The concluding section of this letter outlines the correct attitude for faith as a lay practitioner. Nichiren Daishonin emphasizes that one should strive in chanting Daimoku, making offerings, and performing propagation (shakubuku), as these actions lead to the attainment of eternal happiness. Above all, he stresses that the foundation is faith itself, warning: “Unless your faith is strong, you cannot reach such a magnificent place.”

Preaching to the Best of One’s Ability

“If it is as the sutra says, you should preach to the best of your ability (zuiriki enzetsu).”

This passage encourages the act of propagation. The Daishonin instructs us that, in accordance with the sutra, we must share the teachings with others. The “sutra” referred to here is the “Benefits of Responding with Joy” (18th) chapter of the Lotus Sutra, which explains the concept of “preaching to the best of one’s ability” within the context of the “fifty-fold transmission” (goju ten’en).

According to this teaching, zuiriki enzetsu means that upon hearing the Lotus Sutra and being filled with joy, one conveys what they have heard to their parents, relatives, and friends to the best of their ability. Those who hear it then pass it on to others, spreading the joy until it reaches the fiftieth person.

In the present day, we have been fortunate enough to hear the “Buddhism of the Depths” (buntei). Having encountered such a sublime philosophy and felt true joy, it is only natural to share it. While the people of the past shared what they heard from the Buddha, we today share the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin. We should maximize our unique abilities and personalities, rooted in faith, to spread the Law.

As Nikko Shonin admonished: “Until kosen-rufu is achieved, you should propagate the Law to the best of your ability, even at the cost of your life” (Gosho, p. 1618). We must internalize this will. Furthermore, “preaching” (enzetsu) here refers strictly to expounding the Mystic Law. While there are many kinds of speeches—those that incite, those that seek profit, or those that flatter—true “speech” is that which leads people to fundamental happiness. The Buddhist teachings are like a storehouse filled with these “jewels” of truth.

The Joy of the Pure Land of Eagle Peak

“The joys of this life are but a dream within a dream; the joy of the Pure Land of Eagle Peak is the only true joy.”

This passage teaches that worldly happiness is as fleeting as a dream, while the happiness of the Pure Land of Eagle Peak (Ryuzen Jodo)—the state of absolute, eternal joy—is the only reality. Eagle Peak refers to the pure land where the Buddha dwells, known as the Land of Eternally Tranquil Light. In the Latter Day of the Law, this refers to the place where the Dai-Gohonzon of the Three Great Secret Laws exists, and the state of life of one who chants Nam-myoho-renge-kyo.

Given the context of his letters to Lord Matsuno, it is likely that Matsuno was deeply concerned about the afterlife and the moment of death. During that era, the “Latter Day” thought was often linked with Pure Land (Nembutsu) escapism. Devastating natural disasters, such as the Great Earthquake of 1257 and subsequent famines and plagues described in the Rissho Ankoku Ron, had left the populace in despair. Finding no happiness in this world, many sought salvation in a distant “Western Paradise.”

In response, the Daishonin encouraged Lord Matsuno to chant the Daimoku and realize an eternal state of happiness that transcends the cycles of birth and death. The “joys of this life” are easily shattered by external changes and ultimately vanish at the moment of death. In contrast, the “joy of Eagle Peak” is the unshakable happiness found through faith in the Gohonzon.

Crucially, Eagle Peak is not a “somewhere else” as taught by the Nembutsu sect. When one embraces the Gohonzon, whatever mountain, valley, or wilderness they inhabit becomes the Land of Tranquil Light. Faith allows us to overcome adverse conditions rather than escape from them. To transcend impermanence is to stand on a view of eternal life and dominate one’s environment with a strong, resilient life force. This is what it means to enter the Pure Land and build the “palace” of one’s own life. This is the state of Buddhahood.

Ultimately, the “afterlife” is a continuation of “this life,” and the “effect” of the next life is determined by the “cause” we create now. For those who have met the Gohonzon and strive day and night in their practice, an eternal, unbreakable happiness is already guaranteed. This transformation—from being preoccupied with one’s own concerns to caring for the happiness of society—is the essence of Human Revolution.