Gosho Passage 4
Ryūzō-bō, whom these people count on as their pillar of strength, has already been toppled, and those who spoke falsely of you have contracted the same disease as your lord. Because Ryōkan is guilty of a much graver offense, it is more than likely that he will meet with or cause a bad accident. Surely he will not escape unharmed.
Lecture: Justice Is Proven Only Through Victory!
There is no lasting prosperity for the wicked. In light of the strict law of cause and effect in the Mystic Law, the distinction between justice and falsehood is absolute.
Ryuzo-bo, whom Kingo’s detractors relied upon as their main pillar, fell ill, and the colleagues who slandered Kingo were stricken with the same illness.
Furthermore, regarding Ryokan, who engaged in cowardly schemes, the Daishonin stated: “Since he has committed offenses of even greater gravity, he will by no means escape unscathed.”
Had the Daishonin not appeared, Ryokan of Gokuraku-ji Temple might have continued to be revered as a “living Buddha” without his true character being exposed. However, after losing the rainmaking contest and suffering disgrace, Ryokan ingratiated himself further with those in power to plot the Daishonin’s persecution.
Even after the Daishonin entered Mount Minobu, Ryokan, driven by vanity and self-preservation, lived in fear that his true nature would be exposed, trembling before the power of the Buddha. Despite putting on a brave front, his heart was gripped by constant anxiety. The deeper one sinks into negativity, the more miserable one feels in the depths of one’s life.
There is a saying: “The victory of demagogues is temporary, but their ruin is eternal.” Instigators of falsehood live lives of enduring regret, ending as defeated individuals within their own hearts.
During this period, Shijo Kingo triumphed, and the Ikegami brothers triumphed. This represented the total defeat of Ryokan, who had plotted the persecution of the Daishonin’s disciples. His schemes ended in utter failure. The disciples dealt a decisive counterblow to negativity.
“Although evils may be numerous, they cannot prevail over a single truth.” When mentor and disciple are united as one, they can unfailingly defeat devilish forces in the end.
Overcoming negativity opens a new era. The drama of Shijo Kingo was a prime example of the forces of the Buddha triumphing over devilish forces through “behavior as a human being.”
Even in contemporary times, the world seeks genuine humanism. There is no doubt that “behavior as a human being” will become increasingly vital.
President Toda often said: “No matter how much one speaks of sincerity and integrity, without action, it amounts to nothing.” Action is paramount. Today, the world earnestly anticipates actions rooted in “behavior as a human being.”
Our stage is opening toward the future: toward the Century of the People, the Century of Women, the Century of Youth, the Century of Children, the Century of Peace, the Century of Culture, the Century of Education, the Century of Humanitarianism, and the Century of Life. The twenty-first century is unfolding, and the era where our “behavior as a human being” shines brightly has arrived.