6 November 1279 (Age: 58)
There is a waterfall in China known as the Dragon’s Gate. More down one hundred feet to a pool below where thousands of carp swiftly than an arrow shot by a strong warrior, its waters cascade gather in hopes of ascending. For it is said that if a carp is successful in climbing the falls, it will be transformed into a dragon. But out of a hundred, a thousand or even ten thousand who try, not a single carp in ten or twenty years manages to succeed. Powerful currents deter many, eagles, hawks, kites and owls feed upon others and fishermen waiting on both sides of the falls, trap, net or shoot with arrows the rest. To become a dragon is this difficult for a carp.
Among the warriors of Japan, two clans were preeminent, the Minamoto and the Taira. Like watchdogs, they guarded the Emperor’s door. These two families were in awe of the Emperor as a woodcutter is of the harvest moon1 rising from behind a mountain peak. They gawked at the courtiers and their ladies at play, like monkeys in treetops enamoured by the moon and stars twinkling in the night sky. Despite their low status, they yearned to be admitted to the court and to freely associate with the nobility. Following the victorious campaign of Sadamori of the Taira clan against the rebel Masakado, he hoped to be invited to enter the court, but his ambitions were thwarted, as were those of his sons including the celebrated Masamori. Masamori’s son, Tadamori, fared better, and was finally invited to join the ranks of courtiers, His son, Kiyomori, even became related to the imperial family as did his son, Shigemori, when Kiyomori’s daughter married the emperor, “bearing the moon,” and gave birth to the future Emperor Antoku, “embracing the sun.”
The path to become a Buddha is no less difficult than climbing the Dragon’s Gate Falls for carp or gaining entrance to the court of the emperor for commoners. In his desire to attain Buddhahood, Shariputra endured Bodhisattva austerities for sixty kalpas, but when he finally could take no more, he succumbed to his obstacles, falling back to the Path of the Two Vehicles. When [in a previous existence] Shakyamuni was the sixteenth son of Daitsu Buddha, some of those, in whom he had sown the seed of Buddhahood, suffered in the realm of life and death for as long as Three Thousand Dust-particle Kalpas. Some among those who received the seed of Buddhahood from him in the even more remote past of kuon, suffered for the span of Five-hundred Dust-particle Kalpas. Both groups of backsliders had practiced the Lotus Sutra; however, when they were persecuted by the sovereigns and ministers of their countries, who were possessed by the Devil of the Sixth Heaven, they retreated, renouncing their faith. And as a consequence, they transmigrated through the Six Paths for countless kalpas.
Until recently, these persecutions seemed to be unrelated to us; however, our current situation looks to be very much the same. My disciples, now is the time to uphold great conviction! We have been fortunate to not be among the many taken by the devastating epidemics last year and the year before. But the Mongol invasion is now imminent and few are likely to be spared. In the end, death comes to everyone. The sufferings at the time of death are equal in magnitude to the sufferings that will come with invasion. Since death is the same in any case, you should be willing to give your life for the sake of the Lotus Sutra. Regard the offering of your life, as the reunion of a dewdrop with the sea or the settling of a speck of dust upon the earth.
As stated in the third volume of the Lotus Sutra, “Our wish is to extend this immeasurable merit impartially to all sentient and insentient beings, so that together, we may attain Buddhahood.”
With my deepest respect,
The sixth day of the eleventh month
Nichiren
Reply to Lord Ueno the Wise
I write this reply in gratitude for the valiant conduct you displayed at the time of the Atsuhara Persecution.
Notes
1. According to the lunar calendar, the 15th of August harvest moon. The original Gosho stated, “. moon on Au 15th.”
