Some teach: "Nichiren Buddhism teaches that the Mystic Law of Nam(u)-myoho-renge-kyo exists within the lives of every person."
Nichiren, on the other hand, teaches that, the vast majority of people in this Latter Age, have NOT not received the seed of Buddhahood and for those few who have received the seed in past lives, they lay "scorched" or dormant. Nichiren's teaching is the teaching of "receiving and keeping".
Those who posit "realizing" often become conceited and lacking in gratitude, they believe themselves equal to Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin. To argue their point, they bring out the passage from Chapter 2 (Expedient Means) of the Theoretical Section of the Lotus Sutra:
Shariputra, you should know
that at the start I took a vow,
hoping to make all persons
equal to me, without any distinction between us,
and what I long ago hoped for
has now been fulfilled.
Taking this passage out of the context of the entire Sutra and the instruction of Nichiren, they go around proclaiming, "I am a Buddha".
Were Namu Myoho renge kyo a priori in the lives of every person, Nichiren never would have taught to plant the seeds in the "wasteland of peoples lives". Even in those who received the seeds in the distant past, Nichiren taught that most of these people in this Latter Day had "scorched" seeds. only in one or two questionable texts does Nichiren teach, "seeds inherent." In his authentic texts such as his most important writing, The True Object of Worship:
"It is only the Seven Characters ‘Namu Myoho renge kyo’ that are the seed for becoming a Buddha."
and
"Shakyamuni Buddha did not transmit the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo, the heart of the essential teaching of the Lotus Sutra, even to the bodhisattvas Manjushrī and Medicine King, let alone to any lesser disciples. He summoned from beneath the earth the great bodhisattvas as numerous as the dust particles of a thousand worlds and, as he preached the eight chapters, transferred it solely to them." (Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind)
and
"Now, moreover, we are two hundred or more years into the Latter Day of the Law, and persons who have received the seeds of the Lotus Sutra in the distant past or in Shakyamuni’s time have with time become fewer and fewer. In addition, though there appear to be a small number of persons who have received the seeds of the Lotus, there are countless others who commit great evil in the secular world or slander the Law in the religious world, such persons veritably filling the whole land. Those who do good have become as rare as water in the midst of a great fire, fire in the midst of a great body of water, fresh water in the midst of the ocean, or gold in the midst of the earth. Evil deeds abound, and there is no trace of good deeds done in the past or evidence of good deeds done now."
Finally, he concludes:
"Showing profound compassion for those unable to comprehend the gem of the doctrine of three thousand realms in a single moment of life, the Buddha wrapped it within the five characters [of Myoho-renge-kyo], with which he then adorned the necks of the ignorant people of the latter age."
It should be noted again that the vast majority of people can not comprehend the gem of the Three Thousand Realms in a Single Moment of Life because they have never received the seed of Buddhahood. It is thanks to the Original Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni, he who transmits the five characters of Myo Ho Ren Ge Kyo to us that we can obtain Buddhahood. It is not by realizing Namu Myoho renge kyo that exists in every person because Nichiren makes it clear that few have received the seed and none without a relationship to the sower:
"The teaching of the essential section section during the the lifetime of Sakyamuni Buddha and that which would spread in the beginning of the Latter Day are likewise absolutely perfect. However, the former is for attaining enlightenment, whereas the latter is for sowing the seeds of Buddhahood. While the former is crystallized in the sixteenth chapter, 'Duration of the Life of the Buddha', with half a chapter each preceding it and following it, the latter is solely embodied in the five characters of myo, ho, ren, ge, kyo." [pg. 122] -- The True Object of Worship).
and another faithful translation of this same passage reads:
"It is evident that the Revelation of Eternity was preached for the sake of us who live at the beginning of the period of Deprivation. In this respect, we are as blessed as those who heard the Buddha in person, the only difference is that they brought to fruit their seeds of Buddhahood by hearing directly the 'One Chapter and Two Halves', whereas WE ARE ENDOWED with the seeds of Buddhahood BY RECEIVING the Five Words." (Five Major Writings of Nichiren, Senchu Murano translation, Kanjin No Honzon Sho, p. 37)
“The Lotus Sutra is like the seed, the Buddha like the sower, and the people like the field.” — The Essentials for Attaining Buddhahood.
Nichiren teaches in the True Object of Worship for Observing the Mind, he states:
"If it is not the proper Object of Worship (Gohonzon), even though there be no falsehood [even if the practitioner is sincere] it will not form the seed [of Buddhahood]. The Daimoku of the Hommon [Doctrine of the Original, found in the Lotus Sutra] is the seed of Buddhahood. This is because the Eternal Shakyamuni of the Honmon has put his Causal Practices (his myriad practices that lead to enlightenment) and his Virtues of the Effect (the merits of the effect, which is Buddhahood) into the seven characters of Namu Myo Ho Renge Kyo." (The True Object of Worship)
Others teach that that the seeds are the same as Buddha wisdom. Nichiren on the other hand teaches, also in the True Object of Worship:
“Concerning the passage in the Lotus Sutra that you quoted, “He [the Buddha] has rooted out evil from among the phenomena,” here the Buddha is referring to a teaching from one of the earlier sutras. But when you take a closer look at the sutra, it is clear that the mutual possession of the Ten Worlds is being explained. For, in the same sutra, this passage is found: “The Buddhas wish to open the door of Buddha wisdom to all living beings.” T’ien-t’ai comments on this passage as follows: “If people do not possess innate Buddha wisdom, how could the Buddha say he wanted to open it? One must understand that Buddha wisdom is inherent in all human beings.” The Great Teacher Chang-an concludes, “How could people open the door to and realize their Buddha wisdom if it did not exist within them? How could a person show the poor woman her treasure repository if the treasure repository did not exist?” — The Object of Devotion for Observing the Mind.
It is receiving and keeping the seed of Namu Myoho renge kyo that awakens the "proper Object of Worship", not realizing the seed that exists within.
More on the seeds of Buddhahood:
Many Sutras talk about scorched seeds. Some even teach that the Buddha seeds of women are scorched. The Lotus Sutra [through faith in the Sutra] can instantaneously revive the scorched seeds of Men of the Two Vehicles, of those who kill their father, of those who kill their mother, of those who cause disunity within the Sangha*, of those who kill an Arhat, and of those who injure a Buddha and cause him to bleed [these latter five circumstances are known as the Five Cardinal Sins]. However, the Lotus Sutra can not immediately revive the seeds of those who slander the true Dharma or the votaries of the Lotus Sutra. For example, despite repenting of their sins, submitting to, and following Neverdespise Bodhisattva, those who reviled him, for two hundred kotis of eons, neither encountered a Buddha nor the Dharma and they passed one thousand eons in the avici Hell. How much worse the fate of those who slander and revile Myoho renge kyo and its votaries?
*This does not apply at this time because there is no unity in the Sangha and therefore, there is no unity to break.
On Buddha Seeds and Buddha-Nature:
“The Lotus Sutra is like the seed, the Buddha like the sower, and the people like the field.” — The Essentials for Attaining Buddhahood.
“Now in the two thousand years of the True and Counterfeit [Dharmas] when they kept and relied upon the Lesser Vehicle and Provisional Great Vehicle, and practices putting one’s merit [effort] into them, in general there was benefit. Even so, although everyone who practiced those various sutras thought that they obtained the benefit by the various sutras upon which they relied, when we inquire on the meaning by the Hokekyo, they had not one bit of benefit. What is the reason why? It being when the Buddha was in the world they formed a connecting condition with the Hokekyo but it depended upon whether or not there was maturation or not in their capacities. Those whose capacities of the Perfect Teaching are pure and matured in the time [when the Buddha] was in the world attained Buddhahood. Those whose faculties and capacities were faint and inferior [or not yet mature] backslid to the True Dharma [era] and took their realization from the Jomyo [Vimalakirti], Shiyaku, Kan[muryoju]kyo, Ninno hannya kyo and so on, just as when [the Buddha] was in the world. And so in the True Dharma [era] was jointly possessed together of the three, teaching, practice and realization.
“In the Counterfeit Dharma [era] there was teaching and practice but no realization. Now on entering the Latter Dharma there are the teachings, but there is no practice or realization. There is not one person of those who formed the connecting condition when the Buddha was in the world. The two capacities of the Provisional and Real [Teachings] are all gone. At this time for the two [types] of people who are of the rebellious [sins] and blasphemy of the present era for the first time one takes Namu Myoho renge kyo of the ‘Chapter of the Measure of Life’, the Essence of the Hommon as the laying down of the seed (or, as the Buddha Seed). “‘This good, excellent medicine now I leave here. You should take and swallow it. Do not worry that you will not be cured’” refers to this.
It is as when long ago in the Counterfeit Dharma [era] of the past Buddha Ionno when there was not one person who knew the Great Vehicle, the Bodhisattva Fukyo came forth and chanted the Twenty-four Characters which the Master of Teachings had preached. Those who heard those Twenty-four Characters not lacking one person also [later] encountered the Great Being (Mahasattva) Fukyo and obtained benefit. This then was because they made the previous hearing of the Dharma the laying down of the seed (geshu).
Now it is also like this. That was the Counterfeit Dharma; this is the polluted evil Latter Dharma. That was a practicer of the First (Elementary) Following Joy [level]; this is a worldling of the Name {Identity]. That was the laying down of seed of the Twenty-four Characters; this is only the Five Characters [of the Daimoku]. Although the times of obtaining the Way (tokudo: Buddhahood) are different, their ultimate meaning of Attaining Buddhahood would be completely the same.” (STN, v. 2, 1479-1480) Kyogyosho Gosho
“Though the people who say the Nembutsu, keep the precepts and so on are many, the persons who rely upon the Hokekyo are few. The stars are many but they do not illuminate the great sea. Grasses are many but they do not form the pillars of the Imperial Palace. Though Nembutsus are many, they are not the Way to become a Buddha. Though one keeps the precepts they do not form the seed for going to the Pure Land. It is only the Seven Characters ‘Namu Myoho renge kyo’ that are the seed for becoming a Buddha. Though, when I said this, people were jealous and did not adopt it, the late Lord Ueno by his believing it has become a Buddha.” (STN, v. 2, 1603) — Gosho unknown by me
There are two processes and two general types of people, according to Nichiren Daishonin: Those who received the seeds of Buddhahood in the past, those in the Higher Six Worlds; and those who never received the seeds, those in the Lower Four Worlds. For those who have already received the seeds, the Daimoku functions to water the seeds. For those who never received the seeds, hearing the Daimoku [Law] is the seed and practicing the Daimoku is the water. He states, “But many who neither received the seeds of Buddhahood nor formed ties with the Buddha in past existences…” and further along, “The sutra explains that all bodhisattvas, persons of the two vehicles, and human and heavenly beings received the seeds of Buddhahood numberless major world system dust particle kalpas ago.” Therefore, when he asserts, “If people do not possess innate Buddha wisdom, how could the Buddha say he wanted to open it? One must understand that Buddha wisdom is inherent in all human beings.” [Even in those in the Four Lower Worlds who do not possess the Buddha seeds]. How do we reconcile these seemingly diverse teachings? Buddha-nature is the FIELD of good fortune synonymous with Buddha wisdom in all beings but without the Buddha seeds and water of Myoho renge kyo, the field will lie fallow and Buddhahood will never open [manifest].
The claim that only through one's relationship with a particular person or sect can a believer attain Enlightenment is to cause believers to doubt the beneficence and efficacy of the Law of Myoho renge kyo. A lack of faith in Myoho renge kyo is to destroy the seeds of Buddhahood (failing to water the seeds). Many also abandon the faith when they are confronted with the Three Obstacles and Four Devils. Nichiren taught that we can not warn people enough about the Three Obstacles and Four Devils. Failing to warn people leaves them unprepared and frightened. With a correct faith and practice, instead of fear, encountering the Three Obstacles and Four Devils is a source of profound joy. It is proof that we are on the path to Buddhahood.
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