Daimoku is Dharma, not Buddha

"Kanjin Honzon Sho. "Entrustment means: it is this Sutra that is only entrusted to the Bodhisattvas Who Sprang Forth From the Direction Below . . ." (STN, v. 1, 717)   

The meaning is clear.  The Daimoku is the Dharma entrusted to the Bodhisattvas Who Sprang from the Earth.  Such an interpretation agrees entirely with the Sutra, and is reasonable.  The Eternal Buddha, who is ever present but hides His Presence, entrusts His Dharma, "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo" to his own disciples from the most distant past. 

Daimoku is Dharma, not Buddha 

On Rebuking Slander and Eradicating Sins (Kashaku hobo metsuzai sho) says, "During this period of twenty-two hundred and more years, worthy rulers and sage rulers have honored painted images of Shakyamuni, the lord of teachings, as their principle object of devotion. But although they have made depictions of the Buddhas of the Hinayana and the Mahayana teachings; of the Flower Garland, Nirvana, and Meditation sutras; of the theoretical teaching of the Lotus Sutra and of the Universal Worthy Sutra; of the Mahavairochana and the other True Word sutras; and of the Buddhas Shakyamuni and Many Treasures of the Treasure Tower chapter, the Shakyamuni Buddha of the Life Span chapter has never been depicted in any mountain temple or monastery anywhere..."*

The Object of worship, not yet actually installed in Buddhist temples, is to be none other than the Eternal Lord Shakya. The Dharma is the Daimoku and the ones who are entrusted with that Dharma are the Bodhisattvas Who Sprang from the Earth.       

The Daimoku is especially formed as the Essence of the Sutra by the Buddha, Lord Shakya, and he has specifically summoned the Bodhisattvas Who Sprang from the Earth and given His Own Inner Realization (the unity of Wisdom and its Field or Object) in the form of "Namu Myoho Renge Kyo" to them to spread at the beginning of this age of the Latter Dharma. 

It is obvious then: 

1)  The source of the Daimoku which contains the Buddha's Inner Realization is Lord Shakya.

2)  That same Lord Shakya transfers this Daimoku to the Bodhisattva Jogyo and his fellow Bodhisattvas Who Sprang from the Earth; 

3)  This transfer has already taken place as described in an undeniable Sutra text referring to forming the Essence and its Entrusment.  In other words, the doctrine is Sutra -based; 

4)  Nichiren Shonin modestly denies that he is actually that Bodhisattva but indicates he is at least their forerunner. 

Despite Nichiren Shonin's modesty, it is obvious from the other documents cited above that he and his immediate followers identified him as being precisely that  Bodhisattva, who had received the Daimoku from Lord Shakyamuni." -- Graham Lamont

*Here I substituted the translation from the WND for Mr. Lamont's because it is more fluid.