The Lotus Sutra personified

"Nichiren regarded the words of the Lotus Sutra as the expression of Śākyamuni Buddha’s mind and—based on the logic of the nonduality of form and mind— asserted that the Lotus Sutra is none other than Śākyamuni Buddha and that Śākyamuni Buddha is precisely the Lotus Sutra. Herein we can discern the reason why Nichiren often refers to the Lotus Sutra in personified terms. This is especially important to bear in mind when we consider his understanding of the object of worship of the origin teaching as both the Lotus Sutra and the primordially awakened Śākyamuni." -- Kitagawa