I, Nichiren, would like to note the following. The Venerable Maudgalyāyana 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 times⁵ 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 already 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 sufferings of departed parents.

All things considered, the reason the Venerable Maudgalyāyana 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 Vimalakīrti Sutra, the layman called Vimalakīrti criticized Maudgalyāyana, saying, “Those who give alms to you will fall into the three evil paths.” The meaning of this passage is that those who make offerings to the Venerable Maudgalyāyana, a worthy man who observes the two hundred and fifty precepts, will be reborn in one of the three evil paths. And this does not apply to Maudgalyāyana 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 Vimalakīrti 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 Maudgalyāyana 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!

The Impossibility of Saving Others While Not Yet Attaining Buddhahood Oneself

After expounding upon the origin of Urabon, the Daishonin reveals the reason why Maudgalyāyana was initially unable to save his mother from her suffering.

Even though Maudgalyāyana strictly observed the two hundred and fifty precepts, maintained the three thousand rules of conduct, excelled in wisdom, and possessed great transcendental powers, his realization amounted to nothing more than the temporary awakening of the Hinayana teachings. As the Daishonin declares, “In the end, the reason is that Maudgalyāyana himself had not yet attained Buddhahood. If one has not attained Buddhahood oneself, it is difficult to save even one’s own parents.” Thus, without attaining Buddhahood oneself, it is impossible to save one’s parents, let alone others.

This principle is also expounded in Shijō Kingo-dono Gofuku-sho (On the Offerings of Shijō Kingo): “Now, the Urabon service originates from the story of Maudgalyāyana saving his mother, Shōdai-nyo, who had fallen into the realm of Hungry Spirits for five hundred lifetimes due to her karmic offense of greed and stinginess. However, he could not lead her to Buddhahood. This was because he himself was not yet a practitioner of the Lotus Sutra, and therefore, he could not enable his mother to attain Buddhahood either.”

The Essence of Hinayana Teachings and Its Refutation by Mahayana

The Hinayana teachings from which Maudgalyāyana obtained his initial enlightenment were taught for those who sought only their own personal awakening. Because this doctrine was intended to transport those of dull capacity to a lesser reward, it was termed “Hinayana” (the Lesser Vehicle). It expounds the truths of the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve-Linked Chain of Causation, aiming to completely eradicate earthly desires, reduce the body to ashes, annihilate consciousness (keshin-metchi), and enter the Nirvana of no remainder (muyo-nehan). In contrast, the Mahayana (Great Vehicle) teachings expound the Bodhisattva way, which fulfills both self-benefit (jiri) and altruism (rita).

For this reason, various Mahayana sutras harshly rebuke the voice-hearers (shōmon) and cause-awakened ones (engaku) of the two vehicles. For instance, the Vimalakirti Sutra states that those of the two vehicles have entered a lower enlightenment and are eternally incapable of attaining Buddhahood, and therefore, one must not make offerings to them. Furthermore, The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom (大智度論, Daichido Ron) refutes Hinayana as a narrow and inferior teaching of mere self-benefit. Consequently, adherence to it prevents one from attaining Buddhahood, rendering one utterly incapable of saving one’s parents.

Regarding this point, the Daishonin states in Kaimoku-shō (The Opening of the Eyes): “Shāriputra, Mahākāshyapya, and the others of the two vehicles strictly observed the two hundred and fifty precepts and the three thousand rules of conduct. They mastered the three types of meditation—the savory, the pure, and the undefiled—comprehended the Agama sutras, and completely eradicated the earthly desires of the threefold world. They ought to be exemplars of those who know and repay their debts of gratitude. Yet, the World-Honored One designated them as people who do not know gratitude. This is because the purpose of leaving one’s parental home to enter the priesthood is always to save one’s parents. Although those of the two vehicles believe they have achieved liberation for themselves, they lack the practice of altruism. Even if they possess some measure of altruistic practice, by relegating their parents and others to the path of eternal non-attainment of Buddhahood, they instead become people who do not know gratitude.”

By seeking only personal awakening and failing to aim for altruism, the Hinayana teachings prevent one from attaining Buddhahood and relegate one’s parents to the path of eternal non-attainment of Buddhahood, thereby constituting a failure to repay gratitude.

Refuting Corrupt Priests and Exposing the True Nature of Ryokan of Gokuraku-ji

The Daishonin emphasizes that if even a saint of Maudgalyāyana’s stature could not repay his mother’s debt of gratitude and instead inadvertently increased her torment when trying to save her, then the corrupt priests of the day—who hold precepts in name only to deceive the public, and who possess a wisdom no greater than that of cattle or sheep—could never alleviate even a single suffering of one’s parents, even if ten million of them were to gather.

During the Daishonin’s lifetime, Ryōkan of Gokuraku-ji temple, a priest of the Shingon-Ritsu sect, ostentatiously advertised his own strict adherence to the precepts. However, as the Daishonin points out in Shōgu Mondō-shō (The Conversation between a Sage and an Ignorant Man): “When observing the conduct of the contemporary Ritsu priests, they hoard cloth and treasures, and make a business of loaning money for interest. Their practices already contradict their own teachings; who then could faithfully accept what they preach?” In reality, they colluded with the military government (the bakufu) to build roads and bridges for the purpose of collecting toll taxes, and seized customs duties at ports. Their deeds were fraught with malicious acts that violated the precepts, deceived society, and oppressed the people. Not limited to the Ritsu priests, no matter how many priests of various sects that oppose the Lotus Sutra gather to pray, far from saving anyone’s parents, they will only intensify their immense suffering.