The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra

President Ikeda’s Lecture, April Issue (From the April–June 2012 Daibyakuenge)

A Struggle to Live Through Just Speech

Today, SGI members throughout Japan and the entire world, led by the youth, are engaging in a great wave of “encouraging dialogue.” The ripples of “expansion of hope” and “expansion of happiness” that open a new era are spreading widely. It is truly wonderful!

To the members of the Men’s and Women’s Divisions: Thank you so much for joining me in earnestly praying for and supporting the growth and success of our precious youth. You are all “comrades of the Mystic Law” throughout the three existences of past, present, and future. I ask for your continued support in encouraging the youth and our new members.

I myself joined the Soka Gakkai as a young man. I met President Toda and joined at the age of 19; this year marks the 65th year of my practice. With the desire to speak directly to my beloved youth, I would like to say a little bit about my early days in faith.

At that time, the seniors in the Gakkai would say: “In life, a single moment ahead is darkness. We do not know what kind of karma may strike us. There is no way to break through karma other than this faith.” “The problem of ‘death’ is something no one can avoid. The faith of the Mystic Law is what can solve this fundamental difficulty.” Furthermore, they said, “Youth should seek something higher. Let’s study together.” When I heard these words, I thought to myself, “Indeed, that makes sense.”

A Life Lived with President Toda

Even more than those words, what struck my heart when I decided to join was the fact that President Makiguchi and President Toda had stood up directly against the military authorities during the war and had fought on even while imprisoned.

Because of this, I struggled with my decision. I felt that if I were to ever backtrack or give up, it would be better not to start at all. I asked myself: “Can I uphold the Gohonzon for my entire life? Can I share the same fate as the Soka Gakkai?”

After challenging myself with chanting and propagation, I made my decision: “Alright. If my life is to be spent under President Toda, why should I begrudge this body? I will devote myself to the Gakkai. Though I am a common mortal, I will give my all for Kosen-rufu.”

Ten years after I joined, in 1957 (Showa 32)—just as President Toda’s lifelong goal of 750,000 households was about to be achieved—the “devilish nature of authority,” jealous of the new solidarity of the people, began to obstruct the Gakkai’s progress through the Yubari Coal Miners Union incident and the Osaka Incident.

I stood on the front lines, one in heart with President Toda. During the first half of that year, in both Osaka and Tokyo, President Toda poured his entire soul into lecturing on the Gosho “The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra” (Shushu Gofurumai Gosho) on numerous occasions.

This writing records the conduct and the magnificent state of life of Nichiren Daishonin as he battled the despicable, large-scale persecutions of the ruling authorities for the sake of spreading the Mystic Law.

“Nichiren Said Joyfully That This Is What He Had Long Expected”

“The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra” is believed to have been written in 1276 at Minobu, when the Daishonin was 55 years old.

The Daishonin begins the letter by noting that the “threat of foreign invasion” predicted in “On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land” (Rissho Ankoku Ron) became a reality when the letter from the Mongols arrived in 1268.

He then describes, in vivid detail that makes the scenes leap off the page, his most fierce struggles: the Tatsunokuchi Persecution in 1271, the exile to Sado, the Tsukahara Debate, the writing of “The Opening of the Eyes,” and his return to Kamakura and subsequent third remonstration with the government in 1274.

What permeates this writing is the Daishonin’s vast state of life—looking down calmly upon any persecution, standing with majestic dignity, and speaking out for the justice of the Mystic Law with total sincerity. These words symbolize his spirit: ” I rejoiced, saying that I had long expected it to come to this. “ (WND-1, p. 764)

Before this passage, the Daishonin explains that although he wrote the Rissho Ankoku Ron to save the nation and his prophecies had come true, the authorities—rather than listening to him—hated him all the more. They plotted to execute or exile him and punish his followers.

Regarding this irrational persecution from those in power, he declares: “I expected this from the start; I am truly joyful.”

Why? Because in the “beginning of the Latter Day of the Law,” the one who spreads the “five characters of the heart of the Lotus Sutra” (Nam-myoho-ren-ge-kyo) must appear and will inevitably face persecution due to his practice of shakubuku. At the same time, the evidence of “internal strife” and “foreign invasion” would appear exactly as predicted in the sutras. Thus, facing persecution proved he was the Votary of the Lotus Sutra. How encouraged the disciples of that time must have been by this noble state of life and his passion for saving the people!

Encouragement for the “Victory of the Disciples”

Around 1275–1276, because the Daishonin’s prophecies regarding the Mongol invasion had come true, his followers were rapidly increasing in number. In response, the “three obstacles and four devils” and the “three powerful enemies” began to attack the disciples as well.

The persecution at Ryusen-ji Temple (the beginning of the Atsuhara Persecution), the pressure on Shijo Kingo from his colleagues and lord, and the disowning of Ikegami Munenaka by his father all occurred around this time.

I cannot help but feel that the Daishonin’s burning desire—”I want my disciples to win no matter what!” and “I want to leave behind for future generations the true behavior and state of life of a practitioner of the Lotus Sutra”—is poured into this writing.

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The Passage (Gosho Text)

None of you who declare yourselves to be my disciples should ever give way to cowardice. Neither should you allow concern for your parents, wife, or children to hold you back, or be worried about your property. Since countless kalpas in the past you have thrown away your life more times than the number of dust particles of the land for the sake of your parents, your children, or your lands. But not once have you given up your life for the Lotus Sutra. You may have tried to practice its teachings to some extent, but whenever you were persecuted, you backslid and ceased to live by the sutra. That is like boiling water only to pour it into cold water, or like trying to strike fire but giving up halfway. Each and every one of you should be certain deep in your heart that sacrificing your life for the Lotus Sutra is like exchanging rocks for gold or dung for rice.

Now, at the beginning of the Latter Day of the Law, I, Nichiren, am the first to embark on propagating, throughout Jambudvīpa, the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo, which are the heart of the Lotus Sutra and the eye of all Buddhas. During the 2,220 or more years since the Buddha’s passing, not even Mahākāshyapa, Ānanda, Ashvaghosha, Nāgārjuna, Nan-yüeh, T’ien-t’ai, Miao-lo, or Dengyō has propagated them. My disciples, form your ranks and follow me, and surpass even Mahākāshyapa or Ānanda, T’ien-t’ai or Dengyō! If you quail before the threats of the ruler of this little island country [and abandon your faith], how will you face the even more terrible anger of Yama, the lord of hell? If, while calling yourselves the Buddha’s messengers, you give way to fear, you will be the most despicable of persons! (WND-1, pp. 764-765)

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Commentary

Follow the Mentor as the “Second and Third Waves”

This passage teaches the “supreme honor” of fighting as a disciple of the Daishonin and the “resolve to not begrudge one’s life” (fushaku shinmyo).

The Daishonin’s deep compassion is evident in his words, “Each of you… should not harbor even a trace of cowardice.” The “three obstacles and four devils” that try to make one abandon faith attack a person’s weakest points or the things they hold most dear: parents, children, spouse, job, or finances.

The Daishonin points out that since time immemorial, people have many times lost their lives over family or land, but “never once” for the sake of the Lotus Sutra. He strictly warns that because this is the crucial moment to attain Buddhahood, one must not retreat in the fundamental matter of faith. He is urging all his disciples to have courage.

“Not begrudging one’s life” means discarding the “small self” to obtain the “big self.” As the Daishonin says, it is “discarding the temporary and not the eternal.” It is “exchanging rocks for gold.” From the perspective of life throughout the three existences, one will be eternally embraced by immeasurable fortune and strength.

Furthermore, the Daishonin declares the “supreme honor” of his followers. He states that he, Nichiren, was the first to begin the task of spreading Nam-myoho-ren-ge-kyo—the heart of the Lotus Sutra never before spread—to the entire world. The sun of the “time of the beginning” has risen in the darkness of the Latter Day, and its light will embrace all people.

He tells us that we do not simply “follow behind” the great scholars of the past like Kashyapa or Dengyo; we are beings who “surpass and exceed” them! What an honorable existence each of us has!

President Toda emphasized in his lectures: “In reality, the Soka Gakkai is the only organization doing exactly what the Daishonin instructed.”

“One lion is better than a thousand sheep,” President Makiguchi would cry out. “One courageous person of great good is better than a thousand cowardly people of minor good for achieving a great undertaking.”

The Daishonin tells us not to be frightened by the threats of the “sovereigns of this tiny island.” Let us proceed as a majestic array of lions.

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The Passage (Gosho Text)

“Everything I said was with the future of our country in mind. If you wish to maintain this land in peace and security, it is imperative that you summon the priests of the other schools for a debate in your presence. If you ignore this advice and punish me unreasonably on their behalf, the entire country will have cause to regret your decision. If you condemn me, you will be rejecting the Buddha’s envoy. Then you will have to face the punishment of Brahmā and Shakra, of the gods of the sun and moon, and of the four heavenly kings. 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. Then you will regret what you have done!” Hearing this, the magistrate Hei no Saemon, forgetting all the dignity of his rank, became wild with rage like the grand minister of state and lay priest [Taira no Kiyomori]. (WND-1, p. 765)

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Commentary

An Unyielding and Magnificent Argument

On September 10, 1271—two days before the Tatsunokuchi Persecution—the Daishonin was summoned and interrogated by the military government. This passage describes his exchange with Hei no Saemon-no-jo Yoritsuna.

Why was he summoned? As mentioned later, in June of that year, the priest Ryokan of the Gokuraku-ji temple had failed miserably in his public ritual to pray for rain during a great drought. Nichiren had challenged him: “If it rains within seven days, I will become your disciple. If not, you must become mine.”

Not only did it not rain, but fierce winds blew. Humiliated, Ryokan ignored his promise and plotted with other priests to sue the Daishonin. When that failed, they appealed to the wives of high-ranking officials, spreading lies that Nichiren had called for temples to be burned and for the heads of famous priests to be cut off.

When Hei no Saemon-no-jo asked if he really said these things, the Daishonin replied firmly: “That is correct. However, the claim that I said the late lords of Saimyo-ji and Gokuraku-ji fell into hell is a lie. I have spoken about the sin of slandering the Law since they were still alive.”

He continued: “I say these things for the sake of the nation. If you want peace, call the other priests and let us have a public debate.”

The phrase “cut off their heads” was not the Daishonin’s true intent. Rather, he was exposing the hypocrisy of those who were debating whether to take his life. As he had already stated in the Rissho Ankoku Ron, “punishing” evil priests meant “stopping our offerings to them,” not physical execution.

His stance was always to clarify right and wrong through public, reasoned dialogue. In contrast, Ryokan and the others hid in the shadows, conspiring and never daring to face the Daishonin in public.

The Daishonin warned that punishing him—the “messenger of the Buddha”—would lead to internal strife and foreign invasion. Upon hearing this, Hei no Saemon-no-jo flew into an irrational rage. The difference in their states of life was clear: one a devilish person of power, the other a messenger of the Buddha who loved his country.

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The Passage (Gosho Text)

On the twelfth day of the ninth month in the eighth year of Bun’ei (1271), cyclical sign kanoto-hitsuji, I was arrested in a manner that was extraordinary and unlawful, even more outrageous than the arrest of the priest Ryōkō, who was actually guilty of treason, and the Discipline Master Ryōken, who sought to destroy the government.⁷ Hei no Saemon led several hundreds of armor-clad warriors to take me. Wearing the headgear of a court noble, he glared in anger and spoke in a rough voice. These actions were in essence no different from those of the grand p.766minister of state and lay priest, who seized power only to lead the country to destruction.

Observing this, I realized it was no ordinary event and thought to myself, “Over the past months I have expected something like this to happen sooner or later. How fortunate that I can give my life for the Lotus Sutra! If I am to lose this worthless head [for Buddhahood], it will be like trading sand for gold or rocks for jewels.” (WND-1, p. 766)

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Commentary

“How Fortunate”: Entering the Struggle Without Begrudging Life

On the day of the Tatsunokuchi Persecution (September 12), Hei no Saemon-no-jo came to arrest the Daishonin with a massive force of hundreds of armed soldiers—more than would be used for a violent rebel.

The Daishonin described this as “beyond what the law might allow.” It was likely a “show of force” intended to intimidate the public. It was the very face of the devilish nature of authority trying to suppress an individual through overwhelming power.

Seeing this, the Daishonin again expresses the joy of “not begrudging one’s life.” He says, “I have been expecting this. How fortunate! This is like exchanging sand for gold.” This is the state of life of a King of Lions.

The ones who fought exactly according to this spirit were our founding president, Mr. Makiguchi, and my mentor, Mr. Toda. Both held “discussion meetings”—open forums for dialogue—everywhere. Because they lived the practice of “fushaku shinmyo,” they were imprisoned by the military authorities. Mr. Makiguchi died in prison; Mr. Toda was released with a body weakened to the extreme. This noble struggle of mentor and disciple is the eternal “treasure of the Gakkai spirit” and a “great source of hope” that lights the future.

Once, President Toda said of the state of life he achieved in prison: “It is like lying down in a vast space, looking up at the sky. If there is something you want, it appears. Even if you give it away, it keeps appearing. It never runs out. You all should achieve such a state of life. If you want it, try going to prison for a little bit for the sake of the Lotus Sutra and Kosen-rufu!” He then added, “Times are different now, so you don’t have to go to prison, but you must fight with all your might for Kosen-rufu.”

On a different level, Premier Zhou Enlai of China also said: “What is the best way to die? It is to die from a bullet while fighting against those who oppress the people. But if you are going to fight like that, you must do your work with your life on the line.” He lived by the phrase “dedicating one’s life until death.”

Never forget that the “path of the oneness of mentor and disciple” in Soka exists in this spirit: to spend one’s life working tirelessly for friends, comrades, and the people.

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The Passage (Gosho Text)

I, Nichiren, said in a loud voice, “How amusing! Look at Hei no Saemon gone mad! You gentlemen have just toppled the pillar of Japan.” Hearing this, the assembled troops were taken aback. When they saw me standing before the fierce arm of the law unafraid, they must have realized that they were in the wrong, for the color drained from their faces. (WND-1, p. 766)

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Commentary

The Great Conviction of Being the “Pillar of Japan”

In the face of the Daishonin’s vast state of life, the mad essence and the limits of the devilish nature of authority were exposed.

One of Hei no Saemon-no-jo’s subordinates snatched the fifth volume of the Lotus Sutra from the Daishonin’s robe and struck him in the face with it three times. Other soldiers trampled on the scrolls. In response, the Daishonin cried out in a great voice: “Behold how Hei no Saemon-no-jo has gone mad! You are toppling the pillar of Japan!”

The soldiers were the ones who were flustered. President Toda used to say, “When a Buddha remains calm and speaks like that, the resonance of his voice would make those with weak life force shrink back.”

The conviction that “Nichiren is the pillar of Japan” is found in other writings as well. In “The Selection of the Time,” he writes: “On the twelfth day of the ninth month of the eighth year of Bun’ei… I said to Hei no Saemon and several hundred others: ‘Nichiren is the pillar of Japan. If you lose Nichiren, you topple the pillar of Japan!'” (WND-1, p. 579). He also says in this Gosho: “Nichiren is the soul of the people of Japan.”

Therefore, let us proceed with the great conviction that the Soka Gakkai—especially the Soka youth—are the “pillars of Japan” and the “pillars of the world”! If the pillar is thick and strong, the building is secure. If the resolve of the youth is deep and strong, the hope for humanity’s future is great.

I will never forget when, in my youth, I asked President Toda, “Why is the faith of fushaku shinmyo so important?”

He replied: “On this earth, people kill each other in wars. In the economy, it’s a world where the strong eat the weak, and it doesn’t always make people happy. Politics, science, education, and religion all involve human karma; society is complex and full of contradictions. Nowhere is there a fundamental path to happiness for everyone. Within all that, only the Buddhism of the Daishonin shows the way for fundamental human revolution. It teaches the orbit of eternal happiness. There is no more ultimate path in life. That is why it is worth risking one’s life for.”

The Daishonin stood at the head of the battle against the devilish nature of power and taught us the essence of a life without regret. It is the Soka mentors and disciples who inherit this. It is you, my beloved youth!

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The Passage (Gosho Text)

At this news I sent a messenger to him three times, saying: “If a person cannot manage to cross a moat ten feet wide, how can he cross one that is a hundred or two hundred feet? Izumi Shikibu, a licentious woman, violated one of the eight precepts by writing poetry, but still she made it rain with a poem. The priest Nōin, although he broke the precepts, was successful in bringing rainfall with a poem. How is it possible then that hundreds and thousands of priests, all of whom observe the two hundred and fifty precepts, gather to pray for rain and can do no more than raise a gale, even after one or two weeks of prayer? It should be clear from this that none of you will be able to attain rebirth in the Pure Land.” Ryōkan read the message and wept in vexation, and to others he reviled me.

When I reported what had happened with Ryōkan, Hei no Saemon attempted to defend him, but it was hopeless. In the end he was unable to utter a word. I will not record all of our conversation as it was too detailed. (WND-1, p. 766)

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Commentary

Exposing the Essence of the Oppressor

This scene shows the Daishonin speaking to Hei no Saemon-no-jo and the soldiers about the errors of the various schools and the reality of Ryokan—especially his total failure in praying for rain. As the Daishonin spoke, some people laughed while others became angry. Even in this tense arena of arrest, the Daishonin used the “power of his voice” and “power of speech” to seize the initiative.

The metaphor of the “one chang moat” was the Daishonin’s way of saying to Ryokan: “If you cannot do something simple before your eyes (bring rain), how can you achieve something as great as Buddhahood?”

At the time, people revered Ryokan as a “living Buddha,” but the Daishonin saw through his ugly nature. He appeared to cherish the precepts, but in reality, he was tied to power and driven by greed. The Daishonin exposed that Ryokan accumulated wealth and charged interest on loans. His “charity” of building roads and bridges was actually a burden on the people because he collected tolls and taxes from travelers.

When the truth about the rain prayers was exposed in front of the soldiers, even Hei no Saemon-no-jo was silenced. The scene of arrest was transformed into an arena for the triumph of the Daishonin’s justice through dialogue.

The Essence of Human Revolution

President Toda taught us many times to have this spirit of a battle of just speech. “Fight like the Daishonin!” “Do not retreat a single step!”

He called out: “Let us carry out Kosen-rufu to the end, so that we can meet Nichiren Daishonin at Eagle Peak and say with pride, ‘We, the Soka Gakkai, have achieved Kosen-rufu!'”

On July 3, 1957—just as Mr. Toda’s vow was nearing completion and the battle against authority was fierce—Mr. Toda handed me a copy of his newly published novel, The Human Revolution, at Haneda Airport as I was departing for Osaka.

In the afterword, titled “The Essence of Human Revolution,” he had written: “True human revolution is yet to come. I hope that you will fight through the three powerful enemies, shatter the three obstacles and four devils, and grasp the true great benefit—the essence of human revolution.”

Now, at last, let us achieve the “essence of human revolution”! Let us embark on the genuine struggle for Kosen-rufu!

Today, I want to entrust and pass on that burning resolve I received from President Toda to all of you, my young successors!

 

 

President Ikeda’s Lecture, May Issue (From the April–June 2012 Daibyakuenge)

Reveal the Highest Power of the Truth of Life!

On the clear day of May 3, 1951, Josei Toda was inaugurated as the second president of the Soka Gakkai. He defined the significance of that day as the “casting off the transient and revealing the true” (hossaku kenpon) of the Soka Gakkai, directly linked to Nichiren Daishonin.

President Toda said: “President Makiguchi used to say, almost as a habit, ‘The Soka Gakkai must cast off the transient and reveal the true.’ At first, no one understood what he meant. But through my two years of struggle in prison, I was finally able to respond to my late mentor: ‘Our lives are eternal. We are the Bodhisattvas of the Earth charged with the great mission of spreading the seven-character Lotus Sutra in the Latter Day of the Law.'”

With this, the Soka Gakkai as a whole gave rise to the magnificent realization: “We are the kin of the True Buddha, destined to spread the Law.” The proof of that realization was the inauguration of the second president.

Walk the Great Path of Your Mission!

The “casting off the transient and revealing the true” of the Soka Gakkai means nothing less than each individual standing up with the resolve of a disciple of Nichiren Daishonin to transform great hardships into Kosen-rufu.

A person who awakens to their fundamental state of life is truly great. The Daishonin demonstrated this through his conduct during the “Tatsunokuchi Persecution.” Using this persecution as a catalyst, he revealed his inner state—the Buddha of beginningless time (kuon ganjo), one with the Mystic Law—within his physical form as an ordinary person.

In this lecture, let us continue studying “The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra” to learn from this “revealing of the true” and the vast state of life of the King of Lions.

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The Passage (Gosho Text)

Tonight I am going to have my head cut off. This is something I have wished for for several years. In this saha world, when I was a pheasant, I was caught by a hawk; when I was a mouse, I was eaten by a cat. Or I lost my life for the sake of my wife and children more times than there are dust particles on the earth. But never once have I given my life for the sake of the Lotus Sutra. Therefore, though I was born as a poor priest, unable to repay my debt of gratitude to my parents or to the nation, I will now offer my head to the Lotus Sutra and transfer the resulting merit to my parents, and what remains to my disciples and lay supporters. (WND-1, p. 767)

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Commentary

A Stern Remonstrance to the Gods

On the night of September 12, 1271, the Daishonin was taken from the custody of the authorities and led toward Tatsunokuchi.

“Tonight I am going to have my head cut off.” These were the words the Daishonin spoke to his loyal disciple Shijo Kingo, who had rushed to his side. He told him that losing his life for the Lotus Sutra was something he had long desired. He felt that by offering his life, he could finally repay his debts of gratitude and share the resulting merit with his parents and all his followers.

On the way to the execution grounds, at Wakamiya Avenue, the Daishonin dismounted his horse and shouted a stern remonstrance to Great Bodhisattva Hachiman: “Are you truly a god? When the Lotus Sutra was preached, you vowed to protect its practitioners! I am the foremost practitioner in Japan, and I am guiltless! Why do you not fulfill your vow and come to my protection?”

He went so far as to say that if he were executed, he would report to Shakyamuni Buddha in the pure land that Hachiman and the Sun Goddess (Tensho Daijin) were gods who broke their vows. President Toda explained that this was a shout directed at the entire universe. The Daishonin taught us the fundamental posture of saving others and embracing them with benefit.

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The Passage (Gosho Text)

I said, “You are a sorry fellow! You should be laughing at this great joy! Why don’t you keep your promise?” I had no sooner said this than a brilliant object as bright as the moon flew from the direction of Enoshima, shooting across the sky from southeast to northwest. (WND-1, p. 767)

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Commentary

Victory Over All Demonic Forces

When they arrived at Tatsunokuchi and Shijo Kingo wept, saying “This is the end,” the Daishonin told him: “There is no greater joy than this. You should laugh!”

At that moment, a luminous object appeared from the direction of Enoshima. The soldiers were blinded and fell to the ground; the executioner could not strike. Despite the Daishonin’s urging—”Why do you delay? If it becomes light, it will be unsightly”—no one could act.

The vital fact is that no matter how tyrannical the power, it was overwhelmed by the Daishonin’s state of life. His powerful determination to “save all living beings no matter what” shattered the devilish nature of authority.

Herein lies the significance of the Daishonin’s hossaku kenpon. He did not become a “special” or “transcendental” being; rather, in the form of a prisoner—the most oppressed ordinary person—he opened and revealed the highest, true power of life. In his later writings, he noted that “Nichiren” the common mortal died at Tatsunokuchi, but his spirit reached Sado as the True Buddha of the Latter Day.

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The Passage (Gosho Text)

 Therefore, nothing is more joyful to me than to have been born in the Latter Day of the Law and to suffer persecutions because I propagate the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo. For more than twenty-two hundred years after the passing of the Buddha, no one, not even the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai Chih-che, experienced the truth of the passage in the sutra that says, “It [the Lotus Sutra] will face much hostility in the world and be difficult to believe.” Only I have fulfilled the prophecy from the sutra, “again and again we will be banished.”¹ The Buddha says, in reference to those who “listen to one verse or one phrase [of the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law],” that “I will bestow on all of them a prophecy [that they will attain supreme perfect enlightenment].” Thus there can be no doubt that I will reach supreme perfect enlightenment. It is the lord of Sagami above all who has been a good friend to me. Hei no Saemon is to me what Devadatta was to Shakyamuni Buddha. The Nembutsu priests are comparable to the Venerable Kokālika, and the observers of the precepts to the monk Sunakshatra. The age of the Buddha is none other than today, and our present age is none other than that of the Buddha. This is what the Lotus Sutra describes as the “true aspect of all phenomena” and as “consistency from beginning to end.” (WND-1, p. 770)

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Commentary

The Joy of Reading the Sutra with One’s Life

The Daishonin took pride in being the only one to “read” the sutra with his life—experiencing the banishments and hostility predicted therein. He even defined his persecutors, like Lord Tokimune or Hei no Saemon, as “good friends” (zenchishiki) or “positive influences,” because their actions allowed him to prove he was the Votary of the Lotus Sutra.

“The time of the Buddha is now, and our own time is that of the Buddha.” This principle remains unchanged today. To those at the center of Kosen-rufu, great evil acts as a foil that proves the greatness of good. If we live completely for the Mystic Law, we naturally come to realize that everything has meaning and can be used for the sake of Kosen-rufu. That is the state of Buddhahood.

The “King of Devils,” the most fierce of the three obstacles and four devils, often enters the bodies of influential people like sovereigns or parents to attack the practitioner. President Makiguchi often said we should “proactively bring out the devil to defeat it.” The three founding mentors of Soka have always led Kosen-rufu with the momentum to summon and see through these obstacles.

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The Passage (Gosho Text)

Devadatta was the foremost good friend to the Thus Come One Shakyamuni. In this age as well, it is not one’s allies but one’s powerful enemies who assist one’s progress. We find examples before our very eyes. The Hōjō clan in Kamakura could not have firmly established itself as the ruler of Japan had it not been for the challenges posed by Yoshimori and the Retired Emperor of Oki. In this sense these men were the best allies the ruling clan could have. For me, Nichiren, my best allies in attaining Buddhahood are Kagenobu, the priests Ryōkan, Dōryū, and Dōamidabutsu, and Hei no Saemon and the lord of Sagami. I am grateful when I think that without them I could not have proved myself to be the votary of the Lotus Sutra. (WND-1, p. 770)

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Commentary

“Persecutors are the Foremost Good Friends”

It is often our enemies, rather than our allies, who help us grow. Persecution brings out the honor and joy of being a practitioner. This is not about being “nice” to enemies; it is about fighting them and winning.

The Daishonin declares his victory by stating that he is “joyful.” This joy signifies winning the true battle of life: the attainment of Buddhahood. Even in the most wretched circumstances—the freezing cold of Sado or the threat of execution—he displayed a human power that no one could take away.

The Soka Gakkai: A Gathering of Bodhisattvas of the Earth

President Toda taught that hossaku kenpon also means “breaking through a deadlock.” When you feel you have hit a wall, you must summon great faith and practice to overcome it.

I took my first step toward world Kosen-rufu shortly after becoming the third president. Today, a global scrum of fighters for Kosen-rufu has spread. If the appearance of the Law is compared to a single day, the Daishonin’s struggle was the deepest part of the night. The prison struggles of Mr. Makiguchi and Mr. Toda were the time just before dawn. The Soka Gakkai’s “revealing of the true” is the “daybreak,” when the Sun of Buddhism begins to illuminate the earth.

Now, this Sun of Buddhism is like “youth at 8:00 AM,” brilliantly lighting the world. The Soka Gakkai is a group of Bodhisattvas of the Earth who appeared for the sake of Kosen-rufu. Our true potential is only beginning to be shown.

I want you, the youth, to stand up and demonstrate your own hossaku kenpon by breaking through deadlocks, creating infinite value, and running toward the completion of your mission!

 

 

President Ikeda’s Lecture, June Issue (From the April–June 2012 Daibyakuenge)

Stand as the “Pillars” for Kosen-rufu and the Transformation of Humanity’s Karma!

In May 1972, I visited the home of Dr. Arnold Toynbee, the greatest historian of the 20th century, in London, beginning a dialogue that would span two years. While our themes were diverse, I asked him a question related to his research: “Dr. Toynbee, what is it that you wish to do most right now?”

It may have been a sudden question, but the Doctor replied with a gentle, deep gaze:

“I would like to continue doing exactly what we are doing in this room right now. In other words, what our dialogue here represents is an effort to unite all of humanity as a single family. I believe this is of the utmost importance; for humanity to survive, we must become one single, great family.”

All of humanity as one family! Dialogue for that purpose! Dialogue to the very end! In those words, I felt I caught a glimpse of the inner fighter and the profound compassion of Dr. Toynbee, who believed so deeply in human potential.

Becoming the “Spiritual Pillar” of Humanity

Can the “world” where this great family resides truly become one “home”? What Dr. Toynbee and I confirmed was the hope that religion—specifically Mahayana Buddhism—would surely play a major role in the future of humanity.

Without a “spiritual pillar,” neither a home, nor a society, nor humanity itself can truly prosper. Nichiren Daishonin sought to build a society based on the spirit of the Lotus Sutra—the essence of Mahayana Buddhism—as its fundamental pillar. To that end, he stood up alone to awaken the rulers and save the nation through the spirit of Buddhist wisdom and compassion.

In the midst of persecution, the Daishonin cried out: “I will be the pillar of Japan” (The Opening of the Eyes, WND-1, p. 280) “Nichiren is the pillar and beam of Japan. Doing away with me is toppling the pillar of Japan!” (The Selection of the Time, WND-1, p. 579)

In The Actions of the Votary of the Lotus Sutra, the Daishonin demonstrated this soulful message through his own behavior, both for his disciples struggling against hardship and for the future of all humanity. Let us learn from the “faith of the disciple” that follows the Daishonin’s spirit of protecting the people.

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The Gosho Passage (1)

The priests proceeded to cite the doctrines of Great Concentration and Insight and the True Word and the Nembutsu teachings. I responded to each, establishing the exact meaning of what had been said, then coming back with questions. However, I needed to ask only one or two at most before they were completely silenced. They were far inferior even to the True Word, Zen, Nembutsu, and Tendai priests in Kamakura, so you can imagine how the debate went. I overturned them as easily as a sharp sword cutting through a melon or a gale bending the grass. They not only were poorly versed in the Buddhist teachings but contradicted themselves. They confused sutras with treatises or commentaries with treatises.  (WND-1, p. 771)

 

Commentary

The Conduct of a “King”

At the Sanmai-do in Tsukahara, Sado—a place closed in by deep snow and biting winds—the Daishonin spent his days chanting Nam-myoho-ren-ge-kyo and discussing the profound meaning of the Lotus Sutra with the moon and stars. Because he possessed the vast state of life of a King of Lions who feared nothing, he made the “Law” his fundamental standard even in exile.

As we confirmed previously, the Daishonin viewed his persecutors as “good friends” (zenchishiki) who helped him prove his identity as the Votary of the Lotus Sutra. Meanwhile, hundreds of priests from other schools in Sado were in a frenzy, plotting to take his life.

Honma Rokuro Saemon-no-jo, the official in charge, restrained them, saying: “The Shogunate has sent orders not to kill him. He is no ordinary exile. If an accident happens, it is my responsibility. Challenge him with doctrine instead.”

Thus, on January 16, 1272, the “Tsukahara Debate” took place. Priests from Sado and neighboring provinces gathered in massive numbers. Their hatred was so intense it was described as “like thundering lightning”—an extraordinary scene of abuse and shouting.

However, the Daishonin remained composed. After letting them speak, he admonished them: “Be quiet. You came for a debate, did you not? Abusive language is meaningless.” Even the officials agreed and restrained the rowdy Nembutsu priests.

Once the debate began, it was a one-sided victory. The Daishonin would clarify their positions and then point out their errors. They were silenced instantly. He described it as “a sharp sword cutting a melon.” They were so ignorant they confused the basic categories of Buddhist texts. Many were so moved by his logic and dignity that they discarded their prayer beads and vowed never to chant the Nembutsu again.

Following the debate, the Daishonin asked Honma when he would return to Kamakura. When Honma replied he would go in July after the farming was done, the Daishonin told him: “A warrior should rush to his master’s side during an emergency to win fame and land. While you speak of farming, a war is about to break out.”

Honma could not understand this at the time. But the Daishonin was certain that “internal strife” (jikai hangyaku-nan) would occur. Within a month, the “February Rebellion”—an internal conflict within the ruling Hojo clan—became a reality. Stunned by the fulfillment of this prophecy, Honma became a devoted follower.

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The Gosho Passage (2)

After everyone had gone, I began to put into shape a work in two volumes called The Opening of the Eyes, which I had been working on since the eleventh month of the previous year. I wanted to record the wonder of Nichiren, in case I should be beheaded. The essential message in this work is that the destiny of Japan depends solely upon Nichiren. A house without pillars collapses, and a person without a soul is dead. Nichiren is the soul of the people of this country. Hei no Saemon has already toppled the pillar of Japan, and the country grows turbulent as unfounded rumors and speculation rise up like phantoms to cause dissension in the ruling clan. Further, Japan is about to be attacked by a foreign country, as I described in my On Establishing the Correct Teaching. Having written to this effect, I entrusted the manuscript to Nakatsukasa Saburō Saemon-no-jō’s messenger. The disciples around me thought that what I had written was too provocative, but they could not stop me.

Just then a ship arrived at the island on the eighteenth day of the second month. It carried the news that fighting had broken out in Kamakura and then in Kyoto, causing indescribable suffering. Rokurō Saemon, leading his men, left on fast ships that night for Kamakura. Before departing, he humbly begged for my assistance with palms joined.

He said: “I have been doubting the truth of the words you spoke on the sixteenth day of last month, but they have come true in less than thirty days. I see now that the Mongols will surely attack us, and it is equally certain that believers in Nembutsu are doomed to the hell of incessant suffering. I will never chant the Nembutsu again.”

To this I replied: “Whatever I may say, unless the lord of Sagami heeds my words, the people of Japan will not heed them either, and in that case our country will surely be ruined. Although I myself may be insignificant, I propagate the Lotus Sutra and therefore am the envoy of Shakyamuni Buddha. The Sun Goddess and Great Bodhisattva Hachiman, who are insignificant, are treated with great respect in this country, but they are only petty gods as compared with Brahmā, Shakra, the gods of the sun and moon, and the four heavenly kings. It is said, however, that to kill someone who serves these two gods is equal to the sin of killing seven and a half ordinary persons. The grand minister of state and lay priest and the Retired Emperor of Oki perished because they did so. Thus, persecuting me is incomparably worse than molesting the servants of those two gods. As I am the envoy of Shakyamuni Buddha, the lord of teachings, the Sun Goddess and Great Bodhisattva Hachiman should bow their heads before me, press their palms together, and prostrate themselves. The votary of the Lotus Sutra is attended by Brahmā and Shakra on either side, and the gods of the sun and moon light his path before and behind. Even if my counsel is heeded, if I am not given due respect as the votary of the Lotus Sutra, then the country will perish. How ominous that the authorities have turned hundreds of persons against me and have even banished me twice! This country is surely doomed, but since I have asked the gods to withhold their punishment on our land, it has survived until now. However, that punishment has finally descended because these unreasonable actions continued. (WND-1, p. 772)

 

Commentary

Presenting The Opening of the Eyes to Disciples

Though he had escaped execution at Tatsunokuchi, the Daishonin remained an exile whose life could be taken at any moment. With this resolve, he authored The Opening of the Eyes (Kaimoku Sho) to record his state of life—his “casting off the transient and revealing the true” (hossaku kenpon).

The “heart of The Opening of the Eyes” is this: “Nichiren is the pillar of Japan; the soul of its people.” To persecute him was to topple the very pillar of the nation. He predicted that the “two disasters” of internal strife and foreign invasion were now inevitable.

When he sent this work to Shijo Kingo and other disciples in Kamakura, the disciples nearby were worried that his claims were too provocative. Yet, the Daishonin’s resolve was unshakable. Why did he speak so strongly? Because the “Law” of the Mystic Law is supreme. As he wrote elsewhere: “Hence, if the Law that one embraces is supreme, then the person who embraces it must accordingly be foremost among all others. And if that is so, then to speak ill of that person is to speak ill of the Law.” (Questions and Answers about Embracing the Lotus Sutra, WND-1, p. 61).

His “soul” was the “vow for Kosen-rufu”—the “heart of the Buddha.” It is the burning passion that says, “I will not let a single person be unhappy.”

Sixty years ago, President Toda published an essay titled “Humbly Reading a Passage from The Opening of the Eyes.” He wrote:

“Rather than trying to understand the words, I seek to touch the Buddha’s great compassion, his magnificent conviction, and his solemn spirit of Kosen-rufu… Every time I read the Gosho, his heart pierces mine like the midsummer sun.”

Proclaiming Kosen-rufu from the Depth of Adversity

The Daishonin’s declaration of being the “Pillar,” the “Eyes,” and the “Great Ship” of Japan was a great vow to save all people. Even in the worst adversity of exile, he loudly proclaimed the realization of Kosen-rufu in the Latter Day. This was the “soul” of the Sado period. He sought to raise all people to the state of Buddhahood and save the world.

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The Gosho Passage (3)

When the former governor of Musashi heard this, he decided there was no need to report it to the regent. Instead he sent private orders that any followers of Nichiren in the province of Sado should be driven out of the province or imprisoned. He also sent official letters containing similar instructions. He did so three times. I will not attempt to describe what happened during this period—you can probably imagine. Some people were thrown into prison because they were said to have walked past my hut, others were exiled because they were reported to have given me donations, or their wives and children were taken into custody. The former governor of Musashi then reported what he had done to the regent. But quite contrary to his expectations, the regent issued a letter of pardon on the fourteenth day of the second month in the eleventh year of Bun’ei (1274), which reached Sado on the eighth day of the third month.

The Nembutsu priests held another council. “This man, the archenemy of the Buddha Amida and slanderer of the Reverend Shan-tao and the Honorable Hōnen, has incurred the wrath of the authorities and happened to be banished to this island. How can we bear to see him pardoned and allowed to return home alive!”

While they were engaged in various plots, for some reason there was an unexpected change in the weather. A favorable wind began to blow, and I was able to leave the island. The strait can be crossed in three days with a favorable wind, but not even in fifty or a hundred days when the weather is bad. I crossed over in no time at all.

Thereupon the Nembutsu priests, observers of the precepts, and True Word priests of the provincial capital of Echigo and Zenkō-ji temple in Shinano gathered from all directions to hold a meeting. “What a shame that the Sado priests should have allowed Nichiren to return alive! Whatever we do, we must not let this priest make his way past the living body of the Buddha Amida.”

But in spite of their machinations, a number of warriors from the provincial government office in Echigo were dispatched to escort me. Thus I was able to pass safely by Zenkō-ji, and the Nembutsu priests were powerless to stop me. I left the island of Sado on the thirteenth day of the third month, and arrived in Kamakura on the twenty-sixth day of the same month. (WND-1, pp. 773-774)

 

Commentary

 Overcoming Persecution and Returning to Kamakura

Fearing the Daishonin’s increasing influence, Nembutsu priests slandered him to Hojo Nobutoki, claiming he was cursing the government. Nobutoki issued illegal orders to persecute anyone who supported the Daishonin.

But conspiracy is the proof of evil. No despicable plot could trap the Daishonin. His disciples endured with all their might. On March 8, 1274, the pardon arrived. Despite the priests’ attempts to ambush him during his journey, the Daishonin was protected by many soldiers. On March 26, he finally returned to Kamakura. This was a “triumphant return” for the disciples who had waited so long.

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The Gosho Passage (4)

On the eighth day of the fourth month, I met with Hei no Saemon. In contrast to his behavior on previous occasions, his manner was quite mild, and he treated me with courtesy. An accompanying lay priest asked me about the Nembutsu, a layman asked about the True Word school, and another person asked about Zen, while Hei no Saemon himself inquired whether it was possible to attain the way through any of the sutras preached before the Lotus Sutra. I replied to each of these questions by citing passages from the sutras.

Then Hei no Saemon, apparently acting on behalf of the regent, asked when the Mongol forces would invade Japan. I replied: “They will surely come within this year. I have already expressed my opinion on this matter, but it has not been heeded. If you try to treat someone’s illness without knowing its cause, you will only make the person sicker than before. In the same way, if the True Word priests are permitted to try to overcome the Mongols with their prayers and imprecations, they will only bring about the country’s military defeat. Under no circumstances whatever should the True Word priests, or the priests of any other schools for that matter, be allowed to offer up prayers. If each of you has a real understanding of Buddhism, you will understand this matter on hearing me explain it to you.

“Also, I notice that, although advice from others is heeded, when I offer advice, it is for some strange reason invariably ignored. Nevertheless, I would like to state certain facts here so that you may think them over later. The Retired Emperor of Oki was the sovereign of the nation, and the acting administrator [Hōjō Yoshitoki] was his subject, [and yet the latter attacked and defeated the retired emperor]. Why would the Sun Goddess permit a subject to attack a sovereign, who should be like a father to him? Why would Great Bodhisattva Hachiman allow a vassal to attack the lord with impunity? And yet, as we know, the sovereign and the courtiers supporting him were defeated by Hōjō Yoshitoki. That defeat was no mere accident. It came about because they put their faith in the misleading teachings of the Great Teacher Kōbō and the biased views of the great teachers Jikaku and Chishō, and because the priests of Mount Hiei, Tō-ji, and Onjō-ji, in their opposition to the Kamakura shogunate, offered prayers for its defeat. Thus their curses ‘rebounded upon the originator,’²⁴ and as a consequence the sovereign and his courtiers were forced to suffer defeat. The military leaders in Kamakura knew nothing of such rituals, so no prayers to subdue the enemy were offered; thus they were able to win. But if they now depend on such prayers, they will meet the same fate as the courtiers.

“The Ezo people of northern Japan have no understanding of the principles of birth and death. Andō Gorō was a pious man who knew the law of cause and effect and erected many Buddhist halls and pagodas. How could it happen, then, that the Ezo beheaded him? In view of these events, I have no doubt that, if these priests are allowed to go on offering prayers for victory, Your Lordship will meet with some untoward event. And when that happens, you must not under any circumstances say that I failed to warn you.” Such was the stern manner in which I addressed him. (WND-1, pp. 774-775)

 

Commentary

The Third Remonstrance with the Sovereign

This was the Daishonin’s third and final remonstrance. The Shogunate’s attitude had changed to one of courtesy, but it was merely a tactic to co-opt him. They asked for his prophecy on the Mongol invasion. The Daishonin warned that relying on the misleading prayers of the True Word priests would only lead to ruin.

Hei no Saemon offered the Daishonin a temple in an attempt to make him a state priest, but the Daishonin refused to be used for the preservation of power. He maintained his lofty spirit: “Even if it seems that, because I was born in the ruler’s domain, I follow him in my actions, I will never follow him in my heart.” (The Selection of the Time, WND-1, p. 579).

He stood by his vow to be the “Pillar of Japan,” refusing to compromise. His purpose was the happiness and peace of the people. Having remonstrated three times without being heeded, he followed the custom of the ancients and left for Mount Minobu in May. In October of that year, the first Mongol invasion (the Bun’ei Incident) occurred.

Kosen-rufu Is a Movement from One Person to the Next

While the Shogunate made the wrong choice, the Daishonin poured his life into fostering disciples at Minobu. The struggle for Kosen-rufu never ends.

“At first only Nichiren chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, but then two, three, and a hundred followed, chanting and teaching others. Propagation will unfold this way in the future as well. Does this not signify “emerging from the earth?” (The True Aspect of All Phenomena, WND-1, p. 385)

When a disciple stands up with the same vow as the mentor, Kosen-rufu advances. This is the path to transforming the karma of humanity. The three presidents of Soka have taught us this through their own actions. Because of their spirit, Buddhism has spread to 192 countries and territories.

The Mentor’s Words: “Youth Are the Pillars of the Nation”

Dr. Lokesh Chandra, director of the International Academy of Indian Culture, once shared how his father, Dr. Raghu Vira, was deeply moved by the Daishonin’s words: “I will be the pillar of Japan. I will be the eyes of Japan. I will be the great ship of Japan.” He saw the Daishonin as a model of human greatness in the face of adversity.

Humanity now stands at a crossroads. Can we transform our karma? President Toda cried out: “Youth are the pillars of the nation!” Today, I call out again: “Youth are the pillars of the 21st century! Youth of the world, stand up alone!”

Kosen-rufu is an unprecedented movement where each individual, through their “behavior” as a practitioner of the Mystic Law, stands up as a “pillar” for the transformation of humanity’s karma.

Together with the youth who shoulder the glorious future of the Soka Gakkai—directly linked to the True Buddha—the time has come to let the flowers of victory bloom!