On Repaying Debts of Gratitude

Nichiren

Chapter2(Clarifying the Essential Method of Repaying Debts of Gratitude)

Main Text

But if one intends to repay these great debts of gratitude, one can hope to do so only if one learns and masters Buddhism, becoming a person of wisdom. If one does not, one will be like a man who attempts to lead a company of the blind over bridges and across rivers when he himself has sightless eyes. Can a ship steered by someone who cannot even tell the direction of the wind ever carry the traveling merchants to the mountains where treasure lies?

If one hopes to learn and master Buddhism, then one cannot do so without devoting time to the task. And if one wants to have time to spend on the undertaking, one cannot continue to wait on one’s parents, one’s teachers, and one’s sovereign. Until one attains the road that leads to emancipation, one should not defer to the wishes and feelings of one’s parents and teachers, no matter how reasonable they may be.

Many people may think that counsel such as this runs counter to secular virtues and also fails to accord with the spirit of Buddhism. But in fact secular texts such as The Classic of Filial Piety make clear that there are times when one can be a loyal minister or a filial child only by refusing to obey the wishes of one’s sovereign or parents. And in the sacred scriptures of Buddhism it is said, “By renouncing one’s obligations and entering the Buddhist life one can truly repay those obligations in full.”⁵ Pi Kan refused to go along with his sovereign’s wishes and thereby came to be known as a worthy man.⁶ Prince Siddhārtha disobeyed his father King Shuddhodana and yet became the most outstanding filial son in all the threefold world. These are examples of what I mean.

Note

5. Salvation by Men of Pure Faith Sutra. Though this sutra is no longer extant, this passage from it is quoted in The Forest of Gems in the Garden of the Law. “The Buddhist life” in the sutra’s context means a monastic life, but here the Daishonin interprets it as a life based on faith in the Mystic Law.

6. This story is found in Records of the Historian. King Chou of the Yin dynasty was so absorbed in his affection for his consort, Ta Chi, that he totally neglected affairs of state. When his minister Pi Kan remonstrated with him, King Chou flew into a rage and killed him.

Lecture

From this chapter onward, the text turns to clarifying the essential method for repaying debts of gratitude.

Even in ordinary society, it is important to recognize and repay one’s debts of gratitude; however, there are greater and lesser forms of repayment, shallow and profound forms, and much must be judged according to a correct sense of values.

Before this, let us first consider the matter of “good.” Since antiquity, many debates have arisen concerning the concept of good, and it remains a central issue in contemporary ethics. Yet no definition has ever been given that all people can accept. Plato discussed the “Idea of the Good,” yet avoided a clear definition. Kant stated that “good is to act in accordance with the moral law.” The Heibonsha Philosophy Dictionary defines good as “in a broad sense, that which is valuable, precious, or advantageous to us,” while the Iwanami Philosophy Handbook states that good is “that which is sought as suited to will, demand, or purpose.” Nishida Kitarō, in his A Study of the Good, says that “good is the self’s development and perfection.”

Tsunesaburō Makiguchi, first president of the Soka Gakkai, criticized Kantian philosophy and established a hierarchy of values—good, benefit, and beauty. Concerning the concept of good, he defined it as “that which contributes to the public welfare.” He further taught that there are small goods, medium goods, and great goods, and that “to cling to a small good and betray a great good becomes a great evil, while even a small evil that opposes a great evil becomes a great good.”

In the same way, the repayment of gratitude must also be discussed from the perspective of values. Repayment of gratitude also has great, medium, and small forms; shallow and deep forms; temporary forms and transcendent forms. For example, the Chūshingura (story of the Forty-seven Rōnin) became a famous play in the mid-Edo period because its protagonists avenged their lord and thereby repaid his favor. Many other examples in history show people giving up their lives to repay a lord’s favor. Likewise, many have died in war to repay their debt to the nation or society. However, even if one repays a lord’s favor, if the outcome becomes harmful to the nation and society, such repayment is merely temporary and cannot be called genuine repayment of gratitude. In modern elections, being bribed or supporting corrupt candidates out of a slight sense of obligation is, conversely, ingratitude toward society. Ultimately, repayment of gratitude must possess universal validity and lasting value. True pacifism and opposition to war, for example, are repayment of gratitude toward humanity as a whole.

Nichiren Daishonin states in the Letter from Sado :
“The way of the world dictates that one should repay a great obligation to another, even at the cost of one’s life. Many warriors die for their lords, perhaps many more than one would imagine. A man will die to defend his honor; a woman will die for a man.  […] They give their lives for shallow, worldly matters but rarely for the Buddha’s precious teachings. Small wonder they do not attain Buddhahood.” (WND1, p. 301)

Here, the “lord’s favor” may be interpreted, in modern terms, as the favor of society as a whole. In any case, to uphold the great Law of Buddhism, to carry out human revolution, and to practice Buddhism for the prosperity and happiness of society—this is, he teaches, the highest form of repayment toward one’s teacher and the four debts of gratitude.

In ancient times, three thousand years ago, Shakyamuni Buddha left home and became a monk in order to repay the debts of gratitude to his parents, relatives, and all people of society. Likewise, the Buddha of the Latter Day, Nichiren Daishonin, left home to save all living beings; this was the supreme act of repayment of gratitude. Therefore, in modern times, we must be convinced that our practice for the propagation of the Mystic Law is the highest repayment of gratitude to the nation and society.

Regarding the text of this chapter: first, it teaches that in order to repay this great debt of gratitude, one must learn Buddhism thoroughly and become a wise person. To learn Buddhism thoroughly and become such a wise person would require studying the entire body of the sacred teachings and mastering the doctrinal treatises of the eight schools. However, how could people of the Latter Age, of inferior capacity, possibly engage in such study? Yet if they are unable to do so, would it not follow that no one at all can repay their debts of gratitude?

In answer to this doubt, Nikkō Shōnin teaches the following:

“People of other sects and other schools, even if they keep the entire body of sacred teachings in mind, can never be said to have mastered Buddhism; for they do not know the Threefold Secret Teachings, and are confused regarding provisional and true teachings, theoretical and essential teachings, and sowing and harvesting teachings. However, scholars of our lineage, because they follow the footsteps of the one true guide, Nichiren Daishonin, and know this from the outset, may be said to have mastered Buddhism. […] Yet even if scholars of our lineage know the profundity of the Threefold Secret Teachings, if they do not transmit the true Law and carry out shakubuku for the salvation of the people, they ultimately fail to repay their debts of gratitude. The Buddha teaches that only by widely teaching and transmitting the Law can one be said to repay debts of gratitude.

Question: Even within our lineage, there are uneducated lay men and women who do not know the Threefold Secret Teachings. Does that mean they cannot repay their debts of gratitude?
Answer: No. Uneducated men and women, by believing in the Gohonzon of the Essential Teaching and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, indeed thereby repay this great debt of gratitude.”

As indicated above, true repayment of gratitude is to believe in the Buddhism of the Three Great Secret Laws, to chant the Daimoku, and to carry out shakubuku. Therefore, only members of the Soka Gakkai, who carry out shakubuku and fight for kosen-rufu, can fulfill the true repayment of gratitude.

“By renouncing one’s obligations and entering the Buddhist life one can truly repay those obligations in full.” refers to value judgment. Even in debts of gratitude, there are greater and lesser degrees of value. Nichiren states, “One cannot continue to wait on one’s parents, one’s teachers, and one’s sovereign.” (when such compliance obstructs the study of the Three Great Secret Laws and the practice of shakubuku).

The Letter to Brothers states:
“In all worldly affairs, it is the son’s duty to obey his parents, yet on the path to Buddhahood, disobeying one’s parents ultimately constitutes filial piety.” (WND1, p.499)

When we speak of the debt to parents, teachers, or rulers, it may remind one of feudal morality or relationships of lord and vassal—but that is not the case. Nichiren’s teaching of recognizing and repaying debts of gratitude is firmly grounded in the Buddhism of the Three Great Secret Laws. Naturally, gratitude to parents and one’s lord is included, but the foundation is the Gohonzon of the Three Great Secret Laws.

Repaying the debt to one’s parents is called filial piety, but in Buddhism there are lower, middle, and highest forms of filial piety. “There are three kinds of filial piety: supplying clothing and food is the lowest; acting in accordance with the parents’ wishes is the middle; directing one’s merits toward them is the highest.” Therefore, upholding the great Buddhism of the Three Great Secret Laws, leading one’s parents to the true Law, and for deceased parents dedicating the merit of practice to them morning and evening—this is the highest form of filial piety. Even if parents oppose the practice, if the first believer in the family steadfastly practices and manifests the benefits of the Gohonzon in daily life, eventually the opposing family members will embrace the faith and attain Buddhahood in this lifetime. This is genuine filial piety and benefits both family and nation. Nichiren states, “You must insure the safety of the nation, for in doing so you will be fulfilling your obligations of loyalty and those of filial piety.” (WND2 , The Day before Yesterday, p.392)

Thus, not only repayment toward parents but all forms of repayment of gratitude have degrees: highest, middle, and lower.