The Five Guides for Propagation of Buddhism was established by Nichiren Daishonin. They perfectly reflect the sequence of propagation of the Buddhism of Japan.
(1) The teaching, (2) The people’s capacity, (3) the time, (4) the country, and (5) the sequence of propagation.
(1) Having a correct understanding of Buddhism
(2) The teaching that accords with the capacity of individuals and society.
(3) The proper time to propagate the various teachings of the Buddha. Now is the time for the propagation of the Lotus Sutra (Myoho renge kyo). Nichiren teaches that the time is the most important of the Five Guides.
(4) Those who propagate the Lotus Sutra must have an understanding of the country (world) in which they reside.
(5) The sequence of propagation of the various teachings of the Buddha. The introduction of inferior teachings always precede the introduction of the superior teachings.
I would like to briefly discuss the sequence of propagation of Buddhism in America. The provisional teachings of Buddhism came to the United States with Chinese immigrants in the early 1800's and especially after the gold rush in 1848. The Theravada arrived in 1893, Zen in 1893, and Pure Land in 1898.
Regarding "Nichiren Lotus Sutra Buddhism in America"; the Nichiren Shu teachings first appeared in America in the early 1900's; the Soka Gakkai and the Nichiren Shoshu appeared around 1960; original (orthodox) Nichiren Lotus Sutra Buddhism appeared in the 1990's. The orthodox teachings were superior (in doctrine but not practice) to the Nichiren Shu, Soka Gakkai, and Nichiren Shoshu teachings. Presently, a handful of adepts have appeared, largely independents, to practice and clarify the Lotus Sutra Buddhist teachings of Nichiren. Our teachings are superior both in doctrine and practice to the "Nichiren" Lotus Sutra teachings that came before. This sequence of propagation of Buddhism in the United States has perfectly followed the Five Guides for Propagation of Buddhism established by Nichiren.
The proof that those who adopt Nichiren's manner have superior doctrine and practice, is Nichiren himself, the teacher of the Law in this Latter Age (according to the Lotus Sutra). He adopted the Buddha's manner of expounding the Lotus Sutra and we adopt his manner:
"Question:Generally speaking, people who have a correct understanding of the Buddhist teachings and who act in accordance with the Buddha’s will are looked up to by the world and respected by all. And yet in our present age, in the case of those who uphold the Lotus Sutra, the world joins in hating and envying them, treats them with contempt and scorn, sometimes driving them away, sometimes condemning them to exile, never dreaming of giving them alms but rather hating them as though they were deadly enemies. It would almost seem as though the followers of the Lotus Sutra were evil-minded people who were going against the Buddha’s will and interpreting the Buddhist teachings in a distorted manner. How do the sutras explain this.
Answer: According to the sutra text, the votaries of the Lotus Sutra in the Latter Day of the Law, who are so faithful in upholding the sutra that they are hated by others, are the true priests of Mahayana. They are the teachers of the Law who will propagate the Lotus Sutra and bring people benefit. As for priests who are thought well of by others, who go along with other people’s desires and so come to be revered, one should regard them as the enemies of the Lotus Sutra and as evil influences to the world. A sutra passage likens persons of this type to a hunter who spies sharply about him as he stalks a deer, or to a cat who hides its claws as it creeps up on a mouse. In just such a way, we are told, do they flatter, deceive, and mislead the lay men and women."
The closer one is to adopting Nichiren's doctrine and practice the closer one will be to Supreme and Perfect Enlightenment. Even though we are imperfect human beings or have an imperfect practice, we can save the living and rapidly attain Buddhahood (by the principle of the Mutual Possession of the Ten worlds).
In the Lotus Sutra Chapter 8 it is written,
“Before the multitude they seem possessed of the three poisons or manifest the signs of distorted views. My disciples in this manner use expedient means to save living beings.”
Even regarding our most egregious mistakes:
"The Great Teacher Chia-hsiang wrote the ten-volume Treatise on the Profundity of the Lotus Sutra, and that would under ordinary circumstances have condemned him to fall into the hell of incessant suffering. But he set aside his own manner of reading the Lotus Sutra and served the Great Teacher T’ien-t’ai, and thus was able to escape the pains of hell." - Nichiren
How much more true for the Latter Day when everyone has a different manner than Nichiren in reading the Lotus Sutra? The SGI says Nam Myoho renge kyo or Nichiren is True Buddha, the Nichiren Shoshu says that the true succession lies in the bequethal received by only a single person, and the Nichiren Shu emphasize the essential unity of the trace and origin while shunning shakabuku practice. These mistaken doctrines are proof that most practitioners of the Lotus Sutra have their own manner of reading the Sutra. This should be kept in mind when evaluating our thoughts about what it is to be a Bodhisattva of the Earth or any other question and answer that we believe to be true.
It is apparent to me, that only those who set aside their own manner of reading the Sutra and adopt Nichiren Daishonin's manner, experience the same Enlightenment as he. It is also apparent that unless this standard is met, there will never be unity in the Nichiren community.
In order to create the Buddha's Land here on earth, nothing is as important as unity in the Nichiren community. I postulate unity based on the same Three Treasures, same Three Great Secret Laws [as described by Nichiren], and a bodily reading of the Lotus Sutra in the same manner as Nichiren.
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