Regarding, utilizing the provisional teachings and other matters

Regarding, utilizing the provisional teachings: One must believe that Nichiren is the Supreme Votary of the Lotus Sutra in order to grasp what he says. Nichiren even taught that there are rare individuals of great capacity who "may" initially be taught the provisional teachings. They are either brought gradually to the Lotus Sutra or they eventually arrive at the Lotus Sutra by virtue of their own awakening and/or their relationship with good friends. 

The very best good friends are Shakyamuni of the Juryo Chapter (Gohonzon) and Nichiren Daishonin.

Failure to acknowledge Nichiren as the Supreme Votary, it will be impossible to accept his teaching as correct because it is most difficult to believe and most difficult to comprehend. Also, i am merely his disciple with a limited faith and understanding. That is why i encourage you to chant Namu myoho renge kyo and to study the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren. Even then, the culmination of "study", according to Nichiren, is a "bodily reading of the Lotus Sutra". Even an illiterate man can perform a bodily reading of the Lotus Sutra, for example, the Atsuhara martyrs: https://markrogow.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-atsuhara-martyrs.html

Nichiren proved the text through his actual life experiences: https://markrogow.blogspot.com/2014/04/commentary-on-chapter-25-of-lotus-sutra.html

Please stop trying to grasp Lotus Sutra Buddhism through me or anybody besides Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren. Go to the source and find a good friend, be they priest or layman who is doing their best to practice as the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren teach (one who also is performing a bodily reading of the Sutra). If you can't find such a person, be that person yourself or only take Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren as your good friend and you will find the answer to your questions. I have a handful of good friends and many bad friends (who most profoundly, too are good friends).

There was a debate, I think in the 16th century between two factions. One faction was the Itchi and the other was the Shoretsu. The itchi faction taught the equality of the 28 Chapters of the Lotus Sutra, the so-called equality of the Theoretical section (first 14 chapters) and the Essential section (latter 14 chapters). These are the Nichiren Shu and the Fuju Fuse people. The Shoretsu faction taught the superiority of the latter fourteen chapters. The Shoretsu faction won the debate according, of course, to the Shoretsu faction and to those who follow Nichiren. They argued from the standpoint of Nichiren that the Essential section is superior to the Theoretical section but the Theoretical section can not be discarded (and it must be understood through the Essential section). Today, those who are Shoretsu are the Honmon Butsuryu Shu (the Eight Chapter school), the Kempon Hokke School (the One Chapter and Two Halves school), the Nichiren Shoshu (claiming to be a Daimoku only school because they follow the priest Nichikan)*, the Soka Gakkai (claiming to be a Daimoku only school because they too follow the teachings of Nichikan), and most independents. I bring this up because, for one to understand the Lotus Sutra THEORETICALLY, he or she must understood it through the eyes of Nichiren. To understand the Lotus Sutra ACTUALLY, one must chant the Daimoku with the same faith as Nichiren. Embracing the forged writings (the majority of writings without Nichiren's colophon (stamp) and signature) and his early writings is fraught with peril.

*I say "claim" because they base their claim primarily on the forged writings that Nichikan embraced: The Ongi Kuden (The Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings); the Shoho Jisso Sho (the True Aspect of all Phenomena); On the Treasure Tower; the Shoji Ichidaiji Kechimaku Sho (The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life);The Unanimous Declaration by the Buddhas of the Three Existences regarding the Classification of the Teachings and Which Are to Be Abandoned and Which Upheld; and they conflate Nichiren's early writings such as Issho Jobutsu Sho (On Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime) with his definitive works. The Nichiren Shoshu also embraces the forged writings, 106 Comparisons, The First Bath, and On the True Cause, that out of necessity the Soka Gakkai refutes as forged. Also, they rely on some pertinent passages from the major authentic works that they have mis-translated in order to further their doctrinal deviations.

Having discussed these issues with the Soka Gakkai for many years, they argue as the priest Nichikan, "We chant the Hoben-pon (2nd Chapter) to demolish the provisional teachings of the Buddha, we chant the Juryo-hon (16th Chapter) to demolish the Hoben-pon, and we chant the Daimoku to demolish the Juryo-hon". To bolster their argument, they point to the few writings which state "only Namu Myoho renge kyo", "Namu Myoho renge kyo alone", and to those writings that, in effect, teach Namu Myoho renge kyo alone (without placing these passages in context either within a particular writing or within the entire authenticated canon). They ignore the Five Major Writings and the other authentic writings which state; "Embrace the Lotus Sutra AND Chant Namu Myoho renge kyo"; "believe in the Lotus Sutra"; "the Lotus Sutra represents the truth; "the Lotus Sutra is the only bright mirror we should have and that through it we can understand the heart of all the sutras." and hundreds of other similar passages. The bottom line is Nichiren embraced and had faith in the 28 Chapter Lotus Sutra AND Gohonzon and he chanted Namu myoho renge kyo. He also chanted various passages of the Lotus Sutra and on special occasions, the entire Lotus Sutra (5.5 hours at a moderately brisk pace). As discussed above, Nichiren actually performed a literal reading of nearly the entire 28 chapter Lotus Sutra.

They then sometimes argue that the Lotus Sutra changes depending on the time. They teach that the Lotus Sutra at the time of Bodhisattva Never Despise consisted of 24 characters and today it is only the Five or Seven Characters (Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo or Na Mu Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo). My counter argument is that this is still the Latter Age that Nichiren taught will last for ten thousand years and more. We must have faith in and realize the 28 Chapter Lotus Sutra and chant Namu myoho renge kyo. In fact, we chant Devotion to the Lotus Sutra (Myoho renge kyo) and in many dozens of writings Nichiren teaches of the misfortune of abandoning or discarding the Lotus Sutra. When it comes down to it, the crux of their argument is "Nichiren said that but meant this", "Nichiren said Lotus Sutra but meant Namu Myoho renge kyo."; "Nichiren said Lotus Sutra but meant Gohonzon." No! When Nichiren stated Lotus Sutra, he meant the 28 chapter Lotus Sutra with very very few exceptions. Likewise, when he stated "Shakyamuni Buddha" he meant Shakyamuni Buddha and NOT Buddha-nature nor I Nichiren.