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    The World of Nichiren's Writings, vol. 1: A Discussion of Humanism Religion
    The World of Nichiren's Writings, vol. 1: A Discussion of Humanism Religion
    The World of Nichiren's Writings, vol. 1: A Discussion of Humanism Religion
    Ebook460 pages6 hours

    The World of Nichiren's Writings, vol. 1: A Discussion of Humanism Religion

    By Daisaku Ikeda

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    In these insightful discussions, Daisaku Ikeda explores from a variety of angles the life, times, and teachings of Nichiren Daishonin as described in his writings. We learn how Nichiren' s actions— from his vows at an early age to bring happiness to the people through his fearlessness in face of life-threatening persecutions— can become a model for us today. And the humanistic interpretations of key Buddhist concepts bring new clarity to ideas such as “ attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime” and “ establishing the correct teaching for the peace of the land.” More than just history and theory, the inspiration offered here aims to provide a deeper understanding of how to put into daily practice Nichiren's philosophy of hope and victory.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherIndependent Publishers Group
    Release dateJan 1, 2023
    ISBN9781946635853
    The World of Nichiren's Writings, vol. 1: A Discussion of Humanism Religion

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      The World of Nichiren's Writings, vol. 1 - Daisaku Ikeda

      inline-image CHAPTER 1

      A Buddhist Scripture for the Latter Day of the Law

      KATSUJI SAITO: This year [2002] marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Soka Gakkai’s publication of the Nichiren Daishonin Gosho zenshu (The collected writings of Nichiren Daishonin). I think I speak for all members when I say I am delighted we are holding this series of discussions at this auspicious time.

      I hope this dialogue will shed light on the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin and the events of his life as described in his writings.

      DAISAKU IKEDA: There still seem to be many aspects of Nichiren’s teachings and character that are not fully understood. There are also a number of points regarding the events of his life that have yet to be made clear.

      It is no exaggeration to say that it was the Soka Gakkai that first made it possible for people to correctly read and practice various principles taught by the Daishonin, such as establishing the correct teaching for the peace of the land and worldwide kosen-rufu. Given this fact, it is now time for us to expand our movement in a way that befits this new age.

      In addition, recent academic research on the history of the Kamakura period (1185–1333) and Nichiren’s writings has likely turned up fresh discoveries. Taking such findings into account, I would like our inquiry to explore a variety of angles, at times examining our subject from a panoramic perspective and at others in fine detail.

      SAITO: Leaders of the study department, including youth representatives, will take turns in these discussions.

      A RECORD OF THE DAISHONIN’S LIFELONG STRUGGLES

      SAITO: To begin with, I would like to ask about Nichiren’s writings in general terms.

      IKEDA: Nichiren’s writings are the Buddhist scripture for the Latter Day of the Law.

      The Great Collection Sutra describes the Latter Day as an age of conflict when the pure Law will become obscured and lost. It is a time of extreme confusion among Shakyamuni’s various teachings, a time when they lose their power to lead people to enlightenment. That sutra also describes the Latter Day as an age of unceasing conflict in society. In short, it is a critical time when both Buddhism and society have reached a deadlock and that, if allowed to persist, will likely lead to further confusion and societal collapse.

      Nichiren Daishonin saw the Japan of his day as fitting exactly the description of the Latter Day in the sutra. He searched for a way to enable people living in such an age to fundamentally change their lives and realize absolute happiness and, at the same time, transform society. And his discoveries are just as relevant today.

      SAITO: Of course, his search wasn’t limited to reading.

      IKEDA: You’re right. It was a struggle that consumed his entire being.

      The Daishonin’s life was a succession of struggles to lead the people of the Latter Day to enlightenment. In his writings, we frequently come across phrases like Nichiren alone and at the beginning of the Latter Day of the Law. Both express the Daishonin’s profound spirit to shoulder responsibility for everything and to stand in the vanguard of the ten thousand years and more of the Latter Day, to reveal and spread for the first time the great Law that enables all people to tap their highest potential.

      SAITO: Indeed, his words overflow with his determination as the key figure in the movement to realize true happiness for all.

      IKEDA: A host of familiar Buddhist concepts have arisen from Nichiren’s struggle. The three proofs is one such example.

      Of these, the Daishonin says: In judging the relative merit of Buddhist doctrines, I, Nichiren, believe that the best standards are those of reason and documentary proof. And even more valuable than reason and documentary proof is the proof of actual fact (WND-1, 599). He didn’t only investigate and set forth criteria for determining which Buddhist teaching had the power to lead people to enlightenment. He actively spread that teaching based on those criteria.

      SAITO: Documentary proof comes from an inquiry into the sutras and other written sources; theoretical proof derives from an evaluation of Buddhist theory; and actual proof means practical verification. The Daishonin pursued all of these.

      IKEDA: In other words, he revealed the teaching for the Latter Day by pouring his entire being into his contemplations and actions.

      The origin of the so-called five guides for propagation can also be traced to the Daishonin’s steadfast struggle to spread his teaching in the face of persecution. He writes, One who hopes to propagate the Buddha’s teachings must be aware of the five guides (WND-2, 259).

      As the votary of the Lotus Sutra, he racked his brain more than anyone to uphold these guidelines. Approaching every angle with utmost care, he strove to spread the teaching that would lead the people of the Latter Day to happiness. The standard that he formulated as the five guides is one outcome of this effort.

      In short, his writings are a record of his intense struggles over his lifetime. To fulfill his mission, he endured great persecution and left behind a monumental teaching. The collection of his writings crystallizes his spirit, action, and instruction. We should therefore read it as the scripture for the Latter Day of the Law.

      THE HUMANISM OF NICHIREN BUDDHISM

      SAITO: As such, can’t we say that his writings are inseparable from the Lotus Sutra, which is known as the king of sutras?

      IKEDA: Yes. That’s because the Daishonin had the highest respect for the objectivity and universality of the Lotus Sutra. In addition, it was this sutra to which he turned in his quest for a teaching to lead the people of the Latter Day to enlightenment. And he found his answer in the sutra’s revelation that all people can attain Buddhahood.

      Moreover, this is not a teaching about becoming a Buddha at some point in the distant future. The theoretical teaching, or first half, of the Lotus Sutra goes only so far as to explain on a literal level the idea of attaining enlightenment in a future life. But the essential teaching, or latter half, of the sutra, reveals—in The Life Span of the Thus Come One chapter—that it is possible for human beings to become Buddhas now, in this lifetime.¹

      In an age when both society and the religious world are wrought by turmoil, only a teaching that gives each person the power to draw forth the innate Buddha nature can lead all people to happiness and transform the tenor of the times. In other words, the only way to realize happiness and peace in the Latter Day is by developing our great human potential. There can be no substantial solution to society’s problems that does not involve developing our state of life.

      When we delve deeper into the Lotus Sutra’s idea of relieving people’s suffering, we can see that it is pervaded with a spirit of humanism. Keenly sensing the real nature of the Latter Day, the Daishonin revealed this humanistic aspect of the Lotus Sutra.

      SAITO: We’re talking about an idea that focuses first and foremost on the human being, the discovery that within each person’s life exists a vast reserve of potential. Hence, we use the term humanism, right? I think this term conjures for many the Western concept that humans are rational beings created in the image of God. How should we view the difference between this Western view of humanism and the Buddhist view?

      IKEDA: Buddhist humanism is not grounded in a fixed conceptual framework; it is based on each person’s potential to achieve human revolution by cultivating their inherent Buddha nature.

      This means the heart becoming awakened to the Mystic Law. It doesn’t postulate that human beings alone are endowed with some special or unique quality.

      SAITO: The belief that only human beings are noble and worthy of respect may devolve into a type of human-centrism that neglects and devalues other living things.

      IKEDA: All living beings are entities of the Mystic Law and as such are equal. In that sense, all life is connected to the Mystic Law and therefore endowed with the Buddha nature. This is expressed by the doctrine of the mutual possession of the Ten Worlds, which explains that living beings in all of the Ten Worlds inherently possess the world of Buddhahood.

      Among all life forms, human beings are unique in their ability to manifest the power of Buddhahood in their character and actions. To do so, the heart, the spirit, is crucial.

      In his writings, the Daishonin repeatedly emphasizes the importance of the heart in Buddhist practice. While on the one hand he teaches that faith and courage are the powers and functions of the heart that enable us to open the world of Buddhahood in our lives, he also cautions against such negative functions of the heart as disbelief and cowardice, which close us off to our potential for Buddhahood. His writings are teachings about the heart.

      SAITO: I think you must be the first person to elucidate so completely the Daishonin’s emphasis on the heart. Indeed, he writes, It is the heart that is important (WND-1, 1000).

      IKEDA: The key is to practice exactly as taught in Nichiren’s writings.

      At any rate, Buddhist humanism is always premised on the practice of transforming one’s own life.

      SAITO: This could be termed practical humanism or human revolutionism.

      IKEDA: Whatever it is called, it must incorporate practice or actions aimed at bringing about change in oneself and others. Buddhism is action. In that sense, the actions of Bodhisattva Never Disparaging perfectly exemplify the humanism expounded in the Lotus Sutra.

      SAITO: Bodhisattva Never Disparaging accorded everyone he met the highest respect, saying: I have profound reverence for you, I would never dare treat you with disparagement or arrogance. Why? Because you will all practice the bodhisattva way and will then be able to attain Buddhahood (LSOC, 308).

      Not only did this bodhisattva share his convictions, but he also encouraged others to do the same.

      IKEDA: The Daishonin calls this practice of revering others the heart of the practice of the Lotus Sutra and the purpose of the appearance in this world of Shakyamuni Buddha.² He says that the essence of Buddhism lies in the practice of revering others. This is extremely significant.

      Though Bodhisattva Never Disparaging was himself vilified and persecuted, he nevertheless continued his practice of revering others. The Daishonin did the same.³ He concludes that the only way to lead people to happiness in the Latter Day is to cultivate the Buddha nature in oneself and enable others to do so. And he revealed Nam-myoho-renge-kyo as the means for revering the Buddha nature in both self and other. The Latter Day is said to last for ten thousand years and more. Therefore it is safe to say that the essence of the age, as Nichiren perceived it seven hundred years ago, remains unchanged today.

      Simply put, the Latter Day is an age of conflict; it is a time when all sorts of situations are swept up in a current that flows toward conflict. To resist this raging current, one must have the strength that comes from firmly believing in the Buddha nature in oneself and others. And carrying out the practice of revering others comes down to actions based on this conviction. Kosen-rufu is nothing other than expanding the network of those who share this conviction and who proceed accordingly. It was the Daishonin who set in motion the flow of kosen-rufu to turn back the torrent of this age of conflict.

      The deeper the roots, the more prolific the branches. The farther the source, the longer the stream (WND-1, 736). The Daishonin asserts that his struggle is the root and source of the movement to lead people to happiness over the ten thousand years of the Latter Day.⁴ Indeed, he caused the tide of kosen-rufu to rise from the most fundamental level, from the Buddha nature inherent in life.

      Kosen-rufu will unfold only by realizing victory, through strong faith in the Mystic Law, over the fundamental ignorance that is at the center of all discord. Throughout his writings, the Daishonin emphasizes that the flow of kosen-rufu has its origin in the great desire for widespread propagation (WND-1, 217).

      THE GREAT DESIRE FOR WIDESPREAD PROPAGATION

      SAITO: I think we have just uncovered the theme for this first chapter. I wonder if I could ask you to further elaborate on the great desire for widespread propagation.

      IKEDA: The great desire for widespread propagation is the heart of the Nichiren’s writings. It is the spiritual pillar of the Daishonin’s life.

      Great desire refers to the boundless wish arising from the Buddha’s enlightenment. It is the original desire of life in the heart of the Buddha awakened to the truth that life itself is the entity of the Mystic Law, the one great Law that encompasses all others. To awaken means to remember this original desire.

      In any event, the life state of Buddhahood and the great desire for widespread propagation are one and the same. It therefore follows that this vast state of life appears only in those who strive for kosen-rufu, who in a single moment of life … exhaust the pains and trials of millions of kalpas (OTT, 214). If we remove ourselves from this struggle to realize this noble cause, we won’t be able to reveal our highest life potential. That single moment of life is what is called Buddha or Thus Come One.

      Nichiren Buddhism is a teaching of results; it explains that Buddhahood is a very real potential within everyone’s life. That’s why Nichiren urges us to dedicate ourselves to the great desire for kosen-rufu. The lives of those who make this desire their own and who work hard to realize their pledge without backsliding in faith gradually come to fuse with the life of the Buddha and bring forth the state of Buddhahood.

      SAITO: In other words, to embrace this great desire is to walk the path of attaining Buddhahood.

      IKEDA: This path is found nowhere but in the struggle to spread the teachings and lead people to happiness. This is what the Daishonin clarifies in The Selection of the Time.⁵

      As I mentioned earlier, Buddhism comes down to practice. This means making a personal determination and taking action to accomplish it, no matter what obstacles may arise. If we aren’t striving to open a way forward, what we are doing cannot be called Buddhist practice. We will enter the path to Buddhahood only by making tireless efforts based on the same determination as the Buddha.

      SAITO: That is why the Daishonin calls on his disciples to make a great vow (WND-1, 1003) and to dedicate their lives to the great desire for widespread propagation.

      IKEDA: One passage I have read again and again says: Life is limited; we must not begrudge it. What we should ultimately aspire to is the Buddha land (WND-1, 214). The Daishonin encourages us to dedicate this limited life to the same great desire as the Buddha.

      SAITO: Enlightenment itself is difficult to convey with words. But a desire can easily be communicated to and understood by others. People, after all, are experts when it comes to desire!

      IKEDA: In individual human beings, the world of Buddhahood appears as the great desire for the happiness of all people. That is why we each can learn about and understand enlightenment.

      The Daishonin says: My wish is that all my disciples make a great vow.… Since death is the same in either case, you should be willing to offer your life for the Lotus Sutra. Think of this offering as a drop of dew rejoining the ocean, or a speck of dust returning to the earth (WND-1, 1003).

      Our life may be as fleeting as a drop of dew or as insignificant as a particle of dust. But by dedicating ourselves to working for the great vow in this lifetime, our lives will merge with the vast ocean of the Lotus Sutra and continue on eternally. They will become one with the earth of the Mystic Law, invincible and everlasting. We are promised the incredible life state of the Buddha.

      THE LOTUS SUTRA REVEALS THE BUDDHA’S VOW

      SAITO: To reiterate, in this passage, the Daishonin teaches that by making this great vow we become one with the life of the Lotus Sutra.

      IKEDA: The Lotus Sutra can be described as a scripture that portrays not only the Buddha’s desire but also the Buddha’s practice for accomplishing this desire.

      Expedient Means, the second chapter, is the core of the first half, or the theoretical teaching, of the Lotus Sutra. It reveals the Buddha’s vow to make all persons equal to me, without any distinction between us (LSOC, 70). This is a firm determination. In response, later in the theoretical teaching a number of bodhisattvas, voice-hearers, and cause-awakened ones articulate their own vows.

      SAITO: In The Emergence of the Treasure Tower, the eleventh chapter, Shakyamuni calls upon the bodhisattvas to pledge to spread the Lotus Sutra after his passing. In reply, in Encouraging Devotion, the thirteenth chapter, a multitude of bodhisattvas numbering some eight hundred thousand million nayutas (LSOC, 231) promise to propagate the teaching after his passing. Their promise takes the form of the so-called twenty-line verse, which foretells the appearance of the three powerful enemies.

      IKEDA: The core of the sutra’s latter half, called the essential teaching, is The Life Span of the Thus Come One, chapter sixteen. Here the Buddha explains that over the immense span of time since he had attained enlightenment in the remote past, he has been single-mindedly taking action in this strife-filled saha world to lead living beings to enlightenment. This Buddha who attained enlightenment in the remote past is Shakyamuni’s true identity, referred to as the Shakyamuni Buddha who gained enlightenment in the far distant past (WND-1, 732).

      At the very end of the Life Span chapter, he explains that at each moment he thinks only of how to enable all beings to attain enlightenment:

      At all times I think to myself:

      How can I cause living beings

      to gain entry into the unsurpassed way

      and quickly acquire the body of a Buddha? (LSOC, 273)

      From the time of his enlightenment in the remote past, Shakyamuni has appeared in the world in various forms to preach the Law. He has also used his countless deaths to teach and convert. But no matter what form he assumes, his mind is solely occupied with the compassionate wish to help all people awaken to their Buddha nature as quickly as possible. In this way, the Lotus Sutra is the Thus Come One’s written oath to lead all beings to enlightenment.

      SAITO: Shakyamuni has dedicated the incalculable span of time since he attained enlightenment to carrying out this vow.

      IKEDA: The Buddha of the essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra is the Buddha who constantly expounds the Law and leads people to enlightenment in the real world, and who does so for countless eons. This sets him apart from the Buddhas appearing in other sutras who, upon attaining enlightenment, leave the real world and never return, or who live peacefully in a vastly different realm.

      The Lotus Sutra speaks of the eternal Buddha who dwells in the saha world in accord with his vow. He is the Buddha always striving to lead all people to real enlightenment in this real world. We can interpret this to mean that the life of the eternal Buddha shines in the actions of those dedicated to realizing this noble vow amid the harsh realities of society.

      SAITO: It seems that eternity shines in one’s own character.

      LET THE GODS FORSAKE ME

      IKEDA: If it is indeed the Lotus Sutra that expounds the existence of the eternal Buddha, then the true votaries of the Lotus Sutra are those who devote their lives to achieving the great vow of that eternal Buddha.

      In The Opening of the Eyes, the Daishonin clarifies that he is the votary of the Lotus Sutra and the Buddha of the Latter Day. It is a work of immense compassion that reveals the great desire for widespread propagation surging in his life. Its essence is found in the passage that begins Let the gods forsake me. Let all persecutions assail me. Still I will give my life for the sake of the Law (WND-1, 280).

      SAITO: Yes. In its entirety, the passage goes:

      Let the gods forsake me. Let all persecutions assail me. Still I will give my life for the sake of the Law. Shariputra practiced the way of the bodhisattva for sixty kalpas, but he abandoned the way because he could not endure the ordeal of the Brahman who begged for his eye. Of those who received the seeds of Buddhahood in the remote past and those who did so from the sons of the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence, many abandoned the seeds and suffered in hell for the long periods of numberless major world system dust particle kalpas and major world system dust particle kalpas, respectively, because they followed evil companions.

      Whether tempted by good or threatened by evil, if one casts aside the Lotus Sutra, one destines oneself for hell. Here I will make a great vow. Though I might be offered the rulership of Japan if I would only abandon the Lotus Sutra, accept the teachings of the Meditation Sutra, and look forward to rebirth in the Pure Land, though I might be told that my father and mother will have their heads cut off if I do not recite the Nembutsu—whatever obstacles I might encounter, so long as persons of wisdom do not prove my teachings to be false, I will never yield! All other troubles are no more to me than dust before the wind.

      I will be the pillar of Japan. I will be the eyes of Japan. I will be the great ship of Japan. This is my vow, and I will never forsake it! (WND-1, 280–81)

      IKEDA: Here we see the Daishonin’s fighting spirit, his selfless dedication to spreading the Law without begrudging his life. He also makes it clear that his great vow is what sustains this spirit. The concepts of fighting spirit and great vow are the essence of the Lotus Sutra and the foundation of Nichiren Buddhism.

      SAITO: Up to this point in The Opening of the Eyes, Nichiren examines in minute detail the question of whether he is the votary of the Lotus Sutra. He does so to dispel the doubts of those who question why, if he is the votary, he does not receive the protection of the benevolent deities the sutra describes.

      IKEDA: His purpose is also to reveal what it actually means to be the votary of the Lotus Sutra.

      SAITO: He concludes that, given his persecution by the three powerful enemies and the various other obstacles he experienced—all as predicted by the sutra—he is without a doubt the votary of the Lotus Sutra.

      But questions still remain: If he is indeed the sutra’s votary, why doesn’t he enjoy peace and security in this life? What is the point of faith, if not to lead a peaceful and secure existence? Why must the votary of the Lotus Sutra encounter persecution and suffer? And why aren’t his persecutors punished? These are the concerns he addresses in this writing.

      IKEDA: His penetrating insight into these matters reveals the summit of Buddhist philosophy. Then, like the dawning sun, he launches into the passage beginning with Let the gods forsake me.…

      The title of this work refers to opening one’s eyes. When we read the aforementioned passage, our eyes cannot help being opened to the Daishonin’s great vow. The fundamental meaning of The Opening of the Eyes is therefore to open people’s eyes to Nichiren’s great vow.

      The people of the Latter Day who dedicate their lives to the same vow as the Buddha of the Latter Day are themselves votaries of the Lotus Sutra. The issue of whether one enjoys the protection of the heavenly gods and benevolent deities is secondary.

      SAITO: The essence of Nichiren’s great vow is: I will be the pillar of Japan. I will be the eyes of Japan. I will be the great ship of Japan.

      IKEDA: As we have said, the great desire is the Buddha’s vow as explained in the Lotus Sutra; it is the Buddha’s wish to enable all people to attain enlightenment. And the Daishonin’s vow is to spread the great Law to accomplish this desire. His pledge to be the pillar of Japan, and so forth, is entirely consonant with the vow of the Buddha of the Life Span chapter.

      SAITO: There are those who interpret such statements as indicating that Nichiren placed particular importance on Japan. But that is mistaken.

      IKEDA: The Daishonin didn’t accord Japan special significance. In fact, his frequent use of the word Jambudvipa, suggesting the entire world, means that the wonderful benefit of Nichiren Buddhism is not limited in any way to the people of Japan.

      The Japan Nichiren mentions is, for one thing, a typical land of the Latter Day, and he speaks of saving the people there. All things considered, the salvation of Japan he refers to is ultimately the salvation of the entire Latter Day of the Law. He specifies Japan because he always aims to help people in this real world, and Japan is where those whom he was addressing lived. In this we see the true character of Nichiren Buddhism as being concerned with the actual lives of people. The great desire of the Buddha revealed in the Lotus Sutra is for all living beings to attain enlightenment. On that premise, the Daishonin vows to lead the people in the time and place where he lives to genuine happiness.

      SAITO: There are also those who claim that his aim was the security of the Japanese nation and who interpret his teaching as nationalistic.

      IKEDA: The Daishonin’s sole purpose was to realize peace and security for the people. He wanted to bring them happiness above all else. It’s only natural, therefore, that he was concerned about the practices of the state and the rulers in whose hands the destiny of the people rested. To secure peace and stability for the people, he aimed for the stability of the state. In this we can see the Daishonin’s revolutionary view of the people and the state.

      When the Daishonin speaks of Japan, he is above all referring to the land where the people dwell and the society in which they live, not the nation-state as the entity controlled by those in power.

      GANDHI’S DETERMINATION

      SAITO: In terms of the so-called three virtues of parent, teacher, and sovereign, pillar of Japan is traditionally understood to correspond to the virtue of the sovereign; eye of Japan to the virtue of the teacher; and great ship of Japan to the virtue of the parent.

      IKEDA: These are the three virtues of the Buddha. Since the Daishonin’s great desire resonates with the vow of the Buddha, it naturally follows that it would accord with the virtues of the Buddha.

      In making this statement, however, the Daishonin is not boasting about being the Buddha. Rather, by revealing his own great vow, he is showing his disciples the road to victory. That’s because making a great vow creates a strong self. What’s more, pledging to work toward a worthy goal enables us to overcome our weaknesses; it helps us challenge any and all difficulties.

      SAITO: Gandhi also made a vow. When he was a young attorney working in South Africa, a law was proposed that blatantly discriminated against Indians. At a protest rally, Gandhi declared that if the participants were to make a pledge, they must each do so with the commitment to achieve ultimate victory even if everyone else were to desert the cause. He went so far as to assert that a vow made halfheartedly should never be made at all. He said:

      If you have not the will or the ability to stand firm even when you are perfectly isolated you must not only not take the pledge but you must declare your opposition before the resolution is put.… Every one must be true to his pledge even unto death, no matter what others do.⁶

      This incident became the departure point of Gandhi’s lifelong struggle for social justice.

      IKEDA: In any field, making a vow is the foundation for achieving something great. If for whatever reason a person gives up halfway or backslides, his or her commitment hasn’t been based on a vow. Halfhearted desire doesn’t amount to a vow.

      The Daishonin states, All other troubles are no more to me than dust before the wind (WND-1, 280). True peace and security exist in a strong self. It is when we forge such a self by making a great vow that the path to genuine peace and security in this life opens up before us.

      On the other hand, the Daishonin strictly warns: Whether tempted by good or threatened by evil, if one casts aside the Lotus Sutra, one destines oneself for hell (WND-1, 280). The weak self that is defeated by devilish functions and internal obstacles, that gives up before achieving the goal, is a manifestation of the world of hell. Life is about winning. It follows, then, that so is Buddhism. To win is to realize justice and true happiness.

      SAITO: Later in The Opening of the Eyes, Nichiren explains the benefit gained from devoting one’s life to the great vow of widespread propagation, the foundation of Nichiren Buddhism. This benefit consists of lessening karmic retribution and attaining enlightenment in this lifetime.

      IKEDA: In the passage that begins Although I and my disciples …,⁷ he clearly states that by dedicating our lives to this great vow, we can become Buddhas in this lifetime, even without actively seeking to do so.

      To live with a vow is the essence of our humanity. When we always strive to live based on the supreme vow of the Buddha, then no matter the difficulties we may encounter, the pillar of our humanity will be protected and our lives will come to shine from the deepest level. The power that emerges from living in accord with that vow is crucial to enabling all people to lead lives of true dignity in the evil and impure age of the Latter Day.

      inline-image CHAPTER 2

      The Daishonin’s Lifelong Dedication to His Vow

      SAITO: In the last chapter, we spoke in general terms about the great desire for widespread propagation, which is at the heart of Nichiren’s writings. In this chapter, I’d like to delve deeper into Nichiren’s life, more specifically in light of his vow to realize kosen-rufu.

      IKEDA: True religion is found in the lives of human beings. Nichiren Buddhism is Buddhism for ordinary people. The real purpose of Buddhism is to bring people peace and happiness.

      Nichiren’s writings reveal at least two great vows he made in his lifetime. The first was when, at age twelve, he pledged to become the wisest person in Japan.¹ The second was made when he was thirty-two, just before establishing his teaching. He describes the latter in The Opening of the Eyes, when he speaks of his decision to refute slander of the Lotus Sutra no matter the persecutions and to spread the correct teaching for the happiness of all people (see WND-1, 239–40). The Daishonin carried out this vow throughout his life.

      SAITO: His first vow, made when he was twelve, could be thought of as the departure point of his quest. The second was made when he stood up as the votary of the Lotus Sutra, and it is expressed in his towering declaration to be the pillar of Japan (WND-1, 280) and so forth, which was a central theme of the previous chapter.

      IKEDA: Nichiren made the first vow when he entered Seicho-ji, a temple in Awa Province.² At twelve, he was like a sixth grader today. It is likely that he entered Seicho-ji at such a young age not so much to begin training as a priest but to receive basic education in reading and writing.

      SAITO: Buddhist temples throughout Japan at the time functioned as schools. The Daishonin was ordained as a priest four years later at sixteen.

      IKEDA: Though it wasn’t until he was sixteen that he was formally ordained, at twelve his life already brimmed with the spirit to seek Buddhism, the essential spirit of anyone who wishes to renounce the secular world and embark on the life of a priest. It is thus believed that his pursuit of the truth began from this early age.

      SAITO: The Daishonin himself says that he was twelve or sixteen (WND-2, 767) when he entered the priesthood.

      IKEDA: This conveys to us just how profound and significant was his vow to become the wisest person in all Japan.

      SAITO: In regard to that vow, he writes, I was twelve then, and had various reasons for offering such a prayer, but I will not go into them here (WND-2, 1050). It seems he had much more to say on the matter.

      IKEDA: And he does so in a number of other places. One is his pledge to open a path to enlightenment for all people, beginning with his parents. He writes, When a man leaves his parents and home and becomes a monk, he should always have as his goal the salvation of his father and mother (WND-1, 228). Though a general statement, he is also referring to himself.

      In another place recollecting his entry into the priesthood, he writes: What can we say, then, of persons who are devoting themselves to Buddhism? Surely they should not forget the debts of gratitude they owe to their parents, their teachers, and their country. But if one intends to repay these great debts of gratitude, one can hope to do so only if one learns and masters Buddhism, becoming a person of wisdom (WND-1, 690).

      Here we can see that the Daishonin’s vow to become the wisest person in all Japan stemmed from his desire to repay his debt of gratitude to his parents among others, and to lead all people to enlightenment.

      SAITO: He speaks of his parents as an example of all people, right?

      IKEDA: That’s correct, and it’s an important point. Throughout his writings, he says that he was born a commoner into a humble fishing family.

      As a child, Nichiren naturally saw his parents pooling their energies and working hard together with the people in their community. It is also surmised that his parents enjoyed good relations with the ruler of the domain and therefore likely served the community in some sort of leadership role, perhaps as mediators between the people and the ruler. In any event, it is a fact that the Daishonin grew up among ordinary people.

      Realizing that wisdom was crucial if he were going to repay his debt of gratitude and lead the people to happiness, he made the great vow to become the wisest person in all Japan.

      SAITO: In other words, his declaration in no way meant that he aspired to become an elite, someone above the people.

      IKEDA: Nichiren Buddhism is a teaching of and for the people—a teaching in which the people are the main protagonists. We should understand that the young Nichiren’s vow firmly determined the direction his teachings would take.

      SAITO: Why is it necessary to become a person of wisdom to repay one’s debt of gratitude to one’s parents and others?

      IKEDA: Nichiren’s writings make this clear. To enable our parents to attain genuine happiness, we must free them from the sufferings of life and death. The only way to do that is through the wisdom of Buddhism that transcends

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