I vowed to summon up a powerful and unconquerable desire for the salvation of all beings and never to falter in my efforts.

The Opening of the Eyes (1), WND, 240, to Shijo Kingo in February of 1272 from Tsukahara

Now, no matter what, strive in faith and be known as a votary of the Lotus Sutra, and remain my disciple for the rest of your life. If you are of the same mind as Nichiren, you must be a Bodhisattva of the Earth. And if you are a Bodhisattva of the Earth, there is not the slightest doubt that you have been a disciple of Shakyamuni Buddha from the remote past. The sutra states, "Ever since the long distant past I have been teaching and converting this multitude." There should be no discrimination among those who propagate the five characters of Myoho-renge-kyo in the Latter Day of the Law, be they men or women. Were they not Bodhisattvas of the Earth, they could not chant the daimoku. At first only Nichiren chanted Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, but then two, three and a hundred followed, chanting and teaching others. Propagation will unfold this way in the future as well. Does this not signify "emerging from the earth?" At the time when the Law has spread far and wide, the entire Japanese nation will chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, as surely as an arrow aimed at the earth cannot miss the target.

The True Aspect of All Phenomena, WND, 385

Written to Sairen-bo Nichijo on May 17, 1273 from Ichinosawa on Sado

All those who consider themselves my disciples should know that now is the time for the four bodhisattvas to appear. Therefore, even if it should cost you your lives, you must never discard your faith.

The Votary of the Lotus Sutra will Meet Persecution, WND, 449 1274 Toki Jonin [MW-6]

Therefore, I say to you, my disciples, try practicing as the Lotus Sutra teaches, exerting yourselves without begrudging your lives! Test the truth of Buddhism now!

The Selection of the Time, WND, 584 1275 Yui [MW-3]

I am the votary of the Lotus Sutra. Since I follow in the footsteps of Bodhisattva Never Disparaging, those who despise and slander me will have their heads broken into seven pieces, while those who believe in me will amass good fortune as high as Mount Calm and Bright.

A Sage Perceives the Three Existences of Life, WND, 641 1275 Toki Jonin [MW-2]

Since childhood, I, Nichiren, have never prayed for the secular things of this life but have single-mindedly sought to become a Buddha.

The Hero of the World, WND, 839 1277 Shijo Kingo [MW-3]

From the time that I was born until today, I have never known a moment's ease; I have thought only of propagating the daimoku of the Lotus Sutra. I do not know how long I or anyone else may live, but without fail, I will be with you at the time of your death and guide you from this life to the next.

Persecution by Sword and Staff, WND, 965 1279 Nanjo Tokimitsu [MW-2]

Likewise the people of Japan, by becoming enemies of the Lotus Sutra, have brought ruin on themselves and their country. And because I proclaim this, I am called arrogant by those of little understanding. But I do not speak out of arrogance. It is simply that if I did not speak out I would not be the votary of the Lotus Sutra. Moreover, when my words prove later to be true, people will be able to believe all the more readily. And because I write this down now, the people of the future will recognize my wisdom. "One's body is insignificant while the Law is supreme. One should give one's life in order to propagate the Law." Because my body is insignificant, I am struck and hated, but because the Law is supreme, it will spread without fail. If the Lotus Sutra spreads, my mortal remains will be respected, and if my remains are respected, they will benefit the people.

The Supremacy of the Law, WND, 615 1275 Nichimyo [MW-3]

Each of you should summon up the courage of a lion king and never succumb to threats from anyone. The lion king fears no other beast, nor do its cubs. Slanderers are like barking foxes, but Nichiren's followers are like roaring lions.

On Persecutions Befalling the Sage, WND, 997 1279 Shijo Kingo [MW-1]

If lay believers and their teacher pray with differing minds, their prayers will be as futile as trying to kindle a fire on water. Even if they pray with one mind, their prayers will go unanswered if they have long made the error of attacking the greater teachings with lesser ones. Eventually, both lay believers and their teacher will be ruined.

The Eight Winds, WND, pg. 795

Now I am not a worthy, let alone a sage. I am the most perverse person in the world. However, my actions seem to be in exact accord with what the sutra teaches. Therefore, whenever I meet great difficulties, I am more delighted than if my deceased parents had returned to life, or than one who sees the person one hates meet with some mishap. I am overjoyed that I, a foolish man, should be regarded as a sage by the Buddha.

The Workings of Brahma and Shakra, WND, pg. 799-800

Teach this doctrine to others clearly as I have taught you these many years. Those who call themselves my disciples and practice the Lotus Sutra should all practice as I do. If they do, Shakyamuni, Many Treasures, Shakyamuni's emanations throughout the ten directions, and the ten demon daughters will protect them. Yet, for all that, [some people associated with Ota Jomyo distort the teaching]. I cannot fathom what could be in their minds.

On Establishing the Four Bodhisattvas as The Object of Devotion, WND, pg. 978

Nichiren Daishonin wrote this treatise as an expression of gratitude to Dozen-bo, and sent it to Joken-bo and Gijo-bo, his former seniors at Seicho-ji, who later became his followers. How do we repay our gratitude for having had the fortune of being born human and finding the Gohonzon? The supreme way is to practice true Buddhism courageously and consistently throughout our lives, show beautiful proof of its power in our daily lives and never hesitate to share the teachings with others for kosen-rufu.

Though the Daishonin recognizes the difficulty of propagating and practicing Buddhism in the Latter Day of the Law, but he emphasizes the benefit.

World Tribune, 3-27-87, p. 2

When Nichiren, the thirteenth-century Japanese Buddhist sage whose teachings inspire the activities of SGI, writes that "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo [identified by him as the fundamental Law of life] will spread for ten thousand years and more," he displays a long-term perspective from which he indicates that his teachings will have the power to awaken people and prevent suffering even in this corrupted "Latter Day of the Law," and that they will continue to contribute to the welfare of human society into the distant future even ten thousand and more years hence. This is a far-reaching perspective, a great prospect for the future, derived from an extraordinarily profound conviction.

Nichiren's approach can be said to represent the essence of the Buddhist view of history. The three time periods should not be understood in formalistic or categorical terms. Nor should they be seen superficially as a successive, linear flow or advance of humanity's spiritual history.

It is evident to me that the above-cited passage reflects Nichiren's intense and unflinching struggle in the face of constant official persecution and gives voice to his clear grasp of the deepest undercurrents flowing through human history.

For those who practice Nichiren's Buddhism, his teachings should therefore be read with an attentive view to their deeper significance, and an attempt to develop the capacity to perceive these undercurrents that flow from past to future. With such a perspective it is possible to identify with his profound compassion for all humanity, and live lives of altruistic service as those Buddhism calls "Bodhisattvas of the Earth."

Living Buddhism, May 1998, Pgs. 15-16

It may seem perfectly all right to put ourselves and our own wishes first, to simply follow the dictates of our emotions and cravings. But the truth is that there is nothing more unreliable than one's mind. Life doesn't always go like clockwork, and things will not necessarily turn out as we hope or plan. Consequently, Nichiren Daishonin frequently stressed that you should become the master of your mind, not let your mind master you (MW-1, 146). We mustn't allow ourselves to be ruled by a self-centered mind. Rather, we have to discipline the mind and gain mastery over it. This is the Daishonin's admonition.

World Tribune, 10/24/97, p. 10

Thus, we who practice faith in the Gohonzon and advance kosen-rufu with the same mind as the Daishonin are also Bodhisattvas of the Earth entrusted with the supreme Law.

Lectures on the "Expedient Means" and "Life Span" Chapters of the Lotus Sutra, V-2, p. 15

The Bodhisattvas of the Earth are described as "firm in their intent and thought" (LS15, 216). That is, they are people of firm determination who, once set on a course of action, follow through; they are people of persistence.

Lectures on the "Expedient Means" and "Life Span" Chapters of the Lotus Sutra, V-2, p. 16

The Gohonzon of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo directly express the Buddha's life, which is pervaded with wisdom. To believe and uphold this Gohonzon is to plant the seeds of happiness, or perceive the Mystic Law, in one's life.

Lectures on the "Expedient Means" and "Life Span" Chapters of the Lotus Sutra, V-3, p. 50

When ordinary people such as ourselves believe in the Daishonin and chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, we can open up the life of kuon ganjo within the entity of our own lives.

Lectures on the "Expedient Means" and "Life Span" Chapters of the Lotus Sutra, V-2, p. 37

"If Nichiren's compassion ... for all eternity", means that the Buddha seeks to eliminate the suffering within human life, which is the source of all unhappiness. His compassion is like that of a parent who wishes to care for and raise her or his children until they can become mature adults. The spirit of compassion is at the core of the SGI organization.

"... it has the beneficial power ... every living being ...," signifies the Buddha who seeks to rid people of their illusion and ignorance and deepen their knowledge of the truth. In the same way, the Buddha encourages people to open their eyes to the greatness of devotion to the Mystic Law. Once people can base their lives on true Buddhism by deepening their faith in the Gohonzon, they will correctly perceive the true nature of all phenomena and thus become able to enjoy their lives fully.

"... blocks off the road ... incessant suffering..." represents the Buddha's attempts to block humankind's collective march toward social decay and war. If one wonders what the hell of incessant suffering might be, one has only to imagine the aftermath of a nuclear war.

The Daishonin, urged on by his unrelenting sense of compassion and mission, threw himself into propagation. Our movement for kosen-rufu has its roots in these actions of the Daishonin. Compassion is in the inner glow of a person that surfaces in his or her actions. The Mystic Law does not spread by itself - it can only spread through the actions of people.

In saying that "It's benefit surpasses ... and Mahakashyapa," the Daishonin is indicating that the benefits gained by spreading his Buddhism comprise the greatest benefits of all. This is the actual proof we find in our practice of faith in the Gohonzon.

10-10-88 WT p.2 & 10/81 Seikyo Times pp.58-9

The Gosho cites the Rokuharamitsu Sutra where it states that one should be the master of his mind, rather than let his mind master him. The Mystic Law is the true master of one's mind. When people believe in and chant the Mystic Law and are united in their resolve to propagate faith in it, they may be said to be "many in body, one in mind."

Daily Guidance vol. 2, p. 67

"If Nichiren's compassion is truly great..." indicates the person, while the clause "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo will spread for ten thousand years and more, for all eternity, ..." indicates that the power of the Law of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo will spread for all eternity because of the powerful mercy (compassion) that surged forth from the Daishonin. In the final analysis, the phrase means that the movement of kosen-rufu has its origin in the compassionate behavior of Nichiren Daishonin. The Law does not exist by itself. It can only exist and spread through people's actions.

The above phrase also indicates the relationship of mentor and disciple. The mentor-disciple bond is the ultimate relationship in life. A person without a mentor to dispel the blindness in one's life will be unable to grow as a true human being.

10/88 Seikyo Times pp.9-10

"Now, in the Latter Day of the Law, all our efforts to tell people about and spread Nam-myoho-renge-kyo - the essence of the Lotus Sutra - constitute shakubuku. (p. 192)

It's important to share Buddhism with a spirit of compassion. It's almost like being in love (p. 193)

Whatever the immediate outcome of our efforts, there is absolutely no doubt about the benefit we receive from having offered earnest prayer and made the effort to conduct dialogue about our Buddhist faith. And precisely because shakubuku is not easy, it affords us opportunities to tap our innate wisdom and grow. If we plant a seed, in time it will definitely flower. The key point, it seems to me, is to talk to people with a sense of joy and exhilaration to be serving as the Buddha's envoy." (p. 194)

Endo: I think it's also important to warmly praise those doing shakubuku.

President Ikeda: That's right. Those carrying out this practice are "envoys of the Thus Come One"; they should be respected as Buddhas. This is the spirit of the "The Teacher of the Law" chapter. Those who have the spirit to praise others accumulate good fortune and strength and as a result can lead many to happiness. SGI members who dedicated their lives to kosen-rufu should be treasured as Buddhas. When we understand this spirit, we understand not only "The Teacher of the Law" chapter but the entire Lotus Sutra."

The Wisdom of the Lotus Sutra, vol. 2, pp. 192-211.

There is no true happiness other than upholding faith in the Lotus Sutra. This is what is meant by "peace and security in their present existence and good circumstances in future existences." Though worldly troubles may arise, never let them disturb you. No one can avoid problems, not even sages or worthies.

Happiness in This World, WND, 681 (MW-1, 161)

All disciples and lay supporters of Nichiren should chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with the spirit of many in body but one in mind, transcending all differences among themselves to become as inseparable as fish and the water in which they swim. This spiritual bond is the basis for the universal transmission of the ultimate Law of life and death. Herein lies the true goal of Nichiren's propagation.

The Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life, WND, 217, (MW-1, 23)

I transfer Shakyamuni Buddha's teachings of fifty years to Byakuren Ajari Nikko, who should become the chief priest of Minobu-san Kuon-ji temple. Those priests and lay believers who disregard this will be slanders of the Law (Document for Entrusting Minobu-san, GZ, 854).

The Life of Nichiren Daishonin, p. 108

Our present day corresponds to that time. If the ruler of our country had accepted what Nichiren's said, he could become like the two kings. Yet, in addition to rejecting it, he has actually sided with the enemies of the Lotus Sutra, so that the entire nation attacks me. From the ruler down to the common people, all have become slanderers of the Law, whose offense exceeds the five cardinal sins. Therefore, all of you are also on the side of the ruler. Although at heart you are of the same mind as Nichiren, since your person is in service to your lord, it would have been extremely difficult for you to have avoided the offense of complicity in slander. How admirable it is that, despite this, you communicated this teaching to your lord and urged him to take faith in it. Even though he may not accept it now, you have been able to avoid the offense of complicity.

On Recommending This Teaching to Your Lord and Avoiding the Offense of Complicity in Slander, WND, 461 Written to Shijo Kingo on September 26, 1274 from Minobu

When we pray to the Gohonzon and perform gongyo, we are enveloped in a fresh breeze from the palace of the ninth consciousness, the unchanging reality which reigns over all life's functions. It is as though we are seeing a beautiful moon in our own hearts. Nothing can compare to this perpetually fresh sense of fulfillment in the depths of one's life, as you know through your own experience.

Today there are many people who say they would be happy if only they had money. Certainly from one perspective this is understandable, but there are many who quarrel and even lose their lives for the sake of money. In the final analysis, the value of money is determined not solely by the amount one possesses, but also by his state of life, which determines how he makes use of money. I believe that at the present time we are losing sight of this. In this sense, we must understand that happiness or unhappiness in the true sense is ultimately determined by one's state of life.

It is for the sake of establishing true happiness that we carry out our faith. Our daily life belongs to what Buddhism describes as the realm of the nine worlds from Hell through Bodhisattva. It is inevitable that in society, the realm of the nine worlds, we will meet with various troubles and sufferings. However, by virtue of the Mystic Law, our strong faith can transform the three paths of earthly desires, karma and suffering into the three virtues of the property of the Law, wisdom and freedom. Therefore, by chanting daimoku to the Gohonzon each day and basing one's daily life upon the Mystic Law, without even realizing it, one is expanding his state of life and is establishing true happiness.

In maintaining faith, we must be careful to avoid such attitudes as haughtiness, pretension or conceit. True faith is to pray single-mindedly to the Gohonzon, to continue the practice of gongyo and daimoku and forge ahead untiringly. If one yields to his own haughtiness, pretension or arrogance and becomes inclined to consider the Gohonzon lightly or scorn his fellow members, he will obstruct his own benefit.

One should pray earnestly to the Gohonzon about his desires with total honesty and straightforwardness. Beyond that, since we are human beings, I do not deny the role of pride or appearances in secular affairs, but honest faith in the Gohonzon should be the basis of one's existence. Nothing is more delicate than the human mind. However, if one can only maintain determined faith toward the Gohonzon and carry through with his practice, that in itself will become the means to break through any difficulty.

Buddhism in Action, Vol. 2, pp. 38-9

Ikeda: President Toda was enlightened to the oneness of mentor and disciple. He "remembered" the truth that he had been exerting himself as a disciple of and with the same spirit as Nichiren Daishonin since the remote past. Understanding this, how could he begrudge his life?

Living Buddhism, October 2000, p. 32

Today in the Latter Day of the Law, we should follow Nichiren Daishonin. To follow Nichiren Daishonin means to exert oneself for the sake of kosen-rufu exactly as he instructed. It means to forge ahead in the practice for oneself and for others with all of one's strength.

Buddhism in Action, Vol. 5, pp. 162

We deserve to be called true followers of Buddhism only when we establish the strong and respectworthy faith of "never begrudging our lives for the sake of the Law"; then we can, as a matter of course, attain Buddhahood, the supreme condition of life.

Buddhahood, however, is a condition which can only be shared and understood between Buddhas. It is far beyond the power of ordinary people's imagination and understanding. Therefore, Nichiren Daishonin definitely proclaims that even though we are benighted and ignorant common mortals, if we continue practicing strictly according to his teachings, we will be able to open the supreme palace of Buddhahood within our lives as a matter of course.

This can be considered a firm promise given by the original Buddha to all human beings, including us. As you now understand, however, whether or not this promise is fulfilled depends solely upon our own faith with which we advance toward kosen-rufu.

Buddhism in Action, Vol. 1, p. 277

Nichiren Daishonin also states in the Gosho, "The Opening of the Eyes," "Whatever obstacles I might encounter, so long as men of wisdom do not prove my teachings to be false, I will never accept the practices of the other sects! All other troubles are no more to me than dust before the wind." "My teachings," that is, the Daishonin's Buddhism, are absolutely true and valid.

Thus, from the standpoint of our practice, this passage means that no matter what hardships we may confront, we should never allow our faith to slacken. The essence of the Daishonin's Buddhism is faith, and as long as we remain steadfast in faith, we can win in everything we undertake. We are children of the Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin's disciples. So, please have the spirit of "we are the champions of faith," and strive valiantly toward the accomplishment of kosen-rufu.

As the proverb "Time flies like an arrow" implies, our lives go by as if in an instant. We grow old and die in due time. Therefore, I would like you to exert yourselves fully in everything that you must accomplish and to live fulfilling lives with no regrets.

The important thing is to set the goal to which you will dedicate your life and to realize the mission which you will pursue throughout your life. Without a clear objective and mission, no one can accomplish anything remarkable.

We must base our lives on the Gohonzon. The Soka Gakkai* is a religious body with a mission to spread the Daishonin's Buddhism far and wide for all eternity. Within the Soka Gakkai, we are walking the road of faith toward "the palace of the ninth consciousness," the perfect manifestation of Buddhahood within our lives, centering around the Gohonzon. Let us advance gallantly and cheerfully in faith, for the sake of our own growth and development.

Buddhism in Action, Vol. 2, P. 106

In his treatise "The Opening of the Eyes," Nichiren quotes a passage from the Shinjikan Sutra:

If you want to understand the causes that existed in the past, look at the results as they are manifested in the present. And if you want to understand what results will be manifested in the future, look at the causes that exist in the present.

This passage, too, does not refer to cosmic-time causality, such as the formation of water resulting from the combination of hydrogen and oxygen; or historical-time causality, such as the purported inevitability of the move from capitalism to socialism. Buddhism uses the term inga iji, or the non-simultaneity of cause and effect, to refer to such linear progressions of causality.

Of most interest to us as human beings, however, are the results that will be manifested in the future. More than any other factor, these are shaped by inner causes in the present moment, that is, by the intensity of our conviction in the plane of what Berdjaev calls the profundity of existential time. This is central to the Buddhist view of time in which the present moment is pivotal - in a sense is everything - and it stands in contrast to an historical conceptualization of time in which the future "eats up" the present. Without this pivotal "now," past and future are empty and illusory. Our proper focus must be on ourselves at the present moment. Our actions now should be carried out with intensity, with the realization that the depth of this inner determination is the decisive factor which creates the future and makes history. This view of time and causality is referred to in Buddhism as inga guji, or the "simultaneity of cause and effect."

Living Buddhism, May 1998, Pg. 17

What good karma must you have formed in the past, then, to have been born a person able to recite even so much as a verse or a phrase of the Lotus Sutra!

The Recitation of the "Expedient Means" and "Life Span" Chapters, WND, 69

Written to Hiki Daigaku Saburo Yoshimoto's wife on April 17, 1264 from Kamakura

I, Nichiren, am the richest man in all of present-day Japan. I have dedicated my life to the Lotus Sutra, and my name will be handed down in ages to come.

The Opening of the Eyes - Part II, WND, 268

Written to Shijo Kingo in February of 1272 from Tsukahara on Sado

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