Thesis on the Fundamental Object of Veneration Kanjin no Honzon shô The 25th day of the fourth month of the tenth year of Bun.ei [1273] at 52 years of age In the fifth fascicle of the Universal Desistance from Troublesome Worries in order to See Clearly, it says, ‘The one mind is endowed with ten realms of dharmas and since each dharma realm is again endowed with all of the others, it becomes a hundred dharma realms. Each dharma realm is provided with thirty kinds of existential space, so we then have a hundred dharma realms, which become three thousand kinds of existential spaces. These three thousand are contained in a single instant of mind. If there is no mind then that is the end of it. But even the minutest existence of mind is endowed with the three thousand.' The text continues until, ‘Because it becomes what is called the objective realm of Utterness, it is here where the meaning lies.' Whether you have three thousand existential spaces or three thousand such qualities, the result is the same, even if the way of going about it is different. Another text says that each realm is endowed with the three kinds of existential space. A question is asked: does the Recondite Significance of the Dharma Flower Sutra specify the term ‘the one instant of mind containing three thousand existential spaces'? The answer given is that Myôraku says, ‘It is not specified.' The question is asked: does the Textual Explanations mention the term ‘the one instant of mind containing three thousand existential spaces'? The answer is given: Myôraku says, ‘It is not mentioned.' The question is asked: how does Myôraku explain this? The answer is given: ‘Neither of the two texts have yet mentioned the one instant of mind containing three thousand existential spaces.' The question is asked: do the first, second, third and fourth fascicles of the Universal Desistance from Troublesome Worries in order to See Clearly mention the term ‘the one instant of mind containing three thousand existential spaces'? The answer is given: ‘Not at all.' The question is asked: how can you prove this? The answer is given: Myôraku states, ‘On coming to the exposition on how to correctly contemplate the dharmas in the Universal Desistance from Troublesome Worries in order to See Clearly, he particularly uses the three thousand existential spaces as a guide.' Then there is a query, in the second fascicle of the Recondite Significance of the Dharma Flower Sutra it says, ‘Again, each dharma realm contains the nine other dharma realms; in those hundred dharma realms there are a thousand of the such qualities.' In the first fascicle of the Textual Explanations it says, ‘As each one of the senses and its object is endowed with the ten realms of dharmas, each one is again equipped with its own ten respective realms of dharmas; then in each one of these ten realms of dharmas there are ten such qualities, which brings it to one thousand.' In the Recondite Significance of Kannon it says, ‘If the ten dharma realms are so mutually endowed, which makes them come to a hundred realms of dharmas, then there are a thousand kinds of the such qualities of nature and appearance obscurely hidden in the mind. They may not be before our eyes but the mind is fully endowed with them.' The question is asked: is the term ‘the one instant of mind containing three thousand existential spaces' mentioned in the first four volumes of the Universal Desistance from Troublesome Worries in order to See Clearly ? The reply is: Myôraku says, ‘It is not.' The question is asked: how does he explain this? Answer: in the fifth fascicle of the Broad Elucidation it says, ‘If you aspire to a correct contemplation, the complete practice has not yet been fully discussed, moreover there are twenty-five dharmas to work through, which in practice give rise to understanding. In all conscience they are to be endured as an expedient means for correct observance. For this reason, the first six fascicles all may be counted as bringing about understanding.' Also in the same text it says it is for this reason that when the Universal Desistance from Troublesome Worries in order to See Clearly comes to explain how one should contemplate the dharmas correctly, the three thousand existential spaces were particularly cited as a guide, therefore, it is the final superlative of the ultimate discourse. This is why Shôan [Zhang An, 561-632 CE], in the middle of his introduction, affirms that it is Tendai's discourse on the gateway to the dharma, which he himself practiced in his innermost being. Indeed he had a reason for this and entreats those who seek to read this work not to seek karmic relations elsewhere. That wise person Tendai widely disseminated the dharma for thirty years. During twenty-nine years he expounded all the implications of the Recondite Significance of the Dharma Flower Sutra and the Textual Explanations, he also made clear the five periods and eight teachings as well as the hundred realms of dharmas and the thousand such qualities. Not only did he refute the fallacies of the previous five hundred years but he also brought to light that which had not yet been expounded by the Indian teachers of dogma. The Universal Teacher Shôan said, ‘Even the Indian Ryûju is not of the same calibre of Tendai, so why should we go as far as to trouble ourselves talking about the scholars of China? This is not boastful arrogance; the nature of his dharma is just as it is.' What hopelessness it was that the latter scholars of Tendai chose to let those thieves, the founders of the Kegon [Flower Garland] and the Shingon [Mantra] schools, steal and spirit away the weighty treasure of the one instant of mind containing three thousand existential spaces and then, ironically, they became fellow disciples of those schools. The Universal Teacher Shôan already knew this when he commented with grief, ‘Should this principle fall away in the future, it will be bleak indeed.' The question is asked: what is the difference between the hundred realms, the thousand such qualities and the one instant of mind containing three thousand existential spaces? The reply is given: the hundred realms and the thousand such qualities are limited to the realm of sentient existence, whereas the one instant of mind containing three thousand existential spaces comprises both the sentient and the non-sentient. Not quite understanding, it is asked: if the ten such qualities extend to the non-sentient, then do you mean to say that plants and trees are endowed with mind and are able to become Buddhas like sentient beings? The given reply is: this is a matter that is difficult to believe and difficult to understand. With Tendai there are two things that are difficult to believe and difficult to understand, one is the difficulty of believing and understanding in regards to the gateway of the teaching. The other is the difficulty of believing and understanding in regards to the gateway to contemplation. The difficulty of believing and understanding, concerning the gateway of the teaching, is that the Buddha preached, in all the sutras prior to the Dharma Flower, that people of the two vehicles and people of incorrigible disbelief will not ever become Buddhas in the future, and that the Lord of the Teaching, Shakyamuni, became correctly enlightened initially during his historical lifetime. However, when we come to both the temporary and original gateways of the Dharma Flower Sutra, both these arguments are demolished. A Buddha with two contradictory statements like fire and water, can anyone believe him? This is what is difficult to believe and difficult to understand as regards the gateway of the teaching. What is difficult to believe and difficult to understand, concerning the gateway to contemplation, is the hundred realms of dharmas, the thousand such qualities and the one instant of mind containing three thousand existential spaces, as well as the two dharmas of mind and materiality of the ten such qualities, in regards to that which is insentient. Nevertheless, the two kinds of image, both those that are painted and those carved in wood, have been permitted in the canons, within and outside the Buddha teaching, as fundamental objects of veneration. But what lies behind the significance of this comes solely from the school of Tendai. If the cause and fruition of mind and materiality were not placed upon plants and trees, it would be of no advantage to reverently depend on wooden and painted images as fundamental objects of veneration. Mistrustfully, it is asked: in which texts are the two dharmas of the cause and fruition of the ten such qualities being in plants, trees, abode and terrain, to be found? The answer is given: in the fifth fascicle of the Universal Desistance from Troublesome Worries in order to See Clearly it says, ‘The existential space of abode and terrain, is again endowed with the ten kinds of dharma [such qualities]. Therefore an evil abode and terrain has its appearance, nature, substance and strength.' In the sixth fascicle of the Explanatory Notes it says, ‘Appearance only exists as materiality. Substance, strength, action and karmic relations take on the combined significance of materiality and mind. Cause and fruition only exist as mind and reward only as materiality.' In the Discourse of the Vajra Scalpel it says, ‘Accordingly, a blade of grass, a tree, a pebble or a speck of dust, each one has the Buddha nature, the cause to bring about its fruition as well as being endowed with the karmic circumstances and consequential causes for becoming a Buddha.' The question is asked: now having heard where these teachings come from, what is the meaning of contemplating the mind? The answer is given: through contemplating the mind we observe that we may see the ten realms of dharmas within it, this is what is called contemplating the mind. It is as though we may see the six organs of sense of other people, but because we do not see these six sense organs on our own faces we do not know they are there, however, on being confronted with a clear mirror, we then see for the first time that we too have these six organs. For instance, even though all the sutras in various places refer to the six paths of the unenlightened and the four holy tendencies, without looking into the clear mirrors of either the Dharma Flower Sutra or the Universal Desistance from Troublesome Worries in order to See Clearly, which was expounded by the Universal Teacher Tendai, we cannot know about our being endowed with the ten realms of dharmas, the thousand such qualities and the one instant of mind containing three thousand existential spaces. The question is asked: in what text of the Dharma Flower Sutra is ‘the one instant of mind containing three thousand existential spaces' to be found and how does Tendai explain this? The answer is given: in the first fascicle of the Dharma Flower Sutra in the Chapter on Expedient Means it says, ‘By being a sentient being I wish to open their Buddha knowing and perception.' This is the nine realms of dharmas being endowed with the realm of the Buddha. In the Chapter on the Life Span it says, ‘It is a universally primordial infinity since I became a Buddha, my allotted life span comprises incalculable asôgi kalpas and dwells in eternity without coming to an end. All you good people, even now the allotted life span of when I originally attained to the practice of the bodhisattva path has yet to be exhausted, it will be again twice that number.' This sutric text is the Buddha being endowed with the nine realms. In the sutra it says, ‘Daibadatta after going through boundless kalpas in various hells, finally reaches the state of becoming a Buddha, whose title and name is the Tathâgata Tennô.' This is the realm of the dharmas of hell being endowed with the dharma realm of the Buddha. In the sutra it says, ‘The first was named Ramba', and continues until, ‘Only those of you who ably hold onto and protect the name of the Dharma Flower will have immeasurable happiness.' This is the realm of dharmas of hungry demons being endowed with the ten realms of dharmas. In the sutra it says, ‘The Dragon King's daughter', the text continues until, ‘became universally and correctly enlightened.' This is the realm of animality being endowed with the ten realms of dharmas. In the sutra it says, ‘Baji the Ashura King', the text continues until, ‘On hearing the one metrical hymn or the one phrase they will attain to the universal and correct awakening.' This is the realm of dharmas of the Ashuras being endowed with the ten realms of dharmas. In the sutra it says, ‘Supposing that people for the sake of the Buddha', the text continues until, ‘All of them have already attained to the Buddha path.' This is the realm of dharmas of humanity being endowed with the ten realms of dharmas. In the sutra it says, ‘Daibon the Deva King', the text continues until, ‘just like us, will certainly attain the Buddha harvest.' This is the deva realm of dharmas endowed with the ten realms of dharmas. In the sutra it says, ‘Sharihotsu', the text continues until, ‘the Tathâgata Kekô'. This is the realm of dharmas of the hearers of the voice being endowed with the ten realms of dharmas. In the sutra it says, ‘Those who seek to be enlightened by karmic relationships, monks and nuns', the text continues until, ‘by putting your palms together with a mind of reverence and wishing to hear the path to complete fulfillment.' This is the realm of dharmas of those enlightened by karmic relationships being endowed with the ten realms of dharmas. In the sutra it says, ‘The countless numbers of Bodhisattvas who spring up from the earth', the text continues until, ‘the truly pure universal dharma'. This is the bodhisattva realm of dharmas being endowed with the ten realms of dharmas. In the sutra it says, ‘Sometimes I speak of my own person and sometimes I talk about others', which is to say that the Buddha realm is endowed with the ten realms of dharmas. The question is asked: if on looking at the six organs of sense on my own face or on somebody else, I cannot see the ten realms of dharmas, how can I believe in them? The answer is given: it says in the Tenth Chapter on the Teacher of the Dharma in the Dharma Flower Sutra, ‘It is difficult to believe and difficult to understand.' In the Eleventh Chapter on the Stupa made of Precious Materials, it refers to ‘the six difficult and nine easy acts'. The Universal Teacher Tendai says, ‘Because both the temporary and original gateways contradict the past sutras they are difficult to believe and difficult to understand.' The Universal Teacher Shôan says, ‘In view of this fact the Buddha makes it his overriding concern; how could you take this to be easy to understand?' The Universal Teacher Dengyô says, ‘The Dharma Flower Sutra is by far the most difficult to believe and difficult to understand because it is according to his own enlightened mind. Those who had the correct disposition of being in the world during the Buddha's lifetime, had in addition, their deeply entrenched karmic relationship with him, the Lord of the Teaching Shakyamuni, the Buddha Tahô, all the Buddha emanations of the ten directions, the countless numbers of Bodhisattvas who spring up from the earth as well as Fugen and Miroku, to help goad them into understanding, yet even then there were people who failed to believe. Five thousand left their seats, devas and men moved elsewhere. If it was like this during the correct and formal phases of the dharma of Shakyamuni, how is it going to be at the beginning of its final phase? Were you to glibly believe, then it would not be the correct dharma.' The question is asked: as regards the sutric texts and the explanations of Tendai and Shôan, there are no ensnaring doubts, only what is being said is that fire is water and black is white. Supposing that even these are things that were said by the Buddha, it is difficult to believe and accept them. Every now and then I take a look at other people's faces but they are limited to the realm of humanity and I cannot see any of the other realms, and again it is the same with my own face. How can I bring about a mind of faith? Answer: if you look at other people's faces, sometimes there is joy, sometimes there is anger and sometimes equanimity. Some times there appears greed, at others they reveal stupidity or even flattering deceit. Anger is hell, greed is the hungry demon, stupidity is animality, flattering deceit is the ashura, joy is the deva and equanimity is the quality of humankind. In the physical aspect of the faces, the six paths of the unenlightened are altogether present whereas the four holy tendencies are latent but not manifest, you do not see. However, if you look carefully for details, they become apparent. The question is asked: even though my understanding about the six paths of the unenlightened is not entirely clear, on the whole I must agree that it seems to be that we are furnished with them; but how is it that the four holy tendencies are not apparent at all? The answer is given: previously you doubted the six paths of the unenlightened within the realm of humanity, nevertheless you agreed with me, through my emphasizing this point, putting forward analogies, so should it not be the same with the four holy tendencies? In an endeavour to add some justification I will recapitulate a ten thousandth part. The transitory nature of what we call our existential space is right before our eyes, so how can you say that the realm of the two vehicles does not exist in the realm of dharmas of humanity? A wicked man with no regrets can love and show affection to his wife and children; this is an aspect of the bodhisattva realm. Only the Buddha realm is difficult to discern. However, by the fact that we are endowed with the nine other realms you must emphatically believe it and have no doubt. In the text of the Dharma Flower Sutra, where it explains the realm of humanity it says, ‘By being a sentient being I wish to open their own Buddha knowing and perception.' In the Sutra on the Buddha's Passing over to Nirvana it says, ‘Even though the people who study the universal vehicle only have eyes of flesh, when they study the Buddha teaching they become the eyes of the Buddha.' The Common Mortal born in the final era in the realm of dharmas of humanity, with faith in the Dharma Flower Sutra, is because the realm of dharmas of humanity are also endowed with that of the Buddha. The question is asked: what the Buddha says about each of the ten realms of dharmas being mutually furnished with the same ten realms is understandably clear, although naturally it is difficult for our inferior minds to believe and accept that we are endowed with the dharma realm of the Buddha. Now, this time if I do not acquire faith I shall become a person of incorrigible disbelief. I beg you to show your universal loving-kindness and make me believe so that I may be saved from the hell of incessant suffering. The answer is given: if you do not already believe, after having seen and heard the sutric text of the sole reason for the appearance of the Buddha in this world of cause and karmic circumstances, then how can anyone from Shakyamuni to the bodhisattvas of the four dependencies [the four important principles on which the practitioner relies, (i) practicing according to the dharma and not according to the person who expounds it, (ii) to practice according to the intended significance of the dharma, and not the superficial meaning of the words that are used, (iii) to practice according to one's inner wisdom and not according to one's acquired knowledge, (iv) to practice according to the real aspect of the middle way as it is expounded in the Sutra on the Inexhaustible Significance and none other] save and protect you from disbelief? By all means I will try to tell you. There were people who could not be enlightened through meeting the Buddha, but on the part of Anan and others they were able to attain to the path. There exist two opportunities, one is by seeing the Buddha and attaining to the path through the Dharma Flower, the second is without seeing the Buddha and attaining to the path through the Dharma Flower. Besides, before the Buddha teaching many of the Taoists and Confucianists in China as well as the Brahmans and followers of the four Vedas in India were able, through these karmic relationships, to come to the correct view of life. Again, many bodhisattvas and common mortals, who, by listening to the sutras of the universal vehicle of the Flower Garland, the Equally Broad and Wisdom periods, came to be aware of their karmic relationship with the seeds sown in the primordial distance by the Buddha Daitsû. One might suppose these were the people who were enlightened on their own through the scattering of blossoms and the falling of leaves or they who attained to the path outside the Buddha teaching. Then there are those people who did not have a karmic relationship with the seeds sown in the past and became attached to the provisional teachings or the individual vehicle, even if they find the Dharma Flower Sutra they are unable to escape their vision of these provisional and individual vehicles. Because they accept their individual viewpoint to be the correct meaning, they take the Dharma Flower Sutra to be the same as the teachings of the individual vehicle or the Flower Garland Sutra or the Sutra on the Buddha Dainichi, or place it even lower. All these teachers are inferior to the wise and holy men of the Confucian and Brahmanic doctrines. For the time being let us put this aside. To formulate the mutual possession of the ten realms of dharmas is like fire in a stone or flowers within a tree. Even though this is hard to believe, these things do happen on meeting with the right karmic affinities and are quite credible. Nevertheless, dragon fire comes out of water and dragon water is produced from fire, even though it is not known why, but because there is this manifest evidence it becomes believable. Already you believe that the realm of humanity contains another nine realms, then why are you not able to include the realm of the Buddha? The Emperors Gyô [2357-2255 BCE] and Shun [2255-2205 BCE], as holy men, were impartial to all people, this is a part of the Buddha realm within that of humanity. What the Bodhisattva Fukyô saw in mankind was the person of the Buddha and Prince Sitta became the person of the Buddha out of the realm of humanity, surely this manifest evidence should make you believe. The question is asked (from here on keep this strictly to yourself): Shakyamuni, Lord of the Teaching, was the Buddha who cut off the three delusions [greed, stupidity and anger] and is lord of the abodes of all the realms of dharmas of the ten directions as well as being lord and prince of all the bodhisattvas, people of the two vehicles, devas and human-kind. Whenever he went about there was Bonten on the left and Taishaku in attendance on the right; monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen as well as the eight kinds of man-like non-humans followed behind and the Vajra Holders led the way in front. Through the preaching of the dharma store of eighty thousand teachings he made all attain emancipation. How could a Buddha such as this dwell in the individual minds of common mortals such as we? Again, if we are to discuss the meaning of the former teachings and those of the temporary gateway then the Lord of the Teaching Shakyamuni became correctly enlightened for the first time in his historical lifetime. But when we look into his causal practices, either he was Prince Nôse, the Bodhisattva Judô, King Shibi or Prince Satta. It was during this period of either three asôgi kalpas, a hundred kalpas or for a period of kalpas that are liable to exceed the grains of dust or for the incalculable asôgi kalpas, or from the time when he first resolved to attain to the bodhi mind or even three thousand kalpas of grains of dust. He made offerings to seventy thousand, five thousand, six thousand or seven thousand Buddhas and with the completion of the practices of accumulated kalpas he has now become Lord of the Teaching Shakyamuni. Do you mean to say that the individual minds of all of us are endowed with the meritorious virtue of a dharma realm of a bodhisattva whose causal position is all those practices? If we discuss the effective position, then the Lord of the Teaching Shakyamuni is the Buddha who became correctly enlightened for the first time in his historical life. Over a period of forty years he displayed and revealed his sublime and solemn physical Buddha manifestations and during the four teachings and through the articulate expounding of the former teachings, the temporary gateway and the Sutra on the Buddha's Passing over to Nirvana, he was able to benefit all beings. When it comes to the periods of the Flower Garland and the Teachings of the Three Receptacles, we have Birushana Buddha on the dais of the ten directions; in the sutras of the period of the Teachings of the Individual Vehicle the Buddha cut the knots of misleading views and through the thirty-four states of mind in order to attain to the path; in the Equally Broad and Wisdom Teachings we have thousands of Buddhas and in the Sutra on the Buddha Dainichi and the Sutra on the Vajra Apex, there are one thousand two hundred or so World Honoured Ones. Then there are the sublime and solemn physical Buddha manifestations of the four Buddha abodes, which are (i) the dwelling place of humankind, devas and Buddha disciples, (ii) the abode of hearers of the Buddha's voice and the people who are enlightened due to karmic circumstances, (iii) the abode of partially enlightened bodhisattvas and (iv) the abode of silence and illumination, all of which are mentioned in the Eleventh Chapter on Seeing the Stupa made of Precious Materials, which belongs to the temporary gateway. In the Sutra on the Buddha's Passing over to Nirvana the Buddha is seen as sixteen feet high or alternatively he reveals himself in either his large or small manifestations or even as Birushana and even as an embodiment that is not different from the spaceless void. From the four kinds of body up to his entering Nirvana at the age of eighty, he leaves his relics behind for the effective benefit of the correct, formal and final phases of the dharma. If you are to have doubts about the original gateway, Shakyamuni was a Buddha prior to a length of time that would amount to the grains of dust that go into the making of five hundred kalpas, also it is the same with his causal position. Since then he has emanated his person in the existential realms of the ten directions. In a lifetime of an articulate exposition of holy teaching he taught and converted as many sentient beings as there are grains of dust. If we compare those who were converted through the original gateway to those who were converted through the temporary, then it could be likened to a drop of water in the great sea or a speck of dust to a huge mountain. One bodhisattva, of the original gateway, confronted with Fugen or Kannon, of the existential realms of the ten directions, would not even compare to that of Taishaku with a monkey. Apart from this are the people of the two vehicles of the realms of dharmas the ten directions who have destroyed delusion and witnessed the fruition: Taishaku, the devas of the sun and moon, the Four Deva Kings, the Four Wheel Turning Deva Kings down to the great flames of the hell of incessant suffering, are all the ten realms of dharmas of our instant of thought or the three thousand existential spaces in our own minds? Even though this is what the Buddha preached I cannot believe it. Then we take into consideration that all the sutras of the former teachings are real facts and words of truth. The Flower Garland Sutra says, ‘Being the final superlative it is free from empty delusion and without contamination, like the spaceless void.' In the Sutra on the Benevolent King it says, ‘When one has exhausted the source of troublesome worries and terminated at the fundamental nature, there remains the wisdom of utterness.' In the Sutra on the Vajra Wisdom that Ferries Beings to the Shores of Nirvana it says, ‘There is nothing but immaculately pure goodness.' In the Awakening of Faith by the Bodhisattva Memyô it says, ‘In the store of the Tathâgata there is only immaculately pure and meritorious virtue.' In the Discourse on Cognition Only by the Bodhisattva Tenjin we have, ‘It is said, when the remaining tainted and inferior tainted seeds appear in front of you during a samâdhi like the vajra, you draw upon the chastely immaculate all round and clear original cognition and since it has no dependent environment everything is relinquished and cast off for ever.' If you measure the former teachings against the Dharma Flower Sutra, the former sutras are without number and the time it took to expound them is so much longer. Since the Buddha has two arguments you should stay with the former teachings. Memyô was the eleventh successor to the dharma store whose advent was foretold by the Buddha. Tenjin was the teacher of dogma of a thousand volumes and a universal scholar of the four dependencies. The Universal Teacher Tendai was an inconsequential monk from an obscure border town who did not write a single treatise, who could believe him? Furthermore I could even discard the many former teachings and adhere to the one if there were a passage in the Dharma Flower Sutra that was understandably clear and on which one could at least depend. Which place in the text of the Dharma Flower Sutra is the clear and understandable textual proof of the mutual possession of the ten realms of dharmas, the thousand such qualities and the one instant of mind containing three thousand existential spaces? Consequently in the sutra we have, ‘He cut off the evil in all dharmas.' Neither Tenjin's Discourse on the Dharma Flower nor the Bodhisattva Kenne's Discourse on the Precious Nature have anything concerning the mutual possession of the ten realms of dharmas, not even the great Chinese teachers of dogma of the southern and northern schools nor even among the later teachers of the seven temples of Japan, have this concept. It is only Tendai who has this biased view that was solely passed on in error by Dengyô. Because this is what the Teacher of the State Shôryô said, ‘It is the mistake of Tendai.' The Dharma Teacher Eon said, ‘However when Tendai called the individual vehicle the teaching of the Three Receptacles he inadvertently got the names mixed up.' Ryôkô said, ‘It is only Tendai who has not yet fathomed the meaning of the Flower Garland Sutra.' Tokuichi said, ‘Aren't you ashamed Chi you brat, whose disciple do you think you are with your tongue that is less than three inches. You slander the teachings of the time that were expounded with the tongue of the Buddha that covered his face.' The Universal Teacher Kôbô said, ‘The scholars of China wrangled with each other in order to steal the ultimate all-inclusive doctrine, which is the teaching of the one instant of mind containing three thousand existential spaces, each one naming it as that of their own school.' The dharma gateway of the one instant of mind containing three thousand existential spaces is a term that is lacking in the provisional and the real teaching of the Buddha's lifetime. None of the masters of the four dependencies refer to this concept and since the scholars of China and Japan do not advocate it, how can one believe it? Your criticism is indeed most harsh, however it is understandably clear that what comes out of the sutric texts is the disparity between the Dharma Flower and all the other sutras. What is not yet revealed and that which has already been revealed; the demonstration of the proof by the broad, long tongue of the Buddha, whether the people of the two vehicles become Buddhas or not, or whether the Buddha became enlightened in his historical lifetime or if he was enlightened in the primordial infinity. With regard to the teachers of dogma, the Universal Teacher Tendai says, ‘Tenjin and Ryûju inwardly knew the truth but withheld it so as to properly conform to the times which were based upon the temporary doctrines, nevertheless the teachers of men, who came after, were biased in their understanding and scholars invariably held onto their personal views, which finally led to stone throwing and abuse. Each clung to his own particular position and generally contravened the holy path.' The Universal Teacher Shôan said, ‘Even the Indian Universal Discourse is not of the calibre of Tendai, so why should we go as far as to trouble ourselves talking about the scholars of China? This is not boastful arrogance, the nature of the dharma is just as it is.' Tenjin, Ryûju, Memyô and Kenne had inwardly known the truth but withheld it because the time had not yet arrived and it was not right to propagate it. Among the teachers of humankind, before Tendai, some kept such thinking to themselves whereas others knew nothing of it. Of those teachers who came after, some at first refuted this concept but later compliantly committed themselves to it, while others made no use of it whatsoever. But you have to understand the sutric text, ‘He cut off the evil in all dharmas.' Here the Buddha is referring to a sutric text that came before the Dharma Flower Sutra. On taking a closer look at it, in this text he is understandably and clearly about to discuss the mutual possession of the ten realms of dharmas, where he says, ‘By being a sentient being I wish to open their own Buddha knowing and perception.' Tendai inspired by this sutric phrase said, ‘If sentient beings had no Buddha knowing and perception, then why would he want to discuss their opening? As indeed you ought to know, sentient beings do have the knowing and perception of the Buddha inherently.' The Universal Teacher Shôan said, ‘If it were assumed that sentient beings did not have the knowing and perception of the Buddha, then why would he be about to open their awareness of it? If a poor woman did not have a treasure store, then why would he want to reveal it to her?' The points that are difficult to understand are these enormous problems concerning the Lord of the Teaching Shakyamuni that we have just been discussing. As these problems are an impediment to our understanding of the Buddha, it says in the sutra, ‘Of all the sutras I have expounded, am expounding and will expound, this Dharma Flower Sutra is the most difficult to believe and understand.' We next come to the six difficult and nine easy acts. The Universal Teacher Tendai said, ‘Because the temporary and original gateways contradict the past sutras they are difficult to believe and to understand. It is a matter that is as hard as facing the tip of a halberd.' The Universal Teacher Shôan said, ‘In view of this fact that the Buddha makes it his overriding concern, how could you take this to be easy to understand?' The Universal Teacher Dengyô said, ‘This Dharma Flower Sutra is by far the most difficult to believe and most difficult to understand because it is according to the Buddha's own enlightened mind.' From the one thousand eight hundred or so years since the Buddha's demise into Nirvana, throughout the three countries of India, China and Japan, there were only three people who were enlightened to and perceived this correct dharma; they were Shakyamuni of India, the Universal Teacher Tendai of China and Dengyô of Japan, these three are the holy men of the Buddhist scriptures. The question is asked: what of Ryûju and Tenjin? The answer is given: these holy men knew it but out of unselfishness they did not talk about it. Either they expounded a portion of the temporary gateway, but said nothing of the original gateway, nor the contemplation of the mind. Perhaps the propensity of the hearers was right but the time was not, or it could be that neither their propensity, nor the time was appropriate. After Tendai and Dengyô many, many people understood it through applying the wisdom of these two sages. Among these were Kashô of the Sanron school and the hundred or so persons from the three southern and seven northern schools of China, Hôzô and Shôryô of the Kegon school, Genjô Tripitaka and the Universal Teacher Ji.en of the Hossô school, Zenmui Tripitaka, Kongôchi Tripitaka and Fukû Tripitaka of the Shingon and Dôsen of the Ritsu school. At first they were in opposition to the teaching of the one instant of mind containing three thousand existential spaces, but later they wholeheartedly and obediently committed themselves to it. Now, in order to restrain your harsh criticism, the Sutra on the Incalculable Significance says, ‘Let us imagine that the king of the realm and his queen had just had a prince born to them and that he is only one day, two days or seven days old or that he is one month, two months or seven months old or one year, two years or seven years old; even though he is not able to administer the affairs of state, already he is honoured and respected by the ministers and citizens and the children of all the great sovereigns are his companions. The king and queen attentively and with great love show him kindness and always speak to him gently. What is the reason for this? It is because of his being a little child. Good people, those who hold to this sutra are just like this child. The king of the realm is all the Buddhas and this sutra is the queen who in union gave birth to the bodhisattva prince. Let us suppose that this bodhisattva hears of this sutra and then he reads and recites the one phrase or the one metric hymn, then reads and recites all the sutra once, twice, ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times, ten thousand times or shall we assume he reads it a billion times, the number of grains of sand of the Ganges, or incalculable and numberless times, and yet, even though he is unable to realize the ultimate true principle.' The text continues until, ‘He will already be held in esteem and honoured by all the monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen, the eight categories of the man-like non-human beings and all the great bodhisattvas will keep him company.' The text continues until, ‘He will always be protected and borne in mind by all the Buddhas and they will earnestly shelter him with their care and love, because he is a neophyte who is learning.' In the Sutra on Fugen it says, ‘This sutric canon of the universal vehicle is the treasure store of all the Buddhas and is the eye of all the Buddhas of the ten directions of the past, present and future.' The text continues until, ‘...and is the seed from whence all the Tathâgatas of the past, present and future come into being.' The text continues until, ‘through your practice of the universal vehicle your Buddha seeds will not expire.' Also it says, ‘This sutra of the Equally Broad teachings, is the eye of all the Buddhas, it is through this cause that all the Buddhas attain the five kinds of vision. The three kinds of body of the Buddha come into being out of the Equally Broad Teaching, it is this gesture [mudrâ] of proof of the universal dharma that is substantiated in the sea of Nirvana, such an ocean as this is able to engender the immaculately pure three bodies of the Buddha. These three kinds of body are the fields of happiness of mankind and the devas.' Now we should think about the lifetime of the Tathâgata Shakyamuni. We have the exoteric and the esoteric, the two teachings of the universal and the individual vehicle as well as the dependent sutras of all the schools such as the Kegon and the Shingon. Then taking all this into further consideration: the Buddha Birushana, on the lotus throne with petals pointing to the ten directions, the cloud of all the assembled Buddha Tathâgatas gathered together from all over the universe, the apparition of the thousand Buddhas whose defilements are fused into the nothingness of the relativity of the Wisdom Sutras and the twelve hundred world honoured ones of the Sutra on the Buddha Dainichi and the Sutra on the Vajra Apex, all these sutras articulately expound the causes and fruition that are close at hand but do not reveal the cause and fruition in the primordial infinity, even though the Buddha talks about prompt, swift and sudden attainment; his realisation in the immeasurability of the time span like the grains of dust that make up three or five thousands kalpas, is missing, and the indications of the beginning and end of his converting and guidance, are visibly lacking. On the one hand the Flower Garland Sutra, or the Sutra on the Buddha Dainichi of the four teachings, that came before the Dharma Flower, appear to be similar to the Particular Teachings or the All-inclusive teaching but, on the other hand, if you think it over, they are comparable to the Equally Broad or the Three Receptacles doctrine, without approaching a comparison to those of the Particular or the All-inclusive doctrines. As the fundamentally existing three causes for Buddhahood are absent in these sutras, then how should we determine what the Buddha seeds are? However, the day when the translators of the new editions returned to China, they saw and heard about Tendai's one instant of mind containing three thousand existential spaces and added it to the sutras that they would be bringing back with them. Or, they pretended it was because they had received and committed this teaching to memory in India. Some of the scholars of Tendai were delighted that these teachings were the same as their own schools, or they venerated the doctrines that had come from far away and showed contempt for those close at hand, or they discarded the older teachings and embraced the new – an outcome of wicked and stupid thinking. However it may be, if the point to which we refer, did not have the Buddha seed of the one instant of mind containing three thousand existential spaces, then sentient beings becoming Buddhas, along with both carved and painted images becoming fundamental objects of veneration, would just be words without substance. I have not yet heard your perceptive understanding with regard to my great difficulties concerning the one instant of mind containing three thousand existential spaces. The answer is given: in the Sutra on the Incalculable Significance it says, ‘Even though you have not attained to the six practices [Pâramitâ] that ferry one beyond the sea of mortality to the shore of Nirvana, the benefit of all six will surely be in front of you.' In the Dharma Flower Sutra it says, ‘wishing to hear the path to complete fulfillment.' In the Sutra on the Buddha's Passing over to Nirvana it says, ‘ sat is the name for complete fulfillment.' The Bodhisattva Ryûju says, ‘ Sat is six.' In the Annotations on the Profound Significance of the Four Theses of the Universal Vehicle on the Wisdom that is Unqualified and Unobtainable by being Dependent on its own Relativity it says, ‘When sat is made clear it means six and in the dharma of India six has the implication of complete fulfillment.' In the commentary referred to as the Auspicious Treasury it says, ‘In translation sat becomes complete fulfillment.' The Universal Teacher Tendai said, ‘ Sat is a Sanskrit word which is translated here as utterness.' Were I to add any perceptive explanation it would be sullying the original texts. In all events, the two dharmas of the causal practices and the culminating virtue of Shakyamuni, were completely fulfilled through the five ideograms for Myôhô renge kyô, the Sutra on the Lotus Flower of the Utterness of the Dharma. Then, should we receive and commit to memory these five ideograms we would naturally inherit the culminating virtue of those causal practices. When the four great hearers of the voice apprehended this, they said, ‘We inadvertently acquired this peerless cluster of jewels without even looking for them.' This is the realm of the hearers of the Buddha's voice in our own minds. ‘Equal to myself without any difference whatsoever, just as that which I vowed in ancient times has already been entirely fulfilled. All sentient beings, through their conversion, will be led onto the Buddha path.' If the utterly enlightened Shakyamuni is our flesh and blood, then should not his causal practices be the marrow of our bones? In the Eleventh Chapter on the Stupa made of Precious Materials it says, ‘Those people who protect the Dharma Flower Sutra are precisely those who make offerings to Tahô and myself.' The text continues until, ‘Moreover they make offerings to the radiant brightness that majestically sublimates all the dharma realms of all the Buddha emanations that are present.' Shakyamuni, Tahô and all the Buddhas of the ten directions are the Buddha realm within. By inheriting and following this path we will receive and attain their meritorious virtue. This is illustrated by, ‘If you listen to this sutra for only a moment, you will realize the ultimate, universal and correct awakening.' In the Sixteenth Chapter on the Life Span it says, ‘However, since I really became a Buddha it is incalculable, boundless, hundreds of thousands, ten thousands, hundred thousands, nayuta kalpas ago.' The Shakyamuni in our individual minds is the primordial Buddha without a beginning who manifested his three bodies prior to a time span equal to the grains of dust that go into the making of five hundred kalpas. In the sutra it says, ‘The allotted life span of when I originally attained to the bodhisattva path has yet to be exhausted, it will be again twice that number.' This is the bodhisattva realm in our own individual minds. The countless numbers of Bodhisattvas who spring up from the earth are the retinue of the Shakyamuni in our minds. Just as the Dukes Tai and Shû were ministers of King Bu [ Wu , c .1020 BCE ] of Shû and later were part of the court of the infant King Sei. Or like the great minister Take-no-uchi, who was the supporting pillar of the Empress Jingû, afterwards became a minister of the Crown Prince Nintoku. Jôgyô, Muhengyô, Jyôgyô and Anryûgyô are the bodhisattvas of our individual minds. The Universal Teacher Myôraku said, ‘Really, you should know that the body and its terrain is the one instant of mind containing three thousand existential spaces, because when one attains to the path, this fundamental principle, being substantiated in the one body and its one instant of mind ubiquitously permeates through the realms of all the dharmas.' During the fifty or so years, which began at the site of Shakyamuni's attainment to the path of silence and extinction and the existential realm of the lotus flower, which is the abode of the Tathâgata Dainichi in the Flower Garland Sutra, until his demise in the Grove of the Sala Trees; this Buddha taught that the three esoteric and majestically sublime terrains and the three or four transformations of abodes and terrains, expounded in the Eleventh Chapter on Seeing the Stupa made of Precious Materials, are all manifestations of a transitory nature of expedient means, such as a terrain of real reward and of silence and enlightenment. The terrains of peaceful nourishment, immaculate lapis lazuli and the majestically sublime are the coming into being, the duration, the decline and their disappearance into the nothingness of relativity. When the Lord of the Teaching, who was able to produce these various emanations of the Buddha, entered into Nirvana, all these Buddhas who were his emanations passed into extinction and naturally it was also the same regarding their respective terrains. The world in which we live at present is the time of the Sixteenth Chapter on the Life Span of the original gateway and is free from the three calamities that come about with the collapse of a kalpa. It is an immaculate terrain that dwells in eternity. In times gone by, the Buddha has never ceased to be, nor does he come into being in the future. Those who are converted by him are of the same substance, which is the full endowment of the three thousand existential spaces in the one instant of mind in our individual minds. The reality of this had not yet been discussed in the fourteen chapters of the temporary gateway because, even within the bounds of the Dharma Flower Sutra, the propensity of the hearers and the time had not yet matured. The Buddha did not even entrust the essence of the original gateway [the seven ideograms for Nam myôhô renge kyô , the consecration and founding of one's life on the Sutra on the Lotus Flower of the Utterness of the Dharma] to the Bodhisattvas Monju, Fugen and Yakuô, let alone anyone else, but he did entrust it, during his preaching of the eight vital chapters, to the countless numbers of Bodhisattvas who sprang up from the earth at his summons. As for the real appearance of the Fundamental Object of Veneration, the original teacher is seated in the Stupa made of Precious Materials in the spaceless void above the world in which we live and on the left and right of the myôhô renge kyô there is Shakyamuni Buddha and Tahô Buddha, flanked by the four Bodhisattvas led by Jôgyô. Then we have Monju, Miroku and others of the following of the four Bodhisattvas, placed on seats nearby. All the bodhisattvas great and small from other regions, who were converted by the temporary teachings, are placed upon the ground, like commoners looking up to court officials and executives of state. All the Buddhas of the ten directions are also on the ground, so as to express the idea of temporary Buddhas on temporary terrains. Such an Object of Veneration did not exist during the first fifty years when the Buddha was in the world; its confines are only the final eight years of the eight vital chapters. During the two thousand years of the correct and formal phases of the dharma of the Shakyamuni of the individual vehicle, Kashô and Anan were in attendance on either side. The Shakyamuni of the provisional universal vehicle, in the Sutra on the Buddha's Passing over to Nirvana and the temporary gateway of the Dharma Flower Sutra, is flanked on either side by Monju and Fugen. Even though there were sculptures and paintings of these Buddhas throughout the correct and formal phases of the dharma, the Buddha of the Sixteenth Chapter on the Life Span of the Tathâgata had not yet been portrayed. Now that we have entered the final phase of the dharma, should we not begin to reveal the representation of this Buddha? A question is posed: in the course of the two thousand years of the correct and formal phases of the dharma, the bodhisattvas of the four dependencies, as well as the teachers of men, set up images and temples for various Buddhas and for the Shakyamuni of the individual vehicle, for the provisional universal vehicle, the former teachings and the temporary gateway, yet there is no instance of the Fundamental Object of Veneration of the Sixteenth Chapter on the Life Span of the Tathâgata of the original gateway and the four great Bodhisattvas being venerated and honoured by rulers and their ministers in either India, China or Japan. I can understand most of what you say but because it has never been heard by former generations, my eyes and ears are taken aback and my mind and thoughts are bewildered. Please explain this once more, I would like to hear it in detail. The answer is given: the eight fascicles and twenty-eight chapters of the Dharma Flower Sutra really begin with the four flavours [fresh milk, cream, curds and butter, used as metaphors for the Flower Garland, the Teachings of the Individual Vehicle, the Equally Broad and that of the Wisdom periods], all the sutras of a lifetime with the Sutra on the Buddha's Passing over to Nirvana. The period that begins at the site of the attainment to the path of silence and extinction and ending at the Wisdom sutras, is the introduction; the ten fascicles that make up the Sutra on the Incalculable Significance, the Dharma Flower Sutra and the Sutra on Fugen are the essential doctrine and the Sutra on the Buddha's Passing over to Nirvana is the transmission [Nearly all the sutras can be divided into an introduction, an essential doctrine and a transmission to be propagated widely. However, these divisions are often different due to the conflicting viewpoints of the various schools]. Within the ten fascicles, which make up the essential doctrine, there is an introduction, an essential doctrine and a transmission that is to be propagated widely. The Sutra on the Incalculable Significance and the Introductory Chapter of the Dharma Flower Sutra, are the introduction. The fifteen and a half chapters from the Second Chapter on Expedient Means to the nineteenth line of the metric hymn, in the Seventeenth Chapter on the Discrimination of the Meritorious Virtues, is the essential doctrine. The eleven and a half chapters and the one fascicle from the four ways of believing for the present time of the Chapter on the Discrimination of the Meritorious Virtues, to the Sutra on Fugen, is the transmission to be propagated widely. Moreover, within the ten fascicles of the Dharma Flower Sutra there are again two sutras, each one having its own introduction, essential doctrine and a transmission to be propagated widely. The Sutra on the Incalculable Significance and the Introductory Chapter of the Dharma Flower Sutra are the introduction. The eight chapters, from the Second Chapter on Expedient Means to the Eighth Chapter on The Five Hundred Disciples Who Received the Prediction that they would become Buddhas, is the essential doctrine and the five chapters from the Tenth, on the Teacher of the Dharma, to the Fourteenth Chapter on the Practicing with Peace and Joy, make up the transmission that is to be propagated widely. When we come to talk about the Lord of these teachings, then it was the Buddha, first correctly enlightened in his historical lifetime, whose correct dharma was difficult to believe and difficult to understand. This is such because it was expounded according to his own enlightened mind. He was able to reach beyond the past, present and future through expounding the previously non-existent, but now existing hundred realms of dharmas and the thousand such qualities. If we look into the karmic circumstances that bound this Buddha with his disciples in the past, it was when he was the sixteenth son of the Buddha Daitsû that he sowed the seeds of enlightenment in their lives. On proceeding further, it was through his karmic relationship with the four periods of teachings that came before the Dharma Flower Sutra, the Flower Garland, the teaching of the Individual Vehicle, the Equally Broad and the Wisdom periods, which brought about the awakening and perception of the seeds of enlightenment planted by the Buddha Daitsû. This was not the fundamental intention of the Buddha Daitsû, rather it was to clear away some of the poison. Ordinary people and those of the two vehicles, through their karmic relationship with the first of the four periods of teachings that came before the Dharma Flower Sutra, were gradually able to approach the Dharma Flower and discover the seeds that were sown in the primordial infinity and the propensity to free themselves from the provisional and to discover the real teaching. Moreover, when the Buddha was in the world, the eight vital chapters, or the one phrase or the metric hymn, that were heard for the first time by humankind and devas, became the seeds of their Buddhahood which either grew towards maturity or became the seeds of the Buddha fulfillment. Some were liberated when they came to the Sutra on Fugen and the Sutra on the Buddha's Passing over to Nirvana, whereas for others it was during the correct, formal and final phases of the dharma, that the individual and provisional doctrines become the karmic relationship whereby they were able to enter into the Dharma Flower Sutra in the same way as the people who were familiar with the teachings of the first four periods and were able to discover their seeds of enlightenment during the lifetime of the Buddha. Again, the fourteen chapters of the original gateway possess an introduction, an essential doctrine and a transmission to be propagated widely. The first half of the Fifteenth Chapter on the Boddhisattvas Springing up from the Earth is the introduction; the remaining half that comes just before the Sixteenth Chapter on the Life Span of the Tathâgata and the first half of the Seventeenth Chapter on the Discrimination of the Meritorious Virtues, are the essential doctrine. The remaining chapters are the transmission that is to be widely propagated. When we come to discuss the lord of these teachings, it is not the Buddha Shakyamuni, first correctly enlightened in his historical lifetime. The dharma gateways, that he expounded, contrast with the temporary gateway as much as the earth differs from sky. In addition to the ten realms of dharmas and the primordial infinity, he made the existential spaces and the differentiation of abode and terrain apparent and provided the one instant of mind containing three thousand existential spaces with an envelope just as a husk encloses the pith of bamboo. Furthermore, the temporary gateway, as well as the first four periods of the teachings prior to the Dharma Flower Sutra, the Sutra on the Incalculable Significance and the Sutra on the Buddha's Passing over to Nirvana, were all preached according to the minds of others and therefore easy to believe and easy to understand. But the discourse of the original gateway is difficult to believe and difficult to understand because it is according to the enlightened mind of the Buddha. In the original gateway there is also an introduction, an essential doctrine and a transmission that is to be propagated widely. From the Dharma Flower Sutra of the Buddha Daitsû of the past, to the Flower Garland of the present time, including the fourteen chapters of the temporary gateway and the Sutra on the Buddha's Passing over to Nirvana as well as all the sutras of the fifty or so years of a lifetime's teaching along with all the sutras of all the Buddhas of the past, present and future of the ten directions, which are as countless as the grains of dust, these comprise the introduction to the Sixteenth Chapter on the Life Span of the Tathâgata. Apart from the second half of the Fifteenth Chapter on the Bodhisattvas Springing up from the Earth, the whole of the Sixteenth Chapter on the Life Span of the Tathâgata and the first half of the Seventeenth Chapter on the Discrimination of the Meritorious Virtues, the remainder can be referred to as the teachings of the individual vehicle that are distorting and incomplete and have not yet attained to the path, or teachings that conceal the real intention of the Buddha. If we are to discuss the natural inclination of those who follow these provisional teachings, then they are heavily sullied with little virtue. They are immature and feel like unwanted orphans or birds and beasts who cannot appreciate the love of their parents. Besides the former teachings and the All-inclusive Teachings of the temporary gateway, such teachings do not possess the cause for becoming a Buddha and cannot match the Sutra on the Buddha Dainichi and all the sutras of the individual vehicle. They are of even less value than the instructions of the teachers of men and the teachers of dogma of the seven schools, such as the Kegon and the Shingon schools. Putting it strongly, the spirit of these teachings is not different from the teachings of the Three Receptacles, the Interrelated Teachings or the Particular Teaching. For instance, even though these dharmas are said to be extremely profound they have not yet discussed the seeds of enlightenment of Nam myôhô renge kyô as opposed to those seeds that are implanted by a Buddha in a distant past that nurtured and ultimately brought about emancipation; instead they propose that the body be reduced to ashes and that the mind and intellect be annihilated, as in the individual vehicle. In these doctrines there is no suggestion of when the Buddha began and ended his teachings and guidance. Should such a person, as a queen, be made pregnant by an animal's seed, the offspring would be even inferior to an outcast. For the time being we will put this aside. On taking a first glance at eight chapters of the essential doctrine of the fourteen chapters of the temporary gateway during the lifetime of Shakyamuni, the people of the two vehicles are in the forefront and the bodhisattvas and common mortals are set to one side; but on thinking it over a second time, it is the common mortal who comes to the fore during the correct, formal and final phases of the dharma. In these three periods of the correct, formal and final phases, it is the beginning of the final phase that becomes the correct phase. The question is asked: what evidence have you for this? The answer is given: in the Tenth Chapter on The Teacher of the Dharma it says, ‘nevertheless with this sutra, at present, the Tathâgata is much begrudged and envied, so how will it be after his passing over to Nirvana?' In the Eleventh Chapter on Seeing the Stupa made of Precious Materials it says, ‘In order that the dharma be protracted unendingly', the text continues until, ‘the Buddha emanations must be aware that this is his intention.' You should look at the Thirteenth Chapter on Exhorting the Disciples to Receive and to Hold to the Buddha Dharma and the Fourteenth Chapter on Practicing with Peace and Joy. This is indeed what the provisional gateway is about. Now we come to consider the original gateway, which was destined solely for the people of correct propensities at the beginning of the final phase of the dharma of Shakyamuni. That is to say, if we first take a look at the period when the seeds are those of the primordial sowing which, nurtured by the Buddha Daitsû and afterwards through the first four periods of teachings prior to the Dharma Flower Sutra and the temporary gateway, they ripened. On coming to the original gateway, these seeds were brought to the attainment of both the Universal Enlightenment [Tôgaku] and the Enlightenment to Utterness [Myôgaku]. On taking a second look, the original gateway is quite unlike the temporary gateway, the introduction, the essential doctrine as well as the transmission to be widely propagated of the original gateway, in that they all refer to the beginning of the final phase of the dharma. The original gateway when the Buddha Shakyamuni was in the world and that of the beginning of the final phase of his dharma, are a pure circle, but the former is his teaching of the harvest [the fulfillment of the seeds of enlightenment that were implanted by a Buddha in the distant past, which matured and brought about emancipation]. However, this is the Buddha Teaching of the seeds situated in the simultaneity of cause and effect of the Utterness of the Dharma. The former doctrine is based on the second half of the Fifteenth Chapter on the Bodhisattvas Springing up from the Earth, the whole of the Sixteenth Chapter on the Life Span of the Tathâgata and the first half of the Seventeenth Chapter on the Discrimination of the Meritorious Virtues. This later doctrine is the teaching of the five ideograms for Nam myôhô renge kyô only. The question is asked: what proof do you have for this? The answer is given: in the Fifteenth Chapter on the Bodhisattvas Springing up from the Earth it says, ‘At that time, all the bodhisattva great beings who had come from other abodes and terrains and whose number exceeded eight times the grains of sand of the Ganges, stood up in the great assembly, placed their palms together in obeisance and said to the Buddha, “World Honoured One, when after the passing of the Buddha into Nirvana, we are to be born into the world that must be endured. If you will allow us to guard, hold, read, recite, copy and make offerings to this sutric canon, with zealous and unfailing progress, then surely we will broadly expound it throughout this terrain.” Then the Buddha said to the assembly of bodhisattva great beings, “Desist! Good people, there is no need for you to guard and hold to this sutra.” ' The sutric content of the preceding five chapters, that follow the Tenth Chapter on the Teacher of the Dharma, are as contradictory as fire and water. At the end of the Eleventh Chapter on Seeing the Stupa made of Precious Materials it says, ‘With a great voice the Buddha addressed the monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen, “Is there anyone who is able to broadly propagate the Sutra on the Lotus Flower of the Utterness of the Dharma throughout the abode and terrain that we live in and endure?”' There is the instance when the lord of the teaching, being but one single Buddha, encouragingly raised this question. The great bodhisattvas such as Yakuô, the devas Bonten and Taishaku, the devas of the sun and moon and the Four Deva Kings, took this to be a matter of grave concern, whereupon the Buddha Tahô and the Buddhas of the ten directions who, as invited guests, added their consternation. All the bodhisattvas, on hearing this generous collaboration, made the vow, ‘We will not begrudge our lives', because they wholeheartedly wished to comply with the Buddha's will. Nevertheless, within the space of an instant, Shakyamuni contradicts himself by forbidding the crowd of bodhisattvas – whose count exceeded eight times the number of grains of sand of the Ganges – from propagating the Dharma Flower Sutra. Going forwards and backwards like this decidedly goes against ordinary understanding. The Wise Universal Teacher Tendai led us to comprehend the six explanations of three previous reasons as to why the Buddha prohibited the great bodhisattvas from propagating the Sutra throughout the world in which we live and three subsequent reasons for his summoning the Bodhisattvas who spring up from the earth. What was implied is that the great bodhisattvas from all other directions, along with those who were converted through the temporary teachings, did not have the substantiation of the Shakyamuni, who is the essence of the Sixteenth Chapter on the Life Span of the Tathâgata, bestowed upon them. These bodhisattvas were forbidden to propagate the Dharma Flower Sutra because of the fundamentally evil qualities of the abodes and terrains where the dharma would be vilified at the beginning of the final phase of the dharma of Shakyamuni. Then he summoned the great bodhisattvas of the thousand realms of dharmas who spring up from the earth, in order to confer upon the sentient beings of the world of humankind the five ideograms for myôhô renge kyô, which are the essence of the Sixteenth Chapter on the Life Span of the Tathâgata. Moreover, the great assembly of bodhisattvas, converted through the temporary teachings, were not the disciples of Shakyamuni when he first resolved to attain a mind of enlightenment. The Universal Teacher Tendai cites the Dharma Flower Sutra, ‘These are my disciples who are destined to propagate my dharma.' Myôraku called to mind, ‘The sons who spread abroad the dharma of the father are a benefit to the world.' In the Supplementary Adjustments and Annotations of the Textual Explanations it says, ‘Since this is the dharma of the primordial infinity it was to be entrusted to the people who were enlightened in that primordial infinity.' In the sutra it says that when the Bodhisattva Miroku wished to clear his doubts he remarked, ‘Even though we believe that what the Buddha says is correct, the words that he utters are never empty delusions and his wisdom is completely pervasive and penetrating. Nevertheless, after the Buddha's passing over to Nirvana, bodhisattvas who are newly resolved to attain to enlightenment may not accept with faith that the Bodhisattvas who spring up from the earth are the Buddha's original disciples and that will give rise to the cause and karmic circumstances of the sin of negating the dharma. It is only natural, World Honoured One, that we ask you to explain and take away our doubts so that all good people, in generations to come, will not be skeptical when they hear of this matter.' The meaning of this text is that Miroku implored the Buddha to expound the dharma gateway of the Chapter on the Life Span of the Tathâgata for those who are to come after his passing over to Nirvana. It says in the Sixteenth Chapter on the Life Span, ‘Some lost their original minds and others did not.' The text continues until, ‘those who did not lose their minds saw that this medicine was good both in appearance and flavour, whereupon they took it and were completely cured and relieved of their sickness.' All the bodhisattvas, people of the two vehicles and devas, whose Buddha seeds were planted in the primordial infinity, were later nurtured through their karmic relationship with the Buddha Daitsû and through the four periods of teachings, that came before the Dharma Flower Sutra and the temporary gateway, attained the way when they heard the original gateway. In the sutra it goes on to say, ‘Those who had lost their minds were filled with joy when they saw that their father had arrived and they earnestly begged him to cure their sickness, even though they had been given the medicine they dared not take it because the spirit of the poison had penetrated deeply and having lost their original minds, they found the attractive and delicious preparation unpalatable.' The text continues until, ‘I really must contrive an expedient means in order to make them take this medicine.' The text further explains, ‘ “I will now place this good and estimable medicine here and you must take and use of it without worrying that it may not cure you.” After giving these instructions he again went off to another country where he sent back a messenger to announce that he was dead.' In the Chapter on the Discrimination of the Meritorious Virtue it says, ‘For those of the time of the evil age of the final phase of dharma.' The question is asked: what is meant by ‘he sent back a messenger to announce?' The answer is given: within the four dependencies of the Buddha teaching there are four categories [these four dependencies are (i) practicing according to the dharma and not the person who expounds it, (ii) to practice according to the intention of the dharma and not just the words that are used to express it, (iii) to practice according to one's inner wisdom and not according to acquired knowledge, (iv) to practice according to the real aspect of the middle way, as it is expounded in the Sutra on Inexhaustible Significance and none other]. The first four dependencies of the individual vehicle appeared for the most part during the first five hundred years of the correct era of the dharma. The second, of the four dependencies, of the universal vehicle appeared for the most part during the latter five hundred years of the correct phase of the dharma. The third, of the four dependencies, of the temporary gateway mostly appeared during the thousand years of the formal phase of the dharma, but a smaller number appeared during the beginning of its final phase. The fourth, of the four dependencies, of the original gateway are the countless numbers of Bodhisattvas who spring up from the earth and must certainly appear at the beginning of the final phase of the dharma. The ‘messenger sent back to announce' are now the Bodhisattvas who spring up from the earth. ‘This good and estimable medicine' is the theme and title, the substance, the purpose, the function and the influence of Nam myôhô renge kyô, which comprises the essentials of the Chapter on the Life Span. The Buddha did not even confer this good medicine upon the bodhisattvas who were converted by the temporary teachings, let alone those from other directions. In the Chapter on the Extent of the Mind of the Tathâgata it says, ‘At that time as many Bodhisattva great beings as there are particles of dust that comprise a thousand existential realms sprang out of the earth in front of the Buddha and with a single mind put their palms together, looked up with reverence at his venerable countenance and said, “World Honoured One, after the Buddha's passing over to Nirvana we must certainly propagate widely this sutra in the abodes and terrains where your emanations exist and in the places where you pass over to Nirvana.” ' Tendai said, ‘It appears that only the Bodhisattvas who sprang from the earth made this vow.' Dôsen said, with regard to the assignment, ‘This sutra was solely entrusted to those who sprang from the nether directions; what is the reason for this? It is because the primordial dharma was assigned to the people of the primordial attainment.' The Boddhisattva Monju was the disciple of the Buddha Fudô of the Golden Coloured Realm of the Eastern Direction. Kannon, was the disciple of the Buddha Muryôju of the Western Direction. The Bodhisattva Yakuô was the disciple of the Buddha Nichigetsu Jômyotoku. The Bodhisattva Fugen was the disciple of the Buddha Ho.i. In general terms these bodhisattvas came to the existential realm, that has to be endured, in order to help Shakyamuni with his activity of converting people, but as they were bodhisattvas of the former temporary teachings and not in possession of the original dharma, they were not qualified to propagate it during the final phase of the dharma. In the sutra it says, ‘At that time the World Honoured One', the text continues until, ‘in front of the assembly he displayed the enormous mental prodigy by extending his broad and long tongue as far as the realm of Bonten.' Again the text continues until, ‘All the Buddhas of the ten directions seated on their lion thrones did likewise, extending their broad and long tongues.' Now, in none of the sutras, whether they be of the universal or the individual vehicle or whether they be exoteric or esoteric, is there a passage that describes Shakyamuni and all the other Buddhas seated and extending their tongues to the heaven of Bonten. The Sutra on the Buddha Amida has the Buddhas extending their tongues and covering three thousand great thousand existential realms but they are words without substance. In the Wisdom Sutra the Buddha's tongue also covered three thousand great thousand existential realms and emitted boundless light when he began to expound this sutra, but this is completely without substance since both these texts are only the Pure Land and Wisdom teachings, whose partial role was to obscure the Buddha's enlightenment in the primordial infinity. After the Buddha revealed his ten mental prodigies, as told in the Chapter on the Extent of the Mind of the Tathâgata, he then entrusted and implicated the Bodhisattvas who sprang from the earth, with the five ideograms of the Utterness of the Dharma, as it is recounted in the sutra, ‘At that time the Buddha said to Jôgyô's great assembly of bodhisattvas, “Thus are the reaches of the minds of all Buddhas, they are incalculable, boundless and cannot be thought through or deliberated upon. If in order to entrust and implicate people in this sutra by means of these spiritual powers, for incalculable and boundless hundreds, thousands of nayuta kalpas, were I to recount its meritorious virtues, I would not be able to explain them fully. So I will mention these crucial points, they are all the dharmas that are in the possession of the Tathâgata, all the unrestricted extent of the mind of the Tathâgata, all the esoterically essential stores of the Tathâgata and all the extremely profound concerns of the Tathâgata. All these are proclaimed, shown, revealed and expounded in this sutra.” ' Tendai says, ‘In this chapter, from the line, “At that time the Buddha said to Jôgyô”, and onwards, is the third stage of entrusting the bodhisattvas who sprang from the earth with the assignment of binding together the essentials.' Dengyô says, ‘Again in the Chapter on the Extent of the Mind of the Tathâgata from, “So I will mention these crucial points, it is all the dharmas that are in possession of the Tathâgata”, continuing until, “All these are proclaimed, shown, revealed and expounded in this Sutra.” What we can clearly infer from this is that all the dharmas that are in the possession of the Tathâgata are those of the karmic dimension of utter enlightenment, all the unrestricted extent of the mind of the Tathâgata are also those of the karmic dimension of utter enlightenment as well as the esoterically essential store of the Tathâgata, are all proclaimed shown, revealed and expounded in the Dharma Flower Sutra.' These ten mental prodigies were, through the five ideograms of the Sutra on the Lotus Flower of the Utterness of the Dharma, Myôhô renge kyô, conferred upon the four Great Bodhisattvas Jôgyô, Anryûgyô, Jyôgyô, and Muhengyô. [The ten mental prodigies, (i) to show that the Buddha does not tell fantastic untruths, (ii) the emission of light from all the pores of the Buddha's body shining into all existence of the ten directions demonstrating where the wisdom of the Tathâgata can penetrate, (iii) the Buddha clears his throat in order to speak with gentleness that will be heard by all his hearers and also to be able to teach the truth without hindrance, (iv) the Buddha snaps his fingers to show that he is expounding according to his own enlightenment, (v) the Buddha brings about six earth tremors so that the six organs of sense of sentient brings may be purified and that every stage of enlightenment may be awakened, (vi) the great assembly and the Buddha are universally manifested to all sentient beings of the ten directions in order to give them joy and also to show that the paths of all the Buddhas is identical, (vii) the Buddha in the spaceless void of all the heavens facing the great assembly, that had come from the ten directions, announced in a strong voice that they should wholeheartedly venerate the Dharma Flower Sutra so that it will be propagated to future generations, (viii) the sentient beings who heard the Buddha's voice from out of spaceless void took refuge in his teaching in order that all abodes and terrains will be filled with people who can hold to his teaching, (ix) all the offerings made to the Buddha by all the sentient beings from the ten directions form a cloud-like canopy over all the assembled Buddhas to show that only this sutra will be practiced in the future, (x) since all the realms of existence of the ten directions are the Buddha terrain, which means that in the future all sentient beings will be able to open up and reveal their own Buddha nature and will understand the true nature of their abodes and terrains. According to the Textual Explanation of the Dharma Flower , the first five of these prodigies were for the time when Shakyamuni was in the world and the last five were for the benefit of sentient beings in the future.] The first five of the mental prodigies were for when the Buddha was in the world and the second five for when the Buddha had passed over to Nirvana. However, if one were to discuss this more fully, then all these prodigies were for the period after the Buddha's passing over to Nirvana as further on in the text it says, ‘After the Buddha's passing over to Nirvana, because of their being able to hold to this sutra, all the Buddhas, by way of rejoicing, reveal their limitless spiritual powers.' In the following Chapter on Entrustment and Implication it says, ‘At that time the Buddha Shakyamuni stood up from his dharma throne and revealed his universal mental prodigies; with his right hand he touched the top of the heads of incalculable bodhisattva beings', continuing until, ‘I entrust you with this assignment.' At first the Bodhisattvas who sprang up from the earth, followed by those converted by the temporary teachings and those who came from other directions, as well as Bonten, Taishaku and the four Deva Kings, were all entrusted and implicated in this sutra. ‘All of the Buddha Emanations who came from the ten directions returned to their original terrains', until, ‘The Stupa of the Buddha Tahô had to be returned to its original place as well.' From the Chapter on the Original Practice of the Bodhisattva Yakuô as far as the Sutra on the Buddha's Passing over to Nirvana, after the Bodhisattvas of the earth had departed, the Buddha once again entrusted the assembly of bodhisattvas converted by the temporary doctrines and the bodhisattvas from other regions, with the commission of propagating the Dharma Flower Sutra. This is the entrustment and implication and a final ordering of the details. It is asked doubtfully: during the two thousand years of the correct and formal era of the dharma, did the thousands of realms of bodhisattvas, who sprang from the earth, appear in the world of mankind to propagate this sutra widely? Naturally they did not. Taken aback, it is then asked: if the Dharma Flower Sutra and the original gateway were to become the fundamental doctrine for when the Buddha had passed over to Nirvana, that had been first conferred to the thousands of realms of bodhisattvas who spring up from the earth, why did they not appear during the correct and formal eras of the dharma to propagate them? Why is it? The answer given is: if I were to tell you it would be as it was for all the people of all the existential realms in the final phase of the dharma of the Buddha Ionnô, or if I were to vaguely disclose it to my disciples it would degenerate into backbiting slander, therefore I desist and remain silent. Pursuing the question further it is said that by not discussing it with you, I will fall into the error of holding back the truth. The answer given is that whether I advance or retreat I shall fall into the chasm, so I will try to expound it to you. In the Chapter on the Teacher of the Dharma it says, ‘So how will it be after his passing over to Nirvana?' In the Sixteenth Chapter on the Life Span it says, ‘I now leave it here.' In the Chapter on the Discrimination of the Meritorious Virtues it says, ‘the time of the evil generations of the final phase of the dharma.' And in the Chapter on the Bodhisattva Yakuô, ‘After the fifth five hundred years there will be broad propagation throughout the world of mankind.' In the Sutra on the Buddha's Passing over to Nirvana it says, ‘For example, there are seven children who are all equally loved by their parents, nevertheless they are particularly concerned for one that is sick.' By the clear mirror of the passages just quoted, we can infer and realize what the intentions of the Buddha are; the Buddha did not come into the world just for the people who were on Vulture's Peak during the eight years of teaching, but for humanity during the correct, formal and final phases of the dharma. It was not merely the people of the two thousand years of the correct and formal phases of the dharma but for those at the beginning of the final era of the dharma like myself. The so-called ‘one that is sick' points to those who revile and slander the Dharma Flower Sutra after the Buddha's passing over to Nirvana. ‘I now leave it here' refers to the phrase, ‘They found this attractive and tasty remedy unpalatable.' The thousands of realms of bodhisattvas and their realms of dharmas, who sprang up from the earth, did not appear during the correct and formal phases of the dharma as the propensities of the people and the time were not right. The thousand years of the correct dharma was for the individual vehicle and the provisional universal vehicle. The great bodhisattvas of the four dependencies, whose karmic relationships with these provisional and individual teachings, became their implanted seeds which were liberated whilst the Buddha was in the world. If the bodhisattvas who sprang from the earth had appeared at that particular time and taught the Dharma Flower Sutra, they would have been greatly slandered destroying the benefit of the emancipation of the great bodhisattvas of the four dependencies whose basic capacities and dispositions were the first four periods of teachings prior to the Dharma Flower Sutra. In the middle and towards the end of the formal phase of the dharma, the Bodhisattva Kannon was reborn as Nangaku and the Bodhisattva Yakuô as Tendai. The temporary gateway was taught in the open and the original gateway held in reserve. Tendai exhaustively expounded the significance of the hundred realms and the thousand such qualities and the one instant of mind containing three thousand existential spaces, teaching everything as being its own intrinsicality and aspects of the whole, but he did not actually put into practice nor propagate the five ideograms for Nam myôhô renge kyô, nor the Fundamental Object of Veneration of the original gateway. In the final analysis, there existed propensities for the All-inclusive Teachings but it was not the right time. Now, at the beginning of the final phase of the dharma, the followers of the individual vehicle attack the universal doctrine and the people who follow the provisional teachings demolish those of the real universal vehicle, east and west are muddled together and heaven and earth are turned upside down. The people of the four dependencies, converted by the temporary teachings, are hidden away and no longer before us, and the devas have abandoned their abodes, no longer guarding and protecting them. This is the time when the bodhisattvas, who spring up from the earth, begin to appear, solely to administer to the immature sentient beings the five ideograms for Myôhô renge kyô. This is in fact the implication of, ‘By slandering they fall into evil and it is on account of this that they seek to acquire benefits.' My disciples, take this into account; the thousands of bodhisattvas who spring up from the earth are the disciples of the Lord of the Teaching Shakyamuni when he first resolved to attain to the mind of enlightenment. They did not come to the site of the attainment to the path of silence and extinction, nor did they visit the grove of sala trees at the end, thereby falling into the error of lacking filial piety. They were not even present during the fourteen chapters of the temporary teachings and left their seats before the last six chapters of the original gateway. They remained only for the first eight chapters of the original gateway then left. Such noble and honourable bodhisattvas made their promise to Shakyamuni, Tahô and all the other Buddha emanations and received the teaching of the Utterness of the Dharma. So are they not supposed to appear at the outset of the final phase of the dharma? Indeed you must know that when the four bodhisattvas appear, propagating the Buddha teaching by refuting erroneous concepts, they will become like the wise king who admonishes and goads the foolish ones and when they proselytize, refuting the misconceptions of others, they will be like the monks who hold to and spread the correct dharma. The question is asked: what does the text of the Sixth Chapter on the Disclosure of the Predictions of Who becomes a Buddha say about the final phase? The answer is given: after the fifth of the five five hundred years periods there will be the broad propagation throughout the world of humankind. When the Universal Teacher Tendai forecast the future he said, ‘The fifth five hundred years will be irrigated by the path that is Utterness.' Myôraku says in his predictions, ‘The beginning of the final phase of the dharma will not be without its deep rooted advantages.' The Universal Teacher Dengyô said, ‘The correct and formal phases of the dharma have almost slipped by and the final phase of the dharma is terribly close.' His explanation of ‘terribly close' implies that his time was not the correct period. The Universal Teacher Dengyô was in Japan when he made the prophecy concerning the beginning of the final phase of the dharma, ‘In regard to the age it will be the end of the formal phase and the beginning of the final phase of the dharma; if we enquire about the country then it will be to the east of Kara [China] and to the west of Matsukatsu [Korea], that is to say Japan, and when we take a look at the people they will be the beings of the five pollutions of a kalpa in decay [(i) when it suffers deterioration which brings about the impairment of views (ii) such as selfishness, cynicism, etc., in which (iii) the troublesome worries of wanting, anger, pride and doubts prevail, as a result (iv) human miseries increase and happiness wanes, (v) causing our bodies to be polluted and the quality of our lives reduced, it will be a time of war and strife].' As it says in the sutra, ‘So much begrudged and envied, so how will it be after his passing over to Nirvana?' There is a good reason for these words. The explanation of war and strife points to the two present calamities of treachery within our boundaries and the threat of invasion from the Western Sea. This is the time when the thousands of realms of bodhisattvas, who spring up from the earth, are to appear in order to give support to the Shakyamuni of the original gateway and to establish in this country the Fundamental Object of Veneration for the world of humankind. This Object of Veneration has never been seen in India or China. Even though it was Prince Shôtoku of Japan, who established Shitennôji Temple, the time had not yet come, so the fundamental object of veneration was the Buddha Amida, whose world was elsewhere. The Emperor Shômu built the Tôdaiji Temple, whose lord of the teaching was that of the Flower Garland Sutra, but he did not reveal the real significance of the Dharma Flower Sutra. It was the Universal Teacher Dengyô who divulged its true meaning in general terms but as the time had not arrived he did not make manifest the four bodhisattvas of the original gateway and instead set up an image of the sovereign of the eastern direction with webbed hands and feet. What really transpired was that this Fundamental Object of Veneration of our school was bequeathed to the thousands of realms of bodhisattvas who sprang from the earth. These bodhisattvas, bound to the Buddha's command, are close at hand underground. They did not appear in the correct and formal phases of the dharma but if they do not appear in the final phase of the dharma, they will be bodhisattvas whose words are nothing but barefaced lies and the same applies for the predictions of Shakyamuni, Tahô and all the other Buddha emanations, whose prophecies will be no more than frothy bubbles. On taking these facts into consideration there have been earthquakes, comets and other calamities unlike those of the correct and formal phases of the dharma. These were not violent changes brought about by garudas, ashuras or dragon spirits. So are these not the particular presages that announce the appearance of the Four Great Bodhisattvas? Tendai said, ‘On seeing the intensity of the downpour, we know the size of the dragon that makes it. On seeing the bloom of the lotus flowers, we can judge the depth of the pond.' Myôraku said, ‘Wise men know what the future holds as serpents know their own nature.' When the sky is clear the earth brightens, shouldn't the person who knows the Dharma Flower derive benefits from worldly dharmas? The person who is unaware of the one instant of mind containing three thousand existential spaces is what causes the universal loving kindness of the Buddha to wrap this idea into a jewel of five ideograms and hang it around the neck of foolish people of the final era of the dharma of Shakyamuni. The Four Great Bodhisattvas will guard and protect such a person in no way different than the Dukes Tai and Shû's assistance and support for King Bun [Wen, c.1050 BCE], or the way the four white-haired elders waited upon and served the Emperor Kei [r.194-188 BCE]. The 25th day of the fourth month of the tenth year of Bun.ei [1273] This was written down by Nichiren Postscript to the Thesis on the Fundamental The 26th day of the fourth month of the tenth year of Bun.ei [1273] at 52 years of age I respectfully acknowledge your gift of one summer kimono, three sticks of ink and five writing brushes. I have written down some notes concerning the dharma gateway for the contemplation of the mind and present it to you Lord Ôta, the Venerable Kyôshin and the others. This matter is the all embracing concern of the very person of Nichiren. This letter ought to be kept secret but should it be seen by people, not doubly motivated, it may help to open new ground. This thesis criticizes a great deal and offers few answers as it contains things that have never been heard of previously. No doubt it will startle and move the ears and eyes of those who read it or hear it being read. For instance, even if you do show it to other people you must not read it to three or four people at the same sitting. Since the two thousand two hundred and twenty years after the Buddha's passing over to Nirvana which is the heart of this thesis has never been put forward. I now proclaim it in spite of the persecutions by the state and wait expectantly for the fifth five hundred years period. I earnestly beg that the people who come to read it will exert strong faith so that both master and disciple together will pay their respects to the Immaculate Terrain of Spirit Vulture's Peak and reverently gaze upon Shakyamuni, Tahô and all the Buddha emanations. With awe and respect.
Martin Bradley, The Buddha Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, ISBN: 2-913122-19-1, 2005, Chapter 15, p. 335 |
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