Reply to Matsuno
Background
This letter was written at Minobu to Matsuno Rokurō Saemon, one of Nichiren Daishonin’s followers, who lived in Matsuno of Suruga Province. In this letter, the Daishonin expresses his appreciation for Matsuno’s offerings and encourages him to chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with earnest faith throughout his life. In this way, urges the Daishonin, Matsuno will be able to experience Buddhahood at the moment of his death.
Main Text
I HAVE received one thousand coins, one shō of oil, one robe, and ten writing brushes. I cannot adequately express my appreciation for the sincerity that you have always shown me, so I will leave it to the Lotus Sutra and to Shakyamuni Buddha.
As I have been saying for some time, in your situation as a lay believer, you should just single-mindedly chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo morning and evening, day and night, and observe what happens at the last moments of your life. At that time, hasten to the summit of perfect enlightenment, and look around you in all directions. The entire realm of phenomena will have changed into the Land of Tranquil Light, with the ground made of lapis lazuli, the eight paths1 marked off by golden ropes, the four kinds of flowers2 raining down from the heavens, music resounding in the air, and Buddhas and bodhisattvas all being caressed by breezes of eternity, happiness, true self, and purity. We, too, will surely be among their number. The Lotus Sutra is indeed such a splendid sutra!
I am pressed for time, so I will not go into detail.
With my deep respect,
Nichiren
The ninth day of the ninth month in the third year of Kenji (1277), cyclical sign hinoto-ushi
Reply to Matsuno
Postscript: Would you kindly send me about ten ryō of magnolia tree seeds?3
Notes
1. The eight paths lead in eight directions, that is, toward the eight points of the compass.
2. Māndārava, great māndārava, manjūshaka , and great manjūshaka flowers. Fragrant red and white flowers that, according to ancient Indian tradition, bloom in heaven.
3. Magnolia is a deciduous tree native to China, which grows to a height of about ten meters. It has feather-shaped, compound leaves and produces small yellow flowers in summer. Its hard, round seeds were strung together to make prayer beads. “Ten ryō” would weigh about 1.6 kilograms.
Lecture
This letter was written at Minobu on September 9, 1277 (the third year of Kenji), addressed to Matsuno Rokurō Saemon. In it, Nichiren Daishonin expresses his appreciation for Matsuno’s sincere offerings, encourages his faith, and states that if one chants Daimoku day and night, morning and evening, one will attain the state of Buddhahood at the moment of death.
Gosho Passage
“You should just single-mindedly chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo morning and evening, day and night, and observe what happens at the last moments of your life.“
Commentary
“Just single-mindedly” (yonen mo naku) means not directing one’s faithful mind toward anything other than the Gohonzon. It refers to a faith of “faith means to be free of doubt” (mugi-watsu-shin), believing single-mindedly in the Gohonzon without giving rise to even the slightest doubt. The Daishonin instructs us to earnestly chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo day and night, morning and evening, with such single-minded faith, and face the moment of death. He assures us that attaining absolute Buddhahood is beyond doubt.
The moment of human death marks the grand culmination of one’s good and bad karma in this life, as well as the very first step toward future existences. Therefore, the moment of death is of paramount importance. Because one’s single mind at the moment of death determines future Buddhahood, it can be said that our daily faith is maintained precisely for the sake of correct mind at the moment of death (rinjū shōnen).
In The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life (Shōji Ichidaiji Keimyaku Shō), the Daishonin states:
“Be resolved to summon forth the great power of faith, and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with the prayer that your faith will be steadfast and correct at the moment of death. Never seek any other way to inherit the ultimate Law of life and death, and manifest it in your life. Only then will you realize that earthly desires are enlightenment, and that the sufferings of birth and death are nirvana. “
Furthermore, the physical appearance at death (rinjū no sō) is regarded as crucial evidence reflecting correct mind at the moment of death. In Reply to Myōhō-ni (Myōhō-ni Gohenji), it is stated:
“IN your letter you write that your husband chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo day and night. You say that when the time drew near he chanted twice in a loud voice. And that his complexion was whiter than it had been in life, and that he didn’t lose his looks.
The Lotus Sutra reads, “[This reality consists of] the appearance . . . and their consistency from beginning to end.” The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom reads, “Those with a dark complexion at the moment of death will fall into hell.” The Protection Sutra reads, “There are fifteen types of signs that appear at one’s death showing that one will fall into hell. There are eight types of signs showing that one will be reborn in the realm of hungry spirits. There are five types of signs showing that one will be reborn in the realm of animals.” The Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai’s Great Concentration and Insight reads, “The body turning dark represents the darkness of hell.”
Looking back, I have been studying the Buddha’s teachings since I was a boy. And I found myself thinking, “The life of a human being is fleeting. The exhaled breath never waits for the inhaled one. Even dew before the wind is hardly a sufficient metaphor. It is the way of the world that whether one is wise or foolish, old or young, one never knows what will happen to one from one moment to the next. Therefore I should first of all learn about death, and then about other things.”
So I gathered and considered the sacred teachings of Shakyamuni’s entire lifetime, as well as the writings and commentaries of scholars and teachers. Then I applied them as a bright mirror to the moment of people’s deaths and what followed after death, and found not the slightest discrepancy.”
In Letter to Brothers (Kyōdai Shō), he writes:
“Death comes to all, even should nothing untoward ever happen. Therefore, you must never be cowardly, or you will become the object of ridicule.”
In Making Clear the Meaning of Establishing the Correct Teaching (Ken Ritsushō I Shō), he strictly warns:
“If among my disciples there are those whose faith is weak and paltry, then when they are on their deathbed, they will manifest signs that they are destined for the Avīchi hell. And at that time, they must not hold me to blame!”
In High Priest Nikkan’s Admonitions for the Moment of Death (Rinjū Yōjin Shō), it is written:
“Sanjie of the Zen sect lost his voice and died; Shan-wu-wei of the Shingon sect turned black; Shan-tao of the Pure Land sect fell into madness and frenzy. Since the patriarchs of other sects were like this, their followers should understand its meaning. The mentor is like a needle, and the disciple or lay supporter is like a thread. That a person enters the Avīci hell at death refers to this.” This illustrates the signs of falling into hell manifested by teachers of erroneous doctrines.
As the Daishonin instructs, if we chant Daimoku day and night without other thoughts and, at the moment of death, pass away while chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with absolute conviction in the benefit of the Gohonzon, we will be able to enter the state of Buddhahood, just as expressed in the passage: “At that time, hasten to the summit of perfect enlightenment, and look around you in all directions.”