In your letter, you write as follows: “As soon as your letter reached me, the doubts that I had previously entertained were swept away, just as a strong wind blows away the layers of cloud and the bright moon comes into view. For people of the present age, however, whether high or low, these teachings are difficult to believe. That is because the Lotus Sutra promises that those who practice the Buddha’s teachings ‘will enjoy peace and security in their present existence and good circumstances in future existences.’² If this is so, then why is it that the priest Nichiren, though he calls himself a votary of the Lotus Sutra, should meet with so much persecution? People are saying that it must be because he is untrue to the Buddha’s will.”

With regard to these unjust criticisms, however, the persecutions I have encountered are due to my karma from past existences.³ There is no need to be surprised at my having incurred the wrath of the government authorities.

By way of explanation, if you examine the text of the Lotus Sutra, you will find it stated that in the Latter Day of the Law, when people practice the Lotus Sutra just as it teaches, they are bound to meet with many persecutions. This is made perfectly clear in the text, and anyone who has eyes need only look to see what is there.

Thus, for example, the fourth volume of the Lotus Sutra says, “Since hatred and jealousy toward this sutra abound even when the Thus Come One is in the world, how much more will this be so after his passing?”⁴ And the fifth volume reads, “It will face much hostility in the world and be difficult to believe.”⁵ It also says, “There will be many ignorant people who will curse and speak ill of us and will attack us with swords and staves, with rocks and tiles.”⁶ And it continues: “In that evil age there will be monks [with perverse wisdom] . . . Or there will be forest-dwelling monks wearing clothing of patched rags and living in retirement . . . they will preach the Law to white-robed laymen and will be respected and revered by the world as though they were arhats who possess the six transcendental powers. . . . Because in the midst of the great assembly they constantly try to defame us, they will address the rulers, high ministers, Brahmans, and householders, as well as the other monks, slandering and speaking evil of us . . . Evil demons will take possession of others and through them curse, revile, and heap shame on us. . . . again and again we will be banished.”⁷

The Nirvana Sutra says: “There are icchantikas, or persons of incorrigible disbelief. They pretend to be arhats, living in deserted places and speaking slanderously of the correct and equal sutras of the great vehicle. When ordinary people see them, they all suppose that they are true arhats and speak of them as great bodhisattvas.” It also says: “After the Former Day of the Law has ended and the Middle Day of the Law has begun, there will be monks who will give the appearance of abiding by the rules of monastic discipline. But they will scarcely ever read or recite the sutras, and instead will crave all kinds of food and drink to nourish their bodies. . . . Though they wear the clothes of a monk, they will go about searching for alms like so many huntsmen who, narrowing their eyes, stalk softly. They will be like a cat on the prowl for mice.” The Parinirvāna Sutra states, “There are also icchantikas who resemble arhats but who commit evil deeds.”

Now when I hold up this bright mirror of the sutra texts and turn it toward the country of Japan, all is reflected there without the slightest obscurity. The “forest-dwelling monks wearing clothing of patched rags and living in retirement”—who are they? Those who are “respected and revered by the world as though they were arhats who possess the six transcendental powers”—who are they? “When ordinary people see them, they all suppose that they are true arhats and speak of them as great bodhisattvas”—to whom does this refer? Those who “give the appearance of abiding by the rules of monastic discipline but scarcely ever read or recite the sutras”—who are they?

As we see from these passages of scripture, the Buddha Shakyamuni observed with his Buddha eye the situation that would prevail at the beginning of the Latter Day of the Law. If in the present age there were no persons of the type that he described, then the World-Honored One would be guilty of false and baseless talk. [And if that were the case,] who would put faith in the theoretical and essential teachings of the Lotus Sutra, and in the doctrine of the eternally inherent Buddha nature that was preached in the grove of sal trees?⁸

Now when, in order to prove the truth of the Buddha’s words, I read these sutra passages and apply them to this country of Japan, I interpret them as follows. The passage about “forest-dwelling monks” who are “living in deserted places” refers to [the priests of] Kenchō-ji, Jufuku-ji, Gokuraku-ji, Kennin-ji, Tōfuku-ji, and the other temples of the Zen, Precepts, and Nembutsu schools in Japan. These diabolical temples have appeared in the world in order to bring destruction upon the Buddhist temples of the Lotus, or Tendai, school on Mount Hiei and in other places.

Those who “wear clothing of patched rags” and “give the appearance of abiding by the rules of monastic discipline” are the present-day observers of the precepts with their surplices made from five, seven, or nine pieces of cloth.⁹ Those who are “respected and revered by the world” and “spoken of as great bodhisattvas” are men like Dōryū, Ryōkan, and Shōichi. The “world” that looks up to them refers to the ruler of the nation and others like him in our present age. And the “ignorant people” and “ordinary people” are all the people of Japan, both high and low.

Because I am an ordinary person, I am unable to believe in the Buddha’s teaching. But with regard to what I am saying here, I know the situation as well as one knows fire or water when one touches one’s hand to it.

According to the scripture,¹⁰ if a votary of the Lotus Sutra should appear, he will be cursed and reviled, attacked with swords and staves, and banished. But if one applies this passage of the sutra to the world today, not a single person is found whom it fits. Who then should be looked upon as the votary of the Lotus Sutra?

Could it be that the enemies of the Lotus Sutra have made their appearance, but that no one exists who upholds the sutra? But that would be like saying that there is an east, but no west, or that heaven exists, but earth does not. Were this the case, the words of the Buddha would be no more than lies, would they not?

It may seem like self-praise on my part, but having pondered this, I will give credence to the words of the Buddha. I, the priest Nichiren, am the votary referred to in the scripture.