The Identity of the Original Eternal Buddha
The following passages of proof demonstrate the identity of the Original Buddha as the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni; Nichiren’s reverence for this Buddha; and by believing in the Three Bodied Tathagata Shakyamuni as the Original Buddha and our original teacher, we become equal to Shakyamuni Buddha.
“Now , when the Eternal Buddha was revealed in the essential section of the Lotus Sutra, this world of endurance (Saha-world) became the Eternal Pure Land, indestructible even by the three calamities of conflagration, flooding, and strong winds, which are said to destroy the world. It transcends the four periods of cosmic change: the kalpa of construction, continuance, destruction and emptiness. Sakyamuni Buddha, the Lord-preacher of this pure land, has never died in the past, nor will He be born in the future. He exists forever throughout the past present and future. All those who receive His GUIDANCE are one with this Eternal Buddha.” -- The True Object of Worship
“Since Sakyamuni Buddha is eternal and all other Buddhas in the universe are his manifestations, then those great bodhisattvas converted by manifested Buddhas are also disciples of Lord Sakyamuni Buddha. If the “Life Span of the Buddha” chapter had not been expounded, it would be like the sky without the sun and moon, a country without a king, mountains and rivers without gems, or a man without a soul. nevertheless, seemingly knowledgeable men of such provisional schools of Buddhism as Ch’eng-kuan of the Hua-yen, Chia-hsiang of the San-lun, Tz’u-en of the Fa-hsiang, and Kobo of the shingon tried to extoltheir own canons by stating: “The Lord of the Flower Garland Sutra represents the reward-body (hojin) of the Buddha wheras that of the Lotus Sutra the accomodative body (ojin);” or “the Buddha in the sixteenth chapter of the Lotus is an Illusion; it is the great Sun Buddha who is enlightened.” clouds cover the moon and slanderers hide wise men. When people slander, ordinary yellow rocks appear to be of gold and slanderers seem to be wise. Scholars in this age of decay, blinded by slanderous words, do not see the value of a gold in the “Lifespan of the Buddha” chapter. Even among men of the Tendai school some are fooled into taking a yellow rock for gold. They should know that if Sakyamuni had not been the Eternal Buddha, there could not have been so many who received GUIDANCE from Him.” -- The Opening of the Eyes
“Thus it was revealed that Shakyamuni had long been the Buddha since the eternal past and it became clear that various Buddhas in other worlds were all manifestations of Shakyamuni Buddha. Now, however, as Shakyamuni was proved to be the Eternal Buddha, those Buddhas in the Flower Garland Sutra, or Buddhas in the Hodo, Hannya, or Great Sun Buddha sutras all became subordinates of Shakyamuni Buddha.” (Kaimoku Sho, p. 174, translated byKyotsu Hori, 1987)
BTW, here’s the same quote, as translated by NSIC. Please note the subtle differences:
“When Shakyamuni Buddha revealed that he had gained enlightenment in the far distant past and had since then been constantly in the world, it became apparent that all the other Buddhas were emanations of Shakyamuni… now it becomes apparent that Vairocana Buddha of the Kegon Sutra and various Buddhas of the Hodo, Hannya and Dainichi sutras are in fact all followers of Shakyamuni Buddha.” (MW V.2, p.149)
And again, Nichiren says:
“Since Shakyamuni Buddha is eternal and all other Buddhas in the universe are His manifestations…” (Kaimoku Sho, translated by Kyotsu Hori, p.176).
NSIC translates this as :
“Since the Buddha of the Juryo chapter is revealed as the eternal Buddha…” (the part about the manifestation Buddhas is left out altogether!) [MW V. 2, p.150]
Once again, from the Kaimoku Sho, translated by Kyotsu Hori, p.180:
“But now since it has been revealed that Shakyamuni is the Eternal Buddha…”
“But now that it has become apparent that Shakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment countless aeons ago,…etc. (MW V.2, p. 151)
“Since Sakyamuni Buddha is eternal and all other Buddhas in the universe are His manifestations, then those great bodhisattvas converted by manifested Buddhas are also disciples of Lord Sakyamuni Buddha. If the 'Life Span of the Buddha' chapter had not been expounded, it would be like the sky without the sun and moon, a country without a king, mountains and rivers without gems, or a man without a soul.” -- The Opening of the Eyes
In the Kanjin Honzon Sho, (translated by Kyotsu Hori) there is not a single sentence where Nichiren even suggests that he is somehow this Eternal Buddha that is found in the Juryo Chapter. Instead, Nichiren says:
“…Shakyamuni Buddha, within our minds, is an ancient Buddha without beginning, manifesting Himself in three bodies and attained Buddhahood in the eternal past.. (ibid. P.94)
“…the Bodhisattvas (who sprang from underneath the ground), as described in the 15th chapter, are followers of the Original Buddha Shakaymuni who resides within our minds.” (p.94)
“Shakyamuni Buddha, the Lord-preacher of this pure land, has never died in the past, nor will he be born in the future. He exists forever, throughout the past, present and future.” (P.100)
“The “honzon” at the scene of this transmission of “Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo” from the Eternal Buddha to His Original Disciples is… suspended in the sky above the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni’s Saha-world is a stupa of treasures, in which Shakyamuni Buddha and Taho sit to the left and right of “Myo Ho Renge Kyo”. (P.102)
“Many wooden statues and portraits were made of Shakyamuni Buddha as He preached Hinayana and quasi-Mahayana sutras, but statues and portraits of the Eternal Shakyamuni Buddha revealed in the Juryo Chapter of the Lotus Sutra were never made. Now, in the beginning of Mappo, is it not the time that such statues and portraits are made?” (P.104)
And, from the Ho’on Jo (translated by Taikyo Yajima):
“All the people in Japan as well as the rest of the whole world should revere the Lord Buddha Shakyamuni (Original and Eternal Buddha) revealed in the essential section (honmon) of the Lotus Sutra as the object of worship (honzon).” [P. 198]
Kanjin Honzon-Sho (NOPPA) page 56:
“In fact Sakyamuni began to preach, planting the seed of Buddhahood in the eternal past… Sakyamuni Buddha continued to guide His disciples until they were all sure to attain Buddhahood during the preaching of the Lotus Sutra in His present life, completing the series of His preaching which began in the eternal past.”
Kanjin Honzon-Sho (NOPPA) page 86:
“This means that Sakyamuni Buddha, Taho Buddha, and all the Buddhas in manifestation are in our minds, and that we, upholders of the Lotus Sutra, will follow in their steps and inherit all the merits of those Buddhas.”
and somewhat further along:
“In the same chapter, another passage reads: ‘The duration of My Life, which I obtained through the practice of the bodhisattva way, has not yet expired. It is twice as long as the length of time stated above: 500 dust-particle kalpa.’ This reveals the bodhisattva-realm within our minds. The bodhisattvas described in the fifteenth chapter, ‘Appearance of Bodhisattvas from Under- ground,’ who have sprung out of the great earth, as numerous as the number of dust-particles of 1,000 worlds, are followers of the Original Buddha Sakyamuni who resides within our minds.”
“How lucky I am to be able to go to the Pure Land of Mt. Sacred Eagle and extinguish within one life my sin of slandering the true dharma ever since the eternal past! How glad I feel to be able to go to the Pure Land of Mt. Sacred Eagle and wait on Lord Sakyamuni Buddha, whom I have never seen yet! May I guide first of all those rulers of this land who have persecuted me. May I tell Sakyamuni Buddha about my disciples who have assisted me. may I present this great merit to my parents, who gave birth to me, before I die.”
“Present within our lives is the Lord Shalyamuni who obtained the three enlightened properties of life before gohyaku-jintengo, the Original Buddha since time without begining.” (MW vol 1, The True Object of Worship, pg 65)
“Demonstrating ten great mystic powers the Buddha (Shakyamuni) transferred Namu Myoho renge Kyo to the four great bodhisattvas” (Ibid pg 77)
“Shakyamuni is the original teacher for all people as well as their sovereign and their parent” (MW vol 1, Admonitions Against Slander, pg 166)
“It is the object of worship which perfectly depicts Lord Shakyamuni in the Treasure Tower” (MW vol 1, The Real Aspect of the Gohonzon, pg 212)
“Shakyamuni is the father, sovereign and teacher of all other Buddhas and all gods, of the whole assembly of men and heavenly beings and of all sentient beings.” (MW vol 1, Letter to Nikke, pg 257)
“But because of this book by Honen, this Senchaku Shu, the Lord Buddha Shakyamuni is forgotten.” (MW vol 2, Rissho Ankoku Ron, pg 23)
“The Lord Shakyamuni who declared ‘I alone can save them,’ at a time even more distant than gohyaku-jintengo, is none other than each of us.” (MW vol 2, I2U Exile, pg 55)
“One should know that the Enlightened One, the Buddha, is a Great Teacher for all living beings, a Great Eye for them, a Great Pillar, a Great Helmsman, a Great Field of Plenty.” (MW vol 2, Opening of the Eyes, pg 77)
“The doctrines that the Buddha taught over a period of fifty years number eighty thousand…The eight years during which he preached the Lotus Sutra he called the time when he ‘now must reveal the truth’. Thus Taho Buddha came forth from the earth to testify that ‘All that you have expounded is the truth,’ and the Buddhas that are emanations of the Original Buddha gathered together and extended their tongues up to the Brahma-heaven in testimony.” (MW vol 2, Ibid, pg 79)
“The Buddhas of the ten directionss gathered in assembly, Shakyamuni Buddha announced that ‘all of these are emanations of my being.” (MW vol 2, Ibid, pg 141)
“When Shakyamuni Buddha revealed that he had gained enlightenment in the far distant past and had since then been constantly in the world, it became apparent that all the other Buddhas were emanations of Shakyamuni.” (MW vol 2, Ibid, pg 149)
“Since the Buddha of the Juryo chapter is revealed as the eternal Buddha, it follows that the great bodisattvas such as Monju and Miroku and the great bodisattvas from other realms are in fact disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha.” (MW vol 2, Ibid, pg 150)
“All these beings are discples of Shakyamuni Buddha. Since the various Buddhas themselves are emanations of Shakyamuni Buddha, it goes without saying that their disciples must be disciples of Shakyamuni. And of course the various decties of the sun, moon and stars, who have dwelt in the world from countless ages in the past must likewise be disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha.” (MW vol 2, Ibid, pg 152)
“The Lotus Sutra is nothing other than a scripture that reveals that Shakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment at a time even more distant than gohyaku-jintengo.” (MW vol 2, Letter to the Priests of Seicho-ji, pg 268)
“…but Shakyamuni [by bestowing upon us the character myo] has granted us as many benefits as if we ourselves had fulfilled all the practices of the six paramitas. This precisely accords with his statement, “Now this threefold world is all my domain, the living beings in it are all my children.” (MW vol 3, Letter to Nichimyo Shonin, pg 48-49)
“Now the votaries of the Lotus Sutra are the children of Shakyamuni Buddha.” (MW vol 3, Ibid, pg 49)
“All that you (Shakyamuni Buddha) have expounded is the truth.” (MW vol 3, Ibid pg 51)
“The Lord Shakyamuni assembled Taho Buddha as well as the other Buddhas, who were his own emanations, from throughout ten directions and left one great medicine, the five characters of Myoho renge Kyo-for the people of the Latter Day.” (MW vol 3, The Munadala of the Mystic Law, pg 58)
“Lord Shakyamuni treasured this Gohonzon in mind… He revealed it in the Juryo chapter…” (MW vol 3, Reply to Nii-Ama, pgs 64-65)
In the Selection of the Time, directly under the title, it is written:
“Nichiren, disciple of Shakyamuni Buddha”.
“Yet it was not I, Nichiren who made these important pronouncements. Rather it was in all cases the spirit of Shakyamuni Buddha that had entered into my body. And at having personally experienced this I am beside myself with joy.” (MW vol 3, Ibid, pg 171)
“Shakyamuni Buddha, the World Honored One, declared, ‘I am the foremost throughout the threefold world.’” (MW vol 3, Ibid, pg 176)
“When I was about to be beheaded, the Lord Buddha Shakyamuni took my place.” (MW vol 3, The Supremacy of the Law, pg 199).
“However, they are alike in that they all abandoned Shakyamuni Buddha,” and in the next paragraph it states, “If there is anyone among my followers who is weak in faith and goes against what I, Nichiren, say, he will meet the same fate as did the Soga family.” (MW vol 3, The Supreme Leader of the World, pg 237)
“I have been ceaselessly praying for your sake to the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha and the gods of the sun and moon.” (MW vol 3, Ibid)
“Our teacher, Shakyamuni Buddha.” (MW vol 4, The Learned Shan-wu-wei, pg 64)
“They are monks and nuns by virtue of the Lord Shakyamuni.” (Ibid, pg 65)
“There are three reasons why Shakyamuni Buddha rather than any of the other Buddhas has a relationship with all the people of the world of the saha world. First of all, he is the World Honored One, the soverign of all the people of this saha world…
The second reason is that Shakyamuni Buddha is the father and mother of all the persons in the saha world. It is proper that we should first of all pay filial respect to our own father and mother…
The third reason is that Shakyamuni is the original teacher of all persons in the saha world.” (Ibid, pgs 65-66)
“Yet Shakyamuni Buddha entered this saha world of ours with the title Nonin, ‘He Who Can Forbear.’ He is so called because he does not berate its people for the slanders they all commit but shows forbearance toward them.
“These, then, are the special qualities possesed by Shakyamuni Buddha, qualities that the other Buddhas lack,” (Ibid, pg 68)
“I [Shakyamuni] alone can save them.” (Ibid, pg 69)
“For this reason, all the persons in this saha world of ours, if they detest the sufferings of birth and death and wish to have an object of veneration to which they can pay respect, should first of all fashion images of Shakyamuni Buddha… and make these their object of worship.” (Ibid, pg 69)
“Shakyamuni Buddha our father and mother, who is endowed with the three virtues of soverign, teacher and parent, is the very one who encourages us, the people driven out by all the other Buddhas, saying, ‘I alone can save them’. The debt of gratitude we owe him is deeper than the ocean, weightier than the earth, vaster than the sky. Though we were to pluck out our two eyes and place them before him as an offering until there were more eyes there than stars in the sky, though we were to strip off our skins and spread them out by the hundreds of ten thousands until they blanketed the ceiling of heaven, though we were to give him our tears as offerings of water and present him with flowers for the space of a hundred billion kalpas, though we were to offer him our flesh and blood for innumerable kalpas, until our flesh piled up like mountains and our blood overflowed like vast seas, we could never repay a fraction of the debt we owe to this Buddha!” (Ibid, pg 71-72)
“I, Nichiren have indeed written it by letting my soul (tamashii) dipped in ink flow forth. The very intention (heart) of the Buddha is the Lotus Sutra; the soul of Nichiren is nothing other than Namu Myoho renge kyo. Chan-jan explains, ‘It takes [the Buddha] of Far-reaching Lifespan revealed as the Original Buddha to be its life’ For Lady kyoo, misfortunes will into fortune. By all meansput forth your mind of faith and pray to and think on this Gohonzon. What can not be accomplished? There can be no doubt that ‘fulfilling those vows will be like a clear, cool pond satisfying the thirsty’ and there will be ‘peace and security in the present world and a good place in the next.” — Reply to Kyoo [KHK Translation]
“All that you [Shakyamuni Buddha] have expounded is the truth.” (MW vol 4, Teaching, Practice and Proof, pg 120)
“Answer: One: Japan and so on to the whole of Jambudvipa should uniformly take the Master of Teachings Lord Shakya of the Original Doctrine as the Object of Worship.” — Repaying Debts of Gratitude [KHK Translation]
“Our merciful father, Lord Shakyamuni, said ‘Rely on the Law and not upon persons.” (MW vol 5, A Sage and an Unenlightened Man, pg 65)
“In the same volume in the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha says, ‘for the sake of the Buddha way I have in countless different lands from the begining until now widely preached various sutras, but among them this Sutra is foremost.’ This passage means that Shakyamuni Buddha has appeared in countless lands, taking different names and assuming varying life spans.” (Ibid, pg 77)
“I have dedicated my life to Shakyamuni Buddha and the Lotus Sutra, extending compassion to all living beings and rebuking slanders of the Law.” (MW vol 5, A Sage and an Unenlightened Man, pg 107)
“When Shakyamuni Buddha in the clouds above the Sacred Mountain, in the mists of Eagle peak, summed up the essence of the doctrine and entrusted it to the bodhisattvas of the earth, what do you suppose that teaching was? It was nothing other than these five characters, the essential law;” (Ibid, pg 110)
“I Nichiren, humble person though I am, have recieved Lord Shakyamuni’s royal command and come to this country of Japan.” (MW vol 5, The Pure and Far Reaching Voice, pg 143)
“Shakyamuni Buddha is the lord of all buddhist teachings, the leader and teacher of all human beings.” (Ibid, pg 143)
“And among the Sutras, the Lotus Sutra is a manifestation in writing of Shakyamuni Buddha’s intent; it is his voice set down in written word.” (Ibid, pg 147)
“Shakyamuni Buddha and the written words of the Lotus Sutra are two different things but their heart is one. Therefore, when you cast your eyes upon the words of the Lotus Sutra you should consider that you are beholding the living body of the Buddha Shakyamuni.” (Ibid, pg 147)
“However the Buddha recognizes each character as a golden Lord Shakyamuni. This is the meaning of the statement that ‘[one who is able to hold this Sutra] thereby holds the Buddha’s body’. Those who practice Buddhism but adhere to distorted views destroy this loftiest of Sutras.” (MW vol 5, Reply to Soya Nyudo, pg 164)
“‘The Son of Heaven utters not a single word in vain’ and ‘the words of the Dharma King contain no falsehood’. A wise ruler will never lie, even if it should bring about his ruin. How much less would Shakyamuni Buddha ever speak falsely!” (MW vol 5, Good Fortune in This Life, pg 185)
“Only the Lotus Sutra represents the wonderful teaching preached directly from the golden mouth of Shakyamuni Buddha, who is perfectly endowed with the three bodies.” (MW vol 5, Letter to Myomitsu Shonin, pg 196)
“Shakyamuni, the Lord of Teachings, is the foremost sage in the saha world.” (Ibid, pg 199)
“As we see from these passages of scripture, Shakyamuni, with his Buddha eye, observed the situation that would prevail at the begining of the Latter Day of the Law. If, when the age has arrived, there were to be no persons of the type the Buddha describes then the World-Honored One would be guilty of false and baseless talk. [And if that were to be the case, then] who would put faith in the theoretical and essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra, and in the doctrine of the eternally inherent Buddha Nature.” (MW vol 6, Reply to Lord Hakiri Saburo, pg 40)
“In this way, Shakyamuni Buddha cited his own practice in the past to encourage and hearten (The Votary of the Lotus Sutra).” [Ibid pg 42]
“Shakyamuni summoned the four bodhisattvas and entrusted them with the five characters of Myoho renge Kyo.” (MW vol 6, Rebuking Slander of the Law, pg 60)
“We see from the Sutra that only these four bodhisattvas had been the disciples of Shakyamuni, the Lord of Teachings, since the remote past.” (Ibid, pg 62)
Nichiren quotes Miao-lo, referring to the relationship of the bodhisattvas of the Earth to Shakyamuni as follows;
“The sons will disseminate the Law of the Father.” (Ibid, pg 62)
“The Shakyamuni of the Juryo Chapter has never been depicted in any mountain temple or monastery anywhere.” (Ibid, pg 63)
“The nation of Japan today has turned its back on the Lotus Sutra and cast aside Shakyamuni Buddha.”
(MW vol 6, Letter To Ichinosana Nyudo, pg 99)
“Shakyamuni Buddha is the Parent of all living beings in this world.” (Ibid, pg 100)
“The Lord Buddha Shakyamuni is the enlightened teacher for all living beings in the country of ours. It is thanks to our teacher that we can understand who our parents are. It is owing to Shayamuni that we can distinguish black from white.” (Ibid, pg 100)
“It will be hard indeed to find anyone who can preach the Lotus Sutra just as it teaches in the Latter Day of the Law of Shakyamuni Buddha.” (MW vol 6, Three Tripitaka Masters, pg 118)
“The Tathagata Shakyamuni, seated in the tower adorned with seven kinds of precious gems, entrusted the five characters of Myoho renge Kyo to Takahashi Nyudo.” (MW vol 6, Reply to Takashi Nyudo, pg 124)
“Were it not for Shakyamuni, the lord of teachings, how could such blessings as these be bestowed.”
“The Hokke [Lotus] sect is the sect founded by Shakyamuni.” (MW vol 6, How Those Initially Aspiring to the Way Can Attain Buddhahood, pg 175)
“Therefore [the sect based on] the Lotus Sutra is known as the Buddha-founded sect and is also called the Hokke Sect.” (Ibid, pg 175)
“The various other sects were founded by bodhisattvas or teachers in the period after the Buddha had entered Nirvana. Should we now turn our backs upon the Buddha’s decree and follow the sects established by the bodhisattvas and teachers? Or should we ignore the words of the bodhisattvas and teachers and follow the sect established by the Buddha.” (Ibid, pg 176)
“Now the Latter Day of the Law, is the time when the seven characters of Namu Myoho renge kyo-the heart of the twenty-eight chapters of the Lotus Sutra that Shakyamuni Buddha who had achieved enlightenment in the remote past, along with the bodhisattvas Jogyo, Muhengyo and the others is to propogate-will alone spread throughout the country.” (Ibid, pg 187-188)
“The messenger of the Lord Buddha Shakyamuni has twice been paraded through the street.” (MW vol 6, A Father Takes Faith, pg 242).
“Because Shakyamuni expounded the Lotus Sutra in order to repay the debt of gratitude he owed to his father and mother, Taho Buddha, who had come from the land of treasure purity, praised him as a Buddha of true filial piety. And the Buddhas of the ten directions assembled and declared him to be the most filial among all the Buddhas.” (MW vol 6, On Filial and Unfilial Conduct, pg 290)
“Therefore, the words of this Sutra are indeed the very soul of Shakyamuni Buddha. And since every single word constitutes the soul of the Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha will protect persons who practice this Sutra as though he were protecting his very own eyes. He will accompany such persons just as a shadow accompanies a body. How then could the prayers of such persons not be answered.” (MW vol 7, On Prayer, pg 34)
“The various Buddhas [other than Shakyamuni], since they are known as World Honored One, may be regarded as Sovereigns. But since they do not make their appearance in this saha world, they are not teachers. Nor do they declare that ‘…the living beings in it (this threefold world) are all my children’. Thus, Shakyamuni Buddha alone fulfills the three functions of sovereign, teacher and parent.” (Ibid, pg 43)
“Answer: Shakyamuni Buddha became enlightened to this lotus that is the entity of the Mystic Law numberless major world system dust particle kalpas in the past, and in age after age and lifetime after lifetime, declared that he had attained the way and revealed the fundamental principle he had realized with his enlightened wisdom.” (MW vol 7, The Entity of the Mystic Law)
“In this passage, Shakyamuni Buddha explains that he is entrusting to the Bodhisattvas of the Earth, his original disciples, the five characters of Myoho renge Kyo which is the essence of the Lotus Sutra. Shakyamuni, who attained enlightenment countless Kalpas in the past, says elsewhere, ‘By now the original vows that I made have already been fulfilled. I have converted all living beings and caused them to enter the Buddha way’…This passage represents the ultimate purpose for which Shakyamuni appeared in the world, the secret Law that he attained in the place of meditation.” (Ibid, pg 70)
“In the Latter Day of the Law, other than the envoy of the Thus Come One, there can be no one who understands and produces this passage as proof of the Lotus of the Entity.” (Ibid, pg 70)
“The way in which the Lotus emerges from the muddy water is used as a metaphor to explain that when the Thus Come One joins the multitude of listeners, seats himself on a lotus in the same manner as the various bodhisattvas and expounds on the unsurpassed wisdom of the Thus Come One and on the enlightened state of purity, the various voice heavens, hearing this, are able to obtain the secret storehouse of the Thus Come One. Second, the words Myoho renge signify the lotus opening up. (This is a metaphor explaining that) ordinary beings, though exposed to the Mahayana teachings, are timid and fearful in mind and incapable of taking faith in them. Therefore the Thus Come One ‘opens’ or reveals his Dharma body in its purity and wonder, awakening in them the mind of faith.” (Ibid, pg 71-72)
“In the entire land of Jambuduipa, there has never before been a hall or pagoda that produced the image of Shakyamuni Buddha of the Juryo Chapter of the Lotus Sutra. How could such an image fail to appear now.” (MW vol 7, The Unmatched Fortune of the Law, pg 160)
“However, later seeking and entering the deep cave, you see a single hermitage. The voices of the reading and reciting of the Hokekyo echo against blue heaven and the words of discussing the doctrine of the One Vehicle are heard in the midst of the mountains. Informing [them, of your presence and requesting] admittance, you enter the chamber, place your mother’s bones before the Master of Teachings Lord Shakya, cast your five limbs to the ground, press your palms together, and opening your two eyes, look up to the Holy Face: joy overflows your body and the pain of your heart suddenly ceases.”(On forgetting Ones Copy Of The Lotus Sutra, NOPPA Translation)
“But he reveres Shakyamuni Buddha and puts his faith in the teaching of the Lotus Sutra. Hence he is like a snake that grips a jewel in its mouth, or a dragon that bears sacred relics on its head. A wisteria vine by Twining around a pine, may climb a thousand meters into the air and a crane, because it has wings to rely upon, can travel ten thousand miles. It is not their own strength that allows them to do these things.” (MW vol 7, On The Urobon, pg 172-173)
"With regard to the statue of Shakyamuni Buddha you have made, in fact you have made and revealed the Buddha of three thousand realms in a single moment of life, which since time without beginning had never been revealed! I am eager to go at once and face it. This is what is meant by the words “The Buddhas wish to open the door of Buddha wisdom to all living beings,” and “In truth the time since I attained Buddhahood [is extremely long].”(Concerning the Statue of Shakyamuni Buddha Made by Toki)
"And yet there are some teachers who deprecate Shakyamuni and pay reverence to the Thus Come One Mahāvairochana, or some teachers who declare that one cannot establish a connection leading to Buddhahood with Shakyamuni, but can establish such a connection with Amida. Other teachers support the Shakyamuni of the Hinayanateachings, the Shakyamuni of the Flower Garland Sutra, or theShakyamuni of the theoretical teaching of the Lotus Sutra. All these teachers and their supporters who forget [the] Shakyamuni [of the “Life Span” chapter] and choose some other Buddha instead are like PrinceAjātashatru, who killed his father, King Bimbisāra, and, turning against Shakyamuni, became a patron of Devadatta." (Choosing the Heart of the Lotus Sutra)
"...and all the beings of the threefold world, following their example, acknowledged themselves as followers of Shakyamuni.
Moreover, when I examined how long the various Buddhas had spent accomplishing the practice needed to become a Buddha and how long Shakyamuni had done so, I found that some of the other Buddhas had spent three asamkhya kalpas or five kalpas, but that ShakyamuniBuddha had been in the sahā world since major world system dust particle kalpas in the past, a great leader who made it possible for all people to establish the connections needed to attain Buddhahood...." (
Therefore we owe a great debt of gratitude to this Shakyamuni Buddha, a debt more weighty than the great earth, broader than the sky, and higher than the heavens. When it comes to such a Buddha as this, both sovereigns, ministers, and common people should honor him more highly than they do their own fathers or mothers, should pay him greater reverence than they pay to the gods. And if they do that much, then even if they should commit some grave offense, heaven will protect them and will not cast them aside, and the earth will not display anger toward them." (ibid)
"Shakyamuni Buddha is like the one moon in the sky, and the various other Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and beings are like the reflections floating on ten thousand different bodies of water. Thus a person who fashions a single image of Shakyamuni Buddha is in effect making images of all the Buddhas of the worlds in the ten directions." ("The Buddha Statue Fashioned by Nichigen-nyo)
"Shakyamuni Buddha has declared, “Now this threefold world is all my domain, and the living beings in it are all my children. Now this place is beset by many pains and trials. I am the only person who can rescue and protect others.” For this reason, Shakyamuni acts as the sovereign for all the living beings in this country of Japan, as their teacher, and as their parent.
The seven reigns of the heavenly deities, the five reigns of the earthly deities, and the ninety reigns of human rulers of Japan—all these deities and rulers have been followers of Shakyamuni Buddha, to say nothing of the retainers of these deities and rulers. All the land of this present-day country of Japan, its mountains and rivers, its oceans, its plants and trees are all the treasures of Shakyamuni Buddha. There is not a single jot of them that belongs to the Buddhas of other worlds such as Medicine Master or Amida. Moreover, the heavenly deities, the earthly deities, and the ninety reigns of human sovereigns of Japan, along with the common people, the cows and horses, and in fact every living being that is born, is a child of Shakyamuni Buddha, the lord of teachings. In addition, the fact that the heavenly and earthly deities, human rulers, and the common people of Japan can make the proper distinctions regarding heaven and earth, water and fire, parents, sovereign, men and women, wives and children, black and white, is due entirely to the fact that Shakyamuni Buddha, the lord of teachings, has been their teacher. It is in no way due to the teachings of any of the other Buddhas such as Medicine Master or Amida." (Condolences on a Deceased Husband)
"Moreover, now when everyone else in Japan has abandoned Shakyamuni Buddha, what roots of goodness from the past, I wonder, account for your believing in the Lotus Sutra and Shakyamuni Buddha,..." (The Eighth Day)
"The oral tradition says that the Buddha can become grass and trees. This means that the Shakyamuni Buddha of the “Life Span” chapter can manifest himself in grass and trees. The Lotus Sutra speaks of “the Thus Come One’s secret and his transcendental powers.” There is nothing in the entire realm of phenomena that is not the manifestation of the Thus Come One Shakyamuni." (The Enlightenment of Plants)
These passages from the Gosho are crystal clear. Eternal Shakyamuni Buddha is our original teacher to whom Nichiren’s reverence knows no bounds. Why do the Taisekaji sects fail to embrace the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren’s words? Could it be that the Devil of the Sixth Heaven has replaced Shakyamuni Buddha in their minds? This delusion, in the minds of these men, can be demonstrated by their behaviors:
“They will tear off the first part of the Sutra and stick it on the end, tear off the end and put it at the begining, put the end and the begining in the middle and the begining at the middle or end. You must understand that these evil monks are the companions of the devil.” (MW vol 2, Opening Of The Eyes, pg 1 180)
Their causes are revealed:
“There is a difference if one chants the daimoku while acting against the intent of this Sutra.” (MW vol 3, The Fourteen Slanders, pg 207)
“Those who practice Buddhism but adhere to distorted views destroy this loftiest of Sutras.” (MW vol 5, Reply to Soya Nyudo, pg 164).
and their effects:
“Unfilial children however are not allowed to succeed their parents.” (MW vol 3, Letter to Nichinyo, pg 49);
How can this be remedied?:
“In the same way, one who chants the daimoku as the Lotus Sutra teaches will never have a twisted mind.” (MW vol 5, Letter to Myomitsu Shonin, pg 196)
“Those who seek the truth of Buddhism, however, should reject one sided views whether they are of their own sects or other sects and should not treat others with contempt.” (MW vol 2, Opening Of The Eyes, pg 167)
“One should use the Sutras as his eyes and give precedence to the wisdom of the Buddha. Surely however, if this standard is made clear people will become enraged and harbor indignation in their minds. Let them do as they will. What matters most is that we honor the Buddha’s command. As a rule people in the world value what is distant and despise what is near, but this is the conduct of the ignorant. Even the distant should be repudiated if it is wrong, while that which is near should not be discarded if it accords with the truth. Even though people may revere (their predecessors doctrines), if those doctrines are in error, how can we employ them today”. (MW vol 4, Reply to Hoshina Goro Taro, pg 42-43)
These passages constitute a Buddhist doctrine, the second most important Buddhist doctrine of Nichiren Lotus Sutra Buddhism.
There are ~ 200 additional passages that support our assertions.
