Reply to Matsuno
Background
This letter was written at Minobu to Matsuno Rokurō Saemon, one of Nichiren Daishonin’s followers, who lived in Matsuno of Suruga Province. In this letter, the Daishonin expresses his appreciation for Matsuno’s offerings and encourages him to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with earnest faith throughout his life. In this way, urges the Daishonin, Matsuno will be able to experience Buddhahood at the moment of his death.
Main Text
I HAVE received one thousand coins, one shō of oil, one robe, and ten writing brushes. I cannot adequately express my appreciation for the sincerity that you have always shown me, so I will leave it to the Lotus Sutra and to Shakyamuni Buddha.
As I have been saying for some time, in your situation as a lay believer, you should just single-mindedly chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo morning and evening, day and night, and observe what happens at the last moments of your life. At that time, hasten to the summit of perfect enlightenment, and look around you in all directions. The entire realm of phenomena will have changed into the Land of Tranquil Light, with the ground made of lapis lazuli, the eight paths1 marked off by golden ropes, the four kinds of flowers2 raining down from the heavens, music resounding in the air, and Buddhas and bodhisattvas all being caressed by breezes of eternity, happiness, true self, and purity. We, too, will surely be among their number. The Lotus Sutra is indeed such a splendid sutra!
I am pressed for time, so I will not go into detail.
With my deep respect,
Nichiren
The ninth day of the ninth month in the third year of Kenji (1277), cyclical sign hinoto-ushi
Reply to Matsuno
Postscript: Would you kindly send me about ten ryō of magnolia tree seeds?3
Notes
1. The eight paths lead in eight directions, that is, toward the eight points of the compass.
2. Māndārava, great māndārava, manjūshaka , and great manjūshaka flowers. Fragrant red and white flowers that, according to ancient Indian tradition, bloom in heaven.
3. Magnolia is a deciduous tree native to China, which grows to a height of about ten meters. It has feather-shaped, compound leaves and produces small yellow flowers in summer. Its hard, round seeds were strung together to make prayer beads. “Ten ryō” would weigh about 1.6 kilograms.
Lecture
This letter was written at Minobu on September 9, 1277 (the third year of Kenji), addressed to Matsuno Rokurō Saemon. In it, Nichiren Daishonin expresses his appreciation for Matsuno’s sincere offerings, encourages his faith, and states that if one chants Daimoku day and night, morning and evening, one will attain the state of Buddhahood at the moment of death.
Gosho Passage
“You should just single-mindedly chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo morning and evening, day and night, and observe what happens at the last moments of your life.“
Commentary
“Just single-mindedly” (yonen mo naku) means not directing one’s faithful mind toward anything other than the Gohonzon. It refers to a faith of “faith means to be free of doubt” (mugi-watsu-shin), believing single-mindedly in the Gohonzon without giving rise to even the slightest doubt. The Daishonin instructs us to earnestly chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo day and night, morning and evening, with such single-minded faith, and face the moment of death. He assures us that attaining absolute Buddhahood is beyond doubt.
The moment of human death marks the grand culmination of one’s good and bad karma in this life, as well as the very first step toward future existences. Therefore, the moment of death is of paramount importance. Because one’s single mind at the moment of death determines future Buddhahood, it can be said that our daily faith is maintained precisely for the sake of correct mind at the moment of death (rinjū shōnen).
In The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life (Shōji Ichidaiji Keimyaku Shō), the Daishonin states:
“Be resolved to exert the strong power of faith, and pray earnestly that at the moment of death you may chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with correct mind. Seek no heritage of the ultimate Law of life other than this. This is the meaning of ‘earthly desires are enlightenment’ and ‘the sufferings of birth and death are nirvana’.”
Furthermore, the physical appearance at death (rinjū no sō) is regarded as crucial evidence reflecting correct mind at the moment of death. In Reply to Myōhō-ni (Myōhō-ni Gohenji), it is stated:
“In your letter you write that your husband recited Nam-myoho-renge-kyo day and night, and that, when his end approached, he recited it twice in a loud voice… His color was even fairer and his form even more serene than when he was alive… The Lotus Sutra states, ‘The true aspect of all phenomena… its appearance, and so forth, down to its consistency from beginning to end.’ The Great Commentary says, ‘Those whose color turns black at the moment of death fall into hell.’ The Protection Sutra states, ‘There are fifteen signs of falling into hell, eight signs of becoming a hungry ghost, and five signs of becoming an animal…’ T’ien-t’ai’s Great Concentration and Insight notes, ‘A black complexion on the body is likened to the shade of hell…’ Looking into the matter, from my youth I, Nichiren, studied Buddhism, and I held this wish: Human life is impermanent. An outgoing breath does not wait for an incoming one—dew before the wind is no comparison. Wise or foolish, old or young, uncertainty is the rule for all. Therefore, I thought I should first learn about death and then about other matters. When I collected and carefully examined the commentaries of the scholars and teachers of the sacred teachings of the Buddha’s lifetime, using them as a clear mirror, and compared them against the deaths of all people and their state after death, I found not the slightest cloudiness or obscurity.”
In The Letter to the Brothers (Kyōdai Shō), he writes:
“One way or another, death is a certainty. Do not display a poor appearance and be mocked by others.”
In On the Clarification of the Buddha’s True Intention (Ken Ritsushō I Shō), he strictly warns:
“Even among my disciples, those whose faith is weak and shallow will manifest the signs of the Avīci hell at the moment of death. At that time, do not blame me.”
In High Priest Nikkan’s Admonitions for the Moment of Death (Rinjū Yōjin Shō), it is written:
“Sanjie of the Zen sect lost his voice and died; Shan-wu-wei of the Shingon sect turned black; Shan-tao of the Pure Land sect fell into madness and frenzy. Since the patriarchs of other sects were like this, their followers should understand its meaning. The mentor is like a needle, and the disciple or lay supporter is like a thread. That a person enters the Avīci hell at death refers to this.” This illustrates the signs of falling into hell manifested by teachers of erroneous doctrines.
As the Daishonin instructs, if we chant Daimoku day and night without other thoughts and, at the moment of death, pass away while chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with absolute conviction in the benefit of the Gohonzon, we will be able to enter the state of Buddhahood, just as expressed in the passage: “Climb the mountain of perfect enlightenment and gaze in all four directions.”