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High Priest 5.4.14 Guidance from Sixty-eighth High Priest Nichinyo Shonin On the Occasion of the May Kōsen-rufu Shōdai Ceremony May 4, 2014 Reception Hall, Head Temple Taisekiji On this occasion of the May Kōsen-rufu Shōdai Ceremony, conducted here today at the Head Temple, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to the large number of participants in attendance. The month of May which is the middle phase of the year, already has begun. I imagine both the priesthood and laity have united, based on the spirit of itai dōshin, and are devoting themselves to their practice, day and night, aiming toward the achievement of their shakubuku goals. We are commemorating the 770th anniversary of Second High Priest Nikko Shonin in March of next year. By then, we must achieve our goals―to increase the membership of all Hokkeko chapters by 50 percent, which the members of every chapter made vows in front of the three treasures. I sincerely pray that every chapter will achieve their goals and then report their achievement to the three treasures in high spirits, where the Buddha looks upon us. “On the Six Difficult and Nine Easy Acts” (“Rokunan kui-shō ”) Even if one does not study the sutra, chanting the Daimoku alone is a tremendous good cause. [The Lotus Sutra states that] evil people, women, those of the worlds of animality and hell—those of all the ten worlds—will be able to attain enlightenment. This is analogous to a rock taken from the bottom of a river possessing the ability to ignite a fire, or a lamp having the ability to illuminate a place that has been dark for one hundred and ten million years. Such mysterious phenomena are found even in trivial matters of society, not to mention the mystic power of the Law of Buddhism. Our lives are fettered with evil karma, earthly desires, and the sufferings of life and death. We instantly, however, can manifest the three enlightened properties of the Law, wisdom, and compassionate action, due to the three inherent potentials—the innate Buddha nature, the wisdom to 1 perceive the Buddha nature, and good causes and relations. The Great Teacher Dengyō gave the following interpretation: “One can attain enlightenment in one’s present form through the power of Myoho-Renge-Kyo.” This means that the power of the Lotus Sutra enabled even the Dragon king’s daughter to attain enlightenment without changing her present form. Do not harbor doubts on this. (Gosho, p.1244) This Gosho passage is rather long. I will put it in a simple manner: Even if one does not understand the meaning of the Daimoku of the Lotus Sutra, just taking faith in and chanting it is a great good cause. Every single life residing in the ten worlds, even if one may be an evil man or a female person, or one may be in the world of animality or in the world of hell, can attain Buddhahood in one’s present form due to the power of the mystic Law (Myōhō). It is like a rock sink to the bottom of the water can be ignited, when it is rubbed. It is also like a place which has been closed in darkness for one hundred and ten million years can be brightened, once a light is turned on. The mystical things such as these can happen even in the secular world. Much more so with the mystic power of Buddhism. There is no doubt that we, who are destined with evil karma, earthly desires and suffering of life and death, can instantly transform ourselves into the three enlightened properties of the Law, wisdom, and compassionate action. This is made possible due to the three inherent potentials—the innate Buddha nature, wisdom, and good causes and relations. Thus, the Great Teacher Dengyō stated in his Outstanding Principles of the Lotus Sutra (Hokke shūku) that “one can attain Buddhahood in one’s present form through the power of Myoho-Renge-Kyo,” praising the Dragon king’s daughter’s enlightenment. Due to the power of the mystic Law (Myōhō) the Dragon kings’ daughter whose appearance was a snake attained Buddhahood without changing her present form. There is absolutely no doubt on this. In these passages it teaches, “Our lives are fettered with evil karma, earthly desires, and the sufferings of life and death. We instantly, however, can manifest the three enlightened properties of the Law, wisdom, and compassionate action, due to the three inherent potentials—the innate Buddha nature, the wisdom to perceive the Buddha nature, and good causes and relations.” Because of the boundless benefits and the power of the mystic Law (Myōhō), we, whose lives transmigrate in the cycle of the three paths of 2 earthy desires, karma, and suffering, can transform ourselves into the three enlightened properties of the Law, wisdom, and compassionate action. We can do this through the three inherent potentials—the innate Buddha nature, wisdom, and good causes and relations, the three elements for the attainment of Buddhahood. Concerning the three enlightened properties of the Law, wisdom, and compassionate action, the property of the Law indicates the truth of Buddha’s enlightenment. The property of wisdom signifies the wisdom of the Buddha which perceives the truth and enables one to attain Buddhahood. It also indicates the property of the Buddha’s life which has acquired the wisdom. The property of compassionate action bestows compassion on people. It also represents the manifested Buddha who appears in this world in order to save people. These enlightened properties show the Buddha from three different aspects. The Buddha invariably possesses these three enlightened properties. However, this is not restricted to the Buddha alone. They too are naturally possessed by all living beings as the true entity of mutual possession of the ten worlds. Through the benefits of taking faith in Myoho-Renge-Kyo one can manifest the three enlightened properties into his single body. It means, even we, common mortals whose lives are polluted by the three poisons, can transform ourselves into the Buddha. In order to show evidence the Daishonin exhibits the enlightenment of Dragon king’s daughter without changing her present form due to the power of the mystic Law (Myōhō). The Dragon king’s daughter, who was in the world of animality, arose seeking spirit when she heard the sermon of Manjushri. She attended the assembly at Eagle Peak and offered a jewel to the Buddha and attained Buddhahood. This revealed the women’s attainment of Buddhahood which was never allowed in the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings. It also revealed the instantaneous attainment of Buddhahood in one’s present form without practicing over a period of countless kalpas. “Opening of the Eyes” (“Kaimoku-shō”): The Dragon King’s daughter’s enlightenment is not restricted to her alone. It represents the attainment of Buddhahood by all other women. In the various Hinayana sutras preached prior to the Lotus Sutra, the possibility for women to attain enlightenment was denied. In the various Mahayana sutras, it seems that it 3 may be possible for women to attain enlightenment or rebirth [into the pure land]. However, it is not possible to do so in their present form. Since this attainment of enlightenment or rebirth [into the pure land] is not based on the principle of ichinen sanzen, such enlightenment is only in name and not in substance. One example represents all the others. The attainment of enlightenment by the Dragon King’s daughter opens the path to enlightenment for all women in the Latter Day of the Law. (Gosho, p.563) The benefit of taking faith in the mystic Law (Myōhō) is it enables one to attain Buddhahood in one’s present form, even if one may be a woman or an evil person or of any others. It is different from the pre-Lotus Sutra teachings, stating that in order to attain Buddhahood one had to practice for innumerable kalpas, and that a women had to reborn as a man or an evil man must reborn as a good one to attain enlightenment. However, there is a significant requirement. We must not forget that the most important thing is to revere the Dai-Gohonzon of the High Sanctuary of the essential teaching as the Gohonzon to which we devote our lives and solely take faith in it with no doubts. In the Parable (Hiyu; third) chapter of the Lotus Sutra, even Shariputra who was said to be the foremost in wisdom, attained Buddhahood through his faith. It is expounded that only faith is the essential point for one’s Buddhist practice. All living beings can attain Buddhahood through his faith without exception. “Orally Transmitted Teachings” (“Ongi kuden”) teaches: One can accept and uphold this Law [Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo] only through the single character faith. The sword that can cut through fundamental darkness is the single character faith. One must consider deeply the meaning of the principle “faith means to have no doubt.” Furthermore, it is taught in “Letter to Hōren” (Hōren-sho): Practicing the teachings of this sutra without correct faith is like one without 4 hands trying to enter a jeweled mountain and pick up its treasures, or like one without feet trying to make a thousand-mile journey. (Gosho, p. 814) One’s faith must not be for one’s own sake only. Instead, it must be faith and practice for oneself and others. The Daishonin teaches in “On the Transmission of the Three Great Secret Laws” (“Sandai hihō bonjō-ji”): Now, in the Latter Day of the Law, the Daimoku that Nichiren chants is different from that of previous ages.
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