A Sage Knows the Three Existences of Life
Reply to Lord Toki November 1274 (Age: 53)
A sage is one who knows in full the three existences of life past, present and future.
The Three Rulers and Five Emperors described in Confucianism, and the Three Sages of ancient China understood the present, but knew nothing of past or future existences. The ascetics of the Brahman teachings could see back eighty thousand kalpas into the past and eighty thousand kalpas forward into the future and therefore, could, in a sense, be called sages. Persons of the Two Vehicles [Learning and Realization] of Hinayana Buddhism were sages superior to the Brahman ascetics because they were aware of the workings of cause and effect including past and future existences Hinayana Bodhisattvas had practiced austerities for three asogi kalpas while Bodhisattvas of the Connecting Teaching carried out their austerities for a period somewhat longer than a dust-particle kalpa, and those of the Specific Teaching practiced for a koti kalpa to attain each of the fifty-two stages leading to enlightenment.
Shakyamuni Buddha established the Lotus Sutra’s superiority over all other sutras when, in the Shakumon (Theoretical) Teaching of the Lotus Sutra, he revealed the unimaginably distant past of the Three Thousand Dust-particle Kalpas. In the Honmon (Essential) Teaching of the Lotus Sutra he told of an even more remote past called the Five Hundred Dust-particle Kalpas and discussed matters infinite kalpas into the future.
When carefully considered, all of these examples show that the ability to see into the past and future is the essential quality of a sage.
Lord Teacher Shakyamuni knew the near future, correctly predicting his own nirvana three months hence. How, then, could there be any doubt regarding his prediction for the distant future that kosen-rufu would be accomplished in the Fifth Five-hundred-year Period? If this is so, by observing the present, which is near, one can know the [causes from the] remote past and the [effects that will appear in the] distant future. This is what is meant by the Ten Factors of Life as taught in the Lotus Sutra.
Then who should we acknowledge as the Votary of the Lotus Sutra in the Fifth Five-hundred-year Period? I was yet unable to trust my own wisdom in this matter, however, the accuracy of my predictions of rebellion and invasion has convinced me of my wisdom. These prophecies have come true to prove it is none other than I. My disciples, too, should know and acknowledge that I, Nichiren, am the Votary of the Lotus Sutra. Because I follow in the footsteps of Bodhisattva Never Disparaging (Bodhisattva Fukyo), those who despise and slander me shall have their heads broken into seven pieces.” In contrast, the fortune of those who believe in me will grow to the heights of Mount Sumeru.
You may well ask why the heads of those who slander me have not been broken into seven pieces, to which I reply: Throughout the ages, excluding those who slandered the Buddha, there have been but one or two persons who have slandered sages, and in consequence had their heads broken. Today, however, the number of those who commit the offence of slandering me, Nichiren, is not limited to just one or two persons; the people of Japan are all equally having their heads broken at the same time.
For whom else and for what other reason did the Great Shoka Earthquake occur and the huge Bun’ei Comet appear? [They came to verify that] the sage without peer in the entire world is I, Nichiren However, from the ruler on high to the common people below, all the people of Japan belittle and slander me; they have attacked me with swords and staves, and even sent me into exile. This is why Bonten, Taishaku, the Gods of the Sun and the Moon, and the Four Heavenly Kings are punishing this land by ordering a neighboring nation to attack it. This is clearly described in the Sutra of the Great Assembly (Daishik-kyo), the Sutra of the Benevolent King (Ninno-kyo), the Nirvana Sutra (Nehan-gyo) and the Lotus Sutra. No matter what kind or how many prayer rituals are conducted, if Nichiren is not heeded, it is unavoidable that the rest of this nation will meet the same tragic fate as the islands of Iki and Tsushima.
My disciples! Have faith in me and believe what I teach. I say this not because I am saintly or noble but because the power of the Lotus Sutra I embrace is singularly supreme. If I exalt myself, people think me arrogant, yet were I to humble myself, they would hold the Lotus Sutra in contempt. On a pine that is tall, wisteria grows long. If a spring is deep, its waters stream unceasingly. How fortunate and gratifying! In this impure land, only I, Nichiren, know the bliss of sublime freedom.
Notes
1. Kalpas (Skt.). Aeons.
2. Asogi (Jpn.). Asamkhya (Skt.). Innumerable.
3. Sixteen million years, according to some sutras
4. Either ten million or a hundred million lifetimes. It indicates an immeasurably long period of practice of provisional Buddhism
5. The first 14 Chapters of the Lotus Sutra. They are expounded from the perspective of the provisional Buddha who had attained has es lightenment in India.
6. An immensely long period of time. In the Parable of the Phantom City (Kejoy) Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, it is described as the length of time that has passed since Shakyamuni preached the Lotus Sutra to his disciples in his incarnation as the sixteenth son of Daitsu Buddha.
7. The last 14 Chapters of the Lotus Sutra. Here the teachings are expounded from the perspective of Shakyamuni Buddha who re-veals his true identity from the remote past of kuon.
8. A period of time vastly longer than Three Thousand Dust-particle Kalpas. In the Life Span (Juryo) Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, this period of time is explained as the length of time that had elapsed since Shakyamuni attained his original enlightenment as the Buddha of the True Effect.
9. A passage in the Expedient Means (Hoben) Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, describes the Buddha’s wisdom that perfectly compre-hends the function of the Law in all phenomena.
10. The Bodhisattva Never Disparaging (Fukyo) Chapter of the Lotus Sutra teaches that those who slandered this Bodhisattva, a votary of the Lotus Sutra, had to suffer in hell for an immense period of time. Only after expiating their karma from slandering, were they able to be reborn once again together with Bodhisattva Never Disparaging (Fukyo). At that time, he taught them the Lotus Sutra, enabling them to attain enlightenment.
11. One who slanders the Votary of the Lotus Sutra will re-ceive punishment. This is a reference to a verse in the Dharani (26) Chapter of the Lotus Sutra which reads: “Whoever slanders the Bud dha’s teaching/And creates problems for those who teach the Law/His head shall split into seven pieces.”
12. Located between the northern part of Kyushu and the Ko-rean Peninsula, these islands were the main routes between Japan and Korea. In their first invasion attempt, the Mongols used these islands as their base, killing all the Japanese soldiers that were stationed there.
13. This indicates that because Myoho-Renge-Kyo of kuon ganjo is the supreme and ultimate Truth, it will enlighten mankind throughout the ten thousand years of the Latter Day of the Law and on into eternity.
