moment of your death," you must have an undisturbed faith in the Mystic Law at that final moment, feel the greatest joy to have been able to embrace the Law, and end your life with the deepest satisfaction that you have nothing whatsoever to regret. Therefore, the passage as a whole urges us to pray sincerely now, while we are alive, so that everything within us centers completely on Nam-myoho-renge-kyo at the moment of our death. It also teaches us to pray with the awareness that each moment is the last moment of our life.

When we pray with such awareness, the Mystic Law will well forth from the depths of our life and merge with the Mystic Law pervading the entire universe. In this bond the ultimate law flows ceaselessly. I want you to know that there is no other way to inherit and manifest the ultimate law in your life. Only then can you, even though common mortals, be able to reveal yourselves as entities of the Mystic Law who transform earthly desires into enlightenment and change the sufferings of life and death into nirvana.

The heritage of Buddhism flows within the faith of individuals --- the belief of those who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with the prayer that their faith will be firm and true at the moment of their death. In Buddhism the Law is the foundation of everything. However, the Law cannot produce any value by itself. There must be people who embrace the Law and make the truth it contains part of their lives. It takes people to discover the Law, and people to convey it to others. That is why the emphasis in Buddhism on how to transmit the Law from one person to another is so strong, and that is why people are given the highest value.

Hyaku-rokka Sho (The One Hundred and Six Comparisons) states, "The Law does not spread by itself; because people propagate it, both the people and the Law are worthy of respect." On Taking Faith in the Lotus Sutra reads, "All the teachings of the Buddha are propagated by people. Hence T'ien-t'ai's statement, 'A person represented the Law even during the Buddha's lifetime. How, then, is it possible in the Latter Day for the Law to be worthy of respect if the person who spreads it is not?' If the Law is supreme, so is the person who embraces it. To slander that person, therefore, is to slander the Law." Here we can see the great value the Daishonin attached to people, as individuals and together.

Only one life can activate another life. The spirit of Buddhism flows in life-to-life communication, in the course of mutual help and guidance among or between people. Earlier we studied the phrase, "Thus I heard," in The True Entity of Life.* "I" in the phrase is Ananda, one of Shakyamuni's ten major disciples who listened to more of his master's teachings than any other disciple. In another sense, "I" denotes life. Otherwise, T'ien-t'ai would not have stated that "I heard" indicates a person who upholds the True Law. "I heard" in no way signifies the simple act of listening with one's ears. It means to accept, believe and practice the Buddha's teaching with one's entire being.

Faith's Lifeblood

In conclusion, I would like to briefly retrace the development of this Gosho to see how painstakingly the Daishonin expounded the true heritage of the lifeblood to Sairenbo. Nichiren Daishonin states at the beginning, "To reply, the ultimate law of life and death as transmitted from the Buddha to all living beings is Myoho-renge-kyo. The five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo were transferred from the two Buddhas inside the Treasure Tower, Shakyamuni and Taho, to Bodhisattva Jogyo, carrying on a heritage unbroken since the infinite past." Here he declares conclusively that the Law --- the Gohonzon --- is itself the heritage of the ultimate law.

This is the Law which flows in the depths of the people's lives. Those who chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo are themselves the living heritage of the ultimate law. The Daishonin declares this in the statement, "Shakyamuni who attained enlightenment countless aeons ago, the Lotus Sutra which leads all people to Buddhahood, and we ordinary human beings are in no way different or separate from each other. Therefore, to chant Myoho-renge-kyo with this realization is to inherit the ultimate law of life and death."

In terms of time, the lifeblood --- the mystic relationship between the Law and the lives of the people --- continues eternally throughout past, present and future. "The heritage of the Lotus Sutra flows within the lives of those who never forsake it in any lifetime whatsoever --- whether in the past, the present or the future." In terms of space, the heritage of the ultimate law flows within the lives of the Daishonin's disciples who, in perfect unity, chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and advance together toward kosen-rufu. He says, "All disciples and believers of Nichiren should chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with one mind (itai doshin), transcending all differences among themselves to become as inseparable as fish and the water in which they swim. This spiritual bond is the basis for the universal transmission of the ultimate law of life and death."

In a word, the heritage of the ultimate law flows forever within the people's lives, from the infinite past to the eternal future. It lives vibrantly in the fusion between the Law --- the Gohonzon --- and the people's lives, and in the mutual recognition and encouragement of those who uphold the Law. Thus the lifeblood of Buddhism is always focused on the people, and this is the heart of Nichiren Daishonin's very being and of Buddhism for the people. It embodies a depth of compassion, therefore, which only the original Buddha could bring into being. I believe that no one, before or since, has taught anything greater.

However, whether we can inherit the lifeblood of the Daishonin's Buddhism or not depends entirely on our faith. This is why he warns us in the Gosho's conclusion: "With out the lifeblood of faith, it would be useless to embrace the Lotus Sutra." Everything depends on faith. Without faith, the heritage of the ultimate law, which was taught in such length from four viewpoints as outlined earlier, would prove to be totally false. On the other hand, with faith, everything the Daishonin says can be achieved. "Without the lifeblood of faith, it would be useless to embrace the Lotus Sutra." We cannot attain true enlightenment by the Law --- the Lotus Sutra --- alone. We must have the lifeblood of faith, faith which is directly handed down from the Daishonin, who knew the Lotus Sutra with his entire being and manifested the oneness of the Person and the Law. Without this faith, which establishes the living connection between the Person and the Law, it is useless to embrace the Lotus Sutra. The sentence, "Without the lifeblood of faith, it would be useless. . . ," also tells us that only through faith can we bring forth the Gohonzon's powers of Buddha and Law.

The Japanese title of The True Object of Worship is Kanjin no Honzon Sho, which means "the object of worship for attaining Buddhahood." The twenty-sixth High Priest, Nichikan Shonin, put particular emphasis on the phrase, "for attaining Buddhahood." According to the records of his lecture on this subject written by his disciples, he stated, "Engrave this phrase in your hearts as a will from me." Why did Nichikan Shonin go so far as to say that it was his will? This is because to embrace the Gohonzon is itself to attain Buddhahood, and therefore the most important practice of all. What Nichikan Shonin wanted to convey was that embracing the Gohonzon is faith. "The object of worship for attaining Buddhahood" can also be called "the object of worship for continuing one's faith."

A well-known passage in The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon goes, "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.... The Gohonzon is found in faith alone." This is the Daishonin's declaration that the Gohonzon is contained only in faith. In his Exegesis on The True Object of Worship, Nichikan Shonin states, "If we believe and embrace this Gohonzon and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, our flesh and blood is the Gohonzon of ichinen sanzen the life of the original Buddha, Nichiren Daishonin." He concludes by saying, "Therefore, aspire solely to the power of the Buddha and the power of the Law, and devote yourselves to faith and practice. Do not pass your entire life in idleness and regret it for all eternity."

Thus, the sentence, "Without the lifeblood of faith, it would be useless to embrace the Lotus Sutra," is a stern reminder. Without faith and practice, we can bring forth neither the power of the Buddha nor the power of the Law, let alone manifest the object of worship of ichinen sanzen within ourselves. Everything boils down to the fact that the heritage is faith itself.

The ninth High Priest, Nichiu Shonin, speaks on the heritage of faith in his Kegi Sho (On the Formalities of Nichiren Shoshu):

Faith, heritage and the water of the Law are [ultimately] one and the same.... If we do not depart from the faith upheld since Nichiren Daishonin's day, our mind and body will become Myoho-renge-kyo itself. If we act contrary to it, our mind and body will remain those of an ordinary person. If we remain so, it is impossible to receive the lifeblood which enables us to attain Buddhahood in the flesh.

In his Commentary on the Kegi Sho, the fifty-ninth High Priest, Nichiko Hori, explains the above passage as follows:

In the final analysis, faith, heritage and the water of the Law are one and the same. Through faith the believer receives the water of the Law from the original Buddha. The water of the Law thus received flows within the believer's life, just as blood circulates within the human body. For this reason, to convey the water of the Law through faith is to transmit the heritage. Therefore, faith should never be disturbed or shaken. If it is disturbed, the water of the Law will cease to flow. Or, even if it continues to run, it will become defiled and irregular, thus cutting off the flow of Buddhism itself. As long as faith remains unshaken, the pure and immaculate heritage of Buddhism will continue to flow with vigor, no matter how many ages may pass.

Nichiko Shonin solemnly states:

Ours is the faith which has been upheld since the day of the supreme teacher of Buddhism, Nichiren Daishonin, and the founder of the Head Temple, Nikko Shonin. Although we are disciples far removed from their time, if we follow this faith truly, our defiled minds and bodies are purified, becoming the mind and body of Myoho-renge-kyo. The two essentials of pure faith and devoted practice change our entire being. If we ignore these two and disobey the Buddha's will by following heretical or blind belief, the river of the Law will become blocked, and we will be pushed back, in mind and body, to the state of benightedness that we were in before. We will lose our right to the lifeblood which enables us to attain Buddhahood in the flesh. How pitiful that would be!

As is clear from this, the lifeblood of faith is transmitted only within the faith which has been upheld since the day of Nichiren Daishonin and Nikko Shonin. Herein lies the vital position of the successive high priests, as the envoy of the original Buddha, who have inherited the ultimate law of life. As Nichiko Shonin stated, "the pure and immaculate heritage of Buddhism will continue to flow with vigor," the sacred life of Nichiren Daishonin flows through the lives of us, the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, as long as we maintain the correct faith and carry out activities for kosen-rufu, the goal given by Nichiren Daishonin. If we lose sight of this goal, not only will the Daishonin's Buddhism be reduced to formalism, but his teachings will prove to be false.

In any event, the Gohonzon is the fundamental object of worship, the basis of everything. If one forgets that and gives more veneration to something or someone else, he is committing serious slander. It is impossible to bring the powers of Buddha and the Law forth from the Gohonzon without the lifeblood of faith. In President Toda's day there were members who overly prided themselves on having received the Gohonzon. Mr. Toda would say to them, "Without faith it is but a useless treasure.... You must try very hard to bind your faith directly to the Gohonzon. Otherwise you will only invite great misery." Just as he had warned, quite a few of those members were later very sorry that they had not had stronger faith.

Nichiko Shonin implies that we should learn about faith through the spirit of Nichiren Daishonin and Nikko Shonin. We of the Soka Gakkai study the Daishonin's Gosho, engrave Nikko Shonin's Twenty-six Precepts in our hearts, and work to attain kosen-rufu, never begrudging even our lives. Only within such faith can the lifeblood of the original Buddha flow strongly.

The Original Buddha's Conviction

With my deep respect,
Nichiren, the Shramana of Japan

The eleventh day of the second month in the ninth year of Bun'ei (1272)

I want to say a few words about the date on which the Daishonin wrote this Gosho. On the same day, as if by coincidence, internal strife broke out. He had predicted this and warned the government about it in Rissho Ankoku Ron (The Security of the Land through the Propagation of True Buddhism) in 1260, and again during the Tatsunokuchi Persecution on September 12, 1271. The prophecy came true, as the Daishonin states in the Letter from Sado written on March 20 the same year:

Now, twenty-six years since the battle of Hoji, the Kamakura government is again plagued by internal strife. Rebellions have already broken out twice on the eleventh and the seventeenth day of the second month of this year.... The current rebellion is what the Yakushi Sutra means by "the disaster of internal strife." The Ninno Sutra states, "When the sage departs, the seven types of calamity will invariably arise.".... Nichiren is the pillar, sun, moon, mirror and eyes of the ruling clan of Kanto. On the twelfth day of the ninth month of last year when I was arrested, I boldly declared that if the country should lose Nichiren, the seven disasters would occur without fail. Didn't this prophecy come true just sixty and then one hundred fifty days later?

The rebellion was engineered by Hojo Tokisuke against his half-brother, Regent Hojo Tokimune. Tokisuke headed the Rokuhara government in Kyoto, an agency of the Kamakura shogunate. He attempted to usurp the regency from his brother, but Tokimune discovered the plot before-hand. Taking the initiative, the regent sent troops and killed Noritoki, Morinao and the other suspected plotters. Mortal combat continued between the members of the same clan until Tokisuke's faction was totally annihilated. The incident is called the February Disturbance.

The Daishonin had sensed that internal strife was imminent about a month before the incident. Immediately after the Tsukahara Debate on January 16, he pointed this out to Honma Rokurozaemon and warned him about it. Therefore the Daishonin, while writing this Gosho, must have had a premonition that the whole country was being jolted by the terrible strife. Nevertheless, looking out over the future, he calmly wrote this Gosho in order to leave his heritage for the perpetuation of the Law. His deed also demonstrates that the more agitated the world is, the more important it becomes to establish an unshakable foundation.

Shramana is a Sanskrit word meaning a humble seeker of the Way or one who masters the true law and denounces evil laws. Thus, it means a person who leaves his family to practice Buddhism. When the Daishonin wrote The True Object of Worship in April 1273, he signed it, "Nichiren, the Shramana of this country." At the end of On the Buddha's Prophecy, written in intercalary May 1273, he wrote, "Written by Nichiren, the Shramana of Japan."

"The Shramana of this country" stands in contrast to "Shramana of T'ien-t'ai," which the monks of the Tendai sect in Japan called themselves. It expresses the Daishonin's conviction and indicates that Japan was the country in which the original Buddha made his advent to save mankind for all eternity. The original Buddha was Nichiren Daishonin himself, for he mastered the Law of supreme righteousness in the Latter Day, and dedicated himself to refuting all evil laws. The Shramana of Japan, as he called himself, is synonymous with the Buddha of the Latter Day, as he states in the Ongi Kuden, "The Buddha of the Latter Day is the common mortal, the common priest.... He is called a Buddha, and he is called a common priest."

I close here. But my eternal friends, have faith and know that what our organization is doing, each hour, each day, each decade, and the activities of all members toward the goal of kosen-rufu are together the heritage of the ultimate law of life and death. Always with this conviction, let us move forward together along the path of faith toward the glorious twenty-first century.

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