28 February 1282 (Age: 61)
The Votary of the Lotus Sutra, Nichiren
How does the mirror of the Lotus Sutra reflect those who, in the evil age of the Latter Day of the Law, correctly embrace the Lotus Sutra exactly as it teaches?
Shakyamuni Buddha’s golden words explicitly reveal that in past existences such persons made offerings to ten billion Buddhas.
However, foreseeing that common mortals in the Latter Day of the Law might doubt the words of but a single Buddha, Taho Buddha came all the way from his Treasure World of Purity located many lands to the east to meet Shakyamuni Buddha and testify that the Lotus Sutra in its entirety is the absolute truth. This should have cleared up any remaining doubts.
But perhaps believing that common mortals in the Latter Day of the Law would still remain skeptical, Shakyamuni Buddha then summoned all Buddhas from throughout the ten directions to verify the truth of the Lotus Sutra. Following Shakyamuni’s example, the assembled Buddhas extended their long, broad tongues, which had told nothing but the truth for countless kalpas, until they magnificently rose into the sky like Mount Sumeru. This was truly astounding.
This means that when you, a common mortal in the Latter Day of the Law, believe in even one or two words of the Lotus Sutra, you are embracing the True Law attested to by all the Buddhas in the ten directions. One must have accumulated immense good fortune in past lives to be born a person who believes in the Lotus Sutra. That you are such a person brings me great joy.
It is expounded in the Lotus Sutra that there was once a person who in his past existences encountered and made offerings to tens of billions of Buddhas but failed to take faith in the Lotus Sutra. Because of this slander, he was born into poor and humble circumstances. However, as a result of having made offerings to the Buddhas, he received the great benefit of being able to embrace the Lotus Sutra in his present life.
According to Miao-lo of the T’ien-t’ai school, “A person who falls to the ground must push himself up from the ground in order to stand.” This means that when a person falls to the ground, it is by virtue of his pushing himself off the ground that he can arise again. Those who slander the Lotus Sutra will fall to the “ground” of the Three Evil Paths or the worlds of Humanity and Rapture but it is through the power of the very same Lotus Sutra that they all shall rise to the Buddha’s realm.
Now, you Shichiro Jiro of Ueno, are a common mortal born into a warrior family in the Latter Day of the Law, and as such, should be considered an evil man; nevertheless, your heart is pure.
The reason is that practically no one, from the sovereign on down to the common people, takes faith in Nichiren’s teachings. The few who do, have their farmlands and estates unfairly taxed or confiscated and, in some cases, their lives taken.
It is this difficult to keep faith in the teaching of Nichiren and yet, your late father was steadfast to the end. As your father’s heir, you have, of your own volition, wholeheartedly embraced the Lotus Sutra. Despite threats and intimidation from the eminent to the lowborn, you remain uncowed and have not forsaken your faith.
Because you look as if you will soon become a Buddha, the Heavenly Devil and his delusive forces are attempting to disrupt your faith with illness. Either way, life must end sometime. Do not be swayed in the least.
As for you demons, if you persist in tormenting this believer, you are swallowing a great sword, embracing an inferno and choosing to become the archenemies of all the Buddhas of the three existences and ten directions. Heed my warning! You should immediately cure this person of his illness and protect him and in so doing, free yourselves from the grave sufferings of the demon’s world. If you disregard my words, your heads will be broken into seven pieces in this life and after your deaths, you will fall into the Great Hell of Incessant Suffering. Once and for all cease your threatening and afflicting of the believers! If you ignore my warning, you will regret it. You will profoundly regret it.
The twenty-eighth day of the second month
Addressed to Hoki-bo
