Gosho Passage 9
But since you are hot-tempered by nature, you might not take my advice. In that case, it will be beyond the power of my prayers to save you.
Ryūzō-bō and your elder brother plotted evil against you. Therefore, the heavenly gods so contrived it that the situation would develop exactly as you wished. Then how can you now dare to go against the wish of the heavenly gods? Even if you had accumulated a thousand or ten thousand treasures, of what use would they be if your lord should forsake you? He already looks to you as if you were his own parent, following you as water follows the shape of its container, longing for you as a calf longs for its mother, and relying on you as an elderly person relies on his staff. Is not his regard for you due to the aid of the Lotus Sutra? How envious your fellow retainers must be! You must hurry and talk with these four men and report to me how the matter goes. Then I will fervently pray to the heavenly gods for your protection.
Lecture: The World Awaits “Behavior That Respects All People”
After giving extensive guidance, the Daishonin reiterates: “Because you are short-tempered, you may not heed my advice. If so, the power of Nichiren’s prayers will be of no avail.”
The Daishonin emphasizes that prayers can be answered only when the hearts of mentor and disciple are united. Among all disciples, none protected the Daishonin at the risk of his life more than Kingo. Yet acting rashly would mean reverting to foolishness and departing from the path of mentor and disciple. Hence, the Daishonin states that even his prayers would lose their efficacy.
This repeated warning against short-temperedness prompted Kingo to reflect deeply. It followed immediately upon the instruction to build harmonious relations with the four night watchmen. “Many in body, one in mind” and the “oneness of mentor and disciple” are the vital foundations of Buddhist practice. Without them, the flow of kosen-rufu would be severed.
The Daishonin then asks Kingo to report after befriending these men, promising: “If you do so, I will pray earnestly to heaven on your behalf.”
This captures the essence of personal guidance: encouragement does not end on the spot. The person offering guidance continues to pray until a breakthrough is achieved.
The Soka Gakkai upholds this spirit of responsible leadership: offering sincere encouragement, setting goals, running alongside the member as a team, and praying until results are produced.
Lord Ema’s trust, slander and ambushes from colleagues, opposition from his eldest brother, friction with other siblings, and discord among fellow believers—the Daishonin addressed each of these concerns with familial affection.
Cherishing every single individual is the essence of Buddhist humanism.
Buddhist scriptures record how Shakyamuni adapted his teachings to the capacities of individuals.
Once, Shakyamuni encountered a mother grieving over the loss of her child. He told her: “Go into the city and bring back mustard seeds from a house where no one has ever died, and I will make medicine to restore your child.” Searching from house to house, she realized that every family had experienced the loss of loved ones. Awakening to the impermanence of life, she became his disciple.
On another occasion, Shakyamuni found Suddhipanthaka weeping alone, unable to memorize a single short verse and abandoned by his peers. Shakyamuni told him: “You recognize your own limitations. Suddhipanthaka, one who knows their limitations is truly wise. The most foolish person is one who thinks they are wise.” Encouraged by Shakyamuni, Suddhipanthaka eventually became a revered teacher.
This humanistic stream of cherishing the individual and demonstrating behavior that respects others is inherited within the Soka Gakkai today. Presidents Makiguchi and Toda cherished each individual unconditionally.
President Makiguchi traveled across Japan, taking long train rides despite his advanced age, simply to meet a single person and encourage a single household. He listened to each family’s concerns and taught the basics of faith in daily life.
Furthermore, he held personal guidance sessions at his home in Mejiro weekly, dedicating himself to encouraging members. This continued until his arrest in Shimoda, where “personal guidance” was listed in the indictment against him.
President Toda practiced this same dedication. Forgetting this core humanism causes organizations to lose their spiritual foundation.
Humanism will define the twenty-first century. Scholars worldwide share this recognition.
Modern civilization faces a weakening of meaningful human bonds and risks deeper divisions among nations, ethnicities, and cultures. The world seeks a philosophy that fosters behavior respecting all people to overcome these divides. Soka Gakkai and SGI members embody this through their character, earning recognition for practicing the modern bodhisattva way.
“Behavior as a human being” is an actionable philosophy offering a new human model for global civilization. The world awaits such practitioners. Our behavior of cherishing each person is praised across nations as a standard of character for a new era.