On Repaying Debts of Gratitude

Nichiren

Table of contents

Chapter4(The Final Admonitions of the Nirvana Sutra)
1. Main Text
2. Lecture
  1. “Rely on the Law, not upon persons,” and so forth
    1. The Four Reliances on Persons
    2. The Four Reliances on the Law

Chapter4(The Final Admonitions of the Nirvana Sutra)

Main Text

For ordinary people like us, whomever we may take as our teacher, if we have faith in him, then we will not think him inadequate in any way. But though others may still revere and believe [in the teachers of their respective schools], I, Nichiren, have found it difficult to dispel my doubts.

When we look at the world, we find each of the various schools saying, “We are the one, we are the one!” But within a nation, there can be only one man who is sovereign. If two men try to be sovereign, the country will know no peace. Likewise, if one house has two masters, it will surely face destruction. Must it not be the same with the sutras?

Among the various sutras, there must be one that is the monarch of all. Yet the ten schools and seven schools I have mentioned all argue with one another over which of the sutras it is and can reach no consensus. It is as though seven men or ten men were all trying to be the monarch of a single nation, thus keeping the populace in constant turmoil.

Wondering how to resolve this dilemma, I made a vow. I decided that I would not heed the claims of these eight or ten schools, but would do as the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai did and let the sutras themselves be my sole teacher, in this way determining which of the various teachings of the Buddha’s lifetime are superior and which are inferior. With this in mind, I began to read through all the sutras.

In a scripture called the Nirvana Sutra, the Buddha says, “Rely on the Law and not upon persons.” Relying on the Law here means relying on the various sutras. Not relying upon persons means not relying on persons other than the Buddha, such as the bodhisattvas Universal Worthy and Manjushrī or the various Buddhist teachers I have enumerated earlier.

In the same sutra, the Buddha also says, “Rely on sutras that are complete and final and not on those that are not complete and final.” When he speaks of the “sutras that are complete and final,” he is referring to the Lotus Sutra, and when he speaks of “those that are not complete and final,” he means the Flower Garland, Mahāvairochana, Nirvana, and other sutras preached before, during, and after the preaching of the Lotus Sutra.

If we are to believe these dying words of the Buddha, we must conclude that the Lotus Sutra is the only bright mirror we should have, and that through it we can understand the heart of all the sutras.

Lecture

From this point onward, Nichiren Daishonin clarifies his correct doctrinal judgment. First, he raises doubts about the fact that Buddhism had become divided into seven or ten schools, and he vows to judge the superiority and inferiority of the entire corpus of teachings based solely on the sutras as his teacher. He concludes that when judged according to the four reliances—the final injunctions of the Nirvana Sutra—one can grasp the true intent of all the sutras only by using the Lotus Sutra as a clear and perfect mirror.

“Rely on the Law, not upon persons,” and so forth

The four reliances consist of the Four Reliances on Persons and the Four Reliances on the Law.

The Four Reliances on Persons

The “Four Reliances on Persons” refers to four types of individuals who, after the Buddha’s passing, guide all living beings and serve as their foundation. These are the spiritual leaders who form the basis of the era’s thought, philosophy, and education.

The Nirvana Sutra lists them as follows:

Those who still possess the obstacles of earthly desires
Stream-enterers and once-returners
Non-returners
Arhats

These correspond to levels within:

Śrāvakas (Hinayana / Lesser Vehicle)
Bodhisattvas of the Separate Teaching
Bodhisattvas of the Perfect (Lotus) Teaching

And are classified in detail as follows:

In the commentary of Zhangan (Changan) Great Master, although the Nirvana Sutra lists Hinayana ranks, the meaning extends to the Mahayana, and he gives the above correspondences.

Nichiren Daishonin also states in the Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind that “there are four categories within the Four Reliances,” identifying the Hinayana Four Reliances, Mahayana Four Reliances, the Trace Gate Four Reliances, and the Original Gate Four Reliances, as explained earlier.

The Four Reliances on the Law

The “Four Reliances on the Law” are the four principles that those four types of persons must unfailingly follow. They are the guiding spirit and doctrinal foundation for any religious leader of the time:

Rely on the Law, not upon persons.
Rely on the meaning, not upon the words.
Rely on wisdom, not upon discrimination.
Rely on definitive teachings, not upon provisional teachings.

These four principles form the most fundamental guiding standard, whether in Buddhist practice or in the propagation of the teaching.

The first principle, “Rely on the Law, not upon persons,” means that one must depend upon all the sutras preached by the Buddha, and not base one’s understanding upon any bodhisattva or human teacher.

In the present age of the Latter Day of the Law, the Original Buddha, Nichiren Daishonin, embodies the oneness of person and Law. The Gohonzon of the Three Great Secret Laws, which is the ultimate purpose of his advent, is the Law. This fundamental Law alone must serve as the standard. No other object of worship, and no other teaching, can serve as the criterion—much less the behavior or personal lifestyle of believers.

The second principle, “Rely on the meaning, not upon the words,” teaches that we must not cling merely to literal expressions; rather we must grasp the intended meaning behind them.

The third principle, “Rely on wisdom, not upon discrimination,” means that we must rely on the Buddha’s wisdom, not the partial knowledge of bodhisattvas or modern intellectuals.

The fourth principle, “Rely on definitive teachings, not upon provisional teachings,” means that the definitive teaching is the Lotus Sutra, the very purpose of Shakyamuni’s advent, while provisional teachings are all earlier expedient doctrines. Accordingly, as indicated in the text, one must use the Lotus Sutra as a bright mirror to understand the true intent of all sutras.

Nichiren Daishonin declares in On the Five Guides for Propagation:

“But in addition to these people, there were others such as the Great Teacher Chi-tsang of the Three Treatises school and his hundred or more followers, the Great Teacher Tz’u-en of the Dharma Characteristics school, Fa-tsang and Ch’eng-kuan of the Flower Garland school, and Shan-wu-wei, Chin-kang-chih, Pu-k’ung, and Hui-kuo of the True Word school, all of them Chinese priests, as well as the Japanese priests Kōbō and Jikaku. All these various teachers and Tripitaka masters failed to qualify to be included among the four ranks of bodhisattvas. They were benighted teachers, foolish men.” (WND2, p.553)

These individuals, praised as founders and great scholars of their respective schools, leaders of their eras, are in fact “failed to qualify to be included among the four ranks of bodhisattvas. They were benighted teachers, foolish men.”
This is truly astonishing.

Even today, scholars, critics, and thinkers hailed as leaders of society are alike “blind teachers” if they do not know the great pure Law of Nichiren Daishonin.

Thus, the principle of “Rely on the Law and not upon persons” is a universal principle fully applicable in the modern world.

Many contemporary critics and scholars pass judgment on the Soka Gakkai without even understanding the distinction between correct and false religion. Yet almost none have seriously examined the profound life-philosophy of Nichiren Daishonin upheld by the Gakkai. This is a truly strange phenomenon.

Most such critics do not know Buddhism at all, nor do they practice it correctly. A true critic or scholar must, objectively or subjectively, investigate the essence of Buddhist philosophy and put it into practice—only then can they claim genuine standing.

But by what philosophy or worldview do they criticize? In truth, it is unreliable. Many so-called scholars cling simply to the first idea or belief they happened to encounter—Christianity, Zen, Pure Land, or the like—and assume it must be correct. How, with such shallow philosophies, can they possibly criticize the supreme Buddhist philosophy?

If they wish to speak on Buddhism or criticize the Gakkai, they must thoroughly study the essence of Eastern Buddhism—the great philosophy of the unity of body and mind taught by Nichiren Daishonin—and only then speak freely.

Moreover, the tendency to cling to one’s first-learned concept, whether good or bad, is widespread in Japan, not only in religion and philosophy but even in academic fields such as natural science. This fosters academic factionalism and other distortions.
Such rigidity becomes especially harmful in matters of religion and philosophy.

Critics and scholars are often unable to view Buddhism with an open and impartial mind precisely because they cling to their preconceptions. They lack even a trace of the seeking spirit and commitment to truth expressed by Nichiren Daishonin when he declared:

“whatever obstacles I might encounter, so long as persons of wisdom do not prove my teachings to be false, I will never yield! ”(WND1, The Opening of the Eyes, p.280)

”if I am bested in the argument and yet refuse to change my views, then you gods may take away my life!” (WND1, The Doctrine of Attaining Buddhahood in Ones Present Form, p.1058)

Look—ordinary people today, including youth and students who freely choose their beliefs, are abandoning false doctrines and false teachers in great numbers and seeking Nichiren Daishonin’s true Buddhism.

Some might argue that certain young people pursue materialism or new religions. But most such seekers soon grow weary of such inferior ideologies, leaving them within several years at most.

By contrast, youth who embrace the true Law, dedicated to human revolution and societal betterment, uphold this great life-philosophy throughout their lives—this difference is unmistakable.

Thus, if one sincerely investigates the essence of Buddhism, one will realize that just as a single king governs a nation, and a single sun shines in the heavens, the Original Buddha of the Latter Day—the true Savior—is Nichiren Daishonin alone.

Daily Gosho