Letter to Kōnichi-bō

Background

This letter was written at Minobu in the third month, 1276, to Kōnichi-bō, a widow who lived in Amatsu in Awa Province. Her son, Yashirō, had converted earlier to Nichiren Daishonin’s teachings, and through him she became a believer herself. While the Daishonin was in exile on Sado Island, she sent him robes and other articles, and continued to make offerings to him after he took up residence at Mount Minobu. She enjoyed the Daishonin’s trust and received several works from him, including The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra.

Some time after Kōnichi-bō’s conversion, Yashirō died. This letter is the Daishonin’s reply to a letter from Kōnichi-bō expressing anxiety about the fact that her son, as a samurai, had killed others and asking what would happen to him in his next life. The Daishonin encouraged her by saying that Yashirō had converted her to faith in the Lotus Sutra and could be saved from the evil paths by her strong faith. Kōnichi-bō overcame her deep sorrow and remained a sincere believer in the Daishonin’s Buddhism throughout her life.

The former part of this letter chronicles some of the events that took place from the ninth month of 1271, when Nichiren Daishonin incurred the wrath of the government and was exiled to Sado Island, to 1274, when he was pardoned and retired to Mount Minobu. In the next part, the Daishonin who received the news of the death of Yashirō recounts his impressions of Yashirō and expresses his deep sympathy for Kōnichi-bō’s sorrow. In reply to her question, the Daishonin explains the Buddhist principle of repentance, or acknowledging and striving to correct one’s past misdeeds, by saying, “Even a small error will destine one to the evil paths if one does not repent of it. Yet even a grave offense can be eradicated if one repents of it sincerely.” Citing the examples of Ajita and King Ajātashatru, he assures Kōnichi-bō that even though her late son, Yashirō, committed evil, if she offers prayers for him day and night in the presence of Shakyamuni Buddha, he can be saved, and that he will surely lead his parents to Buddhahood. Finally, the Daishonin cautions her against being influenced by any enemy of the Lotus Sutra.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter1(Expressing Feelings of Nostalgia for Hometown)

 

 

 

 

 

Notes

 

1. “My teacher” refers to Dōzen-bō, a priest of Seichō-ji temple in Tōjō Village of Awa Province, where Nichiren Daishonin entered the priesthood.

 

2. Su Wu (140–60 b.c.e.) was a minister of Emperor Wu of the Former Han dynasty. Su Wu was imprisoned, and Wu’s successor, Emperor Chao, demanded Su Wu’s release, but his captors falsely reported that he had already died. Then one of Su Wu’s retainers instructed the emperor’s envoy to tell the barbarians that the emperor had shot down a wild goose near the capital and that tied to its leg was a letter reporting that Su Wu was still alive. Finally, the chief of the northern barbarians was compelled to return Su Wu nineteen years after his imprisonment.

 

3. Nakamaro is Abe no Nakamaro (698–770), who went to T’ang China as a student envoy in 717 and later served Emperor Hsüan-tsung as an official of the Chinese government. In 733 he attempted to return to Japan, but the T’ang authorities would not permit it. Later, he obtained permission to return, but his ship was wrecked and he was forced to go back to China, where he died.

 

 

 

Lecture

 

This chapter records the Daishonin’s heartfelt reflections on his beloved homeland, Awa Province, which he longed for while in exile on Sado Island. Unable even to visit the graves of his parents, he voiced his deep homesickness through classical stories, revealing the boundless compassion he felt for the people of his native place.

 

The letter mentions Su Wu, a loyal minister who served Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty. Captured by the Xiongnu and held prisoner for nineteen years near Lake Baikal, he survived on field mice and grass seeds but never wavered in his loyalty to Han China. It also refers to Abe no Nakamaro, a brilliant scholar who traveled to Tang China as a student, rose to prominence as Left Genteel Attendant under Emperor Xuanzong, and spent his life serving in a foreign land. Both men endured exile far from home, bearing deep sorrow and hardship, and devoted their lives to their nations and societies.

 

Yet the trials faced by Nichiren Daishonin cannot be compared even to theirs. His sufferings far exceeded anything we can imagine. Even so, despite facing exile and the threat of execution, the Daishonin remained utterly unshaken, as majestic and immovable as towering Mount Fuji. He accepted persecution with a serene smile, spreading the Mystic Law to cut off the roots of people’s suffering — for the people of Japan, for all the people of Jambudvīpa, and for humanity as a whole.

 

The Letter on the True Aspect of All Phenomena states:

 

“Birds and crickets cry, but never shed tears. I, Nichiren, do not cry, but my tears flow ceaselessly. I shed my tears not for worldly affairs but solely for the sake of the Lotus Sutra.” (WND-1, p. 386,l.29)

 

The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings declares:

 

“And Nichiren declares, The varied sufferings that all living beings undergo—all these are Nichiren’s own sufferings.” (OTT, p. 83,l.17)

 

We too must uphold this vast spirit of great compassion — the Daishonin’s spirit of cherishing the people and caring deeply for the nation — and advance boldly in the widespread propagation of the Mystic Law.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter2(Exile for the Sake of the Buddha’s Law)

 

 

Notes

 

4. This radical statement was made intentionally as a strict warning of the negative results arising from devotion to the provisional teachings. Nichiren Daishonin did not mean it literally, but challengingly urged the authorities to hold an open debate between him and the leading priests of the four major schools mentioned here. He insisted it was irrational for the authorities to reject his teachings and punish him without listening to both parties. According to his On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land, beheading the priests of the provisional teachings actually means to cease making offerings to them.

 

5. The two deceased lay priests refer to Hōjō Tokiyori, the fifth regent of the Kamakura shogunate, and Hōjō Shigetoki, the cosigner to the regent Tokiyori.

 

 

 

Lecture

 

This section explains that Nichiren Daishonin’s exile to Sado occurred solely because he refuted the doctrines of the Nembutsu, Zen, Precepts, and True Word schools, and propagated the Lotus Sutra.

 

Throughout East and West, and in every age, pioneers have always had to battle hardships in order to open the way to a new era. Nichiren Daishonin’s struggle was precisely the struggle of a pioneer seeking to spread an unprecedented great Law.

 

At that time, the Nembutsu school, which taught rebirth in the Pure Land, had taken deep root among the common people, while the Zen school, which preached attaining Buddhahood through seeing one’s true nature, had begun to exert immense influence among the warrior class. In addition, the schools of Precepts and True Word, which had spread before the Kamakura period, continued to delude people on a nationwide scale.

 

Meanwhile, the Tendai school, which should have preserved the true intent of the Lotus Sutra as the Law for protecting the nation, had by its third and fourth chiefs, Jikaku and Chishō, absorbed the erroneous doctrines of the True Word school. As a result, the correct teaching was cut off. To flaunt their power and sustain their temples, they raised armed priests and pressed their demands upon the retired emperors, plunging society into disorder.

 

Indeed, the pure Law was concealed, and the age had fallen into the deplorable condition of the Latter Day.

 

From both the perspective of the sutra passages and the signs of the times, Nichiren Daishonin recognized that this was the Latter Day of the Law. Knowing full well the persecutions he would face, he nevertheless rose to shatter the erroneous doctrines of these schools—the very source of the people’s suffering—in order to save the suffering multitudes.

 

In his “Letter to My Disciples and Lay Supporters” he writes:
“All of you should prepare yourselves mentally for what may come. Do not let concern for wife and children or other family members deter you. Do not fear those in authority. Now is the time to break free from the bonds of this realm of birth and death and to obtain the fruit of Buddhahood!”(WND-2, p.333,l.8)

 

We too, as disciples of the Daishonin, have taken up the great work of propagating the Lotus Sutra. Accordingly, it is only natural that the devil armies should stand in our way.

 

But we are the Daishonin’s disciples—the Buddha’s own soldiers. When we recall how the Daishonin, alone, faced far mightier devil forces than we encounter today, we cannot help but be filled with indomitable courage.

 

Moreover, we are pioneers and protagonists in this new century of life. Proudly engaging in a struggle of justice to eradicate the very roots of people’s suffering, we wage battle as warriors of peace armed with the highest philosophy and ideals. We must be deeply aware that carrying this struggle forward is our solemn mission.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter3(Rebuking the Heavenly Deities and the Omen of Pardon Appears)

 

 

Notes

 

6. Lotus Sutra, chap. 2.

 

7. The Thousand-Eyed God is another name for Shakra. He is called the “Thousand-Eyed God” because, according to the Miscellaneous Āgama Sutra, in a previous life as a human being, his vast wisdom had enabled him to discern and fathom a thousand meanings in a single moment.

 

8. Exactly what incident this refers to is uncertain. “The eleventh day of the second month in the following year” mentioned subsequently refers to a conspiracy to seize power on the part of Hōjō Tokisuke, an elder half brother of the regent Hōjō Tokimune. His plot was uncovered, and two of his conspirators, Nagoe Tokiaki and Nagoe Noritoki, were put to death on that day. Tokisuke himself was beheaded on the fifteenth. In the wake of the attempted coup, five generals were beheaded for having executed as a conspirator someone who proved to have been innocent. This rift in the ruling clan bore out the Daishonin’s earlier prophecy of internal strife.

 

 

 

Lecture

 

This section describes how Nichiren Daishonin sternly admonished the heavenly deities to swiftly fulfill the vow they had made before the Buddha. As a result, a visible sign appeared: his disciples were pardoned, marking the first indication that the Daishonin himself would also soon be released.

 

“Now you may be respected as the great heavenly king Brahmā and live atop the world of form, or be revered as the Thousand-Eyed God and dwell on the summit of Mount Sumeru. But if you discard me, Nichiren, you will become firewood to feed the flames of the Avīchi hell and be forever confined to the great citadel of the hell of incessant suffering. If you dread committing this offense, make haste to manifest some sign to the country, so that I may be permitted to return home!”

 

This passage expresses the Daishonin’s indomitable spirit and absolute conviction as the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law.

 

Brahmā, known as the lord of the Sahā world, dwells in the first meditation heaven of the form realm. Indra, also called the thousand-eyed deity, is the ruler of the second heaven of the desire realm, residing in the Joyful Pure Palace atop Mount Sumeru and governing the thirty-three heavens. Both Brahmā and Indra appeared with twenty thousand attendants at the Lotus Sutra assembly, vowing to protect the practitioners of the Lotus Sutra.

 

Here, Nichiren proclaims that even if these heavenly deities rule over the threefold world and are revered as supreme, should they fail to protect the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law, they will inevitably fall into the hell of incessant suffering. This statement also reflects his unshakable conviction that it is impossible for them not to fulfill their vow. True to his words, a “rebellion within the realm” occurred in Japan, and as a result, the Daishonin’s disciples—who had been imprisoned—were pardoned. From this undeniable proof, we can discern that Nichiren Daishonin is indeed the Buddha of the Latter Day.

 

After narrowly escaping execution at Tatsunokuchi on the twelfth day of the ninth month of 1271, the Kamakura authorities—incited by Ryōkan and others—decided to exile the Daishonin to Sado Island. He departed from Echi on the tenth day of the tenth month and arrived on Sado on the twenty-eighth, reaching the Sammai-dō at Tsukahara on the first day of the eleventh month.

 

According to the Shoku Nihongi (Continued Chronicles of Japan), Sado was designated as a place of distant exile in 724, and many exiles sent there over the centuries perished from illness. Banishment to Sado was considered virtually equivalent to a death sentence.

 

Nevertheless, the Daishonin foretold:

 

“Within one hundred days after my exile or execution, or within one, three, or seven years, there will occur what is called the calamity of internal strife, rebellion within the ruling clan. This will be followed by the calamity of foreign invasion, attack from all sides, particularly from the west. ” (The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra, WND-1, p. 765,l.39)

 

He also urged the heavenly deities to act without delay.

 

As he predicted, in the second month of 1272, a plot by Tokisuke, the half-brother of Regent Hōjō Tokimune, was uncovered, leading to a violent internal conflict within the Hōjō clan. Furthermore, foreign invasion—namely the Mongol threat—became an imminent reality. Fearing that Nichiren’s earlier warnings in On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land and elsewhere were being fulfilled without deviation, the authorities released his imprisoned disciples.

 

Even while on distant Sado, the Daishonin’s powerful resolve transformed the minds of the rulers in Kamakura. The outcome had already been decided: no matter how mighty worldly authority may appear, before the vast life state of the Buddha of the Latter Day, it is no more than a ripple on the surface of the sea. Before long, the Daishonin himself was also pardoned and returned from exile, demonstrating the principle that the Buddha’s Law ultimately prevails over secular authority.

 

Nichiren Daishonin’s stern rebuke of the heavenly deities was based on the profound philosophy of three thousand realms in a single moment of life. The powerful life force of the Mystic Law, manifested through a single strong resolve, moves even the universe itself.

 

Even the heavenly deities are, in the final analysis, functions of the Mystic Law. When the brilliance of the Mystic Law shines within our own hearts, every function of the vast universe responds to that powerful resolve and begins to work in the direction of happiness and righteousness. This is a truth we must firmly believe.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter4(On the Pardon, the Admonition to the Nation, and the Move to Mount Minobu)

 

 

Notes

 

9. This story appears in Records of the Historian and its commentaries. When Prince Tan was taken hostage in Ch’in, he begged the king there to release him. But the king said to him, “When a crow’s head becomes white and a horse grows horns, I will permit you to return home.” When Tan looked up toward heaven, grieving over his misfortune, a white-headed crow appeared, and when he flung himself to the ground lamenting, a horse grew horns. As a result, the king had no choice but to let him go home as he had promised.

 

10. Nichizō (n.d.) was a priest of the Dharma Characteristics school who lived at Ryūmon-ji temple in the province of Yamato. This poem is not actually Nichizō’s but appears in the fourth imperial anthology The Later Collection of Gleanings as the work of the priest Zōki. It seems possible, therefore, that the Daishonin simply wrote the abbreviated form, “the Honorable Zō,” in the original manuscript, which no longer exists, and this was mistakenly transcribed as “the Honorable Nichizō.”

 

11. That is, twelve days between the day of the Daishonin’s departure from Sado and the day of his arrival in Kamakura.

 

12. The first time was when the Daishonin submitted On Establishing the Correct Teaching to Hōjō Tokiyori in 1260. The second was when he admonished Hei no Saemon shortly before the Tatsunokuchi

 

 

 

Lecture

 

In this chapter, the Daishonin first cites the story of the white-headed crow as a portent heralding his pardon from exile on Sado. He then recounts the course of events from the time of his release, through his final admonition to the nation, up until he departed Kamakura.

 

“As I had expected all along, my warnings went unheeded. I now had remonstrated with the authorities three times for the sole purpose of saving Japan from ruin. Mindful that one whose warnings are thrice ignored should retire to a mountain forest, I left Kamakura on the twelfth day of the fifth month.”

 

This brief passage of merely two lines pulses with the Daishonin’s indomitable spirit—risking his very life to propagate the Mystic Law for the sake of the people, society, and the nation. The phrase “to admonish three times” refers to his three admonitions to the authorities: on the sixteenth day of the seventh month, 1260 (Bun’ō 1); on the twelfth day of the ninth month, 1271 (Bun’ei 8); and on the eighth day of the fourth month, 1274 (Bun’ei 11).

 

Despite this third admonition, the shogunate responded not by heeding his warning but by ordering prayers to Amida-dō Hōin. Thus, the Daishonin’s counsel went unfulfilled. Following the example of the sages of old, he departed Kamakura in the fifth month of Bun’ei 11 (1274) and entered the valley of Minobu.

 

 The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra states:

 

“This country is surely doomed, but since I have asked the gods to withhold their punishment on our land, it has survived until now.  ” (WND-1, p. 773,l.18)

 

Indeed, shortly after the Daishonin withdrew to Minobu, the Mongol forces launched their first invasion, and later, they would attack again. These invasions became the cause of the Kamakura shogunate’s downfall. The Daishonin’s prophecy was thus brilliantly fulfilled.

 

Regarding the Daishonin’s journey to Minobu,  The Way to Minobu

 

 records:

 

“On the twelfth day we reached Sakawa, on the thirteenth day Takenoshita, on the fourteenth day Kurumagaeshi, on the fifteenth Ōmiya, on the sixteenth Nambu, and on the seventeenth this place.
Though I am still undecided, because this location in the mountains is for the most part satisfactory to me, it is likely that I will remain here for a while. ” (WND-2, p. 480,l.5)

 

And in the Reply to Matsuno:

 

“Rolling fields and hills stretch out more than a hundred ri to the south of this mountain. To the north stands lofty Mount Minobu, which joins the peaks of Shirane farther off. Jutting sharply up to the west is a mountain called Shichimen. Snow remains on these peaks throughout the year. There is not a single dwelling other than mine in the area. My only visitors, infrequent as they are, are the monkeys that come swinging through the treetops. And to my regret, even they do not stay for long, but scurry back to where they came from. To the east run the surging waters of the Fuji River, which resemble the flowing sands of the desert. It is extraordinary indeed that you send letters from time to time to this place whose inaccessibility makes visitors rare.” (WND-2, p. 755,l.3)

 

Although the Daishonin’s withdrawal outwardly resembled the seclusion of sages of old, such as the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove or Bo Yi and Shu Qi—who retired because their remonstrations were ignored—his was profoundly different. His retreat was not mere withdrawal but a strategic waiting for the time of kōsen-rufu and the eternal propagation of the Law.

 

The true purpose of his sojourn at Minobu was the nurturing and training of his disciples. He instilled in them a spirit of fearless shakubuku, powerful enough to uproot even mountains, and boundless great compassion, as vast as the ocean—at times gently guiding them with warmth, and at times sternly admonishing them as a compassionate father.

 

For instance, during the Atsuhara Persecution—instigated by Ryōkan of Jissō-ji and Hei no Saemon-no-jō in opposition to the brilliant propagation led by Nikko Shōnin and others—the Daishonin, while instructing Nikko from Minobu, sent these words of encouragement:

 

“Each of you should summon up the courage of a lion king and never succumb to threats from anyone. The lion king fears no other beast, nor do its cubs. Slanderers are like barking foxes, but Nichiren’s followers are like roaring lions. …Urge on, but do not frighten, the ones from Atsuhara who are ignorant of Buddhism.” (On Persecutions Befalling the Sage,WND-1, p. 799)

 

He also wrote The Letter of Petition from Yorimoto on behalf of Shijō Kingo, whose estate had been confiscated, admonishing his lord, the Ema family. He supported the Ikegami brothers with letters such as Letter to Brothers and The Three Obstacles and Four Devils. He even composed Letter to Shimoyama on behalf of the monk Nichiei, opposed by Shimoyama Mitsumoto. Numerous other writings testify to his unwavering guidance and support.

 

Ultimately, whether in Kamakura, on Sado, or in the remote mountains of Minobu, every moment of the Daishonin’s life—his actions, speech, and conduct—was dedicated to the propagation of the Mystic Law, embodying the spirit of “not begrudging one’s life.”

 

Therefore, as those who take faith in the Mystic Law and revere Nichiren Daishonin as the Original Buddha, we too must view our entire lives as a struggle against the workings of evil and as a ceaseless battle for the realization of kōsen-rufu. Wherever we are and whatever our circumstances, we must never forget the Daishonin’s example at Minobu—a timeless model and eternal guide—and advance with unwavering resolve toward the brilliant stage of the future.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter5(Recollections of Yashirō’s Life)

 

 

Notes

 

13. A figure from Japanese legend. After spending three pleasure-filled years in the sea god’s palace at the bottom of the sea, Urashima returned home to find that he could not recognize anyone in his native village. In his bewilderment and distress, he opened a casket he had been given in the sea god’s palace but instructed never to open. A cloud of white smoke rushed out, his hair turned completely white, and in an instant he became a withered old man. In reality, several hundred years had passed while he was away.

 

 

 

Lecture

 

This chapter is an introductory section in which Nichiren Daishonin, writing to Kōnichi-bō, a fellow native of his home province, shares his heartfelt feelings for his hometown, expresses his thoughts on the letter sent by Kōnichi-bō, and recalls memories of Yashirō during his lifetime. It serves as a prelude to the guidance that follows in Chapters Six and Seven.

 

In this chapter, the Daishonin deeply empathizes with Kōnichi-bō’s feelings and recalls Yashirō’s life from the same emotional standpoint as hers. Within these words, one cannot help but sense the Daishonin’s profound compassion.

 

In striking contrast to the majestic figure of the Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law, who breaks through every form of obstacle and devilish function like a lion king, here we see him offering warm and heartfelt encouragement to a single, helpless woman as one human being to another. The Daishonin, who fought for the sake of all Japan, for the entire world, and indeed for the eternal future of the Latter Day of the Law, also walked side by side with each individual through their joys and sorrows. With a deeply human nature overflowing with warmth and love, he always stood on the side of those who suffered misfortune.

 

True greatness is not found in some distant place; it resides in the depths of our humanity. If one cannot save even a single suffering individual, how could one possibly save an entire nation?

 

This principle remains unchanged from ancient times to the present day. It is the expression of profound humanity that transforms individuals, transforms society, and ultimately transforms the world. We must be firmly convinced that this is the strongest power of all.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter6(Understanding the Feelings of Kōnichi-bō)

 

 

Notes

 

14. Source unknown. A similar story appears in The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom. According to this version, when a fire broke out near Kushinagara in India, a pheasant immersed its wing feathers in a stream and used them to extinguish the flames, sacrificing its life in order to save its relatives. Bamboo Grove Monastery was built by King Bimbisāra as an offering to Shakyamuni Buddha, which was one of the major centers of Shakyamuni’s preaching. It was located in Rājagriha, India.

 

15. This story appears in The Record of the Western Regions and elsewhere. The lord of Vārānasī once hunted and killed many deer on a certain tract of land. The deer king implored him to stop the unnecessary killing and promised that each day he himself would give the lord the number of deer he required. One day, he was faced with the necessity of sending a pregnant deer. Rather than sacrifice her and her unborn fawn, the deer king went to the lord to offer his own flesh instead. The lord was so moved by the deer king’s compassion that he gave him the land; therefore, it came to be called Deer Park.

 

16. Wang Ling (d. 177 b.c.e.) was a high official of the Former Han dynasty. When Hsiang Yü of Ch’u fought with Liu Pang of Han for the rulership of China, he captured Wang Ling’s mother in order to force Wang Ling to become his ally. However, the mother secretly sent a messenger to her son urging him to maintain his loyalty to Liu Pang. Then she killed herself.

 

17. Consort of Emperor Shen Yao was a wife of Li Yüan (565–635), the founder of the T’ang dynasty, who was later called Shen Yao. She is said to have been skilled in writing and painting and endowed with both wit and beauty.

 

 

 

Lecture

 

Among all partings, the most heartrending is that between parent and child, for the depth of a parent’s love for their child is truly profound. It is the natural order of things that aged parents pass away before their children. Yet when a child dies before the parent, it is misfortune among misfortunes, a grief beyond measure for the parent.

 

This section mourns the passing of Yashirō before his mother, the lay nun. Having already lost her husband and then bereft of the son who was her support in old age, she was left entirely alone. The Daishonin, fully understanding the depth of her sorrow, sought to encourage her amid adversity and instill in her new hope. We should deeply appreciate the great compassion of the Daishonin revealed here.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter7(Citing Precedents That Prove the Power of Repentance to Eradicate Sins)

 

 

Notes

 

18. This story appears in The Annotations on “The Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra.” Gavampati, one of Shakyamuni’s disciples, stole millet in a past existence and, because of this, was reborn as an ox for five hundred consecutive lifetimes. It is said that, even after he became the Buddha’s disciple, he behaved in an ox-like manner.

 

19. Source unknown.

 

20. This story appears in the Nirvana Sutra, but little is known about the country Small Stones or its king Dragon Seal.

 

 

 

Lecture

 

In response to the question found in Kōnichi-bō’s letter — “Since Yashirō committed grave offenses, where will he be reborn in his future existence? Please instruct me.” — this section sets forth both the principles of secular reasoning and the doctrines of Buddhism, and supports them with numerous examples drawn from the past. Namely, from the standpoint of ordinary worldly logic, even one who kills an ant will fall into hell; how much more certain, then, is it that a person who commits far greater offenses will descend into the hells. However, the Daishonin cites the examples of Ajita, Ryūin, and King Ajātashatru to show that if one sincerely repents in accordance with the Buddha’s Law, all offenses can be extinguished.

 

“Even a small error will destine one to the evil paths if one does not repent of it. Yet even a grave offense can be eradicated if one repents of it sincerely.”

 

No matter how small the life that has been born into this world, one who takes that life will without fail fall into hell. Indeed, there is no person who, over the course of a lifetime, does not kill small living beings such as ants. From this fundamental principle of Buddhism, it follows that all people would inevitably be tormented by the flames of the hells. Yet, just as morning dew vanishes before the brilliant sun, any and all heavy sins and grave offenses can be completely eradicated if one embraces and practices the Mystic Law — just as taught in the phrase, “Even a grave offense, if repented, will see its karmic effects erased.” This is none other than the principle of the great compassion and sublime repentance taught in Buddhism.

 

What is commonly called repentance today is often mistakenly thought to be a monopoly of Christianity. This misunderstanding arises from those ignorant of Buddhism who simply equated the Christian concept of penitence with the Buddhist notion of repentance. In Christianity, repentance means confession — a sacrament of contrition — in which one confesses sins committed after baptism before a priest or bishop.

 

How foolish this is! Even if one is a priest, is he not still a human being? If he claims to be a mediator between God and human beings, a “child of God,” then he is but a descendant of the shamanism of primitive times. From a psychological standpoint, the Christian practice of repentance is merely a means of releasing repressed feelings — no more than a form of stress relief.

 

Indeed, repentance as taught in Christianity and many new religions is exceedingly immature. Let us cite a few secular critiques. The German philosopher Nietzsche remarked, “When one confesses to another, the sinner himself forgets his sin, but the other person rarely does.” The French moralist La Rochefoucauld observed, “When people reveal the secrets of their hearts, they do so out of vanity, out of a desire to talk, to win another’s trust, or to exchange secrets.”

 

Let us now consider true repentance. The Meditation on the Bodhisattva Universal Worthy Sutra, the concluding sutra of the Lotus, states:

 

“All the vast ocean of karmic impediments arises from deluded thoughts. If you wish to repent them, sit upright and contemplate the true aspect. All offenses are like frost or dew — the sun of wisdom can dissipate them.”

 

The “true aspect” (jissō) here refers to the very essence of life, the fundamental source of the universe itself — Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. In terms of the person, it is the life of the Original Buddha; in terms of the Law, it is the Gohonzon of the Three Great Secret Laws. Thus, by embracing faith in the Gohonzon, we can eradicate all karmic offenses without exception.

 

The Conversation between a Sage and an Unenlightened Man (Part 2) declares:

 

“ If only you chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, then what offense could fail to be eradicated? What blessing could fail to come? This is the truth, and it is of great profundity. You should believe and accept it.”” (WND-1, p. 131,l.28)

 

And Nichikan Shōnin, in his Commentary on “The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind”, states:

 

“The benefit of this Gohonzon is immeasurable and boundless, possessing vast and profound functions. Therefore, even if for a brief moment one believes in this Gohonzon and chants Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, there is no prayer that will go unanswered, no offense that will not be eradicated, no good fortune that will fail to come, and no principle that will fail to be revealed.”

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Chapter8(Revealing the Attainment of Buddhahood as One — Mother and Child)

Main Text

In any event, even though the parents may be evildoers, if the child is good, the parents’ offenses will be forgiven. On the other hand, although the child may be an evildoer, if the parents are good persons, their child’s faults will be pardoned. Hence, even though your late son, Yashirō, committed evil, if you, the mother who gave birth to him, grieve for him and offer prayers for him day and night in the presence of Shakyamuni Buddha, how could he not be saved? Moreover, because he believed in the Lotus Sutra, he may have become the one who will lead his parents to Buddhahood.

Those who believe in the Lotus Sutra should beware of and guard themselves against the sutra’s enemies. You should know that the Nembutsu priests, the observers of the precepts, and the teachers of the True Word school—in fact, all those who refuse to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo—are the enemies of the Lotus Sutra, no matter how earnestly they may read it. If you do not know your enemies, you will be deceived by them. How I wish I could see you personally and talk to you about these matters in detail! Whenever you see Sammi-bō or Sado-kō,²¹ who will visit your area from Minobu, have them read this letter to you. Place it in the custody of Myōe-bō.²² Those lacking in wisdom would no doubt mock me or criticize this letter as mere clever words on my part. Or they would compare me with others, saying, “This priest could never match the Great Teacher Kōbō, or surpass the Great Teacher Jikaku!” Consider those who say such things ignorant.

Nichiren

Written in the third month in the second year of Kenji (1276), cyclical sign hinoe-ne, in the mountains of Hakiri Village in the Nambu area of Kai Province.

Notes

21. Sado-kō was another name for Nikō (1253–1314), one of the Daishonin’s six senior priest-disciples.

22. Myōe-bō was one of the Daishonin’s followers who had some connection with Seichō-ji temple. Little else is known about him.

Lecture

In the preceding section, Nichiren Daishonin responded to Kyōnichi-bō’s request for guidance concerning the posthumous destiny of his son, Yashirō, who had committed offenses, by discussing the matter from both the standpoint of secular reasoning and that of Buddhist principles. In this section, he gives a concrete answer, declaring that through Kyōnichi-bō’s strong faith, his son Yashirō will without fail attain Buddhahood.

The Daishonin further emphasizes the crucial importance of faith shared by both parent and child, warns against the enemies of the Lotus Sutra, and finally instructs how this letter should be read and preserved, repeatedly cautioning against associating with slanderers of the Law.

 

Attaining Buddhahood as One—Parent and Child

There is perhaps no bond more intimate than that between parent and child. Although parents and children are distinct individuals, there exists between them a mysterious power that surpasses all else. It is nothing less than the wondrous working of karmic bonds. Their individual lives merge and become one.

If the parent is unhappy, the child cannot possibly feel genuine happiness. Likewise, if the child is suffering, it is inconceivable that the parent could be truly happy. The happiness of the parent is the happiness of the child; the happiness of the child is the happiness of the parent. They are not separate. Moreover, the happiness of parent and child together brings happiness to the entire family. The attainment of Buddhahood as one—parent and child—is the fundamental principle of revolution within the family itself.

When a parent harbors a deep wish for their child’s well-being, and a child yearns for the parent, then, if this bond is infused with faith, it immediately manifests as fortune and brings prosperity to all. A single human revolution within the family can transform the household as a whole, and all its members will receive blessings.

For example, even if only one member of a family embraces faith while the others oppose it, the very foundation of the family’s life as a whole is already transformed. This is the principle of simultaneity of cause and effect and of the oneness of life and its environment. Following this fundamental law of life, evidence of this transformation will gradually manifest in actual events.

Furthermore, the attainment of Buddhahood as one—parent and child—is not limited to this present life. Delivering one’s deceased parents from suffering and bringing them peace will manifest clearly and unmistakably in the child’s life. And the greatest form of filial piety is for the child to undergo human revolution through faith.

In Kyōnichi-bō’s case, though his son predeceased him, it was Yashirō who encouraged his mother to take faith. And it was through the Daishonin’s guidance that she was able to attain true happiness in her later years. This, the Daishonin teaches, is none other than the manifestation of Yashirō’s own life and shows that parent and child are together simultaneously.

 

The True Nature of Parent-Child Bonds in Faith

Traditionally, the parent-child relationship was defined by affection and filial piety. Moral teachings such as “a parent’s love is deeper than the ocean and their benevolence higher than the mountains” prevailed, and children, burdened by the weight of the “house” beyond mere blood ties, were taught, “Even if a parent fails to be a parent, a child must still be a child.”

However, with the passing of the feudal era, this notion of filial piety crumbled. As the feudal family system collapsed, all that remained were parents lamenting and worrying over their “unfilial children.”

Buddhism does not view the parent-child relationship in such a shallow manner. The Daishonin regarded the debt of gratitude to one’s parents as one of the Four Debts of Gratitude. While the term “debt to one’s parents” might evoke a feudal moral concept, it is not so. Gratitude (chi-on) and repayment (hō-on) as taught by the Daishonin arise from the depths of life itself, grounded in the ultimate reality of life. Moreover, they are based on the Three Great Secret Laws. We must understand that while repaying the debt to one’s parents is natural, the standard for such repayment is none other than the Gohonzon of the Three Great Secret Laws.

True filial piety is categorized as three levels in Buddhism:

• Providing clothing and food is the lowest form.
• Obeying one’s parents’ wishes is the middle form.
• And transferring one’s merits to one’s parents is the highest form.

Merely satisfying parents materially or obeying their wishes does not constitute true filial piety. The highest form is to embrace the Gohonzon oneself, lead one’s parents to the correct teaching through shakubuku, and offer them the merits of the True Law day and night, even after their passing.

The Daishonin writes:

“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. ” (Letter to the Brothers, WND-1, p. 499，ｌ.9)

He also states:

“Persons who are intent upon exercising filial devotion toward their parents should therefore send them the gift of the Lotus Sutra.” (Reply to the Wife of Gyōbu Saemon-no-jō, WND-2, p. 898,l.6)

Even if one faces opposition from one’s parents or has relatives who oppose the faith, if the one who first embraces faith perseveres in their Buddhist practice and demonstrates the benefit of the Gohonzon in their own life, eventually those who oppose will also embrace faith and attain Buddhahood in this lifetime. This is the truest form of filial piety and the ripple of benefit will extend to the entire family and even the nation.

 

Beware the Enemies of the Lotus Sutra

“Those who believe in the Lotus Sutra should beware of and guard themselves against the sutra’s enemies. ”

We must deeply engrave this passage into our hearts. Those who believe in the Mystic Law and aim for the realization of kosen-rufu must clearly discern the enemies of the Lotus Sutra and fight against them. “Fear” here does not mean cowardly trembling, but rather vigilance against those who would seek to make us abandon our faith or prevent us from attaining Buddhahood.

The true enemies of the Lotus Sutra are enemies of humanity, of life itself, and of the very essence of existence. The most formidable enemy is not external but resides within. The Nirvana Sutra warns that evil friends and teachers are the enemies of the Lotus Sutra and should be feared above all:

“A bodhisattva should not fear wild elephants but should be terrified of evil friends. If one is killed by a wild elephant, one does not fall into the three evil paths. But if one is killed by an evil friend, one is certain to fall into the three evil paths.”

Evil teachers and companions refer to those who uphold heretical doctrines and slander the Law. Following them destroys the pure life inherent within all people, leading them to fall into the three evil paths and suffer eternally.

Such evil influences not only destroy individual lives but also plunge society into suffering and even lead entire nations to ruin. Therefore, with the eyes of the Mystic Law, we must perceive and vanquish the inner and outer manifestations of evil, cutting off the very root of misery.